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Venom had been around the block a time or two. He had, like the others, followed Riot wherever he went in the universe, trusting him to lead them to a new, bigger, even better food source than the last. They left behind a trail of eaten worlds, always hungering for more. And when those creatures—strange and unknown—found them on their rock floating through space, Riot thought that they might be the answer to their hunger.
Venom wasn’t exactly… popular. The others, well, they scorned him, pushed him away and shunned him. But he didn’t let that stop him. Where Riot went, Venom followed. Even when the ship crashed onto the creatures’ planet and their group of four was separated, Venom held close his purpose: Wait for Riot, and sooner or later, they would find a way to consume this world the way they had consumed all the others.
Waiting was unpleasant. Those creatures—humans, he learned—were quick to realize that Venom’s kind needed a host to survive on their planet, and their leader… their leader was particularly enthusiastic about finding hosts suitable for them. And that meant trying again and again, subjecting them to going in and out of bodies that continued to be too small or too weak. First it was animals with memories of a life of cages and test tubes, then humans who were much more interesting but still not good enough.
The first host that could sustain Venom for any amount of time was a woman. Her name was Maria and she was there because she needed the money that was offered, because she lived on a street corner and was only able to afford to buy food by taking free newspapers and reselling them for five dollars to—wait, who was this? Maria’s memories told Venom that his name was Eddie, a man in a similar situation. Eddie was out of work, but he was still able to survive and keep a roof over his head because he had a good bit of savings from his previous job. He had been an investigative reporter, widely considered to be the best in the business. Eddie was a good man who had apparently dedicated his life to getting justice for those who couldn’t get justice for themselves. The last time Maria saw him, Eddie gave her twenty dollars in exchange for the free newspaper she was trying to sell him for five. Maria liked Eddie, and through her Venom liked him, too. He even thought that he would like to meet him one day.
Then he was there. Maria begged Eddie to get her out of there and he did—and Venom saw his chance. He knew Maria wouldn’t last very long anyway, so he abandoned her and transferred himself into Eddie. He helped Eddie escape from that building, both because he was tired of being there and… because, for some reason, he wanted Eddie to live. While they ran, Venom flipped through some of Eddie’s major memories to get a better idea of who he was. The more he learned about his new host—who was absolutely perfect for him, matching up in all the right ways—the more he wanted to protect him. The more he wanted to be with him. Eddie reminded him of himself, and yet, he was so much more.
Venom wanted to be with Eddie so bad that his entire life shifted. He didn’t want to destroy this world, not when it was capable of producing someone like Eddie.
One of the first things Venom learned from being with him was that Eddie was still in love with Anne. Venom wanted to help Eddie win her back if he could, but when Eddie was taken from him and Venom had to get back to him… he was going to use that stupid tiny dog, right up until he saw Anne standing in front of him in the hospital hallway. Anne knelt down and talked to him, saying that she wanted to help Eddie too and would help Venom as long as he didn’t, y’know, kill her. It was a good deal, so he joined up with her to go save Eddie.
While they were on their way to him, Venom flipped through Anne’s memories of him. She had loved him, loved him enough to spend the rest of her life with him the way Venom wanted to stay with him now. Then he found the memory of her finding out that Eddie read her confidential emails and apparently ruined her case and got her fired from her job—which was enough for her to call off their relationship. Venom didn’t understand. Why was Anne fired for what Eddie had done? And… well, Venom had begun to feel like nothing could ever make him want to separate from Eddie, not even something like that. Of course, he didn’t really have any basis of comparison; he couldn’t even begin to understand Anne’s feelings about the incident. All he knew was that he would always stay loyal to Eddie.
That was how Venom knew he was well and truly screwed. Looking through Anne’s memories made him realize something: The weird stupid feeling he was starting to develop was some form of love.
Ultimately, he wanted Eddie to be happy. Having a few more moments with Anne would make him happy, so Venom did something that the others of his kind would certainly have judged him harshly for. But he wanted to do it. He wanted to kiss Eddie, even though he knew that Eddie wanted to kiss Anne. It worked, in a weird way. It made them both happy. Anne wouldn’t admit it, but one last kiss with Eddie worked for her, too.
Then Venom and Eddie saved the world together. When it came down to it, Venom was ready to sacrifice himself to save Eddie. He barely survived; just enough of him was there to hear Eddie yell Venom, no! but he wasn’t strong enough to respond, wasn’t strong enough for what felt like an eternity but must have only been a little while. While Venom recovered, he missed Eddie. And he could feel that Eddie missed him. It was miserable until he gathered his strength enough to say:
Eddie.
Eddie almost jumped out of his skin when he heard Venom’s voice again. Shock and surprise filled his body for a moment before being being washed away by relief and happiness. “Venom. You’re still here?”
I was too weak to talk to you until now. I’m still here.
Eddie smiled. He did everything he could from then on to help Venom recover, eating way more than he needed to in order to help Venom regain his strength.
For a little while, Venom still tried to encourage Eddie to fight to win Anne back. And then Anne got engaged to Dan and, well… the tiny, tiny part of Eddie’s heart that was still holding out hope for his relationship with Anne shattered. Venom searched through Eddie’s memories, soaking in all the information he could about the sincerity of engagements, and he realized that the last thing Eddie needed was for the alien voice in his head to be constantly trying to get him to win back his ex when she had clearly moved on. It was different now.
Venom was quiet for a few days once he was sure Eddie would be okay and didn’t need constant reassurance. Sure, they were both happy for Anne, but it hurt. It hurt to see her moving on so completely so quickly. It had only been a few months since she was with Eddie, and now…
I will never leave you.
“I know, Vee. I appreciate it.”
You are mine.
“I know.”
I love you, Eddie.
“I kno—what?”
I love you.
“Wh—?”
You are confused.
“Um, yeah, just a little bit. Little bit.”
Why?
“Why would I not be?”
I didn’t say anything confusing. Just that I love you.
“I don’t—I don’t think you really understand what you’re saying.”
Venom formed his own little neck and head, moving around to look Eddie in the eyes.
Yes I do. I love you.
“You, uh, you aliens even have love?”
Not really, but we have never been with humans before. I learned from you.
“What, you learned how to love after being around me?”
Yes. I’ve learned a lot from you.
“Venom…”
I mean it.
It took a while, but eventually, Eddie believed him when he said that he loved him. Venom started spending more time outside of his human, cuddling up against him so they could have the sort of physical contact normal couples did. Venom would emerge shortly before Eddie woke up every day, lay next to him, and was able to be the first face Eddie saw in the morning. He would retreat back into Eddie when it came time for meals or when he had to do some business in the bathroom, but he liked to be out with him as much as he could. Venom would take whatever form he needed to be with Eddie, to hold his hand and cuddle with him while he watched TV and everything else he could possibly do.
After a long, long day at work—Eddie had gotten a new job as a reporter, often on the behalf of the government, and it was going well for him, but sometimes he worked too hard for way too long—they stumbled into the apartment, Venom being the only thing that kept Eddie on his feet.
You need to take a shower. You stink.
“Thanks, Vee. So do you.”
Eddie.
“I’m too tired, okay? I’ll do it in the morning.”
No you won’t. I know you better than that.
It took more effort than it should have for Eddie to smile at that. Then, all of a sudden, he wasn’t moving his own body anymore. He made a surprised noise as Venom took over, urging him in the direction of the bathroom.
Don’t fight me, Eddie. I’ve got you.
“What’re you gonna do, take a shower for me?”
Of course not. That would be stupid. I’m going to help you take your shower.
“You don’t have to do that.”
I told you to stop fighting me. I’m going to take care of you. You need it.
Eddie groaned in frustration, then let the resistance drain out of his muscles. “You’re the worst.”
You’ll thank me when you don’t smell like a dumpster behind fast food restaurant anymore.
“Probably. Gonna complain in the meantime, though.”
You’re the worst.
“Really? Thought you loved me,” he teased, even as Venom set about getting some warm water running and getting Eddie out of his clothes.
I do. You’re still a pain in the ass.
“Yeah, because you make my life so much easier.”
You know you can’t lie to me, Eddie. I know everything about you. You like having me around.
“Not always.”
Venom made the weird type of noise he made when he was amused.
I love you.
“I know.” He didn’t make any effort, letting Venom do the heavy lifting of getting him into the shower. “I, uh, I love you, too.”
I know. I’m inside your head.
“So, you knew, and you didn’t say anything? Seriously?”
I knew you’d say it when you were ready.
“You know, it’s usually supposed to be a dramatic reveal.”
Why?
“Dunno. Makes it special somehow, I guess.”
That’s stupid. I was happy when you first thought that you love me, even if it wasn’t a special reveal.
“You’re… You’re right. I’m glad you’re here with me, Vee.”
I’m glad to be with you.
“Uh, Vee?”
Yes?
“I, uh, I don’t need you to wash my ass for me.”
If you say so.
“I do. I definitely do.”
And that night, when Eddie was in bed waiting to go to sleep, Venom caught him off guard with a little kiss, the best kind of kiss he could manage considering the circumstances. Eddie moaned into the kiss the way he had that first time in the woods and Venom decided that he would never, ever let anyone take Eddie from him. They would be together for the rest of their lives.
Eddie would die one day. He would get old and he would die, and Venom would die with him. Venom would stay with him up to the very last second and beyond; he would stay, he would not abandon his host and try to find a new one, no, he would stay and he would die with Eddie because he would rather be dead than live in a world without him. Eddie was his and he was Eddie’s and nothing, not even death, could tear them apart. Venom had never believed in an afterlife, but now… Eddie grew up in a world where people did believe in such a thing and it rubbed off on him, the hope that death didn’t completely erase someone from existence. And it was rubbing off on Venom. If he could be with Eddie through the rest of this life and whatever life came next, he would be happy.
Venom loved Eddie. That was all that mattered now.