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Their regular coffee meet-ups (“They’re not dates, Eddie”) are usually pretty short, they don’t make it difficult to hide Venom from Anne.
What makes it hard is Anne’s gentle pity.
“It’s ok to be sad, Eddie,” she says, with a hand on his knee, and concern in her voice. “You’re grieving. Talk to me, please.” They’re sitting on her front steps again, now that the weather is getting warmer it’s nice to be outside. Takeaway coffee cups sitting beside them, long gone cold.
Eddie shrugs, avoiding her eyes, what else can he do? He can’t tell her- he trusts her, but can he trust her with this. With them.
Because, it is a them. An item. A package deal.
“I’m fine, Anne,” he puts as much sincerity into it as he can, because it’s true.
“I don’t like you dealing with all this on your own, Eddie,” she shakes her head in that annoyed way Eddie used to love. A part of him still does love it, still loves Anne. But that part is slowly being taken over by Venom.
You should tell her.
“I’m not alone,” Eddie says, ignoring Venom’s voice in his head. He smiles wide, and gestures to Anne as if to say ta-da! “I have you!”
Anne rolls her eyes. “You need more than just coffee with your ex every second week.”
“Well, I have my job, I talk to lots of people there.”
“And after work?” she presses. “On the weekends?”
“I, you know-” he flexes his arms. “I work out.”
That makes Anne laugh, and some of the tension bleeds out of Eddie.
“God, you really are a mess.”
“I’ll take that as the compliment it is intended to be,” Eddie says with a proud smirk. “Thank you very much.”
Tell her. She worries.
“You don’t need to worry about me, you know,” Eddie touches her arm for a moment before letting his hand drop.
“Even when I hated you,” she says. “I could never stop worrying about you.”
He ducks his head, feels his face go hot. “I’m sorry-”
“You’re an easy person to worry about.” The way she’s looking at him is concerned, but analytical. There’s a little bit of lawyer in her look. “That’s not an insult… I think.”
That makes Eddie laugh, even if it is a bit forced.
“Thanks for, for caring, for everything, Annie.” He meets her eyes then. And she nods, and it’s ok.
Tell her.
Not yet.
“Dinner,” Anne says suddenly. “Friday night.”
“Ugh…”
“Here. Me, you, and Dan.”
“Um, I don’t-”
“7 pm.”
“Are you-”
“Don’t bring anything, you always pick terrible wine.”
“It’s not terrible-”
“Wear something nice.”
“Like what?” Eddie sighs, resigned to his fate.
“Nice jeans and a button down.”
“Ok,” Eddie doesn’t know why he’s agreeing, he really doesn’t want to have dinner with Dan, to have to sit there and watch while they act like the perfect couple. All while also having to hide the best thing in his life.
Best thing? Venom asks, and a wave of pride and happiness and love flows through him to Eddie. Eddie doesn’t want to have to hide that feeling if he doesn’t have to. With Anne at least, he shouldn’t have to.
Tell her. Venom insists again.
“Friday,” Eddie says and it answers both of them.
//////////////////////////////
Even though she said not to bring anything, Venom had demanded they stop at this boutique liquor store and buy a $50 bottle of wine.
This is a good one.
“How do you know? I never drink wine?”
I read reviews online. Just shut up and buy it.
The salesclerk also assures Eddie that it one of their best sellers, great notes of blah blah blah and some other flowery wine bullshit. Eddie has never really had the palate for the stuff. He nods along with her description, hands over the money and pays an extra five dollars for her to put a bow on it and put it in a nice bag.
“I don’t even know why we’re buying this,” Eddie grumbles as they walk out of the store. “It’s like fifty dollars! And Annie said-”
Do you want to make a good impression or not?
“Okay,” Eddie raises his hands in surrender. “Who made you the expert on wine though?”
Over one hundred hours of Food Network, and several youtube videos.
“Darling, you’ve got too much time on you hands.”
You sleep a lot. There’s warmth in Venom’s tone, and Eddie can feel him smiling.
They’re still new on the whole we-share-a-body-but-also-we’re-dating thing, so the pet names still spark a little surprise. Venom especially likes when Eddie calls him love. Eddie especially likes when Venom wraps him up and calls him mine.
Friday rolls around and Venom also decides to take control of Eddie’s outfit.
“You’re not Tan France, you can’t tell me what to wear,” Eddie had complained while Venom made him try on every thing in his closet and walk up and down the room like a model. “I don’t know what’s wrong with the first outfit I picked.”
It was a polo neck.
“What’s wrong with that?”
You are not a polo neck gay, Eddie. Please burn it.
Eddie just sighed, threw the polo in the “no” pile, and tried on the next outfit.
Eddie arrives five minutes early because he wants to convince them that he’s a functioning adult. Also, because Venom told him to. Eddie is sensing a pattern.
It is because you are whipped.
Eddie doesn’t have time to think of a witty reply, and it’s also hard to deny something that is obviously true.
“Eddie!” Anne greets him with a quick hug. “You’re early, that’s new.” There’s something secretive in her tone.
“Is that such a surprise?”
Anne just replies with raised eyebrows and a suspicious “hmm..” That’s when she sees the bag in Eddie’s hands.
“Oh, Eddie,” Anne smiles.
“I know you said not to,” he holds the bag out to her, only a little awkwardly. “But I didn’t want to show up empty handed, that’s rude.”
Anne takes the bag, as Dan appears at her elbow.
“Honey, look what Eddie brought,” she passes the bag to him without even looking in it. That hurts Eddie a second, but then Venom moves his eyes so that he’s watching Dan, as he pulls open the ribbon and takes the bottle from the bag.
“Oh, wow, how did you know?” he says, almost breathless, looking at the bottle in awe. “This is my absolute favorite.”
Eddie pushes a questioning Did you know…? towards Venom, who just replies with a wave of smugness.
“I just uh, got whatever was on sale,” Eddie shrugs. “It’s no big deal.”
“It’s fate then,” Dan turns to Eddie then, wide eyed and delighted. “Thank you so much, it’s so thoughtful of you, Eddie.”
The hand not holding the bottle reaches out and touches Eddie’s arm. Any resentment, anger, or awkwardness that Eddie might have been holding onto towards Dan just melts away with the sincerity in Dan’s tone, and the delicateness of his touch. Eddie feels lighter, and smiles back at Dan.
“I’m glad you like it,” and Eddie means it.
You know what that is? Growth.
Eddie turns around to hang up his jacket so his human companions don’t catch his eye roll.
I regret giving you a phone and an unlimited data plan.
Eddie follows Anne and Dan into the kitchen. The house is familiar, but it’s not his anymore. New paint, new sofa, new TV. Anne must have done up most of the place in the past few months. Eddie doesn’t blame her, he shrugs it off and takes a seat at the island.
“I’ve opened the red you brought, I’m just letting in breath,” Dan says as he rummages in the fridge.
“Or would you prefer white?” Anne sits in the stool beside him. She puts two large wine glasses on the island next to a chilled bottle of white wine.
“Ugh…”
“How about this,” Dan turns from the fridge and puts a bottle in front of Eddie. It’s some craft IPA something or other that Eddie doesn’t recognise.
“Beer?” Eddie asks, confused but hopeful.
Dan laughs, but it’s good natured, like Eddie just made a clever joke and isn’t, in fact, an idiot.
“I usually go for Heineken or something I recognise, but I won these in a raffle in work,” Dan explains, as he moves to sit on Eddie’s other side. “I have a six pack, so feel free to help yourself.” He holds out a bottle opener and gestures to the bottle.
“Thanks, man,” Eddie claps Dan on the arm in the universal gesture of bro-ness.
Dan’s face goes very slightly red at the contact and he lets out a little breathy laugh. Instead of giving the opener to Eddie, Dan just opens the bottle for him. Eddie isn’t phased, and just takes a long pull from the bottle.
“There, let me know if you like it,” Dan says. “If not I think we have some Coors or something.”
“It’s good,” Eddie assures him, he pats Dan on the shoulder again. This time Dan ducks his head from Eddie’s view.
“Good good,” he says. “Ok, I’m going to check on the food.”
Dan flies off the stool and busies himself checking the pots and pans on the stove.
“Let’s move into the living room,” Anne says. “Let the maestro work.”
“Is he a good cook?” Eddie asks as they move to sit side by side on the new, plush couch. It’s a pale grey and very soft. Eddie feels like he could sink into it.
“He likes to please,” Anne smiles. “Food is a way for him to do that.”
“What’s he making?”
“Eddie,” Anne says, ignoring his question. She turns to him, suddenly serious. “How are you?”
“I’m, I’m good, Annie, you know I’m-”
“No,” She leans in and looks him right in the eye. “How are you really. You know you can tell me anything, right?”
Eddie takes a deep breath - maybe he should just get it out of the way now before dinner. He opens his mouth to tell her the truth about Venom, but then his mouth snaps shut.
Not yet.
Anne’s eyes narrow. “You know you can trust me, Eddie,” her fingertips brush his knee. “I won’t judge you, whatever you’re feeling, you can tell me.”
“I.. um, you know, I, ugh, um,” Eddie stutters out a whole lot of nothing, trying to stall.
Why not now? He thinks to Venom.
Hungry. Is the reply.
She’s looking at Eddie so pleadingly, so open. He should tell her.
HUNGRY.
But the symbiote in his head is throwing a tantrum, so he decides to wait at least until after the main course. With that decision, Venom sends him a wave of contentment. Ok, Eddie really is whipped.
A squeeze on his knee brings Eddie’s attention back to Anne. He takes a breath.
“I’m good, Annie,” he says. “I mean it, I’m in a good place.”
“Really?” A note of disbelief in her voice.
“Really,” he pats her knee, mirroring the hand on his. “I don’t think I could be here in this house, about to have dinner with you and Dan, if I wasn’t in a really, really, good place.”
Anne draws back at that. She picks up her wine glass, and takes a sip. Eddie can tell she’s thinking, so he sits up and takes a drink too, finishing off his first beer.
“It’s good to see you happy, Eddie,” her wine glass still covers most of her face, and that’s how Eddie knows that she’s being open and honest. He still knows her, and a part of him still loves her.
He feels Venom’s thoughts rise in a brief flash of panic and jealousy.
Not that kind of love, V, don’t worry. He sends reassurances to Venom. Things are different now.
Eddie’s shoulders move in a silent laugh as he drains the last of his beer.
“Something funny?” Anne asks.
Eddie shakes his head. “Things are different now,” it’s a good thought, he wants to say it out loud.
“Yeah,” Anne says.
“But, in a good way.”
“A good way.”
They spend a moment just looking at each other. They’ve spent a lot of time looking at each other, but this time it is different. In a good way.
Eddie smiles at her.
“Thanks for inviting me,” he says, and he wants to say more, but then Dan is calling from the kitchen.
“Dinner’s en route to the table!”
So Anne just takes Eddie’s hand in hers and gives it a gentle squeeze. “Let’s eat.”
Eddie notices that the dining room off the kitchen hasn’t changed, but it was never a room they used much. There are fresh flowers on the table, an overspilling bouquet of pink and purple flowers. The table is set with plain white plates and heavy cutlery that looks expensive. There’s already a bowl of salad on the table, and even Venom has to admit it looks good.
Anne directs Eddie to sit, and she takes her own seat directly across from him. Dan follows behind them, carry plates, and Eddie smells the food now: garlic, tomato, herbs.
“Portobello Mushroom Bruschetta,” Dan declares as he sets the dish in front of Eddie. He stares. It’s a big mushroom. But it’s topped with finely chopped tomatoes, green herbs, balsamic vinegar, and absolutely drenched in garlic butter.
Dan sits down at the head of the table, between Eddie and Anne, smiling as he lifts up his knife and fork. “Let me know what you think, I’ve only made this once before.”
Bone app the teeth. Venom unhelpfully supplies in Eddie’s head.
Eddie ignores him and just starts eating. It’s nice, so Eddie compliments Dan. That seems to break some of the tension, and the rest of the conversation flows. They talk about the latest blockbuster none of them have seen, Eddie’s latest reports, and just general chit-chat. It’s nice.
Then Dan brings out the main course.
“French onion chicken,” Dan says and puts the dish in front of Eddie. It’s on of those bowl-plate type dishes you see on cooking shows. The soup is brownish, watery-looking, with a huge hunk of chicken just sitting in the middle. It smells good, like savory-sweet onions, but Eddie doesn’t have much faith in it. He cuts into the chicken, smiling encouragingly at Dan. He notices that both Dan and Anne haven’t taken a bite yet.
Eddie nervously lifts his fork, and takes a bite.
His eyes fall closed the second the food hits his tongue. It’s heavenly. Savory, rich, with a buttery sweetness that cuts through it all, giving the whole thing an incredible depth.
He can’t stop the obscene moan that escapes. It’s… loud.
Dan and Anne, who had been starting to eat their own food, freeze. Dan’s fork is halfway to his mouth. Anne tries her best to contain her laughter, but ends up making a snorting laugh sound.
“Didn’t think I’d hear that sound again,” she says.
Eddie chokes, and flushes bright red. Anne is fully laughing at this point. Even Dan is giggling behind his glass. Venom curls around the back of his mind, laughing almost as hard as Anne.
“I’m glad you ugh, like it,” Dan says and Eddie thinks he’s a little red, too, eyes going from Anne back to his food, avoiding Eddie.
“It’s good,” Eddie manages to squeak out.
“Dan is really skilled in the… kitchen, ” Anne says smugly. She’s stopped laughing, and is just smirking at Eddie as she eats.
“I’m sure he is,” Eddie agrees. Now it’s Dan’s turn to choke on his food, but he hides it better than Eddie did.
Tell them now. Venom’s voice is sudden enough that it makes Eddie flinch.
“What?” Eddie mutters.
“Eddie?” Anne says. The smirk is gone, replaced by concern.
“Do you want another beer?” Dan asks, moving to stand up.
“No, no,” Eddie puts a hand on his arm to stop him.
Tell them now . Venom insists, trying to move Eddie to stand. Eddie fights the urge, and it’s like a pressure headache gripping his brain. NO Eddie yells in his brain, broadcasting his displeasure to Venom. Venom backs off, and the pain in Eddie’s mind clears.
“Are you ok?” Dan’s hand is on Eddie’s arm now, when did that happen?
“No,” Eddie says it more firmly. “I mean yeah, sorry, no, I’ll get it. Do you guys want anything from the kitchen?”
They decline his offer, but eye Eddie suspiciously as he retreats into the kitchen.
Eddie opens the fridge and sticks his head in to cool down. Venom forms a tiny face in front of him, hidden by the fridge door if anyone were to walk in.
“Don’t pussy out, Eddie,” Venom says, deep voice at odds with the small head. “March back in there and tell them about me.”
“No!” Eddie’s voice is an angry whisper. “We’re in the middle of a really nice dinner. I’m talking to Annie, and Dan is actually a very nice person, and a good cook.” Eddie points an accusing finger at Venom, pokes him. “We’re going to go back in there and finish Dan’s lovingly prepared food. We’re going to make pleasant small talk. And then I will tell them about the alien that I share a body with.”
Venom makes a tsk noise. “No need to be so dramatic about it.”
“I want to prove to them I’m better,” the anger leaves Eddie all at once. “I want to show them I’m good now, that you help me be a good person.”
“Oh,” warm feelings of love flow from Venom to Eddie. “Why didn’t you say that in the first place?”
“I didn’t think you were going to try and make a scene,” Eddie is smiling as he says it though, love radiating between them.
He reaches past Venom and grabs a beer, giving Venom’s tiny head a quick kiss as he does.
“Now let’s go back before the food gets cold.”
Eddie hears Dan and Anne having an intense but whispered conversation as he walks towards the dining room, but they immediately stop when he walks in.
“I’m back,” he announces lamely.
A flash of annoyance crosses Anne’s face, but it quickly smoothed away with a smile. Dan’s delighted expression never falters.
The awkwardness from before is gone, and Dan launches into a funny ER story from his residency, that involved several object lodged in places they shouldn’t ever, ever go.
It’s easy, Eddie realises, as they’re finishing up dinner. Talking to Anne and Dan, laughing with them, being with them. It’s nice. He’s on the last beer in the pack, and is suddenly hit with the weight of what he has to do now. It’s time to come clean.
Dan starts to clear the table, bringing the side dishes into the kitchen. When he comes back Eddie clears his throat.
“Hey, um, guys?” he starts.
“Wait,” Anne stops him. “Let’s move into the living room,” she picks up her glass and the bottle of wine. “Leave the plates, Dan. We’ll deal with them later.” She pecks his cheek as she walks past him.
Eddie and Dan follow her into the living room. Dan sits beside her on the sofa, and they’re relaxed, happy. Eddie doesn’t want to ruin the night, and ruin the possibility of actually being friends with Anne and Dan.
What if they freak out, what if they think Eddie is insane and they don’t want to talk to him anymore, or worse. What if they try to take Venom away from him?
No, they won’t. Venom’s tone is different. Just tell them, Eddie. It will be ok. Before he was demanding, insistent, urgent. That’s gone now, and in its place is gentle encouragement. Reassurance. It makes Eddie feel brave.
He stands up, facing them. When they notice his serious face, their smiles drop. Their own expressions turning serious and attentive. Dan’s face is so gentle and encouraging. Anne is her usual poker faced self.
“Do you have something to share with the class?” She says, and it would be a joke if the tension in the room wasn’t so thick.
“Ugh, yeah.” Eddie clears his throat again, stalling. “So, um. Venom survived.”
No reaction.
“The, ugh, explosion. Venom, he- he survived. He’s still alive and he’s, I mean, we’re, he’s um, in- we’re bonded. Together.” Venom shuts his mouth for him.
“So, he’s... with you now?” Dan asks carefully.
“Yes,” Eddie says. “Look, I know this isn’t conventional, or normal in any way. But Venom… He’s good for me. And I’m good for him. We’re really good- together. I’m working on cases, and we’re making a real difference I can feel it. We’re-” he pauses, and looks right at Anne. “I’m happy. I’m really, really happy. Venom makes me happy.”
“Thank you for telling us,” Anne says flatly, her expression is lawyer-blank. Dan looks like he’s about to burst out of his skin - with excitement or fear Eddie can’t tell.
“I didn’t say it before because, well, I didn’t want you to think- to think-,” Eddie’s can feel the panic bubbling up his throat.
“Hey, hey, it’s ok,” Dan soothes, holding up his hands as if to touch Eddie, but he’s too far away. “We understand, Eddie, it’s ok.” His voice is calm, and it puts Eddie a little more at ease.
“Venom,” Anne says, voice steady. “Do you want to come out and say hi?”
“No! No, he-,” Eddie starts but is interrupted by Venom forming a head from his shoulder.
“Hello!” Venom says cheerfully, grin wide.
“Hello, Venom,” Anne says.
“It’s nice to meet you, officially.” Dan says. He gives Venom a little wave, and Venom waves a tendril back.
Eddie just stares at them all in shock.
“Wow. You guys are super cool about this. I was expecting, I dunno, more screaming and shouting.”
“Eddie,” Venom says, turning to look Eddie in the eye. “Can I borrow fifty dollars?”
“What?”
“I owe Dan fifty dollars.”
“What? ”
Anne starts snickering into her wine glass. “Oh Eddie, your face is priceless right now.”
“It’s ok, V, you don’t need to pay,” Dan says. “I will accept the bragging rights, though.”
Eddie’s brain can’t process anything that’s happening right now.
“Wait,” Anne turns to Dan. “Is my debt absolved, too then?”
“No, you have a job and a salary. Your debt stands.”
“Wait, wait, wait, wait,” Eddie puts his hands up to shush everyone. “What the fuck are you talking about?” He looks at Venom, who at least has the decency to look a little shy.
“We had a bet,” he explains. “And Dan won.”
“Seriously, your face is hilarious,” Anne is still giggling.
“We also have a group chat.”
“You what? ” Eddie shouts. “Is that why you asked for a phone?”
“Yes, and also to watch cat videos on youtube.”
“Of course,” Eddie shakes his head. “I can’t believe this. Seriously? Is that- oh my god.” He points to Anne. “You’re always asking me if I have anything to tell you!”
“Yeah,” Anne rolls her eyes. “I didn’t think I was being subtle about it, but here we are.”
“We wanted to see how long it would take you to grow a pair and tell them about me,” Venom says.
“We understand though,” Dan’s calm voice cutting through Anne and Venom’s amusement. “You went through something traumatic, and you - both of you - have needed time to process what happened. Thank you for telling us, Eddie. And for trusting us with this, we know you don’t do this lightly.”
“Oh,” Eddie is touched, a rush of fond emotion swells in him threatening to spill out. He’s lost for words. Luckily, Anne cuts in.
“That’s Doctor Dan’s opinion,” she says. “I am fucking pissed you lied to me. So consider this payback, but also forgiveness and acceptance, or whatever.” She hides her face in her wine glass, and that’s how Eddie knows she’s being sincere.
Finally, he turns back to Venom.
“What’s your excuse?”
“I thought it would be easy money.” Venom grins.
Eddie isn’t satisfied with that answer, and pushes that feeling towards Venom. Venom looks at him for a moment, but gives in with a sigh.
“After the fire…” Venom stops.
Eddie waits, and Anne and Dan look at him with matching looks of worry.
“You were injured,” Venom says. “ We were injured.”
“You refused to go to the hospital,” Dan adds.
“I thought that it would hurt, and I was weak, and it might-,” Venom stops, but the thought I thought it would kill me rings in Eddie’s mind.
“I put you in a coma, just for a day, so that I could focus on healing us.”
“I wouldn’t stop calling,” Anne cuts in this time, her voice deceptively calm. “I was so worried. So I went to your apartment, but you wouldn’t answer the door. I thought you were dead.”
“She threatened to call the police,” Venom says. “So I opened the door.”
“You… opened the door?” Eddie’s voice cracks on the last word.
“We talked.” Venom says.
“Well, there was some screaming at first,” Anne says. “But then yeah, we talked.”
“We are friends,” Venom looks to Anne, he nods. She nods back.
“We’re friends,” she agrees.
“Oh,” Eddie breaths out, deflates, and sits down heavily on the armchair beside him. “Do we have more alcohol?” he asks.
“Yes! The good stuff!” Dan jumps up from the sofa and runs into the kitchen, he returns with a bottle of whiskey and three small glasses. “I think this calls for a toast!”
He places two glasses down in front of Eddie. “Can you drink from a glass, V, or do you need… a straw?”
“A glass is fine,” Venom says. A tendril snakes out of Eddie’s side and curls around the glass as Dan pours the three of them whiskey, and Anne another glass of wine.
“So… a groupchat, huh?” Eddie says. “Do I get an invite?”
“No,” Venom’s answer is immediate and firm. “We mostly use it to judge your clothing choices.”
“Wow, thanks,” Eddie says.
“And I ask them for advice,” Venom says. “ Explanations of your human behavior, things like that,”
“And recipes!” Dan says. “Did you make that chicken noodle soup I sent?”
“That was your recipe?” Eddie says, shocked.
“It was good,” Venom says. “ Thank you.”
“I can’t believe you guys have a fucking group chat,” Eddie shakes his head, and goes to take a drink.
“Wait!” Dan stops him. “A toast!”
“A toast?” Eddie says.
“To friends,” Venom says.
“To friends,” they chorus.
Dan and Anne look at Eddie, and they’re smiling, wide and warm. Their glasses clink and they knock back their drinks. Then Dan starts telling more stories of his adventures as a resident, and they’re all tipsy enough that they lose their shit laughing. It’s good.
Eddie is surrounded by people he trusts, people he cares about and who care about him. Venom is beside him, talking and laughing. This is something Eddie thought he would never have, could never have: total acceptance.
He sends a thought to Venom: Thank you.
A tendril comes down to wrap around Eddie’s wrist and hold his hand.
I’m still not adding you to the group chat.