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The Mania symbiote stretched up, becoming tall, shifting mass and weight to resemble a slim humanoid form. Arms sprouted out, then lost shape, and reformed yet again. A head appeared, eyes like white gashes, surrounded by a halo of spikes, more spikes and thorns forming and melting down its back like in a wave. Then its whole body flopped inwards and down and spread in a puddle on the flat roof.
In front of it, the Venom symbiote let the large humanoid form it had taken melt down as well, assuming that of a long eel-like creature instead. Tendrils reached out towards the younger symbiote, communicating encouragement and comprehension through gentle touches and telepathic nudges. It was answered by a surge of annoyed frustration.
"Aww, you were almost there!" Andi, who was sitting cross-legged next to the two symbiotes, reached to Mania as well and patted it. The symbiote shaped a spiky head under her hand and leaned up into her touch. She scratched its skin, nails digging gently into the gooey mass.
as i told you, it's not easy at first, the Symbiote formed a head and a mouth to address the young woman.
maintaining a stable independent form, a mirror to the one we take with our host. only came easy to me when the connection to the cosmos was stronger.
"Maybe we should make a trip to space," Andi mused. "For educational purposes. What do you say, Mania?" Andi grinned at the mental image the symbiote sent her. "I don't know if we can find nutella pizza in outer space, but we can freeze some and pack it with us. Yeah, I knew that would convince you..."
She glanced at the Symbiote. "Hey, thank you for your help."
i'm happy to assist you in this
The Symbiote really was. Seeing Andi and Mania grew stronger together filled it with pride, just like it did to Flash, so when the two had told them that Mania needed to practice keeping its separate form, the Symbiote had gladly accepted to help them. And since both Eddie and Flash were busy with work on that day, it had gone to help them on its own. They had found a secluded spot on the roof of an abandoned building where they could train in peace, and had been doing so for the best part of the day.
i think you're on the right path, you will master this form very soon i'm sure. shall we try again? the Symbiote asked.
Before Mania could reply there was a buzzing sound. Andi fished her phone out of a pocket and glanced at it. "Uh, I just got a text from Eddie. He said something came up and he can't join us after all... What about me and Mania give you a ride home now?" The nonchalance in her tone sounded somewhat forced. A quick questioning nudge to Mania was returned by assurance that everything was fine, so the Symbiote nodded. thank you.
The sudden urgency was a little surprising, too. Maybe Andi had some kind of engagement for the evening. It was Valentine's Day, after all. Mania declined to give it any hint, if that was the case.
Andi stood up, offering her hand to Mania who was quick to crawl up her arm and wrap around her. Then they picked the Symbiote up. It reduced its size to that of a cat, so to hang comfortably on her shoulder. Mania got a run-up to the edge of the roof and jumped out, their skillful mimicry hiding them as they slung themselves from one building to the next.
-
A short time later, they landed on the fire escape that climbed up the side of a building, clinging easily to the metal bars, a couple of stories above Flash and Eddie's apartment. The Symbiote slid down Mania's shoulder, wiggling a tentacle in salutation, and they waved back at it. It crept down the external wall, a shadow that needed no light to be cast, until it reached the small window to the apartment's bathroom and slipped inside through the opening that had been left.
The bathroom door was closed, but as soon as the Symbiote got inside the thick smell of chocolate hit it all the same, as it perceived it with its whole body, the sensation lighting up its sense with a gentle euphoria. They had baked something sweet!
A part of the Symbiote had been hoping on that...
Eddie had never been a fan of the heavy consumerism associated with that holiday, and many others. Yet, in the years they spent together, he had made a habit of giving his other something special to celebrate that day, all the same. Even if that was just a box of cheap chocolates, not so different from the ones he got for it any other day... the meaning of the gesture, its weight, had been clear and had stuck with the Symbiote. So, while the Symbiote was with Flash, traveling on their spaceship, it had taken notice of the date on the Earth's calendar, and it took advantage of a stop on a planet to find a few... well, they weren't exactly flowers, but they were part of the local vegetation, and pretty enough. When it had presented them to Flash, the blush on his face had filled it with happiness, and a longing too, for something it didn't know.
Now, with Eddie back into its, into their life, and him and Flash and itself sharing a bond of their own, it did. It hoped they could celebrate together.
But that was also the first Valentine for Eddie and Flash as a couple, and the Symbiote was convinced they should have planned something special. Eddie had been unusually evasive whenever the Symbiote had tried suggesting he should bring Flash to a fancy restaurant, or to see a romantic movie, or both. His thoughts hinted that Flash might have been planning a surprise himself, so the Symbiote had dropped the matter. Then, earlier that morning Andi and Mania asked for help, and that had distracted it.
The Symbiote slipped under the door and crept on the floor, headed to the living room, excited to find out what its human partners had made. It stopped on the threshold, arching its back like a cobra.
Eddie and Flash were hunched over the coffee table in the center of the room, busy setting something up. Eddie was kneeling on the wooden floor, and Flash, on his wheelchair, was leaning slightly towards him, a smile on his lips as he looked at what his lover was doing.
The Symbiote took them in, feeling them with sight-sound-smell, with touch, because its skin could perceive their warmth, the love they held for each other, even with so much air between it and them. It was the most beautiful sensation.
Then Flash turned his face towards the door, saw it, and his expression brightened even more if possible.
"Hey. Welcome back."
The Symbiote launched itself to them, pouring over and into Eddie's back, welcomed by a smile of his that it couldn't see but still could perceive. Senses merged, and through Eddie's eyes it finally saw what was on the table. That made it stop still.
A tray was filled with at least two dozens of roses, in full bloom and blossoms. Each petal had been carefully molded out of chocolate paste, and rolled into exquisite shape. A work of hours. The effect was amazing.
The Symbiote emerged from Eddie's body, its jet-black mass forming a head and the hint of shoulders and an upper torso. Eddie's arm immediately wrapped around it to hold it close. A single tentacle reached gingerly towards the flowers and stopped shortly of touching them, as if scared to ruin them. The Symbiote looked back and forth from Eddie to Flash, its eyes wide, no mouth in sight as if it had forgotten to shape one. Eddie kissed the top of its head, as Flash leaned close to kiss its cheek.
"Happy Valentine's Day, love."
"Happy Valentine's Day, V," Flash gave it another kiss. "We hope you like these."
yes... they are beautiful...
It had spoken just into Eddie's mind, but his grin made the answer clear, and Flash laughed, reaching to wrap his arms around the Symbiote too. It quickly extended a few tentacles to pull him closer.
"It was Flash's idea," Eddie said. "Thankfully, because I don't think I would have been able to hide the thought and not ruin the surprise. I knew he was planning something for you, but he only told me the details after you left this morning..."
The Symbiote still regarded the chocolate roses as if hypnotized.
"You can eat them if you want," Eddie chuckled, kissing the place on the Symbiote's face where a mouth should have been, smiling as he felt fangs blooming under his lips.
The Symbiote purred with its whole body into their arms, and Eddie reached to pick a rose and offered it to his Other. "They are all for you, my love."
"Also," Flash added, a little sheepish. "... in the kitchen there are three bowls full of chocolate chips and pieces from how many we broke while trying to get these right... We actually were starting to worry we would have to ask Andi and Mania to keep you busy until late evening..."
"...i love you..." the Symbiote said aloud, the words as always feeling both true and inadequate.
"Love you too..." Flash whispered, while the bright emotions in Eddie's mind made saying it aloud unnecessary.
The Symbiote took the rose that Eddie was offering into its tendrils and plucked a petal, placing it into its mouth. It closed its eyes, savoring it, savoring, even more than the taste and the chemical components, the sheer love and attention that had gone into making each and any of them. Eddie and Flash exchanged a satisfied look.
"I deem 'Operation: A Valentine of Roses' a complete success," Flash said, grinning.
Flash and Eddie kissed, and then kissed their Other again in turn. Many more tentacles draped themselves around them, weaved through the men's arms and body, tying the three of them together in a tender, endless embrace.