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Peter breathed heavily as he ran down the halls of the Life Foundation. Goons carrying rifles chasing him he’d been following Eddie as his cameraman. Eddie had convinced him to help him get his job back after he’d fucked up, and called Carlton Drake out for human experimentation. Which he’d learned through illegally going through his girlfriends things Peter felt bad for Eddie and wanted to help him out, after all they were friends since he was a kid, he’d been neighbors with his aunt and uncle. Often babysitting him and taking care of him when they were out on date nights, in fact it was both Eddie and Ben that inspired him to be a hero.
Besides this was supposed to be easy all he was asked to do was take a few photos. That is if they hadn’t been caught with their hands caught in the proverbial cookie jar, Eddie had told Peter to run and split up much to Peter’s dismay but didn’t get a choice when a wall of gunfire forced them apart.
Goons with heavy assault rifles came running towards them screaming at them to halt. So here he was running for his life without his spider-man costume. ‘ Why of all times did I decide not to wear my costume? What about Eddie, is he gonna be okay? FUCK! Damn my idiocy, of course I would’ve needed my costume! ’
Lost in thought he stumbled smack dab in the middle of the main laboratory. Peter saw several prison cells made of glass and cement, most were empty save for just one. Where a woman was hunched in the corner crying for help. Peter stopped a moment to look at the woman he’d managed to lose the goons for a minute so he had the time. He had this brief moment in time to save someone’s life. It was his job to save people, and he wasn’t gonna stop now.
Peter sent his spider strength enhanced fist crashing through the glass. “Come with me,” he shouted. Only for the woman to jerkily get up, and leap at him. “AH crazy lady!” The worst part was that she hadn’t triggered his spider sense, he hit the ground hard his head making an audible thud causing Peter’s world spin. He didn’t want to hurt her even as she started strangling him. “Lady… quit choking me! Trying, to help... you!”
Something black and viscous began to pool out of her eyes, and mouth splattering around Pete. Even despite that her grip tightened around Peter’s airway. ‘ Ew gross what the hell is that stuff? Ugh can’t breath don’t wanna open my mouth, really don’t want that in my mouth. Can’t breath! I Can’t BREATH!
Once all that black goo had left her body the lady rolled off of him. Peter rolled to his side to take deep gasping coughing breaths. But, right as he was about to take his second breath of fresh air. The black goop sprang to life entering his mouth cutting off his airway again. ’ Seriously?! What is this choke Spidey day? ’ Peter tried biting down to cut it off only for it to forcefully open his mouth from the inside. Making his jaw creak with the strain of if being forced open. He struggled with it as it slipped down his throat, it coated his tongue tasting like old socks mixed with even older rubber. It violently triggered his gag reflex but it stuck firm inside of him like tar. He even tried tearing it out of him with his hands, but it slipped through his fingers easily like oil. He was soon forced to swallow as the thing had gained control of his throat muscles, which sent a good portion of the goo right into his stomach, causing his panic to double. ‘ Oh god, it’s now controlling me? No no no, not good I can feel it in my stomach now. Oh god it hurts, I don’t want this inside me!’
Soon the entirety of the slime entered his mouth, and slipped down his throat as he was forced to swallow again. Peter bent over taking deep gulps of precious oxygen. ‘ You never fully appreciate something so much until it’s gone. ’ The goop sloshed around in his stomach making him burp, and gag. felt like he was gonna be sick all over the floor, but he soon heard the goons coming.
‘Either their incredibly slow, or time slowed down during this nightmare.’
Peter scrambled to his feet, and took off running again. He grimaced in pain as his stomach began cramping due to the foriegn entity inside it. He took twists and turns down the halls soon exiting the building feeling the fresh air hit his face, and saw a massive fence followed by several guards. He ran past them, and was ready to jump and climb over the fence. Only to tear straight through it as soon as he hit it, causing him to go tumbling down the hill into the forest on the other side. He pulled himself up quick like a set of strings were helping him then bolted again.
Using his agility, and spider sense he easily jumped over or slid under the obstacles in his path. All the while ATV’s were chasing him, bullets whizzing past him. ‘ Thank god for spider sense or I’d be Swiss cheese by now!’ He soon saw one of the vehicles coming from the front, and the back. They were trying to cut him off with a pincer move. Unfortunately for the goons they weren’t dealing with an average human. He quickly jumped up a nearby tree scaling it with ease, and braced himself against it making himself as small as possible. The goons looked everywhere save upwards before leaving, ‘thank god no one ever looks up.’
Once the coast was clear he easily jumped down landing like a cat, and went home. Once there he collapsed face first into the sofa feeling horrible. Droplets of sweat beading down his brow the collar of his shirt soaked already. He held his stomach grimacing as it still hurt like hell he could practically feel the goo sloshing around each time he tried taking a deep breath. Which reminded him, he needed to get whatever was now invading his guts the hell out. Preferably before it had the chance to burst out of his chest, like a scene from Aliens. He got up from his comfy spot on the couch, and walked into the kitchen to grab the phone. As he stared at the phone he called Eddie, as he really was concerned about one of the closest people in his life.
“Peter,” Eddie asked he sounded out of breath. Peter let out a sigh of relief, and said, “thank god you're alright. I was really worried something would happen to you.” Eddie chuckled, “nothing I couldn’t handle. You okay bro? I know you’ve got your spider powers helping you out. But, you can never be too careful, right?”
Eddie was the only one that knew Peter was Spider-man. Because he’d figured it out a few days after Peter had gotten his powers, and showed up in the newspapers. Eddie said it really wasn’t all that hard to piece it together, seeing as he’d known him for so long.
“I wish I was okay… Something happened. Remember that whole thing with the human experiments? I found one, and tried getting her out. Only problem is she attacked me, and stuff came out of her. It’s, it’s now inside me.” A beat of silence passed before Eddie said. “Gross… Look I’m gonna come get you, stay put, and try to stay calm.” Peter let out a breathy chuckle, “Little late for that bro. Kinda already in the middle of freaking out. God it hurts, and I wanna puke. But, it’s stuck inside me like taffy, and I’m not laughing.” Eddie sighed softly, “I’m coming.” Eddie soon hung up the phone leaving Peter alone.
Soon an unbearable pain filled Peter’s body almost knocking the wind out of him. what followed as an intense almost inhuman hunger. Peter had to brace against the counter as his body felt like collapsing on reflex; he wrapped an arm around his stomach hoping to ease the pain. “Ow,” Peter hissed through gritted teeth. He turned to the fridge he was too sick to eat. But, the hunger was so intense it forced him to dive into it, grabbing at whatever he could to shovel straight into his mouth. Tater tots, leftovers, even raw meat nothing was left. Once the food was gone he felt sicker than ever before.
He bee lined it straight to the bathroom, and started puking. Once half the contents in his stomach was gone he noticed there wasn’t any trace of black sludge mixed in. “Shit, ugh god what’s happening to me. I seriously need help, Eddie please get here soon.”
He flushed the toilet then rinsed his mouth out with listerine. He braced against the counter as sweat beaded down his brow. He looked at his reflection his skin was paler than normal no longer having its soft pink and his eyes looked sunken. ‘‘ god I feel, and look like shit,’ he thought to himself then brushed some of his sweat covered hair back. Then walked away from the bathroom to go sit on the couch. Only for a dark echoing voice to fill his head. ‘ Peter, Parker. ’ Peter froze as he felt something move through his body. He felt it in his chest weaving through his ribs. The panic he’d previously felt came screaming back at him. “No, no, oh HELL NO,” he said. ‘ Be calm Peter. We do not wish to harm you. ’ Peter covered his head screaming, “You’re not real!” ‘ We are very real, we reside within you. ’ Peter began to panic shaking his head hard. “Get out of me get out, get out, get out of me right now you, you, y-you parasite!” ‘ PARASITE?! ’ Peter soon found himself thrown from the couch, and slammed into the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of him. He tried getting up only to be slammed right back down, surprising the wall crawler at its strength. ‘ We are no parasite! We are a symbiote, we are as one. We are beneficial we give our strength, and in return you give us shelter. ’ Peter growled furiously. “Sure real convincing seeing as I’m on the floor! Plus, I never asked to be your brand new house!” ‘ That matters little to us. ’ Peter scoffed, “see you are a parasite.” Venom growled furiously at Peter. It moved through him clearly showing its agitation as it felt like a thousand needles were bristling inside his skin. Peter cringed in discomfort, “alright, alright I’m sorry I called you a parasite. Jeez who knew you were such a touchy pile of goo.” Venom thrummed it’s acceptance of Peter’s apology by releasing Peter, letting the young man get onto his feet. Right in time for someone to knock on his door.
Peter sighed, and opened the door to see Eddie on the other side. “Jeez Pete you look like shit,” Eddie blurted. “Wow, thanks Eddie nice to see you too, and clearly you’ve not lost your astute observational skills,” Peter said, his voice oozing sarcasm. He let a now blushing and chuckling Eddie inside. “So, how are you really doing,” he asked. Peter rubbed at his sweaty neck. “Not great, apparently the thing is sentient. Demanding I call it a symbiote versus a.” Peter caught himself he really didn’t want to get tossed around or get roared at again. “A parasite,” Eddie asked. Peter pointed at Eddie affirming what he said. ‘ I’m going to eat him. ’
“What? No! Eddie is our, my, friend. You are not eating him.” Venom growled angry at being denied a meal. “Also you eat people?” ‘ Sometimes. ’ “Great… Just peachy keen,” he said rubbing at the bridge of his nose. “So it eats people, and it's inside you. Does that mean you’re gonna start eating people,” Eddie asked. Peter just shrugged not wanting to actually answer that question. ‘ Tell him the answer is yes. ’ “No.” ‘ Why not? It is the correct answer after all. ’ “Because I am not going to start eating people! I am spider-man a hero, not a monster.” ‘ It is normal we eat to survive, you eat cattle. How is this any different? ’ Peter sighed in annoyance, “I am not getting into a debate about ethics, with a talking pile of goo.” Venom huffed in Peter’s head making the hero run his hand back through his hair in agitation again.
He heard Eddie clear his throat, and he turned to look at his bro. Who was giving him a serious look of concern. “We are going to get the two of you apart. So don’t worry so much alright Pete,” Eddie said with a reassuring tone. Peter slowly relaxed, but he could hear Venom snarling. “I don’t think he’s going to make it easy,” Peter said. ‘ You are very right Peter. We aren’t, we belong together, and very soon we will become one. ’ Venom’s words made his stomach sink and caused fearful tears to prick the corners of his eyes. Eddie frowned for a moment before offering a reassuring smile, “nothing worth doing is ever easy Pete.” He rested a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder. “We are going to figure this out. I know you’re scared, but I’m here.” Then pulled Peter into a comforting hug, his much larger frame easily cradling the young teens. Peter slowly relaxed into Eddie’s large frame, his eyes slowly shutting as he felt so tired. ‘ This is, nice… Maybe we won’t eat him after all. ’ Peter just let out a sigh that was a mixture of relief and annoyance before falling into a deep slumber.