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We are the Shadow at your Back
There was a chill on the back of Peter’s neck.
It had been there the past few days, like his spider sense was warning him of something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
Thing was, it didn’t feel like danger…not really. Danger felt much different.
Concealed weapons buzzed.
Incoming bullets burned.
But this…this sensation tickled. Like something was there, distant…but always present.
The feeling came on a few mornings ago, right when Peter got out of bed. It was easy to put off as a chill in the air, but as Peter went through his daily routine…classes, groceries, patrol…the feeling never disappeared.
He’d rub the back of his neck, throw on an extra jacket, even turn up his apartment’s heat.
Nothing worked.
The chill remained for days.
Eventually Peter gave up and got used to the feeling, waking up and going to sleep with it, ignoring it, pretending it wasn’t there…
Tonight would’ve been no different.
He was nearing the end of his patrol, crouched at the edge of a building as he scanned the streets for crime.
When he heard it. A low, steady exhale veiled under the wind.
Peter jolted to his feet and whipped his head around, scanning the dark rooftop through his lenses. But just as soon as the sound appeared, it was gone, giving the hero no clues to its origin.
He was alone on that roof. At least, that’s what his eyes showed him.
There was no danger. That’s what his senses said.
But that sound. He knew he’d heard it. Quiet, indistinct, but there.
One quick survey of the roof and Peter jumped off its side, swinging to one with more lighting. He wouldn’t hear the sound again for the rest of the night, but he couldn’t help but take an occasional look over his shoulder on his way home.
Peter took the long way back to his apartment. No reason…well, he didn’t want to think there was a reason. After circling the street twice, he landed on his building and crept through the apartment window. He slammed the window shut and hit the switch, a single lightbulb in the ceiling flooding the small studio with light. He reached up and slid the mask off his head, then took a deep breath.
He had a good patrol.
Stopped a lot of bad guys.
Thwarted crime.
It was a successful night.
That’s what he needed to focus on.
So for the rest of the night, he did, putting the sound in the back of his mind, refusing to think about it. He ate a box of noodles, brushed his teeth, showered, and went to bed, ending his successful patrol with a full night’s rest.
The next patrol was easier. There wasn’t much crime, despite it being a Saturday night. He’d stopped a few muggings, prevented a car accident, and just finished thwarting a convenience store robbery. An easy patrol today…he could relax.
He took a seat on the edge of a building, high enough to survey the city but low enough to still be blessed by its light.
When he heard it again.
A rumble in the air, a low, breathy exhale, the sound.
Peter jumped to his feet and faced the roof, scanning the space for an explanation.
Because there was no denying it now.
No putting it in the back of his head.
Something really was there. Someone. And it was following him.
Peter took a step forward, stance at the ready. The building was well lit, just a few dark corners behind the trail of HVAC equipment on the far end of the roof. Nothing the light touched was suspicious…so his eyes trained on the shadows. He focused, looking through the dark for anything out of the ordinary.
There was nothing to see.
He squeezed his gloved fists at his side, gritting his teeth.
“If you’re there, come out” he ordered, backing to the side of the building, eyes whipping across the space, searching for movement.
Silence answered.
“Explain yourself” he shouted. “Why are you following me?”
Another string of silence and Peter huffed, resolve weakening.
He had already scanned the rooftop, already confirmed he was alone. He must’ve been hearing things, perceiving sounds that weren’t really there.
And now he was talking to himself.
He relaxed the tension in his shoulders, unballed his fists, and took a deep breath.
It must’ve been a long day. He was probably tired.
He should take it easy…go home…get some rest…yeah. That’s all he needed—
“There’s no reason.”
The words shot a bolt of fear through his core and his snapped down to a crouch. He inched back, rescanning the empty roof, searching for what his sense failed to notice. Where? Where was the danger?
“Where are you?” Peter demanded, heel on the edge of the roof.
Second ticked by before the source revealed itself.
It melted from the darkness, black liquid dripping from the shadows until it solidified into its true form. The mass grew tall, and Peter held his breath, tilting his head up to follow the two points of light that appeared on the creature’s head. Its eyes glowed against the darkness, followed by a row of fanged teeth as its mouth stretched to a grin.
“Good evening, Spider.”
Venom.
Peter sucked in a shaky breath.
So much for an easy night…
“It’s nice to come out of hiding” it said, stretching its arms as it stepped deeper into the light. Peter shuffled back, feeling himself on the edge. He dared to take a look back, mapping an escape—
“Spider.”
His head whipped back, fortunate to find Venom in the same spot.
“The hell do you want?” Peter questioned, sidestepping along the edge until he reached the building’s corner. Venom remained in place, large eyes following.
“Nothing” it answered shortly.
“Yeah okay” he jeered. “Why’re you following me?”
“No reason…” it said, grin growing wider. “Jussst…wanted to watch.”
Peter’s face twisted under his mask. Wanted to watch…?
“Watch what?”
“You” it said, as if the answer should have been obvious.
“Watch me what?!” Peter snapped. The alien chuckled.
“Nothing. We are only here to watch.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“Well…maybe not to you” it shrugged. “But to us, it’s simple. We like to watch you. So we do.”
Peter scoffed, disregarding the seriousness in its voice, the sincerity in its inflection…
Since it had to be a joke. Had to be.
Venom was toying with him. There was nothing unusual about that. This…this was just another one of its games.
“You like to watch me? Well don’t” Peter warned, shifting his hands back, preparing his webs. “It’s creepy. So knock it off.”
It didn’t answer back, only retained its smile, outright defying Peter’s order as it watched with excited eyes. Peter’s face grimaced under his mask, an uneasy feeling twisting his gut.
Because tonight wasn’t Venom’s first night following him. Venom was with him yesterday, too…and perhaps even before then…
How long had it been following him?
How long had it been watching…wait…
Had it followed him home?
Did it know where he lived?
Venom shifted, breaking Peter from his thought. But the creature only descended to the floor, sitting down with its legs crossed in front of it.
The least threatening pose the hero had ever seen it in.
Nonetheless, Peter kept on guard.
“How long?” he asked. “How long have you watched me?”
Venom casually shrugged, eyes unwavering.
“Since we wanted to.”
“How long, smart ass?” Peter snapped, feeding Venom’s grin.
“You are angry” it said, leaning forward. “We like that.”
Peter groaned, throwing his head back.
The asshole…
“Six days…” it admitted. “We’ve watched for six days.”
The answer curled Peter’s stomach. Six days…Venom had watched from the shadows for six fucking days…
He shouldn’t have even asked…
“Why?” Peter demanded, voice tight. “I’m…really not that interesting.”
“But you are” it chuckled. “You are interesting. And entertaining.”
“Really…?” Peter sighed. “And why’s that?”
“Like we said, little Spider…there is no reason. We just like to watch.”
He really should give the creep a piece of his mind, but he curved his tongue, watched his words.
Because as passive as Venom was now, it could change in a heartbeat. It’s emotions were…volatile.
One wrong move…one insult too many and…
He really didn’t want to face Venom tonight…not when it mastered the shadows.
But he needed answers…he couldn’t go to sleep suspecting Venom knew where his bed was…
He hated asking…hated continuing their…encounter…but he had to. Carefully…
“You are nervous” it calculated, sitting upright, smile falling to a firm line. “Why?”
“Why?” Peter sighed. “You’re stalking me, Venom. It’s not right.”
“But we aren’t” it denied. “We are just watching.”
“And following me” Peter added. “Right?”
“We follow to watch.”
“Where have you followed me?”
Venom’s smile returned.
“Everywhere.”
Peter gritted his teeth.
Everywhere.
The answer confirmed it. Home wasn’t safe tonight.
And the worst part…Venom was answering questions as if its actions weren’t a big deal…as if it didn’t understand the problem, or simply, didn’t care to.
He watched Venom with hard eyes as he calculated his next move, because reasoning with it clearly wasn’t going to work.
He stood there, recalling all the places Venom must’ve followed him that week. He was lucky not to have gone over to anyone’s home or met with the Avengers…last thing he wanted was to lead the creep to someone else. He could try to hide somewhere…though outrunning it was a task in and of itself. He could also fight…which…in the middle of a dark night, meant the monster was in its element.
The decision was easy.
He’d have to try and shake it.
“I don’t want know what your game is” Peter warned, crouching lower slightly. “But consider this your last warning. Stop. Following. Me.”
“There’s no gam—”
Peter didn’t let it finish. He jumped off the roof’s edge, twisting his body and releasing his webs to the adjacent buildings. He swung as fast as his body could take him, whipping around street corners without looking back. Adrenaline pushed him, the hero swinging farther out than he’d usually go…places he knew he hadn’t gone that week. He must’ve swung for a good twenty minutes before landing on top a slanted, brightly-lit rooftop. His feet squeezed the roof’s shingles and he crouched low, panting to catch his breath as he scanned his surroundings, searching for confirmation.
Had he done it? Had he outran it?
The darkness around him made it hard to confirm. But even if he was alone…even if he’d lost Venom, it was only temporary. Peter had to keep moving…using the light for protection…but staying out of it to hide—
“Spider…”
The voice shot a chill down the back of his spine, and he looked over his shoulder, a distant figure standing on the edge of a neighboring building.
It blended into darkness, hardly visible, only the glow of its eyes and grinning teeth alerting Peter to its presence.
Peter didn’t finish catching his breath before he took off again, franticly swinging from building to building, switching his directions, rotating swing patterns. All the while, he watched his back, glancing over each building he passed, watching his trail for his follower.
He landed again, this time on the flat roof of an unfamiliar building. He lowered himself to the floor, quickly, hoping to use darkness to his own advantage…
He’d really stepped in it this time. He’d swung so desperately that he lost track of where he was. He didn’t recognize the street…didn’t know where he was.
And wasn’t sure how to make it home.
“Where are you going?”
Peter jolted upright, gripping his chest when the darkness spoke out. He rose to his feet, once again jumping over the edge.
He wheezed for air, swinging to another building.
“You are scared” the voice called as he landed, a low snicker rumbling the air. “We like that, too.”
“Enough” Peter breathed, stumbling to the edge. “Venom, stop it!”
“Stop what?” it mused. “We are only watching.”
====
Peter ran for hours after that.
It didn’t matter how far he swung, whether he hid in the shadows or the light. Venom always appeared, always let its presence be known.
Until eventually, it didn’t.
Maybe Peter outran it.
Maybe Venom gave up.
Or maybe returned to hiding, watching Peter’s movements under the veil of shadows.
Peter waited hours for sunlight to break before braving a return home, using the rays of light as his guardian. After taking wide circles around his street, he rushed his building, scrambled in his apartment and slammed the window shut…then stared out the glass for confirmation.
He didn’t see it.
Sunlight helped proved that. There was no way Venom could hide from the sun.
He was alone…finally.
Peter took a deep breath, letting his head rest against the cool glass. The nightmare was over. It was finished. He could…relax.
He slipped out of his suit, dragged himself through a shower and fell into bed, then struggled to sleep under the protection of the morning sun.
The chill never left.