K is for Kitty
Venom acts like a cat.
This, of course, isn't news to investigative journalist and parent of six Eddie Brock. They've been together for close to eleven years now, three as a host and his alien paras- symbiote, and eight as a happy couple, raising their little horde of hybrid babies.
Once, a lifetime ago, Eddie had described his Other as a "vexatious little house bat dog pig thing" which still rung true enough, the symbiote hadn't changed much in his ways during their time together save perhaps from becoming softer and gentler whenever their children (or Eddie) were involved, but other than that, he was still the vicious apex predator he'd always been.
Still, Eddie felt like he left out 2 big components to what his alien spouse's behaviour came close to in earthling terms: a snake, of course, and a cat. Mainly a cat.
To the untrained eye the symbiote was nothing but a black mass of gooey tendrils and sometimes a floating head with an unnerving fang-filled grin and neverending commentary and sassy remarks directed mainly towards his host-spouse. And lots of loving praise and fair discipline towards his offspring, at least for the last 7 years. But not to Eddie. He knew his lover far too well and had learned of his little quirks and mannerisms through the course of all their time together.
Which is why he was confident when saying that his alien husband was like a cat. A black, gooey cat with big teeth. He even reminded him a little of the late Mr. Belvedere, rest his soul.
Like that one afternoon when Eddie cleaned up after lunch and was surprised to find his spouse wasn't all there with him. His head was too quiet, as was the rest of the house. Weird. Usually at this time of day their house was akin to a playground with all five of their older children going back to playtime after refueling their little tanks, sometimes even their youngest settled in his baby bouncer and kept himself entertained while giggling and squealing. Not this time though. Eddie couldn't ever hear the pitter patter of their tiny feet running around the living room. Definitely strange.
Of course, Venom was always with him in one way or another and so they remained connected through a series of small tendrils that could stretch for a long enough distance so that they could comfortably be on opposite sides of their not-as-small-as-the-previous-one three bedroom apartment. Tendrils which he followed all the way to their own bedroom to find 6 tiny piles of multicoloured baby alien goo surrounded by a much larger, all black mass of husband alien goo resting contently on their bed. Eddie smiled adoringly at the sight. Dammit, he didn't have his phone on him, if he did he'd have taken so many pictures to share with family and friends.
His Other yawned, opening his maw widely as he did whenever he was about to devour a snack, be it chocolate, tots or bad guys, but without giving much regard to his spouse who just silently tiptoed closer until he sat by the foot of the bed. When he was done yawning only a small portion of his large tongue remained outside of his mouth in a constant 'blep', something that made Eddie croon with cute-aggression whenever he noticed. His spouse was equal parts terrifying and adorable. Like a panther.
"They sleep, beloved." Venom whispered into his mind as he lovingly gazed down at their six children in their blob form, all snuggled up together in their own little cuddle puddle. Five little colorful blobs with tiny tendrils and then another impossibly small one with neon green markings in the very middle of them all, protected by both his father and siblings.
"Ah, it's nap time" Eddie whispered, trying to be as quiet as he could so as to not wake their kids while he curled next to the tiny blobs, determined to join them for their nap. His Other nodded and hummed a soft 'mhmm'. Venom didn't need to sleep which was honestly great for their parenting dynamic since he could take care of the kids while Eddie rested, specially the baby who still needed to be fed at night, but he certainly enjoyed curling up with Eddie and their kids in bed and just... Exist. He'd close his eyes and listen to their breathing with a big, loving smile on his face knowing that they were safe and happy. And although he didn't sleep in the traditional sense of the word, sometimes he went into a sort of stasis and he'd "dream". And if he had nice "dreams", they were more like memories really, he'd purr. Loudly.
There had been times his purring had woken Eddie up in the middle of the night. He didn't mind, at least not anymore, if anything it was relaxing, like his very own tailored ASMR trigger, but the first few times it happened it left him disconcerted. How could a 9ft tall extraterrestrial nightmare purr like a house cat when happy? Then again, cheetahs purr and tigers chuff don't they?
As he dozed off he wondered if V's happy sounds should be described as a purr or a chuff.
Eddie woke up a couple hours later, having overslept, finding that the kids were no longer in bed with him. He could hear the sounds of the TV from the living room playing an episode of Bluey. His kids were obsessed with the colorful doggy family and he actually enjoyed the show too. When he tried to get up he noticed his Other laying on his chest, lazily licking at something.
"Mgh... Love?" Eddie asked groggily. Venom looked at him inquisitively before bumping his head against Eddie's while purring. Only then did the journalist notice that what Venom had been licking so earnestly was one of their kids, Phage. He smiled. Such a cat-like behaviour, to lick your offspring clean, he thought. He wondered if all symbiotes were like that. Oh yeah. They didn't get to raise their kids. Shame.
"Hi momma" Phage said with a happy trill as he nuzzled against the oldest symbiote.
"Hi baby. Don't feel like watching Bluey?" Eddie asked curiously as he carefully caressed the tiny black and yellow blob. Phage shook his head.
"He was feeling bored, so we told him to come cuddle with us" Venom informed him. Eddie lovingly caressed V's tendrils which had become entangled in his fingers all while his Other continued "bathing" their son who didn't even seem to mind as he stretched his tendrils to grab and play with some tiny toy cars he'd brought along. Eddie sighed in contentment while watching his spouse and their son bond in such a sweet, albeit unusual way.