The moment he had long awaited, yearned for, even prayed for, arrived—something more profound than a mere second chance. He couldn’t even count the number of times he’d been granted those ‘second chances’ at this point. Back in New York, during his days at the Daily Globe, Anne had endured him far more than he deserved, and now…
And now, the moment was upon him. He had so much to express, yet not a single word formed on his lips. He simply gazed at Anne, who awaited the award-winning reporter Eddie Brock to finally utter a heartfelt ‘sorry, I was a jerk,’ or something to that effect. Pure torture—his mind boiling with words he couldn’t release.
To him, it always seemed easier to scale Mount Everest (despite his fear of heights) than to offer a simple apology. Had he screwed up? Without a doubt. Did he regret it? Absolutely. Would he apologize? Well… no. Why? Who knew. His invincible ego had always sabotaged his attempts.
But now, he couldn’t let his ego win again. He wouldn’t allow it.
The seconds of his contemplation felt like an eternity, interrupted only by Anne’s reminding cough.
Okay, he MUST say something now… Maybe he should let his heart speak instead.
-I…
Eddie couldn’t shake the feeling that he was speaking more to Anne than to Venom.
-I… You know, this would be much easier for me if I could see you…
Instantly, Anne’s eyes were obscured by Venom’s cold gaze. Not exactly what Eddie intended, but still far more than he deserved. And no, they weren’t cold simply because they were completely white. After a year of sharing a body, Eddie had learned to decipher those eyes, and what they conveyed now wasn’t entirely reassuring.
-I… I am sorry.
Three words. Impressive.
Venom’s voice resonated, “Okay, and?..”
And what?
-..I am very sorry. I screwed up.
Well, that’s better.
-I am sure you can do more than that, bud.
-I AM SORRY?!
Okay, maybe that was a little louder than planned, but Venom got the point. Perhaps he should try a different approach?
-I… I saw you at the club today.
Venom’s eyes widened. He certainly wasn’t expecting that, but he maintained his composure.
-I know you think I hid you because I was ashamed of you. I did hide you, yes, but that’s not the reason. I know I’ve told you that millions of times—that they would take us away, Area 51 and all that—but even that wasn’t entirely it. I was scared… scared that they would take you away from me. Scared that I would never see, talk to, or touch you again… I was terrified of what they would do to you, and I know for sure that I could never forgive myself for any of it.
Venom shifted through Anne’s body.
-I was always afraid of losing you. After that time I thought you died, I realized how much you truly mean to me. I realized I couldn’t bear to lose you for real. You were right; I am so, so lucky that you chose me. You are special. And not just in the ‘oh my, you’re an alien’ way… and I thought if you realized that, how special you are, and what a loser I am, you would just… leave. Every time I start to actually love someone, to get attached, they always leave. Maybe it’s my fault, maybe it’s a goddamn curse or something, I don’t know. So I tried to convince myself I didn’t really love you. I tried to convince you that there was nothing special between us… I lied to myself so much that I eventually believed my own lie. I am an idiot, I know, and I deserve every single bit of the punishment you’re giving me now, but still, please… I just want you to know that I regret it all. You are definitely the best thing that ever happened to me. And I am sorry for never telling you that.
Well, that’s much more than three words…
…
He didn’t receive an immediate response, until he was grabbed by the scruff of his neck by two black tendrils and pulled into a kiss. Venom had fully emerged from Anne’s body, slowly sinking into Eddie’s body as they kissed.
After the kiss, as Venom sank completely into Eddie's body, Anne immediately glanced at Dan, who was sitting in the car, completely in shock. With a soft whisper, she asked, "I wasn't participating in the kiss this time, was I?”
Eddie shook his head gently, his lips curving into a soft smile, as he reassured Anne without words.
-I know exactly what level of a loser you are, but I’m not abandoning you for that. You wish. We’ll face those rock bottoms together.
…
-You said you love me?
-I did?
-Yes, actually… twice.
Chuckle.
-Thrice-
I love you.