It's snowing. Big, fluffy flakes of snow are spiraling from the sky and building up on the streets and sidewalks with surprising speed. The sky is bright for how late in the day it is, the clouds covering the sky in a thick sheet are brighter than rain clouds ever are. Even despite the weather, the streets are filled with the usual amount of people, everyone pushing and rushing to get shopping done after work before Christmas. Eddie is fairly indifferent about weather, it doesn’t bother him if it’s raining buckets or sunny as hell itself. He’s usually working in an office most days anyways. Still, Eddie won’t deny it’s freezing out.
The sun is quickly lowering in the sky, and even though it was masked by clouds all day anyways, the darker and later it is, the colder. Eddie could also probably blame the fact that he can’t feel his feet, or nose, or fingers, on either his poor outfit choice, because jeans and a hoodie only insulate so well, or he could blame it on the fact he waited so long to do his Christmas shopping. All of those play key rolls in why he’s walking the street, teeth chattering like crazy.
He wouldn’t have to be out at all, especially Christmas shopping, but somehow (maybe because Eddie can’t say no to Anne) got roped into Christmas at her place. It doesn’t sound all that bad, really. It’s better than spending Christmas in bed, he supposes, but he’s not a huge fan of gift giving, or sitting around his ex and her new fancy boyfriend- so yeah, Merry Christmas.
Spending Christmas alone would be easier, at least.
Not alone.
Eddie sighs, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah. I know, V."
Why are we here, then? It's cold.
"Because, I have to get Anne and Dan a Christmas present," Eddie muttered, not that any of the people rushing by him would've noticed him talking to himself. He can practically feel the rumble of a displeased sigh rattle through him and Eddie hardly refrains from rolling his eyes. "It won't take long."
Why do you have to get them a gift, Eddie?
Eddie hears equal parts curiosity and annoyance in Venom's voice but humors him anyways in answering. "I don't know, it's tradition?" Eddie shrugged, checking his phone briefly for the time. 7:12. He had plenty of time still.
They are not important.
"What? yes they are- what does that have to do with anything?"
Why buy them presents if they are not important? We are cold.
Eddie sighed, walking into a store he'd followed Anne to a number of times. Luckily, it was packed with people, so he didn't have to dodge women trying to sell him expensive perfume. "Because, V, it's what you do on Christmas. It's what you do when you care about someone, I guess."
Because you care about Anne? Venom prompted, though he didn't sound terribly surprised.
"Yeah, yeah, I do," Eddie shrugged.
You love her.
Eddie grumbled, dodging a woman restocking a shelf so he could wander down an empty isle. he was hardly even paying attention to shopping anymore. "No, I don't."
Eddie could feel the way Venom vibrated, which was becoming less terrifying the more it happened and more annoying and kind of weird. he could feel it in the back of his head, through his body like a not quite physical feeling. Why do you lie to us? We're one. I know what you think, what you feel.
"Okay, alright, I got it, V, thanks," Eddie muttered, pretending to study a rack of fuzzy socks.
Love us too. Venom says, and it rolls around in the back of Eddie's head like a long purr.
Eddie admittedly feels himself flush as he quickly moves to look at something else. Funny you can't escape a conversation in your head. "what the hell does that mean, huh?" Eddie asks, pulling a box of fairly nice looking earrings from one of the displays to look over. They would look nice on Anne. she isn't huge on jewelry, but she does like earrings and the occasional necklace. It would be a nice present for her, without seeming too.. boyfriend-ish.
We are bonded, Eddie. You were bonded to Anne too.
"I- no, Anne and I were engaged. We were in a relationship."
He feels Venom press at the back of his brain, almost like he's making himself more known.
There is no difference in your feelings towards us and Anne. Venom says simply, like he's genuinely confused- he probably is, but Christ, how long as Venom been thinking that they were, what? Engaged? Eddie would probably rather die than admit that it doesn't sound as wrong and weird as it should. Eddie guesses he doesn't really have much of a basis for normal or weird anymore, though, since he literally has an alien living in his body.
"Yeah, well, it's complicated," Eddie mumbles, deciding the earrings will work fine. he still has to get Dan a gift too and he doesn't have any idea where to start.
How is it complicated, Eddie?
Eddie ignores the question until after he's done purchasing the gift and having the nice woman even wrap it for him. By then, after he's stepped back out into the cold and can feel the annoyance practically rolling off of Venom at this point.
Eddie.
"Yeah, yeah, I hear ya big guy." Eddie sighs. "I don't know- nothing about this or us or whatever is easy."
We take care of each other, Eddie. Venom says smoothly and Eddie nods as he heads back down the street.
"Yeah, I know, but there's a difference between those two things."
Venom grumbles and Eddie can feel him materialize slowly, snug under his hoodie, just a vague presence resting against his back and neck, hidden from by passers but Eddie can still see him if he turns his head to the side. You are mine.
"We've been over this," Eddie sighs but Venom doesn't really let him finish.
You love us too. we are like Anne, but we are better.
"Dude, chill out, not cool," Eddie says, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Maybe he'll head home. If he actually gets up before noon he can find time to get Dan a present before he has to be there for Christmas Eve dinner.
You are lonely. Venom presses and Eddie groans. He doesn't want to be having this conversation or acknowledging this. At all. We will make sure you are never lonely. You will always have us, Eddie.
Eddie's resolve slips enough he lets a small smile slip. Venom already fixes the lonely factor, mostly. Venom, oddly enough, has been a nice presence. Venom is comforting. Annoying, but comforting. Eddie doesn't mind the nagging for food or sleep, Venom is a good reminder to take care of himself. Venom is actually a fair conversationalist too, even if half the time they're arguing and half of the time it's over why Venom can't eat the desk lady's cat- but still. Eddie just has a connection, like a bond that he can't begin to understand or explain, but it's there and it isn't going away. Apparently, Eddie isn't the only one that noticed it, either.
You are lacking the attention you crave. Physical attention, Eddie?
Eddie nearly chokes on air, walking back to his apartment with the gift bag in his hand. He can't feel his entire torso by now, he's fucking cold. He really isn't sure he likes where the conversation seems to be going, though. This is really not something he wants to discuss in detail with the symbiote curled up his shoulder and around his neck. "What does that mean, exactly?" Eddie croaks.
You enjoy touch? Venom says, like he's unsure. His tendrils expand fluidly under his hoodie until he's wrapped around Eddie like a second shirt. It effectively stops the teeth chattering, with better insulation and Eddie's grateful for the gesture.
"I mean, sure," Eddie says awkwardly. "Sex is... nice."
Not sex.
Eddie stops walking. he's less than a block away from his house by now anyways. "what?"
You like when we hold you. when we touch.
Venom sounds so confident in his words. Eddie doesn't sense any underlying mockery in his voice either and it takes him a long moment to realize that Venom isn't entirely wrong, either. he does like the way Venom so easily wraps around his body, from around his wrist or all of him- it feels like a constant comfort. he feels protected around Venom all the time, but there's something about the physical contact that's a much needed reminder. He does like having Venom there, he'd like to have Venom closer- in a sense. It's just a very odd feeling, considering Venom's literally taking up residency in his body for life.
"I mean, yeah." Eddie nods and Venom's head pokes out beside the neck of Eddie's hoodie.
Venom grins, eyes narrowing happily. it reminds Eddie of a cat, oddly.
We make you happy.
Eddie snorts out a laugh and shrugs. "Yeah, guess so."
Venom vibrates happily, the sound resonating along Eddie's bones, like both a physical and mental feeling. It's almost like purring, Eddie thinks. Maybe it is.
Eddie makes Venom happy.
"Yeah? You a big softy now?" Eddie teases and the symbiote glares, though it comes across more like a pout. "We make each other pretty happy though, huh?" Eddie reasons, more with himself than with Venom. His life is crazy enough as it is, what's adding a relationship with an alien, at this point? Venom makes another pleased purring sound, the little head over his shoulder giving a small nod in response.
It's dark out by now and the street is only lit under pools of light from street lamps lining the sidewalk. The snow is still piling up too, coming down heavier. It's sticking to Eddie's hair and clothes, though it beads instantly on Venom, somehow. Eddie doesn't think before he acts, he rarely ever has honestly, and he does what feels natural and presses a kiss to Venom's head, gentle and quick. Venom grins, a shiny mouth full of teeth glimmering at him and Eddie chuckles. "Let's get home, love."