Chapter 1
A year has passed. A year since his life was a mess, he was a mess. A year since the situation with Life Foundation, Carlton Drake and Riot. A year since he met something that would make drastic changes to his life. Venom. A symbiote. It felt like a lifetime ago, and Venom often reminds him that it wasn't. Only a year.
The conversation's that used to come with those memories were often filled with a wide range of emotions. Anger. Sorrow. Fear. They often left both of them on shaky ground. These days there were still emotions, a wide range of them. But it was easier for them to get through. It helped to know that they were no longer YOU and I, they were WE. They got through the turmoil together. Both then and now.
And here they were today, alive. A new job, a new apartment. Together. Us. And their connection has changed and evolved so much in only a year. A connection that was still changing and evolving. They were learning more and more about each other and what it meant to be US. Like a proper relationship, only closer.
There was a whispered correction that lingered in the back of his mind.
Better.
Eddie's metabolism was higher than it used to be, he needed less sleep and didn't need to eat as much. Eddie tried not to eat less or sleep less. However, he found their hunger only increased when he did eat or sleep less. Most of the time he wasn't 100% sure if it was hunger or if it was Venoms.
“Is there any difference? It is our hunger.” Annoyance tinged: they were we, us. Eddie knows this, but he was still learning. Despite how far they came. Still growing into them. Just like how Venom was still learning new things about humans every day.
“Technically, this is beyond normal for an average person.” Eddie said, earning a look until the earpiece was spotted.
“We're no longer average.”
“Really know how to flatter a guy.” Eddie said, frowning at someone who was trying to be just a bit too nosy for their liking. An offer was made and denied. A nosy piece of shit isn't enough to be dubbed bad. Although, Venom made good points on how it could be. Good points that put some energy into Eddie's steps to put distance between himself and the nosy person. There was a pang of disappointment and a feeling of the loss of a good hunt.
“Sorry love, not this time.” Eddie offered as he stopped at a small corner store for a few chocolate bars in the hopes to satisfy Venom. Chocolate he found helped shockingly well most of the time. He has yet to really look into it.
“Love?”
“Shit... sorry.” Eddie sometimes found himself slipping and calling Venom pet names, just another side effect of them being US. Of being bonded. He tried to remember to use Venom's name, but as time passed between a year ago and now it was used less and less in exchange for pet names. Love, however, was new.
“Better than parasite.”
“I said I was sorry for that.” Eddie huffed, it only dawned on him about a block later that there was no complaint about the newest pet name. It almost felt like he was being called a moron, perks of having someone living inside your body. Words weren't always needed. Something that shouldn't have been so comforting and was.
“Anyways moving on. We have an assignment, a shitty one but it should be easy enough and decent money.” Eddie said as he ducked inside their apartment building where they now lived. He went on to explain it fully as he entered their apartment.
“Sounds boring.”
“It is.” Eddie wasn't looking forward to this. Eddie had so many other things he would have rather reported on, things in San Francisco. It was times like this when he missed being a freelance reporter. At least then Eddie had more say on what he wrote stories on. But at the moment, he goes where his boss says the stories are. It's only temporary. He's re-building his reputation. Like his life, it was day by day. He was lucky that he had people in his corner to help him when he finds himself faltering.
“Then why?”
“Money. Reputation. It's only a temporary thing anyway. Once we get things smoothed over, we'll go back to being a freelance reporter. And somebody has to earn money and put food on the table and keep up the rent for this piece of shit place.” Eddie explained, piece of shit or not. It was theirs, and with some help from Venom, they made it theirs. Everything in the place was mismatched and fit oddly well together. The fire escape also helped them get in and out when it was time to let loose a little.
An offer was made and denied.
They already ate the bad guys; they didn't need to steal their money as well. They weren't thieves. They weren't that low; they were better than that and better than the ones they hunt.
Eddie was horrified at first, and maybe he should still be horrified, he wasn't a killer. An asshole at times, but not a killer. And yet Venom was a killer, but not like any here on Earth. He was an apex predator, what he did came natural. Instinctive.
During late nights when everything was near quiet Eddie often wondered just how much of that originally belonged to Venom and how much of that was actually from him. Eddie wondered if he should be more scared at how easy it was to get over the lives lost. If he should be concerned for the shared exhilaration, they feel as they take out the bad guys. The hunt. The crunch. The flesh. The thrill.
He could feel Venom smile in the back of his mind and shivered.
But not from fear.
Maybe – maybe one for the road. They do leave tomorrow after all. Heading all the way to Baltimore. It was going to be a long trip, they might as well let loose a little. There was a small gang causing trouble after all.
His – their body vibrated with need.
Eddie made an offer, and it was accepted.
~ Line Break ~
Many hours and a plane ride later – neither of them were in good moods. And it only seemed to loop back and forth, making the need to get out of the airport all the quicker and the need to let loose and get rid of cooped up energy a near must.
“Eddie...”
“I know.” And he did. Hunger caused his stomach to clench painfully. A small shred of fear curled in him, was he being eaten? His organs being broken down, used for nutrients for his Symbiote. It was outrageous, and he knows now that Venom wouldn't Eddie trusted that he wouldn't. For a moment he felt like his back was being rubbed.
“You're intact Eddie, we wouldn't -” Offence and hurt heard, any one else may not have heard it. But Eddie did. After a year, that shred of fear shouldn't have been able to bother him. Anger tightened in him, shifting in him only mirrored the anger he was feeling.
Facts were facts, no matter how unfair it was.
“I know. I know.” Eddie tried to soothe as best that he could with his foul mood. How does one explain that the fear came from memory and that it wasn't actually fear of Venom, something he knows he shouldn't be afraid of anymore. “I know you wouldn't. Stomach's just uncomfortable, we're hungry after all.” He shouldn't be concerned with that anymore! Eddie knows better!
“Chocolate bar. Burger?”
“Sounds good to me.” Eddie agreed, making a quick stop before leaving the airport. Several chocolate bars both eaten and tucked in his jacket. A warm burger in hand and some discomfort releasing. They were still around too many people, too many snacks according to Venom. They had to rent a car or bike. Something because neither of them wanted to pay a cab to drive them everywhere.
With being in a new city, came a promise of a new hunt. One Eddie had to deny even before it was offered; they couldn't make a scene here. They had to be careful because Eddie doesn't want to risk losing Venom. Something that Venom promises will never happen. But fear was fear, and you can't always control that, even with the help of a Symbiote.
“Come on, let's get a vehicle and get to our hotel.” Eddie said and ignored the looks. Earpiece or not, you couldn't deny he was talking as though he was with someone physically. Eddie frowned, he had to watch what he said. Especially when he was going to be talking to people whose jobs were to spot things. It made him hate the fact that he even took this job. But it necessary at the moment.
They ended up renting a motorcycle. One that wasn't half-bad.
The hotel on the other hand. That was questionable.
“We eat the front desk worker. We don't like her.”
“I admit her people skills are shit, but that doesn't make her bad enough to eat. Just a shitty person.” Eddie forced out as he finally got the keycard working by the fourth attempt. If he was anyone else, any less of who he was at this moment. The piece of work would be as good as gone. He muttered an apology for a missed opportunity.
The table was a decent size, there was that. Eddie put his laptop there and notepad. He wanted to write down basic questions and look up the people he was tasked to interviewing.
Two notepads for each person.
Jack Crawford – special agent at the FBI and head of the Behavioural Unit.
Will Graham – a criminal profiler as well as a teacher for forensic. Former homicide detective.
Hannibal Lecter – psychiatrist, criminal profiler. Former surgeon.
Eddie did what he could do from there, researching each person. He has notepads just for this. Thoroughly, it would help flush them out for his story. Made a note to contact peers and non-peers alike. Much to his dismay, one Freddie Lounds would have to be included. They had a history. They were lovers, back in the day. Eddie admired her fierceness in regards to tracking down a story. Their paths eventually split and they lost contact over the years. But wasn't his history with her that had him dismayed.
It was because of Venom. Eddie already feels the tightening grip on his very marrow. Swirling black around his organs, a firm grip on his mind and his heart.
All wordlessly snarling; mine.
Eddie closed his eyes and did what he could do to reassure and comfort. History or not, nothing and no one would come between them. Between us. The past was in the past. It would stay there. It took a few hours and a box of chocolates to soothe Venom.
Once Eddie felt that Venom was calmed enough and in turn, Eddie was calm again, the researching and contacting peers continued. Once satisfied with his head start, Eddie opted for a walk. They needed some fresh air and to stretch their legs a bit. Perhaps something to eat? They can use the rest of today to rest and get used to the time difference.
Tomorrow they meet and question Jack Crawford.
He hoped the man was aware of this interview; it would be annoying if he wasn't. But then his boss was sometimes absent-minded, Eddie swore to that. But he paid well.
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