Trouble in Fours
Carnage was a good kid overall. They weren’t bratty or spoiled but they did have a history of being a little bit of a handful sometimes.
4 Minutes
“I’m sorry, what?” Eddie said for the second time after four minutes of silence. He heard what Venom said but it still wasn’t clicking.
“I said, a baby. Do you want one?”
“From where?”
“From us.”
“I need you to explain this to me more slowly.”
“Offspring. You. Me.”
“I-Wha-Can you even get pregnant?”
“It would be shared task between the two of us.”
“Christ! We’ve been having unprotected sex for a long time, V! Why didn’t you ever tell me this could happen?!” He practically screeched.
“Because that is not how it works. Do you really think I would not have brought that up if it worked like that?” Venom was offended at the accusation.
“I never know with you!!”
“You are being a dick. I do not want to have a baby with you anymore.” They huffed, narrowing their eyes and turning their head.
Eddie suddenly felt in their bond that Venom was genuinely hurt and then he felt terrible.
“V…” He tried.
Venom was still looking away.
“V, you’re seriously asking me about this aren’t you?” He asked softly.
“No Eddie, I wanted to have this unbearably fun conversation for no reason.” They glared at him.
“Well I mean, yeah I would want to. I just didn’t know we could. Annie never wanted kids...but I...I did. I always did. And with you? V, that would be incredible. It would be more than I could ever ask for from you.” He admitted.
“Well good because we are already pregnant.”
“Venom!”
4 Weeks
Looking in the mirror he was already starting to show a little which was odd and he already didn’t know how they were going to explain this to people. Hopefully strangers on the street would just assume he was fat. That was easier to explain than what should by all accounts be a biological impossibility. There was no movement to speak of yet from their new passenger but Venom assured him all was well in there.
“So because this is all new to me, can I ask what they’ll be like?”
“Like a small living organism.”
“Very funny. No, I mean like...will they be like you? Or like me?”
“Right now they are distinctly you-shaped. But they shift back and forth. They spend most of their time you-shaped though.”
“A-Are they doing anything right now?”
“They have been opening and closing their hands for the last five minutes. It is cute.”
“They have hands? How big are they?”
He wanted to know everything that was going on with their baby. He wanted to be able to see it too like Venom could.
“Still very small. About the size of a plum.”
Eddie dropped his hand to rub his stomach that was definitely a little more taut than it was a few days ago.
“They can feel when you do that. They like it.”
Venom’s hand flowed out to lay on top of his.
“We can’t wait to meet you, kiddo.”
4 Hours
They had been in labor for four hours and honestly? Not that bad. It was uncomfortable but not necessarily that painful. Eddie wasn’t even sure they could call it being in labor, it was more like loitering outside of labor. Actually the whole process hadn’t been that bad; barely any morning sickness, no insane cravings outside of Venom’s usual meal interests, he didn’t even gain that much weight. They mostly just wanted this kid to be here already.
Dan and Anne had been nothing short of lifesavers throughout this whole experience. Telling their friends about their impending new addition just days after they themselves found out had initially been a little bit awkward and slightly confusing for all parties. But they reciprocated the news with their unconditional love and support faster than anyone else processing the idea of an interspecies pregnancy ever could have.
Anne took it upon herself to buy him a several month supply of prenatal vitamins, about fifty pregnancy books and what Eddie was sure had to be the best mattress topper money could buy. She was also quick to demand exclusive godmother rights despite there being literally no better option and she demanded to be updated on his condition at least every day.
Not being able to do scans made things a little tricky but Venom was able to relay the necessary information to Dan- who made it his personal mission to study and brush up on all things obstetrics to the point that his colleagues were expecting him to change specialties. Between the detailed bi-weekly reports from Venom and Eddie’s rapidly changing appearance they quickly realized this kid was growing fast and there was no way this pregnancy would last the nine months they originally anticipated. Dan used a collection of daily fetal measurements to calculate a projected due date. Impressively he had only been three days off and Eddie decided that whatever his hospital was paying him it wasn’t enough.
He went into labor around 10pm and their friends were at their door within 30 minutes even though they had no idea what to expect or if they would even be of any use at all. The four of them spent the next few hours just waiting around and passing the time as his contractions got closer and closer together until they were about five minutes apart and he’d just grit his teeth until they passed.
”We really appreciate you being here, Dan. It really, really helps.”
Eddie felt it was important to mention.
“Well, I did feel you needed some medical supervision here. Oh yeah and Annie and I wouldn’t miss this for the world but you know whatever.” he shrugged humorously.
“How’s this gonna happen, V? Don’t I need a c-section or something?” He finally asked his other who had to know more about this than him.
“Not unless you want one. They will phase through your body like I can.”
“Does that mean they can phase back in?”
“No, it is a singular direction phasing. Like a one way street.”
“So why is this taking so long?”
“Your body has to expel them. They and I have little say in the matter.”
Apparently his body sensed his impatience because their child entered the world with a piercing wail nine minutes and one and a half contractions later. Dan assessed the child and felt confident they were perfectly healthy and developed. Venom caressed the side of the baby’s face as they squinted their sensitive opal eyes under the bright light of the room while Eddie was especially enamored with their ten tiny fingers tipped with itty bitty claws and ten tiny toes tipped with more itty bitty claws. He’d imagined they’d be onyx like Venom but they were mostly crimson like garnet with onyx marbling.
“Oh my God, Venom. Look at them! They look just like you.” He was tearing up. He did not expect to be so utterly in love so instantly.
“Eddie, Venom, oh my God I can’t believe it. They’re so beautiful!” Anne leaned over the side of the bed getting a good look at the new little life.
“Congratulations you guys.” Dan grinned.
“They need a name.” Eddie realized they haven’t even discussed this yet.
“Carnage.” Venom said confidently.
“Carnage? That’s a little...are you sure?”
“We could name them after your dad.”
“Carnage it is.”
As they watched their tiny creation closely they both knew this was the right decision.
4 Days
“Good morni-“ Eddie froze.
“V, did you take Carnage somewhere else while I was asleep?”
“No. Why?” Venom responded, their head resting on his shoulder with their eyes closed.
“They aren’t in the crib.” His adrenaline spiked.
“What?” Venom opened their eyes.
“They. Aren’t. Here.” His voice raised an octave.
Shared fear jolted through them as they whipped around scanning the tiny, brick-walled studio apartment for their brand new child. Seeing nothing indicating their presence they dropped to their knees to look under the crib. Nothing there either but the bare wood floor.
“Oh God, Venom! Venom where are they?!”
“Panicking won’t help us find them. The apartment isn’t that big and they’re only four days old. Just let me focus.”
Eddie struggled to get a hold of himself. They had their offspring for less than a week and they’d already lost them and most likely put their life in immediate danger. This was not a calm down situation. Despite his overwhelming anxiety he could still feel his other thrumming under his skin.
“C-Can you feel them? Can you do that?”
“Only faintly and only if they’re close.”
Eddie stayed quiet as Venom focused harder.
“Kitchen.” They finally said.
Eddie slid into the kitchen so fast he almost crashed into the counter, upon seeing their frazzled parents Carnage let out a scared, high pitched cry. Eddie and Venom twisted around trying to locate the source of the grating sound. After searching around they found Carnage in their almost liquid symbiote form hidden in the small, dirty space between the counter and the refrigerator.
“Carnage! Its okay we’re here!” Eddie crawled on his knees to the crevice.
While their human form was confined to the laws of linear human physical development their symbiote form was clearly much more mobile. They really hadn’t baby proofed well enough for this revelation. The little puddle of goo flattened themselves close to the floor obviously frightened, their white eyes wide.
“It’s okay, Daddy’s here.” He held his palms out, Venom engulfing them in their own.
After a moment of hesitation the baby scooted quickly into their waiting hands.
Venom curled a mess of tendrils over the baby comfortingly before they regained their humanoid shape and clung desperately to Eddie’s front.
“They must have slipped through the bars of the crib and then got lost.”
After that they barricaded the outsides of the crib bars with cardboard in a desperate attempt to prevent any more spontaneous nighttime escapes.
4 Months
It was a relaxing day, their first one in a while in fact. No work, no story leads to chase down, no Spider-Man harassing them, no Black Cat aka Felicia Hardy pestering them to come out with her to party and pickpocket. They had a baby now, they couldn’t really do that stuff spontaneously anymore, Felicia.
Speaking of the baby they were currently uncharacteristically calm and quiet, nestled against Eddie’s chest. The last four months could really only be described as loud and tiring. Child rearing was not as straightforward as they had initially imagined it would be. Venom was curled into the side of his neck practically rippling with contentment.
“Darling, I was thinking we should start looking for a bigger place. Car will be walking before we know it and they should have a backyard or something to play in.”
“I don’t think Carnage is the outdoorsy type.”
“You know what I mean.” Eddie smiled and rolled his eyes half-heartedly.
“What’s wrong with staying here another year?”
“I just don’t wan’t them falling off the fuckin’ fire escape, babe.”
“You know, your potty mouth is putting them on the fast track to a swear as their first word.”
“Yeah, ‘cause you’re so much better.”
Carnage perked up like they knew they were being talked about and squirmed their way up to Eddie’s shoulder. Eddie warmed up fondly at the movement, feeling particularly loved right up until Carnage bit down hard into the meat of his shoulder.
“AGH!”
Carnage laughed and waved their arms excitedly, very pleased with the reaction they’d elicited. They already had a mouthful of fangs and chomped down on him a second time, breaking the skin. Venom sheathed his shoulder shielding his skin from the baby’s sharp teeth and healing the small punctures.
“No, Carnage. We do not bite Daddy.” Venom chastised, seemingly more concerned with teaching them good manners than saving Eddie from injury.
The biting ended up being a brief phase and despite Venom’s diligent injury control and gentle discouragement, Eddie still looked like he’d endured a mild vampire attack for a few weeks.
4 Years
It was a few weeks after the astonishing breakthrough of trust between them and their four new young children- Agony, Lasher, Phage and Scream. The four of them were gathered downstairs playing when Eddie and Venom found Carnage grabbing things off of the nightstand in their bedroom.
“Hey buddy, whatcha doin’?” Eddie asked from the doorway.
“Nothing.” They replied.
Eddie came closer and looked over Carnage’s shoulder, they were gathering up the bracelets he always wore but had taken off to shower this morning.
“You wanna wear Daddy’s bracelets?”
“These are my bracelets.” The four year old responded completely seriously.
The child looked him directly in the eye as they put the bracelets on and then left.
“Looks like those are their bracelets now.” Venom stated.
A few hours later at dinner Eddie and Venom noticed that Carnage was only wearing one of his bracelets. Glancing over they saw that the younger four were each wearing one of the others. Eddie sighed inwardly, there was no way he was ever getting those back now.