All Nighter
Then: Two Weeks Before Sleeper's Due Date
Eddie groaned.
“Your son is doing it again. Just like last night. And every night for the last week.”
“Kicking you?”
“Right in the kidneys. Why is he so entertained by this?”
“When you’re moving around it rocks him to sleep, you are still now so he’s woken up. Admittedly inconvenient.”
“Why aren’t you bothered by this like I am?”
“Because unlike you and your squishy human body I do not have soft, sensitive kidneys to be kicked.”
“So you get all the positives and I get all the negatives? How is that fair?”
“It is not.” Venom confessed.
“Can’t you stop him? Or at least discourage him?”
“He’s asserting himself, it’s healthy and I am proud of him.”
“Asserting himself to me, V.”
“If we don’t let him be independent he’ll end up overly clingy and weird after he’s born. Do you want him to be overly clingy and weird, Eddie?”
Eddie crossed his arms and stubbornly didn’t answer the question.
"Maybe this will help you both sleep." Venom suggested, silken ink tendrils emerging ethereally to pulse and swirl over the firm sphere of his stomach.
The soothing touches did put Dad and baby to sleep, just like Venom knew they would.
Now: Tuesday
Sleeper wanted things his way then and he wanted things his way now.
Sleeper had been crying hysterically for three hours now on and off (more on than off). It was the earliest hours of the morning, the sun a long way from coming up. The other children were still fast asleep, they slept like rocks and Eddie supposed they got that from him. Before having kids and even in the interim between Carnage’s first months and Sleeper’s arrival Eddie slept like the dead.
Sleeper's little face was pinched up, his red eyes watering and his cheeks tear stained. They'd been at this for what felt like an eternity. He didn't want to eat, he didn't want to sleep, he didn't want to play, he didn't want to be cuddled- they couldn't decipher at all what he was asking for and it made them feel like shit parents.
Eddie walked in endless circles rocking him, bouncing him, shushing him, humming to him, putting him down, picking him up- nothing was working. Eddie was so tired that his vision was starting to blur. But Sleeper would at least follow a pattern, he'd cry with his little talons gripping Eddie's t-shirt and after awhile he'd push away wanting to be held by Venom instead who would take over. Eddie sat on the bed and tried not to pass out, his other over his hands, arms and torso like armor until Sleeper inevitably pushed away from Venom wanting him again. The four month old was crying so hard he was trembling and Eddie couldn't tell if his wailing was getting louder or if he was just getting more tired. Eddie was sitting on the edge of the bed resting his eyes when his spouse nudged at the edges of the their bond.
“Your turn.”
Eddie mumbled unintelligibly and took Sleeper from them.
This was an unusual occurrence but not a non existent one, their youngest typically slept really well and they were counting their blessings that they didn't have to do this every night. Venom seeped under his skin and assisted in keeping him upright and moving. Eddie had his eyes closed again when he heard the bedroom door creak, cracking one eye open he was met by Carnage in their symbiote form peeking around the door snickering at them, razor sharp teeth gleaming in the light streaming in from the window. Sleeper's crying ceased as his eyes focused with recognition at seeing his sibling but quickly resumed again when his interest faded.
“Carnage Brock go to bed.” Eddie hissed.
“Aren’t we good parents to you, my littlest love? Why are you doing this to us?” Eddie asked in a mostly joking way.
Sleeper took a breath like was considering the question.
“Mamaaaaaa!!” The name morphed into another long and loud cry.
“We need help, I don't think he's ever cried this much in his life.” Venom said.
“Who do we call?”
“Call Dan, call Dr. Steve, I don't care just call someone.” They said, desperation seeping through.
He called Dan because he'd be the least mad about getting a call at 2am.
“Dr. Lewis.” He answered with a raspy sleep voice.
“Please help me.” Eddie half gasped.
“Eddie? What's wrong?”
“Sleeper's been crying for three hours and I'm gonna start crying too. Nothing's working.”
“Hmm. Fever?”
“Nuh-uh.”
“It's a little late for him to get colic so it's probably not that.”
“Not hungry, not sleepy, not bored, not lonely, I don't think he's in pain.”
“Well if he's not sick or hurting he'll fall asleep eventually.”
“That's your advice? You are literally a doctor!”
“My medical degree says he's fine but my gut just feels bad for you. Don't want to wake Annie up and I’m on call tonight, good luck!”
And he hung up.
He and Sleeper stared at each other both looking miserable.
“Darling. Precious. Light of our life. Please help us understand what you want.” Eddie begged knowing it would make absolutely no difference.
Eddie tossed the phone on the bed and took a deep breath and Venom wrapped a few limb-like extremities around Sleeper.
“I'll take it from here. You’re going to bed now.”
“I can't sleep.”
“Eddie you could sleep through a nuclear strike.”
“I can't bring myself to sleep while he's so upset.”
“You're not abandoning him out in a field.”
Eddie could tell that if Venom had irises they'd be rolling.
“Which is what my kind actually do by the way.”
“Yeah...Yeah okay. But only for a few minutes.” He conceded.
Eddie sank onto the bed and despite the noise he was out before his head hit the pillow. He really had intended to only rest for a few minutes but when he woke up again it was dusky outside. He shot upright and found Venom coiled around a shapeless Sleeper.
“He fell asleep?” Eddie said almost in disbelief.
“Not really, he just wore himself out.”
“I'll take that.”
“If I move he will wake up again.”
“Yeah, you're stuck there.”
Eddie moved so he was closer to them, arm hanging off the bed next to the crib.
“Go back to sleep.”
Eddie didn't hear it, he was already passed out on the pillow of his arm.