Alien
It struck very suddenly.
Almost overnight.
Venom found themselves unbearably worried that their children aren’t alien enough. Worried that living on Earth and among humans has entirely separated them from their Klyntar roots.
The children were all sprawled about the living room watching television and playing while Venom watched them all with intensity from the couch.
“What are you doing?” Eddie hummed as he scrolled through his phone.
“I am not doing anything.”
“Well it's definitely not me that’s so intensely concentrated on the kids.”
“Do you ever feel that the children...are not enough like me?”
“Do you feel that way?” Eddie sat up a little.
“Sometimes...lately.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Well we can not take them out hunting. They are too young for that...But I would like to make dinner tonight.”
“Okay.” Eddie nodded.
That night ‘making dinner’ consisted of pulling a spread of raw meat out of the freezer and serving it just as raw and of course not a vegetable in sight. Venom explained that while being able to take the children out hunting for criminals was still a ways off they could approximate the natural Klyntar diet with a little creativity- hence the pounds of raw meat now piled onto the table. The children sat in their chairs and looked confused at this different kind of meal. They ate raw meat but it was never a whole meal by itself.
And along with the raw meat was chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate.
“This meat is all dead. But it is as close to our natural diet as I could get since you will not allow me to have livestock in the house.”
“No, I will not.” Eddie agreed.
“I thought we were having pizza.” Carnage grumbled and poked at the squishy raw meat on the table.
“Aw come on Car, you like steak.” Eddie encouraged.
“I like pizza.” They muttered.
“Carnage doesn’t want theirs! Can I have it?” Scream asked hopefully.
“No!” Carnage hissed and jerked their plate away from her.
Meanwhile at the other side of the table Lasher was kindly placing little raw meat cubes and chocolate pieces on Sleeper’s plate for him. Sleeper took a chunk of meat in one hand and piece of chocolate in the other and excitedly held them out for everyone to see.
“Mama! Mama!” Sleeper raised his little hands higher so Eddie could see.
“We’re glad you like it, love.” Eddie just laughed.
Phage and Agony were unbothered by the antics of the rest of the table because they appeared to be engaged in a eating contest with each other- who could eat the most without stopping by the looks of it.
“To answer you previous question, V: No. I never think the kids aren’t enough like you.” Eddie said wiping some chocolate off the baby’s face.
Eddie leaned back in his chair a little and contently took in the mundane chaos of the kitchen table that was so hallmark to his life now. He noticed that Agony had stopped using silverware and was now shoveling food into her sharp fanged mouth with her hands but didn’t have it in him to reprimand her for it right now- it was something her father would do after all. He couldn’t see what Venom was so worried about. Watching Carnage and Scream have a stare off over the food they were definitely eating, Phage and Agony shoving piece after piece of food in their mouths in some strange show of dominance, Lasher and Sleeper excitedly getting more chocolate on themselves than in their mouths- they couldn’t be more like their father.
“They may not be very much like other Klyntar you’ve known...but they’re just like you, V.”
“You think so?”
“Definitely.” Eddie promised
“We live here on Earth so they do have a lot of human habits. But when I look at them all I see is you.”
“And if I recall correctly, your home planet didn’t really get you...right?” Eddie continued.
“That is...right.”
Eddie just gave them a knowing smile to which they purred delightedly, feeling much better.