seventy-three.
The day spent with Mr. Stark and Pepper was nice. They went shopping and Pepper made sure to help Peter sort his things into his own bags so he wouldn't accidentally leave without something of his.
Mr. Stark asked if everything he'd bought was enough or if there was more he was looking to get today. Peter told him that he had all he needed for now and then Mr. Stark took him to Ikea to look at Vanity options. They'd looked at some ideas and Tony said he'd put something together to surprise him, and Peter said okay.
After that, they went to a nice fancy restaurant that Peter would never be able to afford to go into otherwise and they had a really nice meal together. He was always a part of the conversation and he left the restaurant pleasantly full.
He told the pair that he had plans to watch a movie and then head to bed once they dropped him off, and they decided they might just do that when they get home as well. Pepper says she's really glad that she got to meet him properly finally, and he agrees and says they should hang out again sometime. She says they'll make it a point to get together sometime soon and he walks upstairs to his floor.
He unlocked the door and dropped the keys on the table just inside the door before kicking off his shoes. He tossed his bags onto his bed on his way into the bathroom. He washed off his face and paused as he thought he heard shuffling in the other room.
He wiped his face on his jacket sleeve before stepping into the doorway and peering into his dark room. Even though there was no other light than that coming from the bathroom, he could clearly see a man's shadow standing in front of the window next to his bed.
Some instinct of his told him to lunge over and kick the man right out the window, and he tried, but the man easily jumped over him and when he spun around he saw a blonde man staring down at him.
"Who the hell are you?"
The man feigned hurt, "Damn, you don't' recognize us? It's probably hard, I know, here."
Peter watched in mild horror as a thick, tar-like black mass spread from the man's body and took the shape of a face. Not a regular face, but a twisted one with glowing white eyes and sharp teeth, and-
"I'm dreaming, aren't I? There's no way you're real... You're from a dream."
"That was not a dream." The head said, it's long tongue passing between its teeth.
Peter took a step back and was flush with the window.
"There is nowhere else to go." The head spoke again. It seemed like it was smirking at him, but he tried to avoid looking at it, instead, looking to the blonde. Realization washed over him like waves of the ocean.
"You're Eddie Brock... I've seen your show..."
The blonde nodded and so did the head. Peter just stared, unsure of what to look at or to say.
"Good. You know who I am, so you know what I do."
Peter nodded and let the man keep speaking.
"This is Venom, or, I guess you know him as VX9103, don't you?"
Peter's eyes widened as he pointed to the head. "You're the Symbiote that Wade stole."
"That Wade freed."
Peter shook his head again and turned back to the blonde man. "Why are you here, then?"
He watched as the head disappeared against Eddie's skin and saw the man pull a cell phone from his pocket. "Guard this with your life, Peter. Once you know what's on it, you'll know when you need to use it. Use it too early, and you could get yourself killed. Call me as soon as you turn it over."
Peter nodded, though he didn't understand yet.
Eddie stepped around him to the window and then paused. "Oh, and you might want this." Eddie pulled a large syringe from inside his jacket and put it into his hands.
"What's this for?"
"That's for you. You'll want to use it sooner, rather than later. Don't let them know you've got it back."
Peter shook his head and held it close to him. "Don't let who know?"
Eddie, halfway out the window turned back and as he spoke, Peter could hear the Symbiote's voice. "Anyone."
With that, the pair dropped down out of the window and out of sight, leaving Peter confused, and with some very big choices to make.