‘No!’
Eddie has to purse her lips to keep from bursting out laughing at the pure desperation in his tone. She has to wait for old lady next to her to finish grabbing up a couple of lemon muffins and leave before she finally grins amusedly to herself. “Stop bein’ dramatic. I wasn't gonna.” Eddie mutters, still grinning.
Venom scoffs, still glaring at the ice-cream through Eddie’s eyes. ‘Don’t pretend you were going for the salad.’ Another scoff rings in her head, even louder than the last. ‘That’s almost just as bad anyway!’
Eddie can’t help snorting out a little laugh. She picks up one of the cucumber sticks, shoves it into her mouth before he can protest... too much.
‘I’m only letting you get away with that, because cucumber is practically water...’ Venom grumbles, then childishly huffs out, ‘And because your boyfriend is walking over to us right now.’ And this time, when Venom’s eyes only seep up onto the surface of her skin and he peeks out right above of her collar bone, she doesn’t tell him off for it. Maybe it’s because she’s distracted by her boyfriend!
Eddie glances up to see Patrick making his way over to her. ‘He’s not my boyfriend.’ She chuckles lightly upon hearing his adorable grumbling again. ‘Usually, jealousy is so unbecomin’, but on you it’s just adorable.’
‘I am not jealous!’ Venom snips, voice slightly high-pitched.
“Get back in there.” Eddie lifts a hand, flicks herself in the chest – right between his eyes. She bites back an amused smirk when he hisses, but does as he’s told.
“Hey.” Patrick says when he finally reaches her.
“Hey, yourself. You clean up real nice.” Eddie really does have to admit he looks good in a suit. A proper suit. Not the drab attire he wears to work.
‘Pff... He’s no Diego.’
Eddie bites back another amused smile, because he literally obsesses.
‘Do not...’
Patrick lets out a nervous little laugh, feels his stupid cheeks heating. “Uh, thanks... You, too.” He winces slightly to himself, smiles sheepishly when he sees her smirking at him. “I mean – you look real beautiful tonight.” His eyes widen slightly when he sees her arch a brow. His nervousness mistakes her amused expression for offence, and then, he’s quickly adding, “Not that you don’t always look beautiful. You really do. I just –“ He huffs when he clearly sees her grinning, deflates slightly in defeat. His voice is then rather pleading as he asks, “Why did you let me keep talkin’ and make an idiot outta myself?”
‘Because you are an idiot.’
‘V, be nice.’
‘No.’ Not when said idiot is trying to steal his woman! How DARE he?! – Venom thinks with utter outrage.
Eddie ignores the alien anyway, can’t help shooting the poor guy a teasing smirk. “Sorry. Couldn’t resist. I like makin’ people squirm. Part of my job.” She arches a brow, grins as she asks, “Isn’t it kinda part of your job, too?”
“Eh, only sometimes. Most of the time, my job mainly consists of filing paperwork.” Patrick shoots her a lopsided little grin as he snatches up one of the strawberries. “Most excitement I ever had on the job is playin’ sidekick to you and Venom when we chased down Kasady and the... the other Venom?”
Eddie chuckles at his confused expression. Then, almost rolls her eyes when she hears –
‘How DARE he! That abomination was nothing like me!’
‘Calm down, V. Not like he’s an expert on symbiotes... I don’t think anybody on this planet is... except you, obviously.’
Venom huffs, but has to admit he agrees. And then, he already hates himself for it, but he knows it’s a pretty good idea as he thinks, ‘You should ask him to dance with you, Eddie. But wait until a slow song is playing.’
‘What?’ Eddie thinks, says, “Carnage. Apparently.”
“Oh.” Patrick’s brows raise. “Cute... and such an appropriate name.”
Eddie chuckles lightly, nods her agreement as she reaches over for a chocolate cupcake – if only just to shut Venom up.
‘Bribery!’ Venom accuses, then, is quickly changing his tune to excitement as he gleefully adds, ‘But I accept!’ Then, he is just as hastily demanding, ‘Gimme, gimme, gimme!’
“Do you, uh –“ Patrick huffs, seems annoyed with himself. He reaches over to carefully grab one of the leftover champagne flutes. He downs the whole thing in one, places the empty glass back onto the table. He sees her arch a brow, small, but cute smirk tugging at the corners of those big pouty lips of hers. He smiles sheepishly again before finally just growing the balls to ask – “Would you like to dance? With me?” He clears his throat, nervously grinning when those sinful lips widen slightly. “Would you like to dance with me, Eddie?” He asks again, this time, voice somehow a little more confident (and still a whole lot more confident than he actually feels.)
‘Yes. Dance with him, Eddie.’
‘Well, look who’s changed their tune.’ Eddie tries not to sound smug, instead, sounds suspicious as she asks, ‘Why have you changed your tune?’
“Should I be asking Venom to dance with me, too?” Patrick asks with a small, but amused smile. He’s slowly grown used to her strange “partner” over the last few months. Is only just beginning to recognise when he’s talking to her in her head – which still kind of freaks him the fuck out. Even after what happened to him (long before he ever met Eddie, when he’d barely just began his career.)
Eddie grins. “Just checkin’ with Lethal Protector H.Q as we speak.” She lightly taps a finger to her temple for emphasis.
Patrick chuckles at her joke, shakes his head lightly. “Alright. Well, while you two decide, I’m gonna grab a drink. I’d ask to buy you one, but it’s a free bar, and that’d be pretty cheap of me.” He grins, hopes he doesn’t look as pathetically hopeful he feels as he asks her, “So, what’s your poison? Or should I say, ‘Venom’?” He arches a brow, almost cringes at his stupid joke. But then, she’s laughing – at the joke, not at him – and he lets out a silent breath of relief.
‘Hah! That was a good one, Eddie! I like that one!’
Eddie fights back the urge to roll her eyes, but is chuckling lightly as she says, “You would, you vain motherfucker.”
“Oh, he liked my joke, too?” Patrick lets out a little laugh, a hand reaching up to itch the back of his neck (Eddie knows out of nervous habit and it’s kind of endearing sometimes, most the time being just incredibly painful to watch... and she thought she was awkward.)
Eddie chuckles, nods. “He did. He would.” She leans over the literal banquet spread out before them, swipes up a strawberry and dips it into the lushness of the chocolate fountain. “Ergo, he’s a vain mofo.” She chirps.
‘Oh! Like you’re not just as vain when it comes to your writing! I can’t believe you would –‘ In his rambling, Venom doesn’t notice her popping the chocolate covered strawberry into her mouth. He can’t help but cut himself off at the overwhelmingly delicious taste. ‘YUMMY! By Knull, Eddie! Where have these been all my life?! Another!’
“I’ve always been under the impression that Venom doesn’t like me too much...” Patrick rather cautiously states. He doesn’t want to upset the alien; knows how much he means to Eddie.
‘I don’t. Look at that, Eddie, he is smart... Yummy, Eddie! I want another one!’
‘Who the hell is Knull?’ Eddie thinks, clearly confused (and annoyed by the alien’s ever distracted ramblings.)
‘The creator of all like me. Talk later, Eddie. Feed me. Now.’
“Venom doesn’t like anybody, so don’t take it personally. Well, except for Anne, obviously.” Eddie explains as she takes another strawberry – ‘just to shut you up!’
‘Ssthank you!’ Venom’s elated voice comes out in a hyper rush.
Eddie has to refrain from smiling at that ever endearing little lisp of his (because it only ever appears when he’s really excited.) “I’ll have a double sherry, no ice... since you’re not buyin’.” She finally says.
Patrick blushes at her cheeky grin, but manages a less awkward nod, and even a small grin in return. He chuckles when he choice finally registers in his stupid crush addled brain. “Sherry? What’re you, like, 80 years old?” He asks, tone clearly teasing – hopefully clearly flirting. He knows it’s hopeless – what with her not actually being interested in him in the same way he’s interested in her – but a little flirting (and maybe dancing) can’t hurt... can it?
Eddie shoots him a playful glare as she shoves another chocolate soaked strawberry into her mouth. She then, has to bite back a smug smirk as his eyes very clearly drop down to her lips.
‘Yes to dancing with him. No to whatever THIS is with him!’
‘I’m not even doin’ anythin’. He’s just bein’ a typical male. Leave him be, V, we know he’s not a creep. You’re just bein’ a jealous little bitch. And while it’s sweet, it’s also annoyin’, so... shh!’
‘Mine.’ Comes Venom’s rather overly possessive tone.
Eddie’s eyes widen slightly, just for a split second as she feels a small tendril seep out from the top of her left thigh. It spirals up, stopping just under the curve of her ass cheek.
“You OK?”
Eddie almost panics slightly, feels her cheeks heating slightly.
Thankfully – for Eddie – Patrick seems to take her reaction for offence instead. “Sorry. That was kinda rude of me. I –“
“No, uh –“ Eddie cuts in, shoots him the best reassuring smile she can muster up as she feels Venom’s tendril squeezing her thigh just so goddamn right. “Period cramps.” She lies easily – though, thank fuck it really is her time of month (even though Venom never lets her feel any pain... unless he’s the one inflicting it, of course.)
‘I only do that because I can instantly heal you. I would never hurt you, Eddie.’ Venom somehow contains his utter glee at her oh-so very delicious reaction to this rather intimate touch. Instead, his voice is low and steady, and always promising as he then tells her, ‘But I can make you feel so much more than that, Edith... if only you let me...’
Patrick blushes again, but nods.
Thankfully – for Eddie – the poor guy seems to buy right into her words. And whether it’s genuine or simply out of the usual embarrassment over men and “women’s problems,” Eddie neither knows, nor cares right now (is mostly just trying to keep herself composed as the asshole parasite has the further audacity to slip out second tendril over her right thigh. She’s so glad this stupid dress goes passed her stupid knobbly knees.)
“OK, well... I’ll be right back with your order.” Patrick says, wears his usual sheepish little smile.
“Great. Thanks.” Eddie chirps out all to quickly, voice almost breaking as the left tendril suddenly slips further up to squeeze her ass cheek. She watches Patrick wonder off through the crowds and over to the bar, finally lets out a breath of relief when he’s far away enough. “I am gonna smash your goddamn teeth out again!” She hisses immediately after.
‘And they will just grow instantly back again.’
Eddie is glaring at the chocolate fountain as she grits out, “And I will just do it again!”
‘And they will grow back again.’
“Oh, my God!” Eddie snaps, exasperated. She somehow manages to keep her voice just low enough for him to clearly hear. “V, seriously, I swear –“
‘Alright, fine!’ Venom snips back, though, there’s clear amusement in his tone. Nonetheless, he does as she wishes, tendrils instantly spiralling back down her thighs and back into her skin. She lets out a sigh of relief and he really can’t help himself, can’t help the smugness in his tone as he mumbles out, ‘But I know you liked it... I know everything you like...’
“See? This is the reason I’m not lettin’ you be my dress!” Eddie hisses out grabs a spoon and quickly hauls out a large enough mouthful of boring old vanilla ice-cream, shoves it into her mouth. She cringes at the cold temperature, but soldiers through it, smiling happily when he lets out a hilarious little squeal.
‘You still didn’t deny it!’ Venom growls out. He knows he goddamn well can’t risk taking over her limbs and have her and Annie mad at him for causing a scene, but he will absolutely be getting Eddie back for this!
Eddie narrows her eyes, doesn’t respond, simply goes in for another scoop.
‘NO!’