Eddie lets out an exasperated sigh after hearing a frantic knock on the front door. “Between you singin’ along to ‘The Little Mermaid’ and whoever the hell this is, I’m not gonna get my Sunday lie in, am I?” She grumbles as she fights to lift herself from her bed.
“It is Patrick. And Toxin!” Venom slaps the laptop shut and tosses it back onto the bed... along with Eddie.
Eddie scoffs when he shoves an inky little hand into her face and shoves her back down onto the bed just as she stands up. “Fuckin’ rude!” She hisses, but has to purse her lips to keep from smiling fondly after him as he floats out of the room with a loud cackle.
“Good morning, Patrick!”
Eddie can’t help rolling eyes and smirking to herself as she hears him excitedly all but tear their front door open before happily greeting the Detective (for once.)
“Uh, yeah, hi. Can I come in, please?”
“Of course! You are family now!”
“Uh... yeah... thanks.”
Eddie would smile at that, too, only she frowns instead, because she can hear how frazzled the man sounds. She quickly slips out of her robe and into a pair of baggy jogging bottoms and manages to find a t-shirt that isn’t too wrinkled before finally making her way out into the living room.
Patrick offers his usual smile when he sees her, but it’s not as bright and enthusiastic as it usually is when he looks at her.
Eddie frowns softly, voice just as soft as she asks, “What’s wrong?”
“I, uh... I just... I just ate someone... again.” Patrick takes deep and slow breaths to calm himself. Though, it helps that Toxin adorably tries to ease his anxiety.
“Ah.” Eddie nods. “Coffee?”
Patrick gulps and nods.
“NO. No coffee. Whiskey always helps Eddie calm down.” Venom practically demands as he floats over to the kitchen and begins to rummage through the cupboards for any left over bottles.
“Yeah. Thanks for practically callin’ me out as an alcoholic, V.” Eddie snips out, sarcasm lacing her tone.
“No problem.” Venom chirps back, barely gives her another glance.
“I mean, it’s not even lunchtime yet, but I just bit off and ate another person’s head, so fuck it, why not?” Patrick huffs out.
“Here, let’s sit down for a sec’.” Eddie gently places her hands on his shoulders and just as gently guides him over to the couch.
“OK.” Patrick mumbles, nods and lets her lead him to his seat. He watches her take a seat opposite him, perching on the edge of the coffee table before asking, “How do you deal with the guilt?” He’s not even angry with her, he just feels slightly helpless.
‘Venom... he told me... if a thing feels, it SHOULD feel. You... WE... FEEL... We are not... monsters... because... monsters... they do not feel a thing...’
“He’s right.” Eddie agrees, shoots him an amused smile when he shoots her a surprised look. “They’ve got a hive mind thing goin’ on. Toxin will learn to block us out when he wants to, but until he does, V can hear everything. Including you.” She grins when Patrick’s eyes widen.
Venom is also grinning as he floats back over and hands Eddie the two glasses. “Don’t worry, Fatty Patty, you’re sexual fantasies over Eddie are top secret.”
Eddie can’t help laughing. “You’re such an asshole, V.” She scoffs out, then holds up the two glasses as her idiot other half pours out the whiskey.
“Son of a bitch.” Patrick hisses. “I haven’t been called ‘Fatty Patty’ since third grade. Thanks a lot, Toxin. He’s never gonna let me live this down.”
‘Not my fault.’ Comes Toxin’s rather snooty reply.
Eddie smirks as she hands a glass to the Detective.
Patrick smiles gratefully as he takes it and downs half the liquid in one go. “Wait... can we even get drunk anymore?” He shoots her a slightly pained and pleading look.
Eddie nods. “We can. And best part? No hangovers, ‘cause they can just burn the alcohol right outta your system in a matter of seconds.” She states with a grin before clinking her glass to his and downing her whiskey all in one.
Patrick sighs in relief, because at least there’s that. “I just... I can’t believe I ate someone... twice...”
“Well... who was it?” Eddie is curious, so sue her.
Patrick shoots her a withering look. “Does it matter?”
“A little, yeah.” Eddie nods, shoots him a defensive look right back.
Patrick is now only staring incredulously at her.
Venom simply stares back and forth, simply watching their hilarious interactions.
Eddie huffs. “Look, I know it’s not what you wanna hear, but you’ll get used to all of this crazy shit. I promise. He can’t survive without you, and the chances of anyone else survivin’ him are pretty fuckin’ slim.”
Patrick shoots him a smile and a nod. “Don’t worry, I would never knowingly put an innocent person in danger. And it’s weird, because it’s only been a few days, but... I already feel... close... to him.” He frowns when she smirks. “Is that weird? Was it like that for you, too?”
Venom scoffs. “Definitely not! Eddie is too stubborn. It took her a few weeks to just accept that we were meant to be together.”
Eddie glares up at him and scoffs right back. “Says the pompous alien who refuses to learn basic culinary skills, even when he knows he could easily do so, but instead, just doesn’t, just to annoy the shit outta me!” She shoots him a pointed look.
“Fine! I will learn! Just to shut you up!” Venom snaps, then grumbles out, “But egg shells are still good for you.”
“Ugh.” Eddie tries not to throw up in her mouth.
Patrick arches a brow, small smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “Can I get another?” He asks politely after curtly clearing his throat and moving on from their little spat (lover’s quarrel, perhaps?)
“Of course.” Venom fills both their glasses back up, but not without a pointed snooty huff as he pours out Eddie’s. “Toxin. Come out. Let me see you, youngling. Let Eddie see you. This is a celebration. And this is your family.” He states as he places the bottle onto the table beside Eddie.
Eddie can’t help smirking around the rim of her glass at the clear proud tone in his voice. She pulls the glass slowly away from her mouth when a little noodle-head sprouts forth from Patrick’s right shoulder. He’s only half the size of Venom, though, Eddie can see Venom’s black colour coming from Patrick’s shoulder and then stopping halfway down the serpent-like form, and quickly carrying on with the clear blood red of Carnage. Toxin’s little red head and little white eyes almost make her heart melt. He’s so... cute!
‘Isn’t he beautiful, Eddie?’ Venom simply gushes; simply fawns.
Eddie smiles. ‘He’s adorable... thank fuck he looks more like you than his daddy... he looks like a skinny you.’ She holds back a stupid giggle. Instead, slowly, she reaches out a hand to the little guy (and some part of her hopes he doesn’t just decide to bite her fingers off.)
‘He’s nervous. But content. Go ahead, Eddie.’ Venom tells her, then, tells his grand-spawn, ‘You can trust her as much as you trust your own host.’
Patrick watches the entire scene unfold, small smile spread across his lips.
Toxin blinks, stares at hand for a moment before sprouting a tiny tendril over to wrap around the tip of her index finger. He holds tight and gives it a little shake (after sifting through Patrick’s mind in search of knowledge over the gesture.)
Eddie chuckles quietly, heart squeezing with absolute affection. Honestly, right now, she can’t tell where her emotions begin and Venom’s end.
“I still gotta get used to this.” Patrick chuckles softly, too, shakes his head after staring incredulously at Toxin’s little snake-like form (literally sticking out of him.)
Eddie nods, takes a gulp of her whiskey and takes a deep breath before seriously telling him, “I’m gonna be honest with you here... I’m not as good of a person as you... or anybody else, in fact, thinks I am. I mean, yeah, I would never even dream of hurtin’ an innocent person, and I’d give you my shirt and my shoes right off my back and feet if I knew you needed it more than I did... but I’m not much better than people like Kasady. I’m not psychotic, like he was, and I don’t enjoy hurtin’ and killin’ the people I have to, to keep V safe... and sane... but I still make excuses for myself, because I can’t help enjoyin’ the power and the freedom I get in return.” She smiles at his confused little frown. “But you, Patrick...”
They’ve not always seen eye to eye and in the beginning there was definite mutual hatred between them, but Eddie has always known a good person when she meets one; one who will do the right thing, no matter what.
“You’re a pure hearted good guy. Like, if this were a comic book, you’d definitely be on Superman’s level on terms of nobility.”
Patrick chuckles at that. “I hate comic books.”
“Yeah, me, too.” Eddie tries not to wrinkle her nose, tries not to cringe at the memory of Peter’s words.
“I like this one. Is she... your mate?” Toxin asks, stares with genuine curiosity between the two.
Eddie chokes out a laugh, because she was literally just swallowing a mouthful of whiskey and now, her throat is burning less delightfully.
“What? No!” Patrick’s eyes widen in mortification, face flushing instantly and heavily.
“No, she is not!” Venom practically hisses out, only earning a curious look from the younger symbiote.
“Tox, what did I say about inside head voices instead?” Patrick’s voice is soft, and slightly pleading. He tries to calm himself, embarrassed in front of Eddie, and slightly shitting himself over Venom.
Thankfully for him, Toxin seems to understand. “I... sorry.” So far, his host has been nothing but kind and understanding. And even caring. Toxin wishes to return such affection, hopes his host will grow to trust him fully. Like Venom’s host so clearly does with her symbiote.
“It’s OK, bub. We’ll get there.” Patrick tells him, reaches up to give his shiny little red head a little pat. He chuckles when Toxin lets out his adorable purring as nuzzles his face into Patrick’s hand.
Eddie smiles brightly, but doesn’t know why she suddenly wants to cry. She quickly realises it’s not her own emotions, immediately smirks up at the big softy. “Are you cryin’, V?” She can clearly see that he is. What a little cutie. Knows where Toxin gets it from (clearly the fuck NOT from his father.)
Venom ignores her clear teasing tone. “I’m just so happy, Eddie!” He exclaims gleefully, words half sobbed out as he slaps his inky little three digit hands together. “I can’t wait to tell Annie!”
Patrick rolls his eyes, but can’t help smirking at the surprisingly soft old alien.
“Yeah.” Eddie smiles happily with him... for all of five seconds. Her smile instantly drops then when she suddenly realises – “Oh, fuuuck... She’s gonna fuckin’ kill us, V...”