“I can’t believe you’re literally the Eve of your kind.” Eddie chuckles when she only receives a little look of confusion, elaborates with, “Adam and Eve.”
Venom grunts, then, states, “More like Cain and Abel. Second generation.”
Eddie thinks for a moment, then, nods her agreement. “You old man.”
Venom rolls his eyes at her teasing little grin, while also feeling elation over how easily he and Eddie can just go back to normal with one another. “Netflix and chill?” He asks hopefully, no second meaning, he is just happy to be with her.
Eddie chuckles as she gets under the covers of her bed and makes herself comfortable. “Yeah, sure. What’re we watchin’?”
“Can we watch the last episode of ‘Brand New Cherry Flavour’? It was so fucked up, I love it!” Venom can’t contain his excitement as he floats over to her desk and grabs the laptop and its charger before floating back over to the bed.
“Yeah, sure.” Eddie laughs again, shakes her head and winces slightly. “It really is so fucked up. Especially the part where –“
“Stop! Ugh! That part was too much, even for me.” Venom’s noodle-head visibly shivers with clear disgust written across his dark maw.
Eddie smirks. “Still not as bad as ‘The Human Centipede.’”
“You humans have the most fucked up imaginations, Eddie.” Venom seriously states.
Eddie chuckles at his response. “Can’t argue with that.” For a few moments, while she watches him sprout those cute little arms and hands from his noodle-head so he can set up the laptop for them. Then, her curiosity finally gets the better of her (as usual.) Though, she is rather nervous about his answer as she asks, “How come you haven’t asked about Dylan?”
Venom pauses, turns to look at her and looks slightly confused. That is, before he sifts through her thoughts to gain some context. His expression softens when, eyes lighting up slightly. “His name is Dylan?”
“Heh... yeah.” Eddie nods, can’t help smiling, and also feeling relieved over that dopey look of his. “I’m guessin’ we named him after Bob Dylan.”
“We LOVE Bob Dylan!” Venom chimes happily, eyes widening with joy.
Eddie chuckles, nods. “Guess that’s why.”
Venom finally answers her question, his voice low and slightly wary. “Wasn’t sure you wanted to talk... You’re getting good at blocking me out, so I took that as a hint.” He wants to be hurt, and is, but only a little, because he’s mostly proud if his host – his love.
“Well, I don’t do it on purpose... most of the time.” Eddie smiles sheepishly, feels more nervous when he doesn’t tease her like he usually does, only nods solemnly. “And I really don’t know how I can do it in my sleep.” She’s still deeply confused by that part.
“I think... maybe I do...”
He trails off cautiously, clearly waiting for her permission. Eddie can’t help smiling at how stupidly adorable he really is.
“OK...” Eddie gives him a “go ahead” nod, pulls her knees up under the covers and presses them to her chest as she stares back at him.
“I truly don’t know why I’m so... different... why I am the only one of my kind that can create a hybrid with my hosts. I don’t think Knull ever knew, either, but he saw it in my mind the moment the Celestial showed me. I think that’s what scares him, though... He tried to create a hybrid that would have all our strengths and none of our weaknesses, a hybrid that could be truly one with itself, instead of needing a host. He failed so many times, so in desperation, he finally turned to me, his favourite... forced me to bond with the Celestial. The moment we were one, I heard a third voice... a man’s voice...” Venom slowly edges the memory into her mind, lets her see and hear for herself.
“Don’t fight, dad... don’t fight your hosts... You’ll find her, I promise...”
Venom tries to focus more on what he’s talking about rather than those wide and rather mesmerising ocean orbs of hers staring back up at him. “I was very disoriented, Eddie. My first host... I was like a baby coming from its mother’s womb... everything was so loud and bright and hot... I lashed out, like a child, and started a full on war between my kind.”
“V, you were confused and felt betrayed by the one force who’s supposed to protect you from the universe... I know what that’s like, too, but damn.” Eddie widens her eyes for extra emphasis.
Venom shoots her an appreciative grin. “He was right... Dylan, I mean... our son... he told me I would find you, and I did.”
Eddie grins sweetly back at his all too sweet words. “This is fuckin’ crazy.” She laughs at the reality of it all. “Our future son is somehow tryin’ to goddamn talk to us... from the future...”
“He is a hybrid, so he’s probably also the reason I cannot see him when you dream of him.” Venom grins proudly when she shoots him a small look of confusion, simply tells her, “Automatic mental shield... from all beings... Celestials included.”
“God... damn!” Eddie’s eyes widen in both shock and awe. “He, uh... I think he also has the power to control the entire hive.” Eddie frowns as she tries to sift through her dreams melded into and marred by her nightmares. “In one of my dreams, you and me are hidin’ him in some secret underground bunker, and he’s definitely not happy about it, says he wants to help, practically begs the both us of.”
Venom simply listens, hanging onto her every word – like he always does anyway. He simply can’t look away from her – like he would ever want to anyway.
Eddie’s smile is fond, but altogether sad as she tells him, “The nightmare part about it is that I know he’s really the only one who can stop Knull, but I’m too terrified to admit it... and I feel like he hates me for keepin’ him hidden...” She lets out a bitter little scoff.
Venom grunts sharply, clearly disagreeing before he even opens his mouth to speak. “Impossible. How old is he in this dream?”
Eddie is confused, but still answers. “15.”
Venom scoffs, rolls his eyes and tells her, “Teenagers hate everybody, Eddie.” He can’t help his toothy grin when his words get that pretty little laugh out of her (just for him.) “Besides, as rage inducingly smug witted as you are, it is also impossible for anybody who’s normal not to love you. In Kasady’s case, he wanted your friendship so bad he tried to kill you for it.”
“Well, that’s very sweet of you to say.” Eddie says after clearing her slightly achy throat and also while trying not to blush like a stupid school girl.
Venom grins back at her, this time around deciding that now is probably not the time for teasing. “I know. I am very sweet, Eddie.” She gives him her pretty laugh again, and while that pretty sound gives him the usual wonderful tingles all over, he’s still nervous, voice then low and wary again as he asks her, “May I... see him?”
“Who? Dylan?” Eddie doesn’t know why she asks – she already knows who he’s clearly talking about – maybe it’s just because her head’s a little out of it at the moment... what with all the weird comic book shit going on.
Venom simply nods, stares back at her with a slightly anxious look.
“I... yeah, of course.” Eddie really must be out of sorts right now, because why didn’t she think of that sooner? Her voice is soft, though, mainly because her throat and heart are now both aching together. “You can see it all. Here.” She lets him see the dreams and the nightmares, too, though, she has to admit, she struggles to do so – must be what Venom was talking about before, mental blocking... from the fucking future!
Kid isn’t even created yet, and he’s already got some serious mojo going on.
Again, God damn.
Eddie watches him, is slightly nervous herself now when he remains silent – seemingly taking a moment to digest everything. Only after a few moments, she can’t take the silence, hurriedly and rather timidly tells him, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep it all a secret... to keep our son a secret.”
Venom’s eyes finally snap back into focus on hers, a small smile tugging at either end of his maw. “Not your fault, Eddie. You didn’t know.” He grins after she relaxes a little a shoots him a small smile. “He is beautiful, Eddie... perfect. He looks just like you.”
Eddie chuckles meekly, nods lightly. “I guess he does, yeah.” She then shoots him another guilty look that Venom really wishes he saw less of on her lovely face. “He’s got your annoying attitude, at least...” There’s no teasing in her tone, quite the opposite – as if she’s just trying to make him feel better.
Venom lets out a hearty chuckle at that, because he knows her too well. “Don’t worry, Eddie, I am glad he gets all his looks from his mother.”
Eddie wrinkles her nose, shoots him a withering look. “You’re not ugly, you’re just really fuckin’ scary... for most people. Some people even like scary...” Again, she’s not teasing, just trying to support him.
“Yes, I know. I’ve stumbled down those dirty internet rabbit holes.” Venom doesn’t look impressed.
Eddie chuckles as he shivers, clearly disgusted. “Oh, yeah. I forgot about that... I’m pretty sure I once saw a fan art meme of you savin’ a woman, who then asks you to be a hero as she spreads her legs before you...”
Venom is pretty sure he’s glad she can’t see him flushing under his black mass. He narrows his eyes at her as he slowly bites out, “Yes, and I’m pretty sure it was actually you who sent it straight over to Anne, AFTER laughing your stupid ass off about it for at least 15 minutes!”
“Oh, yeah.” Eddie airs rather smugly, her smirk widening the further his eyes narrows back at her.
Venom huffs, turns back to the laptop to open the Netflix app.
Eddie smiles to herself as she watches those cute little inky fingers swiping across the mouse pad.
Venom turns to her then, is slightly timid as he asks, “Will you be celebrating your birthday, Eddie?”
Eddie shrugs as she makes herself comfortable under the covers, lies on her side, cheek resting in her hand. “Probably just grab a few drinks with Anne and Dan. We can invite Patrick and Toxin, if you want.”
Venom looks surprised, small smile slowly spreading across his maw. “That is up to you. It is your birthday, Eddie... but yes, it would be nice to spend a night with our entire family.”
Eddie arches a brow, it being her turn to look surprised now, and obviously, she can’t help teasing him a little as she says, “Wow. Patty is family now, huh?” She chuckles when he narrows his eyes at her again. “Why’d you ask anyway?” She curiously asks, “You had somethin’ else instead in mind?”
“No. Not instead. As well as.” Venom grins sheepishly. “I have a gift for you, Eddie. But you shall have to wait and see.”
Eddie groans. “First of all, you didn’t even have to get me anythin’, V. Second of all, you’re seriously gonna drop that line on me and make me wait five fuckin’ days to find out?” She scowls, then pouts when he doesn’t answer her. “Mean.” She smiles sweetly, clearly trying to persuade him as she just as sweetly asks him, “What’s the gift, V?”
“It is a surprise.” Venom stands strong, tries to ignore his nerves bubbling under the surface – because he really does hope she likes his gift, he literally searched half the planet for it (with the help of dear Annie, and annoyingly, Dan.)
Eddie stares curiously up at him, narrows her eyes as she mumbles, “It better not be a severed head.”
Venom can’t help chuckling at that, also can’t help teasing as he simply says, “You’ll just have to wait and see.”