(Goes to see Venom and loves the Eddie/Venom relationship)
Wow, I really want to write something in this universe. This is such a weird yet sweet pairing.
(Goes to write)
...
...I'm gonna write a dark fic about these too aren't I?
Compartmentalising
Just under five weeks after the fight with Riot, Eddie finds himself brushing his teeth in his bathroom mirror, slathering the fifth portion of toothpaste on the brush and shoving it in his mouth.
'Eddie, you've been brushing for over ten minutes. They're clean."
The man huffs and spits into the sink.
"Hey man, give me a break. I swear I can still taste your dinner in the back of my throat."
'That is physically impossible' Venom replies. 'It doesn't go down your throat.'
Eddie points his toothbrush at the mirror.
"Tell that to my head. Because I definitely remember chewing on a head. Several heads."
Venom chuckles and shifts within Eddie's chest, only to pause when he realises Eddie is just standing there, staring into the mirror, but not really taking in what he sees.
'Eddie?'
"Don't you think it's weird?"
'What do you mean?"
Eddie gestures with his hands. "Thanks to you, we have a body count in double digits...and I don't lose any sleep over it."
'So?' Venom mutters. 'They were all bad people Eddie.'
"They were still people Venom" Eddie argues. "And I was ready for it to be a problem. I don't even like beating people up, and while chasing stories? I've seen things that still give me nightmares. But I barely remember what they looked like."
He feels the symbiote chuckle in his head, before black goo appeared from his back and flopped on his head, rows of pearly white teeth grinning in the mirror.
'Eddie, Eddie, Eddie' Venom soothes. 'Do you really think I'd let you suffer on my behalf?'
"What?"
'I'm in your head Eddie. Those memories don't need to bother you. I stop those nightmares long before they reach your subconscious.'
Eddie blinks.
'Huh. Okay. Thanks, I guess?"
Venom gives another grin before slipping back under Eddie's skin.
'Don't give it another thought.'
That night, when Eddie is passed out on his bed, Venom rises from his body, taking in the form of his other half.
He's grateful the earlier conversation was easy enough to end, but its clearly a failure on Venom's part that it even happened in the first place. Clearly his attempts on mental symbiosis have hit a snag.
Don't get him wrong, Eddie is a great host, genetically and mentally. They've barely been together a month but they move as if they'd been born as one. Venom could almost call his feelings towards the man love, or at the very least deep affection. Eddie's not quite there yet – he's on the way, but human society has given him some frustrating hang ups that take time and – if Venom's being completely honest, blatant cheating – to get over.
There is a reason taking over sentient races usually involves cannibalising organs until the host is essentially a vegetable. Symbiotes are not a peaceful species, and there are very few hosts that can fully adapt to their lifestyle without issue. However, if Venom is going to stay, he wants Eddie to stay his host. Which gives him two options.
The easiest would be to continue to attack Eddie internally until his brain drips out of his ears and masquerade as him indefinitely. However, that would leave him the problem of masquerading as Eddie indefinitely. And most of the inane things humans need to do bore him to tears. He'd last six months, tops.
In addition, Venom likes Eddie. Likes him enough to betray his whole planet. He's snarky without being cruel, smart while willing to be stupid to get what he wants, and just kind enough to let Venom stay, but not so forgiving as to not enjoy a little bit of vengeance. He's perfect.
Or at least, he will be, once Venom's finished nudging a few things around in Eddie's subconscious.
Venom's tentacles cradle Eddie's head, brushing his hair back and coaxing the man into a deeper sleep. The rest of his bulk stays under the skin, tiny tendrils slipping into the man's skull, and sinking into the brain with frightful precision.
The second option is going to take time, but the pay off will be worth it. He'd already started putting in the ground work the second he'd recovered enough to let Eddie know he'd survived the crash. He knows every millimetre of Eddie's body, and how far he can push every molecule without causing problems, even psychologically. The man's memories and psyche is Venom's plaything, and if Venom is going to stay long term, he needs to reorganise the toy box. Specifically, that little chunk of his brain that holds his morality and ethics, really needs to get put on a very high shelf.
It's not like it's a huge shift for Eddie. His morals are still there for the most part. He's just less...upset, when it comes to Venom's appetite. It makes for a much more comfortable symbiosis, especially a long term one. Venom could have gone in and wiped out all of Eddie's ethics regarding his fellow man, but there's no way to do that without changing Eddie's very core. It would be like expecting Venom to solve a problem with words and high tea – and he's pretty sure someone would notice when the man who'd written dozens of articles on the plight of the homeless suddenly stopped caring when one of them showed up headless in an alley. He'd also probably stop caring about Venom, and frankly, that won't do.
Besides, if the handful of forays Venom's had on the Internet are anything to go by, limiting himself to just 'bad people' is hardly going to result in him starving. There are a lot of bad people in power, and Eddie loves taking down bad people in power.
So shifting his psyche to love letting Venom eat bad people in power really isn't that much of a stretch.
It's delicate work, and not something he's really made for, but there's no way round it. His first experimental attempt had thrown Eddie's capacity for rational thought completely out the window. Apparently, lobster tubs in restaurants are not something men normally consider bathing in. It's a miracle he was able to patch up that mental hiccup without permanent damage.
When his tendrils recede – tonight's partial rewiring a success – Eddie moans and leans into the symbiote's tentacles, who happily pulls more of his mass out, leaning into the curve of Eddie's neck and snuggles into the pillow. He's not as subtle as he'd like, because Eddie's eyes flutter open at the extra weight near his throat. However, Eddie just huffs, a hand appearing from under the blanket to stroke his bedmate.
"You're being clingy tonight."
'We are one, Eddie. I am always clingy.'
He feels the man roll their eyes.
"Jackass. You know what I mean."
'I do. Eddie?'
"Yeah, Venom?"
'I'm so happy we are Venom.'
The man grins as he closes his eyes.
"Yeah, me too buddy."
And in the dark of the room, the symbiote grins in satisfaction.
Inspired by the fact that Eddie literally goes from apologising for beating up a security goon who aimed a gun at him and being horrified at Venom eating another guy shooting at him - to eating a guy in a shop without a care in the world.