It's the middle of the night when Eddie finds out that being kissed awake—with a whole lotta tongue—is not as marvelous as everyone is trying to make him believe. One minute, he's having a very, very nice dream starring the cute blonde barista who's scribbled her number on Eddie's morning Mocha and touched his hand a tad too long when she handed him the cup, and in the next, he's choking on a too-big, too-slick something slithering around inside his mouth. The thing with being assaulted in your sleep is that it takes you double the time to fight back, so once Eddie has finally shaken the sleepy haze and the bleary eyes, his consciousness is already a little blurry around the edges. That's when Eddie remembers that teeth are a weapon, too, so he bites down as hard as he can muster considering he's still half asleep. There's a sharp burn tingling at the back of his mind before the pain registers. Maybe he's bit his own tongue in his attempt at self-defense and that's what fucking hurts like that, Eddie doesn't really care because whatever's choking him retreats and he can finally breathe again.

Owww.

The word is floating up in his mind, and at first, he can't discern if it's his own thought or maybe—

"V?" he asks into the darkness, heart pounding against his ribcage.

Maybe it's stupid to worry about his colossal symbiote with superhuman strength and reflexes, but he does. Losing Venom and everything that came after—the broken heart, the emptiness, the feeling of never being whole again—is still too fresh in his mind and sometimes, he forgets to care about playing it cool.

Against all reason, Eddie starts to fumble in the dark. Fumble for a warm, familiar piece of Venom he can weave his fingers into and hold tight, just to be sure he's not alone. Not again. Sure, he can do being alone—six long months after Anne and before Venom have proven that—what he can't do is being without his symbiote. Not now that he's gotten a taste of a we that could be all his.

So he grabs at the sheets, frisks his shirt, pats down his legs, fumbles for the light switch because he still can't see anything. Golden light floods the room and then his eyes land on the tiny black tendril that's coming out of his toe and connects to a half-formed, very sullen looking Venom perched on the far end of the bed.

Eddie's relief crashes into him like Riot on a rampage. Technically, he would've felt it immediately had Venom really been gone for some reason, but seeing him right there—close enough to touch—is what does him in.

"V," Eddie breathes. His voice is husky, though if it's due to almost being choked to death or the sudden rush of emotion, he can't say. "There you are."

Eddie's elation is so palpable that Venom can't help but perk up, too. He's not coming closer, but he's sending a dozen tendrils Eddie's way. When they reach Eddie's hand, they loop around his fingers—every single one of them—and flow around his wrist like oil, firm and warm and so incredibly comforting. Holding hands with Venom always is.

Our tongue. It hurts, Venom mewls.

That's when Eddie realizes that Venom's impressive tongue is hanging out of his mouth, so far that the tip is brushing his chest.

Eddie scoots a little closer. The distance between them is a handful of inches at most, and yet it's … it's too much. Eddie's not usually this clingy, but it's nights like these, nights where he remembers, when he can't help but cling and clutch and hold onto Venom for dear life.

Eddie tries to shake the fear of loss clinging to his insides. Thankfully, that's relatively easy, because V is hurting and that's all that matters right now. "What happened to your tongue, buddy?"

You. Eddie happened.

That's when things click into place. Not something had attacked Eddie when he was sleeping, Venom had. It had been Venom's tongue between his lips, inside his mouth, and it hadn't been choking, but … something else.

"V, were you trying to kill me in my sleep because I wouldn't let you have the two pound bag of Hershey's at the store?"

It's meant to be a joke, but Eddie's sensing zero amusement on Venom's end. He raises a questioning eyebrow at Venom, but his Other chooses to look the other way. God, all Eddie wants to do is lean in and pull V into his lap, perhaps nuzzle the smooth spot on his neck if he lets him, the one that makes his symbiote positively vibrate with pleasure when touched just right. Eddie wants to tell him he likes him. Tell him he likes him a whole fucking lot.

He resists. Barely.

Not kill, Venom mumbles after a few heartbeats of silence.

He says something else after that, but it's too quiet to hear. Eddie has a feeling it's important, so he looks up at him, right into his strangely beautiful, glossy white eyes, and asks, "What was that?"

Not kill. K-kiss.

Eddie's not sure if Venom's really just stumbled over the word or if it's him saying he's meant to kiss Eddie that doesn't get entirely through to his brain. Venom kissed him. The out of the blue kiss in the woods might have been Anne, at least according to Venom's account, but this? This is all Venom, and that changes things. Eddie ends up staring at his Other while the words he kissed you are having a field day in his head.

"V, you … you wanted to kiss me?"

Insecurity is pushing through their bond to Eddie then, like a sour smell in his nose. Venom's looking at him as if he has seriously messed up and Eddie can't take it. He crawls over to where he is hovering and wraps an arm around his shoulders.

"Hey," he says. "What's that look for, huh? You didn't do anything wrong. I was just surprised, that's all. I didn't expect you to kiss me like that in the middle of the night."

Why not? Kissing is a display of affection. We've seen it on TV.

Eddie's heart rate spikes and his toes actually curl. He pulls Venom closer without meaning to, buries his face against the familiar sea of black and breathes him in. Why does it get to him that V wants to kiss him? Why does it make him feel these, these … things that remind him of what it's like to believe he's gone and found his own personal forever?

"You're right, it is," he says finally, lips ghosting over Venom's cheek. "I guess I didn't think you'd want to do that with me."

He feels stupid saying it, because Venom has never made a secret of how he feels. He's always touching, nuzzling, grooming, snuggling up to whatever part of Eddie is close enough. And Eddie is scared, because he's realizing he might feel the very same thing. Because Venom is a one of a kind alien from out of space and Eddie is just ... just Eddie.

Our Eddie. You are all we want. All we need. There won't ever be anyone else.

Venom flips them around, and Eddie's on his back in the mussed sheets, Venom on top of him holding him down. Forcing him to look, to feel. Eddie's breathless. Obviously, you can't help being intimate to a certain extent when you share a body, but this is different. This is more, much more. For the first time, Eddie's not resisting and god, does it feel good. His defenses break away, and then there's only Venom—on him, around him, inside him. He opens up to him, all of him, lets him not only into his body but his heart too, in a way that's got nothing to do with the symbiosis. Nothing has ever felt as right as this.

Eddie looks up into Venom's smooth, bottomless eyes and breathes, "Try again?"

The happiness exploding through Venom ignites a fire across every single one of Eddie's nerve endings. Venom is already moving in, teeth growing smaller and disappearing behind a gorgeous set of not-quite-human lips, and Eddie's mind is blank aside from the desperate loop of yesyesyes. But then Venom stops—just an inch from Eddie's mouth—and pushes images at him: Eddie struggling against Venom's tongue, gasping for air. They are vivid, and accompanied by Venom's distress over having hurt Eddie when he wanted to do the exact opposite.

"V, no," Eddie says. Venom has loosened his hold a little, so Eddie takes his chance. He moves his hands up to cup V's face, meeting his gaze head on. "You didn't hurt me. You would never, I know that. And I really, really want this. I want us."

Eddie.

A shiver of pure, unobstructed desire runs through Eddie, from the top of his spine to the tips of his toes, then another and another. He's rocked by the force of their feelings combined, full with it, until every nook and cranny is filled with us. It's unlike anything he's ever experienced, beyond anything he's ever thought possible. Whatever he's felt before, it's doesn't compare to this. Fuck, it's not even close.

Eddie. Love you, Eddie.

Venom manifests entirely. Eddie thinks that's a fabulous idea, because now he can wrap his legs around Venom's waist and pull him flush against his body. It's funny really, how Venom's a part of him, and yet Eddie just can't get him close enough. He becomes aware of the new position and everything it allows him to feel—from the sweet grind between his legs to the way his thighs press into Venom's sides. Eddie loves that Venom is tall and firm and solid, so much that his weight is pinning him to the mattress. He loves Venom on top of him, silky smooth and perfect. He's so strong when it comes to fighting anyone who dares getting in their way, but all soft and pliant for Eddie, and damn if that isn't one hell of a high.

"Kiss me again." It comes out on a whisper. Venom does this absolutely delicious thing where he ripples across Eddie's skin like waves of bliss, sweet and pure and unapologetic.

Teach us how, Venom whispers into Eddie's ear before nipping fondly at the lobe.

Eddie looks up from where he's tucked beneath Venom without leeway, meeting familiar, glossy eyes looking right back. They are filled to the brim with so much affection and zeal that Eddie wonders how the hell he's gone so long without kissing Venom, because just look at him. There's nobody who cares more about him than this ridiculously lovable alien guy does and Eddie's falling so fast that it feels like he's catching fire. And when he's with Venom, when he feels him in his blood, so hot and invincible, he might just want to burn.

Eddie gets up to sit, but not before breathing a soft kiss to the corner of Venom's mouth. Eddie giggles—actually giggles like a teenage girl—when Venom's long, slick tongue dips out to lick the spot he's just kissed, purring happily while he laps up the traces of Eddie's kiss. How an extraterrestrial killing machine manages to be so darn cute is beyond Eddie, but then again with Venom, nothing is impossible.

Eddie leans back against the headboard of the bed, spreads his legs and pats the spot between them. If he has to teach a different life form the ins and outs of human kissing, he better do it right. Venom slithers over, pitch black tentacles holding and melting into Eddie's bare legs.

"Hey you," he says when Venom leans in to run his tongue over the stubble on Eddie's jaw.

Hey, Eddie.

"You ready to do this?"

Yes. Teach us what you like.

A tremble of anticipation dances down Eddie's back and he has to swallow past a giddy sigh. Venom saying that, knowing full well what it means, is pretty much Eddie's definition of uncharted waters. But when it's with Venom, Eddie doesn't mind feeling their way through the dark.

"Okay, you usually kiss using your lips, so … I'm sorry, but you gotta pack away those pearly whites for now." He taps a finger to his mouth. "Can you try doing lips like mine?"

Venom opens his mouth, his tongue darting out to lick across Eddie's lips, agonizingly slow and with evident relish, as if to memorize them. It's unexpected but very, very good.

"You um … do that to get the shape of my lips, right?" Eddie's short of breath, and he wishes he was coherent enough to scold Venom for getting him there.

Venom thinks for a moment. No. Just like licking Eddie.

Eddie blushes. He likes that, too. A lot, actually.

He clears his throat and tries to focus on the task at hand, instead of the all-too-vivid what ifs his brain is sounding right now.

"Okay baby, come here."

What's been a soft blush before turns into full-on beet red in less than a second. Eddie has no idea where that endearment just came from, but he's not even sure he minds the little slip-up when Venom's preening like he is. Turning all soft and gooey, his form is blending in and out of Eddie's skin while flurry after flurry of adoration sweeps through his veins.

Say it again, Venom says.

"Don't be silly. No." Eddie's palms are clammy, heart beating a mile a minute. He hasn't called anybody that name since … since Anne.

Venom slips under Eddie's shirt, touching and caressing like hundreds of fingers, teasing up goose bumps wherever they go. Eddie's speechless, breathless. It's too much. It's not enough.

"V—" It's nothing more than a moan, but Eddie keeps trying. "Okay, you—ah, Christ … y-you win."

Venom's face materializes out of his chest and looks up at him. His expression is hopeful and smug at the same time.

Again?

It's a plea, as soft and delicate as a physical caress.

Surely it's ridiculous, but Eddie is nervous. He's nervous about calling Venom that name on purpose, only because it feels right and yes, perhaps he really wants to. Or maybe nervous is not the right word, maybe that's giddy. Excited. He takes a deep breath and pulls Venom into him, looking straight into his eyes. "Baby." He runs the pads of his fingers down Venom's neck, letting his nails graze his soft skin on the way. Then he tilts his head and kisses the corner of Venom's mouth, the tip of his tongue dipping out to catch a little taste. "Baby." He trails his lips along the curve of Venom's shoulder, his hands down his back. Eddie's touched Venom so many times that it has become second nature, like breathing. But this, where he's touching Venom with intent, with desire, with love, this is new. Eddie licks Venom's temple before he breathes a quiet 'happy now?' into his skin.

Venom loses it. A dozen tendrils burst into a hundred and then Eddie's encased in black and warmth, in safety and home and this utterly beautiful, utterly breathtaking kind of love that makes his heart soar and his head spin.

Eddie. So happy. We love it. We love you.

Eddie can't remember if he's ever seen Venom being this happy before. He can't remember himself being this happy before, and knows this is not just Venom's feelings bleeding into him. This is real.

His hands are cupping Venom's neck and he pulls him so close that their faces touch. "I swear to God, if you don't kiss me right now, I'm going to take it off your hands."

Venom shakes his head no and showers Eddie's face with innocent little pecks, on his forehead, the arch of his eyebrow, the tip of his nose.

Eddie thinks about how much he likes this sweet exchange of affection and little touches, and Venom's returning the thought with a vengeance. Yes, Eddie could spend the rest of the night—the rest of his life—like this if he weren't so greedy. Because now he know what he wants, and that's more.

"Open your mouth for me, baby. I want to show you something," he tells Venom, who's presently perfectly content with licking kiss marks into the skin of Eddie's neck.

Venom makes a small noise of displeasure—we aren't done marking you, Eddiebut complies.

"You have all night to do that, 'kay? Now give me your tongue, but just the tip," Eddie continues.

Venom does, and the way he's doing it looks pretty good. This could actually work, so Eddie closes his eyes and touches his lips to V's. It doesn't feel weird, like Eddie suspected. It just feels right somehow, and then Eddie stops thinking altogether because he's kissing Venom. He opens his lips and coaxes Venom's tongue inside his mouth by gently sucking on the tip. Venom's keening incessantly, like an exquisite hum at the back of Eddie's mind. It's exhilarating taking control of the kiss, to have Venom follow wherever Eddie leads. He opens his mouth wider and when Venom does too, his tongue slowly—very carefully—slipping deeper, Eddie's lost. He holds onto Venom's shoulders and then Venom flips them around and Eddie's in his lap with multiple tentacles tugging off his shirt. He's not resisting, doesn't want to. Chances are he never did.

Eddie, feels so good. More. Don't stop.

Even without Venom telling him, he wouldn't stop. The rush is deliciously heady, tasting Venom on his lips so, so beautiful.

"V," he moans quietly into Venom's mouth, arms wrapping around his neck. It would be too tight for someone who's human, but Venom isn't, so all he does in response is whisper Eddie's name and ask him to never let go. And Eddie is not planning to.

They kiss until Eddie's out of breath and Venom's the only one who keeps him upright, until Eddie's completely sated and happy and his lips are numb. Until Venom tucks him into bed and sidles up to him, wrapping him into the softest hug in existence. Venom's still kissing his face, his throat, the curve of his collarbone when Eddie's eyes flutter shut.

"That was one hell of a kiss, V," Eddie mumbles, dopey smile tugging on his lips when Venom wraps himself around Eddie without an inch to spare. He's such a cuddler. Eddie still can't believe his luck. "You're a natural."

We have the best teacher, Venom purrs. Lush tendrils whisper across Eddie's skin and up into his hair, brushing through the strands so good that Eddie can't help sighing blithely into Venom's chest.

You are the best, Eddie thinks before he drifts off to sleep with Venom's lips on his, kissing him goodnight.