Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Marvel Comics that appear in this story. Happy Valentine's Day!
The night was young. Smoke billowed out of the sky tops while darkness fell into comfortable shapes hidden in the crooks of abandoned alleyways. A rat scurried under the cardboard shelter enjoyed by a slumbering homeless man. Several blocks over, young fools danced drunkenly under yellow lights without a care in the world. The restaurant across from it was packed with romantic red hearts and couples to savor chocolate.
Chocolate. How delicious that sounded when it rolled off the tip of your tongue. Though, to Eddie Brock, the thought of chocolate was about as romantic as he could afford at the moment.
Perched on top of a rooftop, he stared, encased head to toe in the symbiote, as passerby came and went. Just like any other night, they were looking for criminals to feast upon. As the symbiote fantasied telepathically to him most times, their brains would be oh so munchy.
But then why did he feel different?
What's wrong, Eddie?
Nothing…I feel okay.
Lying.
His mind tensed. He preferred having his own thoughts now and then, and now seemed to be one of the times he didn't have personal space. Guess Valentine's Day is rubbing off on me, my love.
How does Valentine's Day rub off on you?
Well, all those people down there are enjoying their love, aren't they? And we're just waiting for criminals instead of being together.
But Eddie…we love you.
Do you? I haven't felt it lately, especially since we took on Knull lately. You have been keeping quiet, recoiling from me. It's like you won't let me in.
…
Nevermind. Let's just focus.
Chocolate.
Wait, what? You want chocolate? Of cour-
No, Eddie, they telepathically whispered, we want Chocolate for YOU.
Stunned, Venom lifted his finger his jaw and sniffed it. It seems like he had been hungry…but only his symbiote had known it.
Are you hungry for chocolate, Eddie?
I-well, I guess? I wasn't…you know what? Yeah, I am. I am hungry for chocolate.
We get chocolate for you, Eddie.
As if on cue, Venom's tongue elongated in a satisfied manner.
"Yes."
It wasn't a holiday.
Henry "Hank" McCoy didn't have a problem with Valentines Day. Being a mutant, doctor, and hero, he understood people were allowed to practice ideas into reality (except, of course, villainous beliefs). But instead of a time of or commercialized gift-giving, all Valentine's Day involved was chocolate and romantic problems. He clearly remembered once trying to give a proper Valentine to a high school crush, only for it to end in disaster.
So maybe that's why he was stuck in his lab, entrapped by the various holograms and other scientific wonders in front of him, instead of drowning himself in love. Two hours ago, he caught a glimpse of Rachel, Piotr, and several other X-Men heading to some sort of party. Ororo had extended an invitation, but he politely waved a hand in declination. He said something close to 'my work is almost finished.'
But then, it wasn't. Because there was always more to do. Always more mistakes he wanted to fix. His mucking in time travel, siding with the Inhumans, with Hydra…The past few years were a bitter reminder Hank wasn't the same idealistic monkey he once was.
His phone buzzed. A claw prodded it to reveal a text by someone he didn't expect: Abigail. What was she texting-
{Heart}.
She'd sent him a heart, on Valentines Day. After two years of not talking to each other.
Hank looked back to the lab. The formulas started to return to his head, marking their mental territory. And then he shooed them away. After all…he had time to make conversation to someone who didn't seem to hate him right now. His work would still be there.
"Right back at you," declared Hank, his finger sending an emoji of the same kind to her.
Then he decided to get a cup of coffee rolling while he waited for her reply.
Maria Castle. May she rest in peace.
Lisa Castle. Taken too young.
Franklin Castle, Jr. Taken too young.
Eyes as sharp as steel read from the cemetery gravestones. Opaque blue skies and darker clouds hung over. Frank paid no mind because for him there wasn't any other way to celebrate Valentine's Day…than be with the ones he'd loved.
His life was a mess of vendettas, bullets, and blood. There had never been anything else as important as the mission to him. A red assassin here, a mob fanatic there, but no…His heart was lodged in the ground, suffocated alongside the dirt and bones. And if he wanted to keep fighting the fight, it was better that way.
"I love you," the words came out as he got up. Then with a twirl of his trench coat and a tease of his skull spandex, the Punisher turned back to the dark van parked past the entrance gates. When he opened the door, Microchip was waiting inside.
"You do what you needed to do?" The man asked.
Frank slammed the driver door shut and settled in. "Let's move."
End of discussion, Microchip mused in his head.
"Where is she?!"
The body of a man-sized Frost Giant buckled back into a wall, the bricks crumbling thanks to his weight. The fighter that had dealt the blow walked up to him with blood draping from her hands.
"wiewehfioewfewgewjewjw!"
Her nostrils flared. "I dost not speak Frost Giant!" She gripped her blade and sliced his arm, sending a dark blue version of blood squirting everywhere. "Tell me where she is, now!"
His dark eyes faltered and went to the side, then his body collapsed and a blue spirit of some kind rose from it. Angela's gaze followed the specter as it fervently disappeared, and proceeded to let out a bloodthirsty scream.
Her mouth painfully closed, but her ears could hear the echoes of it reverberating into the alleys blocks away from her spot. That didn't do much to hide the pain. She swung and gripped her sword than ever before, but nothing had changed.
The pain of Sera not being there…was paramount.
Kneeling to the ground, Angela looked straight into the brownstone brick. For what, inspiration? She couldn't decide. She saw herself from another perspective and loathed the action, but then something came into frame. Why yes…that could work! Her fingers plucked a small knife from her belt and got to work, finishing on the wall in seconds.
"There," she breathed. Angela didn't know if Sera was going to ever see it. Probably not. But if anything, that satiated her quest for her lover…for now.
As the angel walked away, a stray observer might be able to pick out the heart she had cut into the stone bricks. But when a stray newspaper flew into the brownstone, it was hidden from view.
Kamala's fingers trembled. Looking over her phone for the fifteenth time, she gulped.
{Hey, Bruno-}
No! That is so not cool! I nearly got his legs paralyzed! Yeah, I know it's been months since then, but I can't be casual!
She breathed in and began again.
{Hey…How's it been?}
That's not better!
Her eyes popped. Hesitant, she tried the only thing that came to mind.
{Hey! Long time no see! How's it in Wakanda?}
She hovered over the screen and thought, but a tiny voice in her head shouted to just be honest. So she clicked send, and away the text went.
Eventually, Kamala found herself starting too much into the screen post-twenty minutes. She blinked, hopeful, but nothing came to the-
A new text had arrived.
Bruno? Her mind raced in anticipation, but to her disappointment, it was a text from Miles. An invitation to see a movie with the rest of the Champions, apparently.
Weighing her options seemed hopeless, so Kamala put on her emotional shoes and dashed out her room.
The cold Nevada night stood over the various canyons and rock formations. Barely a thing was moving all except for some kind of big noise. Eventually, the disturbance seemed to fly by as a massive object landed and sent flurries of dust clouds from it.
"Huh," the Hulk breathed. A fat grin settled on his face as he smelled in and witnessed the dust emanating from his landing. "Not bad for a Valentine's Day leap."
And then he was off again, unpredictable as ever. A shame he didn't notice the gamma-shaped heart left floating in the crater.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Just wanted to explore what some of Marvel's biggest heroes and anti-heroes do on this day of love. Please review, favorite, or follow if it's your cup of tea. And best of luck on Valentine's Day!