Venom settled on the rooftop of the highest building overlooking the scene of her massacre. The hybrid consciousness that was a combination of Mary Jane Watson and the symbiote was embroiled in conflict. Together they had taken six human lives, something that Mary Jane had never imagined herself ever doing.
'What have we done?' Venom thought to herself, 'How could we do this? This is not Mary Jane!' She looked at her hands, once they had been dainty delicate things, now they were large grasping claws fit for rending and tearing.
'We have fed on their bodies, their brains, their hearts... it was awful... but why did it have to taste so sweet going down?' Venom's right hand ghosted down her abdomen tracing the ivory patch of skin that made the thorax of her spider mark. Her hand settled on her belly. They had tasted good, very good. And she wanted more.
'But they deserved it didn't they? Pieces of trash like those guys have no place among honest people like us.'
The police had been quick to arrive on the scene, she had watched some of the officers lose their lunch upon seeing the state she had left the bodies, mangled and violated, their chests pried open, skulls evacuated. The aftermath of her 'dinner'. 'Wait, since when did we decide human beings were a regular item on the menu? Cannibalism is wrong! Mary Jane knows so!' If she had tear ducts, Venom would be crying right now. What was she supposed to do?
"You! Stand up and put your hands where I can see them!" Barked a voice behind her, breaking her out of her moral dilemma. Venom slowly stood up, turned around hunched, knees bent in a predatory posture, her clawed hands raised and positioned forwards. Venom's ever present leer widened as she saw the police officer's features turn pale as her inhuman appearance was fully revealed in the dim ambient light of the city.
"See them now?" She hissed. She lunged across the distance between them, the man screamed in fear and the sound of gunshots split the air followed by a loud bestial roar.
The next morning Peter awoke and did his early day routines. Today was the day. Today he was going to march up to Mary Jane's apartment, and prove to her he was still a friend to her. His back and ribs were still healing, so Spider-Man was on leave to be Peter Parker for the rest of the day. And what was more, he could keep an eye out in case Venom showed up, but the problem was that this time he didn't know the monster's true identity.
For that reason he still wore his second (undamaged) suit underneath his clothing, and kept his web launchers, cartridges and the mask, gloves, and boots of his costume in his backpack, injured or not, he would stop Venom if it dared to show it's ugly face today.
He had slept in today, so he did not have to wait long before leaving his apartment building to go collect Mary Jane for their 'friendly' lunch date, where hopefully he could make a bid to break out of the dreaded Friend Zone.
Peter Parker did not own a car, mostly because the rush hour of New York was absolute chaos, and the fact that as Spider-Man walking for any distance did not tire him, and the subway entrance was only two blocks away.
Upon boarding the subway bound for eastern Manhattan, Peter pondered over how he would approach Mary Jane. He wanted to convey that he wanted to be more than friends with her without looking needy, or creeping her out and destroying the fragile bonds of friendship he had toiled to maintain between his college and super-hero commitments. On some level he felt that he had no right to pursue her like this; after all how many times had he fallen short for her? Too many.
After getting off at the station closest to MJ's current address, Peter took the rest of the journey on foot, and when he finally got there he had trouble holding his composure when he saw her apartment building. It was only a few wing beats of a tenement, it was cheap, worn down, and would likely burst into flames if fire just looked at it wrongly. It showed just how precarious her situation had become, if she did not get a proper source of income soon, she would likely be forced to start living off friends and family, something that Peter knew she detested in the extreme. Peter did not want the love of his life to become a beggar.
He entered the apartment building, noting the gritty floor and peeling wallpaper of the interior as he made his way up the stairs, passing an elderly tenant, Peter turned around and hailed him.
"Excuse me, sir. Do you know where Mary Jane's apartment is?" He asked politely.
"The hussy?" The old man growled, "Are you here to help her feed her amoral, godless lifestyle?" The elderly man growled.
"Excuse me?" Peter said, not at all taking kindly about his snide comments about his friend.
"For the past two nights, she has been howlin' and growlin' like a damned whore, her debauchery will lead her straight to the pits of Lucifer, mark my words!"
Peter shook his head, trying to restrain himself from punching the geezer through a wall, "On second thought, I can find it myself you horrible old man." The elder harrumphed and went of his way, Peter knew she was somewhere on the third floor, he should have asked MJ for specific directions.
Thankfully, though he knew her door number, and after a full walkabout the hall he quickly found the door he was looking for.
Peter knocked on the door twice. He heard the sound of movement inside, and after a few moments the door opened, revealing a very haggard looking Mary Jane Watson.
She looked like hell, her eyes were bagged and possessed a haunted look, her hair was messy and tangled in some places, and her skin looked alarmingly pale.
Before Peter could comment on this, Mary Jane stepped forward and hugged him tightly, as if she was afraid he would disappear at any moment, placing her head in the nook between his neck and shoulder. Peter instinctively returned the hug, firmly but not as hard as she did.
He held her until the tension slowly ebbed from her muscles. Eventually she broke the hug, her eyes were downcast, unwilling to meet his own.
"Thanks for coming," she said feebly. Peter did not know what to say, the Mary Jane standing before him was a shadow of her usual self.
"MJ, what is the matter, you look awful... err, I mean; is there something wrong?" Peter asked, stumbling over his sentences. Mary Jane sighed.
"I- I just don't... I don't feel like myself these days, it feels like... ugh, I can't even describe it." She said shivering. She has never looked so vulnerable.
Seeing as Mary Jane had already broken the touch barrier, Peter risked giving her a comforting squeeze on the shoulder. "Whatever it is, I'm here for you."
Her mouth quirked in a brief, 'almost smile', "That's what I wanted to hear," she said.
"Come on MJ, I promised you lunch, and if that doesn't cheer you up, I'll have to take you to dinner as well," Peter said mirthfully.
"Let me get my coat," said Mary Jane slipping back inside.
She had remembered this time. Now there was no escaping what she had become. Monster. Murderer. Cannibal. Venom.
But the power. The exhilarating, power. Nobody would take advantage of her anymore. But still she felt uneasy. She had barely been able to keep herself from murdering that police officer, reigning in the aggression at the last moment. It was a battle between herself, and the Other for the control of the confusing meta-personality called Venom. So in that spirit, it could be said that it was the Other that butchered those criminals and fed on their brains, it was the Other that attacked that cop, and it was Mary Jane that interceded to spare him. But could she do so again?
More importantly, how could she stand up to the Other? It's mind and impulses were completely alien to her. It was extremely sensual, wholly primal, and nigh unbreakable. It was only because of it's steadfast support, and bizarre love for her that kept her from cutting open her wrists when she woke up that morning. It made her feel wanted.
But it would take more than the Other constantly whispering sinister nothings into her ear to make her feel even remotely okay about this situation.
Although, Peter did help.
He had taken her to a restaurant called Uncle Joe's, it was one of those establishments that liked to cover it's walls and ceiling with a wide variety of random crazy crap and celebrate the birthdays of it's customers with staff-wide jubilation.
Peter ordered the 'All American' burger, Mary Jane ordered chef's salad, after last night, she didn't think she could look at meat the same way anymore. She suspected it was because of the Other that she retained any appetite at all. Damn mind manipulating goo monster.
"Will you tell me what is wrong MJ?" Peter blurted out suddenly
Mary Jane set down her fork and contemplated her response. She entertained telling Peter just how fucked up her life had become in the previous two days. 'Oh yes Peter, it turns out I am actually Venom, my body has been taken over by a horrible parasite that is driving me to do silly things like mutilate morally corrupt stage producers who tick me off, murder street criminals at random, and feed on their bodies with the brains being the most favored item on the menu. Part of me wants to go sidewalk diving off the nearest tall building, the other part for some screwed up reason likes what has happened to me, which is probably the only reason I am not a stain on the pavement. Other than that, Pete' things are pretty fucking swell all around.'
But Mary Jane rather liked keeping Peter around for emotional support. But he at least deserved to know part of the truth.
"Have you ever felt like you are being controlled?" Mary Jane asked, "Like something has crawled into your life, and it's trying to take it over?"
A look of momentary discomfort entered Peter's expression before fading, "Yes," he said simply.
"It's something I've been feeling for the past few days now, it's difficult for me to... talk about," she said slowly.
"Mustn't tell him, not his business!" the Other hissed at her from within her mind.
'Venom has two drivers not one, Other! This is my life, and this is my friend and I will tell him anything I feel like!' Mary Jane growled mentally at It. This thing would make H.P. Lovecraft cry himself to sleep. She thought bitterly.
She felt Peter's hand on the top of hers, "You can trust me MJ," he said with total sincerity.
Mary Jane inhaled and exhaled explosively, "You remember that Producer Venom attacked Tuesday night?" Peter nodded.
"Well, after my audition he called me to his office..." she said, her tone hesitant, "He said I had talent, that I could go places. And at the time I felt so proud of myself. But it was all a lie."
She sniffed a little as her eyes started to moisten, "He just wanted to get into my pants, said he would put me in a leading role on the cast," she felt Peter's grip tighten, she could see a flicker of outrage behind those blue eyes.
"It made me feel so worthless, and what is worse for a brief moment I actually considered his offer, and even though I didn't I cannot forgive myself for it," she continued, "It turns out though that he never intended on giving me the part anyway, he had already given it to his niece who he was evidently plugging at the time."
She shook her head, "I have never hated anyone like this in my entire life, and part of me is happy for what Venom did to him, I feel like such a horrible person." She finished, bowing her head, awaiting Peter's judgment.
At first Peter did not say anything, his face was a mixture of emotions. Sadness, anger, empathy. When he seemed about to say something he stopped and looked contemplative. She knew Peter sort of placed her on a pedestal, and this confession would be rocking his perception of her. Finally he spoke.
"I can't pretend to know exactly what you are feeling right now MJ, but I definitely know what it feels like to think you have no control over your own life. You remember two years ago when I started acting strangely?"
"You mean when you were making an ass of yourself and started dressing in black?" Mary Jane corrected.
"Yeah, I let something dangerous come into my life and take control of it, and it nearly cost me my friends, including you," he said, eyes locked on hers, "To this day I am ashamed I let things get that far, but I managed to bounce back and regain control over my life."
Mary Jane looked confused, "Peter, are you saying you were doing drugs?"
"Wha-? No! I did not do drugs!" Peter exclaimed. Looking very defensive, "It was just a very toxic relationship."
"Did you join a gang?" Mary Jane asked.
"MJ," Peter said warningly.
"I'm sorry," Mary Jane said, showing a small hint of an apologetic smile, "Couldn't help myself."
They ate in silence, simply enjoying the warmth of each others company.
After paying the bill. Peter walked Mary Jane back home. He was gratified to see that his pep-talk had buoyed her spirits a little. He was still taken aback by her confession though.
Peter had always held Mary Jane in the highest regard. The fact that she could hate someone with such intensity that she could celebrate the torture and dismemberment of said person was very disturbing. But in light of what the bastard did to her, he really could not blame her.
He was also surprised by his own boldness. He had never really come out to anyone regarding his personal experience with the Venom symbiote, it had nearly ruined his life, and hurt his closest friends, nearly driving them away. But if he had learned one thing during that time, it was not his special abilities that enabled him to go out day after day to fight crime, but it was his friends that bolstered his confidence and spirit that allowed Spider-Man to exist.
But he was still hesitant to announce his secret life to Mary Jane, he did not know how she would react; and so much time has passed, and the secret had grown harder and harder to reveal with age. That was the dark nature of secrets.
Coming up to her apartment building, Peter debated how he should end this 'not date', kissing her was most certainly out of the question, as was any other gesture outside the 'friendly' area. Especially since she seemed to be in an especially vulnerable state at the moment, and the episode with that asshole of a producer has probably shut her off from any form of intimacy for at least a while. A quick hug it is then.
As he led her up to the top of the steps she turned to him, "Thanks for doing this for me Pete'."
"Anytime," he said, flashing a bright smile. His smile faltered when she leaned in, his Spider-sense tingled in warning moments before her lips made contact with his cheek.
"I will hold you to that," she whispered into his ear, breath tickling the lobe. She then withdrew and entered the building, leaving Peter back on the steps with a bewildered expression on his face.
'Did that just happen?' For better or worse, the friend zone appeared to be the last thing on Mary Jane's mind at the moment.
A/N: I am back to this story, and I must say it's about damn time. Expect another update... soon. And also PLEASE REVIEW THIS STORY! I'm desperate, :(