"So I have some good news and bad news," Eddie said as he made a bee line for the fridge to put the beers away. His friend raised a brow at him as they balanced a tray of sushi atop of their hand while kicking off their heels. "Which do you want first?"

Metz scrunched up their nose as they set the tray on the coffee table and plopped down on the couch. "Which order do you think would be better?"

Eddie considered this as he grabbed two of the bottles, opening them as he came to sit beside Metz on the couch. "The good news is, you can come with me to the prison," he started, holding out the beer to Metz. Their eyes narrowed now, taking the bottle, but not drinking until Eddie finished. "The bad news is… you can't actually come into the holding cell." At this, Metz relaxed and their features returned to normal. "You'd have to wait either outside the prison or with the guards."

"So good news and sort of okay news," Metz said with a hint of a smile, setting down the beer and taking a pair of chopsticks, breaking them apart. "I can live with that. Can you?"

"It definitely sets me more at ease," Eddie admitted. "The idea of Kasady, just, looking at you, or breathing the same air as you … It wasn't sitting well with me."

We agree on that sentiment, at least.

Metz raised a brow at Eddie again, but he was studying his beer bottle absentmindedly. Before they could nudge his arm, he snapped out of his short reverie. "Anyway, I think it's a good deal. Having you close by will be enough," Eddie added.

Breaking the tray seal and opening the sauces, Metz turned this over in their head. They would've preferred to be in there with Eddie, really, but pushing it might make Eddie retract his approval altogether. You couldn't always get what you wanted. If anyone knew that, it was Metz. They picked up a piece of sushi and dipped it into eel sauce. "Alright. When do we go?"

Eddie followed their example, but used his fingers to pop a piece of sushi on its own into his mouth. Metz rolled their eyes and handed him a pair of chopsticks while taking their bite of sushi. "This Saturday, at noon," he replied, taking the chopsticks and snapping them apart. "Is that good? I know it's a bit last minute." Metz nodded absentmindedly as they chased the sushi down with some beer, Eddie's eyes on them. "You're not scared at all, are you? Some people wouldn't even step in the same building as this man, and you were ready to waltz into his holding cell like nobody's business."

I wish she was my host.

"It's easy to be brave when you're not actually in the dangerous situation. I'm sure I'll feel differently the day of," Metz said with a laugh that quickly faded into chewing at their bottom lip. "To be frank, I'm more worried about you."

Eddie turned to them in surprise. "I mean, he just keeps asking for you, doesn't he? Except this last time, you exposed the resting site of his victims, which you said wasn't part of the story deal. I imagine that would make any psychopath furious. So what does he want with you still?" Metz spilled hurriedly, hoping to get it all out before Eddie could interrupt. "If he had more dead bodies, why would he say anything to the person who uncovered what he wanted buried from the start, literally? Taking into account he's already going to be… you know. And most serial killers like to take trophies in some way, even in the form of a secret. So, why invite you to talk to him again?"

She has a point, Eddie.

"Maybe he's had a change of heart about keeping those secrets," Eddie said, though Metz could hear the doubt in his voice now. "Don't go over thinking it. It's going to be fine."

"I hope you think about it, at least," Metz sighed and clamped onto another piece of sushi. "Just, you know, to be prepared. Guys like Kasady, their life goal is to hurt people, as many of them and as much as possible. And if they can't do it physically, they'll try other ways."

"You know a lot of guys like Kasady?" Eddie asked after a short pause, his tone casual even if his attention was sharp on Metz.

"Of course not." Metz occupied themselves with finishing off their beer after and let out a satisfied sigh at the end, Eddie watching with a raised brow. "You want another beer?" Metz asked as they stood up and headed to the fridge without waiting for his answer. "I listen to a lot of those serial killer podcasts, is all."

She's lying.

"Well, if there is ever anything of the sorts, something you wanted to or need to talk about, you come to me, alright? If you ever need any help," Eddie said as a response. His voice was serious, yes, but it was also low, gentle even, and Metz was glad the fridge door blocked their features as they crumpled just for a breath before they swallowed and composed themselves, grabbing two beers. "After all, we're friends, aren't we, Metz?"

Eddie's full attention was on Metz when they straightened, the reassuring smile on his features was so different from any he'd shown before. They were terrified their step would falter, but they found themselves easily walking back to the couch, taking their previous spot. "Apparently I'm just your favorite cook," Metz said in what they hoped was a playful tone of voice. They smiled at him and handed over the beer. "I'd like to point out, though, that I am your only cook."

"As far you know," Eddie teased with a wink and picked up another piece of sushi using the chopsticks now. "You don't know where I go all those other nights."

"You forget I have a view of the streets," Metz countered, popping more sushi into their mouth and chewing around it. "Those take out delivery cars aren't very conspicuous, Eddie." He laughed again and Metz smiled, crossing their legs while getting more comfortable.

She deflects with uncanny naturalness, don't you think, Eddie?

"Metz, you didn't really answer. You'll come to me, won't you?" Eddie asked after a few minutes of the pair eating in silence. Metz lifted their eyes to him, questioning, a slice of sushi roll halfway to their mouth. "If you ever need anything? Even if it's just to talk?"

He noted the shift in their posture, slightly turning their body away from him as they dropped their eyes to the food, cupping a hand under it to keep the sauce from dripping. They used it as a way to buy time and chewed slowly before chasing it with a long drink of beer.

What had Metz been through to cause this sort of effect? It was this sort of stubborn independence, an obstinate will to give but never take. Even in the alley, Metz hadn't screamed for help like anyone else would've. He couldn't even recall them screaming at the sight of Venom, either. Instead, Metz had stood their ground and faced what would be categorized as a monster by anyone else, a living nightmare. They'd even gone as far as trying to save the very vermin that tried to steal from them before Eddie and Venom showed up.

"We've shared a lot about ourselves already, haven't we? In just two months?" The observation came from left field to Eddie and he stared at Metz, who was now giving him an even look.

Strange. She is scared.

He could read people well himself when he put his mind to it, and yes, Venom was right. Under that cool gaze was a palpable panic, barely restrained but there. He wondered if that's what they looked like that night in the alleyway. "I never allow the past to have much of a chokehold on me, for the most part. My godmother always said I wasn't the best at learning from my mistakes," Metz continued with a hint of a smile. "I think it's more that I don't want them to taint the way I interact with others. I don't want it to keep me from trusting again. We wouldn't be friends if I clung to the past, after all. But, faith in humanity alone is not enough to keep the past in its place. And that worries me."

The cryptic way they spoke sent a small shiver down Eddie's spine, along with an intense desire to pry into Metz's mind and protect them from whatever was causing such unusual distress. "Whatever it is, Metz, we can handle it," Eddie said, forgetting food and drink to focus on Metz. "You can trust me."

"Can I?"

It was a straightforward question, but loaded with so much subtext, most of it still hidden from Eddie. This past Metz referred to was not easy for them to share, that much he could deduce. And if he weighed his own record at keeping people's trust, of truly caring for others, he fell far too short from any redeemable line. Anne wasn't far off when she said he was self-absorbed and selfish. But, people changed, right?

She still does not know about us. We must remedy that.

Eddie flinched at this, jaw locking. His eyes remained on Metz though, who still held his gaze. People changed, he repeated to himself. More than that, he wanted to change. He might not be able to tell Metz the about the symbiote. Not now, but this secret of his could remain just that – just one secret. Just until the right time, if it ever came. And it's not as if people didn't hold back certain things, right? He saw that as fact. Everything else, though, he could bare open to Metz. If for no other reason that he trusted them. How or when this trust was cemented, Eddie didn't have a clue. But, why? The answer he latched onto was Metz. Just Metz. It made no sense but he felt it was the closest thing to truth he could find.

"When I was in college, close to graduating, I ran over someone," Eddie said, the words faltering from his lips. "Someone's son, from our neighborhood. I was blitz out of my mind and I never saw the kid. Killed him on the spot. I wanted to turn myself in. I was ready to plead guilty. But my dad, well. He didn't like that idea. Having his name next to a crime of that sorts, he wouldn't allow it. He went bankrupt, making sure I was set free without any sort of record. Thinking back now, I shouldn't have listened him, even when he beat me into it. But, I did. I was scared and alone and so used to following his orders. I left home after that, went to New York." He stared at his gripped hands in front of him, trying to hide the trembling. "He disowned me for my recklessness and I disowned him for not letting be do what was right."

He startled when Metz's hand landed over both of his, and when their eyes met, Eddie was both relieved and taken aback. There was no judgment in their eyes. No disgust or anger or even pity.

And suddenly he knew this was the why. Just Metz, sitting here in front of him, showing absolute acceptance of Eddie in a way he never dared to believe existed, with all his sordid past and faults and fuck ups. Even before sharing anything about their past, it'd been Metz's nature to embrace things as they came. And it took this moment to realize how undeservedly lucky he was to have them in their life, even more so to have them as a friend. He turned his hand under theirs and clutched to it like a lifeline.

The two remained silent for a long stretch until Metz spoke, their voice closed to a whisper. "I trust you, Eddie." He was about to speak when they lifted a finger from their free hand to silence him. "Don't take those words lightly. It isn't easy for me to trust someone, really trust, to begin with. You need to know that when that trust is broken, there's no going back."

You must tell her. Now.

Eddie swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing with the motion. "Yeah, I figured," he said with a small smile. "I promise to do everything in my power to not break that trust."

"And you'll be the first one I go to if anything comes up. Happy?" Metz added.

"Yes. Very. Thank you," Eddie said, trying to give them a more genuine smile.

Metz sighed with a shake of their head, leaning forward to grab more sushi. "If I knew being your cook would be this complicated, I would've quit on the first day," they said, a quick, playful smirk directed at Eddie. "I deserve a raise."

"A raise? Hm. What about a ride?" Eddie asked. Metz raised a brow at this.

Twenty minutes later, Eddie raced through the city with Metz's arms around him as they whooped. He was grinning as he watched them in the rearview mirror. He forced Metz to don his helmet but they'd kept the visor up, the light of street posts reflecting on their wide eyes. "That's all you got, Eddie?" he heard Metz ask. He couldn't see it, of course, but he was sure they were grinning like mad under the helmet.

Metz heard Eddie's laughter as he revved the bike again, shooting down the highway as buildings soon gave way to palm trees and a view of the ocean. There was something freeing about being able to blur out the scenery, speeding through it with the air cutting into exposed skin. Without warning, Metz shifted and tightened their knees around Eddie's waist before they rose from the seat and raised their arms in the air, screaming into the wind. "Get your ass down here, Metz!" they heard Eddie call and they complied seconds later, adrenaline pumping through their veins. "I'm revoking your riding privileges."

I've got her, Eddie. No need to get your panties in a bunch.

"No you're not!" Metz said as close to his ear as they could. Eddie turned his face slightly, enough for Metz to see him roll eyes.

"You really got her?" Eddie muttered to himself, an idea sparking in his mind.

Of course! I'd sooner let you fall than Metz.

Eddie rolled his eyes again, even as he looked over his shoulder and gave Metz a wicked little grin. They would've questioned him if it wasn't for the fact the front tire lifted up from the road suddenly, just enough to cause them to squeal and swing their arms around Eddie's chest, clinging on for fear of falling off the back of the bike. Eddie relished the sensation, not just the ferocity of their grip, but the way they pushed their body fully against his now.

Pervert.

"Shut it," he managed to say even as he laughed.

A peal of breathless laughter came from Metz as the tire bounced back to the asphalt and he slowed down, cruising now as the Golden Gate Park came into view. "Teach me to ride!"

"You serious?"

"Yeah! I mean, I probably won't ever own one, but it'd be fun to learn anyway. It'll be a fair trade for teaching you to cook," Metz said as they took in their surroundings. "I've never been here before." Eddie found a place to park and the two dismounted. Metz mussed with their hair after, dangling the helmet from their fingertips as they stepped away and took a full breath. "It's gorgeous out tonight, too."

Metz's stood at profile, occupied with the sights, and Eddie jumped on the opportunity to study his friend. Their features were so different now than how'd they been in their apartment. Awed, delighted, curious. Despite their short time together, there were a myriad looks of Metz that Eddie had observed. He liked watching the expressions parade through their features. All except that single, panicked look. He forced himself not to push them on it, back at the apartment, but he desperately wanted to know that bit of their past, to eradicate whatever caused that distress and make sure it never crossed their face again.

Don't you think it's strange she never asked if we trusted her?

Eddie started at this sudden comment from the symbiote, straightening up. Venom ran the whole conversation in their shared head as Metz walked further into the park toward a statue and Eddie realized he was right. Not once did they question him, ask him to express his trust first, hell, they barely even pushed to share about his thoughts whenever he showed up in one of his moods.

"I think Metz knows trust can't be forced," he said under his breath, feeling a lump of guilt settle right at the base of his throat. Maybe he was still far from changing. He'd spilled his guts not just because he trusted Metz, really, but because he wanted them to trust him.

Still a jackass, then.

His teeth clacked together and he crossed the distance to where Metz sat on a bench, one foot up to rest their chin on their knee as they looked out at the dark water behind them. "Hey." Metz lazily blinked, drawing themselves back from whatever thoughts they were in to lift their eyes to Eddie. "You never asked, and I should've said it earlier anyway, but I just wanted you to know that I trust you too, yeah?"

"You don't have to say that just because I said it," Metz said, a corner of their mouth tugging downwards. "Trust is different for everyone. I understand if it takes you more time. I said I trusted you because it's true. I held back because it felt… too soon, I guess. But, even before you shared about your past, I already trusted you."

"It's true for me, too," Eddie replied. "I trust you with my life, Metz."

Metz's eyes widened at the words, the lack of playfulness in his tone, before they smiled at him, a reassuring gaze on him now. "Thank you, Eddie. I'll protect that trust with everything I've got." He took a seat next to them and both turned to look out at the water, a comfortable silence falling between the two as the sounds of the night filled the air around them.