Author's Note: The time has come! I really liked being able to put some part of me into Metz with their story on how being non-binary feels. I'm also trying so, so hard to not give so many spoilers! Which, I think I managed. Also, I actually have a draft of the rest of the story until the end. I can tell you now that there are thirteen chapters. That's it. Some may be shorter or longer, since some scenes couldn't be longer or shorter. Also, it may focus more on Metz to, once again, try to avoid spoilers as much as possible. So. There's that!

Also, thanks for the review BrookeWorm3! Enjoy!

Metz couldn't help feeling anxious about what Eddie would say of their appearance. They hadn't spoken much about Metz's gender. They hadn't even touched any sort of subject concerning gender or sexuality, really. Which, made complete sense seeing how they were still pretty much strangers in the general sense. Add to this the fact Eddie knew about their disinterest in dating and Metz knew about Anne. Eddie probably simply assumed they were a straight female, seeing how for the most part, they presented femme. And while San Francisco, to no one's surprise, was amazingly open about accepting queer folks compared to Texas, there was always a sense of risk and a secret shame that Metz couldn't completely shake off.

Aside from that, there was the fact the duo would be going into a prison. And San Quentin was composed of male-identifying prisoners, according to their website, all set for death row. To show up femme would be a mistake, not just for themselves but for Eddie. Having a distraction in the form of trying to 'defend' Metz from comments that would undoubtedly come their way was detrimental to Eddie's objective. It made Metz give a short laugh. Eddie might have accepted their invitation to accompany him, but it didn't seem he gave the idea as deep a thought as he figured he had. He had pulled a string here and there, managing to get Metz' company approved, though his condition of keeping them as far away from Kasady as possible was in play. It irritated Metz still, but they knew it would be for the best. At least for Eddie, that was. Metz would stay outside of the main holding cell, out of sight, but still within range as Eddie spoke to Kasady.

Metz's eyes went back to the mirror, fussing with their hair once more. They wondered if there was a rule against baseball caps and reached for their phone, doing a quick search on visiting rules, only to be disappointed with the forbidden items list.

"There goes that," Metz sighed and pulled off the baseball cap, looking at their disheveled hair. The best option would be a man bun, showing off the shaved sides they usually kept covered by the rest of their hair. The chest binder and masculine clothing would help with hiding other markers. Metz went with a men's gray UT sweatshirt that would further hide their chest and waist, a black tee under that, and loose men's jeans that would slim down their hips and thighs. Staring at their features, Metz figured some contouring to give their features sharper angles wouldn't be a bad thing, and so they set to redoing their face shape.

A ping sounded from the cell now set on the sink and Metz peeked at it to find a text from Eddie. They quickly picked up the device and opened it. Eddie was heading back to the complex to pick them up and would arrive in half an hour. Enough time for them to be ready. Their teeth found the inside of their lip though, worrying it even as they continued to work on their makeup at a brisk pace. Metz's eyes kept wandering back to the device and when they were finished, they picked it up again. Maybe a warning would be good?

Hey, so, just a heads up that I look way different than normal today.

They set the phone down and stared at their reflection once more, giving themselves a look over while touching up some last details. The ping came again and they resumed the lip biting as they opened the message.

Different how?

Now wasn't that a tough one to answer.

Don't text and drive. It'll be easier to explain once you're here, anyway.

It shouldn't be a big deal, Metz assured as they forced themselves to stop nitpicking at their reflection and headed back to the living room instead. They sat on the couch and then decided against it, standing and heading to the kitchen to find something to do. Maybe a beer to calm their nerves. The phone pinged again from its spot on the couch and Metz let out an exasperated sigh as they grabbed a drink and headed back to the couch, dropping into it.

I'm only texting at red lights. Show me.

That certainly sent Metz heart to the races. Pushing up from their seat, they trudged into the bedroom to stand before the full length mirror. Shame and fear washed over them again as their eyes crawled over their features, their body, the outfit. They snapped a picture before they could scare themselves further, but inspected it right after. Maybe it was more an androgynous look than masc, but it still felt like too much. Metz stared at it for a long minute before deleting it and striking a pose, chin tilted up and shoulders back, body open as they leaned into the masc feeling. Go big or go home, right?

"And if he turns out to really be an asshole, better to end the friendship now," they muttered to themselves as they studied the new image before sending it. They considered following it up with a text but decided otherwise immediately. Depending on his reaction, they could mold their course of action after.

Hot. Be there in ten.

Metz stared at the screen, reading and rereading and triple reading the message. "Okay. Okay?" They paced the length of the bedroom now, occasionally scratching at the back of their head. "Okay. Tone is hard to read through text. Everyone knows that," Metz muttered to themselves as they put the phone away, then pulled it back out to view the message. "Sarcasm? Playfulness? I doubt that's a sincere 'hot'. Then again, we never touched on preferences either so," at this, Metz trailed off and shook their head quickly. "It'll be easier to explain in person," they reminded themselves, returning to the living room and picking up the now tepid beer. They drank long and deep from the bottle, exhaling harshly after and wiping at their mouth.

Two chugged beers later and they heard the rumble of Eddie's bike outside the complex. Freezing up, they stood in the middle of grabbing another beer before dashing to the living room to throw away the evidence of the drinking instead. With that done, they approached the front door and paced a small circle as they waited for the knock.

When it came, though, they froze again, staring at the door with wide eyes. They mustered their courage and grabbed the door knob, swinging the door open. Eddie's eyes did a slow sweep, from their hair to their features and down the simple outfit.

What is this?! Is she like us?!

"Nice," he said simply and walked past them to the kitchen. "We've got about fifteen minutes before we should head out. Traffic's hell." He studied the contents of the fridge and Metz watched his line of sight flicker towards the trash can before pulling out a beer. "So?"

"Okay. Uh, well," Metz stuttered and Eddie raised a brow at this. He rarely saw Metz nervous, and certainly never to the point of stumbling over their words. "The thing is, I'm not exactly a woman? Common mistake, seeing how I usually veer towards that aesthetic. I mean, being raised as one, it's a sort of comfort thing, sticking to that style. But, really, I'm not… fully… female?"

"Alright," Eddie said simply, motioning with a hand to continue as he took a swig of his beer.

"Right. So. I'm not a man either," they immediately clarified. "It's a thing where I, just, feel the essence of both? And sometimes like neither? Or more one than the other? But never just. One. Thing. I've felt this way since I was a kid and just, didn't really understand until I was way older. Anyway, I know there're loads of labels out there now, but non-binary is the one I feel more at home in. Oh, and I use they/them pronouns." Metz held their breath afterwards, their heart thundering in their ears as they waited for the reaction. They expected confusion or dismissal or, hell, even disgust.

What they didn't expect was Eddie taking another drink of his beer and nodding. "Okay. Might take me a bit to readjust the pronoun deal, but I'll get it down eventually."

The air in Metz's long expelled itself in a long, trembling exhale. "That's it?"

"Yeah," Eddie said, displaying confusion at their response. "I mean, first off, this is San Francisco. Come on. Second of all, your gender is a part of you, but it isn't all of you, you know? I'm sure it's helped form you into who you are now, and I like the you standing here. Even if I didn't like you, I'd have zero problem with it, Metz, if that's what got you worked up to the point you thought I needed a 'heads up' about your appearance today."

Eddie's eyes didn't waver from Metz's own as he spoke, and the pit burning in the middle of their stomach was drowned out with relief and deep gratitude. "Okay." They were positively beaming at Eddie now. "Okay. Thank you, Eddie. This… it means more to me than you'll ever know."

The sight of that smile meant more to him than Metz could know, Eddie was sure. And really, was there any other reaction they could've expected? Eddie had bared the worst of him and his past to them and they hadn't judged him an ounce. How could he possibly not accept everything about them? Especially something as natural as their gender. "You and your over thinking," he teased in a light tone. "Come on, then. Let's get going before we get stuck in a jam."

You don't just mean a traffic one, do you?

Metz nodded in eager agreement and followed Eddie out, locking their door behind them. "What do you feel like eating after?" he asked, intent on ignoring the symbiote now. "I was thinking Korean BBQ. I heard this new place opened nearby. We can swing by after the interview and pick up something."

"That sounds good to me. Should we take my car?" Metz asked as the two bounded down the stairs.

"Bike's better around this time," Eddie noted as he held the door open for Metz. "More of a chance to worm around traffic than be trapped in it for hours. Also, just so you know, you can dress like this any time you want," he added. "If you were holding back before, that is. I think you've looked most comfortable today, from all the times I've seen you, and I want you to always feel like this around me." Metz glanced over at him, a quirk of a smile now on their lips. "Oh. There's this, too," Eddie said, grabbing a helmet from the bike when they reached it and tossing it gently at Metz.

Metz's reflexes were just quick enough to catch the helmet. It was a vivid turquoise, contrasting sharply with Eddie's own deep crimson helmet. "Wasn't sure what your favorite color was, but this just seemed very you," he said as he took hold of his own helmet.

Grinning, Metz immediately pulled it on as Eddie straddled the bike and they joined him after, clipping the helmet and patting it twice. "It's perfect. You got my color right," they assured as they loosely grabbed onto Eddie's sides. "Onward, Mr. Brock."

"You remember the deal, right?" he asked as he guided the bike out into the street. "You're sticking with the guards. It's only a few yards from where I'll be, anyway. And before your over thinking brain tries to come up with some terrible scenarios, there will be a guard with me, too. Kasady is locked in tight in a smaller cell, inside the holding area. I'm sure everything will be fine, just, last minute conversations before… the end."

It became harder to speak as the duo hit the road and Metz welcomed the silence as they headed to their destination. The scenery gave way to desolate landscape the closer they got to the prison. A gnawing sensation started at Metz's navel as the giant, plain white building came into view. Their nose scrounged up as Eddie maneuvered into a parking spot, waiting for Metz to dismount before kicking out the bike stand. Metz removed the helmet and took in the barbed wire fence surrounding the imposing structure. "Not the best feeling, looking at that, huh?"

They nodded as Eddie took both helmets and secured it to the bike. "I can't imagine having to spend a single day in there," Metz said.

Eddie nodded in agreement before motioning for them to follow. The two were patted down before being allowed inside the fence, and then were guided by a guard towards the actual prison. Metz was set between the two men, though their presence brought zero notice to the group. Eddie, on the other hand, caught the guard's attention as he muttered to himself as they walked. Catching the guard's eye, Metz smiled and gave a small shrug. "Practice run. Not every day that a serial killer keeps calling you in like you're besties." The guard couldn't help a chuckle as they walked into the building and came to a station desk.

"You shut up!" Eddie half-screamed, startling everyone.

"Excuse me?" the guard behind the desk asked, squaring up to Eddie.

Pushing Eddie aside a bit, Metz smiled easily and raised a single hand. "Sorry about that. He's a bit panicky. Sign here?" The guard glared at Eddie and pushed the clipboard towards Metz first, crossing her arms after. "Thank you," Metz said, flashing her a warm smile. They signed then nudged Eddie, who scribbled a quick signature. "Appreciate you."

Turning, the now snickering guard led the two down a hallway again until they reached another station, manned by three guards. One stood behind a podium of sorts and the other two guarded the entrance further down the hallway. Once again they were patted down before Eddie turned to Metz who made themselves comfortable against a wall beside the guard's desk, just shy of the hallway. "Right. Won't be long." Metz nodded, trying to keep from chewing on their already raw lip, eyes intent on Eddie.

Their neighbor followed the guard alone this time, around a corner to where Metz assumed Kasady was being held. The voices from the out of sight area floated towards them, but weren't easily discernible. There was a long stretch of silence, the guard at the podium breaking it occasionally as he flipped through some pages.

"So why're you here if you ain't going in with Mr. Brock?" one of the guards in the hallway asked.

"I'm his emotional support human. You saw what the man looked like coming in here," Metz replied without hesitation, their eyes on the hallway. The guard barked out a laugh at this. "Does Kasady always have this many guards on duty around him?" they asked in a lower voice after, glancing over at the guard that spoke to them. "I mean, I for one am glad for it right now, if we're being real here. But if I wasn't here, I'd think it excessive."

"Yeah, well, seems you're not as well versed as Mr. Brock on the guy. If you were, you wouldn't think it excessive," the man said, the good-humored tone out of his voice now.

"Touché, Officer," Metz pinpointed his badge and nodded. "Williams. Honestly, hadn't heard of the guy until Mr. Brock made the news. I looked a bit into the history and–" The sound of screaming came from around the corner, causing Williams and his partner to dash around the corner, and Metz instinctively stepped forward, only to have a hand clamp down on their shoulder. They were about to shrug it off when they noticed the guard behind the podium give a warning look.

Not even a minute later, Eddie was being escorted out of the cell and Metz shrugged off the officer's hold then to close the distance between themselves and Eddie. A splotch of red caught their attention and blood drained from their face. "Eddie?"

"I'm fine, Metz," he assured them quickly, placing the stained hand on their back and guiding them towards the exit. "I just wanna get the fuck out of here." Two guards escorted them out this time, all the way to the locked fence.

There was no way I was going to let him disrespect you, Eddie!

"You. You fucker." Eddie hissed through gritted teeth and started to pace next to the bike. "I can't fuckin' believe–" He felt Metz eyes on him and he restrained the oncoming tirade.

"You're bleeding, Eddie. You can't hide it from me," Metz said in a stern voice. "Show me your hand."

I fixed it right up. Not a hint of a scar even.

"He just grabbed my hand, Metz," Eddie lied, unclipping the helmets and holding out Metz's gear towards them with the hand that didn't have the blemish. "Let's just go home, yeah? I've lost my appetite for now, but I sure could use some beers."

"Show me," they repeated, their eyes narrowing.

They're not going to drop it, Eddie.

Eddie studied the determined expression on Metz's face and decided Venom was right on this one. With a sigh, he extended his other arm out towards Metz. They quickly took hold of his wrist and inspected his hand, turning it to and fro, frowning when all they found was a dry splotch of… something. "He was eating when I walked in. Some sort of fast food, it seemed. My guess is that it's ketchup. I'll admit he scared me for a good minute, though," he told Metz as they used the inside of their sweater to wipe at it before inspecting his hand once more. "I could've cleaned that off on my jeans if you asked!"

"I know what I saw," Metz retorted, the frown etching deeper. Their fingers pressed into his skin now as if that would uncover the gash. "It was blood. I know what blood looks like, Eddie Brock."

Now why would that be something they know?

This statement unnerved Eddie and he grasped at their fingers now, drawing their attention to his own eyes. "I'm fine, Metz," he repeated, his tone gentle this time around. "I promise. It was just a scare." Metz's eyes flickered between his, the frown refusing to dissipate even as they relaxed their hold on him. "Can we please go home now?"

"Fine," Metz relented after a minute and Eddie sighed again, releasing their hand and offering the helmet again.

Eddie turned to put his own helmet on before mounting the bike. Metz sat behind him after he turned on the bike and kicked up the stand, wrapping their arms around him. The ride back home was silent. Well, Metz remained quiet.

Eddie…

"You have no idea what you've done, do you?" he hissed again under his breath, glad the wind would hide the conversation.

I should've ripped his tongue out!

"Those were his last words, you selfish prick! No do-over here. No way to get him to spill more info on possible victims," Eddie said in a growl. "You fucked up."

Eddie!

Their building came into view and Eddie ignored the rest of the symbiote's pleading as he parked. Metz was still quiet as they headed into the complex. "We'll do Korean BBQ next time, yeah? I think we both need some rest after today," Eddie finally said as they walked up the stairs.

I want to spend more time with Metz!

"That's a good idea," Metz nodded as they reached the landing on their floor, not noticing the way Eddie flinched then glared to the side before he turned his attention back to Metz. "I'll see you later, Eddie," they added, trying a smile at him before unlocking their apartment and heading inside.

He gave a tight smile in return and watched the door close behind Metz, locks latching on the other side before gritting his teeth and heading into his apartment.