Chapter 2 is now up. Hope you guys enjoy!

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Chapter 2

Eddie thumbed through the portfolio on his desk. His head pressed his phone against his shoulder as he fingered the blurred photos that made up a bulk of the prints.

"Come on, Annie. Just give me something."

"No, Eddie. He's a good guy. I'm not going to just give you some scoop."

"Annie. It's dodgy that we can't find anything on this guy! And he's setting up shop here and has his fingers in all the major companies and medical research centres! It could be another Drake situation!"

"Don't you guilt trip me, Eddie Brock. I can tell you it's nothing like that at all."

"But he's bought up Drake's old facilities and everything! A merger is suspicious."

"Go do your scoop elsewhere, Eddie. I'm not going to answer anything. Now, I need to go and actually work now. Don't ask me again."

Eddie cursed as he slammed his phone against his desk. That was his only major lead in getting information about the elusive Harrison Black.

He had come to San Fran a few months back and while the news was all positive so far, Eddie had a feeling that there was something odd about it all. The Black heir had come to set up shop out of nowhere, buying up land and factories left, right and centre.

The weird thing was every photo Eddie had tried to snap was blurred beyond any kind of human recognition. He and Venom had tried everything to get closer, tailing the guy but they'd seen neither hide nor hair of the man.

He had some sleuthing to do and Eddie knew he'd have to go straight to the source. Undercover.

The next day Eddie dressed in his one suit, taking a blue folder from his desk and sliding on a pair of false lense thick rimmed glasses. He just had to pose as a reporter from the big wigs Times or some shit about writing about the 'humanitarian' works or some bullshit lie along those lines.

Then, when he was face to face he'd start asking the real questions about motives.

Eddie waited in the lobby of the building, his guest pass on his chest shining in all the artificial down lights. The lady behind the counter advised him to wait until they ran through his credentials and checked him out and found a spot for him in the busy day of the boss.

Venom saw him before Eddie did and it took the man all his willpower to wrest the symbiote back so he didn't bust forward.

Eddie knew his jaw was slack and open as he took in that messy hair (fucked hair Venom purred) and his green eyes as the man exited the elevator with a leather bag slung across his shoulder.

Eddie jerked up from his spot and moved quickly, ignoring the security who had seen him approach and let out a shout.

The boss lifted his hand, halting the security as those green eyes turned on Eddie.

"You're Harrison Black." Eddie blurted out.

Said man raised a brow. "You're the guy from Annie's party."

"Yes. I've been…"

"Looking for me it seems."

Eddie shrugged but nodded.

Harrison seemed to measure him up before he smirked and moved back towards the elevator. "Come on then, Mr Brock."

Eddie tried to ignore the shot of energy that went straight to his groin at the accented voice addressing him. He'd never been a mister before, but coming from those lips he'd be Mr Brock any day.

He will be screaming our name soon enough Eddie.

Eddie followed almost on automatic, in a trance by watching those taunt ass cheeks move beneath the tight blue dress pants and the muscles of his back shift under his shirt as he held open the elevator door.

Eddie stepped in, eyeing the mirrored walls and how as soon as Harrison stepped in, there were a million reflections of the man crowding around him.

"So. I assume you were the one tailing me recently." Harrison said as he leant against the wall, his arms crossed. His bag still hung from his shoulder strap and Eddie eyed it, wondering what secrets it would hold.

"I was. I must be a bit rough if you picked up on me."

Harrison smirked. "You did well. I just happen to be extra paranoid about people following me around."

Eddie noted the tightness of the man's eyes at that statement.

"Have some enemies then?" Eddie presses.

Harrison laughed. "You won't catch me that easily, Mr Brock."

Eddie grinned back, almost without thinking as that laugh washed over him. "I had to try."

"Loose lips sink ships, Mr Brock. And this is my ship and I won't let you go around making any incorrect or untrue statements for your story." Harrison said as the elevator dinged to signal their arrival to the top floor. "Annie did tell me you would be digging around and your...suspicions."

Eddie growled low as he realised that Annie sold him out.

Harrison heard and chuckled. "Don't worry, she only told me out of family loyalty. We are distantly related."

Eddie raised a brow at the mention of their relation. "How are you related?"

"She's a cousin, through her Mother." Harrison replied as he moved through the open office to sit on the leather armchair, gesturing for Eddie to sit across from him on the matching couch.

Eddie's focus was on those long, lean legs crossing at the knees.

"I assume you are wanting to know why I have suddenly appeared on the scene in medical and scientific facilities here in our lovely San Francisco?" Harrison said as he leant back into the couch.

"Well yes…" Eddie lifted his eyes from those legs, seeing the amusement in the green eyes.

"And I'm sure you have such an investment in those scientific facilities considering your… roommate."

Eddie tensed up and Harrison merely waved a hand. "Don't worry. No, I do not want your little roommate. Nor am I too shocked. I have seen worse."

LITTLE!? Venom groused as he pushed to try and take over. I'LL SHOW HIM LITTLE! Eddie tell him we are well endowed!

Eddie rolled his eyes and forced Venom back. Didn't need them scaring the man again and having them flying out the window.

"Is that how you were able to get him to back off?" Eddie asked, curious. "Have you worked with Symbiotes before?"

"Is that what he is called? Then no. But I've seen things… similar to that. And I have defences available to me that will be able to protect me."

Eddie took that in.

He looked over the man who seemed relaxed and at ease despite knowing Eddie had Venom tucked away inside.

"You're an enigma."

Harrison laughed. "I'll take that as a complement, Mr Brock."

"It's Eddie."

Harrison looked at him, his hands steepled before him with his elbows on the armrests. Eddie thought he'd never seen anything hotter.

Rip off his shirt. Eddie, do it now.

"Alright then, Eddie. You may call me Harry. On the stipulation that what I tell you, you can report on but anything you fabricate or exaggerate, I'll come down on your paper and your head."

We would love for him to cum on our head.

Eddie cleared his throat and loosened his collar. He nodded, understanding the threat and wondering why the room suddenly felt a few degrees cooler, and did the lights flicker? No, couldn't be. "I understand. I only report on the truth."

"Yes, I've heard of your reputation of not being bribed or swayed by any corporate CEO's for any sum of money." Harry turned to look at the far wall, dragging Eddie's eyes after him.

"Do you see that painting?" Harry asked.

Eddie nodded. It took up nearly the entire wall from floor to ceiling and was of a large family all made entirely of redheads with a few other hair colours. Eddie could spy amongst the red the pitch of Harry's hair towards the left of the frame. His arms were around a shapely woman with curly brown hair and a tall redhead had his arms around them both with a laughing smile.

There were rows and rows of faces and smiles and they all seemed to be celebrating something or another with the balloons and streamers in the background. At the front sitting on the grass were many children, most with red or brown hair and all dressed in bright coloured woollen sweaters.

"In the middle. His name is Hugo." Harry explained. "He's 10 and he has muscular dystrophy."

Eddie roamed over the faces to see the little brown haired boy sitting in a wheelchair that you could just see between a set of twins sitting in front of Hugo. His hair was bushy and seemed to stick up in different directions, and his smile was bright as his hand was held by a smaller boy with dark skin next to him.

"He has gotten to the stage where his legs will no longer hold his weight and he can barely hold his arms up over his head." Harry's voice was cold. "I'd spent my early life studying to be a… doctor. And then Hugo was born to my best friends and I knew I had to do something. Hugo… he's different from your average case. His illness keeps mutating as he grows so no treatments or medicine can keep up with the mutation in the genes and so he's been progressively getting worse with age."

Eddie was silent, but he leaned over and placed a rough hand against Harry's knee in comfort. Harry seemed to be shaken by the move but offered a small sad smile.

"Hugo's smart and inquisitive and all the things little boys should be his age. But because of this, next year he won't be able to attend the boarding school that his entire family has attended for generations." Harry continued.

"Are they not disability friendly?" Eddie asked.

Harry laughed bitterly. "They aren't the best, that's for sure. They could make assistance available but he'd need too much help and it's progressing too quickly for him to have the strength to even direct his wheelchair. Someone would have to be able to be there day and night."

"So, you started your company to research this?"

"Yes, and other diseases just as his that are just that little out of the ordinary. I've bought up a lot of the institutes already conducting research so to collaborate and bring all the data together in one place."

"How did you have the money?"

"I'm from old money in England and my Godfather also left me a sizeable fortune after his passing. I had been content to donate a lot of it before now, but it's all gone into the different labs across the world."

"Yeah, I read about your lab in Singapore and Austria."

Harry looked back to Eddie. "All I want to do is help my family."

"And your relation to Annie?"

"She's my adopted family's cousin. I say family in a loose term but since I moved here to oversee the setup of this new research facility she's been a big help."

Eddie nodded and looked at the large painting again. Yes, Annie's Mum had hair as red as the rest of them.

"What about your family?"

"Don't have any. Other than the people you see in that painting there."

Eddie paused at the tone in Harry's voice. "Sorry. Didn't mean to be rude or anything."

Harry waved him off. "It's a long story that we don't need to have in your sob-story expose."

"I wouldn't call it that," Eddie replied with a frown.

Harry chuckled but continued on. "Anything else?"

Eddie nodded. "Will you go for a drink with me?"

Harry rolled his eyes although the smile on his lips showed his amusement. "Does your company not have any policies about dating the people you write your scoops on?"

Eddie shrugged. "I'll just scrap the story. I'd rather the drink."

Harry tilted his head. "And your Symbiote wants you to do this?"

"He's more than encouraging."

"So one drink. What would happen if I said yes?"

"Well I'd hope you'd enjoy it enough to make it two. Or three."

Harry laughed. "So enough to get me into bed. My my Eddie Brock your… reputation precedes you."

Eddie only gave a shrug and a lopsided grin. Harry noted his eye tooth was sharper than usual and how it'd feel sunk in his shoulder.

"If you wanted. I wouldn't say no. And I hope Annie has only told you good things." Eddie replied as his grin grew wider.

Harry paused and looked at Eddie. It wasn't often that people were so direct with him, but then again Eddie didn't seem to be intimidated by people with power. Whilst he didn't know Harry's whole story he knew enough now to know that the Englishman had money and came from an old family. That meant something, even here in America.

"And what would you expect in return for this date?"

"Well, V, he is rather fascinated with you…" Eddie explained with a mumble. "He, uh, called you his…"

"Sorry, I didn't catch that?"

"He called you his… mate."

Harry's eyebrows rose. "Mate?"

"Yeah. I don't know what exactly that means for Symbiotes other than a raging hard on but he's pretty insistent on the mate and, the uh, mating part."

Harry eyed Eddie. "I'm not giving up my control."

"I'm not asking you to."

Tell him, Eddie.

"V and I, we kinda like that you can...overpower us." Eddie admitted as he rubbed the back of his head, feeling the spot where he had hit his head, although no scar remained with Venom's healing abilities.

Harry cocked a brow and leant back into the leather. "Really…?"

"Yeah. It's kinda hot."

Harry smirked, taking a moment to ponder it over. It wasn't the worst thing that someone had ever proposed.

"And this alien of yours. He wants this - for whatever reason - too?" Harry asked.

"Well - yeah. V, he's a bit of a… pervert."

Takes one to know one Eddie.

Harry snorted, his lips quirking. "I'd like to talk to him anyway. Will that be okay?"

"Uh. I think he'd honestly just jump you if he was out."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Haven't I already proven I can look after myself?"

Eddie was silent for but a moment. "Touché."

Harry watched as Eddie's body seemed to ripple and a thick black ooze began to form a large, towering figure.

The night of Annie's engagement party Harry hadn't paid too much attention to the massive figure that had tried to attack him on the balcony, however now in the light of the day he could see it clearly.

The massive figure was easily over 7 feet if not even taller. He was muscled and wide across the chest and shoulders, and his skin seemed to be liquid-like in consistency.

White eyes and a large mouth full of sharp teeth were grinning at Harry.

"So pretty. Mate." Venom growled out, his voice deep and rumbling.

Harry felt a small shiver make its way from his neck down.

"Venom, right?" Harry began. "So what exactly are you? This Symbiote?"

"We are from another planet. I escaped here and bonded with Eddie to survive. Eddie says we are a… parasite. We must have a host."

"So you share your one body together?"

"Yes. Eddie is mine. I am Eddie's."

"What does that mean?"

"I protect Eddie. I can protect him from the baddies and he looks after me by feeding me taters." Venom let his tongue hang out at the thought of the potato treats.

"Are there others like you?"

"Yes. But not here. Not for a while. We killed Riot. We protect here and the people. Eddie writes stories, I kill bad men and eat them."

"And why am I your mate?"

Venom stepped closer and Harry tensed but kept his seat.

"Because I can smell you. I can feel you. You are mine. I know it."

Harry hummed to himself. It was an interesting thought. He didn't feel such an intense pull to Venom as it seemed they did, but he couldn't deny that Eddie and Venom intrigued him and got his blood pumping.

"Say I agree, what does being your mate mean?"

"Fucking. Lots of it. Maybe some spawn. I haven't had children in a few millennia."

You have kids, V!? Eddie exclaimed from their bond.

Venom watched Harry's reaction.

"So...you reproduce by what...implanting eggs?" Harry asked. This was his inquisitive scientific side coming through.

"We spawn. And the babies then have to find hosts."

"And they'd be like you? Just like you? Even the healing?"

"Yes. Although I have never had human spawn." Venom rumbled.

Harry steepled his fingers again. It was an interesting concept, but the moral ethical dilemma of using children in children…

"Venom. Your children, spawn, they pick their hosts, just like you?" Harry continued his line of thinking.

Venom stepped closer, sniffing at Harry's neck, leaning over the still seated man. "Yes. We can only take those who are willing and those we can merge with. Mhm- you smell delicious."

Harry let the Symbiote continue to sniff him, his mind already whirling through the possibilities. "Would you be willing to let me observe you? If I say yes to this date. Would you let me try and study your healing abilities? For Hugo? And on the line of spawn and fucking… well, that can be revisited down the track."

Venom licked a strip of bare skin from Harry's shirt collar to just behind his ear, delighting in the shiver that racked through the body he towered over. "Yes. Anything for our mate."

Venom pulled back, a large hand coming up to take Harry's chin in his fingers. Harry looked back into those white eyes, feeling the intensity of the gaze and the firmness of the grip of his fingers.

Eddie soon melted back into existence, his hand on Harry. Their gazes were still locked and Eddie took the chance, leaning forward as he brushed his lips over Harry's.

Harry blinked at the soft brush of lips on his. He let a smile curl on his lips though as Eddie pulled back.

"So, tomorrow. Drinks on me?" Eddie asked.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, okay."

Venom was already starting to chatter about all the other things they could be doing instead of drinks in Eddie's ear.