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Venom can feel the spawn huddling against him, they are cold, and frightened. It’s been so long he’s nothing more than a vague memory to them and the smallest tries to pull away, frightened at this huge, hulking creature so close to them.
Venom snatches them back close before they can pull free of Eddie’s body or- worse, get lost in his body and hurt him. Stay, he whispers, wrapping tendrils around them. Three of them. Venom feels dizzy with relief. Three, all safe, all here and huddled close. You’re safe. We are here, me and Eddie, you will be safe now.
They don’t believe him, not really, and why should they? He’d left them. He can try and justify it- the rabbits were safe hosts, the humans too variable and dangerous. But he’d still left them. I am sorry, he whispers to them, I did not want to leave. I only wanted you safe.
Agony and Scream come closer, but they had been part of him since the comet, huddled within him to hide from Riot, they remembered. But the little one, the one born within LIFE and who had never known the stars- who didn’t even have a name yet- he pulled away from them.
Please. Venom begs, he feels Eddie press his hands against his stomach, trying to reach in and comfort him. Please, you are safe, please-
The spawn shudders, and suddenly darts away again, out of reach- and tearing out of Eddie’s body.
No!
Eddie cries out, stumbling back. He isn’t bleeding, but the spawn’s ripped through tissue and splintered several ribs. Venom freezes, torn between needed to go after the spawn and Eddie. Finally, he rushes to staunch the internal bleeding, the children weeping and shuddering in panic at the flashes of pain and adrenaline.
“Okay, okay.” Eddie’s voice rattles through his bones, a comforting rumble through them as Venom patches up flesh and muscle. “I got you. Shh, it’s okay-”
He’ll need to check the repairs later, but for now Eddie’s okay. Venom pushes free from his shoulder, looking around desperately.
And the spawn is in Eddie’s arms. Tucked in the corner of his elbow. Eddie’s crooning to it gently, stroking it. “It’s okay.” He repeats. “You’re safe. It’s okay.”
And- it’s working. The little one is relaxing at the reassuring voice, the soft touches. Venom climbs over his shoulder and the spawn shudders, pulling back further in Eddie’s hands.
“It’s okay, it’s fine. That’s your dad, see? We’re here to help. We’ll look after you. It’s okay.”
He runs a hand gently over the spawn’s head. It reaches a little tendril and winds it around Eddie’s finger. “Oh hell, he’s adorable.” Eddie smiles at Venom. “What’s his name?”
“He doesn’t have one yet.” Venom relaxes on Eddie’s shoulder. So relieved it’s a struggle not to melt back in. “He was born here and- he doesn’t know us yet.”
“Oh,” He can feel the mirror-pain shiver through Eddie, “I’m so sorry sweetheart.”
Venom closes his eyes, Eddie leans in, and presses slightly-damp lips to his head, a tender touch, so very gentle. He feels Agony and Scream creep out shyly, look around at the strange world around them.
“Oh, hey darlings.” Eddie smiles, reaches out and strokes a finger over their little heads, down their necks. Agony leans into the touch, but Scream coils back in alarm, baring her little teeth. “Okay, okay. No touchy. It’s okay.”
The little one, feeling left out, swarms up Eddie’s arm and sits on his other shoulder, reaching a tendril to prod Eddie’s cheek to get his attention. “Aren’t we making enough of a fuss about you, kiddo?” He smiles, and kisses a tiny tentacle.
The little one withdraws shyly, eyes moving from Eddie, then to Venom. There’s still fear there, but he isn’t running. “Little one.” Venom whispers. “We won’t hurt you. We’re here for you.”
He edges forward, little by little. The little one tenses at first, eyes on Venom’s teeth, his powerful coils. Venom stops, only a few inches away, waiting.
Eddie strokes one hand over Venom’s neck, the other gently kneading the little one, relaxing him. Finally, the little one moves, closing the last few inches between them and touches his muzzle to Venom’s, a small, fearful question- whowhatwherehurthurthurt-
“No.” Venom growls. “Never hurt. Not with us. Safe now. Safe together.” Scream and Agony snake over Eddie’s shoulders and wind around their brother. He relaxes slowly, leans into the touches.
Eddie sniffs, rubs his eyes. “Sorry.” He smiles weakly at Venom. “You’re all so beautiful.” He presses a kiss to the little one, to Agony, hesitates for a moment, then Scream leans in and she gets a kiss too.
Then he turns to Venom, opens his mouth for a deep kiss and Venom melts into it. They are safe. They are all together, curled around Eddie, held in his hands. Together. Safe.
Venom can feel the spawn huddling against him, they are cold, and frightened. It’s been so long he’s nothing more than a vague memory to them and the smallest tries to pull away, frightened at this huge, hulking creature so close to them.
Venom snatches them back close before they can pull free of Eddie’s body or- worse, get lost in his body and hurt him. Stay, he whispers, wrapping tendrils around them. Three of them. Venom feels dizzy with relief. Three, all safe, all here and huddled close. You’re safe. We are here, me and Eddie, you will be safe now.
They don’t believe him, not really, and why should they? He’d left them. He can try and justify it- the rabbits were safe hosts, the humans too variable and dangerous. But he’d still left them. I am sorry, he whispers to them, I did not want to leave. I only wanted you safe.
Agony and Scream come closer, but they had been part of him since the comet, huddled within him to hide from Riot, they remembered. But the little one, the one born within LIFE and who had never known the stars- who didn’t even have a name yet- he pulled away from them.
Please. Venom begs, he feels Eddie press his hands against his stomach, trying to reach in and comfort him. Please, you are safe, please-
The spawn shudders, and suddenly darts away again, out of reach- and tearing out of Eddie’s body.
No!
Eddie cries out, stumbling back. He isn’t bleeding, but the spawn’s ripped through tissue and splintered several ribs. Venom freezes, torn between needed to go after the spawn and Eddie. Finally, he rushes to staunch the internal bleeding, the children weeping and shuddering in panic at the flashes of pain and adrenaline.
“Okay, okay.” Eddie’s voice rattles through his bones, a comforting rumble through them as Venom patches up flesh and muscle. “I got you. Shh, it’s okay-”
He’ll need to check the repairs later, but for now Eddie’s okay. Venom pushes free from his shoulder, looking around desperately.
And the spawn is in Eddie’s arms. Tucked in the corner of his elbow. Eddie’s crooning to it gently, stroking it. “It’s okay.” He repeats. “You’re safe. It’s okay.”
And- it’s working. The little one is relaxing at the reassuring voice, the soft touches. Venom climbs over his shoulder and the spawn shudders, pulling back further in Eddie’s hands.
“It’s okay, it’s fine. That’s your dad, see? We’re here to help. We’ll look after you. It’s okay.”
He runs a hand gently over the spawn’s head. It reaches a little tendril and winds it around Eddie’s finger. “Oh hell, he’s adorable.” Eddie smiles at Venom. “What’s his name?”
“He doesn’t have one yet.” Venom relaxes on Eddie’s shoulder. So relieved it’s a struggle not to melt back in. “He was born here and- he doesn’t know us yet.”
“Oh,” He can feel the mirror-pain shiver through Eddie, “I’m so sorry sweetheart.”
Venom closes his eyes, Eddie leans in, and presses slightly-damp lips to his head, a tender touch, so very gentle. He feels Agony and Scream creep out shyly, look around at the strange world around them.
“Oh, hey darlings.” Eddie smiles, reaches out and strokes a finger over their little heads, down their necks. Agony leans into the touch, but Scream coils back in alarm, baring her little teeth. “Okay, okay. No touchy. It’s okay.”
The little one, feeling left out, swarms up Eddie’s arm and sits on his other shoulder, reaching a tendril to prod Eddie’s cheek to get his attention. “Aren’t we making enough of a fuss about you, kiddo?” He smiles, and kisses a tiny tentacle.
The little one withdraws shyly, eyes moving from Eddie, then to Venom. There’s still fear there, but he isn’t running. “Little one.” Venom whispers. “We won’t hurt you. We’re here for you.”
He edges forward, little by little. The little one tenses at first, eyes on Venom’s teeth, his powerful coils. Venom stops, only a few inches away, waiting.
Eddie strokes one hand over Venom’s neck, the other gently kneading the little one, relaxing him. Finally, the little one moves, closing the last few inches between them and touches his muzzle to Venom’s, a small, fearful question- whowhatwherehurthurthurt-
“No.” Venom growls. “Never hurt. Not with us. Safe now. Safe together.” Scream and Agony snake over Eddie’s shoulders and wind around their brother. He relaxes slowly, leans into the touches.
Eddie sniffs, rubs his eyes. “Sorry.” He smiles weakly at Venom. “You’re all so beautiful.” He presses a kiss to the little one, to Agony, hesitates for a moment, then Scream leans in and she gets a kiss too.
Then he turns to Venom, opens his mouth for a deep kiss and Venom melts into it. They are safe. They are all together, curled around Eddie, held in his hands. Together. Safe.