Summary: Eddie’s been having a bad day and his hypersensitivity to loud noises is about to drive him into a panic attack.
EDDIE
“Not now.”
WHAT’S THE MATTER?
“Nothing. Be quiet now.”
Eddie grabs a beer in the fridge and sinks down in the couch, sighing. He can feel Venom’s restlessness and it only makes hims feel worse.
YOU’RE TENSE, EDDIE. WERE TENSE ALL THE WAY HOME.
“No shit.“ Eddie takes a large gulp of his beer, grimacing “All that… mess. Was driving me crazy.”
It’s like he can still hear the police car’s sirens, the children screams, high-pitched and deafening. He shivers, teeth grinding in his skull.
WE DID RIGHT. SAVED THAT YOUNG MAN. WE EVEN BROKE THAT RACIST OFFICER’S LEG INSTEAD OF EATING HIM, LIKE YOU ASKED US TO.
“He was gonna kill him.” Eddie runs his hand over his lips, placing the bottle on the floor “Was gonna kill that poor man in front of his daughters just because he reached for his wallet.”
THAT IS NOT WHAT’S MAKING YOU SHAKE LIKE THIS
Eddie’s eyes went wide. Only now did he notice that he was shifting uncomfortably in his seat, his leg bouncing non-stop and sweat beading on his skin. Eddie tries to speak but his voice gets caught in his throat.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEAK. WE’RE HERE. TALK TO US IN YOUR MIND
Eddie swallows down, rocking back and forth now.
Noise too loud never liked loud I hate that shit hate it and my heart is just racing and I can’t make it stop-
EDDIE. EDDIE, IT’S NOT NOISY NOW. YOU’RE HOME. RELAX
Easy for you to say, goddamni-
That’s when the neighbor next door decides it’s a good time to blast his fucking guitar full volume, and Eddie just shrieks, rolling down to the floor and knocking down his bottle on the way. There’s the sound of broken glass, the stinging pain on Eddie’s arm as he scrambles over the glass shards.
EDDIE!
But for the first time Eddie can’t bring himself to hear Venom in his head, even now when Venom himself sounds panicked. Eddie he feels alone, cornered, terrified like he’s on a free fall down to the unforgiving concrete that will break every bone in his body and Venom will not here to heal him, to fix him.
He can smell blood and it makes him panic even more, tears prickling at the corners of his eyes, drawing rivers over the bridge of his nose. His throat is tight and he can’t breathe, he’s gonna die, he’s dying…
Something rubbery touches his cheek. It’s soft and almos slimy, drawing circles on his skin like a soft caress.
EDDIE
A voice… in his head. Kind and gentle but still somewhat scared like he is.
EDDIE, CAN YOU HEAR US NOW?
“N… Nnnngh!” Eddie chokes out “Can’t breathe…!”
The black matter over his cheek takes the shape of a big, clawed hand that caresses him gently, touch soothing and warm.
FOCUS ON YOUR BREATHING. IN AND OUT, EDDIE. SLOWLY
And it’s like something is stopping the air to leave his lungs so fast, and forcing his chest to stop heaving. Eddie’s right arm, he can feel it hurt, wet with blood… the pain is numbing out as Venom heals his injury.
YOU’LL BE FINE, EDDIE. WE WOULD NEVER LEAVE YOU HURTING
Eddie is still shivering, wide-eyed and drenched in sweat. The guitar noises have stopped by now – the neighbor probably had heard him scream and isn’t willing to bother him any further, probably pissing himself just at the thought of having Venom scream at him again. Venom still caresses his body and mind, black matter wrapping around Eddie’s body, keeping him warm and safe.
SHIFT YOUR FOCUS. OPEN YOUR EYES AND TELL US WHAT YOU SEE, EDDIE
Eddie hasn’t even noticed that he had his eyes shut. He opens them hesitantly, eyes darting back and forth.
“The TV. Half-dead plant. Broken glass.”
GOOD. YOU’RE HERE WITH US, EDDIE.
Eddie shudders, twisting his hands together, clinging to the reassurance of Venom’s words. He’s here and now. He’s safe… right?
“Can you say that again?”
Venom purrs inside his mind, wraps himself over Eddie in a mass of black that emerges from his chest in the shape of his grinning face.
YOU’RE WITH US, EDDIE. YOU ARE OURS, AND WE ARE YOURS. WE’LL ALWAYS BE TOGETHER.
Venom licks Eddie’s face affectionately, and Eddie gives him a tiny smile. He tries to get up and Venom gladly helps him to his feet. Something blooms in Eddie’s chest as he feels Venom pull back under his skin, his presence lingering in the back of his head as always.
“Thank you, love.”
Eddie can feel Venom’s… surprise. Then a smile.
YOU NEVER CALLED US THAT BEFORE. WE LIKE IT.
Eddie scratches the back of his head, sitting back down on the couch. The panic had made his legs wobbly still.
“Don’t get cocky or I’ll just go back to calling you the P-word.”
DON’T YOU DARE
Venom’s tone is half-threat, half-joke. Eddie smiles to himself – to the both of them that are himself and lets his eyes fall shut while Venom eases him back into relaxing.
Symbrock doodle. Never made monster art before… need to practice some more
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