sixthiterationlogs

"Uh-" He looks up from where he's adding a few new lines to lists on the wall, the forge dark for the moment. "I can probably explain? Most likely. Depends on the context though I might want to go with no comment- in fact I think I will. No comment. I have none for you."

He barely has any commentary for himself, sketching out what looks to be a hand cranked vacuum chamber and a grinding, pulping tool meant for the extraction of resin. Look he's trying to get ahead of the curve on plastics. Maybe going ceramic will be the better option? He's not sure, he's working on it.

Anne finds somehwere, to sit, or at least lean against. She's mentally exhausted from dealing with Eddie earlier, and reaches up to pinch her nose.

"No, I know. I appreciate your discretion. Eddie's lack of it is what ended us in the first place, and I'm a little surprised he'd been able to keep this from me as long as he has." Stretching even prior to this village. She pulls in a breath and crosses her arms, watching Tony for a moment, recognizing that she was intruding on his work. She didn't feel she had anywhere else to go, and wasn't very close to anyone else to an extent that she felt comfortable sharing Eddie's little secret.

"It's ... worse than I thought."

"...So you know." That helps a little. "We're working on keeping Venom fed. I'm trying to work on a reliable way to get chocolate but so far I've got fuck and all on that front so- brains. Which isn't terrible since most people don't want to eat them in the first place."

Saves them a little trouble.

He sets down his charcoal and turns to face her, dusting his hands on a rag. "So...how do you want to handle this? You don't need to be anymore involved than you want to be."

She swallows thickly for a moment, unbidden thoughts of eating a man's head herself as She-Venom when she caught up with Eddie.She'd been horrified, she still was, but to Venom it had been a coveted snack, that moment when you get to satisfy a craving. She remembers that now too.

Watching Tony redirect his attention, she raises her eyebrows. "Don't I? If I thought I could walk away from him I would. I'd moved on with my life. But, then Venom happened and - I carried it for a little bit - so I know how it can be. How it obsesses. Not to be egotistical, but right now I think it's obsessing over me. If I were to cut off all contact with it, with Eddie, it would not go well."

"Pair that with my own experiences with both of them and I am probably the most qualified to handle them in this village." Sacrificing her own self-comfort for the sake of the village. Trying to find that balance. Dan had been an amazing buffer; he was kind, and understanding, he wasn't jealous or cruel, and he'd been that support strut for her when things with Eddie went sideways and south in an instant.

God, she really missed him right now.

"I'm not going to give up on them because they need me, but I can't do this alone. Venom wants to see me tonight, would you mind coming along? Strictly as moral support."

"Wouldn't that be more reason to limit your interactions with Venom directly? Indulging obsessive behaviour doesn't end well. I've been on both sides of that equation and- yeah. Not helpful in the long run." It enhances the fixation- which is potentially dangerous for Anne and Eddie both. Venom's stuck with Eddie. Fucking with the delicate balance they live in...

Not something he's equipped to handle.

But, well. She wants help, he can't not give it, so. He finishes dusting his hands off and pulls too small, sealed containers from the wall, mixing them in a hollow ceramic shell. Flint in steel in one pocket, compound in the shell in the other, and he's good to go. "Fire's a solid defense against it, right?"

Like discussing the weather. He's not expecting to NEED thermite but- he'd rather have it and not need it.

Anne tenses instinctively - you are talking about torching her ex, too, and yes a fair number of people would have jumped at the chance, but she knows Eddie isn't that bad.. Venom, however, can be, and she doesn't deter Tony from this frame of thinking.

"Fire, yes. And sound." Fire, of course, being the readily available weapon. She watches him work, and knows enough to figure out he's making something specific that it's not just some quick-start fire kit, but doesn't have the actual scientific knowledge of what the end product is, aside from 'combustible'. "What are you making?"

She does want to help, because she does still care - a good deal for Eddie, and a bit in a small way for Venom as well. Tony isn't wrong about fixation, and she might not even be aware of it on her end, slight as it is.

"Well until I get a stereo system rigged? Fire will have to cut it. Do you know what frequency?" Because that would be the easier, less destructive option if they were anywhere else. As it is? This is the best he's got.

And the flamethrower he's not quite finished building.

Not that she needs to know that.

"Thermite. Burns hot, fast, and is a pretty effective way of handling most threats when you cant talk them down. I don't think I'll need it but-" He shrugs. "I'd rather have it and not need it. So...where are we meeting them?"

Anne tells Tony the frequency, in a sort of detached manner you deliver information that could potentially hurt someone you care about.

This entire conversation was about hurting someone she cared about. A necessary conversation, but not a pleasant one.

"We won't need it." But she won't deter him from bringing it. "I'm not afraid of Venom hurting me, but it's like you say with fixation. I just think it would be better if I wasn't alone. Eddie suggested it, brought up your name particular, along with a 'Banner', but you're the one I know and trust."

"Bruce. I pointed Eddie at Dr. Banner when he first came to me with the Venom issue. If anyone in the village can understand, even a little? It'd be Bruce." Or look at a cure or- something to help them live and live safely.

"Trying to get them a support network is difficult with, well. Mass hysteria and panic being a risk."

Bruce Banner why was that name familiar? she'd heard it somewhere before.

She purses her lips and nods. "It means well, but it's impulsive and scared right now and we have to get them settled before we can even think about introducing them to the village as a whole. Does anyone else know?"

"I haven't told anyone." He hadn't even told Anne which, well. Led to this mess. "I think Venom spoke to Liv about the brain thing. So. It's a pretty small group."

Tony shrugs on his coat and waves for Anne to follow him outside. "We'll talk them down. Knowing they've got someone in their corner? Helps."

If he says he hasn't, she trusts him. Tony sent Eddie to Banner directly so by proxy she can trust him. She doesn't know Liv, so that's a liability until she learns more about the other woman.

"What do you know about Liv?" She follows, tucking her hands into her pockets.

"She's a surgeon. Saved my life when I first got here. Bucky Barnes' main squeeze- and has a stupid amount in common with me, she's good people. Works hard, wants to keep everyone safe from the environment, and from herself if it comes down to it." Which- is a sign of character if nothing else.

"She's been here awhile, works to keep everyone healthy, the hospital topped up with everything we can manage to make life safer, easier, for everyone in the village. She's willing to help Eddie and Venom so- that's a good sign."

"She sounds a lot like Dan; not a bad type of person to have around."

Hearing that is a releif, and her shoulders relax, dropping a tension she hadn't realized she'd been carrying. "Dan - is my new boyfriend, helped out with Eddie when Venom happened. He's a surgeon, too."

"They're great to have in your corner. Very take charge, understanding mentality." A beat. "Unless they're magic. Then they're assholes."

He's not going to elaborate at all. Sorry Anne.

"Sounds like he's been good for you. Dan. Able to keep up?"

She gives him an odd look, not have an personal experience with magical surgeons and wondering just what all that entailed, but also having the sense not to ask further.

She smiles, thinking about Dan. "He is, every step of the way. Not just with me - " and she recognizes she's not an easy thing to keep up with - "but right there when Eddie showed up." God that had been stressful, trying to make sense of what Eddie was saying as well as What Eddie was doing. "Eddie's there sitting in a lobster tank in the middle of the restaurant - eating them raw, I might add - and when it was suggested to call the police Dan insisted they call an ambulance and personally took ownership of him as a patient."

He's a good man, and if he ever showed up she was going to give him an earful for not getting here sooner.

"That, that right there? That's a keeper. You want someone that can handle weird shit with a level head and a hand up for the guy in need." It's what drew him to Pepper. And her ability to reign him in when his wheels start spinning so fast the gears tear each other up. It's a problem, thinking himself into a mania or an episode.

Hasn't happened here just yet but- one day.

If anything he's overdue.

Shit to worry about later, Eddie? Now. Or. Venom. "So how's it work, exactly? Eddie passes out, Venom comes around when, what? Whenever? Because it tried while I was talking to him but couldn't. I could see it moving around under his skin but- Venom couldn't manage."

"Normally it's a very different process; he's able to move microscopically between hosts. I picked him up from a Papillion." Eddie picked it from me through a kiss but she's not voicing that to Tony.

"I don't know for sure how it works here, but he mentioned it was like a werewolf, so I'm guessing when the sun goes down and the moon comes out." She glances up at the sky as Eddie's house comes into view.

"Have you seen his house yet, the inside? It's a mess. Like someone let a tiger loose inside." Which isn't too far from the point. "

"...a dog. That thing's been in a dog." Okay that? That's weird. This is already weird but that is extra weird.

And, hell, that doesn't sound surprising. "...He wanted a way to lock himself inside his house. To keep everyone else safe from him and Venom. That's why he first contacted me."

"I find it's better not to think about where it's been." Having had it herself, she didn't have that luxury.

She sighs as they reach the door, "It's not good for Venom and it's not going to work long-term." She knocks. "We'll figure something out." Hopeful smile, but she's still got her concerns.

Venom is focused on...trying to clean. It's frustrating because that's Eddie's jump. Cleaning is Edward Brock's job, he's the human, but he's also asleep, safe and protected. That was the purpose of why it wanted Anne over here. Eddie wasn't Anne. Anne was strong and brave and Eddie buried deep beneath his sarcastic exterior was a man who needed affection. Who needed love.

Anne could give that to him. Should give that to him but she was not. Eddie had explanations - I fucked up, I put myself above her, I'm not honestly her type, it would have never worked, better we did this now before we had kids but none of these things made sense. He thought about her.

As requested he'd turned eddie's thoughts away to other people, to 7 (who Venom appreciated), to the other women of the village, to the men of the village. Every time he thought about erasing Anne completely however Venom had halted it's thoughts.

Eddie didn't know what was good for him. He had to be taught, shaped, molded and that was the right way to do things...wasn't it?

Except coming here, Venom had been thrown off. Eddie's coping mechanisms had been thrown off. It couldn't just be the two of them.

All the more reason to sit down with Anne and hash out some ground rules. With whoever she brought. Eddie was his responsibility and he would take care of him.

When the knock on the door hit Venom the creature turned and sniffed. Then, in four strides, it moved to the door, opened it, and pointed one claw in Anne's face.

I take very GOOD care of Eddie. He is my host. He just needs to be taught and protected and made to feel secure and having to do that within the rules that you have all established is HARD.

They're not on Eddie's territory anymore. They're on his. Blinking, the creature turns it's great white eyes to Stark.

Stark. Now we meet face to face. We are Venom.

Tony Stark has, through the past decade, seen a lot of shit. He's survived a LOT of bullshit. Nine times out of ten the bullshit trying to kill him is big and bulky (Obie, Vanko, Killian, Thanos) or a little surreal and insane (The Chitauri, A whole moon, Thanos). He's met aliens. He's met Wizards. His best friend is a Hulk, he spends time with Alec quite often, and he fucks Iron Bull semi-regularly.

Big and bulky isn't terrifying.

Crazy deep voices? Aren't terrifying.

Blank sightless eyes, a gaping maw (no lips, no gums, just TEETH and a tongue?) that he can't quite track?

Skyping with Satan might be right.

That same lizard brain fear that took him by the spine and froze him up the first time he saw Hulk out of the armor, that held him still when Sam let her inner Vamp out? Makes a tiny, internal shriek.

The rest of him is motivated by too much spite to let Liv say she was RIGHT and Venom is terrifying and- no. Nope. Not having that now, is he? He's Tony Motherfucking Stark, he faced a maniac on a dead planet and got a moon thrown at him. He's made a mad god bleed.

He is not afraid of Venom. "You-"

He points. It's rude. He has no fucks to give. "Are far too sappy to have that many teeth. Does codependence come with the package, or is that just because Eddie's human and in desperate need of someone to take care of him?"

Outwardly, Anne is nonplussed, crossing her arms and giving Venom a look as he points a claw in her face. Inwardly, there's rush of adrenaline and it's part fear and part excitement - she knows what this feels like. It's good. It's powerful. But that's not the point of the visit today; that power can be very easily misdirected if it's not focused, and right now that was the danger. Venom was a danger.

She glances from Venom to Tony, to see how he was taking Venom face to face. To his credit, he seems to be taking it fairly well.

"Trust us; it would be a lot harder to keep him safe if you didn't follow the rules. So, we appreciate that. But; trashing his house because you're bored is inexcusable. You both have to live here, I'm not going to let you live in a dump. We'll find ways for you to expend your energy."

Hopefully, running in the woods and feasting on unwary creatures would be enough; they didn't have much in the way of other options right now. Getting him in and out of the house discreetly, that was probably going to be the main talking point of conversation.

"Are you going to invite us in? This is not really the kind of conversation I want to have standing on the porch."

Venom has to digest what Stark says - Does co-dependence come with the package or is it because Eddie is human and needs someone to take care of him? Then what Anne says I'm not going to let you live in a dump and it's...

Venom has no concept of friends helping other people. There is Eddie, Eddie is a friend, but that is one person and Eddie sucks at it sometimes. Sometimes he is good when he knows what's going on but here...

These two people coming in remind him of parents.

That is wrong. They are not related and this is not his sire, the being who spawned from him, but this...the two of them asking questions and demanding changes in behavior. It is like on TV.

It is not like Eddie's childhood which is good.

If it were then Anne would be dead and Tony Stark would be an emotionally abusive monster, drunk on loss and trauma and thinking only of himself.

Venom's eyes narrow at Anne before it steps aside. She'll note the place is a little more cleaned up, but there are still claw marks. Still scars across the surfaces.

We are cleaning like Eddie does. Venom rolled it's eyes So much could be solved if you all lived in hives where you all simply shared consciousness. This...identity is hard too. And it is not co-dependent.

Venom pauses, staring at Tony, We think. The creature with the teeth looks uncertain, Is that like addiction? We are not addicts. We are Venom. We can't help but think of food and survival it is all we knew before earth. Earth is hard.

Too damn hard.

But. Venom gestures to a couch turned right side up, Sit.

He points, ...Please. This is our home what happens now? We only wanted to yell at Anne because we take good care of Eddie. He needs to be taken care of. We can do that without needing...

Venom's eyes narrow at her, Boundaries.

"My takeaway here is you need scratch resistant material that's durable enough to handle both of you so this doesn't happen." Tony's- not going for the sofa, despite the invitation. He's comparing the claw marks and gouges in the wood and furniture with a remodel in mind- though a few of them have him squinting.

Engineer brain has sufficiently taken over, otherwise he never would've done what, well. Happens next.

Without a thought to big teeth or how fucking foreign Venom is- Tony strides right up into his space like he has a right to be there (he does, as far as he's concerned) and gently takes hold of Venom's wrist to turn his hand around, poking at it's palm and the tips of his claws, testing for sharpness.

Force, obviously is a factor but knowing what needs training (how to hold shit gently) and what he needs to develop on the side (resin coating, lacquer, treated wood) is kind of important.

Suffice to say- he's not the best teacher when it comes to boundaries. "So far you're doing alright, but not making a mess in the first place tends to help with the whole cleaning thing. Codependency is a little like- well. It's a bit literal here, neither of you can live without the other but I mean. Emotionally. In the feels."

Which makes so much sense.

"First thing- no yelling at Anne. Eddie? Tries. But he's not the most together guy, that was true before you met him. Anne? Anne has her shit together. She knows how to handle...pretty much everything that comes to mind as relevant and has prior experience in the care and feeding of one Eddie Brock. Boundaries are important because- remember those three C's I told you about? Come on, Oozer, tell me if you remember." Now, of course, he looks up at Venom and uh- the teeth? Much bigger when you're this close.

Anne does take a seat on the couch, for all the world like she's in a meeting with a top client. She doesn't flinch as he whinges at her, tilting her head slightly as if to say really?

It was ... so different, dealing with him in the flesh than it was trying to deal with him through Eddie. It's not something she'd prepared for. Given how Eddie had been acting, given the state of the house, she'd been expecting far more froth and anger. He's keeping himself well-behaved right now and she's impressed, but she doesn't want to give in too soon.

Her thoughts are arrested as she watches Tony approach Venom and start handling his hand and claws, and she goes tense for a moment; watching how the symbiote was reacting but also preparing herself to get between them if necessary.

As if she'd have any time to do anything if Venom decided to eat Tony. "Come on, Venom, I'm curious; what did he say?"

What were these three C's of boundaries?

It takes everything to not grab Stark and shove him through the wall except that he couldn't do it with enough force. This place has sapped his strength and truthfully...Truthfully Venom is too surprised by someone touching it. Actually touching it. The thing is soft and warm and moving, constantly moving, but it's claws are wicked sharp.

...Consent.

It bares it's teeth and remains still, looking like a very confused dog.

C's. That's the only one I remember. The creature snorts through a non-existent nose, And don't call people a pussy. Someone else told me that too.

Venom stared at it's hand, ...I can't take it off if you want to look at it. It is Eddie's hand. See?

And the black ooze parts to reveal a very human palm before closing quickly.

We can't pull him out until the sun comes up and he is asleep. venom glares at Anne again, asleep and safe. Asleep and protected. Nothing can hurt us except for fire and you wouldn't do that to us.

"Communication, Compromise, and Consent. You remembered the most important thing. And the- yeah. I don't know where you picked that up, it doesn't seem like the kind of thing Eddie would say. He is, what an old friend of mine would say, a good bean." Or as the internet would call: A cinnamon roll.

Which.

He's never understood entirely but language is fluid and slang is ever evolving, he can kind of keep up. Enough to not sound like an idiot.

Most of the time.

It's- strange, the twist and flex and pulse of Venom around Eddie- and it is around him, wrapped up like a cushion. Not like Hulk that is Bruce, but- something in Eddie until it isn't. But being out all night means he'd need more of that chemical to maintain a healthy condition.

Easier to think about that than the fact he's standing up and holding Venom's hand. "Well you've figured out part one of keeping him safe, so that's fantastic. Part two is...keeping both of you safe from the court of public opinion. Anne and I- for our own reasons, aren't knee jerk 'kill it with fire' types when it comes to weird shit. We have no guarantee that the rest of the village feels the same way." He pats Venom's hand and steps back, striding over to the sofa to sit. Like a civilized person.

"My vote is we do a reveal like Liv did earlier tonight- but that's just me. Letting people know could go well. Hiding it isn't impossible, but you're not exactly stealthy. Someone I know saw you fall out of a tree, thought you were one of the Wendigo from up in the mountains."

Anne glares back. Was he really still that offended at her? It's starting to get under her skin, but tries to think past it. He's trying, he's starting to clean up what he can. He cares and he's trying.

She feels a little flare of irritation and she figures it out; she's jealous. Eddie's got this devoted partner here with him and Dan is nowhere to be seen. Eddie meed her his relationship with here and here she's the one that's single and - she stops and takes a deep breath, trying to keep it subtle, and pushes the thoughts out of her head. They weren't going to help now.

"Thank you for not eating Tony." She recognizes she would have been able to do little to stop it, had Venom wanted to. "This-" She motions to Venom as he is, "is what we will want to eventually show the village, not that." She motions over to the claw marks in the wall.

You must swear to me that Eddie will not be mentioned.

Venom's arms cross over his massive chest before nodding to her. Or perhaps...He will want to be?...I...I will tell him of this meeting Stark.

Stark is a warrior. When Venom looks to Anne he looks grim.

It's my fault he has been behaving the way he has. I...I am used to more autonomy then I have here. We are truly We. This is what I want. We must be Venom. It will save the both of us. We will be strong. We could protect the village. He must fully accept our bond.

Looking between Stark and Anne Venom looks down. He needs to be balanced. He's not balanced. I don't know how to help him. Stark said to make him not think of you but there is only so much that I can...re-direct.

He can't frown with so many teeth, ...I suppose we must talk.

"It's something you'll have to talk about. Together. It's not a decision to be made lightly and it might take a few days for you to both make up your minds. Definitely let him sleep on it after you've talked it out."

A beat and, wait, what? "Eat me? Why would he- oh. Right. Brains."

And he would have some of the tastiest in the village. "Sorry they're kind of meant for someone else if I kick the bucket while I"m here. Liv has dibs."

Later he'll feel weird about being so cavalier re the brain eating thing but- show no fear, don't give an inch, don't let them see you bleed. Starks are made of Iron, etc, etc. He can hold to that lesson pretty well. "Yeah that- uh. Gently redirect so neither of you become fixated. Obsessive behaviour isn't healthy in humans or- anyone, really? I think there's a larger thing going on here on a personal level- I'm just moral support."

And a thermite grenade if shit gets ugly but- he's pretty sure it won't be a thing. "Chat away."

And here it is. The main event, the real reason any of them are here.

And she finds herself unprepared.

Given her earlier conversation with Eddie and the realization that Venom was alive and so thoroughly fused with him, the way Eddie had said that Venom gave him a near-perfect recall of memories and how he kept bringing them out, she'd made the mistake of jumping to conclusions that it was Venom's digging entirely that was at fault.

But it really is a balance of both of them, as much Eddie choosing tho share those moments, as it was Venom giving him the tools to find them. Anne considers her words carefully, before leaning forward and putting palms together. She looks up at Venom.

"Eddie and I were only together for a short amount of time, but it was, as you know, a deep and intense relationship. You have access to some very - very important moments for the both of us. I know you - he - you both, like to bring up connecting moments, these little - pieces of us that somehow correlate to this world we've both found ourselves in now, or comforting thoughts, happier times. They may be nice moments, but when I hear them they remind me of how things ended. How hurt I was, how Eddie had broken my confidence and how betrayed I felt. It wasn't just 'Eddie made someone mad and I lost my job', Venom, he snuck information from behind my back, he knew better. He's signed confidentiality reports and NDAs before; he knew the pressure I was under, he has no excuse for his actions. He chose that moment over me." She pauses, it's an emotional appeal she's making and she's good about keeping herself reigned in, but even now her throat feels thick as she revisits that day. God, how could you, Eddie.

"I need to not be reminded of the life I lost, that day." The love she lost, the future she had been wholly ready to invest in. "And, I think it would help you and Eddie to visit them less, as well." A glance at Tony, a silent apology and appreciate look because no, she wouldn't have been able to broach this alone.

Venom's a lot of things but he's not stupid and as much as he knows very little about earth, there are some things that he's very sure about and that's that Eddie has no fucking idea how to talk to women.

It would be a lot simpler if you could just mate and be done with it. He's grateful that his species has moved beyond the concept of mating, of relationships. Spawning is just simple. Simple and uncomplicated...

Venom pulls it's hands out from around itself. What was I doing? Protecting one's torso area is a human emotion.

It is not entirely eddie. He has tried. Being here is hard. on him. He looks down before looking back to Anne, then to Stark ...This place is similar to planets I've been on. We must...work together.

His brow furrows, I will promise you this. He will not revisit these memories and neither will I. We will give you our answer about sharing our presence with the community Stark.

Venom thuds, pacing in a circle. It's a move Anne might recognize since it's something Eddie would do, Whatever measures you wish to take regarding us we will accept. He will behave. You have our word.

There's a lot that venom wants to say. You can't fathom the depth of sorrow he feels about his actions. Or the memory he did not realize was significant. Eddie on the bridge thinking about what would happen if he fell into the water below.

He keeps silent. This is not appropriate. Now that he has more control he must reign in his host. There is far too much bleed between them.

...Anne. If this issue causes you pain we suggest you leave. We were taking good care of him-just not the care he apparently needs. Does Venom sound a little put out? Never. Perish the thought. Stark. We have one final question for you. If you would...indulge us.

This is- a lot that doesn't have much to do with him. AT the end of the day he's here for Anne- and here for Eddie on his unconscious behalf. Though Venom is also here for eddy but-

He's here for everyone that isn't him, basically. He doesn't have a horse in this race aside from how the village will react to venom and how that might make trouble as everyone moves forward. For the moment? He keeps quiet. Sits back against the sofa and lets Anne and Venom hash it out- observing. Anne he'd learned to read a little but Venom? Is a whole new kettle of fish. The human gestures- those must be Eddie. Whatever he is, he doesn't need to pace. Doesn't need to hold himself.

The bleed is fascinating. What it must mean for their mental state if there's this much crossover is-

Oh wait, his turn, apparently.

"Sure, big guy. What's on your mind?"

...We require work to do. In the Evening.

Venom's tone is blunt, We must take time to hunt but if you can think of something we can do to help you or the...group we will do it.

Venom growls, This is not the Klyntar way. We hunt. We conquer. We devour. We know nothing else. And it is NOT addiction. Venom points, It is our nature. Despite this, we are warriors and there are no battles to fight. Yet.

Venom crouches, We must keep Eddie busy until we can figure out how to make him happy. To help him to be happy here despite the circumstances. So. We need work.

"Then I've got a project for you. Several, even. Your claws any good for digging? We've got fields that will need clearing down south for farming and any ore you can dig up from the mountains for me to smelt in the forge will help everyone. Keeping cave wolves from climbing into the village will help. Stripping down the old buildings in the abandoned village for parts to use when we set up base down south, scouting the area for hostile native animals, that kind of thing. Should lean pretty well into your skillset." He hadn't exactly been chewing on how to make Venom useful but-

He totally had.

Something this big, this strong? Excellent for the aforementioned tasks. "Also- how's your memory? Just yours. You and Eddie do this sharing thing and that's well and good but how is your memory? We're setting up kind of a watch but there's a limit to how far out everyone can see and we're decades away from any kind of night vision equipment. Someone big that can handle if they run into anything doing a wider circuit around the village to deter anything toothy that might want to climb in and eat someone? Productive. For Daytime Eddie kind of work...I don't know his skills."

Do not concern yourself with Eddie. Venom shakes it's head, He is overwhelmed. He and I must...speak. We must be bonded more. I know him, I know everything about him and Anne, he does not know me. It frightens him. The darkness in his mind is vast...In all the minds I've been in.

Venom looks at Tony then and he looks alien, wholly and utterly alien.

Such… great… horror. A terrible abundance of sorrow. What monstrous gods would create a race with so much buried greatness – yet curse them with souls born wounded?

and it's gone. Venom shakes it off, He must trust me. I will tell him to seek you out if you have work for him.

He straightens, I must hunt now. I will walk you to the door

"We are mother nature's special fucked up snowflakes." And they either roll with it or learn to adapt or slowly drown themselves in fear or anxiety or depression. It's rough. He's always known it to be rough but- he never thought it'd be such a unique thing in the cosmos. Though, to be fair, whatever Venom is? Seems it's own kind of fucked up.

Tony levers himself to his feet, offering Venom his hand. "Take care of him."

You are not made out of ice. You are water. Largely water. But you are not made out of ice.

You know. In case you forgot.

We shall. And we shall think on your proposal and bring it to him

"...that is oddly deep for being entirely literal." Right. Double pat to Venom's arm as he makes his way to the door. Good talk. A plus, go team, no one ended up dead. "That's all you really need to do."

Anne is a little surprised being asked to leave, but after a moment she stands, nods at Venom, and lets Tony know she'll be waiting outside. Then, she's out the door and closing it quietly behind and letting the weight of it all settle on her shoulders.

She could stand here on the porch and listen, but no, that's not her. She'd give them their peace. She crosses the street and settles on the stoop of the house across the way, hoping either it was empty or the inhabitants didn't mind a momentary presence.

You can't fathom the depth of sorrow he feels about his actions.

There was a lot for her to think about while she waited for Tony.

Locked

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TW: suicidal ideation.

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