sixthiterationlogs | You owe us both so much more

Entry tags:

You owe us both so much more

Who?: Eddie Brock/Venom
Where? Outside of the Inn
Open To? Wanda / / OTA
Warnings: Emotional Abuse. Eddie Brock had a really shitty childhood.

Open to Wanda

He's feeling good. He and Venom are far more connected now and he feels surprisingly good. Hell he finds himself even whistling and-

Mary Poppins? Really?]

Shut up. It's a good movie.

[...If you say so...

Eddie spots Wanda and Arado - and his grin widens. Good. Go play with the dog. It will be more exercise. He laughs aloud before waving to Wanda, "...Hey! Hey Arado! How're you guys?"

His eyes hit hers, light, airy, happy and it's engaging as hell.]

Post Clip

[Dad's mad at you. He's really mad at you. He found where you were keeping Susie Gibbons doll. He found the transformers you took from Hector and Josue down the street. What is wrong with you you freak...!

Put that away! You don't need it!

Eddie is hiding in the corner. His shoulders slumped, arms wrapped tight around his knees. He mumbles to himself.]

Shut up. Just...Just shut up! Just for a second!

[Dad's so mad at you. Why are you such a Freak?

Are you stealing from those kids? Are you fucking stealing from those kids?! You little shithead, no son of mine is going to be a thief!]

Dad no. Dad no.

[...Eddie. Stop. This man. Carl Brock was wrong This man who spawned you was the freak. What kind of being would inflict this on their offspring? Even at our cruelest the Klyntar would NEVER harm it's spawn physically. Not like this.

Eddie tucks himself in tighter and breathes. In and out. In and out....

I will erase these memor-]

No!

[It's shouted.]

Don't you touch that I need it!

He curls back up again and peers out over his knees.]

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[Wanda turns at the familiar call of her name. She has a long stick in one hand and Arado looks like he's impatient enough to snatch it away from her and run off with it. She waves and smiles back at Eddie, pausing only to throw the stick as far as she can.

She steps towards Eddie, meeting him as Arado finds the stick and begins running back.] Hi. [Wanda's hair is pulled up and she isn't dressed for the weather but she'd just finished a run and was using the game of fetch to cool down.] Want to throw the stick some?

[Before he can answer the video on the watches flicker to life.

It's a happy scene. There's a blonde haired boy with tostled hair handing a doll to a little girl. "Thanks for finding her Eddie! I don't know how you did it but oh thank you, thank you-" the tiny girl throws her arms around his waist and the little boy looks thrilled before a man's hand grabs his wrist. The man has a mustache and he's slightly balding on top. Eddie is dragged back. Under one arm is a box of toys, robots and stuffed animals. Without pausing, Brock slaps Eddie across the face as the little girl screams.

You little thief! Eddie screams too as a second slap comes down, "You stupid little thief!"

Wanda watches, her smile dropping to a worried frown as she recognizes the young boy on the video.] Eddie? [She steps towards him and gently takes his hand in hers. She's already seen, they've both seen it, but Wanda gently places her palm over the screen of the watch.]

Are you alright?

[He doesn't feel her touch. He stares down at the screen and then realizes her fingers are covering it. Except he can hear him. You stupid little thief!]

...Dad. Dad I didn't mean to. Dad...Dad I-

[He blinks. Staring up at Wanda, pale and shaking.

How did that happen! That's a memory! That's a memory in your mind...

His hands withdraw from hers.]

....what was that? How did you find that? How did you find that?!

[There is nothing she can do about the sound and no way to stop the video. Wanda realizes that this is a trick and their captors would force them to see it through but she wants to stop it. She can feel the fear in the little boys eyes.

Eddies eyes.]

Eddie.

[Her gaze flicks between him and the video feed but she doesn't reach out to touch him again.]

It's the people who brought us here... they do this. [She doesn't know why and it feels like an excuse when nothing can excuse what had just happened.]

[What did you think you were doing?! You go on home now. Kids, did Eddie take anything from you? Come get it.

The words fade out and Eddie stares at her. The words fade out, thought fades out and he's aware of every motion in his hands, in his arms, in his legs...

Eddie?! Eddie what happened!? What is wrong with your brain?? Something is wrong with...these memories are so strong they've blocked your thoughts...]

Stop it venom. stop it. Let me...Let me just...

[It's his turn to reach for Wanda, a groping grasp for something to hold onto.]

I need um...

I need water. Can...

[There are things you are supposed to be doing. He can feel Venom swimming in his brain.]

...My dad's not here right?

[Wanda takes a step, closing the space between them. One hand gently holds his elbow while the other takes his outstretched hand. It looks like he's going to pass out and she's prepared to take more of his weight if necessary.]

We'll get you water.

[Wanda found herself speaking softly.]

I have some on the ground near the door. Come on. [She gently guides him towards one of the piles of wood and grabs a small container of water she'd taken running with her. She gently presses it into Eddie's palm and eases him down to take a seat on the wood pile.]

He's not here.

[Even if he was, Wanda wouldn't let him near Eddie.]

[He squeezes her hands tightly. I can't ask for Anne. that thought swims out of nowhere and tears prick his eyes. He drags his hands across his cheeks before glaring at her. Furious. Angry that she saw him weak...

Before it resolves. His hand still gripping tight.]

...Bastard. Good. I'll kill him if I see him. Rip out his tongue and...and...eat it I'm not a thief.

[The tears come slightly harder.] I just...I just wanted the kids to like me.

[...Eddie you must THINK clearly. You must be calm!]

I am calm! I'm super calm! Do you see how calm I am! I'm the fucking calmest!

[His features drop. Get your shit together. Something was trying to move through the fog of his mind. You are making us look stupid. Weak. I understand it is tough-

He looks to wanda.]

I'm so sorry I yelled. I just- fuck- what the hell was that?

[Wanda is getting used to Eddie's tendencies to randomly spaz or shout and is unfazed when he yells.]

It's alright. It's over now. [Hopefully.

She shakes her head.] I don't know. Our captures have all of our memories and they test our mental strength. [Knowing doesn't exactly help and after a brief pause, Wanda gently pulls Eddie into a lose hug that he can easily pull away from.]

You aren't a thief.

And it's okay. Someone once told me, if yelling helps, then you should yell.

[Her brother is a thief when he steals dresses to impress random girls but a child is not a thief when he's simply searching for affection.]

No it doesn't. [When she hugs him he falls into that hug and squeezes her hard.] It doesn't help it's not your fault I'm an asshole...I...I went to therapy I should have...I should have this under control.

[He takes shuffling steps.] ...He never paid attention to me. Not a single word.

[he can't say anymore. He sobs against her before the sobs cut off abruptly.

Venom is stirring. Annoyed. It's in the past Eddie. Let him go! This does nothing!]

...Make him stop. He's yelling.

[Wanda rests her cheek against the side of his head as his tears continue to fall in waves.]

I can't make him stop but maybe I can help him understand. [If she had her abilities she could technically shut Venom up but Wanda would never do that to another creature, even one living inside of Eddie.]

When my brother was killed. [She pauses and presses her tongue against her cheek before continuing.] I felt my world shatter. I found the monster responsible for his death and I ripped out his heart. [If Ultron ever appeared in the village Wanda would likely do it again, even without her powers.]

Time doesn't always make things easier and when people hurt... it's easy to lash out. [And make mistakes.] But that only causes more pain.

That is why we cry. [It's what Clint had taught her.] It's alright to cry.

It takes a different kind of strength.

[It takes strength to be vulnerable because you know that whatever life throws at you, you'll come out on top. That's what Wanda believes even though she's not much of a crier. She'd cried when she was younger and her brother had always been with her, not unlike this.]

[he sniffs. That is why we cry. It's all right to cry. Venom's skepticism is real. It swims in him and floods his limbs with power. He could run through the forest at an unnaturally fast clip, he could leap tall trees, he could hunt and kill at react...

His fingers untangle from her and he grips his leg. The other hand stays around her shoulders.

This is why you have me. I will protect us from this. You will be so strong no one can hurt you ever again. This different strength. This is not strong it makes you vulnerable...]

Fuck...he...

[His mind was still blank.]

It's gonna take him some time. He's used to killing his problems. And the power it...It's not completely awful.

[Something dark swims across his vision.] Can you walk me to a chair?

[She keeps her arm looped around his shoulders but also tries to give him space. It's easy for Wanda to understand the weight and exhaustion of mental wars, she's seen and experienced enough of them while developing her abilities, but knowing what that's like only makes her feel worse. She doesn't let her emotions touch her features, the only indication of worry furrows subtly between her brow.]

This isn't something you can kill.

[But she understands that desire. She'd been the same way before meeting Steve and learning that there are other ways to handle the horrors in life.]

Yeah. Come on.

[Wanda gently guides Eddie inside the inn and sits him in the kitchen where they're likely to remain alone. She doesn't think he wants to be around a lot of people right now.

Arado pads behind her and then sits protectively at Eddie's side, staring at all the entrances like a guard dog. He hadn't had to be told to know that something is wrong and Clint had trained him to protect Wanda should she need it.]

Can I get you something to eat?

Tell him that.

[Somehow a good ten years of therapy can be undone pretty damn easily when you have an alien living inside your head. I had this under control. I had this under control and you're shouting at me...

I'm not SHOUTING. It is concerning. You froze. You can't FREEZE.

Eddie wraps a hand over his neck.]

...Just...just water. And a place to sit. That son of a bitch was pretty intense.

I don't know if he'd listen.

[Wanda eases him into a chair and leaves Arado protectively sitting at his side as she dashes into the inn's kitchen to get more water. She appears a moment later with a large cup filled with cold clear water.]

Here.

[She gently presses it into his hand as she takes a seat next to him.]

[It's unconscious. He leans into her shoulder and then withdraws. The last time something like this happened...

"I just want to patch things up with my dad. I mean at least try. He deserves to see that I'm not sitting around in the dark with my finger up my ass."

And he spent the whole dinner insulting him, and then at the end turned his barbs on Anne "You can do so much better. What the hell happened to you to make you think that Eddie's the guy for you?"

And Eddie'd snapped. He'd nearly hit him, called him all sorts of names and left. Attempts to try and untangle himself from his girlfriend's arms failed abysmally. She held him as tight as she could and he had closed his eyes and wept.

He swallows.]

this is going to sound really stupid but can I have a hug? Just as tight as you can? Just for a second?

[Wanda doesn't understand but she doesn't need to.

She turns towards Eddie and wraps her arms around his shoulders, placing his head against the curve of her neck. She hugs him tightly and doesn't let go.]

Always.

[It's a simple word, filled with warm and promise.]

[This feels great. The pressure on his body. His whole body tingles and Venom sounds tentative. Worried.

Why won't you let me erase these memories Eddie?

It's concerned.]

I need to talk to Venom.

[He presses his hands to his head and stares straight ahead.]

I'll be okay. I just...I need to make him understand. I'm sorry. I'll...I'll see you later?

[Wanda slowly releases him and nods.]

Can you let me know when you're done? That you're alright?

[She can't help but be worried...]

[His hand moves to catch hers. Some attempt at comfort? Some attempt at trying to hold onto her? Sweat beads down his cheeks and face and he nods mutely as he tries for something comforting.

It might not be convincing. His whole body is shaking.]

You're okay.

I just...

[He lowers his hands and squeezes her fingers]

[Wanda squeezes his hand gently in return, a warm wistful smile shaping her lips.]

I know. Take what time you need. I'll be here if you need me.

[He never has to be alone but Wanda understands needing time with your thoughts to short things out. She imagines it's more difficult with Venom in his head as well.]

[Well, it looks and sounds like someone’s having an aggressively bad day, and for once, it isn’t Jason. But his ears are too well-tuned to sounds of distress to continue on his way without stopping to investigate what’s going on with Eddie, especially when he hears Dad, no. Something about those words and the way Eddie says them triggers a sympathetic impulse deep in the core of who Jason is - he’s said the same thing in the same way more times than he could count.

So he approaches Eddie - cautious but curious, the instinct to help he’d tried to bury when Robin died and came back as the Red Hood pushing to the surface.]

Hey - what’s going on? You OK?

[Eddie is staring straight ahead. when a person asks "Hey what's going on?" He looks up sharply.]

...No.

I mean I will be maybe. Just not now. Someone sent me something that fucked me up.

[His voice is flat, dead and emotionless.]

[Desmond is trying to get out more often, and it's getting easier as long as he stays away from a particular area. The inn is still safe, as far as he knows. He hears someone muttering to themselves and pauses. He is very light on his feet so it's easy to sneak up on people even when he's not intending it. At first, he sort of figures this isn't his business. And it isn't. It sounds personal. He's undecided though. Altair did suggest he attempt to talk to people outside of him and Connor. Plus he can tell who it is talking, meaning it might set off his powers like Frank told him.

So he moves into view just as Eddie shouts. He hasn't always been bad at talking to people. He was pretty good at it once, a bartender had to be. He could pretend he didn't hear, but it's going to just roll with the important part of all that.]

Dads can be the fucking worst, can't they? [ William fucking Miles for example. It's a weird way to start a conversation, but, whatever.]

[Venom is confused. It makes Eddie anxious, makes his eyes squint. He looks positively venomous when the other man speaks. His eyes narrow.]

Monsters.< Useless Monsters.

[His voice sounds completely inhuman before he shakes it off.]

Sorry. I just...[His voice sounds hoarse and soft.]...

Sorry. Tough day. Yes. Dads suck.

[ Yep, Frank was right. If anyone is going to set off his danger alert, it's going to be Eddie. But Desmond's not afraid of a lot of things anymore. Not even creepy aliens. ]

You don't need to be sorry, man. I saw your post, I know you've got some shit going on.

[ Desmond decides to just sit cross legged nearby him, not within personal space or reaching distance, but close enough to keep an eye on him. He looks like shit, that's for sure. Was the alien killing him? He wasn't smart enough to know.]

I'm Desmond. Did your dad hit you? Mine did, a lot. He said it was to make me stronger. Sorry to just jump right into the daddy issues thing, but I'm really not great at small talk anymore.

[Wow. That's a lot. Except, he's been a perpetual member of the "my dad's a shitlord" club since his teenage years when he'd tried that same "Be a hero" shtick in high school and his English teacher had caught him out at it.

Venom is curled in a puddle inside him and Eddie wraps his hands around his gut and stares at the man across from him.]

...He -

[yes. And no.

He did not physically assault you often.]

Liked to pick on me. He blamed me for my mom's death

[It's said in a flat dead voice as Eddie stares at a point of nothing behind the other man.]

Desmond with the shitty dad huh.

[ Well that sucked. Desmond scowled.] People love to blame others for things they can't handle.

[ He peers at Eddie and he's glad the alien doesn't seem to be coming out of him at the moment. Listen, he gets that they're apparently trying not to hurt people, but Desmond has a threshold of how cool he is with aliens. It's low. Because this is his first time reacting to one.]

Yep. When it came to the hitting though, it's how we were raised. We were trained to fight from the moment we could walk. It meant there were a lot of grownups knocking us around, he just hit a lot harder.

[ He says that matter of factly. It wasn't until he got out of the farm he started to question how fucked up it was.]

So is your dad here now or something?

[By way of response Eddie holds out his watch and presses play. He clasps one hand over his ears and the other he -

There's a moment before his hearing goes blank. He panics for half a second before Venom rears inside himself like an ugly ghost. You don't need to watch that again.]

It's embarrassing. Shameful.

And weird. Who the hell has access to this kind of stuff?

[ Desmond leans over to take a look at what Eddie's offering up, his eyebrows shooting right up. Yikes. As if bad memories weren't already the worse. There's sympathy - not pity - in the way he glances a the man after sitting back.]

Fuck that guy. Far as I can see he's the one who should be embarrassed. [ He said succinctly. In a lot of ways he'd take William's cold calculated violence, because it had a purpose. Eddie's dad just generally seemed like a prick.]

I don't know, man, they can bring us here from other worlds and give us super powers. I'm not surprised at anything they can do at this point.

[He realllllly hoped it wouldn't happen to him, but with his luck, yeah, it would.]

I had superpowers back in my reality.

[No point in beating around the bush about it. Venom oozes inside of him. We. We had superpowers.]

Still trying to get a handle on these but. Who knows.

I sort of did. Not like you though. I wouldn't call them nearly as impressive.

[ Desmond taps his wrist band where the clear teal color is, same as Eddie's.] Frank says we have a danger sense. It hasn't really gone off for me yet, but I also haven't really left my house much and you're maybe the fifth person I've talked to outside of my relatives since I got here.

[Oh hey. It's almost like his eyes come into focus. He relaxes several hairs and shrugs.]

You've got relatives? My ...my - My friend's here. Thank God.

Yeah. Sort of. [ Desmond shrugs.] Altaïr and Connor are my distant relatives. I don't know if you've met them, Connor is a giant block of muscle so it's hard to miss when you meet him, and Altaïr's been apparently adopting everyone in sight. Which isn't at all a surprise.

[ Desmond and Altaïr in particular looked related, but it was normally only noticeable when they were standing next to each other. ] That's good a friend is here with you. Did they know about the alien thing before?

I'm familiar with being a giant block of muscle. [He shrugs.] And bull. Guy with the horns? Kind of hot?

[At the mention of Friends Eddie stares down at his shoes.] We were more then friends. I mean if I'm being honest. She's amazing. You ever realize a person...is way too good for you and your life is just beyond fucked up. Fucked up so bad you curl up in a corner and dream about ripping your dad's throat out?

[Desmond laughs at that first part.] True. I know Bull, we were talking about trying to figure out how to make beer. [He tilts his head.] I'm not sure I'd go with hot. He's a cool guy but I feel like there's such a thing as too big.

[He listens to Eddie talk, understanding and sympathy flickering on his face.] Yeah, that's basically my life in a nutshell too. But I mean, not without the alien, so you still win the fucked uppery. [He runs his fingers over the ground in front of him, chipping at it.] I'm dead though, that has to give me some fucked up points. I don't know, man, sometimes women tolerate us a lot more than they should. So she could come around.

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You owe us both so much more

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