If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks...

[coldsong]

It's customary to have a Wake after the subject thereof dies. Even Loki knows that. But this is a special occasion. Ego-death is coming to his alternate, and the idea of letting him go off to perish alone, uncertain he will even be mourned, is too dark a proposition even for a flawed and callous person to contemplate.

That, and this Loki has been in a melancholy mood since speaking to the spirit of Frigga. He anticipates a dark choice of his own, sooner or later, and where the fates will send him after that, he can't know. Maybe oblivion, although even at that rate there may be worse places.

What's important right now is that no one dies unremembered. And honestly, any excuse for mischief a party. The first text rolls out to Harley, an innocent enough invitation to join them for milkshakes. Cricket is next, because it occurs to him that Cricket has plenty of liquor, which is good for a reckless celebration.

Things snowball from there.

As long as they don't destroy too much property, they'll call the night a success.

Comments

[imareporter]

[Does he try a two step? Yep. One foot in front of the other trying for showmanship. He's good at showmanship.]

You say either and I say either,
You say neither and I say neither
Either, either neither, neither
Let's call the whole thing off.

[commentatertots]

WHAT.

NO

EDDIE-

[Sorry give him a moment because Venom missed looking at the screen to see the lines so that last bit came COMPLETELY OUT OF LEFT FIELD.]

[imareporter]

We're on stage! You gotta give the people a little bit of ...something. First rule of performing. Being on camera!

[He was a reporter but he had to have stage presence. He had to have social media presence. He's a presence.]

[commentatertots]

We're not calling it off!!!

[Sorry Eddie, Venom is a little bit worked up now, just look at those tendrils thrashing around and flailing.]

[imareporter]

[Oh.

And he can feel that worked up emotion. Rising in his chest. The fear of abandonment and isolation. It's so real that tears prick his eyes.]

We're not. We're not. Come on back in for a second V. We're-

[he gestures. Waving the song off and ignoring the rest of the words.]

I'm not gonna leave you. I'm not. I promise. I got us.

[commentatertots]

[Venom let out a growl as he shifted, oozing down to be closer, trying to pretend he wasn't nearly as rattled as he was.

Pay no attention to the roiling mass of feelings that was the symbiote Eddie, he's totally fine.]

You said it, not me!

[imareporter]

[It's hard to not feel those feelings. Those emotions because he's crying. Running off the stage and hold V. Gently. Ever so gently.]

...It's a song V. calm down. It's a joke.

I'm not going to leave you. Not ever.

[commentatertots]

[Oh no. No, Eddie. Venom sees those tears and he Doesn't Like Them, lifting his face to press against Eddie's in an attempt to both seek out and offer comfort.]

Promise.

[imareporter]

I promise love.

[Fuck. Is this love? It doesn't feel like it. It feels like something deeper, something warmer. It's addicting. He's never felt so complete.]

It's a song you silly goopy goofball. Just a song. We're stuck together. Symbiosis remember? How can I prove...How can I prove I care?

[People are staring at him. He can't give a shit.]

[commentatertots]

[The symbiote will just be winding tendrils around Eddie's head to stay put. Silly to be sure, but he needed it. The promise though, the emotions he felt bubbling up were incredibly soothing, helping to keep Venom from going straight off the deep end.

Stuck together, don't want to just have a host stuck with him, wants a host that wants to be there that needs Venom as much as the symbiote needed them-]

We're one. You and me.

[imareporter]

[He's in the creature's head and the creature's in his head and when the creautre says "wants to be there" he remembers Anne. He remembers Anne walking out and away and how hard he'd gotten drunk that night. How he couldn't sleep, twisting over and over in the motel 6 bed before he moved his things out two days later. How he couldn't sleep for days after she left because he...wanted her. Not even as a partner or a friend, just her.

When he was alone thoughts of his father crept in. Thoughts of his mother. Of his sister's disapproval. Of how badly he wanted someone to just stay because something in his mind was broken. He'd always known it, but he wanted to be...to be needed and taken care of. Because years of his father just glaring at him, blaming him for his mother's death...

He kissed the top of the creature's head on impulse, Holding it against him.]

We are Venom.

Nothing's going to change that. But that's a song bud.

[commentatertots]

[He never would be alone. Not again. Not if Venom had anything to say about it. And he did.

Especially with that response that just had a small swell of comfort. The physical gestures were good, they helped to ease that tension, but it was the words. We are Venom, freely spoken by Eddie that really helped.

Even while he scoffed at the last bit, there was still a curl of tendrils around Eddie's hands as he sank into his grasp finally.]

Your taste in music sucks. [Not really, but he had a rep to protect!]