Venomous Love

Sick

It all started with a cough.

Vivi opened her eyes the next morning to find her throat sore and her muscle aching. She groaned, turning back over in her bed. The comforter covered her head to the point that you couldn't see her. Cold chills ran down her back as she struggled to get warmer. Her body brushed against the soft blankets as they wrapped around her petite form. She coughed again, this time more raspy. Her face flushed red as her cheeks grew hotter. Her hair laid floppily on her face as she moaned more.

"Hey Vivi, you're going to be late for work!" Eddie called from the kitchen. He was preparing breakfast for her, the bacon on the stove sizzling. He hummed in content, liking his new lifestyle a lot better than his old one. He flipped the bacon over as he added the eggs on the griddle. He could feel the symbiote inside of him grinning widely at the thought of Vivi being happy with their cooking.

"I'm coming...." Came a soft reply as more coughing followed soon after. Eddie looked up to see his small companion padding her way across the room wrapped in a blanket. She was wearing her light pink two piece, buttoned up, pajamas  and fluffy white slippers. What he noticed was that her eyes were bloodshot red, her face was as red as a tomato and pale, she was shivering, and her hair was lazily laying off the side of her face. She stumbled into the kitchen area, catching herself on the edge on the counter. She smiled wistfully at him before plopping herself in a chair. 

"Good morning...such a *cough* lovely day." She said, putting her head between her head and arms. "How are you *cough*  feeling this morning?" 

"We should be asking that to you. Vivi you look terrible!" Eddie said, walking up to her. He placed a hand on her forehead before drawing it back in shock. "Your face is burning up!"

"I'm fine...." Vivi waved a hand at him, sucking up some snot that fell from her nostril. "Probably some allergies."

"More like a fever, you are going straight back into that bed." He put the bacon and eggs into the microwave, saving them for later. "We need to get you some medicine, fluids, and tissues."

"But I don't feel sick....I'm fi-" Vivi tripped over her feet and proceeded to fall to the floor. Eddie quickly caught her before she permanently damaged herself. "See?" She drawled out, her words slurring a bit. "I'm totally fine!"

"I think not! You are going straight back into that bed and staying there for the rest of the day." He wrapped his arms around her small frame and lifted her off the ground with ease. She squeaked, clutching onto his shoulders. Eddie had to hold back a groan as he felt her body against his. She felt so soft! He shook off the feeling of her body long enough to place her gently on her bed. He covered her with the sheets and put pillows underneath her head. 

"You stay right here, we'll go get you a nice cold cloth to put on your head." He told her, heading towards the bathroom. He stopped when he felt her grab his arm. He turned to see her giving him the most pitiful expression he'd ever seen. Her eyes were filled with tears and her lip trembled. 

"Don't leave me alone please. Stay with me today." She pleaded him, her grip tightening on his arm. He smiled and took her hand into his.

"We promise, we will not leave your side once today." He said, patting her forehead. She smiled back at him and nestled deep in the covers. Her eyes started to close again as he left the room to get her a wet cloth. Walking into the bathroom, he saw his symbiotic partner reflecting off the mirror.

She looks unwell...perhaps we should do something to cheer her up. Venom said, genuine concern laced in his voice. Eddie nodded as he filled the basin with cool water and placed a washcloth in.

"What to you propose we do then? It's not like we can leave her. She'll know something's up."

We wait till she's asleep and then we leave to get her a present. It chuckled, mused with its own thoughts. I still can't believe we fell in love with her. A plain human with a big heart.

"It's funny how we both share the same thoughts for me to know you're lying."   

................................................................................................................................................................

The day went on as the twosome stayed in the apartment. Eddie kept her temperature at a steady rate, making her more comfortable. As he did, she kept sleeping soundly and welcoming his loving pats and rubs. He stayed by her bedside the whole day, reading her stories and helping her restore the one she was writing. He was still mad at the head librarian for wrecking her book, even the symbiote demanded blood. But he couldn't do anything at the moment. Right now he had to watch her sick form and take care of her.

Right now, she was sipping some orange juice while reading some books by Charles Dickens. He stood up and left for the door. They were running dangerously low on medicine and he had to go get some more for her. That sounded like the perfect excuse for him to tell her. He didn't even get to the door frame before he heard her call for him.

"Where are you going Eddie?" She asked him, looking at his retreating form. Slightly turning around, he saw her face full of curiosity. 

"I'm going to go get some more medicine for you. I noticed your running low."

"Are you sure you aren't just leaving to abandon me?" 

"I would never do that Vi."

"You might, then you'll go back to being a bad guy and leave me forever."

Eddie knew this was the fever talking, but that still hit him hard in the heart. He walked back to the bed and placed a hand on her head.

"Go to sleep, and when you wake up, I will be here waiting for you."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Vivi smiled and placed the book she was reading on her nightstand. Then she pulled the covers over her head. Eddie could faintly hear the sounds of her sighs as she finally went to sleep. His body was instantly covered in the black tendrils of the interstellar parasite. Venom loomed over the bed, his large mass casting shadow over her. Pulling the covers, he uncovered her face to place a small kiss on her head. 

"You will always be protected by me. I won't let anyone else harm you."

He went to the window and pried it open. Making a tendril from his suit, he swung out into the city, keeping to the shadows. The cold air blew into the apartment as the door to Vivi's room closed. The small girl smiled in her sleep, unaware of another substance in the room clinging to the wall.

Slowly etching out of the shadows, a mass of black and purple slithered its way to her sleeping form. It slid up the bedpost and across the covers, finally resting on the chest of the sick human. 

"Need host to survive. Need host to live."