Wrapped In You [mpreg|sequel]

xix

Abel hurries to the kitchen for something to eat before he dies of starvation.  Carnage scoffs at that thought and Abel can practically feel the red symbiote roll his eyes.  As if he'd ever left Abel die of hunger.

Abel's cheeks flush but his mind goes blank when he sees his mom at the table.  He walks in more subdued, his mother's wary eyes following him.  He can't explain why she looks at him like that, like he's... he's a monster.  A frown immediately tugs at his lips and he opens the door to the fridge without much hunger.

"Aren't you goin' to school boy," the woman asks.

Abel bites his lip, Carnage's hand covering his as they pull out the gallon of milk together.  He gives his mom his back as he reaches for a bowl next.

In all honesty, he doesn't know how to reply.  He hasn't told her he dropped out, hasn't told her that he bullied Mr. Brock into signing his papers to officially become a high school drop out.  He's been avoiding this for weeks.

"I uhh, yeah, I'm goin'," Abel lies, stretching to reach the cereal box.

Fuck he's craving some Lucky Charms badly.

His swollen belly presses against the edge of the counter uncomfortably and he's on his tippy toes, yet he still can't reach and he lets out a frustrated huff.  Carnage stretches the extra inch or two to reach the box his mate desires.  Abel hums in satisfaction when the box is in his hand.  He pours the cereal and milk into his bowl and snatches a spoon to dig in.  

He walks over to the table and takes a seat across from the woman.  He avoids her eyes as she continues to stare at him.  Carnage doesn't like the way the woman assesses Abel and he growls inside the boy's mind in lieu of warning.

Abel is munching on his third spoonful of marshmallow goodness when the opposite chair scrapes against the tiled floor.

His mother doesn't say anything else and he assumes she believes him as she gets ready for work.  Her braids are held back and away from her round face.  For a second he admires her profile discreetly.  It's been a long time since he's seen the woman he knows as his mother.  She looks older, tired, more weary.  For a moment his eyes flicker to the pile of bills on the counter steadily growing bigger.

He returns his gaze to her.  She feels his eyes but refuses to turn around, to acknowledge him further than she already has.

Guilt settles in Abel's chest.

He knows she blames him for his father's death.

He knows.

And now her boyfriend is suddenly missing, the last person who had seen him being Abel.  He wonders, does she blame him for that too?

Carnage doesn't like the way Abel's shoulders slump.

The boy stares into the bowl as the door opens and closes.  He counts the scattered pieces of soggy cereal and he's no longer hunger.  In fact, he feels nauseated.

Abel clamps a hand over his mouth and he hurries to the sink where he throws up until he's sweaty, clammy hands wrapping around the edge of the sink as he heaves.

Carnage appears then, hands soothing the boy until he finishes with the bout of sickness.

Abel slumps against Carnage who is suddenly there, manifested completely and ready to catch the boy.

"You are not a monster," Carnage says.

"We ate that man," Abel reminds with a shudder, "We've eaten many men, many people."

"I ate those people, I was hungry, I needed to protect you."

Not even Carnage's words can ease the ache in Abel, though.

Abel buries his face in Carnage's chest as he takes a deep breath.  Carnage tightens his hold around the boy, large hand cupping his swollen belly.

Abel looks down at their joined hands over their baby.

"Lies upon lies," he sighs tiredly, his eyes again landing on the mountain of paper.

Canrage frowns.

Stress isn't good for the baby, for Abel.

That woman, she, is a source of stress.

"I'm okay, C.  Just tired, baby makes me tired," Abel reassures, "we're okay.  I'll start working and we can save up for the baby.  We'll be okay."

Another thing Carnage doesn't understand, but Abel's words, his soft voice, soothe him.  For a moment, Abel even believes himself.

No, he does.

He has to believe they'll figure things out.  He needs to find a job, to earn money for their baby.  He can't focus on the past when their future looks so bright.

A thought strikes Carnage then.

He peers at Abel, at his swollen belly and remembers...

Toxin and Scorn.

"Hm?"

Carnage shakes his head, Nothing.

Abel nods before he picks himself up sluggishly, "Com' on, gotta go look for a job."