4/22 Instance: Make Us Whole

[Starfish]

Timeline: The day after "Sinner Takes All".



Cassie: The light rain coated his face in glistening moisture, the tiny droplets running down his cheek. The water hitting the leaves was the only sound as she watched him in silence., crouching by his motionless side. A pale finger reached out to prod the area underneath his closed eye.

Venom: His skin twitched at the touch, making him stir gently. The world blurred into view as his eyes flickered open, narrowing at the gray-white light from the sky, obscured by the branches of the trees. Eddie Brock's brow furrowed as he sat up slowly, wincing at the pain in his back.

Venom: He looked around, first to his left, spotting his bike lying gracelessly in the dirt, the black paint scratched, presumably from hitting the tree beside it. His helmet lay at his feet, and to his right, his ivory-skinned angel. He smiled weakly, dirt and blood smeared on his face and torn clothing.

Cassie: "Ah, there you are again." She returned the smile, resting her elbows on bent knees. "I already worried after no one else could accomplish the impossible, a mere tree would finally be your end."

Venom: "You know I wouldn't let that happen...", Eddie assued her, taking a deep breath and arched his left knee, leaning on it and sighing, "I did it. Did you see? I made him suffer just like I promised. All for you..."

Cassie: "Oh, I saw everything, and it was glorious." Her fingertips stroked gently down the side of his face. "I was there with you the whole time."

Venom: Smiling, Eddie reached out to touch hers also, thumb tracing her cheek, "I-I didn't see you...I'm sorry.", he shrugged, "But yeah. It's done...", leaning forward, he kissed her cheek, "A-are you happy?"

Cassie: She took his hand into hers, holding it close to her chest. "I couldn't be happier," she assured him, smiling down at this face. "You finally set me free. And by doing so, yourself."

Venom: Eddie nodded, brow furrowing a little, "Hm? How...do you mean?", he smirked, looking around again, "And...d-d'you know how we got here? I just...I-I don't....actually remember.", his smile faded, "...I...that's...strange."

Cassie: "You don't remember last night?" Her smile grew bigger, as she leaned closer, her gaze meeting his. "Oh, we were out on a wild ride. I guess you couldn't keep up and it threw you off a little."

Venom: "I don't...", scratching his head, Eddie smiled weakly, "No...I don't recall. I remember killing him. It was the right thing to do, it doesn't matter what they think - he had to die.", looking back at his bike, he frowned again, "But...oh, a-and Misty. But...after that..."

Venom: Stroking her shoulder, Eddie looked into her eyes, "Refresh my memory? I just....it seems weird to have ended up...", he shrugged again, "...wherever the hell this is."

Cassie: "Kraven is not the only one we made pay." Her sweet smile took on hints of a manic grin. "We taught that hypocritical, self-righteous bitch a lesson she won't forget. So much tough talk - what was left of it in the end, when she was broken and faced with her inferiority."

Cassie: She caressed his cheek. "She'll never look down on us again." A snicker came across her lips. "Not with both eyes, anyway."

Venom: Eddie shuddered, for a moment he could've sworn blind his heart had turned to ice, "....w-what....what... did we do?", he gulped, "C-Cassie, what did we do..."

Cassie: "You really don't remember any of it? Oh, what a shame." She sat back, offering him another smile. "I bet she does, though. You made sure of that."

Venom: "...wait.", his eyes fell, looking at his hand as he recalled a few images in his mind: "...a scrapyard, we...we fought Melati?", he raised his eyebrow at her, "...there...s-she was...", cringing, he looked about ready to be sick, "...oh, jesus christ...w-we didn't..."

Cassie: "You did, and you loved every moment of it," she said, her voice both thrilled and firm at the same time. "So did she; I'm sure of it. Even though she'd never admit it, of course."

Venom: Eyes widening in fear, Eddie shuffled away from her, "H-how...how can you be ok with that!?", he choked, mouth dry with panic, "C-Cass...I-I...", holding his head he shook it furiously, "W-what did I do!?"

Cassie: "Nothing you wouldn't love to do with me, too." A predatory grin on her lips, she dropped on hands and knees, slowly crawling after him as he tried to get away. "That's what you want, admit it. The only difference is that last night, you were finally free enough to take it. Come on, listen to her screams. I know you can still hear them. Aren't they sweet?"

Venom: As if by her command, the sounds filled his mind - the twisted laughing, the agonized screaming. As if echoing from all around him. Holding his head, Eddie trembled, screaming back at the noise, "Make it stop! I-I didn't want this! I didn't know!!!"

Cassie: She paused, faking a shocked expression. "Why lie to yourself now?," she asked. "After having never been more honest with yourself than last night. You finally accepted who you truly are. What you're meant to be."

Venom: "NO!", Eddie roared at her, pushing her onto her back and pinning her to the ground, "That ISN'T WHO I AM!", his fury was ladened with fear, his eyes betraying his self doubt as he looked down on her frame, appearing helpless and weak beneath him, "You...you did this to me...why? W-why did you do this to me?"

Cassie: "Ah, yes, that's more like it." She laughed, squirming underneath him. "This is how I want to see you. What do you want to do? Tell me. Show me!"

Venom: Eddie grit his teeth, "S-shut up...", he murmurred, grip increasing as he trembled above her, eye twinging with rage and despair.

Cassie: "Do you want to know why I did this? Hm?" She smiled up at him, her expression filled with smug delight. "Because you wanted me to do it. I'm only giving you what you desire."

Venom: Shaking his head, he squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to listen, "No, no! I didn't...I-I just wanted...I-I wanted you! I wanted...t-to control...myself. I-I wanted someone, anyone to...t-to just care about me! To understand!"

Venom: He looked back down at her, shaking her in his grip, "I DIDN'T WANT THIS!"

Cassie: "You wanted me, and I was there for you," she replied, still smiling, before he was pushed back, lifting into the air like a child. "You called, and I listened." His back smashed into a tree as she pinned him against it. "And there is no one in the world I care more about than you. In fact, you're the only one. There is only us."

Venom: The surprise winded him, making the blow seem all the more powerful as he struggled to understand why she was so powerful, "....I-I don't...I don't understand..." - a lie. Even as the words left his mouth the pieces fell into place, assembling the grim truth for him, "...b-but...Cassie...", he exhaled, all willpower leaving him as reality came flooding back.

Cassie: Her grin betrayed pure wickedness. "It's funny you keep calling me that..."

Venom: Eddie could have sworn his heart had stopped at that moment. He didn't want to believe it, he didn't want to believe it at all. But there it was, "...y-you're...the symbiote. You're me..."

Cassie: "You look surprised," she stated, smiling at him, even as the black ink began to flow underneath her pale skin. "Did you really believe I'm the ghost of your dead girl, here to guide you from beyond the grave? Well, in a certain way, she did. It was her death that finally set you free, that made you come to me in your darkest hour."

Venom: The very notion of her ghost made him feel like an idiot. The problem was, he truly, truly believed it. Closing his eyes as tears rolled down his cheeks, he nodded. And he wanted that truth more than anything in the world. But reality wasn't so kind.

Venom: Sniffling pathetically, he looked up at her rapidly transforming visage, "...I...I just...I-I don't...I-I don't know what to do...I-I didn't want this to happen.."

Cassie: "Oh, don't worry, you'll know." Her form gradually dissolved into writhing blackness, slowly approaching him. "In fact, you'll never have to worry again. We'll guide us."

Venom: The feeling of the ink-like embrace made him feel sick, but for all his distain, Eddie had no fight left in him. Eyes tired and mind fatigued, he felt his last ounce of fortitude turn to dust, simply surendering to the darkness. It was a part of him. A demon he'd never be able to escape. His power, his responsibility.

Venom: "...forgive me.", he whispered to himself, falling to his knees as the blackness embraced him, "...God, please forgive me..."

[steyn]

Awww, he realized too early that he stumbled into crazy town, now ghost Cassie won't meet real Cassie