Summer 2014: Eddie

[Chaos]

It'd take a while to settle down. That much he was sure of.

Eddie's mask receded along his face as he admired the city skyline, leaning against the gargoyle on his left and folding his arms. He smirked a little: 5am and he was wi-ide awake. Patrols usually ended around 3am for him, following with him sleeping in until 3pm, but today was different.

Was it something in the air? Things had exploded out of control over the last two weeks: Darren's wedding and subsequent disappearance, the revelation that he and Adam had to be rescued from the Friends of Humanity, the alleged story of the 'eye-patched man in the helicopter' or whatever. Eddie giggled a little at the thought of that; stranger things had happened. To him alone!

Anyway, it didn't matter. Yes, things were difficult, yes, it was horrible. But Eddie was in a good place. People were rescued, things were returning to normal, and he'd helped. Even in his own small way, the X-Ternals Missive had helped the search for the Brotherhood enough that finding them shouldn't be hard.

That thought had earned a small frown from Eddie: they'd been awfully quiet recently. That's why he'd closed down his little 'project': they'd know he was on them by now, surely. Better to make them think he'd given up in his opinion. Besides, not like he didn't have plenty to do in his own life; the comic was really kicking off and, more importantly, there was Liza.

Her name found itself being whispered by Eddie as he thought about his girlfriend. God it felt good to call her that. He smiled wider than before. Not only did Liza single-handedly find the most crucial incriminating evidence against one of the Brotherhood members because she 'wanted to help him', but she was also the most incredible woman Eddie had ever been with.

And this feeling of rapture as he watched the sunrise over the city that never slept? That was all her.

Mental narration aside, Eddie knelt down and checked his pocket underneath his jet-black flesh armour and withdrew a strangely reflective blue disk. The last installation of information from the X-Ternals database was saved on it. This was for Officer Keel. That, along with his resignation from 'private eye-ing'. After all, it was summer.

Letting his mask cover his face again, Eddie leapt off the building, released a web-strand, and swung into the streets below, slowly coming alive with morning traffic. The brand new day tasted better with every breath he took.

[puppygirl]

"You have to promise not to tell them I'm Venom.", Eddie whispered to Liza, glancing around the large convention center again. He couldn't believe there was so much awesome packed into this room. "Jesus, look at how many people are he-...oh, my God, is that MR. SULU!?"

Liza giggled and squeezed Eddie's hand, "Promise!" She herself was rocking a Super Girl costume, "This is like ... soooo much cooler then I ever thought it could be!"

"I know, right? That totally IS Mr. Sulu!", Eddie laughed, double-checking his wallet was in his jacket and flicking a speck of Dorrito off his 'Team Venom' shirt. 'We had to buy one...', that was his story and he was sticking with it. "Damn, what do you wanna do first?"

"I mean, I WANT to go and talk to Sulu, but there's Batman memrobilia on sale...", he sighed, deliberating between the Star Trek fandom and the lust for a Batarang belt buckle.

"How about we just take a look around and like ... just enjoy ourselves while mocking Twilight fans?"Liza suggested.

Eddie shuddered, holding Liza a little closer, "They're....not real!", he mocked, giving an Edward Cullen cosplayer a strange look. "So, enjoying yourself? I have to be honest, when I was you in that outfit, I came a little."

"Ewwwww!" Liza giggled and shoved him playfully, "TMI man, and of course I am, I'm with you silly-ooh ponies!" She flail pointed at the Friendship is Magic stall.

"Oh, boy...", Eddie winced a little as they approached. "Not a great fan...", he tried to back away cautiously.

Liza just stare at him, "... How can you not like ponies? Ponies are awesome! Or are you one of those sick fucks who don't cry during Land Before Time?" She pointed a Rainbow Dash at him accusingly.

"....it was one time.", Eddie squirmed, more than a little scared of Rainbow Dash's innocence, seeming to see into his soul. "And no, I totally care about....stuff! And Ponies are...kinda cool."

"I mean, personally I'm a bigger fan of the Pink One.", Eddie pointed over his shoulder at the large card-board Kirby sign.

"Pinky Pie is the only true Pink One!" Liza insisted with fire in her eyes.

Eddie raised his hands, surrendering to the one truth. "Alright! Consider me assimilated!", he grinned. "Ah, dude: there's a Yu-Gi-Oh stand.....I gotta go to the Yu-Gi-Oh stand..."

"Hmmm, okay," Wasn't like she couldn't buy toys anywhere else after all, "I never really watched Yu-Gi-Oh though, you know?"

"Psh! Fuck watching it: I only played the card games!", Eddie chuckled, "Ha! Aww, you...you're all like...oh, God, like people watch it...Serious-...", he paused as he noted the small group of people dressed as characters from the show. "...huh."

"Oh I never had the concentration for the games either, gimme explosions from the x-box any day!" Liza chuckled, "... Wow, that's a big, spikey wig."

Eddie shook his head, very sage-like. "We do not speak of this.", he shunned. "Oh, sweet: think they'll barter down that 'Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon'? I mean, I have one, but two would rock..."

"... Umm ... maybe?" This was going over Liza's head, "Do you like ... have something to trade for it?"

"Nah...", Eddie eye-balled the card. "...no way am I paying $25 for it.", he pointed over to the DC stands. "On the other hand....", he nudged his Super-Girl.

"... Oh happy days!" Super Girl did indeed travel faster than a speeding bullet towards it.

Eddie smirked as his girlfriend disapeared over to the DC stands, trying not to slow down for the cosplayer dressed as Robin eyeing him as he would have done. Strange how seeing other girls made Liza look even better.

Damn, there was that feeling again. Eddie sighed - would it be so hard to say it? He considered that as he inspected the Batarang model. "...$10 says it's combat ready."

"You'll be $10 down in that case, pretty sure they're not allowed to sell excitable nerds stabby things, can you imagine how red the floor would run in a showdown between the Trekies and Starwars fans?"

Eddie's eyes found Liza's. "...and what side would you be on?"

"The side of awesome!"

"Don't get me wrong, I love my crew, but at heart, I'm a jedi.", Eddie confessed, hand on heart. "Still, you think I should make some kind of....'Venom-arang'?", he pondered, looking at the projectile again.

"Honey, do you remember that Flash action figure they brought out a few years back that came with a car?"

Eddie blinked, "....why.", he stated, more than anything. "Explain."

"You making a 'venom-arange' would be about as redundant as that," she patted him on the shoulder gently.

"...yeeeah.", Eddie pulled the 'feelsbadman.jpg' face as best he could, suddenly brightening up as he noticed what was underneath the Batarang. "Oh, Christ yes!"

"BAT SHARK REPELLANT!"

".... NOWAI!" Liza pawed for it, "You serious?"

"...I am totally paying $60 for that.", Eddie muttered. "Like, right now. Right this second."

"Do you even have $60? And are you like ... gonna go test it?"

Eddie reached into his wallet and rummaged. "...erm...I have £150, but that's for the whole time.", he smirked suddenly, "You know, I could always get it for you as a present..."

"Awww, I don't need shark repellant, I have you?

*!" She giggled, wrapping her arms around him to kiss him on the cheeck.

"Yeah, you do.", Eddie smiled back, returning the kiss. "...but I totally want it.", he waved over one of the DC reps and pointed at the canister. "Can get?"

Liza giggled and rolled her eyes, "Fanboy!"

As the vendor fetched out the cannister, Eddie laughed triumphantly, "Whatever, you're just jealous that I can repel sharks."

"Maybe you should have checked it works on shark-mutants?" Liza laughed as well.

Eddie paid the DC guy as he bagged the item and handed it over, "Hmn...don't think we have any shark-mutants, you know.", he turned to Liza, "Well, if you don't want Shark Spray, what should I get you as a souvenir today?", he pointed over at a stand with various sword memorabilia.

"Check it out, they have Scott Pilgrim's sword!"

Liza stared at the sword, and then made big puppydog eyes at Eddie.

Eddie's expression grew softer (possibly) than the fur on a cosplayer's Felicia outfit. "...because I love you, and because you'd look SO hot with a sword.", he kissed her on the forehead.

"Yay! Ohmygod you're the best boyfriend EVER!" She side-glomped him.

Dragging Liza, Eddie approached the stall and just pointed and nodded at the item he wanted. "Yeeeah, I'm pretty much the best guy in the universe.", he smirked, awkwardly getting money out of his wallet. "You know, I'm gonna need both hands..."

Liza giggled imaturely at that, "Very true you know, I can vouch for it."

"What, my use of both hands?", Eddie raised his eyebrow, "Not in public, sweet!", he paid the sword-saleswoman and handed the sheathed 'Power of Love' Katana to Liza. "There you go, petal."

"Eeeeeee!" Liza did a happy dance, "this is the best thing anyone's given me ever!"

Eddie smiled so wide his face hurt, "I'm really glad you're happy. Love seeing you like this.", he beamed. "Ahh, tell you what, are you hungry?"

She stopped dancing, "... Do you even have enough money left after all that to buy lunch?"

"I...", Eddie opened his wallet, "...am pretty sure I do, but I have to be more sparing with cash in England.", he nodded.

Liza giggled, "How about I buy us lunch?"

Eddie frowned a little, "Uh....well, maybe...", he sighed, "Sorry, I just want to make this your treat. Call me immature..."

"You just bought me the Power of Love, this is already a major treat!"

"Well....y-yeah.", Eddie blushed a little, "Alright, but nothing expensive, ok?"

"Burger?"

"Yeah.", Eddie nodded, giving Liza a hug and taking a deep breath. "This couldn't be any more perfect...", he smiled.

[puppygirl]

Eddie sang along to his phone, playing 'Kirby Krackle - 'Super Powered Love', while cooking bacon in his boxer shorts. He was in the best mood he'd been in for a long time! With a quick web, he pulled the tomato sauce over to himself and applied it to the bread, waiting to become a tasty pair of sandwiches for the girl of his dreams.

Because that's what Liza was to him. She was the kindest, most beautiful person he'd met. The longer they'd been together, the closer they'd become. Just thinking of her made Eddie sigh, grinning a little more as the bacon neared being ready.

Liza rolled over in the bed and sighed happily, nuzzling the pillow ... mmmm, it smelt like Eddie ... and bacon ... One eye cracked open ... bacon? She sat up and rubbed her eyes with a squeaky yawn, "Mmmm ... Eddie?"

"I have been known by that name!", Eddie called back, "That said, I wouldn't mind being called 'Red King'...", he mused, preparing the sandwiches. "You stay in bed!"

Liza giggled at the 'Red King' comment and snuggled back down into the blanket and pillows, "And why's that, your magisty? I can smell deliciousness."

Moments later, Eddie slid into Liza's room and presented her with the sandwiches, "My old Runescape name was 'RedKing17'. So....yeah. That and I am pretty magnificent.", he smirked, sitting down beside her. "Sleep well, gorgeous?"

"Mmmm, of course I did with you to keep me warm, and breakfast in bed!" She took the sandwich, "I'm the luckiest fangirl in the world," she giggled, taking a bite and making a happy noise.

"I do my best to please you.", Eddie smiled back, kissing Liza's forehead and glancing over at the sword he bought her the other day. He got lost in thought while inspecting it from afar. 'Power of Love'. Eddie laughed to himself a little.

"What're you chuckling at, Clark?" She teased, taking another bite of her delicious sammich, "you do a pretty damn good job of pleaseing."

Eddie scratched the back of his head, smirking shyly. "N-nothing! Really...just...", he looked at Liza, "...oh, also? I clam up often. But you know that...", he blushed, honestly coy.

"You are like ... soooo adorkable," she poked his nose, "but you don't have to talk to me is you don't want to, I have been sucessfully bribed with bacon here."

"No, that's not i-...", Eddie sighed, frowning a little. Why did it make him so damn nervous? It made no sense. "I'm sorry...I just...", he shook his head. "Don't worry about it."

Liza just smiled at him and leant into him, licking her lips before pressing a kiss lightly just under his ear, "Okay, I trust you honey."

Eddie rubbed against her, sighing again. "You know how long it's been since I've been this close to someone?"

Liza took another mouthful of her sammich, shaking her head as she chewed.

"It's been like, four years...", he went on, clenching his hands together. For some reason it made him upset to think about it. "Louise, my ex...."

Eddie shook his head, "Well, she was a great lay, just a stupid kid..."

"Ah," Liza snuggled even more into him, "do you wanna talk about it?"

Eddie made an awkward sound, something between a whimper and a hum. "...y-yeah. Uh...she left me."

"What?" Liza was stunned, "Why would anyone leave you?"

"She cheated on me for another guy...", Eddie shrugged, trying not to feel bad and failing miserably. "...they'd ah...been at it for a while before she left me for him.", he leaned his head on Liza's shoulder.

"It was my fault, though...I was just an immature idealist with a mutation.", he closed his eyes as he spoke. "All I did was draw comics and piss about when I wasn't studying. I had no plan for what to do with my life, I just wanted to be a child forever."

"How old were you again?" Liza asked, finishing her sandwhich and licking her fingers clean.

"Seventeen, eighteen-ish.", Eddie answered, "And I was all 'leather-clad-and-greasy-haired'. And vengeful, too....the day I knew she was with him was the first day I ever lost control of my power..."

Liza wrapped her arms around him, "Everyone's like that at that age," she said gently, "her cheating on you wasn't your fault ... oooh ... what happened?"

Eddie tensed up, "I turned into 'it'. My monster-like form and...", he winced a little. "I attacked the guy. Beat him within inches of death."

"Shiiiiiit," Liza winced, "but you didn't kill him though?"

"No! No...but...", he turned away. "If she hadn't screamed, I wouldn't have stopped. I couldn't."

Liza finished the last of her sandwhich and wrapped both arms around him, kissing and snuggling into his throat, "That was a long time ago, honey, you're better now, you should stop beating yourself up about it."

"I know, but...well, that's not why I bought it up.", Eddie turned to face Liza. "T-there's...I've not felt like this in...", he sighed, feeling agravated by his embarrasment and blushing heavilly.

Liza ran her fingers gently across Eddie's scalp, smiling at him gently, prompting Eddie was no good, it was better to let him get out what he wanted to say by himself.

'We're not scared!', 'Goddamned right!'

Eddie took a deep breath and looked Liza dead in the eye, he had to say it. He'd never felt it this bad in his life. And not in the same way as people thing that with every other girl, Eddie knew in his heart this was true.

"Liza Maloney? I...I love you."

Liza's breath caught in her throat as she read the sincerity in the man's face and she blinked, her eyes suddenly wet, "I ... r-really?" She asked him.

"More than anyone ever.", Eddie said, with the same absolute conviction to his words. "You make me happier than I have ever been. I love you."

He laughed a little, feeling incredible - he actually said it! He had the courage to say the actual words! "I love you!"

Liza broke out into a wide, bright, goofy grin, "That's great! 'Cos ... I love you too Eddie!" She half pounced on him, pulling him close to her as she started to cover his face in kisses, "And" kiss "not just" kiss "in a fangirl" kiss "way either!" Kisskisskiss "Real, honest, true love!" She kissed him full on the mouth.

'We are the best ever at everything ever...', 'We really are...'

"I...really? I tho-...", Eddie managed between kisses, "...really?"

"Really-" kiss "really!" She slid her finger under the waistband of his boxers, "Here ... let me show you."