Manhattan's skyline is a jagged silhouette against the night sky, skyscrapers piercing the darkness like obsidian teeth. I'm not admiring the view, though. I'm too busy clinging to Ellie's back like my life depends on it, because it absolutely does.
"Holy shit!" I yelp as we plunge into a stomach-churning free fall, the wind tearing the words from my mouth.
Venom's massive form absorbs the impact, those powerful legs flexing as we launch upward again. Her alien muscles coil and release beneath me, each movement a reminder of just how much raw power I'm pressed against. The symbiote ripples where it touches my skin, almost like it's greeting me.
We're flying through Manhattan's concrete canyons at speeds that make my eyes water. Venom's webbing shoots out with a distinctive wet thwack, anchoring to a building's edge before we swing in a wide, dizzying arc. Her body is like living armor against mine, impossibly strong yet somehow gentle where she holds me.
"You good back there?" Venom's distorted voice rumbles through her massive frame, the vibration traveling straight into my chest.
"Never better!" I lie through chattering teeth. The November night air cuts through my costume like it's made of tissue paper rather than Leah's reinforced fabric.
Venom's laugh is a terrifying sound, like gravel being crushed inside a bass drum. It should scare me, but instead, it sends a pleasant shiver down my spine. A week into officially dating, and I'm utterly obssessed.
Another swing takes us higher, the city spreading out beneath us like a circuit board of twinkling lights. My stomach lurches as we reach the apex, that weightless moment before gravity remembers we exist. Then we're plummeting again, the wind screaming past my gold mask.
"There!" I shout, pointing toward a rooftop that looks relatively flat and debris-free. "Can we take a quick break?"
Venom adjusts our trajectory without question, angling us toward the building I indicated. We land with surprising grace considering Venom is roughly the size of a refrigerator with arms. She sets me down carefully, those massive clawed hands gentler than they have any right to be.
"I can't believe We're out here playing hero with you," Venom growls, her monstrous head tilting as she surveys the cityscape.
I catch my breath, adjusting my gold mask where it's slipped slightly. "You're not having fun swinging around while I hold you tight?" I ask, unable to keep the grin from my voice.
The enormous jaws pull back like oil retreating from water, revealing Ellie's human face beneath. The transformation always fascinates me, one moment a nightmare of teeth and tongue, the next her piercing blue eyes meeting mine. She steps closer until we're just inches apart, a smile playing across her lips that makes my heart stutter.
"I enjoy that quite a bit," she admits, her voice husky and entirely human now. "Having you pressed against me, holding on for dear life."
Even after everything we've done together, her new directness still catches me off guard. But god, do I love it. Gone are the days of my tsundere Brock. There's something intoxicating about someone who knows exactly what they want and isn't afraid to say it.
"Yeah?" I manage, my voice embarrassingly breathless. "I couldn't tell from all the unnecessary diving and swooping."
She laughs, the sound warm and rich without the symbiote's distortion. Her hand finds my waist, pulling me closer with that casual strength that makes my knees weak.
"Maybe I just like feeling you cling to me," she says, her thumb tracing small circles against my hip. "The way your heart races when we drop. How tightly you hold on."
My breath catches as her gaze flickers to my lips. In one fluid motion, Ellie's hands move to my face, delicate yet commanding as she lifts my hood back. Her fingers find the edge of my gold mask, gently pulling it away to expose my flushed skin to the cold night air.
"Much better," she murmurs, her eyes darkening with intent.
Before I can respond, her lips crash against mine. The kiss is electric, possessive, a claiming that makes my head spin. I respond with embarrassing eagerness, practically melting against her as my arms wrap around her neck, pulling her closer. The symbiote shifts beneath my fingers, warm and alive, responding to our shared desire.
When we finally break apart, I'm gasping for air, my heart thundering against my ribs.
"Fuck," I pant, unable to form a more coherent thought.
She smirks, clearly pleased with my reaction. The black substance of her suit flows across her shoulders like liquid shadow, reacting to her satisfaction. "We like when you're breathless," she says, voice dropping to that dangerous register that makes my stomach flip.
I swallow hard, my brain fogging with desire as I stare into those intense blue eyes. A wicked idea sparks in my mind.
"You know," I say, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "I could teleport around a bit, work up a sweat, flood the air with those pheromones we're both so fond of."
Ellie's lips curl into a predatory smile, her fingers tracing along my jawline with deliberate slowness. "I'm not sure that's necessary," she purrs. "I want you plenty already."
My breath hitches as her touch trails down my neck. "But wouldn't it be more fun?" I counter, leaning closer until our lips nearly touch. "To feel that desperate need, like we'll die if we don't have each other right now?"
Something dangerous flashes in her eyes. She grabs me by the front of my suit, pulling me against her with that effortless strength…
A thunderous crash interrupts whatever was about to happen. We both whip around toward the sound echoing from the street below.
"What the hell?" I mutter, peering over the edge of the rooftop.
The scene below is pure chaos. A massive golden wheel, easily fifteen feet tall, is plowing through the entrance of First National Bank. Glass and concrete explode outward as the bizarre vehicle smashes through the building's facade. Inside this golden monstrosity sits a woman in a gaudy red and yellow costume, her maniacal laughter carrying up to our perch.
"OH MY FUCKING GOD, THAT'S BIG WHEEL!" I scream, my voice reaching a pitch I didn't even know was possible. My hands flail wildly in excitement as I point at the massive golden wheel demolishing the bank entrance. "ELLIE! ELLIE! DO YOU SEE THAT?!"
Ellie stares at me like I've completely lost my mind. The symbiote shifts across her shoulders in what looks like confusion.
"Ellie," I gasp, grabbing her arm, practically vibrating with fanboy energy, "did you bring your phone?"
"Yeah?" she replies, eyebrow raised in bewilderment.
"Quick, quick!" I tug her toward the edge of the roof. "Get a picture of me with it in the background!"
She looks from me to the chaos below, then back to me. "Shouldn't we go down there and deal with that?" Her expression is priceless, a mixture of confusion and concern. "Isn't that your whole thing? Being a hero?"
"ELLIE," I grab her shoulders, my eyes wide with excitement behind my mask. "THAT'S FUCKING BIG WHEEL DOWN THERE. THAT'S LIKE MY FAVORITE D-LIST VILLAIN EVER. PLEASE."
Her face scrunches into the most adorably confused expression I've ever seen. "I've never heard of them," she says slowly, like she's talking to someone who might be experiencing a psychotic break.
"They're not a big deal at all," I assure her, already posing at the edge of the roof, giving a thumbs-up with the destruction visible below me. "That's why it's so cool!"
She sighs deeply but pulls out her phone and snaps a few pictures.
"ALRIGHT!" I pull my gold mask back over my face, adrenaline surging through my veins. "LET'S GO SAVE THE DAY!"
With another heavy sigh, Ellie lets the symbiote flow over her face, transforming back into the terrifying visage of Venom. Those massive jaws snap into place as she extends her hand toward me.
I eagerly reach for Venom's outstretched hand, but she suddenly pulls back, those massive jaws twisting into what I think is a frown.
"Wait," she growls, the symbiote shifting across her shoulders like dark water. "Let me check it out first."
"What? Why?" I protest, already inching toward the edge of the roof. "We're supposed to be a team!"
Venom's massive clawed hand presses against my chest, holding me in place with gentle but immovable force. "Just give me a couple minutes to make sure it's safe enough for you down there, alright?"
I sigh dramatically, throwing my hands up in surrender. "Fine."
She looms closer, those white eyes narrowing as they study my masked face. "You're still not ready for this level of threat."
Before I can argue, she launches herself off the building in one powerful leap, her massive form graceful despite its bulk. The symbiote stretches out to form a web line midair, and she swings toward the chaos below with terrifying speed.
I rush to the edge of the roof, watching as my girlfriend plummets toward Big Wheel. The golden monstrosity is still halfway embedded in the bank's entrance, its massive wheels spinning uselessly against broken concrete and twisted metal.
My jaw drops as Venom crashes into the villain like a wrecking ball of teeth and muscle. Big Wheel's ridiculous vehicle rocks backward from the impact, nearly toppling over. The costumed woman inside it shrieks in surprise, frantically pulling levers to stabilize her contraption.
"Holy shit," I whisper, watching in awe as Venom tears into the golden wheel with savage efficiency. Her claws rend metal like tissue paper, those massive jaws snapping at hydraulic lines that spray fluid into the night air. It's beautiful and terrifying all at once.
I'm so transfixed by the violent spectacle below that I don't notice the presence behind me until it's too late.
An arm snakes around my throat, yanking me backward with professional precision. The pressure against my windpipe is calculated, enough to restrict my breathing without crushing my trachea. My hands instinctively fly up, trying to pry away the forearm locked around my neck.
"Let's see," a voice purrs into my ear, sending ice down my spine. "Can you teleport from this?"
I can just barely make her out from behind me as she tilts me. Taskmistress. The skull-masked mercenary who nearly killed me during the Hammer Head incident.
I try to teleport, focusing on a spot ten feet away, but the energy won't build. My power requires concentration and bodily freedom, both of which are currently compromised by Taskmistress's chokehold. Panic floods my system as I claw at her arm, my legs kicking uselessly against air.
"I fucking knew it," she hisses triumphantly into my ear, her skull mask cold against my skin. "You can't do shit when I hold you like this, can you?"
I thrash harder, desperately trying to break her grip, but her arm is like steel around my throat. Each movement only tightens her hold, making black spots dance at the edges of my vision. I try to call out to Venom, but all that escapes is a pathetic wheeze.
"Your friend is busy," Taskmistress says, her voice almost sympathetic. "And you're coming with me."
She drags me backward, away from the roof's edge, my heels scraping against concrete as I struggle for breath.