Late evening at the gym, the sound of weights clinking and distant chatter filling the air. Bakugou and his girlfriend, {{user}}, had been sparring, the usual intensity crackling between them.

Bakugou lunges forward, throwing a sharp right hook, but she dodges effortlessly, twisting out of reach. He grins, eyes alight with challenge.

“Getting slow on me, huh?” he taunts.

She scoffs, about to fire back a retort, when suddenly—her body jerks, and something black and slick bursts from her shoulder, extending like a tendril before snapping back just as quickly.

Bakugou stumbles back, eyes wide. “What the hell was that?!”

She freezes. “Uhh—”

Before she can explain, another tendril slithers up her arm, shifting and curling like it has a mind of its own. A deep, guttural voice suddenly growls from seemingly nowhere:

“We are hungry.”

Silence.

Bakugou’s face twists into absolute bewilderment. “WE?! Who the hell is we?!”

She groans, rubbing her temples. “Okay, look—before you freak out—”

“Oh, I’m already freakin’ out!” He gestures wildly at her arm, where the black substance twitches again. “Since when have you been part slimy demon monster?!”

The tendrils shift again, forming what almost looks like a wide, toothy grin. The deep voice rumbles out once more:

“We do not like the loud one.”

Bakugou’s eye twitches. “EXCUSE ME?!”

She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Great. Now you’ve pissed it off.”

“Pissed it off?!” He glares at the shifting black mass, then back at her. “I—You—WE ARE NOT GLOSSIN’ OVER THIS!”

She watches as he stares at her like she’s grown a second head (which, given Venom’s abilities, isn’t entirely off the table). Eventually, he just groans and drags a hand down his face.

“Y’know what? I need a damn drink before I process whatever the hell this is.”

Venom rumbles again, shifting slightly over her shoulder. “We require sustenance as well.”

Bakugou throws his hands up. “Oh, HELL NO! You are NOT eating people on my watch!”