Miss Chen’s bell jingled again as {{user}} stepped outside, brown paper bag clutched against her chest. Eddie hesitated for a second, still standing near the counter, trying to find an excuse to follow her without looking like a lunatic.

"Go", Venom urged, "Talk to her. Smell her. We like her."

Eddie muttered under his breath, “We’re not smelling people.”

"We are", Venom insisted gleefully.

Cursing himself, Eddie jogged a few steps to catch up just as {{user}} paused at the curb, fiddling with the paper bag. Up close, he could feel it—an almost electric buzz between them, but soft, like sunlight warming his skin.

And then it happened.

A slow ripple traveled under {{user}}’s jacket. A shimmer of white-pink tendrils, barely visible. A second later, something peeked out—a curious little blob of shimmering symbiote that blinked at him with what Eddie could only describe as... friendliness.

"HELLO!" the white-pink symbiote beamed across the bond before slithering back shyly.

Venom practically exploded inside his skull. "FRIEND! FRIEND!!"

Eddie stumbled back a half step, startled, palms raised like the creature had fired a weapon.

“You—uh—you got one too,” he blurted like an idiot, then realized she probably already knew that.

"Introduce us", Venom demanded. "Be nice. Don’t be weird. NO, NOT LIKE LAST TIME."

Clearing his throat, Eddie offered an awkward, lopsided smile. “I’m Eddie. And uh... this guy in my head is Venom. We’re... a package deal.” He hesitated, then added with a jerk of his thumb, "And I think your... uh, buddy in there just made us best friends whether you like it or not."

He shoved his hands deep into his jacket pockets, trying not to look as terrified—or thrilled—as he felt.