AUTHOR'S NOTE: PLEASE READ FIRST!

Hey, everyone! I've always wondered what would happen if Eddie Brock was a kid (around 13-14) when the Venom symbiote found him. This is basically a series of stories that follow random adventures between the two.

Also, I'm letting you all know that this is NOT a romantic ship story in ANY way, and it will NOT BECOME ONE LATER ON! Seriously, there is no romance or shipping or ANY of that in this story. Eddie and Venom are FRIENDS; THAT'S IT! They are NOT A COUPLE! Please do NOT request any romance scenes or anything similar to it because I will not write it. This is a FRIENDSHIP story, with brother-type elements, but NOT an inappropriate romance thing! I'm not trying to be rude or mean; I'm just explaining what kind of story this is.

I hope you like the chapter!

EDDIE?

"Leave me alone."

YOU KNOW WE CANNOT DO THAT, EDDIE.

Eddie Brock sighed, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. He lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling above him, the fan spinning lazily above his head. "Just shut up, then; I don't wanna talk to you or hear you right now." The alien symbiote in his chest rustled, and Eddie could tell it was hurt, but also confused.

The cause of this rift happened about ten minutes ago, as Eddie was walking home from school. He'd just gotten an A on his English paper, and was trying to explain to Venom what grades were when he was shoved from behind, sprawling onto the pavement and scratching his arm on the concrete.

"Still talking to yourself, freak," the bully asked, leering over the boy.

After getting over his shock at being knocked over, Eddie got to his feet. "I'm not a freak," he stammered, clenching his fists.

"Then why do you talk to yourself all the time?"

Wouldn't you like to know, Eddie thought cheekily, feeling the symbiote bristling in his chest. He knew that Venom wouldn't attack the bullies; he'd firmly told the parasitic alien that it couldn't eat anyone, no matter how bad they were, and to only protect him in extreme circumstances. However, he didn't expect the alien to laugh at him along with the bullies after they punched him in the eye, knocked him onto the ground, and called him more names before departing.

When the bullies had left, Eddie could still hear their laughter in his ears, along with the mocking laughter of the symbiote, who also called him weak. Eddie was hurt, to say the least; even though Venom didn't help him fight the bullies, he didn't expect the parasite to make fun of him as well. The alien was so busy laughing at how easily the boy had been beaten, it didn't notice how upset he was. Eddie had stormed home after that, and after not talking and continuing to feel upset, angry, and embarrassed, the symbiote realized that he'd done something wrong. Now, as the boy lay on his bed, still mad at the alien, Venom tried to figure out what was wrong, poking around the kid's mind for answers.

"Stop that," Eddie snapped, feeling the creature moving around his thoughts.

WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHY YOU'RE MAD AT US.

"Well, let me clear things up for you, 'cause I'm not mad at us, I'm mad at you," Eddie Brock snapped, sitting up on his bed, ignoring the pain in his swollen eye. "You insulted me, just like those jerk bullies from school. I know you couldn't help me physically, but I expected you to be on my side, at least!"

WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND, Venom said in his mind.

"What's not to understand? I thought you were a smart parasite," the boy said mockingly, knowing that the alien hated being called that.

Sure enough, he felt the alien hum angrily. WE ARE SMART IN OUR OWN KLYNTAR WAYS, BUT NOT WITH YOUR PATHETIC HUMAN ONES.

"Well, think of it like this," the preteen said, figuring out a way to explain the situation. "What you and those bullies said to me… it's like when I call you a parasite." Eddie took a deep breath, thinking of going downstairs to get an ice pack for his eye. "Those names those kids called me insult me the same way 'parasite' insults you. It hurts, and I didn't expect you to call me those names as well." The boy turned onto his side, now facing the wall. "I thought you were on my side; I thought you were my friend."

WE ARE, Venom insisted.

"Friends don't call friends names like that."

BUT FROM OUR OBSERVATIONS OF OTHER HUMANS, THEY CALL EACH OTHER NAMES LIKE THAT ALL THE TIME AND STILL REMAIN FRIENDS.

"That's because they're joking then; those bullies weren't joking with me, they were insulting me!" Eddie groaned, wondering why it was so hard to explain this to the alien. He felt the alien moving around his chest, and could sense it thinking deeply about what the boy had said.

SO… HUMANS CALL EACH OTHER BAD NAMES, BUT IT DEPENDS ON ITS EXECUTION AND INTENTION THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NAME BEING INSULTING OR BEING JOKE-FULL?

"Yes," the kid said, relieved that the alien finally understood.

THEN WE ARE SORRY FOR LAUGHING AT YOU AND CALLING YOU THOSE NAMES, Venom said, but he didn't really sound sorry, and the parasite became more confused when the human child didn't feel better and continued to feel mad at him. Poking a black, oily head out of the boy's chest, he asked, "WHAT'S WRONG?"

"You don't sound sorry," the boy said bitterly, avoiding the parasite's gaze.

"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU SAY WHEN YOU HUMANS INSULT ONE ANOTHER?"

Eddie turned onto his other side, the head still following him. "It's more than just words, V. It requires emotion and intent; you can't just say the words. You actually have to feel bad about what you did, and apologize, making a promise to not do that bad thing again. Like when I apologize whenever I call you a parasite; I know I still call you that sometimes, but I'm trying not to do that since I know you don't like it."

The alien remained silent after that statement, staring at the boy with his wide eyes, his usual smile gone from his face. Humans sure were complicated creatures, but he was starting to understand what Eddie was saying. Venom hated being called a parasite; it was degrading and insulting, and thought back to when those Bullies called Eddie those names. Now, as he remembered it, he felt how hurt the boy had felt; mainly in his chest, even though there was no physical wound. Even now, the boy still hurt, and Venom finally understood.

"WE… ARE SORRY," the alien symbiote finally said, and this time, he meant it. Eddie could tell; he felt the guilt coming from the alien, and its sadness as well. The kid stared at the inky black head suspended from his chest, noting how it wasn't smiling like it usually did, and sighed.

"It's OK, Venom," the boy said, smiling a little. "I forgive you."

The alien seemed to brighten up, a smile crossing his face, revealing his sharp teeth that still freaked Eddie out a little. "REALLY?"

"Yeah, just… stay on my side next time, OK?"

"WE WILL!" The symbiote sank back into his chest, and a warm feeling enveloped Eddie's whole body as he felt the alien's happiness at being forgiven. NOW, Venom said in his mind, CAN WE FIX OUR INJURIES?

"No," Eddie said, "you better not; the kids might get kinda suspicious if I show up tomorrow without a black eye."

FINE, the alien grumbled, agreeing with the logic but hating how they would have to go around with a sore eye for the next few days. BUT IF THEY MESS WITH US AGAIN… MAY WE PLEASE EAT THEM?

"NO! We talked about this; we're not killing or hurting anyone; especially a kid, no matter how mean they may be."

WELL… CAN WE AT LEAST SCARE THE BULLIES IF THEY TRY TO MESS WITH US AGAIN?

"… What did you have in mind?"

..

About a week later, three boys from the tenth grade were sent to the Nurse's office in hysterics, all of them claiming that some large monster threatened to eat them in the locker room. Their cries were dismissed as imagination, but from that day on, none of them messed with Eddie Brock again, lest he turned into a giant monster again, and threatened to eat them.

I hope you enjoyed! More stories to follow soon, and please favorite/follow if you want more!

-aggiefrogger