#better yet edit your own version that sounds halfway decent

[te-pu-si-ti]

This one goes out to anyone who's listened to this song and thought... no... the fidelity is too high. I want it to sound like it starts on a dinky little record player in the corner of the room, slowly builds, then leaves the room and bounces off the walls of a large cavernous indoor town square.

[hybridequalist]

Thinking Out Loud (Part 3)

So I forgot to cross-post this here. Whoops. Sorry for the long break. Part 4 will be out tomorrow.

Taglist: @nesli26, @manga-crazy, @venomemes, @galleyleelol, @makingtimemine, @jackie-sugarskull, @nightshade7117, @skysthelimit291, @randomshizzles101, @inumorph, @snow-massacre, @phantom-fangirl-stuff, @pixellated-sparks, @vsalamandor2, @otaku-mai, @snarky-badger

---

You knew you were in trouble when you saw Lauren's smug face the next morning. If she didn't make the best breakfasts in the world, you'd have turned around and walked right out.

You managed to avoid looking at her directly long enough to sit at the table and pour yourself some juice, but Lauren picked up your glass and held it out if reach, still grinning.

“Hey there, who was that hunk you rode in with last night?” she signed with one hand.

“Shut up!” you signed back, feeling your face flush. “It's not like that!”

You swiped at your captive juice but Lauren was much taller than you and she smiled down at you.

“Spill,” she challenged, her fingers translating her sass with a flourish.

“It was not a date, we barely know each other and he was just dropping me off. Now juice!”

“Details girl. Details.”

“I didn't have dinner! Let me eat!”

That broke her teasing mood. Lauren finally relinquished the cup and ran to get the hot breakfast off the stove. You felt a slight twinge of guilt as she began to fill your plate more than usual, taking a noticeably smaller portion for herself.

To anyone else, Lauren’s behavior may have just seemed motherly but you knew better. Your psychic eavesdropping had caught more than one memory of Lauren as a disadvantaged teen, hungry and turned away from entry-level work because of her deafness. You knew all about her determination that no one renting from her would lose as much opportunity as she did worrying about when they were going to eat next. No one else could know that, however: your landlady was a well-dressed, modern woman who got her hair dyed some new radical color every other month. Without your power, you wouldn’t know the reason why she invited you to breakfast, that she planned to ensure you had at least one decent meal every single day.

But you feigned your usual innocence as you dug into the delicious food, trying to ignore Lauren’s racing mind as she conjured reasons for why you hadn’t eaten last night and did her best to combat them, holding off judgement until you were able to tell her the full story.

When you finished eating, you gave her the abridged version: that you had met Eddie at work and run into him again at the grocery store yesterday. Glossing over the details of the store being attacked, you chose to omit Venom entirely and instead told Lauren that in the panic you'd been knocked over and hit your head, that Eddie had looked out for you and been kind enough to bring you home when you woke up.

Lauren was a touch suspicious, sensing your editing but uncertain what you were holding back. Still, she shrugged and you recognized the return of her teasing mood and held back a premature weary sigh.

“You know, that Eddie guy sure is nice to look at,” she signed with a grin. “And he's a biker boy. You always did have...interesting taste.”

You flushed violently, hiding your face to block her words.

“Stop!” you signed, going redder as Lauren laughed at you. You heard her making mock kissy noises when your phone suddenly began to ring. You both jumped at the sound and panic instantly set into your chest. Lauren noticed you freeze and came over to your chair, fishing the device out from your pocket. Her eyes widened and you saw her smile.

The image in her brain showed Eddie's caller ID. The ID you'd tiredly assigned him before sending your own name over text.

Hot Mess Eddie

The ringing cut off and a text chimed out almost immediately in its place. Same contact.

You stiffly held your hand out for your phone and Lauren passed it over with a smirk before grabbing your empty plate as an excuse to give you some space.

Hey, sorry to call. I forgot.

Forgot? Forgot the one thing everybody seemed to mark as your defining trait.

Another text.

Reporter instinct. BTW, did you take my helmet last night?

Hemet? Oh, the one you'd been wearing. If your memory was correct…

It's on my coffee table, you replied. Do you need it?

Nah, but you’re gonna need it if you want me to pick you up later. You gonna be up for lunch?

Your pulse quickened and you almost dropped your phone in shock. Was he...asking you out?

I don’t have a shift tonight, so I can stay up. But why do you want to go out to lunch? I’m not exactly a conversationalist.

It took almost a minute before you saw the little ellipse that meant he was writing out a reply.

V wants me to tell you that he’s got a surprise. I still think it’s a bit early, but he’s giving me a headache for arguing. It’s pretty cool tho, gotta admit.

Surprise? What? Why?

You heard Lauren snicker and saw a flash of your own face in her thoughts. Apparently your face was red enough that she could see you blushing from the kitchen and you instinctively turned away, willing the blood to leave your cheeks.

Do you have a place in mind? You typed slowly.

----

You did you best to suppress jitters as you stood at the curb, motorcycle helmet tucked under your arm. You’d requested Lauren stay inside, but you knew she was watching from her window--both to satisfy her curiosity and ensure your safety.

You heard their thoughts before you saw them. Much like actual voices, it started quiet as they entered “hearing” distance but became steadily louder along with the revving of the motorcycle’s engine.

Suddenly, you felt self-conscious. You were dressed nicely, but the priority of your outfit was comfort, not fashion. Your hair was also fine, but you began to wonder if maybe you should have done something special with it. This was supposed to be a lunch meetup, but you didn't know what type of venue it would be. Your heart rate picked up and you felt your anxiety starting to raise its vicious head.

You pushed back, trying to force deep breaths, to keep your thoughts under control. Yet the tunnel vision started to set in despite your best efforts. Fragmented thoughts began to whirl like multiple tornadoes and a rising sense of panic began to choke you, cutting off all air. Tears stung your eyes behind closed lids when suddenly you felt two strong hands rest on your shoulders and heard your name, though it was muffled under your roaring pulse.

“Hey! I think you’re having a panic attack! Are you breathing? Can you try breathing?”

The realization that someone was in front of you pulled you out of the whirlpool slightly. It may not have brought the world back from crumbling, but suddenly you felt like there was an anchor keeping you from entirely plummeting into the black hole.Your hands reached out against your will and you found yourself clinging to this person’s chest, hands twisted into what felt like leather.There was no air in your lungs--not that you could feel--and your throat was stubbornly unresponsive to every sound you tried to make. So you reached out with your last resort.

You couldn’t keep the mental communion open for long--your focus was too scattered, your emotions too sweeping--but for a brief moment, you sent a burst of your emotions into the person crouched in front of you. All of your panic, your desire to be comforted, you desperate need to re-learn breathing, you sent it out in an unspoken plea for help.

For a moment, nothing happened. Your anxiety spiked in immediate response; You asked for too much; You would be cast away to fall into the abyss; You were going to die here.

Then you felt the fabric under your fingers ripple, like a living being woven of some strange material, flexing like a cat leaning into human touch. You felt your hands sink into it, giving you a better grip just as you felt thick arms wrap around you, pulling you into the stranger’s solid chest.

A voice rumbled through that chest. You couldn’t understand what they said, but found yourself zeroed in on the sound of their breathing, the feel of their pulse. Their arms tensed and relaxed in time with each breath and you found yourself trying to mimic the movement with limited effectiveness. The vibrations of your anchor’s voice rippled through your body, accompanied by some kind of lower pitch you couldn’t identify. It made you shiver and that motion made you realize that you were quaking so hard that there was no way you could have supported yourself.

Eventually, the panic began to subside into exhaustion; your violent shudders calmed into small fits of shaking and then entirely faded away. Your mind rose from the pit of despair and the sounds of the world and the thoughts of others returned.

The first thing you became aware of was who held you--that double-toned mental voice was entirely unmistakeable.

“Yeah, I’ve got you,” Eddie was saying.

“WE HAVE GOT YOU,” Venom corrected and you felt the jacket ripple--or rather, the symbiote disguised as a jacket.

“You just need to keep breathing. As long as you breathe, you can make it.”

You heard footsteps coming from behind you on the pavement and you twisted to see Lauren running from the front door of the complex. She reached you and Eddie and dropped to one knee, looking you over worriedly.

“You good?” she signed. You shakily nodded and tried to pull yourself to your feet. Your knees buckled before you really got anywhere and ended up halfway dangling, clinging to Eddie like a baby koala. He chuckled.

“You think it’s okay if I carry you inside?”

Could he even lift you?

“EDDIE, WE ARE STILL HEALING. DON’T MOVE TOO FAST.”

"I know our limits, Vee. But we gotta make sure she's safe."

You jumped when you felt new hands on your arm, but it was only Lauren trying to get your attention. She repeated Eddie's question in sign and you shakily gave an affirmative.

Eddie's arms were sturdy--no sign of the injury his other half had mentioned--as he carried your tired self back into the apartments. Lauren led him to her apartment and showed him to her bedroom, indicating she wanted me put in her bed. You protested in sign, but she conveniently didn't see your words.

It wasn't until you were laid on the bed that you realized how much your little attack had worn you out. The second your weight left Eddie's arms, your eyes slid shut and you yawned deeply.

"Go ahead and nap," Eddie encouraged. "I'll be out here...if your landlady is okay with it."

You tiredly gave a thumbs up and heard Venom's thoughts call out to you.

"WE WILL KEEP YOU SAFE FROM ANYTHING. EVEN YOUR OWN BRAIN. SO DON'T HESITATE TO CALL OUT FOR US--IN ANY WAY YOU CAN."

You couldn't help but smile as you slipped off into sleep.

[youtubeog-blog]

best music player apps for Android

A lot of folks these days have transferred to some sort of music streaming service like Pandora, Spotify, Google Play Music, or Apple Music. However, there are those of us left that hang on to our collection of media because streaming isn’t quite good enough yet. If you have your own music collection and the stock music player isn’t doing it for you, then here are our picks for the best music player apps on Android! Please note, if you’re looking for something that plays local music and also streams music, your best bet is Google Play Music.

LOOKING FOR MORE MUSIC PLAYER AND VIDEO PLAYER OPTIONS? TRY THESE! 10 best music streaming apps and music streaming services for Android 10 best video player apps for Android

BlackPlayer Price: Free / $2.69 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY BlackPlayer is a simple, but elegant music player that puts very little between you and your music. It operates on a tab structure and you can customize the tabs to use only the ones that you actually want. On top of that, it has an equalizer, widgets, scrobbling, an ID3 tag editor, no ads, themes, and support for most commonly used music files. It’s delightfully simple and a fantastic option for fans of minimalism. The free version is a little bare bones with the paid version providing far more features. It’s one of the music player apps worth trying.

jetAudio HD Price: Free / $3.99 + $2.99 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY jetAudio is a long time favorite of Android users because it has enough features to be better than most, but still simple enough for everyone to use. This one features a variety of audio enhancements that come as plugins so you can tweak your music experience a little more than usual. On top of that, it comes with an equalizer (complete with 32 presets), simple effects like bass boost, a tag editor, widgets, and even MIDI playback. The free and paid versions are virtually identical. The paid version just removes advertising and adds themes.

MediaMonkey Price: Free / $2.49 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY MediaMonkey is a bit of a dark horse in the music player apps business. It has a ton of features, including organizational features for things like audiobooks, podcasts, and the ability to sort songs by things like composer (instead of just artist). It also has basic stuff like an equalizer. What makes MediaMonkey a truly unique music player is the ability to sync your music library from your computer to your phone (and back) over WiFi. It’s a bit complicated set up, but it’s virtually a one-of-a-kind feature. The interface is simple and the app is an overall solid option.

n7player Price: Free / $3.49 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY n7player is a music player that tries to do something a little different and succeeds. Instead of having lists of music sorted in various ways, n7player creates a giant collage style list of your music which you can scroll through and listen to. It also comes with a 10-band equalizer, volume normalization, a tag editor, scrobbling, and plenty of other features. A lot of this is definitely form over function. Those looking for more powerful music player apps may not like this. They also recently updated their app to version 3.0. That includes Material Design and some other new stuff.

Neutron Player Price: Free trial / $5.99 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Neutron Music Player is another music app that isn’t nearly as popular as it probably should be. It features a 32/64-bit audio rendering engine that is (according to the developers) independent of the Android OS. The idea is that it helps music sound better. It also has a lot of other features, including support for more unique file types (flac, MPC, etc), a built-in equalizer, and a host of other audiophile specific features. It’s a bit expensive, but many swear by it as their go-to music player app.

YOU’RE HALFWAY DONE! CHECK OUT THESE AWESOME APPS! 15 best free Android apps of 2018! 10 best video streaming apps and video streaming services for Android

Phonograph Price: Free / optional donation DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Phonograph is one of the newer music player apps. It bills itself as being simple. lightweight, and easy to use. In most cases, it succeeds. It features a classic, simple Material Design UI. It’s quick to move through as needed. You can also change the theme if you want, but the theme editor isn’t especially powerful. Along with that, you’ll get Last.fm integration, a tag editor, playlist features, a home screen widget, and some other navigation features. It’s very simple and a great option for those who just want to listen to their music without anything getting in the way. It’s a music player worth trying.

PlayerPro Music Player Price: Free / $4.99 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY PlayerPro Music Player is another lesser-known music app that should be getting a little more traffic. It features a good looking interface that makes everything easy to use along with skins that you can download and install for more customization. You’ll also get support for playing video, a rare ten band equalizer, Android Auto and Chromecast support, various audio effects, widgets, and some fun little features like the ability to shake the phone to get it to change tracks. It even supports Hi-Fi music (up to 32-bit, 384kHz). You can demo the app for free before forking out the $4.99.

Poweramp Price: Free trial / $3.99 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Poweramp has long been one of the go-to music player apps choices for a lot of Android users. It has a sleek interface with themes that you can download from the Google Play Store. The interface can be too clever for its own good sometimes. It’s effective and efficient, though. There are also themes to make it look how you want. It includes many playback features, including gapless playback, crossfade, and it has support for several types of playlists. You’ll also find widgets, tag editing, and more customization settings. It’s a powerful player that seems to strike the right chord with almost everyone.

Pulsar Music Player Price: Free DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Pulsar is probably the best completely free music player out there right now. The features include beautifully done Material Design, tag editing, gapless playback, smart playlists, a sleep timer, and Last.fm scrobbling. Puslar also has Chromecast support, which is awesome. It’s not as feature heavy as some of the paid options, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s bad. It’s a great option for those looking for something minimal, lightweight, and good looking. This one also works decently well with Android Auto, if that helps.

Shuttle+ Music Player Price: Free / $2.49 DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAY Shuttle Music Player is an increasingly popular music player. The developer took some time off from updating the app for a bit. However, it looks like the wheels are turning once again. It’s a Material Design laden music player with plenty of options. They include a six band EQ, gapless playback, support for embedded lyrics, tons of themes, Last.fm scrobbling, and more. Those who go pro can also get Chromecast support, ID3 tag editing, folder browsing, and even more theme options. It’s excellent for what it is and one of the must-try music player apps.

THANK YOU FOR READING OUR LIST OF MUSIC PLAYER APPS! HERE ARE A COUPLE MORE APP LISTS! 15 best Android launcher apps of 2018! 10 best Android file explorer apps, file browser apps, and file manager apps

If we missed any of the best music player apps for Android, tell us about them in the comments! This is an update of a previously written article, so check the comments for some suggestions from our readers! You can also click here to check out our latestAndroid app and game lists!

[buytabletsonline]

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

A lot of folks these days have transferred to some sort of music streaming service like Pandora, Spotify, Google Play Music, or Apple Music. However, there are those of us left that hang on to our collection of media because streaming isn’t quite good enough yet. If you have your own music collection and the stock music player isn’t doing it for you, then here are our picks for the best music player apps on Android! Please note, if you’re looking for something that plays local music and also streams music, your best bet is Google Play Music.

Looking for more music player and video player options? Try these!

10 best video player apps for Android

Video streaming has taken over in a big way. A lot of people have Netflix, Hulu, VRV, and even YouTube subscriptions. However, there are still plenty of us out there with video files on our …

10 best music streaming apps and music streaming services for Android

Music streaming has grown up tremendously since its inception and is now among the best ways to listen to music. Many streaming services let you listen for free, which has helped curb the need for …

BlackPlayer

Price: Free / $2.69

BlackPlayer is a simple, but elegant music player that puts very little between you and your music. It operates on a tab structure and you can customize the tabs to use only the ones that you actually want. On top of that, it has an equalizer, widgets, scrobbling, an ID3 tag editor, no ads, themes, and support for most commonly used music files. It’s delightfully simple and a fantastic option for fans of minimalism. The free version is a little bare bones with the paid version providing far more features. It’s one of the music player apps worth trying.

jetAudio HD

Price: Free / $3.99 + $2.99

jetAudio is a long time favorite of Android users because it has enough features to be better than most, but still simple enough for everyone to use. This one features a variety of audio enhancements that come as plugins so you can tweak your music experience a little more than usual. On top of that, it comes with an equalizer (complete with 32 presets), simple effects like bass boost, a tag editor, widgets, and even MIDI playback. The free and paid versions are virtually identical. The paid version just removes advertising and adds themes.

MediaMonkey

Price: Free / $2.49

MediaMonkey is a bit of a dark horse in the music player apps business. It has a ton of features, including organizational features for things like audiobooks, podcasts, and the ability to sort songs by things like composer (instead of just artist). It also has basic stuff like an equalizer. What makes MediaMonkey a truly unique music player is the ability to sync your music library from your computer to your phone (and back) over WiFi. It’s a bit complicated set up, but it’s virtually a one-of-a-kind feature. The interface is simple and the app is an overall solid option.

n7player

Price: Free / $3.49

n7player is a music player that tries to do something a little different and succeeds. Instead of having lists of music sorted in various ways, n7player creates a giant collage style list of your music which you can scroll through and listen to. It also comes with a 10-band equalizer, volume normalization, a tag editor, scrobbling, and plenty of other features. A lot of this is definitely form over function. Those looking for more powerful music player apps may not like this. They also recently updated their app to version 3.0. That includes Material Design and some other new stuff.

Neutron Player

Price: Free trial / $5.99

Neutron Music Player is another music app that isn’t nearly as popular as it probably should be. It features a 32/64-bit audio rendering engine that is (according to the developers) independent of the Android OS. The idea is that it helps music sound better. It also has a lot of other features, including support for more unique file types (flac, MPC, etc), a built-in equalizer, and a host of other audiophile specific features. It’s a bit expensive, but many swear by it as their go-to music player app.

You’re halfway done! Check out these awesome apps!

15 best free Android apps of 2018!

Android’s biggest strength is its app ecosystem. There are a digital ton of Android apps. People downloaded them billions of times. Some of them cost money and some of them don’t. Usually, the best apps …

10 best video streaming apps and video streaming services for Android

Video streaming is a big deal. That old cable subscription is looking less and less like a good deal and there are now tons of ways to enjoy content online. Online streaming services also beat …

Phonograph

Price: Free / optional donation

Phonograph is one of the newer music player apps. It bills itself as being simple. lightweight, and easy to use. In most cases, it succeeds. It features a classic, simple Material Design UI. It’s quick to move through as needed. You can also change the theme if you want, but the theme editor isn’t especially powerful. Along with that, you’ll get Last.fm integration, a tag editor, playlist features, a home screen widget, and some other navigation features. It’s very simple and a great option for those who just want to listen to their music without anything getting in the way. It’s a music player worth trying.

PlayerPro Music Player

Price: Free / $4.99

PlayerPro Music Player is another lesser-known music app that should be getting a little more traffic. It features a good looking interface that makes everything easy to use along with skins that you can download and install for more customization. You’ll also get support for playing video, a rare ten band equalizer, Android Auto and Chromecast support, various audio effects, widgets, and some fun little features like the ability to shake the phone to get it to change tracks. It even supports Hi-Fi music (up to 32-bit, 384kHz). You can demo the app for free before forking out the $4.99.

Poweramp

Price: Free trial / $3.99

Poweramp has long been one of the go-to music player apps choices for a lot of Android users. It has a sleek interface with themes that you can download from the Google Play Store. The interface can be too clever for its own good sometimes. It’s effective and efficient, though. There are also themes to make it look how you want. It includes many playback features, including gapless playback, crossfade, and it has support for several types of playlists. You’ll also find widgets, tag editing, and more customization settings. It’s a powerful player that seems to strike the right chord with almost everyone.

Pulsar Music Player

Price: Free

Pulsar is probably the best completely free music player out there right now. The features include beautifully done Material Design, tag editing, gapless playback, smart playlists, a sleep timer, and Last.fm scrobbling. Puslar also has Chromecast support, which is awesome. It’s not as feature heavy as some of the paid options, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s bad. It’s a great option for those looking for something minimal, lightweight, and good looking. This one also works decently well with Android Auto, if that helps.

Shuttle+ Music Player

Price: Free / $2.49

Shuttle Music Player is an increasingly popular music player. The developer took some time off from updating the app for a bit. However, it looks like the wheels are turning once again. It’s a Material Design laden music player with plenty of options. They include a six band EQ, gapless playback, support for embedded lyrics, tons of themes, Last.fm scrobbling, and more. Those who go pro can also get Chromecast support, ID3 tag editing, folder browsing, and even more theme options. It’s excellent for what it is and one of the must-try music player apps.

Thank you for reading our list of music player apps! Here are a couple more app lists!

15 best Android launcher apps of 2017

Android launcher apps have long been an integral part of the Android experience. If you don’t like the way your home screens look or act, you can simply download an app to change all of …

10 best Android file explorer apps, file browser apps, and file manager apps

File manager apps are among the most important apps on your device. With them, you can browse your files, find your downloads, manage your storage space, move things around, and a lot more. Not everyone …

If we missed any of the best music player apps for Android, tell us about them in the comments! This is an update of a previously written article, so check the comments for some suggestions from our readers! You can also click here to check out our latest Android app and game lists!

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[hybridequalist]

Thinking Out Loud, Part 3

So...this took forever. Moving and doing the job hunt will do that to a writing schedule. But, here it is!

Repeating the taglist from last time:

@nesli26, @manga-crazy, @venomemes, @galleyleelol, @makingtimemine, @jackie-sugarskull, @nightshade7117, @skysthelimit291, @randomshizzles101, @inumorph, @snow-massacre, @phantom-fangirl-stuff, @pixellated-sparks, @vsalamandor2, @otaku-mai, @snarky-badger 

***

You knew you were in trouble when you saw Lauren's smug face the next morning. If she didn't make the best breakfasts in the world, you'd have turned around and walked right out.

You managed to avoid looking at her directly long enough to sit at the table and pour yourself some juice, but Lauren picked up your glass and held it out if reach, still grinning.

“Gurl, who was that hunk you rode in with last night?” she signed with one hand.

“Shut up!” you signed back, feeling your face flush. “It's not like that!”

You swiped at your captive juice but Lauren was much taller than you and she smiled down at you.

“Spill,” she challenged, her fingers translating her sass with a flourish.

“It was not a date, we barely know each other and he was just dropping me off. Now juice!”

“Details girl. Details.”

“I didn't have dinner! Let me eat!”

That broke her teasing mood. Lauren finally relinquished the cup and ran to get the hot breakfast off the stove. You felt a slight twinge of guilt as she began to fill your plate more than usual, taking a noticeably smaller portion for herself.

To anyone else, Lauren’s behavior may have just seemed motherly but you knew better. Your psychic eavesdropping had caught more than one memory of Lauren as a disadvantaged teen, hungry and turned away from entry-level work because of her deafness. You knew all about her determination that no one renting from her would lose as much opportunity as she did worrying about when they were going to eat next. No one else could know that, however: your landlady was a well-dressed, modern woman who got her hair dyed some new radical color every other month. Without your power, you wouldn’t know the reason why she invited you to breakfast, that she planned to ensure you had at least one decent meal every single day.

But you feigned your usual innocence as you dug into the delicious food, trying to ignore Lauren’s racing mind as she conjured reasons for why you hadn’t eaten last night and did her best to combat them, holding off judgement until you were able to tell her the full story.

When you finished eating, you gave her the abridged version: that you had met Eddie at work and run into him again at the grocery store yesterday. Glossing over the details of the store being attacked, you chose to omit Venom entirely and instead told Lauren that in the panic you'd been knocked over and hit your head, that Eddie had looked out for you and been kind enough to bring you home when you woke up.

Lauren was a touch suspicious, sensing your editing but uncertain what you were holding back. Still, she shrugged and you recognized the return of her teasing mood and held back a premature weary sigh.

“You know, that Eddie guy sure is nice to look at,” she signed with a grin. “And he's a biker boy. You always did have...interesting taste.”

You flushed violently, hiding your face to block her words.

“Stop!” you signed, going redder as Lauren laughed at you. You heard her making mock kissy noises when your phone suddenly began to ring. You both jumped at the sound and panic instantly set into your chest. Lauren noticed you freeze and came over to your chair, fishing the device out from your pocket. Her eyes widened and you saw her smile.

The image in her brain showed Eddie's caller ID. The ID you'd tiredly assigned him before sending your own name over text.

Hot Mess Eddie

The ringing cut off and a text chimed out almost immediately in its place. Same contact.

You stiffly held your hand out for your phone and Lauren passed it over with a smirk before grabbing your empty plate as an excuse to give you some space.

Hey, sorry to call. I forgot.

Forgot? Forgot the one thing everybody seemed to mark as your defining trait?

Another text.

Reporter instinct. BTW, did you take my helmet last night?

Hemet? Oh, the one you'd been wearing. If your memory was correct…

It's on my coffee table, you replied. Do you need it?

Nah, but you’re gonna need it if you want me to pick you up later. You gonna be up for lunch?

Your pulse quickened and you almost dropped your phone in shock. Was he...asking you out?

I don’t have a shift tonight, so I can stay up. But why do you want to go out to lunch? I’m not exactly a conversationalist.

It took almost a minute before you saw the little ellipse that meant he was writing out a reply.

V wants me to tell you that he’s got a surprise. I still think it’s a bit early, but he’s giving me a headache for arguing. It’s pretty cool tho, gotta admit.

Surprise? What? Why?

You heard Lauren snicker and saw a flash of your own face in her thoughts. Apparently your face was red enough that she could see you blushing from the kitchen and you instinctively turned away, willing the blood to leave your cheeks.

Do you have a place in mind? You typed slowly.

***

You did you best to suppress jitters as you stood at the curb, motorcycle helmet tucked under your arm. You’d requested Lauren stay inside, but you knew she was watching from her window--both to satisfy her curiosity and ensure your safety.

You heard their thoughts before you saw them. Much like actual voices, it started quiet as they entered “hearing” distance but became steadily louder along with the revving of the motorcycle’s engine.

Suddenly, you felt self-conscious. You were dressed nicely, but the priority of your outfit was comfort, not fashion. Your hair was also fine, but you began to wonder if maybe you should have done something special with it. This was supposed to be a lunch meetup, but you didn't know what type of venue it would be. Your heart rate picked up and you felt your anxiety starting to raise its vicious head. You pushed back, trying to force deep breaths, to keep your thoughts under control. Yet the tunnel vision started to set in despite your best efforts. Fragmented thoughts began to whirl like multiple tornadoes and a rising sense of panic began to choke you, cutting off all air. Tears stung your eyes behind closed lids when suddenly you felt two strong hands rest on your shoulders and heard your name, though it was muffled under your roaring pulse.

“Hey! I think you’re having a panic attack! Are you breathing? Can you try breathing?”

The realization that someone was in front of you pulled you out of the whirlpool slightly. It may not have brought the world back from crumbling, but suddenly you felt like there was an anchor keeping you from entirely plummeting into the black hole.Your hands reached out against your will and you found yourself clinging to this person’s chest, hands twisted into what felt like leather.There was no air in your lungs--not that you could feel--and your throat was stubbornly unresponsive to every sound you tried to make. So you reached out with your last resort.

You couldn’t keep the mental communion open for long--your focus was too scattered, your emotions too sweeping--but for a brief moment, you sent a burst of your emotions into the person crouched in front of you. All of your panic, your desire to be comforted, you desperate need to re-learn breathing, you sent it out in an unspoken plea for help.

For a moment, nothing happened. Your anxiety spiked in immediate response; You asked for too much; You would be cast away to fall into the abyss; You were going to die here.

Then you felt the fabric under your fingers ripple, like a living being woven of some strange material, flexing like a cat leaning into human touch. You felt your hands sink into it, giving you a better grip just as you felt thick arms wrap around you, pulling you into the stranger’s solid chest.

A voice rumbled through that chest. You couldn’t understand what they said, but found yourself zeroed in on the sound of their breathing, the feel of their pulse. Their arms tensed and relaxed in time with each breath and you found yourself trying to mimic the movement with limited effectiveness. The vibrations of your anchor’s voice rippled through your body, accompanied by some kind of lower pitch you couldn’t identify. It made you shiver and that motion made you realize that you were quaking so hard that there was no way you could have supported yourself.

Eventually, the panic began to subside into exhaustion; your violent shudders calmed into small fits of shaking and then entirely faded away. Your mind rose from the pit of despair and the sounds of the world and the thoughts of others returned.

The first thing you became aware of was who held you--that double-toned mental voice was entirely unmistakeable.

“Yeah, I’ve got you,” Eddie was saying.

“WE HAVE GOT YOU,” Venom corrected and you felt the jacket ripple--or rather, the symbiote disguised as a jacket.

“You just need to keep breathing. As long as you breathe, you can make it.”

You heard footsteps coming from behind you on the pavement and you twisted to see Lauren running from the front door of the complex. She reached you and Eddie and dropped to one knee, looking you over worriedly.

“You good?” she signed. You shakily nodded and tried to pull yourself to your feet. Your knees buckled before you really got anywhere and ended up halfway dangling, clinging to Eddie like a baby koala. He chuckled.

“You think it’s okay if I carry you inside?”

Can he even lift me?

“EDDIE, WE ARE STILL HEALING. DON’T MOVE TOO FAST.”

"I know our limits, Vee. But we gotta make sure she's safe."

You jumped when you felt new hands on your arm, but it was only Lauren trying to get your attention. She repeated Eddie's question in sign and you shakily gave an affirmative.

Eddie's arms were sturdy--no sign of the injury his other had mentioned--as he carried your tired self back into the apartments. Lauren led him to her apartment and showed him to her bedroom, indicating she wanted me put in her bed. You protested in sign, but she conveniently didn't see your words.

It wasn't until you were laid on the bed that you realized how much your little attack had worn you out. The second your weight left Eddie's arms, your eyes slid shut and you yawned deeply.

"Go ahead and nap," Eddie encouraged. "I'll be out here...if your landlady is okay with it."

You tiredly gave a thumbs up and heard Venom's thoughts call out to you.

"WE WILL KEEP YOU SAFE FROM ANYTHING. EVEN YOUR OWN BRAIN. SO DON'T HESITATE TO CALL OUT FOR US--IN ANY WAY YOU CAN."

You couldn't help but smile as you slipped off into sleep.