#lethalitisms 02

[ostentumm]

@lethalitisms

Someone Oliver recognizes, but then...there's this strange feeling of no, I've never met this person in my life. Large mutant hand clutches tightly onto the railing he's sat on. He doesn't mean to grab it so tight, but...

515--no, Oliver is still learning. He's still learning the ropes of the world OUTSIDE. He's really taken a step out and into a whole new world.

Hope the man below doesn't mind being WATCHED.

[ostentumm]

Oliver follows behind Eddie, eyes wandering here and there. He's used to a lot of smell but he isn't used to this. He was far from home and he was still learning the ropes as an independent mutant.

"Why not? I'm one too." He quickly moves so now that he's walking right beside the older guy.

"How come you care and you're not mutant?"

The symbiote peels back from his face as Oliver points. Eddie is . . . mildly annoyed at this kid now. They've dealt with children before, some nicer than others, but this one is pretty insistent. He rolls his eyes. Now the symbiote wants some too. In his subconscious, it does the mental equivalent of licking its lips.

"That's . . . boba tea. You want some boba, that's it?" The symbiote fully retreats now, forming as a simple jacket and jeans. Sure, fine, whatever. Maybe the kid is just hungry, or thirsty. This wouldn't be the first time they'd treated a child to a free drink before, and Venom is known for having some surprising level of charity, though this is urged on because the symbiote wants some too. Not entirely altruistic, is it? "Come on. We know a good place."

It's not a far walk, and they should really stop patrolling for the day anyways. He has both hands in his pockets, head turned to watch Oliver, make sure he's following in case he tries to bother someone else about being a mutant. Speaking of . . . "You really shouldn't go around accusing people of being mutants, you know. Mutants get a lot of bad press already."

[ostentumm]

Oliver's eyes widen. His left eye, black as onyx and as black as his arm observes the being. He doesn't see anything THAT shouts mutant. He's definitely telling the truth. He wasn't a liar for the most part and he must really be an alien.

Most kids would probably be scared but Oliver wasn't one of them and there's a sense of nostalgia when he witnesses Eddie to Venom.

"I want--," and he tries again, gesturing but realizes that it's not coming across. Maybe that's why he caught a Whiff of fear or concern.

He searches and when he sees two people walking as they're sipping on their Boba drink, Oliver points to them, "What is that called?"

"You . . . want?" Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. Eddie misinterprets, thinking Oliver wants the symbiote himself, thinks he intends to tear them apart again. Eddie promised it he'd never let it be taken again. Not by Lee, not by Mac, and certainly not by some wayward child that sniffs people. Eddie steps back, allowing the symbiote to cover his face, a row of sharp, snarling teeth.

⸨ You're mistaken, little one. ⸩ It's either that, or the kid plans to turn them in to whatever new anti-symbiote task force branch has sprung up. Eddie thought he was done with them already, had kicked Dixon and the FBI in the ass enough to keep them off their tail. But it doesn't seem so.

The symbiote sense, though, that Oliver hasn't the intent. This is only a child, unlike the visions projected by the Poisons. Oliver doesn't want to take them, hurt them, or to turn them in, but it still isn't sure what he's trying to say. The symbiote has sympathy. ⸨ What is it you want with us? ⸩

[ostentumm]

Not a mutant? A guy and an alien from space? The shoo-ing motion catches him off guard and he nearly growls but holds back. Instead of complying, the child steps forward again. This time he won't let the smell get to him. He sniffs briefly and with those teal eyes, he looks up at them.

"They won't care of you're an alien." He knows that much. They'd still order Oliver to detain them and bring them. That's just how they work, isn't it?

"I want...," he's trying to find the words, but he's not sure WHAT it's called. So, he does what he always did best. Hand gestures. A game of charades, anyone?

He gestures friendship or as best he could, really!

"Mutants?" Eddie's brow lifts; sounds more like an anti-X-men thing. Eugh. He wanted to write an article about that way-back when he used to work for the Fact Sheet. They wouldn't let him.

"I think you got the wrong idea, kid. We're not mutants," which sounds like a lie to the untrained, but it's the truth. "Just a guy and an alien from space. So shoo--!"

Venom makes a shooing motion with their hands, urging Oliver to make a bit more distance between them. Eddie doesn't want to deal with any sort of anti-symbiote task forces or something like that. Would be too much hassle, especially in a place like Spirale.

[ostentumm]

Yeah, he doesn't smell great and he even scrunches up his nose at the smell. GOD. Regardless, he doesn't at least follow Eddie when he backs away and instead, he took leans back a little.

...

His question almost gets the answer of 'people like you!' But his job is no longer doing what he is told, right? He's free to do whatever he wants.

"You're a mutant," he states. "I'm looking for mutants. To learn from." And who better to watch than someone who smelled like wet dog and a month old milk?

"If you wanna watch something, you might as well check out some TV." He dismissively waves his hand over his shoulder, watching just as intently too as Oliver decides to creep closer and . . . give them a sniff? It's strange, but not the strangest thing. Not in this city, not to them. Venom takes a step back; what he thought was just a kid messing around could be a little weirder than that.

Venom doesn't have a great smell either; it's alien, foreign, and Eddie is still getting used to the fact that he doesn't have to pay the water bill here. So they stink, like a wet sock after a long day. He can't imagine that smells great to someone so intent on . . . sniffing things.

"What is it that you're looking for . . . ?" They tilt their head, keeping a few steps away just in case. Man, oh man, please don't be a Poison creature posing as a kid again.

[ostentumm]

When the person turns around, there's a brief look of familiarity that graces his features, but...He's NEVER seen this man in his entire life. just knows that this guy is lucky now that Oliver doesn't do the kinds of things that he did before. Bringing all the mutants in for his MOTHER to use for their weaponry.

Old habits do die hard. It's difficult to shake them, as it was all he knew. Still, he's doing a good job. He's a good boy!

"Watching."

A simple answer, but it didn't really explain WHY he was watching this guy of all people. He doesn't stay perched long though, the kid is dropping from a relatively higher perch and landing on his feet. When he walks, he's walking toward Eddie, and....he presses his nose against the man and sniffs.

...Is he a dog?

It's good, to have their senses back. While the armor was nice for a time, Eddie would much prefer to be in his right mind ( and God knows what he's like when he's not ). They're wandering, searching for some sort of explanation to what's happening this time.

They can smell it in the air, like a calling card. Watchful eyes from above. Spider-Man? No, it couldn't be. Spider-Man ( and by extension, his buddies ) were nowhere on this island. A tendril pokes out from the back of his neck, watching and surveying who it may be this time trying to keep a watchful eye on them. That kid from the store. The symbiote recognises him, points Eddie towards Oliver's direction.

"You." It's not exactly fair to get mad at a kid for being a kid. The symbiote attempts to calm his nerves, encourages him to relax a little. "What are you doing snooping around?"