The morning sky bleeds crimson above Times Square as Captain America's shield slices through the air, decapitating an Ultron drone with a sound like thunder cracking. I've got the best seat in the house for the apocalypse, perched on the edge of a skyscraper with my legs dangling over certain death, Ellie's hand warm in mine.
"Holy shit, did you see that?" I breathe, squeezing Ellie's fingers as Captain America backflips off a taxi, catches her rebounding shield mid-air, and drives it through another robot's chest cavity. "She's even more badass in person."
Ellie makes a noncommittal noise beside me, the symbiote rippling beneath her skin like dark water. She's been uncharacteristically quiet since we climbed up here twenty minutes ago, content to let me geek out while she keeps a protective arm around my shoulders.
Below us, Manhattan has transformed into a warzone. Shattered glass carpets the streets, abandoned vehicles form makeshift barricades, and the iconic digital billboards flicker with static or display Ultron's metallic face on endless loop. The evacuation order came through at 5 AM, classes canceled citywide as sirens wailed through the dawn.
"I can't believe we're actually watching the Avengers fight in real time," I say, unable to contain my excitement despite the gravity of the situation. "Like, this is what I dreamed about as a kid!"
A flash of movement catches my eye as War Machine soars overhead, her silver armor gleaming against the morning sky. The whine of her repulsors drowns out the chaos below as she unleashes a barrage of missiles at a cluster of Ultron drones attempting to scale a nearby building.
I let out an involuntary whoop and clap my hands as War Machine executes a perfect barrel roll, her shoulder-mounted minigun tearing through a line of Ultron drones like they're made of paper. My golden mask sits snug against my face, the familiar weight comforting as I watch heroes I've only seen on TV fighting for real below us.
Next to me, Venom's massive form sits in stark contrast to my lanky frame. Her blank white eyes track the battle with predatory focus, the symbiote bubbling with barely contained excitement.
"Look! It's Wolverine!" I point down to the street where a short, muscular woman in a yellow and blue suit is tearing through robots with adamantium claws, her movements a blur of controlled rage. Metal parts fly in every direction as she carves a path through the mechanical horde, her feral snarls audible even from our perch.
"I'm just surprised I didn't have to convince you not to join in down there," Venom says, her dual-layered voice rumbling through my chest.
"Nah," I shrug, leaning against her. "Shit like this is way out of our pay grade. Plus," I pat the pistol in the holster at my hip, "I'm not opposed to stopping stragglers up here if they get too close."
Venom's eyes shift to the pistol, her head tilting slightly. "I forgot Masters let you take one of those."
"Yeah," I sigh, adjusting the holster. "But I hate keeping it in my dorm room. Too many nosy RAs doing 'safety checks' that aren't actually scheduled."
"Why don't you store it at my apartment?" she suggests. "It would be safer there."
"Well, yeah, once I get a gun safe," I reply, turning my attention back to the battle below. "I don't want it just sitting in a drawer where…"
A metallic whine cuts through our conversation as an Ultron drone rockets upward, its red eyes locking onto us. Before I can even reach for my pistol, Venom's arm shoots out, elongating impossibly fast. Her fist crushes the robot's head like an aluminum can, her eyes never even leaving the battle below.
"You were saying?" she asks casually, retracting her arm as the destroyed drone plummets to the street below.
"That was hot," I blurt out, unable to hide my admiration.
Venom's face shifts, those blank white eyes flickering with something that might be pride. "Yeah?" she asks, her voice a rumbling purr that vibrates through me like a bass line.
Before I can respond, she leans closer, the darkness around her mouth dissolving to reveal Ellie's lips beneath. In one smooth motion, she flips my mask up just enough to expose my mouth and pulls me against her.
Our lips crash together with desperate hunger, her mouth hot and demanding against mine. I moan into the kiss as her tongue slides against mine, my hands instinctively finding a home on her shoulders. The symbiote pulses between us, intensifying every sensation as Ellie's human lips meet mine while the rest of her remains wrapped in Venom's powerful form.
My heart hammers against my ribs, the golden energy inside me responding to her touch, warming my blood until I'm burning from the inside out. She kisses me like she's trying to consume me, one clawed hand tangling in my hair while the other holds me steady to not fall off the building.
I lose myself completely in the kiss, my body leaning into hers, craving more contact despite our precarious perch. The battle below fades to background noise as my entire world narrows to the sensation of Ellie's lips against mine.
A high-pitched whine cuts through the air, something metallic hurtling toward us. I barely register it, too consumed with pulling Ellie closer, trying to maneuver her onto her back somehow, despite the deadly drop beneath us.
In one fluid motion, Ellie's arm shoots out beside my head. The sudden movement breaks our kiss as her clawed hand snatches something from the air with a resounding clang that vibrates through my bones.
I blink in confusion, my brain still foggy with desire, until I see what she's holding. The iconic red, white, and blue disc gleams in Venom's hand, Captain America's shield, the vibranium surface catching the morning light.
"Holy shit," I whisper, my eyes widening to saucers behind my mask.
"SORRY ABOUT THAT!" a voice calls from the street below.
Venom makes a low, disgruntled sound in her throat. The symbiote undulates across the surface, curious about this legendary weapon.
"You want it?" she asks, her dual-layered voice casual, as if she's offering me a french fry instead of one of the most famous weapons in existence.
My jaw drops as I stare at the shield, the perfect concentric circles, the star in the center, the scratches and battle damage that tell stories of countless fights. Captain America's actual shield. In Venom's hand. Right in front of me.
"Ellie!" I hiss, panic replacing my awestruck wonder. "Give it back to Captain America right now!"
She shrugs those massive shoulders, seeming almost disappointed by my response. With terrifying precision, she leans over the edge of the skyscraper and hurls the shield downward in a perfect arc.
I scramble to the edge, heart in my throat as I watch the shield spin through the morning air like a patriotic frisbee. Far below, Captain America leaps over a burning car, her hand shooting up to catch the shield with practiced ease. She slides it onto her arm without breaking stride, her head tilting up toward our perch.
"THANK YOU!" she calls before immediately launching back into battle, the shield becoming a blur as she smashes it into an Ultron drone's face.
"You just... you just held Captain America's shield," I stammer, turning back to Venom with wonder in my voice. "Do you realize how cool that is?"
Venom shifts closer, her milky eyes studying my face with curious intensity. "You're easily impressed," she rumbles, but there's affection in her tone.
"I mean, you're basically the coolest person I've ever met," I say, grinning beneath my mask. "Like, you just casually caught and returned Captain America's shield like it was nothing."
Before Venom can respond, the sky darkens dramatically. I glance up to see storm clouds materializing out of nowhere, swirling into an ominous vortex directly above Times Square. The air crackles with electricity, raising the hair on my arms even beneath my jacket.
"Holy shit, is that…"
A blinding flash cuts me off as a figure descends from the clouds, her crimson cape billowing behind her. Thor, the Goddess of Thunder herself, lands in the center of the battlefield with an earth-shattering impact. Her hammer rises skyward, lightning dancing across its surface as she roars a battle cry that echoes between skyscrapers.
The hammer comes down with apocalyptic force, and the world turns white.
Lightning explodes outward in a devastating wave, pure electrical fury that incinerates every Ultron drone in its path. The shockwave hits our building, making the entire structure shudder beneath us. I instinctively grab Venom's arm to steady myself, my jaw hanging open as I watch Thor single-handedly end the battle with one devastating attack.
When my vision clears, the streets below are littered with smoking metal husks, the once-menacing army reduced to scrap in seconds. Thor stands triumphant in the center of the destruction, her armor gleaming in the morning light as she raises her hammer in victory.
"Did you see that?" I whisper, my voice barely audible over the ringing in my ears. "She just... one shot... the entire army..."
Venom makes a noise that might be grudging respect. "Impressive," she admits.
After a few minutes, I reluctantly pull my mask back down over my mouth. As amazing as the view is, my legs are starting to cramp from dangling over the edge for so long.
"We should probably head back soon," I say, though I make no actual move to get up.
Venom's head turns, her eyes focusing on something behind us. I follow her gaze and nearly swallow my tongue.
Captain America is scaling the side of our building, her powerful arms pulling her up the final stretch before she vaults over the edge and lands gracefully on the rooftop. She straightens to her full height, the shield strapped securely to her back once more.
"Hey there," she says, her voice carrying that natural authority that makes my spine automatically straighten. Her eyes flick between us, recognition dawning in her gaze. "You know, when the emergency sirens go off, civilians are legally required to evacuate the city."
I open my mouth to respond, but Venom beats me to it.
"My boyfriend really wanted to watch," she says, her dual-layered voice somehow managing to sound both defensive and proud. Her arm tightens around my shoulders in a possessive gesture.
To my surprise, Captain America's stern expression softens into a smile. A genuine chuckle escapes her as she shakes her head.
"Well," she says, adjusting the shield on her back, "thanks for the save back there with my shield. That was some catch, and a perfect throw back. It was a big help."
My heart nearly explodes with fanboy joy. Captain America is talking to us. Complimenting my girlfriend. Standing right in front of me like this is completely normal.
"I don't believe we've met officially," she says, her voice carrying that perfect blend of authority and friendliness.
My brain short-circuits completely. I open my mouth but nothing comes out except a pathetic squeaking sound.
Venom glances at me her eyes somehow conveying both amusement and exasperation. "We're Venom," she announces. "And this tongue-tied mess is my boyfriend, Skip Step."
I manage a weak wave, still incapable of forming actual words. Venom's massive claws gently pat me down until she locates the rectangular bulge in my jacket pocket. Delicately, she extracts my phone and glances at the screen before letting out a resigned sigh.
"Would you mind taking a photo with him?" she asks, extending the phone toward Captain America. "It would mean a lot."
Captain America's eyes crinkle at the corners as she glances between us, her expression softening further. "Sure, why not?" She turns those legendary blue eyes on me. "You're a fan, I take it?"
Finally, my vocal cords remember how to function. "Who isn't a Captain America fan?" I blurt out, immediately cringing at how lame that sounds.
Still, she laughs good-naturedly as she steps beside me. I awkwardly pose next to her, trying desperately not to hyperventilate.
"Don't get too close, Cap," Venom warns, her voice dropping to a dangerous register as she holds up my phone to take the picture.
Captain America raises an eyebrow but maintains a respectful distance as Venom snaps several photos.
"There," Venom says, handing me back my phone.
I stare down at my phone, scrolling through the photos with shaking fingers. They're actually good, Ellie managed to capture Captain America's genuine smile, my starstruck expression visible even with half my face covered by the golden mask.
"You two should probably get to safety," Captain America says, her authoritative voice cutting through my fanboy haze. "We're not entirely sure if there are any stragglers left."
I tear my eyes away from the photos, tucking my phone back into my pocket. My brain scrambles for something intelligent to say, but what comes out instead is:
"Hey, is Iron Woman not here because of all her recent allegations?"
The moment the words leave my mouth, I want to teleport myself directly into the sun. Captain America's expression shifts, her smile vanishing as her jaw tightens almost imperceptibly. The atmosphere on the rooftop suddenly feels ten degrees colder.
"No comment," she says flatly, her voice clipped.
Venom's blank eyes swivel toward me, her massive form tensing as if preparing to yank me away from this self-inflicted social disaster. I can practically feel her second-hand embarrassment flowing through our connection.
"Oh... well, thank you so much for your service, Captain America," I stammer, desperate to salvage whatever dignity I have left.
Captain America gives a curt nod before turning away. She leaps off the building, her body arcing gracefully through the air before she disappears from view, leaving me to marinate in my own awkwardness.
"Wow Shane," Venom stifles a laugh, "way to make it awkward."