The horrible wound that had been clinging to Gwen's body just moments ago had disappeared, as if it had never been there.
Gwen's eyes widened in astonishment. She had thought the wound might heal eventually, but she hadn't expected the effect to be this miraculous. Not only were there no scars, but even the bloodstains from earlier were completely gone.
As a mix of surprise and relief washed over her, Holm leaned heavily against the wall, his lips pale. Quickly, he reached into his pocket, pulled out several pieces of chocolate, and stuffed them into his mouth. The venom inside him rapidly converted the sugar into pure energy, allowing him to feel slightly better.
He was just as surprised, though not for the same reason. It wasn't the miraculous healing that amazed him, but the sheer amount of energy it had consumed. Unlike the effortless way Venom healed his own wounds, treating Gwen's injuries had drained him almost completely.
Venom's weary feedback explained it all. Because Gwen wasn't his host, a staggering 90% of the energy used had dissipated during the process, leaving only 10% to actually work. Healing Gwen had drained Venom so thoroughly that he was practically panting, and Holm himself felt weak, as if he were experiencing low blood sugar.
"Chocolate! Chocolate! I need more chocolate!" Venom's voice echoed in Holm's mind, sounding utterly exhausted. "I've never been this tired before!"
Holm sighed, shoving the remaining chocolates from his pocket into his mouth. "That's all we've got for now. It should be enough for both of us, but if you want more, you'll have to wait. I'll stop by a convenience store later, or we can grab some when we're home."
Hearing this, Venom begrudgingly stopped shouting. Sensible as always, it recognized the futility of whining when there was no chocolate left. Instead, it resolved to wait.
"Fine, but I want dark chocolate next time—90% purity! And hazelnut chocolate too!" Venom's tone shifted, already planning the menu for its next snack.
Holm chuckled weakly, nodding. He needed chocolate just as much now, though for entirely different reasons.
Gwen, meanwhile, had been watching Holm closely and quickly noticed his pale complexion. She didn't need to think too hard to figure out what had happened—it was obviously the strain of healing her wounds. Feeling a pang of guilt, she stood up and hurried to his side, supporting him with one arm.
"How are you feeling? I'm so sorry—it's my fault you're like this!" she said, her tone full of concern.
Holm, already recovering, waved a dismissive hand. "It's fine. The energy drain caught me off guard, that's all. I ate some chocolate, and I'm feeling much better now."
Following his gesture, Gwen noticed the empty chocolate wrappers scattered on the ground. Her mind flashed back to their previous encounter at the convenience store when Holm had purchased an unusually large amount of chocolate. Now, it all made sense. Those chocolates weren't just a treat—they were an essential energy source.
As she pieced this together, Gwen relaxed slightly, realizing Holm was no longer in immediate danger. She let go of his arm, relieved. If anything serious had happened to him because of her, she wouldn't have been able to forgive herself.
It was then that Holm awkwardly averted his gaze, coughed lightly, and began to remove his jacket. Holding it out to her, he said, "Um... your clothes are torn. Put this on."
Gwen blinked, confused, before glancing down at herself. Only now did she notice the state of her costume. Large sections of fabric on her shoulders and chest had been ripped away, exposing far more skin than she was comfortable with. While her injuries had distracted her earlier, the sight now made her acutely self-conscious.
Her current outfit looked like a torn, low-cut tube top, clinging to her haphazardly. It wasn't just odd—it was downright embarrassing.
"Thank you!" she said quickly, grabbing Holm's coat and pulling it on. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and hoped it wasn't visible.
Seeing her discomfort, Holm looked away again, rubbing his nose. "Don't mention it," he said.
Despite his casual tone, Holm's thoughts wandered. A memory from his previous life surfaced unbidden—images of cosplayers dressed as Spider-Man.
He hadn't sought them out, of course. A friend had shown them to him as a joke. The images featured young women in Spider-Man costumes—some classic red-and-blue, others black Venom-inspired suits. Holm and his friends had spent hours mockingly critiquing those outfits.
Now, the scene before him reminded him of those pictures. Gwen, however, wasn't a cosplayer. Her combat suit was genuinely practical and well-designed, yet her figure and poise lent her an elegance and charm that outshone any imitation.
"It smells so good again. I'm starving!" Venom's voice cut through Holm's musings. Normally, the symbiote would have ignored such scents, but in its current famished state, the temptation was unbearable.
"I'll be fine," Venom muttered to itself, trying to stay composed. "Chocolate's coming soon. Dark chocolate, white chocolate, hazelnut chocolate..."
Holm sighed, grateful for the distraction when his intercom buzzed to life. He answered, hearing Daisy's familiar voice on the other end.
"Got it. I'll be there soon," he replied after a brief exchange.
The chaos caused by Dr. Lizard was over, but there was still a lot of cleanup to be done. While most of the work fell to local authorities, Holm and Daisy, as the primary operatives on the mission, had to submit their report. Additionally, Phil Coulson had hinted at some new arrangements for Holm. The specifics were unclear, but Coulson's tone had been full of praise and satisfaction. Whatever the assignment, it seemed promising.
Holm's thoughts returned to the address Daisy had mentioned. Turning to Gwen, he offered her a faint smile. "I have to go now," he said.
Gwen hesitated, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. Holm noticed and gave her a reassuring wave.
"I'll keep your secret. You keep mine, okay?" he said lightly.
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Gwen standing in silence.
She watched him go, a mix of emotions swirling in her chest. After a moment, she adjusted Holm's coat around her shoulders, donned her mask, and swung away into the city.
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Hello you all, hope you enjoyed the chapter.
I have a question for you all, do you guys like this fic? Or you consider it boring, or a bad fic altogether?
Please tell me your thoughts, it is important, won't take much of your time.