Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

“Now, now you act?” Freya shouted as Odin summoned his battle spear.

“That was my wine she took. Mine!”

Freya rubbed her forehead. “It was one bottle, and after all the damage, the lives lost you go to war over a bottle of wine.”

Odin huffed. “It was the last one, and it was our wedding year. So yes.”

Freya smiled and stepped forward, taking Odin's head in her hands. “You are either a romantic fool or just a fool. I think the lack of Odinsleep damaged your mind. You cannot go to war over a bottle of wine.”

Odin huffed, “I can, and I am.” As he made to stride forward, Freya twirled her hand and his robe wrapped around his legs.

“You once told me that I was not allowed to interfere. So, now I am telling you. Let them settle this themselves. And forget your damn wine.”

Odin scowled. “It was our wedding year,” he huffed.

“It doesn't matter what year it was, you giant buffoon. It was a bottle of wine. Oh no, let's watch as Loki messes up and makes a cock of things. Let’s watch Thor lose his way and get kidnapped. And finally, let's watch the Asgardian fleet become the tool of the Skrull empire and the Kree destroy it. I swear Odin, whatever is wrong with you I will smack you senseless if you don't snap out of it.”

Odin huffed, “I was enjoying the first holiday we have had together in several thousand years. Loki had things under control. The Nine Realms are actually headed towards peace after the Kree made a mess of things. Thor is pouting like a child as he lost his hammer, and the Kree are about to learn a very painful lesson dear. That the Earth is not to be trifled with. A thousand years ago they kicked Laufey from their planet, even without our help. And right now they are about to learn that creating monsters only gets you one thing. Bitten.”

Freya waved a hand at him. “It's immaterial, I already took care of it.”

Odin sighed. “What did you do, dear?”

“Peter seems to love women so much, so I sent him somewhere to meet a new one.”

Odin paled, “you didn't?”

Freya shrugged, “you gave me no choice.”

“You may have doomed us all.”

“Oh stop being so dramatic you old fool, and you wonder where Loki gets it from.”

⁂

Peter hadn't even seen the portal open as it swallowed him and he was standing in front of a swirling circle of fire. As he looked around, all there was, was the circle and nothing more than stark whiteness, 

“Uh hello?” He said and was answered by the breaking of chains.

Save her, give her a reason to live, and in turn, she will help you but be kind. She is fragile, much more than she appears.

“Ooookay. Strange voice in my head. Save who?” Peter asked, “Hello? Anyone?”

The portal rippled and a woman walked through.

Hela stood before Peter. She was amazingly beautiful, he thought. Slim, tight leather wrapping a curvy figure, high cheekbones and dark raven black hair. Even her black eyes were still piercing. He was mesmerised by her beauty. As she stalked towards him he knew she was more than just an Asgardian, she was Death incarnate.

“So the old fool’s finally dead,” she said as she ran her hands over Peter's shoulder and around his chest. “And they sent you? A bug to stop me?” She stopped in front of him and smiled. “Now, the question isn't whether you can stop me, it’s whether you willing serve me, or I kill you.” 

“Serve you?” Peter looked down, “why would I serve you?” He gently lifted her hand from his chest. “I don’t even know who you are.”

Hela laughed. It was a deep throaty laugh, one that sent shivers down Peter's spine, one that was mirth covering icy death. “Me?” Hela raised her arms “I am Hela of Asgard. Firstborn of Odin Borson, and I am the Goddess of Death.”

“Uh, that's nice. I’m Peter Parker, Son of May Parker, and I guess...” He was interrupted as she but she reached forward and grabbed him by the throat.

"Who you are is unimportant. All serve, all die." She lifted him from the ground. His toes dangled comically as their high difference became apparent. He gripped her wrist with his hand and lowered himself to the ground. His symbskin covered him, and as it leached over her hand, they connected.

She saw him. A baby, as his mother fought valiantly. The one-armed masked man was brutal in his blows but still, she fought on. She cared nothing for her own safety, only that of her son.

He saw as Odin stared into the crib, one eye peering at her. "Death” was all he said and Freya covered her mouth and gasped as he walked away, afraid of his own child.

She watched as he tried to get to the old man. He lay wrapped in the jacket of a passerby as blood pooled around him. As he was held back by a policeman he cried.

He watched her train, never gaining her father’s approval, never knowing her mother’s touch. Once she sprung forward and hugged a servant. She felt it as the woman's spirit left her body and entered her, the empty meat sack collapsing. Her meals were served before she got there from that point on.

She watched as the young boy pushed and punched him, taunting him over loss and weakness.

He watched as she fought, each death making her more powerful, each life adding to her own. And then she found that those who she killed could be made to serve her and she got what she always wanted, a puppy.

There, Peter thought and he took her mind from her, focusing on the one thing she cared about and saved, a dog of all things. He could sense its remains were still on Asgard, that she had lovingly preserved it, even more so than her army.

It wasn't love but it was the closest thing to it. He took her pain and sealed it, fading its sharpness and masking it with the simple joy of a dog

“What are you DOING!” Hela yelled as the symbskin retracted from her. “I am death, I am rage and sacrifice. The love of a dog, are you kidding? You sought to face death herself with...“ She stopped as a single tear ran down her face.

“It's not about the dog. It's about what it represents, and look,” Hela looked down and Peter still had her hand. “It's about a father teaching his daughter to kill when she didn't have to. When anyone can kill but only a father and mother can love a daughter”

“No, no. I refuse to give in to stupid feelings.” She tried to pull away, but Peter had an iron grip on her wrist. “No, how?”

“I have the Mind Stone. You don’t want to be Queen, you want to be loved. It’s stupid and small, so you yell and scream, but it's fine. You can be. Just you know, no murder hoboing around the galaxy.”

“So what, you’ll be my puppy is that it? to continually watch over me? to take you for walkies and make me clean up your mess?” She spat at him, twisting her arm to try and get herself free

“Well, I was more thinking the other way around. That you could learn to enjoy life, to see the wonder and accept that death is just a part of nature as life. And well, yes, to maybe persuade you to not kill anyone.”

“Ha, I saw your mind as well Peter, you just want to fuck me. That’s all you think about,” she said with her voice dripping with scornful sarcasm. ”Oh, who can I screw now? Like a little game. A pathetic fantasy where you’re the big hero and all us little girls wet our panties and come running.”

Peter shrugged. “Who doesn’t want to be loved, Hela? Take that and look at it properly, not just the sex but the love, see where each of us connects and is better for it. Only a cynic sees the sex and ignores the feelings”

“Oh so that’s me then is it? I’m supposed to join your little club of women and get all touchy-feely. Let you ravish me till I can't walk and then be grateful you've taken pity on me. I’d rather die than submit to you,” she yelled.

“Submit? If that's your kink sure but what part of that is about submission? Look at who I share my life with. Look at them and think if there is any part of submission in that, plus, getting a little specific there aren't we. Do you want me to ravish you till you can't walk?

He touched her mind once more.

A small woman wearing spectacles had tied him to the bed and was currently running crop over his naked body. “And you will not cum until I say, mister.” She slipped herself over him he tasted her and her mouth was slick over his manhood

“STOP! I do not wish to see your deranged fantasies. You are disgusting.”

“Really, Liv loved it. What two people do in the safety of their own lives is nothing to be ashamed of.”

The blonde lay on top of the raven-haired woman and Peter could see both of them. They kissed and pressed and rather than enter, he thickened and slid between them. They pressed themselves closer and moaned as he moved.

“STOP! I Will not be subjected to your male delusions.”

He projected at her once more. But this time, it was not his mind he took the image from, it was hers. The tiny spark that lived within her.

She saw herself and he was holding her, she had cuddled up to him, sat on his lap. He gently held her as he stroked one leg.

“STOP!”

They were sat on the roof and they watched the sunset. "Death of another day," he said and she smiled. It was strange, death existed in so many forms and all she had been taught was to kill.

“NO!” Tears began to drip down her face.

They stood at a grave, she couldn't read the name but he cried. It had been so long for them, but not for him. He looked the same as he did all those years ago and as he felt his pain she tasted the death around her. Life moved forward, death was a part of that and no one could escape it, not him and not even her.

“Please, no.” She fell to her knees, tears dripping from her face and she wailed uncontrollably. For the life unlived, for the father who imprisoned her, for the mother who abandoned her.

She watched as he faded. His body was breaking down and he cupped her cheek with his hand as he began to wither and flake into nothing. “I love you,” was all he said as he left her and she felt him one last time as he became a part of her

She wailed uncontrollably as the sadness and grief from Peter washed over her. The pain of death, its true weight too much for the lonely goddess to bear. He came over and even as she recoiled from his touch he gently patted her back and stroked her head.

She stood alone. She watched alone as the last star winked out. As the primordial essence of the universe grew cold and as her mind faded she felt one last spark. As with all death, it was only the beginning.

She wailed and grasped onto him. He held her close and ignored the crushing weight of her arms and the dripping tears over her face.

“Do it, do it,” she screamed. She could no longer bear the guilt of the lives she took. No longer wished to suffer from the unenviable task of reaping the soul of the universe.

But Peter made another choice. All life, even the life of Death was precious. He had killed. He had made that choice to end the lives of people he felt were irredeemable. But Hela wasn't. He could feel the ache inside her. Of a young girl, who just wanted to hug her mother. As his symbskin flowed over her, it covered her and then retracted back to him, leaving her covered in her own.

“We are Midnight,” the symbiote screeched.

It was pitch black, even more so than Peter. It seemed to absorb all the light around it, giving it a strange and eldritch shape. As Hela slipped her back she stared at Peter, who had retracted his own armour. Now she would never be alone, as Midnight would live as long as she did. A Symbiote touched by the power of Death.

“So, defeated by kindness and some touchy-feely crap?” She put her hands on her hips and stared at him. “I could still kill you, you know. Go on a rampage and conquer the galaxy, having her won't change that.”

Peter shrugged. “If that’s what you want, but let’s be honest, ruling is a pain. I run a business and it's a nightmare. You’ve got taxes and laws, rules and people bugging you every single day for stupid reasons. My advice, don't bother. I mean, even killing everyone, You know there are millions of planets, right? It's just a chore.”

Hela laughed “So don't conquer the galaxy, it's too much effort?” Peter shrugged and nodded. “oh, oh my.'' Hela laughed and sat down on the steps of the Gate to Hel. “Oh, my word.” She laughed, holding her stomach, “Oh, I can see why they sent you.” As she shook her head, “but you, you little shit, no more,” tilting her head. “I’m number eleven? I mean really, eleven. And that one, come on? I hope you realise Asgardians have a huge amount of stamina, oh. oh, I see.” Hela sighed. “You and I are having a talk, young man, I mean really.” As Peter sat next to her she leaned her head on his shoulder, ”Any more and I’ll kill you.”

Peter kissed the top of her head. “Of course dear.”

She stared at him. “No really, I will, so no more.” She took his head in her hands and kissed him softly. “I’ll make sure you don't want any more.”

Peter knew that while that sounded nice, it also sounded like a threat.