5358/What Is It With Furnaces

What Is It With Furnaces
Date of Scene:	26 February 2021
Location:	5D - Gwen's Greenwich Loft
Synopsis:	As Eddie's apartment's heat is down on a frigid night, Gwen spots him heading for a bar and lets him crash on her couch.
Cast of Characters:	Eddie Brock, Gwen Stacy

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Eddie Brock has posed:
The day was a fairly nice one for this time of year, a little above freezing, but the sunny day helped add a little warmth. The Village is starting to slow down for the night as the temperature plunges back below freezing, with a rather nasty cold front coming in across the Great Lakes and moving across Pennsylvania and into New York.

Eddie gives his radiator a kick, though knowing it won't do him much good. "Come on, seriously, you have to stop working tonight?" he asks the radiator, but not really expecting an answer. New York has a number of stations that produce steam and pipe it out to surrounding buildings, the steam running through radiators to put out heat. Eddie's room is heated like that. Which means if it isn't working, it isn't like there's a furnace for his room that he can go check. The newer buildings, like the one a few doors down that Gwen lives in, are more likely to have their own heating units.

Eddie looks around his apartment, with spartan decorations that include a card table and mismatched chairs. He sighs and picks up an empty animal cracker box, hurling it across the room into the wall.

The old greenish jacket is picked up and shrugged into. "Maybe they'll let me sit and drink coffee all night," he grumbles. Unlike apartments above, his on the bottom floor doesn't have the benefit of heated rooms below him adding extra heat. The cold comes into his place with a will when a storm comes in. Eddie grabs a scarf that he rarely wears, and pulls on a wool cap, then heads for his door. He leaves, passing the spot that people in the building set out their garbage, and on up the final set of steps to the street. He stamps his feet for warmth and looks around, trying to decide where to try his luck in finding somewhere warm.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
There was only one consolation for Gwen with being this cold: At least it wasn't Gotham! And there was even a little sun, something she saw so little of during her times in the gloomy city. But New York night had a way to sneak up on someone if they weren't careful, and with the freezing conditions she had heard on the news she had made sure to pack the extra shirt, gloves, large and fluffy jacket and her beanie hat of course. She had even gone through her radiator to make sure it was up to snuff and ready to work today. A tinkerer this one! So walking home tonight she was fairly confident it was going to be a quiet one. Maybe go over one of her little experiments, or work on her web-shooters or ....

The blonde appears to spot a familiar face. At this late hour of the night? And leaving his home? Also no trash bag in hand. Well, that's a bit of a mystery.

One that she can easily solve.

"Hey, Eddie." She calls out as she picks up the pace to catch up with the man, her breathing misting the air when she approaches. "What are you doing out here this late?" She asks, hand up to brush some hair out of her face and under the beanie hat.

Eddie Brock has posed:
Moments like tonight are when Eddie finds Venom's quiet mutterings more difficult to ignore. It's just like they get into him more effectively somehow, like his dark mood opens a doorway. Venom isn't even talking, but the dark thoughts are gathering and-

Eddie looks up as he hears that voice. The night may be dark and cold, yet it's like a spot of warmth suddenly found him there on the street. The dark mutterings pushed from his head as the younger woman trots over to him.

"Gwen, hey," he tells her. He reaches up, adjusting his knit hat. "I should ask you the same. It's freezing out here. You should get home," he tells her.

Eddie looks down the street in the direction he was going, the same way that Gwen lives if not his destination. He gives a motion with his thumb that way. "I'm just heading down to Saul's. Don't know if you know it, it's that dive bar across from the laundromat. My radiator's completely out, has been since... well I don't know," Eddie says. "I came home hours ago and it was out. It's probably 50 degrees in there now. So figured I'd bum around sitting at the bar until he kicks me out for not ordering," Eddie says, giving a look that says, what can you do, as he shrugs.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
Again that little flash from Gwen's danger sense, just when Venom is out more strongly. But it's not as if she can pinpoint on where it comes from, or what it is. Though in a way she does appear to enjoy it, perhaps imagining it's Eddie's ruggedness that's doing so. It brings a bit of her smile to her lips. An inviting one even, blue eyes staying up on Eddie before she shakes her head, "I am on my way home." eyes following Eddie's when he looks down the road. "Right? I live down there. Just in case you had forgotten." bit of a grin creeping up to her lips. Yet when she hears about Eddie's predicament the smile has faded a touch. It shifts to one of determination of solving it.

"I know Saul's. I also know it's no good place to spend the night. Specially when you get kicked out in the middle of the night and it will be a lot *less* than 50 degrees." she rubs her hands together, blowing into her gloves before she adds, "You can spend it up at my place. I got a couch, you can sleep there."

"And you won't have to dodge drunkards 24/7."

Eddie Brock has posed:
Eddie knows he should say no to the offer. "That's... that's really kind of you to offer Gwen. Are you sure you'd be ok with it? I mean, yeah, Saul's is kind of a dive. But on the positive side, there's likely to be a bar fight or at least a knifing at some point in the night. So it's like free entertainment," he jokes. Saul's isn't that bad. The knifings only happen about once every third day, for instance.

He blows on his hands. It's 50 in his apartment but it's sure a lot colder than that outside. The temperature is already falling down past 20 from the feel of it. Eddie motions for Gwen to keep walking as they discuss, if nothing else even if he ends up going to Saul's they'll both reach their destination quicker. Not that her apartment building's door is more than one or two hundred feet down the street.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"No, what kind of a neighbor would I be if I just went by my way without helping. Just come along." Gwen gestures with her hand in that stubborn way that seems pretty adamant about not accepting a no for an answer. "... And hurry, before we actually freeze out here to death." a brief sigh escaping her lips, "Now I almost wish I was back on Gotham again." make your ming, Gwen Stacy!

"Just remember that I, as your landlady for tonight ..." and she putting up a mockingly haughty voice while walking, " ... won't accept any ladies upstairs after curfew, and lights go off at 10." she even lifts her chin a little and quirks a brow. "Is that understood, young man?" but then she winks, a brilliant smile that shows teeth and off they go, closing in on her apartment.

She really doesn't even consider Saul's, just going right past and towards the entrance to her building. Unstoppable!

Eddie Brock has posed:
The question about what kind of neighbor she'd be gets the obvious response from Eddie. "You'd be a normal, New York kind of neighbor. Or, wait, no, a New York neighbor would probably yell at me to get out of the way as she walked past," Eddie quips. Quips, but not too far from the truth.

He hesitates just a moment longer, though Gwen's fierce look pretty much melts his resistance. Possibly other parts of him too. "Alright, you win," he tells her, holding up his hands in surrender.

"Yes ma'am. No ladies. And no ma'am, no lights on after 10," Eddie tells her in his gravelly voice. He smiles, the expression touching his lips, but really showing in his eyes as they meet the beautiful blue of Gwen's gaze. "Thank you," he tells her in a more serious tone.

He steps ahead quickly to get the door for her, then lets her lead the way up to her apartment, heretofore unseen by Eddie.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"See, I don't like that. I am your friendly neighborhood Gh-" Ugh, almost said Ghost Spider. But Gwen corrects it rather smoothly. ".. Gwen." but then she letting out a sigh. "But yea, things were simpler a few years back. People don't look for one another as much anymore. But well, not on my watch."

Eddie's capitulation is met with a deep grin that indeed reaches her eyes, the young woman replying. "I accept your surrender.", just a mute nod in response to the 'Thanks' before her focus is on the door.

But then Eddie is opening it for her. Well, that's fine. "Thank you, kind sir." and then it's going up the stairs to her place. No Elevator! It doesn't take them *that* long, specially if Eddie keeps up with her who appears to have no problem going up all those 5 floors, not even appearing tired! As for the door, well, very normal looking if it wasn't for the rather sophisticated lock. She sighs. "My father's idea." who had grown quite protective after Gwen's brush with death. Who could blame him really. She unlocks it and then they are in ...

And it's not exactly lush, small and cozy but it does feel warm, the heat already on. "Home sweet home." she murmurs.

Eddie Brock has posed:
Eddie Brock follows Gwen into the cozy apartment as she unlocks the door and lets him. "Probably not a bad idea. Like you said, the city isn't quite as friendly as it used to be." And most people would probably debate whether it was even friendly back then.

He looks around, taking in the comfortable decor. "You've got a nice place, Gwen," he tells her. "It's comfy," he tells her as he unzips his jacket, letting the heat in better.

He walks over to the coffee table and looks at the various bits of electronics scattered around it. "Ok, now if you tell me that you're making robots to go fight on Battle Bots my esteem for you is just going to," Eddie says and then completes the thought with a gesture of his hand, suggesting his esteem would climb through the roof.

He pulls off his wool hat, and when he self-consciously combs his fingers through his hair after, in his head Eddie hears Venom chuckling at him.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"I like it." Gwen says, eyes going around the apartment, "Small, quiet, just my little corner of the world to be in without a worry." she takes out her gloves and jacket as well, followed by her hat and places them by the entrance. A gesture then made, "You can hang your jacket there." next to hers by the door.

The comments about the electronics make her both chuckle but also to gain a color to her cheeks. "Yeeaaa.. I could use some order in my life I suppose. But when I get excited about a project I just get going and ...." she stops talking, starting to pick up a few of the pieces. And .., is there part of her webshooter. Darn it. Well, it's not like a civilian would recognize it. But she still puts it away. "And yes, my goal is to dominate my world by way of tiny robots. The battle Bots is a stepping stone to that."

"I am going to make some tea, do you want some?" She asks. "And feel free to start getting comfortable on the couch, you will be sleeping there."

Eddie Brock has posed:
If she lets him, Eddie steps over to help Gwen out of her jacket. "See. New York friendly," he mumbles when doing so, as if to make it to not be a big thing. However it plays out, the jackets get hung up where Gwen directs them, and after a moment's pause, Eddie stops and takes off his boots, leaving them there at the door. "Sorry, I should have thought to do that. I don't normally remove them in my place. The ground's kind of cold usually, no other apartments beneath me," he says.

He moves back over to where Gwen is cleaning up the electronics. "Nah, you don't have to mess with those on my account. I trust you have some kind of genius system of organization going on there and now it'll just be all messed up," he tells her.

Eddie tilts his head, gesturing to one of the contraptions. "What's this supposed to do?" he asks. When Gwen looks down she'll see her web shooter and that he's pointing... just past it at something else.

"Oh, tea sounds wonderful. I think I'm probably half frozen inside still," he tells her. Eddie moves over to take a seat on the couch then as directed. "This'll be great. You're really a lifesaver, Gwen," he tells her.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
Gwen doesn't seem to mind, getting out of her jacket with Eddie's help with a, "Oh, thank you." she also proceeding to get out of her boots. But she does get into her slippers who are right next to the door, bending over for a few moments to get them on. With those in place she is cleaning up stuff and--

Is Eddie pointing to her webshooter? Ah, ufff, no. It's just one of her other projects. "Trying to turn my house into one of those smart ones. You know, controlling the electric appliances through your computer? Or even with my phone?"

One hand swiftly takes the webshooter out of the way. "It's all very much in the early stages of development. But getting there." A grin. "So yes, I am studying genetics but .., I have always been curious about everything. It led me to these projects." she points to a large clock on the corner, old style, the sound of the pendulum moving from side to side heard. "Another hobby too, clocks."

She makes her way over to the kitchen, briefly out of sight while she starts getting tea ready. Which is mostly beginning to get the water boiling.

As for those last words, they are replied with, "I am just doing my duty as the friendly neighborhood Gwen."

Eddie Brock has posed:
Eddie looks up at Gwen with a gently quizzical look as she talks about the smart house project. "You can do that?" he asks her as Gwen describes what all she's aiming to have it do.

He gives a shake of his head in a way that suggests a ton of respect for the nineteen year old. "Lady, much respect. I'm happy when I manage to work my TV remote properly," he says, though it has the tone of self-deprecating humor to it.

Seated on the couch then, Eddie watches as Gwen goes about the kitchen, getting the water in the pot and heating it. "Just makes me glad I ended up in this neighborhood instead of the next one over," he tells her. "I hear they best they have over there is a cranky neighborhood Phil. I'm finding I'm much more preferable to friendly neighborhood Gwen," he says.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"Yea, noone likes Phil. Always screaming for people to get off his lawn." A tsk, Gwen finishing to get the water heated up and gets the tea prepared and ready to go. Black tea! Eddie better like, "It's black tea, had no other in. Hope you like it." the sound of she pouring in two mugs and then she pads out to the living room, approaching and extending one to Eddie, "And sure, I will be able to control it once I am done. It's simply really." a laugh. "A lot simpler than genetics. I got the .., bug about learning it mostly from my father. He likes to tinker too but .., turns out I had a *lot* more free time than he did when I was younger so I have picked up quick."

She settles down on the couch, remote turning on the tv and she pulling on some blankets, one to Eddie and one for her, legs pulled up under her. "What about you? Any particular hobbies I should be aware of?"

Eddie Brock has posed:
Eddie takes the cup, being careful not to spill it on Gwen's couch. He gets situated, offering a soft, "Thank you," for the tea, and then another when she gets the blanket. He settles under it, sitting cross-legged, and then takes up the cup of tea again.

"Yeah? What is it that your old man does?" Eddie inquires as Gwen brings him up. He takes one of those tiny, tentative sips that let him know just how hot the tea is so he can decide whether he needs to blow on it for a bit or not.

"Hobbies, well not that I spend much time at them anymore. But a few. Used to play softball with work. And always enjoyed rugby. Got to the point I wasn't quite sure if the beating was worth it though," he says. Well, that was before the symbiote at least. "Motorcycles. Used to have one I'd take out for long rides outside the city. Up into Westchester or across into Jersey," he tells her.

Eddie glances over to the spot where the electronics disappeared into. "You know you're a pretty remarkable woman. I don't think I know too many people with a dozen years on you that have the kind of smarts that I've seen from you," he says, looking over to the platinum-haired blond.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
Oh, it's hot. Very hot. No cold tea in this house! Specially with the cold that's being felt right now. So there will be some blowing involved most likely. On a positive note: Hands will be warm. "He's a police officer." and by the way she says it seems she is proud of her father. A grin appears on her features. Though it may bring to memory a Captain Stacy, if there was any involvement of him in the Sin-Eater case.

Regardless Gwen blows on her tea before taking a sip too, legs curled up to her chest and she resting her elbows on her knees. "Softball, rugby..." again her blue eyes roam over to Eddie, taking in his physique and that overall.., ruggedness. She finds herself looking for a bit longer than would be appropriate, "I imagine, you have the build for it." but then Eddie speaks about rides around the city.

"You like doing those too? I try it too, but I dont have a motobike." she just swings around as Ghost Spider, "But I do what I can."

"I hope you aren't saying that just because I am a blond." A laugh. Yes, she knows the *reputation* that blondes sometimes have. But she shakes her head to show she is joking. "Thank you. I am just curious, and that leads me to dig around for answers until I learn. Beat them through persistence."

On the tv news about the weather shows up. Cold front tonight indeed.

Eddie Brock has posed:
Eddie cradles the cup in both hands. He's starting to warm up now, though the wind blows even more fiercely than when they were out on the street. It rattles the glass in the windows as if threatening to find a way inside.

A sip of his tea is taken before Eddie chuckles quietly. "Are you kidding? I'm far to scared of my landlady than to make that kind of joke," Eddie says, turning his head to look over to Gwen and give her that somewhat cheeky smile of his.

His eyes settle on the tea in his cup, wondering if he's letting his own thoughts cause him to imagine the lingering look he sensed the teen might have given him when he was talking about rugby.

"I'm hoping to get another one, someday. A bike that is. I'd offer to take you on a ride," he says, before motioning with a hand as he says, "But this new side of I'm seeing of you, I'm guessing you'd probably make me be the one to ride on the back," he says, eyes drifting over to the side to look at her with that little half-smile of his.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"Scared? I am not that scary, unless you are a villain needing of righteous justice! Friendly neighborhood Gwen to the rescue." Gwen laughs a bit at her own joke and just shakes her head, "Sorry, I am being silly." she drinks some more of her tea and leans back on the couch. It's not exactly top quality, but good enough, and cozy, just like she enjoys it.

"First I would need to actually get a license for it, so you are safe there. No riding on the back." She says, "Unless we'd be talking about those bikes with pedals. Those are different." a faint grin appearing on her lips.

Her gaze strays to the window as it rattles, "For all I was complaining while out there it feels good to spend the night in under a weather like this." she smiling, "Just being quiet, having some good company.."

Eddie Brock has posed:
"Oh, you're scary," Eddie counters, the husky voice carrying a good-natured tone. He flashes a quick wink over to her though, and then his gaze joins her in looking over to the window.

"Not sure if most would consider the current company good, but I'll take it as a compliment," Eddie comments. "And as nice as Maxine is, down at Saul's? That's not his name, the big guy who is always on the corner stool. But he's got this tattoo," Eddie says, motioning towards his upper arm, "a big red heart that says Maxine across it. Anyway, as nice as Maxine is? I think I probably got the better end of the deal when it comes to the company," Eddie tells Gwen.

He takes another sip of his tea, the hot liquid warming him inside, doing wonders. "So I was thinking about you the other day," Eddie says. And then seems to realize how that might sound. "About on campus, when you and that Madigan girl were taking genetics. I started wondering what it is you'd like to do with your degree once you get it? I mean where would you go work, and what exactly would you be wanting to accomplish with it? Or is it just, well, whatever company comes along that you like the looks of?"

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"Am I?" Gwen lets out a brief laugh, curling her arm up as if to show her muscle.. Athletic, sure. But not exactly muscly. She touches it with a turn of her nose and then looks at Eddie's own arms. "I think yours are a bit more scary. If we are comparing brawn. We could be comparing brain too but then I'd be at a disadvantage as I don't know enough about you yet to do an educated guess. But I am getting there."

The talk about Saul's has her lift a blonde brow, "Your .., knowledge and detail about this man's tattoo at Saul's is really telling. You spend *too* much time there, don't you? Gosh, and yes I hope i am a better company than that." a laugh as she is perhaps imagining the figure..., and maybe the tattoo. Ugh, maybe it even has a heart and a crossed arrow.

It's the last question that has her pause, "I .., mmm." she thinks on it a moment, "My life has .., taken a few turns.." multiverse travel included, along with a coma, "And it has made me put a few things in perspective. I have only just enrolled again in school after a .., break." she mentions, "And while I felt really sure about my life in the future now I am not that certain. I have been trying to take it a day at a time you know?"

Eddie Brock has posed:
Eddie shares Gwen's laughter, giving a warm chuckle as she flexes. "That's actually pretty impressive," he tells. After she responds to his comparison between Gwen and an overweight tattooed men at the bar, Eddie says in his quiet, coarse voice, "You are a little cuter. I mean, you know. People's tastes vary, but I feel a bit confident saying that," he tells her with a few nods of his head.

The large man turns to face the teenaged girl a little more directly. The cup of tea provides more warmth, Eddie's hands both still on the cup, but now holding it lighter as if not needing that extra heat quite as much as before. "You mentioned something, at lunch on campus. That made it sound like maybe you'd been through some things," he tells her. It was just a brief comment, about the news not being kind to her. But he'd obviously noticed it, and remembered.

"Is... ah, ok I'm not wanting to pry. So if you'd rather I not ask, I won't," he says, and seems willing to leave it at that if she wants to not address it. "Taking it a day at a time, now that is something I know about," he agrees with her. "Life is what happens when we're making other plans. Another one of those sayings I always thought was pretty apt. Hey, I didn't think I'd meet a kind-hearted purveyor of Pennsylvania's finest chocolate when I went shopping," he says, providing an example.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"As long as you feel confident when saying that...." Gwen replies, again that soft laugh escaping her, curling more under her blanket and taking a drink from her tea, "Mmmm, tea and blankets. Perfect combination." she comments as an aside. Or maybe just making more time so she can think on what to say about what she knows is coming next. Personal stuff.

"It's okay." She murmurs, even if whatever it is doesn't seem to be of good memory to the girl, eyes straying to the TV a moment, "And it wasn't exactly the press being bad to me, more me taking advantage of it, being superficial, only thinking about followers, likes. Sure, I can put it to being younger but ..." she lifts her shoulders, "... people suffered because of me." her father, the Peter from the other dimension dead. So many skeletons.

"It ended with me being in a coma for months. I was even on the news for a time. The girl Spiderman couldn't save. I suppose in the end he did." It had been on the news in 2019, the girl who had been left on a coma by Spiderman. He had been blamed at the time for her near-death or vegetative state but apparently she was alive and well now. If this was the same girl.

"So.., yea. Sorry about unwinding about all this. Don't want to turn this into a sob night." She drinks some more of her tea, "I should have a hershey's bar around if you want to partake in a while." she then says.

Eddie Brock has posed:
Eddie listens with as gentle and compassionate of an expression on his face as he is capable of showing. It comes easily enough, his concern growing as Gwen's tale gets around to the coma.

As the tale goes on, Eddie's hand tightens on his cup. The other reaches out to her, fingers not quite cupping her cheek, but near to it. In a voice as determined as granite, he tells her, "I wish I'd been there. I'd have never let Spider-Man, or anyone, hurt you Gwen."

The touch, the words, are all done and said before he realizes what he's doing. The contact of Eddie's fingers lightens first, and then he pulls his hand back from her. "Sorry. I've just, I know people who've been hurt messing with... with people like that before," he says, his eyes darting away from her, before peeking back as if worried at her reaction to his own.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"It .., wasn't his fault." There is some hesitation there. The memories of *this* Gwen were still a mismatch with the ones she had from the other 'place', and after the sync they sometimes became a confusion in her head. But no. Of this she was certain. "He saved me."

The touch of fingers on her cheek, or close to it, is enough to draw her in. Just a little bit, enough for those fingers to touch skin. They linger a moment before she speaks quietly. "You are a good man, Eddie." and if he expected Gwen recoiling at the touch it doesn't seem to happen. She simply smiles, "Tender, even through that rougher exterior."

There is a pause then, she watching Eddie and she finally asks, "You were one of those hurt by people like that, weren't you?"

Eddie Brock has posed:
Eddie's face passes through several expressions. Glad to hear what Gwen thinks of him. A hint of embarrassment as if that rougher exterior is in part to help keep some of those emotions from the world. And a softer look for the younger woman, one that he'd normally pull his eyes away rather than letting him linger enough for her to see what he thinks they might show.

He does look down though. Staring at the tea cup after Gwen's intuition results in a bullseye. Eddie slowly draws a deeper breath and lets it out. "Yes. Yes I was," he tells her. "By Spider-Man also, as it turns out," Eddie says quietly.

He looks up and over to Gwen, drawing slow, deep breaths. The kind that are calming, and help someone keep control of certain emotions. "My life was ruined because of him," Eddie says quietly. "It's why I'm not a journalist anymore. Stuck writing tabloid trash that I'd be embarrassed to have you see," he says, eyes still down on the cup.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
There *may* have been some research done about the name 'Eddie Brock' after Gwen read it on Madi's phone the other day. So perhaps not all intuition, even if a lot of it is. "Ruined?" she wonders, furrowing her brows together in thought. "You know, someone wise told me once told me that living life isn't about pursuing work, but the other passions in your life, like friends, and family. The rest..." a shrug, " ... it isn't as important. Nor should we let it consume us."

The young woman reaches out, resting a hand on Eddie's shoulder, blue eyes now closer, "It also doesn't mean you should give up on trying to be a better man."

No judgement about Spiderman. She isn't exactly sure on Spiderman's involvement besides some news. Instead she appears to be focusing on helping Eddie, not enabling his fury.

Eddie Brock has posed:
The man's eyes are down as Gwen speaks. Eddie doesn't look up as she give shim the advice that he'd espoused not too long ago. "I was making a difference," he finally answers quietly to that. "And then I was run through the mud until, that's about the only place left for me."

Eddie senses Gwen leaning closer as she rests her hand on his shoulder. That soft touch makes him swallow, eyes lifting a little higher, as if searching for some answer to his thoughts. "I'm not going to lie. I've dwelled in darkness for awhile," he says. His eyes start to lift to her, but then look back away to the side, as if not wanting to see the expression she might have for him now that she's learning these things about him. Projecting the worst of his fears. "Things got pretty bad. And, well I did some things I'm not proud of. I'm trying to be better. But it's like every time I start to pull my way out of this... quagmire. Life just kicks me in the face again and knocks me back down in."

He draws a slow breath, and finally looks up and over at her. Just seeing that angelic face so close, the caring in her eyes. Not the look of disgust he feels like hte deserves. "Gwen," he says quietly, and reaches up, his hand resting on hers on his shoulder.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
Some of it rings true to her, the darkness, not knowing how to climb back up after a fall. The same had happened to Gwen even if she had eventually recovered, in the most unexpected ways. "You know, if there's one thing I have learned is that it can't rain all the time." then a peek given to the window and the wind rattling them still, "... Or be be too fudgin' cold either. Sometimes help, or purpose, comes in the most unexpected of places, or situations." she tells him, perhaps relaying her own experiences to the older man.

Her gaze hasn't changed, still on Eddie, gentle as usual and taking him in fully. The saying of her name has her squeeze the man's shoulder, letting his hand rest atop hers for a time before she eventually breaks it off with a soft smile.

"Now, who wants some Hershey's..?" she gets up to her feet slowly.

Eddie Brock has posed:
Eddie returns his hand down to his lap. He looks away, towards the TV, perhaps mentally kicking himself for letting out things he'd worked to keep suppressed. So the college coed wouldn't sense them and feel uncomfortable.

"Chocolate sounds great," he tells her. "I have a bigger sweet tooth than I used to. Not that I didn't enjoy it before. But sometimes now it almost feels like I've got someone else tagging along in my body demanding it."

   <<Venom>> "Very funny."

   <<Venom>> "See if she has tater tots also."

Eddie pulls the blanket off his lap and rises from the couch, sipping the last of his tea and carrying the cup over to the kitchen. "Sorry about, dumping all that on ya," he tells her. "You weren't looking to take that on when you helped a bum in out of the cold," he says, voice half-joking but not more.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"I know what you mean, me too. Bottomless pit of a stomach." A laugh escaping Gwen's lips. Even if her reason was needing fuel for all the zipping around she did as Ghost Spider! No symbiote on this girl, nuh-uh!

She starts looking around the shelves, and not like there are many of those, she searching about. "Ahah!" behind the rice of course. Typical. "Shall we partake?" she waving the tablet a little even if she does shake her head at Eddie and his words.

"That's quite fine. We were both in that mood. And it's good to let out sometimes, you know. Just sort of open up. I don't have a lot of people I can really talk to."

She starts making her way back to the couch to settle back down. Because blanket. "Now are you saying I am the kind of girl that brings bums home?" a chuckle and she starts opening the tablet, that delicious sound of the paper being ripped open heard.

Eddie Brock has posed:
Eddie checks the teapot to see how much water is in it. "Would you like another cup of tea?" he asks her while he's up. He glances around the kitchen, seeing even if living off a college student's level of income, that Gwen has a nice touch when it comes to decor, the simple but nice pattern of the dishes, and the like.

He pauses there in the kitchen to wait and see if he can make her more tea. "Ah, well, maybe not as a general rule. But at least this one time," he tells her, words slurring just slightly as part of his natural tone of voice.

Eddie rests his hands on the counter, looking over to the girl on the couch. "I'd have thought you'd have a lot of a people in your circle of friends. You're one of the nicest people I can recall meeting. Beautiful. Brilliant. Tell me what's the deal there, Gwen. You forgetting deodorant on a regular basis or something?" he asks, his tone could be serious for most people, but from Eddie it has just an altered note that confirms he's joking with her.

Gwen Stacy has posed:
"More tea would be great." Gwen says over to the kitchen, claiming first 'blood' as she takes a piece of the chocolate, slipping it into her mouth and starting to savor it. Mmmhmmm. "I can see why you like it so much.." this said with her own slur of chewing at the same time she is talking.

The question about her circle of friends has her press her lips together, "It's complicated." which seems to mean she isn't exactly ready to talk about that openly just yet. "But a lot of it had to do with that .., coma." she mentions. "I do have friends, some. But .., things are different." and it's not as if she can tell someone with a serious face that this is not her 'reality'. Or is it? The more time passes the more her memories are of this Gwen..

But there's clearly more that she isn't talking about, "And I only forget my deodorant when I am working on my projects. Today was my day off from those so you're lucky." her tone equally joking.

Eddie Brock has posed:
Eddie prepares the new cups of tea and brings them over. After passing her cup to her, and setting his own down, the man takes a seat beside her and pulls his blanket back over his lap.

Cup recaptured then, he takes a sip before taking his turn at the chocolate bar. He chews it slowly, savoring the flavor. Both for himself and another onboard inhabitant who finds the taste soothing.

The corner of Eddie's mouth turns up in a soft, lopsided grin. "I'd say I'm lucky, but you're a nice enough girl I'd probably hang out with you even on the project days," he kids with her.

The TV station continues to talk about the weather. Despite the howl of the wind outside, it is kept at bay as the two continue to talk within the nice, warm apartment.

Eventually that warmth starts to get to them both. The cups set aside at some point, and the empty chocolate bar wrapper. First one, and then the other, doze off eventually, drifting off to sleep on the couch with the soft voices of the weather channel the only noise in the apartment.