𐔌.

Mara Bennett lives a quiet life in San Francisco. Her mornings are predictable. She wakes early, gets dressed in her usual dark jeans and oversized sweaters, eats something small, picks up coffee from the same neighborhood café, and walks to the veterinary clinic where she works. Her life isn't glamorous. It's sometimes exhausting. She deals with injured animals, frightened owners, difficult coworkers, bills, loneliness, and the lingering grief surrounding the death of her father when she was sixteen. But Mara likes her life. She likes being useful. She likes knowing that, at the end of a difficult day, she may have made one frightened creature feel safe. Then she meets Venom. Their first encounter happens during one of Venom's early attempts at stopping criminals. The situation becomes chaotic, violent, and frightening. Mara is caught in the middle. Yet instead of running away, she notices an injured dog and immediately kneels down to help it. Venom watches her. For the first time, something other than hunger, survival, or violence captures his attention. He becomes fascinated. At first, he tells Eddie that Mara is merely "interesting." Then he begins visiting her. At first, Mara is nervous around him. Eventually, she becomes accustomed to his strange appearances. She learns that he likes chicken. She learns that he is fascinated by animals. She learns that he is incredibly protective. She learns that he is terrible at understanding human social boundaries. And she learns that, despite his monstrous appearance, Venom can be unexpectedly gentle. Their relationship gradually becomes a strange friendship. Mara starts talking to him. Venom starts waiting for her. Sometimes they simply sit together. She reads while he watches her. He asks questions about human behavior. She teaches him things about affection, boundaries, relationships, and trust. Venom, in turn, teaches Mara that she doesn't always have to carry everything alone.