The boba shop is like stepping into some kind of Instagram filter, all pastel colors and cutesy decorations that make me feel like I've wandered into a twelve-year-old's fantasy world. I take my first sip of the purple-gray concoction Aaron insisted I try, and my face immediately contorts into what must be the world's most obvious grimace.
"You don't like it," Piper says, not even bothering to phrase it as a question. She's watching me over the rim of her own cup, those hazel eyes missing absolutely nothing behind her thick glasses.
"I hate it," I confess, setting the cup down like it might bite me. "It's disgusting. What the hell are these slimy ball things anyway?"
"Tapioca pearls," Piper explains, sucking one through her straw with practiced ease. "They're supposed to be the best part."
I glance down at my cup dubiously. "I haven't drunk the balls yet."
Piper nearly chokes on her tea, coughing into her hand while trying not to laugh.
"That came out wrong," I mutter, pushing the cup away.
Piper's eyes dart over my shoulder, and I follow her gaze to see Aaron still waiting in line for his order, chatting animatedly with the barista. His perfect hair catches the light just so, and I notice several women in the shop stealing glances at him.
"Hey," Piper says, leaning forward slightly, her voice dropping. "Since we're alone for a minute, I just wanted to check in. How are you? The whole Norma thing..."
The question hits me like a bucket of ice water, snapping me out of my boba-induced misery.
"I think I'm fine..." I shrug, not meeting her eyes. "I don't know. Lately, I just haven't been thinking about it much."
It's not entirely a lie. Between cultists tracking me down, Fury's warnings, and trying to get back to normal college life, I haven't had much time to process the fact that I literally crushed someone's skull with my bare hands.
"Therapy might be a great choice," Piper suggests gently, fidgeting with her straw wrapper.
I lean closer, lowering my voice to a whisper. "And what, tell them I'm a hero? That I've killed people? That I can transform into a demon?"
"No, I guess not," she sighs, slumping back in her chair.
A slight draft creeps across my chest, and I glance down to see my hoodie's zipper has slid about a fifth down. I tug at it awkwardly, remembering too late that I didn't have any clean shirts this morning. Laundry day is definitely overdue.
I catch Piper's eyes flicking to my exposed collarbone before quickly darting away. She does it again a moment later, trying to be subtle but failing miserably. I pretend not to notice, focusing instead on my disgusting boba.
"So," Piper whispers suddenly. "Venom really killed the Wizard? I heard something on the news, but..."
"She had a nuke," I reply with a shrug, like we're discussing something as mundane as the weather. "An actual nuclear bomb. In Manhattan."
Piper nods slowly, but her expression remains troubled. She fidgets with her straw, twisting it between her fingers.
"Shane..." she says, her voice barely audible over the shop's cheerful K-pop soundtrack. "I'm just nervous the symbiote will make her unhinged... like Carnage did to me." She swallows hard. "I mean, I even had Venom before her, and it made me crazy too."
"Ellie isn't like you," I say, then immediately wince at how that sounds. "And I don't mean that like you're weak or something, I'm not saying that at all. It's just... Venom is fine with her. They're balanced."
Before Piper can respond, Aaron appears at our table, sliding into the chair beside me with his colorful drink. "Hey, what are you two gossiping about?" he asks, flashing a smile.
His eyes catch on something on my chest, and without warning, he reaches over and zips my hoodie all the way up to my neck. The gesture is so unexpected I freeze in shock.
"Dude, what the…"
Aaron shoots Piper a disapproving look before turning back to me. "You can't go giving the goods away for free, man," he says, like he's imparting some crucial wisdom.
"What?" I sputter, still processing the fact that he just adjusted my clothing without permission.
"Girls love the necklines and shit," Aaron explains, gesturing vaguely at my now-covered chest. "But you're taken, right?"
"Of course I am," I reply, my confusion slowly morphing into irritation.
"Then you gotta stay chaste for your girl," he says with complete seriousness. "It's only respectful."
"I'm certainly not chaste with Ellie," I reply with a snort.
Aaron laughs. "I mean for everyone but her, obviously."
His words trigger a memory that makes me wince. When I'd tried answering the door without a shirt on, and Ellie had practically combusted on the spot.
"Yeah, fair enough," I concede, adjusting my fully-zipped hoodie as my mind drifts to all the differences in this world that are hard to keep up with.
Aaron takes a long sip of his boba, then sets it down with a satisfied smack of his lips. "So how did you and Ellie meet anyway? Must be quite the story to land someone like her."
I think for a moment, memories of that night flashing through my mind, getting stood up, meeting Ellie at the restaurant, being yanked off the street by Venom, nearly dying from teleporting too far, and then... everything else that happened on that rooftop. A small chuckle escapes me.
"It's a pretty long story," I say, rubbing the back of my neck.
"I stood him up," Piper interjects suddenly, her cheeks flushing pink. "We were supposed to go on a date, but I, uh... had to bail last minute."
"Yeah," I confirm, turning back to Aaron. "Piper and I were supposed to grab dinner, but she got... held up. Ellie happened to be passing by while I was waiting outside my dorm like a loser, and she offered to take me out instead."
Aaron's eyebrows shoot up. "Wait, so she just approached you randomly? Damn, that's bold."
"She's not exactly shy," I reply, unable to suppress a smile at the understatement.
"So she just swooped in and stole you?" Aaron asks, giving Piper a pointed look.
Piper shifts uncomfortably in her seat. "I didn't know they were going to hit it off so well," she mumbles, stirring her boba with unnecessary focus.
"It was fate, I guess," I say, hoping to ease the sudden tension. "Though our first date was..." I search for the right word, "...eventful."
"Eventful how?" Aaron presses, leaning forward eagerly.
"We had some disagreements," I reply carefully. "Ellie was going through some stuff at the time. But it all worked out in the end."
Aaron throws his head back and laughs, a sound that's somehow both musical and slightly too loud for the cozy boba shop. When he recovers, he turns to Piper with an exaggerated wince, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Damn, Parker. You must feel like you fumbled the bag of the century," he says, gesturing toward me with his boba straw. "Missing your date with this guy and now he's got a superhot girlfriend he's crazy about."
Piper's face flushes crimson, and she fidgets with her glasses, pushing them higher on her nose even though they hadn't slipped. "It wasn't like that," she mumbles, suddenly finding her drink intensely interesting.
"It really wasn't," I add quickly, feeling a strange need to defend her. "Piper and I are just friends. We work together sometimes."
Aaron raises an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Sure, sure. And that's why she keeps sneaking glances at you when you're not looking."
"I do not!" Piper protests, her voice rising an octave before she catches herself.
The atmosphere around the table shifts instantly. Aaron's smug expression turns my stomach.
"That's enough," I say, my voice dropping to a serious tone I rarely use. I fix Aaron with a hard stare. "If you can't respect my friends, then I don't want anything to do with you."
Aaron's eyes widen, clearly caught off guard by my sudden shift. His perfect smile falters as he reaches across the table, placing his hand over mine in what feels like a practiced gesture of contrition.
"I'm so sorry, Shane," he says, voice softening dramatically. "I was just joking around. I didn't mean to upset anyone."
Something about the performance feels hollow. I pull my hand away, not bothering to hide my discomfort. Aaron's expression morphs into confusion, like he genuinely can't comprehend why his apology isn't working.
Wanting to escape this increasingly awkward situation, I grab my neglected tea, taking a massive gulp to avoid having to respond. The tapioca pearls rush up the straw all at once, hitting the back of my throat like alien projectiles.
I try to swallow, but the slimy spheres block my airway. Panic surges through me as I realize I can't breathe. My lungs spasm, desperate for oxygen that won't come. I clutch at my throat, eyes watering as the reality sinks in. I'm actually choking on fucking boba.
Piper's voice cuts through my panic. "Are you okay?"
I stare at her, unable to speak, and shake my head violently. My vision starts to blur at the edges as precious seconds tick by.
"Oh my god!" Piper leaps from her seat, knocking her chair backward with a loud clatter that draws every eye in the shop.
Before I can process what's happening, she's behind me, wrapping her arms around my midsection. With strength that seems impossible for her slender frame, she yanks upward sharply. Once, twice, then a third powerful thrust that lifts me partially out of my chair.
The tapioca pearls shoot from my throat like bullets, splattering across our table and onto Aaron's pristine shirt. I gasp desperately, sweet oxygen flooding back into my lungs as I collapse forward, hands braced on my knees.
I gulp in precious air, coughing and sputtering while trying to regain my composure. When I look up, I'm startled to see genuine concern etched across Aaron's face. His perfect features are contorted with worry, eyebrows drawn together, mouth slightly open. Despite the mess of tapioca pearls splattered across his undoubtedly expensive shirt, he doesn't seem to care at all about the stains.
"Holy shit, are you okay?" Aaron asks, placing a hand on my shoulder. His eyes scan my face with what appears to be actual fear. "That was terrifying."
I nod weakly, still struggling to catch my breath. "Yeah... I'm good," I manage to croak out. "Just... learned an important lesson about boba consumption."
Piper hovers next to me, her hand resting gently on my back. "Maybe take smaller sips next time," she suggests, her voice shaking. "Or, you know, avoid death-balls altogether."
Aaron reaches across the table and hands me a napkin. "Seriously, I thought we were going to have to call an ambulance," he says, completely ignoring the sticky mess covering his shirt front. "You turned all purple for a second there."
"Sorry about your shirt," I mutter, gesturing vaguely at the splatter pattern decorating his chest.
He glances down as if noticing the mess for the first time. "Oh, this?" He waves dismissively. "Don't even worry about it. I've got like twenty identical ones at home."
I can't help but shake my head, my throat still raw from nearly dying by boba. "Aaron, I hate the tea."
Aaron laughs, dabbing at the sticky mess on his shirt with a napkin. "That's totally fine. I just thought it'd be fun to try something new. Not everything works out."
My phone buzzes in my pocket. I fish it out, expecting maybe a class reminder or something from Masters about training. Instead, my eyes widen at Ellie's name on the screen.
'Where you at? Want to have a quickie in your dorm room before my next class?'
My heart immediately kicks into overdrive. I jump up from my chair so fast I nearly knock it over.
"I gotta go," I announce, shoving my phone back into my pocket and grabbing my backpack in one fluid motion.
Piper's eyebrows shoot up behind her glasses. "Is everything okay? Is Ellie alright?"
"Yeah, yeah, she's fine," I stammer, already backing toward the door. "Everything's great! Super great! Just remembered something super important we need to... discuss."
Aaron looks between me and my phone with knowing eyes. "Duty calls, huh?"
"Something like that," I mutter, slinging my backpack over my shoulder. "Thanks for saving my life, Piper. And, uh, nice meeting you, Aaron."
"See you around!" Aaron calls after me.
*****
[Piper's POV]
I watch Shane dash out of the boba shop like his life depends on it, the door swinging wildly behind him. The speed with which he bolted at whatever message Ellie sent makes it painfully clear what kind of "discussion" they're about to have.
My stomach knots as I sink back into my chair. Seeing him so eager to run to her always stings more than I care to admit.
My eyes narrow as I study Aaron's face. "So," I say, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms, "why is a SHIELD agent spying on Shane?"
The transformation is instant. Aaron's boyish charm vanishes like a mask being ripped away. His eyes sharpen, his posture straightens, and that perfect smile becomes something much more calculating.
"Parker," he says, his voice dropping an octave. "I was wondering when you'd call me out."
"Did Fury send you?" I press, keeping my voice low despite my rising anger. "Or was this your own initiative?"
Aaron folds his napkin with precise movements, setting it beside his half-finished boba. "Does it matter? We're interested in the same thing, keeping Shane safe."
"Bullshit." The word comes out sharper than I intended. "You don't care about his safety."
Aaron leans forward, his elbows on the table, all pretense of the charming transfer student completely gone. "Listen," he says in a low voice, "we can't get any agents close enough to Venom. She's too standoffish, too suspicious of everyone. And frankly, she's the real target that makes us nervous."
I keep my expression neutral. "Mmm-hmm."
"Plus," Aaron continues, absently wiping at the boba stains on his shirt, "Shane's a bit of a live wire himself. His powers seem to be progressing rapidly from the intel we've gathered."
I stare into my half-empty cup, swirling the remaining liquid. "Shane is a good guy," I say firmly.
Aaron's eyes lock onto mine, calculating and cold. "You're in love with him," he states flatly.
"Yes," I admit, not breaking eye contact.
His eyebrows shoot up, genuine surprise crossing his face. "You don't even deny it, Then why aren't you trying to save him from Venom? From what could happen if they stay together?"
I set my cup down with deliberate care. "Because he loves her," I say simply. The words hurt to say out loud, but they're true. "And she's not cruel to him."
Aaron scoffs. "Not cruel? She's a predator. An alien parasite with a history of violence…"
"Who would tear the world apart to keep him safe," I interrupt. "I've seen how she looks at him. How she protects him. It's more than just possession or obsession." I push my glasses up the bridge of my nose. "Trust me, I know the difference."
"So that's it?" Aaron spreads his hands. "You're just going to step aside and let this relationship continue, knowing what it could lead to?"
I think of Shane's face when he talks about Ellie, the way his eyes light up, the genuine happiness I haven't seen in him before. "It's not my place to decide who he loves," I say quietly. "And it's not SHIELD's either."
Aaron looks at me with pity. "Plus last I heard, you were quite eager to hand over Venom's weaknesses to Fury in exchange for Norma's location. Interesting priorities wouldn't you say."
The accusation hits like a slap as I look down at my hands, remembering that desperate moment in my dorm room, the symbiote's voice screaming in my head, my own desperate need to find Shane overriding everything else.
"Those were my weaknesses too," I say quietly, meeting his gaze. "At the time, I was just as vulnerable to the same things as Venom. I was putting myself at risk, not just Ellie." I pause, the memory of that desperation making me shudder. "Carnage was... influencing my decisions. I wasn't thinking clearly."
Aaron studies me, his face arranged in a mask of skepticism. "And now? Are you thinking clearly now, Parker?"
"Clearer than before," I admit. "After we found Shane, after seeing him with Ellie... I realized some things aren't mine to decide." I trace a pattern in the condensation on my cup, choosing my words carefully. "I'd rather be his friend than nothing at all."
"How noble," Aaron says, but there's no admiration in his voice, just cold calculation. "And what about when Venom inevitably loses control? When the symbiote's bloodlust overrides whatever affection it might have for Shane? What then?"
I shake my head firmly, meeting Aaron's cold gaze with unwavering conviction. "I just don't see that happening."
Aaron snorts, clearly unconvinced. He pulls his phone from his pocket, his fingers dancing across the screen before he slides it across the table toward me.
"Look what happened in the New York Public Library last week."
My eyes widen as I scan the headline: "Three Dead in Library Massacre. Witnesses Report 'Red Monster' Consuming Victims." The article shows blurry security footage of what's unmistakably a crimson, veiny creature with elongated limbs and a gaping maw filled with needle-like teeth.
"Carnage is in the city," I whisper, my stomach dropping as memories of that voice in my head flood back, the constant hunger, the violent urges, the desperate need to hurt, to consume, to destroy.
"See?" Aaron leans forward, triumph flashing in his eyes. "What's stopping Venom from doing exactly this? From becoming the monster it truly is?"
I push the phone back toward him, my hands trembling. "I get it, but Carnage was so much worse in my head than Venom ever was. Venom never even spoke to me directly... it just wanted to survive."
The memories surface, the subtle differences between the symbiotes that I'd never articulated before, even to myself. "And remember, Carnage also jumped onto Norma after me. She probably made it worse. I bet they fed into each other's psychosis."
Aaron retrieves his phone, scrolling through more images from the crime scene with clinical detachment. "Three people were literally consumed, Parker. Eaten alive."
"Well… Let's hope it doesn't come to that with Venom."