#runalong au

[bakageta]

From the wip ask game, can I get a snippet of the cat wings?

An older snippet than the last one I shared as I haven't added too much more since then:

You are like us! Gold-and-black nudged at one of the clawed hands still hidden away in Eddie’s pockets like a cat trying to force its way under the covers of a bed. 

No! Venom’s hackles raised in spikes along the mass they’d built up over Eddie’s shoulders. 

How so? Eddie ignored their offense, the emotion didn’t have enough depth to be serious, and withdrew his hand from his pocket for the curious catbird to inspect. 

You are of two things, the blue and gray answered as it moved closer, purposefully casual in the same way Mr. Belvedere had always been right before he scratched the shit out Eddie’s hand and ran away. It sniffed Eddie’s pant leg, also like Mr. Belvedere. Solid and not, city and forest, storymaker and dreameater.

Strange! The last one hissed, a shock of neon purple. It was across the parking lot from them, likely as far as it was capable of being from the other two. We should be careful! It actually made a sound alongside its warnings to its other parts. A scolding noise like the purple wren its bird half looked like with a matching ruff of raised fur along its back.

Rude! Gold scolded right back with a rusty caw. Children, Venom grumbled, mostly settled again.

[bakageta]

🧠 - What's an idea you can't quite call a WIP yet?

There's four or so ideas I have for more fics in my Runalong AU, one of which is an actual WIP. The other three are so nebulous that they aren't even in my ideas folder!

The first not!WIP is a direct continuation of the first fic dealing with some of what Eddie and Venom have become together. All it really has is a title, Oneirophage (which is a fancy way of saying dream eater and also a Magic the Gathering card), and the intention of having Eddie realize some of what he's gotten into/become and done to both himself and to Venom.

Second is the actual WIP: Eddie and Venom interact with other beings like what Venom once was and learn a few tricks.

Third not!WIP! Dan (who hasn't met Eddie in this AU) runs into Eddie in a bar and eventually realizes he is Anne's disappeared ex-fiance. He follows Eddie out of the bar to greet/confront him about where and what he's been doing the past few years and ends up witnessing some supernatural cryptid bullshit. There's some conversation afterwards and Dan makes sure Eddie knows that he's missed (Eddie had believed that no one even noticed his disappearance and, even if they did notice, he wasn't missed). I want to have Eddie reconcile with Anne (they broke up under similar circumstances to the movie), but I'm not sure if I want to do anything with the reason why those circumstances exist (ie: do I want Carlton Drake and the Life Foundation to be A THING involved with the supernatural cryptid bullshit or do I want them to be a normal amoral multi-billion dollar company?)

And finally, the fourth not!WIP! I want to do something with one of the world's largest organisms in this AU. Specifically, Pando, The Trembling Giant whose name is Latin for "I Spread". It's a forest made entirely of clones of a single tree all connected underground by their roots. It's also in danger of dying due to a variety of factors like drought, human development, and overgrazing by deer, cattle, and elk. To me it has great potential as an old, powerful entity being slowly killed and desperately grasping for anything to save itself, regardless of damage done. And I really want to shove Cryptid!Eddie-and-Venom at this entity and see what happens...

[bakageta]

For the WIP Title ask game: Catwings?

Catwings is a follow-up to Runalong, my self-indulgent cryptid!Venom AU. I've been working mainly on it instead of the more direct sequel, Oneirophage, mainly because I'm planning more of a plot for it while Catwings is just throwing two things together and seeing what happens.

It was nice out: cotton fluff clouds in the sky, gentle breezes in the air, and the low, now-familiar hum of unthinking life around them. That sixth sense Venom had given him was comforting now, instead of confusing. The thing that followed them circled above, its hesitation tangible to Eddie, before it stooped abruptly and dove towards them.

“It’s not wasting any time.”

It is young. Eager. Stupid, they didn’t express with words.

“Doesn’t mean it can’t be dangerous, you grumpy old man.” Eddie rolled his eyes, but didn’t stand up from the bench. His impressions weren’t supporting the confrontation Venom was looking forward to. It was young and eager, definitely, but there was also caution and the kind of sensibility which only came after enough time survived unprotected.

Can it speak? A question tapped past their minds, bright, curious, and pale with distance. It was almost uncomfortable to hear another’s communication, like a stranger standing too close.

It is too solid. The second thought was quiet and colorless, caught only because Eddie was listening for it.

Just ask it. A third, sturdy, projected with intent and colored a cool thundercloud blue.

Noisy, Venom grumbled and shifted protectively over their shoulders.

It can speak! The first again; now louder, eager and golden in their thoughts. Venom must have done something because it didn’t feel quite as invasive. Hello, hi, hello!

<s>it's also definitely titled after the children's book series of the same name</s>

[bakageta]

Catwings my beloved!

The fic you started me writing! I've actually put quite a bit more words down on this one since I gave up writing this AU in a specific order.

We fly, Blue pointed out. Can run too! Gold exclaimed as it zipped past. Both, Purple reluctantly agreed. It leapt to the lowest branches of a nearby tree–which Eddie would have thought too high if he hadn’t just watched the catbird make the jump with barely a flap of its wings. “Alright,” Eddie said as he stood up and into Venom, becoming them. They lean forward onto four legs instead of two, hands are unnecessary if they want to run.  The catbirds, their connection more obvious now that they are less solid, less real, all come to inspect them. Even Purple approaches their clawed hooved feet to inspect. Gold lands on their broad back and Blue twines around their front taloned paws. Not very settled, Blue observes. We are still new, they tell the catbirds. There is no competition between them now, it is obvious that VenomandEddie are more than the GoldBluePurple catbirds will be able to challenge for a long, long time.