𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘺, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙮𝙨

𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣

"Okay. Let's cut the bullshit, huh? You know that we, uh..." Homelander demonstrated a thrust. "Uh, bro, not my fault, okay? She came onto me. It happens-" "Will you stop?" Madelyn snapped, Billy glaring at Homelander. "It's the fame, you know. They get crushes. There's nothing I can do about it." Teddy began to cry more, Billy closing his eyes briefly. "But what I will tell you is, she was a hell of a lay." He laughed out in recognition, rubbing Teddy's back as Billy looked back at him with a squint. "She came three times, hmm?"

Homelander asked Teddy, looking back to Billy. "Three! All right, little man, have a little lie-down." Billy watched the superhero, his nostrils flaring. "Good boy." Madelyn looked back to see Homelander not take the baby away. "I want you to take him out of here." She reminded, getting ignored once again as Homelander neared Billy. "But that's not really it." Homelander sighed, hands on his hips. "No, no, no, no. It's more than just that." He rounded Madelyn, the woman sweating.

"You think I'm responsible for her death, don't you?" He asked, Billy saying nothing. "So now you have a hostage that- that I care about, right? Someone I love." Madelyn felt the man stroke her hair, the woman flinching. "So, what's the plan... from here? Uh, what do you want?" He asked, Billy staying silent. "A confession? What's the endgame?" He watched Billy take a step forward. "I'm just gonna hurt you. I mean really fucking hurt you, and that will be good enough for me." He finally spoke, Homelander humming. "So, you don't really want anything, per se?" He asked, nodding to Madelyn.

"You just want, you want to blow her up in front of me. Right?" Homelander continued speaking, laughing when Billy didn't deny the claim. "Wow, fuck. Uh..." The man stammered. "You are dark, and I kind of like it." He complimented, Madelyn looking up. "Will you please take Teddy upstairs?" Her tone was crooked, the woman starting to cry. "It's okay." Homelander assured, stepping ahead oh the woman. "Just answer one question for me. Just one."

Billy glanced over to the man, watching him hold his hands behind his back. "How do you know?" He asked, shrugging. "I mean, you must have some rock-solid proof, right? That it was actually me who killed your wife. You must have it. So what is it?" Homelander asked, Billy clenching his jaw. "Share. We're all very interested." Billy didn't say anything, Homelander humming. "Now's not the time to be strong and silent. Go for it." He whispered, Teddy beginning to cry again.

"Are you telling me that this whole thing is based on fucking- fucking feelings? On a hunch?" Homelander asked, Billy not looking the man in the eye as Teddy cried. "Will you please take him upstairs-" "Madelyn, hold on." Homelander shushed the woman, her not complying. "Take him upstairs!-" "Shut the fuck up!" He yelled, the woman doing as told quickly. "Excuse me." Homelander told Billy, facing the woman. "You promised no more lies." He spat, crouching to meet eyes with her. "You fucking promised me." Billy's head tilted at them.

"You and Vogelbaum should have got your stories straight. They were so close." Homelander seethed, Madelyn terrified. "So fucking close, but there was a few little details that were different. So I went back to Vogelbaum, and I managed to squeeze the truth out of him. The real truth." Homelander nodded, Madelyn inhaling shakily. She started to cry, leaning her head against his. "Yeah, that's it." Billy watched the man kiss her forehead. He whispered to her, Billy not being able to figure out what he said. "I'm so sorry. I never should have lied to you."

Madelyn cried once they separated, Homelander nodding. "I know now that you don't need to be protected. I'm so sorry." She sobbed, sniffling. "Will you please take Teddy upstairs?" She asked, Homelander exhaling deeply as he stood up straight. "Did you ever really care about me?" He asked, Madelyn nodding quickly. "You mean everything to me-" "No. No, no. I mean everything to your job." Homelander corrected, Billy squinting at the two.

"You care more about that fucking baby than you do me." Homelander spat, Billy confused as Madelyn immediately disagreed. "No. I love you. I swear, I love you. I love you." She spoke, Homelander humming. "But?" He urged, Madelyn sighing. "Tell me the truth, or I walk out right now." She looked up at him again, Madelyn stuttering for the words. "I'm scared." She spoke simply. "I'm scared of you." Homelander's head tilted. "What?" He asked, Madelyn huffing. "I said I'm scared." She spoke, Homelander nodding. "Of?"

"Of you. I'm scared of you." Madelyn answered softly, Billy glancing between the two. "Thank you." Homelander held her head, rubbing their foreheads together fondly. "Thank you for finally being honest." The two kissed, Billy awkwardly stood behind the two. They separated, Homelander kissing her forehead once more before facing her. Billy's brows furrowed as Homelander's eyes glowed, shooting lasers into Madelyn's eyes. She gasped, her brain being burnt before she died peacefully, Homelander letting her face go.

He sighed deeply, blinking away tears as he faced Billy again. "Now... what was that plan again?" He asked, watching Billy smile. "Oh, well." He shrugged, letting go of the detonator as the room blew up.

∞

BILLY WOKE UP TO THE HARSH SUN, REALISING HE WAS IN SOMEONE'S YARD. Homelander appeared above him, a smile on his face. "Wakey, wakey." He put his hands on his hips, Billy squinting. "Hey, buddy. You were out for quite a while." Homelander hummed. "You can thank me for, uh, saving you sometime later, but, for now," Billy stared up at the sky, feeling cuts on his head sting. "time to get up. Come on. You're gonna love this." The man urged, Billy hearing a door open. Glancing awkwardly, he saw a boy staring right at him. "Mom!" He called, Homelander smiling.

"Wow, look at this handsome devil. Hey, pal." He greeted, Billy very confused as he pulled himself up. "You know who I am?" Homelander asked the boy, watching him nod. "Homelander." He nodded, Billy watching the two as Homelander laughed. "Yeah, that's right, but... you know who else?" Billy's face fell, meeting eyes with Rebecca Butcher. She stared at the man, the two in silence as Homelander nodded to the boy. "No." He answered truthfully, Billy panting.

"Becca?" He asked, Becca stuttering- "Mommy didn't tell you. Well..." Homelander stepped forward. "I'm your father, and we are a family." Becca sighed, Homelander cupping the boy's head. Becca just looked at Billy, the man watching the boy's eyes glow.

∞...