𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘺, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙮𝙨

𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙚

A-TRAIN STOPPED SPRINTING THROUGH THE TUNNELS WHEN HIS HEART STARTED TO POUND PAIN. Leaning against a wall, he groaned, holding a hand to his chest as his heartbeat took over his senses. "Come on-" He was only able to sprint a few more yards, gasping as he held onto the railings for support. "You okay?" He sighed deeply, ignoring the pain as Homelander watched him.

"Yep. I just need a little rehab." The man forced a smile, shaky as Homelander hummed. "I'll be fine." He sniffled, Homelander nodding. "Yeah. I know you will, A-Train." Patting his chest, Homelander smiled as his teammate forced out a chuckle. Hughie watched Frenchie's grip never leave Samuel's arm, pulling him ahead. Hughie's footsteps got slower as they walked, but he stopped when he heard more footsteps behind him.

He was snapped out of his drowse in an instant, rushing to hide behind a wall. The group was nowhere to be seen, and Hughie tried to stay as still as possible. He paused, slowly leaning out of his hiding spot to see Annie, hands raised and eyes glowing. He was quick to relax, stepping out of his spot as Annie stayed tense. "You got my message." Hughie spoke, a slight smile on his face at the sight of her.

"Annie, I-" He was flung back, grunting as he hit the wall. Whilst Hughie coughed his breath back, Annie walked forward, Homelander appearing from the other side of the tunnel, hands behind his back. Homelander's eyes were on her, squinting gently. "Oh, come on." He let out, stood next to Hughie's form. "You gotta be fucking kidding me." He spoke, Hughie shuffling himself up against the wall with a gasp.

"This guy? Again?" He asked, Annie stuttering for an answer. "I did not know-" "Shut it. What, do you got rocks in your fucking head?" Homelander stepped closer to her, bringing her forward. "Come here. All right." They both stood facing Hughie, the man terrified. "I'd like you to do something for me, okay?" Homelander put his hands on his hips, smiling at Annie. "Kill him."

The man didn't wait for an answer, Annie's mouth falling open. "Uh, n- Wait. N- he..." She stuttered on her words, Billy and the rest of the group leaning against a wall as they listened in, out of sight. "He?" Homelander urged, Annie gulping. "He's wanted. Shouldn't we... take him to the police?" She asked, Homelander huffing. "Yes, he is. Yes, we should. Kill him. Right now." He ordered, Billy glancing back at M.M..

"Chicks, right, Hughie?" Homelander joked, M.M. raising his brows at Billy. "Oh, for God's sake. Come on, it's easy. Hands in the air," He lifted her hands up for her, Annie sighing shakily. "like you just don't care." Homelander snuck in a joke, chuckling to himself. "Kill." He spoke simply, his laughter vanishing. "Do it." He urged, and Annie felt her arms weigh more than they did before.

Looking at Hughie, he made no attempt to move, and landed his eyes on hers. "More incentive? Okay." Homelander's tone darkened. "You kill him or I'll fucking kill you both." He spat slightly, Annie's eyes watering. Looking back to Hughie, he nodded only slightly for her to see, and her lip quivered. Her eyes lit up, her hands following suit as Hughie squeezed his eyes shut-

"Oi. Cunt."

Everything paused, Homelander's brows furrowing. "William?" He asked, turning around with a grin. "What a surprise." He laughed, Hughie looking at the man himself. "Hey. You know, I had a great breakfast with your wife this morning. Pancakes. Delicious." Homelander hummed, Billy's jaw tensing. "Where's your little buddy? Samuel, is it?" He asked, Frenchie looking at the boy.

"I bet he's right there, hiding from me." Homelander pointed around the corner, M.M. stepping back a little. "You know, everyone is so sad about Mysterio, gruesome, truly." Samuel looked at the voice, Frenchie's brows furrowing. "I mean, it's that rush, right? The V rush? I have experience, friends and such." Homelander continued, Billy staring at him. He was trying to usher Samuel out, M.M. shaking his head at the boy.

"It would have been old age if it weren't for Sammy- Hello!" Homelander spoke, Billy looking back to see Samuel stood behind him. "How'd you kill him, eh? With your powers-" A pole ripped itself from the wall, knocking Homelander's head. Billy stepped back lightly as he watched Homelander smile, chuckling to himself. That was before the ceiling caved in, and a large train fell vertically atop the man. Homelander disappeared out of sight immediately, Kimiko's eyes widening as Frenchie rushed ahead.

Horns honked, car alarms blared, Samuel's chest heaved. In the heat of the moment, Kenji sprinted past Samuel, knocking him away as he jumped up at the hanging car Samuel caused, escaping through the hole. Kimiko sprinted after him, Billy moving to Hughie's form. "Jesus Christ, Sammy, halt it." M.M. spoke, pulling Samuel up as his chest heaved. "Calm down, okay-" "Come on, Hughie. Before that cunt gets out." Billy urged quickly, ignoring Annie's presence.

"Calm down." Annie watched Samuel lean against the wall, M.M. stood ahead of him. The boy just nodded towards the man, the two moving in sync. She wasn't prepared for that. Not at all. Reaching a hand out, Billy nodded at the man beneath him. "Come on." He urged, Hughie grabbing the man's hand and pulling himself up.

∞

BILLY LOOKED OVER THE NOTES HE HAD ROUGHLY WROTE IN RESTAURANT CRAYON, THEN BACK AT THE GROUP. They were all watching the news, where Stan Edgar had declared his lack of knowledge on the Compound V. Billy despised how his eyes drifted to where Samuel was sat. He was sat with M.M., laying back against the chair. Probably resting, which is something he'd been constantly deprived of for months.The boy was resting his eyes, blood still conjured up in his hair.

Billy walked forward towards the group, pulling his eyes from Samuel as the TV got louder. "And today, the death toll would have been much higher had it not been for the brave actions of our newest hero, Stormfront." Kimiko's glare hardened, the woman showing up on screen with a deluded smile on her face. She had interrupted Kimiko's chase for Kenji, killing the man gruesomely and taking down an apartment building with it. Families had died, many were injured, and the news report was set in a charitable building for just that.

"who stopped the terrorist before he could take more innocent lives." Stan continued on the screen, Billy taking his seat next to Hughie. He, himself, tried his best to let himself relax in his seat, glancing over at Samuel who was still resting. "...Ladies and gentlemen-- Stormfront." She appeared again, applause sounding as she took the podium. "Thank you. But we all know who the real heroes of this group are, right?" She began, Samuel's eyes prying themselves open at the changed voice.

He watched in a sleepy haze, Kimiko never taking her eyes from the screen. "The people you see behind you, the people who are struggling everyday. So, let's give them all a hand." Stormfront urged applause on the TV, Homelander glaring at her from the background. But no one saw him- But it should be him up there. He's the leader of The Seven. Turning back around, she was met with begging reporters wanting her answers, unaware of how Kimiko glared holes into the TV screen.

∞...