𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘺, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙮𝙨

𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣

"THIS IS THE TAFFY ROOM?" HUGHIE ASKED JUDY, OBSERVING THE TABLE FULL OF DRUGS. "An affordable alternative to privatised healthcare." She nodded, Samuel tilting his head at the look of it. "She's a dealer." Billy spoke, M.M. sighing as they waited in the room.

∞

"NO ONE EVER SAID THE JOB WAS EASY." STORMFRONT SPOKE ON THE PHONE IN HER TRAILER. "Look, he's just a kid. 17 years old. You don't got to look him in the face." The other person spoke, Stormfront huffing. "Guess what? Samuel Miller is 19. He's all over the news. I look at his face every day." She spat, before sighing at herself. "Look, no one's ever achieved anything without sacrifice. The kid's a hero. Think of it like that." The man sighed, nodding.

"Right, a hero." He hung up, Stormfront huffing. A knock occurred on her trailer door, the woman watching Homelander through the window. "Come in!" She called, watching Homelander silently walk in. He held his hands on his hips.

∞

JUDY'S BIRD CLOCK SET OFF, THE GROUP SAT SILENTLY IN THE TAFFY ROOM. M.M. clicked his gun over and over out of boredom, him sat with Samuel and Billy. Hughie and Judy sat a few feet away, the former watching Billy glance at Samuel every so often. "Um..." He spoke, glancing at Judy. "can I ask you something?" He spoke, the woman nodding with a light chuckle.

"Well, I suppose I got the time." She spoke, sitting up. "Who's Lenny?" Hughie lowered his tone, shrugging. "You said Sam looked like him." He watched Judy's smile falter a little. "Oh. Billy wouldn't want me to say. Fuck Billy." The woman huffed, Hughie watching her. "Lenny's his little brother." She answered, Hughie's brows furrowing.

"Butcher has a brother?" He asked, Judy nodding. "Yeah. Skinny, nervous little bugger. Like you." She laughed a little, Hughie letting one out himself. "Fourth grade. Little wanker named Dorian Savory breaks Lenny's nose." She started her story, Hughie looking from Samuel to her again. "Oh, Billy goes to work on him. Was bringing the see-saw down on Dorian's noggin, wham!" Judy reminisced, Hughie's brows raising.

"Probably gonna top him. Kids, teachers trying to drag Billy away, but no... no good not gonna happen, Dorian's a goner." Judy shrugged, Hughie staying silent. "And then Lenny steps in, face all bleeding, and leads Billy away easy, quiet as a lamb. That was Lenny." She smiled at herself, glancing at the man. "He had a way of making Billy not be... well, you know, Billy." She sighed, looking at Hughie.

"I think Billy needs someone like that, you know? I mean, that little bugger over there just looks like Lenny." She spoke, the two watching Samuel tap a bottle of medication on the small table repeatedly. "But Billy needs someone like Lenny. Not someone who just looks like him." Judy smiled lightly, looking at Hughie. The man stared back at her, sighing softly.

"Where's Lenny now?" He asked, Judy sighing. "Oh, God rest his soul." She spoke, sniffling a little. "What happened?" Hughie asked, alerted by the emotions his question provoked. Before there was an answer, there was an explosion. Judy gasped, the group perking up as they looked up above them. Footsteps were heard, another explosion going off. There were more footsteps, M.M. gripping his gun.

The third bomb went off, Samuel standing up. Terror barked, Billy shaking his head. "Woah, Terror, shush." He soothed quickly, Judy holding her hands out to try and calm the dog down. The animal was quiet after a few seconds, Samuel flinching his head back when there was a loud clatter above him. A smoke bomb fell at his feet, Billy's eyes widening.