HOT MILK - HOMELANDER

CREAM OF THE CON

"Let's go over the plan one more time," Mother's Milk said, his tone steady and reassuring.

Jane rolled her eyes, feeling a flicker of impatience.
"No need. I'm not senile. Overthinking will only make things more complicated. I've spent years pretending to be someone I'm not; I'll handle this just fine."

«If you say so," Mother's Milk replied, nodding slightly.

Jane sighed, glancing at the sleek new phone Hughie had bought her.

It had taken some getting used to, given her old phone was ancient and hadn't been charged in months.

Who would she call anyway?

The only device she had consistently used was a Kindle.

This new high-tech gadget (at least in her eyes) had quickly become addictive. She had always known phones weren't just for social interactions, but the full extent of their utility had eluded her until now.

She used to buy the weekly Sudoku magazine at the local store, but now she had an app, which made her quite content.

"Still glued to that word game, ey?" Billy asked, his tone laced with mild amusement as he glanced at Jane.

«Yeah, it's a brain workout. You should give it a shot," Jane replied casually, slipping the phone away and meeting Billy's gaze.

She had only been in America for two days and around these people for just as long.

She had already decided that she was glad Billy didn't like her because it meant she didn't have to feel bad for not liking him either

The others, however, were nice enough. Not overly friendly, but nice.

Hughie was her favourite because he had bought her the phone and had been patient while teaching her how to use it.

Mother's Milk was excellent, too. In her view, he was the natural leader of the group despite Billy's bravado

Frenchie's sharp wit and quick humour made her laugh despite the circumstances.

Silent but observant, Kimiko intrigued Jane by showing interest in the contents of Jane's meticulously packed makeup bag.

Jane didn't mind doing all the talking with Kimiko.
Jane explained everything to her and went on and on about the different products, and it was clear that Kimiko understood and was surprisingly very interested.

Ever since gaining her freedom, Jane has been meticulous about her hair and appearance.

In the asylum, she was limited to a single lavender-scented soap that triggered allergies, making showers a rare indulgence.

Now, with access to her arsenal of different products, she revels in the luxury of choice.

"So, are you ready?" Mother's Milk asked, his tone steady and reassuring.

"Yes," Jane replied, though her confidence was far from complete.

"Okay, relax; this is going to work," Hughie said, looking more nervous than he intended to.

"Take that advice yourself, buddy," Jane chuckled, trying to ease the tension.

The truth was, Jane was terrified.

Sleep had been elusive, her thoughts haunted by the memory of the cold, claustrophobic bunker where she'd spent ten years.

Jane constantly fought to control her powers, listening to her breathing to calm herself whenever the bed began to levitate.