Chapter Text
Starlight was the last person Homelander expected to summon him. And with a polite little email. Especially after he pulled his #Homelight stunt, then taunted her and her little boyfriend about it in her own apartment.
All worth it, of course. Just to see her get all riled up like that without him having to do much of anything.
He had been surprised to see Hughie Campbell stand up to him though, of all people. The few humans that had faced him before had some form of power. Edgar and the Vought scientists had control of his life. William Butcher was a trained fighter with a thirst for vengeance too strong for cowardice.
Very few people faced him without fear like that. Even fewer pushed back against him despite it. Homelander had to admit that he was somewhat impressed.
Perhaps this little meeting of theirs, his, Starlight’s, and Hughie’s, was going to be some useless attempt to stand up to him again. Maybe they’d found something stronger to blackmail him with this time.
There was something entertaining about watching these lesser beings scramble for anything they could use against him, knowing all the while that one day he could just decide to stop caring and go on a rampage.
It was a thought that brought a smile to his face as he paused to smooth his hair back into place before opening the door.
The two of them were sitting at the dining room table he had found them at last time, though now facing him with twin expressions that almost reminded him of two disappointed parents about to scold their child for staying out too late.
He flashed one of his usual smiles, murmuring,” Uh-oh. Am I in trouble?”
Unsurprisingly, his hosts did not seem to appreciate his joke, though they shared a look like there was something amusing about his reaction anyway.
“Did you know that Madelyn Stillwell used to have cameras so she could watch you?” Annie hummed, folding her hands neatly in her lap as she tried to keep her smug satisfaction from creeping onto her face. As if Homelander couldn’t hear it in her voice. “They were in her office, and the hallway outside it. Recording pretty much 24/7.”
His lips twitched.
“Yeah, we kind of figured you didn’t,” Hughie chuckled. Homelander considered killing him right then. Though it wouldn’t have been worth it. “I mean, if you did you probably would have erased the footage we found.”
Silence settled over the three of them for a moment.
“Do you want me to say that we…broke up, or something? Is that it?”
Again, they shared a look. Their silent communication was beginning to get on his nerves.
“Well, actually, we were thinking that there might be a way to make all of us happy. You included.”
“I doubt that.”
Starlight gestured for him to sit down in the chair across from the couple. He was tempted to remain standing just to spite them, but decided against it in light of what they had on him. What they could do to his reputation if they released the video, on top of the blow it had already taken because of Stormfront.
She smiled as when he finally obeyed, continuing,” If we’re doing this #Homelight thing, then we want what you and Madelyn had. But with me, you, and Hughie.”
Homelander stared for a moment.
“You want to…”
Hughie nodded.
“You don’t have to agree to it though. We just thought you might want to, since you liked doing…that with Madelyn.”
“But it is the only way that #Homelight bullshit is happening,” Starlight clarified. “If we do the Mommy, Daddy, and you thing.”
“This isn’t about blackmail then? This is just about…sex?”
They both nodded in unison.
Homelander’s teeth teased and tugged at his lower lip as he tried to imagine it. Them filling the role that Madelyn had. Except not just that, but also the thing that he had been trying very hard to convince himself he didn’t want or crave the same way he did what he had with Madelyn.
“You don’t exactly strike me as the “daddy” type,” he muttered, watching Hughie’s reaction.
Starlight smiled.
“He’s not. We’re going to be switching. If that’s okay with you.”
He swallowed.