The Boys: Viltrumite Bloodline Panel

The desert teaches you more about water than the ocean ever could.

~ Marcus Aurelius

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Homelander’s shoulders were trembling.

Hillel could feel his emotions; his heart rate was spiking, his eyes went glassy, and his mind went blank.

There was even a high-pitched electronic whine ringing in his ears.

"The Guardian, could you explain in more..."

Steven was still trying to grab the next question when the female reporter next to him kicked him right behind the knee.

"Ow, fuck!"

Steven dropped to his knees and his glasses went flying.

But nobody felt sorry for him.

Someone even stomped on his microphone that had fallen to the floor.

The rest of the reporters shoved forward.

Three seconds ago Steven was at the front of the pack.

Three seconds later he was shoved all the way to the back row.

Damn! These animals are vicious.

Steven got up and rubbed his ass; someone had pinched him hard in the scramble.

His suit pants were even ripped.

The other reporters picked up right where he left off, hammering The Guardian with follow-up questions.

Homelander stood off to the side by himself, like some abandoned kid.

He’d just been stabbed in the back by his so-called best friend!

The guy he actually called his brother!

"The Guardian, could you explain why Homelander stopped the other supes from going on this mission? Is there some inside story?"

The question snapped Homelander out of it.

"That’s right, there’s a very deep inside story here. If I told you, you’d be shocked!"

Hillel kept stringing them along.

He casually threw an arm around Homelander’s shoulder, all buddy-buddy.

Homelander looked confused as hell.

Because Hillel immediately turned his head just enough for Homelander to catch the smug little grin on his face.

That speed only he and A-Train could even register.

Everyone else missed it completely.

He fucking played me! Homelander realized instantly.

Hillel started answering.

"Why? Because Homelander had his own selfish reasons, and it’s exactly that selfishness that made today’s big win possible!"

"Then what exactly was this selfish reason?"

The reporters were practically clawing at their own faces they were so impatient.

Fine, fine, fine, playing the clickbait game with us, huh!

We’ve been asking for ages and he still won’t spit it out.

"After A-Train finished gathering the evidence, we had a quick meeting. I originally wanted The Seven to go out together, but Homelander strongly insisted that only the three of us go."

"In other words, Homelander decided who got to be on this operation!"

"Yes!"

Hillel neatly wrapped up Homelander’s earlier bragging for him.

Homelander’s face looked a little strained; he turned his head away like he was pouting.

"I see. So why did Homelander limit the team like that? Was it to protect his own image, or is there another reason?"

The reporter’s question was loaded.

Homelander slowly turned his head and gave her a long, flat look, like he was memorizing her face for later.

"Of course there’s another reason."

Hillel said it like it was obvious. "With Homelander’s reputation and image, he’s always been the type to share the spotlight with the rest of the team. How could he possibly be trying to hog it all for himself? Right, John?"

Hillel gave Homelander’s shoulder a squeeze.

Homelander’s expression twitched, but he forced a smile and nodded.

"Yes, that’s right. How could I ever hog the spotlight!"

"Exactly. Homelander is noble and selfless. He wouldn’t be scared of anyone stealing his thunder. That’s the kind of thing only wimps, sissies, losers, bitches, schemers, mobsters, and orphans would do. Right, John?"

"Yes, that’s right. I’m not that kind of person."

Homelander was already starting to regret everything.

Why the fuck did he have to poke the bear?

"That’s right. The reason Homelander limited the personnel is because the three of us are the top five most popular supes in the country!" Hillel said seriously. "I’m not afraid of criticism; people have already called me a fascist!"

"Homelander isn’t afraid of criticism either, because he’s suffered from it too, struggling countless times between his ideals and reality, asking himself what he should do with his life and what kind of role he should play!"

"Queen Maeve isn’t afraid of criticism. When she first joined the hero lineup, she went through plenty of painful shit. You know, back then her powers weren’t as refined as they are now. She once tore a big chunk of bone out of her wrist saving a school bus that went off a bridge!"

Hillel called Queen Maeve over and gently took her wrist, lifting it up for everyone to see.

Queen Maeve only had eyes for Hillel, her gaze already dripping with affection.

She had never talked about that pain before. Back then her heart was still full of the ideal of saving people from suffering, but reality had knocked her on her ass.

She had buried it deep.

She never expected Hillel to drag it out today.

"My experiences aren’t worth mentioning, but these two woke up from ruin and rose from destruction, like phoenixes rising from the ashes. They’ve been through a thousand hells to reach where they are now."

"They’ve got real hero hearts!"

"That’s why Homelander believed only the three of us could handle the fallout from this, and only the three of us wouldn’t end up quietly ’suiciding’ after exposing the rot at the top!"

Hillel was still piling on the praise.

While he was at it, he made sure to slap a few debuffs on the other side too.

The reporters, and everyone watching at home, finally realized the ugly truth.

If this shit had been exposed by some random low-tier supes instead of big names like The Guardian, Homelander, and Queen Maeve, what would’ve happened?

Suicide.

That would’ve been the only outcome.

"In other words, Homelander stepped up to protect the rest of the team, ready to take the hit for doing the right thing?"

The Vought News reporter jumped in again.

Homelander glanced at him and recognized one of their own guys.

He couldn’t help but nod.

Their people knew how to play ball.

"That’s right."

Hillel nodded.

Homelander’s arms, which had been tense and useless a minute ago, were now behind his back. His steps got lighter. He puffed out his chest, looking proud as hell.

An adult’s emotions aren’t all over the place like a kid’s.

Queen Maeve gently squeezed Hillel’s hand back.

Back then she had warned him not to screw Starlight over.

Now she was warning herself not to miss her shot with Hillel.

As for her girlfriend Elena, fuck that. Ordinary people can’t understand what a real hero is. Before, she was just a comfort for the soul. Now? Not needed anymore.

Starlight stood in the corner, watching Queen Maeve hold Hillel’s hand.

Her fists clenched!

Bitch~

"So, behind The Guardian saving people, there was always a teammate silently backing him up, and that person is Homelander!"

"We should give some applause to Homelander too!"

"Salute to those heroes who stand firm in the dark!"

Unsurprisingly, it was the Vought News reporter again, hyping it up.

The tone had been raised so high that everyone else could only clap along.

"Give yourselves some applause too. We only did what we had to do. And you, my friends!"

"You are the real heroes!"

Homelander clapped happily, his little hands going like a seal that just got a fish.

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