Entering that TV studio, the switch in Homelander was apparent. Long gone was the sarcastic, sneering supe Victoria had tried to get to know. He was in full charm offensive, continuously smiling and waving to people as they headed to the couch on the stage. Victoria, on the other hand, felt like a deer in the headlights. She had given lectures and routinely delivered seminars and gave talks at conferences. But this was so much bigger than any of those times. She had held onto his hand, knowing that her grip was tight but unlikely to bother him. He'd peeled his gloves from his fingers too, his warm skin engulfing her shaking and sweating palms.

"You alright, darling?"

It took her a moment to realise that he was addressing the question to her. Looking up to him, she nodded her head, a smile forming on her face. The couch they were sat on was squelchy under his suit and Victoria felt her thighs sticking to the material where the dress didn't cover her skin. Folding one leg over the other, she sat up straight as Homelander dropped her hand to his thigh and moved his arm behind her back, a hand going to the small of it and rubbing soothingly.

"You've got this," he promised her and she knew he was only being nice because they had been mic'd up.

"I'm fine," she promised him, her hand resting on his thigh. She could feel the padding of his suit beneath her fingers and she wondered just how muscular he actually was.

Making no comment, she tried to relax her shoulders, feeling them slump slightly. There were camera crew running round, some people playing with the lighting. The stage was simple, with a large screen behind the couch and the chair where the host, Kelly Morell, was due to sit. A glass coffee table was posed on a green rug, three mugs with Kelly's face respectively placed in front of each seat. Turning to look to the screen, Victoria saw that there was already an image of her and Homelander there. It was one from the night he had flown her back from Vought Tower, holding her tightly as she tried not to think about being sick on him once they had taken off.

"Here they are!"

Victoria startled at the high-pitched shrieking voice. A woman with blonde, curly hair stormed onto the stage. She had a blue fitted dress on with a similar colour pair of heels. Her eyes were glimmering as they landed on the couple in front of her. Clapping once, she tilted her head to the side, green eyes flitting between them.

"Kelly," Homelander said, the charm instantly radiating from him.

He moved to his feet and embraced the woman, kisses on each cheek and hands clasped on upper arms.

"How are you?" Homelander asked from her.

"Oh, I'm doing fabulously well," Kelly confirmed to him, her high-pitched voice enough to make Victoria squirm inside, knowing that eventually she would be directing questions to her. "And you? I have to say this is a surprise after last time. You and Queen Maeve seemed so strong."

"Ah, that was such a long time ago," Homelander laughed, waving a dismissive hand. "We've both moved on from then after realising we were better just as friends. Besides, I have this one now…and it's made me see what I was missing in my life."

Kelly looked as though she might swoon, but Victoria simply longed to roll her eyes at him. She refrained, forcing a fake smile onto her face and standing up then, remembering that it would be polite to at least introduce herself to the woman stood before her.

"He's being modest," Victoria said, nudging him and causing him to chuckle. She held her hand out to Kelly. "I'm Victoria Anderton. It's nice to meet you."

"Oh, I think we all know who you are!" Kelly exclaimed. "I can't go anywhere without seeing your face plastered on some news board or pop up on my socials. You two are the hottest couple right now."

"Well, I don't know about that," Victoria said.

"Oh, believe me," Kelly said, shaking Victoria's hand and she noted a look of something in her eye. There wasn't entirely just innocence there. But Victoria should know. She was a journalist looking for a scoop. Sure, she had said she would play by Vought's rules, but that didn't mean she couldn't throw a curveball. "Listen, I need to just finish checking the autocue and then we'll get going. We go live in about five minutes."

"Perfect," Homelander said, the smile remaining on his face until she had disappeared and it then dropped. Victoria tried to stifle a laugh at that and he glanced to her, knowing they couldn't say anything. But they seemed to share a knowing look, both of them finding this more excruciating than they could openly admit.

"That was funny," she whispered as they settled back down on the couch.

Homelander leant back, legs spread as he looked comfortable. Victoria perched down, folding her legs again before Ashley burst on the scene, moving to them with a clipboard in her hand and her phone on top of it. She crouched down and looked to them both, that annoying forced smile on her face. Glancing to Victoria and Homelander, she waved a hand around frantically.

"Madelyn just said that it might be best if you sat a little closer," she said, almost as though she was scared of saying anything. Victoria didn't know what it was about Homelander that seemed to put her on edge. Sure, he could be intimidating and a bit of a dick, but Victoria had begun to refuse to let herself feel as though she had to be in awe of him. She didn't back down when, clearly, he wasn't used to being challenged.

"Better?" Homelander questioned, his thigh now brushing Victoria's.

"Victoria, perhaps angle your body towards him?" Ashley suggested.

Victoria did as she was told, turning her upper body towards his. Ashley nodded, looking appeased with what she was seeing.

"And maybe you could hold both her hands…you know…yours on top of hers?" she said.

"Jesus, Ashley, we're not some dolls for you to play with," Homelander complained, the façade dropping for a moment. The assistant stood up then, hands held in the air defensively and apologetically. She backed away as Homelander placed his palm over Victoria's clasped hands on her thighs.

"Why doesn't she just ask me to full on straddle you?" Victoria said, her tone sarcastic.

"Now there's a thought."

The words were out before he could stop himself. Her eyes widened as she looked at him, but he seemed nonplussed. He just let his brows rise on his forehead as his gaze met hers and he noted how her heartrate began to increase and the blood flowed to her cheeks, the foundation and bronzer she wore doing enough for it not to be too noticeable to the human eye. She said nothing to him then, turning away and wondering why he had just said that. He had to be sarcastic. He wasn't being serious. There was no chance of him actually being genuine in what he had just said.

But yet, a part of her began to wonder what that might feel like. She wasn't going to lie and say that she didn't find him attractive. She had eyes. She had spent time being pressed up close to him. She was only human, after all. But, his personality wasn't exactly what she went for. Then again, what did she go for? She'd had a string of failed relationships, the longest of which had lasted for about six months. She had an issue with intimacy, something her therapist had once told her probably stemmed from her childhood. She had scoffed at that. Victoria could have told her that.

And then there was Homelander. He didn't know why he had said that. In a way, he found himself becoming less frustrated by being around her. She wasn't too bad and, in some sense, he didn't need to put up too much of an act around her. She didn't expect him to be charming twenty-four-seven. She didn't actually expect anything from him and that was a novelty in itself. He went around every day with people wanting something from him, yet Victoria didn't. She hadn't asked for any favours. She hadn't tried to use him to get what she wanted. She seemed just content to be with him and he didn't think he'd ever really had that.

"We're going live," Kelly's studio manager suddenly said.

Kelly sat down and tossed her hair behind her shoulders, inhaling a sharp breath and then turning to the camera that was pointed straight at her. The studio lights seemed sharper all of a sudden, Victoria hoping her makeup didn't melt under their heat. Homelander kept her hand inside of his and ran his thumb along her knuckles, the motion unintentional but seemingly natural. Victoria looked around as Kelly put on a large smile and began her introduction once the countdown had gotten to zero.

"Hi! I'm Kelly Morell and you're watching Live with Kelly on Vought TV!" she exclaimed. "Coming up on today's show, we'll have an exclusive for you as we go live to the New Orleans Superhero Pageant to see which lucky supe wins an internship with Vought. But, first up, I'm sure you've read all about them, I know I have," she winked, "and they're here with us today and ready to, officially, go public. It's Homelander and Victoria Anderton."

Claps echoed through the studio as Kelly threw her arm in their direction and the cameras swivelled from where they sat, pointing directly at Homelander and Victoria on the couch, the screen behind them playing a montage of images that had been taken covertly over the past few weeks.

"Hi, Kelly," Homelander smoothly said.

"So, I think we're all dying to know, when did this begin?" Kelly asked, motioning between the two of them.

"Well, I think I can say that neither of us knew that this would happen," Homelander said and Victoria nodded her head, agreeing with him. "I met Victoria a few weeks ago after I had been heading off around New York and she was being mugged by some man down an alley. He had her at knifepoint."

"Oh my God, how terrifying!" Kelly declared.

"I thought so too," he responded. "However, Victoria wasn't some damsel in distress. She had the situation covered completely. She was handling her own. In fact, I watched her for a moment in complete awe. No, this is a woman who doesn't need rescuing. Believe me."

Homelander chuckled and squeezed her hand tightly inside of his fingers and she continued smiling. She tried to keep her breathing under control, ignoring the fact that there were millions of people watching and millions of others would watch online. She would be a snippet on social media. She looked at him and she could see him watching, silently urging her to be fine with what was going on.

"Wow," Kelly said. "So, a PhD student focusing on international law in relation to asylum seekers…a woman who knows self-defence…the highest performing student in her undergraduate degree…is there anything you can't do, Victoria?"

"I don't know about that," Victoria said, her training kicking in. She was doing everything in her power not to freak out. It wouldn't help anyone and it wouldn't save her contract. They could cancel it anytime they wanted. "I'm just a single woman living in a large city. I took self-defence classes with my friends, hoping that I'd never have to use them, but they did come in handy, I suppose," she said and Homelander watched her intently, his eyes focusing on her. "Then again, in this city, at least we have the Seven keeping us safe."

"Isn't that the truth!" Kelly exclaimed, pushing a hand through her blonde curly hair. "And so there was an instant connection?"

"I think you can say that," Homelander concurred. "We talked for a while and I walked her home…we stayed on the sidewalk for at least five hours that night. I just wanted to hear more about her. She intrigued me."

"She is quite intriguing," Kelly agreed on that point. "So, Victoria, what attracted you to our Homelander here? Apart from the obvious?"

"Well, I suppose it's hard not to be in awe of him, but he was funny and ever so kind as we walked back," Victoria said, remembering what they had told her to say. "He is courteous and, despite how amazing he is, he is constantly telling me how amazing I am…not overshadowing what I have done in my life. He makes me laugh harder than anyone else and he is adoring, but…more than that…" Victoria trailed off and Homelander's grip on her increased. This wasn't in the script. What was going to come out of her mouth? "There is more to him than meets the eye," she declared and Homelander could hear Madelyn's heart rate increase from where she was sat in the corner.

"Oh?" Kelly pushed. "And what is that?"

"Yes, darling, what is it?" Homelander wondered and Victoria ignored his stare, finding it easier to speak to Kelly than to him.

"I don't know how to explain it," Victoria confessed. "But I was worried that behind closed doors things would change…that he wasn't this charming individual all of the time. I mean, is it possible to smile all of the time? I think my cheeks would ache constantly."

Kelly laughed and Homelander followed suit as Victoria wondered what the hell was coming over her.

"And he…I feel that it's hard to say what I mean," Victoria said. "We're so early into the relationship, but a part of me feels that…maybe…he can open up around me eventually. We see superheroes and we think that they have no flaws or insecurities. We think that they are perfect. But that's not true. Nobody is perfect. Everyone has flaws. Everyone has issues. It's not fair of us to expect that of supes, not even the Seven and I'm hoping that…with time…maybe he'll feel comfortable to open up more to me."

Homelander was silent, his mind whirling. He didn't know what to think. He didn't know what to say? Did she want that or was she just playing? What did she think she was doing?

"The famous Homelander has flaws?" Kelly asked and he laughed, nodding his head.

"Of course," Homelander responded.

"And you, Victoria? What is your biggest flaw?"

This was so off script that Madelyn was almost tempted to try and shut it down. Was there not some serious emergency taking place that they could claim Homelander had to get to? But then Ashley nudged her, showing her what was happening on social media and that gained her attention for a moment.

"I'm untrusting," Victoria said quickly. "It takes a lot for me actually to trust someone and open up. I only have two close friends who can vouch for me on that one. But, around Homelander, I'm beginning to think that I can finally trust again."

"And why is it that you are so untrusting?"

"I think that's a bit of a too personal question right now," Homelander said before Victoria could answer and she glanced to him. He looked back to her, his hand entwining with one of hers and picking it up, placing it in both of his. "But, this is early days in our relationship and, with time, I think that we could make this work."

"And the pressures of being involved with a supe?" Kelly wondered from Victoria. "I mean, most of us will have seen the comments on social media. How do you cope with them?"

Victoria faltered. She hadn't seen the comments. She hadn't seen any of them because Vought had taken control over her social media and she had stayed off of it. She did her best not look at the news or anything online, preferring to focus on her thesis instead. She knew that was for the best. Her brow furrowed and her mouth opened, but nothing came out.

"You know, I would just say to the people making comments on Victoria…well…we should all try and be a bit kinder in the world," Homelander said. He knew that this might come up, but Madelyn had told him that it was an off topic thing. Then again, when did a journalist ever be honest? Madelyn would deal with her when the show had ended. "But," Homelander said and he knew he was going off topic once more, "I can say this," he said, holding his free hand up. "Victoria Anderton gives me a run for my money. She is smart. She is witty. She is working on a thesis to try and change things for the better. She makes me laugh daily. She does not deserve the hate she receives online and I would ask those engaging with it or posting it to please stop because there is a real life person on the end of it. And she doesn't deserve it."

Victoria glanced to him again and her gaze met his as Kelly wrapped up the interview, claiming that they had no more time. As soon as the cameras were off, Victoria pulled the mic from her waist, tossing it onto the couch. She could see Madelyn and Ashley in the distance, huddled around a phone and looking down at it. Victoria said nothing to Homelander as she went past him, storming up to the two Vought employees.

"We need to talk," Madelyn said.

"I want to see."

"See what?" Madelyn asked.

"My social media accounts. I want to log onto them."

"Victoria, I don't think that's the best idea," Madelyn said with a firm shake of her head, but Victoria was persistent. "Listen, this didn't go the way we had planned for it to go. Those questions were intense and not in the approved list…and you completely went off script which is a PR nightmare-"

"-My phone," Victoria said, interrupting her. "Please. Just give me it back. I want to see."

"No, you don't."

"Give her what she wants," Homelander said, finally joining them. "I think she might have just provided you with a better interview than you could ever hope for, so give her the phone."

Victoria held her hand out and waited. Madelyn pulled it from her jacket pocket and unlocked it, reinstating access to her social media accounts. Victoria took it from her and left the studio, needing to be alone and in private.

…

She didn't know why she had wanted to look. She didn't know why she had bothered. She knew that there was a chance this might happen and, if she hadn't, then she should have. She shouldn't have been so naïve to think that people wouldn't have an opinion on her. She had opinions on everything herself, but not once did she bother to post them online for people to read. What people said in the privacy of their own homes was one thing, but what they posted online for anyone to see was another.

'She seems like a bit of a stuck-up bitch.'

'Is he really with someone as unattractive as her? Have you seen how small her tits are?'

'She has some kind of pathetic save-the-world complex. Just what we need, another stuck up student telling us how we can be 'kinder''.

They were unrelenting. There had been some nicer comments, of course, but they were overshadowed by the mean ones. They had gone back to Vought Tower and Victoria had remained composed and silent as she read the messages. She was used to being told how worthless she was. She had spent her entire childhood being told that. Once they were back at the Tower, she asked for a minute before they went into the meeting. Homelander found that she had been uncharacteristically quiet. He watched her stalk into the bathroom, using his x-ray vision to see her head to a stall and close the toilet lid. She sunk down onto it and buried her face in her hands.

"I saw your interview."

Madelyn and Ashley had gone into her office, no doubt debriefing and preparing to scold them for going off topic.

"Not now, Maeve," Homelander said as she moved over to him, dressed in her usual attire, hands on her hips and eyes focused on him.

"She was impressive," Maeve said, standing in front of him and shrugging her shoulders. "What she said…she must have been briefed well. It almost came off as sincere and from the heart."

"I said not now," Homelander retorted, not intending on telling her that it had been sincere and from the heart. Then again, he didn't know if it really had been.

"Where is she?"

"In there," Homelander said, pointing to the bathroom door. He could hear her crying.

Maeve frowned. "She alright?"

Homelander shook his head. "Not after that interview," he said. "She insisted on seeing her phone and reading the comments on her social media accounts."

"Shit," Maeve said.

"I should go in there and get her out. We have a meeting with Stillwell-"

"-Whoa," Maeve said, hand going to his chest to stop him from moving to the bathroom. "Let me deal with this. Trust me, a woman reading nasty comments about herself isn't something that you handle indelicately."

"And you think that I would be indelicate with her?"

"I think that I know you can be too brash," Maeve responded. "Unless…unless you genuinely do care about her?"

Maeve's brow arched at him, waiting for him to say something. But he didn't. Instead, he simply stepped to the side and let her go by him into the bathroom. He wasn't going to tell Maeve anything that was going on in his head, not when he couldn't work it out himself.

Moving into the bathroom, Maeve heard the sniffs stop as her footsteps echoed through the marbled room. Coming to stand next to the stall, she folded her arms over her chest and spoke, her tone not entirely harsh but not exactly full of calm.

"You know, people who post those comments online are just assholes," Maeve said. "Trust me, there's no point in reading them or dwelling on them."

The door creaked open, the lock moving from it. Victoria was sat on the closed toilet seat, her cheeks were red and tears streaming down them, pooling in her eyes. "I knew I shouldn't have done it," she said, struggling to believe that Queen Maeve was stood in front of her and she had a snotty nose.

"I get it," Maeve promised her. "It's intrigue. It's hard not to look away. It's like a car crash."

"I just…I just didn't think it would be that bad," Victoria admitted to her. "I knew that people said horrible things online, but I never thought there would be that many. But whatever…I mean, you…you don't have to be nice to me."

"I'm not," Maeve said to her with a shake of her head. "I'm here to tell you that the comments won't get better. Yeah, you'll have swayed some people round to your side with that interview. Great job on that, by the way. But there will always be people with nasty things to say to you…and most of them are people with no lives."

"I get that," Victoria responded.

"Then develop a thick skin," Maeve said. "And do it quickly because, trust me, it will be better for you in the long run. You're an impressive young woman. I know that. So be that woman and forget everything you've read today. You have to rise above it because, trust me, nothing will happen to those who write it. It's not fair. It's not right. But that's the world we live in."

Maeve moved away and Victoria watched her go, her words echoing in her mind. "Thank you," she called out to her.

Maeve held the handle to the main door and her lips arched. She wanted to run back to her. She wanted to grab Victoria and get her away from Vought; get her away from Homelander. She might be in this fake relationship, but Maeve had seen Homelander in that interview. She knew the type of man he was, but what scared her was the way he looked at Victoria; almost as if he wasn't faking it.

…

Homelander continued pacing outside the bathroom. Maeve had left him alone, telling him that Victoria would be fine. He had heard everything she had said to her and it seemed to resonate with her. She had sniffed one final time before standing up and moving to the mirror, spending some time in front of it washing her face free of makeup to make herself look more presentable. She straightened herself out and left the bathroom, her head held high. She saw Homelander leant against the wall, watching her.

"I assume we have to go to that meeting?" she asked from him.

"You assume correctly," Homelander said.

"Let's get this over with," she muttered and the two of them headed down the hall.

Homelander held the office door open. Madelyn and Ashley were stood around a tablet by the sofa. Victoria walked into the room first, Homelander close on her tail. He let the door close and moved to sit on the couch.

"Let's get this bollocking over with," he complained and Victoria sat next to him.

"You're right, I should be bollocking both of you for going massively off script," Madelyn said. "But, fortunately for you, your little outbursts actually boosted your poll ratings to a new high."

Homelander looked entertained then while Victoria looked amazed. She sank down to sit next to him as Ashley began talking, unable to stop herself from sounding thrilled. It was almost as though she was talking about her own relationship.

"People cannot stop talking about how perfect you two were…the thing Victoria said about Homelander opening up was inspired. People have resonated with that so much, said that it makes you both seem like you're in a real relationship and not some PR bullshit."

"And while that was completely off topic, you got away with it," Madelyn said, a warning tone to her voice.

"Plus, people love how Homelander didn't treat you like some weak woman, mentioning how you can handle yourself. But that clip of him defending you against trolls has gone viral already. We're up to nineteen million views and it has only been an hour!" Ashley exclaimed and Victoria looked to him as he shrugged.

"Knew it would be a good soundbite," he declared and he heard Victoria inhale sharply and she seemed to wince. What did she want? Did she think he would be genuine?

"And again, that response was off topic," Madelyn retorted to him. "But you got away with it."

"I've been doing this job long enough to know what sells well," Homelander nonchalantly spoke. "So I would say that it has been a job well done. Do we both have to stay here and listen to this fawning or can we go?"

Madelyn pursed her lips and she looked to Homelander. "Take Victoria home," she said to him and he hated being bossed around, but he said nothing on that matter for a moment. "And then come back to me when you return. We have more matters to discuss."

He could see the look in her eye and he knew what Madelyn had planned. He had done well and clearly that meant he was going to be rewarded. He knew exactly what that meant and, usually, he would jump at the chance to be alone with Madelyn. But, he didn't feel like that. He didn't want to rush back. Instead, he just nodded and left with Victoria. She followed him dutifully out of the building, keeping up the act of being a happy couple.

"Can we talk?" Victoria asked him as he picked her up once more, preparing to fly off.

"What is there to talk about?" he wondered, adjusting her slightly in his grip as she clung onto him.

"Please?" she simply asked from him and, with that one word, he nodded and gave into her.

He flew off and in moments they had landed outside of her apartment. There were people milling on the sidewalk, no doubt watching and listening in as they passed by. Victoria pulled out her apartment keys from the pocket in the green dress she wore. She unlocked the main door and turned her head over to Homelander while he stood there.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked him.

He nodded and followed her in. She took the lead as she moved up the staircase and then came to the floor where she lived. She unlocked another door and held it open. Homelander stepped inside, watching her toss her keys onto the sideboard along with her phone, kicking her heels off. The apartment was large enough for three of them. There was a kitchen by the main door, a dark blue wood colour and a light wooden worktop with a breakfast bar poking out. There was a large sofa facing a TV, several throws over it. Magazines littered the coffee table along with textbooks and coffee mugs that didn't form a complete set. There were four doors off a small corridor past the kitchen, leading to the bedrooms and a bathroom.

"Holy shit, Vic! That interview was amazing!"

Daniella's voice came through the apartment as she left her room, carrying her laptop and looking down to it as she went, clearly unaware they had company.

"Dani, we-"

"-And you looked so hot in that green dress. I mean, super hot. Vought really know that green's your colour…" Daniella trailed off as she finally looked up and saw that Victoria was stood there with Homelander. "Fuck," she said.

"Hi," Homelander said, turning the charm back on like a switch.

"Homelander," Daniella said, closing her laptop and placing it on the breakfast bar. "Homelander is in our apartment."

"He is," Homelander confirmed.

"This is Daniella," Victoria said, motioning to her friend.

"Your flatmate interning at the law firm, right?" Homelander checked, offering her a gloved hand that she took and he shook.

"You know about me?"

"Oh, Victoria can't stop talking about you and Michelle," Homelander said, dropping her hand after a moment."It's really nice to meet you."

"Michelle not in?" Victoria asked.

"No, she's still at the gym," Danielle said. "Due back any minute though."

"Okay, cool," Victoria said. "Listen, we just need to talk for a bit so we'll just be in my room…" she trailed off, hoping that Daniella would get the message and she wasn't being overly rude.

"Oh…yeah…of course, I'll let you be."

"Nice to meet you," Homelander said.

"Yeah, you too," Daniella said and Victoria smirked, amused at her friend's starstruck behaviour.

"Come on," Victoria said to Homelander and he dutifully followed her into her bedroom. He looked around as she moved to the door. He drank in the teddy bear on her bed against her pillows on the floral duvet with the throws strewn on it. There was a desk cluttered in papers and textbooks. There were four dresses hung on the wardrobe as well, clearly emphasising that she had no idea what to wear.

"This is cosy," Homelander said to her.

"I like it," she offered back.

She sat down on the bed, crossing her legs and tugging her dress down her lap.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Homelander wondered and Victoria knew she didn't entirely feel bold at that moment in time. She knew what she wanted to say, but she was worried about opening up to him. She was worried about what he would say.

"You can sit down," she said to him and he did so.

He pulled his cape to the side and sunk down, hands laced together in between open thighs. Victoria played with the material of the skirt to her dress in her fingertips, looking down on it.

"I know that the interview didn't go according to the plan," Victoria said to him. "But what I said…I meant some of it," she confessed and his brows knitted together, face contorting. "I mean, I couldn't mean all of it because we know that as soon as these six months are done then that's it for us. We're done. But I meant what I said about there being a different side to you and I didn't want to annoy you by saying it or make it sound like I know who you are because I clearly really don't…but I do think that there is something more to you…and…well…you don't always need to act around me."

Homelander struggled to comprehend what she was saying to him. No one had ever said that to him before. Even Madelyn, who claimed she knew him, didn't always seem interested in what he said to her. But here was Victoria Anderton. Here she was telling him that she could trust her. But why should he? He didn't need to trust anyone.

"Anyway, that's all I wanted to say," Victoria said to him with a shrug and she wondered if he was ever going to speak. "I just wanted you to know that I wasn't being entirely fake during that interview."

"I don't get it."

He was looking to the floor and Victoria scrunched her nose up.

"You don't get it?" she questioned from him.

"What do you want from me? What do you want me to do?"

"Excuse me?"

"Everyone wants something from me. It's been that way since I was born. What do you want me to do? You want me to be grateful? You want me to feel as though I am in debt to you? I don't get it."

"Not everything is a transaction," Victoria said, her voice rising and Homelander laughed, throwing his head back.

"Seriously?" he demanded to know from her. "Our entire relationship is a transaction. You're getting paid for making doe eyes at me every day. How can you say that not everything is a transaction? How can you lie to me?"

"I'm…fine…you have a point," Victoria confessed to him, their gaze finally meeting and she noted how his jaw was tensed. It seemed to be a tell-tale sign for when he was stressed. "I know that I am getting paid for this entire fake relationship. I know that's what's happening and I agreed to it because I felt pushed into a corner. You basically told me that Vought could threaten me and…I might not have much in my life, but I have Daniella and Michelle. I would never risk them."

"How noble of you."

"No, they're just my friends," Victoria retorted. "But here's the thing. If Vought told me that the deal was off right now then I wouldn't give a shit. I wouldn't care at all because, yeah, six million dollars would be amazing, but I…I…"

She trailed off and looked down to the duvet cover once more. Homelander continued watching her, shoulders rising and falling as he became impatient. "You what?"

"I would give it up if I knew it would make you trust that I'm authentic because for some fucked up reason, I care more about that than the money," she spat out. "I don't know why because it isn't like you've ever been extremely nice to me, but I know that there is something in there. There is something inside of you that isn't either fake charm or annoying snarky comments."

"You really think that?"

"How could I not?" she wondered from him. "I don't think it's possible for there to be nothing inside of you…no real emotion…and it might be because I feel pity for your fucked up childhood, but I actually do care…because I know what it is like to be alone. I know what it can be like and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, even you when you're being a dick to me."

"You can't fix me," he said to her, voice tense, but behind it she could see something else. There was something other than contempt. There was a vulnerability there.

"I'm not trying to fix you. Christ, I am not qualified for that," Victoria said to him. "I'm just trying to tell you that you don't always need to pretend. That's it. I'm trying to tell you that I understand there is some humanity inside of you and you don't need to hide it because I've tried to do that…I've tried to run away from everything…hide…and it sucks. I know that it sucks. And I'm not trying to be a saint here. I'm not trying to be some psychiatrist…I just see you and I see you're hiding and it's like you've been hiding your whole life and I don't think you deserve to have to do that."

"I'm not hiding," he said.

"Fine," Victoria said to him and she moved from the bed, standing up and shrugging. "Listen, thanks for bringing me back home, but you should get back to Madelyn. I have a date with my pyjamas and Netflix."

"So you want me to go?" he asked, not entirely used to being dismissed.

"I didn't say that," Victoria replied. "I just don't think there is anything left for us to say now. We're going round in circles continuously and I'm not going to keep fighting for you actually to-"

"-What are you watching?" he decided to ask, moving to his feet and Victoria faltered. She didn't understand why he was changing the subject. "On Netflix?" he asked her. He wanted her to stop talking. He needed her to stop talking before he finally gave in and told her exactly what he was scared of. He felt weak enough to do it, drinking in her sad eyes and pouty lip. But he didn't want to do that, yet he didn't want to go, not really

"I…some drama from the UK…about a court case where they don't know if the guy actually killed his wife or not," Victoria said. "But we weren't-"

"-Never seen it," he interrupted her. "Any good?"

"I mean…yeah," she said with a nod of her head, wondering what he was doing. She was confused. She had no idea what he was playing at, but it seemed as though he was trying to change the subject. Had it all gotten too much for him and this was how he coped? She didn't know, but it was better than him yelling at her and she wasn't going to keep pushing him when he clearly didn't want to be pushed. "I'm enjoying it anyway."

"I don't get chance to watch much TV."

"I guess not," Victoria agreed with him and then spoke, not knowing if she was being foolish or if he was going snap at her. "If you want then you can…like…stay…"

"Fine."

"But Madelyn-"

"-Can wait a bit longer," he interrupted and Victoria nodded.

"Okay," she said and she moved to grab her laptop from the desk. "The TV in the room doesn't work. Ridiculous, I know, but it's there just for show so I end up having to watch everything on my laptop. Just let me open the tab."

She fumbled with the laptop, holding it in one hand and using her other hand to press on the button. Soon enough, the screen loaded and Victoria set it down on the bed. She moved to sit next to the wall and sat up against the pillows by the headboard.

"Can I?" Homelander asked and motioned to the bed.

"Yeah, feel free," she said and he sat down on the bed, the laptop in between them and playing the show, some bad cockney accent coming through the speakers. Looking to the screen, Homelander placed his hands onto his stomach, reclining back against her pillows and stretching his legs in front of him as she curled into a ball, playing with her hair, eyes fixed on the screen.

"I meant what I said about those idiot trolls, by the way," Homelander said to her, eyes still fixed on the court room scene that was starting up. "Fuck them. They don't know what they're saying."

Victoria tugged at her hair and nodded. "Thanks," she offered back to him and he just nodded.

There was silence between them once again and Homelander knew that Madelyn would be pissed off with him. He imagined her sat in her office and waiting for him while he stayed with Victoria. He had no idea what had come over him. He had no interest in the badly acted show that was playing. He didn't care about it. He could think of only one reason why he was currently sat on Victoria's bed and that reason terrified him, the world's strongest superhero, because he didn't know how to deal with it.

...

A/N: Ahh I am so happy that I have people reading and seeming to enjoy this! Thank you so much to MadisonJM, nizem8, AnimeLover229 and .Venus for reviewing the last chapter. So happy you're enjoying so far. Would love to know your thoughts on this chapter, we're slowly getting somewhere, but it will take time and I have so much planned that is coming up. As always, love to know your thoughts or even if you have any suggestions! Anything at all, just let me know!