Victoria walked into her apartment after getting off the subway and trudging the two block walk home, keeping her head down. She tossed her keys onto the sideboard by the door and kicked it closed with her foot, dropping her bag from her shoulder and letting it fall onto the floor. Shrugging out of the brown mac she was wearing, she hung it up on one of the pegs along the wall next to the door. It was another moment before her flatmates descended on her, peace completely shattered. Daniella stormed out and tugged a hand through her hair.

She was wearing her tight-fitting skirt and white blouse, a hole in her tights with her toe poking out. She clearly hadn't changed since getting home from her internship. Her curly, shoulder length red hair looked displaced, no doubt from her running her hands through it while she had been working. Michelle was close on her tail, already dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a Colombia University sweatshirt that was too baggy on her.

"You're all over the internet, Vic!" Michelle said, holding her phone up and showing Victoria the photo on the main TMZ webpage of her and Homelander, holding hands and strolling through the park. She was almost amazed at how authentic the image looked. She was talking, looking animated about what she was saying and Homelander had a smile on his face, his gaze settled down on her.

"That plum dress is beautiful on you," Daniella agreed with her as she held her own phone and scrolled through the images. "Although it is weird, seeing you on a date with a supe. Does he not own another normal outfit?"

"He said he doesn't," Victoria replied with a shrug. "But he isn't what he is like in the press. He's nowhere near as charming when a camera isn't rolling."

Victoria headed into the kitchen, pulling a glass out from the cupboard above the worktop. She held it under the sink and filled it with cold water, taking a sip and ignoring the dishes stacked in the sink. Michelle and Daniella headed to the breakfast bar and slipped up onto the leather chairs. There were two glasses of wine in front of them, a bottle open to the side and a pack of gummy bears next to it. Victoria remained where she was, leant on the other side of the bar, placing her glass down and folding her arms onto the wooden worktop.

"I'd be amazed if he was," Michelle commented, taking a sip of wine. "How can someone be on all of the time? I bet it's exhausting and most of it is fake for corporate."

"That's pretty obvious," Daniella scoffed. "So is he actually an asshole?"

"I don't know," Victoria admitted, shrugging and reaching for a red gummy bear, popping it into her mouth. "He can be an asshole when he wants to be, but I don't know if that's an act too…like a coping mechanism for when there's no camera. He goes from one extreme to another and I think the real him is somewhere in between."

"Listen, if he's being a dick to you then you can always back out," Daniella said to her and Victoria shook her head. There was no chance she was going to do that. She remembered what Homelander had said to her about Vought always getting what they wanted.

"I don't care," Victoria retorted. "It's not like it matters, does it? It's all fake and I tried to get him to stop treating me like I'm his enemy. At the end of the day, whatever, I'm getting money for being around him."

"Yeah, but if he makes your life a misery-"

"-Then he is now entitled to do that for six months," Victoria said and took another gummy bear. "Honestly, I'm going to be fine. I'm going to be alright."

"We just want the best for you," Daniella said, hand going to the worktop and reaching for Victoria's, Michelle following the motion. The three of them remained there, hands entwined and full of support for each other. Victoria settled back into a comfortable smile, shaking her head.

"You don't need to worry. I will be fine, I swear," she said to them. "But in this space…can we just be normal for as much time as possible? I don't want this to change us…change anything."

"Well, I don't know," Daniella teased. "It might be hard what with having a celebrity living with us now."

"She's not wrong," Michelle and held her phone up as Victoria laughed and the two of them dissolved into fits of giggles. "Come on, Vic, just give us a smile!"

They messed around, playing on their phones. Victoria posed and pretended to answer mock interview questions, the three of them joking before moving to the couch and collapsing down, swearing that they'd always have each other's backs.

…

Victoria had struggled to teach her introduction to human rights law seminar the following day. She knew the undergrad students were looking at her differently. She did her best to ensure that they got through the reading of the week, Victoria wandering around the room and asking questions, doing her best not to falter. She'd been teaching this class for two academic years. She knew what she was doing. After the class finished at four, she headed to the library for two hours, doing her best to get as much work done on her thesis and checking her diary for the rest of the day.

Vought now had access to her calendar and had scheduled in an evening at the Tower that night. There would be a photographer to watch her enter and, according to an anonymous 'source' (who Victoria assumed would be Ashley), Homelander was going to be cooking her a nice meal where they could talk in private and away from prying eyes. She would leave at about ten or eleven and Homelander would fly her back, Madelyn seeming to think it would be romantic.

Once the clock struck six, Victoria received a text alert to tell her that the car was waiting for her outside. She steeled herself, knowing that everything would be fine. The chance was that Homelander would leave her to sit alone on his couch while he went somewhere else and did something. They wouldn't be in public so why would they spend time together? Placing her satchel onto her shoulder, she carried her stuff from the library and climbed into the back of the car. The driver held the door open for her, showing her his Vought ID. She slipped into the back and watched the scenery pass her by on the way to the Tower. Once there, she made her way into the Tower, keeping her gaze straight ahead as she ignored the photographer who wasn't entirely acting covert.

She had no idea where she was going once she was inside, but thankfully she didn't need to go to the reception desk as Homelander was stood by the elevator waiting for her. There were a few stares in his direction, but he seemed oblivious, looking straight at Victoria.

"Victoria," he called her name and she moved to him, smiling and waving demurely. "I thought I'd meet you down here considering you need a special access code to the penthouse."

"Right," Victoria said, heading to him. He held his arms out and she embraced him for the show of the employees around. "Thanks. How are things going?"

"Going well," Homelander said, turning to the steel elevator and pressing the button, hands behind his back. "And how was college today? You had your intro to human rights class, right?"

"Right," Victoria confirmed for him. "It went well. I mean, there were some stares and everything, but I expected that. What about you?"

"Oh, you know, corporate meetings, planning for a raid tomorrow night," Homelander said as the doors to the elevator opened up. He stepped in and Victoria followed him. He punched in the code to the penthouse and the doors closed behind him. His shoulders slumped and he looked relieved to drop the façade, Victoria collapsing back against the mirrored wall of the elevator.

"Was the photographer there when you came in?"

"Yeah," Victoria said to him. "He was waiting. He wasn't exactly hiding very well."

"They never do," he said, rocking back and forth on his heels. "And as for tonight, well, just do what you want. I don't think we need to spend time together if we're in private. No point in us wasting our time if we don't need to."

"Perfect," Victoria agreed with him and he pushed a hand through his blonde hair that was neatly coiffed on top of his head.

Coming up to the penthouse, he left the elevator first and Victoria followed him. Her mouth gaped at the size of it, the walls lined with artwork. The walls were a dark blue and the lighting dimmed. He had a view overlooking the city and a spiral steel staircase was off to the side. There was a door off the living room that led to a large kitchen with a dining table. There was so much space for just one man that she wondered what it would be like to live there.

"So…yeah…just do whatever you want down here…make tea…do work…I don't fucking care," Homelander said, pulling his gloves from his fingertips and tossing them onto a sideboard that contained images of himself. Victoria almost scoffed at the vanity, but she wondered if he had any control over what was in the room or how it was decorated.

"I assume you have WiFi?"

"This isn't the dark ages," he retorted and scoffed, picking up a bottle of water from the coffee table. "It's on the router in the corner," he motioned to it with his chin.

Heading to the corner, Victoria pulled her phone out and took a photo of the passcode for ease so she could type it into her laptop when she needed to do work. Sinking down on the brown leather couch, Victoria tugged her laptop from her satchel. She may as well get some work done considering he wasn't interested in entertaining. Homelander placed his bottle back on another sideboard under a large golden framed mirror. She watched the back of him and typed in the WiFi code on her laptop.

"So what are you going to do?"

"Christ, do you think you can go one minute without asking me a question?"

"Depends on if you can go one minute without being a dick," she mumbled and he spun to look at her, brows rising on his forehead and eyes narrowing.

"You know I have super hearing, right?"

"Yeah," she replied, throwing him a confident smirk and his own lips arched. She really was feisty. She clearly gave as good as she got. He almost admired that about her. It made a change compared to someone worshipping him or trying to think they knew better than him.

"You really are a spitfire, aren't you?" he said to her.

She shrugged and began clicking on her laptop, giving it her attention. "I just like to think that I don't take shit, no matter where it comes from, especially from people I hardly know."

"Even if that person can kill you?"

"I made a note in the contract, if you do kill me or accidentally laser me or whatever, then Vought pays my friends compensation…plus you have to build a statue in my honour outside of Vought Towers so every day you leave, you have to see my beautiful face staring at you."

Homelander laughed at that, the noise genuine and heartfelt. It was the first time he had properly laughed and he folded his arms over his chest, hip jutting out slightly. "You're dark," he said and she shrugged.

"Morbid sense of humour," she responded. "Anyway, you're not going to kill me. You're a superhero. Isn't it against your entire ethos?"

"Depends on the day," he said and Victoria laughed at that as he smirked. If only she knew he was being serious. "Anyway, you get on with your saving the world act and I'll get on with doing anything I'd rather do than sit here."

"Perfect. See ya later," Victoria retorted and he headed on up the staircase.

Victoria worked for a while, but she found herself growing intrigued with her surroundings. Moving to her feet, she left her laptop on the couch and headed into the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she pulled out a diet coke. He had told her she could help herself. She marvelled at the sleek surfaces and modern appliances, hand skimming over the marble worktop. She moved around the sitting room to the windows, looking out over the city and seeing the twinkling lights in the distance. She sipped on the diet coke and wondered what it would be like to wake up to this view every morning.

"It's nearly eleven."

Homelander's voice entered her ears and she turned around to see him coming back down the steps.

"Did you decorate this place?" she wondered from him, finishing her drink and tossing the can into the trash.

"No," he responded simply.

"Makes sense," she mused and packed her things away.

She slipped into her brown mac, tying the belt around her midriff and covering up the checked pinny dress she wore over a white blouse. She placed the satchel over her body and Homelander watched the back of her. She moved her curls behind her ears, pushing them from her face.

"What makes sense?" He couldn't help himself from asking. He had no idea why he was bothered, but he seemingly was.

"It's just…I don't know…it's like a showhome. I mean, I don't have much stuff, but my place feels lived in. This doesn't."

"What, you think I'd have photos of my proud family lining the walls?" he queried. "Sorry to disappoint."

"Well, I figured you were close to your parents after you did that documentary," Victoria replied and waited for him to say something. He didn't, however. He was quiet. He took a moment to consider what he was going to say before picking up his earlier discarded gloves and slipping them onto his fingers.

"That might be difficult considering I have no family," he decided on saying, wondering what he was doing. Why was he telling her this? Why was he telling her something that no one knew about him except for those who had made him? He looked to her, noting the way her mouth had dropped open slightly. She nervously began tugging at her hair again, playing with it behind her ear.

"I thought that you did a show all about how your family were great…inspired you…"

"I've done one or two mentioning my fake family, but they're not real. This is Vought. What do you think sells better? The American loving home or the fact that I came from a test tube and spent the entirety of my childhood locked in a padded cell?"

She didn't know how to respond to that. She didn't know what she was going to say, but all she could do was react honestly. "I'm sorry."

"You think I need your sympathy?" he questioned from her and she shook her head.

"I know you don't," she retorted and they stood across from each other, the coffee table in between them. Homelander stood tall, arms by his side and his hands clenched into fists. Victoria fidgeted anxiously, something about his presence unsettling at that moment in time. There was something not quite right. "But I am sorry. No one should have to grow up like that. It's not right."

"Nothing about life is right or fair. I've gotten over it."

"Really? Because I'd imagine-"

"-I don't need you to imagine anything. I don't need you to pity me. I don't need you to offer me a shoulder to cry on. I just need you to do your job and do it well," he snapped and Victoria went quiet. She didn't say anything else. She just looked down for a moment and composed herself.

She was angry with him. She was angry with how he insisted on treating her like she was nothing. But she wouldn't let him see her upset. She wouldn't let him see how him yelling at her reminded her of all the times her father would yell at her as a child. She could still remember all his insults, her mother not really doing much to dispel what he said. Sniffing, Victoria nodded and moved to the elevator.

"You don't need to take me home. I can get a cab."

"Don't be stupid," Homelander scoffed. "Do you want Vought on your back for deviating from the plan?"

"I'm beginning to think fuck Vought," Victoria confessed to him, pressing the button to call the elevator. She crossed her ankles, her ankle boots squelching at the contact. She was looking at the doors, but she could feel Homelander come up behind her.

"You wouldn't want to think that when you've signed the contract."

"I can think it, just not do anything about it," she retorted.

"Good logic."

"First compliment of the date and it's ending," Victoria said to him and he smirked, looking down to the ground and trying to hide it from her. He didn't know why he felt so entertained by her sometimes. "And…for what it's worth, I wasn't trying to upset you."

There was an awkward silence then and he let out a deep breath, recalling his own words to her. Perhaps he had been overly harsh? Perhaps there had been no need for his sniping? But, when it came to his childhood, he found it difficult to think about, let alone talk about.

"I know," he offered her, deciding that ending the night snapping at her wouldn't benefit anyone, especially if there were cameras outside. She couldn't exactly control her face, he had noticed that. She had a terrible poker face.

"But you didn't need to snap at me," Victoria said to him. "I know what it's like to have a shitty childhood and I'm not trying to relate to you or be your psychologist. I was just being human and I know that is an alien concept to you, but I think there is some of that inside of you still…some humanity…"

He was quiet. He wanted to tell her she was wrong. He wanted to tell her that she didn't know him. She had no idea what he thought. But he didn't. He said none of that because he knew that she was right. There was some humanity left inside of him. If there wasn't, then would he be bothered by the fact that his childhood still got to him? He doubted it. He knew that there was some humanity in him and he didn't know how to get rid of it.

The elevator finally came and Homelander let Victoria step into it first. She moved to the wall furthest from the door and Homelander pressed the button to take them to the ground floor foyer. He stood across from her, fingers drumming against his thighs before he spoke.

"Do you miss them?" he questioned.

Victoria didn't even need to ask who he was talking about. "Them? No," she confessed and she wondered why she was opening up to him. She barely talked about her childhood. She had locked those memories away as best as she could. She'd gone to therapy that the university provided, but it didn't mean she had worked through all her issues. "What I do miss is…is the thought of a normal childhood. I felt that so much was robbed from me and I don't know how not to feel that, despite the fact I'm a grown woman."

"What did he do to you?" Homelander wondered as the elevator continued descending.

"I've told you."

"Specifically," he responded, but Victoria shook her head.

"There's only one person who knows everything about my childhood and I haven't seen him in years," Victoria said and Homelander wondered just who that was. The elevator stopped and Homelander knew that she wasn't going to tell him, despite the fact that he was interested. He wanted to know and he didn't know why. So they could compare their fucked up childhoods? What good would that do?

"Come on," Homelander said as the doors opened and he picked her hand up without asking. Walking with her through the foyer, he said a goodnight to the security man as they stepped onto the sidewalk, the air having turned cold. Homelander knew the photographer was across the street, waiting for them to go.

"Is this quick or slow?" Victoria wondered in reference to his flying.

"It can be quick. Just try not to hurl," Homelander said.

She frowned. "Do people hurl?"

"Sometimes," he said and Victoria awkwardly looked around as Homelander held his arms out and wide. "Hop on."

"How…what…" she stammered and looked to him as Homelander chuckled at her. "You want me just to cling on?"

"I suppose we'd best make it look a bit more romantic," he retorted and before Victoria could say anything, he had moved to her, an arm going under her knees and knocking them from beneath her as she squeaked in surprise. She moved an arm around his broad shoulders, feeling the material of his suit before she pulled her bag up to sit in her lap. She moved her other arm upwards, her hands entwining around his neck as he kept hold of her.

"I think this might be the most terrifying thing I've ever done."

"Just hold on and I'll try not to drop you."

"If you do then remember my statue is going right up outside your building." She retorted and he smirked, his fingers wrapped tightly around her. Her perfume was intoxicating his nose, the rose scent almost making him feel slightly woozy. She was warm against him, despite the padding of his suit. Her front was pressed tightly to his side, letting him feel every curve of her body.

"Then I'll not let you fall," he assured her. "Hold on."

And so she did. He moved through the sky and Victoria instantly closed her eyes. She felt her hair whip around her face as they went through the sky and she tensed, her grip claw-like on him as fear of letting go took over her. She didn't know how long they were flying for before they reached the ground, the wind stopping and her ears ringing from the speed.

Homelander touched down and he looked to Victoria in his arms. She had quite the grip on her, her face scrunched up in fear and pressed by his neck, her breath heavy against his bare skin where the suit didn't cover him. He could feel the soft curls of her hair as well, smelling the strawberry scent of her shampoo. He didn't know why he was letting her stay curled up against him instead of pushing her away. His blue eyes focused on her as she slowly peeled her dark blue eyes open, looking straight ahead.

"We made it?" she asked.

"Well, the thought of having to look at your face every time I left the building didn't appeal to me," he retorted and Victoria smiled demurely as he set her down, steadying her on her feet. She kept an arm around his shoulders as she found her footing and was confident she could stand on her own.

"It's a lovely face. I think I'd look great as a statue."

"I'll take your word for it," Homelander retorted.

"I get it, I've had my one compliment from you for this date, no more."

"Glad you understand that there's a limit on them."

"I'll cash in my next one next time then," Victoria said. "Thanks for the lift home. I should get going."

"Yeah," he agreed with her as she motioned to her building and pulled her keys from her bag along with her phone. "I'm sure Madelyn will be in touch with the details for the next date soon."

"She emailed them over while we were currently on this one. She's nothing but efficient, I'll give her that."

"That's one word for her," Homelander mumbled and Victoria's lips arched again at hearing him and they stared at each other for a moment or two.

"Night then," Victoria said when she was certain that there was no more conversation to be had. She moved towards the main door, pushing the key into the lock and turning it. She opened up the door and stepped inside, but before she closed it, she looked back to him as he stood on the sidewalk and observed her.

"And I am sorry," Victoria said and he looked to her, chin jutted out and jaw tensed. "I didn't mean to upset you tonight, honestly…but…you didn't deserve what happened to you."

Homelander didn't snap back at her. He simply nodded his head and watched her give him that shy smile she often shot him when she wasn't sure of how he would react. She waved once before the door closed and he saw her take the steps up to her apartment. He didn't know why he used his x-ray vision to make sure she got in safe, or his super hearing to listen to how her friends gushed over their date. He listened in as she diluted what had happened. She told them how he had cooked dinner and had asked her about her thesis.

She never mentioned his outbursts. She never mentioned his parents. She said none of that. In fact, she was perfectly gracious, making her excuses to go to bed and claiming she'd had a long day. He watched her head to her bedroom and collapse onto her bed, not even bothering to change. She pushed her boots off each foot using her toes, letting them clatter to the floor before flopping back and closing her eyes firmly, hands on her stomach. Homelander left then, taking off into the night sky, his mind whirring with thoughts of Victoria Anderton.

…

"I think I'm going to be sick."

Victoria was stood in the bathroom of Vought Towers just down the hallway from Stillwell's office. She'd had three more private 'dates' with Homelander. One took place at the Tower and the other two involved going for walks. They had been cordial, but neither of them had gotten to talk on a deeper level. There was nothing but polite conversation, Victoria not bringing up his childhood and Homelander not once bringing up her childhood either. He had thought about it, of course.

He had spent some nights sat in his room, phone in front of him as he considered asking for her file to be unsealed. He was Homelander. He could do whatever he wanted. But he hadn't done it yet. He wondered why. A part of him felt as though it was an invasion on her privacy and he had scoffed, lying flat on the bed and wondering when he had cared about anyone's privacy.

"Don't be sick," Ashley urged her.

She had been following her round ever since she arrived at the Tower after work that day. She had hardly gotten anything done on her thesis and her teaching had been erratic. She'd been too pre-occupied with what was coming that night. It was the night they officially went public, going on some TV show that Vought had arranged. They had sent her talking points, telling her to remember them. She'd looked at the list hundreds of times, printing it out and highlighting relevant parts, but she still couldn't even remember all of them. It wasn't like she could take them in with her.

"I might be," Victoria responded, looking into the mirror and seeing Ashley stood there, phone in her hand. It seemed to be glued there. She had her hands in front of her, pushing to the ground and then back up. "Just take deep breaths…in…and out…in…and out…"

Victoria tried to do as she asked, but it was no use. She moved into a stall, slamming it shut behind her and kneeling on the floor. Ashley cursed under her breath at the sight of the closed door and ran to the hallway. Madelyn and Homelander were there, talking to each other and looking to the bathroom. Their eyes fell on Ashley as her heels clicked on the marble floor and she ran to them, her pink pencil skirt riding up her thighs.

"Where is she?" Madelyn asked.

"In the bathroom. She says she's going to be sick. She looks terrible. Her makeup is going to need touching up."

Homelander sighed and Madelyn groaned.

"I'll go get her and remind her she has a contract in place," Madelyn said.

"No."

The word was out of Homelander's mouth before he could stop it. Two confused sets of eyes lifted onto him and he shook his head, moving off without saying another word to either of them. He stepped into the women's bathroom and saw the closed door to the stall straight away. Moving to it, he leant by the side of it and knocked on the wooden surface.

"Victoria," he spoke her name.

"I can't do this," Victoria said back to him.

"Can you open the door?" he asked from her, ignoring her comment.

It was another moment before she pulled it open. She was knelt on the floor, but she hadn't been sick. She looked pale and her hair was messed up from where she had threaded her fingers through it during her pacing. She looked to him and he looked down to her.

"You look like shit," he muttered.

And she did. She looked terrible. The tight fitted green dress they had put her in was slightly crumpled. She tugged on the long sleeves to it. For some reason she'd insisted on long sleeves only. The material came down to her thighs and she had a pair of black heels dangling from her feet.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Oh, I have absolutely no confidence in you while you're in this state," he told her and she groaned. But he offered her a hand. She placed her palm into his and he helped her up to her feet, the green dress falling down her legs once more. "But I know that you're going to go out there and you're going to do your job despite the nerves because you signed that contract and this is part of the contract."

"I know. I know," Victoria said with a shake of her head, understanding that he was right. She couldn't break the contract now. That wasn't an option.

"Listen," Homelander sighed, realising that he needed her on side. He needed her to make him look good, well, better. He took a moment to think about the best thing to say as Victoria dropped his hand and moved to the mirror once more, trying to tame her hair. "I get it, you're nervous."

"How can you get it? You exude charm," Victoria said to him, but he shook his head.

"I wasn't always like this. There was a time when this new to me as well and I was nervous. I didn't know how to do any of this and I was worried about messing up…not knowing what to say. I wasn't always perfect."

"Or modest?" Victoria supplied and he caught her eye in the mirror, seeing a gleam there.

"No one has ever accused me of being modest," he assured her. "But you can do this. All you have to do is sit there and go through the points that you were told to memorise. Failing that, let me do most of the talking. You just need to act convincing for an hour. It becomes more natural the longer you do it, I promise."

"I'm not an idiot," Victoria said and she pulled the folded notes she had in her pocket. She unfolded the crumpled paper. "I've memorised them and read them so many times. It should be easy. I've got two degrees…I'm doing a PhD…interned at the UN…I know what I can do, but going on TV in front of all those people is terrifying."

Homelander sauntered towards her and picked the paper out of her hands, looking down onto it. "You're a bit of a teacher's pet."

"Shut up," she said, the comment falling from her tongue before she could stop it. She snatched the paper away from him and pushed it back into her pocket and then looked to Homelander and shook her head. "Sorry, didn't mean it."

"You'll remember what to say," Homelander assured her, pulling his glove off on his right hand and moving his fingers to her hair, pulling his fingers through it and trying to make her look more presentable. "You'll smile, hold my hand, and say the right thing because you're right. You're not an idiot."

He finished with her hair and tucked it behind one ear, his fingers lingering slightly too long on her cheek before he lowered them to his side, slipping his glove back on.

"Is that my one compliment for the day? Because I'm not sure it counts as a full one."

"It can be half then. I'm feeling generous," he told her and saw her laugh, like genuinely laugh. He could do that to her. She didn't feel the need to fake it around him and that was refreshing. She nodded to herself sternly and he held his hand out to her. "Come on. Let's get this over with and then you can go back to the library."

She rolled her eyes at his comment, but her hand slipped into his and, for some unknown reason, she felt as though she could get through what was coming her way so long as he was there.

…

A/N: Thank you to .Venus for reviewing the last chapter and those who have followed. I really hope you are enjoying - I have so many ideas and hopefully twists for what's coming up, but I would definitely love to read your thoughts if you'd like to review!