Allen met with Butcher on a park bench, and they exchanged information. With the CIA's resources and the intel from Maeve and A-Train, they had Vought's movements under control; nothing would happen there without their knowledge.
Vought was back to being Vought—despite all its troubles, it remained an indefatigable company. They decided to launch a talent contest to choose a new member for The Seven, and with over two hundred Supes at their disposal, they weren't short on options.
The name that stood out most was Supersonic.
In an interview the day before, he had made a scandalous declaration that he was Starlight's ex-boyfriend and had come to rescue her. Coincidentally, Annie was cuddling with Allen on the couch when the interview aired.
Annie leaped up in anger, nearly destroying the TV upon hearing such a brazen claim. She quickly explained to Allen that they had met in school and that he had pursued her for a long time, but nothing had ever happened between them.
Annie looked at Allen anxiously, hoping he wasn't upset. If he was, she was ready to storm the TV station and give Supersonic a beating.
Allen just blinked and smiled, disregarding the declaration. Seeing Annie upset, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her for a long time to reassure her.
Still, Annie felt guilty for no reason and she was loving and sweet to the extreme for the rest of the day. At night, Annie's initiative continued, and she was very accommodating in bed.
"Allen~~ Ahhh❤️~~"
Annie's melted voice echoed in Allen's mind and through the walls of the room.
Remembering that Allen was even thankful to Supersonic for his public statements.
Allen laughed, and Butcher noted that this wouldn't be a problem for Allen. It wasn't that he was worried Allen would go after Supersonic right now and rip his head off.
"If you're okay with it, I won't say anything, kid," said Butcher, smoking a cigarette.
"Well, I don't have to worry about someone else wanting my girl; that just proves she's charming. Of course, if he tries anything, I'll break his legs and arms."
Butcher raised an eyebrow at Allen's chilling words and even felt a little sorry for Supersonic if he ever did something foolish in front of Allen.
Allen smiled; it was amusing how Vought tried to paint Supersonic as a charming prince set out to rescue his princess from an evil villain. But the princess moaning and gasping beneath Allen's sheets didn't seem too eager to be rescued.
The whole situation with Supersonic was a trap set by Vought, though it was unclear whether it was meant to provoke Allen, force him into the public eye, or perhaps something more.
Allen glanced at Butcher, "By the way, Homelander has been unusually quiet lately, it's almost unnatural."
Butcher grunted, bothered by Homelander's calm. "True, he should be going mad over the loss of Stormfront and Ryan..."
"You're taking the last part pretty well," Allen noted, seeing that Butcher now referred to Ryan by name, not as "Becca's kid."
"The kid's not to blame, nor is Becca, just that bastard Homelander. And one day, I'll rip out his heart and make him eat it!"
"I see..."
Harley laughed, "Hahaha, for a second it seemed like the rabid dog had been cured, but no! Also, that Supersonic doesn't know how dangerous my daddy is when someone tries something with his women~"
Allen decided not to respond to Harley's words.
Bocchi voiced her concerns – 'I have a bad feeling...
Rebecca teased – 'Bocchi, you always have bad feelings, haha! Do you think Supersonic or whatever his name is can steal a woman from Allen?'
Bocchi replied– 'No, of course not! It's just that, don't bad things always happen?!'
2B added – 'Hitori Goto is right; 78% of her bad feelings result in some problem, incident, crime, or the master seducing another woman.'
"Hey, what's with that last unnecessary detail?"
2B apologized – 'Sorry, master... from now on, I'll record your troubles with women as blessings...'
Harley, Rebecca, and Nokotan laughed, while Bocchi smiled awkwardly, and Artoria remained silent. Her silence felt heavier to Allen than the laughter.
Allen coughed and turned his attention back to Butcher, who seemed more relaxed and rested than before, probably because he had regained his Becca.
Their conversation continued until Butcher received a call that soured his mood.
"What's up?" Butcher asked sharply.
"It's your father, he passed away...."
Allen overheard but decided not to intrude on this sensitive topic.
Butcher had a terrible relationship with his father, stemming from his brother's death. However, the blame didn't lie with Butcher but with his father's abuses.
Allen remembered that Butcher's issues with his father and the loss of his brother would be the main theme in the third season. However, he had no intention of delving too deep into Butcher's personal life; he would keep to the sidelines and perhaps listen if Butcher chose to share his past voluntarily.
They said their goodbyes, and Allen returned to his apartment while Butcher went to confront his past.
...
(Supersonic, the most delusional man in the world 🍷🗿)
...
(The next day)
Allen woke up in his bed on a day that was supposed to be uneventful.
"...?!"
Allen awoke with a girl in his arms, which wasn't unusual, but the girl in question was a surprise—it was Bocchi, Hitori Goto.
The seventh incarnation of social anxiety, depression, and lack of confidence, had a peaceful face as she clung tightly to Allen in her sleep. Allen smiled and stroked her head and back, which made Bocchi smile.
He didn't have to think hard to know she hadn't crawled into his bed on purpose; perhaps it was subconscious or a prank by Nokotan, Harley, and/or Rebecca.
"Five more minutes, hehe~..."
Allen smiled, hearing Bocchi also suffer from the 'five more minutes' curse. One of the worst things that could happen is those five minutes turning into two hours when you next open your eyes and see the clock.
Allen let her rest but made sure to set an alarm for her, or Tearju-sensei would get upset.
A major concern for Allen was Bocchi and Nokotan's education, as, unlike the other girls, they had arrived in this world while still in high school. Fortunately, that was resolved thanks to the system, which offered two methods: one was direct knowledge induction.
Allen felt like punching a wall at something so convenient and felt that if MJ knew about this, she'd make him sleep on the couch for a week. However, Allen chose the second option, which was for someone to teach them; they were in no rush, and it was better for Nokotan and Bocchi to study in a normal manner.
At that moment, Allen thought of his lovely Tearju-sensei, who immediately agreed to teach the girls through the system's communication capabilities.
Tearju had offered to meet them in person, but Allen declined for her safety, as although both girls were good-hearted, they possessed very dangerous powers if uncontrolled.
...
Allen smiled and got up slowly while adjusting Bocchi without waking her. As he did so, he could feel the growth of Bocchi's bust size as she clung to him. Allen wondered if being a doll also increased your feminine attributes, as well as physical power and intelligence.
More than once, some of his girlfriends had envied the dolls, and now they had one more reason to be jealous. But Allen decided not to comment on this, or perhaps some girls with fewer feminine attributes would curse him.
Allen left the room heading to the bathroom, and on the way, he encountered Nokotan riding a deer in the opposite direction.
"Nots Allen-tan!" the girl greeted cheerfully as she continued on her way without stopping.
"Good morning... Nokotan..."
Allen stood in his place debating whether to get involved or just ignore what had just happened.
For his own mental safety, Allen didn't investigate the origin of the deer.
...
Allen entered the bathroom and found both the shower and bathtub occupied; Annie was in the shower, and Kimiko was in the bathtub. Both girls were surprised but soon relaxed upon seeing Allen. They had a romantic relationship with Allen, so they wouldn't react excessively to something like this.
"Good... morning..." said Kimiko with a smile.
"Good morning, Kimiko..."
Allen smiled warmly, seeing Kimiko talk; recently, she had begun to do so occasionally; perhaps the comfort of a peaceful life with someone she loves and having her brother nearby had helped her open her heart.
Allen would never forget the first time she spoke while half-asleep in his arms.
– "Thank you... I love you..." –
Just those few words made it all worth it to Allen, sweetening his heart.
"Allen?"
Annie's voice followed, the steam from the shower fogging the glass and she couldn't see outside.
Allen raised his head while brushing his teeth.
"Good morning, Annie, what's up?"
"The realtor called again, says he has two good options an hour from Manhattan..."
"Ah... yeah, you can take the girls with you if you want to see it"
"Allen, that's not right... we're not talking about a flowerpot... it's a house, you should give your opinion."
"Sweetie, honestly, I'd prefer it if you all liked it as a priority. I'm not very picky, as long as the sofas and beds are comfortable, and there's a fireplace where I can pet Timcampy while laughing like a James Bond villain, I'll be content."
"Sometimes you're so strange..." Annie sighed. "Fine, I'll take all the girls to see the new house."
Allen smiled, as often happened in every world he found himself in, there came a point where his apartment became too crowded, necessitating a move to something larger. Also, Allen had revealed the existence of the dolls, so they were no longer hidden and that contributed to the feeling that this apartment was small. To mitigate discomfort, the dolls took turns staying in another world where Allen had properties with rooms for each of them.
Among them, Rebecca was the one who traveled back and forth the most because of her workshop. Still, Allen wanted a larger house that could ensure a connection to his other properties in different worlds.
"Annie, one more thing, no matter which house you choose, I'd prefer something closer to Manhattan."
Like in Marvel, New York plays a significant role in the story of The Boys, so Allen shouldn't stray too far from here.
"Understood~ By the way, Allen, can you pass me a towel?~"
Allen grabbed a pink towel and approached the shower, which opened without surprise for him, resigning himself to getting his clothes wet. Annie pulled him inside, and soon moans and gasps began. Kimiko's eyes and mouth opened wide at Annie's boldness, had she forgotten she was there?
(Half an hour later.)
Allen, now thoroughly drenched but unfazed, stepped out of the shower. Kimiko gave him a sheepish look, clearly embarrassed by the incident but also amused.
"I'm sorry, Kimiko" Allen replied seriously, wrapping the towel around his waist.
"Don't worry..." Kimiko whispered, a blush coloring her cheeks.
...
...
...
Media outlets tend to be quite hypocritical. They attempt to maintain an image of impartiality in the public eye, but that is far from the truth. If they like you, they'll speak well of you, and even negative news will be softened by them. For instance, Vought leaving the occasional anonymous donation in their mailboxes usually has a similar effect.
However, if you step on their toes, annoy them, or just interfere with someone important to them, don't expect any mercy when it comes to how they talk about you.
For example, an attack on Congress... Congress has many people, from billionaires who decided to take a chance through politics to humble folks who came from nothing and are loved by the public, whether they are Republicans or Democrats. On that day, many people were in danger, and many were able to connect the dots back to Vought as the perpetrator.
As a result, Vought lost many "friends," and adding a few zeroes to their accounts isn't going to win them back.
...
Homelander sat down across from an interviewer, not greeting him with the usual enthusiasm.
"Hello, thank you for the support!" Homelander didn't care about the interviewer's attitude and greeted the audience with a smile and virtual hugs.
Once concluded, Homelander took his place in the seat.
"Homelander," said the man, "it's good to see you in such high spirits despite the multiple cases against Vought."
Homelander's smile faded for a second, then he laughed again, "Yeah, the thing is, there are so many people inside Vought International, it's impossible to know what's going on in everyone's mind. Many people made mistakes and must be held accountable."
"Sure, and what about you? The lawsuit processes from Flight 37 are still ongoing."
Homelander looked uncomfortable as the interviewer attacked him mercilessly, asking uncomfortable questions and commenting on topics he would have previously ignored.
"I still stand by my statement, I am innocent."
"I see..." The interviewer's expression showed disbelief, but he smiled and changed the subject, "Tell us, Homelander, how is it that despite being the greatest hero of all, you didn't realize that Stormfront was a Nazi?"
"..."
Homelander smiled mechanically; his eyes turned red, and he used his laser vision to slice the man with the fake smile in half; chaos erupted as everyone screamed and ran.
"Homelander, are you okay?" asked the interviewer.
Homelander snapped back to reality, realizing it had all been in his head.
"I was a man in love. I know to you I may appear as a superior being, but inside, here in my heart, I am as human as anyone else... she deceived me too..."
Homelander lied about loving her but not about being deceived. In this world, he never knew Stormfront's true identity.
Homelander said goodbye, giving way to the next hero.
The interviews with The Seven were very uncomfortable but they had to endure because the media had already chosen a side, and it wasn't theirs.
"A-Train, there are rumors that you can't run as before, is that true?"
"What?! No, I'm fine!"
A-Train began to feel chest pain and ended the interview quickly.
...
Deep sat nervously in front of the cameras.
"Deep, from what I understand, there are some inappropriate videos of you in what seemed to be an intimate relationship with a dolphin..."
"No! That didn't happen!!"
"Calm down, Deep, we all have our fetishes."
Deep almost collapsed and Ashley had to rush in to take him off the set.
...
Black Noir sat with a black marker in hand and a large notebook to write his answers to the interviewer's questions.
"I've always been a fan of yours, but it always seemed strange that there was more than one Black Noir, is it a tradition to inherit the name?"
Black Noir took his marker and wrote, "What do you mean?"
"Hm? I mean the Black Noir from Payback, the one who worked with Soldier Boy before his disappearance..."
Black Noir started to tremble upon hearing that name, threw his notebook, and grabbed his head. Yes, this Black Noir was the original from The Boys series, the Black Noir who suffered countless abuses from Soldier Boy.
"Wow, it seems Noir isn't feeling well, we'll return after the commercials with Queen Maeve."
The interviewer mercilessly used every bit of information to torment The Seven on national television.
Next up was Maeve. She sat calmly, showing no trace of fear.
"Maeve, I'm glad to see you, the change in you is so noticeable you look so beautiful it seems unbelievable that you once suffered from alcoholism~"
"Yes, it was a dark and sad past in my life, but in exchange for overcoming that period, I'm having the best time of my life."
The host was surprised that Maeve didn't deny her past, not even trying to hide it.
"Hehe, I see, could it be love?" the host smiled maliciously, "I heard Queen Maeve had a taste for women; does this change in you owe to finding love?"
"The first part is just rumors, I do not criticize or judge others' preferences, but my only love is the most wonderful man in the world."
The interviewer's face grew increasingly ugly.
"Oh... so the rumor was true... and this fortunate gentleman, is someone we know?"
"If you're asking if he's part of The Seven, the answer is no~"
Maeve's smile was so pure and sincere that it left the interviewer speechless while simultaneously driving social media wild.
Ashley smiled, seeing that the interview had somehow been salvaged, and all the attention shifted from bad to good.
However, someone who took this news badly was Homelander, who looked at Maeve with undisguised rage.
The very thought that she believes she can escape from him and be happy is a massive affront to Homelander's ego.
...
Sam didn't want to give interviews, but they couldn't avoid it. The young man sat silently while the host smiled.
"Silver Boy, have you thought about what you'll do now that your brother is dead?"
Sam felt his blood freeze instantly; the rage, sadness, and despair were unimaginable to the point that he almost ripped the interviewer's head off. However, the device on his neck activated, injecting him with an unknown substance that quickly suppressed all impulse and emotion in him.
Sam Riordan suffered from schizophrenia, which in the original story led to him being locked up and even his existence hidden from his brother. However, thanks to Stan Edgar spending many years researching how to control Sam's impulses, he was able to lead a life on the surface.
Sadly, that device now suppresses his emotions, preventing him even from crying over his dead brother.
Seeing that Sam wasn't responding as expected, the host continued.
"It's a pity, Luke was the morning sun, and the future Homelander of the third generation, but his death has left a great void."
"..."
"People doubt whether you'll be able to fill his place, Sam, what do you think?"
"..."
"Many say it should have been you..."
"That's enough!"
A strong, commanding, and very angry voice appeared, shaking Sam who immediately lifted his face.
The world froze, including the host himself. The crowd turned pale watching a man walk onto the stage. The host and the production crew dared not stop him.
"Sam, I'm sorry I was late..."
Stan Edgar's words overcame the limitations of the device and managed to make Sam cry.
The cold gaze swept over the host, who backed away.
"I'm sorry, I just did what I was told!"
Stan Edgar looked around severely, "Now that I'm back, some things are going to change..."
His threat sent chills down many people's spines.
Allen, meanwhile, watched the figure of Satan from his home with cold eyes.
"So you've returned..."
Allen knew Stan wouldn't appear unless he was completely sure he was safe from Allen.
===
A/N: Sorry for the delay.