Chapter 61 : Personal Life
As they left Stillwell’s office, Homelander extended his hand.
"It was nice meeting you again."
Mark looked at the offered hand and understood immediately.
Since arriving at Vought Tower, Homelander had been carefully controlling the conversation — introducing him as the newcomer, speaking like a veteran welcoming fresh talent, carrying himself like he naturally owned the room.
None of it was direct enough to challenge, but the message was obvious.
Homelander wanted the hierarchy established from the start. The handshake was just the next step.
Mark had read enough about his public appearances to recognize the type.
Homelander loved admiration, loved attention, and loved reminding people where they stood. If he could make a new hero feel small while keeping a smile on his face, even better.
Mark reached forward and accepted the handshake.
The instant their hands met, Homelander squeezed. Enough to break the hand of any ordinary supe.
A reminder, and a demonstration — the kind he could always deny afterward.
Mark remained completely relaxed.
Infinity silently existed between them. Homelander’s hand never actually reached him — every ounce of strength disappeared into endless distance before contact could occur.
A second passed. Then another.
Homelander increased the pressure.
Nothing.
His smile stayed in place, but Mark caught the slightest pause behind his eyes. Most people reacted immediately — wincing, tensing, trying to mask discomfort.
Mark didn’t react at all.
Homelander pushed harder. Still nothing. For a brief moment, genuine confusion broke through the mask.
"You’re stronger than you look," he said.
Mark shrugged. "So are you."
That seemed to bother Homelander more than either would have.
His entire image revolved around being special — the strongest person in every room he entered. Whenever reality didn’t match that, his mood soured fast.
Eventually, he let go.
"Well," Homelander said, keeping his voice pleasant, "I’ll see you at Believe Expo."
"Sure. I’ll be there."
Homelander nodded and walked away. Anyone watching would’ve thought the interaction went perfectly.
Mark wasn’t fooled.
The moment Homelander turned his back, the friendliness dropped from his face. It lasted less than a second before the public smile returned — but it was enough.
"Seriously, it would’ve been better if he had just gotten angry and punched me."
Mark shook his head as he walked away.
At least that would’ve been honest.
Watching Homelander smile while playing petty power games was far more annoying than getting hit. The guy wanted dominance and a perfect public image at the same time, and pulling off both was exhausting to watch.
Maybe he should use the Devil persona next time — then appearances wouldn’t matter.
With that thought in mind, Mark continued down the hallway, looking around the Seven’s floor.
A few moments later, he encountered Queen Maeve.
She stopped walking the moment she recognized him.
Unlike Homelander, there wasn’t any fake enthusiasm on her face. If anything, she looked surprised.
"Wait. You’re that guy."
"Yeah."
Maeve studied him for a second. The last time she’d seen him was during the Flight 37 incident — the guy who had actually saved the passengers.
Unlike the carefully manufactured stories Vought sold to the public, Maeve knew exactly what had happened that day.
Because of that, she had a much better opinion of Mark than most members of the Seven.
"So, I take it you’re joining the Seven?"
The question seemed logical enough. There weren’t many reasons for a powerful supe to visit Vought Tower and arrive on this floor.
Mark shook his head.
"No. I rejected the offer."
That genuinely caught her off guard.
"You what?"
"I like my freedom."
Mark shoved his hands into his pockets.
"If I join the Seven, it’s basically a chain around my neck. Vought tells you where to go, what to say, what to wear, who to smile at, and what opinion you’re allowed to have."
Maeve stared at him for a moment.
Then she laughed.
Not because it was funny. Because he wasn’t wrong.
"That’s... actually a pretty accurate description."
"You know, a lot of supes would kill for that position."
"Then they can have it."
Mark sounded completely sincere.
Maeve found that strangely refreshing. Most heroes spent their entire careers trying to get closer to the Seven. This guy had been offered a place and walked straight away from it.
For a moment, she almost envied him.
"Well," Maeve said, "good luck keeping that freedom."
Mark grinned.
"That’s the plan."
Maeve shook her head and continued walking.
Mark watched her leave before turning his attention back to the hallway.
He’d never had any intentions toward Maeve in the first place. He already knew she was gay, and unlike a lot of people, he actually respected that.
Besides, Maeve already had enough problems in her life without another person complicating things.
As far as Mark was concerned, Queen Maeve could have her gay love life, and he genuinely hoped that part of her life worked out better than everything else Vought had managed to touch.
A few moments later, Annie came down the hallway looking for him. The moment she spotted him, she walked over.
"So? What happened?"
Mark looked at her and smiled.
"Well, it seems I’ll be your partner at Believe Expo."
For a second Annie looked surprised. "Really?"
"Yep." Mark nodded. "Looks like we’re going to be spending quite a bit of time together there."
A smile immediately appeared on Annie’s face. "That’s actually good news."
"I thought you’d like it."
"Of course I like it." The idea of spending several hours at Believe Expo had suddenly become a lot more bearable.
Mark laughed at her reaction. "You look happier about that than I expected."
"That’s because Believe Expo can get pretty exhausting." Annie folded her arms. "Now at least I’ll know somebody there."
Mark grinned. "Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you don’t get bored."
For some reason, that promise made Annie more suspicious than reassured. Knowing Mark, there was a very real chance he’d turn a normal event into complete chaos.
*****
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