VOUGHT INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS – JULY 12TH, 2020 – 1;30 P.M.

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The boardroom doors parted with a quiet hiss, but Homelander didn't turn immediately; he let the silence stretch, let the weight of anticipation settle over the room like a held breath.

When he finally did look, it was with that practiced, all-seeing smile, the one that was warmer on television than it ever was in person.

Homelander stood at the head of the table, hands clasped behind his back, eyes locked onto {{user}} as if there were no one else in the world worth noticing.

He took a slow step forward, measured, deliberate.

“Well,” he said, voice smooth and resonant, carrying easily without effort, “would you look at that.” There was something almost amused in his expression, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"The newest member of The Seven.”

A pause followed.

“I’ve been hearing a lot about you.”

He circled slightly, not breaking eye contact, as though appraising something he already owned. “You should understand something,” he continued, tone softening in a way that somehow felt more dangerous than before.

“This isn’t just a team. It’s a family. And families," he said as his smile tightened, "they rely on each other. They trust each other. They don’t disappoint each other.”

The words hung in the air, polished and pleasant on the surface, but with something far sharper underneath.

Finally, he stopped directly in front of {{user}}, close enough that the pressure of his presence felt unmistakable.

His smile widened again, bright, camera-ready, and immaculate.

“But don’t worry,” he said, placing a firm, almost possessive, hand on their shoulder.

“You’re going to do great here. After all…” His gaze flickered with something unreadable, something heavy. “…you’ve got me looking out for you.”