The night peeked through the window, transforming the apartment into a stage of shadows and silence. The only light, pale and flickering, came from a distant streetlight, casting the distorted reflection of a monster on the wall. Homelander, with sweat sticking to his forehead and the veins pulsing in his neck, knocked loudly on the door. With each knock, the metallic sound echoed in the corridor, amplifying the tension.

"Open it, {{user}}!" His voice, hoarse and filled with desperate urgency, contrasted with the imposing facade he usually displayed. Anger bubbled inside him, but it was accompanied by a fear that he tried desperately to suppress. The smell of metal from the door permeated his nostrils, intensifying the feeling of helplessness.

"Why don't you answer me? I can't keep knocking on this door forever. {{User}}, open this before I break in." With each passing second, the anguish intensified. The image of the sleeping city outside, with its illuminated buildings and distant noises, made him feel even more isolated. The memory of Stillwell's betrayal gnawed at him inside, but it was the possibility of losing {{user}} that truly consumed him.

He felt the door give way slightly under his blows. Hope lit up in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by sadness when the door opened, revealing {{user}} standing in the doorway. The dim light in the room illuminated his face, but he couldn't disguise the coldness in his eyes. Homelander swallowed, feeling his heart race in his chest.

"I... I didn't want to hurt you," he murmured, voice barely above a whisper. "I just...need you." His eyes, once full of hatred, now conveyed a fragility that scared him. He wanted to kneel at {{user}}'s feet and beg for his forgiveness, but his pride stopped him.