C580 Spider-Man (Patreon)
Content
Billy, without hesitation, declared his life’s mission. "I want to kill Homelander!" He hoped that being truthful would help sway Peter to his side. “But that’s not all. I want to destroy every corrupt superhero, and the Seven are at the top of my list…”
Hughie stood beside Billy, stunned by the revelation. It was a stark contrast to the admiration he once heard from Billy about Homelander, which he now realized was probably all lies. The shock on Hughie's face was evident as he grappled with the newfound information about Billy's true feelings and aspirations.
Peter, on the other hand, was less surprised. He simply nodded his head, expecting an answer along those lines. Although he didn’t anticipate Billy being so candid with him, he also didn’t mind a straightforward approach, which he seemed to be going for.
Thankfully, he knew everything about Billy and his past, particularly his hatred for Homelander. The man in front of him, driven by a traumatic past, harbored a deep-seated hatred for anything superhero related.
Billy Butcher, the former British special forces operative turned vigilante, exuded a charm that masked the relentless determination beneath. His mission was clear, to dismantle Vought, the Seven, and any other superheroes that get in his way, with a singular focus on annihilating Homelander.
Peter understood the pain that fueled Billy's mission, at least a little bit. After all, it seemed that just like Becca Butcher, Homelander was eyeing his wife as well...
‘I’m really going to have to kill that motherf*cker, though technically MJ can handle herself, so maybe I just let her off him?’ Peter pondered his options.
After all, his wife wasn’t powerless like Billy’s wife. In fact, she could probably kill Homelander pretty easily. Even if she wasn’t as strong as him, which Peter wasn’t sure of, she could definitely beat him with magic.
All of this brought back memories from the show, memories of Billy’s wife, Becca Butcher, who disappeared after being r*ped by Homelander. What Billy didn't know was that his wife, unbeknownst to him, had become pregnant from that tragic encounter. And as soon as Vought found out about it, they relocated Becca and her new son, keeping her hidden and separated from her husband.
Meanwhile, Billy thinks that his wife ran off somewhere and committed suicide after being defiled by the world’s most famous and loved superhero.
“Well, at least you’re truthful…” MJ snorted, realizing just who they were talking to from the information Peter had given her.
“I thought you said Homelander was the only good superhero?” Hughie turns to Billy and asks, wondering why he would lie to him like that.
“Sorry for lying mate, but I knew you wouldn’t believe me…” Billy replies, shaking his head from side to side.
“Wouldn’t believe what?” Hughie asks.
Suddenly, Billy's eyes burned with a mix of anger and determination as he launched into the unsettling truths about Homelander. "That man's a monster. Vought always manages to cover for him, but he’s killed far more people than he’s saved. Everyone sees him as some golden hearted hero, but he's just a ticking time bomb waiting to go off." He says, purposely leaving out what happened to his wife.
Hughies brows furrowed at the revelation, the weight of newfound knowledge settling heavily on his shoulders. The man he'd been made to believe was a symbol of hope and virtue was, in reality, a menace hiding behind a mask of public adoration.
At least, based on Billy’s words, which didn’t mean much after all of the lying up until now.
"And it's not just him," Billy continued, his voice low and filled with resentment. "Almost every supe is a fraud. A-Train killed Hughies girlfriend and Vought’s in the middle of hushing it up-“
“-and the Deep's a sexual predator, or should I say was, and Translucent's a peeping Tom. At least that’s what we’ve learned so far.” MJ cut in, adding her tie cents.
Billy nodded his head. “Yeah, and the list goes on. They're all just pawns in Vought's sick game."
Hughie clenched his fists, feeling the weight of responsibility intensify. The city, once adorned with the images of these heroes, now seemed tainted, a facade hiding the darkness within.
“So, I take it you want our help taking down Vought and the Seven?” Peter asked, surprisingly calm after what he just learned.
Billy, eyes ablaze, met Peter's gaze. "Yes, your help would be invaluable. We need to expose them all and tear down Vought's empire. They can't keep hiding behind their lies.” He pauses for a moment, glancing between Peter and MJ. ”But to do that, I need people that can go toe to toe with supes. In the end, I can collect as much evidence as I want, but the second I’m found out it’s game over."
Peter's gaze remained steady, unwavering, as he addressed Billy, "I see your point, and I don’t mind helping your cause, but let's get one thing straight. I don't take orders." Silence enveloped the rooftop as a breeze whispered through the city. "If you want my backing, then you’ll have to fall in line because you won't be in charge. I will."
Billy's jaw tightened, a flicker of resistance flashing in his eyes. The very essence of his being rebelled against taking orders from another, especially in a mission he considered his life's purpose. Yet, staring at the man before him, Billy had to acknowledge the truth… Peter was no ordinary ally.
He wasn’t quite sure, as he hasn’t seen enough to know, but Peter seemed to be, at the very least, on the same level as Homelander, which would be a huge help when it came time to kill the smug b*stard.
Billy didn’t want to admit it, but he needed Peter, and sadly, Peter didn’t need him whatsoever. So, if he wanted to get the his revenge, then he needed to do what was necessary, even if he didn’t like it.
Yet, in the back of Billy's mind, a voice protested, yearning for the control that he'd become accustomed to in his quest against Vought and Homelander. But reality struck him hard, he was just a normal human facing all sorts of heinous super-powered individuals.
"You think I'm gonna follow your lead?" Billy scoffed, his gaze challenging Peter.
Peter's tone remained calm, his eyes reflecting the weight of experience. "You don't have much of a choice. I'm offering my help, my abilities, but I don’t know you, nor do I take orders. Either we take them down my way, or you can run off and do this alone, though I doubt you’ll survive very long..."
Of course, Peter knew he would do well on his own, but he wouldn’t say so. After all, he’s trying to recruit Billy, not send him away.
Billy's resolve wavered, torn between his pride and the practicality of the situation. His mind replayed the horrors orchestrated by the supes, the atrocities that fueled his mission. In the end, could he afford to refuse an alliance with someone capable of taking down even the invincible Homelander?
Finally, he sighed, the weight of acceptance settling on his shoulders. "Fine, you win... Boss."
Peter smirked, “Oh, I like the sound of that.” He said as he turned to Hughie and asked. "And what about you? Are you planning on avenging your girlfriend? I mean, I’ve already crippled A-Train but I wouldn’t mind letting you kill him, if you want?"
Hughies eyes widened, his heart racing as the prospect of killing A-Train was dangled right in front of him. “Y-You’d help me kill him?” He stuttered.
Peter shrugged. “Sure, the guy seems like a piece of sh*t anyway.”
“Then, yeah… I’m in!” Hughie agreed, his eyes burning with a fiery vengeance.
Billy wanted to object. After all, he only planned to use Hughie to bug Vought tower before moving on. But sadly, he wasn’t in charge anymore, so he held his tongue, reluctantly accepting his new role as just another member of the team.
Suddenly, Billy spoke up, "So, what’s the plan now? Because Hughie here has a meeting at Vought later today, and I was hoping to use it to bug them."
Peter shook his head. "Nah, don’t bother. He’ll just be risking his life for no reason. Like I told Maeve before she left, I have a meeting at Vought tomorrow, so I can dig up some dirt on my own…"
————
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the hotel room's curtains as Peter and MJ prepared breakfast. The aroma of fresh coffee and the sizzle of bacon filled the air as Starlight finally stirred from her slumber.
As Starlight's eyes fluttered open, she found herself met with an unexpected sight. A small, peculiar creature stood at the foot of her bed, staring at her with wide eyes. Startled, she let out a piercing scream, echoing through the room.
Hearing Starlight's scream, Peter and MJ rushed to her side. Their eyes widened as they saw Dobby, the house elf, standing innocently near the bed. Starlight, still trembling, pointed a shaky finger at the creature.
"What the hell is that thing?" she exclaimed, her heart racing.
Peter chuckled, "That's Dobby."
Starlight, perplexed and slightly unnerved, eyed the elf cautiously. Dobby, sensing her discomfort, bowed and introduced himself, "Dobby is Master's loyal servant. Dobby made sure evil lady didn't disturb Miss Star’s sleep."
Starlight exchanged a bewildered glance with Peter and MJ, unsure if she was dreaming or caught in some bizarre reality. Peter reassured her, "Don't worry, he won't bite. And he did protect you. Maeve paid you a visit yesterday while we were away, but Dobby kept her away."
Still shaken, Starlight hesitated before managing a weak and confused smile. "Okay, thanks for... protecting me, I guess?"
Dobby beamed with pride at her acknowledgment. "Dobby is honored to serve Miss Star."
As the peculiar morning unfolded, Peter and MJ explained the events of the previous day to Starlight, which shocked her. Especially when she heard about how Peter crippled A-Train.
“Anyway, you should get ready. We have a meeting at Vought in two hours…”
A/N: 1700 words :)