hi ive been going a little insane about soldiernoir and this is legitimately the fasted ive ever written a fic in my life(not saying much i write INCREDIBLY slow but progress is progress) so hello again to the 4 other soldiernoir fans
https://archiveofourown.org/users/mewowewo
tags: soldiernoir, whump, black noir whump idk what else how do you guys write tags
Earving could see the back of homelanders glistening golden hair as they walked. His shoulders held perfectly straight, and his cape caught the reverbrating sunlight so that it reflected back into Earvings eyes. It was cinematic, the mans elegance. From this angle, he almost looked like a real superhero.
The ninja kept his stride a few paces behind him, eyes straying down to where his leaders boots clacked against the white tiles of the facility. They'd been tasked with a simple cleanup mission--that's what Homelander had called it, at least. Earving didn't think murdering more than a dozen supes constituted as "cleanup," but he knew better than to argue.
"You'll be in and out." Stan Edgar had stood at his desk and addressed two men, occasionally looking down at the strewn pieces of paper tucked beneath his palm. His face held the same indifferent smile Earving had become familiar with over the years. "I'm sure you won't find it too troublesome. You see, this company needs supes who can be the face of our country decades from now, challenge our enemies--" the man paused for a beat and let the silence filled the air as his eyes met with Johns. "Supes like you." Earving didn't bother shifting his gaze to try and read the Homelanders expression. He could tell what the man was thinking from the way his chest had swelled with pride. "And these supes, Experiment 402--" Edgars dropped his smile, his eyes darkening along with his voice, "--they just aren't going to make the cut."
That was all he needed to say. The two men understood, from decades of working under the man, that cleanups like this we're a part of the job. Another one of Voughts misdeeds to be carefully swept under the rug, Earving thought. The first time had hurt, the second even more so, but it had been a long time since he was naive enough to believe in justice. Right now, there was a job to be done.
They made it past the lobby of the building, finally stepping into the endlessly stretching hallways lined with doors on either side. In the middle of each cold, unfeeling metal door was a small window just below eye level. Many had been covered by a sliding panel, but some were still open, allowing a peek into the tiny rooms the supes had been caged in. Earving felt his heart jump into his throat for less than a second as a hand slammed into the window of a room he'd thought to have been empty. A splotched, bloody handprint marked the spot where the captive had smashed a palm against it. He looked back up at Homelander, who hadn't seemed to notice.
No, he'd definitely noticed. Those super senses wouldn't have missed something like that if it'd happened ten floors up. He had noticed--he simply didn't care. Black Noir might have thought it unlike him--such a brash display of violence was a disrespect in the eyes of America's hero, after all--if not for a crucial detail. The man had his all attention directed on the person walking beside him, standing close enough that they were nearly touching shoulders. From the moment they'd entered the building he'd payed no interest in his surroundings, lasering through the enterance doors without even missing a beat of his conversation with the third member of their team.
"I mean, sometimes you just have to make people respect you, y'know? They just don't realize how hard it is to be their leader." Homelander said, waving his arms in as he spoke. His brown haired companion gave him an empty smile.
"Got that right." He chuckled at his own words. "Oughta try beating the piss out of them sometime-- always worked for me." the smile lingered on his face as he turned his head deliberately to face the man trailing behind them. "Isn't that right, Noir?"
Instinctively, Earving's eyes ripped away from the tiled floor and up to face man who had called his name. He regretted it almost instantly. The ninja felt his body go rigid at the sight of the man, his piercing green eyes penetrating through to the back of Earving's skull. A grin tugged at his cheeks, lips parted just enough to reveal a pearly white smile between his squared off facial hair.
It was the first time Noir had managed to get a good look at his face. Till now, he'd been trying his best to avoid it. He tried to steady his shallow breathing as Homelanders eyes followed Soldier boys, landing on Earving for just a moment, then back on the brown haired man. A contemplative look pooled in his eyes before the man let out a chuckle, just loud enough to dissipate the tension for a moment.
"No, no. Leading with fear is only a last resort-" He gave a chuckle, trying to sound sarcastic. Then his voice softened into a tone he often used when giving melodramatic speeches. "-no, we're a team. They'll learn respect me." he said, glancing back at Black Noir with a knowing smile. His hand fell on Soldier boys shoulder, gently nudging him forward. It was enough, and Soldier boy swung his head forward with a hard expression.
Earving let out a near inaudible sigh, though he was sure John caught it. If he had, he didn't mention it.
It had been this way since the day Soldier boy had first made his way into Vought tower, Homelander proudly at his side. The two had marched into Stan Edgars office, strides echoing through the halls of the 82nd floor.
Earving couldn’t be sure what they’d discussed behind the thick walls of Edgars office, but he knew when Vought’s CEO had walked out of the room in one piece that nothing they had told Soldier boy was true. If he was on edge around the unpredictable supe, Stan didnt show it, but Noir was sure he’d have preferred to send Soldier boy back to the Russians, unconscious and subdued. It seemed Homelander’s insistence was the only reason their peace withheld.
When he joined the Seven, no one protested. None of the members even faltered in their polite smiles, welcoming the man to the team without acknowledging the fog-like tension that seeped into the room.
Though Homelander and Soldier boy hadn’t said a word, the message was clear as day to every one of the supes—no one could stop them from doing what they wanted. If Homelander had been a threat before, now his power had nearly doubled, and the fear of his presence had grown tenfold. Soldier boy hadn’t been blind to his newfound power either. Earving suspected it was part of the reason he’d let Stan Edgar walk free. He’d enjoyed being the star of Payback years ago, when his reach only extended to his team. Now, he could do almost anything he wanted, so long as Homelander was at his side.
The three men walked to the end of the empty hallway, reaching a junction between two passageways. They paused for a moment, before Homelander made the first move.
He pointed to the left opening casually.
“I’ll take this one. You two can start over there.” he noticed Soldier boys expression. “What? I work better alone.” he added, grinning at the man. Soldier boy just shrugged, too disinterested to argue.
Noir stood completely still for a moment as he watched the two supes trail off in opposite directions. Slowly, he stepped towards Soldier boy, carefully watching as he gripped the edges of a door at the far end of the hall.
He waited for the man to rip the door off its hinges and disappear into the room before making his way into the unlocked medical room he’d spotted moments ago. He entered the room purposefully, stepping towards the desk wedged in the corner of the room, and switching on the plain-looking computer that rested atop it. The ninja retrieved a small black flash drive from his pouch, plugging it into the laptop. Frantically clicking the various folders scattered on the desktop, he searched for the folder Edgar had instructed him to find—the real reason he’d been assigned this mission.
Truthfully, they hadn’t needed three men for the job. They might not have even needed two, but Homelander had brought along Soldier boy himself—a show of loyalty, maybe. Earving couldn’t be sure. All he knew was that Stan Edgar had sent him along to keep an eye on the destructive duo, and retrieve a set of files, the ones he had in front of him now.
He’d barely managed to complete the transfer, ripping the flash drive out of the device just before a young boy burst into the room. From outside the doorway, Black Noir could hear footsteps resounding through the hall. The boy stared hard into the doorway, lifting his hands and facing his palms towards the entrance. His hands crackled with tiny bursts of electricity.
He’s… a supe, Earving thought. Edgar hadn’t told him there would be children involved. To avoid protest no doubt.
He carefully crept around the desk, stopping as he watched Soldier boy enter the room. He took his time strolling towards the young boy, an amused look on his face as he watched him desperately spit small strings electricity out of his palms that did nothing but bounce off the supes costume. Soldier boy stared for a few more seconds before hoisting his shield up above the boys head.
“Better luck next time, bud.”
He brought down the shield with force, expecting to make contact with warm flesh. What he felt instead was the weapon connecting with the ground, separating the tiles and wedging several feet into the floor with little effort. Confounded, the man narrowed his eyes in and shot a glance across the room, stopping when his eyes landed on an absurd image.
Black Noir stood in the corner of the room where the light could barely reach, facing Soldier boy on one knee with his weapon drawn. Behind him, the boy lay on the floor looking dazed as though he’d been tackled.
He’d moved without thinking, only realizing what he’d done when he’d pushed the boy out of harms way. Earving knew they were tasked to kill the supes—all the supes—and yet his body had reacted on its own. For a few seconds, his determination to protect the boy overtook any rational thoughts, and Black Noir sat in front of him unwaveringly.
He watched as Soldier tore his shield free and stood upright to face his black-clad teammate. His expression was unreadable in the dim light, only illuminating him from behind and revealing the supes looming silhouette. From the ground where Earving sat, his presence seemed imposing enough to bend the space around them.
Soldier boy took a single step towards him, then stopped completely still.
It was enough to crack open Earving’s false pretense of determination. Soldier boy knew that, too. He felt his ears start to ring as even the white noise of the facility became muffled all around him. The mask he wore so often it had become synonymous with his own face began to feel suffocating as the sweat beaded down his face. He could feel every ragged breath hit the inside of the cloth and puff back into his face.
For a moment, he considered turning around and killing the boy himself. At least he would do it painlessly, not bludgeon the kids face in with a tungsten shield, Noir reasoned with himself. He looked back up at Soldier boys half-obscured face.
No. It would be pointless now. He’d sealed his fate the moment he decided to challenge the man. Earvings grip tightened on the hilt of his sword, and he shut his eyes as he heard the supe take another step. Then another. Then another, each time closer than before. Reluctantly, he lowered the weapon and slowly pushed himself to his feet, managing to face his former leader just as the supe took one final step towards him.
"Noir, this is pathetic, even for you." Soldier boy said through his smirk. The space between them was small enough that Black Noir could feel the mans breath on his face as his gravely voice continued.
"What, you thought you'd play hero, save the kid? I thought you were smarter than that. No, really. I figured a couple decades on the job would've taught you some discipline, but you haven't changed at all."
He placed a hand on Earving's shoulder, causing the man to wince. Soldier boy wore an amused expression in response.
"Still the same roach under my boot refusing to die. I told Homelander I wouldn't kill you-" He tightened his grip on Earvings shoulder, enough to have split skin on the average man. "-but I'm sure he wouldn't mind me teaching you some respect. As your leader." he mocked. The soulless smile on his face made Earvings blood run cold.
Every instinct screamed at him to run as he watched Soldier boy adjust his grip on his shield, preparing to strike. What he wanted to do was to find the nearest hole to crawl into and hide there until he knew it was safe to come back out. Until Soldier boy was gone.
But he'd already considered running. And he'd considered fighting. His mind had been working overtime to find a way he might make it out of this predicament, and he'd considered every possible option already.
The idea of facing Soldier boy was one he'd toyed with in his mind day after day for decades now. Since his Payback days, Earving had hoped to squeeze out some kind of weakness, a soft spot in his former leaders near indestructible exterior--and each time, he came up short. Every scenario he drummed up in his mind ended in the same way--with Soldier boy on top, and Black Noir completely crushed.
He knew intrinsically as he scanned his mind for possibilities that his efforts would be fruitless. The answer was the same as it had been since the very first time Noir had tried to take him on;
There is no beating Soldier boy.
Through the whirlwind of thoughts that spun through his head, those six words echoed out louder than anything else in his mind.
Noir stood silently before Soldier boy, the air barely filling his lungs now. He watched as the man pulled back his right arm, clutching the shield tight in his gloved hand as he wound up his attack. Earving still didn’t move—even if he wanted to defend himself now, he was out of luck. His body was completely frozen, unable to even brace for the incoming impact.
He was glad Buster Beaver and his animal friends weren't here to see this. They couldn't help him now, and watching this scene unfold would have only upset them.
With the whole weight of his body behind the shield, Soldier boy drove the tungsten beast into Earvings chest, digging deep into his abdomen with a force that might have crushed the ribcage of a non-supe into dust. The force catapulted him into the wall, crashing through the concrete like it was drywall. He slammed into the ground hard, the large fragments of concrete following his path closely. Buried beneath the rubble, Noir heaved for air, clawing at the pieces of concrete to try and pull himself back up to his feet. The impact had dazed him, and he could feel his vision blur as he tried to push the debris off his chest.
From a distance, he could just barely see Soldier boys heavy strides slowly pulling towards him. The young boy stood just behind the wall, watching the brutal attack with wide eyes. He’d stopped trying to attack Soldier boy, instead wrapping his arms around himself protectively. Noir wished he’d made up his mind to kill the boy, before he had the misfortune of becoming a part of this—it would have been a mercy to him.
The thud of Soldier boy’s boot ringing out just beside Earving’s head shook him out of his thoughts quickly enough. The supe hadn’t given him much time to feel sorry for the young captive’s predicament. He grabbed the other man by his neck and pulled him from beneath the rubble effortlessly. Earvings arms hung by his sides loosely, his body twitching every few seconds.
“Come on, you’re not even gonna try?” Soldier boys’ mocking laughter echoed through the room. Pulling back his arm slightly, he brought down his weight into the ground and smashed the ninja into the tiles. Beneath the headpiece, Earving’s eyes grew wide as he made contact with the ground, feeling his body lurch forward painfully. Flecks of blood flew out of his mouth and landed on the inside of his mask.
Bending down onto one knee, Soldier boy’s fingers clasped tighter onto Noirs neck, the imprints forming deep into his skin through the tough suit.
“Are you really gonna make me force you to fight back?” Soldier boy sneered. His eyes looked hollow as he stared down at Earving, slowly drawing his free hand up to the his collar. His legs slipped around Noirs torso, and both hands wrapped around his neck, clasping hard.
Noir felt the mans thumbs press into his throat as his windpipe tightened from the pressure. Finally, his body reacted, frantically grabbing at Soldier boys hands in a desperate attempt to pull himself free. The supe only laughed in his face as he watched him tug against his red-gloved hands to no avail.
“Hah! Finally got a reaction out of you.” he barked out a laugh. Noirs frenzied threshing hadn’t seemed to phase him at all, practically bouncing right off his skin. His legs thrashed around behind Soldier boy, hands scratching at the mans arms as the air seeped out of his chest and he felt the burning sensation in his lungs becoming unbearable.
It didn’t take much time before the frantic movements slowed down, until he could barely keep his grip on Soldier boys hands that pressed down into his trachea. His eyes rolled to the back of his skull, and his legs grew almost completely still.
Soldier boys released his grip around the mans neck, watching as he squirmed on the ground. Noir turned over onto his stomach and coughed hard, the blood pooling inside the mesh covering. He dug his palms into the tile, leather creaking softly against the smooth floor as he pressed his fingers into the cracks. Tears brimmed in his bloodshot eyes as he continued choking out and gasping for air.
From behind him, Soldier boy grabbed onto his head, his large hand able to fully grasp the mans skull. Earving didn’t have a second to process what was happening, still sputtering as he felt the man pull against his head far back enough to arch his spine.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Soldier boy slammed his head down hard enough to produce a small shockwave. The pain seared through his head as Noir tried to push himself up against the force that had pinned him down to the ground. He’d been smashed down so violently it shattered the headpiece resting atop his skull, parts of it separating from the cloth mask as Soldier boy yanked his head back up.
Before Earving could form another thought, he felt the air rush against his face as he was slammed back into the ground again. Then again. Then again. He lay there impassively for a moment, letting the ragged breaths free from his lungs. Feeling Soldier boys hand brush against the nape of his neck, he stiffened, bracing for another brutal attack. Then, he felt the weight lift off his back as the supe stood up, grabbing his shield from just beside Noirs head.
He stared without moving, his eyes following the man until he trailed out of his vision and past the wrecked wall. The sound of struggle reached his ears and he recognized the voice of a child, crying out. When the man returned in Earvings vision, his hand was wrapped around the frail-looking arm of the young supe, dragging him along. The boy desperately tried to break free of his hold, to no avail.
“Let go! Let me go!” he yelped, hitting the brown haired mans arm with his free hand. In his panicked state, he’d even given up on trying to use his powers, his small hand thumping against Soldier boys glove uselessly.
Still pulling the child along, Soldier boy reached Earvings side and planted his foot just below the side of the mans ribcage. He pushed hard, forcing Noir over onto his back. The man clutched his side where the supe had rested his boot, quietly groaning in pain. With his hazy vision, he watched as Soldier boy displayed the young supe in front of him where Noir could see clearly.
"Now don't move, okay?" He flashed a cheerful smile at the boy, gently patting him on the back. The boy stared back warily, looking more confused than comforted.
Soldier boy strolled up to Earvings unmoving body. He bent down and gripped the man by his shoulders, pulling him up from the ground. Earving didn't struggle, letting the supe drag him onto his feet with ease.
"Hup, there we go." Soldier boy grunted, dusting off the ninjas shoulders. Black Noir huffed as he tried to stay conscious, keenly aware of how much blood had trickled out of his body and pooled onto the ground.
Noirs head throbbed painfully as Soldier boy held him upright for a moment, before pulling his hands away and taking a step back. He struggled to keep his balance, nearly slipping in a puddle of his own blood. After shuffling around for a few seconds, he just barely managed to ground himself. Even now, he clenched his side firmly with one hand, trying to keep his insides from spilling out onto the ground. His knees were bent to keep himself from collapsing, something his trembling legs threatened with every breath he forced in.
Soldier boy spun around and reached for the ninjas sword that had sat harmlessly on the floor till now. Carefully, he slipped the weapon between Earvings fingers, making sure he gripped the shaft tightly. Then, he turned towards the boy, grabbing his arm to ensure he didn't try to run.
In a near identical scene as before, Earving watched Soldier boy raise his shield over the boys head with one hand. He stared at the man as he paused for moment, holding up the weapon like it weighed nothing, ready to strike at any moment. The young supe fired blast after blast at the towering man, all dissipating as they came into contact with Soldier boys body.
This time, Noir didn't move.
Even if he had wanted to, his body had been so battered he was sure he wouldn't even manage a single step before his legs gave out. More than that, though, he finally had the time to think before running into action on autopilot. He wished he'd had the gift of foresight earlier. No matter what he thought, he knew they had a task at hand. He was loyal enough to Vought, and to Stan Edgar, to know that even if it went against his morals, a job was a job--and Edgar had trusted him with it.
His tired eyes barely held open to stare as Soldier boy brought down the shield and... stopped.
"Ugh," Soldier boy let his arms fall back down to his sides, chuckling as he threw his head back. "Seriously? I'm giving you what you wanted!" He loitered back over to Noir, still grinning as he grabbed the mans arm, sword still gripped in his palm. Soldier boy lifted the mans arm and used it to bring the tip of the sword up to his neck.
"Go ahead," he taunted, his voice low. "Give me the fight you promised."
Earving didn't break eye contact as he stood motionless in front of the supe. He exhaled hard into the man's face, his breathing rough and laboured.
"Hah," Soldier boys' voice crackled as he let out another laugh, "I guess discipline really does work." He spat, winding up his arm.
Homelander watched the man he'd just pulled out of his cell carefully as his body began to glow, radiating a bright aura from around him. He rolled his eyes seeing the captive start yell out a war cry as he charged up what appeared to be a blast.
Just before he could fire it off, he paused suddenly. Blood pooled into his mouth and dripped on the ground as the top half of his body slid off and hit the ground, making a squelching noise. From a few feet ahead, Homelanders eyes faintly glowed red before returning to their natural blue.
A detached smile made its way across the blonde man's face as he paced through the dozens of bodies littered all around him, his hands neatly held behind his back.
His attention shifted suddenly towards the nearby wall. He'd heard the sound of a scuffle several meters away for some time now, but now he couldn't hear anything but the faint noise of conversation. He couldn't quite make out the voices, but he presumed it was Noir and Soldier boy. They must've cleared out their side of the building, too.
He'd barely started making his way towards the door to meet them, when a crashing sound pulled him back to the wall he'd been staring at. A black and grey blur burst through the wall, passing inches from Homelanders nose before coming down hard on the ground. The supe blinked in surprise, squinting for a moment before he recognized the man.
“Noir?-“ he managed, before Soldier boys bellowing laughter cut him off. The brown haired man gripped the sides of the newly demolished wall and pulled himself through to the inside of the room. A few feet behind him, Homelander spotted a wide-eyed boy cowering in the corner.
Earving tried to push himself up, seeing Soldier boy’s familiar silhouette make its way towards him, each step booming against the ground. He dug his elbows into the ground, trying to ignore the agonizing pain—but it was no use. His arms gave way and his head smacked against the ground. He lay there, defenseless, as the impossibly loud footsteps drew closer towards his face.
By now, his body had almost completely given up to exhaustion. Earving could tell if the uncontrollable trembling in his limbs was from fear or pain, but it didn’t matter either way—he was still laying there, immobile, waiting for whatever Soldier boy might do to him next.
As he stared at the ceiling passively, the static noise pulsating through his head seemed to fill his mind, drowning out every other sound. The sound of thumping footsteps trampling over squelching bodies ceased completely, and his eyelids fell shut over his eyes, blocking out any light that peeked into his hazy vision.
"Don't be like that, Noir, we were having so much fun!" Soldier boys' thunderous laughter drilled through Earvings head suddenly. His eyelids flew open, the image of the man's face burning into his eyes as he tried to blink away the dazed feeling still crawling in his mind.
His eyes were still fixed on Soldier boys as another sound penetrated his ears--a faint whooshing sound stopped almost as soon as it started, followed by the 'click' of someone's shoes touching the ground.
He couldn't pay attention to it long before the supes had one hand tightly gripped around his face, and the other balled up into a fist. The punch collided with Earvings face, pressing deep into his skin and deforming the mask that wrapped around his face.
When he pulled his hand back, a piece of the cloth ripped away with it and revealed part of the ninjas face. Soldier boy could see his jaw clenched hard, the veins pushing through his skin. Though he hadn't made much noise, it was clear from the way his chest puffed up and down that he was struggling to breathe.
Soldier boy lifted up his leg and hovered it over Earvings chest before digging his knee into the mans diaphragm. He smirked as Noir's mouth contorted into a pained expression, his fingers scratching at the ground uselessly, too weak to even lift his arms.
Another punch to the face shook the ground beneath Earving, and he exhaled hard through the small gap in his mask. He didn't bother turning his head back to face Soldier boy this time, limply resting his head to the side as his eyes trailed around the room. He stared incuriously at the display of bodies in the otherwise empty room, one eye slowly swelling shut.
It was only when he spotted Homelander's distinct blue costume from the corner of his eye that he snapped into reality again. He stared at the man hard, a silent plea escaping his eyes, one that he was sure Homelander could see. The supe stepped towards the two men informally, wearing an expression Earving couldn't discern.
"You guy's really could take your petty squabbles anywhere else?" he tutted, feigning disappointment with a smile held on his face. "You're scaring our guest." He gestured in front of the men.
With a considerable effort, Earving turned his head over to where Homelander had motioned. There stood the young boy, still unharmed save for a few minor scratches. He watched the three of them warily, seemingly afraid to move. Silence filled the air for a moment, not a sound except the hum that poured through the vents, and the trickle of blood escaping Noirs side and filling the cracks in the floor.
Homelander paused for a moment, waiting for Soldier boy to turn back to face him before extending a hand to help the man up. The brown haired man sighed, licking his lips as he held his head up for a beat. Then, he took the supes hand, letting himself be pulled up to his feet. Homelander put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently.
"I'm sure you can work this out in a civil manner when we get back to Vought tower, yeah?" He smiled at Soldier boy. His voice didn't display the commanding tone he used with the other members of The Seven. Rather, it was clear he would've backed down at Soldier boy's request, and allowed him to continue wreaking havoc on the already half demolished facility. And Black Noir.
It was this loyalty to Soldier boy that Noir feared the most. He knew his former leader was a threat on his own, but with Homelander at his side, there was no one who could’ve stood up to him.
More than anyone else, Homelander desired Soldier boys' approvals--and no one knew that better than Soldier boy himself. Most people might have been surprised at his quick acceptance of his new role in the Seven, but to Earving, it made perfect sense. He wanted the ultimate power, and if the most powerful man in the world would bend to his will so easily, then he'd already won.
Soldier boy patted the supes arm firmly, flashing him a quick smile. Homelander returned it, before slipping his hand off the mans shoulder and tilting his head. He turned to face the boy, still standing helplessly in the same spot as before.
At a calculated pace, he strolled towards the boy, his head held high and his hands swaying at his sides. Earving could only follow him with his eyes, head still turned sideways to stare at the young supe.
Instead of going around the battered ninja, Homelander stepped casually over the mans limp body as if he wasn't even there. He spread his arms slightly in an almost welcoming manner, turning his palms towards the boy with a smile on his face as the young supe hastily backed away.
"Hey, hey--it's only me. Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you." He said, bending down slightly and extending his arms reach wider. His attempts at looking friendly were betrayed by his concieted smile, sharp canines peeking through the inhumanly wide grin. The boy didn't move except to take another step back, arms crossed in front of his face as if to guard himself.
Not getting the reaction he had hoped for, he placed his hands on his hips and let out an exaggerated sigh, rolling his eyes. Earving heard him mutter to himself under his breath, and though he couldn't quite catch what the man had said, he assumed it was a petty complaint.
Earving blinked, feeling a gust of wind blow against his face in the split second it took for his eyes to shut. When he opened them again, he found Homelander standing behind the boy, one hand resting on his head, the other grabbing his chin.
Before the ninja could blink again, the supe pulled both arms in opposite directions.
A sickening crack filled the otherwise silent room, followed by a soft thump of the young boy's lifeless body hitting the ground. Though his lungs tried to push out a gasp of shock, it had escaped Earving as a gurgling of blood pouring out of his throat. His leader stood before him, dusting his hands off as if he'd killed an insect.
Homelander motioned towards the door, his eyes locked on Soldier boy. The brown haired supe accepted his silent proposal and started towards the door. He stepped over the strewn-about corpses with the demeanour of a butcher walking through a meat freezer.
"It's idiotic that they still think they need these...rejects" He remarked, grimacing as his gaze trailed on the ground. Using the front of his boot, he gingerly lifted the arm of a bloodied supe, examining the body with a look of disappointment before kicking it out of his path. He looked back up at Homelander. "They've already got the two most powerful supes in the world."
Homelander seemed pleased at his remark, a flattered smile making it's way across his face.
"This is Stan Edgar we're talking about. Whatever he's got planned is in Voughts best interest--our best interest, too." he tried, though he wasn't making a great effort to convince the man. Even watching Soldier boy frown at the mention of Edgars name, he didn't defend the CEO further.
"Well I'd just love to discuss the matter with him." the unmistakable sarcasm seeped through Soldier boys voice. Homelander only smiled.
"I'm sure we can arrange that."
Before he made it to Homelanders side, Soldier boy paused. He planted his foot down hard, just beside Earvings head. The ninja felt a knot twist in his stomach.
"And Noir," he began, callously, "pick yourself up. I shouldn't have to drag you back to Vought tower."
Earving watched the two men exit the room, before his body finally gave in and he felt his vision go black.
