Let Me Show You A True Hero!

[Izuku Kageyama]

Not sure how I missed this one when it first came out, but your newer stories drew my attention to it. Watched. I'm guessing by the Deep's absence Homelander got him off the team at some point?

 

[OverseerEX]

Homelander could probably help them with info if they could take out the true motherfuckers of 'heroes', and if him wanting to take over Vought is true, cutting out the bad and retaining the good is a perfect way to restructure. The company would be hit pretty hard, but it'll recover as long as he's in charge. It would probably be also good to change the name and rebrand.

 

[shirouM]

Sorry for taking so long to update this one! So please leave a comment if you want this to be updated sooner!

ENJOY!

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Chapter 22

Black Noir's piercing glare fell on the shattered remnants of the metal collar before tossing it aside.

He swiftly pivoted towards the source of the gunshot and stared into the fear-filled eyes of the sniper who was miles away.

Good.

They know they weren't safe.

He ignored the sniper and focused on the woman standing beside them. He allowed himself a huff as the woman quickly vanished into thin air and took her teammates with them.

A teleporter was with them, meaning this fight would be more annoying than it already was.

A psychic, a teleporter, and a sniper.

He found these three powers to be the most aggravating to deal with, and now he had to face them all at once.

He took a moment to consider his strategy of killing the teleporter first.

A deep, guttural growl reverberated from across the street and knocked him out of his thoughts. Uncaring, he turned to face Inferno and Teleforce who were now back on their feet, their bodies ablaze with desperation.

Inferno, flames licking around her body, brought forth a wall of fire around him, trying to buy them precious more seconds to stay alive.

Teleforce pushed off the ground, using his telekinetic powers to gain an aerial advantage as he used his power to push Noir down.

Black Noir watched them.

His eyes held no malice or amusement, only a blank observance that was in itself terrifying. He raised one hand and Inferno's protective wall was snuffed out as though it was never there as a powerful gust of wind sent her tumbling through the air.

Inferno gasped for breath as she recoiled from the extinguished flames and tried to regain her baring. But she wouldn't get the chance as Black Noir was upon her before she could regain her steady footing and strike back.

Noir's armored hand stretched out to rip apart Inferno's throat and take the annoying pyromaniac down.

Teleforce screamed a warning, his voice echoing through the cityscape as he tried to desperately hold Noir down.

But it was far too late.

Teleforce watched in horror as Inferno, his closest friend, choked and writhed beneath Noir's hand. A hoarse scream tore from his throat, and with one last surge of rage-fueled power, he launched himself at the enemy.

But Black Noir was too quick, too strong.

With a swift motion that bordered on casualness, he tossed aside Inferno's limp form and turned to face Teleforce. Noir's apathetic gaze met Teleforce's frenzied head-on as the psychic launched himself towards the hulking monstrosity.

Inferno was on the ground, her body landing with a cold thud, a gurgling sound escaping her mouth as blood seeped out from where her throat used to be.

Meanwhile, on the rooftop where they had retreated to, Planeshifter fought back her own shuddering gasps to watch the fight unfold. She could barely focus her trembling hands on the syringe she held, the liquid within it shimmering menacingly under the dim light.

Sharpshot kept his rifle trained on Black Noir indiscriminately firing away every time a window of opportunity presented itself. However, it did less than nothing as Noir either tanked the shots or somehow dodged out of the way.

"Hey!" He shouted above the gunfire and clattering syringes, masked with grim anger over the swelling hopelessness within him. "Either stab the fucking needle into your fucking arms or I'll do it for you!"

Glaring at the sniper, Planeshift stabbed the needle into her arm.

"Shoot him with liquid V!" Planeshifter hissed, her voice cracking under the pressure as she readied another needle for Metal Hand.

"I can't! The bastard's too fast!" Sharpshot snapped, his finger twitching over the trigger. "If I miss, we lose whatever advantage we have left."

Metal Hand staggered to his feet, gripping the syringe tightly. He looked at it with a mix of desperation and disgust. The crimson liquid inside pulsed as if alive, almost mocking him.

"I can't believe I'm putting this shit inside me! Can we even take him down with this?!" Planeshifter asked, her gaze flickering between Metal Hand and the slaughter miles away.

Metal Hand gritted his teeth. "This thing's untested and even if it doesn't kill us, it might turn us into something worse than that freak down there. But if the lab rats are right, this'll put us on Homelander's level!"

Sharpshot fired a warning shot that ricocheted off Noir's shoulder. It didn't stop him, but it was enough to make the creature glance in their direction once more.

"He's coming for us next," Sharpshot growled. "If you're gonna use that damn thing, you'd better do it now, Metal Hand!"

Below, Teleforce screamed as he hurled everything he had at Noir. The psychic's powers sent shockwaves through the air, tearing chunks of concrete from the rooftop and slamming them into Noir's unyielding frame.

Despite the onslaught, Noir didn't even stagger.

The most it got out of him was a disgruntled grunt.

"I can't hold him!" Teleforce screamed out in desperation, his cyan eyes glowing brighter than ever as veins bulged on his temples. "Just—do something! Before he fucking kills me!"

Noir tilted his head, wondering how they were communicating with each other before reaching down to his belt and pushed a button.

"FUCK! HE DID SOMETHING! COMMUNICATIONS ARE DOWN!" Sharpshot roared out as he glared at the hero.

Metal Hand's jaw clenched as he tore the syringe from Planeshifter's hand. Without hesitation, he jammed it into his arm, the needle sinking deep into his vein. The liquid inside burned like fire as it entered his bloodstream, spreading an unbearable heat throughout his body.

Before she could even react, he grabbed three more from her and began to chug all three down.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Planeshifter screamed, but Metal Hand didn't answer. His entire body convulsed, his metal arm sparking wildly as the transformation began.

The rooftop beneath him cracked as his form expanded. Muscles bulged and veins darkened as the serum took hold, amplifying his strength to impossible levels. His metallic arm, once a simple tool of destruction, began to shift and morph, jagged spikes sprouting from its surface.

"I'll kill him!" Metal Hand growled, his voice distorted and deeper, almost inhuman. "Get me to him!"

Planeshifter hesitated, her instincts screaming at her to run, but she shook her head violently. "Why the fuck did you take four fucking shots?! You'll die you fucking dumbass!"

Metal Hand didn't look at her, his glowing eyes fixed on the battle.

"Then I'll make sure he goes down with me!"

Sharpshot cursed under his breath, lowering his rifle. "Damn it, I'm running out of shots! Planeshifter, get ready to teleport Metal Hand on top of the bastard!"

Planeshifter tightened her grip on Metal Hand's massive arm. She looked into his glowing eyes for a moment before she nodded her fear pushed aside by determination. "Sharpshot, keep him distracted. His focus has to be off us for this to work."

Sharpshot obeyed wordlessly, reloading his rifle with shaking hands and standing up to expose himself more - a clear target for Noir.

He fired shots in rapid succession, each bullet ricocheting off the ground near Noir's feet. They were as ineffective as before, but it was enough to attract Black Noir's attention.

Teleforce continued to pummel Noir with concrete shards and telekinetic blasts. His eyes were filled with desperate rage, blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth as he poured out every ounce of his power.

His strength was waning fast, and he knew he couldn't hold out much longer.

As Noir took a step towards Teleforce, Planeshifter closed her eyes and teleported the mutated Metal Hand. The pressure from the sudden displacement was immediate and intense, causing a sharp pain to spike through her temples.

But when she opened her eyes again, they were exactly where she wanted him to be - right on top of Black Noir.

CRACK!

The moment he appeared with a loud crack that sounded like glass breaking, Metal Hand lunged at the armored man with an animalistic roar.

"RAAGGGHHHHH!!!!!!"

Acting on instinct, Noir spun around just in time to deflect the first strike from Metal Hand's deadly spined arm. But the force of the blow sent him sliding back several yards across the roof, causing a cloud of dust to billow into the air.

Noir's boots screeched against the rooftop as he came to a halt, his body braced against the ground. For the first time in this encounter, his movements were no longer effortless. He stared at Metal Hand, his expression as stoic as ever, but the slight shift in his stance hinted at a newfound caution.

Metal Hand wasn't the same man Noir had ignored moments ago.

His form had grown monstrous, veins pulsating with a violent red glow as his metallic arm gleamed with serrated edges. Every breath he took sounded like a furnace roaring to life, steam escaping through gritted teeth.

Their battle long since alerted everyone in this small city as sirens could be heard in the distance bellowing with noise. But neither Noir nor the team sent to retrieve Kimiko seemed to care.

"Come on, you piece of shit!" Metal Hand bellowed, his voice guttural and distorted. He charged forward with terrifying speed, the roof beneath his feet cracking under the sheer force of his steps.

Noir's head tilted ever so slightly as if analyzing the sudden threat. Then, he moved.

The two collided with a thunderous impact that shook the entire building. Metal Hand's spiked arm came down in a brutal arc, meeting Noir's raised forearm. Sparks erupted as metal clashed with the reinforced armor of Noir's suit.

This time, however, Noir wasn't the one dictating the pace.

Metal Hand pressed his advantage, striking again and again, each swing faster and more ferocious than the last. Noir deflected and dodged where he could, his movements precise and efficient, but Metal Hand's newfound strength and raw aggression made every block a struggle.

Miles away, Sharpshot watched the exchange, his mouth slightly agape. "Holy shit… He's actually pushing Noir back!"

Planeshifter wiped the blood trickling from her nose and glared at the sniper.

"Don't celebrate yet! This isn't over!"

Down below, Teleforce took a shaky breath, falling to his knees as his reserves of energy were completely spent. He could only watch, his vision blurring as Metal Hand fought like a man possessed.

Noir ducked under a particularly wild swing, retaliating with a sharp uppercut aimed at Metal Hand's exposed side. The punch connected, the force of it rippling through Metal Hand's torso and causing him to stagger.

The strike that could previously rip through him like wet paper now merely caused him to stagger.

Metal Hand let out a guttural laugh.

"That all you got?!" he roared before bringing his metallic fist crashing down. Noir sidestepped, but the sheer force of the strike shattered the concrete where he had just stood, sending debris flying.

Noir pivoted, using the opening to deliver a precise jab to Metal Hand's throat. The mutated fighter stumbled, coughing violently, but he didn't fall. Instead, he grabbed Noir's wrist with his enhanced arm, the serrated edges digging into the hero's armor.

Noir tried to break free but found himself surprised as he was easily overpowered.

With a savage roar, Metal Hand swung Noir like a rag doll, slamming him into the rooftop with enough force to send cracks spiderwebbing through the structure. The impact reverberated through the entire building, causing Teleforce to momentarily lose their balance.

"Keep going! Don't give him a chance to recover!" Planeshifter shouted, her voice hoarse.

Metal Hand, despite not hearing her, yanked Noir up by the arm and hurled him across the rooftop, sending him crashing into a ventilation unit.

Metal screeched as Noir's body dented the structure. And for the first time, there was a noticeable hesitation in Noir's movements as he pulled himself free, his shoulders rising and falling in steady breaths.

Metal Hand grinned, blood seeping from his gums as he took a step forward.

"Not so tough now, are you? Did you think you were untouchable? You think you're better than us?! I'll show you what it means to bleed!"

Noir remained silent, his blue eyes watching every move. Then, slowly, he raised his hand and flicked a switch on his belt.

Metal Hand didn't care.

He lunged forward, intent on finishing the fight. But before he could close the distance, a deafening boom erupted from Noir's belt. A shockwave of compressed air blasted outward, slamming into Metal Hand and sending him skidding backward.

"What the hell was that?!" Planeshifter exclaimed, steadying herself as the shockwave reached their vantage point.

Sharpshot's eyes narrowed. "Somethings different…"

Metal Hand growled, shaking off the disorientation from the blast.

"You think a little wind is gonna stop me?!" He charged again, faster than before.

This time, Noir didn't meet him head-on. Instead, he darted to the side, his movements sharper, faster, more calculated. He struck at Metal Hand's exposed joints, aiming for weak points in the mutant's transformed body.

Every strike was precise and powerful, designed to cripple rather than kill.

But Metal Hand was relentless. He swung wildly, his spiked arm tearing through the air in a blur. One lucky strike clipped Noir's shoulder, the spikes scraping through his armor and drawing blood.

From the rooftop, Sharpshot saw the blood and couldn't help but cheer. "He's bleeding! That freak is actually bleeding!"

Planeshifter didn't share his enthusiasm. "He's still not slowing down, actually he looks like he's getting fucking faster! Sharpshot, can you hit him with liquid V now?!"

Sharpshot shook his head, his expression grim. "Not a chance. They're moving too fast. I'd hit Metal Hand before I hit Noir."

The two combatants continued their brutal exchange, the rooftop barely holding together under the strain of their battle.

For the first time in his career, Black Noir found himself facing an opponent who wasn't breaking under the weight of his power.

But even as Metal Hand fought with everything he had, there was a growing sense of dread. The serum coursing through his veins was taking its toll. His breathing grew more labored, his movements slightly less coordinated. He could feel his body straining against the unnatural power surging within him as he began to slowly lose his mind.

And Noir noticed. His blank expression didn't shift, but his attacks became more deliberate, targeting Metal Hand's faltering movements.

Planeshifter saw it too, her stomach sinking. "He's figuring him out. Metal Hand can't keep this up forever."

Sharpshot cursed under his breath. "Then we have to finish this now. Get me closer. If I can get a clean shot, I can end this."

Planeshifter hesitated.

"…Fine. Just don't miss or we're both fucking dead."

As she prepared to teleport, the fight below reached a fever pitch. Metal Hand roared, launching himself at Noir with reckless abandon. Noir sidestepped the attack and countered with a brutal kick to Metal Hand's knee, the joint buckling under the pressure.

Metal Hand collapsed to one knee, his monstrous form trembling as the serum began to burn through his body. He collapsed entirely, landing face-first into the concrete.

He looked up at Noir, defiant even in his injured state. "I'm… not done yet…"

Noir didn't respond.

He simply raised his foot and began to bring it down with bone-crushing force to finally end him.

CRACK

Sharpshot grinned from his new vantage point.

Right behind Noir.

BANG

A gunshot rang out right beside his head, point blank. A single syringe, filled with purple liquid, pierced Noir's neck.

"Gotcha."

Black Noir froze as the liquid coursed through his veins. His body, once a symphony of lethal precision, now betrayed him. The syringe dangled from his neck as he stumbled backward, his usually unreadable gaze momentarily flickering with a mix of confusion and fury.

Sharpshot smirked, his confidence swelling as he watched the indomitable figure begin to falter.

"What's the matter, freak? Feeling a little stiff?" He took deliberate steps forward, savoring the sight of Noir's slow collapse.

Noir's legs buckled, and he fell to one knee, his hands trembling as he tried to steady himself. He fought with everything he had, willing his body to respond, but the serum was relentless. His limbs felt like they were weighed down by concrete, his breath shallow as his movements slowed to a crawl.

Metal Hand, still hunched over and gasping from the strain of his transformation, managed a guttural laugh as he struggled to his feet.

"Look at you now… the deadliest member of the Seven, Black Noir, brought to his knees like the dog you are."

Planeshifter materialized behind Noir, her hands still shaking but her grin filled with cruel satisfaction. She circled him like a predator, her voice dripping with venom.

"Not so tough now, huh? All that silence and stoicism—what's it worth when you can't even stand up?"

Teleforce, barely able to keep himself upright, staggered over, his eyes wild with anger and grief. He pointed a trembling finger at Noir, his voice cracking. "This… this is for Inferno, you son of a bitch!"

With a telekinetic shove, he slammed Noir's head into the concrete, a satisfying crunch echoing through the rooftop.

Noir's vision blurred as his head hit the ground, but his mind was racing.

Move… move… MOVE!

He strained against the serum's effects, his muscles twitching with effort, but the paralysis held him in its icy grip.

Metal Hand stomped forward, each step sending tremors through the roof. He towered over Noir, his grotesque form casting a shadow over the fallen hero.

"You're not so scary anymore, are you? All that power, and now you're just a fucking punching bag." He raised his jagged, spiked arm and brought it down hard, slamming it into Noir's chest with a sickening thud.

Noir's body jerked with the impact, his armor denting under the force. His breaths came in short, shallow gasps, but his eyes—those cold, piercing eyes—never left his tormentors.

Sharpshot crouched beside him, his rifle resting casually on his shoulder as he leaned in close to Noir's face.

"Y'know, we were just supposed to grab Kimiko and get out. But you had to make it personal, didn't you?" He tapped the side of Noir's face mockingly. "Don't worry, though. We'll take good care of her. Real good care."

Planeshifter chuckled darkly, her voice a cruel whisper. "Oh, she'll scream. And you'll be here, helplessly watching, unable to do anything but watch as we have fun with her."

The words cut deeper than any weapon could. Noir's fists clenched imperceptibly, his fingers twitching as he fought against the serum's grip. His mind screamed at his body to obey, to move, to stop them, to rip them apart but the paralysis was unyielding.

Metal Hand grabbed Noir by the front of his armor, hoisting him up before slamming him back down.

"You think you're better than us? That you can just kill us like nothing and walk away?" He leaned in, his grotesque, mutated face inches from Noir's. "You're nothing. Just a tool. A freak on a leash."

"You and that bitch will get what you both fucking deserve!"

As the three of them surrounded Noir, their taunts growing more vicious and their strikes more brutal, something shifted. Deep within Noir's mind, a single thought burned brighter than the pain or the paralysis.

Kimiko.

A faint tremor ran through his arm. It was small, almost imperceptible, but it was enough. His hand twitched again, the movement more deliberate this time.

Sharpshot noticed it first, his smirk faltering. "Uh, guys? He's—"

Before he could finish, Noir's hand shot out with lightning speed, gripping Sharpshot's ankle. The sniper's eyes widened in horror. "No—!"

With a guttural growl that sounded more animal than human, Noir yanked Sharpshot off his feet and slammed him into Metal Hand, turning him into a red paste as his body exploded into blood and gore.

The drugged-up supe stumbled back, blinded by the blood and guts.

"OH SHIT!" Teleforce screamed out as he fell onto his ass in fear.

Planeshifter screamed, trying to teleport away, but Noir's other hand snapped up and caught her wrist mid-teleport, yanking her back into reality.

The serum's hold was still strong, but Black Noir was stronger.

Slowly, painfully, but with an inevitability that sent chills down their spines. His blank, expressionless gaze was now fixed solely on them, and for the first time, they felt the full weight of his wrath.

Planeshifter's trembling voice broke the silence. "No… no, this isn't possible…"

Noir didn't speak.

He didn't need to.

His actions would say everything they needed to know.

His hands forcefully grabbed hold of the woman's lower jaw.

Planeshifter's breath hitched as Noir's grip tightened on her jaw, his fingers pressing into her flesh with a powerful force. She thrashed wildly, her hands clawing at his armored wrists, but it was useless.

The sheer strength behind his grip was suffocating, her lungs burning as panic set in.

"No! No, please!" she gasped, desperately trying to teleport. Her body flickered, attempting to vanish into thin air, but Noir's iron grasp kept her anchored in place. "I—I can help you! We—We can work together! You don't have to do this! I-I'm Sorr—"

Noir's only response was the slow, deliberate tightening of his fingers. The bones in her jaw creaked under the pressure, her eyes widening in horror.

Then, with one sudden, monstrous pull—

CRACK!

A wet, visceral rip filled the air as Noir tore her jaw clean off, the flesh and sinew splitting apart like overcooked meat. Planeshifter's eyes bulged in shock as blood gushed from the gaping maw that was once her mouth.

She choked, gurgling on her own blood, her body convulsing violently from the pain and shock.

Noir didn't stop. His fingers curled into her throat, and with one brutal wrench, he ripped her entire head from her shoulders. Her body slumped forward, twitching in its final moments before going still.

He let her severed head drop with a sickening thud, her lifeless eyes frozen in terror.

A few feet away, Teleforce watched, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. His hands trembled, his body paralyzed with pure, unfiltered horror.

"N-No… oh god, no…" he whimpered, scrambling backward, his strength completely drained. "Please—please, I don't wanna die! I—I was just following orders! We—we didn't have a choice!"

Noir turned his cold, piercing gaze on him.

Teleforce tried to push Noir back with the last dregs of his telekinesis, but it was pitiful. The energy barely even ruffled Noir's armor.

"No—Noir, please! I—I have a family! I—"

Noir stepped forward.

Teleforce's words dissolved into a shriek of pure terror as Noir snatched him by the throat, lifting him effortlessly off the ground. Teleforce clawed at his hand, kicking and thrashing like a rat, his mind screaming for his powers to save him.

But they wouldn't.

He felt it before it happened—the pressure around his throat, the immense, unyielding force.

SNAP!

Noir's fingers crushed his windpipe like brittle glass.

Teleforce's body spasmed, his eyes rolling back as a wheezing, garbled sound escaped his lips. His limbs twitched uselessly, his brain still processing the pain even as death closed in.

Noir held him there for a moment, watching the light fade from his eyes before finally, carelessly, tossing his corpse aside like garbage.

Two down.

Noir's breath was labored, his limbs still sluggish from the serum coursing through his veins. His vision swam for a brief second, his muscles locking up slightly as he steadied himself.

He turned toward Metal Hand.

The mutated supe was still on his knees, his breathing ragged, his massive form shaking from the unnatural power surging through him. Blood dripped from his mouth, his eyes darting back and forth as if waging an internal war with his own body.

Then, with a growl of frustration and desperation—

He grabbed another syringe from his belt.

Noir's body tensed.

Then another.

His fingers curled into fists.

Then another.

His breathing slowed.

Metal Hand looked up at Noir, his lips pulling back into something between a snarl and a grin.

"You think this is over?!" he rasped, his voice distorted beyond recognition. "You think you've won?!"

Noir moved to stop him—

But his legs buckled, the serum Sharpshot had injected still weighing him down. His vision blurred again, his body sluggish, unresponsive.

Without hesitation, Metal Hand slammed the needles into his arm, injecting the crimson liquid directly into his bloodstream.

His entire body convulsed violently, his veins bulging, his muscles twisting in unnatural ways as the serum took hold. His metal arm warped, the spikes growing larger, more jagged, more monstrous. His flesh stretched, splitting open in places as something inhuman took root inside him.

Metal Hand let out a sickening laugh, deep and guttural, his voice reverberating like a beast awakening from its slumber.

"I'M NOT DONE YET, YOU SILENT FUCK."

With a deafening roar, he lunged and unleashed a brutal punch aimed directly at Noir's head.

Noir tensed and attempted to blockade the incoming blow with the bulk of his armored limbs; an act that was futile in front of the monstrous blow.

The clash was cataclysmic, resonating like a thunderclap, the ground below them shuddering from the impact.

And Metal Hand's newfound might shatter Noir's defensive block like frail twigs.

His arms – once his potent weapons – now crumpled under the bone-shattering strength of Metal Hand's strike. There was an audible crack as both his ulnas and radii splintered under the assault, shards of armor piercing through his skin.

The force catapulted him off his feet and sent him hurtling through the air like a comet.

His trajectory pierced through buildings, their glass exteriors disintegrating upon contact. Steel beams bent and warped to his momentum as he was flung unrelentingly towards the outskirts of the city, leaving behind a wake of destruction.

He flew out of the city with terrifying speed as a towering mountain range loomed ahead, bound by green foliage and veined by countless rivulets reflecting the dimming night.

The picturesque tranquility was promptly interrupted as Noir's armored form embedded itself into the rocky terrain of the mountain.

The resulting shockwave dislodged an avalanche, rocks raining down on his fallen form as dust clouds enveloped the impact site.

When the dust finally settled, and the Moon was high in its zenith, casting an eerie luminescence over Noir's crumpled form.

His torso was a grotesque sight, armored plates blurred and mixed with the splattered blood and chunks of flesh, painful gasps for air escaping from his cracked helmet.

His broken arms lay sprawled around him, twisted at unnatural angles, bones jutting out grotesquely like pale ivory shards.

Still trapped within the mountain wall's rocky embrace, he could taste the iron tang of blood filling his mouth, each breath becoming more ragged than the last.

He attempted to move but the resulting pain rippled through his body, causing stars to flash across his vision. His sensors were ablaze with critical damage warnings, ebbing memories of a bygone battle filtered through layers of trauma-induced amnesia.

The tendrils of seeping unconsciousness crept up on him with every pulsating heartbeat. But amidst the agony that threatened to drown him whole, Noir felt something stirring deep within him, an undercurrent of defiance that refused to yield.

A primal willpower that screamed for survival and retribution in equal measure.

Despite his poisoned body.

Despite his broken arms.

And despite the seemingly impossible fight ahead of him with a Supe that hit him harder than anyone he ever faced before.

Slowly he got up, ignoring the agony and the scream of his body for him to stop, pushed aside the boulders that buried him, and stared at the rampaging Supe who was running in his direction.

His blue eyes flashed a crimson red.

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Dracophage]

This seems to have Noir finally evolving similar to how this SI Homelander has.

 

[BusterMemelin]

Just binged this, I see your using comic Noir identity which I am hyped for

 

[shirouM]

A quick fluff to tide you guys over, because this was originally supposed to be fluff/slice of life.

And show how close he's gotten with her before finishing Noir's arc!

Also don't complain about having too much Noir! I know I kinda zoned in on him!

But this is my story! So, I can do what I want!

Enjoy! Please leave a comment if you want more! The next chapter will be up soon!

---

Chapter 23

They shouldn't be doing this.

Was the thought that was going through Noir's head as he walked down the busy street filled with people as he got dragged along by Kimiko.

It seemed a celebration was happening in the city, what they were celebrating was anyone's guess because Noir couldn't care enough to know.

How she managed to convince him to go was a mystery to him, he just couldn't seem to say no to her.

Black Noir adjusted the simple hoodie over his head and the black scarf around his neck, ensuring the shadows covered most of his face.

He didn't need much of a disguise, no one really paid attention to him anyway or believed the fact he looked exactly like the world's greatest hero.

But tonight wasn't about missions, Vought, or bloodshed.

Tonight, he was just… him. Whoever that was.

Kimiko walked beside him in an oversized denim jacket, a beanie, and a large black scarf. Grinned up at him.

She tapped his arm excitedly before signing,

"Where first?"

Noir simply shrugged.

He wasn't sure where to start. He had never done this before wandering the city without a target in mind, without a mission dictating his every move.

But Kimiko was different.

She saw the world through fresh eyes, eager and curious, and tonight, she had decided they would experience it together.

She grabbed his wrist and led him forward, her energy infectious. Noir let himself be pulled along, the emptiness of his usual life lifting ever so slightly.

Their first stop was a street food stall.

Kimiko eagerly pointed at the sizzling skewers, her eyes wide with anticipation as a tiny trail of saliva appeared on her lips.

So, he ordered four of the skewers and handed the old woman a hundred, shaking his head when she tried to give him back the change. He had more than he would ever need and didn't want to carry the coins.

She smiled at him and happily took back the money.

"I hope you two love birds have a lovely night~!" She told them and her smile grew wider as she watched Noir hand Kimiko her skewer, and she couldn't help but notice how adorable they looked together.

Especially since Kimiko's excitement was evident as she bounced on her feet while receiving a skewer.

Noir had never really paid attention to food before, he ate because he had to, not because he enjoyed it.

So, he simply decided to hold on to the rest in case she wanted another one down the road.

…But when she took a bite of her skewer and gave him a wide, delighted smile while giving him an expecting look, he hesitated… and then took a bite of his own.

The explosion of spices and heat was unexpected but not unwelcome as he took another bite, this time notably a larger chunk of the skewer was gone.

Noir found himself nodding in approval at the surprising taste, which made her beam even more.

Kimiko giggled at his reaction, bumping him playfully.

They soon wandered into a claw machine arcade just as they finished with their snack. Kimiko was instantly enthralled, pressing her hands to the glass and staring at the stuffed animals inside. She turned to Noir, determination in her expression.

She pulled out her hand causing him to raise a brow.

"Money."

Noir blinked, then nodded.

Seeing as the machine only took fives, tens, and twenties, he took out two twenties for her.

She smiled in delight, grabbing the notes and making a beeline for the nearest change machine.

In the pale glow of the buzzing neon lights, Noir watched as she tried several times to feed the machine her notes. Each time, it spit them back out at her, leaving her more and more frustrated.

He shook his head in amusement before stepping up beside Kimiko and taking the stubborn note from her hands. With smooth deliberation, he straightened it out on the edge of the machine before feeding it back into the slot.

The machine gulped down the note happily this time, spewing out a shower of shiny coins that Kimiko hastily chucked into a nearby coin pouch.

Noir couldn't miss the triumphant smirk she wore as she angled her body towards one claw machine in particular – one filled with a rainbow assortment of small stuffed cats.

Her first few attempts were far from successful.

The stubborn claw grazed past her target each time, nudging it just slightly off but never clasping it completely.

But Kimiko was nothing if not determined as she pushed in coin after coin, growing more focused with each failed attempt. Noir watched from his spot behind her, a faint semblance of a smile hidden beneath his scarf.

After nearly ten tries, Kimiko finally managed to snatch up a small black cat by its head. It hung precariously from the claw's grip as it moved slowly towards the exit chute.

Kimiko held her breath while Noir simply watched as the stuffed animal dropped abruptly back down with the rest.

Kimiko jerked back as if the machine had physically slapped her, a small soundless gasp escaping her lips.

Kimiko released an inaudible groan of disappointment, her shoulders slumping. She turned to inspect the pouch for more coins, there was only one left before she had to go exchange for more.

Her lips began to quiver as she muttered a silent prayer under her breath, the fierce determination in her eyes replaced with sad smile.

Noir pushed away from where he leaned against the wall of the arcade, blue eyes finding Kimiko amidst the pulsating neon lights.

He read defeat in her body language and decided that he couldn't let that stand.

He approached her, gently took the last coin from her hand, and turned towards the claw machine that had defied Kimiko time and again.

Behind him, Kimiko watched with wide, entranced eyes filled with anticipation and faint sparks of hope.

With an air of confidence, Noir slipped the last coin into the slot. The claw machine hummed back to life, its mechanical arm hanging over the sea of rainbow cats like a vulture waiting to strike.

Noir's fingers danced over the controls as his gaze zeroed in on his target, a small black cat lying near the top of the pile, its twin button-like eyes reflecting back at him through the glass pane.

His mind calculated angles and trajectory as though it was a high-profile investigation case he needed to crack, rather than a simple toy in a claustrophobic box being manipulated by an unforgiving metal claw.

Then suddenly decidedly, Noir moved.

His touch was confident but light on the control stick. The claw mirrored his movements swinging smoothly across stuffed felines. As he pressed the button, his heartbeat went quiet in his ears.

The claw descended on its target, grasped onto the cat's head… and failed to grab hold.

…Noir refused to turn around.

He could feel the silent laughter radiating off of her.

SMASH!!!

The sound of glass breaking could be heard around the arcade, and an uninjured hand reached inside, ignoring the game's mechanics entirely, and plucked out a stuffed black cat.

Kimiko's eyes widened before she burst again into silent laughter while taking the cat from him and hugging it close.

She grabbed his hand and gave it an approving squeeze before quickly dragging him to the next adventure.

Noir quickly threw a large wad of cash at the machine and an apology note that he carries around with him in case he ever breaks anything on accident.

They ran out of the arcade as if they were being chased, with Kimiko laughing all the while.

They soon stopped by a drink shop with the black-haired woman having stars in her eyes at the type of drinks they serve.

They tried bubble tea for the first time, which Noir found oddly soothing despite the weird texture of the tapioca pearls. And Kimiko simply glowed in happiness while greatly enjoying her sweet drink.

They sat on a park bench together, watching street performers dance and sing for an adoring crowd of tourists.

Kimiko clapped enthusiastically while Noir simply nodded in silent enjoyment.

At some point in the night, she dragged him to a photo booth, shoving a pair of silly sunglasses onto his face and removing their scarves to show off their face.

He hesitated, but when she smiled up at him, expectant and puppy-eyed, he relented.

The flash went off as she stuck her tongue out with a wide smile, flashing peace signs. Noir stood there, expressionless as he allowed her to do whatever she wanted, but something inside him warmed at the sight of her smile.

By the end of the night, Kimiko was carrying her cat plushie, her hands stuffed into her jacket pockets.

She looked up at him radiating happiness, and signed,

"This was fun."

Noir nodded.

"Let's do it again?"

A pause.

Then another more confident nod.

Kimiko grinned, then, on impulse, grabbed his gloved hand and squeezed it briefly before dragging him along once again.

Noir followed along, processing the unfamiliar feeling growing in his chest with each passing second he spent with her.

…This woman was dangerous.

But Noir didn't mind, he could get used to this strange feeling.

 

[Lillie Jones]

thanks for the chapter

 

[Draconic fan]

HomelandSIers brother is growing up! Good chaper

 

[shirouM]

Leave a comment if you want more!

---

Chapter 24

He needed to kill one more time.

One more body for the mountain of corpses he had built.

One more drop of blood in the ocean of red he had spilled.

Then she would be safe. Then he could return to her.

Only one more death stood between him and the life he started to long for.

A life of peace he could barely imagine as his own.

A life he was beginning to desperately want.

…Even if a monster like him would never deserve it.

His bloody face turned to the direction of his enemy whose rapidly approaching monstrous form cut a terrifying visage against the backdrop of the moonlit forest, destroying every tree in his way.

The distant thundering footsteps of the mutated Metal Hand grew louder, reverberating ominously against the desolate mountainside.

The moon hung high above, casting long shadows across Noir's slowly healing mangled form.

He heaved an uneven breath as agony filled his lungs, memories of her stoking the fire that burned within him.

Images of her flashed through his eyes of the time he spent with her.

Her brown eyes that spoke more than words ever could.

Her lips, soft and soothing as she smiled at him.

Her silent laughter, an unheard melodious symphony that drowned out the endless screams echoing in his head.

Her touch, healing and searing all at once.

His life may have depended on this fight, but so did hers.

Crack!

The broken bones in his arms set themselves back in place painfully as he got himself ready.

With his every muscle screaming in protest, Noir rose, each faltering step bringing him nearer to the metallic beast who had since grown overconfident in his victory.

Noir's heartbeat pounded in his ears like a percussive symphony of war awakening, spurring him into action despite the pain ravaging his frame.

The Superhuman known as Metal Hand was no longer recognizable. His veins throbbed with an otherworldly glow, the mutated serum twisting him into a grotesque caricature of the man he had once been.

Noir steeled himself for the fight.

Roaring incoherently, saliva and blood spewing from his deformed maw, Metal Hand leaped clear into the sky and landed across from Noir a good distance away.

The grotesque man then charged at him like an enraged bull.

Despite the intense agony pulsing through his body, Noir pushed himself forward with everything he had left. His broken muscles strained and screamed in protest, but he willed himself to keep moving.

One way or another, someone was going to die.

And Noir will make sure to take care of the corpses when he was done.

"RAAAGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

Metal Hand was a force of nature, like an unstoppable avalanche of muscle and steel.

His monstrous form tore through the air with terrifying speed despite his size, closing the distance between them in a blink.

Noir barely had time to brace himself before the impact.


A thunderous boom echoed through the mountains as Metal Hand's fist collided with Noir's midsection.

The sheer force sent him hurtling backward, crashing through trees like a ragdoll. Each impact shattered bone and ruptured muscle, but Noir refused to back down

The moment he hit the ground, he rolled to his feet, barely dodging the next earth-shaking strike that cratered the dirt where he had landed just a second prior.


Noir gasped as agony wracked his body.

His ribs were shattered.

His vision blurred.

But there was no time to dwell on the pain, Metal Hand was already upon him again.


A massive steel-coated fist swung at his head.

Noir duc—too slow.

The fist grazed his temple, and the sheer force sent him spinning in the air, blood spraying from the wound. Before he could recover, another strike came—a brutal kick to his ribs that sent him flying once more. Noir's back smashed against a boulder, splitting the rock in half from the force.


He coughed up blood, struggling to pull himself up.


Metal Hand stalked toward him, the grotesque mutations spreading further across his body as he growled like an animal.

His voice was gone, replaced by deep, animalistic snarls. His humanity had long been erased by the serum coursing through his veins.


Metal Hand lunged again, his movements becoming even more erratic, more feral. He swung wildly, aiming to pulverize Noir into the earth.

Noir dodged, barely avoiding another blow that cracked the ground beneath him and shook the entire area like a miniature earthquake.

But he wasn't fast enough to evade the second strike.


A massive uppercut landed clean, lifting Noir into the air before a devastating backhand sent him hurtling downward.

He slammed into the ground, carving a trench into the dirt.


Everything hurts.

Every breath was agony.


Metal Hand loomed over him, raising both of his colossal fists.

…He was going to die.

Noir had been beaten before. He had felt pain and suffered injuries that should have killed him long ago. But this—this was different, something he thought he would never experience ever again.

Helpless and weak.

Metal Hand's fists came down like meteors.

The first blow crushed his ribs with a sickening crunch, driving him deeper into the earth. The second shattered his left arm, rendering it limp and useless. The third cracked against his skull, filling his vision with blinding white light before everything blurred into darkness.

Boom

Boom

Boom

The world trembled with each impact, the force of Metal Hand's strikes carving a massive crater into the mountain.

Dust and debris shot into the air, surrounding them in a suffocating cloud of destruction.

Noir was little more than a broken doll beneath the relentless onslaught.

There was no fighting back.

There was no standing up.

His body refused to move. His limbs felt like dead weight. His mind was slipping, drowning in a sea of pain and exhaustion. Every nerve in his body screamed for relief, begged for the torment to stop.

He was dying.

And in his agony ridden mind, Noir for the first time in a long time… he wondered if maybe he should.

Maybe this was where his story ended.

Maybe this was what he deserved.

For all the blood he had spilled, for all the corpses he had left in his wake.

BOOM

Another brutal punch slammed into his gut, the impact sending a fresh wave of agony through his ruined body. Something ruptured inside him. He coughed violently, thick, dark blood spilling from his lips.

Metal Hand still didn't stop.

He couldn't even hear the monster's roars anymore. Couldn't see past the haze of pain. Everything was fading.

His thoughts grew sluggish, his body cold. His heartbeat, once pounding in his ears like a war drum, now barely made a sound.

Was this it?

Was this where he would fall?

Alone, buried beneath the fists of another monster?


No…


…


…


No…


…


…


NO.

Through the darkness, through the agony, something fierce stirred within him. A fire, weak and flickering, but still alive!

And in that fire, he saw her.

Her warmth. Her smile. The way she looked at him—not with fear, not with disgust, but with something he still couldn't fully understand or deserve.

She was waiting for him!

He couldn't die here.

He refused to die here.

With a final, brutal strike, Metal Hand raised both fists high above his head, ready to finish it.

The fists came down.

Something inside of him shifted.

Something ignited deep within Noir's chest. A fire that refused to die. A raw, overwhelming force that clawed its way to the surface.

His blood burned.

His shattered bones hummed with power.

His pain melted into something else, something greater.

Stronger.

And blue eyes turned red.

Metal Hand's fists came down.

Noir moved.

Faster than before, faster than he should have been able to. He twisted out of the way just in time, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the earth.

Before Metal Hand could react, Noir surged forward, slamming a fist into the monster's gut.

The air exploded around them.

Metal Hand staggered, barely able to gasp out in pain as blood exploded from his mouth.

But the bastard almost instantly healed from the deadly blow.

Black Noir exhaled. The pain was still there, but it no longer held him back. His muscles felt like they were tearing apart only to be stitched back together and made stronger.

Metal Hand roared in frustration and lunged again.

This time, Noir met him head-on.

Their fists clashed in a deafening impact, Noir somehow overpowering the giant's blows as he broke the villain's metal hands.

And once again healed near instantly.

Metal Hand snarled and swung again, but Noir slipped past the strike with newfound speed.

He countered with a brutal elbow to the jaw, sending blood and teeth flying.

The momentum shifted.

Noir pressed forward, landing a devastating barrage of punches. Each strike sent shockwaves through Metal Hand's mutated frame.

But still, the monster still did not fall.

Noir grabbed his opponent by the throat and drove him into the ground. The earth shattered beneath the impact. Metal Hand thrashed wildly, but Noir didn't let up. He rained down blows, each one more devastating than the last.

One hundred quickly turned into five hundred until it suddenly became a thousand.

The monster's once-impenetrable body now buckled under Noir's relentless assault.

Metal Hand's roars became choked gasps. His monstrous body spasmed, the serum failing to support him as it tried to desperately heal his injuries.

Noir stood over him, chest heaving, blood dripping from his knuckles. His own body was broken, and battered, but he remained standing.

Metal Hand weakly reached up, but Noir caught his wrist.

Power welled within Noir. He didn't understand it; he didn't question it. He only embraced it as his skin prickled with static electricity.

Metal Hand froze, his fear filled eyes locked onto Noir's burning gaze.

Noir pulled back his other hand as if he was about to deliver another devastating punch.

Then, in a move that even Noir didn't expect, his red eyes began to glow an infernal crimson, so fierce that the surrounding darkness seemed to recoil before it.

A brilliant ray of death lit up the night.

The beam sliced through the air and into Metal Hand's chest like a hot knife through butter. The world around them trembled under its immense power.

"RAHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Metal Hand's frenzied roar tore through the forest and reached the city, accompanied by the sickening smell of burning flesh and molten steel.

The ground beneath Metal Hand liquefied from the heat, creating a crater that swallowed up his enormous body.

Noir held on until he was sure it was over, until the last whimper turned into silence and Metal Hand's violent thrashing stilled forever longer than eternity itself.

When he finally stopped, he staggered backward drained. Every fiber of his being cried out in excruciating pain, but he remained upright.

The half-destroyed mountain was silent once more. Noir stood amidst the carnage, staring down at the lifeless husk of the man he had just slain.

He exhaled, blood dripping down his face.

One more body.

One more death.

Now, he could return to her.

Noir turned to go back to the hotel where he left Kimiko, but as he did so, his vision faltered. His knees buckled beneath the weight of the fatigue that washed over him like a crushing wave. He was inches away from collapsing onto the scorched earth, his strength all but exhausted.

Yet he clung to consciousness with every strained fiber of his being, each breath more laborious than the last.

His battle-weary body showed signs of rebellion, but Noir refused to surrender to the encroaching darkness at the edges of his vision.

Not now. Not when he was so close.

With each step, elusive tendrils of endurance waned further within him. Every new breath felt like a fruitless endeavor, drawing nothing but ash and smoke.

The ground undulated under his feet as he trudged through the burnt remains scattered by his deadly bout with Metal Hand. The landscape was disorienting, wreckage mingling with nature in a terrifying display of power's aftermath.

Suddenly, everything tipped sideways.

Before he could plummet face-first into the rubble-strewn ground, strong hands grasped him around the waist.

Noir barely had any energy left to keep his eyes open, yet he still managed to look up into the compassionate gaze of the man who was his superior in every way.

John, with his ever-warm smile, gazed down at Noir's naked face.

Staring into each other's faces, they saw a stark contrast between apathetic blue eyes and vibrant blue ones. It was as if they were looking into a strange mirror that reflected the opposite of themselves.

Noir knew he was never allowed to show his face to anyone, especially to the man who he shared faces with.

But right now, he couldn't care less.

"K-K…Ki-Kimiko."

Then there was nothing but darkness.

___________

"K-K…Ki-Kimiko."

Was the word Noir said before he fainted and was now leaning on him.

Staring down at the nocked-out Noir's maskless face, John had two very smart words to say in this situation.

"…well crapbaskets."

Staring at the face that he saw every time he looked in the mirror was quite jarring. Especially when it belonged to Noir, who he was still fifty/fifty on between the show and comic before he finally saw what was behind the mask.

Looking away from the powerful assassin who just said his very first words, which he was quite proud of by the way, he turned his gaze on the now dead and melted body.

He shook his head away at the image of Noir melting the man alive. He would deal with this earth-shattering revelation later, thank you very much.

He raised a brow as he used his supervision to gasp any clues as to what the fuck happened.

What he saw happening inside the man's body made him furrow his eyes as he saw something completely ridiculous. He turned to stare at the city to see if there was anything else and what he saw made his furrowed eyes turn into a glare.

"You got to be kidding me," John muttered to himself as he pinched the bridges of his nose. "More ways to create Superhumans?!"

And just when he thought he couldn't have more of a headache.

As he continued to look around, he finally saw what he was looking for. A black-haired Asian woman peacefully sleeping in a rundown hotel, with blood that matched what he saw inside the other corpses but was far less potent.

"So that's how they did it…" He sighed to himself as he carefully put Noir on his shoulders before flying to the building she was in.

Welp, there goes fucking canon!

Not like he was following it or anything but still…

HE DID NOT NEED MORE PROBLEMS ADDED TO THE EVER-GROWING PILE!!!

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[VaticToxic]

That's right, Noir, fall in love! Live for that love! Murder the company for that love! Mwahahahaha

 

[Mageman1842]

Tftc

 

[Nicohals J Westerberg]

Nice

 

[ScottisI]

I love this. Thank you for sharing the story.

 

[Draconic fan]

Love that the si is proud of his brother (and understandablely upset with the clustertruck)

 

[Travis054]

Oh John is not happy

 

[readsalot]

HE DID NOT NEED MORE PROBLEMS ADDED TO THE EVER-GROWING PILE!!!

Click to shrink...

Poor John, he has more work to do. And now more reasons to add to his lack of sleep.

Hopefully he can get shut eye for a few hours. That should be the goal….man that sounds depressing XD

Anyways looking forward to the next chapter

 

[Timoda]

Will there be a harem?

 

[Sunny_cat]

Thank you for the chapter! Please write more.

 

[shirouM]

Leave a comment if you want more!

Chapter 25

Kimiko's eyes fluttered open, her head pounding like a drum.

The dim light filtered through the cracked blinds of the rundown hotel room, casting long, jagged shadows across the peeling wallpaper. Her body ached all over, a dull throb that sat just beneath her skin like an unwanted guest refusing to leave.

Instinctively, she flexed her fingers, her senses returning sluggishly as she fought to shake off the haze of unconsciousness.

Then, she smelled it.

Blood.

Her body tensed instantly, the scent was thick, suffocating, metallic…

Familiar.

Her stomach twisted, and her mind raced with alarm. Was she injured? No… this wasn't her blood.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she slowly turned her head towards the source.

And that was when she saw him.

Saw him entering the room, carrying someone over his shoulder and putting them on the couch.

The man stood near the rickety bed she was lying in.

Tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a simple blue bodysuit. His red and white cape hung over one shoulder, his boots caked in grime and dust.

His face was eerily familiar, almost identical to—

Noir.

But it wasn't him.

Because Noir was lying on the couch.

Her breath hitched.

The hero, the one who had saved and protected her more times than she could count; was unmoving, bloodied, and maskless.

His blonde hair, damp with sweat and crimson streaks, clung to his forehead, his eyes shut. His breathing was shallow, labored. His body was littered with bruises and wounds, his suit torn in several places.

Kimiko's heart clenched, the sight of him in such a vulnerable state sent a violent storm of emotions crashing through her chest.

Fear. Panic. Rage.

And then, her gaze snapped back to the man standing over him.

His features were too similar to Noir's to be a coincidence. Same chiseled jawline, same piercing blue eyes, same unnervingly perfect face.

But the way he carried himself was different.

The Noir look-alike stood there, arms crossed, exhaling as if contemplating his next move.

Kimiko saw red.

Before the rational part of her brain could catch up, she moved.

With a feral snarl, she launched herself from the bed, crossing the room in a blur. Her fist shot forward, aiming for the bastard's too-familiar face.

The man barely had time to react, his eyes widened in surprise before he brought his arm up to block her punch. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, the old wooden floor groaning under the pressure.

Kimiko didn't let up.

She twisted mid-air, planting her feet against the wall before launching herself again. A devastating kick arced towards his ribs, but the man shifted, catching her ankle in an iron grip.

He spun, using her momentum to gently hurl her across the room.

She crashed into the nightstand, splintering it into jagged pieces, but she barely felt the pain. She was already back on her feet, blood roaring in her ears.

The man raised his hands in a placating gesture.

"Whoa, hey! Calm down!"

She lunged again.

He sighed.

This time, he moved faster, sidestepping her entirely before catching her wrist mid-swing. He twisted, forcing her to spin, and in one smooth motion, he pinned her arms behind her back.

Kimiko thrashed, kicking at his shins, snarling like a caged animal, but his grip was unyielding.

"I get it, I really do," he said, voice laced with tiredness as he held her in place. "You think I hurt him, but I promise you I didn't."

She didn't believe him, continuing the fight to get out of his hold.

But stopped from what he said next.

"He nearly killed himself protecting you."

Kimiko froze.

Her breathing was ragged, her body still tense, but her mind latched onto his words like a lifeline.

The man, whoever he was, took her hesitation as a chance to slowly let go of her wrists.

He stepped back, hands still raised to show he wasn't attacking.

She whirled around, fists still clenched, watching him like a hawk. But now, she hesitated, her eyes flickered to Noir's unconscious form on the floor. The blood pooling beneath him was still fresh, it had dried in patches, evidence of a battle fought long before she woke up.

She knelt down beside him, grabbing hold of his bloody hand.

She sucked in a sharp breath, chest rising and falling erratically as the rage that had blinded her began to clear.

The man sighed again, rubbing the back of his neck while he pulled off his cape.

"Look, I get that this is a lot, but he's alive, barely, and if you want him to stay that way, we need to get him out of here."

Kimiko swallowed hard, her pulse still racing.

She didn't trust him.

Not fully.

But if there was even a sliver of truth to his words if Noir had really almost died for her, then standing here and wasting time was the worst thing she could do.

Her jaw tightened, and she gave the man a sharp nod.

He exhaled, relief flashing across his face. "Good, let's get moving."

She brushed his blood-streaked hair from his face with trembling fingers, getting ready to pick him up.

He was warm.

Too warm.

She could feel his body was working overtime to heal, but it wasn't enough.

The man crouched beside her, watching her carefully while carefully wrapping his cape around Noir's face.

"He needs medical attention."

Kimiko shot him a glare that screamed no shit before carefully hooking Noir's arm around her shoulder.

The Noir look-alike stood, helping lift Noir's dead weight with ease.

As they maneuvered towards the door, Kimiko cast the man one last wary glance.

She didn't know who he was.

Didn't know if she could trust him.

But right now, getting Noir to safety was all that mattered.

And she'd kill anyone who tried to stop her.

——————

John exhaled sharply as he landed outside one of his hidden outposts.

The building was inconspicuous, an unmarked facility tucked away in an abandoned industrial district.

It was a base specifically for healing, filled with personal doctors he personally hired and even a few supes with the powers to heal.

And no one besides his most trusted allies knew about his bases.

As they entered, John carefully laid Noir onto the medical bed, stepping back as healers immediately got to work.

Kimiko hovered nearby, her gaze never leaving Noir, her hands twitching as if resisting the urge to intervene and rip the doctor's head off as he pulled out a syringe.

Before calming down when the needle broke against his skin.

John crossed his arms, leaning against the wall while keeping watch, deep in thought.

The fight with Metal Hand, the serum, the terrifying extent of Noir's injuries, Noir's face, fucking Kimiko of all people being with Noir.

It was all piling up, and the worst part? He had no idea what to do next.

Vought wouldn't ignore this.

Whatever mission they had running was clearly out in the open now, with all the chaos that happened during the fight.

The fact that Noir, who was clearly his clone, had nearly been killed proved just how dangerous it was.

His jaw clenched.

And he had just thrown himself right in the middle of all this bullshit.

John's mind raced as he watched the healer work on Noir, now with a syringe that could actually pierce his skin, the rhythmic beeping of the medical equipment filling the air.

The implications of everything he had witnessed were staggering, each new revelation adding another layer of complexity to an already tangled web.

Someone was experimenting with a new version of Compound V, creating new supes...

It was all somehow connected, but how? And more importantly, what was Vought's endgame in all this?

John's gaze drifted to Kimiko, her blood being the key to the new Compound V.

She hadn't moved an inch since they arrived, her eyes fixed on Noir's unconscious form. Her body was tense, coiled like a viper ready to snap at the slightest provocation.

The devotion and protectiveness she displayed were palpable, a stark contrast to their nonexistent relationship in the show and comics.

Just what was their relationship here?

The pieces were there, but John couldn't quite fit them together.

Not yet.

He pushed off the wall, approaching the bed cautiously. The healers glanced up, giving a respectful nod before returning to their work.

Noir's wounds were extensive, even for someone with his healing factor.

It would take time for him to recover fully.

John cleared his throat, getting Kimiko's attention.

"He'll be alright, he's tough."

Kimiko's head snapped towards him, her gaze sharp and assessing. She didn't speak, but due to spending a lot of time with Noir, he had more than enough experience reading body language.

Who the fuck are you?

John sighed, rubbing the back of his head, he could practically feel the distrust radiating off of her.


He met Kimiko's piercing gaze, his own expression calm and collected despite the intensity of her scrutiny. He could feel the weight of her suspicion, the unspoken accusation hanging in the air between them.

He couldn't blame her, really.

"I know you have questions," John began, keeping his voice even. "And I'll do my best to answer them. But first, let me properly introduce myself."

He took a step forward, extending his hand in a gesture of goodwill.

"My name is John… but the world knows me as Homelander."

Kimiko's eyes widened a fraction, recognition flashing across her features.

Of course, she knew who Homelander was, everyone did.

The golden boy of Vought, the greatest hero on earth, the most powerful superhero on the planet.

But unlike everyone else, Kimiko knew him from the rants of the scientist and soldiers growling angrily about the false white idol.

The Golden-Haired Devil.

But the confusion remained.

Why was he here? What was his connection to Noir? Were they brothers?

She didn't take his hand, instead crossed her arms over her chest, her posture defensive.

John let his hand drop, unfazed by her refusal. He understood her wariness, given the circumstances.

"I get it, you don't trust me, and you have every reason not to. But right now, we both want the same thing, for him to recover."

He nodded towards Noir's still form on the bed.

Kimiko's jaw clenched, but she didn't argue. Her gaze flickered back to Noir, the worry in her eyes unmistakable. She took a step closer to the bed, her hand hovering just above Noir's, as if wanting to touch him but hesitating.

John watched the interaction closely, piecing together the puzzle in his mind. The bond between Kimiko and Noir was strong, that much was clear, but the nature of it remained a mystery.

Were they friends? Lovers? Something in between?

He needed more information.

Clearing his throat, John caught Kimiko's attention once more.

"How long have you two known each other?"

Kimiko's head snapped back to him, her eyes narrowing. She didn't answer, instead raising an eyebrow as if to say 'Why do you care?'

John held up his hands placatingly. "I'm just trying to understand the situation. Noir is... well, he's not exactly the most social guy. Seeing him with someone, especially someone he's clearly close to, is new for me."

Kimiko's expression remained guarded but she slowly held up her hand and showed nine fingers.

"…is that nine months?" He asked hesitantly.

She shook her head with a frown, Noir would've understood immediately, before raising nine fingers again.

He raised a brow, before sighing to himself. Disappearing and reappearing back before she could even blink, now with pen and paper.

"Yeah, I should've done this from the start." He mumbled to himself before handing her the items.

Hesitantly taking the items, Kimiko looked at him with a frown, not understanding what to do.

"Can you write it down for me?"

Kimiko stared at the pen and paper in her hands, a frown creasing her brow. She turned them over, examining them as if they were foreign objects.

Her fingers traced the smooth surface of the paper, the texture unfamiliar beneath her touch.

John watched her, his own expression shifting from expectant to confused. "Is... everything okay?"

Kimiko looked up at him, her dark eyes meeting his vibrant blue ones. She shook her head slowly, a hint of frustration flickering across her features.

She set the pen and paper down on the nearby table, the items making a soft thud against the sterile surface.

John's confusion only deepened. "What's wrong? I thought writing it down would be easier..."

Kimiko sighed, a soundless exhale that spoke volumes. She tapped her temple with two fingers, then made a slashing motion across her throat. She pointed to the pen and paper, then repeated the gesture.

Realization dawned on his face, his eyes widening. "You can't write."

Kimiko nodded, a mixture of embarrassment and defiance in her expression. She crossed her arms over her chest as if daring him to judge her for this perceived shortcoming.

John, to his credit, didn't react with pity or condescension. Instead, he let out a soft chuckle, face-palming himself.

 

[Fearless444]

lit

 

[Travis054]

Better get started on learning how to do sign language Johnny

 

[Lillie Jones]

Adorable indestructible, silent killer Kimiko can't write ,HAHA!
John boy really can't catch a break from every revelations from Voight madness, which John SI wonders if going non Psycho was really worth it for all those crazy Supe shenigans cause he's just so done with this BS right here.
John boy better learn sign language real quick.
So Black Noir and Kimiko are something of a thing right now.
I Definitely feel for Frenchie at the moment.

Continue on
Cheers!

 

[Sunny_cat]

Nice. So, do Homelander and Noir see each other as brothers or just as friends, friendly colleagues or just colleagues?

 

[Asurau]

Nice. So, do Homelander and Noir see each other as brothers or just as friends, friendly colleagues or just colleagues?

Click to shrink...

I think that their relationship will definitely receive an upgrade after Noir wakes up. After all, John has been in Noir's corner as he started to discover who he is and wants to be. That John came to the his rescue and made sure Kimiko was safe is just bonus points right now.

That said I'm real curious if Kimiko is a "natural" mutation or the result of intentional efforts to make more V.