Command input complete.
"Release."
Homelander snapped his fingers and used the Reality Stone to conceal the gauntlet at the same time.
The strange look in Jessica's eyes faded, and her usual spark and sharpness returned.
She blinked and swayed.
Then she realized she was sitting on the floor in a full split.
"...?"
Jessica froze.
She looked down at her thighs pressed against the floor, then up at Homelander, utterly bewildered.
"What... am I doing?"
Jessica got up and rubbed her aching inner thighs.
"Did I... slip?"
"Probably."
Holding his milk, Homelander gave an innocent shrug.
"I have to say, Jessica, if I were rating your service out of ten, I'd only give it a three."
"Whatever." Jessica rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. That familiar combative posture was back. "You got your milk. Don't expect a lullaby, too. If that's all, I'm leaving."
She turned to go.
"Wait."
Homelander stopped her.
Jessica halted and looked back impatiently. "What now? Want me to burp you, too?"
Ignoring her sarcasm, Homelander quietly drew on the Reality Stone's power.
A small glass bottle filled with blue liquid appeared in his hand.
Its original form, of course, was a bottle of cherry-flavored Vought energy drink.
"Drink this."
"What is it? Some new kind of poison? If you want to shut me up for good, just use your laser eyes. Pew, pew, pew." Jessica pursed her lips and mimed firing them.
"Your sense of humor really is unnecessary sometimes, Jessica."
Homelander shook his head helplessly and pressed the bottle into her hand.
"This is the original T-VEX extract. In other words... Compound Zero."
"One of only two bottles left in the world."
Jessica went still. She might usually act carefree, but she knew what "original extract" meant. It was the source of all