In the afternoon, in the training area's lounge.
Homelander had just showered. Wearing a bathrobe and holding a glass of warm milk, he leaned against the railing and watched the training floor below.
Wanda was down there alone, sweating through her workout and urging herself on.
"Faster! Faster!"
"Ten more in this set!"
After weeks of intensive training, aided by T-VEX's enhanced training program, her once-slender figure now had clearly defined abs.
The muscles in her arms were taut and sleek. Sweat slid down her flushed cheeks and dripped onto her collarbones.
"Hah... hah... nine... ten!"
After finishing her last strength set, Wanda collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath.
She looked up and spotted Homelander by the railing above.
Their eyes met.
Wanda's eyes lit up, her exhaustion seemingly swept away.
She scrambled to her feet, grabbed a towel to wipe off her sweat, and bounded up the stairs.
"Well done. Your form was excellent," Homelander praised her. "No wonder you're the girl I have the highest hopes for."
"But I still don't think it's enough... Jessica said my physical strength and reflexes are my weak points. That's why that acroba—no, Agent Barton had me completely pinned down."
Embarrassed by the praise, Wanda quickly unscrewed her bottle and tipped her head back to drink. A few drops ran down her long neck and disappeared into her deep cleavage.
"No need to be modest. You're very... impressive."
Homelander looked her up and down appreciatively, a man's smile spreading across his face.
"But overtraining will only set you back."
He reached out and casually smoothed a few stray hairs from her forehead.
"You need to balance work and rest, sweetheart. If you wear yourself out, Pietro will come crying to me all day."
The intimate gesture made Wanda's heart race. Twisting