Homelander looked at Ryan, his mood growing worse and worse. His arms tightened around him, and the oppressive air he had developed over the years bore down on the boy.
Ryan was still young, after all. Frightened by this overwhelming emotional intimidation, his psychological defenses verged on collapse. He dared not defy Homelander and began quietly sobbing again.
"Sorry, baby. Don't be scared." Realizing he had lost control, Homelander forcibly reined in his emotions.
But this only made Ryan panic more. All he wanted was to get away from his father as quickly as possible.
Homelander felt a little hurt, unsure why things had turned out this way. He felt rather overwhelmed.
"Hey, you two wimps."
Soldier Boy's voice suddenly came from beside them.
He had figured Homelander wouldn't fly too fast while carrying Ryan, so he had chased after them with all his strength and finally caught up.
Homelander froze for a moment and turned to look. At some point, Soldier Boy had appeared, hovering beside them.
A cigar hung from his mouth, and his face still wore that same insufferably arrogant expression.
"The way you two look right now makes me sick."
Homelander's face instantly darkened.
Soldier Boy continued without mercy, "One sniveling little wimp and one old wimp who doesn't know what to do."
"If the two of you put together had even half my tough-guy attitude, I could rest easy."
A vein throbbed on Homelander's forehead, and anger flickered inside him. First his son wouldn't listen, and now his father was unloading a barrage of mockery on him.
The little boy looked thoroughly uncomfortable, repeatedly reaching up to wipe away his tears.
Soldier Boy sighed.
One look at Ryan's fucking cowardly state told him Homelander had done something stupid again.
"John," Soldier Boy called, unusually serious.