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"Jarvis, delete this memory from my brain."
"I'm sorry, sir, biological memory deletion is not within my scope of service." Jarvis's voice came from Tony's watch.
"I actually... gave that woman a foot massage?" Barton murmured to himself in disbelief. "Laura is going to kill me. She's definitely going to kill me. Or worse, she'll set this scene as her screensaver."
Click.
The door opened.
Homelander walked in, with Ashley following behind holding a tablet.
"Good afternoon, everyone."
His voice was light, as if he were attending a gathering of old friends.
"It seems your 'post-war psychological review' is going smoothly?"
"Are you here to humiliate us?" Tony looked up, his eyes sunken and his face unshaven, lacking any trace of a multi-billionaire's elegance. "If so, congratulations, you've won. Now, can you turn off that damn video?"
"Humiliate? No, Tony."
Homelander's finger slid across the screen, and the image froze at the moment Tony was feeding Hulk the medicine.
"I'm here to save you."
"Save us?" Barton gave a bitter laugh. "Save us from what? The ocean of shame?"
"Look at the World outside."
Homelander's tone suddenly became serious.
He took the tablet and tossed it onto the table, sliding it in front of everyone.
The tablet displayed live broadcasts from major news channels.
CNN: "The Avengers: Fallen Heroes or Potential Terrorists?"
FOX: "Iron Man Feeds Hulk Forbidden Drugs! How Did He Create a Monster?"
BBC: "White House Spokesperson: Considering Crimes Against Humanity Charges Against Tony Stark and Bruce Banner."
Along with several wanted posters featuring their photos.
"S.H.I.E.L.D., the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security are all lining up to arrest you."
Homelander tapped the table, his voice cold.
"Especially you, Tony. Feeding Hulk T-VEX? Do you know what you're doing? You're creating a biological weapon of mass destruction!"
Tony shuddered and closed his eyes in pain.
"If I hadn't used my connections with the President to extradite you to Vought for a 'security assessment'..."
"You would probably be in orange jumpsuits by now, roommates with those supervillains in a Deep-Sea Prison."
"So..."
Homelander pulled out a chair and sat down, his eyes slowly scanning everyone.
"Tell me, what do you plan to do?"
Silence fell over the conference room.
After a long time.
Bruce Banner slowly raised his head, his eyes full of exhaustion.
"I... I plan to leave."
"Where are you going?" Barton looked at him in surprise.
"Space."
Banner pointed to the ceiling.
"Tony has a spaceship. I can modify it and launch myself into the depths of the Universe."
"As long as I'm far enough away from humanity, Hulk... won't be able to hurt anyone."
This was his only thought after waking up. Self-exile, removing himself from human society.
"I think that's a way too," Barton echoed softly. "To be honest, I also want to find a place where no one knows me and hide."
Upon hearing this, Homelander was not only unmoved but let out a sneer.
"This is your solution, Dr. Banner? Running away?"
"What else?!" Banner suddenly became agitated. "You saw it too! I'm a ticking time bomb! Hulk is a monster! A killing machine!"
"As long as I'm on Earth, he's a threat! I'm doing this to protect..."
"Protect who? Protect humanity?" Homelander interrupted him. "Then have you ever thought about protecting Hulk?"
Banner was stunned.
"Protect... Hulk?"
"Bruce, you're a genius with seven PhDs. But when it comes to the Hulk, your IQ is practically that of an elementary schooler."
Homelander pointed to the screen where Hulk was kneeling on the ground, crying like a child.
"Look at him, Banner. Look at him closely."
"Does he want to kill? Does he want to destroy?"
"No." Homelander shook his head, his voice deep and persuasive.
"It's you, and everyone else, who have always wanted to kill him!"
"Think about it, how many years has it been since Hulk was born? Seven? Eight?"
"And this little boy, from the day he was born, has been hunted, attacked, and insulted by everyone."
"No one has ever taught him right from wrong. No one has ever told him how to control his emotions."
"When a child is attacked by the whole World, what else can he do but swing his fists? That's just instinctive self-defense!"
These words were deafening.
Banner was dazed; he had never considered this perspective. He had always viewed Hulk as a disease, a demon parasitizing his body.
But he had never thought... that Hulk also has a soul.
Homelander sighed softly, his tone softening.
"So, Dr. Banner. Your exile plan is rejected."
"I won't let you throw a child with such infinite potential into space as space junk."
"Then... what can I do?" Banner was lost.
"It's simple."
Homelander flashed a brilliant smile.
"Since you can't teach him well, then I will."
"From today on, Hulk is my Godson."
Everyone: "???"
"Godson? Are you serious?" Tony nearly slid off his chair, asking in disbelief.
"You mean... you're going to be a... father to that big green guy?"
"Exactly."
Homelander looked at Banner, his eyes sincere.
"I will teach him. Teach him right from wrong. Teach him how to be a good boy."
"I will train him into a qualified hero, not just a Beast that only knows destruction."
"This is what you want to see too, isn't it, Dr. Banner?"
Banner stared blankly at Homelander.
For so many years, he had been haunted by the fear of Hulk.
That vision... was too beautiful. So beautiful he dared not believe it.
"Is it... really possible?"
"As real as it gets."
Homelander reached out his hand to Banner.
"On behalf of Vought, I officially invite you, Dr. Bruce Banner, to join the Vought Science Department."
"There are state-of-the-art laboratories here, an unlimited budget, and... a Godfather willing to help you raise your child."
Banner looked into Homelander's sincere eyes and hesitated for a moment.
Finally, he also reached out and shook Homelander's hand firmly.
"Thank you... Godfather."
Tony rolled his eyes on the side and muttered, "Great, now there's half a dad extra..."
Having dealt with Banner, Homelander turned his gaze to Tony.
"As for you, Tony."
"I know you're a tsundere. Making you join Vought as a subordinate would be more painful than killing you."
Tony snorted, "It's good that you know. A Stark never works for anyone else."