Loss
Hughie shut himself away to just think about what he had done, the day after their little trip to the prion he laid on the dark leather couch looking up at the ceiling, he noticed Robbie appearing, he didn't blame Robbie for the powers, he was the one still wearing the bracelet, he was the one still willing to use it and keep it, his actions was his own not anyone else's. He sat up and looked at Robbie, his eyes telling the other everything they already, he wished he knew what Robbie looked like, wanted to see if he was just as haunted by the acts he's committed as well.
"Hughie...You did good, keeping a hold of your powers is the most important thing for you too do right now, but your mental health is also important, maybe you can talk to a therapist? I know it works for Moon Knight....Kind of? But still you should talk with someone, maybe even find some you trust to give the bracelet to, if your having second thoughts." Robbie said softly to Hughie, well as soft as he could anyway.
"I just....Does this get easier? Like how did the others react to this, when they got powers? And your right maybe I should talk with a therapist but I'm not passing this on to someone else, these powers are too dangerous, and what if I give them to the wrong person? I mean my judgement might not be the best right now." Hughie responded as he looked down at the floor.
He felt the warm touch on his cheek, the gentle guidance making him look back up at Robbie, he couldn't read the skull or the embers but he knew there was understanding there.
"The other's died ether because of alcohol or just insanity, I don't know, but most of them went down fighting, they fought for what's right, they kept people safe at the risk of their own lives, you are apart of that now, if you choose to keep the bracelet that is." Robbie stated. "Although I think it is far too late for second thoughts now, and when it comes to getting easier...You better pray it doesn't." Robbie added softly.
Robbie disappeared leaving Hughie alone with his thoughts, he leaned back on the couch listening to the leather give to his weight, Hughie closed his eyes letting out a sigh, the lingering warmth offering comfort to him, even with Robbie's parting words, the warmth was still comforting to him.
"Please tell me your not about to rub one out to your boss." A voice spoke, making Hughie jump and look where it came from, his heart sank to his stomach.
"I...You." Hughie was at a loss for words.
"What? Don't act so scared, you killed me after all, I'm sure I got in your hair." Translucent laughed a bit, as he leaned on the kitchen island.
"....I...I'm not sorry for what I did, I had to do it." Hughie said as he, tried to stand a little taller.
"I know you're not, why should you be?! You killed me with out your new fancy powers, from your fiery skeleton twink." Translucent scoffed.
"You can see him?" Hughie asked, confused, but figured its kind of understandable, Robbie is kind of like a ghost that blinks into this world from time to time from his own.
"Yeah, I can...I can also see all the others...The...The ones that Homelander killed.....I should thank you, in a way you freed me from Vought, from Homelander, but I had a family, that I loved but I had to keep my distance from them because of Homelander, he will find your weaknesses and use them against you if normal intimidation doesn't work, he doesn't care who he hurts or who he kills, as long as he gets what he wants." Translucent stated as he looked at Hughie.
"I know that, you don't need to tell me...I guess it's more freeing to talk openly with out anyone else hearing you huh? I can go to them, and give your family a message if you want, let them know how much they met to you and, that you are sorry for any wrongs you may have done to them in your life? Its the least I could do for you." Hughie offered as he looked at the translucent, Translucent.
"It is kind of nice, I'm sure no matter how far I went Homelander might be able to hear my voice talking about what happens behind closed doors, I never thought I would die the way I did.....And I...I would like that, thank you, just...Don't tell them how I died." Translucent acted.
"I won't, I will tell them something else, I will have to come up with it though." Hughie said softly, as he watched the other fade out.
Hughie walked up to the house the Translucent's wife and son lived, he was in plane cloths with a hoodie with a large hood that covered most of his face, gloves with hand bones on it and a mask that covered his mouth and nose, it had a mandible on it, he also sported sunglasses. He felt like he was about to rob her not give a message from Translucent, or Alex rather, when the door opened he was met with a women who seemed to be his wife.
"Hello Mrs Schecht, I'm Storm Rider, I have a message from your husband." Hughie said, not bothering to try and mimic out he sounded in his other form, he didn't want to rip his vocal cords apart.
"Oh? Really, its been months, Vought said he was on a mission, why di-.....O-oh god." She covered her mouth, as tears started to form in her eyes.
"I am so sorry, I thought Vought already told you....M-may I come in?" Hughie asked.
She allowed him inside the home, she called up for Samuel trying to keep it together. Hughie glanced around the place, when Samuel came down he saw Hughie, he looked scared of him, to be fair if Hughie was in his position, he would be scared too, Hughie wasn't really dressed to show his condolences.
"You must be Samuel, its nice to meet you, although I wish it was under better circumstances." Hughie said clearing his voice. Mrs Schecht had her son sit on the couch, while she sat next to him holding onto him, most likely for her own comfort.
"How much trouble is my dad in? Or rather now much does my dad owe you?" Samuel asked, he sounded scared.
"Your dad doesn't owe me anything, I owe him....Your father might not have been the best man, but he loved you and your mother dearly." Hughie said, as he looked at Samuel.
"L-loved?.....I-is he?" Samuel struggled to speak, it was like if he spoke the words out loud he would cement it as fact himself, letting the hope of seeing his father again, fade like his father did when ever he used his powers.
"Yes, that mission Vought had sent him on...He....He didn't make it, I'm sorry for your loss, but I have a massage for the two of you from him." Hughie said, trying not to let his voice crack.
"C-can we see it?" Mrs Schecht asked, as the tears started to fall from her eyes.
"I didn't know he passed until I saw him, this message is just what he told me, asking me to meet with you and, help you understand what happened to him, and why he was distant most of the time." Hughie said softly, he watched Samuel struggle to be strong for his mother. "You can cry Samuel, emotions are a part of being human, you don't need to be made of stone." Hughie stated, keeping his tone gentle.
Hughie spent a little over three hours with the two, talking with them, explaining things, leaving out his involvement with the dead of Translucent, Hughie also was able to allow Translucent to talk through him, although it was really just Hughie repeating what Translucent was saying, but now allowing Translucent possess him in anyway. When Hughie left he made a promise to them that Vought will bury him soon, that they will share what happened to him and the world will know what kind of hero he was, it was a hard promise but one he had to give for their peace of mind.
When he was back in Vought tower going up the elevator he rode it up, leaning on the wall, his eyes closed, he opened one when Homelander entered the elevator, he closed his eyes again as he rode the elevator up with Homelander in silence say for the music. Homelander didn't recognize the man in the elevator, do to them being covered up so much, he wondered who they were and why they were there, he listened to their heart beat rhythmic and steady, not panicked like everyone else's when they were around him.
When the two reached their floor, Hughie calmly left going to his room, knowing homelander was watching him, he stopped at his door he looked at Homelander at the end of the hall, he pulled down his sunglasses and ignited his eyes, but didn't change forms before he entered his room.
Homelander rushed to his own room, leaning on the door of it as panic filled him, he didn't recognize Storm Rider because he could become human, he head a heart beat for once, while in that human form he had a heart beat, that made Homelander panic more, because he could blend in with humans a devil hiding in plain sight, the lack of heartbeat which Homelander thought he could use in a way to pick out Storm Rider from the rest, was no longer a factor.
Homelander was scared for once, because he thought that if he did something with very few public around, he could be careful with it, using a head count and picking out the person without a heartbeat as Storm Rider, and then be careful with his actions and words, not wanting to be put back in the medical bay or worse in the ground. A little voice in the back of Homelander's head told him that his was also a good thing, this meant he could better convince Storm Rider that he could be a good partner for him, perhaps he could give in to less deadly sins for Homelander if he pushed enough of course.