Chapter 43: A Zu's Dream

Homelander nervously puffed up his cheeks, then slowly exhaled the air in his mouth like a Piranha Plant.

"Da... Daddy?"

Turning around to see Peter's stern, dark expression, Homelander instantly realized he had gotten into deep trouble.

"John Patrick, what have you done?!"

Looking at the chaotic mess all around, Peter felt a sharp twitch in his temple.

He never imagined that while he was out dealing with enemies, the two troublemaking kids guarding the house would end up fighting each other.

Judging by the extent of the destruction, the two brats had definitely not been playing around.

"Daddy, I... I..."

Homelander originally wanted to defend himself, but seeing Peter's expression looking more serious than ever before, the words completely failed him.

"What did I tell you two before I left, John?"

"I... I'm sorry, Daddy..."

"I told you to stay put at home, and you tore the house apart instead?! You're brothers, yet you went all out against each other like sworn enemies?"

Seeing his godfather losing his temper at Homelander, Clark nearby felt a wave of tension and fear.

Watching Homelander face the wrath of the godfather all by himself, a sudden surge of sympathy welled up inside Clark.

Hesitating for a moment, Clark raised his head and said to Peter, "Godfather, it's... it's my fault. I shouldn't have fought with John."

"Yes, Clark, you're the older brother, you should have been more sensible. We'll discuss your part later."

Peter pulled Clark into the scope of the reprimand as well.

While he was angry about the wild kids fighting and wrecking the house, it wasn't entirely incomprehensible.

What truly enraged him was that this little rascal Homelander had actually used kryptonite against Clark.

This kid certainly had a quick mind when it came to scheming against his own people.

"John, do you remember what you promised me before? To protect Clark from being harmed by that kind of meteorite. Look at what you've done now—you actually used it against Clark!"

Peter's tone grew colder and colder. "Clark is your brother, and you used that to hurt your family? You're really something else, John. Only six years old and already knowing how to resort to dirty tricks..."

"I... I'm seven, Daddy."

Homelander's weak interjection only made Peter even more irritable. "No! Keep your mouth tightly shut, alright? Adults are talking, don't interrupt!"

Homelander swallowed hard, stepping back a pace, shaken by the irritable fury in Peter's voice.

"What if something had happened to either you or Clark?"

"I'm sorry, Daddy, I just... I wanted to help you."

"I don't need your help right now, John."

Peter forcefully suppressed his rising anger. "Even if I needed help, this isn't the way. Letting your head get hot and getting into a brawl with Clark—is that your idea of helping?"

Homelander lowered his head, feeling wronged and distressed as he mumbled, "I just... I just wanted to be like you, Daddy."

"But I hope you'll be stronger than me."

With that, Peter glanced at him, fighting down the impulse to teach both brats a lesson right then and there, and turned to walk upstairs.

Right now, he didn't want anything else; he just wanted some peace and quiet.

Seeing Peter leave, Martha and Jonathan exchanged glances.

Wrapping an arm around Clark, Martha walked over to the crestfallen Homelander, crouched down, and gently stroked his cheek. "Don't worry, John. Daddy is just a little angry, he'll be fine soon."

Homelander raised his tear-reddened eyes. "I'm sorry, Aunt Martha. I shouldn't have fought with Clark."

"This isn't just your fault, Clark made mistakes too."

Jonathan gestured for Clark to come over and apologize to Homelander.

Seeing Homelander's current state, regret began to stir in Clark's heart.

He took the initiative to apologize, "I'm sorry, John. I shouldn't have said those terrible things."

Although Homelander still cared about what Clark had said, he had already begun to reflect on his own actions.

Overcome with regret and guilt, he shook his head and told Clark, "I was wrong too. I promised to protect you from the meteorite, Clark, and I failed to keep my word."

***

Midnight.

The patter of the drizzle continued, wrapping the entire farm in the rare, serene stillness that follows a fierce battle.

Homelander sat alone on the roof of the barn, letting the rain wash over him as he gazed desolately at the distant cornfields.

The words Peter had spoken to him earlier echoed endlessly in his mind.

The gripping fear of having made Peter angry, haunted by the terror that his father might never speak to him again, closed in on him from all sides.

The more he thought about it, the more terrified and aggrieved he felt. Just as he was failing to hold back the tears threatening to spill, he suddenly heard a familiar voice from behind.

"Homelander."

Hearing Peter's voice, Homelander hastily swallowed hard, forcing the nearly falling tears back down.

"Daddy!"

Struggling to hold it together, Homelander turned around and managed a strained smile for Peter standing behind him.

Looking at Homelander's pitiful, aggrieved appearance, Peter gave a light cough and pulled out a piece of bread, holding it out toward him.

"Hungry?"

"Mm-hmm."

Taking the bread, Homelander began to wolf it down ravenously.

The earlier fight with Clark had consumed a vast amount of his energy, leaving his stomach rumbling loudly.

"Daddy, are you... are you still mad at me?"

After taking a few bites, Homelander lowered the bread and asked with trepidation.

"Do you know what you did wrong?"

"I... I know, Daddy. I should have protected Clark instead of hurting him. I didn't keep the promise I made to you earlier."

Sitting on the barn roof, having reflected for a long time, Homelander finally understood why his father was angry with him.

"Uh-huh. Promises matter, especially the ones made between family. Since you agreed to protect Clark from kryptonite, you should have stood by your word."

Peter sat down and patted Homelander's shoulder. "That's a promise between men."

"I understand. Then... Daddy, can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

Homelander hesitated for a moment. "Is Clark really Daddy's biological son?"

Looking at his conflicted expression, so desperate for an answer, Peter fell silent.

Are modern rascal kids this precocious now?

He's already old enough to understand the difference between biological and non-biological children.

And by the looks of it, Homelander cared deeply about his own lineage.

He would need to gradually correct this fixation on bloodlines in the future.

Otherwise, what would happen to his mental state if he ever found out he was sent here in an alien spaceship?

Bringing his thoughts back to the present, he told Homelander, "No, Clark's biological father is Jonathan."

"Then why does Clark have the exact same powers as you?"

"You also have the exact same powers as me, and you even have heat vision. You're even stronger than me. All of these... are your natural gifts."

Homelander nodded, a thoughtful expression dawning on his face. "I knew it, Clark was lying."

Peter: "......"

He suddenly regretted not giving that kid a good swat on the bottom downstairs earlier.

Feeling much better in spirit, Homelander said to Peter, "Daddy, I had a dream once."

"What kind of dream?"

"I... I was in a house I'd never seen before. It was full of photographs I'd never seen, toys I'd never played with, books I'd never read... and there were a lot of people there."

"Did you like it there?"

Homelander rested his chin in both hands. "No, I didn't like it at all. I hated the loneliness there. There was no daddy."