MHA #2 | Wednesday Morning

[knife_bender]

The weekend had been weird, but the kind of weird where the good outweighed the bad, so Diego couldn't really complain. The Five thing had been weird. Same with the lack of powers and tattoos. But, he was happily married, and apparently had some awesome kids that could throw a rager. So, really no reason to mope.

Just a lot of not asking questions was happening over here. Instead he was just...very, very focused on the Food Network the last couple days. Maybe one day he'd actually cook something he learned on TV.

[For the fiancée, and open to anyone who wants to stop by for some reason]

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[knife_bender]

"Yeah, that would suck," he agreed. "But if that was the trade off, I'd still do it."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"And that," Annie told him softly, "is how I know you're going to be a good dad."

She leaned up to kiss him. "I love you." With powers, without powers. On the team, off the team. With kids, and just theorizing about them.

[knife_bender]

"I love you too," he murmured. "We're gonna be awesome parents. Sooner or later, whichever."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Whenever it happens." Annie liked this plan of taking out her implant and letting fate (or God or the universe or biology if you wanted to be real boring about it) decide. It was just the right balance of intent (and, per usual, surprising maturity) from the two of them, and not overthinking to the point of making herself anxious. "But after the wedding. And this stupid movie premiere, which is hopefully both the first and last of those."

God, she so did not want to go to that on Friday, now. Between the emotions the weekend had stirred up and wedding-planning, she kind of just wanted to hang out with Diego and just have a little quiet time. Maybe pick out some centerpieces.

[knife_bender]

Diego wrinkled up his nose. "Almost forgot about the premiere."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Wanna come down with a bad cold over the next two days?" Annie teased, going in for another kiss. "Maybe break your leg?"

Just pretend to break his leg, of course. It would be absurd to actually break a bone to get out of something.

[knife_bender]

Diego sighed. "I already bought the suit and everything."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"And you're going to make such good arm candy in it," Annie teased, moving to kiss along his jaw. "I wish I could tell you the movie's at least gonna be good."

But it wasn't. They'd cut a lot of her lines with the Stormfront reshoots, too. (Which wasn't the worst thing; Annie wasn't the strongest actress.)

[knife_bender]

"I know what I'm getting into there," he said. "I've seen the other Seven movies."

They were pretty awful.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"This is the worst one," Annie told him confidently. "By a mile. And then press afterwards is probably gonna be...a thing."

She didn't want to actually characterize it with an adjective, but Annie already knew that the press that followed was going to be an even bigger deal than the movie, since this was Diego's red carpet premiere. (In her universe, anyway.)

[knife_bender]

"I'll behave myself," he promised. "They're gonna be looking at you, anyway. And you're, like, a professional."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"You don't have to answer anything a reporter asks," Annie promised in return. "Honestly, with any luck, they'll mostly be busy with Maeve and Homelander. I'm not exactly the star of this thing."

More like a glorified extra who was mostly there to showcase her body to an uncomfortable degree.

[knife_bender]

"So modest," Diego teased. "I don't think Vought wants to put any focus on Homelander."

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I dunno -- he calls 'Stormfront' a Nazi bitch in this propaganda piece we're seeing Friday and it's pretty convincing," Annie replied with a smile. "Maybe that'll do the trick."

Annie's popularity was absolutely attributable to one part Annie's actual charm and two parts not being or dating a Nazi.

[knife_bender]

Diego huffed. "You think his acting is that good?"

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie actually did think Homelander was a pretty good actor, inasmuch as she'd seen how terrifying he really was but millions of people still bought into the smiley Protector of America shit.

But more importantly: "Not really, but I do think Vought's that desperate."

And she was right. She just was wrong about what that desperation was going to dictate Vought do next.