Chapter Text
Kevin could still feel the ocean.
Not the calm, beautiful thing people smiled about in commercials or painted onto postcards. This ocean had hated him. Endless black water crushed against his body while something enormous moved beneath him. Tentacles wrapped around his arms, his legs, his throat, dragging him deeper into the freezing abyss while panic tore through his chest. He remembered trying to scream. Remembered saltwater flooding his mouth. Remembered the horrible pressure inside his body as something forced itself deeper and deeper into him.
Then agony.
A tentacle burst from his mouth.
Blood clouded the water around him while the creature dragged him into the dark. Whale calls echoed through the depths like funeral songs.
'This is it.
This is how I die.
Not a hero.
Not even a joke.
Just another thing swallowed by the ocean.'
Kevin’s eyes snapped open.
He shot upright in bed with a scream before immediately falling sideways onto the floor. Pain exploded through his shoulder as he crashed into the carpet, but the impact grounded him. No water. No crushing pressure. Just dry air filling his lungs.
For several seconds he simply stayed there breathing hard.
Then he looked around.
The dim lights.
The expensive furniture.
The aquarium built into the wall.
His room.
Vought Tower.
Kevin slowly pushed himself upright.
“No fucking way…”
He grabbed for his phone with trembling hands and lit up the screen.
July 19th, 2019.
The day Starlight joined the Seven.
The beginning.
Kevin stared at the date for nearly ten seconds before laughter burst out of him. Loud, hysterical laughter. Relief crashed through his body all at once.
“I’m alive…”
He stood up too quickly and nearly slipped.
“I’m actually alive!”
He started pacing the room in circles before abruptly freezing.
“Oh shit.”
Kevin spun around frantically.
“I need paper.”
He tore through the room until he found an old notepad and pen near the television stand. Throwing himself into a chair, he immediately started writing.
DON’T TOUCH STARLIGHT.
A-TRAIN KILLS ROBIN.
BUTCHER FINDS HUGHIE.
TRANSLUCENT DIES.
FLIGHT 37.
STORMFRONT.
SOLDIER BOY.
His pen paused.
Homelander.
Kevin leaned back slowly while staring at the page.
He knew what happened now.
He knew who died.
He knew what turned Homelander into something even worse.
Flight 37 flashed into his mind. The screaming passengers. Maeve crying. Homelander abandoning everyone on board because he was too proud to admit he’d made a mistake.
Kevin swallowed hard.
“I could stop that…”
The realization felt strange.
For most of his life he had been treated like a mascot pretending to be a superhero. The fish guy. The joke of the Seven. But now? He knew things nobody else did.
That mattered.
Didn’t it?
His confidence lasted all of five seconds before another thought hit him.
Homelander.
Kevin’s stomach tightened immediately.
This version of Homelander still smiled at people. Still pretended to care. Still wanted approval.
And somehow that made him more terrifying.
Kevin remembered what Homelander became later. The dead look in his eyes during rallies. The way he stared at people like they were insects. The casual murders.
He remembered Black Noir.
He remembered the beach.
The ocean.
His hands began shaking again.
Kevin looked toward the mirror across the room.
Bright costume.
Perfect hair.
Fake smile.
His eyes drifted lower toward the gills hidden beneath his suit.
A wave of shame hit him.
Faces flashed through his mind.
Women he pressured.
Women he manipulated.
Women he convinced himself owed him something because he hated himself too much to believe anyone could genuinely want him.
Kevin sat heavily on the edge of the bed.
“I was such a fucking creep…”
The words came quietly.
Not defensive.
Not angry.
Just honest.
He rubbed both hands over his face.
“No more.”
No more trying to force people to like him.
No more acting pathetic because he felt pathetic.
If this really was a second chance, then maybe he could stop being the person he hated.
It took Kevin almost thirty minutes to finally calm down enough to leave his room.
The hallways of Vought Tower were quiet this early in the morning. Golden lights reflected against polished marble floors while decorative water features lined portions of the walls.
As Kevin walked past one of the koi ponds, several fish immediately swam toward him.
Morning, Kevin.
The familiar voices echoed softly in his mind.
Not actual words.
Feelings.
Recognition.
Affection.
For the first time since waking up, Kevin smiled naturally.
“Morning, guys.”
Hungry.
One of the koi nudged the surface hopefully.
Kevin huffed out a laugh.
“Yeah, I’ll tell someone.”
The fish swam happily in circles.
Simple creatures.
No lies.
No manipulation.
Just happy he existed.
The warmth in his chest faded slightly as he continued down the hallway.
Because eventually he’d run into the others.
And the others were dangerous.
A loud boom suddenly echoed through the tower.
Kevin flinched instinctively as a blur of red slammed to a stop near the end of the hallway.
A-Train.
Covered in blood.
Robin.
It had already happened.
“Oh shit… oh fuck…” A-Train muttered while gripping a duffel bag tightly.
Even from several feet away Kevin could tell he was high. His pupils were blown wide and tiny tremors ran through his body.
Compound V.
A-Train looked up and spotted him.
For a split second genuine panic crossed the speedster’s face.
“A-Train…” Kevin said carefully. “You alright?”
The speedster immediately straightened up.
“Yeah. Yeah, man, I’m fine.”
Blood dripped from his glove onto the floor.
Kevin stared at it.
That was a person.
A person reduced to blood because A-Train wanted another hit.
Kevin remembered Hughie screaming in the middle of the street.
“A-Train…”
But the speedster was already backing away.
“Whatever, fish-cuck, I gotta go.”
He vanished in another explosion of speed.
The shockwave hit Kevin hard enough to slam him sideways into the wall.
“Jesus Christ!”
He groaned while staring at the new body-shaped dent behind him.
Some things apparently never changed.
By the time Kevin reached the conference room, most of the Seven were already there.
And immediately every instinct in his body screamed at him to leave.
Maeve sat slouched in her chair looking exhausted.
Translucent leaned back casually, only his floating suit visible.
Black Noir quietly doodled inside a notebook near the end of the table.
Then there was Homelander.
Standing near the windows.
Watching the city.
The room somehow felt colder with him inside it.
“Ah, Deep.”
Homelander turned with a bright smile.
“I was wondering where you disappeared to.”
Kevin forced himself not to tense.
“You get lost somewhere?”
The smile stayed perfect.
The eyes didn’t.
Kevin remembered those eyes glowing red.
He remembered the plane.
“Uh, sorry,” Kevin said quickly. “A-Train nearly blasted me through a wall out there. Also… he was covered in blood.”
Maeve groaned immediately.
“For fuck’s sake.”
Translucent snorted.
Homelander’s smile faded slightly.
Not concern.
Annoyance.
Kevin slowly sat down at the massive V-shaped table.
While the others talked, his attention drifted toward Black Noir. The silent supe continued doodling cartoons completely detached from the conversation.
Kevin’s chest tightened.
He knew what happened to Noir.
Knew what Soldier Boy did to him.
Knew Homelander would eventually kill him without hesitation.
And somehow that hurt.
Noir had always terrified him, but he’d never really been cruel.
Just broken.
The meeting itself barely mattered. Crime statistics. Marketing projections. Movie deals. The same fake corporate hero nonsense they always talked about.
A-Train eventually arrived several minutes late wearing clean clothes and acting like nothing happened.
Kevin noticed Maeve staring at him strangely.
Like she knew something was off.
Eventually the meeting ended.
Kevin stood quickly, eager to leave.
“Oh, Deep.”
He froze instantly.
Homelander leaned back in his chair.
“I need a quick word.”
The others immediately cleared out.
Even Maeve avoided looking at him on the way past.
Within seconds the enormous conference room became silent.
Kevin slowly sat back down.
Homelander watched him the entire time.
Not blinking.
Not smiling.
Just watching.
“So,” Homelander finally said casually. “Our newest member arrives today.”
Kevin nodded.
“Starlight.”
“Exactly.”
Homelander folded his hands together.
“Normally I’d give the grand tour myself though I have some stuff to do then that would fall to Maeve, but Maeve’s half-drunk already, A-Train has PR issues to deal with, and Translucent remembered he has a son not only that we all know that Noir though he is one of the best is not that good with the tours remember Lamplighter after that "tour" he could not find his room for two days.”
A small smile spread across his face.
“So congratulations. You get the honor.”
Kevin forced a grin.
“Happy to help.”
Homelander tilted his head slightly.
“Really?”
Kevin’s stomach tightened.
The silence stretched.
Then Homelander chuckled softly.
“Because earlier this morning someone in the tower sounded terrified.”
Kevin’s heartbeat spiked.
“You heard that?”
Homelander laughed.
“Deep, I can hear people whispering three floors down.”
Right.
Super hearing.
Of course.
Kevin forced himself to stay calm.
“Bad dream,” he said carefully. “That’s all.”
Homelander studied him.
For one horrible second Kevin genuinely thought the man could somehow see everything. The future. The beach. Flight 37.
Then Homelander smiled again.
“Well maybe avoid eating so much before bed.”
His eyes briefly glanced toward Kevin’s stomach.
“Wouldn’t want you getting chubby.”
Kevin laughed weakly.
“Yeah.”
Nobody liked chubby superheroes.
The line sounded casual, but Kevin remembered every tiny cruelty Homelander delivered with that same easy smile. Every reminder that affection inside the Seven was conditional.
Useful until you weren’t.
Kevin stood carefully.
“Well, I should go get ready to meet Starlight.”
“Mm.”
Homelander turned back toward the windows.
Conversation over.
Kevin reached the door before stopping.
Because another memory surfaced.
Homelander sitting alone in that apartment years later, replaying crowds cheering for him over and over again.
Desperate for approval.
Needing love like oxygen.
Kevin looked back.
Homelander still faced the city.
“You know…” Kevin said slowly.
Homelander glanced over one shoulder.
“You really are the best leader the Seven could ask for.”
The words sounded ridiculous coming out of his mouth.
But Homelander went completely still.
Kevin left before he could see the expression on his face.
Nobody complimented him when cameras weren’t around.
Nobody.
And somehow hearing it from the Deep of all people unsettled him more than it should have.
Hours passed.
Kevin spent most of them writing inside his notebook.
Names.
Events.
Disasters.
At the top of one page he wrote STORMFRONT in huge letters before circling it repeatedly.
Underneath that:
DO NOT LET HER NEAR RYAN.
Then another page.
HOW TO STOP BEING A JOKE.
Kevin stared at the title for several seconds.
Painfully honest.
Still, he started writing ideas.
Train harder.
Actually help during missions.
Stop harassing women.
Be useful.
Buy Noir stuff from Buster Beaver’s.
Kevin paused.
Actually… Noir really did love that place.
Maybe it would help.
Even a little.
Then his thoughts drifted again.
Flight 37.
That was the turning point.
Maybe if the controls weren’t destroyed.
Maybe if Maeve pushed harder.
Maybe if Kevin himself went.
His eyes widened slightly.
Could he?
He’d never really thought of himself as useful during major disasters.
But underwater rescues required strength and endurance.
Maybe he actually could save people.
A glance at the clock nearly made him choke.
“Shit!”
He stuffed the notebook away and sprinted for the elevators.
Several floors below, the lobby buzzed with activity. Employees rushed around preparing for press coverage while cameras and security teams lined portions of the entrance.
And standing near the center of it all was Annie January.
Starlight.
Bright-eyed.
Nervous.
Excited.
Completely unaware of what joining the Seven would do to her.
Kevin slowed.
A strange guilt settled in his chest.
The last time he saw her like this, he ruined it.
Not violently.
Not physically.
But through pressure.
Manipulation.
Making her feel trapped.
He remembered the disgust in her face afterward.
Remembered all the excuses he made for himself.
Now they just sounded pathetic.
Annie spotted him.
And smiled.
A genuine smile.
Jesus Christ.
She admired him.
Kevin forced himself to walk forward.
“Hey,” he said with a small grin. “You must be Starlight.”
“Yeah!” Annie shook his hand enthusiastically. “Oh my God, it’s actually you.”
Kevin almost winced.
“Hopefully that’s a good thing.”
“It is! I used to watch your ocean rescue interviews all the time.”
That caught him off guard.
“You did?”
“Yeah. The dolphin rescue especially.”
Kevin blinked.
Most people only remembered the jokes.
Not the rescues.
“Huh,” he said quietly. “That’s… actually nice to hear.”
For a moment Annie looked confused by his reaction.
Then she smiled again.
“So are you giving me the official Seven tour?”
Kevin gestured dramatically.
“Absolutely. Try not to get lost. This place is ridiculous.”
The tour started awkwardly.
Mostly because Kevin kept expecting something horrible to happen.
But Annie talked easily.
About Des Moines.
About saving people.
About how surreal everything felt.
And slowly Kevin relaxed.
He noticed things he ignored the first time around.
The way she smiled at employees instead of through them.
The way she actually listened when people talked.
The way she still looked excited instead of cynical.
It reminded him uncomfortably of the hero he once wanted to be.
Eventually they reached one of the observation hallways overlooking the city.
Annie stopped near the glass.
“It’s weird,” she admitted.
“What is?”
“I’ve wanted this my entire life.”
She laughed softly.
“And now that I’m here, I keep waiting for someone to tell me it’s all a mistake.”
Kevin leaned against the wall.
“Trust me. Everyone here feels like that eventually.”
“You?”
She sounded genuinely surprised.
Kevin laughed.
“Especially me.”
“But you’re in the Seven.”
“Yeah.”
He looked out across the city.
“And sometimes that just means people get to watch you fail in HD.”
Annie stared at him for a moment.
“You’re not what I expected.”
Kevin raised an eyebrow.
“That good or bad?”
“Good.”
The honesty in her voice made something twist painfully in his chest.
He changed the subject quickly.
“Come on. Last stop.”
The conference room.
Annie stepped inside slowly, taking in the massive V-shaped table.
“Wow.”
Kevin chuckled.
“Yeah, that was basically my reaction too.”
He pointed toward the empty chair beside Maeve’s usual seat.
“That one’s yours.”
Annie sat carefully before immediately looking delighted.
“Oh my God, these chairs are amazing.”
Kevin laughed despite himself.
“Right? Recline lever’s on the left.”
She tested it.
The chair slowly leaned backward.
Her eyes widened.
“No way.”
“Told you.”
For a few moments the tension disappeared completely.
Just two superheroes relaxing in absurdly expensive chairs.
Then Annie noticed him staring quietly at the table.
“Something wrong?”
Kevin hesitated.
There were a hundred things he wanted to warn her about.
Don’t trust Vought.
Don’t trust Homelander.
Don’t let them change you.
But saying any of that would raise questions he couldn’t answer.
So instead he sighed softly.
“Things change fast around here,” he admitted. “Faster than you expect.”
Annie listened carefully.
“The executives, the marketing teams… all of them are gonna try to shape you into whatever sells best.”
Her smile faded slightly.
“My costume.”
Kevin nodded.
“Yeah.”
Annie glanced down at herself.
“But I designed this.”
“I know.”
“It means something to me.”
Kevin rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
“For what it’s worth, I think it looks good.”
She smiled faintly.
“But?”
“But Vought likes sex appeal more than symbolism.”
Annie slumped slightly in the chair.
“That’s depressing.”
“Welcome to corporate heroism.”
That earned a real laugh.
Then Annie looked at him again.
“Did they do the same thing to you?”
Kevin looked down at his suit.
The armored scales.
The manufactured image.
“Pretty much.”
“Did you fight it?”
Kevin thought about that for a moment.
About how desperately he wanted approval back then.
How easily he let himself become whatever people expected.
“Not enough,” he admitted quietly.
Annie studied him for several silent seconds before asking softly, “Is there any way to keep them from changing it?”
Kevin leaned back in his chair.
“One person could probably pull it off.”
“Who?”
“Stan Edgar.”
Annie blinked.
“The CEO?”
“Yep.”
“That sounds impossible.”
Kevin shrugged.
“Probably. But he’s one of the only people here who actually cares about branding consistency more than whatever creepy fantasy the marketing department has this week.”
Annie laughed hard enough to nearly slide down in the reclining chair.
Kevin found himself laughing too.
And for the first time since waking up, the future didn’t feel completely doomed.
Not safe.
Not fixed.
But different.
One better conversation.
One small choice.
Maybe that was enough for now.
The two heroes sat quietly in the massive conference room.
One carrying memories of disasters that hadn’t happened yet.
The other still believing heroes could save the world.
Outside Vought Tower, the city continued moving completely unaware that history had already begun to shift.
A single drop falling into still water.
The beginning of a new tide.