Erasmus woke with his father's arms wrapped securely around him, he didn't actually need sleep, but he preferred it; the rest kept his mind focused.
He didn't need a lot of human food either, but he indulged in it anyway for the comfort. Normally, he would have tasked Marco or Oliver with arranging his meals, but neither they nor his dogs had arrived yet.
Slowly pulling himself away from his father's hug, Erasmus slipped out of bed. He crept out of the suite barefoot, eager to explore the grand tower.
Opening the door the hallway was luxurious, lined with statues and painted portraits of The Seven. Heading toward the elevator, he noticed other rooms lining the floor.
While they were less extravagant than his father's master suite, they were still incredibly grand. He hadn't imagined The Seven living together like this. They must be like a family.
Reaching the first door, he knocked without a second thought. No one answered, but he could distinctively hear shuffling inside, so he kept knocking. Soon, an annoyed voice grumbled from the other side, but Erasmus pressed on, tapping continuously against the wood.
The door flew open with sudden force. A woman with vibrant red hair glared down at him, her expression tight with irritation. However, her annoyance quickly turned to surprise when she realized a child in pajamas was standing on the exclusive seven floor.
"What are you doing here, kid?" she asked, her voice sharp. "And what do you want?"
Erasmus offered a polite smile. "Hi mam, I'm Erasmus. I live here now, I'm Homelander's son. I was wondering if I could bother you to call the kitchen and have them prepare something for me to eat?"
"You're Homelander's son?" Maeve asked, shocked. She stared at him; he really did look like him. "Since when does Homelander have a son?"
Erasmus tilted his head slightly. "I think... I've been his son from the moment I was born, ma'am."
"No, If you're really his son, where the hell have you been all this time?"
"I'm sorry, ma'am, I can't tell you that. Mr. Edgar told me not to talk about it." He gave her a small, hopeful smile. "But... I might tell you if you call the kitchen for me."
"Come in," Maeve said, opening the door wider. "I'll get them to cook something for you."
Erasmus didn't step inside. Instead, he lingered on the threshold, his eyes drifting back to the other grand doors lining the hallway. "Is this where all of The Seven live?"
"Yes," Maeve replied, watching him closely. "What about you? Where are you staying?"
Erasmus let out a small sigh. "With my father."
"You're sharing a bed with your dad?" she asked, a mocking smile playing on her lips.
"Yes."
"Aren't you a little old for that?" she asked.
Erasmus looked up at her. "He said it will take a few days before they finish setting up my room." Before she could ask anything else, he asked. "Can we go and meet the rest of The Seven?"
Maeve stared at him for a long moment. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, already feeling a massive headache coming on. Dealing with Homelander was a nightmare; dealing with Homelander's new son was uncharted territory.
"Look, kid, Erasmus," Maeve said, leaning against the doorframe. "First of all, most of them are probably passed out from....from fighting crime or whatever. Second, you really shouldn't go around waking up superheroes. Some of them don't have great reflexes when they're startled."
"I think I could handle their reflexes. I have my father's powers, so it should be fine."
"Right," Maeve muttered, stepping completely out into the hallway and letting her door click shut behind her. "Let's get you that food first. If I introduce you to the rest of the zoo on an empty stomach, your dad will probably find a way to punish me for it."
"I won't let him, since you're helping me," Erasmus said, making Maeve look down at him in surprise.
She started walking down the luxurious hallway toward the elevator, her bare feet making soft slapping sounds against the polished marble. Erasmus quickly trotted along beside her, his bare feet matching her stride.
"Who do you think we will see first, ma'am?" Erasmus asked.
Maeve glanced down at the kid, sighing heavily. "If we're lucky? Nobody. If we're unlucky? The Deep is raiding the communal fridge again."
As they neared the other suites, the elevator doors slid open behind them with a soft chime. Out stepped A-Train, looking at a tablet and ready to breeze past them. But as he glanced up, his eyes locked onto the boy standing right next to Queen Maeve.
A-Train skidded to a hard halt, his sneakers squeaking loudly against the floor. His brow furrowed in utter confusion. "Uh, Maeve? Who is the mini-me, and why is he roaming The Seven's suites in his pajamas?"
A-Train stared at the kid, his eyes darting from Erasmus's blonde hair back to Maeve. He squinted, the gears turning in his head as the undeniable resemblance clicked. "Wait a minute. No way. Is that... does Homelander know there's a clone of him running around?"
Erasmus stepped forward, completely ignoring the clone comment, and extended his hand politely. "Hi, I'm Erasmus. I'm not a clone, I'm his son. It's nice to meet you"
A-Train's jaw dropped. He looked at Erasmus's outstretched hand, then up at Maeve, waiting for her to tell him it was a prank. "His son? Like, biological? Since when does he have a kid?"
"He's real, Reggie," Maeve said, leaning her weight onto one leg and crossing her arms.
A-Train took a slow breath, looking at Erasmus with a brand new sense of caution. If this kid had Homelander's DNA, a temper tantrum is the last thing he wanted. "Right. Wow. Okay. Nice to meet you, Erasmus." He quickly shook the boy's hand, keeping his movements incredibly careful. "So, uh, what are you guys doing out here anyway?"
"We are going to get food," Erasmus explained.
A-Train looked at Maeve, who glared back with an expression that clearly said, 'Don't you dare leave me alone with him.'
But a sudden thought crossed A-Train's mind. He realized just how useful it would be to get on this kid's good side. Literally all of his problems could be solved if he played his cards right.
"Can I tag along?" A-Train asked with a flashy smile.
"Sure"
"Thank you, buddy"
A-Train cut himself off, the words dying in his throat as he recognized the immediate, freezing change in the boy's expression.
"It's Erasmus for you," the boy said, his voice dropping into a calm, terrifyingly familiar tone. "Only my father gets to call me that. Understood?"