※i do miss them.§

sj nods. ※you probably miss tony a lot, right?§

steve falters, the words hitting him like a smack in the mouth. for a moment he wonders why sj is singling out tony to ask about, but then it dawns on him; if he hangs around stephanie and seven who ended up marrying tony, then there＊s a pretty damn high probability that he＊s heard a fair bit about him.

※a bit,§ he says shortly, which is probably the truth. despite spending hours pondering over the multi-verse＊s answers to the relationship between him and tony, he still can＊t exactly pinpoint how he feels about his tony. who isn＊t his tony, most definitely not.

sj notices his pause. ※did you fight with him?§

steve breathes out, rubbing his eyebrow with his thumb and staring down at the chessboard. ※yeah,§ he opts for saying. ※but it＊s okay. when i get back we can sort it out.§

sj nods slowly, though he doesn＊t look entirely convinced. ※if you actually properly die, will you stay here?§

steve grimaces. ※hadn＊t thought about it,§ he says honestly, and now he＊s probably not going to think about anything else in the near future. great.

※sj, stop badgering him,§ a voice says, and steve looks up to see themander walking over. ※go and find the rest of the younglings. we＊re having a meeting.§

sj doesn＊t move. ※why are you having a meeting?§

※none of your business,§ themander says, and reaches out to grab sj under his arms, swinging him down off the back of the sofa. he gives him a gentle nudge towards the doorway. ※go on. younglings.§

※fine,§ sj grumbles. ※i＊ming back in an hour though.§

※deal,§ themander says.

※younglings?§ steve queries.

※the other young ones. anyone under eighteen,§ themander tells him. ※they tend to stick together. except this one, this one seems to be glued to shield.§

※am not,§ sj says, but he does as bid and goes. ※see you later.§

steve watches him go and then turns to themander. ※meeting?§

he nods. ※people want briefing on the situation,§ he says seriously. ※want to know how you got here. maybe talk about what we can do to get you home.§

steve nods, though feels a little taken aback that he's not been the one to initiate the conversation about finding a way to get him sent back to the right universe. ※really?§

themander nods, turning away and walking back across the room towards the kitchen area. he picks up a sheaf of papers that someone has left and glances at them before tossing them back onto the counter. ※of course. you＊re not dead yet, you need to get home.§

gratitude swells in steve＊s chest and he nods, following themander＊s path across the room. he＊s not daft enough to feel hopeful just yet though, but he＊s certainly not going to give up. he idly pushes at the papers themander just left; it＊s a collection of sketches rough and unfinished. the top one is of clint in full hawkeye mode, arrow nocked and ready to fly. the second is also clint, perched up high on what looks like the arm of a crane. he pushes them to the side and spots another familiar face with bright wicked eyes and a neatly trimmed beard, a smudge of dirt across a cheekbone, a warm and genuine smile-

he hurriedly shoves the stack of papers straight again, the sketches of clint covering the one of tony. his fingers linger, flicking at the edge of the papers, tempted to flick through the rest and see who is there, if there＊s other people or more drawings of those eyes and that smile.

he slides the papers away from himself along the counter and firmly ignores the wave of sadness and grief that he feels. part of him wants to sit and stare at the familiar faces all day long. he clears his throat, straightening up. ※who＊sing?§ he asks themander.

※as many people as we can gather without the director noticing,§ themander says, stepping over to the window and looking out.

※the director,§ steve repeats cautiously. ※i get the feeling that＊s not a wee name around here.§

※no,§ themander says shortly.

※but he＊s still＃one of us?§

※yes,§ themander says, and he turns to face the doorway and steve hears the sound of boot-steps and voices on the stairwell. steve thinks there＊s more to this director business than themander is letting on, but before he can ask seven and eight walk into the room 每 eight looking more tolerable than he did yesterday 每 followed by another five steves. violet is there, as is ice, and steve recognises the steve in the olive-green uniform with the bullet hole in the breast, but the two others both appear new and different.

※steve rogers ny ny one, died on a european mission for shield and steve forty eight twenty, drowned trying to save some kids,§ themander fills in helpfully. ※dresden and hudson.§