ic contact

[americassed]

Inbox

987 - 6543

Voice — Text — Action

"Hey. You've reached Steve Rogers. Leave a message."

Code Source

Comments

[pse]

Yeah. Acreage was nice but I'm glad to be home.

[ Home. Weird. But — yeah. ]

I've been okay.
Can I ask you something?

[americassed]

That's good.

Sure, go ahead and ask.

[pse]

What year was it for you? Back home.

[ He's not the first person she's asked this of, and... it's important. Nebulous, but important. ]

[americassed]

[ Oh, that's an interesting question. Didn't expect that. ]

2023. Why?

[pse]

You're from a year ahead of me.
Do you know this man?

[ The next message is a grainy, low pixel count image file. A glossy, autographed vanity eight-by-ten; the sheen of it under the hard lights of her apartment means some of the details are lost. ]

[americassed]

[ Steve receives the image file and, yeah, some of the details are lost. But it's clear this guy's wearing some kind of superhero uniform which he signed. Not dissimilar to how he'd also sign some Captain America photos, but. ]

No, I don't. Is he someone you know from back home?

[pse]

No.

[ True enough. It would feel incorrect to say she knows Homelander. He isn't even here; he doesn't exist in this world, good as dead. Why is she resurrecting him like this? ]

Thanks. That's all I wanted to know.

[americassed]

I see. You're welcome.

[ But Steve knows there must be more to this. ]

Any reason why you asked me if I know him, though?

[pse]

[ Fuck. For a moment, she contemplates ending the conversation. Doesn't, because that would be rude. ]

You're Captain America.
He's Homelander.

[ And maybe she's really struggling to wrap her head around this whole many worlds thing, even half a year in. ]

[americassed]

[ Okay, Steve’s starting to get it now. ]

Homelander, huh?

Well, that explains the star-spangled inspired uniform.

[ Might be some American superhero from a different version of Earth. Won’t be a surprise given how many versions of Earth are in here.

Though if Kimiko doesn’t know this Homelander guy from her own world - ] Where’s he from? How did you get that image you sent me?

[pse]

It doesn't matter

[ If he doesn't know, then — that's all that matters, right? Asked, answered. Kimiko can put the picture back in her drawer, continue to live her life without fretting about it. ]

Thanks for the answers.
I won't bother you anymore :)

[americassed]

You're not a bother, Kimiko. It's fine.

But you're welcome. If you have any other questions, just let me know.