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"It seems you're quite clever."
Roger raised his hand to pat Ryan's head, smiling as he spoke.
Ryan looked down and said, "I've never met you before, but every time Mom or Billy mentions you, they get really upset. And Mom's attitude…"
Ryan turned back to look at Becca, who was standing quietly, avoiding his gaze.
Becca remained silent, her eyes fixed on the floor as if something fascinating was there.
Ryan turned back to Roger and asked, "So, are you really my dad?"
"Hmm, half and half," Roger replied.
"What does that mean?"
"In terms of blood, yes. But from a consciousness perspective, we're not really connected."
"…Is that because of what's said in the news?"
Ryan asked, confused.
Roger's backstory—his origins as Homelander and all the things he had done—had been made public after Roger revealed he was from a parallel universe.
His deeds, his rise and fall, and his eventual transformation were now well-known to anyone interested in gossip. Movies and animated adaptations about Homelander portrayed him as a full-fledged villain, irredeemable and reviled.
Ryan, having heard his classmates and friends discuss these details often, was quite familiar with the story. He also knew that the person standing before him, who resembled Homelander, was actually an otherworldly Superman.
Though they looked alike and had the same powers, they weren't the same person.
But if that were true, Ryan thought, then biologically, they shouldn't be related either.
Roger patiently explained:
"It's not just that. Hmm... let's put it in simple terms. Think of it as a split personality."
"A split personality?"
"Different consciousnesses within the same body... though that explanation might still be confusing for you."
Seeing Ryan's puzzled expression, Roger knew his explanation hadn't landed.
Skipping further clarification, Roger said, "Forget about that. Just think of me as an uncle you're related to—or maybe a godfather."
"Can't I call you Dad…?"
"Well, I wouldn't stop you, but maybe we should skip that. After all, your dad is over there. Why? Do you dislike him?"
Roger pointed toward Butcher, noting Ryan's downcast expression with curiosity.
Was it something Butcher had done to upset Ryan? Or was it just that Ryan didn't like the idea of a non-biological father?
That seemed unlikely. In the U.S., blood ties weren't overly emphasized. Even without blood relations, family members generally treated each other well. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many movies emphasizing the mantra of "family comes first."
"It's not that I dislike him…" Ryan said softly. "It's just that he scares me."
"Why?"
"…I just find him scary. The way he looks at me is different from how Mom does. He doesn't like me."
Ryan's voice was barely audible.
Children are sensitive, often acutely aware of others' attention and attitudes.
Butcher, in this timeline, hadn't gone through the traumatic events of the original story, including Becca's death. With fewer hardships shaping him, his character hadn't softened as much.
Even after reuniting with Becca, Butcher's attitude toward Ryan wasn't as warm as one might expect. Deep down, Butcher still harbored resentment toward superhumans.
He tolerated Ryan because he knew the child was innocent and because he loved Becca. But his subdued hostility wasn't something Ryan could ignore—especially given Ryan's abilities.
Roger had anticipated this. He sighed, crouched down to meet Ryan's gaze, and asked, "If he doesn't like you, and you don't like him, then... if I took you away, would you be willing to come with me?"
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Boom!
"I am Thor, God of Thunder!"
The sky darkened with storm clouds as Thor roared in anger.
However, standing before him were several teenagers, around seventeen or eighteen, who were completely unfazed by his display.
"So what if you're the God of Thunder? A loss is a loss! Are you trying to weasel out of it?"
"Tch, God of Thunder? You couldn't even beat us."
"Can't win and now you're trying to intimidate us? I'll report you to the Heroes' Association!"
The group of kids, Thor's opponents in the game, showed no fear. In fact, they mocked him relentlessly.
Both Thor's team and his opponents knew the truth: Thor might look intimidating when angry, but he never actually followed through.
Thor's threats of summoning lightning had long been exposed as mere theatrics—sound effects for his tantrums. Once his rage subsided, he'd quietly queue up for the next game.
At first, people were genuinely scared he might strike them with lightning.
But when it became clear he had no intention of harming anyone, his opponents became emboldened.
"Damn it!"
Realizing his intimidation tactics had failed, Thor gave up on scaring them. Tossing his axe aside, he glared at his opponents and growled, "Just wait! Next time, we'll crush you!"
"Bring it on! We'll carve holes in your thunderous pride!"
The kids laughed and jeered.
As Thor's gaming group disbanded, he swung his axe, preparing to fly off.
But as he turned, he noticed Roger waving at him from a distance. Stunned, Thor stopped mid-motion and walked over.
"When did you get back?"
"I've been here for a while. I showed up when your match started, but you looked like you were having fun, so I didn't interrupt. By the way, judging by your expression... don't tell me you lost to kids who aren't even a fraction of your age?"
Roger smirked, clearly teasing.
Thor grumbled in frustration, mumbling about how his losses didn't count and how he was just "going easy on them." The lively banter filled the air with an easy camaraderie.
"Alright, alright, a loss is a loss. Let's head back."
Roger patted Thor on the shoulder and pointed to a luxury car nearby.
Thor raised an eyebrow. "...You drove here?"
"What else?"
"You, Superman, drove here?" Thor repeated incredulously.
Roger shrugged. "Flying around draws too much attention. Plus, there's that new law about superhumans needing permits to fly, something about air traffic congestion."
"You're not a superhero anymore?"
"Didn't feel like working. So, are you getting in or not?"
Roger gestured to the passenger seat.
Thor, without further complaint, tossed his axe into the backseat and settled into the passenger side.
"Seatbelt."
Roger pointed at Thor's seatbelt, reminding him of traffic regulations.
Thor's expression turned even stranger, but he complied without argument, buckling up. Only then did Roger start the car, a luxury vehicle "borrowed" from Tek Knight.
"So, what's your plan now that you're back?"
As they drove back to Super Entertainment HQ, Thor asked.
Roger replied while steering, "Mostly to rest. I've been running around too much lately, so I thought I'd take a few days off. Also, I'm planning to put together a small team and take a few people with me."
"Another world in trouble?"
"Not exactly... Well, maybe. It's not critical yet, but if we don't prepare, it could become a threat to our world someday."
"You're always busy, aren't you, Captain of the Multiverse?"
"Captain of the Multiverse? What kind of ridiculous nickname is that?"
Roger glanced at Thor in surprise.
Thor, wearing sunglasses, grinned. "It fits. You're always running off to other worlds, playing the hero. Captain of the Multiverse suits you."
"Let me guess—you came up with that based on Captain America?"
"Pretty much."
"Fine. It's not the worst nickname. I'll take it as my second title," Roger said with a laugh before turning serious.
"Joking aside, I want you on this team. What do you say?"
"I'm not interested," Thor replied, staring out the window.
Thor, now living a laid-back lifestyle, had no interest in dealing with the chaos of other worlds. He just wanted to relax, eat, drink, and game in peace.
"Even if it means seeing Odin and the others again?" Roger asked.
Thor's expression didn't change. In a low voice, he replied, "Even if I see them, what difference does it make? I've told you before—even if they're alive in another world, they're not my family or friends anymore."
"..."
Roger hadn't expected Thor to be so clear-headed about this.
Thor was right. Even if he met alternate versions of Odin and Loki, they wouldn't be the same people he knew. They'd just be strangers with familiar faces, voices, and names.
Thor's true family and friends were gone forever. That loss was why he had given up and embraced his sedentary lifestyle.
Glancing at Thor's growing belly, Roger remained silent for a moment before suddenly saying, "Let's settle this with a game."
"What?"
"A game you're good at. If you win, I'll leave you alone. But if you lose, you join my team."
"That simple?"
"Yep. The mighty Thor wouldn't back out of a bet, right?" Roger grinned, his tone laced with challenge.
Thor scoffed. "Don't think I'll lose."
"Really? Considering you just lost to a bunch of kids?"
"That was a fluke! Just wait—you'll regret this."
"Sure, sure. Whatever you say, gaming noob."
Their playful bickering continued all the way to Super Entertainment HQ.
Returning to the building through a side entrance to avoid reporters, they made their way to Thor's gaming room.
The moment Roger stepped inside, he was awestruck.
High-end gaming PCs, the latest PlayStation, multiple connected ceiling-mounted screens, a state-of-the-art VR gaming pod, and countless game consoles and discs filled the room.
Roger couldn't help but swallow hard.
Just to be clear, he wasn't giving up on recruiting Thor. But this gaming room... was incredible.
Reiterating again, he wasn't abandoning his mission, but... if he could, Roger wouldn't mind spending his days gaming in a room like this.
"Hey, what are you waiting for? Ready to lose?"
Thor casually tossed his coat and axe aside, calling out to Roger.
Summoning every ounce of willpower, Roger tore his gaze away from the gaming setup, grabbed a chair, and sat next to Thor, accepting the controller.
"...No wonder you don't want to leave. I don't want to leave now either."
"Then stay and game with me! A new co-op game's coming out soon, and no one else has time to play with me."
"Let's... not. Just pick the game."
Resisting Thor's tempting offer, Roger focused on the match ahead, hoping to wrap this up quickly before his resolve wavered further.
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