[ he knows this and he loves her. besides, he was that role for steve for so long he knows the important of it. and hilda just now gets to be that for him. does that mean he's accepted a long life full of the harshest roasting imaginable? most likely. good thing he can handle it.

to the happy whistle and clap of approval, sam will very dramatically take a bow. thank you, thank you, he'll be here [ insert the complicated nature of time in a place that may or may not exist outside of it ]. the punch, though light, has sam keeping with the dramatics and pulling back - his hand rubbing against said meatier part of his arm. ]

Hey! Steve has nothing to do with you doing something nice for me. You got yourself into that mess. There's nothing I could have done. [ a beat, and then a small smile. ] You'll be glad for it after a while.