...At least he's not trying to call social services on him.

Billy politely ignored the older man's revulsion, ever a good sport.

Before long, the two found the oddly-simple looking device, the dark metal of it glimmering in the low light still illuminating the area.

The hesitation was shared, before Billy shook it off and got back to rifling through the garbage.

"He said he beat up this big caveman guy—

King Kull, I mean—

And he forgot to come back for his alchemy-gun. Said it was too dangerous to let go uncollected."

He can see that ever-familiar adult worry in the other's expression, stomach dropping a bit as he quickly dropped what he was doing to wipe his hands off on his weathered jeans.

"I, uh, can't. Cap' asked me to find something for him, and he said it was important--"

The way he whipped his head around to blink at the agent was certainly akin to one, the orphan's expression hard to parse.

"...Good evening?"

Not the first time he's been caught trash-diving, no sir--

In his mortal form, digging through cluttered leaves and miscellaneous street litter in the alley beside @eyes-for-disguise.bsky.social's place.

"C'mon, c'mon..."

His blue eyes were squinted in concentration, cardinal sleeves rolled up to avoid any gunk.

lifelong street rat, meaning that Kull's eyes are due for a visit from the Sandman!!

A cry from the brutish beast rattled the building's bricks, before a fist loaded with the Strength of Hercules laid the primeval powerhouse out flat.

"Phew... Stubborn one, ain't he?"

spear tackle from Earth's Mightiest Mortal, leaving Esme alone as the battle raged further.