"Killing me wouldn't accomplish anything for you." For Steve it's one of the most effective and likely ways out of hell, thanks. "I'd assume the knowledge that a hole can be blown through realities at least effectively enough to shove one guy through would be at least as interesting as it is unsettling."

He can and is gaslighting himself about a lot, but somehow Asmodeus doesn't strike him as someone who is a tactical idiot. There is active potential there, and he wouldn't be pointing that out if he thought it was new information.

The rest of that is actually harder to grapple with, actually. Like disturbingly, uncomfortably, kind of infuriatingly a lot. Yes, he's sure leaving them alone has led to insight and information - part of why he's held quite a bit back about potential options from Zerxus - but the connotations just... fit. And are alarming. And kind of paranoia inducing, in ways that are probably necessary but Steve hates with every fiber of his being.