Stark pressed the radio with an impatient look and rubbed his temples, saying, "My God, what are they singing? Is this so new-age chanting thod?"
"Hey, Mr. Stark, turn it back on, that's the hit album 'Doggystyle' from back in the day! He's my favorite West Coast rapper! 'Dogg Food' should be coming up next..."
Stark, sowhat unable to bear Peter's constant chatter, turned the radio back on and said, "I really find it hard to imagine that soone who doesn't swear in real life likes to listen to rap."
"Get over it, even Captain Arica didn't say anything," Natasha, leaning on the windowsill of the Presidential Suite, said: "The more people like him, the more they need an outlet to vent. Besides, those swear words are nothing, barely kindergarten level. If Pepper were Russian, you would've been clutching your terrified little heart and crying all the way ho by now."
"Although I don't understand what they're singing," Steve chid in, "the lody's not bad; it sounds like funk music."
Peter imdiately snapped his fingers and sat down next to Steve, as if he had found a kindred spirit, and said, "Exactly, that's why I like West Coast music, their tunes are nicer, but they always call a traitor to New York."
"You are a traitor!" A yellow figure darted over, and Pikachu thumped into Peter's arms, exclaiming, "Jay-Z is the best rapper in the world! The king of New York! Woo-hoo!!!"
"If you're going to say that, then I have to bring up Slim Shady. He's from the sa era as Eminem... Hey, wait, has Eminem released any albums in this era yet?"
Peter took out his phone to check, and Pikachu, perched on his shoulder, mocked him, "Who claid to be a die-hard West Coast fan again? And you don't even know this."
Peter bit the tip of his other hand's finger and said, "I rember Eminem wasn't an overnight success. He had released an album before that didn't catch fire. It wasn't until his second or third album that he blew up, which is why most people don't rember the first one. Did he et Dr. Dre in this era?"
"Whether he knew him before or not, I think he surely knows him now," Pikachu said. "You have no idea, but I feel like all the rappers in the world are now in Gotham. If a building collapses here, next year there will be ten fewer platinum albums."
Peter's eyes suddenly lit up, he put down his phone, turned to Pikachu, and asked, "So you're saying, we might have the chance to et Eminem before he gets famous? Can I ask him for an autograph?"
"If he's not famous yet, asking for his autograph might make him think you're a lunatic," Stark interjected.
"It doesn't matter. Gotham has no shortage of lunatics, but I lack an autograph from Eminem," Peter imdiately stood up and said. "The last ti I went to his concert, I was almost trampled to death; that's when I knew a normal approach for an autograph was impossible."
"So you're going star-chasing now?" Stark raised one eyebrow higher than the other, clearly not understanding Peter's behavior.
"It's not exactly star-chasing," Peter rubbed his hands and said, "I'm just going to go for a walk on the streets, fight cri, and incidentally..."
"Incidentally fight cri."
"Alright," Natasha tossed a pillow at Stark, "Let the kid have his hobbies, old-tir, and let him go."
"I didn't say he couldn't go," Stark muttered, tossing the pillow back to Steve, "How could I be considered an old-tir in front of you two?"
"When is the parade float supposed to arrive downstairs at the hotel?" Steve asked, turning to Natasha.
"It should be around 9:00, but the Wayne Hotel is a very important tourist spot, so they'll probably stay at the square in front of the entrance for about half an hour," she replied.
Steve, flipping through the promotional brochure, said, "In fact, rap music is an erging art in Gotham. Compared to it, their architectural style is more widely recognized by the art world."
Stark had co over as well, and looking at the pictures in the brochure, he said, "Before coming here, I thought all the buildings were bat-shaped—you know, pitch black, with wings, and a couple of pointy ears."
Steve looked at him with so surprise, not understanding why he would think that, but Natasha laughed and said, "Your thoughts aren't without reason. If Batman had been born a hundred years earlier, you'd have witnessed a genuine city of bats."
"I heard Batman say that his Batcave is filled with collections. Do you think he'd invite in to take a look?"
"Who was just talking about Peter chasing stars?"
"I'm not star-chasing," Stark scoffed and said, taking the brochure from Steve, "He ca to visit , and I showed him around Stark Building."
"Then he should also show you around Wayne Building."
"Forget it; that guy just treats his office building as a showpiece. The real treasures are all in the Batcave. Besides, he said he had several children running around there most of the ti, and I'm rather curious to et them."
"Worried about Peter's rebelliousness?"
"How is that possible," Stark flicked the brochure he'd taken from Steve and said, "Compared to most teenagers, Peter is practically an angel. Helen has made very aware of that."
"What's she up to lately?" Natasha asked with so confusion. "I haven't seen her in a while."
"She told she's on a business trip in outer space," Stark said irritably, "hanging out with a bunch of no-good people, never coming ho. Those gods from Asgard talk a good ga, but in the end, they can't control her, can they?"
"Can't control who?" Loki appeared at the door of the suite with a pile of shopping bags in hand.
Natasha looked at her with so surprise and said, "You went shopping? Who did you go with?"
"Can't I go by myself?... Well, okay, I t a young girl nad Pala. She seed utterly enchanted by , and she was quite generous," Loki lifted the shopping bags and said.
Natasha imdiately clutched her forehead and said, "I can't believe you've even deceived little girls. Your shalessness has truly refreshed my understanding."
"This isn't deception. I saw her getting carried away, and I planned to douse her with a bucket of cold water tonight. It's just a pre-collected consultation fee."
"You've really learned so bad habits from Shiller," Natasha said while fiddling with her phone.
"You've got the nerve to talk about others," Stark said, looking at the content on Natasha's phone. "That reporter nad Clark Kent already has a girlfriend."
"You used to be fixated on Pepper too, didn't you? You delayed all day by sending over thirty texts, right?"
"He only sent you thirty texts a day when he was courting you?" Loki exclaid in mock surprise. "Such a wellspring of eloquence."
"I've noticed you're increasingly enjoying making things difficult for ," Stark said with a snap as he put the magazine on his lap. "Have I offended you guys recently?"
"Not just recently," Natasha retorted with a smirk. "You've been kinda neurotic since way back."
Steve shook his head and sighed, "Tony, I completely understand. You're about to enter a new stage in life, but that's no excuse for your anxiety to flare up and still refuse to see a psychologist."
"Shiller's fees are too expensive! I need to save money for the wedding!"
Upon hearing this, everyone in the room let out an "Oh," rolling their eyes upward and swinging their hands downward, with Loki even tossing a shopping bag onto Stark and adding, "It sure isn't like the days when you bought yachts every day."
Stark pushed the bags aside sowhat helplessly and added, "Besides, Shiller has been really busy lately. It's just common courtesy not to disturb soone who's busy."
"Then another Stark might take the opportunity to step in," Loki whispered into Stark's left ear.
"And then Shiller will find out that there are plenty of other Tony Starks in this world. It's not like he couldn't do without you," Natasha whispered into Stark's right ear.
"Not every tycoon needs to save money," Loki said.
"Besides, they might be even sicker," Natasha added.
Stark roared and pushed the two away, glaring left and right, then stood up and declared, "Alright, the genius Stark is off to delve into this so-called rap art. No one can refuse the investnt of Stark Group, just like that."
Steve watched him and shook his head in resignation. "He still hasn't changed a bit about his aversion to seeing a doctor."
"Humans are really quite strange," Loki said as she took Stark's seat. While inspecting the contents of the shopping bag, she said, "You maintain all sorts of relationships with a variety of people throughout your life, but these relationships don't just stabilize at a certain point. You always end up complicating things with each other over so nonsensical issue."
"Do you think he's avoiding Shiller's treatnt because his relationship with Shiller has changed?" Natasha asked, intrigued.
Loki sighed. "How long has it been since you've been in a genuine relationship?"
"Of course never," Natasha retorted with a roll of her eyes. "Don't ask questions you know the answers to; my heart is colder than Lake Baikal in winter."
"Tony is too proud to show weakness. He knows Shiller t lots of other Tony Starks while ssing around in other universes, and then... Well, if Shiller doesn't take the initiative to contact him, he absolutely won't reach out to Shiller himself."
"What kind of thinking is that?" Steve asked, a bit surprised. "His anxiety is acting up, and he still expects the psychologist to co to him? Where in the world does that happen?"
"That's just the way he is," Loki spread her hands and said. "He demands that everyone prioritize him, and if soone neglects him for any reason, he can stubbornly give them the silent treatnt until the end. He won't speak unless the other party does."
"Just like you?"
"Just like... When have I ever done that?"
"You and your brother seem to do just that," Steve said honestly. "Ever since I've known you, how many tis have you two had a cold war? Twenty, or thirty?"
Loki, like a cat with its tail stepped on, nearly leaped from the sofa as she defended, "We are not having a cold war!"
"So how long has it been since you last saw him? The last ti you saw him, did he co to you on his own? Have you ever taken the initiative to find him?" Natasha delivered a barrage of probing questions.
"I haven't," Loki stiffly retorted, lifting her head high. "It's just because he's been busy, and so have I."
Then, realizing how similar her excuses were to Stark's, she deflated and admitted defeat, "We really aren't having a cold war, you humans wouldn't understand. Our lifetis are so long, a couple of days apart is just like a few seconds apart for you."
"And you don't even send thirty texts," Natasha pointed out matter-of-factly.
"But Thor and..." Loki tried to protest.
Natasha looked away and picked up her phone, saying dismissively, "Not every relationship needs an outco. If you really feel guilty, just pull them both into it."
Loki was dumbfounded.
User Comments
0 comments from readers