NOVEL NEXT Chapter 61: Trust
Asgard, a place of wonders—not just because of its magic or gods, but because of the endless internal conflicts within Odin's family, which nearly prevented Asgard from realizing any of its so-called cosmic power.
All of Asgard was always caught up in the turmoil between Thor, Loki, and ultimately Hela. The internal strife of the royal family eventually led to the destruction of the entire Kingdom of Asgard.
A brother trying to kill another brother, the same brother protecting the other, a sister trying to kill their father, and then the brothers teaming up to destroy everything…
In short, apart from the absence of incest, Asgard's situation was as chaotic as the messy affairs of Zeus in Greek mythology.
A melodramatic family drama.
When Odin stripped Thor of his power and exiled him to Earth, it was, in Blake's view, like a wealthy father trying to make his son grow up by cutting off his credit cards and sending him to live in a small village—a Marvel Cinematic Universe version of a "tough love" reality show.
And Blake's role in this mission was like that of a director on such a show.
Except Blake wasn't as soft-hearted, and Thor wasn't as selfish or unreasonable—he was just a bit foolish.
But stepping into Odin's line of sight without sufficient strength to protect oneself was like a small business being noticed by a world-class corporation: either you leverage their resources to thrive, or you get swallowed whole by the giant.
Knowing all the plotlines in this world, Blake weighed his options and decided to accept.
Late at night, Blake sat alone on a small hill, quietly stargazing.
He wondered whether to follow the plot or think of some clever way to help that foolish boy calm down first.
"Hey! It's rare to see you so quiet. So, how's the view tonight? Are the stars beautiful?"
Black Widow appeared behind Blake without him noticing, holding a bottle of wine and two glasses.
"If I had a choice, I'd choose to keep my eyes on you rather than the stars," Blake said with a smile.
"Sweet talker. You've earned yourself a drink!"
Black Widow sat down with a grin, poured two glasses of wine, and handed one to Blake.
"To the stars above!"
"Alright, to the stars!"
They clinked their glasses lightly.
"That guy's awake. He didn't try to escape, didn't scream or shout, just sat there stupidly. Is he really the legendary God of Thunder?"
"He sure is, no doubt about it!"
Blake glanced at Black Widow beside him. Today, she was still wearing her trademark black jumpsuit, but her face lacked its usual seriousness and sternness.
Instead, there was a rare calm, a touch of endearing softness that made her seem more lovable than usual.
"Are you about to ask me how I know all of this?" Blake said with a smile.
"Oh? And if I did ask, would you tell me the truth?" Black Widow took another sip of her drink.
"That depends on which identity you're asking as—are you the famous Black Widow from the world of spies, or my friend Natasha?"
Blake responded with a knowing smile.
"I've been locked in a red room with a group of little girls ever since I can remember. The only way to survive was through shameful training and killing each other," Black Widow said, not directly answering Blake's question, but instead quietly sharing her past.
"So, from a young age, I learned not to trust anyone around me. Gradually, I could see through those who harbored ill intentions towards me, smiling at me while hiding daggers behind their backs."
"Since I first met you, you've always been unserious, rarely speaking the truth. But I could tell from your eyes that you meant no harm."
"So, how you know what you know doesn't concern me at all. Whether as a partner or a friend, I know I can trust you."
"My past is something I don't like to think about, and I don't want to bring it up. So, I won't force you to reveal your secrets. Honestly, I just came here tonight to look at the stars with you and chat."
As Black Widow spoke, she rested her head on Blake's shoulder.
In the first half of her life, all she knew was training, killing, targets, and enemies. It wasn't until she met Hawkeye and joined S.H.I.E.L.D. that she began to feel like she had companions she could trust.
But no one had ever made her feel the way Blake did. He started as a target, then became a friend and partner, but more than anything, he was a man.
He was someone who allowed her to put aside missions and everything else, to simply face him as a woman.
This feeling was common for most people, but for Black Widow, it was very special. She cherished it deeply.
"You look pretty slender, but your shoulder's not bad," she remarked.
"Do you like it? You can lean on it for the rest of your life, but only this side. You know, I'm such a charming man, others will inevitably fall in love with me, and I'm too kind-hearted to reject a beautiful woman. I have to leave them a little hope, right?"
Blake was immensely satisfied with Black Widow's response and began to talk nonsense again, as was his habit.
There was no topic too grand or too trivial for him to discuss.
Black Widow just leaned against him, quietly listening to his nonsense. The slight smile on her lips showed that she enjoyed this feeling.
Under the moonlit night, with a woman, tall tales, and strong wine…
The two of them sat quietly together for half the night. Though nothing physical happened, their hearts grew closer to each other.
It felt wonderful, fulfilling.
So the next morning, Blake woke up feeling refreshed and energized.
He got up early, ready to wait for Dr. Erik Selvig, Jane Foster's mentor, to come pick up Thor.
In the movie, Thor had crash-landed on their car, and while everyone thought he was crazy, Jane Foster felt an instant connection with him and chose to believe what he said.
If everything went as expected, they should come today to take Thor away.
Blake waited from early morning until noon, but instead of seeing anyone come for Thor, he received a video call from Tony.
"Blake, I heard you guys found a strange hammer in Mexico. Is it fun? If it is, I'll come take a look too. By the way, check me out—do you notice anything different?" Tony said, purposely zooming out to show his upper body.
Blake stared for a while and finally noticed that the arc reactor in Tony's chest had changed—the light inside had become a blue triangle.
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