"So what? It's only you! And yet you suffer from this misunderstanding because of your feelings for me, tarnishing your revered dignity, Thor, isn't that enough?"
Loki took a few steps towards Thor, his gaze locked on Thor's eyes. He took a deep breath and said, "Let me tell you, if you rush into Odin's palace now and tell them this news, let me predict their reaction."
"Would they be overjoyed? No, they would think like me, that this is just part of Shiller's plan and he has ulterior motives."
"They would think that my most simple, most basic appearance and sexual appeal are insufficient to attract the notoriously promiscuous and obscene men of the human race."
"Even more, they would be shocked. They might even think I have bewitched him in some way because I have a history of doing so. Even though everyone knows that bewitching Shiller is impossible, they would still think this."
Thor gripped the bridge's railing tightly, distorting the elegant decoration with his force. Loki turned away; the muscles in his neck subtly trembling. He raised his eyelids slightly to more evenly distribute the moisture in his eyes, preventing it from overflowing.
"For this picture, I made the worst assumptions, but the worst assumption is not that he only wants to sleep with me, but that he may be unable to sleep with anyone else for some reason."
"Loki!" Thor couldn't bear to hear any more. He glared at Loki and said, "If he dares to do this, no matter who he is, I will make him pay!"
But Loki's back was already retreating, leaving only his last sentence floating in the wind, "If you want to tell them, suit yourself, but it's simply impossible."
"Because the best way to repay this doctor is to make him give up the idea of pursuing me as soon as he reveals his intentions, so that it doesn't seem he has a lack of taste. I shall go to speak to him about it now, to prevent this news from leaking out and affecting his reputation."
"Honestly, doctor, with your fine taste, I can't imagine which gal in New York could possibly catch your eye."
Natasha was still trying to coax the name out of him. Her perseverance would put all of the Hydra's in S.H.I.E.L.D. to shame.
"Not in New York." Shiller responded.
A light bulb seemingly ignited on top of Natasha's head. Certain parts of her brain started operating at such speed that she began to eliminate possibilities at a rate of five names per second.
"Is she pretty?"
"Of course."
"So powerful...Well, don't bother saying more, is she married?"
"No, I have a bit of a moral fetish in this regard."
"Good, me too. Cute or sexy?"
"It's hard to describe, maybe both."
Natasha froze for a moment; the elimination process in her brain ended. Then she quickly spat out a name: "Loki Odinson?!"
The female agent stared at Shiller in surprise, but Shiller, as if her astonishment was unreasonable, said, "Why are you surprised? Or is she not among the range of beautiful girls in New York you had in mind?"
"Uh... she's indeed pretty and powerful enough, but why..."
"Is there always a need for a reason?" Shiller flicked the fishing rod with his fingertip and then said: "Aren't you offended by the shock that Steve, Nick or whoever demonstrates when they learn I might be pursuing you?"
Natasha suddenly fell silent, after a while, she pursed her lips and said: "Their shock isn't unreasonable."
"What reasons could there be? We are both single, a man and a woman and both heterosexual. We've known each other for a long time, neither of us dislikes the other, why would feelings outside of friendship shock anyone?"
Natasha seemed to fall into deep thought; after a while, she exhaled gently and uttered: "They probably think that people, or women like me will be shunned once my true nature is revealed. This is understandable."
Natasha leaned back, inadvertently revealing her thoughts: "Society considers some events common and others special. I am clearly among the special because I am not a nine-to-five typist, but a wandering and dangerous female agent."
"So, am I not dangerous?"
"But they would likely see you more positively. The world operates like this. If a well-known good person and a bad person get together, there will inevitably be suspicions."
"Do you simply lump yourself into the role of a bad person?"
"I am always the bad person, aren't I?" Natasha spread her hands: "No one could expect a former Soviet Union female agent to be as innocent and virtuous as a lamb. Even without considering my profession, my personal life cannot be described as conservative."
Shiller leaned forward, elbow resting on his knee and said, "Suppose I say now that I officially want to pursue you, would you think I appreciate your personal charm, or is there a greater likelihood that I have a hidden agenda?"
"Definitely the latter."
"If I have a plot against you, is the problem with you or with me?"
"... Me, perhaps it's some aspect of me, some aspect you might be able to use."
The moment this answer was spoken, Natasha fell into thought. It was clear that this mindset was decidedly flawed.
Shiller leaned back on the chair again, his hands interlocked in front of him, thumbs slowly rotating, and he said, "The vast majority of human self-perception comes from the opinions of others. People usually call those who are enamored with someone far beyond their social status or wealth delusional."
"If a person appreciates you significantly more than others, his power will be like a brick, building this appreciation even higher. You think it's impossible for me to pursue you or some other women because there is an essential difference between us. Where do you think this difference lies?"
"Like... a god will not fall in love with a human."
"That's where the problem lies."
Natasha took a deep breath all of a sudden, she looked at Shiller with a bewildered look and asked, "But I am convinced that even if you dated one of us, they won't really think you're ordinary."
"Because the details of feelings are usually private, even the most intrusive people won't pry into them, or most of them will assume this is just another divine plan of mine."
"Probably, but from your expression, you seem to have other plans." Natasha was starting to feel uneasy again.
Just then, Charles's gentle voice rang in their minds simultaneously: "Loki just called me to ask if Shiller is teaching class in Dreamland School, since she couldn't find him in the nursing home or clinic. Should I tell her where you are, Doctor?"
"Of course." Shiller immediately gave an affirmative answer.
With a splash, a fish on a hook emerged from the surface of the water, gleaming in the sunlight. Shiller caught the fish by its tail and threw it onto the shore. Images of Shiller filleting the fish flashed rapidly in Natasha's mind.
The agent sprung up from her seat, shouting in her mind to Charles.
"No! Professor! Don't let her come over!!!"