当彼得进入实验室时,他仍然感到挥之不去的寒意.清晨的寒风使他的脸颊微微发红.他呼出一口气,放下背包.
实验室内,温暖的空气让他的额头微微出汗.他脱下外套,扔在椅背上.斯塔克醒来,仍然感到有些茫然.彼得说:"席勒博士告诉我,你正在为某件事而烦恼.幸运的是,今天没有学校,我对那些足球比赛不感兴趣.我想我们可以一起解决这些麻烦,但首先..."
他从背包里掏出一个袋子,因为天气还很热,他用力握住它,然后继续说:"我从学校附近带来了最好的煎饼.多亏了我的速度,它们还没有冷却下来.
然后他转过身,看着角落里的咖啡机.他把那袋煎饼放在一边,跑到角落里,一边摆弄一边说:"我们来杯咖啡吧.席勒医生诊所的浓缩咖啡对我来说太苦了,我无法习惯.让我看看,我会喝一杯加双倍牛奶和双倍糖的拿铁咖啡.你呢,斯塔克先生?
斯塔克坐在窗边,把头靠在手上,头仍然有些沉重.
彼得一如既往地忙碌,有着他这个年龄独有的青春活力和活力,就像纽约熙熙攘攘的早晨一样.虽然他看起来过于精力充沛,有点滑稽,但正是这种能量,让斯塔克在夜里被冻结的心脏又开始跳动了.
彼得一手拿着一个托盘,一手拿着两杯咖啡,一手拿着一袋煎饼,一口气把所有东西都放在桌子上.
彼得打开煎饼的包装,在上面挤上酱汁,然后递给斯塔克.斯塔克不太喜欢接受别人递给他的东西,但他还是接过来咬了一口.
事实上,彼得和斯塔克的口味不同.彼得喜欢吃带有浓烈调味料和各种酱汁的东西,但斯塔克更喜欢温和的味道.他咬了一口煎饼.酱汁有点压倒性的味道掩盖了煎饼本身的味道.在斯塔克看来,它不是很好吃.
但幸运的是,正如彼得所说,煎饼是早上新鲜出炉的.彼得很快就把他们带遍了半个纽约市,他们仍然很温暖,配上热咖啡.斯塔克感到一股温暖在他的胸膛里涌动,仿佛他又活了过来.
整整一夜,斯塔克都没有想哭的感觉,或者更确切地说,这种情绪一直在他心中积聚,无法到达他的眼睛.
然而,正是这种普通的早餐让斯塔克感受到了一种救赎的感觉.他从没想过自己会被每个要两块钱的煎饼感动得流泪.
彼得在他对面没有很好的餐桌礼仪.他挤了太多的酱汁,很多酱汁都卡在嘴角.像往常一样,他咬了一大口,在嘴里不停地咀嚼.
The steaming breakfast makes him sweat even more. He pulls at his collar, and his clothes become slightly disheveled.
His appearance and this breakfast are out of place in the Stark Tower. Everywhere there's cold-colored metal, various high-end scientific instruments, and flickering lights.
It's as if a colored paint has been forcefully brushed onto the cold and orderly mechanical parts.
But Peter is unaffected at all. He quickly finishes one pancake, gulps down a large cup of coffee, and finally slumps back in the chair, letting out a satisfied sigh.
Peter wipes his mouth and says, "It's so great. I used to only be able to eat it once a week. Because, you know, this place, although delicious, is a bit expensive. It will only take the half if we eat at the school cafeteria."
"But I really don't like sausages there. So whenever Uncle Ben gives me pocket money, I go eat here."
"Gwen likes there too. Now we go there for a meal every day after school. I used to complain there aren't enough seats, but being with Gwen, squeezing into the corner, eating and chatting, is there anything better?"
Stark glances down at his hand. What used to be a whole pancake is now just a piece of packaging paper with some sauce residue. His coffee on the left side is also nearly finished.
"This is my first time eating this," Stark says.
Peter looks a bit surprised, "Really? Pancakes are quite popular in our neighbourhood. Almost everyone in school loves them."
"You know Thompson, right? I mentioned him to you before, that big guy who plays football in our class. He can eat up to five servings in one morning. Last time, he forced me to bring him breakfast. If there's no extra tip, I wouldn't carry so many bags."
Then Peter says with some relief, "But it's okay. Everything has a first time, right? How is it? The taste is pretty good, right?."
Stark clicks his tongue. He has to admit that human taste buds prefer richer flavors. Although those sauces might not be healthy, they taste good.
After finishing their meal, Peter stands in front of the lab bench. He had originally wanted to see if Stark has any new ideas for suits, but then he notices the stack of books and documents.
As opposed to Pepper, Peter can understand the complex experimental data, but he can't comprehend these dull textbooks at all.
He picks up one of them, glances at it, and then covers his eyes, yelling, "I seem to have forgotten English. Help! I can recognize every word in there, but they all seem so unfamiliar..."
"I think one day, you'll have to learn all this," Stark says.
Peter shakes his head, "That's why my dream has never been to start a company or become the richest man in the world. I know I can't deal with it, and I can't even hire an employee because I don't understand what they're thinking. Maybe I will make business negotiations mess..."
Stark's hand holding the book stiffens.
Peter's words remind him. Actually, he isn't being forced to learn all these things. He has chosen to save Stark Industries himself. If he chooses to give up the company, to be an independent street hero like Peter, then he doesn't need to stick to these things at all.
As long as he still has his genius brain, he can create suits even if he rummages through the trash.
So why did he choose to save the company? Stark thinks, the pain of learning all this is actually no smaller than rummaging through the trash.
Then Stark thinks of Pepper, of Obadiah, and also of his father.
Just at that moment, Jarvis reminds, "Mr. Steve applies for visit."
"Close the door, reject him."
But it's too late. Steve has already appeared at the door of the lab. He crosses his arms and laughs, "Schiller told me you are facing some troubles, so I came here to laugh at you."
"Shut up, or I'll put on my suit and beat you up."
"We are not even yet for you blowing up my suits."
"It severs you right."
The two of them bicker. It's about to come to blows when Peter stands in between them, stretching out his arms to stop them.
Steve says, "Actually,I have some clues about your father's remains, but it seems like you don't want to hear it."
Stark is taken aback, and he skeptically doubts, "My father had other lefts? You're not making this up, are you?"
Steve shakes his head, "I don't know the truth about your father's death. But I know things weren't so simple. He likely made preparations..."
So Stark purses his lips and says, "Where are they?"
"They should be at the old site of Stark Industries. But you better not have too high expectations. He wouldn't have put anything important there."
"The Howard Automotive Company? Jarvis, is there you get research data on Obadiah from there last time?"
"Yes, sir. However, there are two locations for the old site. Stark Industries underwent relocation, and I have sent suits to search both locations."
"It seems like you really care about your father," Steve jokes.
"I don't, I just..."
"No, I say it seriously. You don't have to deny it. I can only tell you your father's doings and his death were not easy. He..."
Steve pauses for a moment, seeming a bit hesitant, but he still hints, "Perhaps in your eyes, he might not have been a good father. But in my eyes, he must have been a good partner. Why this difference exist?"
Stark frowns. He can tell that Steve seems to be trying to remind him of something, but he refuse to say more, which makes him feel a bit anxious.
Now he understands the purpose of Schiller asking him to read these theoretical books. Every move Steve makes now corresponds to an entry in his mind, which allows Stark to view his attitude from a more objective perspective. In the past, he would have grabbed Steve by the collar and forced him to state the reasons point by point.
But now, he can sense Steve wants to remind him of something without saying it outright. Even if he asks, it will only end up in a fight, and Steve might think he is so unreasonable.
For the first time, Stark feels the usefulness of what he has learned. It allows him to avoid wasting his efforts and makes him appear smarter and more elusive in the eyes of others.
Steve is somewhat surprised to see Stark not reacting much, just lost in thought. What is wrong with Stark today? Is he sick? He has been prepared for Stark's provocation and insistence on knowing the truth.
Does Stark know something too?
Well, it's not impossible. Steve thinks, Starks are super geniuses. Maybe little Stark just disliked him before, but he should be reliable when it comes to business.
Peter can't quite understand the subtle atmosphere between the adults, so he has to ask, "Captain, do you want a cup of coffee?"
"No, I just came to pass on a message. I haven't gone for my morning run yet."
"Oh, by the way." Peter takes out a lunchbox from his backpack and says, "It is the lunchbox I took from Doctor a few days ago. Captain, if you pass by the clinic, please return it to him. And there are two servings of pancakes inside. Each of you can have one, and the sauce is in the compartment beside..."
Steve opens the lid and glances inside, declining, "Just give it to Schiller. I'm not used to the food with too much sauce. In fact, I don't know why you guys love Mexican food so much, it's too spicy."
"Fine, we'll give it to the doctor. See you later."
After Steve leaves, the suits fly in through the window, and one of them holds a little worn-out leather bag in its hand. Stark doesn't care about the dust on it, he flips through it and finds only a slightly worn notebook.
Stark opens the notebook and looks at it. Half of it seems to have been soaked in alcohol. After opening it, he doesn't find any useful information.
Indeed, it has Howard's handwriting on it, but most of it is just nonsense he wrote when he was drunk, along with some random scribbles and messy letters that reveal nothing.
Stark puts down the notebook. He feels disappointed but relieved.
His father should not be the savior at a time like this. Howard is not someone he should think of when he is sad and down.
Genius, Stark thinks, there can only be one genius Stark in this world, and that's him, Tony Stark.