Although in this world, Blake wasn't as wealthy as he was in the real world, he still had a few million dollars in his bank account. So when it came to choosing ingredients for the meal, he spared no expense, selecting the most expensive options regardless of their suitability.
With hotpot, the quality of ingredients matters more than cooking skills, and Blake's choices ensured a top-tier meal. For these fools, this meal was an entirely new experience. Even Tony Stark, who had seen and tasted it all, was sweating and praising the food.
As the spiciness overwhelmed them, they washed it down with cold beer, which was a delightful combination.
"Blake, you're really stingy. Even if Banner brought wine, you don't have to drink it the whole time. Hotpot pairs better with ice-cold beer!" Nick Fury, unusually relaxed, teased Blake as he enjoyed his meal.
Blake just smiled mysteriously and kept his thoughts to himself.
"A bunch of barbarians, daring to drink cold beer with spicy hotpot on their first try. I've had it too often to make that mistake. Let's see how your stomachs and rear ends handle it tonight for not bringing red envelopes!"
While secretly cursing them, Blake noticed Black Widow sweating from the spicy food. He pulled out a dark bottle of herbal tea and took her beer.
"Try this," he said.
"What is it? Looks like flat cola," she remarked, taking a small sip. "The taste is a bit odd."
Even though modern herbal teas are flavored, they can still be an acquired taste.
"This is good stuff, great for your skin. Trust me!" Blake winked at her playfully.
The meal lasted nearly two hours, leaving a group of people capable of dismantling a small country sprawled out on the sofas, completely worn out. Black Widow, mindful of her figure, ate less and naturally took on the task of cleaning up, as everyone else was too full to move.
Blake had opted for disposable dishes to make cleanup easier, except for the hotpot, which required some extra effort. Watching Black Widow clean up gave Blake a sense of domestic bliss, as if hosting friends at home while his wife tidied up the kitchen.
Feeling quite pleased with himself, Blake sat up straighter.
"Blake, Banner should have mentioned the purpose of his visit. The Avengers initiative is officially underway. Once you've all gotten to know each other better, I'll assign you a mission for some hands-on training. Agent Romanoff has already secured a base for you all to use soon," Nick Fury said, slumped on the sofa, looking more like an old, weary man than a slick spy.
"My focus will likely shift to New York soon. As you know, Stark Industries no longer makes weapons. We're moving into new energy and finance, and New York is better suited for that than Los Angeles," Tony Stark added.
In reality, Tony had already purchased land in New York for the new Stark Tower. Although he hadn't yet handed over the CEO position to Pepper Potts, he was extremely busy, especially with the board's chaos following Obadiah Stane's death.
"Exactly, Stark. Your base is in New York!" Nick Fury snapped his fingers.
"Fuck!" Blake sat up straight. He knew that his future would be centered in New York, but he didn't expect it to happen so soon.
"I just bought this house. Do you know how much effort I put into renovating it? Do you know how hard it was to buy a big house in downtown Los Angeles? I've only slept here for one night. Damn it, I can't afford to buy another house in New York!"
"Technically, the money for your house was won by Agent Romanoff at the casino, using chips given to you by Stark. Stark also handled all the renovations and furniture. It's like you got the house for free," Nick Fury said, his one exposed eye conveying a strong sense of disdain.
"No way! I demand a raise. You're dragging me from the West Coast to the East Coast. The Pacific Ocean outside my door will become the Atlantic Ocean. I'll have serious climate adjustment issues," Blake said, playing the rascal.
"Don't worry. This time, the salary will definitely satisfy everyone," Nick Fury replied with a mysterious smile.
Even in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, world-threatening crises didn't occur all the time. In these early stages, with hidden powers aside, figures like Odin and the Ancient One, both powerful beyond measure, maintained order.
Odin safeguarded Asgard, preventing other cosmic forces from coveting the Nine Realms. The Ancient One, relying on the mystical protection of the three sanctums in New York, London, and Hong Kong, shielded Earth from dimensional threats.
Blake had no idea what targets Nick Fury had in mind for them. But judging by Fury's secretive words and shifty eyes, it was unlikely to be anything good.
Despite these concerns, the dinner was quite enjoyable. After everyone left, Blake wanted to take Black Widow out for a walk to build some rapport, but Nick Fury whisked her away on a mission.
"That damn bald head. He must have never had a woman in his life. I bet the photo on his nightstand is of a burly man. That damned bastard!" Blake complained to the only remaining guest, Tony Stark.
"Exactly, my friend! Not everyone has a photo of themselves with a genius playboy on their nightstand," Tony shamelessly responded.
Blake thought about the giant photo on his bedroom wall, where he and Tony posed with peace signs, and was at a loss for words.
That night, Tony, who usually spent his time in his underground garage, ended up in his luxurious bathroom. On his flight to Washington, Hawkeye didn't leave the plane's bathroom once. The worst off were Coulson and Nick Fury. Although Black Widow had left for her mission, they and Banner, who was temporarily housed at the Los Angeles branch, faced the consequences.
At around 3 a.m., Coulson and Nick Fury stood in what was practically a ruined branch office. Nearby, Banner lay on the floor, struggling to control his transformations.
"Blake, you're a damn bastard! Motherfucker!"
The power of the spicy hotpot was terrifying! It fulfilled Blake's curse: their butts were indeed wreaked.
Blake lay in his bedroom, with the photo of him and Tony hanging above. He rolled over and, thinking of something in his dream, suddenly laughed out loud like a pig.
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