Chapter 33: Bonus - : Stark Expo (I)
This bonus Chapter is for 1000 stones.
And do forgive me if the reader comments aren’t up to par or funny; I am pretty average at writing after all.
Enjoy the Chapter.
...
By now, the sting in his wounds had eased a lot. And thankfully, he could watch the readers comment about the first Chapter of Fight Club, distracting himself even further.
DammS—First!
Imanahaq—Noooo!!!!!!!
Tentacle_Ethics—Imma touch you.
Chevisto—@Tentacle_Ethics Touch me.
Tentacle_Ethics—Um...
JPMarine—Bro got out freaked.
TheRealReader—The author is the freaky one, opening the novel with a gun in the MC’s mouth. Like who starts a conversation like that? I just sat down.
Bomb_segsual—I was a bit excited when the bombs showed up, but then... we got depression.
The_Disgraced_One—For something named Fight Club, that Chapter was surprisingly heavy. Is this a novel where they fight with their minds? Because I am not liking the chances of anyone going against our homeboy.
JohnDoe4Life—@The_Disgraced_One that sounds like a fun premise. But yeah, I don’t like anyone’s chances with our Homeboy. Bro is seriously scraping the bottom of the barrel.
the_racist_one—Imagine going to the doctor with a worry, and they just blow you off?
The_Disgraced_One—Ayo? Pause.
DammS—That just added itself to my new list of fears.
Chevisto—And the list of porn ideas.
Coolkidsforsale—ICL I can see this happening 100%.
FicReader2000—This is America.
Hastayr_Hyper—This is why I bomb people.
Imanahaq—Leaving that aside, what is the protag’s name? Did anyone else catch it?
CORNITIANS1910—Cornelius? Cornea? Cornball?
Chevisto—Corny ah.
Jimbochan—Still, it was good that he was recovering with the support groups. A bit sad that he had to go that far for just sleep, but at least it helped.
Bob766355—Bob’s tits must be wonderful to take all that pain away.
JohnDoeHater89—Is this what they call self-plug?
Sandro2101—But it looks like the heroine has come in. Will Marla take the pain away and help him find his footing? The guy seems to have way more problems than the insomnia.
Imanahaq—I dunno, this novel doesn’t give me the romance vibe.
BLACKchicken—Guess we gotta wait for the next Chapter to find out.
Ark_D_Lucifer—Or we could just, hear me out, kidnap the author? *Smug Fujino sticker
Imanahaq—@Ark_D_Lucifer Ball knower. *Makima pointing sticker
Aza_rel—@JohnDoe run, there are two of them now!
John chuckled as the sting on his body died down. Compared to the people investigating him, this was a bit cute. Still, it seemed like the first Chapter had landed well.
Even then, John worked on the second Chapter that expanded on Marla Singer’s situation, the truce between them, and constant flights because of his job, ending with the narrator meeting Tyler Durden.
It was a good cliff, and he was happy with it. After posting that Chapter, he started the work on the third one, only going to bed after midnight to the satisfying dings of his EP increasing.
There weren’t any big names popping up in the notification, though. But he was fine with that.
One had to know the lows well enough to truly appreciate the high points in life.
’I wonder what Gwen will wear tomorrow.’ That night he had a very deep sleep, nourishing his mind and body to the fullest.
***
Both John and Gwen weren’t the types to dress up. He just changed into a black linen shirt with the formal pants and the white loafers he wore to college. The look was presentable. Not try-hard while also being a step above casual.
Gwen had also changed into a light pink hoodie and kept the same baggy jeans and white, blocky sneakers to boost her height a bit.
’I would’ve worn that cute crop top I had if not for the bandages around my arms.’ She could only curse Vulture in silence for forcing her hand like this.
The saving grace was that most people in the Expo, the one outside, were just moving around in everyday clothes. The men in tuxedos and high slit dress wearing women were deep inside the Expo, at the centre hall, clinking champagne glasses.
Gwen stopped by many booths, listening to the details of the projects spanning from Biochemistry, Biophysics, medicine, and even inventions that helped everyday life.
’He’s good at acting.’ She looked at John, nodding along like he could understand everything, as someone who taught him daily, 90% of this stuff would surely fly over his head.
Still, he didn’t complain and accompanied her to the booths that interested her while also trying to understand what made these things special.
It wasn’t until an hour and a half that they spotted a Burger King in the middle of the expo and stopped by to get a bite. This Burger King had a special menu that others didn’t.
Some were a hit, like this double smash burger Gwen was having, and others not so much, like the triple patty John had.
What was a triple patty? It was a burger patty made of lean beef between two burger patties, acting as bread, with sauce, pickles, and lettuce.
This might be a gym goer’s dream, but not quite Gwen’s ballpark. She felt a bit bad ordering this for him as a joke.
"Want a bite?" She offered hers as they walked out. It was more of a get-back for how he teased her back at the diner.
’I already took a bite. What’ll you do, John?’ Gwen smiled sweetly as he glanced between the burger and her because she was pushing the part where she had taken a bite towards him. She believed he wouldn’t take a bite, until he did.
John didn’t even try to avoid where she had taken a bite; instead, it overlapped hers on purpose. When he leaned back and chewed, his thumb swiped the bit of ketchup on the edge of his lips before he licked.
"That’s delicious; you have good taste, Gwen." He smiled.
"Uh... Of course, I do." Her eyes bounced between the bite he had taken and his face. Now, she was panicking about what to do.
"Want a bite of mine?" John asked, the greasy and thick burger in his hand.
"Think I’ll pass on that." Gwen chuckled wryly.
In the end, she ate the burger; it was too good not to. Wasting food was never an option. And with her curiosity growing about what secret menu items other stores had, the focus on the visit shifted.
They had been through tens of shops, trying the special items without worry. There was even a Turkish ice cream man here, but the poor guy had no chance to showcase his skills in front of Gwen’s quick hands.
’Today was nice.’ She licked at her soft serve ice cream delightfully, walking beside John.
Still, her mind went back to the puddle of blood she had found and that scent. She had even heard whispers that Kraven had died. Even then, she couldn’t link it to John.
Someone who shielded her from the chaotic lines at the expo, allowed her to play pranks on him, and even comforted her when she was crying over a story. There was no way he would kill someone.
’Maybe he had a reason to fight Kraven.’ She started to think about Kraven’s rant before he walked away.
’Found someone worth hunting.’ He had said.
What if, on that day at the theatre, Kraven wasn’t there for her, but for John?
After that day, she had investigated Kraven. He took bounties for targets, and as for the ways he completed them? There was nothing off the table, to say the least.
John must’ve felt his gaze first, and then it landed on her, flaring her danger sense. Meaning she too was a potential target he could use, or planned to use to get John.
’Did he fight Kraven to protect me?’ Gwen’s steps halted.
That made sense, a bit too much sense. Was the side effect of reading too many crime thrillers and romance?
"Gwen..." His hand touched her shoulder, slowly.
"Y-Yes." Startled by the touch that her senses didn’t register as danger, and by the embarrassing thoughts, her voice became a bit high-pitched.
"We have to leave now." His intense gaze matched hers.
’Is this code for "We are going back to my place"?’ Gwen almost slapped herself for that, but then she heard the reason he had said that.
Powerful thrusters blasted the air. Metal slicing through the wind. It came closer by the second. But she could see several dots in the distance. They were like a flock of birds, heading to the Expo.
’Did it have to be today?’ John groaned as hunks of metal flew over his head, heading for the Expo’s centre.
Having fun with Gwen, it had slipped his mind that the one aiming for the Stark Expo, Vanko, tended to act fast when his enemy least expected it.
...
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