同章对照

It was May 8th for the seventeenth time, and Ryan Romano had died happy.

Or he could have, as he woke up in a king-sized bed and in Livia’s arms. Ryan had beat up Ghoul again in his sleep, only to quickly snap out of this nightmare. And a nightmare it had been. The courier usually didn’t care about dying and beginning again, even in his dreams, but now he did.

He didn’t want her to forget him.

Livia was holding him even now, her arms around his neck, her breasts on his chest, a leg over his thigh. Her hair covered her restful face like silver strands. The seer was warm to the touch, and she lightly snored, which Ryan found cute. Still, he might have to sleep with earplugs from now on.

Ryan Romano had been with countless people in his long life, and in his mind, lovemaking said a lot about a person’s character. Len had been hesitant, clumsy, and vulnerable; the Doll, curious and playful; Jasmine had been wild, energetic, and liked weird roleplay.

Livia though?

It had been… right. Just right. Like fitting the right key in a lock. Livia was less experienced than her partner, but she was delicate, attentive, and considerate. And she laughed, sometimes at the most inappropriate time. Ryan couldn’t explain why, but her laughter relaxed him.

For a moment, the courier completely forgot about Psychos, Bloodstream, and the fact he just bedded Lightning Butt’s daughter in his own house. He only cared about the lovely woman in his bed. For an instant, Livia was his world.

He wanted to wake her up, to face her, and hold her hands while they kissed. He wanted to hold her, to become one with her. But the seer slept so soundly, and so blissfully, that Ryan couldn’t bring himself to disturb her rest. In her own dreams, Livia looked happier than the courier had ever seen her.

Ryan was hungry though. The courier had noticed a kitchen on his way to Livia’s bedroom, so he would go prepare the breakfast. He was sure Augustus’ daughter would love to wake up in front of pastries.

Livia wouldn’t let Ryan go though, even in her sleep. When the courier tried to sneak out of the bed, she just held him tighter. He had to freeze time to escape her grip and put a pillow in his place, but a frown appeared on the seer’s face as time resumed.

The sight made Ryan feel… It took him a while to figure out the right word.

Loved.

Ryan felt loved. Livia wanted him at her side so much, she wouldn’t let him go even in her dreams. Once, the time-traveler would have backed away in fear afterward; fear that he might die, and that this moment would lose its significance. Fear of the pain he would feel, if Livia forgot him.

But now?

Now, Ryan wanted to return to her. It took all his willpower, and screaming stomach, not to slip back into the bed.

The bedsheets, no, the whole room reeked of sex, so Ryan opened the windows to let the fresh air in. The morning sun outside blinded him and burnt his skin like a vampire, though he quickly recovered. Only redheads had to fear the morning sun, for they lacked a soul.

Ryan thought of putting on his clothes, but they were… dirty. Instead, the naked courier explored the bedroom and found a white bathrobe with cat motifs. The time-traveler wondered if it had once belonged to Felix, before putting it on alongside the slippers.

Before moving to the door, Ryan took a moment to examine the paintings in the bedroom. Some represented Livia as a child with two people whom he recognized as her parents. Augustus always looked grim in reality, but his painted self smiled warmly; it made Mob Zeus seem less like a bloodthirsty monster, and more like a human being. Most importantly, he hadn’t turned into an ivory statue then, his hair white and his eyes blue like his daughter. As for his wife, she was a carbon copy of Livia, albeit older and stouter.

Other pictures represented cities like New York, with one tower in place of the World Trade Center. A painting of Paris had zeppelins flying in the sky alongside steam-powered devices. It seemed Livia liked to paint about alternate universes in her spare time. Or perhaps she dreamed of happier realities than her own.

In any case, Ryan silently slipped out of the bedroom, and quickly found his way to the kitchen. Unlike the straight antiquity style of the rest of the villa, the architect designed this room to mix the old and the new. High-tech fridges and ovens faced a five-meters long marble counter and ivory statues of Roman Deities. Venus and Mars holding hands, Jupiter triumphant, Diana and Apollo hunting side by side. How could Ryan resist making breakfast in such divine company?

The courier searched the room, and found a silver platter. He put it on the marble counter, and started preparing the breakfast. Livia was quite skinny, which Ryan found unhealthy, so he prepared fried eggs, bacon, coffee, and French croissants.

The courier would make pancakes for her tomorrow.

Ryan raised his eyes to look at the statues while he prepared the breakfast. Maybe it was sleeplessness, but… the statue of Jupiter seemed vaguely familiar.

Very familiar.

Ryan blinked, one hand holding a knife and the other a buttered toast. The Jupiter statue was a carbon copy of Augustus, standing still while gazing at the counter.

The courier dropped everything and moved to the side, but the statue’s eyes didn’t follow. Come to think of it, Lightning Butt always kept a shroud of lightning around his face, to intimidate others. This statue had none.

Was Mob Zeus arrogant enough to populate his own villa with statues in his likeness? Or was it something else?

Ryan knew he should take the platter and return to Livia, but he couldn’t suppress his morbid curiosity. The time-traveler moved in front of the statue, and waved his hand before its eyes.

No reaction.

“Oh look outside, it’s a wild Hargraves!” Ryan pointed at the kitchen’s window, and the sunlight outside. “Quick, he’s getting away!”

The statue didn’t react. It didn’t breathe, didn’t blink, didn’t do anything. Damn, Discount Zeus was arrogant enough to build statues of himself and put them in his kitchen.

Ryan poked the ivory construct in the nose, and decided to call it quits.

This time, Augustus woke up.

The ivory statue’s eyes glanced down at Ryan, blinking a few times. It reminded the terrified courier of a grandpa with Alzheimer’s, suddenly remembering his son’s face. Was Lightning Butt sleeping with his eyes open, like a crocodile? Or did his tumor cause him to have a brain seizure?

“Hey, what’s up?!” Ryan asked, trying to lighten up the atmosphere. He better make a good impression, as Lightning Butt wouldn’t take anyone dating his daughter well.

“Who are you?” Augustus asked, his eyes squinting. There was no fear nor surprise in his voice, which Ryan found quite intimidating. The tyrant was so confident in his own power, that catching an intruder in his own home didn’t even phase him.

“I’m Batman,” Ryan replied, trying to sound calm. However, he couldn’t shake the ominous feeling of dread pervading the room.

“Whom?” Lightning Butt observed Ryan’s bathrobe, his eyes flaring with crimson lightning upon recognizing the outfit. “This belongs to my daughter.”

In hindsight, sleeping with Lightning Butt’s daughter beneath his own roof might not have been Ryan’s brightest idea.

“You know what, don’t mind me, I’ll take the doo—” Ryan tried to take a step back, but Augustus swiftly grabbed his shoulder with his right hand. Lightning Butt had invaded his personal space, like Germany with Poland.

“You are not going anywhere,” Lightning Butt said, his tone suddenly a lot more threatening. “Thief.”

Of what, a bathrobe? Ryan would have bore that badge with pride if it had been a cashmere suit, but he wouldn’t go to war for cotton. “Nah, I’m rich.” Rich people didn’t steal, that was known. “I’m a good friend of your daughter, and she invited me for a sleepover.”

“Lies,” Augustus replied, his grip on Ryan’s shoulder tightening. It didn’t hurt yet, but the courier could tell that the murderous mob boss would tear him in half at the slightest provocation. “My daughter would inform me. She knows the rules. I do not know how you bypassed the guards, but you were foolish to come here.”

“It was late, you can check the cameras or ask Livi—”

“You will not get anywhere near my blood,” Augustus interrupted him. “Now, tell the truth before I tear off your limbs.”

Damn it, that paranoid psychopath wouldn’t listen! Ryan looked into the madman’s eyes, and saw that nothing the courier could say would change his mind. One glance, and Lightning Butt had already condemned the courier to death.

Ryan could try running back to Livia to clear this up, but Mob Zeus could move inside his time-stop and zap him with lightning; and if the courier perished now, then Livia would forget that night. She would forget him.

The courier had to delay, and pray for Lightning Butt’s daughter to wake up.

“I will not repeat myself again,” Augustus said, tempting fate. “Where did you find—”

Ryan froze time, and didn’t move. As far as the world was concerned, he had stopped just like everything else.

“—these clothes?” Augustus blinked, glanced around, and let out a sound that could pass for a sigh. He waited several seconds for the effect to end, with a look of resigned acceptance.

“I’m sorry, sir?” Ryan asked when time resumed, feigning confusion. Thankfully, he had an excellent poker face. “What did you say?”

“I said that—” The clock stopped again, and once more Ryan feigned being paralyzed. Augustus let out a snarl of anger and frustration, much to the courier’s deep satisfaction. The mob boss clenched his jaw, even after the flow of time resumed.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Ryan apologized, delighting at the ivory man’s frustration. After watching this selfish prick try to murder Leo Hargraves as the world collapsed around them, it felt quite good. To add insult to injury, the courier looked at Lightning Dad as if he had gone senile. “Do you need medicine, sir?”

Augustus waited a bit longer, half-expecting time to freeze again. Finally, once he thought himself safe, he opened his mouth again. “I said—”

Time froze again.

Instead of sighing or raging, Augustus squinted at Ryan, his expression thoughtful.

“I can see electrons move in your brain. You are not affected by this… this temporal anomaly. You are its source.” Damn, Lightning Butt was brutal but not stupid. “Stop this at once.”

Ryan didn’t break character, even as time resumed. Augustus waited a few more seconds, his face undecipherable, before opening his mouth again.

“As I said—”

And time stopped again!

Augustus’ hand moved from Ryan’s shoulder to his neck and lifted him above the ground.

“You dare to mock me?!” Mob Zeus snarled angrily. The courier kicked and punched the invincible man’s arm in the frozen time, but he didn’t even notice. Unlike when Ryan struck him in the previous loop, Augustus didn’t react with shock at someone being capable of harming him. The time-traveler’s blows couldn’t hurt him.

Damnit, as he had guessed, Ryan needed the Saturn Armor to use his Black superpower. He couldn’t damage Lightning Butt without it!

“You would strike me? Madness.” Augustus sneered as time resumed. “This is your last chance. Where did you find these clothes?”

“In your daughter’s wardrobe!” The courier blurted out.

Lightning Butt noticed the sparkle in Ryan’s eyes, alongside his messy hair. The ivory man’s eyes noticed the breakfast for two, prepared with love, and he finally understood.

The Augusti patriarch didn’t want to admit it though. His fingers tightened around the courier’s neck, squeezing the air out of him. “What did you do?” he snarled, lifting Ryan higher until his head touched the ceiling. “What did you do to my daughter?”

Ryan wanted to say something clever, but Augustus squeezed his throat so tightly that no word came out. Lightning Butt eventually realized the interrogation wouldn’t go anywhere like this, eased his grip enough to let the time traveler breathe, and looked into his captive’s eyes.

“Did you sleep with my daughter?” Augustus asked, his cold fury ten times more threatening than his snarls.

Knowing nothing he said would save him, Ryan answered with the first thing that came to mind.

“YES DADDY, YES!”

Augustus brutally slammed Ryan against the counter.

A normal human would have gone splat from the impact, and the shock made the marble crack. The silver platter almost fell off to the ground, and one of the coffee cups shattered. Ryan saw stars for a moment and landed on the ground, chest first. Lightning Butt released his grip while his victim gasped for air.

“You will die begging,” Augustus said with cold fury, towering over the courier like the specter of death. His whole body cackled with crimson lightning, the microwave and electrical devices in the room malfunctioning. “Like a jew on a cross.”

“And it was…” Ryan coughed, defiant. “Unprotected.”

Lightning Butt gave Ryan the Palpatine electroshock treatment, by zapping him with electricity. It was a low-current blast, not enough to kill the courier; but it hurt. It hurt like hell. A lightning bolt hit Ryan in the chest, his skin burning, the bathrobe releasing smoke.

The courier’s body trembled, the nerves in his body stimulated by the lightning. It felt as if his body had caught fire, his lungs melting.

“Dad!”

Her shrieking voice echoed in the kitchen, but Augustus kept zapping Ryan with murder on his mind. If anything, he only increased the voltage, even as a chi—

---

Time skipped forward, and when it resumed, her arms immediately seized him.

The pain in his chest remained, alongside severe burns, but no lightning coursed through Ryan’s nerves anymore. He had crawled near the statue of Minerva, with Livia kneeling protectively at his side. She wore a black bathrobe of her own, but no slippers; the seer must have rushed into the kitchen the second she woke up.

Lightning Butt dropped the lightning halo surrounding his head, though rage still possessed him. Augustus sternly gazed at Livia. “You used your power on me, daughter?”

“You were electrocuting my boyfriend!” she hissed back.

Though Lightning Butt had shrugged off Ryan’s blow, his daughter’s words made him flinch in surprise. If he still had any doubt about what happened, her revealing dress and the intimate way she held Ryan close dispelled them. The courier could hear Livia’s accelerating heartbeat beneath the cotton.

“You willingly gave yourself to this…” Augustus glared at Ryan with disgust. “This miscreant?”

“Ryan is nothing of that sort,” Livia replied with a frown. “He is a kind and noble man.”

“Conqueror… of Monaco…” Ryan rattled, his muscles still struggling to move. The crimson lightning must have messed up his nervous system, the wrong limbs answering his mental commands.

Augustus completely ignored the courier, refusing to acknowledge his existence. Instead, he studied his daughter with an imperious gaze. Yet Livia refused to back down and locked eyes with her sire.

“How long?” Lightning Butt questioned his daughter.

Livia frowned, biting her lower lips. “A little more than one week.”

That long? Ryan wondered, before realizing that she counted the previous loop. They could consider the Star Studio raid their first date…

“Is this about Felix?” Augustus asked angrily. “Revenge for his abandonment?”

“No,” Livia replied angrily. “I chose Ryan for himself.”

“You chose wrong.” Lightning Butt’s eyes flared with a burst of lightning. “Look at this clown. I have seen his kind countless times. All he wants is your beauty, your money, your power. He is a parasite.”

“You say that about everyone, Dad.”

“Because it is true. Do you think he would be interested in you if you weren’t my daughter?”

“You don’t know him, Dad,” Livia replied, her gaze harshening. “And if you think I wouldn’t have done my research, then you don’t truly know me either.”

Ryan almost opened his mouth, but this time wisely remained silent. One wrong move and Lightning Butt might slay him before Livia could react. The shame and the pain, he could live with. But her forgetting him would hurt far deeper than the lightning.

Augustus’ face twisted into an angry scowl. “Livia, step aside.”

She briefly hesitated, but held her ground. “No, Father.”

“Step aside, daughter.”

“No,” she repeated, the word so sweet to hear. “I won’t let you murder him like Narcinia’s parents.”

Augustus’ eyes widened in surprise, his jaw clenching. “Who told you about that? Felix?”

“Does it matter?”

“Felix,” her father said, reaching his own conclusions. “He will pay for this slander with his tongue.”

“You won’t touch his tongue, or any part of Felix,” Livia declared, grabbing Ryan’s hand. “Nor will you harm my current boyfriend. I’m an adult, I can date whoever I want.”

“I am your father,” Augustus raised his tone, “and you shall obey me.”

“If you touch them, I will leave.”

These words silenced Lightning Butt, making him blink repeatedly. He looked as if he would stumble. The illusion of invincibility was stripped away, and for a brief moment, Ryan could see the lonely, paranoid old man beneath the iron-fisted dictator.

“I will leave,” Livia said, struggling not to cry. “I will go, and I will not return. Bacchus and Mars can have your rotten empire of filth for all I care.”

“Livia.” Augustus’ tone softened a little. For the first time, Ryan heard something other than wrath and cruelty in the titan’s voice. “You are my heir, and my daughter. But you are still a young woman, and naive. Experience comes with age, and it is my duty as your father to protect you from threats you cannot see. Your mother…”

“I can protect myself,” Livia replied firmly. “Even from you.”

Augustus’ fists tightened, to the point that a normal person might have started bleeding. Could the superpowered tyrant cancel his own power? Could he hurt himself?

“I could not protect your mother, but I will protect you. Felix is a shameless traitor, and this little shit…” Lightning Dad glared at the courier, with the same hatred he usually reserved for Leo Hargraves. “This man is turning you against me, your own father.”

“No, Dad,” Livia argued firmly. “You are doing that on your own.”

Augustus turned into an ivory statue, as still as stone.

“Dad, please. I want him.” Livia breathed deeply. “He is kind to me, and he makes me smile.”

Augustus’ silence stretched on for several, agonizing seconds. The air was heavy with an undercurrent of electricity, as if a thunderstorm might explode any moment. The microwave had short-circuited. “You,” Mob Zeus glared at Ryan. “What is your name?”

By now, the courier had recovered enough to form complete sentences. “Ryan ‘Quicksave’ Romano. I’m immortal, but don’t tel—”

“If you disrespect my daughter,” Augustus interrupted him, his voice booming like thunder, “I will kill you.”

“Yes, Lightning Dad.”

Augustus’ eyes narrowed dangerously. He did not like the nickname. “If you break her heart, I will kill you.”

“Yes, Lightning Dad,” Ryan repeated, returning the man’s vicious gaze. By now, he understood that submission would be seen as weakness, but open defiance wouldn’t be tolerated. He had to assert himself, without being too disrespectful.

“If you break up with her, I will kill you.”

“Yes, Lightning Dad.”

“Thank you, Father,” Livia whispered in relief, holding Ryan’s hand.

Augustus stormed out of the room, coldly furious. He didn’t spare a glance to Ryan, and did his best to ignore him. The tyrant punched a wall on his way out, his fist going through stone like paper.

Ryan coughed. “That’s almost exactly how I expected to meet your parents.”

“Are you insane?!” Livia hissed when her father was gone. “Couldn’t you wait for me to wake up before wandering off? He could have killed you!”

“I wanted to prepare your breakfast,” Ryan replied, pointing at the silver platter. The coffee cups were gone, but the pastries had survived.

Livia’s anger immediately turned into a blush, and she gave him a bittersweet smile. “We’ll go to Venus and Narcinia,” she said. “They will cure your wounds in no time.”

“It’s fine. It can wait a little.”

“Ryan, you were struck by lightning.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time. Do you have ointment?” Livia frowned at his question, but nodded. “Good. I will put some on while you return to bed.”

“And then what?”

“And then I will bring you breakfast properly this time.”

“You’re such a gallant fool,” Livia said with a chuckle, before helping him rise back to his feet. “How did you imagine it? Me introducing you to my father?”

“With your daddy pointing a shotgun at my back, and Bacchus officiating the wedding.”

She giggled. “I wouldn’t count on it. Bacchus worships a stranger god than the Catholic Church’s.” Her pale fingers brushed against his wound. The skin hurt, but his heart was soothed. “We will still go to Venus after breakfast. I told you before, Ryan, you don’t have to suffer anymore.”

Ryan put his hands around her waist, while she moved her hands around his neck. “And next breakfast? What will it be?”

Livia smiled, and briefly kissed him on the lips without a word.

Strawberries then.

这是第十七个五月八日，瑞恩·罗马诺死得很幸福。

或者说，就算死了，他也会很幸福——此刻，他在一张特大号床上醒来，躺在莉维娅怀里。瑞恩在睡梦中又揍了食尸鬼一顿，不过很快就从噩梦中醒了过来。那确实是一场噩梦。快递员向来不在乎死掉重来，连做梦时都不在乎，可现在，他在乎了。

他不想让她忘记自己。

莉维娅此刻仍抱着他，双臂环着他的脖子，乳房贴着他的胸口，一条腿搭在他的大腿上。她的头发如缕缕银丝，覆在安睡的脸上。预言家的身体暖暖的，还打着轻轻的鼾，瑞恩觉得很可爱。不过，往后睡觉可能得戴耳塞了。

漫长的一生中，瑞恩·罗马诺有过数不清的床伴。在他看来，性爱很能反映一个人的性情。蕾恩迟疑、笨拙而脆弱；人偶好奇，又爱玩闹；贾丝敏则狂野、精力旺盛，还喜欢古怪的角色扮演。

至于莉维娅？

那感觉……恰到好处。就是恰到好处。像一把钥匙插进了与它相配的锁。莉维娅的经验没有他丰富，却温柔、细心，又体贴。她还会笑，有时候，甚至挑在最不该笑的时候。瑞恩说不清缘由，但她的笑声能让他放松下来。

有那么一会儿，快递员彻底忘了疯魔，忘了血流，也忘了自己刚刚在闪电屁股的家里睡了他的女儿。他只在乎床上这个可爱的女人。那一瞬间，莉维娅就是他的全世界。

他想唤醒她，与她面对面，握着她的手接吻。他想抱着她，与她融为一体。可预言家睡得那么沉，那么安宁幸福，瑞恩实在不忍心打扰。沉浸在梦中的莉维娅，看起来比他以往见过的任何时候都快乐。

不过，瑞恩饿了。昨晚去莉维娅卧室的路上，快递员留意到了一间厨房，正好可以去准备早餐。他相信奥古斯都的女儿一定会喜欢一睁眼就看见糕点。

然而，即使睡着了，莉维娅也不肯放他走。快递员试着悄悄下床，她却抱得更紧了。他只好暂停时间，脱离她的怀抱，再拿个枕头替了自己。时间一恢复，预言家便皱起了眉。

这让瑞恩觉得……他花了好一会儿，才找到那个准确的词。

被爱着。

瑞恩觉得自己被爱着。莉维娅如此渴望他留在身边，连在梦里都不肯放手。换作从前，这位时间旅行者事后一定会因恐惧而退缩；怕自己死掉，怕这一刻失去意义。怕莉维娅忘记自己时，他会承受的痛苦。

但现在呢？

现在，瑞恩只想回到她身边。他使尽了意志力，再加上肚子的拼命抗议，才没有钻回床上。

床单上——不，整个房间里都弥漫着性爱的气味，于是瑞恩打开窗，让新鲜空气进来。外面的朝阳刺得他睁不开眼，皮肤也晒得灼痛，仿佛一只见光的吸血鬼，不过他很快就缓了过来。只有红头发的人才需要害怕朝阳，因为他们没有灵魂。

瑞恩本想穿上自己的衣服，可那些衣服……脏了。于是，赤身裸体的快递员在卧室里翻找一番，找到一件印着猫咪图案的白色浴袍。时间旅行者不禁怀疑，这会不会曾是菲利克斯的东西，随后套上浴袍，也穿上了拖鞋。

走向门口之前，瑞恩花了点时间打量卧室里的画。有几幅画的是儿时的莉维娅和另外两个人，他认出那是她的父母。现实中的奥古斯都总是神情阴沉，画里的他却笑得很温暖；这让黑帮宙斯看起来不再像个嗜血的怪物，倒更像个人了。最重要的是，那时候的他还没变成一尊象牙雕像，而是有着和女儿一样的白发蓝眼。至于他的妻子，简直就是另一个莉维娅，只是年纪更大，身材也更丰腴。

另一些画描绘的是纽约等城市，世贸中心所在的位置只有一座高塔。一幅巴黎的画中，齐柏林飞艇与蒸汽动力装置一起翱翔天际。看来莉维娅闲暇时喜欢画平行宇宙。又或许，她向往的是比自己身处的现实更幸福的世界。

不管怎样，瑞恩悄无声息地溜出卧室，很快找到了厨房。别墅其余地方一味仿古，唯独这间屋子被建筑师设计成了新旧交融的模样。高科技冰箱与烤箱对面，是一张五米长的大理石料理台，以及罗马众神的象牙雕像。维纳斯与玛尔斯手牵着手，朱庇特一副胜利者的姿态，狄安娜和阿波罗则并肩狩猎。有如此神圣的陪伴，瑞恩怎能忍住不做一顿早餐？

快递员在屋里翻找，找到一只银托盘。他把托盘放在大理石台面上，开始准备早餐。莉维娅很瘦，瑞恩觉得这不大健康，于是准备了煎蛋、培根、咖啡和法式可颂。

明天，快递员要给她做松饼。

准备早餐时，瑞恩抬眼看了看雕像。也许是没睡够，可是……那尊朱庇特雕像似乎有点眼熟。

非常眼熟。

瑞恩眨了眨眼，一手拿着餐刀，一手拿着涂好黄油的吐司。那尊朱庇特雕像和奥古斯都一模一样，正一动不动地站在那里，凝视着料理台。

快递员放下手里的一切，往旁边挪了挪，雕像的眼睛却没有跟过来。仔细想想，闪电屁股总是让闪电笼罩着面孔，好吓唬别人。这尊雕像周围却没有。

黑帮宙斯已经自大到要在自家别墅里摆满自己的雕像了？还是另有缘故？

瑞恩知道，自己应该端起托盘回莉维娅那儿去，可他压不住那股作死的好奇心。时间旅行者走到雕像面前，在它眼前挥了挥手。

毫无反应。

“哎，看外面！有一只野生哈格雷夫斯！”瑞恩指着厨房的窗户，还有窗外的阳光，“快，他要跑了！”

雕像没有反应。不呼吸，不眨眼，什么也没做。妈的，廉价宙斯还真自大到给自己立雕像，还把它们摆进了厨房。

瑞恩戳了戳象牙造物的鼻子，决定就此罢手。

这一次，奥古斯都醒了。

象牙雕像垂眼看向瑞恩，眨了几下眼。吓坏了的快递员想到一位患有阿尔茨海默病的老爷爷，突然认出了儿子的脸。闪电屁股是像鳄鱼一样睁着眼睡觉吗？还是脑瘤让他癫痫发作了？

“嗨，你好吗？！”瑞恩问道，试图缓和气氛。他最好留下个好印象，毕竟不管是谁和闪电屁股的女儿约会，他都不会高兴。

“你是谁？”奥古斯都眯起眼问道。他的声音里既没有恐惧，也没有惊讶，瑞恩觉得这相当吓人。这暴君对自身力量的信心太足了，哪怕在自己家里抓到入侵者，也丝毫不为所动。

“我是蝙蝠侠。”瑞恩回答，尽量让自己听起来镇定。然而，房间里弥漫着一种不祥的恐怖感，他怎么也挥之不去。

“谁？”闪电屁股打量着瑞恩身上的浴袍，认出衣服的那一刻，猩红的电光在他眼中亮起。“这是我女儿的。”

事后想来，在闪电屁股的屋檐下睡他的女儿，大概算不上瑞恩最明智的主意。

“这样吧，不用管我，我这就出门——”瑞恩想往后退一步，奥古斯都却闪电般伸出右手，抓住他的肩膀。闪电屁股侵犯他私人空间的架势，就像德国入侵波兰。

“你哪儿也别想去。”闪电屁股说道，语气陡然凶狠了许多，“小偷。”

偷什么，一件浴袍？要是偷的是羊绒西装，瑞恩倒会以这名号为荣，可他不会为棉布开战。“不是，我很有钱。”众所周知，有钱人不偷东西。“我是你女儿的好朋友，她请我来过夜。”

“撒谎。”奥古斯都答道，扣在瑞恩肩上的手收得更紧了。目前还不疼，可快递员看得出来，只要稍有冒犯，这个杀人不眨眼的黑帮老大就会把他撕成两半。“我女儿会告诉我。她知道规矩。我不知道你是怎么绕过守卫的，但跑到这里来，你实在愚蠢。”

“当时很晚了，你可以查监控，或者问莉维——”

“你休想靠近我的骨肉。”奥古斯都打断他，“现在，说实话，否则我就扯掉你的四肢。”

妈的，这个疑神疑鬼的变态根本不听人说话！瑞恩望着疯子的眼睛，明白自己说什么都改变不了他的想法。只看了一眼，闪电屁股就已经判了快递员死刑。

瑞恩可以试着跑回莉维娅身边，把事情解释清楚，可黑帮宙斯能在他的时间暂停中行动，还能用闪电劈他；而如果快递员现在死了，莉维娅就会忘记昨夜。她会忘记他。

快递员必须拖延时间，祈祷闪电屁股的女儿赶快醒来。

“我不会再重复一遍。”奥古斯都说着，偏要挑战命运，“你从哪里找到——”

瑞恩暂停了时间，自己也一动不动。从世界的视角来看，他和其他一切一样，都停止了。

“——这些衣服的？”奥古斯都眨了眨眼，环顾四周，发出一声姑且可以算作叹息的声音。他一脸认命地等了好几秒，等待效果结束。

“抱歉，先生？”时间恢复后，瑞恩装作困惑地问。幸好，他很擅长不露声色。“您说什么？”

“我说——”时钟又停了，瑞恩再次假装动弹不得。奥古斯都愤怒又憋屈地低吼一声，让快递员暗爽不已。即使时间恢复流动，黑帮老大仍然紧咬着牙关。

“抱歉，先生。”瑞恩道着歉，尽情享受这位象牙人的憋屈。此前世界都在崩塌，这个自私的混账却还一心想杀利奥·哈格雷夫斯，如今这一幕看着实在痛快。为了再往伤口上撒把盐，快递员看向闪电老爸的目光，活像在看一个老糊涂。“您需要吃药吗，先生？”

奥古斯都又等了一会儿，仍在提防时间再次暂停。终于，觉得安全了，他才又张开嘴。“我说——”

时间又停了。

这次，奥古斯都既没叹气，也没发怒，而是眯起眼看着瑞恩，若有所思。

“我能看到你脑中的电子在运动。你不受这种……这种时间异常的影响。你就是它的源头。”该死，闪电屁股凶残归凶残，却不蠢。“马上停下。”

时间恢复后，瑞恩仍把这出戏演了下去。奥古斯都又等了几秒，脸上看不出情绪，随后再次开口。

“我刚才说——”

时间又停了！

奥古斯都的手从瑞恩肩上移到脖子上，把他提离了地面。

“你敢戏弄我？！”黑帮宙斯怒吼道。冻结的时间里，快递员对着这个无敌男人的手臂拳打脚踢，对方却浑然不觉。上一轮，瑞恩打中奥古斯都时，他还曾为竟然有人能伤到自己而震惊；如今却毫无反应。时间旅行者的拳脚伤不到他。

妈的，果然和猜想的一样，瑞恩必须借助萨图恩装甲，才能使用黑色系超能力。没了装甲，他根本伤不了闪电屁股！

“你还敢打我？疯了。”时间恢复，奥古斯都冷笑道，“这是你最后一次机会。你从哪里找到这些衣服的？”

“你女儿的衣柜里！”快递员脱口而出。

闪电屁股注意到了瑞恩眼里的光彩，还有那头乱发。象牙人的目光又落在那份饱含爱意的双人早餐上，终于明白了。

可奥古斯蒂的家长不愿承认。他收紧扣着快递员脖子的手指，勒得他喘不过气来。“你干了什么？”他咆哮着，把瑞恩举得更高，直到他的头碰上天花板。“你对我女儿干了什么？”

瑞恩想说句俏皮话，可奥古斯都把他的喉咙掐得太紧，一个字都挤不出来。闪电屁股终于意识到，这么下去什么也审不出来，便稍稍松手，让时间旅行者得以呼吸，同时盯住俘虏的眼睛。

“你睡了我女儿？”奥古斯都问道，那冰冷的怒意比咆哮还吓人十倍。

知道自己说什么也救不了命，瑞恩把脑海里蹦出的第一句话喊了出来。

“是的，爸爸，是的！”

奥古斯都把瑞恩狠狠砸在料理台上。

换作普通人，这一下早已砸成了肉泥，连大理石台面都被撞裂了。银托盘险些跌落在地，一只咖啡杯碎了。瑞恩眼前金星乱冒，胸口朝下摔到地上。闪电屁股松开了手，任受害者大口喘气。

“你会哀求着死去。”奥古斯都冷冷地怒道，如死神的幽影般俯视着快递员。猩红的闪电在他全身噼啪作响，屋里的微波炉和电器纷纷失灵。“像钉在十字架上的犹太人一样。”

“而且还……”瑞恩咳嗽着，依旧不肯服软，“没戴套。”

闪电屁股放出电流，给瑞恩来了一套帕尔帕廷电疗。电流不大，还不足以杀死快递员，可是疼。疼得要命。一道闪电击中瑞恩胸口，皮肤烧灼，浴袍冒起了烟。

闪电刺激着全身神经，快递员的身体剧烈颤抖。他感觉自己仿佛浑身着了火，肺都在熔化。

“爸！”

她的尖叫在厨房里回荡，奥古斯都却仍满怀杀意地电击着瑞恩。不仅如此，他反而加大了电压，哪怕一声钟——

---

时间向前跳过一段，等它恢复，她的双臂立刻抱住了他。

胸口的疼痛和严重的灼伤仍在，但瑞恩的神经中已经没有电流穿行。他已经爬到密涅瓦的雕像附近，莉维娅跪在身旁，护着他。她穿着自己的黑色浴袍，却没穿拖鞋；预言家一定是刚醒就冲进了厨房。

闪电屁股散去了笼罩头部的电光，怒火却还没消。奥古斯都严厉地看着莉维娅。“你对我用了能力，女儿？”

“你在电击我的男朋友！”她厉声回敬。

闪电屁股承受瑞恩的拳头时毫不在意，女儿的话却让他吃惊地一震。倘若他对发生过什么还存有疑问，她暴露的衣着，以及亲昵地抱紧瑞恩的姿态，也把那些疑问全打消了。隔着棉布，快递员都能听到莉维娅越跳越快的心跳。

“你心甘情愿地把自己交给了这个……”奥古斯都厌恶地瞪着瑞恩，“这个无赖？”

“瑞恩才不是那种人。”莉维娅皱着眉答道，“他善良而高尚。”

“摩纳哥……征服者……”瑞恩嘶哑地挤出几个字，肌肉仍不听使唤。猩红的闪电一定扰乱了他的神经系统，脑中发出指令，响应的却不是对应的肢体。

奥古斯都完全无视快递员，根本不肯承认他的存在。他只是以不容置疑的目光审视着女儿。然而，莉维娅不肯退让，与父亲直直对视。

“多久了？”闪电屁股质问女儿。

莉维娅皱起眉，咬了咬下唇。“一个多星期。”

有那么久？瑞恩心想，随后才意识到，她把上一轮也算了进去。他们倒可以把突袭明星制片厂那次当成第一次约会……

“是因为菲利克斯？”奥古斯都怒道，“为了报复他抛弃了你？”

“不是。”莉维娅同样愤怒地回答，“我选择瑞恩，是因为他这个人。”

“你选错了。”闪电屁股眼中骤然迸出电光。“看看这个小丑。这种人我见得太多了。他想要的只有你的美貌、你的钱、你的权势。他就是条寄生虫。”

“你说谁都这样，爸。”

“因为这是事实。你以为，如果你不是我的女儿，他还会对你有兴趣？”

“你不了解他，爸。”莉维娅答道，目光越发凌厉，“如果你觉得我连事先调查都不会做，那你也根本不了解我。”

瑞恩差点开口，不过这次明智地保持了沉默。稍有差池，闪电屁股就可能赶在莉维娅反应过来之前杀了他。羞辱和疼痛，他都能忍。但被她遗忘，会比闪电伤得深得多。

奥古斯都的脸因愤怒而扭曲。“莉维娅，让开。”

她迟疑了一瞬，却仍守在原地。“不，父亲。”

“让开，女儿。”

“不。”她再次说道，这个字听起来如此悦耳。“我不会让你像杀纳尔西妮娅的父母那样杀了他。”

奥古斯都惊讶地睁大眼睛，咬紧了牙。“谁告诉你的？菲利克斯？”

“这重要吗？”

“菲利克斯。”她父亲自行得出了结论，“他会为这番诽谤付出舌头的代价。”

“你不许动他的舌头，菲利克斯身上哪儿都不许动。”莉维娅宣告着，握住瑞恩的手。“也不许伤害我现在的男朋友。我成年了，我想和谁约会都可以。”

“我是你父亲，”奥古斯都提高了声音，“你必须听我的。”

“你要是动他们，我就走。”

这句话让闪电屁股陷入沉默，一连眨了好几下眼睛，看上去几乎要站不稳了。那层无敌的假象被剥了下来。有那么短短一瞬，瑞恩看见了铁腕独裁者外表下那个孤独、多疑的老人。

“我会走。”莉维娅强忍着眼泪说道，“我会离开，再也不回来。你那个肮脏腐烂的帝国，爱给巴克斯还是玛尔斯都随你。”

“莉维娅。”奥古斯都的语气稍微柔和了些。瑞恩第一次从这个巨人的声音里，听见了愤怒与残酷之外的东西。“你是我的继承人，也是我的女儿。但你还年轻，还很天真。阅历是随年龄增长的。作为父亲，我有责任保护你，让你免受那些你看不见的威胁。你母亲……”

“我能保护自己。”莉维娅坚定地回答，“即使威胁来自你。”

奥古斯都攥紧了拳头，用力之大，换作普通人，恐怕早已攥出了血。这个拥有超能力的暴君能解除自己的能力吗？他能伤到自己吗？

“我没能保护你母亲，但我会保护你。菲利克斯是个无耻的叛徒，而这个小杂种……”闪电老爸怒视着快递员，眼中那种仇恨，往常只会留给利奥·哈格雷夫斯。“这个男人在挑唆你反对我，反对你的亲生父亲。”

“不，爸。”莉维娅坚定地反驳，“是你自己把我推向对立面的。”

奥古斯都成了一尊象牙雕像，像石头般一动不动。

“爸，求你。我想和他在一起。”莉维娅深吸了一口气，“他对我很好，他能让我开心。”

奥古斯都沉默了好几秒，每一秒都无比煎熬。空气压抑，暗流般的电意涌动，仿佛雷暴随时都会爆发。微波炉已经短路了。“你。”黑帮宙斯瞪向瑞恩，“叫什么名字？”

这会儿，快递员已经恢复到能说完整句子的程度了。“瑞恩·罗马诺，人称‘快存’。我是不死之身，但别告——”

“如果你对我女儿不敬，”奥古斯都打断了他，声音如雷鸣般轰响，“我就杀了你。”

“是，闪电老爸。”

奥古斯都危险地眯起眼。他不喜欢这个绰号。“如果你让她伤心，我就杀了你。”

“是，闪电老爸。”瑞恩重复道，迎上男人凶狠的目光。到这时他已经明白，顺从会被视为软弱，公开挑衅却也不被容忍。他得挺直腰杆，又不能太过无礼。

“如果你和她分手，我就杀了你。”

“是，闪电老爸。”

“谢谢你，父亲。”莉维娅握着瑞恩的手，如释重负地轻声说道。

奥古斯都裹着冰冷的怒火，大步走出房间。他一眼也没看瑞恩，竭力当他不存在。出门时，暴君一拳打在墙上，拳头像穿透纸张一般击穿了石墙。

瑞恩咳嗽了一声。“这跟我想象中见你父母的场面，几乎一模一样。”

“你疯了吗？！”父亲一离开，莉维娅就压着声音怒斥，“你就不能等我醒了再乱跑？他差点就杀了你！”

“我想给你准备早餐。”瑞恩回答，指了指银托盘。咖啡杯没了，糕点却幸存下来。

莉维娅脸上的怒意立刻变成了红晕，她给了他一个苦乐交杂的微笑。“我们去找维纳斯和纳尔西妮娅。”她说，“她们很快就能治好你的伤。”

“没事，可以等一等。”

“瑞恩，你刚被雷劈了。”

“又不是第一次。你有药膏吗？”莉维娅听了皱起眉，却还是点了点头。“那就好。我涂点药，你先回床上去。”

“然后呢？”

“然后，这次我要好好把早餐端给你。”

“你真是个殷勤的傻瓜。”莉维娅轻笑着，把他扶起来。“你原本是怎么想象的？我把你介绍给我父亲的场面？”

“你爸拿霰弹枪顶着我的背，巴克斯给我们主持婚礼。”

她咯咯笑了。“我看还是别指望。巴克斯拜的神，比天主教那位古怪多了。”她苍白的手指轻轻拂过他的伤口。皮肤在疼，心却得到了抚慰。“吃过早餐，我们还是要去找维纳斯。我说过的，瑞恩，你不必再受苦了。”

瑞恩双手搂住她的腰，她则把手臂环上他的脖子。“那下一顿早餐呢？吃什么？”

莉维娅微微一笑，在他唇上轻轻吻了一下，没有说话。

那就草莓吧。