Gwen's mouth hung slightly open.
She stared, her brilliant mind struggling to process the impossible sight before her. The heavy bag hadn't swung. It hadn't even swayed. It had simply shuddered, a deep, violent tremor passing through it as if it had been struck by a bolt of lightning. A thick cloud of ancient dust and compacted sand puffed out from its seams, momentarily catching the afternoon light in a hazy, golden cloud before slowly dissipating.
There was a phrase from an old martial arts text she'd once read: A heavy sword has no edge; great skill has no artifice. It was the principle of power so perfectly focused that it had no wasted energy, no collateral effect. It was pure, controlled, and in that moment, utterly terrifying.
Hawk stood motionless, the punch held at its point of full extension. He slowly exhaled a long, turbid breath, the tension leaving his frame as he retracted his fist. Only then did he turn to look at her.
Their eyes met across the dusty gymnasium. Gwen took in the full picture: the faint sheen of sweat on his forehead, the simple white tank top that did nothing to hide a physique that looked less built and more carved from granite, and the worn, professional-looking bandages wrapped around his hands. An indescribable sensation, a mixture of awe and a strange, thrilling fear, settled in her stomach.
Hawk, for his part, was simply bewildered. This was his sanctuary. No one ever came here. "Is something wrong?" he asked, his voice neutral, though his thoughts were anything but.
"No," Gwen shook her head, a practiced smile appearing on her face as she regained her composure. She pushed her hands behind her back and began to walk towards him, her footsteps echoing in the cavernous space. "Just exploring. I haven't been in the old gym since they built the new one." She glanced around at the peeling paint and dusty equipment. "The new gym has air conditioning, you know. Why aren't you there?"
Hawk considered the question. "It's quieter here."
"It is quite quiet," she affirmed, her gaze returning to him. Then, to his complete surprise, she walked over to the worn rest bench where he kept his gear and sat down, making herself comfortable.
He felt a muscle in his jaw twitch. "Gwen. Is something wrong?"
"Nope," she said brightly, propping herself up with her hands and swinging her legs slightly. She looked at him, her blue eyes sparkling with a light he couldn't quite decipher. "I'm just idle. So I came to appreciate a friend boxing."
Hawk raised an eyebrow. Friend. She was using that word again. He had a distinct feeling she was hinting at something, prodding at the walls he kept so carefully maintained. But trying to solve the puzzle of Gwen Stacy was far more complicated than his current task.
Never mind, he thought, shaking his head. Boxing is more important.
He turned his back on her, refocusing on the heavy bag. He'd been just a few hundred punches away from finishing his daily ten thousand. Her arrival had broken his concentration, his rhythm. The count was void. He had to start all over again. A wave of profound, internal annoyance washed over him.
Fine. If she wanted to watch, she could watch. It was a public space. He had no right to kick her out.
He adjusted his breathing, sinking back into his stance. He didn't tap into the raging universe of his Cosmo. This was about discipline, about the promise he'd made to himself. This was purely physical. Soon, the rhythmic, percussive impacts once again began to echo through the gym.
But this time, his rhythm was different. With an audience, his subconscious desire was to finish as quickly as possible. His punches began to accelerate.
One punch, then another, then another. The impacts blurred together, becoming a continuous, deafening roar.
Gwen, sitting on the bench, felt her eyes widen. One moment, he was punching with a clear, steady rhythm. The next, his arms became a shimmering blur, a cascade of afterimages. The space in front of him filled with what looked like a sky full of phantom fists, all striking the bag at once in a thunderous crescendo. What is going on? she thought, her scientific mind scrambling for an explanation. I didn't even blink.
Instinctively, she pulled her phone from her pocket, her thumb hovering over the record button. She had to capture this, to have data, to have proof that her senses weren't failing her.
"Don't record."
The voice was calm and low, yet it cut through the thunder of his own fists. He hadn't even turned his head. It was an absolute command.
"...Oh," Gwen whispered, her hand lowering. She wasn't sure how she'd heard him over the noise, but she complied without a second thought.
A few moments later, the storm of fists gradually subsided. Hawk's movements slowed, then stopped. Silence returned to the old gymnasium. He methodically unhooked the chain, lifted the hundred-pound sandbag with one hand, and tossed it effortlessly into a corner. Then, he walked to the bench, grabbed a towel from his backpack, and finally turned to face Gwen.
"Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" he asked, his voice flat.
Gwen's smile returned, this time with a hint of mischief. "Now there is."
Hawk's mouth twitched, a barely perceptible sign of irritation that she caught instantly. She didn't press her advantage, however, deciding to state her real purpose. "This year's grade-level dance. The sign-up list is going around. Are you going?"
It was an annual tradition. Every year, she asked. Every year, he said no.
This year was no exception. "No." He shook his head without hesitation.
His mind briefly revisited the logic. In the past, the reason was simple: he was poor. The dances were a cruel pageant of social and financial status he had no interest in participating in. He had no money for a suit, no car, and certainly no date. Why would he go, just to stand in a corner and watch others celebrate a life he couldn't afford?
Now, things were different, but also the same. His savings had taken a huge hit from the rent and new necessities. The grand idea of buying a car now seemed like a foolish fantasy. Frugality was a deeply ingrained instinct. Why spend money on a dance when he could watch the stars on his rooftop for free?
I need to save for unexpected needs, he thought. And the expected ones. The meteorites wouldn't be cheap. His mind began to spiral down a familiar, dark, and practical path. I need money. Maybe I should just rob a bank... No, that's inefficient. If I'm going to commit a crime, why not just steal the meteorites directly from Osborn? And I'll probably have to steal the Vibranium from Wakanda anyway. So, if I'm already planning two grand thefts, what's one little bank robbery on top of that?
"What are you thinking about?" Gwen's voice cut through his internal criminal enterprise brainstorming.
He was so lost in the cold logic of his own thoughts that he answered with the raw, unfiltered truth. "Robbing a bank."
Gwen didn't even blink. An amused eyebrow arched on her forehead.
Hawk came back to his senses, realizing what he'd just said. He looked at Gwen. Their eyes met.
A thoughtful, dangerous smile spread across her face. "So, which bank are you planning to rob? If you're looking for a recommendation, I'd suggest the Pacific Bank in the 19th Precinct's jurisdiction."
He frowned, his pragmatic mind momentarily taking her seriously. "Is Pacific Bank easy to rob?"
"No," Gwen said, her smile brilliant and sharp. "But my dad is the captain of the 19th Precinct."
Silence. The air in the gym crackled. Hawk stared at her, the gears in his head finally catching up. He'd been played.
He took a slow breath, his expression turning utterly serious. "I was joking." He made a firm mental note: under no circumstances was he to commit any crimes in the 19th Precinct. Ever.
Gwen's bright laugh was about to fill the silence when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She answered it, her expression shifting back to that of the efficient student assistant.
"Hello, Mrs. Snow... Yes... Hawk? He's right here... Okay... I know where that is."
She hung up and looked at Hawk, her playful mood replaced by a professional briskness. "Let's go. Mrs. Snow is looking for you in the main office."
Hawk sighed. "..."