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The applause was deafening.
A tidal wave of cheers washed over them.
As Hawk lifted Gwen's veil and pulled her in for a kiss, the guests, who had been waiting for this moment, absolutely lost their minds.
From this moment forward.
Gwen Stacy was no more.
She was—
Gwen Phoenix.
Hawk pulled back slowly, looking into Gwen's eyes with a soft, affectionate smile.
"Hello, Mrs. Phoenix."
"You got it wrong."
A mischievous glint flashed in Gwen's emerald eyes. "That's Dr. Phoenix to you, Mr. Phoenix."
Hawk raised an eyebrow.
The bridal party, clustered around them, caught the exchange. Seeing the slight, momentary freeze on Hawk's face, they burst into a chorus of unrestrained laughter.
But the vows are not the end, they are merely the beginning of the celebration.
Soon—
Surrounded by their groomsmen and bridesmaids, Hawk and Gwen walked back down the crimson-carpeted aisle, their steps light and quick.
Unlike their solemn, measured entrance, the atmosphere now was electric, filled with joy.
As they stepped out of the church and into the bright sunlight, the massive bells in the twin towers above began to toll. The resonant, joyous chiming echoed across Manhattan, announcing their union to the world.
Next came the traditional gauntlet of wedding photos.
While Hawk and the groomsmen knocked out their required shots with ruthless efficiency, Gwen and her bridesmaids were the undisputed stars of the show, swarmed by well-wishers and photographers.
Wanda, holding her daughter Jean's hand, walked up and enveloped Gwen in a warm hug, her smile genuine and bright.
"Congratulations, Gwen."
"Thank you, Wanda."
Gwen returned the smile, then looked down at Jean, who was still wearing her miniature flower girl dress. "Jean, do you want to take a picture with Auntie Gwen?"
Jean blinked her big, expressive eyes. "YES, PLEASE!"
"Come here, sweetie."
Gwen laughed, gently taking Jean's small hand from Wanda and posing for the cameras.
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Meanwhile, Hawk and the groomsmen had retreated to the open-air reception area set up on the expansive lawn adjacent to the church.
Everyone had a drink in their hand.
But…
With the notable exceptions of Hawk, Thor, and Steve Rogers, the rest of the group—including Peter—looked like they were struggling to even look at their glasses.
It was fair to say they had partied a little too hard the night before.
Tony Stark, massaging his temples with one hand and holding a glass of whiskey in the other, looked deep in thought.
"Did the strippers we ordered actually show up last night?"
"I think so??"
Clint Barton, looking thoroughly exhausted, slumped in his chair. He had exactly one enduring memory of the bachelor party.
"Booze. So much booze. I'm pretty sure we drank an entire city's worth of alcohol last night."
"That was nothing!"
Thor looked as fresh and energized as ever, letting out a booming laugh. "You should have seen us back in Asgard! After a glorious battle, we would drink the cellars dry until there wasn't a single drop left!"
Tony pulled down his polarized sunglasses, looking at Steve Rogers, who was standing there as unbothered as Hawk and Thor. "Look, I get Hawk and Thor. They're basically aliens. But Cap, how are you still standing??"
"..." Steve just shrugged. The answer was simple.
"I can do a lot all day. And apparently, I can drink all day, too."
"Makes sense."
Peter, who was also feeling the effects but recovering faster than the normal humans, nodded in agreement. Then, a thought struck him, and he turned to Hawk. "Oh, by the way, Felicia and I finally set a date."
Hawk raised an eyebrow, looking at his best friend. "When?"
Hawk had just turned twenty-one this year.
Peter was the same age. In many ways, their paths had mirrored each other.
They had both done things a little backward, having kids before tying the knot.
What's that?
The women Hawk was marrying and the woman who had his kids weren't the same person?
Details. Not important.
"Next month. But we're not doing Trinity Church. We're having it at the Osborn Estate."
"Congratulations." Hawk offered his sincere congratulations, then glanced at Thor and Tony. "You two must be getting close, right?"
Thor crossed his arms, his gaze drifting to Jane Foster, who was currently posing for pictures with Gwen. "I plan to return to Asgard in a few days. I need to speak with my father and ask for his blessing."
Tony's eyes were fixed on Pepper. "Pepper and I set the date for June."
June. Named after Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage. It's why June has always been considered a symbol of happiness and good fortune for brides.
It's the most popular month for weddings, year after year.
Hawk had actually asked Gwen if she wanted to wait for a June wedding.
But…
Gwen had shut that down with a single sentence.
Wait another six months? What, are you having second thoughts?
After that, what else could Hawk say? He didn't even dare to hesitate. January it is.
Peter was in the same boat.
They already had a kid together, they couldn't put the wedding off much longer.
If last Christmas Eve had been the season of reunions, then this year was undeniably the season of weddings.
Hawk thought to himself, then raised his glass toward Peter and Tony. "I've already picked out your wedding gifts."
Peter and Tony looked at him.
The next second, Peter's eyes widened, a sudden, impossible hope dawning in them. He stared at Hawk.
"Hawk, is it…?"
"I can't say." Hawk offered a mysterious smile, taking in Peter's expression—a volatile mix of hope, anxiety, and overwhelming anticipation. "But yes. It's exactly what you think it is."
He then turned to Tony. "Your gift will be the same as Peter's, Tony."
Yes—
Ben Parker, Howard Stark, and Maria Stark.
That was what Hawk had planned for their wedding gifts.
Don't give him that cliché garbage about how 'a superhero is only a superhero because of the tragedies they've endured.'
That was bullshit.
He was a transmigrator!!
And what was the point of being a transmigrator if not to fix the tragedies and rewrite the script?
Before, Hawk hadn't cared about fixing other people's lives because his own greatest tragedy remained unresolved.
But now—
Hawk glanced over at his sister, Anya, who was standing a short distance away, chatting happily with Andrew and Amy Chloe. A soft, contented smile touched his lips.
In poverty, one seeks only to perfect oneself.
In prosperity, one seeks to better the world.
His own tragedy had been rectified. It was only right that he help his friends heal their own.
He had actually considered resurrecting Peter's parents, too.
But he couldn't.
Richard and Mary Parker had died in a plane crash over Skull Island. For some unknown reason, their souls hadn't ended up in the Hell Dimension. They weren't in his Underworld, and they weren't in Mephisto's.
So!
He could only fix one of Peter's regrets.
And Peter's greatest regret was his Uncle Ben.
Tony Stark's regret, naturally, was his parents—Howard and Maria—the parents he had finally come to appreciate, only to find them already gone.
As for Thor?
His mother, Frigga, the Queen of Asgard.
Hawk would have liked to help, but Frigga's soul wasn't under Mephisto's jurisdiction either.
She belonged to Valhalla…
No, wait.
Frigga hadn't died in battle, so she wouldn't ascend to Valhalla. Her soul would have passed directly into Hel, the Asgardian underworld.
Helheim?
No, that wasn't right either.
Odin had sealed Helheim to cut off the source of power for his firstborn, Hela, the Goddess of Death.
So…
Where was Frigga's soul? Was she in the hands of the cosmic entity, Death?
Hawk's mind raced as he watched Thor being dragged away by Jane Foster, who was adamantly demanding he help her catch Gwen's bouquet.
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Standing at the top of the church steps, bouquet in hand, Gwen looked down at the crowd of bridesmaids and female guests who had gathered below.
"Are you ready? I'm throwing it!"
"Ready!"
The bridesmaids and guests shouted back in unison.
Gwen didn't hesitate. She turned her back to the crowd, gripped the flowers with both hands, and tossed the bouquet high over her head.
And then—
The bouquet sailed over Felicia's outstretched fingers, grazed Jane Foster's cheek, bounced off the hands of several frantic guests, and finally, almost miraculously, landed squarely in the arms of Pepper Potts.
Pepper, who had been mid-conversation with Tony, looked down at the flowers in her arms, stunned. Then, realization dawned. She grabbed Tony's hand and bolted.
"RUN, TONY! DON'T LET THEM TAKE OUR FLOWERS!"
"Aaah!"
The other bridesmaids and guests, recovering from the scramble, shrieked and gave chase.
But not everyone joined the pursuit.
For instance…
Sharon Carter hung back.
Gwen, having changed out of her wedding gown into a chic, dusty-blue casual dress, walked down the steps arm-in-arm with Hawk. She looked at Sharon. "Sharon, I notice your partner didn't make it today."
"The job's been tough on him."
Sharon shrugged it off, then quickly changed the subject. "Forget about him. So, where are you two going for your honeymoon?"
Gwen looked up at Hawk. "Yeah, where are we going?"
Hawk smiled.
"The sea of stars."
"What?"
"Xandar."
"A peaceful, beautiful, orderly, utopian world," Hawk said, his voice filled with quiet anticipation.
His speed had already broken the light barrier, but he still hadn't taken the time to truly explore the cosmos.
Not because he didn't want to, but because he had been saving his first real journey into the stars to share with Gwen.
What was left to see on Earth??
He wanted Gwen's memories of their honeymoon to be filled with happiness and breathtaking beauty, not interrupted by alien invasions or supervillain attacks.
So, they were leaving Earth.
Taking advantage of the current timeline—before Thanos wiped it out—Xandar was still the shining beacon of law, order, and civilization in the galaxy. It was the perfect place for a beautiful, flawless honeymoon.
Hawk gave a brief, vivid description of what Xandar looked like.
Listening to his description of a world where even the sky was a beautiful, vibrant pinkish-purple, Gwen's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Sharon was equally captivated.
"If I ever get the chance, I'd love to see it."
"You will." Hawk smiled warmly at her. "When we get back, I'll gift you a private spacecraft capable of making the trip."
Sharon blinked, taken aback, and quickly waved her hands.
"No, I couldn't. That's way too expensive."
"No gift is more valuable than our friendship."
Hawk's smile was genuine. "Don't refuse. I insist."
Sharon heard the finality in his tone and gave a gracious nod. "Alright. Thank you. So, when are you planning to—"
Before she could finish her sentence.
Sharon's phone rang.
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