Hawk fell silent.
He was just wondering why Thor hadn't asked him to go to Mars for a fight recently.
At first, Hawk was quite enjoying the break.
After all, their battles had become meaningless.
Unless Thor could transform from Hammer God to Thunder God, otherwise, once the Black Phoenix Nether Armor is worn and the Little Cosmos explodes, Thor is destined to lose.
Originally, Hawk was thinking about how to refuse when Thor would come to ask for a fight.
But then...
Thor had found someone new and directly abandoned him, the old flame.
And the reason?
Hawk pondered, then shrugged and said to Jane, "You should know, several times when we went to Mars to drink, he came back drunk, but I didn't."
Sharon, who was nearby, opened her mouth.
Hawk looked at Sharon.
Sharon pursed her lips and said, "Once you were drunk, the twenty-fifth time you and Thor had a fight, you didn't notice when you broke through the atmosphere and fell into the Hudson River."
Hawk blinked.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"..."
Hawk fell silent again.
Seeing this, Jane laughed and said, "Last night, when Thor called, he said they were camping and barbecuing on the beach in Dubai, and they should still be there today. You could go find him."
Hawk raised an eyebrow.
"Dubai?"
"Tony invited them, they just finished a sweep of a Hydra Base."
Sharon added from the side.
Almost forgot there's a rich guy among the Avengers members.
Hearing this, Hawk's expression became clear, and he smiled: "Forget it, I have plans today."
Saying that.
He glanced at the time on his wristwatch; it was almost time to pick up Gwen from Osborn Biotechnology, so after hugging Jane goodbye again, he was escorted by Sharon to the parking lot, where he drove his black Audi A8 out of the New York S.H.I.E.L.D. Central.
A half-hour later.
After picking up Gwen, who came to visit his lab in the morning at Osborn Biotechnology, Hawk drove with Felicia ahead toward the Osborne Manor outside New York City.
When they arrived at the main building of Osborne Manor, the old butler was already smiling and standing at the door to greet them.
Little Ben was sitting in an intelligent baby carriage, drawing circles along a predetermined route in the spacious living room.
A maid was watching over him nearby.
"Haha."
"Little Ben, look who's here."
"Godmother!"
"Godmother."
Gwen picked up Little Ben, who was wearing a Golden Cross around his neck, from the baby carriage and played with him.
Hawk glanced around.
"Where's Peter?"
"Went to deliver pizzas."
"..."
Hawk listened to Felicia's answer and was silent for a moment, taking a deep breath.
"A good man."
"Peter really is a good man."
Felicia smiled happily, agreeing with Hawk's comment: "But it should be much better once Peter graduates."
Holding Little Ben, Gwen looked at Felicia upon hearing this: "Didn't Peter join Dr. Octavius' lab?"
Hawk curiously looked at Gwen.
"Dr. Octavius?"
"Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius, the excellent doctoral physicist in nuclear energy, has partnered with Imperial University to cooperate on a lab."
"Oh."
Hawk nodded in understanding.
Gwen curiously looked at Hawk: "You know Dr. Octavius? Shouldn't be, you study law, and don't even have a Ph.D."
Hawk's mouth twitched.
"I've already listed psychology as my second major."
"Psychology does offer a Ph.D."
After Gwen teased him for having only a professional doctorate in law and no Ph.D. in philosophy that day, he pondered getting himself a Ph.D.
In the Phoenix household, they might not have a Ph.D., but they definitely can't have only one.
Hawk didn't want a future where, after having a child with Gwen,
The kids would ask, "Dad, why do people call Mom 'Doctor' but call you 'Mister'?"
This wouldn't do.
Upon hearing Hawk's words, Gwen was slightly surprised.
"Psychology? Since when? You never mentioned it."
"I planned to make it a surprise for you."
Hawk shrugged, looking at Gwen who always used education to pressure him: "If you didn't always tease me, it would have been a surprise."
Gwen laughed brightly: "Alright, I was wrong, future Phoenix lawyer... Mister!"
Hawk's smile froze.
In the next second.
Just as he was about to settle the score with Gwen, Gwen preemptively handed Little Ben to him.
"Little Ben, hug your godfather."
"Giggle!"
Little Ben, placed in Hawk's arms, looked into his eyes and, as if seeing the boundless brilliance of the Phoenix Cosmos, laughed gleefully.
Seeing this, Gwen said to Felicia: "See, he smiles as soon as he sees his godfather. I held him for so long and he didn't laugh."
Felicia also looked in amazement at Little Ben giggling in Hawk's arms: "When Peter holds Little Ben, he doesn't smile so happily either."
Hawk joyfully looked at the two women, cradling Little Ben in one arm: "So, Peter may be his father, but I am his godfather."
As everyone knows.
The title of godfather sounds way more prestigious than father.
Just then.
Hawk raised an eyebrow, detected Peter's presence, and with Little Ben in tow, swoosh, disappeared from the spot.
"Little Ben, look, a big spider!"
"..."
Just having finished his last delivery, and realizing he was running late, Peter landed at the manor still in his Spider costume. Before he could steady himself, he heard the voice and upon standing saw Hawk grinning at him while holding his son.
Seeing this, Peter took off his mask and went to hug Little Ben.
Hawk stepped back.
"Did you wash your hands? You're going to hug my godson."
"..."
Peter opened his mouth, smiled wryly, and shook his head.
Hawk then carried Little Ben as he walked with Peter towards the manor's main building.
"Buddy, you went out delivering pizzas again?"
"Yep."
Peter pursed his lips and nodded.
Felicia is very wealthy.
Extremely wealthy, considering she inherited all of Osborn Biotechnology.
But that's Felicia's money.
Of course.
Peter wasn't pretentious enough to insist Little Ben come back with him to Queens and squeeze into the old room with Aunt Mei.
That's not pride; it's inferiority.
Nonetheless, Peter still wanted to earn money through his own labor. Though it might not be much, he would give it to Felicia as a household contribution.
There's no shame in labor.
Uncle Ben taught him that.
Peter had always believed it.
Hawk glanced at Peter, who doesn't tire from fighting criminals but clearly appeared worn out from a morning of delivering pizzas. He thought for a moment, took a business card from his pocket, and handed it to Peter.
"Here."
"What's this?"
Peter took the card, saw the name and phone number on it, and looked at Hawk.
Hawk held Little Ben: "It's a number to help you turn your abilities into cash, stop being a volunteer cop. I'm worried my future father-in-law will catch you."
Peter heard this.
"Chief Stacy won't catch me."
"Human Chief Stacy won't, but Vampire Chief Stacy might."
"Vampire..."
"Shh."
Hawk made a shushing gesture to Peter and pointed to the card in his hand: "Anyway, you're fighting crime whether for free or for pay, so why not choose the paid option? It's your earned labor. Don't worry, the other side knows who you are, they just haven't reached out yet."
S.H.I.E.L.D did investigate him, and it turned Peter inside out.
But because Peter is his friend, S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't contacted him before Hawk spoke to them.
Hawk learned yesterday while chatting with Peter outside the church that Peter was still delivering during this time.
But this couldn't continue.
Delivering wouldn't earn enough to support his godson properly.
That's no good.
Hawk, in the morning at S.H.I.E.L.D., simply asked Sharon for a card, planning to recommend Peter for a position at S.H.I.E.L.D.
Put simply.
With Nick Fury present at S.H.I.E.L.D., there was no fear of his good brother falling into any traps.
But S.H.I.E.L.D. is currently reorganizing and manpower is needed; given Peter's skills, getting a Level 5 agent position should be no problem.
And the salary plus bonuses for a S.H.I.E.L.D. Level 5 agent would be far better than Peter's tough pizza delivery job.
Listening to Hawk's words, Peter looked at the card, thought about it, and tucked the card away.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
Hawk smiled slightly, then carried Little Ben into the main hall, saying to Gwen and Felicia, "We're all here, let's go."
Gwen and Felicia nodded.
The original plan for the four of them was to have lunch at Osborn Manor.
But...
While visiting a lab earlier, Gwen and Felicia started discussing a new French restaurant on Manhattan Fifth Avenue, so decided on the spot to dine there.
They returned to the manor to pick up Little Ben.
After all, theoretically, this meal was a godson treating his godfather.
Yet one had to admit, this newly opened French restaurant did have great dishes.
After lunch.
The two women, feeling satisfied, talked about returning another time if the opportunity arose, then exited the restaurant, waiting for their cars to be retrieved from the parking lot.
Peter held Little Ben, who was babbling away.
Gwen, holding Hawk's arm, looked at Little Ben.
"Little Ben is so cute."
"Yes, cute."
Hawk nodded affirmatively.
Gwen then changed the subject.
"But I still want a daughter."
"Son."
"No, daughter."
As the eldest daughter, Gwen insisted on having a daughter first and continued, "Let's have a daughter first, then two sons a few years later, perfect."
While Gwen was again discussing her family plans, suddenly something caught her eye, she looked across the street at a girl about four years old who had appeared from nowhere: "Hawk, I think our daughter will be even cuter and prettier than her."
Hawk, hearing this, followed Gwen's gaze.
Across the street, a red-haired girl, seemingly four years old, was crossing the road.
The girl seemed to feel Hawk's gaze and looked over.
Eyes met.
Hawk's heart unexpectedly stirred.
The girl seemed to brighten for a moment, quickly ran across the street.
In the next instant.
She darted right into Hawk's arms.
"Daddy!"
"..."