Marvel: The Awakened One

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Pop quiz:

How many steps does it take to get married in New York City?

First, you apply for a marriage license. Then, you can actually have the ceremony.

So…

First thing Monday morning, the day City Hall reopened after the holidays, Hawk and Gwen marched in, armed with all the necessary paperwork.

Applying for the marriage license is the most crucial part.

Without it, you can’t legally tie the knot.

Unless you’re in Vegas, of course.

Inside the City Clerk’s office.

The clerk checked Hawk and Gwen’s IDs, then slid an application form across the counter.

Gwen took it, quickly filled in the details, and as she handed it back, she shot a sidelong glance at Hawk.

”Last chance, Mr. Phoenix. You can still back out.”

”Back out?”

Hawk raised an eyebrow, looking at Gwen’s radiant, teasing smile. ”You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this day.”

Gwen’s smile grew even brighter.

”So, we’re getting married, Mr. Phoenix.”

”That’s the plan, Mrs. Phoenix.”

”...You’re not married yet!”

The clerk sitting behind the desk, having just been force-fed a mouthful of pure, unadulterated romance, twitched. He glared at the couple, who were currently gazing into each other’s eyes like they were the only two people in the world. ”There is a mandatory twenty-four-hour waiting period.”

It’s standard procedure.

Every application has a processing period.

Marriage licenses are no different.

Sure, once you have the license, it’s valid for sixty days. You can have the ceremony anywhere in New York State during that time.

But!

From the moment the license is issued to the moment you can actually say ”I do,” there is a mandatory twenty-four-hour wait.

You can think of it as a processing period.

Or...

A government-mandated cooling-off period.

Either way—

”At the very least, you cannot legally call yourselves Mr. and Mrs. Phoenix today.”

”Now, take your license and please leave my office.”

”Next!”

The clerk, who had apparently just finalized his own divorce over the Christmas holiday, slammed his stamp down on the license with a loud thwack, shoved it at them, and practically chased them out.

Hawk and Gwen exchanged a look, grabbed the license, and quickly made themselves scarce.

They were busy.

They had a wedding to plan for tomorrow. Otherwise, they absolutely would have marched straight to the Mayor’s office to complain about the clerk’s appalling lack of customer service.

Oh, wait. This is a capitalist society.

Customer service at a government office? Yeah, right. Never mind.

The car sped through the city streets.

Hawk drove back toward 521A Palm Street. In the passenger seat, Gwen pulled out her ’Wedding Planning Binder,’ flipped it open, and drew a large checkmark next to ’Marriage License’—which already had several hand-drawn stars next to it.

The next second.

”Shit.”

Gwen froze. ”I forgot to book an officiant at City Hall.”

”Don’t worry,” Hawk said, keeping his eyes on the road. ”I confirmed with the priest at Trinity Church yesterday. He’s fully licensed by the state.”

While most ordained ministers can act as wedding officiants...

It never hurts to be careful.

After all.

Wanda had scientifically borne three children with Hawk’s bloodline. Gwen wasn’t crazy, and she had been incredibly generous and understanding about the whole situation.

But if the wedding couldn’t proceed tomorrow because of a paperwork error?

Heh...

Gwen would go crazy.

So—

Hawk had personally verified the priest’s credentials yesterday, and even had Sharon run a background check just to be absolutely certain.

Hearing this, Gwen let out a sigh of relief. She looked down at the next line in her binder.

”Groomsmen.”

”Peter, Thor, Clint, and Pietro. They tried on their suits the day before yesterday. I told you this,” Hawk replied smoothly.

”I know, I’m just double-checking. And the bridesmaids... Sharon, Jane, Dr. Cho, Natasha, and Mary Jane... wait, Mary Jane.”

Gwen frowned, pulled out her phone, and dialed Mary Jane, who was currently in Los Angeles.

The call connected quickly.

”MJ, are you back in New York yet? I’m getting married tomorrow, and you still haven’t tried on your bridesmaid dress!”

”Oh my god, Gwen. You asked me this an hour ago.”

”...Did I?”

Gwen blinked.

Hawk glanced at her and nodded. ”Yes. You called her right before we left the house.”

Gwen laughed sheepishly. ”Sorry, MJ. I forgot. You know how it is. I just want everything to be perfect.”

”Relax,” Mary Jane’s voice came through the speaker, serious and firm. ”If I’m not standing right in front of you by 3:00 PM New York time, you have my full permission to kill me and use my blood as a party favor.”

”Deal.”

Gwen smiled brightly, hung up, and went right back to her binder, pretending that minor lapse in memory hadn’t happened.

”MJ is back this afternoon. Next... flower girl.”

”You already promised Jean, didn’t you?”

Hawk smiled, answering patiently, even though this was also the second time she had asked.

A flower girl walks down the aisle before the bride, scattering petals. Traditionally, it’s a role for a little girl between the ages of three and eight.

When his daughter, Jean, found out about it, she had begged to do it.

And Gwen had agreed.

It was... remarkable.

But…

When it came to the dynamic between Gwen and Wanda, Hawk made it a point to stay as far away from it as possible. He let them figure it out on their own.

Because no matter how he tried to intervene, it always seemed to do more harm than good.

He had actually asked Gwen about it once.

Her answer had been fascinating.

She had decided to view Wanda as an ex-girlfriend—an ex-girlfriend Hawk had never married, and who had retained full custody of the kids after the ”breakup.”

An ex.

In Western culture, it’s perfectly normal, as long as there are no lingering romantic feelings.

And Gwen wasn’t worried about that.

Hawk had never given her a single reason to doubt his commitment to her.

When he heard her logic, he had been stunned into silence for a good few seconds.

But…

Whatever works.

As long as the bride is happy, that’s all that matters.

”Ring bearer?”

”I originally talked to Peter about asking the Ancient One for the Time Stone again, to age Ben Hawk Parker up a few years so he could do it. But Peter refused. It’s fine, though. Clint’s oldest, Cooper, is five.”

The ring bearer walks down the aisle carrying the rings on a pillow. Usually fake ones, since the real rings are kept safe by the Best Man.

Like the flower girl, it’s a role for a young boy, usually between four and eight.

Hawk had initially wanted the Best Man and ring bearer roles to go to his best friend, Peter Parker, and his godson, Ben Hawk Parker.

But…

Peter was stubborn. He absolutely refused to let Hawk use the Time Stone to age his son up just for a wedding.

Fortunately, Clint—Hawkeye—had a son, Cooper, who was the perfect age. Plus, they were all close. Clint had moved his family to the city yesterday.

Aside from Natasha and Hawk, everyone else had been shocked to learn that Hawkeye was not only secretly married, but had three kids.

Anyway.

None of that mattered right now.

Gwen saw Hawk wave his hand to move on, blinked, and looked back down at her notebook.

”Guest list?”

”I don’t have many people on my side. I gave my list to Anya, and Anya gave it to Helen.”

Hawk said.

It’s a well-known fact.

He didn’t have many friends. So his list was short. Anya had been begging to help with the wedding, so he had put her in charge of coordinating his side of the guest list.

”Mom confirmed it with me yesterday.”

Gwen nodded, remembering going over the final list with her mother. She moved to the next item. ”Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”

Hawk looked at her. ”New dress. The rings are blue sapphire.”

Something new. Something blue.

”My mom’s wedding hairpin, and I borrowed a bracelet from the Bobs.”

Gwen added, checking those items off as well.

The tradition is meant to bring the bride good luck.

Something old represents continuity with the bride’s past, Helen had passed down her great-grandmother’s hairpin.

Something new offers optimism for the future, the wedding dress.

Something borrowed symbolizes borrowed happiness from a successfully married friend or family member, Cole Bob and his wife, longtime friends of the Stacy family, had been happily married for over twenty years.

Something blue stands for purity, love, and fidelity, Hawk had recently taken a quick trip out into the Cosmos and found a sapphire meteorite, which he had fashioned into their wedding rings.

Snap.

Gwen closed her binder and looked at Hawk.

”Last item. Tonight’s bachelor party.”

”Thor is already itching to drink me under the table. He’s got the alcohol covered. No strippers.”

Hawk met her gaze and immediately laid out the plans for the evening.

Again.

Traditionally, the Best Man—Peter Parker—should have organized the bachelor party. But Thor had been challenging Hawk to a drinking contest for weeks.

So…

Peter and Thor had fought for the role.

Thor won, flawlessly. Plus, it’s considered good luck for the Best Man and Maid of Honor to be unmarried. So, Thor not only stole the Best Man spot, he secured the Maid of Honor spot for Jane Foster.

Gwen didn’t mind.

If the Best Man and Maid of Honor ended up together, it was a good omen for the wedding.

So, Jane Foster was her Maid of Honor.

Gwen smiled. ”Jane didn’t get any male strippers either. She, Sharon, and Pepper got me presents. We’re just going to open gifts and talk.”

With that.

Gwen slipped her wedding binder into her bag and looked at Hawk with a warm, loving smile. ”So, we’re getting married. Are you ready?”

Hawk glanced at her, a soft smile touching his lips, and reached out to take her hand.

”I’ve been ready. I wish I could fast-forward to tomorrow.”

”Really? You’re not just saying that, Mr. Phoenix?”

”I’ve never been more certain of anything. Let’s get married.”

”Okay!”

Gwen’s smile was brighter than the sun.

”Then let’s get married.”

”...”

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