Marvel: The Enlightened One-Chapter 65: [] - Gwen: We Go to Hell Together! (Bonus)

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Hawk had never intended to hide things from Gwen.

At least, not since they had made their relationship official. He had never concealed his true strength or anything else from her.

There should be no secrets between lovers.

That was his own belief, reinforced by the hard-learned lessons from countless movie characters whose lives were ruined by the misunderstandings and irreversible consequences born from concealment.

Just as he’d said.

If you ask, I’ll tell you.

And so, he told her—

"Killing someone."

"..."

The smile on Gwen’s face froze.

See? I told you. You’re not happy.

Hawk thought to himself, a wry, internal smile touching his lips. But he felt no disappointment, no sense of loss.

Gwen, at her core, was a good person.

If she had heard him say he was going to kill someone and had reacted with anything other than shock—with excitement, even—then he would have been the one to worry.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Gwen seemed to recover from the initial shock.

Her response was just as direct.

"Who?"

"The Hulk."

"Bruce Banner is back in New York?"

"No."

"Then..."

"I have intel that he’ll be spending the Christmas holiday in New Jersey."

Hawk held nothing back, laying the entire plan out for her.

Gwen was silent for a moment, then a look of realization dawned on her face. "So, those weekends you spent in New Jersey... you were..."

Hawk gave a slight, grim smile. "Reconnaissance. Pre-battle preparations."

Failing to plan is planning to fail. He had gone to the location, studied the layout, and run through a dozen different combat scenarios in his head.

He had already mapped out several escape routes the Hulk might take if he tried to run.

In a word:

This Christmas, the Hulk had to die.

His sister, Anya, was waiting in Hell for him to avenge her, and he would not make her wait any longer for her vengeance.

After the Hulk, it would be the Abomination’s turn.

Hawk wasn’t as rushed about the Abomination. He wasn’t going anywhere. Since that night, he had been locked away and controlled by the military.

Hawk even knew where he was being held—right there at the Quantico military base. He hadn’t gone after him that night because some things have to be done in order.

First the Hulk, then the Abomination.

As the final piece of his plan settled in his mind, Gwen’s voice cut through his thoughts, firm and resolute. "I’m going with you!"

"..."

Hawk snapped back to reality, his eyes locking with hers. He thought he must have misheard.

"What??"

"I said, I’m going with you." Gwen’s gaze was unwavering, her voice firm and absolute.

Hawk almost laughed. He shook his head, a sense of absurdity washing over him.

"Gwen, I’m going to kill someone."

"I know."

"..."

Hawk stared at her, at the absolute conviction in her eyes. He tried to reason with her, a tired, pleading smile on his face. "Don’t be ridiculous."

"I’m serious!"

"Why?"

"If you’re going to Hell, I’m going with you."

"..."

Hawk fell silent. He looked at Gwen.

She looked right back at him...

After a long moment, Hawk let out a short, humorless laugh. "Are you worried I’m going to die?"

Gwen shook her head, her eyes never leaving his. "I don’t know. But I know I’m not going to sit here in New York and just wait."

That was so Gwen.

Hawk was silent for another moment, then shook his head again.

"No."

"This isn’t a discussion, Hawk. You know me. If I want to find you, I will." Her voice was calm. "If you win, we come back together. If you die, I go to Hell with you." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

She paused, a faint, bittersweet smile touching her lips. "Besides, from the moment I ran off to Maryland and found you in that waterfall... I think maybe we were damned to go to Hell together anyway."

Go to Hell together?

Hawk looked at her, at the way she spoke of damnation as if it were a casual afternoon plan, and he couldn’t help but smile. "You think Hell is a place you can just decide to visit? I haven’t even—"

Gwen’s brow furrowed, thinking he was trying to change the subject. "Hawk, I’m being serious."

"So am I." Hawk sighed, seeing the stern look on her face. He stood up from the bed and walked over to her, looking down at her as she sat in the desk chair.

He took a deep breath.

"Alright," he said, his voice soft but clear. "We’ll go to Hell together."

Gwen stood up and wrapped her arms around him, the tension in her face melting away into a radiant smile. She held him tight, their faces close.

"Okay. Then you have to hold my hand. I don’t want to get lost."

"I won’t let go."

"Promise me. Swear on Anya’s name."

"..."

The sudden, intimate gravity of her demand shattered the mood. Hawk looked down at her, a wry, almost pained smile on his face. "You really know how to play dirty, don’t you?"

Gwen gave a slight, knowing shrug, her hands linked around his waist. She tilted her head back to look up at him. "Hawk, it’s clear I know exactly how to handle you, isn’t it?"

Hawk looked at her upturned, smiling face and sighed in defeat. "Yes. You absolutely do."

"Then swear, Hawk."

"Do I have to?"

"Of course."

Gwen said with a smile. "Don’t think I haven’t seen the movies. You’ll agree to anything now, and then the moment my back is turned, you’ll knock me out and leave me behind."

Damn it.

Never date a girl who’s smarter than you are.

Hawk looked at his girlfriend’s smiling, expectant eyes, sighed one more time, and met her gaze with a serious expression.

"We go to Hell together?"

"Together."

"Alright."

Hawk took a final, deep breath. With Gwen watching him intently, he swore on his sister Anya’s name. He shook his head, a resigned look on his face.

"You happy now?"

"Almost. If you’ll agree to one more thing."

"What?" Gwen’s smile faded, her expression becoming completely serious. "I know you don’t want to be a hero. I’m not asking you to be. But Hawk, please, don’t be a villain. Try to be a decent man."

"Try to be a man who can live with himself, no matter what."

"Can you do that?"

"..."

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