Day One: Upholding the Law, Day Two: Robbing a Bank! (Seeking Reads!)

Gwen's lips parted slightly.

She stared at the sandbag-shaped dust cloud that, under the refracted sunlight, was visibly drifting apart at a noticeable speed—utterly incredulous.

Heavy Sword Without Edge, Great Skill Is Unskilled!

Hawk stood still, slowly exhaling a stale breath, then turned to look.

Gwen shifted her gaze back to Hawk as well.

Their eyes met.

Gwen watched Hawk, his forehead lightly beaded with sweat, wearing a white tank top that accentuated his powerful, muscular frame, both hands wrapped in bandages, and felt an indescribable sensation.

Hawk, on the other hand, was a bit surprised to see Gwen here.

"Something up?"

"Nothing."

Gwen shook her head, hands behind her back, walking toward Hawk while taking in the old gymnasium—one she hadn't visited since the new one was built. "The new gym has air conditioning. Why not go there?"

Hawk thought for a moment.

"It's quieter here."

"Yeah, it really is quiet."

Gwen gave a definite nod to Hawk's explanation.

Hawk watched as she walked over to the bench where he'd left his bag, then sat down directly, and he was a bit baffled.

"Something up, Gwen?"

"Nothing."

Gwen smiled slightly, hands propping her up on the bench, looking at Hawk standing before the sandbag. "Got nothing better to do, so I came to watch a friend throw some punches."

Hawk raised an eyebrow.

He looked at Gwen's smiling face and felt like there was some hidden meaning.

But...

Forget it, the punching mattered more.

Hawk thought to himself, shook his head, pulled his gaze away from Gwen, and refocused on the sandbag in front of him, ready to finish his daily ten-thousand-punch routine.

After all, he'd almost been done.

Then Gwen walked in.

Now this.

He'd have to start over.

Hawk considered this, then adjusted his breathing. He didn't use the power of his Cosmo, relying solely on his physical strength to complete the ten-thousand-punch task.

As for Gwen beside him?

Let her watch if she wanted. This was a public gym, after all—he couldn't stop people from coming in.

No reason to.

Soon.

With Hawk's next punch, the rhythmic, impact-filled sounds of striking once again rang through the old gymnasium.

But compared to his earlier rhythm, this time Hawk unconsciously sped up to finish the task faster.

Punch, punch, another punch.

Then...

Fist shadows appeared.

Gwen, sitting on the bench, felt her vision blur, and then she saw what looked like a storm of fist shadows spreading before her eyes, her expression frozen in shock.

What's going on?

I didn't even blink.

Gwen thought, instinctively pulling out her phone and aiming it at Hawk.

Hawk, focused on his punches, caught the motion in his peripheral vision.

"No recording."

"...Oh."

Gwen heard this, watching Hawk who kept moving without even glancing her way. She blinked, wondering if she'd just imagined it, but still put her phone down.

After a while.

The storm of fist shadows gradually faded, Hawk's movements stopped, and the old gymnasium fell silent again.

Hawk then grabbed the chain, unhooked the hanging sandbag, and with one hand flung it back into the corner. Under Gwen's gaze, he walked to the bench, pulled a towel from his bag's outer pocket, and looked at her sitting there.

He thought for a moment, then asked again, "You sure nothing's up, Gwen?"

Gwen nodded.

"Something's up."

"..."

The corner of Hawk's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

But Gwen caught it.

She smiled.

Still, Gwen didn't keep teasing Hawk. She cut straight to the reason she'd come looking for him. "They're starting to count heads for this year's grade dance. Are you going?"

Midtown High was a private elite school, but it still had all the usual dances and parties—the opening dance, the masquerade ball, and the grade dance.

Gwen asked Hawk almost every year if he'd join.

He'd never gone once.

He was a lone wolf, liked the quiet, hated noisy, chaotic environments.

That was the polite way to put it.

The real reason was simple.

He was broke. No money for dance clothes, no car, not even a driver's license. He couldn't exactly walk his date home after the dance.

And the most important part.

He didn't have a damn date either.

What was he supposed to do at a dance alone, watch couples flaunt their love right in front of him?

This year was no different.

"Not going."

Hawk shook his head without a second thought.

He'd rather sit on the apartment rooftop and watch the stars than go to some dance.

Quiet.

And most importantly.

Free.

Save where you can, spend where you must. He was already independent now, no more federal aid. Between renting a place this week and buying daily necessities, his savings had taken a serious hit.

Hawk even thought the idea of buying a car a few days ago had been a bit rash.

So he'd given up on that plan.

Better keep some cash for emergencies.

Besides, the school had a free shuttle to Bridge Park Station. Why bother with a car?

He didn't even have a damn license.

Even if he bought one, he couldn't drive it.

Damn.

Maybe I should consider robbing a bank. Meteorites cost money too.

No.

Wait. If I'm already planning to rob something, why not just rob the meteorite directly? Why bother with a bank?

It's not like I'd rob a bank first, then use that money to buy meteorites from some rich guy.

That'd be insane.

Hawk's thoughts drifted.

He was weighing the feasibility of just stealing the meteorite outright.

After all, Wakanda wasn't going to hand over vibranium willingly.

He'd probably have to steal that too.

If stealing vibranium was stealing, and stealing meteorites was stealing, then throwing a bank robbery into the mix didn't seem like that big a deal.

Gwen watched Hawk shake his head and say he wasn't going to the grade dance, then suddenly zone out like he was thinking about something. She was curious.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Robbing a bank."

"..."

Gwen raised an eyebrow.

Hawk snapped back to reality and instinctively looked at Gwen.

Their eyes met.

The next second.

Gwen looked thoughtful, a smile playing on her lips as she gazed at Hawk. "So which bank are you planning to rob? I'd recommend the Pacific Bank under the 19th Precinct's jurisdiction."

Hawk frowned slightly.

"Is the Pacific Bank easy to hit?"

"No."

Gwen said with a bright smile. "But my dad's the chief of the 19th Precinct."

Hawk fell silent.

A moment passed.

He looked at Gwen seriously. "I was joking."

Decision made—if he ever really robbed a bank, he'd steer clear of the 19th Precinct's turf by all means.

Gwen rose from her seat, still beaming, and was about to speak when the phone in her pocket rang.

"Mrs. Snow..."

"Hawk?"

"Okay."

"I know where he is."

Soon.

Hanging up, Gwen turned to Hawk, who was watching her. "Let's go. Mrs. Snow wants you."

Hawk: "..."