𝙁𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙎 - 𝑮𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒙𝒚

Damsel in Success

inside the Avengers' Lab, Tony carefully used a machine to place the stones in the gauntlet he created. Bruce, Rocket, and Neyzira watched from beside him. The men had put it together while Neyzira watched, just curious.

With nervous precision, Tony manipulated the machine and carefully placed all six stones into the gauntlet. The room was deathly quiet, with worry something might go wrong.

"BOOM!" Rocket shouted, making Neyzira scream and Bruce and Tony jump. The three groaned at Rocket's joke as he snickered.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ────── ⊰

The team gathered around the gauntlet, all wearing their combat gear just in case something went wrong.

"Alright, the glove's ready," Rocket said. "Question is, who's gonna snap their freaking fingers?" Neyzira immediately stepped back from where she was next to Scott, quickly outing herself from the selection.

"I'll do it," Thor offered.

"Excuse me?" Tony asked.

"It's okay," Thor replied, walking toward the gauntlet.

Steve and Tony jumped in his way to stop Thor's march for the gauntlet. Steve placed a hand on his chest. "Thor, just wait. We haven't decided who's gonna put that on yet."

"Oh, I'm sorry, what? We're all just sitting around waiting for the right opportunity?" Thor asked.

"We should at least discuss it," Scott said.

"Yeah, this says a lot, but I'm with him on this one," Neyzira gestured to Scott, who nodded. "This is the entire universe radiating energy through one person's hand."

"Quill did something similar." Rocket commented.

"That was one-sixth of the universe, this is the whole thing." She folded her arms. "Not exactly the same thing." She exhaled. "Besides . . . we had the power of friendship that time."

"Stop saying 'power of friendship.'"

"Do we not have that?" Clint asked.

"It's not the same," Neyzira murmured. "Plus, some of you are just co-workers I mildly tolerate." Scott failed to notice the way she side-eyed him.

"Look, sitting here staring at the thing is not gonna bring everybody back," Thor stated. "I'm the strongest Avenger, okay? So this responsibility falls to me. It's my duty."

"Normally, you're right," Tony said, walking over Thor.

"Stop it!" Thor hissed. "Just let me . . . just let me do it. Just let me do something good. Something right."

"Look, it's not just the fact that that glove is channeling enough energy to light up a continent, I'm telling you, you're in no condition," Tony said.

"Forget a continent," Neyzira spoke, turning to Thor. "We are talking entire planets. With the state you're in, this could literally blow your hand off."

"What do you think is coursing through my veins right now?" Thor asked.

"Cheez Whiz?" Rhodey commented.

"Lightning."

"Lightning won't help you, pal," Bruce spoke up. "It's gotta be me. You saw what those stones did to Thanos. They almost killed him. None of you could survive."

"How do we know you will?" Steve asked.

"We don't," Bruce replied. "But the radiation's mostly gamma. It's like . . . I was made for this."