𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 — the gauntlet

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 𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐀, 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐘, 𝐁𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐄 and Rocket had been entrusted with forging the gauntlet to hold the stones and the immense power they carried. It was almost painful to remove the Eye of Agamotto from around her neck, but Emilia complied all the same.

 To see the last remnants of her mentor. To see something that brought flashes of Stephen back to life... she was so damned close to getting him back. This had to work for Eilia Clemente simply didn't know what she'd do if they failed again.

 For a moment, Bruce trailed off with Rocket. Tony had spouted some sort of nonsense about needing a very particular item to help with their task, and Bruce — knowing that Tony Stark was far too particular when it came to his toys — merely agreed with an exasperated sigh and slinked off.

 "What was that?" Emilia muttered, teetering closer to the machine before them. Tony had his hands within a hologram, controlling each pinching part of the machine that scooped the stones and made it possible to move them about.

 Emilia wasn't an idiot, Tony really should have gotten that by now. He didn't need a special type of metal or a new pen because his had 'run out'... She'd gotten used to far better lies and excuses from the man.

 Tony played coy, his um sounding ever so pathetic, "Hm?"

 "Don't hm? Me, Tones. You didn't need them to get anything, we have everything we need right here, so what —"

 "— Saw my dad."

 He'd said it so flippantly that Emilia had stared for a moment, wondering if she'd truly heard him. Tony had already made them aware of the little slip-up to ensure their hands were around the Tesseract; they'd lost it in the midst of chaos — chaos, however, still seemed to light a word to describe what happened. Tony had watched himself... have a heart attack, it was so very him.

 So, Tony and Steve used their remaining Pym Particles to travel even further back in time. A time in which Pym Particles were ready at the dozen, and the Tesseract was waiting for them atop a podium as though sensing their dire need.

 Howard Stark. Tony scarcely spoke of him, but from the little that Emilia did know? He was an asshole. A big fucking asshole, and a terrible father to boot. He was the very reason Tony had been so scared when Morgan had toppled into the world as a fragile little thing demanding his attention from the get-go. He'd been frightened of her, of breaking her just like his father had done to his spirit and kindness from such a young age.

 "So..." Emilia drawled out through a grimace. She rather wondered how to go about things. Did she coax him into speaking? Did she pat his shoulder? No. She did neither. "Was he still an ass?"

 "Yep."

 "Not surprised." Then, she made the effort to cultivate his mood. She wouldn't hold his hand and coo as though he was still the same child waiting for daddy to come home, no, she told the truth. "Weird though."

 Tony glanced at her, watching as she dutifully took notes of every little action he made, everything the Stones conveyed behind the glass; just in case things went wrong, "What?"

 "That you, Tony I-Must-Adopt-Every-Child-I-See Stark, came from Howard."

 "I don't adopt every child I see."

 "No... You adopt full-grown adults too, you weirdo."

 Tony chuckled despite himself, hands faltering for just a short moment, almost dropping the Soul Stone. He could always count on the woman by his side to perk his mood just that little bit... even if she had learnt a good handful of her retorts from him.

 By the time Bruce had returned with Rocket in tow, ​both of them looked incredibly disgruntled after finding out that the directions Tony had given them... had actually led them to the upstairs women's bathroom. But while Rocket tossed a screw Tony's way, Bruce simply plonked onto his seat, admiring the newfound smile that had smothered Tony's look of disguised distress.

 Emilia's fingers bounced against her leg, eyes cast solely upon the Time Stone as Tony dragged it ever closer to the gauntlet... just two more to go. There was one question staring them directly in the face, however. Who was going to wield it?

 Usually, all eyes would find Thor; he was almost indestructible. A god who'd lived for over a thousand years while his Asgardian genes banished anything that could possibly try to harm him... But Thor wasn't that man anymore. He'd sunken lower and lower until his cheek touched the ground.

 His body had changed, he'd neglected every aspect of his health and nobody could guarantee that he was fit to come out of the snap alive... Emilia looked at Bruce. He was picking at his nails; they were on the same page, it seemed.

 "You're going to do it, aren't you?" Emilia muttered, drawing Rocket's beady eyes and a short glance from Tony who soon tightened his jaw.

 Neither Emilia nor Tony were particularly fond of such an idea... but it was the only logical choice left. Bruce had gamma flooding his blood, trailing his veins like poison... and the Stones? They shared a very similar output to Bruce. If the Stones were to harm him, to boil his flesh... it was likely he'd survive.

 Bruce's head bobbed upon its own accord. Who else was left to shoulder the burden? Perhaps Carol could have if she'd been there, but she wasn't. The team was made up of a run-down god, a racoon, and a bunch of humans.

 They were strong, with serums and powers pumping through their bodies, suits made of metal to keep them safe from harm... But none of that would keep them safe from the Stone's raw power.

 "It has to be me." He responded shortly, watching with care as Tony placed the sixth and final Infinity Stone upon the gauntlet. The nano-particles smothered the thing, crawling closer and closer to keep a tight hold, "We know I stand the best chance."

 A bleak silence entrapped them, each pair of eyes readily boring into the gauntlet standing proudly right before their very eyes until...

 "BOOM!" Rocket yelled with as much ferocity as his tiny little body could muster. While Tony and Bruce flinched enough for their chairs to roll and squeak, Emilia, had acted on complete instinct.

 She felt no true remorse as she watched the rabid little creature topple from his chair and onto the ground, while a wisp of pale blue scattering from his fur like a huddle of fleas.

 Rocket groaned, "Hey!"

 Emilia wanted to pick him up by the scruff of his neck. They were working with Infinity Stones, and it was then that he decided to jumpscare them all. Why couldn't he go and bother Scott? It seemed to be a new hobby of his.

 Emilia was certain the little thing took great joy in bothering poor Scott Lang — she was almost sure she'd seen the rodent slip into his room within the compound and yet had decided that not only was it best not to ask... she really didn't want to know.

 Emilia huffed, slumping in her chair, eyes on the tips of her fingers that still sparked with the remnants of her abilities. She couldn't help but stare with something new in her gaze whenever they alighted the room; to find out that she'd been born with them, that at any time at all had she just noticed them, acknowledged them in any way at all... so much chaos could have been avoided.

 "Well, I'm not sure what you expected." She said flippantly to the racoon, jutting whisps of blue simmering around the chair he'd formerly perched his furry self upon. She tugged it closer, "Do that again and I'm shaving you... perhaps I'll make Scott a nice, fuzzy hat."

 The raccoon only sneered, "I'm not fuzzy."

 "Alright. The glove's ready." Rocket announced to each of them, all the while keeping his eyes glued to the gauntlet housing the Stones that would bring everybody back. 

 Each individual stone glinted, somewhat tormentingly as though to challenge them. As though each little shimmer whispered 'go on then'. Emilia could feel the pull, the raw power already surging like shockwaves from the glove in which they were housed. It brushed her skin, hair on end while little bumps rose along the lengths of her arms.

 Emilia felt another wave drift over her like electricity ricocheting through her entire body. her eyes remained utterly fixated, emerald-green unrelenting from the sight of the Time Stone; it seemed to beckon her, its shade so similar to the little jewel still dangling around her neck like a noose. The Stone knew exactly what she was waiting for, what she pictured as she burned holes into its shining side; Stephen Strange.

 Her stomach had been in knots from the moment they'd returned, but the second the Gauntlet stood there in all of its glory... she'd wanted to throw up. This was the moment in which everything was decided. This was where they'd truly find out if they could bring everyone home. This was the last time they could hope to win, to persevere.

 There was nothing else in their way. No monsters left to topple out of the closet, no giants laden in purple and gold...

 If things went right, and all of those who'd left them in a cloud of dust came home? Emilia would be overjoyed, of course she would be... but what if it didn't work? What if they'd gone through everything, from revising their pasts — namely digging up unwanted information that completely contradicted everything you'd ever known... thank you, Ancient One — to... to losing Natasha Romanoff.

 Emilia was withdrawn from those poisonous thoughts when a deep bellow echoed around them; apparently, Thor had been the first to step forth, just like she knew he would. His face was etched with deep lines, each showing off his grief as though it were plastered on the wall like a shoddy old painting for all to see.

 His mismatched eyes were shining, though there was little life behind the glow, just the haze of tears.

 "Look," Thor continued onwards, ignoring Rhodey's grimace and Steve's attempt at diffusing the steadily growing mixture of rage and sadness within the towering God, "Sitting here and staring at the damn thing isn't going to bring everybody back. I'm the strongest Avenger, okay?" That was the very moment all rage had fizzled out like a pathetic little spark. Raw desperation was left. He just wanted to prove himself, "The responsibility falls to me. This is my duty —"

 Tony did his best, truly he did. His voice lowered and his hands carefully grasped Thor by the shoulders... but Thor couldn't take it. His balled fist landed atop Tony's chest, smothering the glow of his Arc Reactor. It was a light touch, nothing threatening at all... and when Thor's head teetered forwards, locks of long blond hair obscuring the sight of him, that's when they could hear the strain in his voice.

 "Just let me do it. Let me do something good, something right."

 It took everything within Emilia not to falter, still, she knew that her words would be heard the loudest. Thor had never scorned her. He'd never looked her way and found pity or disgust, so she could count on him listening.

 "We're not losing you in the process." She said as though the answer was obvious, "You are the strongest, but none of that matters when it comes to those Stones. You told me Thanos' arm was burnt to a crisp. Just one of those Stones almost burnt half of my face off."

 She swallowed, glad to have at least set them all into quietude. She supposed it came along with the power at her fingertips, the way she'd helped to shoulder each of their burdens. Steve Rogers might have been their leader... yet even he stared her way and waited for her words to cease.

 Emilia jutted her chin, and Bruce swallowed as she looked to him as their one and only solution, "The Stones give off mass amounts of radiation, but most of it — most of it is gamma radiation. Out of everybody in this room," Emilia almost wanted to stop there. If she spoke it aloud... she knew it'd happen. What if she lost Bruce? What if... if he and the Hulk weren't strong enough?

 "Bruce has the highest chance of survival —" Thor parted his lips, ready to argue... after all, Bruce was his friend. "Thor, don't. This isn't some stupid show and tell where we all weep and try to make up for our mistakes. We lost. All of us. Bruce has the best chance... and he's already agreed. So that's that."

 Steve seemed to stiffen, "You've already discussed this?"

 Emilia wanted to roll her eyes. Trust Captain America to find the one 'fault' in her words; the fact that it hadn't been left to democracy. With narrowed eyes, Emilia gestured to both Tony and Bruce, "We're the scientists, yes?"

 "It should have been a group decision —"

 "— Well it wasn't."

 A beat passed, and Tony cleared his throat, "Well, as fun as that was... Doc's right — Oh, put the shield away, old man." Tony waved his hand rather flippantly; did Steve really think those narrowed baby blues actually intimidated anybody in the room? "Fact of the matter is, the Stones expel Gamma radiation, and Jolly green is overflowing with it."

 Steve's eyes were cast to the man in question who was huddled right between his defenders, twiddling his thumbs. It was always strange to think of Bruce Banner as the strongest in the room; he looked so very timid, nothing at all like the rage that could consume him in a heartbeat.

 "Bruce?" Steve said, a single blond brow climbing his set-in-stone face.

 Bruce had never quite liked the spotlight that beamed down upon him. He'd hated whenever eyes bore his way, pleading for the monster within to rear his head... but now... now that Bruce Banner and The Hulk had settled their differences through some very extensive couples therapy sessions — which Tony and Emilia still guffawed about — and some well deserved time away on a very, very vacant island, Bruce was ready.

 He was ready to step into the boots he'd always avoided. For once, he trusted himself... He trusted the Hulk.

 Emilia watched him take a step closer to the gauntlet... Green veins were already tracing the length of his arm, poking out of the stretchy suit he wore. Then his body began to ripple; soft edges were hardened with muscle, and flushed skin became doused in an almost toxic-looking green... he towered over them all in mere seconds.

 "It's alright, Cap. We don't know if the chances of me surviving are..." He cleared his throat, taking the gauntlet into one giant hand. The device looked so small within his palms, like it could be crushed instantly, "The radiation's mostly gamma... it's like — it's like I was made for this."

 There was no rebuttal. No arguments from Thor and no retaliation from Steve.

 Everyone accepted what would come to be.

 Emilia left Tony's side and her light-as-a-feather footsteps brought her to Bruce. His back was to the others, eyes drawn to the glinting device within his hold. She hated the fear she spied within his eyes, the short glint of horror that flashed through the veil of determination.

 He was ready, but he was frightened.

 Her hand looked almost pitiful as she dropped one against his forearm, almost having to heave to the tips of her toes. There wasn't much she could say to reassure him, after all, they didn't have the facts and figures... nor the time to calculate them.

 "You'll be alright." She said, even if the words had to slide through gritted teeth. It wasn't only for Bruce... Her words were a reassurance for herself, for Tony and Thor... for everyone who had ever looked up to Bruce as their hero, "You're going to be fine. You still have to —"

 What she was going to say died on her tongue like a poor wilted flower. It had caused her so much pain whenever she took a moment to stare at her bare ring finger, when she felt the weight of the emerald around her neck... but she couldn't help it. Emilia couldn't help but think of the ring finally sitting where it belonged right after Bruce would bring her to her destination... to the person that would slide the jewel into its rightful place.

 She wanted to finally say yes to the question. She wanted to plan things. She wanted Bruce and Tony, and Nebula and Thor... Morgan and Pepper, all by her side on that very day. So Bruce couldn't go. She wouldn't trade him.

 He smiled, that's all Bruce did. Whether he'd understood her failing words or not, it was enough.

 Emilia withdrew her hand, fingers clawing at her own palm as she nodded, "It's ready."

 "Okay..." Bruce breathed, a sigh that deflated his entire chest as he raised the gauntlet higher, "Let's do this."

 It took nothing more than a glance at the sheer resolution within Bruce's gaze to suit up. All quantum suits were shed and tossed to the side, just another pile of outfits Tony had made ready to collect dust.

 Emilia glanced down at herself; while her skin-tight jogging gear still clung to her skin, now she had something draped over the top. Tony had spent years trying to convince her to just slip a damn suit over her arms. He'd concocted ideas for suits that would gather her energy and focus it so that she wouldn't have to — just like the beams he'd shoot.

 He'd gone through blacks and blues, cloths and metals... she'd turned her nose up at them. Emilia, no matter what one might say, was not a hero. She wore her clothes, or the robes she'd grown rather fond of at Kamar-Taj... Because that's all she was. A person, a student, a mentor... 

 Tony had rolled his eyes this time, preaching that it would only be for a minute. Just while Bruce snapped those rotund green fingers... Emilia hadn't the energy to argue. Her veins practically pulsed with nerves, and so, with a disgruntled scrunch of her nose... she'd agreed.

 Her suit wasn't unlike one of Natasha's. Most of the print was entirely black — not exactly Emilia's colour... but she did suppose parading about in bright pinks and blues wouldn't have come to Tony's mind, nor served her well if she were to enter battle.

 Still, an almost skin-tight black trailed the length of her body with sturdy boots built right in... she felt like she was wearing rather uncomfortable pyjamas. A jolt of pale blue lined each of her arms, and crossed the valley of her chest — it was almost like Tony had been copying the designs he'd made for himself; rather than his Arc Reactor, the colour of it was slathered instead.

 It was easy to move in, simply feeling just like the clothes beneath its layer. The fabric was less susceptible to hits and burns, and Tony had made certain that if Emilia wished it, a haze of blue could seep through the suit. It did nothing to quell her power.

 "I feel like a clown," Emilia muttered from the side of her mouth, staring very obviously at Steve and that raucous outfit of his.

 "Well..." Tony breathed, "You said it. Not me."

 "If I'm a clown... you're the circus —"

 "— Okay!" Tony hollered, effectively sending Emilia's eyes rolling skywards. His bellow was enough for the others to jump into their stances. Shields were readied; Cap held his decorative dinner plate high, Thor pushed Rocket behind him, even if the little critter looked ready to chomp on a finger... Tony watched his own holographic shield glimmer, his helmet materialising over his features.

 Emilia shuffled, planting herself right before Nebula and Scott. With a simple jerk of her fingers, all three of them had to peer through a blue haze. A bubble entrapped them, wavering and jostling with each breath they took.

 "Remember," Tony nodded at Bruce who stood at the very centre of them all with green skin and a heart thudding faster than a hummingbird's wings. The emphasis within Tony's voice left no room to argue... while the past five years might have been edged with loneliness and despair... Morgan had been born. That was enough to perservere, "You bring back everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago. You bring them back to now. Here. Don't change anything from the last five years."

 Emilia could feel the spark within her gut, the way it bubbled like a witch's brew. It toppled higher and higher, filling her heart, pulsing through her blood. Stephen. She'd see Stephen again. Wong would come home... families would finally be reunited and perhaps the world could finally begin to heal itself once more.

 Peter Parker would finally get to meet little Morgan Stark and see how Tony had built the family he'd wanted for so very long... he'd get to be a part of that family.

 There was a cold chill on her neck, like the emerald soldered to the ring Stephen had given her knew he was returning. Her hair stood on end, eyes entirely attentive as the Time Stone shone from within its casing...

 There was so much to think about... From Stephen to the wedding — though a wedding certainly wouldn't be happening without Stephen truly proposing. He hadn't gotten out of that one... Morgan would meet the Wizard from Emilia's stories — the very one Tony would exaggerate. From a pointed hat to a long and curled moustache... Morgan would certainly get a shock upon meeting Stephen Strange, rather than Gandalf the Gray himself.

 The clink of the gauntlet turned those little daydreams to ash, and Emilia could only hope they'd soon be rebirthed like a phoenix.

 The compound had been encased, and Friday had sealed each window and exit from them all. If there was to be an explosion... hopefully only the adults dressed in silly Halloween costumes would perish.

 Bruce swallowed and the bob of his throat was visible to all. His eyes met Emilia's, Tony's, Thor's... Then, his fingers slid into the metal glove. Bruce seized beneath the flash of pain immediately. His knees buckled, his free hand grasped at his arm, nails tearing at lime-coloured skin. He cried out as the energy from the Infinity Stones was interwoven, trialling the length of his steadily blistering arm.

 Emilia recoiled, hands still steady upon her shield. She could remember the sensation of the Power Stone against her flesh — it had burned as though a blue fire had been breathed upon her... she could only imagine what all six were doing to him.

 Even despite the tremor in her tone, Emilia called out. Her voice trailed over Thors as the God of Thunder pleaded for Bruce to shed the glove... but Emilia knew he wouldn't, "Bruce?"

 "I'm —" He cried out, "— I'm okay!"

 He wasn't, that much was very obvious. From the power of the Stones tracing his flesh, eating away at the skin upon his arm, to the tears tumbling unwillingly from his eyes... But Bruce held on. He struggled arduously to bring his fingers together, as though the metal had been forged to stay as still as stone... his arm shook, his legs rattling upon the ground, but with a final yell to push past the pain, a hearty CLANK split through the air like the chime of a church bell.

 Emilia stumbled as Bruce fell to the ground in a miserable heap. The others all rushed forth, calling Banner's name, asking if he was alright... Emilia couldn't move. Just like those five years ago, the snap had sent a jolt through her body, tying strings to her limps as she remained standing like a puppet.

 Goosebumps erupted beneath her snug suit, her hands shook and the shield fizzled out in a pitiful blip. Her stomach churned as she doubled over... it felt electrifying, yet so very nauseating at the same time.

 Emilia peered upwards, her body still folded as though she'd fall to the ground... The Avengers all huddled around Bruce and Tony had swiftly sprayed medicinal nanites over the green giant's arm. The gauntlet had been kicked aside, uncaring if the stones still sparkled within their metal encasing...

 "He did it." Emilia wheezed, blinking heavily to rid the guise of fog before her eyes. All heads turned her way, "I felt it. He did it, I know he did."

 Even without such a sickly sensation trailing her flesh, Emilia would have trusted Bruce with every ounce of her being. This was no mere false spurt of hope, nor just kind words for her friend and the task he'd been assigned. It was fact. Doctor Bruce Banner had brought everyone home.

 And before any of them could utter a word, to question her judgement... Clint Barton's phone began to ring. Clint hadn't moved from where he'd been standing, so with a single swooping look down at the table, he could see a name flashing atop the screen.

 The look in his eyes... Emilia knew it well. She'd soon be sporting it too. It was a bubbling mixture of utter relief and a burst of hope that had been long since smothered like dying embers. The name atop his screen, illuminating the chipped glass as well as Clint Barton's blackening heart... It had to be his wife, Laura.

 With the crushing weight of the snap finally simmering away from Emilia's bones, she soon made it to Bruce's side. His arm had been utterly scorched. The scent of burnt flesh permeated the air, his once green skin was charred and cracking like an old pavement. His eyes were screwed shut, even as the medicinal nanites soothed the ache.

 "Hey," Emilia whispered, falling to her knees beside him. A careful hand smoothed his large green cheek, "You did it, Bruce."

 "I did?"

 He sounded so tired.

 "They're home," Emilia promised. If the static across her skin and the light buzz of Clint's phone hadn't been enough... then the symphonious calls from a flock of birds were merely the cherry on top. The sound had become scarce in the past five years; with half of all creatures wiped from the face of the universe... those that had survived, be it human or animal, had felt the loss severely. All songbirds had lost their voices... and now, they too were back.

 "Guys," Emilia brought her eyes away from Bruce for a mere moment, and she was rather pained to find the relief in no longer seeing the pain written within his scrunched features. Scott had trailed over to the window, watching as birds and butterflies scattered by with newfound vigour. As small cluster of squirrels chittered upon the seemingly shining blades of grass, a smile pulled at his lips, "I think the Doc's right, I think it worked —"

 Then everything came crashing down, just as it always did.

 The glittering sunlight peering through the window was smothered and a looming shadow encased them all in its clutches.

 Scott gaped, lips parting for a meek cry of warning... yet it never escaped. For instead, the compound was turned into nothing but debris as an earth-shattering BOOM! echoed through their ears.

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DATE: 12-03-2023

:･ﾟ★ we're so close to the end of endgame... and we all know who's going to be returning, but also who will be leaving :(

PSA: i thought it best to let you all know now, but once endgame has concluded (as well as the few oneshots i've written) this story will be going on hiatus. it makes sense not only because the infinity saga is complete, but also because the lack of interaction on this story is genuinely heartbreaking --- i'm not going to put my free time and motivation into something people will happily read without even leaving a nice comment. i'm not sure how long the hiatus will be, but it will be a long time. thank you, however, to those who consistently show their love and support, i adore you <3

don't forget to let me know what you think; and remember that i now require a particular number of comments and feedback before i consider releasing the next part. do NOT leave comments telling me to update; they'll be ignored and you'll be muted, much love <3