ＳＬＡＴＥ ◼ STEVE ROGERS◼

ＯＮＥ ＨＵＮＤＲＥＤ ＮＩＮＥ

Sitting back, they watched as the nanotech of the suit moved to form divots in the armor. They held their breath, smiles crossing their faces as the stones all fell into place perfectly without a hitch.

"BOO!"

Bruce, Tony, and Lottie all simultaneously had heart attacks, turning to glare at Rocket as he laughed hysterically. Tony's nostrils were flaring as he got up, standing in front of Rocket as Lottie quickly grabbed onto his shoulder.

"Alright, no need to kill the raccoon right now. Let's just...get this over with,"

Back in the lab, the gauntlet sat on the table as Rocket and Tony gave it one last once over. Lottie stood beside Steve as the rest of the team stood around the lab, decked out in their suits.

"Alright, glove is ready," Rocket told the team before looking up at them. "Now the question is: who's going to snap their freaking fingers?"

"I'll do it," Thor called out, raising his hands as he moved toward the gauntlet. "It's okay, I've got it!"

The entire room called out in protest, Lottie and Steve moving to hold him back.

"Wait, wait, wait, Thor, just wait," Steve reasoned with their friend as he took a step back from them. "We haven't decided who's gonna put that on yet."

"Oh, I'm sorry. What, were you just sitting around waiting for the right opportunity?"

"We should at least discuss it," Lottie told him as Scott nodded along from his spot beside her.

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

Thor went to move forward again as Tony stepped up, getting in his way now.

"It's not just that-"

"It's... stop it! Just let me..." Thor trailed off, tears pooling in his eyes as he gripped onto Tony's jacket. "Just let me do it. Just let me do something good. Something great."

"Thor, that glove is packing enough power to decimate an entire continent," Lottie told her friend from her spot next to Steve.

"We're telling you, you're in no condition," Tony added on as Thor shook his head with a laugh.

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

"Cheese whiz," Rhodey called out from the other side of the room, Lottie trying to hide her amused smile as Thor rolled his eyes.

"No...lightning,"

"Lightning won't help you, pal. It's gotta be me," Thor let go of Tony, the entire team backing up to stare at Bruce as he stalked toward the stones, standing before the gauntlet. "You saw what those stones did to Thanos. It almost killed him. None of you could survive."

"How do we know that you will?" Steve questioned their friend.

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

With no further arguments, the team moved into position.

Rocket placed himself behind Thor, who stood before him protectively. Both Scott and Rhodey put the masks of their suits down, shielding themselves from whatever was about to happen.

Lottie activated her bracelets, her suit enveloping her body and the hologram helmet covering her head, her shield generating as she stood beside Steve, who placed his helmet on his head and held his shield at the ready.