✧─── ･ ｡ﾟ★: *.✦ .* :★. ───✧
WITH DESPERATION, Thanos reached out for the loose gauntlet at the same time as Tony, and he wasted no time in using all his strength to push Thanos away from the glove to win them some time to think of a new plan.
Thanos sent him back to the dirt and knelt down to grab the gauntlet when Thor swung his axe at his head, the sharp end trickling with lightning as he threw Mjolnir in the air to restrain Thanos's arms with both of his weapons. Steve jumped on Thanos's back and also grabbed the handle of the axe to add more strength. This didn't last long, since the titan used his leg to kick Thor away and then grab Steve from his back and throw him in the ground, reaching back for the glove.
Carol landed on his knee and caused Thanos to loose his balance, the gauntlet still being in his hands before (Y/N) joined in and attacked from the back, using a hand to pull the glove towards with her powers as Carol aimed blow after blow at his face.
Thanos noticed this and turned back to grab (Y/N)'s extended arm and twist it, making her let out a groan before he threw her back. Carol tried to grab the gauntlet and Thanos did the exact same thing, and she rolled in the floor as she recovered from the fight.
Carol was about to stand back up when she turned to (Y/N) and her eyes widened when she realized how young she looked. "You're cool, Blue. But you are going to get hurt, stay down."
(Y/N) looked like she was ready to protest, but Carol didn't have time to argue and flew right into Thanos when she saw him place the gauntlet in his hand and pulled on the gloved arm, not bating an eye as she tried to remove it. Thanos seemed to be scared of this, and used his other fist to punch Carol in the head, an action that didn't seem to affect her the slightest.
Carol got up from the ground in her mighty glow and managed to push Thanos to his knees, having the opportunity to remove the glove from his hand until it was too late. He picked the Power Stone from the gauntlet and hurled a blast of purple light at her, throwing her back to the ground with a thud.
(Y/N) saw how he was approaching the goal once again and thrusted her hands to the sides before lowering them to the ground below Thanos, and this caused a loud and strong rumble in the surface that made him loose his balance, cracks opening underneath his feet that nearly swallowed him if it wasn't for his towering height.
Thanos grunted when he saw her. "I should've gotten rid of you when I had the chance."
(Y/N) didn't reply and her eyes glowed blue as she formed a blast of mist with both of her hands before she hurled it directly at Thanos, and this caused him to fall back before he raised his gloved hand to block any other attack from her, which was a big mistake.
Blue mist covered the entire gauntlet again and tugged on it to remove it from his hand, giving (Y/N) time to walk up to him with small steps as he battled against the strong pull.
Thanos let out a strangled yell of pain when he felt his own throat wrapped around in the same blue mists that were in his hand, seeing how (Y/N) seemed to enjoy that she was making him suffer. He didn't want to loose against her, a little and defenseless girl.
When he saw how close she was getting to him, he used his leg to kick her in the shin and make her knees buckle underneath her, which gave Thanos time to close his fist and a red glow to appear in the gauntlet, aiming it directly at her.
(Y/N)'s eyes widened when she saw this and was thrown to the side like a rag doll, feeling all the strength leaving her body as her vision turned cloudy.
✧─── ･ ｡ﾟ★: *.✦ .* :★. ───✧
(Y/N) COUGHED TO allow the air to flow through her lungs again and breathed in and out for a few seconds to regain her full consciousness and try to understand what was happening all around her. She saw how the remains of Thanos's army were slowly turning into dust just like she had done five years prior, and that only meant one thing.
She tried to stand up abruptly but her knee instantly throbbed at the action. Her head was pounding and she felt drained, but she wanted to know what had happened. She sucked a deep breath and tried to walk this time, limping her way back to the others who seemed to be gathering around something, or someone.
Rhodey had removed his mask and leaned forward to offer a sad smile to a weak Tony, who's face was completely burnt by the radiation of the Infinity stones and smoke seemed to be escaping all over his suit. Blood trailed on his lip, but he didn't seem to care about any of it.
(Y/N) desperately made her way towards him and felt her eyes sting with tears when she saw his state from up close, carefully kneeling down in front of her mentor. "Hey, Mr. Stark?"
She heard a soft thud of someone landing behind her and she didn't have to look back to know who it was. "Mr. Stark?"
Peter joined (Y/N)'s side and he breathed shakily, not believing his eyes. "Hey! Mr. Stark. Can you hear me? Can you hear us?"
All Tony did was stare ahead and not meet his eyes, not moving as Peter desperately tried to call for him. "It's Peter. (Y/N)'s here too. Hey. We won, Mr. Stark. We won, Mr. Stark."
(Y/N) covered her mouth with her hand to cover her cry as she realized how this was going to end. She was going to see her childhood hero die right in front of her. She wasn't prepared for this, and she placed a hand in Peter's back as silent reassurance.
"We won! You did it, sir, you did it."
"I could've done better, I'm sorry," (Y/N) lowered her head, and felt a pair of hands attempting to pull her away from the scene, and she allowed herself to be led back as someone did the same for Peter.
Stephen held her by the shoulder and (Y/N) did her best to wipe her tears away, feeling her hand get heavy all of the sudden. She looked down to see Peter interlock his hand with hers, his body shaking in quiet sobs as he saw the scene in front of him.
Pepper stood in front of the others and proceeded to kneel down at her husband's level, feeling her eyes water but she offered a smile to Tony. "Hey."
"Hey, Pep," he said softly.
Tony weakly grabbed her hand and placed it on the faintly lighted arc reactor in his chest. Pepper exhaled a shaky breath and called for the AI. "Friday."
"Life functions critical."
"Tony," Pepper muttered his name with sadness laced on her tone, seeing how his eyes were turning cloudy because of the guilt he was feeling about leaving his family behind. "Look at me. We're gonna be okay. You can rest now."
The guilt he seemed to be carrying in his shoulders was lifted away and he stared off ahead, the light in his chest dying away under her palm as Pepper lowered her head and cried, pressing a kiss on his temple.
(Y/N) looked away, not bearing what was unfolding in front of her. She wasn't ready to live in a world without him, and she was sure that the world wasn't too.
told y'all that i'd put (y/n) through trauma. it adds character development, and sometimes, not in the way you expect.
-see you soon, bex