Chapter 212 — The Snap
The message from F.R.I.D.A.Y. spread quickly across the facility. One by one, footsteps echoed through the halls as the others made their way toward the room.
Tony stood near the table, his eyes still on the gauntlet. The faint glow from the six stones reflected off the surface of the glass barrier around it. Even now, it felt unreal.
They had it.
All of them.
Together.
Behind him, Bruce stood with his arms relaxed at his sides, but his eyes stayed fixed on the gauntlet as well. There was no excitement in his expression. Only focus.
The door slid open.
Thor entered first.
"Is it done?" he asked immediately.
Tony didn't look away from the gauntlet.
"Yes," he said.
The word settled into the room.
Behind Thor, the others followed.
Steve walked in, calm but alert. Rhodey moved in beside him. Rocket stepped closer almost immediately, his eyes already locked onto the gauntlet. Clint came last, slower than the rest, his face still carrying the weight from yesterday.
Gaius remained to the side, standing still, watching everything.
Rocket leaned forward slightly, staring at the gauntlet with sharp focus.
"So," he said, "we only need to know one thing."
He glanced around.
"Who's gonna snap?"
The question hung in the air.
Thor stepped forward.
"Let me," he said.
He started walking toward the gauntlet without hesitation.
Before he could reach it—
"No."
"Wait."
"Stop."
"Not happening."
The voices overlapped.
Steve moved first, stepping directly in front of Thor and placing a hand against his chest to stop him.
"We haven't decided that yet," Steve said firmly.
Thor frowned.
"I'm sorry," he said, frustration slipping through his voice. "So we're just going to stand here? Waiting for the right moment?"
Scott shifted slightly on the side.
"We should at least talk about it," he said.
Thor shook his head.
"Talking won't bring anyone back," he replied. "Staring at that thing won't do anything."
He gestured toward the gauntlet.
Then he looked at all of them.
"I am the strongest Avenger," he said. "This responsibility falls on me."
Tony stepped forward, stopping right in front of him.
"Normally," Tony began—
"That's right," Thor cut in quickly.
Tony shook his head.
"No," he said. "It's not about that."
The room grew quiet again.
No one wanted to push Thor too hard. They all knew what he had gone through. What he had lost.
Thor looked at Tony, his expression shifting.
"Please," he said.
He reached forward slightly, placing his hands against Tony's arms. Not forceful. Just… asking.
"Just let me do this."
For a moment, Tony didn't respond.
Then he spoke.
"Look," he said carefully, "this isn't just power. That thing has enough energy to light up a continent."
He held Thor's gaze.
"And you're not in the condition to handle it."
Thor's jaw tightened.
He placed a hand on Tony's shoulder.
"What do you think is running through my veins right now?" he asked.
From the side, Rhodey spoke.
"Cheez Whiz."
Thor turned his head sharply toward him, raising a finger as if to respond—
But nothing came out.
After a second, he turned back to Tony.
"Lightning," he said instead.
Gaius watched all of this in silence.
From where he stood, the situation was clear.
They were strong, in their own way.
But they lacked something deeper. They had not faced the kind of endless war he knew. They had not stood against the true horrors of existence.
They were still… young.
That was not an insult.
Just truth.
Bruce finally stepped forward.
"Lightning won't help you," he said calmly.
Everyone turned toward him.
He looked at the gauntlet.
"It has to be me."
He began walking toward it.
"You saw what happened to Thanos," Bruce continued. "Even he barely survived using the stones."
He glanced at the others.
"None of you could survive it."
His eyes briefly shifted toward Gaius.
"…most of you," he corrected, not entirely sure about Gaius.
Steve frowned slightly.
"How do you know?" he asked.
Bruce shook his head.
"We don't," he admitted. "But the radiation… it's mostly gamma."
He looked down at his own hands.
"It's like I was made for this."
That stopped the argument.
No one spoke after that.
There was nothing left to say.
The decision was made.
Tony let out a slow breath.
"Alright," he said.
He looked at Bruce seriously.
"Just remember," Tony continued, "everyone that was taken five years ago… bring them back. Just that."
He held his gaze.
"Don't change anything else."
Bruce nodded once.
At the side, Gaius suddenly turned his head.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Something had entered his awareness.
It wasn't sound.
It wasn't movement.
It was intent.
His Observation Haki spread outward, passing through walls, through distance, reaching toward the quantum tunnel.
There.
Something was wrong. Someone was using the machine with ill intent.
Steve noticed the shift.
"What is it?" he asked.
Gaius didn't look at him.
"Xenos should not be trusted," he said.
The words were calm.
But firm.
The others turned toward him.
Tony frowned.
"What's happening?" he asked.
Gaius finally spoke again.
"Continue what you are doing."
Before anyone could react—
He moved.
His left power fist activated with a low hum.
Then,
He punched through the wall.
Concrete, steel, reinforcement bars,
All shattered instantly.
Dust and debris exploded outward.
Before the fragments even settled, Gaius was already gone, moving toward the quantum tunnel.
The Avengers froze for a brief moment.
Then Tony snapped back to focus.
"Do it," he said quickly. "Bring everyone back first. We'll deal with that after."
Bruce didn't hesitate.
He stepped forward and grabbed the gauntlet.
At the same time, Tony's nanotech flowed over his body.
"F.R.I.D.A.Y., activate Barn Door Protocol."
"Understood, boss."
All across the facility, metal panels began to shift.
Walls sealed.
Windows covered.
Defensive systems activated.
Energy shields formed.
Tony stepped beside Clint, projecting a protective barrier around them.
Bruce lifted the gauntlet.
It adjusted slightly, expanding to fit his larger hand.
He took a breath.
"Everybody comes home," he said.
The gauntlet closed around his hand.
And then
Energy surged.
All six stones activated at once.
Power exploded outward, flowing into Bruce's body.
His entire right arm began to burn.
The skin darkened, charred under the energy.
He groaned, teeth clenched as the force pushed through him.
Thor stepped forward immediately.
"Take it off!" he shouted. "Take it off!"
Steve grabbed him, holding him back.
"Bruce!" Steve called. "Are you okay?"
Tony stepped closer.
"Talk to me, Banner!"
Bruce forced himself to stand.
Pain ran through every part of him.
But he didn't let go.
"I'm okay," he managed.
The words came out strained.
But they were steady.
Thor, watching him, slowly raised both thumbs up.
No one spoke after that.
Everything rested on this moment.
Bruce lifted his hand.
The energy gathered.
The room held its breath.
And then,
He snapped his fingers.
~~~
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