The Neglected Sorcerer (Male Reader)

Chapter 21: Battle of Titan

Waiting for Thanos' arrival, the Avengers and the Guardians are starting to work together. Quill is measuring the planet's tilt.

Quill: The heck happened to this planet? It's eight degrees off its axis. Gravitational pull is all over the place.

In the background, Mantis is jumping joyfully in a low gravity spot.

Tony: Yeah, we got one advantage. He's coming to us. We'll use it. All right, I have a plan. Or at least the beginnings of one. It's pretty simple. We draw him in, pin him down, get what we need. Definitely don't wanna dance with this guy. We just want the gauntlet.

Drax yawns.

Tony: Are you yawning? In the middle of this, while I'm breaking it down? Huh? Did you hear what I said?

Drax: I stopped listening after you said, "We need a plan."

Tony: Okay, Mr. Clean is on his own page.

Quill: See, "not winging it" isn't really what they do.

Peter: Uh, what exactly is it that they do?

Mantis: Kick names, take ass.

Drax: Yeah, that's right.

Tony pauses with an expression of deep hopelessness.

Tony: Alright, just get over here, please. Mr. Lord, can you get your folks to circle up?

Quill: "Mr. Lord." Star-Lord is fine.

Tony: We gotta coalesce. 'Cause if all we come at him with is a plucky attitude...

Quill: Dude, don't call us plucky. We don't know what it means. Alright, we're optimistic, yes. I like your plan. Except it sucks, so let me do the plan, and that way it might be really good.

Spider-Man follows the conversation back and forth like a squash rally.

Drax: Tell him about the dance-off to save the universe.

Tony: What dance-off?

Quill: It's not a... it's not... it's nothing.

Peter: Like in Footloose, the movie?

Quill: Exactly like Footloose. Is it still the greatest movie in history?

Peter: It never was.

Quill frowns sadly at him.

Tony: Don't encourage this, alright?

Peter: Okay.

Tony: We're getting no help from Flash Gordon here.

Quill: Flash Gordon? By the way, that's a compliment. Don't forget, I'm half human.

Quill points at Stark and Parker.

Quill: So that 50% of me that's stupid? That's 100% you.

Tony: Your math is blowing my mind.

Mantis: Excuse me, but... does your friend often do that?

Y/N activated the Time Stone, and just as he had done with Dormammu, Y/N created a time loop living 14,000,605 possible scenarios. While reliving all the possible outcomes, Y/N contemplated cutting off Thanos' hand with his Sling Ring, but desisted upon realizing that the Titan's skin was almost impenetrable and that if he failed to cut it on time, Thanos would still be able to snap his fingers and accomplish his goal but then find a single victory. Y/N returned to reality and breathes heavily.

Tony: You're back. You're alright.

Peter: Hey, what was that?

Y/N: I went forward in time to view alternate futures. To see all the possible outcomes of the coming conflict.