But he did not summon his armor.
Because Bucky made a move.
He pulled a black Glock pistol from behind his waist.
Then he reversed the grip and held the gun out before Tony.
"I know this can't make up for anything."
Bucky looked at Tony, his eyes heartbreakingly empty.
"Howard... he was a good man. He helped me a lot."
"Maria... she was very kind."
He took a step forward, the grip nearly touching Tony's chest.
"I'm not asking for forgiveness."
"A life for a life."
Tony stared at the gun before him, his expression dark.
He suddenly snatched the pistol away.
Click!
He chambered a round.
The pitch-black muzzle pressed directly against Bucky's forehead.
"Bucky!!" Steve cried out and was about to rush forward to seize the gun.
"Don't move."
A hand pressed down on Steve's shoulder.
Homelander stood behind him, his strength as immovable as a mountain.
"Anthony!" Steve panicked. "He'll...!"
"This is a necessary step, Steve," Homelander whispered in his ear. "This is Bucky's choice."
"Now the right to choose is in Tony's hands. Not interfering is the greatest respect we can give them."
Steve froze and did not move again.
Tony felt the heavy metallic weight in his hand.
Images of his parents' tragic deaths flashed wildly through his mind. Kill him! Kill him!
All he had to do was pull the trigger, and the murderer who had killed his parents would die right in front of him.
Perhaps the pleasure of revenge would wash away more than twenty years of pain.
But then another image came flooding in.
It was yesterday.
At Avengers Tower.
He had knelt at Lorelei's feet, wagging his tail and begging like a dog. He had fired the serum at Hulk, watched Hulk mutate in agony, watched the streets be