[ Stephen really isn't accustomed to physical affection like this — that standoffish demeanour projects a figurative personal bubble about five feet in radius — but he's realising that he doesn't actually mind it that much once it happens. Julia wraps her arms around him, and he's caught all over again by how unexpectedly, uncharacteristically short she is. She's even smaller than America, which is bizarre to think about.
So he goes a little rigid at first, but then he eases into it and wraps his arms around her. His face buried in the top of her head, chin against her hair as they melt into that hug. It's a good height, and his arms loop around her shoulders. He doesn't say anything just yet; he's talked enough for the moment. ]
[ The second his arms go around her, Julia lets herself really relax into the hug, leaning against him and committing this feeling to memory. In the warmth of his embrace, she feels safer than ever, like absolutely nothing stands a chance of even getting close to her when she's with him. Not that she needs him to protect her, but that doesn't mean she doesn't appreciate feeling protected.
With her cheek pressed against his chest, she just barely feel his heartbeat. His lungs expand and she feels each exhale against her hair. It's a perfect moment and she doesn't want it to end. ]
Thank you. I really needed this. [ Another few seconds and then, without moving, she concedes: ] The tea's getting cold.
[ As she presses her face against his shirt and he feels the warmth of that embrace, a single thought crystallises like it's formed out of thin air: Strange, you're in danger.
It's not the same mental alarm going off when encountering, say, a spider-demon or a tentacled eye-beast or an alien invasion. Nothing quite so extraordinary and out-of-this-world as that. No, this one is very banal and very simple when one gets right down to it: it's the same alarm which kicked in the back of his skull (and wrenched in his chest) when Christine first made him laugh, standing next to the shitty coffee vending machine in the hospital hallway. The first time he found himself lingering in the break room a few minutes longer, reluctant to get back to his rounds, because he simply wanted to keep talking to her a little longer. The first time he asked her out for drinks at the end of their shift, and she kept him dangling on the hook for a full minute with a cheeky smirk before answering yes.
In short: Oh, Stephen, you're fucked.
(His internal saw-this-coming chastisement sounds a lot like Wong's know-it-all tone; yes, he knows, his conscience sounds like his friend and it is very aggravating.)
He's glad Julia can't see his face. But her words still make him chuckle, and: ]
Well, then it's a good thing I know magic.
[ Still a showoff. But accelerating the particles in the tea to warm it again is easy enough — like putting the kettle back on, or microwaving the cups for a few seconds — and he does that very thing as he reluctantly pulls away from her. ]
Welcome back, Julia. I should let you rest and settle back in.
[ It's a good thing I know magic is the most Stephen response and she adores him for it. The way his laugh reverberates through his chest feels a bit like a cat purring and she wishes they could stay like this for hours. That isn't the nature of their relationship, though, and she knows Stephen isn't like some of her friends like Q who are more accepting of casual contact with those they're close to. She'd love it if he was but she's not going to push him that far out of his comfort zone.
Her hands linger on him until the last possible second, that magnetic pull of warmth and comfort not wanting to let her go. But it's when he indicates his impending departure that she has to fight the instinctive reaction to grab hold of him again to keep him with her. ]
Could you stay? [ She blurts the words out awkwardly, her emotions feeling like she's on the edge of something and spinning her arms to keep from tumbling over. ]
Just for a little while. To have tea and— [ And what? ] and talk. I want to hear about the excitement I've missed.
Oh, you really haven't missed much. It sounds like you took all the excitement with you. Let's see... They finished the repairs at Kamar-Taj, and my—
[ Ward? Student? Apprentice? He hasn't actually been in charge of America's training — Julia had been a closer thing to being the sorcerer's apprentice — so he's not quite sure how to describe what America Chavez is to him. Did I ever tell you about the time I semi-adopted a multiverse-hopping orphan that another version of me tried to kill? ]
One of my apprentices— well, not 'one of', technically the kid is my only one outside of you— has been advancing well in her training there, which was good news. Otherwise, things have been quiet on this front outside of the regular magical errands around the city. Which is a relief. I usually like excitement, but there's been a bit too much of that over the past year.
[ Stephen doesn't outright say I'll stay, but the agreement is unspoken as he takes up his seat again, reaching for his cup of tea, nursing the warmth of the china against his palms. Conversation and companionship, while she settles in for the night and goes to crawl under the covers. An easy enough thing to give her, particularly since she'd asked. He's slowly realised over time — also tied inextricably to his revelation a moment ago, god, he's slow on the uptake — that he just can't refuse Julia Wicker anything she asks. ]
[ Even if things have been boring at the Sanctum, Julia finds that she wants to hear him talk about it. The way he speaks is comforting; she's used to the precise word choice that matches his privileged background and the sometimes arrogant tone that hides how deeply he cares about others. And then there's the sound of his voice, the thread of roughness woven into the cadence that sounds... The only word she can think of to describe it is delicious because it's like an aural feast for the senses. She could listen to him speak for hours and never tire of it.
Taking her own cup of tea back to the bed, she carefully climbs under the covers and props up against a pile of pillows. The warmth of the cup feels good cradled in her hands, the heat seeping into her bones. While the rest of the day had been complete shit, this right here is really nice. ]
Tell me about this other apprentice. Should I be worried? Is she going to suddenly show up, demand all your attention, and force me to go ask Wong to teach me?
[ It's a joke, of course. She's hoping it'll earn her a smile. ]
[ It does; he grins at her, and then considers that question over the edge of his tea. ]
Honestly? It's possible. She kind of barges in like the Kool-Aid Man, so you might find her in our kitchen someday eating all the best snacks.
It's a... long story, I'll give you the full rundown another day, but her name is America Chavez. She's a teenager and she's actually from another universe. Like a Traveler, actually, with variations. She punches star-shaped holes in reality and you can walk right through them into an alternate universe. It's pretty neat. Once she knows how to portal, however, then she'll be able to get around better within this one. She came tumbling into our reality a while back and I helped— no, we helped each other. You'll probably meet her eventually.
[ The list of people Stephen cares about is vanishingly short, but here's one more card for the deck. ]
[ America Chavez. A teenager who can move through the multiverse like a Traveler. It makes her think of Penny-23 and the way he'd crossed over to Timeline-40, which of course leads to thoughts of how he'd very firmly stayed by her side the past few weeks. She isn't his Julia and she knows Kady explained just how different they are, but he'd still been set on supporting her and keeping a watchful eye. She's not his Julia but that's almost made him more determined to make sure she doesn't meet that Julia's fate.
But that's not a road she's interested in traveling down. She isn't looking for a relationship with anyone but— ]
I hope so. It'd be nice to meet someone else you actually like.
[ The gentle teasing comes naturally, like stepping back into an old familiar routine. And she really is looking forward to meeting America one day. We helped each other bodes well for the friendship established there, and if there's one thing Stephen Strange needs in his life, it's more friends. ]
It's a very limited, very privileged list. You're very special to be on it.
[ Just as teasing in return. But then it occurs to him, sitting in this chair by her bedside — with Julia in her pyjamas, in bed, exhausted from having her power and her divinity ripped out of her — that he hasn't really been in this position before. Even as a doctor, he'd done his job and then gotten out. Other people had always been in charge of the convalescence, the consoling bedside manner, the slow recovery afterwards.
And yet Christine had sat patiently by his bedside. Had waited there for hours so he would have company when he first woke up after the accident, after the surgery. Had read books while he slept. Had sat there and sat there and come back again and again.
The shoe is on the other foot for once and now he's in this position, and he should be terrified of it, but he finds that he isn't. But he does internally flounder for a second, before grasping at a thing he can safely offer: ]
Would you like me to put the same wards on your bed that I have on mine? I never offered it before because there wasn't much chance of people tracking you down in your dreams, but now, all things considered... The Sanctum should be enough and I still don't think it's much of a risk, but if you're worried about being found, it could help.
[ There's something about hearing him say she's special to be on that list. He's just teasing her right back, she knows that, but it still makes something in her chest go tight and fluttery in a way she hasn't experienced in a very long time. Even with James, she'd never really felt any sort of heart-pattering romantic vibes, they'd just sidestepped from friends to something more, like that's what they were always supposed to do. This feels different. She'd be lying if she said it wasn't a little scary, but that fear has nothing to do with her past trauma and everything to do with her not wanting to lose this.
She doesn't want to lose him.
His offer leaves her stunned for a second, followed by a moment of her expression crumbling into something far too emotional before she gets herself pulled back together. Nodding, she offers him a slightly watery smile in genuine gratitude. ]
Please. That would mean a lot to me.
[ Even if the Sanctum does provide enough protection, she'll sleep better knowing there's that little bit extra. And it means the world that he'd thought to offer it. ]
I'll cast the spell when I head out. It's no trouble.
[ And it is staggeringly simple and easy, it turns out, to just sit here and keep her company and talk. Stephen is so chatty that he can more than easily carry the conversation in a gentle roll of words, filling her in about the Sanctum's everyday happenings (which aren't so everyday compared to the life of a civilian, but y'know), a new antique book purchase he thinks she might be interested in, and so on, and so on. Whenever Julia starts to peter out, he picks up the slack, the conversation like a susurrus to start to lull her towards sleep.
[ Is it hours they spend together or just a collection of minutes? They drift by easily as the conversation continues, the sound of Stephen's voice and the topics themselves combining to relax her mind and body. She's home; she's safe. Each word they share reinforces those feelings as she finishes her tea and settles properly back into the pillows, propped up slightly but in a way where she'll still be able to fall asleep.
And before long, she does begin to drift off, her eyes staying closed for longer and longer stretches as she fights to hold on for just a bit more. But then she realizes she doesn't have to — she will still be at the Sanctum tomorrow and Stephen will still be in her life. She can rest now.
So she does, falling into slumber in the middle of one of his stories about a new book he's acquired. It really does sound interesting — but she'll ask him about it tomorrow. ]
[ The minutes trail by and her responses come slower and slower, until they don't come at all, and then Stephen leans a little forward to check on her. Julia's breathing is steady and low and even, as she's curled up against those pillows; she's finally fallen asleep.
Getting back to his feet, he reaches out and carefully retrieves the long-empty cup from her hands. He magics away the tea set, tiptoes across the room trying not to make the floorboards creak, and then stops at the foot of her bed to press various corners of the bedposts with his fingertips, his mouth forming incantations that he doesn't say aloud (once again, it's the intent that matters). Then there's a faint glow of light as the runes layer themselves into the wood, protective wards established. They require topping-up every six months, but it'll do for now.
And that done, Stephen quietly leaves, closing the door behind him. ]
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ourladytrees) wrote2022-06-18 12:21 am
no subject
So he goes a little rigid at first, but then he eases into it and wraps his arms around her. His face buried in the top of her head, chin against her hair as they melt into that hug. It's a good height, and his arms loop around her shoulders. He doesn't say anything just yet; he's talked enough for the moment. ]
no subject
With her cheek pressed against his chest, she just barely feel his heartbeat. His lungs expand and she feels each exhale against her hair. It's a perfect moment and she doesn't want it to end. ]
Thank you. I really needed this. [ Another few seconds and then, without moving, she concedes: ] The tea's getting cold.
no subject
It's not the same mental alarm going off when encountering, say, a spider-demon or a tentacled eye-beast or an alien invasion. Nothing quite so extraordinary and out-of-this-world as that. No, this one is very banal and very simple when one gets right down to it: it's the same alarm which kicked in the back of his skull (and wrenched in his chest) when Christine first made him laugh, standing next to the shitty coffee vending machine in the hospital hallway. The first time he found himself lingering in the break room a few minutes longer, reluctant to get back to his rounds, because he simply wanted to keep talking to her a little longer. The first time he asked her out for drinks at the end of their shift, and she kept him dangling on the hook for a full minute with a cheeky smirk before answering yes.
In short: Oh, Stephen, you're fucked.
(His internal saw-this-coming chastisement sounds a lot like Wong's know-it-all tone; yes, he knows, his conscience sounds like his friend and it is very aggravating.)
He's glad Julia can't see his face. But her words still make him chuckle, and: ]
Well, then it's a good thing I know magic.
[ Still a showoff. But accelerating the particles in the tea to warm it again is easy enough — like putting the kettle back on, or microwaving the cups for a few seconds — and he does that very thing as he reluctantly pulls away from her. ]
Welcome back, Julia. I should let you rest and settle back in.
no subject
Her hands linger on him until the last possible second, that magnetic pull of warmth and comfort not wanting to let her go. But it's when he indicates his impending departure that she has to fight the instinctive reaction to grab hold of him again to keep him with her. ]
Could you stay? [ She blurts the words out awkwardly, her emotions feeling like she's on the edge of something and spinning her arms to keep from tumbling over. ]
Just for a little while. To have tea and— [ And what? ] and talk. I want to hear about the excitement I've missed.
no subject
[ Ward? Student? Apprentice? He hasn't actually been in charge of America's training — Julia had been a closer thing to being the sorcerer's apprentice — so he's not quite sure how to describe what America Chavez is to him. Did I ever tell you about the time I semi-adopted a multiverse-hopping orphan that another version of me tried to kill? ]
One of my apprentices— well, not 'one of', technically the kid is my only one outside of you— has been advancing well in her training there, which was good news. Otherwise, things have been quiet on this front outside of the regular magical errands around the city. Which is a relief. I usually like excitement, but there's been a bit too much of that over the past year.
[ Stephen doesn't outright say I'll stay, but the agreement is unspoken as he takes up his seat again, reaching for his cup of tea, nursing the warmth of the china against his palms. Conversation and companionship, while she settles in for the night and goes to crawl under the covers. An easy enough thing to give her, particularly since she'd asked. He's slowly realised over time — also tied inextricably to his revelation a moment ago, god, he's slow on the uptake — that he just can't refuse Julia Wicker anything she asks. ]
no subject
Taking her own cup of tea back to the bed, she carefully climbs under the covers and props up against a pile of pillows. The warmth of the cup feels good cradled in her hands, the heat seeping into her bones. While the rest of the day had been complete shit, this right here is really nice. ]
Tell me about this other apprentice. Should I be worried? Is she going to suddenly show up, demand all your attention, and force me to go ask Wong to teach me?
[ It's a joke, of course. She's hoping it'll earn her a smile. ]
no subject
Honestly? It's possible. She kind of barges in like the Kool-Aid Man, so you might find her in our kitchen someday eating all the best snacks.
It's a... long story, I'll give you the full rundown another day, but her name is America Chavez. She's a teenager and she's actually from another universe. Like a Traveler, actually, with variations. She punches star-shaped holes in reality and you can walk right through them into an alternate universe. It's pretty neat. Once she knows how to portal, however, then she'll be able to get around better within this one. She came tumbling into our reality a while back and I helped— no, we helped each other. You'll probably meet her eventually.
[ The list of people Stephen cares about is vanishingly short, but here's one more card for the deck. ]
no subject
But that's not a road she's interested in traveling down. She isn't looking for a relationship with anyone but— ]
I hope so. It'd be nice to meet someone else you actually like.
[ The gentle teasing comes naturally, like stepping back into an old familiar routine. And she really is looking forward to meeting America one day. We helped each other bodes well for the friendship established there, and if there's one thing Stephen Strange needs in his life, it's more friends. ]
no subject
[ Just as teasing in return. But then it occurs to him, sitting in this chair by her bedside — with Julia in her pyjamas, in bed, exhausted from having her power and her divinity ripped out of her — that he hasn't really been in this position before. Even as a doctor, he'd done his job and then gotten out. Other people had always been in charge of the convalescence, the consoling bedside manner, the slow recovery afterwards.
And yet Christine had sat patiently by his bedside. Had waited there for hours so he would have company when he first woke up after the accident, after the surgery. Had read books while he slept. Had sat there and sat there and come back again and again.
The shoe is on the other foot for once and now he's in this position, and he should be terrified of it, but he finds that he isn't. But he does internally flounder for a second, before grasping at a thing he can safely offer: ]
Would you like me to put the same wards on your bed that I have on mine? I never offered it before because there wasn't much chance of people tracking you down in your dreams, but now, all things considered... The Sanctum should be enough and I still don't think it's much of a risk, but if you're worried about being found, it could help.
no subject
She doesn't want to lose him.
His offer leaves her stunned for a second, followed by a moment of her expression crumbling into something far too emotional before she gets herself pulled back together. Nodding, she offers him a slightly watery smile in genuine gratitude. ]
Please. That would mean a lot to me.
[ Even if the Sanctum does provide enough protection, she'll sleep better knowing there's that little bit extra. And it means the world that he'd thought to offer it. ]
no subject
[ And it is staggeringly simple and easy, it turns out, to just sit here and keep her company and talk. Stephen is so chatty that he can more than easily carry the conversation in a gentle roll of words, filling her in about the Sanctum's everyday happenings (which aren't so everyday compared to the life of a civilian, but y'know), a new antique book purchase he thinks she might be interested in, and so on, and so on. Whenever Julia starts to peter out, he picks up the slack, the conversation like a susurrus to start to lull her towards sleep.
She's here; she's home; she's safe. ]
no subject
And before long, she does begin to drift off, her eyes staying closed for longer and longer stretches as she fights to hold on for just a bit more. But then she realizes she doesn't have to — she will still be at the Sanctum tomorrow and Stephen will still be in her life. She can rest now.
So she does, falling into slumber in the middle of one of his stories about a new book he's acquired. It really does sound interesting — but she'll ask him about it tomorrow. ]
end ♥
Getting back to his feet, he reaches out and carefully retrieves the long-empty cup from her hands. He magics away the tea set, tiptoes across the room trying not to make the floorboards creak, and then stops at the foot of her bed to press various corners of the bedposts with his fingertips, his mouth forming incantations that he doesn't say aloud (once again, it's the intent that matters). Then there's a faint glow of light as the runes layer themselves into the wood, protective wards established. They require topping-up every six months, but it'll do for now.
And that done, Stephen quietly leaves, closing the door behind him. ]