Chapter Text
Stephen Strange was incessant in proving himself right, even when he was wrong. I was never offered an apology. Not that I was one to offer one myself, our stubborn and insolent personalities were matched. It was why Wong had apprenticed myself to Stephen and not himself - that and Wong commented that Stephen would understand my pop culture references easier than himself.
It was late, or early depending on who you asked. Stephen had not dismissed me for the day, he was too busy trying to prove himself right. We were sat upstairs, Stephen perched on the desk in front of the vast window - his desk he had told me several days earlier when I had tried to station myself there to study. He shoved my books back in my hands and told me that the window helped him think, to reflect. In other words, I was not welcome to sit there.
I snorted at him and he was less than impressed. That was another late night, my penance for laughing at my mentor the wonderful Stephen Strange - saviour of the universe. Not that I minded keeping my head in a book, learning about magic and the curiosities of the mystic arts.
Instead, I sat several desks away from him, my reading list a tower beside me. It was expected I finish them all before bed. Because Stephen had caught me fiddling with a tumbled stone of amethyst earlier that evening.
'What is that?' he had asked, peering at the purple stone in my hands.
'A crystal. Amethyst.' I had told him.
'I know what it is Lina,' he had said, 'I want to know why you have it.'
'Then you should have said, "Lina, why do you have that?"'
He didn't appreciate the back-talk and tapped his fingertips on the desk. 'You believe a rock will aid you in your study.' it was not a question, his cocked brow and flat tone only belittled me.
I slapped the crystal on the desk before me and leaned back, arms folded over my chest, 'Yeah, I do. Crystals emit vibrations and carry energy.'
'That's not true.' he said, voice firm, baby blue eyes narrowing in on the amethyst in front of me.
'It's what you choose to believe.' I shrugged. That was not an appropriate answer it seemed because he stalked off, red cape billowing behind him as his footsteps thumped heavily on the staircase. He returned several minutes later, arms full of books which he dumped upon my desk.
'You are not here to think freely, Lina. You are here to study the mystic arts, to expand your knowledge of the universe not make up your own rules of what that is.'
And that was all he said as he picked the first book from the pile and tossed it in front of me, opening to the first page.
'You're dismissed when you can conclude where energy comes from and what that,' he pointed to the rock, ' does do beside make a pretty paper weight.'
He must have sensed my perseverance as I looked to the amethyst - ready to pocket it - and his hand was on it, my own falling on top of his.
His hand was warm, the raised scars prominent under my touch. Stephen's eyes fell upon me and he inhaled deeply through his nose before removing his hand. With a cool voice, he spoke,
'Once you're done with these, you're dismissed for the day.' he stalked back to his desk and I bit back my rude words, only letting loose a deep sigh which he rolled his eyes at as he sat down.
That had been hours ago, I glanced at the stack still remaining - huge ancient tomes with ink in scrawls I could hardly make out. I closed the book I was reading and stood, pressing it to my chest. I would continue reading in bed until I fell asleep, surely Stephen wouldn't say no if I wished to continue my study in private.
He didn't look up as I pushed in my chair and rolled my shoulders, reaching one hand up to loosen my ponytail. At this Stephen did look up, out of his own trance, book lowered to his lap and taking in my own unread pile sitting upon the desk.
'I'll read in bed,' I shook the book I held in my hand.
Stephen looked back down to his own book, 'You're not finished. Sit.'
'No,' I let out a tired laugh and started for the stairs, ready to collapse into bed and forget about the mystic arts until tomorrow. It was the least I deserved after a day bent over books which spoke in circles and fanciful language which had my eyes glaze over and brain ache.
I didn't make it far as Stephen tossed his own book on his desk and suddenly he was before me, his cloak moving him at an incredible speed, he pushed forward so that I had to take several steps back until the back of my legs hit the desk. I felt the tower of books behind me tilt and drop onto the floor.
'Sit.' he warned, 'You are not finished.' his jaw was tense, eyes blazing like cold fire.
'I have to sleep Stephen, I'm exhausted.' I shook my head, a little disbelieving that he would deny me sleep, sorcerers in Kamar-Taj always hounded on about the importance of sleep for our practice.
'Doctor Strange.' Stephen's voice was a quiet growl, he continued to move toward me until I was forced to look up to meet his gaze. A stray piece of hair curled down upon his brow as he spoke and as tired as I was, I almost reached out to push it back.
'You do not call me Stephen. I am not your friend, I am certainly not your fucking equal. You may only call me Doctor Strange when you address me.' his eyebrows raised with a cock of his head awaiting my reply.
I met his contemptful glare with my own, my words near spat at him,
'I am not yours to command, Doctor Strange.'
His arms pressed either side of me upon the desk, caging me in so that I could not escape him until I agreed to what he was asking of me, or gave him an apology. Neither I would do. It seemed none of us was sleeping tonight.
'Do me the greatest favour and leave then, I could use an apprentice who will make herself useful.'
Anger rose up inside of me at the audacity of him, to tell me I was not worthy of the apprenticeship when it was Wong himself - the Sorcerer Supreme - who had chosen me for my potential.
My arm shot out to shove him but Stephen caught my wrist and pulled me to him, his mouth dangerously close to my own as he spoke. My anger dissipated into something else entriely.
Rage. Pure and white hot. My back arching forward to touch his own so that he could feel the thunder of my heart, the heat of my skin through my robe as it burned with fury. My teeth bit into my bottom lip, I would have gathered sunk them into his own and drawn blood.
I tried to jerk my wrist free but his fingers tightened their grip and I swore I could see a small grimace of pain upon his brow as he did so.
'Are you done?' I asked him, my throat felt dry from the rush of my breath, trying once again to snatch back my wrist.
'No.'
'If you don't back off-'
'What?' he let out a soft laugh, 'What will you do to me, Lina?'
I had no answer. I was not capable of a spell or conjuring of any type this early into my apprenticeship. I was powerless and he knew it. He was not scaring me, I didn't feel unsafe with him this close to me, I didn't believe Stephen would hurt me. But if he didn't back up I was afraid the rage burning in my belly would be unleashed and I would only wake to regret it tomorrow morning. Stephen would ensure I would have to work doubly hard to regret it.
'Just let me go,' I asked averting my gaze, 'Please.'
He did immediately and stepped backward, clearing his throat.
'I'm sorry.' he shook his head, eyes moving back and forward from me to our surroundings, a shaking hand running down his face as he let out a long sigh.
'I know you're trying to help me, it's just been a long day.' I offered and hugged the book I was still holding closer to my chest.
'Go to bed, Lina.' Stephen said and stalked off and it was his dismissal of me that had me kneeling to pick up the scattered tomes on the floor and tuck them tightly against my chest.
What would I do to him, he had asked.
I stifled a yawn and lugged the tomes back toward my room.
I would prove him wrong for one thing. Then, tomorrow when I had read every single page he had assigned to me, I would enjoy the smug look upon his face when I showed him exactly how I could make myself useful.
Starting with being the bane of his fucking existence.