Only a scar: Doctor Strange x Fem!reader

Chapter 15 - Rejection

"I'm home, and I am five seconds away from raining hell fire if I don't get a hug!" Instantly the cloak sped out a hall and wrapped around you. "Thanks, Cloaky," you whisper, sitting down on the ground.

"What happened?" Stephen rushed down the steps and towards you worriedly.

"Long day," you mumble, slightly vexed. There was a small strain in your neck and your head was pounding from the sheer amount of paper work.

"Want to talk about it?" He holds a hand out which you take, leaning on him while you both walk down the hall towards the kitchen. Stephen took out two mugs and started to make two cups of hot chocolate, soon handing one over and leaning on the counter. "So?"

"I was late and instead of getting a scolding from Fury and Hill, instead I found out everyone thinks we would date," you scoff in disbelief. "Can you believe that? They think you and I like each other in that way,"

Strange felt his heart drop, his hands curling around the mug tighter, an amused look and similar scoff leaving his lips. "Bet you would have wanted that lecture more,"

"I know right?" Bringing the drink to your lips, you started to ramble on.

With his façade up, unbothered and listening to your every word, he was in fact the exact opposite internally. Somehow your words hurt him more than the idea of your blatant 'no' if he asked you out to dinner. Not that he hasn't been rejected in the past; plenty of people have said no to him so this wouldn't have hurt... only it did, and he didn't know why it was any different.

"Hey, Stephen, you alright? Seems like you had a busy day... is there something on your mind?"

"Yeah, trying to figure out how I can trick Wong into getting dinner for once," he looks around as if that really was his thought this entire time.

"Don't worry, I'll cook," you pat his hand lightly. "Thanks for making me feel better, douchebag,"

"Idiot," he shoots back, taking your empty mug while you walk away. "Don't," the sorcerer holds a finger up to stop the cloak's persistent tugs at his robes.

~~~

Continuous denials were spewed from your lips every time someone insinuated something was going on between you and Stephen. For days on end all you heard was: "You're in denial", "Make a move", "Just take a chance" or the best one yet: "He likes you back".

You didn't bother trying to look into it, but for some odd reason that little "he likes you back" triggered a small voice in the back of your head. You'd dress up a little more around the sanctum, maybe nicer clothes or just the occasional fixing on some makeup or doing your hair; while you didn't notice the change in actions, Strange did the moment it started.

"You're staring," Wong smacks Strange over the head with a book while they sorted the library.

"Am not," he replies, rubbing the sore spot on his head and tearing his eyes from you in the kitchen he could just see over the second floor railings.

"Ask her out,"

"Funny, Wong, when did you become a comedian?" That caused another smack against the head. "Seriously?"

"Yes,"

"She obviously stated she didn't like me back, so what's the point?" Stephen placed a Chakra book along with others.

"The point is she's in denial and you need to do something about it," Wong tried to hit Stephen when he went back to his glance into the kitchen only for Strange to stop it before it landed against his head.

"Stop it," he snatched the book away and snapped his eyes to Wong. "I'm over it,"

"Guess you're both in denial,"