The Sorcerer's Apprentice {Stephen Strange}

Twenty-Three

Do It Again by Steely Dan

After overhearing much more than necessary, Emerson moves to head back to the room just as Strange summons his cloak. "Don't you dare," Emerson whispers with gritted teeth as the magical fabric tries deciding who to listen to. After a second of silence, the Sorcerer Supreme calls for it once more. The cloak instantly unlatches itself from the sergeant's shoulders, dropping her to the ground with a loud thud before speeding into the kitchen. Emerson sits on the ground trying to quickly come up with a way to get out of the room. 

"Emerson?" Strange says aloud as he follows where the sound of the thud came from. He swiftly walks around the corner with the cloak sitting contently on his shoulders.

"Hi," she sheepishly responds, afraid of what he might say. "I would be going, however... Um, well," she gestures to her limp legs on the ground before moving her eyes back to the cloak. "He likes you better."

"I'd assume so. He did choose me," Strange shrugs nonchalantly. After an awkward silence, the Sorcerer Supreme clears his throat. "What did you hear?" He questions, trying to keep his cool. 

"Who? Me? Nothing," the sergeant tries to lie but it's not convincing in the slightest. Strange takes an intimidating step forward as he towers over Emerson's body. After all the time they've spent together, he can tell when the sergeant is fibbing. She looks to her feet and chews on the skin around her nails— It's a dead giveaway.

"Don't lie to me," he whispers slightly irritated. He just wants to know what Emerson heard in case he needs to make excuses.

"You have no right to tell me what to do, you ass. I'm not a child nor am I someone you can control. God, you always fucking do this," Emerson responds, still sitting on the ground only this time she's frustrated with the doctor's attitude. "At least get me off the floor instead of letting me sit here like an idiot," she shouts. With a wave of his hand, she's levitating towards a chair. She's placed in it and he walks directly towards her, his eyes dark and his posture straight.

"Do not yell at me either," is all he says. He wants to tell her how he feels. His mind is yelling at him, begging him to release his thoughts. Emerson's pajama-clad body sits in the chair just a foot in front of him and it takes all the willpower in his body not to pull her out of the seat and plant a kiss on her lips. Maybe that would finally shut her up.

"You, Stephen, have been getting on my nerves," she spits out his name like a piece of chewed-up gum. "You embarrassed me in front of everyone. I was actually having a great time, no thanks to you. I know it's your birthday and all, but why can't I have some fun too? The moment you noticed I had a smile on my face you sent me-"

"No, the moment I saw Thor manhandling you-"

"Manhandling me?" Emerson shouts in a disbelieving tone. She tries hard to resist the urge to laugh in his face. "We were all playing a game! A stupid little drinking game. If you wanted to have fun and play so bad you could've joined but you were too busy eye fucking Christine. You were talking to her the entire night, smiling at everything she said. The moment I left you probably took her to some empty room and laid pipe-"

"Laid what? What the hell are you talking about, Emerson? This isn't about Christine; can't you see that?" Strange's voice rises in anger. His hand runs through his dark hair before he dismisses the cloak, leaving him still dressed in his suit.

"How is it not? You were with her the entire night and only interrupted me when you saw I was having fun."

"I interrupted you when I saw Thor was about to shove his tongue down your throat!" Strange shouts causing Emerson to jump. "But you talk too damn much to even hear what I'm trying to say. You don't listen and you sure as hell don't pick up on context clues."

"So now you're calling me dumb? You embarrassed me, yelled at me, and now you're insulting me?" She shouts, wishing she could walk out of her chair and go to her room, but even if she could walk, Strange would be blocking her way. The doctor steps forward, placing both of his hands on the arm wrests of the chair so he leans over the sergeant. She looks up at him, her eyes looking his face up and down in an attempt to read him. "What are you doing?" She whispers while rolling her eyes, her voice catching in her throat and the pace of her heartbeat picks up. His hot breath hits her face while he lets out a frustrated sigh. Emerson catches a whiff of both his cologne and natural woodsy, library scent which sends her body into a withering mess.

"Listen to me for once and hear what I'm trying to tell you," he whispers in the sergeant's ear. As his breath hits her neck, shivers trail down her skin. "Just don't make me say it out loud."

"Stephen," Emerson starts, finally putting all the pieces together. As he pulls away from whispering in her ear, his face lingers in front of hers. The sergeant's eyes travel from his lips to his eyes and back down to his lips. She grabs the collar of his dress shirt, pulling his face towards hers and he gently places a hand on the back of her neck. As their lips touch, Emerson's eyes shut and the doctor lets out a sigh before hungrily kissing the sergeant back. Emerson's body relaxes at his touch and any frustration leaves her mind as her hands wander from the collar of the shirt down his clothed chest. His mouth parts as his tongue darts out to lick his lips and Emerson can't resist it any further. It felt like she had been waiting for this moment forever.

Stephen tasted exquisite, his lips surprisingly soft and plump and without a second thought, she slips her tongue along the seam of his mouth. She feels his heart rate spike as he opens up for her. As the kiss deepens and the pace of their heartbeats picks up, Emerson lets out a small, appreciative moan.

"I don't suggest doing that unless-" He breaks the kiss to whisper.

"Shh, keep kissing me," Emerson mutters into the kiss causing Stephen to let out a chuckle. He obliges, his soft lips brushing against hers once more. One kiss became another and eventually, after a few minutes, they broke off again. Both of them were slightly breathless, and Stephen found himself entirely reluctant to let go of the sergeant. Emerson's hands still hold the color of his dress shirt, making it apparent she didn't want to let go either.

"Emerson," Stephen hesitantly says, realizing only now what has happened. Any student-teacher dynamic the two had is no longer there. He was weak and gave in to the temptation of the sergeant, putting everything at risk. Almost regretting his decision, he backs away from Emerson. 

"What's wrong?" She questions, unsure what the sorcerer is thinking. Emerson didn't realize she did something wrong. She only assumed that him kissing her back meant they were on the same page so it's worrisome to see him appear so disturbed. 

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong," he lies, not wanting to hurt her feelings in any way. If things were different and he wasn't the Sorcerer Supreme, maybe something between the two could work out, but with the weight of the world on his shoulders, he cannot afford to be distracted by a small infatuation. 

***

A/N: Happy New Year everyone ! Hopefully 2022 is significantly better than 2021 but I won't hold my breath. Sorry for the short chapter (at least 700 words shorter than normal) but hopefully it suffices for now :))