Strange Winters: Heroes Fall

15. Stay

Kyra followed Christine home and the girls ordered in. Over food, they got to know each other better, i.e Kyra finally explaining her relationships, and Christine sharing how she got to know Strange. Kyra showered while her host set up the futon for her. The water must have been super hot since she went through a whole trip.

Stephen was at a fancy dinner. He was going around talking to people, and grabbed a gin from the passing by tray. It took less than two minutes for him to get sick and choke on foam. Suddenly, Kyra found herself there, the scene set a few minutes back. She spotted him talking to a group of doctors, a waiter about to head his way. Before Stephen could grab a drink, Kyra ran, knocking into the waiter.

The fall took her consciousness back into the shower. Kyra shook her head and finished her wash and headed out of the bathroom. As soon as her hand touched the door handle, she was in another scene.

Stephen touched the mic on the podium as he was accepting his award. Instead of applause, he got a shock full, buzzing with electricity as he fell to the ground. Again, Kyra arrived a minute before, and kicked the podium away, shorting out the mic.

She saved him from stab wounds, explosions, straight up gun to the head. But every save ushered in a new scene. She kept coming up later and later till

Suddenly, Kyra sat up panting on the futon. This couldn't happen. Not now. She called out for Christine but after not getting replies, she decided to call her before panicking.

"Hey, sorry I left. Had an emergency call," Christine defended herself as she answered the hospital phone.

"Is Stephen there?"

"No, I think he left. He had a di..."

"Dinner today..." Kyra said together as she jumped up from the couch.

"Is everything okay?"

"I don't know. I have to go see him."

"Okay. I'll text you his address. I have a copy of his key, it should be in my side table drawer. Keep me in the loop if anything happens, yeah?"

"Yeah, thanks," Kyra quickly hung up and stumbled as she ran to Christine's room to get the key.

It wasn't hard to find the fancy key fob in the dresser with other random things. Christine had sent the address while Kyra put on something warmer. She fisted the key tightly in her hands and envisioned the address, finding herself standing out in the rain not seconds later. She looked up to find herself outside a sky scraping condo building.

Kyra mumbled to herself as she marched inside, getting weird looks as fancy hotel staff watched her pass by in her clumsy outfit. She had planned to pop up inside, but apparating outside hadn't been too bad. She could have done worse. She awkwardly chuckled at the lobby management as she showed them the key before quickly stepping into the elevator. It couldn't close fast enough.

Stephen Strange exited his bedroom almost ready to go as he fixed his cufflinks. He'd expected to be alone, as he always was, so seeing a reflection of someone standing by his window was a startling image. He hoped he hadn't jumped as he pulled out his drawer to pick out a watch.

"Bored?" He asked, not really interested in the answer.

"Christine left me," Kyra answered, her sigh expressing her emotions.

"You're not going to find any company here either, I'm afraid. I'm about to head out," he tried on one watch, seeing if it would match his suit.

"Right, you have the big society dinner tonight," she'd come closer, looking over his shoulder at the rotating watch display.

"I'd invite you, but you're not exactly dressed for the occasion," he smirked as they both chose the same watch.

She pouted, letting him wear the watch as she explored his wall of trophies. "There's only so much I can afford on a resident salary."

"Stephen Strange, surgeon supreme," Kyra titled him as he joined her by the trophy case.

"And getting better," Dr. Strange reminded her as he looked at his watch to see how much time he had to make it to his event.

"You're running out of shelf space. Do you really need another award?"

"Yes, to remind myself I'm ✨ just ✨ that good!" He did his little dance again, but Kyra could see through his façade. She'd been in his shoes; filling the void of failure with something that was never going to fill the hole.

"What if there was another way, for you to know that you're good?" She dallied, trying to make herself ominous to catch his attention.

He was game, following as she walked over to the window to watch the rain. She had moved him farther from the door; if only her uncle could hear her silent plea.

"Like what?"

"I don't know," she pressed herself back against the glass, her fingers racing the raindrops, ''we could stay in. Have some wine," her silk voice was roping him closer.

"I could tell you whatever you want to hear," she couldn't speak louder with how close he was to her.

"Like what?" His voice dropped to echo hers, his thumb on her lip trying to coax out the words he wanted.

"You can have whatever you want," her eyes were pleading, begging him to stay.

Stephen took her up on her offer and pulled her face up to meet him halfway as he kissed her. Her soul had crashed into him, or something like that as the feeling overwhelmed him. He'd cut himself off, denied himself the happiness he had stolen from her. He'd had physical relations before, but this felt more. This one kiss gave him a glimpse of what he'd been afraid of for all those years. He didn't want to let it go.

The plan was to just distract him long enough to make him forget about leaving, but his mouth on hers, his hands in her head, made her forget why she had come. She didn't intend for it to become something more, but she was sure if he asked, she'd let him have it.

As an Asgardian, she could have held on longer, but she got just enough sense to remember he was mortal and pulled back. The kiss was over, but they still stood head to head... until the bell rang.

She felt the tension in his muscles, his heavy breath on her cupid's bow, and her eyes cinched.

Damn.

"Come with me," Stephen invited her, his voice quiet unless the bell could hear them.

"I'm not exactly dressed for the occasion," she chuckled exhaustedly, using his own words against him.

He chuckled. "I could have the concierge bring you something."

"Don't go," she whispered as he moved away from her, out of her reach.

"I can wait," he kept on his own track, hand on the intercom.

"I can't."

She voiced the words on both their minds.

Stephen sighed, slowly removing his fingers from the buzzer. "If you go, leave the keys," he instructed without looking back, and left.

He should have stayed.