𝑴𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒏 (𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆)

۞ EIGHT: VICES & VULTURES ۞

(Songs: "VICES" by Mothica and "Vultures" by Northlane. This chapter is the aftermath of the last one and there might be a surprise at the end.... Something I've been kind of teasing in the last few pieces and don't worry about Dante, friends. We're only getting started. x Tiger)

EIGHT

A few moments of sobbing into Stephen's chest as he held me close, I slowly found my voice again and I cleared my voice while trying to regain my bearings. I move my head from his chest but he keeps an arm around my waist in comfort. Red flicks his collar at me while being draped over the arm of the couch and I softly chuckle, sniffling away my tears for the moment. I took a few breaths before looking Stephen in the eyes again and started going into the next chapter of my sob story.

"When I went into foster care, I was the child from hell. I trashed my room and ran away many times. As a teenager I got into drugs and alcohol after hanging out with very sketchy people.

"I don't know how I managed to reach adulthood, but it was when I was in my early twenties there was one night that changed everything. I was already drunk with a couple friends when one of them offered me a couple pills he said would stop the dizziness I was feeling from the booze. I almost took them, but something told me to swipe them away. I'm glad that I did because I passed out.

"I woke up in the hospital the next morning and they said I was close to death via alcohol poisoning. I was also told that the pills I'd swiped away were fentanyl. I was shocked, but as I got my wits about me I realized just how far I'd fallen. After getting out of the hospital I sobered up though sometimes I'll have a drink with dinner."

Stephen just stared with wide eyes. The fact that I almost died broke his heart, which I could see on his face. Suddenly, his grip on me tightened and I just hugged him back and laid my head on his shoulder letting all my words process. All the sudden I feel a familiar fabric wrap around us and Stephen doesn't seem to care at the moment, but I greatly appreciate it.

"If I had taken those pills, I wouldn't be here. In some part of my mind at the time, it would have been okay and I realize now- it never was okay."

"What about your powers? How did they play a role in all this?" Stephen asks with genuine curiosity.

I laughed darkly and said, "When I was an 'angry drunk' no one around me was safe. Everyone was a target for my power. I would see people collapse in pain and I didn't care what would happen to them. I looked at them like someone would play a game of chess- as pawns. They were obviously too invested in the booze and other substances being offered to really put the pieces together."

I feel his fingers move along the skin on the outside of my hand in comfort before he moves both of them toward my face, cupping my jawline. "But you survived it all. If this hadn't happened to you, you wouldn't even be sitting here. With me in this moment."

My head automatically snaps up at him as I look into his blue eyes. "What did you just say?" I say with surprise in my voice.

Stephen crosses the space between us and our lips meet in a kiss that not only shocks me but I return it after a few seconds, my hands move to wrap themselves around his neck as the kiss deepens between us. Our lips break away and I smile, content.

"I've been waiting on that for a while now," I murmur as his face becomes flustered and in the corner of my eye, I see Red move his collar as if he's trying to contain his giggles and I start laughing at him.

He notices Red and his face takes on a deadpan look. "You're over a thousand years old and yet still act like a child."

"Well, at least age didn't tamper with his spirit." I say and Red flips his collar as if to say, "Got that right!"

Stephen shakes his head and can't help but laugh himself.

(Dante's POV)

After putting a spell on a murder of crows, I watched as they flew through a portal to The Sanctum and three head over to where Katrina is sleeping, perching themselves up on her windowsill as the other three sought out Stephen Strange. Once they find his room, they perch on his windowsill. I know the time is coming when I can get Strange into a vulnerable enough position to break him.