Rough Path to Memory Square - Doctor Strange x Reader (Earth 838)

32. Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Stephen's hands continue to squeeze your neck, you feel the tears running down your face.
"Please." you croak, tightly holding onto his robes.

"No mercy this time," he says, and starts squeezing harder.

You finally close your eyes and pray to all gods in existence to make this stop. "Stop this nightmare." you say, taking a deep breath as fingers on your throat loosen.

"You called, honey?" a voice says in front of you, and you open your eyes again, looking at the black mass before you. In a second it takes a human-like shape, still black, as if it was wearing a swimsuit.

"What are you? What is this?" you want to turn around, but you're seated on some sort of stone chair. The figure in front of you changes from black to green, and you finally see the features of a very pale man.

"This is my home. Well, technically it's your head but since I'm in control..." he shrugs comically and smiles, showing a row of sharp teeth. "I'm Nightmare."

"Yes, I can see what a nightmare you are," you say, struggling against the invisible force once more.

***

Strange, now carrying you towards the bedroom, hears one word from your mouth, "Nightmare." He barges into your room, startling America, who was still asleep. He hurriedly puts you on the bed and puts his hand on your forehead again. Still burning hot.

"What happened?" America asks, scrambling towards your body, weirdly straight as a chord.

"I- I don't know, she uh, she fell asleep, and then she didn't wake up, I can't wake her up. It's like she's stuck somewhere. And I think the incursion started." Stephen rambled so quickly that it took a moment for America to fully understand his words.

"Incursion? Can you fix it?" she taps your face, but quickly retracts her hand. "Oh God, she's burning."

"Get me a wet towel, run it under cold water, and I'll get her robes off," Stephen orders the girl, and she runs away. "Come on now, where are you, y/n?" he mutters, taking off the first layer of your attire.

***

"My name is Nightmare, you ungrateful brat." he spits, shooting up from his throne.

"Oh," you say to yourself and nod slightly. "I would say it's nice to meet you, but everything I've experienced wasn't nice at all."

"That's the point, right? You liked my little show?" he smiles, and it chills you to the bones.

"Liked? I-" you don't get to finish as he claps his hands loudly.

"Glad to help. You see, it was quite hard to get to you. I used to sneak up in your dreams, get to know you before the grand meeting." he begins pacing slowly in front of you.

"I'm flattered that you care so much about me. Why?" you strain a little and notice that your hands are a bit free, it becomes easier to breathe. If you're even breathing here.

"Your mind is interesting. I had to create a little scheme to, you know, wrap things up." he swings his finger in the air and laughs maniacally.

***

"Stephen, here!" America bursts into the room with a wet towel, noticing you lying on the bed with a t-shirt, and robes thrown next to you.

"Her pulse is high, it's like a fever, or something worse," Stephen says, tapping the wet towel on your face to cool you off a bit.

"Stephen, I don't think that's a medical problem," America says cautiously, afraid that in this state, Stephen might burst again.

"Nightmare..." he whispers, but then loud steps reach his ears.