Doctor Strange One Shots

Delicate Hands - Part 2

Stephen ran through the sanctum, trying his hardest not to slide and trip as he turned through its winding corridors, in search of (Y/n).

"(Y/L/N)! (Y/N)! We have a-"

Stephen turned another corner, crashing head-first straight into (Y/n), who had several artefacts wedged between her hands. And as they collided, the cloak flew through the air, catching each ancient treasure with ease as the two master's found themselves entangled with each other on the floor.

"Problem?" She finished, rubbing her head from where they met. She glanced up to see the cloak holding all of her items, and she smiled gratefully for it.

And this was a smile Stephen had never seen.

"I, uh," Stephen began to stand, holding out his hand for her before she stood by herself, ignoring his offer, "Yeah. Sorry about that. But listen, we have an actual problem-"

"Let me guess," She started, holding out her hands for the cloak as it gently lowered the artefacts back into her arms, "We've run out of Swedish Fish?" She questioned, an unamused eyebrow raised once the cloak had finished passing her all the delicate items.

"No- I mean- I hope not. Wait, have we?? I- no, not why I ran head first into you. I think there's a couple troublemakers in the sanctum."

"Tell me something I don't know." She deadpanned, obviously referring to himself.

"No, (Y/n), I think there's-"

"Oh! Oh! I know!" She bounced on her toes a little, mimicking a small child wanting to answer a teachers question. "You've finally come to your senses and realised you'd do a shit job as sorcerer supreme?"

Stephen swallowed the lump in his throat after registering her words. Because deep down he had those anxious feelings already stirring away as he thought about fulfilling the Ancient One's shoes.

But she couldn't know this.

"Uh, you wish." He sneered back, once he regained his composure.

"Oh, I do. Don't you worry."

"Just everything you say has to be so incredibly off-putting, doesn't it?"

"And you're blaming me for that??"

"Look-"

But Stephen was cut off by a fit of giggles coming down the hall. Distinctly high pitched giggles. The two master's turned, and watched an entire case of weapons fly off the wall and crash towards the ground, followed again by the same magical light Stephen saw by his desk.

-

"Pixies."

The two masters stood in the sanctum's library, pacing.

"At least we know you're not leaving random messes all over the place." (Y/n) panned, seeing him narrow his eyes to her before he replied.

"I could say the same about you."

Then his mind refocused on the issue at hand, and his features puzzled once more. "B-but how? The only pixie's that could do this would be-"

"From the Seal of Eternal Chaos..." (Y/n) breathed the realisation out loud before looking up at Stephen, "That relic was removed from the sanctum yesterday..."

Stephen rubbed his face down in annoyance, "And I bet it was tampered with."

"We need to find those little guys-"

"Before they find each other and make our lives hell. Or, you know, more hell than it already is."

"Hey-" (Y/n) exclaimed, following Stephen out of the library, both with the same spell already in mind. "I'm not the terrible one to live with..." She mumbled as they arrived in the foyer, arms outstretched and ready to cast.

"Yeah. Keep telling yourself that." Stephen winked before they commenced with the spell.

Large rings of orange runes flew through the room with the two masters standing at the very centre. And as the rings grew and spun, small patches of blue would appear and freeze, a sign that their spell was working, and locating pockets of dimensional space where their little pixie friends were hiding. The only thing was...

"Where are they?" (Y/n) shouted over the spell that was consuming the sanctum.

The spell had left little 'holes' where the pixies should be, but the two master's couldn't see any small, irritating creatures. At least, not until they turned around.

"WAZAAHHHHH!"

Stephen & (Y/n) immediately stopped the spell and entered battle mode, seeing as they were now against a 10ft pixie amalgamation.

"We're too late!" Stephen cried out as the cloak manoeuvred him through the bright blue spells being thrown about the sanctum, "They've found each other and merged! We need to defeat this thing!"

"No shit, Sherlock!" (Y/n) shouted back, her focus very much stuck on the giant creature as her hands worked to throw counter spells.

And although the two master's didn't quite see eye to eye on many things, they sure seemed to dance seamlessly together in battle; Stephen ducking and diving through the limbs of the creature, luring its attention away from (Y/n) to allow her to land more heavy strikes with her spells. And if you hadn't witnessed how their morning started, you'd have thought they were partners in every battle. Must be the result of their countless sparring sessions, no matter the results of the fights.

And Stephen noticed this, occasionally finding himself searching for her from the ceiling, and anticipating what spell or move she would do next. And he kept finding his mind returning to her. Until, of course, his focus shifted, from determination, to admiration.

Stephen no longer hovered over the creature with his focus on the fight.

No.

In this very moment, Stephen's mind was more concerned with (Y/n).

'How does she do that? So effortlessly?? If only her personality was as pleasing to interact with as it was watching her fight.'

Stephen sighed, noting how he always thought she was a commendable fighter and caster. There was just something so fluid about the way she fought; almost like she was gracefully reciting a ballet. Every step she took, every movement of her hands just felt so methodical and carefully planned out. And in this very moment, he thought, she looked quite... beautiful-

"You know, I wouldn't mind a little help down here!"

Stephen snapped out of his daze, focusing now on her struggle, and seeing the creature start to exhaust her and gain an advantage. So, without another word, Stephen flew down and joined her in the fight, an irritation now replacing his admiration.

"About time." She scoffed, throwing another spell at the creature's arm.

"Oh, silly me, thinking you could handle a 'simple' creature like this without my help." Stephen retorted back, mimicking her movements and understanding that its arm was a weak spot she had located.

"Yeah yeah- How about we finish this fight before we start a new one with each other?!?"

"Fine by me!!"

---
Now, idk if you're seeing this, but I'm feeling a little bit of... tension-

Ty guys for the feedback after the first chapter btw! I truly appreciate it :D

Until next time <3