Doctor Strange One Shots

Assistance - Part 2

"Ah, (Y/l/n)! I was just about to come looking for you-"

(Y/n) had found Stephen in the break room with a styrofoam cup of coffee stationed between his hands. But she paid no mind to it when she slammed down a form onto the table straight in front of him.

"Hey- careful!"

"Careful?!"

(Y/n)'s raised voice would have definitely turned some heads. And Stephen was conscious of this, noting her stressed and agitated state, surrounded by other surgeons and the like also taking their long awaited breaks from work.

And Stephen peered down, seeing the file she had put down in front of him was none other than the peer reference he filled out the other day.

The peer reference, mind you, that he completely faked.

"Is there... a problem?"

He asked, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips as he looked around the room, seeing several eyes now turned onto them, watching anticipated as to what was about to unfold. And (Y/n)'s glare told him enough as to what was about to happen.

He knew she was about to blow his head off with unreasonable insults. Unreasonable to him, at least.

So, before she could start, Stephen stood and grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the busy break room and down the halls into the first unlocked door he could find.

Which just so happened to be a broom closet.

"(Y/l/n), I can explain-"

"Explain what exactly?? That I'm, let me see..." (Y/n) held up the form and started to quote from it, " 'incredibly useless and doesn't know how to perform the simplest of tasks'? Or what about the fact that 'she shows little to zero respect for the patients we work with or other hospital staff''."

"Look- I know it sounds bad but-"

"Bad?? Stephen, what on Earth were you thinking!?"

"Well I couldn't just-"

"You know, in all the years I've known you, you've done a lot of shitty things. And I mean, really shitty. But this? I just don't get it."

Stephen could see tears starting to well up in her eyes the more she spoke, and a piece of him was starting to ache upon this realisation.

"I have always been there for you. I've done nothing but be a decent assistant to you. And if I'm being honest, you're not the easiest person to work with! You're rude, and arrogant, and quite frankly-"

"I couldn't let them just take you!"

Stephen cut her off with his hands on her arms, shaking her slightly as he spoke.

"...what?"

Stephen ungrasped himself from her and turned, sighing before letting his hand pinch the bridge of his nose in stress.

He needed a new plan. Otherwise, he'd look like an idiot. And that wasn't an option.

"(Y/n)," He started, turning around with what could only be described as 'Stephen-sorrow' muddled into his features; a kind of sadness that one would rarely see, but never know just how genuine it was. "I- I just don't know how easily I could adjust to a new assistant if you left."

Stephen's hands had returned to her arms, his thumbs gently rubbing circles on her skin, hoping to do anything but agitate her clearly vexed state.

"So... you said all that horrible stuff about me... so I wouldn't leave?"

Her features were perplexed, but her state, nonetheless, was calmer as she spoke. But only slightly.

"Was that not obvious?"

Stephen chuckled slightly, shuffling himself closer to her now that he knew she wouldn't bite his head off with anger. At least, he assumed so. And his demeanour softened, hoping his next moves would go as planned.

"I need you, (Y/n). I wouldn't be able to function without you."

His words sounded almost genuine, and kind. And she could feel her heart rate start to pick up slightly, now also noting the intimacy of this messy closet. Stephen never said stuff like this to... well, anyone. 'Caring' just wasn't a word you'd typically use to describe him.

"I mean..."

He shuffled closer, letting his eyes trail her lips before landing deeply in her eyes. And she started to focus more on the way he was touching her, the little circles on her arms starting to shoot sparks and tingles down her spine.

It's like she was utterly charmed by him and his words. Something about the way he was speaking and moving, just felt like in this moment, in this stuffy broom closet, she was the only thought in his mind.

"(Y/l/n), you're so important to me."

He paused, and moved to push a stray strand away from her face, before his hand landed comfortably on her cheek

"The work you do is indispensable. I mean, who would shuffle around my appointments when I'm too busy speaking at a conference?"

But there it was.

Always work.

The only thing he truly cared about.

And just as (Y/n) started to register his words, she also registered the way in which he was leaning in, hands grazing her cheek, his eyes starting to flutter closed-

"You're pathetic."

She pushed him back, her annoyance bubbling back up to the surface.

"Oh come on, will you ever agree to one date with me?"

"Stephen-"

(Y/n) sighed, wishing he would take the situation a little more seriously.

"You couldn't have just told me you didn't want me to transfer?"

"Well- Uh..."

"Or, you know, not sent the form???"

Stephen rolled his eyes, more irritated now that his ploy to distract her didn't seem to work instead of, you know, the actual problem of the form.

"You do realise your words hold actual weight, right? If it weren't for your reputation across the medical board, half the funding of this hospital wouldn't exist! Whole departments and equipment wouldn't be in practice."

"Are you trying to get me turned on or-"

"Because of what you've said, they're not only never going to approve me for the transfer, but they're also talking about firing me!"

Stephen paused, his charming and flirtatious demeanour dissolving into the tense space between them.

"F-fire you? Well, they can't do that-"

"Well, Stephen, they're going to. Because who would want someone working at a hospital who's utterly useless and rude to other people. Especially if that word was coming from not only the hospital's best surgeon, but also her boss."

She sighed in defeat, and moved to leave the closet. And just as she was about to shut the door, she turned around and met his eyes.

"And, no. I've already told you a million times that dating my boss is not in my card of 'useless' skills."

And with that, she walked away.

Leaving Stephen completely dumbfounded and at a loss for words.

Well, except for one.

"Shit."

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Oop- uh oh  ┐('～';)┌

That's a little awkward ngl.

Until next time <3