𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐄, doctor strange.

Waking Up

                          Ana felt movement around her, hushed voices that talked hurriedly and frantically, and she fought her curiosity to keep her eyes closed, unmoving. She heard the door softly shut, and the pair of footsteps turned into one set that echoed eerily around the room she was in. She breathed deeply, her blood filled with adrenaline as someone plopped into a seat next to her, and sighed lowly, the sound twinged with pain. She tried to hide her tensing as something warm and soft slid into her hands, its fingers wrapping around hers as its thumb slid across her knuckles softly. 

                          " Oh, God, Ana, I'm sorry," someone said quietly, and Ana inhaled sharply as she noticed it was Steven's deep voice, overflowing with guilt. " I dragged you into this and now you're hurt because of it. I should have protected you; it was my job, and I failed. You're my true friend, and I promise I will always be there, because you matter to me, in every way. Just wake up," he said again, his voice cracking on the last words, making Ana's heart clench. A strangled sound came from him, and his hand squeezed hers tightly, something in her chest fluttering. His breathing hitched in his throat, and his hand relaxed, lying limply in Ana's hand as the urge to move overflowed her.

                            Fluttering her eyes open, she watched Steven's features light up, his eyes red and puffy as they brightened, the breathtaking blue shining with un-shed tears. Ana smiled tightly, my face muscles stiff as Steven squeezed hard, his knuckles white. She inhaled deeply, running my own thumb over his calloused knuckles, sighing happily. Steven smirked, a deep kindness drifting in his eyes as he chuckled softly. Ana furrowed her brows, giving him a questioning look. " What?" she said, her voice raspy, and she cleared her throat, raising an eyebrow bemusedly. Steven shook his head, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he rubbed the back of neck. " You weren't really asleep, were you?" he said with a soft laugh, giving her his own knowing glance, making Ana shrink deeper into her white tee shirt, blushing like a red apple.

                            Ana contemplated what to say, an awkward silence drifting between them like smoke in the air, and she bit my lip, flushing a deep maroon as Steven waited for an answer with a blank expression, but she could see the impatient look in his eyes behind the blue irises. " It wasn't your fault," she said confidently, even though she noticed the squeak behind it. Steven looked down at the ground, blowing a stray brunette hair from his face out of the corner of his mouth. He looked back up again, nodding kindly as his cheeks turned red again, and Ana smirked, knowing he know that she knew what he said. " I meant it, you know," he said quietly, his voice barely more than a whisper, and she nodded, smiling softly, her eyes filled with a comforting and knowing look of assurance.

                           " I know."