𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐄, doctor strange.

Emotions

STEVEN'S POINT OF VIEW

                              Ana stepped through the portal wobbly, being on her legs new to her, and I settled a firm hand on her shoulder as she begun to fall over with a yelp, and she smiled gratefully up at me before disappearing around the corner and into the foyer of my home, and I watched with an amused smirk as she lifted her arms above her head, inhaling deeply the lavender scent of the air and lifting her head to the ceiling, eyes closed as a content smile played upon her lips. 

                             I chuckled under my breath, shaking my head at the floor at her silliness as I turned around, heading to her previous hospital room. As I lifted my head towards the door, I slightly jumped as I saw Christine's figure leaning against the doorway, her arms crossed with a amused smirk on her face. I raised an eyebrow questioningly, and lifted hers, too, coming to stand in front of me. She tilted her head, frowning. " You're not wearing your watch," she said accusingly, and I glanced down at my hand to find the watch she had given me a few months back, missing from my hand. I bit my lip, feeling guilt overwhelm me, and kept my gaze affirmed to the floor.

                              " It's fine, Steven," she said quietly, but I could hear the pain under her tone. I pretended not to notice, and lifted my head up finally, smiling innocently. She sighed with a frustrated tone, not amused as she frowned deeply, and I cringed under her glare. " You've found someone else, I wouldn't expect you to keep wearing it," she said again, her voice more confident as she motioned towards the portal, where Ana swiftly passed by, reading intently into a book with furrowed brows, before bounding up the stairs and out of sight. I let Christine's words set in and looked up with an incredulous gaze, catching her meaning. " No, Christine, no, me  and, um, Ana, are not..." I rambled, running a hand through my hair nervously. Ana and I weren't like that; just friends. Christine smirked, unconvinced. " Too bad. I liked her," she said with a sarcastic, yet amused, tone, before turning on her heel and heading towards the door to the mop closet, letting it slam behind her. I sighed, biting my lip.

                        Pushing the previous moments from my mind, I swiftly emerged into my foyer, closing the portal behind me with a hiss. I glanced around quickly, catching Ana's gaze perched on top of a staircase step, her head buried in the Great Gatsby. Nice choice. She softly smiled at me, and my chest fluttered, and I frowned in confusion, but out of her notice. Her brown eyes drifted across the page quickly, soaking in the words as she flipped the page over, occasionally leaning back with wide eyes before staring into the book again, the page pressed to her nose. I chuckled at her varying positions, before starting towards the kitchen, reaching for the handle of the fridge. 

But something stopped me.

                         Hanging from a magnetic clip was a small picture, square in size and around the area of my outstretched hand. It was Ana and I, smiling giddily into the camera as we attempted not to laugh at our ridiculous antics, and the memory flashed through my mind, making me grin widely. Ana's chocolate eyes were looking into the camera, her straight white teeth wide and full of happiness. I, on the other hand, was staring at her, my eyes soft and my lips pulled upwards as I stood slightly behind her. I squinted at the picture, and leaned back again, forgetting about my operation to grab something from the fridge. Rubbing the picture between my fingers, the glass-feeling substance smooth between my thumb and index, I turned on my heel and started towards the couch, needing relaxation from the past two days, and thought about Christine's words in my head.

Ana and I were just friends. 

Just . . . friends.