Benedict Cumberbatch Imagines

IMAGINE: Meeting Stephen and growing close to him

You sit at the table in the library at Kamar-Taj. Your head is in your hand and you flip through a spell book, bored out of your mind.

"You look like you're about to fall asleep." Stephen Strange says, sitting down across from you.

You look up at him in surprise. You laugh softly. "That's because I am." You answer.

He nods to your book. "Boring?" He asks.

"To say the least." You groan.

"Can I keep you company?"

You brighten. "Please." You beg. Stephen smiles and flips open his book. You cross your arms on the table and rest your chin on your hands. "You know, I've heard a lot about you, Stephen." You state.

He looks up from his book and stares at you. "Is that so?" He asks.

You nod. "You've led an interesting life." You claim.

"A good interesting or bad interesting?" He inquires.

You squint your eyes and bite your lip. "Maybe a mix of both." You answer softly.

Stephen gives you a sad smile. "Maybe more bad than good." He murmurs.

"Does this have to do with the car accident that led you here?" You ask.

He shakes his head. "No. Looking back on it now, the car accident was a blessing, though at the time I didn't think it was. The car accident led me here. It made me who I am now. And I wouldn't want to change that." He explains.

Your eyebrows draw. "Then I don't understand. Why would your life be more bad than good?" You ask.

"A woman, a former lover." He states.

Your eyebrows shoot up in surprise and you lift your head off your arms. "Yes?" You say, wanting him to continue.

"After my accident, I was fixated on getting my hands fixed so I could perform surgeries again. Getting my hands fixed was all I ever thought about. There was a woman—Christine—who tried to help me get used to life with disabled hands. But I couldn't accept that as my fate. Finally, she had had it. She rejected me and left me. I haven't seen her since." He answers softly.

"Oh." You breathe. "I'm so sorry." You tell him.

Stephen smiles at you and shakes his head. "It's okay. It's for the better, at least that's what I keep telling myself." He says.

You reach across the table and cover Stephen's hand with your own. "It is for the better, Stephen. I believe that." You whisper, staring into his eyes.

"Thank you." He whispers.

---

The next morning you pass Stephen in a hall. "Hey, Y/N." He says, stopping and looking back at you.

You smile at him and stop walking. "Hey." You say.

"I'm studying some spell books tonight in the library if you want to join me." He offers.

Your smile stretches into a grin and your heart flutters excitedly. "I'd love that, Stephen." You answer.

Stephen smiles at you, trying to conceal his excitement. "Okay-okay, great." He laughs. "I'll see you tonight then."

"Of course." You reply.

"Bye." He whispers, before walking off. You stand in the hallway, watching him. Before he turns down a hall, he turns back and looks at you, still smiling handsomely. You smile and give him a little wave, suddenly very excited for tonight.