No bargain with death (MCU x reader)

13. upside down

Your life had changed drastically that day.

After the conversation with Banner you were allowed to leave the infirmary.

The Avenger's compound was gigantic, clean and impressive. It didn't feel like home at all. It was too clean for home, to empty and strange. But Stark gave his very best to make you like the place. He let you furnish your room on your own (you made it look a lot like the tiny flat you had left behind. Pillows everywhere, a lot of plants that made the room smell nice and curtains that made the room appear in constant twilight.) and he made sure that you weren't alone whenever you left said room.

Which didn't happen too often. You preferred your room over the alien world outside of it. That was why Stark turned up in front of your door rather often. To pick you up and show you the place. To make you interact with others. Despite him still being devastated by the loss of Peter. He cried a lot and you knew it but he tried to hide that.

You felt worse and worse about it every day. It felt like it was your fault that he was that miserable. Stark didn't realise but he started to push you towards a decision that couldn't be undone.

You were curled up on the floor in a heap of cushions, imagining what dying must feel like when someone knocked on the door. You flinched, then relaxed. As of now you weren't used to knocking on your door. It had happened so rarely and only as a promise of pain that it was something bad for you. You had a tough time trying to turn knocking from a bad omen into a neutral thing. You hadn't yet managed.

With a sigh you got to your feet and went to open the door, expecting Stark to be there. But it wasn't Stark. It was Strange. You hadn't seen him in days and you hadn't missed him. Stark's company had been enough to keep you occupied.

"Uhm... Hello, mister Strange" , you said, not sure how to greet him. You had started to be a little more respecting towards others.

"Doctor, please, (y/n)" , he corrected while reaching out his hand to take yours. You frowned. Maybe this bigheaded idiot didn't deserve your respect after all. You stared at his hand for a second, then you sighed and shook it. He had a strong handshake and you weren't surprised.

"What do you want?" , you asked for you were sure that he wanted something. He wouldn't have turned up on your doorstep if he didn't want something from you. He was the kind of person that only turned towards someone else if it was of use to them.

"Let's walk a little, shall we?" , he asked, smiling. You frowned. Wow, what now? He was acting nice. Why would he do so? You were curious now.

Curiosity killed the cat.

But satisfaction brought it back.

Screw it. You wanted to know.

So you nodded and followed the man outside, taking a closer look at him. He was thin, must have lost weight since he and Stark had turned up at your doorstep. It appeared that the loss of Peter affected him just as much as Stark and that Stark's pain affected him even further. His normally already prominent cheekbones looked like sharp blades and his once powerful eyes with the indistinguishable colour were dry and dull.

"You should eat more" , you told him, "You don't look well."

He froze in his steps for the shortest of moments and then moved on, glancing at you out of the corner of his eyes.

"You may be right" , he sighed, shrugging.

He admitted that he wasn't doing well. Would god offer you the key to heaven next? Strange was conceited, it wasn't normal for these people to admit that there were flaws in their lives. People were overall rather unwilling to admit that not everything was perfect. Especially the older generation.