THE APPRENTICE II

20

"Why would I ask her if she's still angry?" Stephen scoffed and placed his feet on the table, then rolled his eyes. Wong crossed his arms and leaned on the door. "You sound like Christine- did you two coordinate with Hazel?,"

"No, we're just emotionally aware." He responded and smirked smugly. The doctor let out a groan and pursed his lips. "But did you-,"

"-fine, yeah, of course I asked her. I asked her twice." He admitted. Wong shot him a questioning look. "She ignored me. Who does that? Nobody ignores me!"

Wong let out a mocking chuckle and he responded with a frown.
"Nobody who works for you. At least she's being transparent. You were at fault,"

"I just wanted to-,"

"-defend her honor, yes." He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "I expected more from you. Has it ever occurred to you that she could be in a place where she feels she needs more control over her life?"

Strange was clearly uncomfortable and shifted in his seat. He swept his feet off the table as if Hazel were there to push them off.

"That was satisfying. When will she be back?" Wong inquired and took the red book from the table. He headed to the door leading to the monastery.

"Soon, she went to Stark's for a new phone."

It was when Hazel was walking back to the Sanctum, when a small sound alarmed her in an alley. The last time she did that, she met Peter; she was still deciding whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. Still, she came to investigate the sound.

"Cat!" She gasped in delight when she found a fluffy, gray kitten hidden behind a garbage can. It was one of those cats that looked like a stuffed toy. "What's wrong?"

It meowed once again and she realized that it was shivering in fear. Hazel pulled a blanket out of thin air after looking around for possible witnesses and placed it on the feline.

"Where's your owner? Are you hungry? Aw, you're hungry, aren't you?" She cooed and fed it a piece of chicken and watched it take the smallest bites. "Do you have someone to take care of you? Why am I acting like you'll answer me?"

She shot up from her squatting position and dusted herself off. She said her goodbyes and continued on walking. Another meow sounded from behind her.

"Hey, stop following me!" She smiled, and it only made another noise. It stumbled over a styrofoam takeout container and she watched it get up. "See what I did? I let you do things on your own, unlike some people!"

She remarked bitterly with a happy tone. It only followed her around faster. Hazel bit her lip in consideration.

The lock of the Sanctum door clicked, which marked Hazel's return. Stephen scrambled to the door and unlocked it for her, but didn't pull it open so as not to offend her.

"Hazel." He greeted and nodded, then stepped back when she pushed past him hurriedly. "You're still angry."

It sounded more like a conclusion than a question. He blocked her view insistently and decided to give it another shot. Before he could apologize, however, a sound emitted from her tunics.

"What's that sound?" He perked up and stepped back, then investigated the bulge in the fabrics. He squinted his eyes suspiciously. "What've you got?,"

"My new phone." She disclosed swiftly and put her chin up. She tried to end the discussion, but he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Woah woah woah, I did not just hear a meow." He was answered by the same sound and he flicked the cloak off her. "That's...a cat,"

"I know, I was just gonna give it some milk." She made an attempt to place it down on the floor, but it climbed to her shoulder and refused to leave.

"And now it's stuck on you,"

"I know, I want it to be there,"

"We can't keep the cat,"

"Yeah, I know we can't keep the cat! I never said we'd keep the cat!" She snapped then stroked it protectively, as if it could understand what he was saying. "It was just hungry and cold, and it didn't have anyone to look out for it."

She said the last sentence with empathy and reminiscence. Strange followed her to the kitchen, where a bowl levitated to its direction and filled itself with milk.

"That's unsanitary." He commented, then earned a glare from her.

"What're you doing here? Don't you have other people to yell at?,"

"Well, this just happens to be my sanctum." He responded, then earned another glare from her. "Fine, our sanctum. I just wanna make sure it'll go back to its home,"

"It doesn't have a home. It doesn't have anyone. You wouldn't know how that feels." She recalled and muttered some words to the creature as she squatted down at it. She hesitated for a moment before saying "but just so you know, if we did keep the cat, it-,"

"-off the table." He crossed his arms coldly and she rolled her eyes. "We wouldn't have the time to take care of it,"

"Yeah, if only we had magic. Cats are low maintenance- hey!,"

"Alright, that's enough milk for you." He scooped the kitten up as it was licking the milk off the bowl and held it with one hand. The more time she had with it, the more attached she would get. "It's time for you to go."

"Hey, it wasn't finished drinking! You're so mean!" She cried and tried to grab it, but he lifted it higher.

"No, it's had enough. I know what you're trying to do,"

"I wasn't trying to do anything! You're...it's just a baby! It needs a home! You're evil!,"

"Stop projecting your issues onto this cat, Hazel! It's not helpful!," He called out and headed for the door. "what you need is some mental clarity,"

"Let it finish its milk!" Her voice was getting shaky and her breaths were getting shallow. He refused. "Let me say goodbye!,"

"It'd better if you didn't."

With that, he drew a portal to the Kamar-Taj to throw her off and left the sanctum.

Strange stepped on the noisy, busy streets of New York. He approached an alley where the rays of the setting sun melted into the pavement.

"Off you go." He placed it down on the floor, but it sank its claws into his tunics. He furrowed his eyebrows and tried to peel it off him. "Is that how you convinced her? Well, I'm not as gullible."

He placed it down firmly on the ground and ignored its soft fur and warm belly against his skin- it was like a toy. He let out a huff and walked away.

"Oh, come on." He groaned when it cried out and followed him on his way back. He picked it up and placed it by a parked car near the sidewalk. The doctor pointed his finger near its eyes. "You stay here- here. No following, stay."

It gazed at him with its big eyes, its chin still damp from the milk. He pursed his lips and felt the pity crawl into him.

"No. Nope, I'm not falling for it. Bye!" He waved it away and it seemingly got the message when it started to walk back to the dumpster. A smug smirk appeared on his face. "Finally."

On his way back, the revving of an engine echoed from behind him followed by some high pitched cries that he was too familiar with. He quickly turned and jogged to the source.

"Hey, get outta here!" A man in a red motorcycle spat at the kitten that balled up in fear.

"Woah woah woah, easy." He held his hands out and stepped in front of the creature. "You could've ran over it,"

"It happens, it shouldn't even be out here!" He brushed off and investigated the scene. "Is this yours?,"

"No." He denied and looked back it's big, yellowish eyes and pink nose. He sighed and pressed his lips together- stupid cat. "Fine, yes. It's mine,"

"Then you should take better care of it." He criticized and sped away, then left the two alone.