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ironstrange1991 · 7 months ago

Text

The Healing Touch

Pairing: Stephen!Strange x Fem!Reader

Synopsis: The Reader has a terrible headache and Stephen goes full doctor mode to take care of her

Word Count: 4,1k

A/N: This fic is total self indulgent. The entire medical part is based on my experience with the worst headache I've ever had in my life. I had to take something positive from the whole situation. Hope you guys like it and have a nice reading ;)

You had never had such a bad headache in your entire life. It was strong enough to bring tears to your eyes and prevent you from working. It had all started with an allergy attack due to the renovation work in the office building where you worked. Even taking the anti-allergy medication you were used to taking, things only got worse and soon your airways were completely blocked and you had an incessant cough that made you want to vomit your guts out.

But things got worse when you woke up on Friday with a headache that simply wouldn't go away no matter how many painkillers you took. The persistent pain got worse over the days, reaching its peak on Monday morning. When you woke up, you simply couldn't open your eyes, and when you tried to get up, your head hurt with a piercing throb that made you sit down again and fall into silent tears.

It was a nightmare. Stephen was on mission and you hadn't been able to talk to him in the last few days. You were practically married to a doctor, but you couldn't count on him to help you when you needed it most and that only made you cry even more, giving in to despair.

After a few minutes you forced yourself to get up and staggered to the bathroom where you forced yourself into the shower, hoping that the cold water would somehow help you, but there was no improvement. As you were changing your clothes, feeling dizzy from the strength of the pain and the throbbing in your forehead, you decided that you would take a taxi and go straight to the hospital. By that point, your anxious mind was already telling you that you had a brain tumor.

You were slowly walking down the stairs, each step you took making your head ache even more, when you heard the familiar hiss of a portal opening in the entrance hall. You didn't feel excited, already imagining it was Wong and the light coming from the windows and the door barely allowed you to open your eyes to see anything, but then you heard a baritone voice informing you that it was Stephen who had arrived.

"Sweetheart? What's wrong?" His voice was a big relief, although it sounded extremely worried and as if by magic - which it was - he was by your side, helping you to put your arm around his neck and picking you up. He quickly went downstairs and took you to the nearest sofa in the main hall and knelt in front of you. Cloaky let go of his shoulders and flew nervously across the room, stopping behind the sofa and watching you.

Stephen's presence, although a relief, made you succumb to tears again.

"Hey, Y/n, look at me, tell me what's going on, you look pale. What are you feeling?" He asked, going into full doctor mode and forcing your eyes open so he could examine them.

"My head is exploding." You finally managed to speak. "It's been hurting since Friday, but today it's unbearable, Stephen. I can't handle the pain."

Stephen conjured a small flashlight to examine your pupils and then hummed to himself looking relieved. "The pupils are normal. That's good. Can you follow my finger, please?" He asked, raising his index finger to the level of your eyes and directing it to the left and then to the right slowly. You followed the movement with your eyes to which he praised.

"Very good. Now tell me how many fingers you see." He asked, showing you three fingers.

"Three."

"Very good. And now?" He showed you one finger.

"One."

"Good. One more time. How many fingers?" He asked, closing his fist.

"None."

He nodded, sighing in relief. But the small wrinkle that always appeared between his eyebrows was still there.

"How is your vision? Can you see perfectly or is it blurry? Any black spots or spots of light?"

You shook your head. "I can see, but I can't keep my eyes open because the light makes it hurt even more." You whimpered. "The pain is too bad, Stephen. I don't know what to do."

Stephen shushed you, putting the small flashlight aside and bringing his two thumbs to your forehead, positioning them just above your eyebrows and pressing them there in circular motions.

"Fuck." You hissed.

"I hit the spot, didn't I? Here is where it hurts the most?"

You nodded. "And inside of my eyes and on my cheeks. It feels like my whole face hurts. Even my teeth."

He hummed positively but remained silent, moving his fingers from your forehead to your cheekbones and down to the joint of your jaw, putting some pressure there.

"It hurts so much, Stephen. What if I have a brain tumor? Or... or an aneurysm? What if I have an aneurysm?" Your voice was getting shakier and shakier, and heavy tears fell from your eyes. "I don't want to die, Stephen. I don't want to." You said, clinging to him and hiding your face in his neck as you gave in to crying again.

Stephen wrapped you in his arms, one of his hands stroking your hair as he shushed you. "You're not going to die, sweetheart, and you don't have an aneurysm or a brain tumor." He said, trying to reassure you.

"But it hurts too much." You whimpered.

"I know. I'll make it stop. I promise. I'm here now. But you need to let me go so I can go to the drug store to get your medication."

But the idea seemed absurd to you and instead of letting him go, you tightened your arms around him even more, which made him grunt softly and pull your hands away gently.

"What you have is called sinusitis. It's a serious inflammation of the airways that causes secretions to build up in this region here." He explained, pulling you away enough so he could illustrate what he was saying. He ran his index finger along your cheekbones and above your nose. "Because of the inflammation, you feel pain here." He continued moving his finger down to your jaw. "That's why your teeth hurt too." You nodded.

"But why does my head have to hurt so much? I don't understand." You asked, wiping away the tears with the back of your hand.

"Because the inflammation causes the facial muscles to tense up, which causes all the pain." He explained, standing up, but you held his hand tightly.

"Don't leave me alone. Please."

Stephen sighed. "I really need to go, love. The sooner you get your medication, the faster you'll get rid of the pain. Isn't that what you want?" He asked and you nodded, but kept holding his hand anyway.

"I had an idea. What if Clocky stays with you while I go, huh? Do you think that's a good idea?"

Before you could even answer, you felt the sentient relic moving excitedly behind you.

"It really loves you, you know?" Stephen insisted and you finally let go of his hand and watched him gesticulate with his head for the relic to come closer. Cloaky quickly flew over the couch and wrapped you in a comfortable hug. One of the things you loved about it - besides the fact that it was a magical piece of clothing that had thoughts and feelings just like Aladdin's carpet and you thought that was amazing - was that it smells like Stephen.

The warmth and soft touch comforted you somehow and you leaned against the back of the couch and curled your legs up trying to get as comfortable as possible.

"That's great, sweetie. I'll be back in a minute. I promise." He said and with a quick gesture of his fingers his robes were exchanged for jeans and a shirt and he walked quickly towards the door.

...

Stephen hated waiting in line. He had always been impatient, but ever since he learned the mystic arts he simply couldn't accept that there were things he couldn't solve with magic. Sure, he could open a portal and get the medication he needed, but that would be stealing and he considered himself an honest enough guy to do that. So there he was waiting in line at the checkout with a basket in his hand, waiting for the woman to pass the purchases of the person in front of him with an almost deliberate slowness while everyone in the drug store continued to stare at him in the strange way that everyone else stared at him when they recognized him.

When it was finally his turn, the woman named Katia looked at him with a sour face and said in a tedious manner, "Prescription, please."

Stephen sighed, "I don't have a prescription. I'm a doctor. The medication is for me." He lied shamelessly.

The woman cast a suspicious look at the basket and then at him. "I'll need to see your license."

Stephen sighed, letting his irritation show. "Come on, you know who I am. Everyone knows I'm a doctor."

"I'll need your license, sir."

Stephen sighed, taking out his wallet and opening it with difficulty because his hands were shaking more then usual. He took the document and showed it to her, then put it back.

"That's 145 dollars." She said, finally putting the boxes inside a plastic bag and handing it to him.

"Keep the change for the wonderful service." He said ironically, handing her the money and finally leaving the drug store and returning to the usual movement of Manhattan.

When Stephen finally returned home, it seemed like it had taken hours, but it had only been 25 minutes. He found you still in the same position, cuddled with Cloaky and with your eyes closed. He quickly moved his fingers, closing all the curtains in the room and approaching.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I tried to go as fast as I could..." He said and Cloaky gently pulled away from your hold and flew up the stairs.

He sat down next to you and conjured a glass of water and handed it in your hands while he opened the medication boxes and took out the pills and put in your hand.

"This is an anti-inflammatory, this one is an antibiotic and together they will cure the inflammation and relieve the tension."

You nodded, putting the two pills in your mouth and swallowing them with a sip of water. He couldn't help but smile at the fact that you didn't question him, just trusted him completely. He knew that a big part of that trust was because you loved him, but an important part was because you trusted him as a doctor and Stephen missed that. He missed being a doctor, having people's trust in that way and feeling good about being able to save a life or help someone in that way.

"This one is for the pain. It's a strong painkiller and should take effect within a few minutes. It will make you drowsy, though."

You took the pill and threw it in your mouth, swallowing it quickly while you poured the glass of water. Stephen smiled tenderly, taking the glass and placing it on the coffee table. Then he took a small bottle from the bag and opened it, showing you how to use it. "This one you spray twice in each nostril, and it will help decongest your nose and make you breathe better."

But instead of taking the bottle from his hand, you just got closer to him and put your head forward, waiting for him to apply the medicine to you. Stephen let out a small chuckle, feeling his chest get warm. You were so cute. Even in that situation that wasn't the least bit funny, you managed to be extremely adorable.

"There you go." He said, finishing the application of the medicine and putting them all back in the bag and placing the bag on the table. "Now come here." He asked, stretching out his arms so you could snuggle into his chest. “I think you need cuddles.”

He hugged you, gently resting his chin on the top of your head. "I'm sorry I wasn’t here for you, sweetheart. I hate these missions sometimes, especially when we can't communicate." He confessed. Deep down he was feeling extremely guilty about the situation, even though he knew it wasn't his fault. If he had been there, he would have diagnosed the problem sooner and spared you so much pain. After all, what was the point of dating a doctor if you couldn't count on him when you needed him most?

"You're here now. That's all that matters." You answered, lifting your head to look at him and it broke his heart to see your eyes red with tears like that. He cupped your cheek gently. "Can I kiss you? I heard that getting a kiss from me is the best medicine for sinusitis." He joked, managing to get a small smile from your lips.

"Kiss me all you want then." You said with a tired smile and he giggled, kissing you softly on the lips and then giving small kisses on your cheeks, on the tip of your nose, finishing on your forehead.

You hummed softly. "I love you, Steph." You said, laying your head back on his chest.

"And I love you, sweetheart. More than you can imagine." He confessed and you hummed again, but remained silent and he respected your silence. He knew that the pain you were feeling wasn’t small. Sinus headaches could be extremely painful, and you had endured it for as long as you could without asking for help. He only wished you had gone to the hospital sooner. He hated seeing you in pain.

...

You didn't realize you had fallen asleep until you woke up to the sound of soft voices talking. Stephen hadn't moved a muscle apparently, possibly to avoid waking you up, but now he was talking to someone.

"I'm glad she's okay now. Give her my best wishes when she wakes up." You heard Wong's voice and kept your eyes closed. The excruciating pain had passed, but your head was still sore and there was still a slight throb above your eyebrows.

"Are you going back to Kamar Taj yet?" You heard Stephen ask.

"Yes. Lots to do as usual. I'll let you rest for the night, Stephen. We'll talk tomorrow morning. Send me an update on Y/n when she wakes up." And as soon as he finished speaking, you heard the squeak of the portal opening and closing and then silence followed only by the sporadic sound of cars passing by on the street.

When you finally opened your eyes, you were surprised to find the Sanctum plunged into darkness. A single lamp was on, emanating a dim light from the kitchen. You had no idea how many hours you had slept, but you were completely dizzy, probably due to the effect of the medicine. You yawned and rubbed your eyes slowly, noticing that the pain behind them had also diminished considerably. Stephen moved slowly and then stroked your hair.

"Are you awake, sweetheart?" His voice was hoarse and heavy with sleep, which made you wonder if he had fallen asleep too.

"What time is it?" You asked softly.

"Almost nine." He answered. "You've slept for almost ten hours."

You rubbed your eyes again and then looked at him in surprise. "You've been here this whole time?"

"I left you in Cloaky's care so I could shower and eat, but I basically spent the day on this couch. I ended up falling asleep too, which is a rarity. I woke up to Wong calling me and asking for a book."

You smiled to yourself. "I'm glad you got some rest too."

He hummed positively. "How are you feeling? Better, I hope."

You nodded, slowly lifting your head to look at him now that your eyes had adjusted to the darkness.

"My head is sore, hurts a little, but the excruciating pain is gone."

Stephen smiled, cupping your cheek and stroking it slowly with his thumb. "That's great. But I'm afraid you'll need to take another painkiller now to give the anti-inflammatory time to kick in before the pain starts to come back." He explained.

"But if I take another one of those I'll sleep for another ten hours." You complained, to which he shook his head.

"I think a Tylenol will do for now. I'll get it for you." He said, threatening to get up, but you held him in place and cupped his face.

"Stay. Just a minute more."

He smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, sweetie, I'll be back in a moment."

You let him go reluctantly, but took the opportunity to sit up. Your body was limp and you felt like you were slightly drunk, so you avoided getting up. Suddenly you saw your bag on the coffee table and remembered that you hadn't even texted your boss, but before you could think to do so, Stephen was back answering the question you hadn't even voiced.

"I called the office and told them you were sick. You're staying home tomorrow too, by the way. Doctor's orders."

You nodded, watching him approach. He was wearing gray pajama pants and a white t-shirt. His hair, always impeccable, was messy and a few strands fell over his forehead. He looked handsome as always, but you couldn't help but notice a nasty cut on his cheek that you hadn't noticed before.

"You're hurt." You said as he sat down next to you, handing you a Tylenol pill and picking up the empty glass on the table and handing it to you. With a simple gesture of his hand, the glass filled with water.

"It's nothing. Drink it."

You obeyed, and the whole time he looked at you with tenderness in his eyes, but the crease between his eyebrows was still there.

"I'm fine, Stephen. Really."

He nodded, taking the glass from your hand and placing it back on the table.

"Seeing you in pain was a horrible experience, Y/n. It made me think that I would never forgive myself if something happened to you, and I'm not just talking about illnesses. The work I do, the things I deal with are extremely evil. It makes me think about the risk you run by living with me."

You smiled, trying to ignore what he was saying, but deep down you knew he was right. Living in the Sanctum with the Master of the Mystic Arts was a risk, but one you were willing to take because you loved him. "Let's not think about that." You simply said. "I'm fine and you came back from your mission safe and sound. That's all that matters."

He nodded, taking your hand in his and promptly changed the subject. "You need to eat something before taking the next dose of medication."

"Pizza." You asked immediately, which made him giggle.

"I was thinking about a salad..."

"I thought I was going to die today from a brain tumor. Fuck the salad, I want pepperoni pizza with lots of cheese and chocolate ice cream for dessert."

Stephen smiled broadly, tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear. "Whatever you say. I'll order and while we wait, I'll help you take a shower. What do you think?"

You nodded. "I don't think I can stand up on my own to do it anyway. Whatever you gave me made me totally dizzy."

"I told you it was strong, didn't I? But the important thing is that it took the pain away."

You nodded. "Thanks for taking care of me, Steph."

"That's what you do when you love someone, isn't it? You've taken care of me so many times, sweetheart. I lost count of how many times you patched me up after I came back from a mission. That’s what people who love each other do."

You smiled "I really do love you."

...

Stephen had never seen you eat pizza so eagerly and then devour two bowls of ice cream. It was cute. Even your childish palate was something he found adorable about you. He ate four slices of pizza himself and found himself having seconds of dessert, which he rarely did. After a day like the one you had, he was sure you both deserved the comfort of the food.

Finally, you got ready for bed and ended up in bed with the lamp on, giving the room a low, comfortable light.

"How are you feeling now?" He asked to confirm, but it was clear from the look in your eyes that the medication was taking effect.

"Better. I barely feel any pain, but my head is still sore."

He caressed your face, watching you settle into the pillows next to him. "It's normal after such intense pain. You'll be better tomorrow."

You smiled, biting your lower lip and making that little face you always did when you wanted something, but you didn't say anything, you just brought your hand to his hair, tangling your fingers in it and scratching gently. Stephen closed his eyes, indulging in the touch and only then noticing how tired he was. The mission had been energetic, it had been a really hard few days that had taken a lot out of him physically and although he had managed to sleep for an hour or two, he could feel the exhaustion taking over him.

"Hm, it feels so good." He found himself confessing as he melted into your touch. "I missed you, sweetheart. Every day all I could think about was that I wanted to go home." He opened his eyes to see you smiling sweetly at him and slowly you snuggled closer to him as he automatically reached out to hold you impossibly close.

You cupped his cheek and pulled him to your lips, kissing him slowly, but with a growing desire. "I missed you too. I had plans for when you got back. I wanted to surprise you with a special dinner, but it wasn't possible." You said and he smiled reassuringly.

"Well, even though the day wasn't the most pleasant, it's safe to say we had a special dinner tonight. The pizza was very good." He said smirking.

"But there was something else I wanted to give you when you got back." You said, hooking your leg around his hip teasingly and Stephen soon understood what you were up to, but even though he wanted it as much as you did, he was forced to reason.

"Unfortunately, it's not a good idea, sweetheart, even though I really want it."

You frowned, clearly annoyed. "Why not? After the day I've had, don't I deserve a little affection?"

Stephen nodded with a smile. Of course you did. You deserved everything you wanted and he believed he deserved it too after the mission he had just returned from, but it wasn't always possible to get what you deserved. "Trust me, you do, but I don't want to risk making your headache worse."

You stared at him, not understanding what one thing had to do with the other, and he chuckled, trying to explain in a way that made sense.

"Remember what we talked about the tension in your facial muscles making your head hurt?"

You nodded.

"When we make love and you have a good time, which is always, I hope, the pleasure makes you tense the muscles of your entire body, even those on your face and especially during orgasm, which could lead to an orgasmic headache."

You rolled your lips, trying not to laugh. "Did you just make that up?"

Stephen let out a soft laugh. "Of course not. I'm serious. It's a real problem that you don’t have, but given the sinusitis, orgasm could be a trigger for a worsening of your condition."

You buried your face in his neck, laughing softly, and the sound was very welcome after he had seen you crying in pain earlier. "Believe me, I would never make that up, especially since I'm climbing the walls after so many days without sex."

"It hasn't been that many days." You contradicted him. "But I believe you, as stupid as it may seem. I just hate this fucking sinus thing even more now." You groaned.

"Your treatment will last five days, but after that we will have plenty of time to make up for it, trust me."

You sighed, lifting your head to look at him. "You'll have to make it up to me tonight with lots of kisses."

Stephen smiled. "As many as you want, sweetheart." He said, pulling you back to his lips.

Reblog please! Leave a comment if you liked it. Interact! I will love to read all of your comments and opinions. It inspires me to keep writing!

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eviesaurusrex · 26 days ago

Text

"ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴇʀꜰᴇᴄᴛ." | ꜱ. ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇ

Stephen Strange x Witch!Reader

summary: [request] How about strangexofc where they are dating and going to meet your family for the first time. But there’s an age gap and you’ve kinda been keeping your relationship a secret. Then you catch strange trying to dye his grey hair and stop him and tell him you love the grey and maybe show him how much you love him … 😈 Also like an epilogue of him meeting the fam and they love him??

word count: 3.3k

warnings: insecure!Stephen (and his showing clinginess and touch starved behavior), fluff, Wong being Wong, encouragement, smutty allusions but nothing graphic, more fluff, boyfriend!Stephen because yes, he is a warning, loving parents (we’ll see how I gonna suck at this part lol), more fluff, my inability to end fanfictions, not entirely proofread

author’s note: Another pretty old request! I’m not sure what today is all about, but I’m trying to work through those I deem interesting and fun xD Hope you enjoy it! The dividers belong to @enchanthings-a and @strangergraphics <3

The double door to the Sanctum Sanctorum opened with a swoosh of New Yorker winter air following the arriving woman; snow crystals dancing over the floor of the foyer and forming intricate details in the woman's braided strands. A shiver ran through her body for the hundreds of times this day, reminding her again that winter most definitely had arrived in her most loved city.

With a groan, YN shrugged off the heavy coat and shook it to deliberate it from the layer of frost, snow, and half-melted ice before hanging it on the detailed wooden clothes rack standing next to the doors. The frost-crusted scarf and beanie followed closely. Now, only armed with her trusty souvenir bags, which she had acquired in every city she had ever visited—it wasn't an obsession, nope—YN put the grand staircase behind her and entered the second floor. She turned right, followed the hallway, and let the bags pile onto the kitchen island after getting there. Wong turned at the sound—steaming cup in hand and letting another one appear in front of the frozen witch.

"I know again why you're my favorite sorcerer," the woman sighed, closing both hands around the warm mug, her eyes falling shut in a flutter as the warmth seeped into her skin. "Tell me that again when he is in the same room, and I'm tempted to believe it, Elsa." YN opened her eyes again and grinned over the mug at the older man, softly shrugging her shoulders and rolling her eyes. "The movie insults won't hurt me, Maui," she returned, winking at the sorcerer with a grin still on her lips. "And I will say it in front of him when he infuriates me again. Give us a few more weeks; the closer we get to Christmas, the more likely it will become."

She loved Stephen with all her heart and every fiber of her being, but this man never knew when to shut his mouth—especially if she was already stressed out because Christmas was a huge deal for her. She loved Christmas. She lived the Christmas season as soon as nasty Halloween lay behind humanity and Thanksgiving was finally coming up. But Christmas was also the most stressful season for her, and now, as part of the Avengers, it seemingly grew increasingly frustrating. YN never had to think about so many presents because before, it had always been only her parents, maybe some co-workers, and Stephen and Wong after the sorcerer had entered her life.

Speaking of which…

"I will keep that in mind," Wong said after taking a big sip of his tea. YN turned to see if Cloaky had already come floating through the hallway like it usually did as soon as she came home but was greeted by emptiness. "You don't know by any chance where he is?" The woman had turned back to him, but Wong couldn't even open his mouth because the sound of a portal interrupted them. They looked both in the direction of approaching steps, and Stephen appeared in the hallway, seemingly not expecting any of these two to see here. His brows knitted, and YN cocked an eyebrow at the sight of him trying to hide the paper bag from Target behind his long legs.

"What are you doing here? I thought you said something about errands." His voice held an edge to it she couldn't pinpoint, so YN's brow wandered up even further until it almost reached her hairline. "Well, I was done sooner than expected. But I can leave again if you prefer it that way." The witch had already turned to find her purse, not hearing as the paper bag dropped to the hardwood floor and Stephen's hurried steps came closer to her. His hands softly took hold of her shoulders before the Sorcerer Supreme snaked his arms around them and leaned his forehead on her right shoulder. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry, darling," he whispered, not caring that Wong stood opposite them and chuckled behind his mug.

To be honest, the other sorcerer had seen much worse in the past one and three-quarter years ever since Stephen had brought his girl to the Sanctum. And yes, he counted the months since the woman in his arms had told him she loved and came home with him. He was the luckiest bastard on this damned planet after all.

Stephen pressed a soft kiss to YN's neck, tightening his hold. He could hear her sigh before she settled her back against his chest and caressed one of his hands with the tips of her fingers. The sorcerer closed his eyes at the feeling of her lips against his reachable temple and how she leaned her head against his. "Is everything okay?" Her soft voice asked, and Stephen nodded quickly, not wanting to let her into his head to see the boiling mess in there—she would probably laugh before running away, changing her mind over everything that concerned him and their relationship. He couldn't let that happen. Not so shortly after he had finally found the one woman who could keep up with him and who loved him with every single damned flaw he possessed. "You can talk to me, Stephen. Whatever might be bothering you, I am here to help. It's my job."

She meant every single word because YN knew how the man in her back tended to be as soon as he spiraled. And because she knew every single red flag, she was worried to her bones—his behavior right now was a single big, screaming red flag. But she also knew she couldn't push him, so she had to wait and sit this one out as long as it might take.

"I know, darling, but it's nothing." He grew silent for a moment before continuing. "Would you mind cooking alone? I… I need to check some books that arrived this morning from Kamar-Taj, and they can't wait until tomorrow." YN furrowed her forehead at the shakiness of his voice, his barely audible stutter, and counting more red flags. Even Wong seemed not convinced. But instead of calling Stephen out now and not in their bedroom later after dinner, the witch only turned in his tight grasp and cupped his cheeks with both hands. She smiled up at him. "Of course, love. Go and do your work. I will get you when dinner is ready. Mousse au chocolate for dessert, or does Doctor Strange prefer a chocolate cake tonight?" Stephen pressed a long, lingering kiss to her forehead. "Whatever Miss LN is up to tonight," he returned with a soft whisper, followed by another kiss on her head.

And then he disappeared upstairs—but not without the ominous paper bag.

YN turned to Wong with heavily furrowed brows and deep creases between them. "Something is wrong," both spoke in unison and sighed before they started to prepare dinner together, a heavy silence dominating the kitchen.

Knuckles knocked gently on the hardwood door leading to Stephen's study after almost two hours of cooking dinner—lasagna just like he loved the dish—and baking his favorite cake—chocolate, with a soft chocolate core. She even got him his favorite whiskey in preparation for a cozy night in front of the fireplace, with some of their favorite vinyl playing in the background.

At the silence greeting YN from the other side, even after another soft knock, she huffed and opened the door without another warning. "Stephen?" But the study wasn't even lit, and twilight was all the witch saw. The snow still fell in front of the massive windows leading to the nonetheless busy New Yorker streets, and curiosity got its best of her. So the woman wandered into the grant but still cozy-looking room and rounded the wooden desk. Her fingers stroked over the scattered books—some opened, others closed—and got a hold of an opened letter written by one of the masters back at Kamar-Taj, dated a week ago.

"Books my ass," the witch mumbled under her breath and left the study again after a last displeased look at the books Stephen most definitely had already worked through. She closed the door behind herself because she was taught to be a decent human and raised her right hand softly. YN tried to not get distracted by the ring Stephen had gifted her at their first anniversary—a promise to a future, as he had called it. But she couldn't admire the piece, not now. Now, she had a task to fulfill.

Her pointer and ring finger twitched, barely visible, and the warm-feeling magic glided almost gracefully through the hallway and highlighted a golden path leading upstairs to the second floor. The witch followed her conjured marks, not really having to pay close attention to them because now, she was sure where she would find her boyfriend in distress. And that's where the path brought her—right in front of the door to their shared bedroom. This time, YN didn't bother to knock. Instead, she pushed the wood open and was faced with twilight once more, but the golden gleam of the bathroom lighting drew her steps closer.

And what she saw there let her pause dead in her tracks.

Stephen stood in front of the mirror, only wearing his sweatpants, a towel hanging over his shoulders, and his left hand held a plastic bowl with something thickly dark inside. His right hand had a tight grip on a brush, typically used for hair accidents requiring a re-touch before an important occasion. Inside the sink laid an assortment of at-home hair coloring products, all ripped open, and the instructions scattered around the sink's edge—one was even taped to the mirror in front of him.

YN gently cleared her throat before Stephen could even think of smearing this stuff into his hair. "Would you mind telling me what you are trying to do, love?" She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed in front of her chest, and eyes settled on his widening eyes before the sorcerer turned to his girlfriend—stupid contributors to his spiraling mind still in his hands. He looked from the brush and bowl to the woman he loved, the unpleasant smell of hair dye lingering in the air. "Would you believe me if I said nothing is happening right now?" Stephen had to try to lighten the mood a bit, at least, but YN couldn't have any of that. She pushed her body off the frame and walked over to him before taking both items out of his hands and placing them into the sink.

Her entire focus was settled on him.

"Did you try to dye your hair?" At the confused sound of her voice, Stephen only shrugged. "But why?" Another shrug followed, but because he didn't dare to look into her eyes, YN already guessed where his mind had wandered off. "Is this because we're gonna see my parents next weekend?" His heavy swallow was answer enough, and the witch couldn't hold back anymore. Her hands gently cupped his face, just like earlier, before her fingers carded through his salt-and-pepper hair. "Oh, Stephen…," she mumbled and pulled him closer until she could feel his hands resting on her hips. "I wanted… I… You…” His deep rumbling sigh was evidence enough for the woman to feel the boiling emotions running havoc in this usually composed man. "It's okay." She took one of his hands and pulled at it. "Come on, love," she encouraged him to follow her back into their bedroom.

YN's hand flicked to light up the many candles inside their room while she pushed Stephen to sit down at his bedside. She stayed in front of him, right between his thighs that spread to make space for her, and her hands were back on his handsome face, grounding him and clearing his mind at least a bit. He never knew if it was just inherently YN or her magic that pushed through to him. Either way, he didn't object in the slightest.

"Tell me what's going on in that brilliant mind of yours." She sounded as if she was begging, and maybe she was because YN had felt a pit forming in her stomach ever since seeing what Stephen tried to do. He started to play with the hem of her oversized hoodie—his Columbia University hoodie. "I tried to dye my grey spots to seem younger," the Sorcerer Supreme mumbled, ashamed to admit it out loud. YN stayed silent to give him enough space to sort through his thoughts and let them out in the open. It took a moment until he spoke again. "I never met parents before. I never had to think about how I appear in other's parent's eyes… All I can think about is how old I look and how old I am compared to you, and I thought that it might help my case in convincing your parents that I am good enough for their pride and joy if I dyed my hair to at least look somewhat your age." He sighed deeply and let his forehead fall against her chest, letting it rest there.

YN started to comb through his soft strands, staying quiet once more because she had never thought about what the question of whether Stephen wanted to come with her might do to him. She had only thought about the fact that this man was the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with and how much she wanted her parents to meet this handsome, loving, and compassionate man she had stumbled upon—quite literally. The witch would've never suggested it in the first place if she knew what it would do to him, and now, guilt washed over her, but she had to take care of Stephen's spiraling mind before she could tend to her very own troublemaker up there.

Tenderly, she took his chin between her thumb and pointer finger and nudged Stephen's face up so he would look her right into her eyes. "You will listen to me now, love," YN started, and Stephen stared into her eyes, unmoving. "You are not old. We may have a slight age gap—but nothing as vast as you picture it—and yes, some may object to it, but not my parents. They are happy if I am happy, and I can tell you, I never was happier in my entire life. You make me the happiest and most content version of myself, Stephen, and this is all that matters." YN stopped to press a soft kiss to his forehead, easing his deep worry-wrinkles. "And now, to the one point I may never have made perfectly clear." Her voice dropped to a whisper, and the witch cupped his face again. "You will never touch those grey spots, do you understand?"

Stephen still stared at her, utter wonder written in his eyes and on his face, and his hands grabbed her hips to coax her into his lap. "Are you trying to tell me you secretly love them?" A grin tucked at YN's lips, and her eyes wandered over his grey strands, her fingers following close as they combed through them once more. "I think they make you incredibly hot and deadly handsome, love," she giggled before burrowing her fingers in the short hair at the nape of his neck. The sorcerer let out a raspy groan at the feeling of YN's nails scratching over the sensitive skin there. He cupped the side of her own neck with his much bigger hand, his thumb caressing her jawline slowly while his eyes took in the beauty that was her face. "Oh, really?" Stephen asked, almost teasingly, and pulled her closer to him until their chests were pressed against each other. YN nodded softly, a gasp leaving her parted lips, and a moan soon followed when Stephen dared to steal a deepening kiss from her. "Those spots make you appear like damned fine wine, aged into perfection and promising me the most perfect taste of summer, dreams, and sunsets. Don't you dare touch them as long as I am here," she whispered against his lips, drinking him in when the sorcerer kissed her once again, reveling in his taste and the feel of this man who had chosen her of all the women he could've selected from. "You are perfect just the way you are."

Stephen's hands gripped her hips in a tight, almost bruising hold and pulled the witch flush against him, tickling out yet another moan when their cores made contact. "You mean that?" He still felt insecure about this whole ordeal despite his mind slowly stopping to spiral out of control, but Stephen would be damned if he didn't ask for more reassurance, knowing well enough that YN would never hold back with it. The following smirk growing on her face? He did not expect that, nor what she had in mind for them, his eyes following her gorgeous body when she slowly sank down on her knees, right between his parting thighs.

"I have no qualms in proofing my words," the witch giggled in anticipation when the palm of her hands caressed his strong thighs, up and down, her eyes never leaving his. "When I'm done, there won't be a single lingering doubt, Stephen Strange, I promise you that."

—

And she would be correct.

"Stop fidgeting." Trying to soothe his over-worrying mind, YN smoothed out the lapels of his pristine coat as they stood in front of her parent's home in the dainty and quiet suburban around New York City. "Easier said than done," the sorcerer grumbled back and let her push back a salt-and-pepper strand, and after rising to her tiptoes, she pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, leaving a faint mark of her lipstick on his skin. Humming, YN erased it with the pad of her thumb, perfectly timed with the sound of steps echoing behind the front door. "Everything will be fine, Stephen, believe me," she all had time but to whisper before the door opened and welcomed them with a wind of warm air.

Her mother smiled brightly as always when she took in her daughter, arms already wide open to gather her in a tight, motherly hug. "Oh, my sweet girl. Look at you." She held her at arm's length, eyes mapping and cataloging everything she could see under the thick coat and layers of fabrics. "How is it possible that you still turn prettier every time I see you again? It must be magic," Mrs. LN smiled widely, and YN pressed a loving kiss to her mother's cheek. "Oh, please. You over-exaggerate."

"She is right, darling," Stephen chimed in, his unoccupied hand finding the small of her back when he stepped closer. Her mother instantly took him in as well, eyes like a hawk observing its potential prey, but the hardness vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and her smile returned. "You must be Stephen. I've heard so much about you—welcome!" YN had already grabbed the transport box filled with chocolate cake, so they could shake hands, but instead, the Sorcerer Supreme found himself in a welcoming and tight hug, making YN giggle in delight. "Come in, come in! It's freezing out here."

They both got ushered into the warmth of her childhood home, and the sound of her father rummaging in the kitchen welcomed them as her mother accepted the cake and watched with a softening expression when Stephen gently helped her out of the cloak and kissed her cheek while doing so. "You two are just too sweet," the mother hummed, showing them to follow her.

YN gathered Stephen's hand in hers and squeezed it softly, her other hand naturally wrapping around his bicep. "See? I told you," she whispered as quietly as possible, letting one brow rise when the man beside her huffed. "I still need to survive the introduction to your father, sweetheart," he answered just as quietly when they arrived in the living space with the open kitchen and her father smiling warmly at them. "I think this will run smoother than you give yourself credit, love."

And again, she would be correct.

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