The Sorcerer's Apprentice {Stephen Strange}

Twenty-Nine

Sugar on my Tongue by Talking Heads

"I'm sorry," Emerson whispers, still being held tightly by the sorcerer. This trip has been a disaster. Sure, the sergeant is beyond thankful s-he gets to visit her father, but she didn't plan to get this emotional.

"What are you sorry for?" He questions, confused by the sergeant's apology. He's not used to her being this open let alone apologizing. Emerson almost always holds her feelings in.

"For crying... And for being such a burden. You've done so much to help me and I've done nothing in return. Fuck," she sobs, not letting him speak a word. Remembering that she's lying to him, her cries become even louder. How the fuck is she supposed to tell him she has the elixir? She'll have to tell him she secretly met with the God of Mischief and made a deal with him— damn near a deal with the devil. "I'm so sorry. I don't deserve you or your help. I've done nothing helpful for you. I just follow you around and take up your time."

"Emerson-" he tries to speak but she cuts him off, still crying in his arms. Stephen doesn't mind though, knowing how much she's hurting. The sergeant has been through hell and back— sustaining a debilitating injury while watching her father's illness progress.

"Then I drag you along on the most depressing family holiday ever, forcing you to sit and listen to me cry. Jesus, I am a mess. You didn't sign up for this... You just wanted to help me and here I am being a pain in the ass. I don't deserve-"

"Listen to me. You're not a burden and you're not a pain in the ass. If I didn't want you here, would I be comforting you right now?" he truthfully spits out and Emerson shakes her head into his chest to answer his question. "You don't owe me anything. I want to help you."

"Why would you want to help me— especially after all of this?" The sergeant asks, not understanding why the Sorcerer Supreme would want to dedicate so much of his time to some helpless thorn-in-the-flesh. His life would be so much easier if she weren't in the picture.

"Because I care for you and I want to spend my time with you. I like spending my time with you." He pauses before pushing the sergeant off of his chest so she's looking at him, seeing how honest he's being. Ensuring that eye contact is being made, he speaks again. "If I could, Emerson, I would spend all of my time with you."

After a long pause of processing what the sorcerer said, Emerson speaks up. "Do you mean that?" Her eyes are bloodshot and puffy, while her cheeks are damp with tears. A small smile makes its way onto her face as she tries her hardest not to start crying again. He really is so sweet.

"I do," Strange says with a small smile. "Although, sometimes I wish I didn't because I know you're going to choose to go back home, which is something I can't stop you from doing."

"I'm sorry," Emerson says, her smile falling from her face, knowing he's right, but Strange takes her chin in his hand and lifts her face back up.

"Stop being sorry," he whispers before leaning forward, closing his eyes, and pursing his lips. Caught off guard, Emerson quickly does the same, leaning forward to meet him halfway. Strange plants a soft kiss on her lips... A kiss so delicate because he's afraid of hurting her. Once she starts kissing him back, he has all the confirmation he needs to continue on. He doesn't pull away but begins kissing her harder instead, giving in to his desires. Something in him switches, making him desperate for the sergeant in front of him. Even when her eyes are bloodshot and puffy, she is absolutely beautiful and completely irresistible. Emerson quickly pulls away, something that slightly shocked the sorcerer.

"We're not going to do this, Stephen, not if you keep pushing me away. I know you'll change your mind like you did last time before ignoring me for days. I want to be with you, I really fucking do, but I don't want to be with someone who can't make up their mind. I don't want to be the second option when you're bored or lonely... It's not fair to me when you play with my emotions. Everything has been so hard for me lately and I don't want you to make it worse. Because I want you so bad— you don't even know," Emerson says, her voice stern enough to show she's serious. After a moment of silence, Strange cracks a devilish smirk.