THE MAGICIAN ( dr. strange.. )

003. Is That the Best You Can Do..

Out of a vintage metal cigarette case box, decorated with floral motives and a single spot of rust around its hinges, Marion pulled out a thin cigarette and stuck it in between her lips.

"Have a lighter?" Her voice got a bit louder now that their environment changed to inside the walls of the notorious Hellfire Club, an all-mutant jewel of underground partying, dug under the street itself.

Stephen could feel the eyes staring him down the moment he had made the decision to follow Marion inside, so with the cloak of darkness, the enchantment of a commoner suit and tie dissipated to leave room for his usual Sorcerer attire.

Now, the glances remained, but far more discreet. If the mutants there were not aware of his past connection with Daisy Vince, then they simply feared his reputation, or at least what it was rumored the Eye of Agamotto could do.

Still, the air was clogged with minimal ventilation, with an usual amount of distinct presence of alcohol and what felt like the aftermath of too much sweat or a burnt person, with no in between. This wasn't the atmosphere the pretentious sorcerer was used to and certainly not the place he'd visit out of his own free will.

There were far too many people in there for his liking, clearly. The lights were dimmed to a harmful point at which he'd have to squint through their flashes and neons. And the music? Well, it forced the loud Magician to get even louder beside him.

What kept him there was not the fact that he hadn't figured out yet that the woman's errands were questionable, much like her words, but the pure adrenaline of pride: he had the gram of hope that this nightmare could end that very day if he played his cards well.

Of course, Stephen Strange still had very little clue of the cards Marion dealt him.

To add some heat onto the already drowsy atmosphere of the Hellfire club, sat on a tall chair at the bar beside this curious woman, culprit of his recent drama to handle, Stephen chose courtesy and snapped his fingers. He lifted that left hand up, big thumb holding a flame steady.

Holding her cigarette between her lips, the Magician leant closer, to get that tip over the flame and bring some smoke onto her vice. However, Stephen drew the flame back at the last second. He looked down at her and she looked up at him.

"Do you know how bad smoking is for your lungs?"

The Magician leant back, taking the unlit cigarette out of her mouth. It took her a moment before laughing, finally catching the irony. "You used to be a doctor," she called out the fact, half rolling her eyes. "Well, shit, forgot you lot are sensitive about that whole-"

When she wasn't looking, Stephen snapped his fingers again and the flame jumped from his finger to the tip of her cigarette, lighting it. Smoke raised.

Marion took a moment to properly lock eyes with him again. It was an understanding to assume that she was finding this game of control amusing, otherwise, she would have frowned at his insolence and answered it as anyone should: with distance.

But no, Marion grew past that a very long time ago. Now, she was the type to answer insolence with boldly covered disrespect. The game, she learnt, was no longer just for the men to play and she had perfected this frolic to work to her advantage.

Because she let his cheekiness go without any comment, Stephen was quick to make a few observations which all concluded with a clear fact: the Magician felt safe in the Hellfire Club. Consequently, she surely must be seeing him as a threat.

Stephen shook that thought away with a raise of his eyebrows and chin. "This is a mutant-only bar."

"Tell me something I don't know," she dared him, beginning to smoke slowly. Her next move in their game of disobedience came swiftly, as she blew a thick cloud of white smoke into his face, making Stephen close his eyes, wave his right hand in front of himself and continue with a painfully short inhale.