THE APPRENTICE (DOCTOR STRANGE STORY)

11

"Finally" Strange's groaning voice filled the whole room as she entered the Sanctum, smiling. "You know, when I told you that you could be home before midnight, I didn't think you'd come home at 11 pm. I'm so hungry"

"Like you do anything to get you hungry" She raised an eyebrow and placed the pizza on his stomach, since he was laying down on the table "Get off the table!"

"Look what I made" he said proudly, walking to the kitchen. He put a plate on the table, that had some sort of brown abomination on it.

"Uh...what's that?" She tilted her head and inched nearer to it, seeing some bits of carrots and peas "oh! It's food! Is it food?"

"Yeah, I made some meatloaf" his eyes gleamed with pride as he sat down on the chair "it was hard, but at the same time simple."

"Yeah..." she muttered as she dug a fork into it, putting the glob inside her mouth, but immediately spitting it out "What is that?! Why is it so sweet?"

"I accidentally put sugar instead of salt" he explained "to be fair, I never said it was good, and I never told you to eat it."

"Gross!" She grimaced, pushing it away from her and opening up the box of pizza, the aroma of the bread and tomato sauce hitting her nose

"Ohhh" Strange groaned "and it's still warm, too."

"Oh, I forgot to put the ice cream in the freezer!" She shot up from the chair and quickly put it inside, then sat back down on the table, seeing 2 pieces gone already.

"Why'd you take so long, anyways?" He inquired, a mouthful of pizza inside his mouth "I was starving"

"Oh." She stopped chewing on her pizza and gulped it down "I-I ran into an incident so I decided to help"

"Really?" He sighed "how many times do I have to tell you-you can't-do magic outside-" he lectured between chews of food

"I didn't, actually. I just used normal combat" she took another slice and took a huge bite, not feeling full enough "I didn't use magic, I promise"

"Fine. But be careful, you know that." He narrowed his eyes "it took you that long, though?"

"I...well..kinda..." she muttered, gluing her eyes to the pizza and avoiding his gaze "maybe"

"Okay. What is it?"

"I...I just met someone" she fought back a smile; Stephen dropped the pizza in his hands and knitted his eyebrows

"It was a boy, wasn't it?" He dangerously asked "was it?"

"I...yeah..."

"A boy?" Anger and irritation filled inside him, but it wasn't the sensation he was used to. It was different; it was a bit more child like and protective "you met a boy? W-what- why would you do that? What's his name"

"I didn't ask for it" she shrugged "really, I didn't."

"So you mingled with a boy you don't know? No! Don't do that!" His face started to turn red "what did he look like and where does he live?"

"No! I won't tell you!" She crossed her arms and turned away from him, huffing "it's none of your business!"

"Uh, yeah it is" he said with a tone "it is my business and I will stick my nose in it as much as I want! What did he look like and where does he live?"

"No, sorry, I won't tell you" she cocked a brow "I guess you're just gonna have to live with it, sucks for you!"

"Or I could use the time stone and travel back in time to the moment you met, then go to you and skin him alive" he suggested "or something like that"

"No, it's not like you'll actually use it" she scoffed and smirked "and plus, I need my privacy."

"Privacy?" He scoffed and stood up, following her as she walked to her room, shutting the door which he caught "oh I bet you were all giddy, and you were batting your lashes, and he was loving it, and you were playing with your hair, going: 'oh I'm Hazel! Oh yes, I have time, oh- no! I don't have a starving Stephen waiting for me at home! Go on!'"
He mimicked, raising his voice and clapping his hands together, swaying.

"What- I don't talk like that!" She laughed at the sight of him "that's the worst thing you've ever done, gosh, don't do it again."

"Agreed." His voice returned to his normal one, octaves lower and rougher "you're not gonna get away with this, Hazel. I'm watching you"

"Yeah, you are, that's why you didn't see it all happen" she replied mockingly "ooh how scary"

"Try me."