Y/N's P.O.V.
"So you can just study for hours at a time? No food breaks, no bathroom breaks?" Stephen asked, seeming shocked.
It had been a few days since Wong told me off in the library and I was fully rested, kind of.
"I have pretty bad insomnia." I explained.
"I can stay up for days at a time, reading, or doing whatever really." I shrugged.
"Although most of the time, I don't mean to. It just happens. I'm so busy processing the information, I forget to eat, or sleep."
"That sounds problematic." He muttered and I hummed.
"Question. How did you get through those books in one night?" I asked, turning the page of my notebook.
"Photographic memory. My turn. Longest you've got distracted in a book and not slept?" He shot back
"76 hours. The Ancient One timed it. She made me sleep after I started hallucinating." I smirked a little and he looked impressed, but also mildly concerned.
"You know, I asked Wong about you."
"Really? What did he say?" I asked, amused.
"You're the smartest idiot he's ever met." I nodded my head. That sounded about right.
"According to him, you're a dangerous woman in both combat and smarts."
"Dangerous is a strong word." I shrugged.
"I prefer malignant."
"Malignant is a stronger word than dangerous." Stephen shot back and I smirked at him.
"You're going to be late to class." He groaned dramatically and headed towards the courtyard, whilst I cleaned up the study materials. It didn't take long and I decided I would drop by the New York sanctum. Before I left, I wanted to let the Ancient One know I was leaving, in case she needed anything from me. I walked out into the courtyard, watching Mordo speak to the students as they created portals with their sling rings. Well, most of them did anyway. Stephen was struggling and he looked like the same lost man I found on the streets of Kathmandu.
I leaned against a pillar, watching his efforts carefully.
Even though nothing was happening, he didn't give up and it gave me some hope that he would succeed.
"The clearer the picture, the quicker and easier the gateway will become." Mordo spoke as the Ancient one stepped out into the courtyard.
"Stop."
"I'd like a moment alone with Mr. Strange." The Ancient One spoke calmly and Stephen looked like a defeated puppy.
"Master L/N, if you would join us?" She asked without even looking at me. I sighed, moving out of my little hiding space and Stephen looked surprised to see me. The courtyard cleared at Stephen walked towards her.
"It's my hands." He immediately spoke.
"Its not about your hands." She shook her head.
"How is this not about my hands?" He asked, before looking at me.
"And we're you spying on me?"
"Maybe a little." I smirked.
"Master Hamir?" The Ancient One called forward the Master and he quickly revealed his lack of a left hand, making Stephen's eyes widen as he began to preform a spell.
"Thank you, Master." The master walked away and she continued.
"You cannot beat a river into submission, you must surrender to its current and use its power as your own."
"I control it... by surrendering control? That doesn't make any sense." Stephen scoffed.
"Ignorant." I fake coughed and he glared at me slightly.
"Not everything does make sense. Not everything has to." The Ancient One sighed.
"Your intellect has taken you far in life, but it will take you no further. Surrender, Stephen. Silence your ego and your power will rise." She made a portal, before walking through it.
"Come with me."
"I hate it when she does this." I mumbled to no one in particular, watching the doctor blindly follow her through the portal.
A few moments later, she returned, the portal closing behind her.
"How's our new recruit?" Mordo asked carefully.
"We shall see." I wanted to ask about New York, but I was anxious for Stephen to come back.
"Any second now."
"Oh no, not again." Mordo muttered.
"Where was it this time?"
"Everest." She spoke calmly.
"Oh, the same place you abandoned me, that's nice." I muttered sarcastically.
I also had difficulty creating portals when I first began to learn, I blamed my young age, but the Ancient One didn't believe it for a second.
"Maybe I should..." Mordo reached for his sling ring, but the Ancient One stopped him.
Seconds turned to minutes, before a shaky portal opened up and Stephen collapsed to the ground.
"Young one, assist him to his room." The Ancient One spoke and I looked at her.
"I wanted to speak with you-"
"I'm sure it can wait." She replied swiftly as she and Mordo walked away. I huffed out a breath, irritated that I had left my cloak in my room. The portal collapsed into nothing and I pulled Stephen's arm up around my shoulders. I managed to pull the unconscious man to his feet, taking all of his weight as I began towards his room.
"If you're dead and I'm just dragging your corpse to your room for nothing, I am gonna be pissed." I mumbled, somehow making it to his room. I dropped him on his bed and covered him with a few blankets, not knowing what else I could do. So, I waited for him to wake up. I sat down at his desk, picking up the first book I saw and opening it.
"Y/N?" I dragged my eyes up from the page, seeing Stephen sat up, blankets wrapped tightly around him.
"You're alive." I mumbled, a little shocked. I looked at the small clock on the desk, blinking a few times.
"You were out for almost 5 hours..."
"What happened?" He asked quietly.
"The Ancient One left you on Everest." I yawned as I put the book down, standing up.
"You managed to portal your way back, but you collapsed almost instantly."
"I'm sorry- you thought I was dead and you decided to just sit there and read?" He looked at me as if I was insane.
"I didn't think you were dead." I rolled my eyes.
"Well, it was more of a 50-50 situation really."
