An Entity Within | Stephen Strange

11 - A Walk'n'Talk

"If it helps, I'll never mention it again." Stephen said, looking at her as they walked, bemused.

With a quiet, nervous 'ha-ha' she looked away from him, only to feel Tee take over. Two black eyes whipped up to look at him and, for the second time that day, Stephen had a very brief heart-attack.

"You have to stop doing that..." He spoke in a low tone as they stopped walking.

"I wanted to apologise."

Tee, what are you doing?

"Tessa feels...uncomfortable so I wish to apologise for mistaking you to be Master Kent and opening the door in her underwear."

Tee. Please stop.

"Ah, okay, well." Stephen didn't know whether to laugh or cry himself as he simply chose to nod, "I accept the apology."

"She was not being...forward in any way, shape or form."

Tee...

If she could face-palm, she would, for the cringe was overwhelming and even her own desire to remain hidden now meant she couldn't summon the mental strength necessary to forcefully take back control. Control is also what she was regrettably given back, straight after that line and she found herself looking at Stephen.

I fixed it.

More anxious laughter left her lips, "Please forget that happened. Just forget everything before this moment now."

Would you like me to make you forg –

"NO!" Her eyes widened in alarm as she looked off to the side, "Can't you...sleep? Like you said you could?"

I can if you wish me to.

"Please, please do, I - I really wish you to go sleep."

Have a nice walk.

"Thank you." She said in a hushed tone to herself before looking back up at Stephen, "Trust me, no one finds this weirder than me, okay. So, as I was saying, we are starting this over again, starting now." She nodded, swallowing dryly, before saying monotonously, "A walk sounds great, let's go."

And she was off, already turning the corner of the corridor, not caring to wait for the sorcerer because honestly, she would rather walk to death after the events that had just occurred.

Stephen stood there for a moment, again processing what had just happened. He blinked, he shook his head, curious and confused. When Christine had said there was a 'weirder way', he felt that this situation was a prime example: just another normal day with a not-so-normal member of the sanctums with a voice in her head and a chaotic (in more ways than one) being that could take control of her body when it wished, able to cause deathly harm to all those who opposed it or deathly awkwardness to those it inhabited.

"Yeah, just another regular day at the office." He mumbled before hurrying to catch up with her.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Tessa adored their walk having not left the Sanctum in so long. They strolled through Greenwich's lush Washington Square Park and even travelled all the way down to walk near the twinkling water in the sizzling heat before deciding to head back. It was quiet for most of the time apart from small talk between them – the usual weather-is-good conversations, mentions of food and travel, talk of how lovely Greenwich Village is etc. - as Tessa, mainly, couldn't seem to work past the awkwardness.

As the non-Entity orb of bright light in the sky beat down on the two walkers, they paused in the shade of one of the many intimidatingly tall buildings. Tessa kept looking around her, at people, up at the sky, down on the sidewalk, like she couldn't quite keep focused. She was still adjusting to the enhanced abilities she now had thanks to the Entity securing their bond to each other's powers and capabilities after its first hijack.