A Familiar Touch | (Doctor Strange x Female!Reader)

Chapter 12 - Not Disturbing, Am I?

After a month or two of sitting in the tower, training or being called out onto missions, (Y/n) finally found time to sit in the lab and work on Tony's prototype.

She had been running tests on its systems all morning, and her work station was cluttered with papers, wires and several empty mugs of coffee. And so there she was, sitting in her lab coat, something she only wore when the lab's temperature dropped.

Since she had been sitting alone for most of the day, she had turned on the speakers and filled the lab with tunes to keep her working in a comfortable environment, so she didn't hear the lab doors opening or notice the tall sorcerer walk in.

He walked up and took a seat across her work station, and only then did she realise she was no longer alone. So, she stood up and aimed a remote at the ceiling, turning down the volume of the music.

"Busy?"

"Depends. What do you want?" She smirked at her work before glancing up at Stephen.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to revisit your favourite bookstore."

She looked up and blinked at his words. She wasn't expecting that. And once her thoughts returned to her, she pouted a little.

"Aw, you really picked the worst time. I am actually busy with... all of this." She said, gesturing to her station and screens.

She did genuinely want to go with him, since she hadn't been back in a while but also because she enjoyed spending time with him.

That last part surprised her.

She hadn't realised just how quickly they had fallen back into comfort with each other.

"Bummer." He sighed, picking up a piece of paper from the desk and analysing it.

It was a blueprint for the prototype that now sat in front of her. It very much resembled the same drawings she made a few years ago, but this one was different.

"This 'the one'?" He asked, looking up at her with a smug expression. Her features muddled into a look of confusion.

"What?"

"You said they were only worth your time if you thought it could 'change the world'."

His features were soft as he recalled that conversation.

The day he found her secret hobby.

Which just so happened to also be the day their friendship escalated.

She smiled. She had completely forgotten about that day and how angry she had been with him for scaring her.

"Yeah, well, if I recall correctly, you said I'd never find 'it' if I couldn't commit to any of them. So, I finish them all now." She said, pushing a few more papers across the table towards him.

More designs for different projects.

And all of them completed.

"Was that (Y/n) (Y/l/n) actually taking my advice for once?" Stephen smirked, looking through the other designs and taking in her work.

"Oh, shut it. Don't act like you ever listened to me either." She joked, checking a monitor to her side.

He studied her movements, admiring her lab coat as it reminded him of their working days as doctors. Then his eyes trailed to her now busy hands.

"So, I take it those aren't just rings." Stephen said after a few moments, noticing the two chunky rings on her fingers.

They were always there, even on missions.