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ACT ONE. NEPTUNE.
CHAPTER 9: WANDERER.

CLAIRE WAS DIRECTING STEPHEN TO THE LIBRARY, she found it funny that he followed her everywhere because he didn't know the interiors of the Kamar-Taj, for her it was as easy as looking at the palm of her hand. Despite the fact that for neither of them the company became more pleasant, they could not deny that they were curious to know about each other. The brunette was good at restraining herself, and the dark-haired man had a pride the size of the planet, neither was going to start a formal conversation, even though the word "forbidden" tempted them to do otherwise. Without realizing it, they were already in front of the library gate.

"We've arrived, please be respectful to the librarian, these have been difficult days", she politely asked with rectitude. Before he could ask anything else, Claire walked in, waving comradely at the librarian. "Hello, what's up for today? Are there any new books?", she asked, the library was practically her second room after her own, a special place she could get lost in and find peace visiting places she would never.

"I'm afraid not, but everything's fine, Bearer." The librarian smiled at her with a slight nod, to which Claire nodded back.

"Hi." Strange greeted calmly trying to recreate the same atmosphere, the comparison between the greeting for both apprentices gave much to be desired.

"Mr, Strange." He greeted, as Claire had spoken moments ago, properly. Wong and Claire surreptitiously exchanged glances.

"Pay attention." Claire telepathically asked Wong, they both liked to bully newcomers from time to time.

"Stephen, please. And you are?" Claire watched this interaction surreptitiously checking books on a shelf that, of course, she had already read. Was Stephen his name? He hadn't introduced himself to her like that.

Until that moment she realized that neither of them addressed the other by name, she would plan how to change that.

"Wong".

"Wong. Just Wong?" His comment surprised both sorcerers, they wondered what he was referring to, he began to say names of celebrities and famous people who were known only by their first name, Strange's joking spirit became smaller and smaller as he noticed that he had a difficult audience, he wondered if it was possible that sorcerers had no sense of humor.

"Mr. Health" She caught his attention. "Do I read the joke from your mind or what?", Claire asked sarcastically making the former neurosurgeon give her a dirty look, she saw Wong laugh, who quickly regained his composure and returned to a serious position.

While Wong questioned Strange if he really read every book that master Sheridan put in front of him to deflect the tension, Claire moved forward into the Ancient One's private collection which, for obvious reasons, she had access to. 

She went to leave the secret copy of the Book of the Vishanti from where her mentor had taken it a few days ago, she didn't want to be hanging around with it in her arms all the time after Kaecilius had stolen the Book of Cagliostro among many other important books, since it was certain that lesson would be suspended. Instead of that she had proposed to herself to continue creating specialized spells for the use of her own powers, she wanted to find an explanation of what happened a few nights ago in Strange's nightmare, she still felt guilty about it.

She was determined to find a solution that would protect Strange's mind, what if one day she hurt another person while sleeping? She couldn't even imagine it, she liked the beauty of life, she protected it and respected it no matter how difficult it was for her to interact and be part of it.

"What are those?" Strange asked eventually looking around.

"The Ancient One's private collection." Claire had been so busy writing and reading that she hadn't noticed when Wong started explaining to Strange the dynamics of the private library, while it was true that many texts contained questionable practices, that was the nature of knowledge.

She observed with humor all the intimidating pantomime of her fellow sorcerer before Strange following them with her eyes, she thought Wong was the right person to replace the old librarian without any doubt, she still mourned his death, she hated the change because she didn't know what to expect from it. She was terrified of having to rearrange what little she understood of living.

"That's the new one?" Narendra sat in front of her and asked it out loud without dissimulating, she made signs for him to lower his voice, he obeyed between laughs after he felt Claire's weak kick under the table, which did not go unnoticed by him.

"Yes, he arrived recently, how do you see him?" She asked her partner fascinated with "the new one", Narendra noticed and looked at him shamelessly, Strange returned his gaze with clear disdain, as if the mere presence of him and his closeness to a certain brunette had destabilized him.

Stephen felt an odd bitterness inside himself, he didn't know for sure what was causing it, but seeing her laugh with another made him feel annoyed, although there was no reason, it was clear that no one was a rival for him in any field, he admitted that having the Bearer's attention all to himself was gratifying to a certain extent.

He didn't have to feel like this, neither of them was anything, they were just learning to get along, he was even irritated by Claire's beautiful voice inside his head attacking him all the time, or her gullible look all the time, seeing them together reminded him of the complicity that Christine and Nick had in the hospital, his mind wouldn't leave him alone for a second, Strange asked himself why everyone could have things except him?

"He won't last, he's a rookie." Narendra blurted out feeling superior compared to the disheveled man who walked around like a caged cat. Claire looked at him with some annoyance.

"Hmmm, I don't even know why I ask you, you're always wrong" Strange managed to hear his master's indignant reply while Wong threatened to take his life at the slightest provocation if he dared steal any book "I do like Mr. Health ."

"More like, Mr. Tramp" he felt another kick behind his calf, making Narendra almost fall from his chair. Claire was beginning to detest his attitude.

"For your information, I already saw his future and it shines almost as much as I do" She exclaimed with pride. This caught the doctor's attention, what future was she referring to?

"The tramps have a future?" Claire was shocked at his response, her hissing for him to keep quiet, she hated prejudice, she knew something was wrong with Narendra, he was never like that with anyone "And what is it?", he solicited expectantly with gallantry, a flirtation game that Claire never understood because of his inexperience in the realm of love. But Strange understood everything perfectly, he could see what his intentions were.

"Because of your insolence I'm not going to tell you anymore, it's a secret" Claire answered in a rough and even childish tone, returning to write in her book while Narendra narrowed his eyes, which Strange found funny. To him she seemed witty and very clever too, Stephen smirked until he felt Wong close the book he was showing him in his face.

He took the books that the librarian gave him, and decided to sit exactly next to the sorceress among so many empty seats, she remained on his right side, in his mind the thought persisted of making the other sorcerer angry who was reading comfortably in front of her, but there was also that of wanting to be close to the Bearer to know what that future was that she had proudly boasted about.

"Hello Tinkerbell." Strange greeted amicably. Claire raised her face slightly from her book in surprise, he had spoken to her in a very casual and friendly way, as if they were two great friends, since he had arrived he did not even treat her as a master, he even avoided her, why did he suddenly called her by a nickname?

"Hello Mr. Strange", she returned the greeting, it seemed weird to her, they had arrived together, Claire didn't understand a thing.

"Call me Stephen." He asked in a voice suddenly lower and softer than he was used to, almost like velvet, what was he playing at?

The Bearer's heart began to beat rapidly, as if the air had suddenly been knocked out of her chest, she turned quickly to continue her business to cover her blush. The Bearer's heart began to beat rapidly, as if the air had suddenly been knocked out of her chest, she turned quickly to continue her business to cover her blush. 

Strange was accommodating his books without taking his eyes off her although without paying real attention to her, he was just looking at the tight bun that the brunette had done as a hairstyle wondering how she didn't have a headache, out of the corner of his eye he could see the other man sitting in front of her looking back at them with the book up to his face pretending to be focused, Stephen just wanted to make him angry and by his expression he was achieving it.

Claire was slightly startled when she felt all the sensations that surfaced inside Narendra, what was happening to him? To stop feeling it, she turned to see the doctor, she felt his amusement, something made him laugh inside but she didn't know what amused him.

Strange, who did not stop looking at her in that way that he did not know how to describe, was amused at the idea of ​​annoying another person. She stared at him for a few seconds, behind his thick hair and that scruffy beard there were some very pretty eyes that she hadn't seen so carefully, when Claire's gaze met his, Stephen was stunned, he felt the impetuous need to observe that sparkle in his eyes more closely.

She looked away with a frown and, with a slight burning in her cheeks, trying to focus all her attention on her book. Seeing that he no longer had her attention, Strange looked for any way to attract her, Narendra's face gradually calmed down, but the apprentice would not allow it, he wanted to continue having fun with his jealousy.

"Hey Tinkerbell, do you know what this is?" Strange intrusively slid his book in front of the Bearer without even checking what he was asking her.

"They are mudras, shall I teach you?" She answered matter-of-factly, Claire loved sharing her knowledge and she wouldn't miss out on having a healthy interaction with the doctor. He smiled at her, to which she responded with a friendly smile. Narendra watched them annoyed, feigning disinterest.

When the doctor turned his head to see what he had asked, he saw images of hands with strange movements, he immediately regretted even asking the question, Claire noticed that something had changed for him, she felt his anger and insecurities again.

Just when she thought there was a reason to relate and have a better bond, Strange stood up abruptly leaving the room upset. Claire did not stop thinking about it all day, she wondered what she did wrong, Narendra tried to convince her that she did not do anything wrong, however, there was something that did not leave the Bearer alone, what was it that afflicted Doctor Strange so much?

hi!, i've not been here lately, i had a lot of things to do but i'm now a graduate so free time for a while till i find a job:)

i don't know if everyone who reads this (if there's still readers) likes only this character or benedict (or both) but i made myself an english account where i published a bbc sherlock fanfiction (vmprlck if you want to check up) for anyone who wants to read it.

i think that's all for now, i'll be posting soon. love u.