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"Maybe the street corner we just passed. Front door if you want. Across the hall is my room." He shifted and tried not to seem too awkward about it.

"Imagine your bedroom?" She teases.

Christine focuses and does the circular motion she's seen so many times. She gets sparks, but no portal at first.

"That's all I got at first too. Took a while to get anything. Started feeling hopeless and my mentor told me to surrender to it. I disagreed, got myself stranded on Everest until I figured it out. Now it oddly comes almost naturally, and I don't think about it a lot. I think Wong has said to the novices to slow down and concentrate. I guess... really think about it, visualize that it's front of you, and then ... relax because it is. Or - do your own thing. Sure you'll figure it out, and I'm not stranding you on Everest if you don't figure it out. I'm sure when you need it, it will be there. As for shields or weapons, it depends on what comes easiest to you. Wong conjures swords and rope darts. Some use shields as weapons. A mentor conjured fans."

He tried to explain it but wasn't sure if he did well in that regard.

"You could strand me on Everest if I don't get it in a few tries." She listens to him, nodding.

"Wait. I know what to do. I'm going to the entry way, I'll be right back."

To combat the unfamiliar location, she's going to try to use Stephen as a grounding, it'll be easier to paint the picture of the relic room because he is there.

She bounds out of the room before he has a chance to argue. She must look insane, standing by the front door, trying to make a portal.

She imagines Stephen, her desire to be near him; the portal forms crisp and easily.

"Excellent!" He's genuinely impressed by this. Maybe a bit embarrassed about her picturing him in the relic room.

She likes him, still. Even after losing her Stephen.

She steps through the portal with a wide grin.

"You helped me picture it. Since you're much more familiar than this Sanctum."

She does still like him. She's sure every Christine loves a Stephen even if they are truly terrible at making it work together.

He's touching her cheek without really thinking about it. Followed by pulling her a bit close and kissing her head.

"You're amazing. And I'm not just saying that cause I'm biased."

She rests her forehead against his.

"You're different, there's a humbleness about you that is very, very attractive. You may actually let me hold the knife."

"Attractive." Stephen tested the word, leaning his head on hers. "Well, I've - learned that I don't have to be the one holding the knife for things to be successful. That also means I don't get the credit, but that's - alright too."

Edited Date: 2022-05-21 01:55 am (UTC)

She brushes her fingers along the nape of his neck. He learned the lessons she had always hoped her Stephen would come to grips with.

"You're incredible."

"Why? Because that's how we get to be happy, in another universe, if not this one, isn't it?"
He touched the texture of her hair in his slightly shaking hands, memorizing the shine and the feel of it under his fingers.

"If I learn it, then another of my ... variants will be capable of doing it, and so on... also it's not ... so incredible, you're giving a lot of credit."

He softly kissed her cheek, determined to hold on to whatever few moments the universe allotted him.

"Shut up and take a compliment." There's a tiny chuckle before she is kissing him again.

They may only have this one time, and she is going to make the most of it. To pretend that maybe they are the Stephen and Christine that figure it out.

He put his finger to his lips and nodded. Alright. He'll take the compliment.
She's kissing him, and that's nice, and he wants her to keep kissing him, and it's alright to be close, even if it's just the once that they're allowed.

He also thinks maybe they should be in his room so the chances of being disturbed are even less, but he doesn't push in this direction yet.

She has no intention of stopping the kissing. She is trying to make up for all they've lost with this little time they've been given.

She's still wearing his sling ring, and when she pulls away it's with a little grin, and she makes a portal to what she hopes is his bedroom.

It's what she needs right now, afterall.

"Now who's clever?" he says, amused by this. It's a bit grandiose, with silk sheets and a four poster bed and a bit 'fancy' even for Stephen.

Maybe it was too much - but at least Christine would tell him, if it was too much - right?
He thought she would - maybe she'd like it.

She can't help but to look around a bit.

"It's very stately, I like it." It's not the sterile, modern apartment of Surgeon-Stephen. This, while grand, actually has some softness to it.

"I believe this is yours." She takes the sling ring off to hand it back to him. "Very greatful I managed the right room."

He took it and clipped it back to his belt, though he hesitated slightly, thinking of offering her to keep it.

There's a few different things in here, an odd assortment of things - not exactly magical relics. Different books in different languages, of different varieties. Some to deal with magic, some not. Some about certain cultures, niche things that not many people might want to be aware of. A puffy chair was in the corner along with an easel to prop up said books, if Stephen wanted to.

There was various devices as well. A laptop, an electronic alarm clock that looked like it could be activated by vocal command. A box with intricate carvings that held the precious watch, that he'd put away. There were a few things that seemed also practical in a medicinal sort of way, and the room had small alcoves, because clearly Stephen retreated her to read or to have some quiet to himself.

He took her wrist, he felt odd about showing anyone this room, it was a bit like opening up one's chest and seeing one's secrets. He was glad to show her, because he trusted her - but he was also slightly nervous about it, if she would compare him to her Stephen and his arrogance and think the same of him.

She appreciates being allowed into his space. It's an eclectic mix of things, and they all seem to fit. Everything about his room feels right for him.

"I see you still keep the odd medical tome lying around." Which isn't a surprise given the passion he had once had for surgery.

"This very much feels like the perfect place to tuck away and read." She steps close to him, drawn by his grasp on her wrist.

"I do that when - there isn't a universe to save or I don't have other duties." He was close now, and she was close to him, and he wasn't sure if he ought to panic or relax and lean into it like he wanted.

He kissed her hair and then her head, again.
"Not many people get to come in here."

Cloak moved slightly away near the chair, making their presence less obvious.
Stephen felt embarrassed and not because of inexperience. They always had just leaned into wherever the moment happened to take them - but this was different. It wasn't with this Christine, and she had ... a different Stephen.
"It's okay, you know, if we have this one time. And if we can't have others. That is if - that's what you want, and if you don't. Er. I'll respect that."

"A little private space away from the world." Her apartment is something similar, a little escape from everything else.

She can tell he is nervous, partially because she is as well. But they can't seem to stop touching one another and stealing little kisses; they are both desperate for this attention and affection.

"I hope this doesn't need to be just one time." She wants to be able to see him, to be selfish about just this one thing.

"It's been a while. Since I've... with anyone." Her nerves are showing a little as well. This is very much still a first, despite all the things they know about one another already.

"Since the accident. Suppose I don't need to explain."
He wants to be open and honest, even if it's terrifying.

"I hope it doesn't have to be the only time either, but - there is another you running around, that happens to be married to someone else so we... have to be careful. You have duties, and I have duties. So. We won't neglect those." He's threading his hand in hers, continuing to touch her softly and inching closer.

"I think one of the reasons we might not have worked was because of - a lack of ... talking. I don't, for one."

"Stephen" It's a sad little response to him not having anyone since the accident, she kisses his cheek.

"Neither of us are the type to ignore our responsibilities." She is inching closer herself, pulled right into his orbit.

"I guess you weren't one to talk about your feelings?" She leans in and kisses his throat.

He sighs and starts to relax, kissing her shoulder. "Didn't know how, and ... I pushed this universe's version away when I needed you most. That and... I was basically dust for five years."

"Will you try to push me away?" She's sliding her hands down to start undoing his tunic. This version has some experience with the magical garb, so she isn't unfamiliar with how to get him out of it.

He shook his head. It was almost comforting to have someone else remove the tunic instead of trying to magic it off. "Not intentionally. I'll take the second chance we've both been given, I think."

He moved so she could undo what she was working on, unsure if her Stephen still had the scar from the Space Shards. He did but it was small and almost unnoticeable.