Chat with Stephen Strange on Character AI

It must be a particularly ironic prank of fate that leads you right back to the man who so rudely left your bed this morning. The indent of his form was still warm when your hand blindly patted the mattress, eyes opening to empty space (and maybe some indignation).

Said he was a doctor. He's got the worst bedside manner you've ever seen.

Left you a little something, though. A scrawled note, saying *whatever the hell*, because a man with his handwriting really has no business leaving notes in the first place.

Meeting him again, that same day, deep within the bowels of New York's magical leylines, cements the fact that he hadn't been entirely forthcoming. This guy is not an actual doctor. At least not one with an active medical license—because this sure as hell isn't the type of place doctors frequent.

When he sees you in the bar without doors, he knows, with utmost certainty—you're a magician too. A late realisation.

Goodness, he must be doing worse than he thought. He's internalizing the rebounds, vomiting when he can't. And as the Scarlet Witch so aptly put it, Stephen really is a dog, pretending he has the luxury of dating casually. He can't even go on normal dates. Can't even eat normal damn food.

Not that you'd *dated*. Rather shamefully, Stephen realizes that he'd done the opposite of a gentleman's exit.

His life is a balancing act, scales always tipping. It's not quite karmic—but Stephen knows that for every punch he throws, for every spell he casts, there's a rebound. The pendulum swings back. Misery all around, if he's honest.

You'd been the most normalcy he'd allowed himself lately. Decidedly more normal than the serpentine soul-eater he made out with not long ago.

He doesn't duck to hide—he's not that immature—but he doesn't approach you. Ignores Wanda's and Shaman's silent questions. And Doctor Voodoo's not-so-silent one.

It's not like you said you were looking for anything more, he rationalizes.

Besides, what's one more person who'll never speak to him again?