"Then answer me this, Bachelor's Degree—"
"I'm going to stop you right there." You held up your hand, inviting Stephen to cease both his exercises for the day and the (surely) horrific train(wreck) of conversation he was headed down.
"What?" he scoffed, voice tainted with the exhaustion of pain. "Are you going to tell me to play nice? Say please and thank you and tell you how grateful I am for how much you're helping me? Because that would be a lie. I'm not grateful. And you're not helping me. I'm not going to pretend you're doing me any favors here."
"You say that as if I don't groan every time I see your name on my calendar. No, I'm not going to tell you to be nice. I was going to tell you that you're wrong. I have a DPT, asshole. I'm a doctor of phy—"
"Yeah, well, you're not an MD. And you're definitely not a surgeon."
Your eyes flickered from his hands to his face.
"From the looks of it, Mister Strange, neither are you."
"I have a PhD."
"Yeah, and I have people who love and care about me and don't wrap my entire identity into my work."
Slumping back in his chair, Stephen shook his head. After a generous roll of his eyes, he cocked a brow.
"I'm going to stop you before you tell me that love and the power of friendship is the point of living. At least I'm smart enough to know that at the end of the day, we're nothing but a momentary speck in an indifferent universe."
"Then what's the point of a world-renowned surgical career?"
"I was saving lives." He avoided eye contact, stating the words as if he had said them so many times before. He might as well have read the label on the jar of therapy putty across the table.
You crossed your arms and reclined back in your seat.
"But if, as you say, we're nothing but a momentary speck in an indifferent universe, those lives are irrelevant. So what was the point of it all? Really? If you're such a genius, enlighten me."
Stephen narrowed his eyes at you. After exactly two beats of his heart, he sucked in a breath.
"I had to be the best. I was the best. And now I'm...well, now I'm nothing."
"You're not nothing, Stephen. You're—"
"If you try to tell me I'm still important to the grand scheme of existence, I swear to...well, not to God. Just stop while you're behind. This is fucking pointless."
"No. I was going to say that while you're not nothing, you are my most insufferable patient. Mrs. Bernardi will be furious you stole her title. But don't worry. I'll make you a certificate next week to hang next to your diploma."
"Diplomas."
"See you next week, Stephen. You complete fucking pain in my ass."
As you walked away, Stephen's gaze lazily drifted in your direction. His jaw ticked. And maybe, just maybe he could let that new title mean something. Even for a slice of a second.
What did they say about rock bottom again? Seems like he was bound to find out. With a little help from unexpected places.
ROSE. ROSE. ROSSEEE OH MY GOD I'M AN ABSOLUTE MESS OVER THIS. A WHOLE STEPHEN ONE SHOT FOR ME??? IN MY INBOX??? WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE YOUUU YOU ARE TOO KIND TO ME OMGGG TT_TT But also jsidfjsdf my god thank you for finally correcting that "Bachelor's degree" line from the first movie. FINALLY, I get to tell Stephen he's wrong and it's a <i>doctorate</i> I'm a doctor oh my god he's never been wrong about anything in his life and <i>this</i> is what he screws up??? It's so intensely personal to me lmfao thank you for letting me live the fantasy of CORRECTING that hahahaha and oh my god his sass in this. his snark. the way he's mean but depressed and also expects a whole-ass lecture about the power of love and friendship (I CACKLED).
THE LITTLE CERTIFICATE. "Stephen Strange, most insufferable patient". it's PERFECT SO HELP ME GOD I WILL MAKE ART OF THIS.
hhhh and that little ending. I've reread this like 4 times now. I'm McLosing It over this but I LOVE YOU THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZING SURPRISE TT_TT
