[ Cloak's collected him halfway up the flight and he's now half walking, half levitating, the remaining steps - so it doesn't matter too much when he stops paying attention to the walking part at the sound of Logan's voice.
Stephen concentrates on the lightly frowning, the cloak deals with the rest. ]
... You're here.
[ a moment. let him mull that one over. ]
You... [ let him figure this one out... ] drove? Here?
[ is that? correct? you actually. drove? at... this'o'clock? here? for why? he seems baffled. that's because he is, in fact, baffled. hovering a few steps up and baffled. ]
[ Hearing (post?) wasted Stephen is... well, Logan doesn't know what a religious experience would feel like except theoretically, but maybe it's something like this. With his expression going soft and his heart feeling a little fuller.
He's. Logan doesn't know what he is.
But he feels awkward because of it, and lifts a hand to rub at his neck. ]
You said you were upset, you weren't fine, you couldn't breathe.
[ He realises this may not have been literal, but... still. ] Just wanted to be sure you were okay.
[ Stephen's face folds further, frown a deep and pronounced thing as he tries to think back to feeling any of those things, let alone feeling them out loud to Logan, in the last however many hours. no... no, he's -
oh.
oh.
oh my god. a sudden snort and his frown clears, smile cracking open in its place as he remembers, slots it together. brows quirk in place of laughter, pitch of his voice climbing up half an octave. yes, he might still be at least a little wasted, but all that comes out is. ]
You thought I was talking about fruit.
[ and it was wonderful, and the tittering that followed was Cloak's best opportunity to confiscate his phone and wrap him up for a nap, and he's capable of recognising and articulating none of this now and will feel no inclination to do so later so it goes unsaid.
just as the sincerity in Logan's admission, and actions, goes unrecognised. sort of. the rising glee in his expression settles a little, softens out. his words are fuzzy at their edges as the seed of a gratitude he'll find and nurse later on is planted, his topics mixed, but. ]
I wasn't talking about fruit. You didn't need to come all the way out here.
[ but he's glad. he's obviously glad. and how often does Stephen Strange bother to smile? ]
[ It's not often that Stephen smiles at all, no. The rarity of it all is what has Logan some version of stupefied just looking at him, before he realises that-- oh, it's his turn to talk, and.
And. God. He's not meant to be awake at this time of the evening-morning. ]
I know I didn't need to. [ He shrugs, hands landing absently on his own waist. ] I wanted to.
[ Then, a sigh. ] Wong told me it wasn't about fruit, too. And he told me about the smartphone.
[ Sort of awkwardly, he reaches up to rub his thumb over the tip of his nose. ]
It's just. You weren't supposed to come down while I was still here.
[ Stephen's waking up, slowly but surely, and as the haze of sleep shakes off the looseness of the drink has its chance for some time in the sun. there's play in him, and none of the usual restraint used to funnel it off into sharper channels.
right now, image protection doesn't seem to be high on the agenda. he floats down the rest of stairs and is set to his socked feet with a clumsy grace. having fun. ]
You wanted to come all the way over here to not see me? I didn't know you and Wong were that close.
[ Logan's lips press flat together. ] No, asshole. I wanted you to get your rest.
[ Which is... really just being delayed the longer Logan stands here in the Sanctum's foyer. He recognises this and rubs a palm over the back of his neck because he doesn't understand why his luck keeps getting him in situations like this.
He spares a glance over his shoulder in the direction of the kitchen. ] Guess Wong and I did bond a little, though.
Well, that's good. And good of him to educate the old guard on handheld technology, I'll have to ask him how that went in the morning. Clearly well. But how long have you been here?
[ it's meant as a dig, how many hours did it take to get the message across - he could ask Wong for the lowdown now, but he wants to fully appreciate the tale. one does not simply waste the retelling of a Wong & Logan smartphone debrief.
it's at this point, though, that his eyes narrow. while I was still here, which means he was on his way out, which means - ]
Can't be more than an hour. [ Because really, Logan understands things better when they're put clear cut without thick layers of sarcasm lathered onto them like margarine (and when he isn't accused of owning a brick).
Sure, he'd had to ask... more questions than usual, but not any more than another senior citizen might have. He thinks. ] But Wong gave me some tea.
I brought Cyke's-- [ a beat ] my car, so yeah, I'm supposed to drive...
[ He pauses. Considers Stephen's semi-wasted expression. ]
It's the middle of the night and you've had less sleep than I have. So yes. I do.
[ said expression is suddenly doing its best impression of sober, and serious. there is, to his credit, a clarity in his eyes that wasn't there a moment before. ]
M'not gonna drink and cast but in the morning I can get you and the car back as early as you need. Tonight we've got a spare room.
[ a nod. yeah. that's a deal he can work with. his feet start to carry him off on the back of a thought of a need, and as he goes his hand reaches out to pat at Logan's forearm. atta boy or well done or thank you or whatever those small physical displays of discomfort are about it'll all be better in the morning, who knows.
he stops a couple of paces away, realising he's a host now. ]
Uh-- yeah, I could get water, too. [ Hands slipping into his pockets, Logan follows Stephen's lead on the way to the kitchen. Never mind the fact that he'd quite literally just come from there. ]
Yeah, that's what happens when you walk in here. I'm pretty sure my blood is tea now.
[ a quick interaction with Wong - who isn't really about the interacting with Stephen on his once-every-month-to-every-few-months accidental alcohol overkill evening, so the vibe is more or less just get your water and go to bed, thanks Wong - and Stephen's heading for the sink to sort a couple of glasses of water. ]
[ Logan's going to wait like a good little wolverine for Stephen to hand him his water, before saying: ] For all that tea in you, you're one of the least calm people I know.
[ Which is probably not the first impression most would get from the New York Sanctum's Master, but Logan has a few messages in his Nokia that prove it. ]
Of course you don't. [ the sliding smile that marks both an in-joke and his own played arrogance holds for a beat... then he slips into something more lop-sided and self-satisfied as he passes Logan to pad back out into the foyer with a little: ] It's caffeinated.
[ which is either an explanation for why Logan likes the tea, why Stephen's at a near constant state of textual non-calm, or a punchline to a joke told only with an expression. maybe all three.
it definitely means he thinks he's funny, but for why??? might be beyond anyone who isn't him ]
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Stephen concentrates on the lightly frowning, the cloak deals with the rest. ]
... You're here.
[ a moment. let him mull that one over. ]
You... [ let him figure this one out... ] drove? Here?
[ is that? correct? you actually. drove? at... this'o'clock? here? for why? he seems baffled. that's because he is, in fact, baffled. hovering a few steps up and baffled. ]
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[ Hearing (post?) wasted Stephen is... well, Logan doesn't know what a religious experience would feel like except theoretically, but maybe it's something like this. With his expression going soft and his heart feeling a little fuller.
He's. Logan doesn't know what he is.
But he feels awkward because of it, and lifts a hand to rub at his neck. ]
You said you were upset, you weren't fine, you couldn't breathe.
[ He realises this may not have been literal, but... still. ] Just wanted to be sure you were okay.
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oh.
oh.
oh my god. a sudden snort and his frown clears, smile cracking open in its place as he remembers, slots it together. brows quirk in place of laughter, pitch of his voice climbing up half an octave. yes, he might still be at least a little wasted, but all that comes out is. ]
You thought I was talking about fruit.
[ and it was wonderful, and the tittering that followed was Cloak's best opportunity to confiscate his phone and wrap him up for a nap, and he's capable of recognising and articulating none of this now and will feel no inclination to do so later so it goes unsaid.
just as the sincerity in Logan's admission, and actions, goes unrecognised. sort of. the rising glee in his expression settles a little, softens out. his words are fuzzy at their edges as the seed of a gratitude he'll find and nurse later on is planted, his topics mixed, but. ]
I wasn't talking about fruit. You didn't need to come all the way out here.
[ but he's glad. he's obviously glad. and how often does Stephen Strange bother to smile? ]
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And. God. He's not meant to be awake at this time of the evening-morning. ]
I know I didn't need to. [ He shrugs, hands landing absently on his own waist. ] I wanted to.
[ Then, a sigh. ] Wong told me it wasn't about fruit, too. And he told me about the smartphone.
[ Sort of awkwardly, he reaches up to rub his thumb over the tip of his nose. ]
It's just. You weren't supposed to come down while I was still here.
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[ Stephen's waking up, slowly but surely, and as the haze of sleep shakes off the looseness of the drink has its chance for some time in the sun. there's play in him, and none of the usual restraint used to funnel it off into sharper channels.
right now, image protection doesn't seem to be high on the agenda. he floats down the rest of stairs and is set to his socked feet with a clumsy grace. having fun. ]
You wanted to come all the way over here to not see me? I didn't know you and Wong were that close.
[ ha ha. ]
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[ Which is... really just being delayed the longer Logan stands here in the Sanctum's foyer. He recognises this and rubs a palm over the back of his neck because he doesn't understand why his luck keeps getting him in situations like this.
He spares a glance over his shoulder in the direction of the kitchen. ] Guess Wong and I did bond a little, though.
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[ it's meant as a dig, how many hours did it take to get the message across - he could ask Wong for the lowdown now, but he wants to fully appreciate the tale. one does not simply waste the retelling of a Wong & Logan smartphone debrief.
it's at this point, though, that his eyes narrow. while I was still here, which means he was on his way out, which means - ]
You're not driving back now, right?
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Sure, he'd had to ask... more questions than usual, but not any more than another senior citizen might have. He thinks. ] But Wong gave me some tea.
I brought Cyke's-- [ a beat ] my car, so yeah, I'm supposed to drive...
[ He pauses. Considers Stephen's semi-wasted expression. ]
Do you want me to stay?
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[ said expression is suddenly doing its best impression of sober, and serious. there is, to his credit, a clarity in his eyes that wasn't there a moment before. ]
M'not gonna drink and cast but in the morning I can get you and the car back as early as you need. Tonight we've got a spare room.
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A lot of times Logan's said "no", and a lot of times he's felt guilty about it.
But it's just a night. And there's a stupid, stupid prickling in the back of his neck that won't go away. ]
Okay. [ God. Logan dips his head just enough to pinch at the bridge of his nose. ] Okay.
Yeah.
But you sleep, too.
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he stops a couple of paces away, realising he's a host now. ]
M'going to get some water. Anything you need - ?
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I drank all this tea...
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[ a quick interaction with Wong - who isn't really about the interacting with Stephen on his once-every-month-to-every-few-months accidental alcohol overkill evening, so the vibe is more or less just get your water and go to bed, thanks Wong - and Stephen's heading for the sink to sort a couple of glasses of water. ]
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[ Which is probably not the first impression most would get from the New York Sanctum's Master, but Logan has a few messages in his Nokia that prove it. ]
I don't dislike it.
...the tea. [ Also Stephen. But mostly the tea. ]
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[ which is either an explanation for why Logan likes the tea, why Stephen's at a near constant state of textual non-calm, or a punchline to a joke told only with an expression. maybe all three.
it definitely means he thinks he's funny, but for why??? might be beyond anyone who isn't him ]
Come on. I'll show you your room.