No-One But You (The Zephyr Endeavor)
Chapter 20: Connection Error Song(Part 10)

Victor Strange checked his cellphone three times when the coast was clear, and each time he reminded himself that there was no point, because he didn't have cell service on the friggen moon…

He wanted an update from Ezekiel, and the baby Strange was super impatient. Well, he hid his distraction as best he could and he smiled at Uatu as soon as he was introduced.

Uatu didn't smile back, but Victor didn't care. The Watcher clearly wasn't the smiling type. Stephen introduced his youngest sibling to the noble alien dude, then the family found their way to the meeting.

Sofia Strange had her own jurisdiction to report on. She was excited to give her report, and her eyes started studying everyone in the giant meeting room.

There were a number of familiar faces, and the little Star Child soon realized that most of them were looking at her parents. No, many of them were staring at her father and mother. Or, perhaps, just her father?

Her father had been labeled as an arrogant man, and a lone wolf. Sofia had heard it said with her own ears several times. Now, people across the cosmos were saying Stephen Strange was no longer a lone wolf. She heard whispers in that moment about his energy, and about his fusion with Agamotto.

Clea Strange never paid attention to the whispers about her husband, but her eyes did stop in one direction. Their group was about to be approached by someone who's been trying to work and "bond" with Stephen for a long time.

Thor Odinson was supposed to operate as an ally with the Sorcerer Supreme, but that arrangement fell flat with Stephen. The two of them got off on the wrong foot because of a silly comment, and Clea only saw that issue working out with Victor taking over as Sorcerer Supreme.

Stephen barely smiled at Thor as he approached their group…

Clea made sure to touch his hand before he spoke. Agamotto was there in the flesh, remember, so that ran the risk of Stephen behaving differently. He had an icy attitude all on his own, but Agamotto was extremely territorial.

…

"Thor, this is my brother Victor. I'm sure you've heard that he's taken over as the Sorcerer Supreme."

…

There wasn't much of a greeting between Thor and Stephen. The demigod gave him a warm smile regardless, and he looked at everyone that was present and there to represent the Strange family.

Donna Strange was a familiar face, and so was Sofia. Thor gave a good look at Victor Strange, and he said that he was happy to support him if he was ever in need.

The colossal blonde glanced left from Victor, and Thor Odinson inwardly decided to proceed with caution. He gave Clea Strange a small smile. It was short but sweet, because the demigod didn't want to cause a scene.

His comments and behavior toward Clea tarnished his alignment with Stephen Strange. Back in the day, he playfully refused to accept that the two of them were married, and he only referred to Stephen as her "acquaintance".

She was stunning, like always. Thor had been in some hot water with the former Sorcerer Supreme for a long while, so he gave Clea a millisecond of acknowledgement. She didn't return the attention, so Thor brought his giant smile back up to her salty acquaintance…

Stephen studied that smile, then he looked further into the room where they all were supposed to gather and report.

…

"I see you've managed to control Agamotto's presence beneath your skin. My father would be thrilled to know that. He was rooting for you to master the beast…"

…

Despite the Sorcerer Supreme's change from Stephen to Victor, Thor still felt compelled to make amends with the person standing in front of him. He saw Stephen as a noble warrior and a towering force. His marriage to Clea was a separate thought, and it belonged in a different category in his mind.

For Thor, things like love, marriage, connection, and the notion of a beautiful acquaintance didn't belong in the realm of war at all.

Beautiful souls and creatures such as Clea Strange were in a category of their own. Thor couldn't put a label on it, because the beauty could not be defined. The demigod actually thought of dueling with the former Sorcerer Supreme over it, just for fun…

He wanted to test his control, and he wondered how it felt for Stephen to have such a powerful entity roaming around beneath his skin.

The vibe within Stephen began to sharpen up just a little bit. Clea was more in-tune with her husband than anyone there, so she touched his shoulder and quietly told him that she wanted to sit down.

Stephen almost responded to Thor. He heard everything in his head, and the notion for a duel was loud and clear. Before the sorcerer reacted, Clea's words distracted him from his thoughts. They settled something within him, so he gave the demigod a small smile instead.

The "lone wolf" managed to control his sharp tongue, then he led his family to a spot where they could sit together.

Chapter: END

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