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sdaithi · 8 years ago

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Have a Care

Prompt from the DoctorStrangeKinkmeme.

We saw Stephen got badly beaten up by those muggers, but he was so desperate to get into Kamar Taj that he didn't focus on the pain & damage then. What if after the night in front of the door & finally being let in, he was terrified of pointing out he was injured and risk getting kicked out if he couldn't start training? So when Mordo comes to call him f/ his lesson & finds him curled up unconscious from the broken ribs pain & resulting damage, some reassurance & care are needed.

Stephen removed his shirt carefully. The bruises on his ribs were evident. He palpitated his ribs and didn’t feel that anything was broken but he couldn’t really tell. His hands shook harder than normal as the pain from the beating just added to the pain that had become his comfort and companion.

But he was in! They had let him stay.

He had been careful to keep himself strong in front of the Ancient One and the students. He had made it almost all the way through dinner when another student slapped him on the back in a friendly manner that had sent shock waves of pain through out his body. He managed to stay up right until he got to his room but it had been a close thing.

He came to on the floor and had carefully worked himself up to sitting on the bed. He wasn’t sure but there might be internal bleeding from the kicks to the gut that he had taken before Mordo had intervened. They had gone mostly for his torso and he managed to keep most of the blows away from his most vulnerable parts. He just hoped he was not going to pissing blood in the morning but he would not be surprised if he did.

He tried to find a comfortable position to sleep in. He turned and could feel himself pass out from the pain. His last thought was ‘I have nowhere else to go’.

- - - - -

Mordo was summoned to the Ancient One by one of the newer students. Mordo hadn’t learned their name yet because he didn’t know if this one would be staying and he hadn’t seen the need until they had proven themselves.

“Ancient One,” he said with a slight bow.

“Mordo,” came the reply as the Ancient One was reading through one of the books from their library. It was one of the more basic books on magic that they had. He memorized most of it over time.

“Have you seen Strange this morning?” came the question.

Mordo thought back to breakfast and went through the picture in his head of that room, “No, I have not.”

“Did anything seem unusual when you parted ways last night?”

Mordo thought a bit, “Not that I can think of. He had dinner with the novices and then went to his rooms. I don’t think he has been seen since.”

“Could you check on him?”

Mordo bowed and went to Stephen Strange’s room.

He knocked and received no response. He paused a moment before opening the door. Had the man left in the night? Had he decided that this was not for him? Or was he an indolent man who didn’t believe that the rules were for him?

He opened the door to find Strange on the floor as if he was heading for the door and collapsed. The sheets were wrapped around his feet. Mordo saw the bruises that had formed where Strange had been kicked when the men stole his watch.

“Curse me for a novice,” Mordo exclaimed.

Mordo knelt down and felt for a pulse as his first concern that Strange had died during the night. The pulse was there but it was weak. He carefully picked the man up and placed him back on the bed. Strange moaned but did not wake up.

He sent a quick telepathic message to the Ancient One. He opened his third eye and looked at the man before him. The injuries that he had sustained stood out in an angry red. Mordo was amazed that Stephen was even on his feet considering the amount of pain that he was probably in. Then he looked at the damage in his hands and the scars told of great pain that had been endured. This man and pain were now old friends.

The Ancient One entered with their healer.

“I found him on the floor,” Mordo said.

“Do you know how he came by these injuries?” asked the Healer.

Mordo was ashamed. He had seen it happen and said nothing about it. He told them of the attack on Strange and how he had rescued him. He had thought nothing of the possibility of the injuries that might have been sustained.

The Ancient One looked at him critically. It was one of the looks that no one wished to have fall upon them. You knew you screwed up badly if you got this look.

“Mordo, since you have failed to see to the wellbeing of one of our own, it will now be your responsibility to make sure that Mr. Strange recovers from the attack upon his person. I relieve you of your teaching duties for now. His care is your job.”

He bowed his head in acknowledgement of his punishment for his thoughtlessness.

He helped the Healer undress Strange and bind his ribs. Several cuts showed the signs of becoming infected. These seem to have come not from the beating but from his travels to Kamar Taj. Strange’s lack of appreciation of his own being troubled Mordo as he knew those feelings all too well.

“I have some concerns about his spleen and kidneys,” said the Healer, “There is damage there. I will send my apprentice with some medicines to give him. He needs to stay still and heal. His Chi is very off balance.”

“I wonder if it ever was in balance,” said Mordo.

He felt the slap to the back of his head, “Behave. The Ancient One has given you a task. Fulfill your duty.”

Mordo nodded and was left alone with Strange.

For the next couple of days Mordo did everything for Strange. He bathed him. He cleaned up his mess. Strange barely returned to consciousness when the fever hit. Between that and the damage to his body, he could not keep any food down. Even water was a challenge.

At one point Mordo went to the Ancient One and wanted to know if they should take the man to a hospital as he had slide so far but she seemed to be of the opinion that he could take care of what he thought was a dying man.

He learned while taking care of the delirious man a little more of his background. There was a woman in Strange’s life named Christina that seemed important to him. Mordo had found her name on the back of the broken watch he had given back to Strange. He discovered out about Strange’s fears about his hands and how much pain the man was in day to day.

In some ways he had a greater respect for the man than upon his original impression.

Finally the fever broke and slowly Strange returned to this world but he still needed Mordo’s help in just about everything.

Mordo considered it a win when Stephen could finally drink broth and keep it down. He continued to minister to the man’s needs.

He had finished giving Strange a sponge bath and settled him down for a nap.

“Mordo,” said Strange in a very quiet voice, “Why?”

Mordo didn’t make him spell it out, “Because I was given the task to take care of you.”

“But why? You saved me from those men.”

“Yes, but I failed to see how injured you were.”

Strange laughed, “How injured I was? You watched me being beaten.”

“Not really, I came around the corner and took care of your attackers.”

Stephen nodded, “And I don’t think I thanked you so….Thanks.”

“You are welcome?” Mordo replied.

He had to strain to hear the next words Strange said, “I thought if I looked weak, you were going to kick me out. That I would lose my last chance at….” and his voice trailed off.

And then it all made sense to Mordo. Why Strange hadn’t said anything about his injuries and in fact had tried to cover them up.

“The Ancient One chose you for a reason. It is not ours to speculate why. Once she has declared something so, it is so. The only one who can make you leave Kamar Taj is yourself.”

That seemed to comfort the man and he drifted off to the first real worry free sleep he had in a while.

Mordo finished tidying up the man’s room and took the materials left over back to the Healer’s rooms.

As he stepped back out, he nearly ran right into the Ancient One.

“I really wish you wouldn’t do that,” he said.

She smiled that half smile that spoke of wisdom unknown.

“I hear that Mr. Strange is recovering nicely. I wish him to report for novice training tomorrow. He will also join your exercise class.”

“I’m not sure if he is ready…”

She cut him off, “Mordo, have I asked for your opinion on this matter?”

“No.”

“Is there anything in what I said you need clarification on?”

“No.”

“Do I need to say anything else?”

“No”

She nodded and then walked on.

Mordo went to Strange’s room to give him the news only to find Strange out of bed and trying to walk. Rather than shove him back in the bed, Mordo helped him and continued to help without looking like he was helping.

Strange joined the rest of the novices and Mordo was impressed how fast he seemed to pick up concepts. He appreciated the strength of the man and prayed that Strange would be up to the task when called to it.

#doctor strange fanfic #doctorstrangekinkmeme #meme fill

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