WTL Mailbox

[thewarningafter]

1107 Sweet Cream Street

Comments

[carnagecarnival]

yo, stephen

WAS JUST MAKING NOTICE AS LIKE YOU DIDN'T GET NO REPLY ON TO WHAT THINGS ZEPHYR WAS SAYING FOR [And the spike of fear what came before it, and the feeling like he's motherfucking been there before.] AND I JUST THOUGHT IT ABOUT ASKING IF YOU WAS AIGHT AND ALL
ain't no thing if you're well and good
OR IF YOU AIN'T UP AND GOT NO WANT TO TALK OF IT
just making as all to check i suppose

-IZZEKIEL ♑

[thewarningafter]

Was I really that loud?

-Stephen

[xanthous]

[A few days after their Totally Anonymous conversation on the bulletin board, a package appears at Stephen's house.

Inside is a simple, but functional CD player and a note.]

II heard you liike mu2iic and don't have anythiing to play iit wiith unle22 you wanna 2ma2h on 2ome key2 your2elf.
IIt'2 probably a 2tupid giift but II know what you diid for my moiiraiil and II don't know any other way to repay you.
2o.
Enjoy iit.

-Xanthou2

P2: There 2hould be 2omethiing that work2 wiith thii2 iin the liibrary iif you want to 2tart a hoard.

[thewarningafter]

[It's not entirely a surprise, but it brings a smile to Stephen's face when he opens it anyhow. The CD player will be carefully enshrined on one of his bookshelves; raiding the library will come soon after (the CD player is already amongst books raided from that same building).]

Xanthous,

Thank you for this gift. Consider any bills you feel you owe me paid in full.

Dr. Stephen Strange

August 23rd

[voiceinthephone]

[Since Dr. Strange was such an eager consumer of cupcakes, a new package arrives with two new flavors: Inner Peace and one with a cute topper. Attached to the package is a note]

For Dr. Strange,

You may be in for a more relaxing day ahead, with this combination. The Pax Lavender cupcake with ease your mind allow peace to come along.

The other one, I haven't had the chance to test how strong it might be but I assure you the effects will be temporary. The topper should be hint enough.

Bon apetit!

same day

[thewarningafter]

Phil,

Thanks for the cupcakes, but I think I might have done enough experimenting with those. Also the implications of that topper are weird, are you trying to turn me into a cat? Am I reading that right?

--Dr. Strange

october 5th

[howdull]

[It hadn't been hard to deduce what costume Stephen wants to wear for Halloween, not with his initial comments about making an excellent neighbour costume and then his poorly disguised attempt to ask for a cat.

It's actually a pretty ingenious idea, and he'd quite like to do the same in return. If he has to dress up, then he's going to make sure it's done to the highest standard. Which is why, after a couple of days, Sherlock will appear on Stephen's doorstep with a large bag in hand and knock sharply.]

[thewarningafter]

[Stephen comes to the door quickly enough, Levi flitting to his shoulders by the time he gets there. Neighbors coming to his door in this world always seems to herald some kind of crisis, so he takes a second to look Sherlock up and down before deciding that no, Sherlock probably wouldn't come to him for help with much of anything unless he wants something magical. The bag's a mystery, and his gaze lingers on it a moment longer. He gives the other man a questioning look.]

Afternoon.

11/25

[voiceinthephone]

[Along comes a letter with some tea, though Phil won’t be too hung up on any refusal. He brought this onto Strange and himself, no need to pretend he’s above it all.]

Dr. Strange,

I want to apologize for inflicting you with a spell you had no knowledge of. I’m also sorry for having threatened you in any way as a werewolf.

I’d ask for lessons in how to better control my magic but I understand if you would not feel comfortable with this.

- PG

[thewarningafter]

[That tea is getting checked over three or four times for enchantments before Stephen even brings it into the house. It seems to be clean, though, so it won't be long before he sits down to write his reply.]

In hindsight it was at least a little bit funny. I'm in most afternoons, come by when you're ready to learn.

[xanthous]

[I hope you like mittens and scarves, Stephen, because you're getting several. One day the doctor-slash-wizard will find a package labelled with his name outside of his house, containing the aforementioned goods. They're all in colors matching Levi, perfect for coordinated with the artifact.]

Get ready for the 2now to dump all over u2, 2tephen.

-Xanthou2

[thewarningafter]

[Snow. The thought of it strikes dread into Stephen, though it's mostly as he thinks of how badly John and the others are likely to take it. He'll be fine, of course. His reply is brief, scrawled while Levi plays with the new garments, ignoring Stephen's attempts to shoo it away.]

Thank you. Levi likes them. Winter's only a quarter of the year, right?

December 20th

[advanced]

[Dr. Strange is Bucky's second stop of the night, and probably the most awkward one. He still wouldn't class the man as a friend, but he helped put his arm back on and that has to have earned something.

Which is why, whenever Stephen goes out to his mailbox, he'll find a neatly wrapped bottle of top quality aged scotch, with a small label that reads:

Season's Greetings.
From, James Barnes.]

Re: December 20th

[thewarningafter]

[Luckily for Bucky, Stephen doesn't catch him at it. His return gift doesn't arrive until early Christmas day, when a bowl containing two fresh duck eggs materializes on Bucky's doorstep with a note reading Merry Christmas from Dr. Strange. It really does just about materialize, too, if one counts magic gateways. Congrats on getting the first batch, Bucky.]

[telecosmetic]

[Eliza slips a drawing into Stephen's mailbox on the night of Christmas Eve. It's a drawing of him flying through the sky-with a line of ducks flying right behind him. It's signed and has "Merry Christmas!" written on it.]

[thewarningafter]

[On Christmas morning, Eliza will find a bowl with two fresh duck eggs in it and a note reading Merry Christmas from Dr. Strange. Guess her card was prophetic...?]

In response to the Bulletin Board

[voiceinthephone]

[Phil wanted to answer Stephen's question without worry...but the man made valid points.]

Dr. Strange,

I understand your concern about Finnegan becoming "habituated to humans" but I try to minimize as best I can the contact I have with the pup in my human form. Jeremy, my roommate, he limits his interactions as well. We both know we can't keep him.

And no, I clearly didn't think this through but I'm not releasing him just yet. He's getting stronger, and slowly getting used to solid foods. I hope by spring he'll be strong and able enough to be on his own.

[thewarningafter]

Phil,

You understand my concern, though. Zephyr modified the animals to behave more realistically. What you have is an actual wolf. But it's too late now and I'm not your keeper.

Stephen

Forward dated Shenanigans

[voiceinthephone]

[Phil is true to his word when it comes to his bets, especially when it involves being a show-off. The cupcake arrives and yes, it’s that adorable. He leaves the note.]

Whenever you’re ready, you’re on.

- PG

March 29

[thewarningafter]

Challenge accepted. I start in the morning.

--Stephen

Dated early May, a few days after the town meeting

[taiyounoyou]

[This isn't a conversation that Masaki really wants to have, but after the commotion that she caused during the town meeting, it's one that she feels needs to happen. Not for her sake, but to help Zangetsu and to keep the peace.]

[So she finds herself at Dr. Strange's door, hesitating a moment before knocking loudly on the frame.]

Hello? Dr. Strange, are you home?

[thewarningafter]

[Stephen comes to the door dressed in his blue regalia sans his cloak. The look he gives Masaki when he opens the door is mild and questioning; he's at least been broken of the habit of assuming it's a crisis whenever someone comes to visit.]

Yes?

After their return from Recuerdo

[voiceinthephone]

Dr. Strange,

Are you all right? With everything’s that happened, I wanted to check up on you. Let me know if you need anything, all right?

- PG


PS: the cheesecake slice with a strawberry has a happiness and healing spell. Save it for when you need it, whenever you need it. The other one’s just comfort food.

[Attached in are two cheesecake slices, one plain and the other with a bright red strawberry on top, imbued with that particular combination of magic.]

[thewarningafter]

[Gods damnit Phil, he has a very specific diet and exercise regimen. Stop making such good cheesecake.]

Phil,

Thank you for the cheesecake, but the concern is unnecessary. Everything's back where it's meant to be.

-Dr. Strange

Sometime post-Recuerdo

[wesa]

Strange-

You still all bony or did they fix you up?

x Daryl

[ Not like he cares or anything. He's just curious.

Tucked within the letter is a page torn from a sketchbook: it's a skillful black and white ink rendering of skelly Stephen standing in the plaza, dramatically poised to perform. It's been imbued with an enchantment that gives it limited animation think Harry Potter style, and after several moments the skelly Stephen performs with a flourish, creating tiny bursts of sparks, multicoloured confetti, shadow blobs, and bagels — the only colour in the drawing — all of which flutter or bounce to the ground and appear to dissolve into the paper as the drawing returns to its static form. The brief animation will continue to loop endlessly, however.

Skelly Stephen 2k18 NEVER FORGET. ]

[thewarningafter]

[He'd be more annoyed if this weren't so cool. Stephen spends the afternoon trying to nail down precisely what kind of magic he's looking at here...and what it would take to replicate it. He does eventually write back, though.]

Daryl,

I'm quite alive and whole again. Interesting drawing.

Dr. Strange

a few days after the event ends; action

[advanced]

[Stephen is his second call of the night, the middle of three and hopefully the least tiring to deal with. He approaches the house carefully, warily, on silent feet. He's left a bottle of whiskey here before, a Christmas gift, but hasn't really come to call otherwise.

They're not friends, after all, just people from the same world with some of the same interests in common. He's here because of one of those. The sun has set by the time he knocks sharply.]

[thewarningafter]

[Stephen has reached a point where he no longer assumes that every knock on his door precedes a crisis...except when it's Bucky he sees upon opening it. His curious expression turns wary.]

Good evening...?

[termineur]

So, Stephen--

How'd you get on such bad terms with Zephyr? Or maybe just their parents, I guess. I didn't get here until recently, so I don't know the whole of what's been going on. Anything I should be on the lookout for? Can we talk about it?

-Gabriel

[thewarningafter]

There have been a number of misunderstandings. I was very unhappy when I first got here and a few of their family members were less than understanding.

-Stephen

Mid August

[advanced]

[After he's seen both Renart and John, he figures that he should probably go and see Stephen too. He still doesn't completely trust him, but he owes the man a thanks for what he did that night, even if it had been under duress.

He bangs on the door twice and then shifts from foot to foot on the doorstep, looking less like a dangerous former assassin and more like a naughty kid waiting for the principle.]

[thewarningafter]

[At least he's knocking. Bucky may notice that the door is visibly damaged, like it was put back up after someone kicked it in. And at least Stephen is learning not to show off for the sake of showing off every time someone comes over; he makes a point of answering the door in his physical body like a normal person...though the look he gives Bucky is more than a little wary.]

...Good. I was going to come by and check on you.

[With John or Renart in tow, probably.]

[aibolition]

Stephen,

I want to state for the record that I'm not interested in starting anything with you good or bad. But, it's become apparent that nothing I say is going to get Mom to stop trying to defend me to people, including people like you. Which means, even if it doesn't matter what you think of me, it becomes a problem if she won't stop making it one. I won't have her get hurt because of me. Not in any way or for any reason.

So, even though you didn't win, I'm going to make you an offer. I tell you whatever the hell you want, if that is still what you want, and in exchange, we move past this in whatever way keeps her from coming under fire for me. I don't imagine it should be too hard, which means I'm basically making an offer to you on a silver platter.

Think it over. And if you have something better in mind, I might be willing to negotiate.

[The letter goes unsigned.]

A day or two later

[thewarningafter]

[He shouldn't. He really, really shouldn't...but then he does.]

So you do concede after all?

[Yeah, maybe that "you didn't win" part didn't go over so well, Zan.]

[aigue]

[Merry Christmas, Stephen! On the 25th a package will be left on his doorstep containing piano tuning tools. The tag attached has a very foxy paw print, three guesses who it is from.]