Curiosity Killed the Cat...

The hum of the jet's engines filled the cabin, steady and soothing against the backdrop of endless blue skies. The desert was far behind them now, replaced by a sense of weightless safety that seemed almost surreal after everything they'd endured. Tony's private jet was as luxurious as one would expect—sleek, modern, and equipped with every comfort imaginable. But at the moment, it carried only the essentials: a skeleton crew, Rhodey, Yinsen, Tony, and, of course, the oddest passenger of all—a black cat with sharp blue eyes and an even sharper tongue.

The cabin was quiet, save for the low murmur of a flight attendant offering drinks. Rhodey sat near the front, his posture tense but his face softening as he finally allowed himself to relax. Yinsen, seated across from Tony, sipped his tea with a contented sigh, though his gaze occasionally drifted toward Stephen with quiet curiosity. Tony, meanwhile, sprawled in his usual lazy confidence, one hand loosely holding a glass of whiskey as his smirk played across his face.

Stephen was curled up beside him, perched like a king surveying his kingdom, his tail twitching lazily as he stared out the window at the clouds. His posture was casual, but his eyes betrayed a watchfulness, a readiness to leap into action if needed.

Finally, Rhodey broke the silence, setting his drink down with a soft clink and turning in his seat to face the others. "Alright," he began, his tone serious but with an undercurrent of curiosity. "We've got plenty of time before we land. You've dodged every question I've asked since we got on this plane, but now I want answers. Starting with…" He gestured toward Stephen, who turned his head slowly to meet Rhodey's gaze with an unblinking stare. "The cat."

Tony raised an eyebrow, glancing at Stephen as though asking for permission to have some fun. "You wanna take this one, buddy?"

Stephen sighed, his ears flicking with mild irritation. "You're the one who insisted I come along," he muttered. "You explain it."

Tony grinned, clearly enjoying himself. He gestured theatrically. "Rhodey, meet Stephen. Stephen, Rhodey. Stephen's… complicated."

Rhodey crossed his arms, unimpressed. "Yeah, I got that part. What I want to know is how complicated. Because so far, this cat has survived a desert escape, glared at me like I owe him money, and, unless I'm losing my mind, can talk. So, what's the deal?"

Stephen's tail lashed against the seat, and he sat up straighter, fixing Rhodey with a piercing blue gaze. "The 'deal,' as you so eloquently put it, is none of your business."

Rhodey blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Okay. Rude."

Yinsen chuckled softly, setting his tea down and folding his hands on the table in front of him. "Stephen prefers to keep certain things… private. For good reason."

Rhodey raised an eyebrow, his gaze bouncing between Yinsen and the cat. "Private? What does that even mean? Are we talking about some kind of secret government project here? Or is this another one of Stark's weird science experiments?"

Tony threw his hands up in mock surrender. "Hey, don't look at me. I found him like this."

"Found him?" Rhodey repeated, his skepticism deepening. "What does that even mean?"

Stephen let out a low, exasperated sigh. His voice took on a sharper edge, his irritation bleeding through. "It means exactly what it sounds like. I don't belong here, Colonel Rhodes. Not in this world, not in this time. So if you're expecting some neat and tidy explanation, you're going to be disappointed."

Rhodey leaned back in his seat, his brows knitting together as he processed Stephen's words. "Not in this world? What are you, some kind of alien?"

"No," Stephen said firmly, his tone brooking no argument. "But I'm not from here. Not from this universe."

The cabin fell silent, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air. Yinsen and Tony exchanged knowing looks, already familiar with the concept, but Rhodey was still staring at Stephen as though he'd grown a second tail.

"So, you're saying… parallel universe? Alternate reality? That kind of thing?" Rhodey finally asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Stephen inclined his head slightly, his eyes steady. "More or less."

Rhodey let out a low whistle, running a hand over his face. "Okay. That's… a lot."

"It usually is," Stephen said dryly.

Rhodey leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he studied Stephen with narrowed eyes. "Alright, let's say I believe you—which, by the way, I'm not saying I do. But let's just pretend. How does that explain the talking? And the fact that you're sitting here like you own the damn place?"

Stephen's ears flattened slightly, but he held his ground. "I've already explained this to Stark and Yinsen. I'm a sorcerer. Or I was a sorcerer. In my universe, I trained in the mystical arts. Magic, if you prefer to call it that."

Rhodey raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Magic. Right. Because that's a thing."

"It is," Stephen replied, his tone unwavering. "And before you ask, no, I'm not an experiment or some product of advanced technology. What you've seen is real, whether you choose to believe it or not."

Tony, who had been watching the exchange with evident amusement, suddenly chimed in. "Speaking of things that don't make sense, how exactly did you talk to your mentor earlier?"

Stephen's gaze shifted toward Tony, his expression softening slightly. "Yes. I've explained this already—she's not the mentor I trained under, but a version of her. In this universe, the Ancient One is still alive, and she is a sorcerer of incredible power. Her knowledge of the multiverse far exceeds my own."

"What I want to know," Tony interjected, swirling his whiskey, "is how you talked to her. Magical phone? A mystical group chat?"

Stephen huffed, his annoyance returning. "She reached out to me in the astral plane."

Rhodey frowned, his skepticism deepening. "What?"

"The astral plane," Stephen repeated, his tone calm. "It's a dimension of thought and consciousness. A place where the physical world holds no sway. It's where I go when I need to… reflect."

Yinsen, who had been listening quietly, leaned forward slightly, his curiosity piqued. "Is that where you sorcerers meet?"

Stephen smirked faintly, his tail curling around his paws. "On occasion. But it's not a café, Dr. Yinsen. It's a sacred and powerful dimension that transcends physical boundaries."

"Right," Rhodey muttered, leaning back with a skeptical snort. "Magic, alternate universes, mystical planes of existence. I'm definitely going to need a drink for this."

Tony grinned, raising his glass. "Welcome to my life, Rhodey."

Rhodey let out a long breath, leaning back in his seat. "Alright, so let me get this straight. You're a sorcerer from another universe, you talk to people in alternate dimensions, and you've decided to crash on Stark's couch until further notice. Does that about sum it up?"

Stephen smirked faintly. "More or less."

Tony grinned, raising his glass in a mock toast. "Welcome to the team, buddy."

Rhodey shook his head, muttering under his breath. "This is insane."

"Insane or not," Yinsen said gently, "he saved our lives. That's more than enough reason to trust him."

Stephen's gaze softened slightly, and he dipped his head in acknowledgment. "Thank you, Yinsen."

"Yeah, yeah," Rhodey said, waving a hand. "Just don't expect me to start calling you Gandalf anytime soon."

Stephen's smirk widened. "I'll settle for Stephen."

The cabin was still humming with energy from the earlier conversation, though Rhodey still looked as though he was trying to process Stephen's revelation about parallel universes and magic. Yinsen was calm, sipping his tea, while Tony lounged lazily in his seat, watching Stephen with the kind of curiosity that was usually reserved for new tech he wanted to tinker with.

"So," Rhodey said, leaning back and crossing his arms. "You keep saying you're from another universe and that you're a sorcerer or whatever. And I've got that you're human, so I have a pretty basic question: why are you still a cat?"

Stephen glanced at him, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Because being an animal helps me process emotions better than being a human does."

That answer brought a brief silence, broken only by the faint clink of Yinsen's teacup against its saucer. Rhodey frowned, his skepticism evident. "What does that even mean?"

Stephen let out a long sigh, his tail flicking as he perched more upright on his seat. "It means that when I'm in a human form, everything is more intense. My emotions, my sensations, my memories. Every thought feels like it's clawing its way to the surface. It can be… overwhelming."

"And when you're a cat?" Yinsen asked, his tone gentle.

Stephen's gaze softened slightly as he turned to the doctor. "When I'm like this, those feelings are muted. Manageable. It's easier to focus, to think clearly."

Tony leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "Okay, but what about the astral realm? You were all zen in there, right?"

Stephen huffed softly. "The astral realm doesn't have a physical body to influence your emotions. It's a plane of pure thought and consciousness. Everything there is muted, like background noise. That's why I could handle it."

Rhodey raised an eyebrow. "So, basically, being human is too much, being a cat is just right, and the astral plane is like turning down the volume?"

"More or less," Stephen replied.

Tony, clearly unimpressed by the explanation, grinned mischievously. "You know, you could just show us your human form. Let us see what we're working with here."

Stephen shot him a sharp look. "I don't see how that's relevant."

"Come on," Tony said, leaning back and spreading his arms. "We've already seen the magic tricks. Give us the big reveal. I'm curious."

Yinsen gave Tony a disapproving glance. "Tony, perhaps Stephen has his reasons for staying as he is. We shouldn't pressure him."

"It's fine," Stephen interrupted, his tone calm but clipped. "If it will put an end to your questions, I'll show you."

Tony smirked. "That's the spirit."

Stephen closed his eyes, his small body beginning to shimmer faintly as golden light surrounded him. The air in the cabin seemed to shift, growing heavy with an almost electric energy. The cat's form began to stretch and reshape, the fur receding as limbs elongated. Within moments, the light faded, and where the black cat had been, a man now stood.

Stephen Strange, in human form, was an imposing figure. His sleek black and white outfit clung to his tall, lean frame, accented with subtle gold and dark gray details. His sharp, angular features were framed by a streak of silver in his otherwise dark hair, and his piercing blue eyes held the same intensity as his feline gaze. His posture was straight and proud, yet there was a tension in his shoulders, as if he were bracing himself for something unseen.

Tony blinked, then let out a low whistle. "Well, damn."

Stephen arched an eyebrow. "What?"

"You're hot," Tony said bluntly. "Like, you should stay like this more often. It's a good look."

Stephen's expression flattened. "I'll take that under advisement."

Rhodey, clearly exasperated, groaned. "Tony, for once in your life, try to have some tact."

Yinsen, ever the voice of reason, stepped in with a calm but firm tone. "Tony, give him his space. This can't be easy for him."

Stephen nodded in quiet appreciation toward Yinsen, though his hands clenched slightly at his sides. The colors of the cabin seemed brighter, the hum of the engines louder. His breathing grew shallow, his heart beating faster. It was exactly as he'd described—everything felt too sharp, too raw.

"Alright," Stephen said, his voice tight. "You've seen enough."

Before anyone could protest, his body shimmered again, golden light enveloping him as he shifted back into his feline form. The transition was smooth, almost instantaneous, and in moments, the black cat sat on the seat once more, curling his tail around himself as if to reclaim his composure.

"Wow," Tony said, leaning back in his seat with an exaggerated sigh. "And here I thought the magic was the coolest thing about you. Guess I was wrong."

Stephen shot him a flat look. "You're exhausting."

Yinsen smiled softly, his eyes warm with understanding. "Thank you for trusting us enough to show us, Stephen."

Stephen dipped his head slightly in acknowledgment. "Don't get used to it."

Rhodey, who had been quiet during the transformation, finally spoke up. "I get it now. Why you stay like this. That whole human thing looked… intense."

Stephen let out a low sigh, his tail flicking lazily. "That's one way to put it."

Tony leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he grinned. "You know, if you ever decide to stick with the human thing, I've got some killer suits back at the lab. You'd clean up real nice."

Stephen didn't dignify that with a response. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the window, his blue eyes narrowing slightly as the clouds rolled by. He'd given them a glimpse of his true self, and though it had left him feeling exposed, he couldn't deny the faint stirrings of something else—a sense of connection he hadn't felt in a long time.

For now, though, the cat was safer. Simpler. And Stephen Strange wasn't ready to let go of that just yet.