"Don't rush, take a sip of water first, let's talk slowly." Shiller walked over to the table and poured a glass of water for Strange.
Normally, the relationship between Shiller, Strange, and Loki was more like that of frenemies, always pulling pranks on one another. Whenever the three of them got together, aside from giving the Cosmic Sorcerers a taste of humanity's might, all they did was heckle each other.
No wonder, as each of the three represented a powerful faction with countless issues, too complex to explain.
We don't even mention Loki's debts in Asgard, Strange's leadership of Kamar-Taj is not smooth sailing either, and the human heroes led by Shiller have even more troubles. Whenever these three masters come together, any action from an important figure among them could set off a disaster.
But now, Shiller felt the need to show some concern for Strange, because Strange's condition looked really terrible.
Strange is a perfectionist and somewhat obsessive-compulsive. Like most surgeons, he has extremely strict demands on his appearance and behavior. He affirms excellence in all aspects and would never allow himself to look disheveled.
After he became the Supreme Magician, he didn't change this behavior. If the Ancient One's leadership style was to focus on the big picture and ignore trivial matters, Strange was cautious to a fault, scrutinizing every apprentice's daily curriculum.
Now, the buttons on Strange's suit looked skewed, obviously due to trembling hands while trying to button up. Although his tie was tied neatly, it was hastily stuffed inside his suit jacket, resulting in creases at the edge.
The usually well-groomed cufflinks were undone, not to mention the dark circles hidden behind his glasses, and the fine lines that appeared near the corners of his mouth.
This would be an ordinary sight for Stark, as he regularly stayed up late conducting experiments and had no wish to dress formally, even needing Pepper to tie his tie for him, but for it to happen to Strange was extremely abnormal.
Shiller knew that Strange, like Schiller, was meticulous about his appearance. And if something could cause them to appear disheveled, it must be a catastrophic event.
Strange picked up the cup of water from Shiller, but his hand was shaking so much that the water splashed onto the table, making him feel even worse. Shiller did not miss the shaking, and quickly fetched a sippy cup meant for mental patients from a nearby cupboard.
But Strange seemed to take offense. He slammed his palm on the table, saying, "I am not a mental patient! Why are you bringing me a safety cup? I can take care of myself! I can…"
Trying to reach for the regular cup on the table again, his hand shook even more. The cup was accidentally knocked off the table, shattering into pieces, with water everywhere.
Shiller frowned, realizing that he had underestimated the extent of Strange's issues. This was more than just an anxiety attack, there were signs of bipolar disorder. His sudden fury and swift behavioral changes were too drastic.
As Shiller turned to fetch a cleaning tool to tidy up, he noticed Strange trying to pick up the shattered pieces. He immediately intercepted Strange, who seemed to realize something, covered his mouth, propped his elbow on the table, and began to take deep breaths incessantly.
After cleaning up the mess, Shiller poured another cup of water for Strange, but did not hand it to him this time, placing it in between them instead. The sight of the calm water seemed to calm Strange down considerably.
"Tell me what happened." Shiller broached the topic.
"My father is ill..." Strange stuttered. But he gritted his teeth and added, "But he deserves it! He's a smoker, an alcoholic, and a drug addict who spends his days hanging around the casino!"
Outside of the burst of anger, Strange sounded as if he were on the verge of tears, "But it's not his fault, my mother passed away, my sister got hurt, I was away at school and my younger brother was rebellious. He had a lot of pent-up frustration, but was too stubborn to see a psychologist because he didn't think there's anything wrong…"
"Fact is, whether physically or psychologically, he's gravely sick. Alcohol has tainted his brain, and nicotine has damaged his lungs. My colleague in the lab says there's no hope for his lungs anymore, he has smoked too much. The late-stage pain has left him no choice but to blunt it with marijuana…"
Suddenly, Strange fell silent. His rapid-fire revelation about his family situation had come as a torrential outburst, and now he had fallen silent instantly. It was like a machine gun that had run out of bullets within a second.
"What does he think of you?" Shiller asked a critical question. He knew it might agitate Strange, but it had to be asked, since it could very well be the key to Strange's breakdown.
"He would rather rot at home, rather let his lungs degenerate until they lose two-thirds of their functionality than seek his son who works at the New York General Hospital for help! And I am his eldest son!" Strange punched the table again, "Those damn country doctors fooled him! They must have! They must have assured him it was okay, that's why he's in such a state. I knew it, those ignorant, stupid quacks…"