"Why are you shouting so loudly?" Schiller picked at his ear and hung the cleaned wineglass back on the rack.
Strange stood before the bar, glaring at him furiously.
"What'll you have?" Schiller asked, turning to him.
"Was this your doing?!" Strange slammed a tabloid onto the bar.
Schiller shook his head. "No."
Strange froze. He studied Schiller suspiciously. Normally, Schiller would not deny something he had actually done. He might evade the question or change the subject, but he would not deny it so flatly. Could it really have had nothing to do with him?
"Eddie wrote the article," Schiller said. "I saw that he had potential as a tabloid reporter, so I gave him an opportunity."
"So it was still your idea, wasn't it?!"
"That depends on how you define it..."
"Does Loki know about this?"
"That's what you care about?"
Strange seemed too angry for words. He leaned back with his eyes closed, covered his forehead, then scrubbed a hand hard over his face. With a sweep of his cloak, he sat at the bar and gritted out, "Do you know this could make Thor challenge me to a duel?!"
"So you're afraid you can't beat Thor. You needn't worry about that. Before Loki returns safely, Thor definitely won't have time to bother you."
"What about afterward?!"
"Once Loki is back, he certainly won't just stand by and watch Thor beat you up."
"Yeah, he'll help Thor beat me up!"
"Really?"
Their gazes met. The instant Strange saw Schiller's gray eyes, he jerked his head away as if burned.
"Even if this helps clear Loki's name, our reputations will be tied together afterward."
"Oh, I see. You're worried his reputation will drag yours down?"
Before Strange could say anything, several condemning looks came from around the bar.