[Avengers x TCF] Home Is Where the Doctor Is

Chapter 3: You're Joe? I'm Bob Then

Oh, I forgot to mention it, but a fair warning, I will use the official names in this fic, so I hope you won't mind. Happy reading as always!

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There was a knock on the door, Alver's head throbbed at the hardly audible sound. The waking days had begun to take their price, and Alver knew what they demanded: a sleep, even a minute would be counted as a blessing. But he couldn't even if he must. Not when his dongsaeng was gone, stranded in a place—or world, Alver gurned at the thought—that perhaps even gods didn't know his whereabouts.

Well aware of who it was, he said as permission, "I don't think there is a need for courtesy between us anymore, Instructor-nim."

The black hair emerged from the opened door, carrying purpose. Alver's eyes were still glued to the paper, busying himself with whatever was at hand.

"Your Highness, you need to rest," Choi Han voiced without beating around the bush. "While I know it's a rather dire situation for Cale-nim to be gone in such a peculiar moment, the Empire can not lose another crucial figure."

"And yet ..." he drawled, tearing his gaze from the paper to the swordmaster, "you aren't faring any better, are you?"

Alver eyed the man in front of him, Choi Han looked unkempt compared to his usual refined look. His hair was disheveled, striking black smudged his under-eyes, and Alver also noticed his stance had become sluggish. Alver too knew that he wasn't any better, if not the same. He didn't need to look in the mirror to be conscious of his unbefitting appearance as his wearied eyes, eaten by fatigue, had told him everything he needed.

"Still, sleep remains necessary," he insisted.

Alver waved it off. "Later."

"Your Highness—"

"Report me on everything that has happened so far," he interrupted.

Choi Han huffed, knowing it was to discourage him from pursuing the matter any further. "Rosalyn and Eruhaben-nim have picked up a remnant of energy from where Cale-nim had vanished. They believe that it is the cause behind his sudden disappearance."

"But?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Unfortunately and not, it is from an unknown origin, so foreign that they can't locate its root so far. But from there, we can finally know that the gods aren't the ones pulling the strings."

Alver considered carefully before conveying his thoughts, "The gods might not be the ones, but they can still be involved indirectly. Has there been any news from Kage?"

"Ah, you're right," Choi Han exclaimed, realizing something. "Kage revealed that the God of Death has been oddly silent even from the day before it all started."

Alver sneered, spite in his mouth. "Then it has been decided, we will coerce them into compliance. Prepare the army to raid the God of Death's temples discreetly across the continent, level them if you must but make sure to keep the civilians out of harm's way."

"Will do, Your Highness," Choi Han obliged, tone laced with zeal. "Ron Molran is currently seeking information through his connection since the children are still in a vulnerable state and have been reported to cry sporadically," he continued. "And the news has been delivered to our allies, although it took some time. I didn't know Cale-nim had unconsciously formed a whole Empire."

Alver snorted adoringly. "Doesn't he already have his own religion? An Empire pales in comparison to it." There, Alver found that the mere mention of his dongsaeng had brought light to the discussion, he couldn't wait for him to come home even more. "Don't let this information out and keep the people blissed from ignorance. Let it stay this way until Cale returns."