[Avengers x LCF] Home Is Where the Doctor Is

Chapter 6: Carried Away (Quite Literally)

Cale was decked by a group of charging teenagers the instant he crossed into the tower. What a warm welcome, he thought dryly, unfortunate that his strained muscles didn't really appreciate the added weight, sending him stuttering back a few steps.

"Steady now," Tony quipped from behind, his hands firmly planted on Cale's waist as he nudged him into proper footing.

Cale murmured a weary thanks, though his word ended up lost beneath the eager voices of the teens. How they managed to stay so lively at this ungodly hour was beyond him, especially when the dead of night seemed to pull at his own limbs, worn with exhaustion.

"Boys," Mal led, her clap crisp as the teenagers snapped in formation, hands tucked neatly behind their straightened backs, "enact Protocol We're About to Doctor the Heck Out of Cale."

"Engaging Protocol We're About to Doctor the Heck Out of Cale, Ma'am!" they exclaimed, their voices somewhat coordinated, as if they had worked at it numerous times; Cale believed it to be the case.

What followed was ... well, eventful for what was supposed to be an already festive night. Exhausted, Cale was handled and spun about, and thoroughly checked for any injuries, consequential or not. To his utter disbelief, even his teeth were inspected, with Noah justifying it by saying, "Just in case you got punched and lost one." This, despite his fair skin, was completely untouched by any bruises.

Finally, sated by the fact that Cale had come back as a whole, the teenagers finished with a mannered salute. "Status: Cale, unscathed. Protocol We're About to Doctor the Heck Out of Cale completed!"

"Well done, everyone. Protocol We're About to Doctor the Heck Out of Cale is concluded. Cale, you're officially clear."

Cale honestly had no idea how to respond. There really hadn't been much briefing on his part, had there? One moment, he was playing the part of a HYDRA agent, and now—if Cale wasn't so sane—he would have thought he sprouted three heads just from watching the interns' ceaseless antics. After a few beats of awkward silence and internal debate, he defaulted to a tentative salute, figuring it was as good a response as any.

"Hey, that's actually fun! I thought we'd look stupid," Jason chimed in from beside him, his arm casually slung around Cale's shoulder. "Nice job playing along, dude," he added, though Cale wasn't sure if his action warranted a compliment.

"That's why you should never call it stupid if I'm in it, Jason," Mal retorted.

"I'm really glad you're okay though, mate," Theo said from his right. "Quite the ride, isn't it? One second, you're just drinking, and the next, bullets are flying everywhere."

The truth was, Cale found the situation to be surprisingly ... tame. Sure, the incident might eventually rise into something eminent, but it wasn't like he was setting free another dragon or foiling a terrorist plot. When comparing the beginning of his current life to his former world, the contrast was striking that it bordered on dull.

Which was good, don't get him wrong; the remark wasn't meant as a call for more trouble in his life. Considering the ensuing catastrophes that were expecting him, the last thing Cale needed was for things to spiral into mayhem again. At least this way, he could keep a clear head when he had to face the crazy bastards of this world.

"It was terrifying," he said instead, opting for the expected reaction people gave in situations like this. Cale caught Tony's scoff, ignoring it was the chosen response as per usual. "I was so scared."

"But your face doesn't exactly say terrified ..." Eve commented, her tone carrying doubt as she studied him closely.

Ah, Cale had ... actually forgotten about that, his mind was too spent to even manage his expression. "I'm tired," he tersely answered, as if that explained everything.