Sunnydale AU: at the corner of your eye

[americas_son]

The problem with Grahame being in LA and Mother spending most of her time in Sacramento is that, for all intents and purposes, the Chandler household has been whittled down from three (from four) to one. That makes less work to go around, and it's getting harder and harder to justify keeping on all the staff. Cal is combing intently through records and other paperwork, trying to find a balance between what's best for the Chandler finances and what will cause the least amount of difficulty for those who depend on the Chandlers for their wages.

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[if_inconvenient]

He steps inside.

"I almost broke in out of habit," he confesses, smiling wryly.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I was kinda waiting for you to come in through the window or something," Cal says.

He's not actually kidding.

[if_inconvenient]

"It did eventually occur to me that there was a simpler method."

Some people think of the front door first. Sherlock just isn't like that.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal smiles, more affectionate than he realizes.

"Of course it did. You want any tea or anything?"

[if_inconvenient]

"Tea would be lovely, thank you."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Cal says. "Kitchen's ours this time of night."

He turns and leads Sherlock there, where he fills the kettle and puts it on to boil.

[if_inconvenient]

If it were his kitchen, he'd sit on the counter. He tucks his hands into the pockets of his jeans and leans against the wall instead.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal gets out a mug and a box of tea. (It happens to be the blend Sherlock favors, much like the soda in the Stark kitchen since Tony left happens to be Cal's favorite.)

"- so how you been?" he asks dryly.

[if_inconvenient]

"Oh, I've never had a duller evening," he returns, just as dryly.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Oh, yeah," Cal says. "Nothing going on here, either."

Then he glances over his shoulder, because there are some things you just shouldn't say in Sunnydale.

[if_inconvenient]

"Honestly," Sherlock admits, "I would much rather be attacked by a demon. Demons are straightforward."

Intangible entities preying on the grief and trauma of his loved ones? Not so much.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Yeah."

Cal can follow the logic in that.

"You know what's going on with a demon. It's pretty much just gonna try to kill you."

[if_inconvenient]

"Exactly. And I would have little trouble disposing of one."

Whereas he doesn't even know what this thing is, let alone how to make it go away.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Me either," Cal says. "I mean, all I'd have to do is say, 'Sherlock, there was a demon' and I'd be all set." He smiles a little.

[if_inconvenient]

"Precisely."

He laughs.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"You're kinda handy like that."

Cal gets out the tea ball and eyes it doubtfully. Why can't Sherlock use teabags like a normal person?

[if_inconvenient]

He can! Sometimes he does, even! But loose-leaf teas are very delicious.

"Allow me," he says dryly.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal hands it over a bit ruefully.

"I'm gonna get the hang of those someday."

[if_inconvenient]

"It is not as though you have any reason to," Sherlock points out. "I am the tea fancier here."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Still," Cal says. "It can't be that hard. And I may as well know how, anyway."

Since Sherlock is, as he put it, the tea fancier. It's not like he's going anywhere any time soon.

[if_inconvenient]

"Well, as you like, then."

He shrugs and sets about assembling his tea.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal watches, filing it away for future reference.

[if_inconvenient]

It never ceases to delight him when Cal pays attention to things.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

It's a thing Cal does sometimes these days.

[if_inconvenient]

Oh, look, the kettle's done.

"Are you quite sure you don't want a cup?" he jokes as he pours.