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.

Comments

[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.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal makes a face.

"You literally could not pay me enough," he says.

[if_inconvenient]

"Some people might regard that as a challenge."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"To what, your bank account?"

Cal pointedly retrieves a soda from the fridge.

[if_inconvenient]

"To my ingenuity, of course, to find a more compelling means of persuasion. But I can see the venture is doomed."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal cracks the can open.

"Totally doomed," he confirms.

[if_inconvenient]

"You are about as likely to want a nice cup of tea as I am to want one of those," he says, nodding to Cal's soda.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal laughs.

"We could trade."

[if_inconvenient]

"Why do you suggest these things? I will only be tempted to take you up on it, and then we will both suffer."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

". . . to see what you'll do."

Or possibly because he wasn't thinking. One or the other.

[if_inconvenient]

He shakes his head, laughing. "A man after my own heart."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal grins and sips his soda.

[if_inconvenient]

Sherlock smiles and inhales the steam from his tea.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Wanna go sit?"

Unlike in the Stark residence, the Chandler kitchen isn't really for hanging out.