MM: Academic excellence.

[americas_son]

Homework: Cal has it.

Conducive to concentration: Milliways isn't.

But he's trying anyway. He's got a solid B+ so far in this class, and a really good paper could push that to an A. And Cal refuses finish his first semester of college with anything less than straight As, as much to spite his mother as out of academic pride. Good enough to get by hasn't been good enough for Cal for quite some time now. (And he's always wary of backsliding.)

Comments

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

Time is ... something of a hazy subject for Sam. Even (perhaps especially) here, in this place at the universe's perpetual end.

He shrugs easily. "I'm all right. How're you doing? It's been a while."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"I'm good," Cal says. "Getting close to the end of my first semester of college."

He pauses, then adds,

"Uh, Milliways is kinda messing with my timeline a little, so - I don't know if it's been as long for both of us. You know, the same."

He knows what means, but Milliways makes things difficult sometimes.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

Sam nods, folding the paper. "It does tend to do weird things to time. It doesn't make much difference to me, though - time's much hazier when you're immortal."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal nods. That makes sense. And simplifies this particular situation.

"Okay. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page." The confusion gets boring fast.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

Sam laughs.

"Yeah, it's fine. Where is it you're studying?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"NYU."

He'd stayed at home for college after all. He'd had to concede that much to Mother, and he doesn't mind the way he'd thought he would two years ago. A lot has happened since then.

Besides, not having to get used to someplace new is one less distraction to deal with.

"I'm majoring in Spanish," he adds, because that's always what people ask next.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

He nods again. "Are you enjoying it?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Yeah." Cal smiles. "I like it a lot. I could live without some of the core subjects" - he is not and never will be good at math, despite Cam's efforts - "but Spanish is great."

Not something anyone would have imagined him saying, not so long ago. Or, in some versions of his universe, ever.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

Sam chuckles. "Sounds like you should have studied in Britain - you only do your chosen subjects there. I work at Oxford, although I don't think you'd enjoy that so much - it's not exactly lively, by the standards of most."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Really?" Cal asks, intrigued. "I was thinking of studying abroad, once I've got the hang of it."

It would be complicated to arrange, but that's part of being a Chandler. Even if Dad didn't survive to make it to the White House, there are still extra security concerns.

And Mother. Always Mother. He'll probably need to give her another year to get used to the fact that he's sticking to his guns before can even begin to broach the idea of leaving the country.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

"Really." Sam looks impish. "And it's a younger legal drinking age, as well - eighteen in the UK. Have you turned twenty-one yet?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Sam's question doesn't come as a surprise - Cal figured out somewhere along the line at Milliways that, among the young Americans in the bar, he appeared to be among the minority that could drink after turning eighteen back home.

"I'm legal at home," Cal says. "That's not gonna change until, I don't know, like next decade. After I turn twenty-one, anyway." He shrugs. Not gonna be his problem.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

He nods.

"Have you had any ideas about what you plan on doing once you get your degree?"

He assumes politics, at least, are out.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Not exactly.

"Something in diplomacy," Cal says. "Translation to start. I'll see where I go from there."

He's not worried about mapping out a more specific plan yet. He has years to figure that out, and he kind of likes keeping it a little open.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

"Have you managed to get any travelling in yet?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Not unless you count other worlds," Cal says. "Can't put that on my resumé, though."

Too bad, it'd be pretty impressive.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

He grins. "More's the pity."

Sam folds and unfolds his newspaper, coming to a decision.

Almost abruptly: "Madrid's outside my door. Want to take a look?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal brightens. Is this even a question?

"Yeah!"

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

Sam laughs. "All right. You might want to leave anything you don't want to lose behind, though - I'm sure I've been to a twenty-first century city with more pickpockets, but I must have forgotten it."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Cal says readily. He is unsurprised by this. He's heard stories in his Spanish classes.

He starts gathering up his school things, saying, "I'm just gonna leave this stuff with Bar, I'll be right back."

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

Sam nods. "And don't worry about warmth - it's May outside."

He stands, tugging off the jumper he's been wearing - it being slightly cooler in Milliways - and tying it round his hips. The paper he leaves on the table for anyone else who can read Spanish: he believes in being educational!

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Okay."

Cal drops his things off with Bar, then heads back across to Sam.

"Ready when you are."

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

Sam drains the last of his coffee, then sets the cup down on the table, preparatory to leading the way to his door.

"Come on, then."

Outside the door is dazzling sunlight: Sam wasn't kidding when he said it was warm. They're on a busy street, packed with shops (mostly fairly high-end) and a road packed with cars (mostly not).

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal follows Sam outside, scarcely glancing back as the door falls shut behind him. His last visit to another world was, quite literally, a visit to America's house.

This is slightly different. (Even though, somewhere in the back of his head, Cal would not be surprised if Spain went walking past.

Visiting the Hetaliaverse has an interesting effect on a person.)

He pauses to get his bearings, looking around. Being a city is about where Madrid's resemblance to New York ends, and he's trying to take it in.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

Sam shoves his hands in his pockets, grinning at the look on Cal's face but at the same time keeping an eye on their surroundings - the kid is a very obvious tourist, after all.

A thought strikes him, however, and the grin fades slightly.

"Hey, kiddo, just a thought - if I tell you suddenly to get back to Milliways, don't ask questions, all right? I can't imagine any of my family could possibly turn up, but they've been known to turn up when least possibly wanted before."