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

[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."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal looks over to Sam at the seriousness of his tone, and nods when he's finished talking.

"Okay," he says. "I won't." He knows all about doing what he's told and not asking questions in a dangerous situation. He's been drilled in it since he was young, and the drilling was doubled for a while a couple years ago during his father's campaign for the Presidency. He understands the importance of it on a level that most ordinary civilians never have to think about.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

Sam doesn't really believe for a moment that they're likely to run into any of his extended family. But there's never any harm in being careful, and he's seen enough movies to know what happens when someone says or thinks 'what could possibly go wrong?'.

He grins. "All right, then. Any ideas about what you want to see?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Nothing touristy."

Cal is clear on that right away. He's a New Yorker, after all. There are important principles involved.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

"Spoken like a true New Yorker," Sam says, amused. "Well. Have you had lunch yet?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Hours ago," Cal says. "I could eat it again."

He's done growing, so his appetite isn't what it was the last few years of his adolescence, but it really has been a long time since lunch. His class schedule has him eating that particular meal at odd times throughout the week.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

Sam is shocked by this! Shocked!

He considers.

"The biggest park in the city, del Retiro, is about five minutes' walk thataway. It's about half-and-half tourists and Madridites, but it's good on a day like today and there's a stall there that does pretty good paella. Fancy that? Alternatively, Atocha railway station isn't too far away and that has cafes and a kind of massive indoor garden with tropical animals and plants."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal gives this a few seconds' thought.

"Del Retiro sounds good," he decides. The other place sounds a little too elaborate. Total tourist magnet.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

"You've got it." Sam mentally re-checks their route.

"Across the road is probably best. Mind the bikers - they don't think rules apply to them, never mind red lights."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Okay."

They make it across without any major incidents and walk in silence for a moment or two, Cal still looking around, before it occurs to him to ask absently,

"By the way, what year is it?"

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

"Oh, good point. 2004. You'll probably see some people looking nervous on the trains if we use the Metro - the overground trains got bombed two months ago, and it was the worst bombing they've ever had. It's why I'm here, really - I wanted to see if anything had changed."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal's eyebrows go up as he turns his full attention back to Sam.

"Jesus," he says.

[defies-time.livejournal.com]

Sam nods.

"Yeah. I've seen worse, but not by all that much."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal considers the implications of a comment like this from someone Sam's age.

"How's it looking now?" he asks.