Sunnydale AU: An Illicit Visit (no, not that kind)

[americas_son]

There is some definite disapproval going on in the Chandler compound over Cal's refusing to go along with the implicit decision that the Starks (especially Sherlock) are not the best company for him. It's not the first time he's pushed such a ruling - far from it - but this is something of a special case. Whether it's the shooting or the fact that Sherlock and his identity issues are generally glossed over in proper society with "He just couldn't handle his parents' death, the poor thing, at least his brother is made of sterner stuff" that causes greater concern . . .

Well. Cal has the feeling his knows the answer to that.

His own accidental death could at least be used to the Chandlers' advantage, after all.

The obvious response to all of this is, of course, to invite Sherlock over to visit.

"We'll have to sneak if we don't want to spend twenty minutes listening to Mother, though."

Comments

[noshitgreg.livejournal.com]

"Not to my knowledge," he answers, "which means no."

It goes equally well for his or Tony's.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal nods slowly.

"I thought for a second you were him from the future," he says. "Sherlock, I mean." Just to clarify.

". . . we have vampires."

Just to clarify further.

[noshitgreg.livejournal.com]

"Ah, yes, of course. A very good exclusionary criterion, I imagine."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"It helps rule things out," Cal says, introducing a second Holmes to the shortcomings in his vocabulary.

"I mean. So does the time travel." It seems to him that would have come up by now otherwise.

[noshitgreg.livejournal.com]

Poor fellow.

"Don't be so sure. As it stands, I know of only one time travel experiment that worked, and I do not predict that number will increase anytime soon. Stark hardly intended to produce me."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Well," Cal says. "Sherlock's never said anything about it. I'd think it'd be easier to say you travelled in time than to say, 'I'm gonna be the guy from the book.'"

Even in a world where the books exist, it's a kind of crazy that would make more sense. People would understand it better.

[noshitgreg.livejournal.com]

"Your Sherlock must be a remarkable fellow."

(Sherlock Holmes has never been terribly interested in having people understand him.)

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"He's good at it."

As far as Cal can tell, anyway.

"I don't know. It's weird, but it works for him."

Cal is not in disagreement with this Sherlock's assessment.

[noshitgreg.livejournal.com]

"Has he told you that your family knows about your drug habit?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

There's a long pause before Cal asks,

"Are you sure you're not him from the future?"

[noshitgreg.livejournal.com]

"Very."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Because if I brought this back and showed you, you'd remember when this happened . . ."

Okay, he's not too committed to the theory, but he just had this conversation.

(Is the smell really that bad? They're not even in his room.)

[noshitgreg.livejournal.com]

"Oh, dear. Has my sense of humour, too, does he? But no, I am not your young friend."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I'm starting to think he's nailed it even better than he thinks he has," Cal says, a bit darkly.

And that would really, really be saying something.

[noshitgreg.livejournal.com]

"Good for him."

Holmes clearly finds this entire conversation hilarious.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"He'll be thrilled."

Cal is somewhat less amused.

[noshitgreg.livejournal.com]

"Yes, I imagine he will."

Who wouldn't be thrilled to know they're doing a good job at being Sherlock Holmes?

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Anyone who's not trying to be Sherlock Holmes?

"Okay," Cal says. "Well, it was nice to meet you, but I gotta get back."

He has important things to do. Yes.

[noshitgreg.livejournal.com]

Nonsense. Everyone wants to be Sherlock Holmes.

"Of course."

He smiles his flicker of a smile.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"See ya."

Or not.

Cal grabs the DVD (and the binder, because Sherlock might get a kick out of looking at it) and heads back home.

[if_inconvenient]

Where Sherlock's first words are: "Only in the bar for a few minutes, I see."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Did time pass?"

He didn't expect Sherlock to think he was bringing a DVD and a notebook out from his bathroom, but he can't think of any other way he might know how long he'd been gone.

He glances back behind him as the door swings shut, wondering if Milliways is visible to other people when you come back from it.

[if_inconvenient]

"No, or I wouldn't have bothered to mention the conclusion."



And then the front of the DVD case becomes visible.

His attention is instantly caught.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal sees his gaze switch, grins, and tosses the DVD to him.

"Guess who I just met."

[if_inconvenient]

"Sherlock Holmes."

He is fascinated but oddly calm. 'Thrilled' certainly isn't the word.

"A version who looks like me, but is not me." He flips the case over and scans the back. "They always bloody forget I was a boxer," he mutters to himself as he reads the plot summary. At a more conversational volume, he adds, "I fear your cherished plans for relaxation have gone out the window. We're watching this."