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

[if_inconvenient]

In fact there is nothing gay about Sherlock's happiness, either, adorable though it may be.

He just likes the idea of having a friend.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

And by some remarkable coincidence, so does Cal.

[if_inconvenient]

Quick! Someone say something that is not cute as hell!

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal will be pleased to oblige.

"You know what we need to do," he says after a minute or two, as the Dubliners fade out and the DVD warns them of the consequences of piracy, "we need to find you an Irene Adler. I bet if you had a hot girlfriend as smart as you are, you'd figure out how to relax."

Though ideally not because she had drugged him and tied him to a bed. Unless he's into that.

[if_inconvenient]

He laughs.

"As effective a solution as that would no doubt be, I'm afraid I have no interest in pursuing it."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Only because you've never had a girlfriend."

It's a shot in the dark, but Sherlock isn't the only one who can assemble evidence to reach a logical conclusion.

Evidence like, you know, how it would be pretty hard to find a girl (a decent girl, one actually worth his time, not a golddigger more interested in the Stark money) willing to date a guy who goes by Sherlock Holmes. But that doesn't mean he shouldn't try.

[if_inconvenient]

"Correct, and I don't want to."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Okay, it can be kind of a pain sometimes," says Cal, who has never had a relationship not end with her girlfriend discovering that he's been cheating on her, "but it's worth it."

For guys who don't suck as bad at being a boyfriend as they do at almost everything else, anyway. And there's always a part where it really is fun.

(Someday, Cal will come across the concept of polyamory. He'll feel a lot less defective after that.)

[if_inconvenient]

"Really. No interest. And no interest in having a boyfriend, either, before you ask. Your Mr Beardsley has the oddest—"

(Something clicks. Not entirely, not enough to be properly analyzed, but a picture is coming together.)

"—ideas."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal was not going to ask, but he doesn't say that. He shrugs instead, saying,

"He's just a jerk."

He'd rather not think about what Peter asked, or the context in which he asked it.

"Mother would kill him if she knew he let you in here anyway."

[if_inconvenient]

"I dare say she will not be finding out. Not from me, at any rate."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal laughs a little.

"I'm not gonna tell."

It would be kinda counterproductive.

[if_inconvenient]

"Which leaves Mr Beardsley himself, and I imagine he won't be keen on informing her."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, he'll probably skip over it in the daily report."

Call it a hunch.

[if_inconvenient]

"It's quite likely."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Yeah."

The movie was kind of on the long side - Cal stretches to wake his muscles back up, arms over his head, saying,

"But if you ever change your mind about a girlfriend, we'll find you one."

[if_inconvenient]

"Very kind of you."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Any time."

Cal drops back against the headboard (misjudging the distance slightly and banging against it a bit harder than he'd meant to, but who's counting?).

[if_inconvenient]

Well, Sherlock is.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Well. Cal's ignoring him.

Okay, not really. Actually, he's starting to think about rolling a joint; usually, he'd be stoned by now. But the whole thing about the smell of his room is making him leery of bringing it up.

He glances toward the bookshelf a couple of times - his stash is there, tucked neatly into what used to be an Indiana Jones boxset. It's the twenty-first century version of a hollow book, and Cal knows full well that one of those wouldn't exactly blend into his book-free environment.

[if_inconvenient]

After the second glance:

"Indiana Jones?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal pauses, trying to settle on an answer to that.

He goes with,

"Yes?"

[if_inconvenient]

"An ignoble use for him, don't you think?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Of course.

"I keep the discs in a CD case," Cal says. "There's nothing ignoble about that."

He respects Indy.

[if_inconvenient]

"Well, that's all right then."