Sunnydale AU: redux

[americas_son]

The day after Sherlock's phone call, Cal gets up early to stop by the Stark residence as promised.

He pulls into the driveway in the car Tony gave him - the only car he drives now - and sits there for a moment after he kills the engine. He takes a slow, steadying breath, hands still on the wheel.

He willingly volunteered for this, but he's not looking forward to it.

(Behind him, a security vehicle pulls into place. Peter doesn't usually send bodyguards with Cal to the Stark residence, but this morning he's sending a message, discreet but clear, that Cal is under protection at all times.)

After a couple moments, he gets out and heads for the door.

Comments

[toblameforit]

"Sounds good."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Cool."

Maybe, Cal thinks as they head back toward the front of the house, he won't run into Stane at all. It can't be all that long since his flight got in. Maybe he's asleep.

. . . which would kind of be missing the entire point of this visit, but. Still. Cal would be okay with that.

[toblameforit]

"So how've you been, anyway?" he asks, halfway down the hall.

[poeticterms]

The doorbell rings.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Or - not. Cal glances up at the sound.

"Okay," he says. "Things are quieting down at home."

Other than that, well . . . he's coping. More or less.

[toblameforit]

"Hey, that's good," he says. "Who the hell is..."

Realization dawns, and Tony brightens, taking the final few steps to the door. "Obie!"

[poeticterms]

"Good morning, Tony." Obadiah accepts Tony's enthusiastic hug. He even smiles.

"I thought Sherlock was out of town. Are you stealing his friends while he's away?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

. . . Jesus, there isn't a single thing about this that isn't fucked up, is there?

Cal's hands are still in his pockets; his fingers wrap around his lighter for something to hold on to as he smiles, comfortable and easy and purely political.

He doesn't say anything just yet. No need to.

[toblameforit]

"C'mon, Obie." He shakes his head, half-smiling. "He's not even here. You can quit being an asshole about him any day now. I mean—" his uncertain glance at Cal is the furthest possible thing from subtle "—he's my brother."

[poeticterms]

"Of course he is." Something is wrong with Obadiah's smile. Something usually is, but this time it's pointedly so. "And is he the reason for the man in the car outside? I thought you hated bodyguards."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

(Perhaps when I return to California, Sherlock said.)

(Not important right now.)

"He's mine," Cal says, mostly to Tony. Mostly.

"Sorry, Peter's a little extra jumpy this week. Something he heard yesterday."

[poeticterms]

"Is he?" Obadiah transfers his attention to Cal and puts on a sympathetic expression. "I was so sorry to hear about your father, by the way."

[toblameforit]

Tony knows Obadiah and believes very strongly that he means stuff like that. The way Obie says it still makes him wince.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal's heard that sentiment in fake tones a hundred times by now - there aren't many people who really care - but judging from Tony's reaction, this one really was the least sincere he's heard yet. Which is, in its own way, impressive.

Still, he puts on the brave smile he's worn constantly in the last week or two when dealing with the public and says,

"Thank you. It's been rough, but we've gotten a lot of support. It helps."

It's the rote response he's given every time. It shows, but just a little. Not half as obvious as Stane's fakery.

[toblameforit]

"Y'know," says Tony, in an even more obvious attempt to change the subject, "I don't think Peter's sent a guy to wait outside for you before, has he?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal shakes his head in reply.

He's thought about how to answer this. He had a feeling Tony would notice.

"Usually they meet me when I leave or something," he says, "but since we weren't gonna stick around long . . ." He shrugs. "Save a step."

[toblameforit]

"Oh, yeah, that makes sense."

Which reminds him: "Hey, Obie, I'd love to stay and chat but there's this thing called school and sometimes I go to it."

[poeticterms]

"You don't have class until ten," he points out reasonably. "You can spare a little time for me, can't you?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, they don't really see it that way at school," Cal says. "You still have to show up for homeroom.

"Anyway," he says to Tony, cheerfully, "I got here first."

[toblameforit]

Tony laughs. "I think he beat you by about seventeen years."

[poeticterms]

"Oh, you go on," Obadiah says amicably—but he smiles, flattered by Tony's casual favouritism. "I'll still be here when you get back."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal looks unconcerned.

"If we hurry, we might even get a chance to sit down and eat," he says to Tony. "You got everything?"

[toblameforit]

"Yep."

That is to say, since when does he carry anything to school?

"See you later, Obie. We can catch up when I get home tonight."

[poeticterms]

There is nothing more wrong with Obadiah's smile than usual.

That doesn't really help.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Nor does the fact that he's still kind of standing in the doorway, at least enough to be in Cal's way from the angle he's at.