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]

"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.

[poeticterms]

"Oh, am I in your way? Sorry about that."

Now there is something more wrong than usual. Just for the briefest of moments.

[toblameforit]

Tony rolls his eyes.

"Quit being a walking traffic jam," he says, but by the time he's finished speaking Obie has already stepped inside.

—And then he snaps his fingers.

"Dammit, Sherry's not here. I gotta clean up the science experiment in the kitchen. I'll be back in a sec."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Cal says. "You know what, take your time, I'll go have a cigarette."

Never mind that he was suggesting they hurry a moment ago. That wasn't really for his own benefit.

Instead of going out front, where Connolly is, he cuts through the house to the back door. The initial lurch of seeing Stane for the first time since New York has faded; he has a feeling he won't be out there alone for long, and he'd like to set a couple ground rules.

Outside, he lights a cigarette and waits.

[poeticterms]

He is not, indeed, out there alone for long.

"I hope your bodyguard isn't worried."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal finishes drawing from his cigarette before he answers, smoke trickling from his mouth with each word.

"I don't see any reason why he should be."

[poeticterms]

"Oh, I know. To get any safer than Tony's house you'd have to visit Cheyenne Mountain. I don't know why I still worry about him."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Neither do I," Cal says. "Like I said before, he can take care of himself."

He slips a pack of American Spirits from his pocket and holds it out.

"Want one?"

It's a deliberate gesture. This isn't like before, when he couldn't wait to get away. Now he doesn't care how long they're both here; cares so little, in fact, that he's even offering up an excuse for Stane to stick around.

He's not scared this time.

[poeticterms]

"No, thank you."

Out here, away from Tony, Obadiah is less cautious. He smiles politely and says, "Maybe it's not Tony I'm worried about."