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

[poeticterms]

"I could never do that to Tony."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Cal just bets.

"Maybe a late-night walk, then," he suggests. "Sunnydale is beautiful at midnight."

[poeticterms]

Now it is Obadiah's turn to look impatient.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal wonders idly if Stane knows what Sunnydale is really like.

Not that it matters.

"What?" he asks. "You're the one who came out here. Am I passing the time wrong?"

[poeticterms]

That gets an actual laugh out of him.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

That was unexpected.

Cal turns his attention back to his cigarette and waits.

[poeticterms]

"You grow up so fast," he muses, "all of you."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"And then your crap doesn't work on us anymore," Cal agrees.

(Ever since his growth spurt -

It's just a small echo of old anxieties, but for a second or two, it's there.)

[poeticterms]

"Oh, I've still got a trick or two up my sleeve," he says, as though they are talking about something entirely innocent.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

The look Cal shoots him is laden with amusement.

"Such as?"

[poeticterms]

Obadiah chuckles.

"An old man like me needs to keep a few secrets."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal shrugs.

"Doesn't matter."

He takes a drag from his cigarette.

"I'm ten steps ahead of you, anyway."

That's the drawback of the game Stane decided to play with him - once Cal stops playing, not only is he out of the game, he can twist it into whatever shape he wants. Instead of being prey, he's an enemy. And Stane has given him too much information.

[poeticterms]

The threat doesn't seem to put a dent in his fake friendliness. "We'll see about that," he jokes, turning to step back inside. "You have a nice day, now."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Obadiah." Cal raises his voice just a little, but his tone is still even.

"Take me seriously."

Or you'll wish you had.

[poeticterms]

With no better options, he is reduced to pretending he didn't hear as the door swings shut behind him.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal finishes off his cigarette, then counts to ten before he goes back inside.

[toblameforit]

"Hi," says a completely innocent Tony from the kitchen doorway. Obie is nowhere in sight. "We good to go?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal gives him a cheerful and genuine smile.

"Yep, all set. The kitchen look okay?"

[toblameforit]

Tony grins back. "It'll do."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal laughs.

"You can hire people for that kind of thing, you know."

[toblameforit]

"Waste of money. Besides, Sherry loves that kitchen like I love my cars. He'd be pissed if I let somebody fuck around with it."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, we wouldn't want that."

That's only half a joke. Sherlock is not on the list Cal has recently been developing of people who can be safely and manageably provoked.

"Okay, let's go."

[toblameforit]

"Have you ever even seen him pissed off?" Tony asks idly as they head for the door a second time.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal thinks about this.

"Not seen. Heard, maybe? I dunno, we were on the phone and I was pretty drunk."

He knows Sherlock was not happy during that conversation, though now that he thinks about it, he probably waited until after the initial anger had passed before he called Cal.

(There may be other occasions, but it's only natural for that particular instance to come readily to mind right now.)

[toblameforit]

"Yeah, he's a pretty laid-back guy most of the time."

Now that Tony thinks about it, in fact—

"Except when Obie's around."