Sunnydale AU: don't go into the - never mind.

[americas_son]

Some students, when they hear the final bell ring, head to class right away.

Sometimes Cal is one of them, but not today. He was outside having a cigarette when the bell sounded, and he was too deep in thought to pay it much attention.

So he's slipping inside now, a few minutes late. The halls are already quiet, and he's keeping an eye out for any faculty members authorized to give detention as he makes his way toward his English class.

Comments

[toblameforit]

He actually stops for a second just to turn around and give Cal a look.

"You know what's down here, right?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal pauses.

Judging from the look on Tony's face:

"Not just the boiler?"

[toblameforit]

"Hellmouth."

Tony turns back around and keeps going down the stairs.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Literally?"

Cal thought that was more of a Sunnydale-wide kind of thing. The thought of one specific location - at least, one small one - hadn't occurred to him.

He keeps following.

[toblameforit]

"Yep."

He seems more annoyed than worried—but he's definitely worried.

"Goddammit, what the fuck does he think he's doing?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Something the Sunnydale High security force - whatever that might be, Cal's not even sure if it exists - is probably not equipped to deal with.

"Maybe he's fixing the boiler," Cal mutters.

[toblameforit]

Tony snorts, opening the door at the bottom of the stairs.

[poeticterms]

Obadiah is kneeling on the floor, brushing with his hands at the dirt covering an ominous-looking diagram etched into the concrete. He doesn't look up; he doesn't seem to hear them.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal stares.

"Is that, like . . . X marks the spot?" he asks after a couple seconds.

He doesn't bother keeping his voice down anymore.

[toblameforit]

Tony is more direct.

"Obie, what in the name of fuck do you think you're doing with that?"

[poeticterms]

"Tony?"

Now he looks up.

"I saw a few things in your father's records," he says, casual as anything. "I thought I'd come have a look while I'm here."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

This is an entirely different situation from yesterday - Cal's a little out of his depth, and Tony is definitely the one who should be in charge.

That doesn't mean Cal is going to leave.

Or stay quiet. (It doesn't hurt to remind Stane that he's here, and paying attention, and filing things away.)

"Isn't that how bad horror movies usually start?"

[poeticterms]

He chuckles.

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about," he says, which is not exactly a step up in bad horror movie terms. "You boys can go back upstairs. I'll just be a minute."

[toblameforit]

"I am not going back upstairs," he says, stepping forward. "Look, Obie, there is just no way this could possibly not end badly. Get off of there."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

If Tony isn't going, neither is Cal.

Even if getting far away from the ominous seal with the giant moron fucking around with it is probably the safe bet.

[poeticterms]

"I just want a closer look," he says patiently, turning back to the diagram. His fingertips brush a discoloration at the edge of one of the deep-carved lines; he leans closer to inspect it.

A circle of red fire springs up around him, accompanied by foul-smelling smoke and a distant, horrible scream.

[toblameforit]

"Obie!"

Despite the fact that it is by any logic exactly the thing he should not do, Tony sprints for the seal.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal stares, stunned, for a second.

Jesus Christ, is that - ?

Then instinct kicks in, and he lunges to grab Tony and hold him back.

(If it were someone else on that seal, someone he liked - or even just someone he didn't dislike - his reaction might be different. As it is, well . . .

The Chandlers have always tended more toward pragmatism than heroism.)

[toblameforit]

"Fuck you—"

He wrenches desperately at Cal's grip on his arm, but it's too late. When the flames die down, there's nothing left but that awful smell. Not even a scorch mark.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal stares at the seal, blank with shock.

His grip on Tony eases, but he doesn't let go completely. It doesn't occur to him to let go.

[toblameforit]

That's okay.

Tony is not really going anywhere.

In fact, he just sinks to his knees right there on the floor.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

. . . that did not just fucking happen.

That cannot possibly have happened.

Some things have to be impossible. Even in Sunnydale.

Right?

[toblameforit]

He tugs his arm away from Cal so he can bury his face in his hands.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

The movement is enough to grab Cal's attention and break up some of the shock clouding his brain.

Okay. That happened. And now there are more important things to think about.

"Tony," he says softly, kneeling next to him.

[toblameforit]

He's not crying; he's not even shaking a little.

He's just... very still.