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

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal watches him for a moment, then says,

"Or we could get drunk."

He's hardly an expert on healthy coping mechanisms, but there has to be a happy medium between hiding in your room getting high for days and immediately burying yourself in paperwork.

[toblameforit]

"Oh my God, don't tempt me," he says, shaking his head.

Then: "No, wait, tempt away." He shoves his chair back and stands. "I was a lightweight when I was thirteen, anyway."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"I'm kind of a lightweight now," Cal says. "I'm more used to smoking."

He doesn't appear to see anything amiss in what Tony just said.

He will let Tony lead the way.

[toblameforit]

"Yeah, so I heard." He pauses in the doorway to consider. "Upstairs or down? Upstairs is Scotch; downstairs is wine."

This is an oversimplification, of course, but it's not like the choice is of vast significance anyway.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal shrugs a little.

"I vote for upstairs."

He's not much of a wine drinker.

[toblameforit]

"Sounds good to me."

In that case, he leads Cal up the stairs to his room.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal is all too glad to leave that room, and Stane's lingering presence, behind.

Yeah. Definitely a different room from now on.

[toblameforit]

Tony is a little relieved, too, although the lingering smell of cologne means something different to him. A succession of birthdays—presents like the computer whose component parts have slowly, over the years, been phased out of Jarvis's brain—more hugs than his parents ever gave him.

That last is what comes to mind most strongly, and what he is trying hardest not to think about.

Opening his bedroom door right at the top of the stairs, he finally succeeds.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal follows him in.

[toblameforit]

"Okay," he says, crossing to the liquor cabinet, "I lied. It's not just Scotch."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal laughs a little.

"Yeah, I had a feeling," he says.

[toblameforit]

He opens the cabinet's double doors to reveal a stunning array of alcoholic beverages. "Pick your poison," he says, grabbing a glass. "Scotch for me."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Thanks."

He can't help but think of the supply of tiny bottles in New York, and his brilliant idea to make the hangover extra bad by mixing his liquors as much as he could as a sort of masochistic distraction technique.

It had been pretty effective. And he never wants to do it again. So he'll just stick with whiskey, thanks.

He pours his drink, takes a sip, and sighs. It's not a joint, but it'll do.

[toblameforit]

There's nowhere to sit but the bed, so Tony does. It's a big bed, and—wonder of wonders—neatly made, which minimizes any potential for awkward.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal takes a seat at the end, on a corner, leaning against the bedpost with one leg tucked up. It's not exactly as far from Tony as he can get, but it's not too close, either. It also isn't entirely on purpose - there are other things to think about. (But it isn't entirely an accident, either.)

[toblameforit]

For being who he is, Tony is giving very little thought to the implications here. Cal is probably better off not knowing that he's the first person who's had a drink with Tony in his room and not slept with him, but Tony meant it when he said he doesn't go for straight guys.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Under the circumstances, who could blame him for not thinking through every nuance?

"Good stuff," Cal murmurs, inanely polite. It could be the cheapest of the cheap and he wouldn't really know the difference, but he thinks it might be best to keep the silence from settling for too long.

[toblameforit]

"Oh, it totally is."

Obie always used to tease him for that. He smiles sadly.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal glances up from his glass.

"No point in getting the shitty stuff if you don't have to."

That much, at least, he knows to be true. He doesn't know the difference between one bottle of whiskey or another in the cabinet back home, but he knows they're all high quality.

[toblameforit]

"Seriously," Tony agrees. "Works for everything. Booze, cars..."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Pot," Cal adds. He does know for a clear, solid fact that price and quality make all the difference there.

And wouldn't he like to be getting high right about now? He takes a swallow from his glass instead.

[toblameforit]

"Yeah, that figures."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal gives a slight, wry laugh.

"Never go for the skunk weed," he advises. "Always hold out for something decent."

Pause.

"Unless you're really desperate."

[toblameforit]

"I'm happy to say I've never been desperate for weed." He nods at the liquor cabinet on the wall they're both facing. "And I've never been desperate for booze, either."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"It helps if you never run out," Cal agrees.

He pauses for a moment. Sips his drink, then says over the rim of his glass,

"But I would've smoked anything I could stick in my pipe after - Dad came home."