americas_son: (Default)
Cal Chandler ([personal profile] americas_son) wrote2010-11-21 04:54 pm

Sunnydale AU: such an old-fashioned word

Three days after Stane's death, the worst of the work is over. The fake death is set up and scheduled for tomorrow; all that remains is the execution.

So to speak.

Cal is at the desk in his room going over it all one last time, just to be sure, when Danielle knocks and tells him he has a visitor.

"Tony Stark to see you, sir."

Cal kind of saw this coming, sooner or later. He sits back and stretches. "Okay, yeah. Send him in."
toblameforit: Drinking orange juice from the carton. (+= endeavouring to make breakfast)

[personal profile] toblameforit 2010-11-22 12:11 am (UTC)(link)
"Okay." He shrugs, reaching for the other coffee. "Fine. It's just—you're the first person he told."

[identity profile] americas-son.livejournal.com 2010-11-22 12:14 am (UTC)(link)
Cal does look up at that.

It probably shouldn't surprise him into silence, given that he knows he's the first friend Sherlock has had (one of countless little things he's had to reconsider in a whole new light), but it does anyway.
toblameforit: Tucking his shirt in. (-= the definition of reasonable)

[personal profile] toblameforit 2010-11-22 12:15 am (UTC)(link)
"You know, I know, he knows, Jarvis knows. Obie knew. That's it. And I only told Obie 'cause he knew me growing up and he wasn't gonna buy that Sherry was hiding under a rock the whole time."

[identity profile] americas-son.livejournal.com 2010-11-22 12:19 am (UTC)(link)
The humans in the room, Cal thinks.

"I - hadn't really thought about that," he admits.
toblameforit: Skeptical or questioning. (-= poking your head out of Baker Street)

[personal profile] toblameforit 2010-11-22 12:23 am (UTC)(link)
"So what I'm saying is, this is kind of a big deal."

[identity profile] americas-son.livejournal.com 2010-11-22 12:29 am (UTC)(link)
"Yeah."

Cal turns back to his mug, adding cream.

"I do know that."

Just because it's a surprise doesn't mean he thought they shouted it from the rooftops, or something.
toblameforit: Thoughtful, perhaps mischievous. (+= pretend we're twins)

[personal profile] toblameforit 2010-11-22 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
Again: "Okay."

He takes a sip of his coffee.

[identity profile] americas-son.livejournal.com 2010-11-22 12:36 am (UTC)(link)
With his coffee to his satisfaction, Cal sips it carefully. He pauses, moves to put the mug back down. Changes his mind.

"I told him I'd need some time," he says finally.
toblameforit: Striving for innocence. (+= wanna do my homework for me?)

[personal profile] toblameforit 2010-11-22 12:39 am (UTC)(link)
Tony shrugs, and drains the cup.

[identity profile] americas-son.livejournal.com 2010-11-22 12:49 am (UTC)(link)
Cal recognizes the tactic - just keep quiet, and force your opponent to fill the silence. It's a good one, especially against Cal; recognizing it doesn't make him able to build any kind of resistance to it.

"He's still my best friend. I haven't - that hasn't changed."
toblameforit: Drinking orange juice from the carton. (+= endeavouring to make breakfast)

[personal profile] toblameforit 2010-11-22 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
Quietly: "Good."

Tony isn't that subtle, not now, not on purpose. Tony just manages, once in a while, to shut up when he has nothing to say.

[identity profile] americas-son.livejournal.com 2010-11-22 01:01 am (UTC)(link)
Cal usually knows better than to attribute such deliberate maneuverings to the few people he considers friends - they are friends in part because they don't do that kind of thing, not to him.

But he's strained, and tired, and quietly angry in ways he can't or won't quantify, and it's affecting his thinking.

"I - I know I should . . ." He trails off for a moment, then leaves the sentence incomplete in favor of a new one: "I just - I can't, right now."
toblameforit: Skeptical or questioning. (-= poking your head out of Baker Street)

[personal profile] toblameforit 2010-11-22 01:03 am (UTC)(link)




He nods.

"All right."

[identity profile] americas-son.livejournal.com 2010-11-22 01:06 am (UTC)(link)
Cal sighs, a long, heavy exhalation, and sags back into his chair.
toblameforit: Smiling a little bit. (*= you jerk! :D)

[personal profile] toblameforit 2010-11-22 01:07 am (UTC)(link)
Wryly: "You okay?"

[identity profile] americas-son.livejournal.com 2010-11-22 01:12 am (UTC)(link)
"Great," Cal says sourly. "How are you doing?"
toblameforit: Impatient or annoyed. (/= I suck at chemistry)

[personal profile] toblameforit 2010-11-22 01:14 am (UTC)(link)
"Peachy, if we're playing the sarcasm game."

[identity profile] americas-son.livejournal.com 2010-11-22 01:18 am (UTC)(link)
"It is kind of a dumb question," Cal says. "Either way."

Cal's not okay. Tony's doing badly. They both know it. And Cal definitely knows that Tony doesn't need to hear his real, unvarnished answer.
toblameforit: Thoughtful, perhaps mischievous. (+= pretend we're twins)

[personal profile] toblameforit 2010-11-22 01:21 am (UTC)(link)
"Fine, so we can be not okay together."

[identity profile] americas-son.livejournal.com 2010-11-22 01:24 am (UTC)(link)
"Sounds like a plan."

He shifts his hold on his coffee, cradling the mug in both hands.

"There's nothing new to do right now, anyway."

And he's sick of looking at that goddamn list. He's spent so long staring at it that half the words don't even make sense anymore.
toblameforit: Skeptical or questioning. (-= poking your head out of Baker Street)

[personal profile] toblameforit 2010-11-22 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
Tony sets down his empty mug.

If he sees the list, he's not at a good angle to read it and he's not in the habit of spying on other people's paperwork. That's Sherry's job.

[identity profile] americas-son.livejournal.com 2010-11-22 01:31 am (UTC)(link)
All of which is just as well, because Cal has completely forgotten the . . . artistic expression . . . he exercised on it late last night, when he was too tired to think anymore.

"You ready for tomorrow?"

[identity profile] americas-son.livejournal.com 2010-11-22 01:34 am (UTC)(link)
Cal nods a little.

"Good," he says. "The press conference sucks the most. Just - don't take questions. It's easier."
toblameforit: Drinking orange juice from the carton. (+= endeavouring to make breakfast)

[personal profile] toblameforit 2010-11-22 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh, believe me, I won't."

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