Sunnydale AU: let's try that again

[americas_son]

The Milliways vacation was, Cal thinks, exactly what they all needed. He definitely came home to discover that things seemed a lot more manageable than they had before he left for New York, and not just because Obadiah Stane will officially never be his damn problem again.

(Peter, he knows, suspects that something happened while Cal was away, but Cal calmly ignores his less-than-subtle hints for an explanation. What would he even tell Peter?

Although he does kind of love imagining the look on Peter's face if he found out exactly how far Cal was out of his reach, and for how long.)

There's more time for life beyond the household now, and so it is that Cal is resuming something resembling regular visits to the Stark residence once more.

Comments

[if_inconvenient]

"No."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Of course not," Cal says, amused.

Really, could he have had expected any other answer?

[if_inconvenient]

"I can't imagine how most people do it. And some of them are quite skilled."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal makes a face again, but this one is not directed at anyone inside the car.

"Yeah, tell me about it."

[toblameforit]

"Oh, God, you have no idea," Tony says with feeling.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I think I do."

He may not be forced to sit in on business meetings like some people are, but he has spent much of his life attending desperately boring parties, full of desperately boring people. At least at business meetings things are getting done.

[toblameforit]

"Okay, you do. No offense, Sherry, but I don't think you could get through one of those meetings without, like, blackmailing somebody just to make them more interesting."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal laughs.

It's funny because it's true.

[toblameforit]

"Am I right?"

[if_inconvenient]

"Quite possibly."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Remind me not to let you get bored around me," Cal says.

The blackmail material Sherlock has to choose from by now is pretty epic.

[if_inconvenient]

"You don't need blackmail to be interesting."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, you say that now," Cal says with a wry smile.

[if_inconvenient]

"Besides, I wouldn't."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Oh, good."

Cal is reassured now.

[toblameforit]

"I mean, c'mon. He's gone this long without blackmailing me."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal thinks about this for a second or two, then asks,

"What would he be trying to blackmail out of you?"

Don't they, like - share? Everything?

[toblameforit]

Oh, Cal. You have no idea.

"I don't know. He'd think of something."

[if_inconvenient]

Sherlock laughs.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal leans back to look at Sherlock.

"I hope I'm not giving him ideas," he says.

[if_inconvenient]

"Certainly not."

Lies. All lies.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Suuuure." Cal draws the word out into a long, skeptical vowel sound.

[if_inconvenient]

He chuckles.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"You're losing your touch with the lying," Cal informs him.

[if_inconvenient]

"Perhaps I am simply not trying very hard."