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]

"Are you quite sure that's the word you were looking for?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Cal says. With great surety. "The very worst."

[toblameforit]

"Liar."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Isn't that what I keep telling you?"

Seriously, Tony. Keep up.

[toblameforit]

"And you make no sense."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"I don't have to make sense."

Now Cal is speaking with great patience.

"I just have to stick to the same story."

Which is, apparently, that he is a liar.

[toblameforit]

"The story that makes no sense."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Stick to it long enough and eventually you'll confuse people into giving up."

It's a strategy.

[toblameforit]

"...Plus, you were saying earlier that you're the one who was making sense, and now you're giving that up. So I mean, if you're gonna stick to your guns, stick to your guns, man."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"I didn't say I wasn't making sense," Cal says persuasively.

(Well. "Persuasively" for other people, maybe.)

"I just said making sense was optional."

[toblameforit]

"Nope. Not buying it."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal just shakes his head, tragically, like Tony's inability to swallow bullshit comprehend Cal's reasoning is a tremendous misfortune for which discreet allowances should be made.

The gesture is eerily evocative of his mother.

[if_inconvenient]

Sherlock catches sight of it reflected in the rear-view mirror and raises his eyebrows.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal meets Sherlock's gaze in the mirror.

". . . What?"

[if_inconvenient]

Dryly: "For a moment there you reminded me of someone."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal just looks blank now.

[if_inconvenient]

"The look of pitying indulgence seems to be a Chandler classic."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Realization dawns.

Now Cal looks sheepish.

[if_inconvenient]

Sherlock grins at him.

[toblameforit]

Tony snorts.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal makes a face at them.

[toblameforit]

Cheerfully: "Hey, at least you didn't make that face at Sherry."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"No, that's Mother's job," Cal says wryly.

[toblameforit]

"Speaking of which, how has she not noticed?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Not noticed?"

Remember a few minutes ago, when Cal could pretend to be in control of the conversation? Yeah, he misses that.