Sunnydale AU: 100% giant-demon-snake free!

[americas_son]

Cal knew graduation was coming, but after everything that's happened in the past few months, it still catches him by surprise. It should be a major milestone, but it seems almost pointless, like it's getting in the way of more important things.

He never seriously considered skipping the ceremony, though - there's still the family image to consider, after all. And besides, for some of the people who matter to him, it is important. So he arrives right on time, crimson gown and hat in hand, and watches the other excited seniors mill around the gym.

Comments

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal, scanning the crowd again, brightens as he finally sees her.

"Tina!" he calls, waving her over.

[toblameforit]

...aww.

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

"Oh, hey, Cal!"

She waves back as she walks over, reaching for Cal's hand and kissing him on the cheek. Then she turns to Tony.

"Hi-" Not Sherlock. This must be Tony. "Hi," she repeats with an embarrassed grin.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Hi," Cal says, smiling at her.

Then he remembers - right. The introduction thing.

"Tony Stark," he supplies. "Tony, this is Tina McCoy."

Cal's girlfriend. In case Tony didn't notice.

[toblameforit]

"Hi! Damn, he wasn't lying when he said you were cute."

Tony's grin is not embarrassed. Tony's grin is amazingly sincere. What? She is.

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

Tina blinks while her smile turns somewhat baffled. She's not used to this kind of attention. Seriously.

"Um. Yay? At least he doesn't lie?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal grins and squeezes Tina's hand.

"I definitely did not lie," he says.

Then, "Ignore Tony, he's usually like this."

[toblameforit]

Beat.

"—Oh, right. Sorry, Cal, I'll try not to flirt with your girlfriend." He smiles apologetically at Tina. "He's right, I'm usually like this."

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

"Oooookay," she laughs.

"So I'm guessing the whole cap and gown thing is not as exciting for you guys? Or do you just not look good in red?"

She looks great in red apparently.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal almost answers Tony with It's okay, I don't care before he remembers - that is not something he should say in front of his girlfriend. Because he's supposed to care.

(He's not good at being a boyfriend. But this time he's going to make to make himself good at it, because he badly wants to not fuck this up.)

"You get a pass this time," he says instead, with a light chuckle. "Just be careful in the future.

". . . Yeah, you're the only one who looks good in these things," he tells Tina.

[toblameforit]

"Me, I look terrible in red," says Tony, causing a shockwave of inexplicable facepalms throughout the multiverse. "Or maybe it's the hat."

The hat does no one any favours, it's true.

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

Tina didn't even tilt hers back like most of the other girls. Hers is on regulation flat, like the instructions said.

"It's not for long. And then we're graduates!"

Her smile is from ear to ear. Not many people in her family have walked across that stage. Her oldest sister, Diana, did, but Donna dropped out and got her GED. She has no idea if her mom did or not, and she knows her grandparents didn't.

Tina's pretty proud of herself.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

- and, to some people, this day is exactly what it should be. Cal finds that Tina's enthusiasm is kind of contagious; he beams a little himself as he answers.

"Yeah! You wanna come to the party tonight, or do you already have plans?"

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

"We're going out for dinner after, but I hoped I might have plans for later. I'd feel pretty sad if I just went home and didn't celebrate."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Definitely come to the party, then."

Okay, so it's a little weird inviting Tina to what is technically Tony's party right in front of Tony, but really the weirdest part is that he didn't already do it earlier.

"I'll come pick you up."

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

"Sweet. I can't wait. I have no curfew tonight apparently, so... a party sounds perfect."

She's excited, but she's a little nervous, too. She's not sure who will be there or what they'll think of her. As long as she's with Cal, she figures she'll be okay.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"It'll be fun."

And Tina will get to meet Jarvis!

Cal glances toward the rest of the crowd of students, which appears to be getting organized into something resembling a line.

"Okay. Looks like it's time to put our awesome robes on," he says dryly to Tony.

[toblameforit]

"Huh?" he says, looking back at them from where he's been scanning the crowd. "Oh. Right."

Witness his enthusiasm. It is so very enthusiastic.

Not.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Cal feels him on that. Still, though, he reluctantly lets go of Tina's hand and pulls the robe on over his head.



. . . hey, it could be worse.

[toblameforit]

It could, but Tony is not sure he wants to think about how.

Okay. Robe, hat.

"I look like an ass," he comments, pulling a face.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal is still trying to adjust his hat.

"That's part of the experience," he says, since Tina's right there and this whole thing is a big deal for her.

[toblameforit]

Tony idly reaches over and tugs Cal's hat into place.

"Looking like an ass is part of lots of experiences. Why is that?"

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal looks up at his hat - as much as he can, at least.

"Thanks," he says.

"Hell if I know. I guess they don't want us thinking too much of ourselves."

[toblameforit]

"...When Sherry does this next year, I'm taking pictures."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"It's only fair," Cal agrees.

Especially since Cal and Tony are likely to end up on the front page.