Sunnydale AU: and nothing even blew up

[americas_son]

Cal isn't sure which took longer: the speeches at the graduation ceremony, or the gathering his mother had planned after. At least the monotony of the party was broken up by Grahame's calmly stealing the spotlight to announce his new job with some law firm in LA.

Cal kind of has to admire his style there.

But, whatever, either way it's finally all over, and now he's pulling up in front of Tina's house to pick her up and head over to the Stark residence for the real party.

Comments

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal laughs as he gets out himself.

"Just don't get in alone," he says, "and you should be fine."

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

She gives him a funny look.

"You are joking, right? Because sometimes I really can't tell."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal smiles sheepishly.

"Yeah, that was a joke. Sorry."

He's pretty sure Tony wouldn't create an evil kidnapper car.

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

"It's really okay. But after a conversation about an artificial intelligence you call by name, I have to check."

She takes his hand as they walk up the sidewalk to the door.

[poeticterms]

Which, speaking of artificial intelligence, unlocks as they approach.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal opens the door and steps back for Tina to go in first.

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

"Maybe I have some weird magnetic field? With all the doors opening for me all the time?"

She walks in, glancing back at Cal and smiling.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal comes in behind her and closes the door.

"Jarvis always does that. If he didn't, I'd know something was wrong."

He's entirely serious about that.

[poeticterms]

Speaking of things being wrong, usually Jarvis speaks up around now.

Then again, usually Cal comes in alone.

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

"Oh, that's cool."

She thinks.

If someone offers her a choice of pills to take, she is so out of here.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Yeah."

Cal raises his voice slightly to address . . . the ceiling, apparently, as he tends to do when he talks to Jarvis.

"Hey, Jarvis, where is everyone?"

[toblameforit]

"Right here," says Tony, poking his head out of the basement stairs. "Don't worry about Jarvis, he's just shy. I think Sherry's upstairs having a moment with his violin. Who wants beer?"

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

"I'll have one. Thanks, Tony."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"- oh. Yeah." Come to think of it, it did take a while before Jarvis started talking regularly in front of him. (And without the help of that first conversation, it might have taken even longer.)

"Yeah, Tony, thanks."

[toblameforit]

"Okay. Beer all round. Pick a living room, I'll bring the cooler."

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Okay."

Cal doesn't even have to think about it; he takes Tina's hand and leads her to the living room he and Sherlock generally use.

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

"No drunk driving," she says with a smirk.

If she can laugh about it, it won't be such a horrifying reminder.

[toblameforit]

"Seriously," Tony agrees on his way to the kitchen.

He doesn't mean it to come out quite as—seriously—as it does.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"I promise," Cal says, voice raised enough for Tony to hear, too. And also not entirely humorous.

He pauses for a beat for Tony to get out of earshot, then begins to tell Tina,

"Tony's parents -"

. . . weren't actually killed by drunk driving, come to think of it. Which Tony also knows.

Also that's kind of a mood-killer.

"- uh, I think he'd throw himself in front of the car if I tried," he says lightly instead. "Your mother has nothing to worry about."

(Cal doesn't even notice what he said: Not their parents, or Tony and Sherlock's parents, but Tony's parents. It's a little more truthful than he was trying for.)

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

"Oh. Oh God, I didn't mean-"

She puts her hand over her mouth.

"I won't say anything else."

In her embarrassment, she doesn't notice the distinction in parental relationships.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"Don't worry about it," Cal assures her hastily. "I'm sure he doesn't think you did it on purpose. I should've said something on the way over."

It was kind of inevitable that it would come up again, after all, after Betty McCoy's warning.

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

She nods.

"You just can't take me anywhere," she says.

She sits down on a couch and sighs. Then she smiles. It'll be okay. They're all friends, right? Or close enough to it.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

Cal sits next to her and puts his arm around her, leaning in to kiss her temple.

"I'll take you everywhere," he says.

[take-youaway.livejournal.com]

She grins and cuddles up to him.

"Okay. I'll let you. I like going places.

[americas-son.livejournal.com]

"And I like having you with me."

So they both win.