if_inconvenient | (no subject)

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One entirely innocuous afternoon, Sherlock places a call through Jarvis to Cal's cellphone.

Peter nods acknowledgment of the dismissal and goes back inside, displeased but not surprised.

Cal lifts the phone back up to his ear.

"Did you hear all that?"

"I did, yes. I do not think you need to worry about shotguns. Obadiah has always been very concerned with keeping up appearances in front of Tony, and I doubt that will change now."

"Yeah, I kinda figured on that," Cal says, elaborately casual.

Just because the thought of another encounter with Obadiah Stane doesn't put a sickening knot in his stomach anymore, that doesn't mean he isn't still a little apprehensive.

Surely, if Cal did not want to do this, he would not have suggested it in the first place.

"Perhaps I'll get a mobile phone after all."

Someone has to. There may not yet be any proof that Stane is the one trying to have Tony killed, but as far as Cal is concerned, that doesn't make it any less true. Peter believes it, Sherlock suspects it, and that's more than good enough for Cal.

He smiles slightly.

"You'd be surprised how often it comes in handy."

One of the staff members, Danielle, steps out onto the porch and silently puts down Cal's cigarettes and lighter. (Peter has no ethical or moral qualms whatsoever about encouraging a tobacco habit in place of the marijuana one. Whatever gets the job done.) Cal mouths a thank-you to her and lights up with relief.

"You know, the more you do that, the more I am tempted to join you."

Cal thinks for a second that Sherlock is still talking about cellphones, then he catches up. The sound of a lighter being used is very distinctive.

"Yeah, aren't you supposed to have a pipe? I have never seen you with a pipe."

"I have never owned a pipe. I left that and the cocaine in the nineteenth century where at least the latter firmly belongs."

"You should get a pipe," Cal says. "I have some I'm not using anymore."

One of them is even the right shape.

"I know you do. I've seen them."

"I should really get rid of them."

The remainder of his stash has long since gone missing, but the pipes are still there. They're painfully tempting, sometimes; it's not like it would be hard to get a fresh supply.

Cal takes a deep drag from his cigarette.

"In that case, I would be happy to take them off your hands."

Cal smiles a little as he exhales.

"Thanks."

"You're quite welcome."

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