if_inconvenient | (no subject)

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After a very inconclusive day and a rather more informative conversation with Jarvis, Sherlock is lying in his hotel bed with his fingertips together, staring at the ceiling. It is no longer a conscious imitation of the classic pose; over the years he has made it his own.

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"Right," Cal says.

As if there would be any other options.

"Too bad for him I figured that out."

"Quite."

"So. That won't work."

Cal frowns slightly, and continues,

"And I'm having breakfast with Tony again tomorrow, so he knows I'm not going to just fade into the background while he's here, either."

"Thank you."

He sighs.

"And of course Tony hasn't a clue about any of it."

"No."

Cal echoes Sherlock's sigh.

"I still don't get that. I mean. Stane isn't as subtle as he thinks he is. And I don't think he's even trying to be subtle sometimes."

A couple of the looks he'd given Cal - if Tony had glanced over at the wrong moment, not even he could have misinterpreted that.

Or so Cal would like to think.

"The perils of sentimentality."

"Yeah."

Cal ashes his cigarette, takes another drag.

You can ignore a lot of bullshit from someone that important to you.

Stane could get away with a lot more than he tries, with Tony. Cal's sure of that.

(It isn't (http://americas-son.livejournal.com/2159.html?thread=325743#t325743) that easy, is it?)

(And it's been a long time since Cal even liked his uncle.)

"Fuck. Well. It works out pretty good for us, too, anyway."

"For now, yes."

"Yeah," Cal says again.

". . . no offense, but I really hope that doesn't change till after you get back."

That is not something Cal wants to have to deal with, even if that does mean dumping it on Sherlock instead. That much, at least, is Sherlock's job, and should stay that way.

"None taken. So do I."

"He's pretty big on making sure Tony thinks he's the best thing ever, though, I don't see why that would change in the next few days."

Cal knows Sherlock knows that. He doesn't need to say it out loud.

He just - he really didn't like leaving Tony alone with Stane. Knowing something with your brain doesn't always mean the rest of you believes it.

Tell that to Sherlock Holmes.

"Neither do I. I expect things will remain quiet."

"Yeah."

Another puff from the cigarette.

"I told him to go for a walk at midnight, maybe he'll take me up on it."

One can always hope.

He can't help it; he laughs.

Cal exhales and asks,

"Do you think he has any clue about why that would be a bad idea? I couldn't tell from his reaction."

"I expect he does. Stark Industries has produced a few interesting things over the years."

"Oh, yeah?"

Cal is intrigued by this.

"Nothing I feel like telling you about over a hotel phone. Suffice to say I cannot believe even Obadiah could remain oblivious at this point."

"Of course," Cal says, amused.

"Damn. He'll probably stay in, then."

"Most likely yes."

"Figures," Cal says. "Whatever, with my luck he'd probably get turned, anyway."

He tries to make it into a joke, but it falls hopelessly flat.

Precisely one and a half seconds pass by without Sherlock having any idea what to say.

Cal swallows, tapping his cigarette several times against the edge of the ashtray.

"And - I'd hate for Tony to have to deal with that. So. Maybe it's for the best."

"Yes," he murmurs.

It feels like it's been a long time since that night, but it hasn't.

Not really.