if_inconvenient | (no subject)

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Conversations with Mr Mayer are always so delightful. Sherlock returns home happier than he left, just like last time, resolves to look into that fellow's collection of mysteries—just like last time—and reluctantly shelves the project in favour of more pressing matters. Just like last time.

At least, on this iteration, the pressing matters are much more pleasant. Cal should be arriving any minute now.

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He shrugs.

"I suppose it was not fair of me to ask."

"No, I'm - I'm just the wrong person to ask," Cal says. "That's all."

He shrugs again.

"We were really only a family where other people could see us." He pauses. "Or if someone tried to fuck with one of us."

As Stane found out.

"Ah." He smiles slightly. "That definition, at least, is familiar."

Cal smiles a little himself.

"The private shit doesn't matter. It's all about the united front in public. If we let someone think they can get away with messing with one of us, it undermines all of us. That's one thing - if I had trouble with someone, I could take it to Mother. She might get pissed at me, but she wouldn't leave me hanging. It always got taken care of so someone could learn a lesson about fucking with the Chandlers."

"The lesson, I presume, being: don't."

"Damn right," Cal says. "Never let anyone think you've found a weakness."

He'd lost that game badly to Stane in New York, and so Mother had stepped in and cleaned up in the second round. Not out of maternal instinct

(or so he thinks)

but because Cal's weakness is hers, too.

"Quite."

Is that an answer to Sherlock's question? Cal isn't sure.

"But - that's about it. I mean, as far as that stuff goes. Your family's better than mine."

"Somewhat of a depressing thought."

"But still true."

Especially in the past couple of months.

"This I will grant you."

Cal - doesn't really know where else to go with that.

He just shrugs a little, yet again.

Finally:

"Thank you."

Cal relaxes a little. Maybe he did okay with that after all.

"You're welcome."

Another faint smile.

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