toblameforit | (no subject)

"Hey, I can lie when I have to."

There is something more than the obvious going on in this conversation.

Cal grins at him.

"I can give you lessons," he says. "My family lies for a living."

"You kidding? Sherry's been trying to teach me for years, and he lies so hard reality changes to fit."

Cal's answering laugh is genuine. It's funny because it's true.

"Then maybe we should do your lying for you."

"Don't let me stop you."

"I'm gonna remember you said that."

It's practically like being given permission. Maybe he can even apply it retroactively. Cal hasn't exactly been one hundred percent truthful today, but it's all been for Tony's benefit. That counts, right?

Obadiah smiles approvingly.

Gross. Cal cheerfully ignores him, keeping his attention split between Tony and his game.

With unusual perceptiveness: "I said lie for me, not to me."

"Whoops," says Obadiah. "There goes your surprise birthday party."

The comment is actually kind of funny, which makes exactly one thing Cal has ever heard Stane say that didn't make Cal immediately want to smack him or go take a shower.

But then, even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

(Stane has also - no doubt accidentally - given Cal a few extra seconds to cover his surprise at Tony's remark by being the one to speak first.)

"Oh, like I could even get away with that. Sherlock would give me shit for the rest of my life."

"No shit, right?"

His faith in Sherlock is absolute. Something Cal might have noticed about him.

"And you," this to Obadiah, "are bullshitting me. The last time you threw me a surprise birthday, I was five. And I ate so much cake I puked on your shoes."

Funny how Tony's childhood memories are so... Sherryless.

It is. But there's no room for dwelling on that right now.

(When he gets back, Sherlock said.)

So Cal just laughs.

Obadiah chuckles. "And your father told me he'd pay my dry cleaning bill if I never mentioned chocolate frosting in his house again."

Snort. "Yeah, that sounds like Dad all right."

Cal maintains an amused expression, but he can't help thinking of Sherlock's investigation, wondering what he'll find. If anything.

Obadiah is too busy smiling nostalgically to notice.

Cal wonders briefly if it's even occurred to Stane to wonder why Sherlock has taken off to New York, then shakes it off. That's also not what he needs to be thinking about right now.

"You should've told that one at my party," he says. (He also ignores the ache that comes with mentioning that event.) "We could've watched to see how many people avoided the cake after that."

"The smart thing to do would be to avoid me," he points out. "The cake's not gonna puke itself."

Cal grins at this.

"Yeah, but you and Sherlock were like the only smart people we invited."

"Oh, don't tell him that," says Obadiah. "He already thinks he's the smartest man on Earth."

"He's the smartest one in the room," is Cal's prompt response.

Obadiah chuckles. "I won't argue that," he rejoins.

"But the smartest man on Earth is Sherry Holmes."

"And I'm not gonna argue with that," Cal says.

He happens to believe it's true, anyway.