toblameforit | (no subject)

(no subject)

"Cal," Tony asks as they pull into his driveway, "anybody ever told you you drive like a maniac?"

Just in case Cal's skin wasn't crawling before, it is now. He makes himself hold the position for another second before casually shifting back to the way he was sitting before.

"No kidding," he says. "My car keeps doing new things."

"Yeah, I put a couple good tricks in there. I promise you're not gonna, like, hit the wrong button and fly to Mars, though."

Cal blinks at this idea, then laughs.

"Good," he says. "I don't think Peter would accept that excuse."

"I mean, trust me, if I could build a car that doubled as a spaceship, I would. But we're not quite there yet."

"I bet you get there first," Cal says.

"Oh, no shit I will."

"There's the Stark ego we all know and love," Obadiah says fondly.

"I'd be confused if it didn't show up."

He's speaking to Stane, but still looking at Tony.

"Gotta keep up the family tradition of making physicists cry."

Cal grins.

"Sadist."

"Also a family tradition."

Obadiah laughs.

Suddenly, Cal has had just enough enough of this topic of conversation. He loops back to a little earlier.

"As long as nothing happens that makes me drive off the road," he says.

"Course not. Safety first. Then again," he teases, "with the way you drive..."

"There is nothing wrong with the way I drive," Cal protests, with a wry smile.

"Uh-huh."

This time, Cal does not make a face. Instead, he says,

"What?"

"Haven't we been over this?"

Cal can't remember. He hasn't spent much time in this conversation paying attention to the details of it. His awareness has mostly been focused on Stane's presence.

"- well, I still don't believe you."

He snorts.

"Oh, Tony doesn't like anyone's driving," Obadiah comments. "Except his own."

Again, Cal avoids looking at Stane, this time to prevent another overly telling look on his part.

"He is a good driver," he says blandly.

"No point in not being the best," he says, which might as well be some kind of family motto.

Cal smiles.

"I didn't say that."

"No, but it's true."