toblameforit | (no subject)

Cal slings himself casually onto a couch.

He seems to be on his best behaviour as he hugs back—hardly creepy at all.

"Don't worry about it. I took the opportunity to get some work done."

"Yeah, that sounds like you all right. Always working."

Tony occupies the next chair over.

"How's it going? Did they get the 86s in the air yet?"

Cal appears not to be paying much attention, pulling out his cellphone to occupy himself unobtrusively while they talk.

When he starts playing a game on it, though, he doesn't bother to turn the sound off. The beeping and electronic music are quiet, but noticeable.

He's not going to make it that easy for anyone to pretend he's not here.

"They're doing just fine without you," he says reassuringly.

"Good. About time somebody over there grew a brain." Tony leans over toward the couch to look at Cal's phone. "Whatcha playing?"

Cal glances up, angling the phone so Tony can see it better.

"Tetris."

"I love that game. You any good at it?"

"Yeah." Cal tips the screen back toward himself in time to catch a square and put it in its proper place.

"I've been playing since I was a kid. I think I'm pretty much as good as anyone can get by now. You know, until it gets like physically impossible to keep up."

Brightly: "Whaddya mean it gets physically impossible?"

Cal snorts.

"You are so full of it your eyes are brown."

And Tony's eyes are, in fact, brown. So there you are.

"All right, you got me."

"You've always been a terrible liar, Tony," Obadiah observes.

"Nothing wrong with that," Cal says comfortably, sparing a casual glance for Stane.

"The problem is, he tries anyway. It's going to get him in a lot of trouble when he's older," Obadiah says, with what passes for fondness coming from him.

"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."