(Untitled)

[isaysimplewords]

Sam Linnfer and Cal Chandler are on a sofa by the fireplace, taking up less of it than you might think; they're sitting comfortably close, leaning together, with Cal slouched down to accommodate Sam's much smaller frame. (Either Cal is too tall or Sam is too short. It really depends on who you ask

Comments

[allstarchuck]

Chuck is not the joining the couple onna couch type. He IS, however, the curled up on a nearby chair type.

Inorite?

Just to look at him, you'd have never thought it of him.

He has a pillow, even. And when his attention wanders from whatever's occupied it in the fire, he gives a half-wave to Cal before he realises that Cal is not alone.

WHOOPS.

[isaysimplewords]

Cal is okay with this.

(Though he isn't really aware of how - couple-y he and Sam can look even when they're not making out.)

(They're just friends, really.)

"Hey, Chuck," he says. "How you doing?"

[necessary_child]

Just friends. Right.

Sam looks across, when Cal speaks, and gives Chuck an easy smile. "Hi."

[allstarchuck]

"I'm good."

WHICH IS WHY HE IS CLUTCHING THE PILLOW YES.

This is the way we breeeeathe by numbers, breeeeathe by numbers, breeeeathe by numbers!

"Hi," he adds to Sam. Because. He's cool like that.

[isaysimplewords]

Cal's feelings toward Sam are purely friendly.

It's just that his hormones don't agree.

"Yeah, you look it," Cal says. "You all right?"

Same question, phrased differently.

. . . he'll remember introductions in a second. Just the last time he and Chuck talked, Chuck wasn't doing so hot, either. Cal is concerned.

[necessary_child]

Sam gives Chuck a curious look, but says nothing, for the moment.

[allstarchuck]

"I'm good, promise."

Slightly nerve-y thumbs up, BUT IT IS A THUMB'S UP.

"Who's your friend?"

SUBJECT CHANGE. Also, friendly smile for Sam!

[isaysimplewords]

"Oh!" Whoops. "Sorry. This is Sam Linnfer. Sam, this is Chuck" - ever so slight pause while Cal remembers, because Chuck's last name is a little unusual - "Bartowski. He's the one who introduced me to raktajino," he adds.

He accepts Chuck's thumbs up. He's a little skeptical, but he won't push.

[necessary_child]

Sam laughs, grinning back at Chuck. "You're the one who finally got him to drink actual coffee and not flavoured milk? Nice one."

[allstarchuck]

Grin. "Well, you know, real men drink Raktajino."

OR SOMETHING.

"Nice to meet you."

[isaysimplewords]

Cal finds this interpretation acceptable.

"That's right," he agrees. And sips from his cup. By coincidence. Really.

(Sam totally got an eyeroll for the comment about flavored milk.)

[necessary_child]

Sam will see your eyeroll, Cal, and raise you a stuck out tongue!

He snorts. "Something like that."

[allstarchuck]

...AWKWARD.

"So how long have you two been dating?"

[isaysimplewords]

"- what?"

Cal sits up, startled. And possibly coloring a little. Or a lot.

"We're not, uh - we're just -"

- well, no, they're not technically sleeping together yet, so he can't say that . . .

. . . Sam? Help?

[necessary_child]

Sam - possibly having been a little more self-aware than Cal with regards to how they look - just cracks up. Sorry, he'll be a moment.

"I have a girlfriend," he tells Chuck eventually. "Cal and I're just friends."

Beat.

"Mostly."

...What?

[allstarchuck]

"Okay."

Chuck does not approve of cheating on girlfriends. Um.