(Untitled)

[isaysimplewords]

Cal was - busy on Christmas Day back home, what with Bela visiting and their distracting each other from the emptiness the holiday holds for them both. And so it is that, when he finds himself in Milliways on the twenty-sixth, the headline on the New York Times Bar provides with his raktajino catches him by surprise.

TITANIC REPLICA ALMOST

Comments

[necessary_child]

"Evening."

Sam wanders in post-sword practice, ruffling Cal's hair in an absent-minded sort of way as he heads for a sofa to sprawl on.

[isaysimplewords]

Cal looks up from the article he's reading, then gathers up paper and coffee and follows Sam to a couch.

"I think my new world is kinda weird," he says.

[necessary_child]

"Sounds about what I've head from Jack, Trixie and Ianto," Sam agrees, draping a casual arm around him.

[isaysimplewords]

Cal holds up the paper by way of demonstration, undeterred.

There's even a picture.

[necessary_child]

He peers at it obediently.

"That's... different."

Pause.

"I nearly wound up sailing on the original. It was fun to explore when it was still floating."

[isaysimplewords]

"That would have been uncomfortable," Cal observes. He folds up the paper and puts it aside.

[necessary_child]

"Cold," Sam says succinctly. "I spent a century or so in Hell, and that was more than enough for me."

[isaysimplewords]

"Fair enough," Cal says. He's given to understand that hell is more on the warm side, but - well, Sam would know better, clearly.

[necessary_child]

"I still can't quite remember why I decided to build on the one eighteenth of Hell that is permanently frozen," Sam says wryly. "Even when I convinced them of the wonders of plumbing and central heating, the pipes froze."

[isaysimplewords]

"I know exactly why you did," Cal says matter-of-factly, sipping his coffee.

. . . yes, he's going make Sam ask.

[necessary_child]

He eyes Cal narrowly. "Oh yes?"

[isaysimplewords]

"Because that's how you are," Cal says. "If something is - if goes against expectations, and it's different, and you think you can get away it, you're gonna do it. Even if it's something dumb like living in the North Pole."

This is Cal's major theory about Sam. That he first put into words just now.

[necessary_child]

It is, actually, a pretty decent theory. Unfortunately, on this one it is a little wide of the mark - if only because Sam is Just That Old.

"Nuh-uh," Sam protests. "I built the capital at Gehenna before humans even thought of the concept of Hell."

Note how he's not denying the theory in general, Cal. Note it well.

[isaysimplewords]

Cal just snorts.

"Not what I meant and you know it," he declares, good-naturedly.

[necessary_child]

"Would I ever intentionally misunderstand you?"

INNOCENCE.

[isaysimplewords]

Cal rolls his eyes.

"Oh, no," he says. "Never. I must be thinking of some other immortal smartass."

To be fair, he does know more than one person who could fit that description.