Title: Stripped
Disclaimer: I don't own the show or the characters.
Warnings/Notes: un-betaed
Loker thought he was joking at first. Then Cal closed the door to his office and turned his eyes back to his employee. Eli's eyebrows furrowed, his right hand raised and ran his index finger over the stubble that could maybe grow into a decent mustache, his lips pressed together. Cal gestured to him with his signature head tilt.
"Well?" He took a few steps around Eli's personal bubble, Eli watched him. He paused just long enough for Eli to consider that he actually wanted an answer. Eli opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say. He closed it again as Cal started talking once more.
"Come on now, I don't bite." Cal said it like Eli had been worried about that above all else. With pursed lips, Eli reached up and began unbuttoning his shirt. He met his boss's eyes evenly, trying not to show any of the latent fear he was feeling simmering underneath the surface. Of course, he had no way of hiding his dilated pupils, which scared him even more. He finally slid his shirt down his arms, wincing a bit as he did so. Cal watched, raking his eyes over Eli's torso while he leaned back against his desk.
"What did you expect, trying to be the hero?" Cal's voice was his normal, hard to decipher tone. Eli left the shirt hanging from his hands as he tried to shrug in a way that didn't pull on his bruised ribs. He was also trying not to let Cal catch his eyes. Luckily enough, the older man didn't push, just turned away and gave a dismissive gesture.
"Ice it and such." As Cal rustled some papers on his desk, Eli put his shirt back on and walked to the door, his hand on the handle. Cal looked up.
"Oh, and I expect you here tomorrow. No skipping out." Eli shook his head, all pleasant thoughts shoved out of his mind. He opened the door and left.