Stark Industries, Monday

[endsthegame]

His still in SP trip to Dathomir had gotten a little out of hand (and Ender didn't mean the rancors). As he opened up Stark's that morning, having just checked the cast list (interesting choice, at least) he wondered, vaguely, if it was some kind of family tradition for Ben that niggling people on the parts of their lifestyle you disagreed with naturally had to follow out of a violent threat on your life.

Preferably during said violent threat on your life. How lucky for Ben that evasion and over-relativating of important subjects was a Wiggin family tradition.

Still, now that he was back in the cool, familiar, comforting confines of Stark's shop, he had better things on his mind. With no real project given to him by Stark, he could now sit down and browse what files he could find on terraforming.

Occasionally, he'd click away to find some more background on the play.

It was, as they say, a hobby.

[ and open! ]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

Ben poked his head into the shop. "Ho, Ender."

[endsthegame]

"Ho, rancor-breath," Ender said, without looking up from what he was reading.

Which was, in fact, about the play.

[momslilassassin]

"Nice, laserbrains," Ben said, wrinkling up his nose.

[endsthegame]

"How long did it take you to come up with that?" Ender asked him, wryly.

[ omfg, lj, NOTIFS ]

[momslilassassin]

"I was four," Ben said, grinning.

[endsthegame]

Ender smirked slightly. "Lasers can cut through almost anything," he said, "So thanks for the compliment."

[momslilassassin]

"I figured it was better than calling you a nerfherder, since I'd have to explain what a nerf is," Ben decided.

[endsthegame]

"I know what nerf is," Ender said, shooting him a look.

Well, what nerf was in this dimension, anyway.

[momslilassassin]

"Tasty, aren't they?" Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

There was a long pause.

"I'm going to be picturing you chewing on a foam bat for the next two hours," he said.

[momslilassassin]

"...why?"

[endsthegame]

"Nerf," Ender said, after a beat, "In this century is a type of foam used chiefly in anger management tools."

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "And not, say, a four-legged mammal a lot like a cow. A nerfherder would be really stupid to sit around guarding foam."

[endsthegame]

"It would make it a more effective insult," Ender pointed out, sensibly.

[momslilassassin]

"Excellent," Ben said with a grin. "It's not every day that I find an insult that translates the galaxies."

[endsthegame]

"Treasure it," Ender deadpanned. "You might need it to fill up that lack of laserbrain of yours."

[momslilassassin]

"I've survived this far," Ben said. "I think I'll be all right. Scruffy-looking nerfherder."

He'd heard his aunt use that most of his life. He had never really been told the context, no.

[endsthegame]

"I'm not saving you next time a rancor tries to chew on your ass."

[momslilassassin]

"I seem to have forgotten the first time you saved me," Ben teased.

[endsthegame]

"You would have," Ender said, "I picked you up like a damsel in distress and carried you to my fair cave."

Ben had done ridiculous things to reawaken his sense of banter over the past year.

[momslilassassin]

"Oh, I'd swooned, huh?" Ben said, laughing.

[endsthegame]

"I think you thought the rancor had pretty eyes."

[momslilassassin]

"Doesn't everyone think that?" Ben replied. "All beady and stuff. And the drool is equally attractive."

[endsthegame]

"I really should warn Tahiri," Ender said, thoughtfully.

[momslilassassin]

Ben burst out laughing. "We'll never find all of the pieces."

[endsthegame]

"Of the rancor?" Ender asked, philosophically, "Or of you? I'm not sure what Jedi relics go for in your markets."

It was a little morbid, but Ben could deal.

[momslilassassin]

"For Skywalkers? I'm sure it's a lot," Ben said, grinning. He was used to morbid humor. "That's assuming I don't go all ghost-y and ruin it."

[endsthegame]

"As long as you don't come and haunt me, you can do whatever you like."

[momslilassassin]

"Of course I'll haunt you," Ben said. "I'll sit in that corner and be blue."

[endsthegame]

"Looking over my shoulder," Ender said, in a monotone, "Watching me collate."

[momslilassassin]

"If I came back from being dead to watch you, I'd expect some singing at least to keep me entertained," Ben declared.

[endsthegame]

"For the last time, Ben Skywalker," Ender said, pointing a finger at him, "I'm not dancing."

[momslilassassin]

Ben pouted. "Aw."

[a-demosthenes.livejournal.com]

Valentine supposed she could have just waited until class to see how Ender's little honeymoon with Ben went, but she thought she'd return the favor of visiting him at work.

"All in one piece?"

[endsthegame]

"As far as I can see," Ender replied, looking up, "But I can't promise you anything."

[a-demosthenes.livejournal.com]

"And here I thought if something took a bite out of your butt, you'd notice," Valentine said, and she leaned a little on the counter. "How did it go?"

[endsthegame]

"As it turns out, three rancors tried to take a bite out of my butt," Ender replied, leaning a little forward on the counter, "But I'm told that's just how a Skywalker family holiday works."

Unlike Wiggin family holidays. They involved a lot more manipulation.

[a-demosthenes.livejournal.com]

And small rodent torture.

"And what's a rancor?"

[endsthegame]

"Something resembling a dinosaur, with a low- to medium-grade intelligence," Ender ponied up. "We hid."

[a-demosthenes.livejournal.com]

"Good thinking," Valentine said. "And now you shouldn't feel bad for having missed an attack by giant mutant alligators."

[endsthegame]

"I didn't miss the mutant alligators," Ender replied, shaking his head with an amused look. "Not an invasion can go by without a Skywalker in the fray."

[a-demosthenes.livejournal.com]

"Dr. Brennan let me assist her in performing a necropsy on one," Valentine said with a faint smile. "I've got notes if you want them."

[endsthegame]

"Between the play and my work, I am running out of things to do."

[a-demosthenes.livejournal.com]

"Good, you can color-code them for me, then," Valentine said with a grin. "So you got into that play?"

[endsthegame]

"Someone mistook my wooden flailings for acting, yes," Ender said, a little dryly. Or, you know, he was doing his best to look like he was socializing. "I'm sure it'll work out."

[a-demosthenes.livejournal.com]

"Awww, wooden flailings," Valentine smiled admiringly on her brother. "Now I'll definitely have to come see you perform. I'll bring rotten fruit and cabbage and everything."

[endsthegame]

"The sun never sets on a day full of rotten tomatoes," Ender intoned. "Be creative."

[a-demosthenes.livejournal.com]

"Rancid cow liver it is, then."

[endsthegame]

"Fragrant," Ender opined. "Geoffrey will be grateful, I'm sure." He let the easy banter wash over him for a moment. "I've got an interesting role. The man who kills the tyrant who kills the king."