Stark Industries, Monday

[endsthegame]

Earlier this summer, Ender had been happy to move to the cabins, away from Ben's occasionally too-suffocating concern. After the past weekend, though, he was mildly annoyed at it - he'd have liked to be able to keep an eye on the Jedi's state of mind for a little while longer.

Still, nothing of that showed on his face when he turned up for work that morning, put a HELP WANTED sign out by the window and started rifling through the various drawers for any extraneous fruit. The only thing that turned up was one tiny, not-yet-ripe lemon, which he cast aside with an easy motion.

Then he settled in for work.

[[ open! ]]

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[momslilassassin]

After the fake-winter of the Danger Shop, it seemed even hotter in Fandom today, so Ben came equipped with ice coffee and sandwiches for his weekly visit.

"Ho, Ender," he said.

[endsthegame]

"Ho, Ben," said Ender, who didn't have a laptop to close just this once. "More ice cream, huh?"

[momslilassassin]

"It's summertime, ice cream is traditional," Ben said with a little smile. "Plus ice cream and coffee together is astral."

[endsthegame]

"And in a few years, you'll probably be adding liquor to the list," Ender said, dryly. "How are you feeling?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben made a little face. "I don't like to lose control, so probably not," he said.

Avoiding the question? Ben? Perish the thought.

[endsthegame]

"Who knows," Ender said, unruffled. "Sit your ass down, Skywalker, we need lunch."

[momslilassassin]

"Bossy," Ben commented as he sat his ass down and passed Ender his sandwich.

[endsthegame]

Ender made a vague noise in acknowledgement, then took his sandwich and unwrapped it. "Interesting weekend," he said. "How are the cabins working out for you?"

[momslilassassin]

"I didn't really move in yet," Ben said. "It was quiet in the dorms when everyone left yesterday, which was nice. I wandered down in time to sleep."

Which was Ben-speak for, "Why yes, I was avoiding people."

[endsthegame]

Ender didn't call him on it, this time, because that was mostly useless. Instead he hummed in understanding as he took a bite of his sandwich, chewed, and swallowed. "Who's in your cabin?"

It wasn't quite time for so, I met Anakin yet.

[momslilassassin]

"Kyle Reese, Jak, and a few faces I didn't recognize immediately," Ben said. "I'm a Gobstopper, which isn't terribly dignified. You?"

[endsthegame]

"I'm a Skittle," Ender answered, "I'm waiting for the island to start dyeing my hair red without telling me; I'll fit right in with the fruit in the store."

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled. "You can't pull off red hair."

[endsthegame]

Ender glanced on the mop on Ben's head. "Neither can you."

[momslilassassin]

"Hey," Ben said. "This is all natural."

[endsthegame]

"No one disputed that."

[momslilassassin]

Ben made a face. "And I look kriffing dumb with brown hair."

Why yes, Ben would use any excuse handy to not talk about the weekend.

[endsthegame]

"Anakin handled the brown hair pretty well," Ender said, casually. "Don't write it off yet."

[momslilassassin]

Ben's eyes focused intently on Ender's. "You met him."

[endsthegame]

"I did." Neither Ender's tone nor his expression got any less casual, even as he was well aware of how intent Ben was right now. "It was interesting," he said. "It's probably ironic coming from me, but he seemed very young." Not young as in naive. Just... young, too young for all the hero worship, that was the irony.

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled a little wryly. "He's my age. He's not that young."

Missing the point? A Skywalker?

Well, yeah.

[endsthegame]

"What I wouldn't do without you to take things too literally."

[momslilassassin]

Ben wrinkled his nose at him. "Fine. I didn't think Anakin would be nine feet tall and made of bronze, but he did seem different than what I thought he'd be."

[endsthegame]

"He was thoughtful," Ender said, taking another bite out of his sandwich. "And a little overwhelmed, I think. Then again, people who categorically don't want to be tend to make the best martyrs."

[momslilassassin]

"How do you figure?" Ben asked.