Fixer-Uppers [morning into lunch]

[momslilassassin]

Ben was trying to decide if the floppy Santa hat on his head today was more or less annoying than the elf costume from last year, finally coming to the conclusion that less jingling bells could only be a good thing.

It didn't mean that the pom-pom getting into his eyes when he leaned over to work on a bit of tricky electronics wasn't incredibly irritating, though.

Fixer-Uppers was open, and for once as festive inside as out.

Comments

[intraspective]

Ino wandered in, having finished a phone call, and still frowning at her phone.

"You ever have a conversation wtih someone that leaves you feelin' like there's something wrong but--not?"

Hellos were for other people, why yes.

[endsthegame]

"I'm getting the feeling the island wants to tell us something," Ender said. Of course his pom-pom managed to stay immaculately in place somewhere where it didn't bother him.

He had skills.

[momslilassassin]

He tilted his head as he thought about it. "Like a bad feeling even though they're saying there's nothing wrong?"

[momslilassassin]

"If it's 'get a haircut', I'm not listening," Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

"You never do," said Ender, who still had roughly the mop of hair he'd had when he'd left Alai's. He tossed a bag of sandwiches down on the counter for Ben.

[intraspective]

"And that something's different 'bout them," she said slowly, with another frown before tucking her phone away. "But they aren't admitting anything is like that."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "Then yes, I've definitely felt that."

Ahh, Skywalker family politics.

[momslilassassin]

"Hey, as long as it's not a braid down to my rear like Zekk, I'm doing all right," he contended, reaching for a sandwich.

[intraspective]

"What do you do 'bout it?" she asked, leaning against a bit of counter.

[endsthegame]

"Well, as long as you keep wearing those Jedi robes, at least it wouldn't attract undue attention to parts of your physique," Ender said, leaning on the desk, "Or accusations of hippyhood. Though the robes might not help with that..."

[momslilassassin]

Ben snickered. "I know. When a group of Jedi get together it looks like the factory room of the galaxy's dullest textile plant."

[momslilassassin]

"Well, the last time, I ignored it and figured it'd go away on its own," Ben said. "That didn't work out well at all."

And the award for galactic understatment goes too--!

"Maybe give it a few days and call back?"

[intraspective]

"Told him I'd come visit him at some point," she said, with a sigh. And wondering if she should ask about--his experience.

"At the time, I was just--" pissed, "--snapping back 'cause I don't take being insulted for no reason well, but I don't know."

[momslilassassin]

"And that's not normally how the conversations go?" Ben replied, frowning.

It's sad how fast his mind jumped to "Wonder if they fell to the dark side."

"Maybe they're just having a bad day?"

[intraspective]

"They were swearing at me," she said, frowning. "And I've known him for years and he's never once sworn in front of me. And--didn't respond right when I brought up a running joke between us."

...Amongst other things. She was still trying to figure out his idea that they'd have sex or something when she visited him. Yeah.

[momslilassassin]

Ben's frown increased. "On the phone? Are you sure you were talking to the right person? Maybe his phone got stolen."

[intraspective]

"Maybe," she admitted, "in which case you're right in that tryin' again isn't a bad plan. It was just weird."

Ino looked a bit sheepish.

"And infuriating."

Because poking Ino's temper was like poking a cranky bear with stick.

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled. "I get that," he said. "Maybe check with other people who might've talked to him? See if they have gotten weirdness too?"

[intraspective]

"I'm going to have to," Ino said, wrinkling her nose. "'Cause seriously not like him at all. 'Course that means I've got to track down who is friends are and see how many of them have graduated."

How dare people graduate and make her job more difficult?!

[endsthegame]

"And yet you keep wearing them," Ender said. "Ah, religious fervour."

[momslilassassin]

"Some of them might be coming back to the island at New Year's," Ben suggested, "but if he's being worryingly weird, that might be too late."

[momslilassassin]

"Or laziness," Ben said. "I don't have to think about what to put on in the morning."

He grinned. "Not that you seem to put a great deal of effort into it, either."

[endsthegame]

"I have clothes, they keep me warm," Ender said, unruffled, and stole a sandwich.

The fact he had choice in clothes at all was novel, really.

[intraspective]

"That's a good thought though," she replied, with a faint smile. "I'll definitely have to keep it in mind for those who I can't reach. I've got the numbers of some of them, but you know how it is tryin' to get a hold of people across universes, yeah?"

[momslilassassin]

"Matching is for other people, then?" he teased.