Fixer-Uppers [all day]

[momslilassassin]

Ben was pleasantly surprised when he got to Fixer-Uppers and discovered that even his more Valentine's Day-focused web searches didn't cause any pop-up ads or random quizzes to show up for him.

Just to be sure, he was now doing searches for "love monkeys."

Fixer-Uppers was open!

Comments

[endsthegame]

"How's the datapad?" Ender asked, walking into the store. He'd had a long, long talk with Jane about boundaries, and now he was interested to see if she'd taken any of it to heart.

... An AI. Taking things to heart. His life was getting crazier all the time.

[momslilassassin]

"Behaving like it should," Ben said happily. "Today is looking up."

[endsthegame]

"Excellent," Ender said, with genuine relief. "That's one thing off the list."

[momslilassassin]

Ben quirked up an eyebrow at him. "You were worried about my ability to fix a stupid firewall?"

[endsthegame]

"It took you three weeks," Ender said, seguing easily into banter. "I was starting to worry if maybe you were going to wind up infirm before your time."

[momslilassassin]

"You wound me," Ben said, clutching at his chest. "I had it covered. It just took a little longer than I liked."

[endsthegame]

"Some computer genius," Ender said. "Next time, leave the software to me."

Which he'd technically already done this time, but Ben didn't need to know that.

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe," Ben said, grinning, "but that won't do me much good if my datapad freezes up and you're not around."

[endsthegame]

"Hit it really hard," Ender advised. "I hear that works."

He did have a bag of Chinese food with him - choosing to follow Ben's example, though it was a smaller sample now, in anticipation of the dance. He put the bag down on the counter.

[momslilassassin]

"That always works for Uncle Han," Ben mused. "What'd you bring for lunch today? It smells astral."

[endsthegame]

"Thought I'd keep up the Chinese theme," Ender said, taking a couple of boxes out and shoving them Ben's way. "Even if the school is going to be stuffing us full of free food tonight."

[momslilassassin]

"It has to be better than Karla's cookies, at least," Ben said, chuckling and opening up a box.

[endsthegame]

"Well, for one, I didn't cook it," Ender said, taking a seat with a box of his own. "I hold no illusions about my qualities in the kitchen. Unlike certain people I know."

[momslilassassin]

"Yeah, but she's so enthusiastic," Ben said obliviously. "I don't want to hurt her feelings."

[endsthegame]

"Both of you need to stay out of the kitchen," said Ender, "I think sometimes hurting someone's feelings is healthy."

[momslilassassin]

"I make a pretty decent salad!" Ben protested.

Because that was tough.

[endsthegame]

"Because that's a culinary achievement."

[momslilassassin]

"It could be a really difficult salad!" Ben declared, even though there really wasn't such a thing.

[endsthegame]

There was a brief pause.

"And now you're just reaching."

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe you just make really easy salads," Ben said with a little shrug.

[endsthegame]

Ender sighed. "Fine, cradle your pride," he said, "As long as you don't try to bake, mix, or fry anything."

[momslilassassin]

"Sometimes salads need to be fried," Ben declared.

Ben was full of it.

[endsthegame]

"I don't know anything about cooking, and yet I'm still aware that that is hopelessly wrong," Ender said.

He was the worst person alive to be full of it to!

[momslilassassin]

"It's a Coruscanti delicacy," Ben lied.

[endsthegame]

"And you know how to cook it?" Ender said. "Handy."

It's a trap, Ben.