Stark Industries, Monday

[endsthegame]

Eventually, Ender had managed to drag himself back to Stark Industries for work. At least he could finally get a decent cup of coffee on the way - he might not have Ben levels of addiction, but this morning he could really use some.

He practically collapsed in his chair. At least there wasn't any fruit lying around the shop that he could see, and he had a feeling that not a lot of people would be crawling out of their rooms and houses to come get stuff repaired today. He did wonder if Ben would wind up hiding in 204 for the rest of the day, and then wondered if 204 was even where Ben had wound up, and then told himself to stop thinking about what Ben might be doing.

Coffee, instead. Lots of coffee. And his work.

"I know what you did last weekend," Jane said, when he opened up his laptop.

"I don't even want to talk about it."

[[ open! ]]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

Ben didn't exactly slink into the store, but he had definitely entered with more enthusiasm at other times.

"So how was your weekend, kreetle?" he asked dryly.

May the Force help him, he would never call someone "lambkins" again.

[endsthegame]

"About as good as yours, I suspect," Ender answered, just as dryly. The coffee cup was by now resting empty at the corner of his desk.

[momslilassassin]

"At least the coffee's back and not some kind of illicit drug?" Ben offered, sitting down in his usual spot.

[endsthegame]

"Small favors," Ender agreed, taking the cup and tossing it in the trash. "Where did you wake up this morning?"

[momslilassassin]

"In the woods," Ben said, making a face. "I was surprised to see that the volcano was still real."

[endsthegame]

"Yeah, that's a little worrying," Ender agreed, glancing at the window. "I woke up with a girl by the pond - she was a little out of it."

[momslilassassin]

"Not Tony?" Ben asked with a tiny, tiny smile.

He'd been temporarily dead for the great wedding escape.

[endsthegame]

"Not Tony, thank God," Ender said. "Though Howard was in here earlier, asking me if I was his daughter-in-law."

His voice was very dry.

[momslilassassin]

"I should check to see if he and I are cousins, then," Ben replied in the same tone.

[endsthegame]

"How is that bullet wound?" Ender asked.

[momslilassassin]

"Gone entirely," Ben said. "I'd rather not get shot again any time soon, but ones that don't leave scars are the way to go."

[endsthegame]

"That's awfully neat of the island," Ender said, with a snort. "Wacky weekends - now there's something I'm not going to miss."

[momslilassassin]

"Assuming they don't follow you out," Ben said with a tiny smile. "I can see your leadership taking a slight hit if you end up a pony for a weekend."

[endsthegame]

"One thing at a time, Skywalker," Ender said, snorting. "God, I hope not."

[momslilassassin]

"You'd be the cutest little pony ever," Ben teased.

[endsthegame]

"I know where you sleep," Ender pointed out.

[momslilassassin]

Ben grinned. "You don't scare me."

[endsthegame]

"And I know where your shuttle is," he continued, "And how to get into it, which I'm sure Tony would love to know."

[momslilassassin]

"Now you scare me," Ben amended.

[endsthegame]

"Good," Ender said, "Which you can stop doing now."

[momslilassassin]

Ben gave him a fond look. "Done."

[endsthegame]

Ender navigated the sudden and by-now familiar urge to kiss him with... not ease, but reasonable comfort, and sat back. "Though ponies might have been less annoying than last weekend."

[momslilassassin]

"It probably wouldn't have ended in a double wedding," Ben agreed with a slightly forced smile.

[endsthegame]

Ender pulled a face. "No offense to Tony," he said, "But he's really not my type."

[momslilassassin]

"What is your type?" Ben said, even as a part of him shrieked at him for being an idiot.

[endsthegame]

"I'll let you know when I find it," Ender quipped easily.

Mostly because 'cocky fools who use their brains and still wear their hearts on their sleeves' would be kind of telling.

[momslilassassin]

Ben bit his lower lip and stopped making eye contact. He wasn't sure what he'd wanted to hear--Ender was never going to say something overwrought and dramatic if he wasn't bit by a gremlin--but at least it wasn't describing someone else?

"Or until Blondie shows up at school?" he teased.

[endsthegame]

"Oh please," Ender said, lightly, "There's not enough space to drive. Don't talk nonsense, Skywalker."

[momslilassassin]

"He doesn't have to drive--he can just stand around and drink things," Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

"Ha ha," Ender said. "See if I ever watch a movie with you again."

[momslilassassin]

"Of course you will," Ben said. "You get to pick the next one."

[endsthegame]

"Don't tempt me to make you watch Titus Andronicus," Ender said. "Handlessness all over the place."

[momslilassassin]

Ben stuck his tongue out at him. "Not nice, Wiggin."

[lockestheway]

"Ender," Peter said, storming into the store as soon as it was open. "We're not ever going to talk about this weekend, you got me?"

He wasn't in a good mood. He'd been involved in complex political dances last week and now there was suddenly a weekend missing and his inbox was full of emails inquiring after Locke's health.

[endsthegame]

"Agreed," Ender said, without looking up. "Calm down, Peter."

[lockestheway]

Peter hadn't actually expected Ender to give in so easily; he'd expected mockery, or digs, or references to how much better Ender had done than he did.

This... made him blink. "...Sure, whatever," he said. "As long as we're clear, kid. Don't get any ideas." He turned around. "Now I'm going to go--" Crawl under my blankets and DIE, "--home and get back to work."

[endsthegame]

"That sounds like a good plan," Ender said, and looked up to give his retreating back a brief smile. "It happens, Peter. Have a good day."

He wasn't surprised when he didn't get an answer besides the slamming of the door. Peter and his pride...

[doyoufondue.livejournal.com]

Howard woke up in the park this morning, where he'd been left after dying at his wedding. Once he was certain that he was alive and, most importantly, sane, he decided to completely ignore the weekend.

Really, he was just glad to have his mustache back.

He nodded with as much dignity that he could muster toward... "You're not my daughter-in-law, right?"

His mind rebelled against any other term.

[endsthegame]

"...No," Ender said, glancing up from his laptop. "I can assure you I'm very much not."

[doyoufondue.livejournal.com]

"Thank god."

He'd possibly been dead for that part of the weddings. Or it was just bad writing.

"Carry on," Howard said, moving past.

[endsthegame]

"You too," Ender said, and wondered why he kept on surrounding himself with repressers.