Stark Industries, Monday

[endsthegame]

It had been a pretty normal weekend, all things considered, and Ender was going to count his blessings - you had to appreciate every weekend that didn't involve unexpected guests, changes to your physiology or mucking around with your brain chemistry. Not that he ever lingered on it long: too much work to do, too many emails coming in from the head of Shakespeare Colony (who was being quite kind about passing on info from his xenobiologer) and from the people he was speaking to in Ben's universe.

The situation didn't seem to be getting much better there, to put it mildly.

Within an hour of setting up his laptop, he was already sending out feelers to new potential contacts; he was starting to wonder how Peter and Valentine had kept this up for so long. But it kept him busy, so there was that.

Busy. He wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, but sometimes it was better than being stuck in his own head.

Especially lately.

[[ open! ]]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

"Ho, kreetle," Ben said with a smile as he walked into the shop with lunch and coffees.

[endsthegame]

"Ho, Skywalker," Ender said, shutting his laptop as soon as he came in. "What've we got?"

[momslilassassin]

"Coffee," Ben said unnecessarily, holding it up, "and bacon cheeseburgers. And fries. And deep fried apple pies."

[endsthegame]

"Hungry?" Ender deadpanned.

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe a little," Ben said, "and it's hours until the KKG meeting."

[endsthegame]

"So you need pre-stuffing-your-face-with-pizza food?" Ender guessed, reaching out for his coffee. "Tell the other frat boys I said hi."

Ender would not be able to pull off 'frat boy' if he tried, which was probably a good thing, as he didn't have any inclination to.

[momslilassassin]

Ben wrinkled his nose up at Ender. "It's run by Warren and Tony, so I don't think we're exactly stereotypical."

[endsthegame]

"Really?" Ender asked, taking the coffee and setting it down on his desk. "Well, I guess I haven't found any beer bongs lying around the room yet..."

[momslilassassin]

"A what?" Ben asked, starting with his apple pie.

[endsthegame]

Ender reached for a burger. "Ah, so you don't actually know the stereotypes," he said, "Bad form, Ben."

[momslilassassin]

"I know some of them," Ben said. "I know beer--bong is confusing me."

Yes, Ender, please explain.

[endsthegame]

"Let's just say a bong involves an intoxicant of a different order, and leave it at that?" Ender said. "I think the idea of you, Tony and a bong is enough to give me nightmares for a decade."

You know, if he still had any space left in his head for some.

[momslilassassin]

Ben a little wryly. "And you've got enough of those already."

He'd be looking up beer bong when he got back to their room.

[endsthegame]

"And Tony is a terrible influence," Ender added. "...Now pretend I didn't just sound like a Polish grandmother."

[momslilassassin]

"Are you going to tell me to put on a sweater and some clean underwear next?" Ben teased.

[endsthegame]

"I probably should," Ender said, "People across the causeway can tell how crusty your boxers have gotten. You've started crackling as you walk."

[momslilassassin]

Ben wadded up a napkin and tossed it at Ender's head. "Gross."

[endsthegame]

"I've learned from your example," Ender said, dodging the napkin with a motion of his head. "Sorry about that."

[momslilassassin]

"You should be," Ben said. "Our budget for air freshener is embarrassing."

[endsthegame]

"I'm starting to enjoy the scent of fresh pine, through," Ender said, taking a bite of his burger.

[momslilassassin]

"You might change your mind once we run out and have to shift to ocean fresh," Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

"Just as long as you don't let Karla talk you into picking anything flowery, I'm good," Ender supplied. "So what've you been up to?"

Since... they both left the room in the morning.

Yeah.

[momslilassassin]

"I had class," Ben offered. "We talked about music. I didn't give up your secret obsession with Wookiee tree music."

[endsthegame]

"Oh good," Ender said, "That secret needs to be taken to my grave." He took another bite of his burger. "Your love of experimental Bith stylings, on the other hand..."

[momslilassassin]

"Hey now," Ben said, "there's some interesting stuff coming out of jizz clubs these days."

Not dirty, just...his galaxy being special.