Stark Industries [all day Friday]

[momslilassassin]

There was no point in trying to hide from his father--Luke would be able to find him anywhere on a planet, let alone an island as small as this one--so Ben decided to go to work for the day instead of heading for the afternoon picnic.

He'd head there later to run interference for Ender when Peter arrived, but right now, the fewer people Vestara had the chance to interact with, the happier Ben would be.

He was currently slightly grease-covered as he poked at a refrigerator for Warren's van, but he'd be happy to be of assistance!

If you weren't Sith, of course.

Comments

[notsoreckless.livejournal.com]

Towards late afternoon, Luke, shadowed by a sulky teenager who wasn't his son, walked into the shop.

"Ben," he said, smiling warmly. "Hello."

[sithbangee.livejournal.com]

The sulky teenager got at least a little less sulky when she got inside and saw Ben. So maybe she was genuinely glad to see him again.

"Did you miss us?" she greeted him.

[momslilassassin]

"Not really," Ben said, making a little face at her and trying unsuccessfully to wipe the grease from his forehead. "Hi, Dad."

[notsoreckless.livejournal.com]

"It's still there," Luke offered, holding out a rag. "What are you fixing?"

[sithbangee.livejournal.com]

Vestara moved closer to get a better look. "It doesn't look hugely important," she said, either interested or maybe dismissive. It'd probably depend on what Ben's answer was.

[momslilassassin]

Ben tried not to bristle too visibly. "It's for a friend's transport," he said. "I'm trying to add an alarm so that it goes off when his girlfriend tries to cook something."

[notsoreckless.livejournal.com]

Luke's eyebrows rose. "She can't be that terrible a cook, can she?"

[sithbangee.livejournal.com]

"It might be easier to tell her to stop," Vestara suggested. Logically.

She did find Ben's project more impressive, though. Either that or his friend's girlfriend's cooking.

[momslilassassin]

"Oh, she doesn't know how to take a hint like that," Ben said, giving Vestara a completely insincere grin.

And no, he wouldn't tell her Karla's name. Maybe she'd get offered a cookie!

Ben was so very petty.

[glacial_queen]

A considerably annoyed and rumpled-looking Karla stalked into Stark's, trailed by a hugely smug Lucivar. "Look," she said. "A Ben. Go bother him for awhile."

That was a hello, Ben.

[offers-choices.livejournal.com]

"Funny how Ben doesn't look like a skinny little alley cat left out in the rain," Lucivar said with a grin. "Maybe if you'd tell me why instead of dancing around, I wouldn't have to rumple you. In public."

Though he did look over and give Ben a wink. "Hello, boyo."

[momslilassassin]

Ben grinned at him. "Ho, Lucivar! It's been a long time." He turned to Karla. "How public was the public rumpling?"

[glacial_queen]

"The picnic," Karla said, complete with sulking. "It was his way of saying hello."

[offers-choices.livejournal.com]

"You would have withstood it better if you weren't so skinny the merest flap of my wings could blow you away," Lucivar retorted, looking around the store with interest. "You can bitch about me after you tell me how you got that way."

He glanced at Karla, who was firmly keeping her mouth shut. "That's about what I thought."

[momslilassassin]

Ben held up his hands in surrender. "We've been feeding her cookies," he said.

[glacial_queen]

Karla had her arms folded across her chest. "I don't need feeding."

[offers-choices.livejournal.com]

Lucivar just snorted and turned away, poking at some of the more interesting and colorful bits in the store.

"What's all this?" he asked, gesturing. Since Karla's comment wasn't worth responding to.

[doesnotfondue.livejournal.com]

Peggy had spent time at the picnic, but Howard hadn't been there - and after half an hour, she supposed she should have expected that. It took her some time to find the building in question, despite the address she'd gotten.

Now, she was standing outside of it. It was empty - whoever was staffing it was not there right now - but it didn't stop her from walking up to the door and knocking.

[dat-stache.livejournal.com]

It wasn't long at all before a rather robust gentleman in a bowler hat stepped up behind Peggy, looking rather okay with life in general. Which... seemed to more or less be the default state of affairs with Dum Dum, these days.

"This is where Howard has holed himself up these days?" He reached up and straightened his hat, nodding toward the door. "Seems a little more quaint than his usual fare, I'd say."

But then, the whole island did, didn't it?

[doyoufondue.livejournal.com]

Really, they were just lucky that he'd run out of coffee in the downstairs lab and was forced to scrounge for more.

Otherwise, he'd never have noticed people at the door to the shop.

"Agent Carter. Dugan," he said upon opening the door to stare. "What a surprise."

[doesnotfondue.livejournal.com]

"Stark," Peggy replied, chin held high and shoulders straight. "We've come to check on you."

And not to be hit on. Just in case he was wondering.

[dat-stache.livejournal.com]

"Somebody needs to make certain that you're not getting yourself into too much trouble while you're here," Dum Dum added, helpfully.

And then, a moment later...?

"You're not getting yourself into too much trouble while you're here, are you, Stark?"

[doyoufondue.livejournal.com]

"No more than usual." Which meant nothing at all. Really. "Come in," he decided.

Before some spaceman picked that moment to run by.

[doesnotfondue.livejournal.com]

"How much trouble are you in?" Peggy asked. That... was probably the right question to ask.

She also entered first, taking note of the strange interior.

[dat-stache.livejournal.com]

Dum Dum sauntered in on Peggy's heels, raising an eyebrow as he looked around at the assorted oddities inside the shop. Yeah, none of this looked like anything he particuarly wanted to poke at. Probably.

Which was exactly why he was reaching out to prod curiously at a nearby piece of machinery, leaning in to get a closer look.

"And how much help are you going to need to get out of it again?"