Stark Industries [later than usual]

[momslilassassin]

Ben dragged his hungover self into work (still in Tony's pants, and yes, it's better not to ask) a few hours late and proceeded to rest his head on the cool metal of the counter for several looooooooooooooong minutes.

He'd drink the enormous bottle of water he had by his head in a little bit.

Or he'd nap.

Mmm, naps.

Stark Industries was open. Please don't make any loud noises.

Comments

[endsthegame]

"Someone looks shamed," Ender commented as he came in around the lunch hour, with coffees and (greasy) food.

He also had some painkillers in his back pocket, but he wasn't planning to hand those over just yet.

[momslilassassin]

"Unf," Ben replied coherently, lifting his head up a bit. "Tony and Warren bought a bar."

[endsthegame]

Ender's eyebrows went up, and he carefully repressed any sign of amusement. "And you auditioned to be a dancer?" he asked.

[momslilassassin]

"Won a cheerleading competition," Ben replied, lifting up a cheerleading trophy from under the counter. "I don't even know."

[endsthegame]

Five seconds into the conversation, and he was already having trouble keeping a straight face. "And then you flashed Tony?" Ender prompted. "I've heard of going far for a free drink, but I think there ought to be a limit."

[momslilassassin]

"Did I?" Ben groaned and put his head back down on the counter.

[endsthegame]

"And pulled a groin muscle," Ender continued, "And Bobby was pretty adamant that nobody got to lick him. And then I was told you got into Tony's pants, so you can imagine how I feel."

(The only correct answer was: fairly amused.)

[momslilassassin]

"Like you're about to bust a gut laughing at me," Ben said with a rueful smile, turning his head to look at Ender while still resting it on the counter. "I'm pretty confident I didn't lick Bobby, and I was keeping Tony's pants for Tony's own good."

Beat.

"It made sense at the time."

[endsthegame]

"Oh, I'm sure it did." Ender's mouth finally quirked, and he advanced on the counter. He put down a cup of coffee, a box with a very greasy burger in it, and a strip of painkillers. "Afraid it was going to strangle him?"

[momslilassassin]

"I think I was afraid Topher would run off with them and formulate a very life-life Tony doll," Ben admitted, reaching gratefully for the coffee.

"You're my favorite Ender ever."

[endsthegame]

"I should've left you to suffer some more," Ender decided. "As far as teaching you valuable life lessons goes, I think I'm missing the point." He grabbed a chair and sat down.

[momslilassassin]

"Oh, I've suffered plenty," Ben assured him. "Tony's a bad influence."

Or something like that.

[endsthegame]

"I think you're both terrible influences on each other," Ender said, "Case in evidence, me getting a message at god knows when in the morning about you giving Tony an eyeful."

He took a sip of his own coffee. "But-- a cheerleading competition?"

[solo_sword]

Sometime in the afternoon Fandom time, Ben would be getting a text.

Please tell me you're wearing all your own clothes now.

What were cousins there for, if not to tease?

[momslilassassin]

Mostly? Had to head to work before i could grab a shower.

And the customers were so grateful for that. Truly.

[solo_sword]

Bet your boss wouldve let you come in late for that. Mostly??

[momslilassassin]

My pants ripped when I won a competition.

That doesn't sound sketchy at all.

[solo_sword]

What the hell kind of competition was this? Whose pants are you wearing?

She wasn't sure she wanted to know? But.

[momslilassassin]

Tony's. I have a cheerleading trophy now.

Luke would be so proud.

[solo_sword]

Jaina would never tell Ben just how hard she laughed at that.

Congratulations. And whose pants was Tony wearing?"

[momslilassassin]

...I don't think he had any.

[solo_sword]

Thank you for not sending me a picture of THAT.

[momslilassassin]

Bad enough that I remember it, Ben wrote back. Also we made Warren do an Angry Bird impression.

Through a wall. Ooops?

[solo_sword]

Um.

........What

[momslilassassin]

maybewedrewapigonthewallandthrewhimatit.

Maybe without spaces she wouldn't understand?