Stark Industries, Monday

[endsthegame]

"...me head over heels on gasoline--"

"Turn that off."

Jane let the music play for a few more seconds before she switched it off. "What, you don't like it? And here I thought all humans liked inane pop music."

Ender rubbed his forehead, then cast a glance towards the shop. "Howard is a much quieter taskmaster than Tony ever was," he said, "And I'd like to keep the place that way."

Which was naturally when the sound systems of the shop kicked in, and Ender was forced to get up and switch all of them off manually before he got fired for disturbing Howard's midday tweaking session. Or whatever else the man got up to when Ender didn't see him.

[[ open! apparently this song is a thing for me today. ]]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

Ben grinned at him, not at all bothered by being called delusional. "So how's your day been? Nothing explode?"

[endsthegame]

"Just the audio systems malfunctioning, but otherwise, it's been relatively calm," he said. "At least for our standards."

[momslilassassin]

Ben snorted. "I love that we have that disclaimer," he said. "What kind of audio malfunction?"

[endsthegame]

"I think someone tuned the audio systems into some radio channel, and they kept switching on," Ender said smoothly, which, well, it wasn't a lie.

[momslilassassin]

"Bad music?" Ben guessed, wrinkling his nose up sympathetically.

[endsthegame]

"Very bad music," Ender said. "But then that's how I feel about most current pop music. Especially after last week."

[momslilassassin]

"So you're saying I'm not very melodious?"

No, not really, Ben.

[endsthegame]

"I'm saying you sing like a brick," Ender told him. "But so do I, so we've been exposed to more musical interludes than we need already."

[momslilassassin]

"True," Ben said with a rueful laugh. "I'll try to avoid comparing you to ice cream ever again."

[endsthegame]

"At least I know now you won't exchange me for a dairy product?" Ender asked, mouth curving.

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled back at him. "You were worried?"

[endsthegame]

"I've always had nightmares of coming home to find you cuddling a really cool pint of Rocky Road," Ender said, thus proving that Ben's terrible sense of punning had rubbed off on him.

[momslilassassin]

Ben burst out laughing. "There's an image that's going to stick with me."

[endsthegame]

"If I were ten years younger than I am, I'd say 'you started it'," Ender said, and chuckled. "From Force philosophy to ice cream - I see what you did there."

[momslilassassin]

"If there was a Force philosophy that combined the two, I'd be a huge proponent," Ben said.

[endsthegame]

"What is the Jedi diet?"

[momslilassassin]

"Whatever the species is compatible with," Ben said, grinning. "But we don't have to be vegetarian or anything. Some reporter asked Jaina that."

[endsthegame]

"Somehow, I've never pictured Jaina as anything but the red meat diet type," Ender admitted. "Though I should probably not stoop to assuming."

[momslilassassin]

"I think it was phrased as 'as protectors of all life, shouldn't you only eat vegetables'," Ben said. "I think Jaina just about beat them with her shoe."

[endsthegame]

"Vegetables are life, too," Ender said helpfully. "Stick to dirt, and whatever falls off a tree on its own."

[momslilassassin]

Ben made a face. "Sounds delicious."

[endsthegame]

"You must make sacrifices, young Jedi," Ender said, and poked him in the chest.

[momslilassassin]

"I'm not prepared to make that level of sacrifice," Ben said. "I draw the line just before Karla's cookies."

[endsthegame]

"I suppose there is wisdom in that," Ender said, keeping his face straight.

[[ i used the same icon twice in a row. that's totally an editable offence. ]]

[momslilassassin]

"I'm really doing it for you," Ben said, eyes sparkling. "I'm trying not to get stomach problems that would keep you awake."