Stark Industries [most of the day]

[momslilassassin]

After his leadership class and stopping to pick up his suit for the evening, Ben made his way to the shop for his shift. The quiet allowed him to slow down and think about the events of the last few days...which was the last thing he wanted to do.

So he was in the back welding things that may or may not need to be welded.

His stress relief was special.

Stark Industries was open! Please distract Ben from his thoughts. Please.

Comments

[endsthegame]

"Ready for tonight?" Ender said, bag of food in one hand, container of stracciatella ice cream in the other.

Let it not be said he didn't come prepared.

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled at the arrival and stepped away from his task. "As long as you don't want a corsage, I am."

[endsthegame]

"I think I'll live without one," Ender said. He covered the space between the door and Ben's position fairly quickly, offering the ice cream first.

[momslilassassin]

"Thanks," Ben said quietly, kissing Ender's cheek.

[endsthegame]

"No problem," Ender said, walking towards the desk. He dropped the bag on there, then pulled up a chair, sitting down on it backwards and crossing his arms over the back. "You seemed awfully busy."

[momslilassassin]

"Working through stuff," he said. "It's easier when my hands are busy."

Ender already knew that, Ben.

[endsthegame]

Ender was merciful enough not to point that out, though.

"Well, there's a spoon in there," he said. "I can get you another one if you need both hands working."

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled and shook his head. "I should take a break anyway." He took a bite of the ice cream and added, "Class today was about dancing, so I feel fully prepared for tonight."

[endsthegame]

"I never thought I'd hear myself say this," Ender said, "But avoiding this recent drama for a little bit can't be a bad thing."

[momslilassassin]

"Who are you and what have you done with Ender?" Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

Ender's mouth quirked. "Avoiding it tonight," he amended. "Right now, I wouldn't mind some relevant conversation."

[momslilassassin]

Ben flopped into a chair and sighed. "The Aunt Leia who went here's timeline caught up with the big family secret," he said. "She's pretty pissed."

[endsthegame]

Ender thought about saying, Which one?, but mercifully kept that to himself. "I can imagine," he said. "You went to her?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "On Wednesday when she'd calmed down a little bit. I felt her arrive on Tuesday and I have enough self-preservation not to want any part of that temper."

He paused. "The other Luke's still on the island too. I think Granddad called him and Jaina back to help."

[endsthegame]

"So it's an impromptu Skywalker reunion?" Ender said. He reached back and took a sandwich from the lunch bag. "I take it you're not all going to dinner."

[momslilassassin]

Ben snorted. "No. And it just reminds me of how potentially awkward graduation can become."

[endsthegame]

"Could be worse," Ender said. "Anakin could be graduating, too."

NFB!

[momslilassassin]

"Giving us the potential of two Jainas, two Leias, and two Lukes running around," Ben said with a little shudder. He gave the squirrels a little mental nudge to scatter them, then added, "but if he gets to graduation, I'll help throw the party myself."

Re: NFB!

[endsthegame]

"Fair enough," Ender said. He took a bite from his sandwich. "Must be strange, watching new versions of your relatives going through the same old shockers," he said.

Re: NFB!

[momslilassassin]

"Yeah," Ben said. "I've heard the stories as history or life lessons. Really seeing how devastated Aunt Leia was...that's a whole other thing."

Re: NFB!

[endsthegame]

"She took it very badly," Ender prompted.

Re: NFB!

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "She feels betrayed...mostly by Granddad, I think, but the rest of us didn't tell her either."

Re: NFB!

[endsthegame]

"Do you ever wonder if it's a blessing that you've been the furthest one in the timeline by far?" Ender murmured. "You have to keep all these secrets, but there's no one to keep secrets from you."

Re: NFB!

[momslilassassin]

"I don't know," Ben replied. "Maybe a little bit. How about you? If you were reversed and Peter was the one who knew how things ended, would you want to know?"

Re: NFB!

[endsthegame]

"Considering how far Peter's path and mine diverge, I don't think it'd really matter," Ender admitted. "The best he's probably going to be able to do is 'well, you arrived', when he's seventy."