Stark Industries [all day]

[momslilassassin]

Ben was being hugely productive today.

Okay, not really.

Ben was leaving messages for everyone he knew back home (and in Fandom, and his various relatives across the multiverse): "May the 4th be with you!"

Ben was under the delusion that he was hilarious.

But Stark Industries was open...so there was that?

Comments

[endsthegame]

And so it was that Ender entered, not with a greeting, but with a, "Are you still doing that?"

[momslilassassin]

"It's still funny!"

Ben was wrong.

[endsthegame]

"You've been doing it for four years straight," Ender said. "It's a miracle your relatives haven't killed you."

[momslilassassin]

"They think it's funny too! Jag especially."

Probably not.

[endsthegame]

"This being Jagged Fel, the terrifically sane man you claim doesn't have a sense of humor?"

[momslilassassin]

"...maybe," Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

"Ah," Ender deadpanned, "Well."

[momslilassassin]

"So I guess that mean you don't want a message?" Ben asked, grinning. "I'm leaving ones for Bobby and Tony."

[endsthegame]

"I've had to listen to you do this for four years straight," Ender told him. "I think I'm good."

[momslilassassin]

"You just know that I'm going to be leaving you and Val messages next year, right?" Ben said, eyes twinkling.

[endsthegame]

"I'm starting to hope you'll make a lot of friends among the colonists and you'll feel inclined to leave them messages instead," Ender sighed.

[momslilassassin]

Ben leaned in to kiss him. "Hello," he murmured. "I'll pretend to be less ridiculous now."

[endsthegame]

"As long as it leads to kisses," Ender joked back gently, kissing him back.

[momslilassassin]

"Mmm," Ben said. "I can work with that."

And with threading his fingers through Ender's hair so he didn't go very far.

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled at him. "I'm glad," he said. "You're a better kisser than comedian."

[momslilassassin]

"I must be a very good kisser then," Ben said. "Because I'm pretty funny."

[endsthegame]

"The right word is 'delusional'," Ender said, reaching out and tickling him under the ribs.

[momslilassassin]

"Stop that," Ben said, laughing and swatting at Ender's hands.

[endsthegame]

Ender pulled his hands away, looking amused. Then he used those very same hands to tug Ben in for another kiss.

It was a relatively incident-free day. They could enjoy it.

[momslilassassin]

Ben grinned at him when he finally pulled back for a breath. "You're playful today."

That wasn't a complaint at all.

[endsthegame]

"I am sometimes, you know."

Well, not really. Maybe once in a blue moon. And usually he was faking it.

He smiled back at Ben. "But it's almost summer, and nothing's gone wrong today."

[momslilassassin]

"It's kind of sad how few of those days we've had in the last few weeks," Ben said, nuzzled Ender's neck.

[endsthegame]

"Reason enough to be a little frivolous and silly when they happen," Ender murmured. "May the 4th be with you."

[momslilassassin]

"And also with you," Ben said, nudging his nose into Ender's. "Love you, kreetle."

After his meltdown over the weekend, he felt it was really important to keep mentioning that.

[endsthegame]

It was Ender's time to say "I know," sounding gently amused.