Stark Industries, Monday

[endsthegame]

Ender's class was early in the day - and so he finished that before he actually bothered to make his way back to the store. It was still too warm out, and the weather didn't look promising, but if there was any place on the island that had a decent air-conditioning unit, it was Stark's.

He went through his email until he was done with it, reviewed some data, the usual--

--until his attention was pulled to a new piece of tech lying on the edge of the counter. He reached for it, rolled it around in his hands, examined it. Then turned it on.

An hour later, he was formulating extensive criticism in his head whilst mind-deep in Speedy Gravitation.

[[ open! ]]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

Ben walked into the shop with sandwiches and giant bottles of water. "Ho, kreetle."

[endsthegame]

"Ho, Ben," Ender said, pausing his game with a tap of a button. "Glad you made it."

[momslilassassin]

"I had to skitter from one air conditioned building to another," Ben said. "It's gross out there."

[endsthegame]

"It might be a thought to waive your exercise programme for the week," Ender replied, and pushed his chair away from the desk. "It really is despicable out there."

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe I'll join you for your swims," Ben said, leaning in for a quick kiss. "How was class, professor?"

[endsthegame]

"It's a quiet group so far," Ender said, smiling at him. "Though I'm glad to see Sparkle's decided to join us. He's a new student - I spoke to him some time ago."

[momslilassassin]

"I don't think I've met him," Ben said with a thoughtful frown. "Was he named in earnest or ironically?"

[endsthegame]

"I don't know," Ender admitted. "It could even be a moniker. He's the type. Very aggressively contrarian."

[momslilassassin]

"So he'll keep you on your toes," Ben surmised, taking a drink from his water. "Good. You like that."

[endsthegame]

"I like him," Ender said, stealing a bottle of water, "Even if he's probably going to be a pain in the ass - he's sharp."

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled. "You'll really like him, then."

[endsthegame]

"We'll see how he holds up over the next few weeks," Ender said, and opened up his water for a sip.

[momslilassassin]

"Just as long as you don't like him more than you like me," Ben said teasingly, tearing into one of the sandwich packages.

[endsthegame]

Ender laughed softly. "It's a little late to change seating arrangements on the ship," he said.

[momslilassassin]

"I'm glad I've finally made it into that window," Ben laughed. "Got to keep me around--the refund's too much of a pain."

[endsthegame]

"No backing down now unless you're set on making things very inconvenient," Ender joked. "Which I wouldn't put past you."

[momslilassassin]

"I do like making you work for it," Ben said with another grin.

[endsthegame]

"But not in the sun, please."

[momslilassassin]

Ben blushed. "I only neglected the sunblock twice this time!"

And he blamed Ender for both times. Someone needed to look less jump-able coming out of the water.

[endsthegame]

Someone needed to let practicality influence his libido more often.

"I'm terribly proud," Ender said, amused. "But it's just that with the weather right now, I'm not sure you won't catch flame with or without the sunblock."

[momslilassassin]

But they were on vacation, Ender!

"Yeah, I'd like to avoid the spontaneous combustion if possible," he said. "Think I could move in here?"

[endsthegame]

That didn't make him less flammable!

"You're welcome to stick around for a while, at least," Ender offered. "I think this has to be the building with the best climate control on the island."

[momslilassassin]

"With as many of us here and tinkering, that makes sense," Ben said, finishing off his water.

[endsthegame]

Ender took another sip of his. "Of course," he said, "That also makes it the building with the climate control that's most likely to break because someone over-tinkered it." He shot Ben a wry look. "I'm surprised you haven't built a droid for this yet."

[momslilassassin]

"To over-tinker?" Ben chuckled. "Nah. I want a droid to follow me around and spritz me with water."