Aboard the Jade Shadow [Tuesday, Fandom time]

[momslilassassin]

Ben was grabbing a quick snack as he waited in the galley for his father to finish docking the ship on the first human-majority planet they'd seen in months and taking the chance to catch up on more reading about the Aing-Tii Monks. As soon as they restocked their supplies and checked for physical mail (Ben hoped that Tony's package would catch up with them here), they'd be heading into Aing-Tii space, which was a challenging enough flight that Luke Kriffing Skywalker looked slightly apprehensive about it.

Ben stopped being nervous by remembering that if Jacen had been able to do it, Luke would be able to do it better.

...it had never been said that Ben could not be very petty if the occasion called for it.

[OOC: Open for calls, texts, visits from the boy who's in space with him, care packages from home full of YA gay literature...]

Comments

[endsthegame]

"I think being forced to spend every day with your parent is something all normal kids have to go through until they're eighteen," Ender offered, with a little smile.

[momslilassassin]

"Like either of have more than a passing acquaintance with normal," Ben said with a smile in reply.

[endsthegame]

"So see it as a brief but bizarre brush with the ordinary," Ender offered.

[momslilassassin]

"I think I will, not!Peter," Ben replied. "I guess I understand why some people complain about their parents knowing all of their business."

Just...no one he knew that well. He seemed to hang out with orphans a lot.

[endsthegame]

And people who refused to talk to their own parents. Which was almost the same thing.

"Afraid Luke is watching over your shoulder?" Ender asked, glancing towards the door. "I think he already knew more about your life than he lets on, kreetle."

[momslilassassin]

Ben's cheeks went a little pink, though he couldn't explain why. "Perils of a father who can practically read your mind."

[endsthegame]

"Did you ever wind up talking to him about everything that's happened?" Ender asked, leaning forward and looking up at Ben's face. "The things you've left behind?"

[momslilassassin]

He shook his head. "We've been busy."

He'd been avoiding.

[endsthegame]

"We've been spending weeks sitting on our asses on a spaceship," Ender said. "You're a pretty poor liar, Skywalker."

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe I'd rather talk to you instead," Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

"Now that's a cop-out."

[momslilassassin]

Ben gazed back at him. "Why do think it's important for me to talk to Dad about that?"

[endsthegame]

"Maybe it's payback," Ender said, "You badger me enough about what I tell my parents."

His mouth quirked. "But I think it's probably a good idea for the two of you to understand each other better, if you're going to be locked up together for years. Right now you're both playing the 'I know about you but I'm not saying anything because you don't talk about it either' game."

[momslilassassin]

"If we both know, why talk about it?" Ben asked, closing his eyes. This was...really comfortable.

[endsthegame]

"Because he might find out some things he doesn't know, and so might you," Ender said. The atmosphere was starting to feel like a warm blanket, and he spared Ben's shoulder a brief look before wrenching his brain back to where it belonged. "About him, about you. I'm not telling you to go cry on him, or anything, but communicating might make it a little less awkward."

[momslilassassin]

"I don't think I've cried on my father since I was four," Ben replied. "But if you want me to, I'll talk to him." He stretched his legs out. "Just not now."

[endsthegame]

"Fair enough," Ender said, pulling his feet up onto the bed. "Right now, we've got our generous friends to contend with."

[momslilassassin]

"Did Tony send you every shirt you own?" Ben teased.

[endsthegame]

"Most of them, I think," Ender said, "I don't feel like sorting the rest of them out right now-- though it looks like some of them as old as my first year at Fandom."

[momslilassassin]

"Belly shirts," Ben said, lips quirking up. "Not a good look."

Not that he was dwelling at all right now on how older Ender's shirts had been just a hair too tight.

[endsthegame]

"Belly hoodies," Ender said, "Even worse." He shot Ben an amused look.

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "That's quite the mental image."

[endsthegame]

Ender snorted. He finally got up again, fishing around the box until he got out a very, very old grey hoodie from his freshman year.

"It's strange to realise we were ever that little," he said.

[momslilassassin]

"And solemn," Ben added, nudging his shoulder into Ender's.

[endsthegame]

"Don't knock yourself that much," Ender said, giving him a rare, wry grin.