momslilassassin | Naboo [Monday, Fandom time]

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Naboo [Monday, Fandom time]

Ben and Ender were still hosting houseguests, and since the speeder hadn't been destroyed the day before, it meant it was time for Cultural Opportunities In Town!

...or Twi'leks dancing around poles.

Po-tay-to, Po-tah-to.

There was plenty to see in Theed before then, of course, as it would be kind of tacky to watching dancing girls at lunch. Or so Ben assumed.

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Ender slanted a look at him. "He is," he said, deciding this wasn't the time to let his cynicism show.

"Is there, like. Something I should say, or...?"

"It's Peter," Ender said. "He'll have found... something to distract himself already." He gave a shrug. "His problems are within our family, and it'll be a while before he takes solace from them, let alone the rest of the world."

And he could have said 'he might like it if you stuck around, even he won't say it', but he wasn't sure that was Topher needed was more of Peter's influence.

"Right." Topher flushed a little and brought a hand up to scratch the back of his neck, wondering if it was weird to have asked. "Uh. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Ender said, with a quick smile. "You're concerned about my brother - I get that."

Feeling like he should expand on that somehow, Topher offered, "He, um. He's, you know. A good friend and all that."

"Is he?" There was that cynicism, yes. "I'm glad to hear it," he said. "My Peter never really had any good friends."

For good reason.

"Oh." Topher looked unsure. "Um. He has, like. Kenzi. And stuff."

"Not in my universe," Ender reminded him. "He never went anywhere near Fandom - besides the occasional Parents' Weekend."

"No, yeah, I figured," Topher said, nodding. "I just meant, you know. The one at Fandom. Now he does. Sorta."

A beat.

"He didn't -- I mean, anyone?"

"Peter gets very wrapped up in his work," Ender said delicately.

"Which is -- what?" Topher wondered. "I mean. In your time. If you can say."

"Just politics," Ender replied. "The details aren't really that interesting."

Lies.

"Oh, is it that, um, Polemarch thing? Or whatever it was?" Close but no cigar. "Or, no, that was the military one. Right? What's the other thing?"

"Strategos? Hegemon?" Ender said. "It's just politics, Topher."

Topher wasn't sure why he was persisting. Some weird mix of curiosity about Peter and curiosity about Ender's universe. Either way, Ender's technique of non-answers had done the job of distracting him from it.

"Right," Topher said, leaving the questions at that. "But he likes it? And everything?"

"Wouldn't be dedicating all of his time to it if he didn't," Ender said, showing no sign of being pleased that his technique had worked. "It's what he's good at."

"Like, talking and stuff," Topher guessed, because he paid basically no attention to politics in his world, let alone the future. "Or no?"

"Talking, keeping up with his contacts, spinning information," Ender replied.

That was only cynical if you thought about it for a few seconds.

Which Topher did not do! So Ender was in the clear.

He nodded. "That sounds fun for him," he offered. "Um. Cool. Thanks."

"Again," Ender said, looking a bit amused, "No problem. Just try not to let him drag you into any of his antics - he can go a little overboard."

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes, when he thinks people can help him, he pushes them to their limit," Ender replied, trying to find ways to phrase it that wouldn't send Topher on the defensive. "If you're ever not comfortable with something he asks, you can come to me."

"Oh." For a moment, Topher thought back to that weekend that he and Peter had been little kids. Then back to present-day Peter. The two didn't really seem to have that much in common.

"Um. That hasn't really happened," he said honestly. And Topher being Topher, he didn't really get what that actually meant, and probably wouldn't unless it actually happened.

"Glad to hear it," Ender said, flashing him another brief smile. "Just keep it in mind."

Naboo [Monday, Fandom time]

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