Ender offered her a smile that was meant to soothe as much as anything. Though-- no, he'd never been in that position. His life had started with an expectation and a responsibility, one much more immediate than Karla's. He couldn't change that.

"Becoming an adult in the traditional sense is, I think, accepting new privileges in exchange for new responsibilities," Ender said. "But I don't have to explain that to you, of course. Though with that in mind, it's almost as if I'm living my life the wrong way around, like I've lived my responsibilities and in return I've been granted my privileges later in life."

His mouth quirked again. "Of course, it's not that simple," he said. "Responsibilities own me. I don't think I could function if I didn't have them."