The Portal on Shakespeare [a week later]

[momslilassassin]

A mattress had been bought for guests, the house had been scrubbed from top to bottom and then bottom to top, and Ben, even though he knew that Luke wouldn't care in the slightest, had stressed out about what they'd have for dinner for the last three days.

Now he was a half-hour early for the time his father had sent him for the portal, bouncing nervously on the balls of his feet.

He was excited and terrified in almost equal measure.

Sounds like a fun vacation, huh?

Comments

[notsoreckless.livejournal.com]

"So I'm discovering," Luke said, lips curving up.

[endsthegame]

"Have I showed you around the house yet?" Ender wondered.

[notsoreckless.livejournal.com]

"You haven't," Luke said, "and now that I'm over the portal lag, I might even remember it, too."

[endsthegame]

"It's not very big," Ender admitted. "You've already seen the living room, the kitchen and the dining room, and that's our entire downstairs. But c'mon-- we'll head upstairs."

His eyes flicked to Ben. "Thin air can come too," he said, amused.

[momslilassassin]

"Thin air's gonna kick you very hard in your posterior," Ben grumbled.

[endsthegame]

Ender rolled his eyes good naturedly and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek again. "This way," he said, and walked back towards the hall.

[notsoreckless.livejournal.com]

Luke reached out to tousle Ben's hair affectionately before following.

[endsthegame]

"Here to the left is my study," Ender said, after they'd gone up the stairs. He pushed open the door. "It's where I catch up on things if I don't have to be somewhere specific that day. And sometimes I find droid parts lying around, for some reason..."

[notsoreckless.livejournal.com]

"I can't imagine who would leave those around," Luke replied, laughing. "I think he learned most of his curse words from Mara trying to cross his room at night when he was little and stepping on a screw."

[endsthegame]

"I wouldn't be surprised," Ender said, shooting Ben an amused look. "Thankfully, I know when to look. Usually."

[momslilassassin]

Ben wrinkled his nose at Ender. "Thanks, kreetle."

[endsthegame]

"The bathroom is this way," Ender said, continuing down the hall. "It's also got a door leading to our bedroom-- so try to knock."

[notsoreckless.livejournal.com]

"I'll do my best," Luke said a little wryly.

He had no intention of disturbing them in their very chaste double bunkbed sleep.

Shhh. Leave the man his delusions.

[endsthegame]

Probably shouldn't show him the bedroom, then.

Ender pushed open the door to the bathroom. "We've got a bath, a toilet and a sink," he said wryly. "We're living in a governor's mansion here."

It didn't matter. It was their house.

[notsoreckless.livejournal.com]

"Should I be concerned about the hygiene of the rest of the colonists?" Luke wondered.

[endsthegame]

"No," Ender said, slightly amused. "I insisted we get the same kind of housing as the rest of the colony."

[notsoreckless.livejournal.com]

Luke smiled a little fondly. "Of course you did."

He was definitely starting to see what Ben did in Ender.

[endsthegame]

"It's bad enough I'm being forced upon the colony by outside actors," Ender said, retreating from the bathroom. "I'm not going to make it worse by living in an ivory tower."

Though the location of the house had been a compromise.

[notsoreckless.livejournal.com]

"Plus all of those stairs would be hell on your calves," Luke teased. "Has there been a problem with them accepting your authority?"

[endsthegame]

"Not at all, after Admiral Morgan's original coup attempt," Ender said.

[momslilassassin]

Ben beamed proudly. "Ender knows his people better than Morgan ever did."

[endsthegame]

"Not that that took much work," Ender said.

[notsoreckless.livejournal.com]

Luke smiled. "Being more engaged than Morgan?"

[endsthegame]

"Being more engaged than Morgan, and dismantling his hamfisted attempts at taking over the colony," Ender said frankly. "He underestimated me."

[momslilassassin]

Ben kissed Ender's cheek. "You'd think they'd learn to stop doing that," he said.