Shuttle landing zone, Hijra [Six months in stasis, twelve years Earth time gone, Tuesday in Fandom]

[momslilassassin]

After saying their final goodbyes to Ender's parents before getting to Ganges, there wasn't really much point to staying awake between stops, and so all three of them went into stasis for the duration of the flight between Ganges and Hijra, a planet they'd picked for its relative obscurity, warm, dry climate, and sand (but not too much sand, Ben had been sure to check. He hadn't come all this way to end up on another Tatooine. There was obscure and there was "furthest star from anything.") Besides, after their trip back to Kaeleer, Ben hadn't exactly been anxious to be alone with his thoughts for much time.

He'd memorized what little information had changed about their new home planet: very quiet, minimal interference from Earth's government (which was now a few generations past Peter's time, and that was a little hard to get used to), made up primarily of Earth immigrants from the Middle East, and Northern and Central parts of Africa. They'd been drawn to the heat as much as Ben had been. With all of his possessions in the duffel over his shoulder, he stepped down out of the shuttle and took his first breath of non-recycled air in six months. "Sure is hot," he said, tilting his head up to the sun. "Feels good. Where's our house again?"

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[endsthegame]

Ender patted him on the leg. "Go on, get up."

[momslilassassin]

Ben kissed him between the eyes. "Race you for the stairs," he said.

[endsthegame]

"No," Ender decided. "You win. Congratulations."

[momslilassassin]

Ben did an obnoxious little dance at the foot of the steps in reply.

[endsthegame]

Ender gave him a little nudge. "But feel free to keep moving."

[momslilassassin]

"Almost done," Ben said, spinning in a little circle.

[endsthegame]

"You know what this reminds me of," Ender said, "Your first gremlin bite..."

[momslilassassin]

"I haven't thought about that in years," Ben said, laughing. "I had never been more embarrassed."

[endsthegame]

"Your dancing was about the same," Ender said, chuckling.

[momslilassassin]

"So you're saying I dance like a six year old girl?" Ben replied, heading up the stairs.

[endsthegame]

"Yep," Ender said, giving him a light poke in the back as he followed.

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe you should be looking for your own room," Ben teased over his shoulder.

[endsthegame]

"And let you get cold?" Ender asked, smiling at him. "Inhumane."

[momslilassassin]

"There's that," Ben mused. "Fine, fine, you can stay."

[endsthegame]

"Thanks," Ender said, sliding his arms around Ben's waist just a step away from the entrance to one of the bedrooms.

[momslilassassin]

Ben rested his head against Ender's shoulder in reply. "Behind door number one we have a double bed facing a window with eastern exposure, guaranteeing bright, early morning sun," he began. "The door over here is either a bathroom or...no, a closet."

[endsthegame]

"What do we think about that?" Ender prompted.

[momslilassassin]

"I think it could work but I'd like to see what's behind door number two," Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

"In that case, onwards," Ender said, giving Ben's hips a little nudge.

He was in a good mood. He got to see sky and sunlight again for the first time in weeks.

[momslilassassin]

Ben nuzzled Ender's neck quickly in reply. "Mmm. You're being distracting."

[endsthegame]

Ender laughed softly. "I'm just pointing you in the right direction," he said.

[momslilassassin]

"The bed?" Ben replied, waggling his eyebrows at him.

[endsthegame]

"The next bedroom," Ender said, shooting him a not exactly serious Look.

[momslilassassin]

"That was my next guess," Ben said, tugging him into the next room.

[endsthegame]

"And what do we think about this one?" Ender asked, kissing Ben's shoulder.