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?"

Comments

[endsthegame]

"Weren't you going to eat dates?" Ender retorted, sliding his arms around Ben.

[momslilassassin]

"Note my restraint as I say nothing about eating you instead," Ben said with a grin, popping the fruit in his mouth and making a little face. "Not a date. Good, but not a date."

[endsthegame]

"What does it taste like, then?" Ender asked.

And sort of ruined his question by leaning in to kiss Ben a moment later.

[momslilassassin]

"Kind of like that," Ben said breathlessly as he pulled back some time after that. He picked another fruit out of the bag. "Your turn."

[endsthegame]

"Fine, fine," Ender said with a little chuckle, reaching in to produce something that looked like a mix between a fig and a pear. "Here we go."

He took a bite. "...Not bad."

[momslilassassin]

Ben leaned in and kissed him. You know, to confirm that.

This could be the least efficient taste testing ever.

[endsthegame]

Ender sighed and slid his fingers into Ben's hair. "Good?"

[momslilassassin]

"I liked mine better," Ben decided, kissing him again, "but let me double check to be sure--"

[endsthegame]

Ender laughed softly, pulling back just to place another peck on Ben's mouth. "Brat."

[momslilassassin]

Ben wanted a slightly longer kiss than that, so he straddled Ender's leg and tried again.

[endsthegame]

"Didn't we just have this conversation?" Ender asked breathlessly, a few moments later.

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe," Ben said, then reached into the bag and put something apple-y into his mouth, then wiggled his eyebrows, daring Ender to take a bite too.

The dork.

[endsthegame]

Ender really had to laugh this time. "Are we a Disney movie?" he wondered.

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded, then took the apple-thing out of his mouth. "Can't you hear the birds singing in Basic?"

[endsthegame]

"Stark," Ender corrected him. "I don't know. Can you?"

[momslilassassin]

"If I can, does that mean the not-a-date was poison?" Ben teased.

[endsthegame]

"Hallucinating already," Ender said. "Weak, Skywalker."

[momslilassassin]

Ben kissed his nose. "Shut up and eat something."

[endsthegame]

"Fine," Ender said, grabbing something round and red and taking a big bite.

[momslilassassin]

"Any good?" Ben asked, finishing off his apple.

[endsthegame]

"It's the nicest one so far," Ender said, taking another bite.

[momslilassassin]

Ben pulled out something knobbly and green. "I have...no idea what this is."

[endsthegame]

"Take a bite," Ender ordered. "It might be good."

[momslilassassin]

Ben took a bite and made a face. "Needed to be peeled."

[endsthegame]

"At least we've learned that much today," Ender said sagely.