Hijra [A few weeks later]

[momslilassassin]

Ben was catching up on emails from home--news about the Sith, the latest gossip from Jag and Jaina's corner of the galaxy and whatever Allana had gotten herself up to while being unsupervised (there was a lot of "it'd seemed like a good idea!!!" in her correspondence)--and then poking around scientific journals about advancements in reproductive technology.

You know. For no real reason. Cough.

He drank tea and really missed having those yummy red fruits around. He'd need to ask when they came back the next time he went to the market.

Comments

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "He won't say thank you or anything...but he did hug us that time."

[endsthegame]

"It's the best we can do for him," Ender said. "We could offer to take him in, but he'd probably refuse."

[momslilassassin]

"He's all pride and bluster," Ben said, "but he really wants to stand on his own feet."

[endsthegame]

"So we support him," Ender said simply, "And leave a door open for him to step through if he needs it."

[momslilassassin]

"I think he needs it," Ben said, "but I don't think he'll take it."

[endsthegame]

"Which is why we open the door," Ender said, "Then wait and see if he hits rock bottom enough to admit he needs it."

[momslilassassin]

"Sounds kind of painful," Ben murmured. "For everyone."

[endsthegame]

"It's game he's picked," Ender said, shrugging. Someone swooped by to pick up their plates. "We can only play along until he's done."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded, chewing on his lower lip. "He's trying to walk off a gut wound. It won't work."

[endsthegame]

"That won't keep him from trying."

[momslilassassin]

"Of course not," Ben replied. "He's got a good dose of Wiggin stubbornness in him."

[endsthegame]

"Sure," Ender said, his mouth quirking again. "Lay it all on me."

He sat back. "I could take him apart if I wanted to," he said. "He's not so complicated. I've done it before."

[momslilassassin]

"I know," Ben said softly. "Do you think it would help anything?"

[endsthegame]

"I'm not sure," Ender said. He exhaled. "That's why I haven't done it. I can tell I wouldn't be the first one to try, and that makes it dangerous, because it so easily could just snap the bond and send him afloat again while stripping me of my ability to pull him back out again."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "We can try to spend some time with him again," he said. "Maybe get to Fandom a few weeks later or invite him back to Naboo?"

[endsthegame]

"He liked Naboo," Ender said quietly. "It might give him a place to reflect - on whatever parts he's willing to reflect on."

[momslilassassin]

"It's a safer version of a place he knows," Ben agreed. "He almost relaxed when he was there the last time."

And Ben loved their house there to an almost unreasonable degree.

[endsthegame]

It had become the closest thing to a stable home they had, and it was a place where only good things had happened - a place to be family.

Of course Ben loved it.

"So that's settled," Ender said. "We ask Cade to spend some time after graduation on Naboo with us."

[momslilassassin]

"Think he'll say yes?" Ben wondered.

[endsthegame]

"If we make sure he knows it's no kind of commitment, maybe," Ender said.

[momslilassassin]

"For a guy with as many tattoos as he has, he sure does require carefully handling," Ben said with a wry smile.

[endsthegame]

"Because otherwise, our family is made up of upfront people with no masks or defense mechanisms," Ender replied.

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "Point taken."

[endsthegame]

"Cade's just happens to be 'aggressively easygoing'," Ender said. "For us it's pretty easy to pop, but I'm not sure about anyone else."

[momslilassassin]

"Yeah," Ben said. "We both know that people are more worried about their own issues to tend to mess with anyone else's..."