Second Floor Common Room, Wednesday Morning

[endsthegame]

Ender had gotten up despicably early, of course; milling around the roof until he grew tired of that, and then heading back indoors. He had no particular plans for the day, and that always served to make him restless.

So to the common room it was, and soon he was digging through the cabinets looking for the ingredients for his morning coffee. His caffeine addition was almost getting worrisome, but at least it helped him think. Focus on things that weren't Peter, or Val, or the topsy-turvy mess that was his family.

He might have lingered near the cabinets longer than strictly necessary, and by the end of it, there was a neat stack of sandwiches as well as the coffee, ready for consumption.

[[ open! ]]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

Ben didn't have classes to keep him busy on Wednesday, and when he noticed his room was empty, went searching for his wayward roommate.

And snacks, naturally, because he was 16.

"Are those sandwiches for everyone?" he asked.

[endsthegame]

"Just as long as you don't eat all of them," said Ender, who knew Ben's stomach well by now. "And you get your own ice cream."

[momslilassassin]

"I think there might be some left from when Karla and I made some," Ben said, wandering toward the freezer.

If there was any, it wouldn't be the strawberry that Ender had made that had actually tasted right...

"Oh, I learned something valuable at the frat," he added. "Ice cream and pizza don't mix."

[endsthegame]

"I almost said 'did you need the frat to teach you that'," said Ender, who took a bite out of one sandwich and turned around to watch his process, "And then I remembered who I was talking to."

[momslilassassin]

"It was an experiment," Ben replied with a laugh. "And not a hugely successful one. It's good with fried chicken, though."

Ew, Ben.

[endsthegame]

"I'm sure the Japanese would be happy to know that."

Being isolated and away from his Earth was he was, damn straight Ender spent a lot of time poking at odds and ends on the web.

[momslilassassin]

"So I'll fit right in the next time I go to Japan?" Ben asked.

Yes, Ben, with your red hair and pseudo-British accent no one will even look twice.

[endsthegame]

"I think that might be a little too much of a good thing," Ender shared, nodding at the sofas. Might as well sit down, if they were going to banter.

[momslilassassin]

Ben flopped down next to him and took a quick bite of his sandwich before noting, "You were up early."

[endsthegame]

"You're one to talk," Ender non-shared, biting into his own sandwich.

[momslilassassin]

"It's how I noticed," Ben said, "but I rolled over and went back to sleep. You didn't."

[endsthegame]

"Well," Ender said, glancing over in his direction, "I'm glad you're sleeping better these days..."

[momslilassassin]

"Yes, that's why I brought it up," Ben said, rolling his eyes. He reached his foot out to poke Ender. "The weekend was that bad?"

[endsthegame]

"I've had better," he admitted, after a moment.

[momslilassassin]

Ben didn't crowd into Ender's space, but he looked sympathetic. "Peter has an amazing gift for getting under your skin."

[endsthegame]

"He'd like to think so," Ender said, staring rather resolutely at his sandwich. "But his ego is the size of a planet."

[momslilassassin]

"At least it's only the one planet?" Ben teased gently.

[endsthegame]

"For now."

He poked a hole in the bread.

[momslilassassin]

Ben frowned. "What do you think his plan is?" he asked.

[endsthegame]

"Take over the world," Ender said, dully. "I think he's been fairly upfront about that."

[momslilassassin]

Ben decided that pointing out two of his relatives had run an entire galaxy would be unhelpful.

"Too bad the Jeesh got there first," Ben said instead.

[endsthegame]

Ender shot him a glance. "That's one way of looking at it," he said, "But only Alai, Han Tzu and Bean have any power worth anything, and Bean's under Peter's control."

[momslilassassin]

"I think Bean would object to that characterization," Ben replied, taking another bite from his sandwich. "So it's Alai against Han Tzu and Peter waiting to pick up the pieces?"

[endsthegame]

"Almost, but not quite," Ender said, sighing. "Peter's already started picking up the pieces. He's asking any country willing to join his new free league."

[momslilassassin]

"How many takers?" Ben replied. "My Earth politics knowledge is still a little sparse, but no one big yet, right? Smallish countries that are primarily interested in not getting crushed by either China or a religiously-based invasion?"

[endsthegame]

"For now," Ender affirmed. "But he has Bean. I'm not going to underestimate his chances."

[momslilassassin]

"Would Bean go up against Alai?" Ben asked.

If so, he could guess where the insomnia would be coming from.

[endsthegame]

"Now that he's back as Strategos? If Peter says the word, yes, he will. I'm... just not sure if Peter will."

And that was confusing.

[momslilassassin]

Ben's brow furrowed. "Why not?"

[endsthegame]

"Because Peter seems to want to give off the pretense of conquering the world by fiat, rather than military might," Ender said, rubbing at his forehead.

[momslilassassin]

"Because you beat him to being the great war hero, he's going in the exact opposite direction?" Ben guessed, shifting a little closer.

[endsthegame]

"While I'm sure that's a part of it, even Peter wouldn't do something that big simply for the sake of sibling rivalry."

Ender shot him a glance as he moved closer. The topic of Peter always sent his emotions leapfrogging a little; of course Ben would try comfort-by-proximity.

[[ sorry for the epic SP! Yesterday was insaaane. ]]

[momslilassassin]

"Do you think he might actually be growing up a little?" Ben replied with a tiny smile.

[OOC: NP. I'm about to drive to NYC in an hour anyway so SP=loooove.]

[endsthegame]

Ender snorted. "I'll see it when I believe it." He could be charitable to anyone else in the universe, but Peter...

[momslilassassin]

"So our trip back won't coincide with a ribbon-cutting on his statue of 'Peter Wiggin, Astral Human', then," Ben concluded. "I know I'm shocked."

[endsthegame]

"Terribly," said Ender. "I can tell."