The Pool, Thursday Morning

[endsthegame]

That morning Ender had received four phone calls from Peter.

Three had come from Fandom's Peter, and in all cases Peter had hung up before Ender managed to even answer the call. The third was from his own Peter, calling in to confirm he'd be showing up and he'd be taking Petra and Suriyawong with him.

Ender's opinion of these events was mixed - though he would hardly say no to a chance to see Petra and Surrey again, the rest was a little more complicated.

Luckily, his regular morning swim always allowed for a good opportunity to clear his head. He made it there early so that he'd have some more time today, quickly stripping down to his swim trunks and diving in.

If there was one thing he'd miss about Fandom in the near future, it would be the easy pool access.

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[momslilassassin]

Ben started a set of laps, keeping his pace leisurely. "Like what?"

[endsthegame]

"Rancor puffs?" Ender proposed. "I don't know. Insert your own terribly dangerous wordplay here."

He, himself, started up again as well; he had absolutely no trouble matching Ben, though that made talking more difficult.

[momslilassassin]

Ben completed five laps of the pool before taking a break and offering, "Rancor puffs sounds like a really terrible children's cereal."

[endsthegame]

"Something for in your blue milk," Ender said, swimming towards him.

[momslilassassin]

"Does it come with a prize at the bottom of the box?" Ben asked.

[endsthegame]

"A nibble on your ankle and a hit upside the head," Ender reported, reaching out for the edge and coming to a stop again.

[momslilassassin]

"Sounds like a Dathomiri mating ritual," Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

"I won't dignify that with a 'want to give it a shot'," Ender said, turning around so he could get a good bead on Ben's location again.

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed at him. "Not in the pool, anyway," he said, swimming closer.

[endsthegame]

"No," Ender agreed.

He boosted himself up until he was sitting on the pool's edge.

"Feels familiar."

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled and tugged playfully at Ender's ankle. "You've grown an inch or two since we were fourteen."

[endsthegame]

"And you... haven't," Ender teased, swatting a little water in his direction.

[momslilassassin]

Ben made a face at him. "Brat. Fortunately, I'm vastly more mature now."

[endsthegame]

"There are many jokes I could think of making in response to that, but I won't," Ender told him. "Get up here before your toes go pruny."

[momslilassassin]

"Yes, dear," Ben singsonged at him as he got out of the pool, then shook the water droplets from his hair.

[endsthegame]

"My," Ender said, holding up his arm in defense. "You really are a sheepdog."

[momslilassassin]

"I'll get it cut before graduation," Ben promised, laughing.

[endsthegame]

"You'd better," Ender said. "Can't have my sister seeing you like that. Or something like that."

[momslilassassin]

"I can only handle so many 'are you a man or a haystack' jokes in a small period of time," Ben added, kicking his feet in the water.

[endsthegame]

"Val would abuse it, too." Ender reached out and, with a slightly amused smile on his face, gently pushed some of the wet hair away from Ben's forehead.

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled back at him a little goofily. "Hi there."

[endsthegame]

"Restless about tomorrow?" Ender asked.

He figured it would take more than the rain to keep Ben from jogging.

[momslilassassin]

"A little," Ben admitted. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see Vestara again--"

He didn't sound thrilled.

[endsthegame]

"Vestara is the least of what's on your mind," Ender told him.

[momslilassassin]

He blew a breath out. "Yeah, but she's annoying and easy to be annoyed by."