Ender had no intent of going anywhere, no, but he also didn't see the need to advertise the fact. He felt safe, and at home, and utterly certain that he wouldn't be made to leave again. Despite all the fighting, despite all the noise and everything it implied, he still had a little smile on his face.
Ben Skywalker
Ben was both mentally and physically exhausted when he finally arrived, and seeing Ender smiling was so completely at odds with the days he'd had that for a moment his equilibrium shifted.
"Ender?" he checked.
Maybe this was a clone?
Ender Wiggin
"Ben," Ender replied, and something slid over his face, sad and a little bit rueful. "I'm sorry you had to come all this way for nothing. Though I'm not really surprised."
Ben Skywalker
"What do you mean 'for nothing'?" Ben asked, frowning and stepping closer, looking for trip lines or signs of a bomb--something that would explain why Ender would choose to stay here.
And wear that.
Ender Wiggin
Was there something wrong with what Ender was wearing? He certainly didn't think so.
"Because I know you came here to bust me out," he said, lightly. "It's a nice thought, but it's completely unnecessary. I don't want to go back."
Ben Skywalker
Ben's jaw dropped. "Huh?"
He was eloquent as always.
Ender Wiggin
"Pick your jaw up from the floor, you look like a monkey," Ender advised.
Ben Skywalker
"I do not," Ben retorted. "You're being insane. Why the kriff would you want to stay here?"
Ender Wiggin
Ender sighed. Of course Ben wouldn't get it - that, too, wasn't exactly a surprise. Feelings were hard to put into words, though; at least, feelings of safety, shelter, affection. "Because it's home," he said, simply. "And home is where everyone stays, isn't it?"
Ben Skywalker
"How can this be home?" Ben asked, moving closer. I'm not here. He shoved that thought away instantly. "Valentine's not here."
Ben wasn't without his own set of weapons in this fight.
Re: The Final Test
Ender Wiggin
Ender had no intent of going anywhere, no, but he also didn't see the need to advertise the fact. He felt safe, and at home, and utterly certain that he wouldn't be made to leave again. Despite all the fighting, despite all the noise and everything it implied, he still had a little smile on his face.
Ben Skywalker
Ben was both mentally and physically exhausted when he finally arrived, and seeing Ender smiling was so completely at odds with the days he'd had that for a moment his equilibrium shifted.
"Ender?" he checked.
Maybe this was a clone?
Ender Wiggin
"Ben," Ender replied, and something slid over his face, sad and a little bit rueful. "I'm sorry you had to come all this way for nothing. Though I'm not really surprised."
Ben Skywalker
"What do you mean 'for nothing'?" Ben asked, frowning and stepping closer, looking for trip lines or signs of a bomb--something that would explain why Ender would choose to stay here.
And wear that.
Ender Wiggin
Was there something wrong with what Ender was wearing? He certainly didn't think so.
"Because I know you came here to bust me out," he said, lightly. "It's a nice thought, but it's completely unnecessary. I don't want to go back."
Ben Skywalker
Ben's jaw dropped. "Huh?"
He was eloquent as always.
Ender Wiggin
"Pick your jaw up from the floor, you look like a monkey," Ender advised.
Ben Skywalker
"I do not," Ben retorted. "You're being insane. Why the kriff would you want to stay here?"
Ender Wiggin
Ender sighed. Of course Ben wouldn't get it - that, too, wasn't exactly a surprise. Feelings were hard to put into words, though; at least, feelings of safety, shelter, affection. "Because it's home," he said, simply. "And home is where everyone stays, isn't it?"
Ben Skywalker
"How can this be home?" Ben asked, moving closer. I'm not here. He shoved that thought away instantly. "Valentine's not here."
Ben wasn't without his own set of weapons in this fight.