if i think i can figure things out, is that curiosity or arrogance?

"Since you're out to dinner with us and stuff," Ben added with an easy smile.

Like a double-date thing! Which he didn't say because he was taking pity on Billy.

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"As friends!" Billy said quickly. "We're not... you guys are... you know what I mean."

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Topher bit his lip. "What did Peter say? He didn't make fun of you or something, did he?"

He was very hung up on this, yes.

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endsthegame

"Well, I'm convinced," Ender said, half under his breath, and took a sip of his beverage.

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Ben smothered a grin with his hand. "I don't care at all what Peter might have said," he told Topher. "Really. Breathe."

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"He--he didn't say anything," Billy said, which probably sounded totally believable, for real. "Er, forget I said anything."

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"But--" Topher chewed on his lip a little. "I mean." Lowering his voice a little, he explained, "He sometimes gets... you know. If he was mean or anything, I can talk to him."

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endsthegame

Ender's lips twitched a little, as if trying to accomplish a wan smile or some other vaguely knowing expression, but failing. "Peter does what Peter does," he said. "Sometimes that's sticking his nose in where he shouldn't. Talking to him probably won't change his mind."

He glanced from Billy to Topher. "Doesn't mean he doesn't occasionally have a point," he added lightly, "Just that it tends to be steeped in bullshit."

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Ben's hand squeezed just above Ender' knee. "Plus it's family," he said. "Weird timelines or not, Ender's still his brother. Family has a habit of getting irrational about who you're dating."

Of course, Ben was basing this on Jaina giving him the side-eye for dating Tahiri...

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"Yeah, I can imagine. But Peter's always been pretty nice to me," Billy said. "I guess 'cause he's a friend of a friend and all." The keyword there being friend, obviously.

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"So he... didn't say anything?" Topher was not completely convinced.

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endsthegame

"I find it hard to believe that," said Ender, who knew Peter. A little.

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"Maybe he's learning to be diplomatic," Ben offered.

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"He said he was glad Topher and I were friends," Billy said, because it was at least partly true. "He really was kind of nice."

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"Oh," Topher said, visibly relieved. "Okay, cool. Good."

Because that sounded so much like Peter.

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endsthegame

"Peter is always diplomatic when he has to be," Ender said lightly, "It's just that he's far too aware of when he doesn't. But I'm glad he wasn't a slumbitch to you two."

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"Maybe he saves that for special occasions now," Ben said a little wryly.

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"I'm sorry," Billy said, because he could kind of understand how Peter might not be pleasant to everyone, especially people dating Ender.

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"He's just..." Topher searched for the right word. "Hard to impress," he said. "You know."

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endsthegame

"Manipulative is what I'd go for," Ender said lightly.

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Ben had any number of words to describe Peter, most of them unflattering, but he wouldn't use them.

"I'd agree with that," he said instead.

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"Thankfully, I haven't run into that yet." Aside from trying to get Billy to ask Topher out, but that seemed like the good kind of manipulative.

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