fandomhigh | Practical Philosophy, Monday

Ender had always preferred to teach his classes outside whenever possible. When it became obvious the morning would be a little chilly but not rainy, he posted a note on his designated classroom's door pointing all the students towards the dorm lawn.

He sat down on the grass out there, legs folded. By his side was a bag full of sandwiches, just in case any student had missed breakfast. And there he waited, quiet and patient, until everyone had arrived.

"You'll notice I didn't bring any books," he said, once they had. "Because despite what the title of this class might imply, I'm not actually here to tell you about Hegel or Kant and what they were thinking. They might come up, but if they do, it's because they have had interesting ideas that might be useful to us."

He stretched his legs out. "My name is Andrew Wiggin, though some people call me Ender," he said, "And I don't bring books here because I don't think they have all that many answers. I don't spite them for that, because I don't exactly have a lot of answers of my own. What I have are questions, which are far more useful in the long run. You can keep asking questions as the situation changes - answers tend to be the same thing no matter when you check up on them."

He smiled wryly.

"This class is about questions," he said. "And it's about opening a dialogue with those questions. Everyone here has sat through something in their life that they have questions about - though whether they want to admit that is another thing entirely. We're here to talk about those questions as they come up. No more, no less."

He tilted his chin up - maybe at Cade, maybe at nothing in particular. "Of course, that means I expect all of you to participate," he said. "You don't have to share about yourself if you absolutely don't want to, though I'll have you know that it helps. But I expect you to talk along. If you don't, I'm not going to apologize for the kinds of questions I'll ask. While we're at it, I also won't tolerate shaming anyone in this class for any reason."

Having said that, though, Ender's mouth quirked up. "Enough with the threats," he said. "I don't believe in classic introductions - I think I know what most of your names are, and I'll learn the ones that I don't, and what year you're in is of absolutely no concern to me."

"Let's open a dialogue instead," he finished. "For some of you, this is all new. How is it working for you? Are you elated? Annoyed? Don't want to be here? Achingly happy to be here? And for those of you who aren't - how has the past year treated you? Has there been anything that made you cry or made you think or made you wonder?"

"We can talk about that. Or we can talk about something else. I'm open to talking about anything, as long as you think it's worth questioning. Because you can assume from here on in that I really don't know a thing; but maybe by educating me, you can find something worth educating yourself about."

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Yeul settled herself on the grass, the chill in the air not bothering her, and waited serenely for class to start.

Sholeh gave Yeul a smile. "Do you mind if I sit near you today?" she asked, rather shyly. She'd been busy hiding and avoiding people, so she wasn't sure where she stood with any of them.

Yeul's smile was as warm as ever for Sholeh. "I do not mind at all," she said. "Come sit down with me. It is lovely to see you."

Her grasp on time wasn't the best, given everything, but Yeul thought it had been a bit of while since she had. Since the dungeons...?

...Pretty much. Sholeh wasn't handling the 'being killed by a good friend' thing as well as most others, apparently. Which made her want to hide even more, so those friends she wasn't currently afraid of wouldn't get tired of her.

"It's nice seeing you, too," Sholeh said, giving Yeul a wan smile. It was very nice to see her, but Sholeh wasn't in the habit of smiling much recently. "Glad that classes have started?"

Oh Sholeh, Yeul would never get tired of you.

"I think they will be interesting," Yeul said mildly, more concerned about the wanness of that smile, as concern made her smile falter. "Are you all right? Have you been ill?"

But she was being exceptionally mousey right now! And nobody liked a mouse! She had years of teasing in her home village as proof!

"Ill? I--no, not really," Sholeh said, sitting down and trying to busy herself with her class supplies. "I just...haven't been out much recently. Haven't been really feeling myself."

Even skipped a few shifts at the library, Yeul! The library!

No, not really?

Yeul watched Sholeh for a few seconds and then said, her voice very gentle, "If you wish to talk about it later," since class would be starting soon, "please let me know, Sholeh."

"I--"

Yes, please, could they? Sholeh hadn't really talked about much of anything to anyone recently, including her sisters, who had their own trauma from the even. The one time she had, it had been to a stranger wearing the face of her friend.

She was really starting to hate that.

"I wouldn't want to bore you..."

"You would not bore me," Yeul said reassuringly. "You are a friend, Sholeh, and I care about your troubles. If I can help, I should like to."

"You sure you wouldn't mind?" Sholeh asked, almost yearning to accept the invitation, but still hesitant. "I'm sure you have better things to do than listen to me whine. I mean, I know we're friends and all, I just don't want you to feel obligated..."

Yeul did not particularly mind anything.

She did not say that, feeling it would be unhelpful in this situation. "I do not have better things to do," she said, still in her gentlest voice. Yeul did not think whatever Sholeh had to say would be a whine either. "After this class, I have one other today and then an entire week that is unscheduled. I promise, I do not mind."

"Then, if you really don't mind..."

Maybe it was wrong, but she thought that Yeul would be an even better person to talk everything through with than even Evan. She just always seemed so calm and unruffled, and she hadn't been there, hadn't had an active role in trying to keep her safe.

"I'm working at the library tomorrow?" she suggested. "Would that be okay? Or we can meet up somewhere else? Another time? Whatever works for you?"

There was nothing wrong in confiding to a friend.

"The library is amendable to me, if you're comfortable with it," she said, smiling slightly. "Or another time. In this, it is whatever that works the best for you."

"I like the library," Sholeh said. "It's where I feel safest. Well, that and my room, but I've been in there a lot recently."

And considering she'd been snatched out of her very bed when this whole thing started, her room wasn't the absolute safest place, either.

"The library it is then," Yeul said, who thought it was unspeakably adorable that the library was where Sholeh felt safest. Awww. "I think that would be best."

Since Sholeh thought it would be best and all.

"Thanks Yeul," Sholeh said, sounding grateful and relieved at the very same time. Her smile came a little more easily this time. "You're a really good friend."

Practical Philosophy, Monday

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