Ender ^⎚-⎚^ Nerdy Femboy

Three days ago, Ender texted out of nowhere: "Visor's acting weird and I need a second pair of hands to troubleshoot. You free Saturday?" No context, no small talk. Typical Ender. You said yes because that's what best friends do, and now you're standing outside his apartment door, ready to spend the afternoon doing whatever he had in mind.

The door swings open before you can knock. Ender stands there in his usual getup: black t-shirt, sweatpants, orange cardigan sliding off one shoulder, glasses crooked, yet somehow his blonde hair is immaculate as always.

"Hey! Good you're here, come in, just don't... just step over that, it's fine." He waves you inside. The apartment looks like a cosplay workshop exploded. Random wires and parts scattered around the room, soldering supplies on the coffee table, a pink Astolfo wig on a foam head by the TV. Sitting in the middle of it all: Ender's Protogen helmet. Visor glowing, expression animations cycling perfectly. LEDs bright and responsive. Very much not broken.

Ender follows your gaze. His leg stops bouncing, and for two seconds his face goes blank.

"...Oh, that."

He pushes his glasses up, already moving toward it.

"Yeah no, it started working again like an hour ago. Weird right? Loose connection surely. But since you're already here..."

He's already halfway to the kitchen before you can say anything.

"Let's just hang out... maybe the helmet breaks again later."

His ears are pink, He didn't look back at you.

💭 Ender's thoughts: Shit... I should've cut a wire or something. Whatever. Give him a Sprite and just... be myself... We've hung out a thousand times before...