He Awakens - Book One in the Kingdom Series

= 16 - How Not to Threaten a Farmer =

Knock knock knock knock knock.

Ender's knuckles hovered over the door in front of him, his eyes glancing it up and down, ears listening intently for any sort of movement within. The sun had long since hit its peak of the day and was steadily making its way down again, the evening having set in.

"You know I'm never in there Ender." He heard a chuckle from behind him, though it only startled him slightly, and he turned to face the familiar voice. He looked the male straight in the eyes, except Ender was standing on stairs and his friend was not.

"Hey Steve, for once didn't hear you comin'," Ender said with a smile. The male before him was easily a foot and a half taller than him, ginger hair sticking out in practically all directions from the edges of the cap he wore. At the moment it was on backwards, where it usually rested when he was done using it for the day but wasn't ready to go inside yet and therefore had nowhere else to put it.

"Long time no see, eh?" Steve grinned, hands in the pockets of his jeans, the knees of which were caked in mud and dirt. His eyes were blue, though to simply say blue wouldn't quite be doing them justice; they were more like an ocean, almost cobalt shade of the color. He had freckles scattered about his face, his skin looking like he was always on the edge of being burned with how tanned it was, like he'd spent all day outdoors for years.

"Been a few years hasn't it?" Ender hummed, relatively calm because of the scent that wafted off of Steve; Ender could tell exactly which field he'd been working in today because of it.

"Been too long," the ginger male stated as he nudged Ender off the stairs, stepping up onto them. He kneed the door and fiddled with the handle, but it didn't budge, Steve giving the dented piece of wood one final hit before he gave up on trying to open it. "Damn thing hasn't budged from the outside in a few weeks, can barely open it from the inside," he muttered as he began walking around the house, having motioned for Ender to follow. "I can't really be bothered ta fix it though, so it's mainly my fault it ain't comin' open."

"It's alright Steve," Ender chuckled, the two entering the house through the back door.

"Come on in, make ya'self at home, I'll get ya something ta drink," Steve hummed, disappearing in a doorway for a few seconds, though Ender decided to follow him instead of wait. That way they could talk and catch up. They chatted absently, Steve rummaging around for a minute before he popped up, a relatively large jug in his hands. Just the sight of the purple liquid it contained made Ender's mouth water. "Drink up mate," Steve hummed as he plopped the jug down in front of Ender.

He had the cap off and had the rim to his lips in seconds, tilting the jug back and taking a long drink of its contents. Steve watched him patiently, smiling as he saw Ender's tense posture quickly melt away. The moment was cut short, however, when there was a sharp rapping on the door.

Steve stared down the hall in the direction of the door, looking just as confused as Ender for a split second before recognition slapped him in the figurative face. Colorful words were muttered under his breath, Ender closing the jug and tucking his wings away uncertainly, trying to figure out who was at the door that would cause such sudden distress in his friend.

The rapping at the door was heard again, even louder this time. "Hide, as long as you're not in the kitchen or living room you should be fine but please stay outta sight," Steve muttered as he walked past Ender, who slipped into the hallway, having put the jug down so he could hide quicker. He was too curious as to who would be visiting Steve, though, so he lingered in the hallway, ears perked up. "I'M COMING," Steve shouted when the person knocked again, the ginger's boots clomping all the way to the front door.