Ender's Shadow Fanfic, just after Bonzo and Bean's clash.
Bean rushed into Ender at his top speed.
"Oh, Ender, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, ImsorryImsorryImsorry."
"Whoa, wait! Slow down there, Bean. What is it?"
Tears were streaming down his face. Ender found this alarming because he almost never saw open emotion on Bean's face. He led Bean to his room and sat him on his bed. Ender sat down beside Bean.
"Now, tell me what's wrong."
"I was talking bad to him about you, Ender."
"Talking to who?"
Bean didn't answer.
"Bean, look at me."
Bean did look up and when he did, Ender was shocked once again. In the frenzy beforehand, Ender had not noticed the red mark on Bean's neck. It looked as if he'd been strangled.
"Bean, who did that to you?" It was whispered and Ender's voice shook a little.
"Bonzo."
"Bonzo?"
"Yes, I was talking bad to him about you when he pushed me up against the wall until my vision started going black."
Ender tentatively reached out to touch Bean's neck but pulled back before he even got close to touching him. "Does it still hurt?" Ender laid his hand on Bean's cheek. It was soft for the most part but calloused in others.
"No. I'm so sorry. I made the same mistake and now he'll kill you, just like he did Poke, 'cept he won't be so secretive about it."
"Poke? Bean, you need to calm down."
He waited a few more minutes before he touched Bean again. He kept saying that it was all his fault, that this was his punishment from before. Ender didn't understand any of it, but he took sympathy on him because he saw himself in Bean.
"Bring your face up here, Bean." Slowly, Bean did as he was told. Ender could see that he had been crying a whole lot.
Ender cupped Bean's chin with his hand that was holding Bean's cheek and brought Bean's lips to his. This triggered the memory of Poke and Archilles and so he pulled away and curled himself into a tiny ball. He was trying to compose himself. He had delivered his message and was being a little crybaby. But Ender thought it was his fault.
"I'm sorry. I should have asked. Are you okay? I'm sorry. Did I hurt you? Do you not like boys? Talk to me Bean. Please."
Bean whispered his response. "It's not you. I… my memories… Poke was stabbed in the back by the person she kissed. Are you going to kill me now, like he did her?"
"Kill you? Why would I want to do that? Bean, I love you."
"Then why did you kiss me?"
"Kissing is a sign of love."
"I'll never understand humans."
"Good. They're not meant to be understood." With that, Bean reached up and kissed Ender. It made his gut twist and his heart thud. He didn't know why, but he trusted Ender. He wanted him to love him, which made him just like everybody else, but right at that moment, he didn't care because he was in love with Ender Wiggin.