Room 204 [morning]

[momslilassassin]

Prom had been fun and the evening after prom had been even more fun (Ben liked Ender in uniform, so sue him), but being fairly bright Fandom students who had been at the school for four years, both guys had remembered to put some clothing back on before falling asleep just in case.

Ben was curled into Ender now, sleeping in for once (so...past sun-up) and enjoying a weekend where he had nothing planned.

[OOC: You know the drill by now, folks! For the boy, then the visitor.]

Comments

[bend-in-time.livejournal.com]

"He also gets another inch," Val said, a smile playing on her lips. "You're relaxed."

Well, as relaxed as she could ever expect him to get.

[endsthegame]

"Still a little jumpy," Ender said, sitting down next to him. "But that can't be helped."

[momslilassassin]

Ben poked him in the shoulder. "Being faced with a potential future still takes a bit of getting used to."

[bend-in-time.livejournal.com]

"Imagine how I feel," Val said dryly.

[momslilassassin]

"But you're hiding it well," Ben said with a smile. "I can hardly feel it. I must be a good teacher."

[bend-in-time.livejournal.com]

"Just a little bit," Val said. "But then you've only got a couple of students to focus on, so that ought to help."

[momslilassassin]

Ben blinked. "A couple? Is this philotic thing? Can other people be trained like Jedi now in Ender's universe?"

[bend-in-time.livejournal.com]

Valentine contemplated giving up more details. Then again, that wasn't really necessary, was it? "No," she settled on, and tried very hard to keep her face straight.

[endsthegame]

Ender's eyebrows climbed up towards his hairline.

[momslilassassin]

"She's trying to be sneaky," Ben said, thinking quickly.

It clicked.

"Kuso."

[bend-in-time.livejournal.com]

Val's mouth curved. "I'll let my brothers know you said a bad word," she said.

[momslilassassin]

"There's more than one of them?" Ben yelped.

[endsthegame]

Ender exhaled. Sure, he had his fair share of trouble wrapping his mind around it -- but the acute worries of last year had vanished.

He wrapped his arm around Ben's waist. "Long time from now, Skywalker."

[bend-in-time.livejournal.com]

"Just two," Valentine added. "Don't worry. You didn't reproduce like butterflies or anything."

[momslilassassin]

Ben gave Val a tiny, rueful smile before shifting closer to Ender. He started it, he sent.

"That's very reassuring," he added aloud. "I think I'd have a hard time keeping up with just you, let alone a lot more of yous."

[bend-in-time.livejournal.com]

"You get along fine," Val said. "Most of the time. I'm still afraid to let you near any of my research."

Said with a straight face, but along with it she sent a gentle nudge of affection his way.

[momslilassassin]

"If I ask what kind of research, are you going to deflect?" Ben asked with a smile.

[bend-in-time.livejournal.com]

Val bit her lip and wiggled her hand in the air. "Timelines," she said solemnly.

[momslilassassin]

"So yes," Ben replied.

With the two of them as parents, he could hardly expect an open, share-y kid.

[endsthegame]

"Does it really matter?" Ender asked. "If we get there, we'll get there."

[bend-in-time.livejournal.com]

"Always in motion, the future is."

[momslilassassin]

"Thank you, Yoda," Ben teased. "You're happy, though? Wherever you are?"

He paused.

"And whenever, too, since I'm guessing that's also a thing."

[bend-in-time.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, I'm happy," Val said, with a tiny quirk of her lips. "Life isn't always easy where we are, don't get me wrong. But there's plenty of work to do, and no one shooting at me - though I'm not sure Kol thinks of that as a plus - and I've got my family to back me up. Infuriating as you can be."

[momslilassassin]

"Kol?" Ben repeated, glancing at Ender. "Whose idea was that?"

[endsthegame]

Ender held up one hand. "It's not a name that runs in my family," he said.