Shakespeare Colony [A month later]

[momslilassassin]

They'd waited for the weather to turn more reliably warm and dry before hosting an outdoor dance in the center of the village. The fight over music had been mostly smoothed over by agreeing to vary the selections between what the colonists who'd arrived recently liked and what the natives had become used to after Ben had offered to provide enough droid spoken word albums to last the entire dance to break the impasse.

Because everyone had agreed that droid spoken word albums were the worst.

And now, in the fine tradition of dances everywhere, no one was dancing in the area cleared for that purpose as everyone gathered in nervous groupings around food and drink tables, staring at people across the floor and hoping someone would ask them to dance.

Ben sighed and tugged at the tie around his neck. "Should we draw names from a hat or something?" he asked Ender.

Comments

[momslilassassin]

Ben closed his eyes. "I'm still getting used to...aspects," he finally said softly.

[endsthegame]

"I know," Ender said, just as quietly. He reached out to rub at Ben's shoulder, wanting to be supportive without shutting Ben up.

[momslilassassin]

"And it's not that I don't trust you," Ben added in a whisper, "but it seems a little...odd."

[endsthegame]

"From a certain point of view," Ender murmured, "Everything about having sex seems odd, noisy, and extremely ridiculous. I still can't watch one of Tony's porn flicks without feeling sorry for the poor people in it."

[momslilassassin]

"True," Ben replied, snuggling closer, "and it does feel good, and it's you...and it's not like there's anyone listening in..."

[endsthegame]

"That being said, let's never record anything we do," Ender muttered, kissing Ben's neck. "Because that would look very silly."

He gave Ben a little squeeze. "You never have to do anything you don't want to, though," he added, his teasing tone fading into something more concerned. "If it's too weird..."

[momslilassassin]

"I know," Ben murmured. "I'm just easing my way into it."

[endsthegame]

Ender kissed his cheek. "I know," he said again, quietly.

His gut was telling him this would never be a deal breaker. He... hoped that was true.

[momslilassassin]

Ben's grip tightened on him. "We're good?" he whispered.

[endsthegame]

"We're good," Ender promised softly. "Sorry."

Apparently he had it in him to be insecure sometimes, too-- though he couldn't remember feeling that way in a long time.

[momslilassassin]

Ben leaned in and kissed him again. "No reason to be sorry."

[endsthegame]

Ender kissed him back, drawing it out a little, soothing over his own irrational fears.

[momslilassassin]

Ben reached out and cupped Ender's cheeks, trying to add his own soothing.

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled and dropped his forehead to Ben's. "We're both ridiculous," he murmured.

[momslilassassin]

"Good thing we're together, then," Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

"Very good thing," Ender agreed.

He pressed another soft kiss to Ben's mouth. "Thanks for tonight."

[momslilassassin]

"Thank you too," Ben said. "It was fun."

[endsthegame]

"Even the weird parts?"

Ender made sure to make it sound teasing more than anything else.

[momslilassassin]

"Even the weird parts," Ben murmured, smiling.

[endsthegame]

Ender kissed his cheek. "In that case: good night, Ben."

[momslilassassin]

Ben snuggled closer and sighed happily. "Good night, Ender."

[endsthegame]

Ender pulled up the blankets, tucked his head against Ben's shoulder and closed his eyes.