Hijra [A few weeks later]

[momslilassassin]

Ben was catching up on emails from home--news about the Sith, the latest gossip from Jag and Jaina's corner of the galaxy and whatever Allana had gotten herself up to while being unsupervised (there was a lot of "it'd seemed like a good idea!!!" in her correspondence)--and then poking around scientific journals about advancements in reproductive technology.

You know. For no real reason. Cough.

He drank tea and really missed having those yummy red fruits around. He'd need to ask when they came back the next time he went to the market.

Comments

[momslilassassin]

Ben ruffled up Ender's hair as he kissed him back.

[endsthegame]

"I heard there's a festival starting today," Ender murmured. "Something about celebrating the founding of the colony."

[momslilassassin]

"Is that where Val's disappeared to?" Ben asked.

[endsthegame]

"Yep," Ender said. He kissed Ben again. "I was considering asking you out on a date to see it all."

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled, looking touched. "That sounds astral, kreetle."

[endsthegame]

Ender patted him on the hip. "Go get your jacket," he said.

[momslilassassin]

"Think they'll have coffee?" Ben asked, finding his jacket and holding Ender's out as well.

[endsthegame]

"I've yet to run across any gathering here that doesn't have coffee," Ender said, grabbing for his jacket.

[momslilassassin]

"True enough," Ben said, reaching out to give Ender's hand one last squeeze before they headed out the door.

[endsthegame]

Ender slipped on the jacket and followed him.

It was a little chilly, but only for Hijra standards. While the streets before them were quiet, noise drifted in from the city at a level it usually didn't. "Sounds like they're having fun," Ender said.

[momslilassassin]

"It does," Ben replied, smiling. "I hear music."

[endsthegame]

"I was told there'd be plenty of food as well," Ender said, flashing him a quick smile as they began to walk towards the source of the music.

[momslilassassin]

"The food here has been much better than Shakespeare's," Ben admitted.

[endsthegame]

"They've had more time to iron out the kinks in their food supply," Ender noted. "It shows."

[momslilassassin]

"I think they might have a longer growing season, too," Ben said, "or else I was just tired of our old options."

[endsthegame]

"I'd almost forgotten you never ate nutritional rations for six years on end," Ender teased. "You're spoiled."

[momslilassassin]

"I am not," Ben said, grinning back. "We just had better food tech, that's all."

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled, though he didn't poke Ben the way he would've before they came here. Many of the people here were very moderate, but he had no interest in provoking them anyway. It made him perhaps overly careful.

"We have more options here, at least," he said. "Who knew growing more than three crops would help?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "Almost everyone?" he teased.

[endsthegame]

"We'll find you some of those cakes you like," Ender said, "And I'll ignore that you tried to mock me."

[momslilassassin]

"This is why I keep you around," Ben replied. "You're terribly forgiving."

[endsthegame]

"No," Ender said, "You're just very terrible at insulting people."

[momslilassassin]

Be laughed. "Am I?"

[endsthegame]

"It's one of your more charming features," Ender said, as the music began to increase in volume.

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed again. "I'm very interested in hearing about my other charming features," he said as the festival began spilling out toward them.