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

[endsthegame]

Ender let out a sigh, then kissed him back.

He'd began to figure out that he never wanted that except in times where intimacy felt like it was much more important than any other part of it; he was vaguely relieved to find out it wasn't just when he felt particularly broken.

"Okay," he murmured, reaching for the drawer in their headstand so he could put the bottle on top of it.

Then he returned to Ben's mouth.

[momslilassassin]

"No hurry, though," Ben said, sliding his hands along the muscles of Ender's back. "What we've been doing is astral."

[endsthegame]

"Yes, it is," Ender said, pressing a kiss to the corner of Ben's mouth. He ran his fingers through Ben's hair, pulling some back behind his ear.

[momslilassassin]

Ben's hands moved to Ender's rear. "Even if you're wearing too many clothes."

[endsthegame]

"I'm not going to stop you from fixing that," Ender said with a low chuckle.

[momslilassassin]

"I love your laugh," Ben murmured, sliding his fingers under Ender's waistband and working to remove the pants.

[endsthegame]

Ender shifted and wriggled a little to help him with that. "It's quite fond of you, too."

[momslilassassin]

Ben kissed him again (since it had been about five seconds since a kiss and that was clearly Unacceptable) and ran his hands along Ender's newly bare thighs. "I'm quite fond of all of you."

[endsthegame]

"Then it's a good thing all of me shares my laughter's fondness," Ender said, leaning in to kiss Ben's throat.

[momslilassassin]

Ben tilted his head up again because kisses were amazing. "You are the most important person in my life, kreetle," he murmured. "You know that, right?"

[endsthegame]

Ender dropped his face against the hollow of Ben's neck. "I think so," he murmured, drawing a pattern on Ben's clavicle with a fingertip.

[momslilassassin]

"Well, I'll prove it again," Ben replied, holding him tightly against him.

[endsthegame]

Ender let out a soft, warm, fond breath against Ben's skin. "You don't have to prove it," he said quietly. "You don't have to prove anything, love."

[momslilassassin]

Ben felt tears pricking unexpectedly in his eyes and blinked hard to make them disappear.

"I just want you to be half as happy as you make me," he whispered.

[endsthegame]

"I'm as happy as I've ever thought I was capable of being," Ender said, rubbing his thumb idly over Ben's skin, back and forth, back and forth. "That's much more than I deserve or expect."

[momslilassassin]

Ben leaned in and kissed him hard, trying to put into action what he couldn't say in words.

[endsthegame]

Ender rolled them over a moment later, so that Ben was on top and he could wrap his arms around him.

[momslilassassin]

Ben leaned down and slowly kissed the hollow of Ender's throat.

[endsthegame]

Ender tilted his head back and let go of a sigh he'd been holding in. "Wouldn't have asked anyone but you to come with me," he said quietly. "There's a reason for that."

[momslilassassin]

"Because you would've airlocked Topher in a week?" Ben teased, scraping his teeth against Ender's collarbone.

[endsthegame]

"That would be it," Ender said. His hand slid up to cup the back of Ben's head and he groaned softly.

[momslilassassin]

"And you love me best," Ben murmured, kissing Ender's chest.

[endsthegame]

"I do," Ender murmured, glancing down and smiling at him.

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled back, looking slightly tousled. "I'm so glad."

[endsthegame]

Ender leaned over and kissed him. "I love you," he said, "As well I know how, you worrywart."