Room 614, the Arms Hotel, Sunday morning

[momslilassassin]

It was positively decadent, sleeping on a soft mattress without worrying about mosquitoes, bickering teenagers, annoying co-workers, or potential planetary eradication...

So Ben was sleeping in today. Mmmm. Sleep.

[OOC: For Ender!]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

"Hasn't gotten old yet," Ben murmured.

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled. "Well," he said, "We'll check again in another thirty years..."

[momslilassassin]

"And if we're still alive, I'll still love you," Ben said.

[endsthegame]

"Planning to check out on me so early, Skywalker?" Ender teased, kissing him again. "Because I won't let you."

[momslilassassin]

"Good," Ben said, closing his eyes and leaning in. "I'm just all out of brilliant plans for not exploding at the moment..."

[endsthegame]

"We don't even know if Starways Congress will genuinely execute the order," Ender said softly. "And we have Jane on our side, and a generation of scientists and quick thinkers growing up around us."

He kissed Ben again. "Don't despair, love. Languish a little."

[momslilassassin]

Ben kissed him back. "Sorry," he murmured. "Get morbid when my brain finally shuts up."

[endsthegame]

"Of all the tics you had to pick up from me," Ender faux-complained.

The truth was that when Ben worried, he could at least do something about that, which gave him a sense of control. That kept him calm.

[momslilassassin]

Ben snuggled in tighter. "Well, it's that or coming up with creative ways to make the Ribeira kids shut up.."

[endsthegame]

"Those kids are going to save your bacon some day," Ender murmured.

[momslilassassin]

Ben sighed. "I know," he all but whined, "but do they have to be so obnoxious when they do it?"

[endsthegame]

"They're teenagers and early twenty-somethings," Ender said. "Of course they do."

[momslilassassin]

"Kol on his worst day can't muster up half of that sort of obnoxiousness," Ben said into Ender's neck.

[endsthegame]

"I've heard you say otherwise," Ender teased. He pressed kisses along Ben's cheek.

[momslilassassin]

"Only when Kol could hear me," Ben said. "Don't want him to use them as an example of happy home life."

[endsthegame]

Ender snorted. "I'd like to think we've given him ample demonstration of that, at least," he said, "Regardless of how happy he might be with you."

[momslilassassin]

Ben kissed him. "I'd never try hurt him. Not ever."

[endsthegame]

"We haven't been perfect," Ender said, touching Ben's face. "But I like to think we've been okay. Safe."

Better than their parents.

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded, then rested his forehead against Ender's. "Open to admitting when we've made mistakes."

For the most part. Ben.

[endsthegame]

"Most of the time," Ender said wryly. "We're not that perfect, either."

[momslilassassin]

Ben's lips quirked up. "True enough. Your feet are still freezing, for instance."

[endsthegame]

Ender rolled his eyes and tapped Ben's calf with his feet.

[momslilassassin]

Ben yelped overdramatically, mostly to make Ender grin.

[endsthegame]

Ender did grin, actually, and then ducked his head. "At least the temperatures on Lusitania are properly warm for your shivering gingerness."

[momslilassassin]

"This is true," Ben murmured.