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]

"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.

[endsthegame]

Ender kissed his cheek again. "You'd almost think you were the one born on Tattooine."

[momslilassassin]

"Nope, on a ship," Ben said, grinning.

[endsthegame]

Ender hugged him a little closer. "I hope you're happy, at least."

[momslilassassin]

Ben kissed his cheek. "With you, it's...calm, even when it's not. You ground me. Always have, ever since Mom's funeral."

[endsthegame]

Ender pressed his forehead against Ben's again. "I know this place I've brought us to has you worried," he said softly. "And it worries me, too, don't get me wrong. I just... I'm the one who brought us there."

The real devil of the thing was that coming there had largely freed him of responsibilities beyond his family - not that it kept him from wanting to meddle.

[momslilassassin]

Ben kissed him. "I agreed," he said. "We all agreed, and the Hive Queen is finally happy."

[endsthegame]

"Doesn't mean you wouldn't be happy if we could leave," Ender murmured.

[momslilassassin]

"Well, that's true," Ben said. "I've gotten used to moving. I'm feeling stifle, and life without the Hive Queen would be something worth exploring."

[endsthegame]

"True," Ender said softly. "On the other hand... I feel like I belong there. But I don't know how long that will last."

[momslilassassin]

Ben looked genuinely surprised. "You feel like you belong?" he murmured, running his finger along Ender's cheek.

[endsthegame]

"How can I not?" Ender asked softly. "It's a world that was scorched and wrecked in childhood, and yet somehow managed to rise from it, tangled but still living, strange but real."

[momslilassassin]

"Oh, sweetheart," Ben whispered, holding him tightly. "You are not Lusitania, and if there's even a tiny part of you that thinks you still deserve to be destroyed, it can shut up right now.

[endsthegame]

"I might not be Lusitania," Ender said, tucking his face into Ben's neck, "But Lusitania is a great deal like me. It's the closest thing to comfortable I've felt on any planet."

[momslilassassin]

Ben started stroking his fingers through Ender's hair. "Even Naboo?"