Room 614, the Arms Hotel, Saturday lunchtime

[momslilassassin]

Turns out that waking up as a woman when your daughter is expecting you to be a man is not the most exhilirating start to a morning-now-heading-into-afternoon.

"Come on, Val," Ben soothed, rocking the sobbing infant as he paced the room for the thousandth time. "It's me. I still feel the same in the Force, I just...look different."

Perhaps philosophical discussions of gender and sex were not the place to start with a distraut one month old. "Ender?"

Comments

[momslilassassin]

"Okay," Ben said, sniffling slightly.

[endsthegame]

"And you're allowed to be upset," Ender murmured. "We have to make compromises now. That's hard."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "It's the first one that's really stung, honestly."

[endsthegame]

"I'm sorry," Ender said softly. "We'll make it up to ourselves. Sometime."

[momslilassassin]

"I'm sure we will," Ben said. "Want to make a stop in Naboo on our way to the next spot?"

Because Ben needed to get grounded again.

[endsthegame]

"Sure," Ender said, smiling a little. "Get Val more time to get used to the house."

Which would be grounding for them as a family, too.

[momslilassassin]

Ben leaned in and kissed him, feeling familiar emotions under slightly unfamiliar lips. "Love you."

[endsthegame]

Ender kissed him back firmly; their different forms didn't make that any different - or less meaningful. "I love you, too," he said. "Whatever you need, Ben."

[momslilassassin]

Ben leaned in and rested his forehead against Ender's. "I'm so lucky to have you."

[endsthegame]

"Not any luckier than I am to have you, I assure you," Ender murmured. "And Val."

[momslilassassin]

"You have a cute nose this way," Ben said, kissing it.

[endsthegame]

Ender laughed softly. "Thanks," he said, "I tried my best."

He scrunched it.

[momslilassassin]

Ben giggled. "Dork," he teased.

[endsthegame]

"Made you laugh," Ender said, smiling back at him.

[momslilassassin]

"Yes, you did," Ben said, smiling and then kissing him again. "Thank you. Let me see if the baby will agree to being put down..."

The odds were not in your favor, Ben.

[endsthegame]

"We could just make a giant cuddle pile on the bed and see if it helps," Ender said wryly. "Even if she won't stop crying, at least we'll be comfortable."

[momslilassassin]

"This is why you were a brilliant admiral," Ben declared. "Good idea."

[endsthegame]

Ender kissed his cheek, and then pulled away to move onto the bed, scooting up towards the back.

He rearranged the pillows to make a little nest for them.

[momslilassassin]

Ben scooted back as well, handing the baby out to Ender. "Need some more Val time?"

[endsthegame]

"Need, no, but I'm willing to take her," Ender teased, taking Val into his arms. "Hi, little one."

[momslilassassin]

Val flailed out her arms at gave him a toothless grin.

"She missed you," Ben translated.

[endsthegame]

Ender laughed softly. "Did you miss me now?" he asked Val. "I'm sorry, Valentine. I missed you too, though, if that helps."

He let her grab a hold of his thumb with one of her tiny hands.

[momslilassassin]

Ben's whole face went soft at that. "You and her," he murmured. "It'll never get old."

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled up at him. Softly, too. "If there's only one thing in the galaxy I can thank you for, it's this," he said. "I love you both."

[momslilassassin]

"We love you too," Ben whispered, kissing him again.