Sorelledolce [let's call it Sunday]

[momslilassassin]

Ben was starting to feel at home on Sorelledolce: he had a routine for getting produce for the week at the same store, where the older man behind the counter insisted on spoiling the baby with strawberries, plums or apples, depending on what he had available when they arrived. He'd then get bread at another shop (and a roll for Val to gnaw on), and then a coffee for himself (and an espresso cup full of whipped cream that Val smeared all over her face, to her great delight) before heading back to the ship.

He kept up his normal one-sided conversation with his daughter as they walked. "That's a puppy, Val," Ben explained. "And that's a chicken! And that's a lady who's glaring at us for no real reason but we're going to walk faster anyway..."

Just another Sunday morning. Ben kind of loved his quiet little life.

[OOC: For calls or the boy!]

Comments

[momslilassassin]

Ben kissed his cheek. "It's okay that you're better at something than your sister is. I'm not going to tell her."

[endsthegame]

"She might scowl," Ender said, "And that would be terrible."

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "I've been on the receiving end of some of her scowls back when we were all students together and she was sure I was a bad influence on you."

[endsthegame]

Ender chuckled softly. "Now that feels like longer ago than the centuries it's been," he admitted. "We've all grown. But she still scowls."

[momslilassassin]

"Think she would've liked me more if I'd promised early on to name my firstborn after her?" Ben teased.

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled a little. "I think it would've helped more if you'd been able to convince me you weren't in this to whisk me away to another galaxy without her," he said. "But water under the bridge."

[momslilassassin]

Ben kissed him quickly. "Instead you whisked me here, with her."

[endsthegame]

"We're all family now," Ender said softly. He smiled at baby Val. "You too."

[momslilassassin]

Val waved her sticky little fists in the air. "Do you have other plans for today?" Ben asked.

[endsthegame]

"No," Ender said. He glanced at Ben. "Did you have any ideas?"

[momslilassassin]

"Nothing in particular," Ben said. "Want to explore part of the city we haven't seen?"

[endsthegame]

"If Val is up for it," Ender said lightly. He tilted his head at the baby. "You want to come with us, or you want to have a nap?"

He didn't expect a direct answer, of course.

[momslilassassin]

Val babbled back at him quite seriously. "I think she's hyper on enough sugar to keep going for a bit," Ben said, smiling down at her.

[endsthegame]

"Then let's show her some more of the world," Ender said, "Before we move on to the next one."

[momslilassassin]

"Did this interview give you a better idea on a timeline, then?" Ben asked.

[endsthegame]

"We leave once Valentine has enough information to compile her book," Ender said. "I don't think it'll be more than a couple of months."

[momslilassassin]

"So we'll have time to get her settled again before summer in Fandom, maybe," Ben mused.

[endsthegame]

Ender nodded. "We should at least have a month or two, three, wherever we go next," he said. "And she'll have to get used to Fandom regardless."

Since Ben put so much stock into those months, Ender was loathe to take them from him.

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded, bouncing the baby slightly in his arms. "She'll be older this time," he said. "I'm not quite as overprotective."

Liiiiies.

[endsthegame]

"Of course not," Ender said indulgently.

Lies, Ben. Transparent lies.

"We can also take her to Naboo at some point. Just for a week or so."

[momslilassassin]

Ben lit up at that. "Maybe see if Karla's free too? There's more space for guests on Naboo than in the ship."

[endsthegame]

"True," Ender said. He steered Ben towards the quieter part of the city they hadn't yet visited. "And she's less likely to get into a fight with angry indigenous fauna."

Which would be an issue on this planet.

[momslilassassin]

Ben smirked because yeah. "Much less likely," he agreed. "And we can get her a Naboo headdress and tell her it's cultural important to wear it."

Not nice, Ben.

[endsthegame]

"Do the Naboo care if outsiders wear that kind of ceremonial dress?" Ender wondered, because of course he did.

[momslilassassin]

"Not that I've ever seen," Ben said. "I mean, don't put on the Queen's ceremonial ones, obviously, but the rest are fair."