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]

"Oh, they do," Ben agreed, grinning. "I mean, the face makeup on the Queen alone..."

[endsthegame]

"Never been tempted to follow in your grandmother's footsteps?" Ender teased.

[momslilassassin]

"Into a life of politics, or a life of white pancake foundation?" Ben asked.

[endsthegame]

"The white pancake foundation," Ender said. "I think you'd look adorable with buns."

[momslilassassin]

Ben wrinkled his nose up at him. "Because I look adorable all the time?"

[endsthegame]

"Ba!" Val contributed.

"What she said," Ender said, smiling.

[momslilassassin]

"Thanks for the backup, little one," Ben said, kissing the top of Val's head.

[endsthegame]

"Ba," Val mumbled again, swatting at Ben's shoulder with her tiny fist.

"She seems frustrated," Ender mused. "Maybe you're a little too adorable."

[momslilassassin]

"I can find you some clip on buns, Val, if that'll make you feel better," Ben said, kissing her nose.

[endsthegame]

"Dah," she insisted.

Then her expression brightened.

"...I guess that did it," Ender said.

[momslilassassin]

"You are going to be so cute," Ben told her. "Were you really replying to me, or just making noise?"

[endsthegame]

"Dah," Val repeated, swatting at his chest with her tiny hands. With it came a burst of projected emotion that sort of shaped into the tiny core of important-loved-need-food that Ben was to her.

[momslilassassin]

Ben stared down at her, eyes welling with tears. "Stang. You figured it out!"

[endsthegame]

Ender's eyebrows shot up. "Ben?"

[momslilassassin]

"I'm Dah," he said, smile a little watery. "She's talking."

[endsthegame]

"Oh," Ender said softly.

"Dah," Val said, and let out a screech before she tried to swat at Ben's... nose, as it turned out.

Ender pressed just a little closer to him.

[momslilassassin]

Ben rested his head in the crook of Ender's neck and wrapped his free arm around his waist. "Who's this, Val?" he asked, squeezing Ender.

[endsthegame]

Val gave a little flail, then clamped her hands over her mouth.

"I guess we're going to have to help her with that," Ender said wryly.

[momslilassassin]

"Who would you like to be?" Ben asked, smiling at him. "Andrew's probably a mouthful."

[endsthegame]

"Father could work," Ender said, smiling down at the flaily baby. "Though I guess right now that would be 'Fah'."

[momslilassassin]

"Better than 'Fat'?" Ben said.

[endsthegame]

"Tuh!"

"Don't get her started," Ender said, poking him a little.

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "Father," he said, enunciating carefully.

"Tuh!"

Ooops.

[endsthegame]

Ender sighed at Ben, because it wasn't exactly Val's fault.

"Father," he repeated, too.

[momslilassassin]

Val beamed at him. "Dah!"

That had gotten a good response the first time, right?

"We can't both be Dah," Ben teased.