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

[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.

[endsthegame]

Ender shook his head. He pointed at Ben. "Dah," he said. Then he pointed at himself. "Fah...?"

[momslilassassin]

Babies shouldn't look like they know they're messing with you. Val did.

She grinned. "Tuh!"

Ben groaned softly.

[endsthegame]

"She gets that from you," Ender decided.

[momslilassassin]

"Because no Wiggin has ever been a little tease," Ben said, eyes wide.

[endsthegame]

"Oh, this isn't Wiggin bratty," Ender said.

[momslilassassin]

"And what's the difference?" Ben asked, shifting Val to his other hip.

[endsthegame]

"If it was Wiggin bratty," Ender said, "she would have said 'butt', first."

[momslilassassin]

Ben burst out laughing. "True enough."

He began wandering down a street he'd never seen.

[endsthegame]

"I think this is one of the later settlements," Ender said. "Less plastic here."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "Further apart together, too," he said.

[endsthegame]

"They fought hard to free up this area, apparently," Ender said quietly. "The wildlife here was tough."

[momslilassassin]

"So the skins by the doors are badges of honor?" Ben guessed just as softly.

[endsthegame]

"That's how you tell the locals from the recent arrivals," Ender murmured.

[momslilassassin]

"Bet there's a booming counterfeit trade, if that's social currency," Ben replied.

[endsthegame]

"If people can fake it at all," Ender said. "The city doesn't look it, but the old Sorelledolcians are a tight-knit group."