Skywalker Home, Naboo

[momslilassassin]

"Happy birthday, Val!" Ben said, beaming at the baby, who was glowering at him from under her (frankly hilarious) pink and bedazzled birthday crown. Ben was hoping this would nip the "want to wear the Queen of Naboo's headdresses" thing right in the bud.

"Cake?" Val asked pointedly, looking from one dad to the other.

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[endsthegame]

Val was going through the incredibly important process of gnawing on the elephant's leg, so when she looked up, it was with the fabric still between her teeth. She looked surprised.

"Yes, you get more presents," Ender said.

She stretched her arms out.

[momslilassassin]

Ben put it down right next to her. "It's not heavy," he promised. "It's a game."

A Force-assisted game intended to teach her engineering. Shh.

[endsthegame]

By now, Val had at least gotten down the basic definition of tearing. Though, at the end of it all, Ender did wind up squatting down to help hear tear it.

"Ooooh?" she cooed, faintly confused.

Then shoved her fist in her mouth.

Ender gently pried it out.

[momslilassassin]

"Like this," Ben said, holding his finger out and concentrating in the Force. The wheels began to spin, shooting rainbow glitter around the plexiglass container.

[endsthegame]

Val's eyes went huge. "Sparkly," she sighed. She stretched that tiny hand out and batted at it. The wheels budged... a little bit.

"Try again, sweetheart," Ender said.

[momslilassassin]

"Move it with your brain, like the sand game," Ben encouraged.

[endsthegame]

Val's face scrunched up in frustration. She kept pushing, and it kept not working, and then her little eyes went red, and--

... right as the first tears hit her cheeks, the wheels started moving. Really, really fast.

[momslilassassin]

"You did it!" Ben cheered as tiny little lights went off inside the contraption as well.

He turned to Ender. "As she gets better, she'll be able to shift the gears around and make new configurations, which'll turn different colors."

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled. "So it's an engineering toy as well," he said. "Good work, Skywalker. That should keep her busy for a while."

Val wiped at her eyes. The tears were getting in the way of her seeing the sparklies now.

[momslilassassin]

Ben beamed at the praise. "She won't recognize it for a while, but it's the inner workings of a food replicator."

[endsthegame]

"You're determined to turn her into a little mechanical genius, aren't you?" Ender teased.

[momslilassassin]

"Of course I am," Ben said, smiling down at Val. "She's got the brains for it."

[endsthegame]

"That she does," Ender said fondly. "But I don't think she'll be making us fancy cakes out of food replicators yet."

She was busy batting at the glitter under the plexiglass.

[momslilassassin]

"Give her a few weeks," Ben agreed, laughing. "She's figuring this out pretty fast."

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled. "Though not fast enough for her tastes, I think."

[momslilassassin]

"Don't try to blame all of that on my side of the family," Ben teased. "She was walking and talking early because of your genes."

[endsthegame]

"Guilty as charged," Ender said, laughing. "We'll see what she does with it."

[momslilassassin]

"Launch us into space," Ben said, kissing Ender's cheek.

[endsthegame]

"How very practical of her," Ender said, with a soft laugh.

[momslilassassin]

"Ooooooh," said Val, batting at a new rainbow.

"She's pretty practical," Ben said, nodding.

[endsthegame]

"I think we should probably leave her with these two for a while before we bring her anything else," Ender said, smiling at her fondly. "The power of the sparklies compels her."

[momslilassassin]

"Want to curl up together on the couch and watch our brilliant daughter be amazing?" Ben asked.

[endsthegame]

"I thought you'd never ask," Ender said, reaching for his hand.

[momslilassassin]

Ben twined his fingers through Ender's and squeezed. "Love you."

[endsthegame]

Ender tugged him to the couch, where he settled down easily, stretching out and pulling Ben into him.