Milliways, Thursday evening

[momslilassassin]

Ben had been to some stupidly decadent restaurants (being the son of Luke Skywalker had its privileges), but this one blew even those most ridiculous on Coruscant out of the water.

"This is barvy," he muttered to Ender as their waiter led them to their table. "Look at all of the people here. And...other beings...of course."

Ben hadn't been knocked so completely off-stride in years.

[OOC: For the boy and great SP justice.]

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[endsthegame]

Ender smiled. "Of course," he said, "Now I feel as if it'll come with time regardless of what I do, and I should stop worrying about it."

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "Yeah, me too. No doubt we'll look back at this in ten years and marvel at how young we were now."

[endsthegame]

"And we'll consider ourselves younger still when we're twenty years older," Ender said, "And so time goes on."

[momslilassassin]

"It's like you teach a class on philosophy or something," Ben teased.

[endsthegame]

"Do I teach the class?" Ender asked. "Or does the class teach me?"

[momslilassassin]

Ben burst out laughing. "I married such a nerd."

[endsthegame]

"You'll learn to cope with my nerdiness, as I cope with your ridiculousness," Ender said loftily. "Such is the way of things."

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed again. "It's why we work," he agreed.

[endsthegame]

"That, and any number of other stellar qualities on our parts," Ender said, nudging him with a foot.

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "We are extremely smart and good looking," he agreed.

[endsthegame]

"Humans of the best stock," Ender deadpanned.

[momslilassassin]

"I'm sure it was exactly what our parents planned," Ben deadpanned.

[endsthegame]

"I wouldn't put it above mine," Ender said wryly. "It was certainly what Graff had in mind."

[momslilassassin]

"That's pretty...disturbing," Ben admitted.

[endsthegame]

"I think we both know mine wasn't an ideal childhood," Ender said. "I was a tool."

[momslilassassin]

"You were a person," Ben said. "They treated you like a tool."

[endsthegame]

"At the time, the difference was academic," Ender said quietly.

[momslilassassin]

Ben reached over and squeezed Ender's hand. "But it's not now."

[endsthegame]

"I'm no one's tool now," Ender corrected softly. "Unless you want to say I'm Val's diaper-changer."

[momslilassassin]

"My personal masseuse?" Ben teased quietly, squeezing Ender's hand.

Even though it had been years and there was nothing he could do about it, the small lizard-brain part of him got fiercely, angrily protective about what had happened to Ender when he was smaller.

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled. "I don't mind being your personal masseuse," he said, "It's rewarding work."

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled back. "It's only a small part of what you contribute, kreetle."

[endsthegame]

"I don't need the reassurance," Ender said, still smiling faintly. "I'm just glad I get to be doing it."

[momslilassassin]

"Maybe I need to reassure you anyway," Ben said, giving his hand a little squeeze.

[endsthegame]

"You're such a sap," Ender said fondly.