Arms Hotel, Saturday morning

[momslilassassin]

Ben	Ben rolled over with an annoyed groan. Some time in the last twenty years he'd stopped being polite about hating mornings. "Dun wanna," he muttered to the pillow.
Ender	"You've gotta," Ender said, patting him gently on the side. He was already sitting on the edge, of course. His early bird habits had only gotten worse over the years.
Ben	"Why?" Ben muttered. "The kids are all gone."
Ender	"Because otherwise you'll miss breakfast," Ender said, stretching, "And that's your second-favorite meal of the day."
Ben	"Point," Ben said, cracking open his eyes and smiling softly. "Ho, kreetle."
Ender	Ender smiled back at him. "Ho," he said softly. He leaned in to kiss Ben gently.
Ben	Ben smiled against Ender's mouth. "Much better morning now."
Ender	"I'd hope so," Ender said fondly. "Put your pants on, and we'll get some food into--" ... and then someone started crying.
Ben	Ben bolted upright. "What was that?"
Ender	"It sounds like a child crying," Ender said, stretching up. He searched the room with his eyes, and--
Ben	Ben's eyes bugged out. "She's so tiny." He glanced around the room, assessing. "I did think the decor was looking a little different..."
Ender	"Looks like we did a spot of time-traveling," Ender said. He scooped tiny Val up. "Hey," he said softly, "It's me, sweetheart-- it's okay..."
Ben	Ben sent a pulse of reassurance through the Force towards the baby. "It's really us, just a little older," he murmured, coming around. "Guess this is better than our Val waking up in a crib," he added.
Ender	"I'll bet she'd find a way to make that my fault, too," Ender said wryly. Val was beginning to quiet, her small fists grabbing at Ender's shoulders.
Ben	Ben smiled a little ruefully. "She does seem to think you've caused all of the universe's problems this week." He bopped the baby on the nose. "You were easier before you learned to argue."
Ender	"No bopping!" Val yelled, flailing at him. Ender snorted softly. "Don't say such things, or you'll invite them upon your head."
Ben	"It's been my turn for a while," Ben said. "She's been too hard on you."
Ender	"I'll survive," Ender said. He pulled the little girl away from Ben. "C'mon. I think there's someone who needs to have breakfast first." Right. Where had they always kept the formula...?
Ben	Ben closed his eyes to help him remember. "Top right cabinet," he said. "Bottom shelf."
Ender	"Thank you," Ender said firmly. He reached up, plucking the formula out of the cabinet. "Can you check if there's some applesauce in here? I feel like there should be."
Ben	Ben nodded. "Maybe the fridge?" he said, going to look. "Man, I'd put what it was like to have to make the food all the time out of my mind..."
Ender	"Unfortunately, it looks like we can't expect Nat to do it this weekend," Ender joked, getting started on the baby's food. "Rack your memory, oh wise old Ben."
Ben	Ben snickered. "I think I can still rustle up applesauce and cheese sandwiches."
Ender	"Well, I've got the formula handled," Ender dutifully reported. "Do your worst."
Ben	"I've found applesauce and that mushed-up peas and mint thing she was obsessed with," Ben said a moment later. "Lucky Val."
Ender	"Ah, yes," Ender said theatrically, as he gave Val the bottle. "Breakfast worthy of kings and noblemen."
Ben	"If they were extremely picky and a year old, yeah," Ben said, kissing Ender's cheek.
Ender	"Don't ruin the moment," Ender admonished him gently.
Ben	"I'm a moment ruiner," Ben said. "You've known that for a few centuries by now."

[OOC: And continuing in suuuuper slowplay when I come back]

Comments

[endsthegame]

"Well, try to ruin the moment at a slightly lower volume," Ender said. "Val's really going for it."

[momslilassassin]

"She always was the one who'd eat anything," Ben said. "Kol was impossible on that."

[endsthegame]

"We'd be running around looking for the exact right flavor of strawberry if it was Kol," Ender sighed. "Don't remind me."

[momslilassassin]

"Only to have him decide he really wanted an apple," Ben said. "But not that apple. A different apple."

[endsthegame]

"With even amounts of red and green on both sides," Ender said, nodding. "No, that doesn't count as a side."

[momslilassassin]

"Explains why he's still so skinny now," Ben said, making a little face.

[endsthegame]

"That's also partly my DNA," Ender said wryly. "Sorry."

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "Yes, my tall, skinny boys. That's all you."

[endsthegame]

"I'm sorry," Ender said, poking him gently. "I should've tried harder for a stocky one."

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed harder. "Three was plenty."

[endsthegame]

"I can barely even remember that we only had one at some point," Ender said, smiling down at Val. "There she is."

[momslilassassin]

"So little and quiet..." Ben said. "I almost miss it."

[endsthegame]

"She's only little and quiet until she finds a reason to cry," Ender reminded him.

[momslilassassin]

"Which was usually when her brothers took something she wanted, so we should be okay for a bit, right?" Ben said.

[endsthegame]

"I like it when you're unrealistically optimistic," Ender said. He put the empty bottle of formula aside.

[momslilassassin]

"Yeah, I don't do that a lot these days," Ben said softly.

[endsthegame]

Ender let out a soft sigh. He leaned over to press a kiss to Ben's cheek. "I know."

[momslilassassin]

Ben sighed. "Remember when we thought the hardest thing we'd face was two o'clock screaming fits?"

[endsthegame]

"I miss those days," Ender said. "And yet I don't."

[momslilassassin]

"I love seeing the people they have become," Ben said, reaching out to tickle the bottom of Val's foot, "even when they are driving me crazy."

[endsthegame]

"I like knowing that they're strong enough to make their own way in the world," Ender murmured. "Even if they do so by vexing me relentlessly."

[momslilassassin]

"They excel at vexing," Ben agreed, kissing Ender's cheek.

[endsthegame]

Ender sighed wryly. "Think we can still make this a weekend to ourselves with a one-year-old on hand?" he said, setting Val back down on the ground.

[momslilassassin]

"If I remember correctly, she didn't stop napping for another year," Ben said.

[endsthegame]

"Then get her her applesauce, so we can put her to bed and get room service instead."