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

[momslilassassin]

"Always looking out for me," Ben said, kissing him again. "Thank you."

[endsthegame]

"I need someone to field all of Nat's tech questions," Ender teased.

[momslilassassin]

"So this is mostly self-interest," Ben teased back, feeding Ender a strawberry.

[endsthegame]

Ender swallowed it obligingly, smiling. "And they say fresh fruit makes you taste better."

[momslilassassin]

Ben burst out laughing. "Just when I think you can't surprise me any more," he said, kissing him again.

[endsthegame]

Ender slid his hands over Ben's head, brushing through his hair. "I like to save up one or two remarks every month, just so I can take them out to surprise you with," he teased. "That's what keeps us exciting."

[momslilassassin]

"Well, it's been a few hundred years by certain calendars, so we have to do something," Ben agreed.

[endsthegame]

"Aren't we nearing two thousand?" Ender said fondly. "That's a long time to keep the romance alive."

[momslilassassin]

"We've hit multiple millennia?" Ben laughed. "It's a miracle we share a room still."

[endsthegame]

"We have," Ender said wryly. "Just last year."

[momslilassassin]

"I feel like I owe you a dinner or a year of therapy for that," Ben mused.

[endsthegame]

"I'd prefer the dinner," Ender said, picking up a piece of toast. "I've yet to meet a therapist who's known what to do with me."

[momslilassassin]

"Well, let's blow off the party tonight and grab dinner instead," Ben said. "Mooby Burgers and ice cream?"

Classy, Ben.

[endsthegame]

Ender laughed. "Very classy," he said. "But sure. Let's eat like we're teenagers again."

[momslilassassin]

"But first, breakfast and sex worthy of two millennia together," Ben said, "which means I'll definitely take my socks off."

[endsthegame]

"That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me," Ender said fondly, reaching over to stick a slice of toast between Ben's teeth.

He knew Skywalker appetite, all right?

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled around the toast because he was adorable that way.

[endsthegame]

"Stop being so cute," Ender said, smiling ear-to-ear at him.

[momslilassassin]

"I've been this way for two thousand years," Ben said. "The cuteness cannot be contained. Apparently."

[endsthegame]

"I don't know," Ender said. "I've seen you wrapped up and drooling in your blankets in the morning."

[momslilassassin]

"Adorably," Ben added, grinning.

[endsthegame]

"Depends what side you're drooling on."

[momslilassassin]

"I'm guessing it's less adorable when it's on your shirt," Ben said.

[endsthegame]

"Or on my neck," Ender agreed.

[momslilassassin]

Ben kissed his nose. "I can see that."