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]

Ben popped a bite of egg into his mouth as he nodded. "He's trying to skew the opposite of Bantha."

[endsthegame]

"Who the girls like a little too much," Ender said dryly.

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "He got that from neither of us."

[endsthegame]

"I blame the Ribeiras," Ender said wryly. "And his sister."

[momslilassassin]

"Think the Ribeiras influenced Kol's dourness, too?" Ben wondered.

[endsthegame]

"That summer he spent crushing on Quara certainly didn't help," Ender said wryly. "Especially not with him denying it."

[momslilassassin]

"True enough," Ben said ruefully.

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled faintly. "What will become of us all?" he wondered. "Especially with this potential descolada cure."

[momslilassassin]

"Well, I'm betting the vicious gossip will reduce in volume," Ben said.

[endsthegame]

"And we'll fan out across the galaxy once more," Ender said.

[momslilassassin]

"I kind of can't wait," Ben admitted.

[endsthegame]

"I thought you were getting a little antsy," Ender said, smiling softly.

[momslilassassin]

"I'd hoped I was hiding it better," Ben said.

[endsthegame]

"You can't hide anything from me," Ender said. He reached out to touch Ben's arm. "It won't be much longer. I just need to make sure everyone is safe."

[momslilassassin]

Ben leaned in and kissed him. "I know. That's why I didn't want you to worry about me at the same time."

[endsthegame]

"You never want me to worry about you," Ender said fondly, kissing him back.

[momslilassassin]

"You do the same for me," Ben said.

[endsthegame]

"Maybe," Ender said, and kissed him again, making it last this time.

[momslilassassin]

Ben sighed happily into the kiss. "Hi, you."

[endsthegame]

"Want to put aside breakfast for a minute?" Ender murmured.

[momslilassassin]

"Very much so," Ben said.

[endsthegame]

Ender put as much back on the tray as possible. Then he slid back up against Ben, cupping his cheek.

He kissed Ben again. Firmly.

[momslilassassin]

Ben kissed him back just as firmly, shifting the breakfast aside safely with the Force.

"Now we have to remember how to be quiet because of a baby, instead of loud to traumatize Kol," he teased.

[endsthegame]

Ender laughed softly. "Well, at least we've had decades of practice," he said, sliding his hand up along Ben's arm.

[momslilassassin]

"Millennia, even," Ben said, pulling Ender closer.