Moctezuma, Christmas Day

[momslilassassin]

After wishfully believing Val would let them sleep in after their trek to the local cathedral to celebrate Midnight Mass with the rest of their neighbors (yeah, no way. She was up at 5:30, just like every other morning), Ben was--in the spirit of the season--bringing Ender and Big Val giant mugs of coffee from the kitchen while Little Val gleefully made confetti from wrapping paper in the living room.

The house was smelling promisingly of pork and chicken tamales--they were trying to embrace the local traditions this year, and Ben was always in favor of experimenting with anything food related.

"Merry Christmas," he said, heading back into the living room levitating two coffee mugs in front of him as he held his own in his hand. Force powers were so handy.

Comments

[endsthegame]

"Or they're made by people who have ample experience, and funnel it into evil," Ender said.

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "There might be some of that too, yeah," he agreed.

[endsthegame]

Ender leaned in to kiss him again, gently. "Either way," he said, "Sometimes statues are just statues, Val."

[momslilassassin]

Ben lingered a bit in the kiss because it was Christmas and he could, while Val made a dubious face. "I don't like them," she decided.

[endsthegame]

"Right," Ender said, pulling away. "Only droids for Valentine."

[momslilassassin]

"I make it myself," Val said emphatically, nodding while Ben tried to smother a giggle.

[endsthegame]

"I guess that settles your next birthday present," Ender said wryly.

[momslilassassin]

"Guess it does," Ben said, giving Val a smacking kiss on the cheek. "You've been watching me, huh?"

[endsthegame]

"I like making things," little Val muttered. "Bah."

She flailed ineffectively at Ben. Ender repressed a laugh.

[momslilassassin]

"How did you get to be so cute?" Ben asked, laughing.

[endsthegame]

"I blame you, personally," Ender said. "Let's make a less cute kid next time."

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "Fine, the next one can have weird ears or something."

[endsthegame]

"And some terrible habits," Ender agreed.

[momslilassassin]

"You don't have terrible habits," Ben declared.

[endsthegame]

"I'm sure you can think of one or two," Ender said.

[momslilassassin]

"Bad ones, maybe," Ben said, kissing his cheek. "But not terrible ones."

[endsthegame]

"We'll have to cultivate those, then, until they're properly terrible," Ender joked, poking him in the side.

[momslilassassin]

"You are not terrible," Ben insisted, poking him back with a grin.

[endsthegame]

"That depends on who you ask," Ender said solemnly. "I think only a few people were fond of me last night."

[momslilassassin]

Ben shrugged. "Their loss, then."

[endsthegame]

"They're more open here than many Catholic societies I've seen," Ender mused. "But still."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "That's not saying all that much," he agreed.

[endsthegame]

"We're still strangers, come bearing something they see as an alternate faith," Ender said.

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "But Earth was always home to multiple religions," he said. "Did they self-segregate when they expanded outward?"

[endsthegame]

"Yes," Ender said. "Last thing I heard, they give out specifically Catholic licenses to colony builders, these days."