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]

"Yes," Ender said. "I'm fairly sure he isn't a Skywalker."

[momslilassassin]

"Should we stop by before summer and say hello, maybe?" Ben asked.

[endsthegame]

"Sure, but not on a weekend," Ender said dryly.

[momslilassassin]

Ben laughed. "Or too close to the end of the semester."

[endsthegame]

"I think Tuesdays are usually fine?" Ender tried.

[momslilassassin]

"Sounds like a plan, then," Ben said, smiling. "It'd be nice to learn more about my galaxy's past, anyway."

[endsthegame]

"Your records start to run thin around when the Empire stepped in, didn't they?"

[momslilassassin]

"Yes," Ben said. "Not a coincidence. I've never really wanted to ask Granddad how much of it was his fault."

[endsthegame]

"I'm not sure if he'd ever find himself concerned with that kind of thing," Ender said. "It seems more up the Emperor's alley."

[momslilassassin]

Ben nodded. "True, but I'm not sure he was a get-his-hands-dirty guy."

[endsthegame]

"He would have ordered it," Ender noted, "And had tech staff do it."

[momslilassassin]

"Granddad was too busy tracking down Jedi anyway," Ben said, making a little face.

And brooding on Mustafar.

[endsthegame]

"That seems more like his style," Ender agreed.

"Grandpa!" Val crowed. "Where?"

[momslilassassin]

"Not here, sweetheart," Ben said. "We can call him after your nap, though, all right?"

[endsthegame]

"I miss grandpa," Val announced, and tugged on Ben's leg.

[momslilassassin]

Ben picked her up and cuddled her. "Would you like us to ask him to visit us soon?"

[endsthegame]

"Yes," Val said - or rather mumbled, right into Ben's neck.

Ender smiled wryly. "Your father'll make a decent granddad yet."

[momslilassassin]

Ben smiled back. "I think he enjoys it," he said, rubbing Val's back.

[endsthegame]

"It took him a while," Ender said.

[momslilassassin]

"Well, yeah," Ben admitted. "But it's Dad. Sometimes he's a little slow."

[endsthegame]

Ender smiled a little.

"Shall we take Val back in for her next batch of presents?" he asked. "Big Val should be done by now."

[momslilassassin]

"I think that sounds like an excellent plan," Ben said. "Hey, Val. Should we see if there's anything else to open?"

[endsthegame]

"More presents?" Val asked, slowly peeling her face away from Ben's leg.

[momslilassassin]

"More presents," Ben confirmed. "What else would you still like?"

[endsthegame]

Val thought about it, her face scrunching up. "Grandpa," she decided.

Ender laughed softly. "Like we said," he said, "We'll make sure he gets here."