Brilliant, on a curve of Skywalker

Ben Skywalker, age 16 and three-quarters, had seen enough in his young life to deserve a spot on this beach. He sat in the sand and stared out at the water, ignoring the porgs as they crowded around him, demanding snacks.

He was far too serious for that.

If only his best friend would come down and talk to him...

[OOC: He's expecting one, but fans are also welcome, since they're the reason he's BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL WHAT THE HELL.]

Ben had run into his mother yesterday and there had been tears and laughter and his absolute insistence that she come back to say hello to Ender and the kids.

"...and the kids?"

"It's been a while, Mom. You didn't notice the beard?"

"I thought you were trying something out."

So now Ben was pacing impatiently by the door and trying not to track Mara's Force signature like a creepy stalker.

[OOC: For the family!]

Ben was in the nursery putting final touches on the crib, Val watching his work very carefully.

"But I wanted a puppy," she finally said, frowning.

"You're going to have a little brother instead," Ben told her. "He'll be just as slobbery, I promise."

Val looked unconvinced. "That's not what I wanted a puppy for."

Ben stared at his daughter, sitting inside the suitcase he was trying to pack.

"Ice cream," she told him, narrowing her eyes.

"Packing first," Ben replied, crossing his arms.

"ICE CREAM!"

"Ow," Ben said, holding his hands over his ears.

[small: OOC: For the boy and any other visitors!]

Ben had been to some stupidly decadent restaurants (being the son of Luke Skywalker had its privileges), but this one blew even those most ridiculous on Coruscant out of the water.

"This is barvy," he muttered to Ender as their waiter led them to their table. "Look at all of the people here. And...other beings...of course."

Ben hadn't been knocked so completely off-stride in years.

[OOC: For the boy and great SP justice.]

Ben leaned against the balcony of their suite in the Fountain Palace and sighed softly. Hapes really was ridiculously beautiful, and while he preferred Naboo because of the lack of constant political posturing, he did enjoy getting to show Ender and Val off to Tenel Ka, who flatly refused to believe he was old enough to have a baby of his own when she could still remember changing his bottom.

The laughter from her guards at that had almost made the embarrassment worth it. "I think it's time for dinner soon," Ben called into Ender. "It's hard to gage here by the sun because it never gets fully dark."

Ben was starting to feel at home on Sorelledolce: he had a routine for getting produce for the week at the same store, where the older man behind the counter insisted on spoiling the baby with strawberries, plums or apples, depending on what he had available when they arrived. He'd then get bread at another shop (and a roll for Val to gnaw on), and then a coffee for himself (and an espresso cup full of whipped cream that Val smeared all over her face, to her great delight) before heading back to the ship.

He kept up his normal one-sided conversation with his daughter as they walked. "That's a puppy, Val," Ben explained. "And that's a chicken! And that's a lady who's glaring at us for no real reason but we're going to walk faster anyway..."

Just another Sunday morning. Ben kind of loved his quiet little life.

[OOC: For calls or the boy!]

It was positively decadent, sleeping on a soft mattress without worrying about mosquitoes, bickering teenagers, annoying co-workers, or potential planetary eradication...

So Ben was sleeping in today. Mmmm. Sleep.

[OOC: For Ender!]

After a long, rambling run around the island to see what had changed over the past year, Ben stopped for milkshakes at Chilly Boulder (and was greeted as a long-lost relative) and returned back to the hotel.

"Kreetle? Anything from the clinic yet?"

He only asked Ender about ten times a day if there was any news about Valentine's arrival. It was down from fifteen, and he was Quite Proud of Himself for it.

[OOC: ...and now NSFW...]

Ben was still smiling as they walked away from the Portalocity terminal, his hand in Ender's. "That was a nice visit," he said. "Dad's really, really excited about becoming a grandfather, huh? I think the Ewok-themed nursery might be a bit much, though."

[OOC: For the boy!]