momslilassassin | The Skywalker-Wiggin House by the Lake in Naboo

"Uh-huh," Ender said, though it was hard for him to keep his dry tone going when he was beaming at Val that much.

"It's good, huh, sweetheart?" Ben said, beaming just as hard.

Val had somehow managed to cover her face in ice cream in the five seconds since she'd discovered the stuff.

"I think she's found a new favorite food," Ender admitted.

"MMMMMmmmmmm," Val said definitely, attacking her bowl with gusto.

"I'd say it was time for us to order ourselves some," Ender said, "But I'm somewhat afraid we'd never get to finish it."

"I'm willing to risk it," Ben said with a smile. "Want to split something?"

"Sure," Ender said, smiling. "You pick the ice cream, I'll pick the topping."

"Chocolate," Ben said immediately.

"And cherries, then," Ender said.

"Oooh," Ben said, brightening up. "That sounds astral."

Ender laughed. "Maybe a little hot chocolate sauce, too?"

"That's the kind of thinking that has us spending our lives together," Ben said. "Yes please."

Ender waved over the waiter and put in their order - a big cup of chocolate ice cream with cherries and chocolate sauce - then sat back. "So far, this day is a success," he said. "Let's keep our fingers crossed it stays that way."

"Well, even if she doesn't love the exhibit on the Naboo Queens, it'll be educational for us," Ben said. "Dad doesn't exactly have a ton of information about her."

"Did you ever go looking for more information?" Ender asked gently.

"Some," Ben said, "but there was always a distraction, or a war...I kept forgetting to get back to it."

Ender smiled faintly. "It'll be nice," he said. "Discovering the parts of you that aren't Skywalker."

Ben smiled back. "She was a lot less flamboyant than Granddad, but that's not hard."

"She was a diplomat, from what I know," Ender said. "I can see where she feeds into the family legacy."

"She got into politics very, very early," Ben said, "which is kind of a tradition on this planet. Queens and kings are elected as young teenagers."

"A tradition I'd call peculiar, if it wouldn't be hypocritical of me," Ender said wryly.

Ben laughed softly. "Yeah, she would have loved meeting you, I think."

Ender smiled. "Your aunt took after her, I take it."

"Very much so," Ben said. "Her adoptive father and my grandmother were close allies in the Senate. I think getting Leia involved early was his way of preserving Padme's legacy."

Ender nodded. "Val should meet Leia, too," he said quietly.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject