The Age Up/Down Meme

[kingshaming]

Look, most of our characters have lots of backstory to take advantage of, or headcanons for their future. This is the place to use it!

Prompts

1) People are suddenly shifting ages on the good ship Teremity! It's probably space waves and will fix itself in a day or two, so enjoy reliving your mispent youth.

2) You were always this age! Nothing bad is happening and you all already know each other and it's all cute af. A fluff option.

3) You are this age... and going through your round (or a remixed version) of your Airlocked season. Not for the REALLY young age downs!

Comments

[scourgingstars]

[and some of us have headcanon that's no longer viable THANKS SQUEENIX]

[Ardyn Lucis Caelum II, age eighteen, looks not unlike Junpei, if Junpei had wine-red hair slowly edging towards shades of violet and hazel eyes that weren't quite yellow just yet. He wears the same orange scarf he always does, along with a black outfit and a silver accessory on the right side of his head that resembles a small horn or antler. He carries himself like any other confident teenager even if his speech patterns are pretty archaic; he's casual, friendly, and almost always smiling. Except when he's causing trouble. Or flirting. Then he's smirking like the coeurl that caught the chocochick.]

[If we're going the murdergame option, the Champion Healer is exactly as kind and affable--but one hundred percent serious when he needs to be, especially during trials. He doesn't take any death well at all, but consistently refuses to let anyone see him unless he's either smiling or determined. If he's beaten to organizing an afterparty himself, you can bet he's helping as much as possible and checking up on everyone.]

moider

[kingshaming]

[for being a full three years Ardyn's junior, Xander is already starting to look aged past his years. But his long gangly limbs and not quite leaned out baby face give him away. He sure TRIES to act older, always frowning and lecturing others. But occasionally he can be caught laughing or joining in on the fun- after which he always looks guilty.

During trials his mature facade breaks though, and he often can't look anyone in the eye, and he stutters through evidence, though his meticulous notekeeping has helped more then once. In fact, tonight's trial had him actually cry out and bite back tears at the execution- and flee right after. All anyone could get out of him was that 'Father would be disgusted with my conduct.' He doesn't show up at the afterparty at all. But around the time things are being cleaned up for the night he shows up, red faced and sweating, curls limp and stuck to his neck... and shocked to see anyone still up.

He stares, then turns, clearly meaning to bolt]

[scourgingstars]

Ah--Xander, wait.

[Ardyn crossed the room perhaps a little too quickly once Xander turned around, quickly slipping the pen he'd used to do so into a pocket before reaching out to the other royal's shoulder. He was particularly mindful of the prince among all their other companions, for reasons the king had never quite gone into detail about.]

Come, sit down; there's still some tea left if you would like some, and I'm sure there's yet a sandwich or two in the kitchen.

[kingshaming]

[When Ardyn is suddenly there and touching him... Xander stiffens, eyes wide and fingers digging into his palms, as if bracing for something. But in another breath he unwinds.]

Th... there's no need. I was already rude enough in not responding to the invitation...

[scourgingstars]

Think nothing of it. It was hardly what I would call a royal invite necessitating attention.

[He dropped his hand once he noticed Xander's discomfort, gesturing back towards the dining room.]

I will not force you if you would prefer to be left alone. And if it is solitude you wish, then I can take my leave instead. I would just like it were I to know you'd eaten something today.

[kingshaming]

It's... less I desire to be alone and more I didn't want anyone to see me for a bit.

[he had been in the gym, "training"- aka swinging his practice blade over and over to express his rage and grief in a way that kept them hidden and private and secret. Such was the Nohrian way.]

I could use some food now I think, after that.

[scourgingstars]

Then by all means, you're welcome to join me for a while.

[Meanwhile there was the Lucian way, which was 'bottle everything up and smile because you are not a human but instead what the kingdom requires of you'. And of course, Ardyn was smiling as he turned to get two cups of tea and leftover sandwiches, setting them down on a nearby table.]

We should count ourselves lucky we've so much useful help in the kitchen, nay? I'm hardly any skilled hand with anything of the sort.

2

[pandorasbunny]

[Yes, technically this is a journal for Mai's hope and not actual child Mai. However, this is a meme and I do what I want.

Mai knocks on Ardyn's door and shyly looks in.]

Um... you're really good at healing stuff, right? Better than me, since you're a grownup.

[scourgingstars]

Ah--sometimes, yes.

[Ardyn's door was usually left open; if he was afraid someone was going to kill him, it didn't exactly show. He greeted Mai with a small smile, stepping back to allow her to come in.]

I fear myself ill-equipped for it now, but are you hurt?

[pandorasbunny]

[Mai shrinks back at first, shakes her head, and cautiously steps in.]

No... But, um, I think I did it wrong.

[scourgingstars]

What is it you mean, my dear? [A little too tall for his age, he knelt down to Mai's eye level.]

[pandorasbunny]

[Mai sniffles and tries to look serious.]

I was crying because someone sprayed the bee-san hive by the school, but then they all started coming back and now they're chasing everyone. I think they're mad.

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn had to try very hard to look serious about that, for a much different reason.]

[Namely, because he thought it was hilarious.]

Oh, my. I hope everyone's smart enough to take cover, at least.

Murder murder kill kill kill

[misanthropicprinciple]

[It's still so damn weird to see his younger self's almost-doppelganger traipsing around talking like ye olde timey Renfest actor, helping the others, throwing himself into the role he's chosen. Tenmyouji wants to tell him to stop before he gets hurt, turns into a bitter dried-out husk at twenty-two that even the apocalypse couldn't weather further, but he doesn't want to draw the kid's attention and turn that earnest hero bullshit on him, either. So he stays away aside from the occasional snide comment in trials or at meals. He doesn't need that particular headache.

It's after one motive announcement, though--one about futures, and hell if that's something Tenmyouji can ignore--that he finds himself unable to leave well enough alone. Maybe the others were fooled by that constantly determined energy, but he knows a faker when he sees one. So once it seems like everyone's settled down, withdrawn to their own spaces to deal with the ramifications of their Overseers' offer and how willing they are to break trust, Tenmyouji knocks on Ardyn's door with the toe of his shoe.]

Hey, kid. You in there?

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn took the few comments in stride; he wasn't one to get offended or pull rank on others, least of all here. Dissenting opinions would happen anywhere, but right now they needed as little quarreling as possible.]

[He answered the door after a second or two, smile halfway to a smirk.]

As ever, I do appreciate the informality, but I remind you once more that my name is 'Ardyn'. What is it I can do for you?

[misanthropicprinciple]

Yeah, whatever, kid.

[Despite the gruffness of his words, though, Tenmyouji glances away slightly, and the reason he had to knock with his foot becomes clear: He's got his hands full with two drinks, two big balls of ice cream floating in each.]

You got root beer floats where you come from?

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn looked from the drinks to Tenmyouji, raising an eyebrow in a way that was far more 'shitheaded teenager' than 'ruler of a kingdom'.]

...We do, yes. [because honestly, would it shock you.] Would you care to come in?

[misanthropicprinciple]

...Sure.

[Against his better judgment, maybe, but he didn't go to the trouble just to turn back now. He comes in and starts to hand Ardyn one of the floats (and how dare this punk be so much taller than him?), but catches himself.]

You can pick the one you want. Just so you know they're not poisoned.

[#LittleMurdergameThings]

[scourgingstars]

While the fact that you may not like me has scarcely evaded my notice, you don't seem the type for regicide.

[Like most teenagers--most of which didn't have untold divine power (formerly) at their beck and call--Ardyn was clearly reckless enough to take stupid risks, accepting the float that was handed to him.]

All the same, the gesture is surprisingly kind of you.

1

[motherfucking_ghost]

[So the day might have started with Church sleepily yelling for Junpei to get out of his bed, and it's only gone uphill from there. Or downhill. There's a hill, and Church isn't sure where he's situated on it, but this sure is happening.]

You know I've got to get a picture. Just so older-you can see. Also because I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna believe it myself when this is fixed. Like a fever dream. Like...pretty sure I dreamed this once.

[scourgingstars]

Has anyone ever told you that you are excessively strange?

[Ardyn tilted his head with a faint smile--strange, sure, but he was kind of cute.]

[motherfucking_ghost]

Strange, yes; excessively, not with that word specifically. Smile! [Cuz he's whipping out Ardyn's camera and snapping one or three.] ...Wait, how am I the strange one here?

[scourgingstars]

[look at this million-gil smile that could end wars]

You're the one claiming to have dreamt about me. I know not how the customs of this world work, but in Lucis we might call that 'flirting'.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Ohhhhh, man, then you do not wanna see some of the stuff on this camera. [Or maybe he does.] I mean dream about like...young you? The you you are now? Because like--not in a weird way and not in like a super literal way! I've...let's say I've heard a lot about you?

[scourgingstars]

Are you always this stunningly articulate?