AGE-DOWN MEME

[devoutish]

Inspired by this and this! Post top levels of your characters as they were when they were younger - it's up to you whether that means "when they were a kid", "six months ago", or something in between. Then tag around, either throwing kids together or throwing normally-aged current CR at people in order to "????" about how their friend/enemy/casual acquaintance is suddenly bitty.

Comments

[devoutish]

Walk to it. Pick it up. Nobody guards it.

[bittytsun]

Oh. [ Okay. As long as he doesn't have to pay for it. He'd steal it anyway, but that makes things easier. Another sniff, and Royce pulls himself up carefully, turning so that his back is to a wall and that he's facing Alfie again. Hesitantly: ] That sounds too easy.

[devoutish]

I'm trapped here against my will. I'll take easy.

[bittytsun]

[ Weirdly enough, Royce kind of smiles a little behind his knees. ] Me too.

[devoutish]

[Alfie gives him a little smile right back.]

We won't tell 'em it's too easy, eh?

[bittytsun]

[ Oh no, Alfie smiles at him! He's not used to people smiling at him. It's really nice. ] No. 'Cause then they'd make it harder.

[devoutish]

And what would we do?

We'd take it anyway, wouldn't we.

[bittytsun]

Yeah. [ He sniffs, and lets his knees slide down from where they're pulled up against his chest. ] I could take it.

At least we're not outside.

[devoutish]

You remember what I said about lockdown, yeah? When your tablet - that's the metal thing, yeah? When that beeps at you, get inside.

[bittytsun]

[ He nods. It's surprisingly easy for him to trust Alfie - he knows he probably shouldn't, because all of the kids in the Wolves always tell him not to trust grown-ups, but there's been a lot of times where Alfie could've hurt him and he didn't.

So Royce relaxes. Because believe it or not, the paranoia hasn't set in yet. ] 'Cause you get locked outside if you don't. [ He's listening! ] How long does it take for them to get unlocked?

[devoutish]

Until the next morning.

Nobody can sneak up on you at night unless they're already in the house.

[That'll be a relief to Royce, he knows.]

[bittytsun]

[ It is a relief. He nods, filing that away. He gets up and very carefully pulls himself onto the couch. It's warmer there, and he's really tired of shivering. ]

What about your friend?

[devoutish]

In another house for the night.

Do you want one of those?

[He nods at the blanket and towel over on the chair.]

I've got no use for 'em.

[bittytsun]

[ That's good. The other mir defender is safe, at least.

As far as the blanket and towel, Royce's expression shifts slightly. For a second he looks like he's going to say no, like he's going to steadfastly refuse like his older self might have, but then he very carefully slides back off the couch. With another sniff, he scoots over to the chair, grabs the blanket, and then darts back to the couch to bury himself under it.

He peeks at Alfie from mostly underneath it, only his eyes visible. And his eyes look like they're daring Alfie to come take it from him. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie does not even twitch. He also elects to not comment on it at all, though he hopes Royce is at least warmer now.]

How old are you, Royce? Ten?

[He's purposefully highballing it a little.]

[bittytsun]

I think so. [ Somewhere in there. Nine or ten? Maybe eight. He keeps losing track. He's definitely warmer, at least, wrapping himself all up in the blanket. ]

[devoutish]

[Damn, that is a sad answer.]

All right. You be ten.

[bittytsun]

I'll be ten. [ Agreed. That works for him. ] Does that matter? How old are you?

[devoutish]

I'm forty-three. It matters however much you want it to matter, eh?

[bittytsun]

That's a lot older. [ Royce says quietly, tilting his head. ] I don't know if I'll make it that far.

[devoutish]

[Well, break his black little gangster heart, why don't you.]

Oh, you're tough. Don't count yourself out just yet.

[bittytsun]

[ He isn't so sure, but he does smile a little at being called tough. This is the most compliments he's gotten ever. ]

That doesn't mean I'm going to give up. [ He corrects Alfie. Just that he doesn't know how long his lucky streak will last. ]

[devoutish]

Good. Yeah. I'll be rooting for you.