[ closed ]

[androit]

WHO Will Vega, Jr (androit), Ash Starmer (subroutined)
WHAT Some silly nonsensical "turned into a kid" stuff
WHEN Around 2107, alternate spinoff of Peaches 'verse
WHERE idk around Junior or Ash's place
WHY why the fuck not

Little seven year old Junior had absolutely no idea where he was. It was some kind of little apartment, nothing huge or spectacular, but it was unfamiliar and made him scared all the same. If he'd been brought here while he napped, his grandparents would be around somewhere, right? Sometimes they had to do things and couldn't leave him at home so he got to come along and do keep himself busy out of earshot. This wasn't like that.

He was really tempted to stay exactly where he was and wait. They would find him eventually, right? But maybe they didn't know he was awake now... he wouldn't leave the apartment, but maybe he could look around the rooms. Peeking his head around the corner of a doorframe, he loudly tried to whisper, "Granma? I'm awake... are you here? Granpa?"

Comments

[subroutined]

Junior had come up to the flat in search of some papers that were left when they moved the space into being Ash's. Ash had just left him to his business, but when he heard a small, unfamiliar voice calling out from the living room, he went to investigate. Instead of seeing Junior anywhere in sight, there was a small boy, looking lost. Ash didn't blame him. He had no idea what the boy was doing there, either.

"Hullo." He said plainly, looking down at the child. "Where'd you come from, then?"

[androit]

Whatever had happened had been fast, and it had been complete. The big pair of brown eyes stared up at Ash with concern and curiosity. There was definitely no recognition to be had. "Hi," he said hesitantly, watching as if his response might cause Ash to do something unexpected.

The question had him hiding his face behind the frame and casting his gaze about the apartment. "Granma?" he tried again, this time even more quiet than before. He turned to Ash reluctantly. "Have you seen my granma? Saylor...?"

[subroutined]

Ash blinked. The name was a familiar one. The name of Junior's grandmother. Was this a cousin Ash didn't know of?

"I'm sorry, Saylor's not here. I think you must be related to my friend. He's just gone--" Except where was Junior? Where did he go so suddenly, and without saying goodbye?

"What's your name?"

[androit]

Junior stared at him for a long while more. Related to his friend? No, that couldn't be right. He only had Granma and Granpa because Mom and Dad were gone now, and he didn't have any little brothers or sisters and neither did his mom or dad so he didn't have any cousins, either. He'd learned about that sort of thing pretty early when kids at school kept asking questions and he didn't understand, didn't realize there were so many different types of family he didn't have...

"Junior," he said quietly. He wasn't supposed to give his name to strangers but if he knew who Saylor was, that made him a friend of Granma, right? "My name is Junior."

[subroutined]

"That--" Ash cuts off, having a hard time processing the information being presented to him. A child, with Junior's grandmother and Junior's own name. He can't reconcile his visual input with what he's being told. This child cannot be his friend, but he must be.

"That's not right," he finally finishes. "You're younger than you ought to be."