dear_mun | On his current face, courtesy of nexus

You know they don't care right.

Buncha jerks.

[My, someone's sulking.]

If they don't care about what happens then they shouldn't do things like this. [ The voice of responsibility. Yeah, he's sulking right along. ]

What's wrong with having a new face?

It's the wrong one! [ And comes with a side-order of immaturity and general shortness, so there's that. ]

It's not even really new. They just made me a child again. I can't do anything right like this.

*Fritz failed to see the problem.*

Why is that a bad thing? You can get in cheaper at the movies.

....why exactly are you stuck as a kid?

...I don't know what those are. I'm a legionnaire, I'm supposed to be doing my job. I can't give orders like this!

[ He huffs out a sigh. ]

It's Nexus magic. I'm trying to find out what happened.

Movies are the greatest invention ever, right after currywurst and pocket lighters.

*Djinn sympathy is somewhat lacking at the best of times, and Fritz himself had about a century more of adolescence before him, himself.*

Oooh. You aren't supposed to be that age. I get it. But, why not have fun with it? Consider it a vacation.

Uh-huh. [ Have a grumpy frown that says he doesn't know what any of those are. ]

It's not fun! People depend on me to watch out for them and now I can't! And my little brother's twice as big as I am and he's no good at... at being grown-up. I can't take a vacation.

If you were dead someone else would have to step up. Consider it a break! Relax.

*Fritz summoned a to-go box of currywurst, as if that confirmed his point. He offered a fork.*

Want some?

If I were dead then I wouldn't have to worry about it.

[ Nnnot the best comeback in his career, it's true. And obviously a lie He'd find a way.

The spicy-smelling box gets a suspicious look, buuut common sense is laid against the grumbling of his stomach. He was too busy complaining and not-panicking to actually eat anything today, after all. ]

...What is it?

Currywurst!

*Fritz beamed. He had zero ill intentions, but he realized that not everyone knew about German street food.*

It's basically bratwurst, ketchup, and curry powder. S'good! There's a whole museum dedicated to it in Berlin. I've never been there, but, Mir told me about it.

Who's Mir?

[ At least he's going to peer at the stuff. It does smell good, despite how suspicious he's been brought up to be. ]

How do I know you didn't enchant it though? [ He's kind of trying to remind himself that you don't just eat food a probable spirit conjures up for you. It's hard though. ]

She's my very human, foster mom. She's a fantastic chef---she has her own restaurant, even though she only manages it these days. Mir cooks at home still, and, man, it's great!

*Fritz decided against being offended.*

The only enchanting was done in getting it here. You don't have to eat any, if you don't want to.

You have a foster m- mother?

[ Aaaand you know, if it's human food it's probably fine and the prospect of it being taken away spurs him into a decision and he grabs the fork. He can kick himself on a full stomach. ]

No, I'll try it. ...Thanks. [ Ummmm. ] How come you're fostered by a human?

Because, my actual family didn't want me. They ditched me when I was pretty little....

And because Mir is the greatest lady ever!

*Fritz nabbed a fry for himself, dragging it through ketchup and curry.*

I seem to get along better with regular humans as a rule.

[ He's too young to hide his frown at that first bit, the impulse to sympathize. He shoots Fritz a careful look before he goes back to digging in. Okay, starting with blowing on the chunk of sausage he just snagged. ]

So are you a daedra? Because I thought daedra didn't have children.

Djinn. Persia origin, but, I didn't spend much time there.

And, if my folks were any indication, they shouldn't. But! It's okay. What is that expression---what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger?

[ Stratos nods. Actually it still sounds pretty terrible to him, but he gets the feeling the other... boy doesn't want to talk about it too much. ]

I guess it doesn't matter so much if... if you've got a better kind of family now.

[ Especially since said family can do amazing things with sausage and spices, for the record. ]

Mir's the best. Elijah's pretty amazing too, for that matter. I won't complain...

Come on, now, being little's not so bad, is it?

[Hughes is seriously excited about all the small children running around the Nexus.]

Of course it is. I'm an officer in the Legion! Nobody's going to take me seriously like this.

...you mean you don't want a vacation to run around and be spoiled again? [Fear the pout this grown man is aiming at you, Stratos!]

[ He's not eye-rolling at a grown-up because he has better manners than that. ]

I can't go on vacation, I'm on a mission. And besides... nobody who used to take care of me is in the Nexus. Just people I'm supposed to take care of.

[ He didn't mean that to be sad. He really didn't. But now he's thinking about how far he is from his family and it's creeping into his voice. ]

[ If Hughes is bothered by the downturn in conversation, it doesn't show, not given the warm smile he has for Stratos. ]

I think you should trust that the people you're supposed to take care of can turn around and do the same for you when necessary. You can still be there for them if they really need you, but you have to realize they're going to want to do the same for you right now.

...But I don't want them to. Not like this.

[ It's a subdued mutter as he stares at the ground, but the warmth and kind words keep him from actually withdrawing. ]

They're going to see you at your worst some time or another. May as well be adorable while you do it?

[ Always a silver lining to be found! ]

They weren't going to. [ Sulk. That's half the reason he learned to deceive them, after all. But you can't just say that and- waaait. ]

I am not adorable.

I'm pretty sure that face of yours falls squarely in the realm of adorable.

[ Hughes is totally not smug about this. Nope. Not at all - why do you ask? ]

Hughes, I'm trying to look responsible. Don't sabotage me.

I'm not sabotaging you!

...your face does that for you.

[ Grin. ]

On his current face, courtesy of nexus_crossings

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

oh Hughes

He can't resists the adorable little faces! :D

are you calling him adorable? ):

Of course~

nooooo it's as he feared

But he iiiiiis~

/see icon

That. Face. <3

It is the most essential one!

They're all so good.