bakerstreet | childhood

THE CHILDHOOD MEME

Childhood. That magical time between infancy and adulthood where you feel invincible. Where you haven't a care or responsibility in the world. It's a time where imagination runs wild and every day is a new adventure waiting to be had.

While there's plenty of fun out there in the world of adults, there's nothing that quite compares to the innocence of those early years. So, grab your juice box, your favorite toy and remember to be back before the streetlights come on.

HOW TO PLAY:

○ This meme is targeted toward the younger end of the age spectrum (15 and under), but that doesn't mean older characters aren't welcome. Does your character have a soft spot for children? Are they typically the type to be the babysitter? Or maybe they're the older sibling being dragged along to keep an eye on the younger one? Aging down is also an acceptable option, haven't we all wondered what our characters would have been like as kids?
○ Comment with your character, canon, preferences, and any other info you'd like to include.
○ Reply to others.
○ Thread and have fun!

1. PLAYGROUND/PARK : The spot where all the best childhood memories are made. Are you playing a game of tag? Are you hanging upside down on the jungle gym? Are you getting into trouble while your mom is catching up on the latest gossip?

2. SCHOOL : The place where 75% of your day is spent and lifelong friendships are forged. Maybe you're in art class, maybe you're at recess, or maybe you're on a school field trip. The possibilities are endless. Just don't be that kid eating paste.

3. MALL : For the kids on the older end of the spectrum. Whether you're at the arcade, whether you're meeting with friends, or whether your parents gave you twenty bucks to get out of their hair, you've got the entire shopping mall at your disposal.

4. CIRCUS : It's the greatest show on earth! Lion tamers! Acrobats! Elephants! Feats meant to stun and amaze you! Cotton candy the size of your head! Are you watching the show from the stands? Or is your family a part of the show?

5. THEME PARK/AMUSEMENT PARK : It's a classic vacation that's fun for the whole family. Are you the roller coaster type? Or are you the type to shy away from the thrill rides and stick to the carousel instead? Keep a hold of someone's hand, though, the only thing that can ruin a day is a lost child in the park.

6. FAIR/FESTIVAL/CARNIVAL : The theme park on a smaller scale. Sometimes the rides are a little shaky, but there's plenty of good deep fried foods and games to be played. Go out and win yourself a goldfish!

7. NEVERLAND : Yes, you read that right. Just like in Peter Pan, it's the magical place where no one has to ever grow up and adults aren't welcome. What kind of adventures will you get into? Remember, it only takes a little bit of fairy dust and good thoughts to fly.

8. WILDCARD : None of these work for you? Go ahead and created your own!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ apocalypse child. ]

[[ooc: Two different childhood options here- We've got a bab apprentice priest for ages 10-15. White magic prodigy who is very diligent about Becoming A Good Priest. Alternatively we have the even more bab version, a quiet kid from the orphanage who's in his own head a lot.

Canon, adult Rezo is also available for babysitting if you want this asshole looking after your kid muses for some reason.]]

[Dex as a kid. Small, cute, orphaned, irrationally thinks he can bring his parents back to life by pitching a perfect baseball game, and also kills his baseball coach without a single iota of remorse when told that is impossible. Ends up in a psych ward after that and at least does marginally better mentally after he starts getting some much needed therapy.]

Edited 2026-01-19 04:44 (UTC)

[tiny little orphan Ava, in a floral dress and dainty cardigan, approaches the boy playing baseball quietly. he probably hasn't noticed her, given his intent focus on throwing perfectly, but also because she's spent most of her time observing while invisible.

her voice flutters out of the empty air before she does, hesitant but attempting a friendly tone. she's used to being turned down by all the other children.] May I play too?

[Dex is busy at the baseball diamond wrapped up in trying to figure out how to throw the perfect curveball. He hasn't quite gotten it down yet. Practice was over half an hour ago but Dex begged to be left at the park a little longer so that he could practice more. His coach had agreed and said someone would come by to pick him up in an hour. That's given him plenty of time to work on his obsession.

He almost jumps into the air when he hears someone talking to him. His head snaps sharply to the side where he hears it coming from. He hadn't even noticed the girl coming up with how in the zone he was. But there she is. Dex is a little surprised. The other boys at the orphanage don't really like playing with him outside of baseball practice. He's not sure why but somehow they can sense there's something different about Dex. Something that makes him awkward, weird, and just plain strange; a sign they can pick up which flashes out "Different. Not like everyone else." It's something adults don't seem to be able to pick up on. At least not yet.

Apparently, this girl must not be able to sense that. He's kind of grateful for that. He attempts a smile, though the expression doesn't come across as looking quite right on his face.]

Sure. Do you like to play ball?

[Ava nods once, quietly, in the affirmative. it's not quite true, because she hasn't really ever played ball. but it's not a lie either, because his question wasn't if she knew how. and in theory it seems rather simple. throw. catch. throw. catch. she likes the idea of playing ball. she likes the idea of playing anything at all. especially with somebody near her own age, and the boy seems lonely. like her.

back at the orphanage in Argentina they all believed she was cursed, but maybe here in New York her life would be different.

that's what Dr. Foster keeps trying to tell her. still, she had grown bored of sitting in the holding facility all day, waiting for the scientists to run one test after another. they didn't really have anything fun for a kid to do there, so she snuck outside to explore, hoping they wouldn't notice her gone. the only toy she had was her stuffed bear, from Bill.

she looks down at it in her grip, uncertainly. she clings to the bear all the time, just to prove she can still hold on to anything at all. it's a comfort in the absence of anything else to comfort her since her parents died, but if she's to play ball then she'd have to set it aside.

the ground looks dirty. the bear is white. she shrugs out of her cardigan, folds it carefully, and sets the bear upon it. making sure he's facing forward so he can spectate upon the game.

not knowing really how to play ball, Ava holds out her hands to signal that she's ready.] Okay.

[He thinks it's funny to have brought a stuffed bear to a park. Dex is used to playing with stuffed animals inside sometimes but thinks they'd get dirty and worn out too quickly outside. But maybe it's the girl's special--what is the phrase he's heard adults use before--her comfort animal?

He doesn't bother with asking her name or anything like that. Too many details will bog down what's supposed to be a fun time. So instead he holds out his glove to her. It's a little worn out, with the stitching along the seams starting to come undone. He really needs a new one but that's too expensive to just ask the orphanage staff for. At least it'll still work for right now.]

Go stand over there.

[He points to a spot about halfway between the pitching mound and home plate.]

Okay. Now we can play.

[He tosses the ball to her, trying to be mindful not to throw too hard. He's not in a game right now trying to strike anyone out. This is just for fun.]

[she's practiced so many times with Dr. Foster, but still her confidence wavers slightly as she reaches for the glove. she keeps herself steady, manages to grasp onto it without even a flicker. she slips the glove on to her far too small hand, and looks rather proud of herself for completing even just that step.

there's a small skip of excitement in her step as she goes over to where the boy indicates she stand. none of this seems to difficult so far. she's playing just like all the regular kids!

but when he tosses the ball, even as gently as he does, the jolt of trying to react quickly enough to catch it causes her body to flicker. the movement of her arm through the air is just a phantom, and the ball passes right through. her glove was a bit off mark anyway, even if it remained solid it would have likely bounced right off.

the ball bounces off somewhere behind her, and Ava spins to watch it go.]

Oh... Sorry. [a tiny squeak, she's hoping he didn't notice what caused her to miss.] I'll- [she chases off after it, leaving streaks of herself behind, scrambling to catch up with herself.]

[Dex is kind of expecting her to miss the ball. Most kids his age aren't really all that coordinated, which means they rarely catch the ball the first, fifth, or even tenth time. He only is as good as he is because of his obsession with baseball. He just tosses an easy softball to the girl but she doesn't catch it.

What catches his attention is something....weird seems to happen with her arm. Something that's not something Dex has seen ever before. Granted, a lot of things fall into that category when he's eight years old, but this seems a lot different than that.

Then things get really weird when she runs to get the ball and these weird little (flickers? Phantoms? Ripples? His brain can't find the right way to describe what he's seeing here) afterimages are left in her wake. That causes him to stare pretty hard as she brings the ball back towards him.]

Um, are you okay?

[Never let it be said Dex didn't already cultivate the complete forthright nature he'll possess as an adult even in childhood.]

[can be standard reincarnated kid loki, young avengers kid loki, or like actually loki in their childhood when humans were barely a thing]

childhood

Aemond Targaryen | House of the Dragon

furiosa | mad max

Rezo the Red Priest | Slayers

Benjamin "Dex" Poindexter | MCU

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loki | marvel comics | ota