chocobroness:

Random AU idea!

So Noct gets kidnapped. When he’s 6. By some Imperial fanatics. They drug him with enough stuff to keep a Garula asleep for a week. They manage to get him out of the city. Get him to Galdin Quay, and into a boat that will take them to Altissia to be picked up.

Aaaand then he wakes up.

While the fanatics sleep.

(Take note that for me, Noctis will ALWAYS be an overly curious child who hasn’t learned restraint, or proper fear or caution.)

He doesn’t know where the hell is he, why he’s with those people. Or why he’s in this situation. But he sure would like to get out of it.

So what does an overly curious child who isn’t home do when in the company of strangers?

Climb into things and push buttons.

Specifically, (and unluckily if you asked the fanatics.) a life boat and pushing the button to release it into the sea.

Now normally this would be a terrifying thing for a little kid who doesn’t know shit about boats.

But luck is on Noct’s side.

Said luck lands him on Angelgard.

So you have this little kid wandering in the dark in an island that has no one around.

He gets out of the boat and just walks around.

He’s a bit nervous, as all kids in a new place are, but he keeps walking.

And enters a place that have a certain (trashman) person jailed inside.

Curious as to why a man is like that, he goes up and does the only thing a kid like him would do.

Poke him in the belly. Hard.

Ardyn is both startled, confused, and not amused.

—“What is a child like you doing here? ”

“You talk funny, and your eyes look funny too!

Ardyn is, of course, startled by the innocent comment, gathering his wits and looking at the child more clearly.

—“…Did my brother have a son while I have been imprisoned…?”

“My dad doesn’t have a brother! He’s too old!”

“…”

“So what’s your name?”

This leads to a longer discussion. Ardyn finding out how long he’s been locked away and Noct gets told that they might be related.

—“So you could be my uncle?!”

“Is it so shocking?”

“Does that mean I get to call you uncle?”

“… I don’t see why not.”

Ardyn feels the need to get angry at what his brother did to him but he couldn’t hold any anger towards the innocent child, that he knew beyond a doubt was of his brother’s line, who was looking at him with so much warmth and trust.

Noctis is simply happy to have someone safe to talk to. (Innocent little boy.) even if he does talk funny.

—“It’s I before E. Not F after C!”

“That makes no sense my child.”

“My dad said that too! But I like it!”

“Such a curious mind you hold.”

“And you talk funny!”

“So you’ve said.”

“Um, do you want to sit down?”

“…”

“I mean, you must be sore from standing like that all the time.”

“While it would certainly be most pleasant if I were to rest my legs young one, these chains prevent me from doing so.”

“I’ll get them off for you!”

“My gratitude, but tugging at them will not-“

“Hey, it crumbled!”

“…”

“Let me get the other ones too!”

Let’s just say, Ardyn gets to spend a lot of time getting to know his officially most favorite relative.

And everyone, from the citadel to the fanatics, is panicking over the missing prince.