YO DJ PUMP THIS PARTY

verse note, for the canon-familiar
Kel’s character doesn’t dramatically change through most of the game; I feel like any ending forces some kind of reckoning, but in the interest of not going off the headcanon rails, the assumed canon point is before the events of the game. May swing this to some ambiguous post-True End point if it seems like it’d serve the thread better.

Down to write younger and post-game Kels too, though as a kid he “can’t small talk at all” and anything postgame will be highly speculative. Like, he should still be recognizable, but learning the truth (or losing at least one friend) is gonna shake a guy up.

assorted headcanons

• Lactose intolerant, to some degree. Has no idea that Sunny felt the need to blatantly retcon his precious Joe into milk in Headspace, and would be really confused if he found out.
• Can be observant and good at reading people, but it’s more of an automatic thing than a skill he’s intentionally honed. Does not by a long shot mean his own biases won’t get in the way (they will), or that he’ll know what to say to defuse a situation or make someone feel better (debatable). Trying his best, though…!
• Has some degree of visible muscle, just from being active and playing sportsball. He got really tired of losing arm wrestling contests, okay? And he will happily flex if someone notices.
• Could pass for an adult, facially; he had a major growth spurt in the last 4 years, but time will tell if he’s actually done growing. If he levels out as-is, never to surpass his big bro, he’s gonna be annoyed about it.

some fun facts
partial canon, (partial headcanon)

• Younger brother to a golden child known primarily as “Hero,” which definitely hasn’t had any long-term ramifications on Kel’s sense of self or what he’s capable of. (It really, really has.) Their relationship is generally positive, with full support in both directions; the one time things did blow up, it worked out in the end. (So it’s fine! It’s fine. They don’t need to talk about it or anything.)
• Is also a big brother, as of recent; he has a baby sister named Sally who he loves dearly, and he’s stoked to be the older one for a change. Sometimes her crying keeps Kel awake at night, to his chagrin, but he falls asleep quickly anyway. (He’s not seen interacting with her too much in-game, but I figure he’s probably learned to be good with kids, or at least will have to soon.)
• Has a dog, a shiba inu named Hector! Kel also used to have a pet rock (or several) named Hector. (The name is probably no coincidence.) Kel himself could easily be described as a dog (loyal, excitable) and/or a rock (solid, dense).
• Acts first, thinks about it later—if ever, really. (Kel is perfectly capable of taking things seriously, and not averse to it, but he also doesn’t reflect much if at all. If anything he goes out of his way not to, not about himself; other people’s needs and emotions come first.)
• In the game’s battle mechanics, Kel is a glass cannon; super speedy, hits pretty hard and has decent Juice [equivalent of mana/magic points], but fragile. He runs fast in the real world, too! (And can brush off a lot of flack in the moment, even if things build up in the long term more than he cares to acknowledge.)
• Narratively, Kel is the person the depressed, shut-in protagonist “needs” [to quote the creator on multiple occasions]; it’s Kel’s knocking that brings Sunny outside in the first place, and Kel’s companionship remains a constant through the game. Kel has other acquaintances around town, but when he’s made a close, true friend, he’s there to the end.