The Alternate Universe Meme

[misheard]

The Alternate Universe Meme

1. Comment with your character.
2. Others will reply with an AU idea.
3. Thread. Profit.

AUs can be any AU of any kind, but if you need ideas, I have this masterlist and this tumblr to get you started.

Comments

Nakahara Chuuya | Bungou to Alchemist | OTA

[goatsongs]

roleswap/canonswap sort of, also it's older fish instead of small fish \o/

[aquaticrush]

[So Chuuya may not have had a great past few months, what with being involved with a suspicious "earthquake/accident" at the museum and coming out of it injected with some weird DNA sample, but at least the library is pretty normal, right? Well, sort of. One of the new workers accidentally left the restricted door open and Chuuya came upon her emerging from a book and falling on her face. And that's where she admitted to being a summoned ghost version of sad writer Midorikawa Retasu and let him in on all the confusing bits of her unlife.

Hanging around the library is still usually pretty nice. Well, except for times like this, where Retasu staggers out of the restricted section long after hours (the staff were all mysteriously too busy to clear him out) beat up and bleeding ink.]

I didn't do too well today.

[goatsongs]

[That's pretty much the definition of being beaten up and bleeding ink, 'not doing well'. Chuuya only takes a second to be alarmed before he throws a roll of bandages at her.]

So fix yourself up!

[...It's possible that he was waiting here specifically with that roll of bandages in case she was hurt, but don't call him out on it. Just because he has bird DNA and saves the day doesn't mean he's any less a tsundere than normal.]

[aquaticrush]

[Retasu fumbles the catch and the roll tumbles across the floor. She sulks and kneels down to pick it up.]

I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you. [She starts gathering the bandages up and applying them to her arm.] Is there anything you need help with? It's pretty late to be here.

[goatsongs]

[For a person who fights monsters in books, Retasu is really uncoordinated.]

I was just waiting for you, don't worry about being a librarian on top of all your other crap.

[aquaticrush]

[Retasu finishes bandaging one arm and pulls up her sleeve to get the other.]

Um, thank you. You don't have to, but it's really nice of you. Is there any ink left over?

[goatsongs]

Should be, unless your coworkers are screwing up.

[aquaticrush]

Oh, no, they'd all do a much better job! Um, let me see...

[She rummages through the desk, pulls out a bottle, and grimaces before she moves to uncork it.]

I'm really glad that you don't have to drink this too. Even if you do have to work at a cafe and deal with, um, fangirls coming in.

[goatsongs]

Eh, I'm used to it. It's not as bad as the deal you've got.

[Even if they fuss over how cute he is, at least he doesn't have to down gross-tasting ink to heal his injuries.]

[aquaticrush]

[Retasu takes a deep breath and drinks the ink, trying and failing not to make faces and sputter. She swallows it down and looks completely dejected.]

Have you been alright? I mean, um, with the alien monsters and things like that.

[goatsongs]

[See, at least he doesn't have to drink gross ink.]

We're kicking their asses, nothing to worry about. Focus on your own monsters.

[aquaticrush]

I'm really glad to hear it. It's got to be a little strange to have aliens come and make monsters out of animals.

[goatsongs]

Not as weird as monsters in books. You're a little weird yourself.

[aquaticrush]

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be weird.

[goatsongs]

Don't apologize for stuff like that.

[aquaticrush]

I feel like I should. You're caught up in too many things already. I mean, you would be even if you weren't young...

[Retasu's biographies usually mention that she was often rejected or ignored when she was younger, like being overlooked for a literary prize and becoming a shut-in for a while. She doesn't want to make him feel bad about being a kid.]

[goatsongs]

Yeah, so? It's not like you being weird is something you can help. Don't apologize for saving books, that's important.

[aquaticrush]

Um, thank you. That's nice of you to say.

[She sits down at the table and fidgets with her bandages.]

I'll do my best, but I think the others are doing a better job. But, um, while you're here, I'd like to be of help somehow. After all, you stayed so late, you must have been studying.

[goatsongs]

I forgot my books.

[Ooooor he just wasn't here to study in the first place.]

[aquaticrush]

We've got plenty of books! I can help you find any if you need help with those.

[goatsongs]

I can't just do problems one through ten from some random book.

[That sounds not right??]

[aquaticrush]

Oh, um -- sorry. So it's actually an assignment, not just trying to research. But I'm sure we've got the textbook! Or at least another edition of it. They barely change year to year except some of the page numbers and switching around some wording, unless there's a major breakthrough in the field.

[goatsongs]

You don't have to find me a textbook, I have mine at home.

[He's not here for homework.]

[aquaticrush]

Oh, ah, sorry. I just wanted to make sure I could help you out. ...And, um, thank you. You didn't have to.

[goatsongs]

It's not a big deal.

[It's just super against the rules for him to be here, that's all.]