SOULMATE AU MEME

[thesalamander]

A world where soulmates exist and can be identified. There are tons of variations on this AU - check out this masterlist for inspiration.

Post your character and ship preferences, and possibly note a couple AUs you'd be interested in playing. Tag around, have fun or cry or both, etc.

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Dazai Osamu [Tsushima Shuji] | Bungou to Alchemist | OTA

[thesettingsun]

[Recolle or Grimm versions available on request!

Esp. fond of writing on skin and dreamsharing AUs, but I'm easy.]

[informantic]

[This reset has gone very, very wrong. The wrongest yet. Ango knows it immediately because of how much he doesn't know - Yokohama looks similar but feels all wrong, and through several confused, alarmed days of investigation, he's able to work out that abilities (as he knows them) are the stuff of fiction. There's no Port Mafia, no ADA, not even a Special Abilities Division.

So how does he go about finding Dazai?

Ango's learned how to manipulate the coincidences and similarities between universes well enough that he eventually hunts down Bar Lupin... in Tokyo, of all places. The barkeep says that he does have regular customers by the names of Dazai, Odasaku, and Ango, and just as it sinks in exactly how this reset went wrong and what a disaster could result, the bar's door opens again.]

... Dazai-kun?

[Ango knows him by feeling, not by sight; just as this universe's Yokohama looked right and felt wrong, this Dazai looks wrong and feels right.]

[thesettingsun]

[He doesn't look anything like that other Dazai. Hair too red, clothes too flashy, eyes too bright and unclouded by the darkness of the mafia.

Similarly, while Dazai couldn't possibly identify this Ango by sight - he's nothing like the Ango Dazai knows-]

Have we met before?

[He feels familiar. So much so that being addressed as -kun by what could be a stranger doesn't bother him.

In fact, he takes a seat right next to Ango.]

The usual, please.

[informantic]

[It's really him, and yet not him at all. Ango winds up staring at him in unabashed shock, this different Dazai, while too discombobulated to catch his own rudeness - his hair keeps catching Ango's eye above everything else because, in a uniquely cruel twist, it's nearly the same shade as that of the Odasaku he knows.

Knew.

God, he needs to stop this whole process at some point, if only for his own dwindling sanity... but how? How could he dream of it before he's actually set right all the things he destroyed?]

Ah - [Dazai's rather understandably waiting for an answer, which suddenly seems impossible to dig out of his brain despite the number of times he's faced the same question. How does one lie effectively to a person they might not know anything about?] - yes, once, through a friend of a friend. I'm surprised we've never come across each other here before.

[thesettingsun]

Oh, is that so? I'll have to thank them sometime.

[There are only so many friends he has this long after his death, so it can't be too hard to track them down. At least the bartender here doesn't recognize him - naturally, because he looks different in the photos on the wall. Different face, different hair, same Dazai.

(The stupid half-standing on the chair pose is the same from the Dazai Ango would remember, though.)

The three of them go by their names, but as far as the bartender is concerned, as long as their money is good then it's not his business if they want to play pretend at being the decadent school.]

What can I get you?

[informantic]

[He shouldn't be flustered to have Dazai's charm turned on him, considering how often Dazai has well and truly flirted with him during one of these cycles, but Ango's cheeks still puff out and flush with embarrassment. Because Dazai looks different? No, this one is merely attractive in a different way, not more or less so.

Because Ango will always be awkward regardless of how many times he takes on the same task with the same person? More likely.]

Just a tomato juice, thanks. It's one of those unfortunate days where I need to remain responsible and clear-headed for my own sake, not that of someone else, so I'd best stick to it. [Glancing sidelong at Dazai, once again staring far too closely because the blend of familiarity and difference keeps throwing him off-balance.] Actually, I don't suppose you can recommend somewhere to stay nearby? Last minute vacancies are so rare here.

[thesettingsun]

A Moscow Mule for me, and tomato juice for my friend of a friend here. Put it on my tab.

[While the bartender fixes up their drinks, Dazai considers the question.]

I'm not all that familiar with the hotels here... [They've changed considerably since he was alive.] But the place I'm staying in has a few spare rooms. Of course, if you stay there I'll have to swear you to secrecy.

[informantic]

[That's right... he needs to introduce himself. How should he introduce himself?!]

Th-thank you - Dazai-kun - [Ango's speech pattern is already rather rapidfire and jumpy by its nature, so the added jittery gaps between words make his nervousness much more obvious than he'd like. He can't leave this universe until he succeeds or fails, but he can't waste any more time here, but - he doesn't want to leave any Dazai's side, not even one wearing a different face. His only choice is to see how long he can play this off, then see how Dazai reacts when the truth comes out and take it from there.

God, and he's so bad at improvising, too.]

I'd be very grateful for the use of a room. [He accepts his tomato juice and takes a small sip.] And as curious as you now have me about the nature of the place, it sounds like the less I know, the better for everyone involved. For my part, you have my word that I won't share anything I do see or discover.

[thesettingsun]

[This guy is so jittery and nervous. He's so cute. Dazai can't say he'd complain even if he had to stay in Dazai's own room.]

Then it's a deal. I'll lobby on your behalf. The staff won't say no to me.

[After all, he's one of the greatest authors in the library! Surely all he has to do is ask nicely and the librarians will give in.]

So what's your name?

[informantic]

[Of course the staff of wherever he's staying won't say no to him. No one can ever say no to Dazai, unless that's the answer he really wants.

The first hint of a smile starts to play on Ango's lips, then immediately drops away at the question. Well, here goes nothing... wrapping both hands around his glass and staring down at them, he blurts out the truth.]

Would you believe me if I said Sakaguchi Ango?

[thesettingsun]

[Dazai pauses, taking a moment to look at Ango more closely.

It's obvious by his nervous behavior that he's telling the truth and that he expects to be disbelieved. The looks aren't quite as far from how Ango was in life as they are from the summoned Ango, but neither are they a match.]

I'd believe you. If you're going to be named after a writer, Ango's not a bad choice.

[clothes]

[ he'd been writing to this person, tsushima shuji, since they were children; akutagawa had needed to write some interesting words down for a song he was interested in composing, and his only piece of parchment or canvas was his own skin. he wrote them down, barely-comprehensible scribbles, his kanji still a huge work in progress-- but the most amazing thing to show up on his skin that day was a reply. he had trouble making sense of the messages at first; shuji's writing was in the tsugaru dialect, and akutagawa was in yokohama, so he spoke very modernly with bits of way too-old fashioned here and there.

it was hard at first, almost like practically learning a new language, but having shuji there when his parents died, when he needed someone to help him keep his humanity intact during particularly rough fosters' houses, when he began his journey as an idol a year and a half ago--

akutagawa doesn't know where he would be without shuji by now. they really are soulmates, he often thinks when shuji's responses begin to appear on his skin, stroke by stroke. he often hopes shuji feels the same way. most of the time though, everything feels so natural, like they really are just an ordinary pair of childhood friends. ]

I'm being transferred to a studio in the United States. I'm not happy.

[thesettingsun]

[Learning another dialect had been difficult, but talking to Akutagawa was worth it. Akutagawa had helped him during his college troubles, let him bounce plot ideas for his novel off him, and even understood when Shuji complained about therapists to him. Without judgment. Shuji could tell him anything, he's sure.

Of course he'll try to be there for Akutagawa in return. It's difficult when there's an ocean separating them, but he'll try.

It's that that keeps him from immediately replying 'where in the States?' Akutagawa's feelings come first, then Shuji's hope of meeting him someday.]

They never listen to you... ugh. I'm sorry you have to deal with this.

[A minute later, with hesitant strokes:]

Did they say what city?

Vinegar Doppio | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure | OTA

[morewithhoney]

[Rusty muse is rusty, please forgive. Also definitely going to have Vento spoilers if you're an anime-only person.]

scarlett eyler | hello charlotte

[ascapegoat]

Atsushi/Tiny~

[chazukefang]

[When Atsushi learned about soulmates he decided that it wouldn't happen to him. He figured that no one would want to be his soulmate for a variety of reasons. Besides, who would want to have someone worthless like him for a soulmate? While there were times he grew sad of never having a soulmate, he convinced himself that it was for the best. He didn't think he had a soulmate, until he met Chuuya. Well, not port mafia Chuuya, but one that lived in the library as an author. He always wrote such nice poems even if he couldn't believe that Chuuya used him as inspiration sometimes. Even more surprising he has a soulmate now! One who loves him and all the things that come with him!

However, there are some things about their bond that no one told him about.

Atsushi learned about it when he came home one day.]

Hi Chuuya! Hey, what's wrong?

[Atsushi saw the frown on his face as he joined him on the bed.]

You can't figure out a line or something?

forgive me for expired icons

[goatsongs]

[Chuuya never had a problem with not having a soulmate. Odds were that if he had one they'd be across the sea or something, and he'd never have a chance to meet them.

As it turned out, his soulmate was even further away than that.

There are some aspects of the soulmate bond that only apply when you're in the same world, it seems. So when Atsushi joins him in bed-]

What happened to you today?

[-he can't think to be subtle about it.]

it's cool ^^

[chazukefang]

[Atsushi frowns a little as he starts messing with the ends of his gloves.]

Um, nothing too much, I went to work, ran some errands with a few of the authors and Kyouka, before I came back home. Why?

[He doesn't want to worry Chuuya, not when he's been working all day.]

[goatsongs]

I felt how upset you were.

[Don't try to fool your soulmate, Atsushi.]

Something must have happened.

[chazukefang]

[Atsushi isn't trying to fool him! He's just not used to having someone be so worried over him. He didn't know it was something Chuuya could feel either. He continued to mess with the end of his gloves as he looked over at him.]

It was just someone being rude when we did errands, that's all. We managed to move Kyouka away so nothing would happen to her. And...I may have made some tiny mistakes today even thought everyone was really nice to me about it! They told me not to worry, but I don't want to look like I can't do my job.

[He turned back to his hands again.]

I don't want to disappoint anyone...

[goatsongs]

[He understands. He knows how much this opportunity means to Atsushi, and how scared he is that he could lose it by messing up. But-]

Sooner or later, you're going to disappoint somebody. That's just a part of being human.

[chazukefang]

I don't want to! I've disappointed enough people I don't want to do it again.

[Atsushi leaned over to lean against Chuuya.]

I'm...worried that I'm going to disappoint everyone here...that I'm going to disappoint you and I don't want to. I don't want to lose this.

[While he loves how everyone is so patient, works with him, and supports him too that's another thing he's worried about. He's never had so many people have such expectations of him that letting them down would hurt more than anything.]

...I don't want to lose you...

[goatsongs]

Atsushi.

[Chuuya wraps his arms around him and holds him close.]

Even if you make mistakes, and even if you disappoint people - I'm not leaving you. You can stay here no matter what.

[Even if he's the worst library assistant in the world. Even if he spills ink on the Chief Librarian's white shirt. Even if all these things happen, he is welcome and safe here.]

[chazukefang]

[Atsushi hasn't spiraled like this in a while, but the little mistakes added with facing that rude person bought up that little voice in the back of his mind that reminds him that this could all leave him before he knows it. He looks up at Chuuya as he wraps his arms around him.]

Really? You won't leave? I can stay here with you?

[goatsongs]

Forever. I promise.

[Chuuya presses a kiss against Atsushi's cheek. There's nothing Atsushi could do to be kicked out - more than being reassured that he hasn't disappointed anyone, Chuuya thinks he needs to be reassured that he doesn't need to worry about it.]