( the au meme. )

[sockies]

the alternate universe meme

how to play
1. post with your character, name and canon in the subject line.
2. feel free to mention which aus you’re willing or not willing to play in the body of the comment.
3. tag by rolling for an alternate universe setting using rng.
4. or tag by picking whatever au you’d like to play in most.
5. have fun!

alternate universes
i - all human: in an all human au, characters who are canonically vampires, werewolves or superheroes, are now humans, with corresponding changes to their backstories.

ii - apocalypse: a portmanteau of "apocalypse fic", apocafic is fiction set during or after some sort of apocalypse, or end of the world. some canons carry a built-in apocalypse against which the protagonists are fighting: in apocafic, they lose. for example, apocafic in stargate and x-files is usually set after the alien occupation; supernatural apocafic is set on a demon-controlled earth.

iii - band: an alternate universe in which the characters are members in, or form a band. often, the instruments they plan and their roles in the band are analogous to their canon identities. for example, tony stark might be cast as the fame-hungry lead singer who is also a musical genius, or river tam might be a classically trained pianist who, after a terrible experience at julliard, writes songs for mal reynold's grunge rock band, serenity.

iv - circus: circus aus are a popular trope in fanfic and sometimes fanart. using a circus as a setting means introducing the characters to each other in a close-knit community. that can help break down barriers between them and make them bond together against the outside world which may not understand them as well as the other characters do. it also brings a sense of adventure and the idea that this world may have different rules and everything is possible. a circus can also be a good place for characters to go undercover and meet the love of their lives.

v - coffee shop: the barista au (or coffeeshop au, or the closely related bakery au) is a popular fanfiction trope in livejournal fandoms. in most cases, one half of the main pairing is the barista and the other is or becomes their favorite customer; in some stories the whole cast works at a coffee shop. this trope is especially popular in fandoms where one character is very attached to coffee, either in canon or in fanon, or is frequently stressed.

vi - college/high school: college fic is a popular genre of fanfic (less often a genre of fanart) that places characters together in college or another secondary institution such as the starfleet academy in star trek fic (then called "academy fic"). this can be canon stories, for example backstory if characters have or could have met during college, or college aus, similar to high school aus. in science fiction, historical or fantasy fandoms the present day college au is a popular subgenre of the modern au that puts fantastic or historical characters in more mundane everyday settings.

vii - cop/detective: an alternate universe in which the characters are cast as cops or investigators of some kind. often, the canon villain is also cast as the villain in the story. this might be set in modern times, or in a noir-like environment, complete with gangsters and femme fatales.

viii - daemons: his dark materials is a fantasy trilogy by philip pullman. the trilogy consists of the golden compass (1995; published in the uk as northern lights), the subtle knife (1997), and the amber spyglass (2000). there are currently two companion novellas: lyra's oxford (2003) and once upon a time in the north (2008). a movie adaptation of the first book was released in theatres in late 2007. humans have their souls living outside their body in the form of an animal companion. males have female souls and females have male souls. the animals often correspond to the character’s personality.

ix - fantasy: an alternate universe populated with fantastical characters like elves, dwarves, unicorns, sorcerers, and dragons. canon characters might be cast as analogous races (e.g. clint barton or katniss everdeen as elf archers) or they might be humans in a fantastical setting. characters also might be able to secretly shape-shift into another form, like a dragon, and therefore is related closely to were/vampire/supernatural aus.

x - historical: a historical au is a fanwork which moves characters into a different historical period than their canon setting. typically this involves taking "contemporary" characters (from the late 20th century or 21st century) and putting them in an earlier historical period (such as the 19th century or before). popular settings for historical aus include: pirates, america's old west, britain's regency period, ancient rome, a vague facsimile of medieval england such as robin hood, and many others.

xi - hooker/porn/stripper: hookerfic is a type of fanfic where one or more of the characters is a sex worker. there are many different types of hookerfic, ranging from more realistic depictions to the more common pretty woman-type fantasy of a hooker with a heart of gold, rescued from life on the streets by a client. sex work of all kinds is portrayed—brothels, escorts, street prostitution, "call-girls" as well as strippers and go-go boys.

xii - magic: magic aus are alternate universe fanworks that incorporate magic in fandoms where there is no magic present in canon. (or in some cases, fanworks that make a canon with magic more magical.) they differ from elf aus in that there may be magic without any elves showing up, and are opposites of all human and mundane aus.

xiii - neighbors/roomates: an alternate universe where the canon characters live next-door to one another, or in the same apartment building or complex, or in the same apartment. often, this is also an all-human au, if the canon characters are powered in some way. the forced proximity is usually used to create romantic tension between characters.

xiv - space/sci-fi: a space au is an alternate universe where a source set on earth is transported into space; works are often referred to as "[fandom] in spaaaaaaaaace!" the trope can be a form of crackfic, but often includes surprisingly serious reinterpretations of the most earthbound of sources, particularly historical fiction written or set before space exploration. cyberpunk trappings such as robots, cyborgs and ais are often included.

xv - steampunk: steampunk was originally a term for a sub-genre of speculative fiction that imitated 19th century "scientific romances" like the work of jules verne and h.g. wells. later, the term was applied to a general aesthetic involving styles that would be "futuristic" from the perspective of the 19th century. steampunk appears in fanworks as both a genre and an aesthetic. there are some fandoms for which the canon is steampunk(-ish), e.g. the secret adventures of jules verne, but more often it is found as steampunk alternate universe.

xvi - western: the western is a genre of fiction set in the later half of the 19th century in the western part of north america, especially the united states, but also canada and mexico. sometimes also included in the genre are stories about western-type characters and plots in other settings, e.g. "space westerns" (in science fiction settings) and contemporary westerns (set in the western part of contemporary north america).

xvii - were/vamp/supernatural: a reversal of the all-human, in these fics characters who are normally human are now supernatural creatures of some kind the most common being werewolves or vampires.

xviii - choose your own: self-explanatory! choose your own option.

( taken from here. )

Comments

[6collegecredits]

I am deeply offended that you would assume such a thing! As if that were the only reason I would come asking for some sugar.

[She's not saying no, though.]

[trickstering]

So, yes.

[why is this his life]

[thatoneradiohost]

[Both of Cecil's eyebrows shot up at the other man's statements. What a happy surprise!]

You heard my show? Isn't that just the cat's meow? I didn't think our little signal could even make it that far! We just got all of the equipment set up, and let me tell you, it sure beats standing in the town square and shout-

[Cecil paused, realizing he still held the other's hand. He dropped the hold and glanced around.he didn't see anything too out of the ordinary.]

What is what?

[ospreyed]

Jemima? Jocelyn. John. James. Jake.

[It takes time, dear.]

Whatever you want, Jade, Jordan, Joy, Janet, Jean, Josephine.

[mountainofevidence]

[Carlos barely registers the overlong shake. Later, he might.]

I thought... no, never mind.

[He rubs his eyes, assuring himself he absolutely, 100%, did NOT just see anything with wings right there. And it definitely wasn't colored black. Or smiling.

A mirage. No wonder. After staring across the flat scrublands so long, it's really amazing he's not seeing more! Pulling off his hat, Carlos runs a hand through his hair in embarrassment. What an excellent first impression here!]

Sorry, it's been a long drive!

[amounts]

( Her fingers drum against her ribcage, and she tries to look as unfazed as possible as Eponine goes through her long list of various names. )

Okay, Whatever You Want. If you wanna waste your time guessing, then that's on you.

Fun Ghoul ♦ True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

[fangool]

[harder]

I'm in the mood for a cheeseburger anyway.

[He makes a left turn at a light, knowing the closest fast food places by heart - if only because he's made a couple of late night runs since they've started holing up in the studio to record their new album.]

Like right now? Where the hell would we go? The Ellen Show?

[He sends a little smirk her way. Because that's at least two hours out.]

[6collegecredits]

Do you have sugar or not?

[divine punishment, perhaps?]

SCREAMS I was way too excited to even read this for a while

[bottlearum]

[ The first time they're told no, Jack was angry. Because, he rationalized when he and Ivan were alone, what was the point of cataloging everyone on base as drift compatible if they weren't even going to acknowledge that compatibility? Besides, he'd continued, wouldn't they know they were drift compatible before anyone else would? Wasn't that the entire point of being drift compatibility?

But the higher ups had said no. And, if they were anyone else, that would have been the end of it.

But they weren't anyone else, and Jack had never been a solider. He wasn't used to taking orders, and he was not about to let them randomly assign someone to him when he knows he and Ivan are right.

And so, they asked again.

And again.

And again. Until finally -- finally -- they'd gotten a "yes".

He's fairly sure the higher ups are looking to make an example of them. "This is what happens," They'll say to all the recruits, both new and old. "...when you drift with someone you're not compatible with. So make sure to always listen to us, and don't be like Ivan Braginski and Jack Sparrow."

But he doesn't care. He knows this will work. He's more certain of this than anything else in his life.

So, there they are, only moments away from their first drift, Jack with more adrenaline than blood in his veins and completely unable to remain standing still. When Ivan nudges his shoulder, Jack turns and nudges him back, one last look, one last touch before the drift. Then Jack grins so wide he's afraid he'll split his face in two and says, ]

Ready.

dsfasdf omg ;w;/

[za_rodina]

[Certainly Ivan never expected to find his co-pilot in the man at his side -- in all honest, Ivan half-expected to never find a co-pilot here among the trainees. He was cold and aloof, seemingly arrogant in the focus and drive Ivan held. His purpose was to become a Ranger, to step foot in a jaeger and protect the coast like he could not protect his family.

Perhaps it is that regret which drew him here, to the PPDC, and further to Jack's side. He doesn't know, he doesn't care. Right now, there is a steady building well for revenge and the need to prove that he's good enough, that they're good enough. Maybe the higher ups want to make an example of them, maybe they want to see them fail, but where Jack is unorthodox chaos, the very antithesis of a soldier, Ivan is fury honed into a sharp edge blade. He is poise and order and a hollow cavern beneath his ribs where once a heart beat. It is only now, after months with Jack beside him, that Ivan knows how to smile, knows how to laugh, knows the righteous anger of one denied and belittled.

They edge together like dogs hitched to a sled, eager to run, all long fidgeting limbs and bared teeth, gaze bright and aware. Ivan needn't say anything more, soon enough Jack will be nestled there in his mind, and so he doesn't. LOCCENT starts the count (Preparing for Neural Handshake in 15 seconds), and Ivan simply closes his eyes, the warmth of Jack pressed against his shoulder more than he expected.

10

There's noise, like a tidal wave of static through LOCCENT's comms above them. It makes his smirk edge sharper, knowing people are waiting to see them fail.

5

He can't wait to see their faces, vicious glee settling in his bones.

3

Silence, like the hush of a crowd before a move.

2

He breathes in--

1

--and out.

The Drift blossoms like the unfurling petals of a lotus, blue and chaotic and grasping at all the little tendrils that make him him. Ivan is lost, fighting, he gasps for air and it sticks in his throat like tears, faces and memories and emotions rushing past until he doesn't know which way is up and which way is down, until he doesn't know whether he is Ivan or Jack or both. But they're there in the blue ink of their shared canvas-mind, and he screams Jack's name, hand grasping out to touch the outstretched fingers and then they are drifting. Really drifting, minds melded together in a point that is IvanandJack, two minds in one being. They breathe in, eyes flying open to see the dual vision of the simulation room and behind the glass of the observatory they can see the shock written upon faces and it's like the scent of fear to a hunting pack. Their mouths stretch in matching wolfish grins, teeth white against the pale curves of lips.]

[hacker_republic]

The girlfriend is the woman?

[She was certain it was, although she didn't spend alot of time researching into her backstory. Honestly, she wasn't very interesting. Armansky would've criticized her for sure for that lack of attention.]

I'll give you detailed report.

[She barely lets Fortescue to reply when she turned and headed out the door back to her dark office to finish her research.]

[ospreyed]

That's the shittiest dad joke ever, y'know, Joanna, Joan, Joyce, June, Janice, Judy, Jolene.

/breathes heavily on. HAVE SOME TL;DR.

[bottlearum]

[ Jack's lived out of the backseat of a car as long as he can remember.

Having grown up a hunter, Jack's a tad bit more used to traveling eight hours and up, on backroads, listening to nothing but classic rock, followed by crashing at a cheap, broken down hotel and doing it all again the next day. It's simply the lifestyle of a hunter, and except for a few years he'd worked for the FBI, Jack doesn't really know anything else.

By contrast, Hector Barbossa is very new at hunting, and tends to complain and bitch about things like, not having a lot of space in Jack's small car, because Hector is a giant and Jack's car only has two doors.

Jack had tried to warn him. He'd told Hector that hunting mean traveling. But, of course, Hector had just ignored Jack's warnings and bulldozed his way into Jack's car, nonetheless.

Hector has no one to blame but himself, really.

And so, Jack ignores the looks of death and destruction that Hector is sending his way, because Jack hasn't actually done anything but drive his car since Hector woke up being a complete grouch. Instead, he rolls his eyes. ]

Didn't get it out of a tabloid, mate. Don't care much what Kim Kardashian thinks about ghosts.

[ He huffs. He hates giving exposition, but since Hector, apparently, doesn't pay attention when Jack speaks, he supposes he doesn't have much of a choice. He gestures with one hand as he speaks, the other on the steering wheel. ]

A whole bunch of people have gone missin' in Hardin, Texas. A few of the bodies have showed up, and they were either dead from blood loss, or poisoned and in a coma.

[ He glances over a Hector, raising his eyebrows as he does so, before turning his attention back to the road. ]

Sounds like we're huntin' a djinn to me, mate.

[wisper]

[ He grimaces somewhat, the smile making his lip sting, and sets the water bottle on her desk. Finn sets the ice pack on his knee so that he can lean down and get his laces loosened enough to take off his shoes, though he's momentarily distracted by the finger-shaped bruises blooming on his forearm. When did this become okay?

[ Shoes off, Finn sighs to himself and moves them closer to the door before sitting down again. ] It wouldn't be the first time I've slept in my clothes. ... Thank you again, Glen, really. I owe you. [ Another phone buzz. He ignores it. ]

[amounts]

( There's a small scowl at that. ) You sure are trying awfully hard.

[wintershepherd]

Today, Rapunzel was in luck as there was an unusual trail of disturbed ion matter like something had skated through it... like a wake. And there, moving against the backdrop of stars was a very small ship with elegant long vertical nacelles that trailed behind like sails, giving the whole thing vaguely the shape of an angelfish. But where there should have been a cool pulse of blue light for the engines, instead there were only flickers tainted with a reddish orange light and the ship was limping along rather than gliding smoothly through the backdrop of stars.

As though the ship seemed to spot the satellite at the same time as Rapunzel identified it, its nose turned in her direction and it began heading straight for them.

[selfemployed]

[ She laughs a little at that, glancing for a moment in the direction the vibration is coming from. ] I won't ask about the other times. Though, um, maybe we should put that on silent til morning and then promptly delete all your messages.

[ Just a suggestion. She knows it's none of her business, but even thinking about whatever bullshit apologies or excuses his brother might have for Finn is pissing her off.

She's already comfortable, having gotten out of her party clothes over an hour ago and into what she'd been planning on sleeping in. She grabs the ice pack again before rolling onto the bed -- maybe it'll help coax him asleep in addition to lessening the swelling of the bruises. ] C'mere, get comfy.

lolol rolled neighbors-roommates AU

[avoirfaim]

[When his terribly rude next door neighbor had passed (not by his hand, unfortunately, but likely for the best), Hannibal was glad he didn't do his experiments in his own home. The apartment was too small, in too public a space with little privacy outside his locked door. With a detective now as his neighbor, he knew the decision to rent a cabin a few miles out of town had been one of his better ideas. This was too new to flaunt; not yet.

When Will Graham of the Baltimore PD moved in next door, Doctor Hannibal Lecter poured himself a glass of wine and thought.

The smell of spices wafted through his apartment and through the walls they shared, as he cooked a trucker who had given him an attitude two months past on the road. Tough, fatty, perfect for a bouillabaisse. Once he's finished he knocks on his new neighbors door with a pot and a bottle of red. ]

[utilizes]

Good.

[she wouldn't have taken no for an answer, anyway. one way or another, erica knows how to get her way.

at the mention of the ellen show, erica scoffs, rolling her eyes like it's her job.]

As if you'd be able to sit through it. I'm serious, though. Let's go somewhere. Maybe do a surprise show in another state.

[she takes her heel off the dashboard to lean forward and open the compartment, searching for a spare iphone charger that she keeps in jackson's car for emergencies. if he ends up agreeing with her, she'll need to send a few messages out and make sure her phone doesn't die from the usage (it's practically dead now, too. there's always something coming in, be it email or a dozen texts).]

Don't you wanna do something other than sit around and wait for our agent to call us?

[onlyawarrior]

I am allowed free drinks during the day. Offering you one of them instead will hardly lose me my job.

[That sounds like a "yes" to him, at least based on what he knows about Loki. Thor glances at the shop door one last time before moving from behind the counter and going to sit across from Loki at the table where he's settled his laptop.]

Is something wrong?

[Other than the financial problems that he's deduced on his own... which could be enough to cause a bad mood in anybody.]

[jotunblooded]

[Thor should have better people to spend free drinks on, himself included. Loki rolls his eyes at this reply, but his back is to Thor when he does so. To people he actually likes, Loki is not impossibly impolite. And he does like Thor. the rather barbed invitation was most definitely a "yes".

He sets the cup down on the table beside the laptop and settles into his chair, already staring fixedly at the screen when Thor sits down across from him. Already frowning at the document open before him, at the words he'd let trail off last night in a fit of frustration.

Loki looks up in mild surprise at Thor's question...and then sighs, loking away, staring at nothing. He wars with himself for a moment about how best to answer. The fact that he's going through some financial problems is probably really quite obvious at this point, he knows...but maybe that means he doesn't have to come out and actually say it.]

Deadlines. [He gives a half-shrug.] The woes of every writer, I expect.

1/2

[oversight]

[ To be fair, he probably looks pretty put-together for a guy that just raced across campus, but hey, beggars can't be choosers. He nods and raises a hand to wave, not quite starstruck, but still a little dazzled. ]

[oversight]

[ Time passes and Blake's regular shift at the coffee shop ensures they miss each other much more often than not. The semester comes and goes and when the next one starts, there's no Blake in class, and no e-mail in Crowley's inbox.

It's three weeks in before a shift change puts Blake right back at the bar when Crowley comes in. Someone else is there to take his order, though, unenthusiastic and silently expectant. ]

[goesdown]

[ Crowley comes to this place often, but he's surprised to not see Blake again. It's not as if it's a constant thought, but he would be lying if he said that he hadn't kept an eye out for him. It's not every day that a cute young man flirts back like that.

He rattles off a predictably complicated order to the young woman taking his order and then casually glances around, as he's done every time he's been in here since they met, but this time he's not disappointed for once. ]

John Blake.

[ He smiles and casually leans on the counter, ignoring the unimpressed looked from the woman who'd taken his order. ]

I didn't see you on my roster.