mememaker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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bakerstreet2017-01-10 10:43 pm
mememaker) wrote in bakerstreet2017-01-10 10:43 pm
(no subject)
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.
no subject
Gabriel lets out a breath, tries to relax, but it's hard. He's still in pain. His body wants to fight, wants to react to the pain the only way he knows how - by eliminating the person causing it. But the pain wasn't being caused by a person. It was caused two months ago by a roadside IED, and he can't destroy that.
Still, her hands on his left thigh are working out the tension, and as the tension goes, the pain starts to ease at last, the muscles stiff from being tensed for so long managing to relax. Gabriel breathes out again, and a lot of the tension goes with it. He slumps a little, arms softening, then lets his eyes open just a little, watching Angela through his eyelashes.
no subject
Once the muscles have relaxed beneath her touch, at least enough for now, she'll lower his thigh back to the bench with a gentle pat before reaching for his other, fingertips resting gently at his knee as he breathes, long and low and trying to ease the agony that's sunk its claws into him. But finally he slumps forward and she feels his eyes on her, offering up another little smile and a tilt of her head, ponytail curling at her shoulder. At the very least there's understanding in her eyes, and not an ounce of pity to be found. Also the certainty that he can get through this, and the pride that she's there to help.
Just a brief way to feel him out and make sure he'll be able to stand, even if it's just to pivot on his good leg while she hefts most of his weight to ease him back into the wheelchair, then she can get him through to the private rooms in the back. He looks a little more relaxed, though it's more defeated by pain than actual ease of comfort.
"When was your last massage?"
Angela will give him a moment to relish the moment of respite, for now, but she wants to get him up as soon as he's ready to move.
no subject
He looks Angela over. She's looking at him patiently, steadily, her hand light on his knee. "Do you want me to get up?" He shifts a little, glances to his wheelchair - it's clunky, but it gets him around, even if it makes his butt fall asleep after a while. He got onto the bench by himself to wait, and he's sure he can get himself back into the wheelchair.
no subject
She's smiling to see him relaxed as well as the little quirk there at his lips, feeling out his leg through the thick material of his sweats to determine much of what he'd already said, as well as give her an idea of the damage. She can feel the muscle loss and the damage, the thick scars settling up along the inside of his leg. The burns.
"When you're ready. It's fine to take a few moments; I'm in no rush."
When he is ready, however, he won't have to do it alone.
no subject
He pulls it over, but has to take a few steadying breaths. His arms are still weak - damaged themselves in the blast - and getting himself back into the chair was always tough.
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Angela's an only child herself and her parents were lost to the Gulf war when she was young, but she enjoys hearing about other people's families. Watching them grow animated in describing various personalities surrounding them, the love or annoyance they shared, those brief moments where pain was set aside to touch on loved ones.
She helps him get the chair in place and sets the locks on the wheels for stability, and when he takes those deep, measured breaths, she offers him an arm to help heft up his weight when he's ready, bracing her foot against his so he can't slide forward.
"If I can help— I promise I won't drop you."
no subject
But he's surprised that she's offering to help him. Still, he's not going to refuse. He nods and moves.
Even with her help, though, it's hard. He has to push off with his other hand and balance however briefly on a leg which wanted nothing more than to give out under him. Then he's turning and being deposited into the chair, and Angela doesn't so much as waver under his weight.
He lets out a breath as he sits, grimacing as he lifts his right leg up to get his foot on the rest - he should have used his hand to lift his leg instead of just the damaged muscles, but it's too late to change that, at least. Gabriel leans back, shifts to try to get more comfortable, then looks up at Angela. "I'll follow you." He wasn't so weak still that he couldn't push himself. He didn't like when nurses tried to push him, the least because pushing himself gave his arms a workout.
no subject
Maybe she could have had someone to share the rough nights with, also, but those were behind her. She's grown now, leading her own life and supporting herself. Those years were long gone with only a distant cousin that came from Switzerland to mind her, taking her back for most of her formative years. An older not-quite-related Uncle from Germany who was as loud as he was kind, a giant of a man that never hesitated to bounce her on his knee and scoop her up into the air to perch on his shoulder some seven feet up. (Surely everyone around her had nearly had heart attacks when he ran with her, but she'd just clutched onto that lion's mane of grey hair and peals of laughter joined his roars— she hadn't had a bad life by any stretch.)
With Gabriel's arm braced with her own and her other steadying him by his waist, she takes a portion of his weight on herself and helps ease him into his chair, not quite quick enough to help him lift his foot onto the pedal before he's doing it himself. He also announces his intentions to follow her before she'd ever think to assume she'd push his chair, always something she holds back on to gauge whether someone would prefer to do it themselves or they'd fold their hands in their lap and wait.
"Right this way then, Colonel."
It's not a long trip across the exercise room and into the back, at least, and they pass the little shower stall to one of two rooms with low massage tables set up. It'll be easy to get him onto, at least, and by the end she should be able to roll him right off like a gelatinous puddle.
"And I'll need you down to your skivvies, please."
Offering him a hand once again to help him out of the chair and onto the padded table, about mid-thigh height on her.
no subject
The massage room she leads him in to is already ready. It'll be harder to get on to than the bench - it's taller, for one, and he's already exerted himself getting himself out and and back into the chair recently once. "Alright," he says with a nod, and lets her help him up onto the table.
He's a bit sweaty from the effort, but immediately moves to unzip his hoodie. He tosses it to the wheelchair, then draws the t-shirt he was wearing off over his head. His shoulders complain, but not too loudly, and then he's bare-chested.
Gabriel's chest is thick with more scarring - many of which are fresh and pink or white still. Each piece of shrapnel had left him with its own scar. There were still a few floating around in his body - not causing any harm, and luckily also little pain. Gabriel rubs his hand over his chest, not shy at all, then tells Angela with a small smile on his face, "I didn't wear my pretty underwear today, sorry Doc."
no subject
Sweat has never deterred her, especially not after getting a handle of his pain and what he's already exerted himself with as he sheds his jacket and then his shirt, revealing the scared plane of his torso. She recognizes the grisly work of an explosive at close range and the wounds healed over but still fresh, still sensitive to a degree— it took months for damaged nerves to die down and he rubs a calloused hand over his chest, still thick with muscle even being out of commission for a couple months. She can only imagine him at the peak of his career, out on the field. Lieutenant Colonels got off a little easier, but Marines always worked hard and played tough.
The joke almost catches her off-guard but the twinkle of laughter it earns comes easily, taking the damp towel she'd retrieved from his neck to set about wiping him down from the shoulders to his arms, his chest, then she'd get his back once he's laid down. There's a sheet over the worn leather of the table but it was still more comfortable and easier to accept someone's touch if you felt clean.
"I didn't either, but you show me yours and I'll show you mine."
A wink accompanies that, but so does a hand at the waist of her scrubs to reveal a hip, beating him to the punch— a band of creamy lace and silky sea-foam material, because much as you give respect to get respect, you have to offer trust to be trusted. A glimpse of her panties wasn't going to get her fired if she's expecting him to offer the same.
no subject
Laid bare on the table, it's clear to see that nearly every inch of Gabriel's front is pocked with shrapnel scars, and a fair chunk of his sides and back as well.
no subject
The glance that rakes over him is brief, pinpointing tension still largely focused at his legs, but now she can see the scarring she'd felt beneath his sweats and the angry color where they hurt the most, still healing. It took well over a year for even the littlest of scars to fade, but these likely had little chance of disappearing without corrective surgery later down the road. First, they'd had to save his life— there is nothing pretty about that. The important thing to note, if he's watching her, is that she doesn't mind his scars in the least. What he gets instead is:
"Now, how did you know blue's my favorite color? 'Not my pretty underwear', he says."
Angela hits the hydraulic lift to silently raise the table to a comfortable height for her to work and settles near his leg, depositing a little dollop of oil in her hand to rub together, warming it between her palms and feeling the gentle warming tingle of cinnamon before slender fingers encase his ankle, smoothing right up his leg as the oil spreads clear to the hem of his briefs, then she works it back down. Her touch is gentle along his scarring as the spiced smell of cinnamon vanilla fills her nose— it wasn't fair to say it smelled like her so much as she grew to smell like the oils she used every day, earthy vanilla and woods with that soft spice creeping in, urging his muscles to relax as she begins to knead from the thigh down. Her touch alone thanks him for his service, each soft brush tracing and softening a scar saying how well his body did healing, thankful. Appreciation, not pity. He survived. These marks over his body were the proof of that.
no subject
He closes his eyes and just enjoys her massaging his leg. She's firm, but not too rough on his still-sore leg and fresh scars. He sighs then says, after a moment, "If those aren't your pretty panties, I can only imagine what your nice ones look like." His voice is soft, and comes off as more wondering than actually curious.
His leg twitches as she presses her thumb into a particularly dense sit of scarring, and he winces.
no subject
But his comeback gets a soft huff of a laugh out of her and she just shakes her head, focusing on her work. When his leg twitches in her hand as she works into a knotted bit of scarring, though, she eases up and glances to see him wince. "I'm sorry— the skin's healing taut, I'll work on keeping this loose for you. I know they're sore but if you ever do this at home, you should focus on the scarring."
no subject