I don't like Mondays, so let's play in an Alternate Universe

[squidgiepdx]

Hello, everyone. I’m squidgiepdx and today's theme is that great old standby, "Alternate Universes". Now there are any number of ways that you can interpret that, because you know since there's an infinite number of universes, there's an infinite number of places you can drop your characters into and make them perform how you want. Maybe Benton Fraser is an underwear model and Kowalski is the advertising executive that literally found him on the street. (Yes, I know - literally. But in this case, finding Fraser on the street is kinda normal). Or maybe you can imagine the headline, "Evan Lorne, Pastry Chef Extraordinaire". Could you see Steve Rogers not as Captain America, but running a pet store when Bucky walks in for the first time? Whatever you can think of when it comes to Alternate Universes, today's the day!

Just a few rules:
No more than five prompts in a row.
No more than three prompts in the same fandom.
Use the character's full names and fandom's full name for ease adding to the Lonely Prompts spreadsheet.
No spoilers in prompts for a month after airing, or use the spoiler cut option found here.
If your fill contains spoilers, warn and leave plenty of space, or use the spoiler cut.
If there are possible triggers in your story, please warn for them in the subject line!

Prompts should be formatted as follows: [Use the character's full names and fandom's full name]
Fandom, Character +/ Character, Prompt

Some examples to get the ball rolling...
+ due South, Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski, Ray discovers Fraser and has him audition to be an underwear model.
+ Stargate Atlantis/Any, Evan Lorne/Any, "Evan Lorne, Pastry Chef Extraordinaire"
+ MCU, Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes, They met when Steve opened a pet store

We use AO3 to bookmark filled prompts. If you fill a prompt and post it to AO3 please add it to the Bite Sized Bits of Fic from 2019 collection. See further notes on this new option here.

Not feeling any of today’s prompts? Check out Lonely Prompts Spreadsheet 1 (not very current), Lonely Prompts Spreadsheet 2, or the Calendar Archives, or for more recent prompts, you can use LJ's advanced search options to find prompts to request and/or fill.

While the Lonely Prompts Spreadsheets and LJ's advanced search options are available, bookmarking the links of prompts you like might work better for searching for in the future.


tag=alternate universe

Comments

[squidgiepdx]

due South, Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski, Ray discovers Fraser and has him audition to be an underwear model.

[squidgiepdx]

Stargate Atlantis/Any, Evan Lorne/Any, "Evan Lorne, Pastry Chef Extraordinaire"

[squidgiepdx]

MCU, Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes, They met when Steve opened a pet store

[sharpiesgal.livejournal.com]

Bucky sighed as he pushed the door to the store open. He wasn't hopeful that he would find the right pet for him since this would be the fifth place he had visited in as many days.

He still thought his therapist was crazy when he suggested that Bucky get a pet to help with his PTSD.

He would humor the man because he highly doubted any animal or any human for that matter would help him deal with all the shit he had seen and done to survive as a POW.

A slender blonde looked up from the display he was putting together to greet him. "Hi. My name's Steve," he said. "What kind of a pet are you looking for?"

Bucky suddenly found himself tongue-tied and mesmerized by Steve's deep blue eyes. "Umm... I'm not sure really," he stuttered.

Steve smiled and said, "Okay. Let's start with where you live. Is it a house or an apartment?"

Bucky looked down at his feet and kicked himself for falling all over himself because of a pair of pretty eyes. Once he was in control of himself, he looked up and answered, "An apartment."

Steve nodded. "Does your landlord have any rules against having a pet? Like does it have to be able to survive underwater for forty-eight hours?"

"No, Tony isn't that much of a stickler," Bucky chuckled. "Just no reptiles."

"I can work with that," Steve remarked. "I'm not completely set up to handle them. I just opened this store a couple of weeks ago."

Bucky nodded. "So you're new to the city?"

"Kinda," Steve replied. "I haven't lived here for years. I just got out of the Army and decided to come home."

"And the pet store?"

"I like animals," Steve answered with a slight shrug. "What about you?"

"I got out of the Army a couple of months ago, and like you I use to live around here," Bucky told Steve. "My therapist suggested I get a pet, so here I am."

It was Steve's turn to nodded. "Do you like dogs or cats?"

"I like both, but with my crazy work schedule a cat might be all I can handle," Bucky explained.

"In that case, I might have the perfect cat for you," Steve said with a shy grin as he led Bucky further into the store. "His name is Patrick. He's part Manx and part American Short Hair. He is a very laid back cat."

Bucky looked into the cage where Patrick was curled up and sleeping. He found himself instantly attracted to the cat. "Can I pet him?"

"Sure," Steve eagerly said. He opened the cage, which caused Patrick to open one eye to investigate. "You were playing possum, weren't you?"

Patrick lifted his head and shot Steve a dirty look before uncurling, stretching and walking to the open door.

Bucky chuckled. He let Patrick sniff his right hand not wanting to scare him or Steve with his metal one. "He certainly has attitude."

"Yes, he does," Steve agreed. "But only when he first wakes up."

"Yeah, I'm not much of a morning person myself," Bucky quipped. "So how much?"

Steve quoted Bucky a price, and Bucky found himself happy to pay it plus buying the supplies he would need to make Patrick feel at home in his apartment.

Steve helped him load everything into his car with Patrick going in last.

Bucky then turned to Steve and did something totally unexpected for him. "You want to go get coffee sometime?"

"I would like that," Steve answered his shy grin reappearing.

"Okay," Bucky said feeling optimistic for first time in weeks. "I'll give you a call."

"I'll be looking forward to hearing from you," Steve said before walking back into the store to take care of another customer.

Bucky smiled as he slid into his car. He programmed Steve's number into his phone before looking at the cat sleeping contentedly in his carrier. "Let's go home and get you settled in, because your human has a date."

The only response he got was a loud purr.

Bucky laughed, and then drove them back to his apartment and their new life together.

[squidgiepdx]

Stargate Atlantis, John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Veterinarian AU

[squidgiepdx]

Hawaii Five-0, Steve McGarrett/Danny Williams, Hospital AU

Fill: McDanno + Rodney McKay, Atlantis Medical Group 'verse

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

“Way to go,” Danny said. “You pissed everyone off and we’ve only been here a day.”

Steve shrugged. “It needed to be done. They’ll come around.”

He and Danny were sitting on their new couch in their new apartment, Steve rubbing Danny’s feet, unpacked boxes stacked up everywhere. They’d barely rolled into town when Steve, the new Medical Director at Hammond Memorial Hospital, had called a meeting of all the department heads.

“The ones who still have their jobs? Or the ones you just fired?”

“The ones I just fired are holding HMH back from being a great hospital. We’ll get new staff to replace them. Better staff.”

Danny rolled his eyes. “Oh, is that all? Because it’s not like there’s a shortage of medical professionals right now or anything.”

“They’ll come, especially once our reputation gets around. Plus, we have a secret weapon.”

“Dr. McKay.”

Every doctor worth their salt knew about Dr. McKay. He was the top diagnostician in the country, and they were lucky that he maintained an office at Hammond Memorial even though he was also an administrator for Atlantis Medical Group. Quality doctors were drawn to other quality doctors and, despite his tendency to be acerbic and impatient, people would jump at the chance to be associated with him.

Danny had been through it all before. Steve was notorious for taking floundering hospitals and remaking them, often through drastic measures. It didn’t always make them popular, but the results spoke for themselves.

“Babe, I hope you’re not putting all your eggs in McKay’s basket. Did you see how mad he was?” Danny poked Steve’s stomach with his toes.

“He’ll come around,” Steve said, sounding as sure of himself as usual. The man had an over-abundance of confidence. And really deft fingers; no-one gave a foot massage like Steve.

“You willing to put some money on that?”

“Only if you want to lose money.”

Danny moved his foot, rubbing his heel against Steve’s crotch. “How about this. I win, you give me a killer blowjob. You win, you give me a killer blowjob.”

“That hardly seems fair,” Steve replied. He spread his legs, giving Danny better access.

“As a matter of fact –” Danny started to say, when he was interrupted by some very loud and persistent knocking on the front door. “You gonna get that?”

“You’re the head of security,” Steve pointed out.

Not surprisingly, it was Dr. McKay at the door.

“Dr. McGarrett, we need to talk.”

Danny let him in, hiding his grin. Regardless of the outcome of the impromptu meeting, a blowjob was imminent. The rest would sort itself out, like it always did.

In the meantime, he’d put some coffee on. Danny had it on good authority that Dr. McKay was easier to deal with when he was fully caffeinated. He wasn’t wrong about that, though he was wrong about Dr. McKay not sticking around under Steve’s leadership.

The blowjob did not disappoint.

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

Sherlock (BBC), Any, Western AU

Not a fill

[vanillafluffy.livejournal.com]

But it certainly as possibilities!

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Lucifer, Lucifer Morningstar+/Chloe Decker (plus as many other characters as you want to squeeze in), Rock star A.U.

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

Stargate Multiverse, Any, Lawyer AU

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

Stargate Atlantis, Rodney McKay/Evan Lorne, Arcade AU

Not a fill (yet), but...

[squidgiepdx]

...is 'arcade' up for interpretation? It has one meaning in the gaming realm, and a completely different one in the, umm, 'adult' realm. ::grin::

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

Any, Any, 1960s AU

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

Any K-drama, Any, Stargate Multiverse AU

Fill: To Be Continued/SGA

[nagi-schwarz.livejournal.com]

Sanha bounded across the mess hall and plopped into the chair beside Jinjin. “I was just talking to Ahrin in Ops. You know what she said?”

“Not yet, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.” Jinjin didn’t look up from his food.

Sanha was practically vibrating with energy. “We’re going offworld!”

Jinjin looked up sharply. “What? When?”

“I haven’t heard when Director Kang has scheduled the briefing for,” Sanha said.

Bin cast Jinjin a look. “I thought we were on security rotation for another six weeks before Colonel Im would let us offworld.”

“I thought so too,” Jinjin said, sitting back, thinking. He was the only member of his team with any prior gate experience. Sanha was fresh off of Parris Island but had the Gene in spades and boundless energy. Bin was a solid, experienced Marine, had done a couple of tours before being assigned to the Program. He, too, had a strong natural Gene.

Rocky said nothing. He’d been assigned to their team after Seonhyeok’s team had run into him offworld. He was a Runner, had seen his entire planet decimated. Till he cleared the psych hold and did some basic training so he was familiar with SGC protocol, he wasn’t cleared for offworld travel either.

“Any word on what the mission will be?” Bin asked.

Sanha nodded. “Nothing too scary. Not going to a Wraith-infested planet or anything. Just escorting a couple of scientists. Dr. Kim from Botany and Dr. Cha from anthropology.”

Jinjin had a good working relationship with MJ Kim. He was bright and bubbly without being manic like Sanha could be sometimes. “I don’t know Dr. Cha.”

“The pretty one,” Rocky said.

Jinjin sat up straighter. “Wait, that Dr. Cha? I thought only Seonhyeok’s team was allowed to escort him offworld.” He started out of his chair. “No. I’m telling Director Kang no.”

“Why?” Sanha protested. “He doesn’t have a reputation for being mean. Does he?” He turned to Rocky and Bin, enquiring.

“He has a reputation for being kidnapped, shanghaied into alien shotgun weddings, purchased for alien harems, and sometimes being accused of witchcraft due to his face,” Jinjin said. “He’s trouble. I refuse to subject my team to that level of risk.”

“So...basically he’s Daniel Jackson?” Bin asked.

“I’m no Jack O’Neill.” Jinjin abandoned his lunch tray and headed for the nearest transporter.

“But I want to go offworld!” Sanha called after him.

Fifteen minutes later, Director Kang said, “I’m sorry, Captain Park, but Dr. Cha is the only member of the expedition who has any experience with this language.”

Dr. Cha, standing beside Jinjin, said nothing.

“Can we...I don’t know, put a bag over his head till we make it through the populated area of the planet?” Jinjin asked.

“Captain!”

“I’m only thinking of my team’s safety.”

Dr. Cha said, “I’ll wear a sick mask, a hat, and sunglasses.”

“Eunwoo,” Director Kang protested.

“It’s that or take a knife to my face,” he said flatly.

Jinjin winced. “I didn’t mean -”

“I know what I look like.”

Director Kang glared at Jinjin.

Jinjin said, “Sorry, Dr. Cha.” Then he thought. “I think Bin has a hat you can borrow.”

“That will be fine, Captain.” Dr. Cha bowed to Director Kang and Jinjin, spun on his heel, and left her office.

“Jinjin!” Director Kang snapped once he was out of earshot.

“What? I’ve seen the mission reports. I know the risks. I want to be prepared.”

“You could have been more sensitive about it.”

Jinjin sighed. “Yes. I know. I’ll apologize. Just...do you know where I can borrow some sunglasses?”

Director Kang sank down in her desk chair. “Captain Park?”

“Director?”

“Get out.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Jinjin scurried out of her office. On the way to the transporter, he tapped his radio. “Park for Control.”

“Go for Control,” Yeoreum said.

“Where can I get a pair of really big sunglasses?”

“Ahrin will know,” Yeoreum said. “I’ll ask her and get back to you. How soon do you need them?”

“Before we go offworld.”

“Noted. Good luck, Jinjin.”

“Thanks. We’re going to need it.”

[nagi-schwarz.livejournal.com]

Marvel Cinematic Universe, Stephen Strange +/ Tony Stark, Classical musician + Rocker AU

Not a fill

[pony-express.livejournal.com]

Between you and this post; https://rotten-omega.tumblr.com/post/186576475305 I feel like everyone's pushing me to write this fic! :')
You don't ignore a second sign from the universe, I'll try and draft something, and hope to get something completely up by the weekend for you. . . :3

[nagi-schwarz.livejournal.com]

Whitechapel, any, coffee shop AU

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, Carnival AU

Fill -- The New Act (minor smut, may be NSFW)

[vanillafluffy.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's the Carnival-by-the-Sea 'verse...there were going to be a few chapters between the last bit I posted and this, but alas, it's languished. Enjoy!

=====
Tony sighs with relief as the man across from him scribbles his name on the contract. Thank god. Maybe now receipts for the Big Top show will get back to where they should be. The last six weeks have been a total goat rodeo. The midway isn’t doing too badly, but without a big act to bring in the rubes, the circus itself has suffered.

“I’m sorry to make you go through so many formalities,” he says, offering his new headliner a glass of brandy, “but after last time, I can’t afford to take any chances.

“You said you lost an act?” Stephen Strange swirls the amber liquid in his glass, sniffing the aroma.

Tony sighs again. “Yeah, our cat man got lured off to Vegas. Gave me two weeks notice and acted like that was doing me a favor. Left a hole in the show you could stampede elephants through. Say, you wouldn’t happen to be gay, would you?”

Strange eyes him over the snifter. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh, in addition to leaving the show, the guy dumped his boyfriend, who’s been moping around the lot with a long face ever since. Everyone feels bad for him. He’s a good guy, but luck in love he’s not.”

“At the moment, I’m more interesting in focusing on getting the act up and running than in romantic entanglements.”

“Fair enough. I’m just glad to have you. That was a really impressive audition. Those illusions--how the hell did you do that? No, I know--a magician never tells his secrets.” Tony adds another dollop of brandy to his own glass, which has mysteriously emptied. “Hey, we all have our secrets, right?”

“Indeed,” Strange murmurs.

“It’s just been a weird year. Lady I was friendly with quit the aerial act because I wouldn’t give her top billing, I had to can one of the pitchmen for brawling on the lot, one of the tigers attacked the cat man during a show and the haunted house barely passed inspection last time and it's almost that time again. Plus there’s a new kid in the flying act, one of my clowns is twisting my arm to do a special benefit show for kids with cancer and Steve--the cat guy’s ex--he’s got a pitch doing caricatures and lately everybody he draws looks like his ex! I’d like to find a way to distract him, which is why I asked about your preferences. Sorry if that was, um, crass.”

The newly hired illusionist smiles. “There are plenty of ways to distract an individual without resorting to sex,” he says with a wicked quirk of his lips that makes Tony’s ears burn. “For instance--”

He gestures, and a round circle of golden sparks hovers in midair. Stark reaches through it and produces two cigars. “Care for a smoke?”

“How the devil--” Tony breathes.

Strange conjures a gold cigarette lighter, seemingly out of thin air. “Hand-rolled Cubans. I think you’ll enjoy it. They go nicely with brandy.”

Tony has no idea where the cigar cutter comes from, either, but Strange clips the ends neatly and offers Tony a choice. He takes the closest one, blinking in bemusement. Even unlit, it smells warm and fragrant. Strange flicks the lighter--Tony halfway expects odd pyrotechnics from it, but no, it’s a perfectly ordinary blue-orange flame.

He gets it going, and it fills his office with richly nuanced smoke. “Smooth,” he murmurs appreciatively. Strange nods, working on his own stogie.

Watching him, his mouth puffing on the tip of the cigar, Tony finds himself wondering if Strange really is gay. He didn’t deny it as a lot of straight guys would…Tony will cheerfully go either way, and imagining Strange giving his dick the same treatment he’s giving that cigar is definitely distracting.

Maybe he does mind-reading in addition to illusions, because he catches Tony’s eye and says, “Relax. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.”

…

[nagi-schwarz.livejournal.com]

Hawaii Five-0, any, 1950’s surfer AU

[nagi-schwarz.livejournal.com]

BBC Sherlock, any, hospital/EMT AU

[nagi-schwarz.livejournal.com]

BBC Merlin, any, spy AU

Fill! Merlin, Merlin/Arthur, Modern Royalty AU, PG

[squidgiepdx]

(It's my first Merlin fic - be gentle!)

--

Merlin slipped into the palace with the ease of someone who had slinked their way into countless fortresses, though this mission was personal, not for his covert masters. Of course this fortress was the most secure of them all. But even as secure as it was, he still quickly made his way through the darkened halls, a smile on his face.

Buckingham Palace was faltering, and Arthur would hear of it.

As Merlin rounded another corner, evading yet another guard, then confusing another, distraction made with a flash of gold in his eyes, he slipped into Arthur's bedroom and let his eyes adjust to the darkness. All was neatly bathed in darkness save for a slice of silver moonlight spilling in between curtains thrown wide open. He approached the bed where he found the crown prince laying on his side, the sheets and blankets kicked to the foot of the bed and Arthur's well muscled arms wrapped around a pillow. He smiled as he took his gloves off, then ran nimble fingers down the soft material of Arthur's sleeping breeches.

Arthur didn't stir as Merlin's finger gently glided from hip to thigh, though Merlin saw the side of his mouth twitch up in a smile.

"Take off your clothes and get into bed," Arthur said, his mouth clumsy from sleep. It wasn't Arthur's usual method of welcoming home his lover from a mission, but as awkward come-on lines went, it worked.

Merlin held in a laugh, then puffed up his chest. In his best imitation of King Uther Pendragon, he said, "What did you say to me, Arthur?"

Arthur was awake in an instant, a slurred, "Sorry! Sorry, Sire!" falling from his lips as he quickly untangled from the bedsheets and stood next to his bed. His face was white, though it quickly tinged pink as Arthur came out of his stupor and realized that it was Merlin having him on. "Gods, Merlin!" he said, then sat down with a thump.

With a cock of his head, Merlin smiled. "Is that any way to welcome me home, sire?"

Arthur looked him up and down, then leaned up and pushed Merlin's jacket off his shoulders. "So you didn't get shot, I see?" He sat on the bed and leaned back on his elbows.

Merlin shook his head, his eyes half-lidded as warm hands patted him down welcomingly. "That was one time, Arthur," he said as he tossed his jacket to the nearby chair. And it had been. Of course it had been just after Merlin and Arthur had gotten together, and Merlin lost a couple pints of blood because, "It's not that bad. And you just want to get out of your promise to cook me dinner!" Arthur actually did, but only after Merlin had passed out and Arthur brought him to Gaius, the Pendragon family physician.

"One time is still far too many, Merlin," Arthur declared though a yawn. He nodded to the thick wooden door. "Am I going to have to sack another head of security?" His gaze stayed on the door long enough for Merlin to follow it. "Seriously, Merlin. One of these days the guards are going to catch you. And then what are you going to do?"

Merlin took a few steps forward, then stood between Arthur's knees. He leaned down for a quick kiss. "Throw myself on the mercy of the crown prince?"

Arthur just smiled. "I like my suggestion better." He gave Merlin a wink, then climbed back into bed and pulled the covers up to his waist.

As Merlin unbuttoned his cuffs, he asked, "And what suggestion would that be, Sire?"

Curling around the pillow again, Arthur's muffled voice repeated, "Take off your clothes and get into bed."

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Leverage, Good guy ensemble, Star Trek A.U.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Star Trek TOS, Spock+any, Lord of the Rings A.U.

[nagi-schwarz.livejournal.com]

Marvel Cinematic Universe, any, flower shop AU

Fill 1/2: Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes + OCs

[brumeier.livejournal.com]

Steve had been given a second chance at life when he received the synthetic heart from Stark Innovations, and he wasn’t wasting a moment of it. He’d been able to do things he wouldn’t have dared before, like skydiving, hiking in the mountains, and running in a marathon.

Thanks to all the money he made as Stark’s living, breathing heart model, Steve and Bucky were able to travel to all the places they’d always talked about going: Italy, Australia, China. Bucky liked to joke that he’d been dragged to every botanical garden and flower show on six continents.

The heart of Steve’s life, though, was and always would be the flower shop. Every new technique he picked up, every new kind of flower or plant he saw on his trips, it all came back in some form to the shop. The shop that he was finally expanding.

“Thank you all so much for coming,” Steve said to the assembled crowd of his neighbors, his friends, his family. “Three years ago, I thought I’d never get to see this flower shop again. It’s only thanks to the kindness of my neighbors and the generosity of Tony Stark that I’m not only back doing what I love, but I’m able to expand the vision and scope of Sara’s Flowers.”

That was followed by a lot of applause, and people taking pictures, and then Steve cut the ribbon.

“Swanky,” Bucky said. “You didn’t tell me you ordered champagne.”

“Stark sent over a few cases,” Steve replied.

There were servers carrying trays of champagne and little canapes while everyone wandered the new, bigger space taking everything in. In addition to taking orders for arrangements like he always did, Steve would also be offering free classes on flower arranging, including techniques he learned in China. One display explained the meaning ascribed to certain flowers and colors, and there were framed pictures hanging up all around the shop of the different gardens Steve had visited.

In addition, there was a comfortable space for people to just sit and use the wifi if they wanted. Steve wanted his shop to be open to the community, even if they weren’t in the market for flowers.

“This is lovely, Steve,” Mr. Bylicki said, clapping him on the shoulder with one gnarled hand. “Your mother would be very proud.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Sara Rogers had given Steve his love of flowers, but he was born to be an artist and the arranging came naturally to him. Naming the shop after her had been a way to honor the memories he had of the two of them putting together bouquets from the cheap, damaged leftovers from the local flower stand.

[sherlockian-syn.livejournal.com]

Marvel Cinematic Universe, ensemble, fight club AU

[sherlockian-syn.livejournal.com]

Hawaii Five-0, Steve McGarrett/Danny Williams, food truck AU

[sherlockian-syn.livejournal.com]

Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes +/ John Watson, executive and personal assistant AU

[sherlockian-syn.livejournal.com]

Game of Thrones, any, space AU

[sherlockian-syn.livejournal.com]

Stargate Atlantis, John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, World of Warcraft AU