New au idea that includes female noah! The cosplaying one
A couple of aus I've done include lyler being a couple who cosplays sometimes, so why not make it a full blown au?
Basically Tyler, huge fan of different shows including anime (it all started with the sports anime and devolved from there, he honestly seems like the type), wants to start cosplaying
And he's super embarrassed about it because it's not a manly thing to do, nor is it a pretty common hobby with anyone he knows
So while he's all insecure about it, he does still try but because of the whole trying to be sneaky about it and only ever doing it in private he has pretty
It all changes when Lindsay walks in on an attempt and instead of being disgusted or dumping him like he feared (and kinda expected), she's incredibly excited and immediately starts questioning him on it
And of course, Lindsay wouldn't be a good girlfriend if she let her boyfriend wear bad outfits! So she starts using her eye for fashion and things she read about in magazines to help make cosplays for him, work she can't really make any from scratch
She also totally wears her own too whenever she can match (and when Tyler gets her hooked on a show)
Basically the entire au is about the two learning the ins and outs of cosplaying, as well as being involved in other fan related things
As their mini journey progresses they end up collecting a group of friends that help them be the best cosplayers ever, and who just so coincidentally have their own interests with some even picking up/exploring other fan content hobbies (like writing/reading fanfic, making fanart or even fansongs and comics)
For instance, when they want to start making the cosplays from scratch and Lindsay wants to actually learn the more complicated patterns, Katie ends up helping them
Or when they want to do a photo shoot and need a background or even props to go with the cosplay then Sadie is volunteered by Katie
Beth totally helps with taking the photos and joins in whenever she can- she even suggests new shows or comics/manga for them
Neha gets (involuntarily) involved with the crossdressing aspect (as well as anything that involves altering face shape or body shape), for both Lindsay and Tyler and ends up helping them with wig care and styling too
DJ somehow gets dragged into doing a group cosplay and gets to go on a journey to regain his confidence back!
Could work as a 'behind the scenes' au where this is all happening while the other contestants are competing, and low-key affect the competition (or at the very least character relationships)
Or, could work in a highschool au, or even an adult au (both TD and non TD)
Hell, even a 'TD took place 5 to 20 years later' with either the characters getting aged up to match the timeline or they were all just born later
If it was a behind the scenes then having another character walk in on him attempting to cosplay and Lindsay getting involved after her elimination would also work so well
Actually Tyler finding out about Neha/seeing her makeup or wig or setup or something and pestering her to help him would also be pretty funny
That would probably take place from the start of action onwards
Omg wait, this'd actually be super cute as a friendship fic starring all of the contestants not competing in action at the start and becoming a friend group, with a couple of additions from those who are like Lindsay, Beth, DJ, and maybe Izzy and Trent
Like the ones who don't really have/stick with an official friend group
Though I do think it'd be cuter as a small group
But just imagine Courtney getting into fanfic on the side because she's getting invested in the ships, or her and Neha discussing and dissecting one they both read and enjoyed
As for how Sierra, the resident fangirl, would eventually fit into this I see it one of two ways
She gets added into the group and becomes more chill
Or the group don't like her since she acts like the embodiments of toxic fan culture - could even be a mix of both tbh