Alternative to Soulmate AUs
Alright, so I get where the hype for soulmate AUs comes. This hyper-romantic notion of your OTP being actually fated for only each other. But I must admit, I get a little tired of this trope. So, here’s a little different take at the idea of soulmates, that could maybe add a little spice to that overused trope.
Soul-Compatibles AU
Instead of dooming all those, who cannot find their only fated one/who’s fated one is already dead, imagine an AU where people need to get born with specific characteristics that are requirements to fit to each other. Which means that there’s more possible people who fit you. Closer to reality, still very soulmate-y.
Here are some possible example-scenarios Attention: Some scenarios are specifically focused on queer couples. Some scenarios consist abusive relationships, abusive gouvernments, tyrannic gouvernments.
The Prophesy A At my birth an oracle has predicted, that my soul-compatibles are people with skin like the nightsky/skin dotted like a fawn/eyes like a raging ocean/eyes shining like emeralds/other physical aspect, a noble heart/a quick wit/an unwavering belief/other character aspect, who’s name is “Bear”/who’s home is kissing the clouds/other abstract aspect. After years of searching, I believe, I finally found my soul-compatible. They fit all the requirements and I might idolize them a little for it. But then across come you. You fit all the requirements too, only in a different way, but are otherwise much less impressive, and still I can’t stop thinking about you.
The Prophesy B At my birth an oracle has predicted what requirements my soul-compatibles must meet. I haven’t yet found them and get really dissilusioned about it. Meanwhile you’ve always been my friend and I really like you. Unfortunately you meet all the requirements, safe for one. So you can’t be one of my soul-compatibles. But one day something happens and suddenly you’re meeting that last requirement in this specific situation. How could I have been so oblivious!?
The Prophesy C I’m an offspring of an important noble family and an oracle has predicted my soul-compatibles. There’s this one guy, who wants to usurp my family and thus pretends to be meeting the requirements, to get me to fall for them. I almost fall for them, but you are in his entourage and you really don’t like to be part of this whole trap. So you try to secretly boycott your lord’s/lady’s endeavours with me, without getting caught. Just when they found out, what you ddi, I see their true face. Surprisingly enough, you’ve been meeting the requirements all the time already. Why don’t you stay at my house from now on, since your old lord/lady threw you out?
The defected compatible I’ve been looking for my soul-compatibles for too long now, without success. I’ve become so desperate, that I hooked up with the first compatible I met, thinking there would be no more than that one. Turns out, that person - despite being compatible - is also very egoistic and abusive. Still I stay with them, believing this is as good, as I’ll get. Until I met you. You’re my compatible too, but unlike them you actually treat me good.
Polyamory A You’re both my compatibles, even though you’re otherwise completely different from each other. I really like you both and couldn’t decide between you. So I don’t tell you about my feelings, for fear of hurting any one of you. Turns out, my feelings were mutual and you both don’t mind “sharing” my love, as long as you can make me happy. I am truly the luckiest person alive.
Polyamory B We’re soul-compatibles, who have been in relationship for a while now. We both have different requirements for our matches and feel really lucky, that we fit each others requirements nvertheless. But recently I’ve met someone else, who’s also a soul-compatible of mine. I find myself falling for them and the feeling is mutual, but I still lvoe you deeply, what should I do? Turns out, they also meet all of your requirements for a soul-compatible. Can we try and make this polyamory relationship work, please?
Sci-Fi Match-Making A To increase the population’s content and thus their productivity, the tyrranic government has implemented a gouvernment-controlled match-making system. Every citizen is gegistered and at a certain age, gets set up on compulsory dates with every single citizen that matches with them, based on a complicated gender-neutral mathematical formula. These dates get continued, until two citizens decide to marry each other. I’m rather tired of these dates, because after 20 of them, I still don’t fell like there was anyone interested. Then I met you and it turns out, you’re not registered, because you’re a wanted underground rebell against the gouvernment. So, they deleted you from the data-base as punishment. I end up joining your rebellion and falling in love with you, while overthrowing the gouvernment. Also, did you know that according to the formula, we two are a match?/Alternatively, once we won the rebellion, your old data gets restored into the registry and the system set us up on a date right away.
Sci-Fi Match-Making B1 Same base-scenario as “Sci-Fi Match-Making A”, only that the tyrannic gouvernment uses the match-making system to control the reproduction-numbers and the gene-pool of the population as well. If you are having defected genes/the population of your town has reached a critical number, you only get set up on dates with compatibles you cannot reproduce with. If you have “wanted” genes/ the population of your town is decreasing, you only get set up on dates with compatibles you can reproduce. My problem is, I live in a town with a high rate of early death due to defected genes. I’m one of the few with non-defected genes, but I’m Homosexual and only get set up on dates with matches I could/am expected to reproduce with. One day a group of rebel hackers, hacks the system and disables the population-control-unit on the formula and suddenly I get set up on a date with the rebel leader, whototally matches my sexuality, too.
Sci-Fi Match-Making B2 Same base-scenario as “Sci-Fi Match-Making B1″. I identify as heterosexual but have defected genes/live in an overpopulated city. So I only get set up on dates with people of the same sex. I already gave up finding my match and then I got set up on a date with you. You totally understand, that i’m not interested due to my sexuality, but we get along quite well. So you suggest becoming friends/roomates instead. We’ve been hanging out for a while now and each come home from one disappointing date after the next. I really like you and would never want to miss your company even though, i’m not sexually attracted to you. Turns out I’m biromantic. Would you like a non-sexual romantic relationship with me?
Sci-Fi Match-Making B3 Same base-scenario as “Sci-Fi Match-Making B1″. I am sex-repulsed/sex-uninterested asexual, but I have “wanted” genes and my gouvernment keeps setting me up on dates with allosexual matches. So that I will reproduce. You’re my really cute allosexual date and I think I could fall for you. So I’m trying this anyways. When we are trying to consumate our first night together, you notice something is wrong. So I “confess” my sexuality to you. Turns out, you totally understand my problem and don’t want me to force myself. You’re also very down for romantic non-sexual cuddling. Seems, like I found my perfect match after all.
Sci-Fi Match-Making B4 Same base-scenario as “Sci-Fi Match-Making B1″. I’m aromantic, but I happen to be your only match in this town. So to increase your contentment-level, we got set up on a date, which is riddiculous. Hey, I like you a lot anyway. So, how about we become best friends instead and run away from this town together. Let’s have a road trip together. I’m sure we’ll find more soul-compatibles for you in another town. Don’t worry, buddy! I have your back!
Arranged Marriage Our families have set us up for an arranged marriage, because we are each others soul-compatibles and both come from a noble heritage. But we both are already in love with other soul-compatibles of ours, who just happen to not be nobles and would ever be accepted by our respective families. So, why don’t we become friends and conspire together against the marriage plans of our family. Let’s help each other become happy with our loved ones.
Second Chance The soul-compatible, I’ve been in a loving relationship with for a long time now, dies unexpectedly of a serious illness they have not told me about. I am devastated, because I feel like I lost the only person, I will ever love. My deceased lover had predicted that and has left a message behind for me, where they ask me to travel the world, like they always wanted to. I want to honor their memory, so I do as I am asked, despite not feeling like it at all. On my travels I meet you, another soul-compatible of mine. I’m reluctant to open up to you, because I feel like betraying my deceased lover. Still, I end up falling in love with you. As we return to my home together, another post-mortem leter of my deceased lover has arrived in which they express their hope, that I have found a new love on my travels and which me all the happiness in the world.
These are of course just some examples of possible scenarios, to show you how this soul-compatible AU could work. Maybe you find other scenarios of your own.
