#midwest au

[carmenpeach]

Sonic and Tails are dead... in the midwest! Chapter 4

ch 1 ch 2 ch 3

[neurodivergent-fangirling]

I’m tempted to write a fanfic AU set in the Midwest. But which one? A Dead Boy Detectives AU where Edwin is from Hell, Michigan, or a Good Omens AU where Crowley and Aziraphale met in Eden Prairie, Minnesota? (Of course, it would help if I had actually visited either of these locations…)

[warpzoned]

Midwestern Sonic I drew for my friend for her Sonic Midwest AU (alternate universe she made up where Sonic the Hedgehog lives in the Midwest)

[manuscript-or]

yes, i know that the defining parts of your ocs are the fact that they are from the big city and that the formative cultures from that area literally shaped who they are and what they'll become and yeah, i know that removing them from that setting removes so much of who they are as characters to the point where they would look and act so much more different that you could argue that they aren't even the same people outside of that setting but like,,,,

what if they were from the Midwest?

[sistemshock]

That’s right folks the Midwest Au is real and Jason Griffith knows about it!

Thank you so much to my good friend @pizzadoesthings for this incredible birthday present!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[viacursecasting]

Sonadow Scenario #53

{ Requested by @premingeracdc }

"This town is so small I'm fairly certain we've all breathed each other's air at some point."

Rouge's laugh emitted from the agent’s communicator as he waited in line at the grocery store. "Hang tight for a few more days, hun. We just want to check every nook and cranny."

I highly doubt we'll find him here, Shadow wanted to say, but there was no point in complaining...

Deep down, he had already mourned the loss of the hero, who had sacrificed himself to save Shadow after defeating the Finalhazard.

He suppressed the memories of his late partner's breathtaking super form before addressing the bat. "I understand."

After they said their goodbyes and hung up, Shadow set his items on the conveyor belt, scanning his shopping list to make sure he got everything he needed. He mumbled to himself, "Damn it, I forgot bread..."

"Want me to grab a loaf for you?"

Shadow huffed, looking up from his list. "What makes you think you're fast enough to—"

He froze.

It was... No... It couldn't be—

"Sonic...?"

"Ah, actually it's Stanley," the blue hedgehog corrected as he pointed to his name tag.

Shadow furrowed his brow. "Don't you... recognize me?"

"'Fraid not." Sonic then said with a wink, "I think I would've remembered someone as handsome as you."

Shadow turned rosy before shaking his head. "Sonic, this is no time for games! Everyone's been searching for you—!"

"Whoa, Hot Stuff," Sonic said, hands up in surrender. "I think you have me confused with someone else."

Shadow crossed his arms. "Then grab that loaf of bread for me. Whole wheat."

Sonic was gone and back in a streak of azure, grinning widely as he presented the loaf like he pulled a rabbit out of a hat. "Ta-da~!"

Shadow slapped the bread out of his hand. "It is you, you dumbass!"

A customer behind him piqued up. "Hey, you're holding up the—"

Shadow shot them a seething glare. They scrambled back to their cart to retreat to another lane.

Shadow then returned his gaze to the hedgehog. "You and I need to talk."

Sonic chuckled as he finished ringing him up. "Believe it or not, this isn't the craziest way I've been asked out..."

~

As Shadow made his way to the restaurant, he thought about disclosing their past relationship, but decided against it. If Sonic truly lost his memory, it was probably best not to overwhelm him.

Shadow was surprised to find Sonic—ah, Stanley already seated at the table for two. The blue hedgehog waved him over excitedly.

Shadow hesitantly took a seat. "You're early." For once...

The hedgehog thought nothing of it, showcasing the menu with enthusiasm. "They have my favorite Italian dish here!"

"I know. Spaghetti—"

"Ravioli!"

The night seemed to be filled with double takes for Shadow. When he thought Sonic would say soup, he said salad. Water instead of soda. No cheese instead of extra.

As they waited for their meals to arrive, Shadow asked him about subjects that were typical for a first date.

"Favorite movie genre?"

"I mostly watch documentaries."

"Favorite hobby?"

"Knitting is my go-to."

"Cats or dogs?"

"Dogs, definitely."

That felt like a punch in the gut to Shadow.

He started to question himself. Maybe he didn't know his partner as well as he thought he did? But that couldn't be the case. He knew every detail. He knew his favorite flower. His favorite type of music. His favorite scent. Maybe this guy was just a doppelganger? But that couldn't be the case either, for when he gazed at the hedgehog...

He knew how he got each and every battle scar.

Their meals came, but the agent didn't even reach for his fork. Sonic regarded him with concern. "Are you okay, Shade?"

"It's Shadow," the lifeform corrected. "You don't even remember my fucking name," he muttered, more annoyed at the circumstances rather than Sonic.

But it didn’t make a difference to Sonic—Stanley. "Well, excuse me," he retorted. "It's not like you've been calling me the wrong name all night.

Shadow slammed his fist on the table, jostling silverware and making other patrons turn their heads. "That's because Sonic is your real name!" he yelled. "You're the one who's saved the world countless times, the one who’s always there for his friends! You're the one I fell in—!"

He stopped himself; he didn't know when he rose from his chair. He slowly sat back down, staring at his spaghetti. He suddenly had no appetite.

But Sonic/Stanley stared at him wide-eyed. "Shadow, were you and I...?"

The lifeform averted his gaze, trying not to let his tears spill.

Stanley/Sonic took that as a yes. "Oh," he uttered, slightly tinting. "Now I get why you're so riled up."

When a moment of silence passed, Stanley spoke. "Just out of curiosity, what was it about... Sonic... that you loved?"

Shadow let out a shaky breath. "I loved... everything about him. I loved his yearning for adventure. I loved the way his eyes lit up when talking about the latest video game, the way he laughed at his own stupid jokes." He flexed his fingers. "I loved the way his hand felt in mine.

"People say I'm the Ultimate Lifeform, but Sonic... was the ultimate life."

Stanley breathed in awe. "That's very poetic."

It seemed that there was nothing else to confess. But Shadow just wanted to try one last thing.

"I know this is very forward," he asked, "but... may I kiss you?"

Stanley blushed. "S-Sure."

Shadow leaned across the table, stroking a lock of the hedgehog's quills back, before pressing tan lips against peach ones. He started slow before moving deeply, passionately. While Stanley wasn't a bad kisser, he wasn't in the same rhythm, didn't reciprocate as strongly.

It just wasn't the same.

Shadow broke away, finding rivers flowing from emerald eyes. He spoke as if sharing a secret. "Why are you crying?"

Stanley sniffled. "I'm sorry I'm n-not... I wish I-I could..." He gave up. How could he explain that he felt like he stole a kiss meant for someone else?

Shadow seemed to understand, though, wiping the hedgehog's flushed muzzle with his thumb. "It's alright. You're not at fault."

Then he stood. "If you don't mind, I'm going to take care of the bill, then head home." After receiving a nod, he left soon after. He wanted to cry in peace...

To mourn a second time.

~

Shadow waited on a bench at the subway station, face buried in his hands.

"Aren't you afraid of missing your ride?"

Shadow recognized the speaker without looking up. "I'm not in the mood, Knuckles."

The echidna crossed his arms. "Well, I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong."

Shadow sighed, muttering, "I found him."

Knuckles' eyes widened. "Him!? As in—"

"Yes, but it's not him!" Shadow cried. "Not really..."

Knuckles crinkled his brow. "You're not making any sense—"

Suddenly they heard a call in the distance. "...adow? Shadow!"

Shadow stood eagerly—a hard habit to break when it came to this particular voice. He called, "Yes?"

Stanley waved at him, running over with a take-home bag. "Hey, Shads. I'm glad I caught you. You forgot your—"

"Sonic, you imbecile!" Knuckles intervened as he shoved Stanley’s arm, though tears were welling in his violet eyes. "We... We thought you were dead!"

Stanley rubbed his arm, letting out a nervous chuckle. "You must be Shadow's friend?" he surmised.

"'Friend' is a bit generous," Shadow stated as he took the bag.

Stanley laughed, a twinkly noise. Then he set his gaze on the agent. "Hey, before I go, there's something I wanna ask you."

Shadow's ears perked at attention.

"I've been thinking about everything you've said and... well..." He took the agent's hand in both of his. "I think I'd like to give us a chance. I-If you want," he quickly added.

Shadow froze. Did he hear him correctly? Being with Sonic again was the only thing he had ever wanted.

He tightened his grip. "I..."

.

.

.

Sigh. Damn it...

"...I can't."

"What?" the other two said in unison.

"I'm sorry, Stanley," Shadow explained, "but truth be told, I would spend the rest of our relationship trying to turn you into the person I used to know. And that's not fair." He released his hold as the echidna continued to stare in disbelief. "You were given a fresh start. I think you should take it."

Stanley's features fell, though he tried not to show it. "Ah, I understand." Then he added, "Maybe you can visit if you ever get the chance?"

Shadow gave a small smile. "I think I'd like that."

~

Two years passed and Shadow found himself in that grocery store once again. He remembered the bread this time.

"I'm just making a pit stop," Shadow said to his wrist communicator as he waited in line, "then I'm heading straight home."

"Good," a magenta chameleon responded. "I can't wait to see you."

Shadow tinted slightly. "And I you."

They logged off after saying their farewells. Just then a familiar voice made him raise his head: "Did you find everything you were looking for?"

The hedgehogs locked gazes. Stanley's eyes were as lively as ever, his grin as wide as ever. The smile was contagious.

"Yes," Shadow replied. "I did."

[blouisparadise]

Today’s rec list consists of bottom Louis fics that take place in the country, the Midwest, or any rural area. We hope you enjoy. If you do, please be sure to like and reblog this post to help spread the word. Happy reading!

1) Save A Horse | Explicit | 2400 words

Louis goes to a rodeo with Liam, and gets a lot more than he bargained for. Featuring bull rider Harry, obnoxious t-shirts, and one hell of a night.

“Come on Jackson ain’t you been practicin? It ain’t fun for me if I always beat you,” the boy drawls out, voice slow and thick like molasses. “You comin out tonight?” he asks, nudging him with his elbow.

“Not tonight H, me and Liam are going to grab something to eat,” Jackson replies, the blush returning to Liam’s cheeks.

“What about you, what’re your plans for the night darlin’?” Harry asks, crooking an eyebrow in Louis’s direction.

Louis, who is the epitome of outgoing and confident, is at a total loss for words. He starts to say something but freezes, Harry now raising his other eyebrow and smirking, awaiting Louis’s response. “I uh- I’ll probably just go home,” Louis manages to stammer out, and what the fuck? Who is this man and how has he turned Louis into an introvert in a matter of seconds?

2) Gunsmoke | Explicit | 6527 words

Harry 'Gunsmoke' Styles and his boys Liam, Zayn, and Niall are all traveling cowboys who come across a small town on their journey to nowhere. They hang out at a tavern where Harry meets Louis, a cute and fiery bartender, and they may or may not fall in love.

3) Hey I Heard You Were A Wild One (If I Took You Home It'd Be A Homerun) | Explicit | 12106 words

Harry came to the bar to forget. Louis gives him a night to remember.

4) This Land Is More Than Dreams | Explicit | 12878 words

Louis is a student taking a gap year, travelling through the States. His plans change when he meets a cute cowboy-wannabe in one of the towns.

5) Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy | Mature | 13356 words

Harry owns a farm and Louis rides horses (and pretty boys sometimes) for a living. Harry hurts himself by being clumsy before he gets to ride a horse with Louis.

6) Manifest Destiny | Explicit | 15210 words

Louis is a Pony Express rider and Harry runs a station along the trail.

7) Baby Blue | Explicit | 39439 words

Harry Styles takes his time coming out to greet them. Louis only knows what he’s seen on file and what he’s heard them talking about, but he fully lives up to the image he had inside of his head.

He saunters down the front steps of the farmhouse in his Levi’s, brown snakeskin boots curving out from underneath the denim Louis’ sure he had specially made. He’s got on a plaid button-down tucked into the jeans because of course he does, curls spilling out from either side of his cowboy hat around his sunglasses and country-tan skin.

“Harry Styles,” he drawls, extending a hand to Louis’ manager, “Pleased to meet ya’ll.”

8) I Ain’t Gonna Fence You In | Mature | 40645 words

Louis Tomlinson is a 18 year old city boy who is forced to spend his summer before his senior year at his aunts farm. There, he meets Harry, a 19 year old country boy his aunt hired to help around the farm.

Maybe the farm isn't the worst place to fall in love?

9) Boiling Blood Will Circulate | Explicit | 42420 words

The wait isn’t long before something starts rustling in the bushes. Harry takes aim, squeezes the trigger, body moving unconsciously. They’re motions he’s done a thousand times before, and his body knows how to do it without the input of his brain now. It’s what makes him such a good shot.

He misses. The shot misses.

Something howls in the woods, a pretty clear indication that Harry hit it, but there’s no telltale sounds of a big body dropping, no animal charging out at him to take him out before he can finish the job.

Something does turn and run, though. “Fuck,” Harry spits out, scrambling to his feet and slinging the rifle back over his shoulder, giving chase. He’s not going to lose this hunt.

The trail of blood goes on longer than Harry thought it would. He doesn’t know how long he runs for, but his muscles are burning, chest heaving with exertion, until the trail just - goes dead. No more blood, just like that.

“Fuck,” Harry says.

10) Your Touch Shouldn't Make Me Feel Like This | Explicit | 48883 words

Uni AU in which Alpha Harry has been in love with his omega friend for the longest time and one motorbike trip to the countryside with Louis made him realize that he could no longer hold back his feelings.

11) For the Sake of Propriety | Mature | 52360 words

Louis Tomlinson is the caretaker of an estate that is not truly his, and when his Uncle calls upon him to take it back, Louis knows he will soon be out on the streets with four overly zealous sisters to care for.  His only solution: wed the eldest two off and pray for the best.  When an even better solution unexpectedly presents itself in the form of the charming Mr. Styles, Louis is faced with a difficult choice.  But as with all things in the regency era, reputation very well may threaten to outweigh the fleeting matters of his heart.

12) Through The Wheatfields And The Coastlines | Explicit | 52855 words

“You’re not from around here, are ya?” Hot Cowboy asks, tracking his little lamb with his eyes. Louis frowns slightly, having thought he was doing pretty well at not sticking out like a sore thumb. It’s not like he’s not from around here — it’s not his first summer he’s spent at his grandparents'. But he supposes that the Manhattan city lifestyle that he’s used to is always going to shine through.

“I’m visiting family for the summer,” Louis explains, cheeks a little pink. “Trying to get some work done without distractions.”

13) The Bachelor | Explicit | 53953 words

The one where Harry dates six other guys and still falls in love with Louis Tomlinson.

14) Apples Always Fall (As I Do For You) | Mature | 54609 words | Sequel

Louis is staying at his Aunt's farm in a small town in Minnesota for four months. To deal with the boredom that sets in a week into his stay, he starts working at the local apple orchard, owned by twenty six year old Harry Styles.

Louis quickly finds himself falling in love with the orchard, and he finds a family in Harry's friends Niall, Liam, and Zayn.

He also starts to fall in love with Harry.

Falling in love with him turns out to be the easy part.

15) Such Good Luck | Explicit | 66025 words

An Edwardian AU where Harry is a young aristocratic lord and Louis is a working class dairy farmer. Secrets are a necessary part of their relationship, but Louis has one that could topple their whole world.

16) Given a Chance | Explicit | 173511 words

Five years after One Direction took their last tour, the last thing Louis Tomlinson ever expected to happen while on a tea run at the local Piggly Wiggly was to run into his ex-boyfriend and ex-bandmate Harry Styles.

The odds of them ever running into each other again had to be super slim, right?

Wrong.

What happens when you mix ex-boyfriends with a large serving of Small Town America? Will Louis and Harry be able to set aside their differences, or will Louis be able to stay breezy as fuck in the wake of Harry’s arrival?

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[sazernac]

So we are getting the world to come supercorp au soon…right??

Anon…