#this was too self indulgent hrgghhrg

[yuzuspace]

yuzu’s swap au

This has been lurking in my brain every since and I think I want to talk about it!!! I ALSO HAVE AN URGE TO DRAW SO BAD GHHRHGH but maybe the picrews and neka will help hehe

What is the Swap AU?

Basically an AU where everything is the same but Tenma and Kai have swapped roles (and personalities) aka one of the many Actress Kai AUs

But also there are things I didn’t swap swap because I thought it would be funny to keep them (but these are like anchor points to my swap au aka what i don't really change and they are just SOME of them):

Tenma still ends up joining Mankai as the Summer Troupe leader and he still will have that stage fright moment

Kai’s desire to change herself and make her bravado into True Confidence

Kai and Itaru know each other and still have that good ol’ sibling dynamic

nonotenkai are still a thing theyre still childhood friends and the roles of kai and tenma in the miscommunication equation are the same, Tenma still likes Kai even after the childhood phase.

BUUUUUT with those similarities in mind, here are the list of changes (respective to similarities listed above):

Tenma has all the personality flaws and insecurities Kai would typically hold (impending need to be ‘useful’, kai’s overworking tendencies and her overall anxiety and overthinking), he is SUPER interested in theater but after that stage fright moment, he swore off it and never gave it another chance (until Mankai)

in this au, Kai would be bolder than the typical kai who would usually double think lots of things (she does have confidence but not as much as she’d like)

Itaru being the one usually sneaking Kai out esp when she needs a breather from showbiz (default: Kai would frequent to Mankai to check up on Itaru settling in esp when Itaru’s social battery is drained in ACT 1)

In my point of tenkai childhood friends, Kai still overhears that Tenma likes Nono (the misunderstanding) and that Tenma likes Kai (a point that still stands even into the current A3 timeline) BUT BUT BUT kai this time, has feelings for tenma!! she is actively seeking out his attention and affection but Tenma chooses not to read too much into it

Kai being a playful, flirty girlie. GET YO MAN BABYGIRL!!!!

Tenma being into cosplay :) [kai screaming in the distance]

OKAY SO SWAP AU BRAINROT TIME!!!

Kai actively flirting with Tenma but she would always play it as a joke after but there would be moments where Tenma would be downright honest and would catch Kai flustered

“Practice a kiss scene with me.” Line? UNCHANGING EVEN IN SWAP AU AND ITS STILL TENMA’S LINE, kai could NEVER nevernevernevernever do it to Tenma but it is only because of Tenma’s insistence that they do it (…because he wants to help and he believes that this will help the quality of performance and kai is just dying inside from embarrassment)

I think it would be completely sweet for Kai to gift Tenma flowers after their plays and gets clamored by Natsugumi because Itsuki Kaiya is a famous teen actress ♡

Tenma who wants to be super good at acting so he asks (begs) Kai to help him and Kai is so willing to help him through. Although Kai's specialties aren't in comedy, it would be good to get some feedback from someone who is a professional :>

Everyone who keeps asking Tenma; “hey, you and Kai are dating, right?” Tenma with a straight face: No.

Kasumi who is STILL their number 1 hater and supporter, pushing their heads together just to kiss and get on with their lives but this time Kasumi is egging Kai to confess because she can't stand Kai just trying to form a cohesive thought when she wants to be honest with Tenma.

Tenma and Kai running through scripts together 💕💕💕 Something about the sheer professionalism of a thoroughly trained actor and how Kai looks so good when she’s focused and serious makes Tenma shift slightly in his seat as Kai’s trying to explain why this might be a better way to phrase that improv he thought of on the spot and building the characters together 🥺 and how they’re both trying to get the vibe right

Tenma, who is still good at fake crying. Ever since Kai discovered that, she is literally just asking him everyday: "...Are you sure you don't want to enter show business?"

Tons of tension. Weird, almost bordering sexual tension. It makes people want to leave these two alone and see what happens in the next ten minutes. Yuki cannot STAND being the 3rd wheel 8/10 times that he gets caught between these two (almost literally if circumstance pushes it).

TENMA BEING A FUCKING NERDDDD SHIT OHHHRJFHFJDJ tenma that just spends his free time rolling on gacha, playing rpgs, and cosplaying!!! OH FUCK THATS SO CUTE HRRGHHRGHHR

“No, because you see these two WORK—it’s like instinct, the chemistry is THERE, and I don’t—I just feel like I’m being baited over here, you know?” / “…And this affects that theory you were talking about how?” / “It affects the fan theory because we suspect—(goes on about the theory)“

By the end of that conversation, kai is doing research about it in her own time and raises her own point to tenma (it gets ugly bc they’re both stubborn and kai believes in the theory that contradicts what tenma talks about)

Like Tenma’s One Interest (which is Bonsai) Swap Kai has a singular interest that keeps her grounded and its crochet/knitting :D

Kai is literally that One Juniper Woods sprite where she fucking knits out hearts when she has Tenma in the brain (she also gets inspired enough to…knit him a scarf)

Tenma who is never moving on from Kai’s hand knitted scarf gift on Christmas, he uses it and he takes such good care of it (and rarely lends it to ANYONE)

Kai who is surprisingly pure and says things that could be taken in multiple ways (in contrast to OG Kai who is quite buried in filth). Tenma knows she doesn't mean it when she asks him to stay the night. Tenma, whose brain cannot TAKE IT ANYMORE, when Kai tells him with a flustered expression that she wants to do it (hold hands) but luckily since this isn't his first rodeo with Kai's words asks her to clarify what exactly it is and Tenma is more than happy to hold hands with her.

Aki who is more than happy to be Kai's wingman, he sets up opportunities for both of them. Bringing Tenma to a certain location that a hotspot for couples to date? Easy. Telling Kai that they will eat outside later, so they should meet here, in this spot, around this time. They got set up :)

Tenma that works in Hanakotoba :3 Pretty boy surrounded by many pretty flowers hehehehehe

Kai who needs a moment of quiet after really long days of filming and practice, Tenma would offer her his jacket and she puts it over her head to give her a few minutes to calm down and relax

Grhhgghrhr tenkai that are still very subtly physical. LIKE not exactly touchy but they just need each other close to feel ok. I’m talking sitting beside each other, hand brushing against each other, PINKY LINKING!!!!! , small tugs on tenma’s sleeve when kai doesn’t want him to leave just yet, or the unconscious tenma move where he gently nudges kai or guides her away from the road with his hand on her shoulder AARGGFHHFFHFHD

kai has shit sense of direction in this au

secret date nights because dating a celebrity is HARD, tenkai is who is super tight lipped about their relationship and only say enough to satiate the people

Despite the swap, I still think Kai would be the more protective out of the both of them, she has disguises whenever she goes out with Tenma LMAO like wigs and contacts at the ready to keep her hidden. she’s very careful about going out and it doesn’t help that tenma has a very eyecatching presence lol

In this swap au hehehe (to end it all off) tenma is the one who confesses :D in the default, kai is the one who ends up confessing but i think it would be a neat take to see tenma say it first LMAO

I indulged in this AU because I just needed a reason to see a flirtier Kai, that’s all.