Anonymous said: RenRuki in a Normal People AU. I think you said you watched it right? If not, is ok. Thank you!
I did watch Normal People! I finished it, even! All right, um, got it, one Normal People Renruki AU coming right up.
"Marianne, what's this? I hear y'aren't eatin' your meals."
Marianne Sheridan sat, straight backed in her jail cell chair, gazing out the window, like the most interesting thing in the world was going out in the alley backing the Sixth Division holding cells. Connell Waldron, freshly minted lieutenant of said division, had a sudden memory of her pulling the same trick in geometry class, all those years ago. The way she'd snidely told off the teacher when he called her on it, the way she held her head high as she marched out of class and straight to the principal's office, Connell had secretly thought she was the coolest, most self-confident person he'd ever met.
He had never expected to find himself the geometry teacher of the scenario.
"Look, if you don't eat something, it'll be my head, so be a pal and eat a cracker or something, will you?" he grumbled.
"Maybe I'm just not hungry, Mr. Assistant-Captain," Marianne sang.
Connell's back teeth clenched. "You gotta problem with my rank, then? Seem t'recall you're the one who encouraged me to go into the Gotei in the first place."
"Not at all, Mr. Assistant Captain," Marianne replied. "Glad to see you've done so well for yourself. Too bad I had to hear the news of your promotion when you came to arrest me, but I suppose you've got your own life going on now."
Connell crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm sorry about the arrest," he bit off. "You should've come back on time."
"I'm not mad about the arrest. If I had to pick a friend to throw me in the clink, I'd rather you than, say Peggy. Or Jamie."
Connell didn't even know how to parse that, but then again, it's not like he understood anything about Marianne, starting with why she even bothered associating with those assholes. Then again, he wasn't sure why she had ever associated with himself, either, he'd only taken it for what it was: an inexplicable, short-lived blessing. Better to not ask the whys and wherefores.
"You're mad at me for something else, then." It almost seemed like she was pissed at him for giving her the distance she asked for. But she was the popular one now, the girl about town, with all the glamorous, witty friends. She'd grown into the person Connell always knew she was meant to be. Unlike himself. He'd thought getting that placard with the great big six on it would somehow make him feel worthy of her, but he just felt the same as ever, a dumb pile of muscles who should have stayed back home in Eleven with the lads.
"Not mad at all," Marianne replied off-handedly, and for the first time, she swiveled her head around to look at him. "Oh, God, what are you wearing?"
"My bloody football kit, what's it look like?" Connell grumped, tugging self-consciously on his shorts. "I'm meant to be at training right now, y'know. Just because Marianne Sheridan's gotten herself a death sentence doesn't mean we haven't got playoffs in two weeks' time."
Marianne pursed her lips and pretended to count on her fingers. "I should still have my head on then, d'you think Captain Denise would give me a day's parole to come watch if I promise to cheer for Squad 6? I always did like to watch you play, you know."
"Yeah, I recall that," Connell muttered. It make his skin itch, how casual she was about the topic of her own death. "And don't joke like that. Captain Sheridan'll have you pardoned in no time at all. She's got an appointment at headquarters this very afternoon."
Marianne raised her eyebrows, then turned back toward the window and settled in her chair again. "Ah, y'think so?"
"Course. She's your own mother."
"Ha!" Marianne gave off a short, mirthless bark. "I've brought shame to the Sheridan name, Waldron. She won't lift a finger to help me. Wouldn't be surprised if she asks if she can't swing the ax herself, t'be honest."
Connell was silent, his brain churning.
"Sorry," Marianne said quietly. "My family business is none of yours."
"I still care about you, Marianne," Connell replied softly. "And that makes it my business."
"Well, I hope you're not thinking of trying to reason with my mother, because you'll only be throwing your shiny new job away."
"Oh, no, I wasn't thinking that at all."
"Ah." Marianne fell silent.
"Y'know, speaking of mothers, I was only thinking about what's gonna happen when Lorraine finds out you're really meant to be executed. Gonna be eyepatch off for sure, and no mistake."
Marianne's head whipped around and Connell suddenly found himself subjected to the full force of a Marrianne Sheridan Glare.
He scratched the back of his neck. "I... should probably be the one to tell her, eh?"
"You think?"
"I'm just gonna nip off to Squad 11 for a sec. Don't try to escape or anything while I'm gone."
Marianne rolled her eyes.
"And eat something! I mean it!"
Anon, I hope you are a good sport. I spent like a day trying to drop Renruki into Normal People, and there were literally no changes, it was just Normal People with anime hair. I couldn't even rewrite the dialogue because the dialogue is the best part of Normal People. ("Can't really see myself in a tie… convicting people…") Also, I couldn't bear to make any of the Bleach characters any of the awful Normal People supporting characters and then this idea popped into my head and… I had to. I am so, so sorry.