In 2020 I wrote an alternative "admission of feelings" fic where it was Marco who confessed and Ax rejected him. I was in a Lies Agreed Upon slump at the time and played around with the idea of continuing it to sort of explore if Ax had been the reluctant one instead of being the one to sweep Marco off his feet.
I'm back on my bullshit, and writing an original novel, and there aren't three of me, so I'll share What Could Have Happened if Ax let shame rule him.
1. When Is Morphing Like an Elevator (When It Goes Wrong It Goes Really Wrong) (illustrated by @postillfastill!)
2. Post-43 (Taylor Returns) [Ax] // If You Think About Something Too Much Does That Make It Real? (Asking For A Friend)
Marco sees Taylor out in the mall, tells Ax and Tobias. It was actually Tobias, but Tobias doesn’t admit it and asks them not to tell Jake, so they go on a wild goose chase
Ax is confused because Tobias doesn’t even like his human morph
Marco explains what trans is via Priscilla Queen of the Desert, shares that he actually has a lot of good queer resources and can try to find stuff for Tobias specifically
He leaves and Tobias is shocked that Marco took them seriously
Ax has trouble sleeping and talks to grumpy Tobias about Marco’s confession in the middle of the night, and grumpy Tobias tells him Marco’s crush has been obvious forever and he’s been trying to get him to admit it to Ax, Ax is shocked, Tobias is like yeah because an Andalite choosing to be with a human is sooo disgusting, Ax thinks about it, questions his people’s values
3. Underage Drinking [Marco]
Rachel dares Ax to switch clothes with her (why? I thought this was important fsr? fanservice?)
Tobias is clearly trying to get Marco and Ax to hook up. Bad at it, Ax keeps choosing truth and lying, Marco keeps choosing dare and thinking of loopholes. Tobias dares Marco to kiss Ax.
Tobias gets too drunk, gets upset
Truth or dare, Marco asks Tobias if he and Rachel have ever had sex, gets awkward, Rachel gets mad on Tobias’s behalf
When they’re alone, Ax starts making out with Marco. When it goes too far, Marco pushes him off and tells him he’s drunk and he can’t make good choices and he should demorph. Ax argues. Marco reluctantly accuses him of using him for human experiences “I can’t believe I’m saying this” challenges Ax, asks if his feelings have changed. Ax denies that they have and Marco forces him to demorph.
4. Ax Strings Marco Along and Fucks His Morphing Up Bigtime [Ax]
Several scenes of Ax leading Marco on, riling him up more and more until his morph melding is out of control.
Cassie comes to Ax to ask him if he knows what’s going on. Ax denies having ever heard of these morphing problems and Cassie interrogates him, both about what could theoretically be going on with the tech and how Marco’s feelings are his fault.
Defensive and self-deluding.
Ends with a very big disaster.
Jake decommissions Marco. Big Jake talk, big friendship damaging moment. Marco: “You know me. You know what we’ve been through.” Jake: “I do know you. Lists off Marco’s flaws, he’s ruthless, he’s a liar, he used both those traits to set Nora up as a pawn and [chess metaphor]” Marco is so hurt he’s speechless. Basically dissociates and tries to rip Jake apart, in a completely flat voice. Jake doesn’t react, absolutely nothing. “And that’s what I mean. You’re out, Marco.” Ax agrees that Marco needs to sit it out until he’s back under control. He tells him to go to Cassie. Marco Deals With Parents, Ax lies to get Peter and Eva to let Marco move in with him, Ax is Tsundere but reassures Marco about Nora, even though he doesn’t believe himself. Marco feels very overcome and they kiss. Marco says “Ax, I think this is real.” “It is only real while I am here, and while I am human.”
6. Post-46 [Ax] // On Earth They Call It Terrorism But On Homeworld It’s Just a Tuesday
Tobias gets mad at Ax, Ax expects Marco to also be mad, but Marco is on his side. Ax has non-penetrative sex with Marco.”Hypothetically. What if this is it” Marco asks him if he wants to talk about his feelings, Ax says “not really,” Marco agrees
Ax betrayal. Ax talks to Cassie, also a traitor, Marco talks to Tobias, Marco confronts Ax about having sex with him if he was just going to betray them, Ax finally admits something close to his feelings.
7. Post-War (Secret Dating) [Marco]
Immediately after the war, Ax and Marco go on regular person dates in morph, pretend to be different people, Ax realizes he loves it.
“This is pathetic. I’m pathetic. I’ve let you use me for years.” “But you like it.” “...that’s not the point.”
8. The Truth is Rarely Pure and Never Simple
No Suicide Mission AU [Alternating POV]
Ax comes to Earth, Marco is literally high when he arrives, thinks it’s a normal visit
They have a conflict, Marco tries to throw that he gave Ax everything he wanted in his face,
They have to stay with Marco’s parents and he gets to watch them break up
Ax is clearly making reckless decisions, Marco tries to hold him back, but also he’s excited to have someone to party with and fucked up Ax is fun
Paparazzi catch their first kiss since Secret Dating and out Marco, Marco deals with it and spins it into a positive, but further paparazzi identify Ax’s human morph
Marco is furious and hunts down the pap and kills them in a finally successful horrific mixed morph— “Do you know any ex-hosts?” “you know, I really don’t want to do this. I haven’t done this in so long. But really, you should have known.” Fakes it out as just a threat, reasons with himself, goes through with it. Comes home and blows Ax off, saying he needs to make a few calls.
Marco finds Tobias when Ax isn’t doing well after everything comes out and rips him a new one for abandoning his best friend (they have a closer relationship in this series, so it’s emotional and meaningful). Tobias wants to know how Marco found him. “You’re really underestimating my ability to [predict what you’re going to do? Track you down? Something creepy.] Nah, I’m just kidding, I asked Cassie.” He hadn’t asked Cassie.
They have another fight that gets shut down when Ax says “I chose you over my people.” “You chose Earth over your people.” “You’re the reason I love Earth.”
Ax reconnects with Jake, tries to convince him he doesn’t have to be associated with the military anymore, they can both retire from being princes. Jake doesn’t know if he has anything else.
Ax and Cassie talk about the difference of driving change from the top in politics vs driving change by contributing to your people
Ends wrapping up that the military and government have washed their hands of Ax, he’s accepted as having been too changed by earth to be anything but a xenoanthropologist and culture starts to shift because he’s still an important and inspirational figure, and his relationship with a human is controversial in Andalite society, drives many earth countries to legalize same-sex marriage to keep up with Andalites in terms of values
Original pitch for plot of No Suicide Mission AU:
Ax leaves to be a prince, gets disillusioned quickly, talks to his parents, his relationship with Forlay turns around immediately, he comes back to Earth, shacks up with Marco, Marco pulls a “me and my weird roommate” act, but eventually they’re outed by tabloids. Marco turns it into a positive for his career but Ax’s relationship with Andalite culture is complicated. Exploration of remaining friendships.
“So you’re a civilian now?”
<Yes.>
“The fact that you were a bootlicker was the worst thing about you.”
<Andalites do not have boots.> <Or tongues.>
