So, I've been working on a new Red Dwarf fic, and I really just need to ramble about it because I'm so excited about it and need to release that excitement somewhere, if that makes sense.
The fic is AU, set in modern day Liverpool. The basic idea is that Rimmer gets invited to a queer bar by Todhunter, which I know makes it sound like this fic is Rimmer/Todhunter, but it's a Rimster fic. Some parts could definitely be read as Rimmer/Todhunter, and I'm not opposed to that ship, but in the end it will be Rimmer and Lister who get together.
Rimmer and Lister will be coworkers in this one, but Lister also plays guitar at the queer bar in the evenings, and that's how Rimmer meets him. But, Rimmer is repressed, so when Lister starts working at Space Corps, he doesn't mention anything that happens at the bar, and insists on using their last names to address each other so that they don't get too friendly with each other.
(It's important to note that while they both work as technicians for the Space Corps, they work on Earth, repairing parts of ships that are not in flight.)
There's a bit of Lister/Kochanski in this fic too! She, like in canon, works on Red Dwarf, and when she starts dating Lister (causing Rimmer to get jealous) it becomes Lister's goal to get promoted so he can join her on that ship. However, since Rimmer is in a senior position, and is also his supervisor, he needs his help to get promoted.
Meanwhile, Rimmer still goes to the queer bar with Todhunter and some OCs, and watches Lister play. Over time, he becomes more accepting of the LGBTQ+ community, until he almost begins to question his own sexuality.
Like in canon, Kochanski breaks up with Lister, and though Rimmer comforts him through the breakup, he is secretly relieved. His friendship with Lister is strengthened, even though they only interact as friends when in the bar.
Then, one night, Lister plays a song at the bar for "someone special in the audience" while looking directly at Rimmer. After the song is played, with lots of homoerotic stares coming from both sides, they find each other in the bathroom and start making out. Happy ending, right? WRONG.
Todhunter walks in on them, and Rimmer panics and runs away. At work, things are even more awkward because Rimmer won't talk to either of them about it. It takes some very strong persuasion from my OC to help him address the fact that he's gay, and needs to get his life together before Lister starts dating someone else.
Finally, the two of them properly talk. Rimmer explains his side (how he was brought up in a homophobic household and it really rubbed off on him) and Lister explains his (how he had a crush on him since they first met and just wanted Rimmer to be less closed off from him).
They start dating, and it starts off with very small steps, and it takes a lot more visits to the queer bar and spending time with the gay and trans people there before Rimmer's comfortable with his identity, and he can kiss Lister without passing it off as a drunken mistake.
