ONE-SHOTS

Springfield, Backwards - The Simpsons [AU]

This short story, requested by rarilee, is my first ever AU story, using the reverse AU. If you don't know, the reverse AU (or alternate universe) is simply Springfield, but each character's roles are reversed. It is told from Waylon Smithers' perspective, as he wakes up in a different universe, as head of the power plant with his assistant, Burns. It is Burnsmithers but doesn't follow up from "I'm Coming (out)", (my other Burnsmithers story) and starts in the regular Springfield. Enjoy!

"Smithers!" I was jolted out of my daydream by Mr Burns' voice from the adjacent room. Adjusting my glasses I stood up and rushed through the door that connected the two rooms. He nodded as I entered, and indicated for me to come over.

"What is it, sir?" I asked as I helped him out of his chair. His hands were cold and bony under mine, and I led him to a chair a few metres away.

"Turn on the monitors." I did as he asked, flicking on the surveillance cams. Instantly live footage of the workers at the plant flicked up on the many screens in front of the chair. His eyes focused on one of the screens in the centre, of a large vat of toxic waste, and a small smile creased his lips as he watched them work.

Suddenly a bell started to ring through the power plant. His hand tightened in shock about mine and I blushed slightly. "Smithers, have that bell dismantled."

"Yes, sir," I responded, guiding him off the chair under his direction and helping him outside, towards his car. I climbed into the drivers' seat and started the short drive to his mansion.

A few hours later I'd put him to bed and was driving back to my apartment. I couldn't help thinking jealously back to his large mansion while I stepped out of my small Ford and into the ramshackle block of flats where I lived. I dressed into my pyjamas, ate a small dinner, and climbed into bed. And as always, my last thoughts were of him before I fell asleep. But this time, I thought of how much better my life could be if I was sleeping there, in one of his massive beds, in one of the many rooms in his manor. With him...

I woke up the next morning feeling different. I put a hand out to reach for my glasses on the bedside table and felt them being pressed into my hand. That was odd - nobody else lived in my apartment with me. I sat up, squinting in the light that seemed to be streaming across my face. After blinking two or three times I put my glasses on and pushed them up the bridge of my nose. I turned to my left and a figure came into focus next to me.

"Mr Burns? S-sir?" I stuttered, seeing the figure's features come into the light. It was Monty, alright - he had the same blue-grey hair, piercing eyes, pointed nose - the features I'd looked up to for however long I'd worked at the plant. But something about it was slightly different, but what it was I couldn't place. His brow creased as he looked at me in confusion.

"Mr Smithers, are you alright?" Mr Smithers? Monty had never called me that in his life. It was always just plain Smithers.

"Where am I?" Now he really looked concerned.

"Your mansion, sir. The same place as you fell asleep. Mr Smithers, are you sure you're okay?" I nodded dazedly. This was really strange...

After running the idea over in my head a few times I decided to test something. "Burns, please fetch me my..." I hesitated, "...clothes." He left with a short 'yes sir' and came back bearing similar clothes to what Monty normally wore - a soft teal suit, white shirt and pink tie. He left me to sit there, staring half-dazed out of the window. Was this some kind of nightmare? Or a wonderful dream?

The morning that followed felt eerily similar to the day before. Like deja vu, but this time, it felt like Monty Burns and I had swapped roles. He did everything I had done the day before, I did what he had done... but I still couldn't wrap my head around what had happened.

By evening I was getting used to it. The thoughts I'd had the night before, the daydreams about my flat and his bed and his mansion, came spiralling back. They were only dreams, but in this reality-

A bell pealed loudly above the monitors, which I was sitting in front of in a large chair. The noise surprised me, and my hand involuntarily tightened about Monty's. I looked sideways at him and was shocked to find a soft blush spreading over his yellow cheeks.

"Sir," he interrupted, jolting me out of my thoughts. "Would you like me to take you home?"

I nodded. "Yes, but can I ask something of you?"

Monty looked slightly worried but nodded dutifully. I bit my lip, trying to figure out how to phrase this request. As he helped me up from the chair I eventually spoke.

"Would you want to stay the night?"

As his expression changed from shocked, to confused, to happy, and as he nodded with a small smile, it dawned on me that this wasn't the confession I'd imagined all those times. This wasn't even the same reality. But if this where I needed to be for it to happen...

Then it would be where I'd stay.

I hope you enjoyed this oneshot! Tell me what you think in the comments and feel free to drop a vote if you liked it! It is my first ever AU story and I think it turned out fairly well, thank you to rarilee for the idea and thank you all for reading it!!