Shenanigans — Tag Meaning
A cheerful catch-all for mischief, capers, and lighthearted chaos — heists that go sideways, group schemes, escalating pranks. The tag signals ensemble energy and a story where the fun is in watching characters cause and survive nonsense together.
What to Expect From "Shenanigans" Fics
Playful chaos with no real consequences. Great for ensemble casts and found-family dynamics in comedy mode.
How to find Shenanigans fics on AO3
On AO3, click any tag to see every work that uses it, then refine with the "Filters" sidebar — combine it with your fandom or ship, set a rating, or exclude tags you don't want. See our AO3 filtering guide for the full walkthrough.
Browse "Shenanigans" works on AO3Popular Fics Tagged "Shenanigans"
Real examples from AO3's most-kudosed works:
it's tradition.
by hicsvntdracones
All the Way Through
by sevenfists
14 days to flaten the curve
by Anonymous
Agnoiology
by Kokochan
Lets get SMASHed (by the weight of time travel)
by Nancyheart
Related Tags
Drunken Shenanigans
The tag for chaos lubricated by alcohol: karaoke disasters, ill-advised bets, 3 a.m. texts, and decisions that seemed brilliant four drinks in. It promises comedic rather than serious treatment of drinking — the hangover, not the addiction storyline.
Tag guide →
Pranks and Practical Jokes
The canonical tag for prank content: escalating wars between siblings or teammates, elaborate single-target operations, and the time-honored fandom premise of pranking two oblivious people into confessing. The pranks signal closeness — you only booby-trap people you love.
Tag guide →
Humor
The umbrella tag for fic that wants to make you laugh, spanning witty banter, situational comedy, farce, and gentle absurdity. Unlike Crack, Humor implies the story still operates within recognizable canon logic — it's funny, not unhinged.
Tag guide →
Crack
Fic powered by an absurd premise embraced without apology — characters turned into cats, gods forced to share an apartment, a sentient toaster's perspective on the plot. The name comes from the old joke that the author must have been on something. Logic is optional; commitment to the bit is mandatory.
Tag guide →
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