Best One-Shot Alternate Universe (AU) Fanfics
Alternate Universe (AU) one-shots under 10k words — the trope distilled to a single complete read. Curated from AO3, ranked by kudos.
Top 20 One-Shot Alternate Universe (AU) Fanfics
Ranked by AO3 kudos. Each fic is tagged with alternate universe (au) and falls in the short stories under 10,000 words range.
The Internet Is Not Just For Porn
by cyerus
John is Sherlock's internet boyfriend - from CANADA.No one thinks he's real.
soft-hearted
by sarahyyy
Lan Zhan finds himself returning the smile. “Go home,” he urges gently, because it’s cold, and Wei Ying does not look like he’s dressed warmly enough to be out in the streets like this. Wei Ying’s smile dims. “A-Ying sleeps here when it’s cold,” he tells Lan Zhan. “When it’s summer, A-Ying likes to
when the right one comes along
by UglyGreenJacket
Hayden: Jackie is very jealous of your manny.Hayden: Says he’s incredible and that a bunch of the school moms are trying to get play dates with Violet. Shane: He is great.Shane: Kind of a menace, too, but Violet loves him, so I overlook some things. Hayden: Oh, I’m sure.Hayden: She also said he’s su
i thought it make believe
by blinkiesays
Stiles scrolls up on his text message history and sure enough finds "I'm OK, don't worry, I'm going back to the hotel room" with a timestamp of 1:30AM and "I think I'm in love I think he's a werewolf" at 3:00AM.Stiles stares at his phone for a while in horror.Scott: HEY LYDIA WANTS TO KNOW WHY YOU C
bloodthirsty
by adelfie
There’s a vampire out there. A pureblood, who feeds on bad people in Gotham. Even other vampires, if they’ve got blood. The Batman. --Tim, a starving vampire pup, tries to hunt while his parents are away. Gotham's terrifying urban legend hunts him down first.
Accidentally Welcome to the Rest of Your Lives
by kianspo
Non-powered college AU. Erik and Charles have nothing in common until they end up having sex at someone's party. They don't have much in common after that, either, but find each other a hard habit to quit.
Wo Rauch Ist
by CAPSING
"Someone needs to write a ‘the fire alarm went off at 3 am and now the cute guy from the flat next door is standing next to me in his underwear’ AU"
love thy neighbor
by wincechesters
Lan Wangji’s new neighbor is obnoxiously loud, incredibly ridiculous, and a shameless flirt. He is also quite possibly the love of Lan Wangji’s life.
Again and Again
by SailorFish
Achilles stood up. He had been expecting the stranger since Megaera had stalked past him, elegant despite the anger and blood dripping from her. An AU where Zagreus was raised by Demeter and ends up fighting his way through the Underworld regardless - just in the opposite direction. Guarding the ent
See Me
by Shadow_of_Quill
Light sometimes thinks he'd give anything to have someone see him for who he really is.
not all who wander are decent human beings
by ryuuzaou
Karma Akabane is desperate for a break in his routine. That's when someone jumped into his car, pressed a gun to his side, and told him to drive.Technically, it's exactly what he wanted. Just not what he expected.
Everything's Made to be Broken
by weathervaanes
Everybody gets a name, inscribed in a color over the left side of their chest. It seems like a good system, guaranteeing that there will be someone who loves you, who you will get to love in return for years to come. The only problem is that that's not actually how it always works out.
The Higher Education of Brienne of Tarth
by BrienneofThrace
Brienne thought misery was supposed to end after high school.And perhaps it would have...if she hadn't ended up going to the same college as Jaime Goddamn Lannister.A Jaime/Brienne modern-day college AU.
live my life without [coming up for air]
by orphan_account
The first time he meets Clarke, it's three in the morning and all he's wearing are his boxer shorts and a bad case of bed head.
Oh, Here We Go (Feel it in My Soul)
by spatialsoloist
When Daichi moved into his new flat, he wasn't prepared to meet a wonderful new neighbour with a smile like an angel's and a personality so sweet it could give one cavities, but heck, he wasn't complaining.But then, he also wasn't prepared for the streak of bad luck that followed as well.Daichi wasn
i drew a heart (around your name)
by rozsonata
WELCOME TO THE NAYBORHOOD!!i am Shane i am 7 i live in the house with the blue doormom said give you a gift so here is drawing!!i draw every day almost every daydo you like drawing?Ilya and his family move from Moscow to Ottawa when he is seven years old. The boy next door draws him a welcome gift.
Sleepover x At x Wing's
by DecemberCamie
“Is someone trying to capture you? A Blacklist Hunter, maybe?”“No.” A pause. “Well. Technically, yes, but-”“But it’s nothing to worry about!” Alluka finished and waved her hands at Zushi, who had turned white. “It’s okay, really!”Wing said gently, “Killua. Alluka. If there’s anyone who’s out to seek
Dragon Skin
by Feneris
Stoick has always feared that one day his son would find the black dragon-skin he kept in the oak chest at the foot of his bed. He feared that his son would know immediately what that dragon-skin was for.He feared that one day his son would don that skin, and discover he could turn himself into a dr
Say uncle
by MsCee
Derek Hale does not babysit. He just doesn't. That is, until he finds out that his cute new neighbor wants them to bond as single fathers while their daughters play. Not that Ellie is his daughter, but Stiles doesn’t need to know that, right?*Or, wherein Derek does not bother correcting an assumptio
Fantastic Humanity
by esama
Somewhere in Newt's suitcase there is a pocket watch.
More One-Shot Alternate Universe (AU) Fics on AO3
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About Alternate Universe (AU)
Stories set in a different universe or setting than canon, from coffee shops to space operas.
Infinite creative possibilities - seeing beloved characters in entirely new contexts.
Common scenarios: Coffee shop AU, college AU, royalty AU, no powers AU, historical AU.
About This List
This list of 20one-shot Alternate Universe (AU) fanfics spans 94,190 total words. Kudos range from 3,959 on the newest entries to 60,722 on the most established. Nearly all (85%) are complete, so you can start any of them without WIP anxiety. The most common rating is Teen And Up Audiences (7 of 20 fics).
Recurring tags across this list: Alternate Universe · Fluff · Alternate Universe - Modern Setting · Alternate Universe - College/University · Childhood Friends.
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