Crime AU
| Tropes and genres | |
|---|---|
| Synonym(s) | Mafia AU, Bad Guys AU, All Criminals AU, Mobster AU |
| Related tropes/genres | All Human AU, Assassin AU, Prison AU, Thriller |
| See also | Darkfic, Mirror Universe, Psychopaths In Love |
| Related articles on Fanlore. | |
This article or section needs expansion. |
Crime AU is an Alternate Universe trope where the main characters are criminals. In ship fics, at least one half of the pairing is a criminal (a killer, a thief, member of a crime family) and brings the other half of the pairing into the world of crime (sometimes by accident).
A variation on the Crime AU, is a Mobster AU where one or more canon characters is a Mob Boss, or involved in organized crime. In anime fandom, the mob is typically the Yakuza. Yakuza AU often features tattoos. Stories involving opposing mobs or gangs often involve rivalry or the Enemies to Lovers trope.
This trope is connected to the Prison AU trope, but in Crime AUs, the characters are rarely incarcerated for the majority of the story.
In fandoms where supernatural creatures are canon, this trope is often a variation of All Human AU.
Fandom specific Crime AUs
- In Arrow Crime AU fics, writers often explore Oliver's Bratva ties where he is a Bratva captain, instead of the vigilante.
Example Fanworks
Arrowverse
- A Matter of Trust by bluesuedeshoes, an Oliver/Felicity fic where Bratva Captain Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak have a marriage of convenience, but the chemistry between them is anything but convenient. (Arrow)
- Cold Hard Cash by meowitskatmofo, a Coldflash fic where Barry Allen is in deep debt to mob boss Leonard Snart. (The Flash)
BTS
- House of Cards by sugamins, Jeon Jungkook/Kim Taehyung/Park Jimin threesome Gangsters AU. The most popular work in the Gangsters AU tag on AO3.
Vampire Diaries
- Prowl by withfireandblood, a Klaroline All Human AU fanfic, where the Mikaelson family is one of the most powerful crime families in the world.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Go Ugly Early by just_another_tinker, a Stony fic where mob boss Steve Rogers recruits Tony Stark to investigate a rival mob family. (WIP)
- Criminals & Forensics by STARSdidathing, a collection of frostiron fics where Tony Stark is a Forensic Scientist at S.H.I.E.L.D and Loki is an international criminal mastermind (2016)
Supernatural
- Authority by seasidemeow, a Destiel fic with Russian mobster Castiel and 17-year-old Dean. (Omegaverse)
- Winter sun by Lanevra Silver Destiel, Omegaverse, Russian
Genshin Impact
- la colpa è inevitabile animatic by Hamelin_哈米伦的弄笛者 features Aether working as a mob enforcer for his twin sister Lumine's sake, without her knowledge.