Best ORV AU Fanfics On AO3?

Ever since I fell down the 'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint' rabbit hole, I've been obsessed with finding the best AU fanfics that twist the original story in fresh ways. One standout is 'Regression Doesn’t Fix Everything,' where Kim Dokja wakes up as Yoo Joonghyuk during the first regression—imagine the existential horror of realizing you’re *the* protagonist but with zero combat skills! The author nails Dokja’s internal panic and Joonghyuk’s eerie presence bleeding through the narrative. Another gem is 'Library of Shattered Time,' a bookstore AU where Dokja is a caffeine-deprived librarian and Joonghyuk keeps 'accidentally' wrecking shelves while browsing. The slow burn had me screaming into my pillow.

For darker AUs, 'Black Iris' reimagines the scenarios as a cyberpunk dystopia, with Dokja as a hacker unraveling the system’s secrets. The worldbuilding is insane—think neon-lit Seoul with constellations as rogue AIs. And if you crave fluff, 'Stars in Your Eyes' transplants the cast into a college drama club AU, complete with disastrous rehearsals and Han Sooyoung’s chaotic directorial notes. Honestly, ORV’s fandom on AO3 is a goldmine for creative spins that make the characters feel brand new yet perfectly *them*.

I’m a sucker for AUs that blend ORV’s lore with entirely different genres, and 'Where the Abyss Gazes Back' does this brilliantly. It’s a supernatural detective AU where Dokja and Joonghyuk hunt urban legends tied to the constellations—think 'X-Files' meets Korean folklore. The tension between Dokja’s skepticism and Joonghyuk’s ‘shoot first’ approach is *chef’s kiss*. Another favorite is 'Café of the Damned,' a slice-of-life/comedy where the 1864th round’s company runs a café for mythological beings. Lee Gilyoung’s bug-shaped cookies and Persephone as a regular had me wheezing.

For something introspective, 'Echoes of a Reader' explores Dokja surviving as a ghost post-epilogue, watching his friends grieve. The prose is hauntingly beautiful, especially when Yoo Sangah starts sensing his presence. If you prefer lighter fare, 'Dokja’s Terrible, Horrible, No-Good Streaming Career' is pure chaos—him accidentally becoming a viral gaming streamer while Joonghyuk lurks in chat, leaving cryptic donations. The fandom’s range never fails to impress!

My bookmark tab is overflowing with ORV AUs, but 'The Sparrow That Fed You' lives rent-free in my mind. It’s a royalty AU where Dokja is a political hostage raised by the imperial family, and Joonghyuk’s cold demeanor hides a protectiveness that’s *everything*. The political intrigue feels like 'The Crown' with more stabbing. Another must-read is 'Apocalypse Bingo,' a crack-treated-seriously fic where the company plays bingo with apocalypse tropes. Lee Hyunsung shouting ‘Bingo!’ as zombies invade had me in stitches.

For soulmate AUs, 'In Every Universe' ties Dokja and Joonghyuk together through shared dreams across lifetimes. The historical regression chapters hit hardest—especially Edo-era Dokja burning Joonghyuk’s letters. The fandom’s ability to reinvent ORV’s core themes in new settings is why I keep refreshing AO3 daily.