Ficrections

Thank you to everyone who submitted fics for this project! All were accepted! We’ve got a great mix of fics here! There are some rare pairs, a few girl direction fics ,and lots of tropes that I am very excited for! Below the cut is the list of fics I’ll be reading in the new year. (Fics with an asterisk are locked and you will need an AO3 account to read them. Also, if I wasn’t reasonably sure of the author’s Tumblr, I didn’t include it. If you know the ones I left off, please let me know!)

This list is not ordered, it’s just so you know which fics I will be reading! Each Saturday, I’ll randomly select the fic for that week and post it so that you can read it too if you like.

When I am finished with the fic, I’ll post my thoughts on it and invite conversation from anyone who chose to read with me (or has already read it and wants to share their love for it). I look forward to experiencing all these epic fics with you!

Passing By 

(48449 words) 

by: Larry_you_know / @larryyouknow​

Chapters: 13/13

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles/Original Female Character(s), Louis Tomlinson/Original Male Character(s)

Characters: Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik

Additional Tags: Sailing, Boats and Ships, Friends to Lovers, Sexuality Crisis, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Happy Ending, Denial, Married Harry Styles, Everyone Loves Niall Horan, Zayn Malik & Louis Tomlinson Friendship, Liam Payne & Harry Styles Friendship, POV Harry Styles, POV Louis Tomlinson, Explicit Sexual Content, Drinking, Bad Decisions, Lack of Communication, Not Actually Unrequited Love, First Time

Summary:

Sometimes, people are in each other's lives just for the briefest of moments. They meet and then go their separate ways because being vulnerable is scary and it might be easier to not let anybody else in. But some people aren’t meant to be just passing by. Maybe when they open their eyes, they can learn things about themselves they haven’t known before. If they let their hearts speak they will find a way to be together.

The Dead of July 

by: whimsicule /​ @baroness-elsa

Summary:

Being an Avenger means continuing to be Captain America and smiling and being honorable for the public and Harry does his best. But it doesn’t give him time to figure out who he is supposed to be once he takes off his uniform and puts the shield to the side. Just being Harry had always involved Louis, and Harry fears he doesn’t know how to exist without him.

or: Harry is Captain America, and Louis’ been dead for 70 years.

Review:

**Warnings for potentially triggering content in this fic involving: torture, PTSD, depression, suicidal ideation, survivor’s guilt, and self-harm.**

Harry Styles is Captain America, who lost his best friend and lover, Louis Tomlinson, in World War II. But after an Avengers mission to protect a European delegate from a “ghost” assassin called the Winter Soldier, Harry finds that Louis isn’t dead, nor is he the man that he was when Harry lost him. What follows is a story full of violence and heartbreak and intrigue that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. 

This fic took me a while to work up to reading. It’s been on my personal ‘to read’ list for a very long time, but I kept holding off because I knew that it was going to hurt me. And hurt it did, but it was also a really incredible look at the fragility of the human condition (even when the humans in question have super powers) and how strong love can make you, even when it can’t heal what’s broken.

There are a lot of heavy topics like PTSD, depression, survivor’s guilt, and in one scene (about Louis’ metal arm), some distressing self-harm. There is also a lot of pretty unhealthy and codependent behavior which, to be fair, the fic absolutely acknowledges even as it charges onward. This fic may not be for everyone, but if everything I’ve mentioned already hasn’t given you pause, then it’s definitely a fic worth reading.

Throughout the fic, and against all odds, Harry keeps up an attitude of love-can-pull-us-through-anything, which was nice to get wrapped up in. Love doesn’t solve their problems, which are many and varied, but maybe it can hold them together while they help each other through the hard stuff. 

It’s always nice to see a story that doesn’t magically wipe away all of its character’s issues just because someone loves them. The world simply doesn’t work that way. And it doesn’t hurt to see that even heroes can have flaws. Because if that’s the case, then that’s pretty hopeful for the rest of us, right? If even the people we hold in the highest regard can be messed up, then maybe we’re not alone.  Maybe we, too, can be more than we imagined. We may have limitations, but they do not diminish our worth. 

Please be kind to yourself if you have trouble with the sensitive content of this fic. If you’re even questioning it a little, don’t put yourself through something that might hurt you. But if you can handle it, this fic is a wonder that will grip your heart and hold tight right to the finish. 

The Dead of July

(117446 words) 

by: whimsicule/ @baroness_elsa

Chapters: 10/10

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Others mentioned

Characters: Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Simon Cowell, Ben Winston, Sophia Smith

Additional Tags: Avengers AU, Alternate Universe, Harry is Captain America, Liam is Iron Man, Niall is Hawkeye, and Zayn is Black Widow, Because of course he is, Hurt/Comfort, References to Torture, Amnesia, Marvel Universe, Simon Cowell is Nick Fury but without the eyepatch, and less awesome, Others - Freeform, Angst, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD

Series: Part 1 of Avengers

Summary:

Being an Avenger means continuing to be Captain America and smiling and being honorable for the public and Harry does his best. But it doesn’t give him time to figure out who he is supposed to be once he takes off his uniform and puts the shield to the side. Just being Harry had always involved Louis, and Harry fears he doesn’t know how to exist without him.

Singing Harmonies in Neverland's Embrace

by: zanni_scaramouche/ @zanniscaramouche​

Summary:

Two minutes and seventeen seconds.

That’s all it took. Liam wasn’t there, he’s only read the reports. He doesn’t know if Harry’s heart sounded the same as it does now, rapid and high strung. If Harry had frozen at the scent of Zayn’s blood. If Harry had screamed, or gasped, or cried. Liam wasn’t there, and he’s determined to make sure he never finds out what Harry does when one of his bodyguards takes a knife to the chest.

Review:

I think we’ve all seen enough in the gossip magazines and entertainment news to know that celebrity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. This fic is a painful but beautifully poetic portrait of what that looks like for omega pop star Harry. 

Dealing with the building pressures of fame, as well as living with the memory of the life threatening injury his former bodyguard, Zayn, is struggling to survive, Harry tends to reach for the closest thing that will make him feel something other than the pain he buries deep inside himself. Usually, that means sex with the nearest willing partner. And given his popularity there’s always someone willing. The author describes it so aptly and cleverly when they call it Harry’s “descent into fame”.

Told from the POV of Harry’s new head bodyguard, alpha Liam Payne, we get to see both the moments when Harry shines bright and those when darkness threatens to consume him. We also catch soft glimpses of caring moments between Harry and Niall, a member of Harry’s band and the only other person who seems to see when Harry’s hurting and gives him a way to deal with his needs in a less destructive manner. There’s a lingering sense of intimacy between the two that seems to affect Liam, but Niall confirms that the love between them is platonic. 

Liam knows his job. He’s meant to protect, to keep Harry from ending up in another situation like what happened with Zayn. But as time goes on and he sees the depths of Harry’s pain, starts to understand why he does the things he does, he can’t help wanting to be more. Liam tries so hard not to blur the line between what he wants to do and what he should do as a professional. 

If you like angst, especially for the comfort that comes after the hurt, I think this fic is a lovely choice to pick up. There’s such a delicious sense of longing that carries through the entire work. It’s wonderful and I loved every moment of languishing in it.

Singing Harmonies in Neverland's Embrace

(21238 words) 

by: zanni_scaramouche/ @zanniscaramouche​

Chapters: 1/1

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Relationships: Liam Payne/Harry Styles, Niall Horan/Harry Styles

Characters: Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayne Malik

Additional Tags: welcomes to the underbelly of fame, Hypersexuality, sex as a coping mechanism, Enabling, Destructive Behaviour, manipulative management, Snapshots, Angst, incase that wasn’t obvious yet, Tour, Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Popstar Harry Styles, Bodyguard Liam Payne, Tour Bus, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Beta Niall Horan, Exes Louis/Zayn, Alpha Liam Payne, Omega Harry Styles, Hospitals, really just a drawn out way to hate on chamomile

Summary:

Two minutes and seventeen seconds.

Three Days  in February by: mercurial-madhouse/ @mercurial-madhouse

Summary:  How close is too close? Harry and Louis are about to find out after a drunken night leaves Louis cursed. With only a week before tour starts, the race is on to fix things before they lose Louis forever. Oh, and Harry has to keep his long-time crush on Louis a secret while the lad can literally hear his thoughts. Easy, right?

Featuring ridiculous amounts of banter and angst, a healthy dose of OT5 friendship, and one very magical weekend.

Review:

*Content warnings for fic at the end of the review for anyone who may need them.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were so thankful that your crush couldn’t hear your thoughts? What would happen if they were suddenly in your mind, hearing your thoughts all the time? This is what Harry faces in Three Days in February. 

After a night out with the boys, he wakes up in the morning (after kipping at Liam’s) with Louis’ voice in his head. At first, he thinks he’s just making up what Louis would say to him, but then no one can get a hold of Louis and the voice in his head is very insistent that Harry return home to the flat he shares with Louis.

It turns out that Louis is in his bed, right where he should be. But he won’t wake up. Because his consciousness isn’t in his body. It’s in Harry’s head. 

Louis has somehow been cursed, and now Harry and the others have to figure out how to break the curse and bring their bandmate back into his body.

Personally, I love this kind of story. The kind that forces you to stretch your imagination to allow you to experience things that we tend to believe aren’t possible in real life. Psychic connections, magic, and dreams are so much fun to speculate about, so seeing a story that covers all three is a real treat. 

It’s not just the fantastical parts of the story that excite me either. There are so many intense, passionate emotions in this fic that just spill out on the page, carrying you along in their current that’s too strong to resist. I laughed and cried and had the most cathartic time doing both. 

Another thing I loved about this fic was just how much OT5 we were given. I love fics that display the friendship and camaraderie between our boys, and this one does a really great job of balancing the OT5 and the Harry/Louis moments. The moments with Niall, Liam, and Zayn didn’t ever feel like filler, they felt like real friends, just being there for each other and working to help Louis and Harry figure out how to break the curse.

There’s a lesson to be learned in this fic too. It’s oft repeated, but with good reason, and it’s definitely something I need to keep in mind in my own life. Are you ready? Here it is: Don’t let your mind trick you into thinking a problem is too big to overcome. Some problems are bigger than others, but don’t let them become bigger than they actually are. Though put into far more humorous and quotable words in the story (I won’t ruin that discovery for you by stating what it is here), it’s still a valid point. And one I was grateful to be reminded of. 

This story is epic for a number of reasons, not even including the impressive word count. I hope you’ll read it, if you’re able, and enjoy all of it’s epic moments for yourself.

Warnings: I’m not sure what kinds of things might trigger people so, warnings for Louis’ physical body being unresponsive for a large part of the fic and the ingestion of drops of blood in relation to the curse.

Three Days in February

(187969 words) 

by: mercurial-madhouse/ @mercurial-madhouse​

Chapters: 28/28

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson

Characters: Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik

Additional Tags: Friends to Lovers, OT5 Friendship (One Direction), Action/Adventure, Action & Romance, Magical Realism, Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Banter, Humor, Slow Burn, Cursed Louis Tomlinson, Explicit Sexual Content, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, Smut, Pining, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Supernatural Elements, Sharing a Bed, Bottom Louis Tomlinson, Top Harry Styles, Pre-Ziam (If you squint), Shouldn't be any major triggers but this definitely gets intense!, Intense

Series: Part 1 of Three Days in February

Summary:

“What if I don’t remember in time?” Louis pushed out a breath too controlled to be steady. “We’re six days away from tour and we’ve got the Brits on Tuesday. What if I can’t figure this out before then? Fuck, what if I actually did ask for this and now I’m going to…to…shit…just fuck it all up for you lads or be stuck like this for-…”

Harry uncurled both of Louis’s hands from the fists they’d turned into and pressed them flat against his chest, silently urging Louis to take comfort the best way Harry could give it to him. “You really think we care more about tour than you? You’re going to remember before then. If you asked for this, you must’ve had a good reason.”

How close is too close? Harry and Louis are about to find out after a drunken night leaves Louis cursed. With only a week before tour starts, the race is on to fix things before they lose Louis forever. Oh, and Harry has to keep his long-time crush on Louis a secret while the lad can literally hear his thoughts. Easy, right?

Something in the way by: momentofclarity/ @gaycousinlarry

Summary: Hope Floats 90’s AU. When Louis Tomlinson finds out his wife is cheating on him with his best friend, he packs up his life and takes his daughter back to his childhood hometown to start anew. The problem is—he’s not so sure he’s moving forwards rather than backwards. What he finds in the small Texas town is a whole lot of memories, people who think they still know him and a man who’s spent the past decade waiting for his return.

Review:

There are thousands of stories about love. Hundreds of thousands. About all kinds of love. All dotting our lives like stars glowing above us in the heavens. This fic adds one more to the beauty of our skies. But despite the volume of other stories of its kind, this one shines bright enough to stand out on it’s own. 

For a story about love, there are so many different versions to find here. It’s not just about a romantic love that shows up right when it’s needed most. There’s also the love that had to fade to make Louis go back to the place where he didn’t even realize he’d lost himself. There, he finds himself again while also discovering that sometimes love doesn’t turn out as you expected or meant for it to be. 

There are moments of frustration, where it seems like no one, not even the people who care about him most, can understand what Louis is going through. Maybe they can’t, but they still try to help him get through it however they can. And when Louis finds himself on a path that’s moving too fast, they help him figure out that it doesn’t mean he has to stop. He can go at his own pace, just as long as he keeps going, keeps trying. 

This fic shows how sometimes people don’t love each other the way they should, and that there are times when people may not be able to recognize it or maybe even aren’t ready for it when someone does. It’s about getting things wrong and how maybe that’s exactly what you need so that you can have a second chance to get them right. 

This was a beautiful fic full of love and pain and self-discovery, and one that I definitely feel made my world a little richer.

Something in the way

(40419 words) by

momentofclarity/ @gaycousinlarry​

Chapters: 7/7

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Louis Tomlinson/past OFC

Characters: Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Original Characters, Hope Floats characters, in a huge mishmash

Additional Tags: Starting Over, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, First Love, Pining, Heartbreak, Soul-Searching, Falling In Love, Past Infidelity (not between Louis and Harry), Divorce, Louis has a kid (how very AU), Family Drama, minor (very minor) character death (they go to a funeral but it's not a major part of the story), Homophobic Language, alcohol drinking, Romantic Drama Extravaganza, Angst with a Happy Ending, Happy Ending, Smut, Blow Jobs, Hand Jobs, Alternate Universe, 90's AU, Hope Floats AU

Summary:

Then he looks up and is met by the greenest eyes on this side of the state border. Harry Styles grins wildly at him, dimple deep in his cheek as his eyes sparkle.

Tired Tired Sea by: MediaWhore/ @mediawhorefics​​

Summary: As a B&B owner on the most remote of all the British Isles, Louis Tomlinson is used to spending the coldest half of the year in complete isolation, with his dog and the sea as sole companions. Until, one day, a mysterious stranger on a quest to rebuild himself rents a room for the winter.

Review:

Have you ever woken up on a cold day, snow on the ground outside and a chill in the air, but you’re so comfortable tucked under a warm blanket and all you want to do is stay there all day. That’s the perfect time to read this fic because it will only add to that feeling. The fic itself is like an island of warmth and comfort, a haven from the troubles of the outside world, and that’s exactly what Harry Styles, a pop star with a troubled past and uncertain future, finds when he arrives on the island of Fair Isle. 

The story opens with Louis, a B&B owner who’s found the place he feels he truly belongs, starting the winter repairs on his B&B during the tourist off season. Immediately, you’re immersed in the cosy magic of this small but charming island and the community that loves and takes care of it. Through Louis’ eyes you see everything from the kind-hearted and only gossipy among themselves neighbors to the simple but caring environment that made him fall in love with the island in the first place. His love for it makes you fall in love with it too.

And then comes Harry, a quiet stranger with a tiredness to his soul and a heavy weight sitting on his shoulders. His uncertainty and uneasiness when he arrives is so well portrayed and pulls you in so that you can’t help but wonder what happened to him. You wish that you could help, to sooth the wariness he seems to carry in his bones. It’s eventually revealed that Harry has just finished rehab and isn’t ready to go back to the life that largely fed his inner demons. When Louis finds out about Harry’s past, he makes it his business to make his B&B the safe space that Harry needs it to be. Being able to see Harry find that at a time when he needs it most is so incredible and gives the story a sense of hope that is beautiful to see.

My favorite thing about this fic is how healing it is, both to Harry and to the reader. It takes the time to develop the atmosphere and friendship that makes you want to live on this island with them forever. There is pain in this fic, don’t get me wrong, but for each moment of pain, there are a dozen more that are a balm to the spirit. So, if you want to go on a beautiful journey that is both wholesome and bittersweet, full of moments of tenderness and humor, this fic is definitely for you. 

I can see why this fic is on so many favorites lists. Because who wouldn’t want to feel safe and taken care of? I know I do. And thanks to this fic, just for a little while, I absolutely was. 

Tired Tired Sea (113303 words) by MediaWhore/ @mediawhorefics​

Chapters: 13/13

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson

Characters: Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Clifford Tomlinson

Additional Tags: famous/non-famous, Alternate Universe, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Recovery, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Friends to Lovers, Strangers to Lovers, Isolation, Pining, Mutual Pining, No Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Scotland, Lighthouse, Fluff and Angst, Loneliness, Slow Build, slow, Just... slow paced af, mild anxiety, Seaside, B&B Owner Louis Tomlinson, Sad Harry Styles, Pop Star Harry Styles

Summary:

I hate that I have no answer for my first ask where someone requests fics from me. I can try to compile a list for you over time as I read, but I don't currently know of any fics like this, nor is it an easy thing to search for. I'm sorry!

What I Have With You (I don't want with anyone else) by: lululawrence/ @lululawrence​

Abbreviated summary: Louis is an asexual alpha, Harry is his aromantic alpha friend and possible roommate, and faking a relationship might be exactly what they need to get their families and friends off their backs.

Review: 

First off, let me just say that in the author’s note, the author writes that this fic was a labor of love and I absolutely believe it. It is a wonderful story that opened my eyes to a lot of things I didn’t know before and that in itself is reason enough to read it, in my opinion.

On the outside, an asexual/aromantic love story may seem implausible simply because a lot of people aren’t aware of the intricacies of an identity that is not their own. And learning from definitions alone doesn’t tell you much. But as the fic reveals, if given a chance, just because it’s not the image of love you expect, doesn’t make it any less valid or beautiful. 

Reading this fic helped me, personally, realize that just because I don’t relate to everything about asexuality or aromanticism, I can still find pieces of both in the makeup that makes me who I am (I have learned a few things about my own identity from reading this fic) and I can still see a beauty in the parts that have nothing to do with me at all. It also showed me the frustrations and confusion that people are put through when they have to keep defending the parts of themselves that others don’t understand. Even people who loved Harry and Louis had a hard time not reverting to that old phrase “you just need to find the right person” and it was clear it wasn’t said to hurt them, but it also clearly did. Because of this fic, I’ll always remember to keep that in mind, to keep reminding myself not to try and fit people into familiar boxes simply because it’s easier for me or makes me feel less awful about not understanding. 

My favorite thing about this fic is the consideration Harry and Louis give to each other. They communicate so well (most of the time) about their needs and feelings, even when it gets so overwhelming that one of them needs to walk away right after. I think that happens a lot with people when we feel different. We find comfort and understanding in others who share that feeling because we know what we need so we take the time to consider what they may need as well. And maybe these people we find that share these feelings are the “right people” as opposed to the ones who everyone else thinks will fix us. 

There are a lot of messages you could take away from this story, but the big one for me was this:  just because Harry and Louis don’t fit the same mold as the majority, doesn’t make them broken. They don’t need to be fixed. And it’s not just them. Asexual or aromantic or gay or demi or trans or however you identify. It doesn’t matter which you are or aren’t. Our identities are our own. We don’t need to be fixed. We. Are. Not. Broken. 

It’s a message I think a lot of people need to hear and I think that definitely makes this fic an epic one.❤️

What I Have With You (I don't want with anyone else) (73530 words) by lululawrence/ @lululawrence​

Chapters: 11/11

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik/Liam Payne, Niall Horan/Shawn Mendes

Characters: Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Shawn Mendes, Jay Tomlinson, Anne Cox, Gemma Styles, The Tomlinson Family

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Louis Tomlinson, Alpha Harry Styles, Alpha Niall Horan, Alpha Zayn Malik, Beta Liam Payne, Omega Shawn Mendes, Asexual Louis Tomlinson, Aromantic Harry Styles, Casual Acephobia, Casual arophobia, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Meet the Family, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Communication, Mating Cycles/In Heat, it's actually rut but this is the tag they give us so, No Smut, there is discussion of sex though, Sexual Identity, romantic identity, Banter, Roommates, American Harry Styles, American Louis Tomlinson, everyone is American sorry lol

Summary:

Louis smiled. “I’m sorry for how I ran away last night.”

“It’s totally fine. I’m sorry I did all that. I never asked if you were okay with it, and I really should have.”

Louis didn’t know how to respond to that. “I mean, I wasn’t really telling you no before that. How were you to know I’d be fine and then… not.”

“Well, if I had asked you first like I should have, then I would have known your boundaries.”

“How can you know my boundaries when even I don’t?” Louis scoffed. “Shit.”

Louis hadn’t meant to say that much to Harry. It’s not like he was embarrassed by who he was, but he still didn’t really talk about it openly either.

“What do you mean?” Harry asked.

Louis shook his head and kept his eyes trained on Harry’s chest. The shirt was old enough he could see the ghost of Harry’s tattoos through it.

“It’s a long and complicated story that is also very boring, so I don’t think you actually want the answer.”

This blog hasn’t been very active recently, but I plan to change that in the new year. So, I’m asking for submissions.

You know those fics you hold back on reading because they feel like they’re going to be SO EPIC and you’re waiting until you’re ready to be completely changed by this story? Those are the fics I want.

I’m going to make a list of 52 fics, one to read and review each week in the coming year. I’ll post the list once it’s filled and, if you want, you can come with me on this journey.

I’m only including fics I haven’t read before, so don’t be discouraged if your favorites don’t make the list! That doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy. And maybe we’ll all find some new favorites along the way.