So...I might have overdone it this month. But what's a devourer of fic to do when so many fests coincide? (Read entirely too much, friends.)
Crimson in My Head by allwaswell16 / @allwaswell16 (4146)
As it stood, Louis generally avoided being alone with Harry.
It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy being around him. That wasn’t it at all. In fact, it was more like the opposite. He enjoyed it a little too much than was healthy for their friendship.
So he’d spent the better part of three years keeping Harry at arm’s length. When their friends decided to get off campus apartments sophomore year, he’d made sure to attach himself to Liam, leaving Zayn and Harry to get a place with Niall. If they had a study session at the library, he made sure Harry wasn’t the only one going. If they went bowling or to the movies or out to a bar, he made sure there was at least one other person as a buffer between him and Harry.
And so far, it had all worked perfectly. For the most part. With maybe some minor bumps in the road.
A friends to lovers story featuring spring break, tiny red shorts, an interfering friend, and a pair of lace panties. Inspired by Looks Like Lucy.
“Your Number One Bottom” by larry_hiatus / @emilarry (5501)
Harry thinks it’s hilarious that Louis’ shirt for his show says “BH”, which happens to be the fans’ abbreviation for “bottom Harry”. The shirt also says “N°1”, and Harry plans to prove Louis’ shirt to be right, showing Louis that he really is the “number one bottom”.
losing track of time, reaching higher heights by tommolinson / @sunflowrry (5717)
on the day of the 2014 amas, harry, zayn and louis get a little naughty.
or, a very self-indulgent zourry fic with all porn no plot (or maybe some plot?)
Conversations in Bus Backseats by homosociallyyours / @homosociallyyours (9154)
It's 2007, and if you want to get from New York City to Boston and back again, the cheapest way to do it is to take a bus from one city's Chinatown to the other. The Fung Wah Bus is fast and affordable, and only sometimes dangerous.
When Louis gets the chance to sit next to the woman she's been crushing on who also takes the bus regularly, she isn't sure how the three to four hour trip will go. One harrowing (slightly extended) trip is enough to make her realize she might've found The One.
Life might have other plans for her.
You Pull Me In Completely by juniperlightning / @juniperlightningwrites (9313)
When their relationship fell apart 7 years ago, Louis never expected to see Harry again. He certainly didn't expect to find himself hired to perform as a stripper for Harry's birthday.
I’m Not Done With You Yet by paradise_is_getting_closer / @paradise-is-getting-closer (10166)
Well…that was a pretty decent one night stand, Louis thought to himself while he walked down the stairs of Harry's building. Actually it was pretty fantastic.
Really a pity that he didn't do seconds.
...or the one where Louis can't help coming back to Harry after a one night stand and Harry doesn't give up on keeping Louis in his life.
Notice It by violetlilachyacinth (12136)
He pushes his way into the room, roughly. Starts with his pants while facing the wall. “This is a pity fuck,” he clarifies.
“Yeah,” he hears Louis say, door creaking shut behind them. “But for which one of us?”
Harry Styles is the Captain of the New York Yankees. One of his players is not performing.
Tied Up In Knots by j_klmnop (12705)
It’s surprisingly easy to ignore a crush when there are meetings to attend, deadlines looming, and an entire office full of people to hide behind.
At least until an office party makes it impossible to deny the fact that Harry might not be hanging around Louis’ desk for work-related reasons after all.
strange but familiar tasting by whatabadchoice / @lydiejo (27651)
In the countless years Louis has now been “alive”, Louis has come to realize there is no point. Just, in general. It was once a freeing thought and he is willing to admit the nihilistic view of existence brought on quite a wild phase in the first few years he discovered and adopted it. Lots of nights he wasn’t sure he could remember properly. Lots of nights he has absolutely no interest in remembering at all.
No perfect place would have the effect of making his thesis easier to write, of that Harry can be certain. Not for the first time, he wonders if he even belongs at the Academy. He’d gotten special permission to complete his programme mostly from home because of his particular circumstances. Still, the prestige and exclusivity associated with the Academy felt nothing like the way his magic actually... flowed.
Louis is just trying to get through an infinite loop of endless workdays. Harry is just trying to get qualified as a witch. They both end up on a quest they didn't ask for, finding something they never expected somewhere along the way.
Such Small Mercies by FadedCorporate (35385)
The rotation is simple in theory: one vampire, one wolf, one house, three months. Keep the peace, maintain the property, sustain yourselves from the household provisions and don't cause any incidents. Simple.
Louis has been alive long enough to recognise a punishment dressed up as an honour. Harry has been reliable long enough to know exactly why he was sent. Neither of them did what they're here for, and the house still smells of what the last pair did to each other.
They were roommates. That's the whole story, really.
catalyst by sallysimpsons (54297)
One time could be forgiven, they were both so drunk that night. But two times. Two times were unforgivable. Harry should’ve told Louis to go to the pub now, laugh it all off. But he didn’t. Instead, once again, his body moved before his brain could and his lips were crashing against Louis. This time it was him who initiated, and Louis didn't pull back, but parted his lips to welcome Harry’s tongue in his mouth.
Harry and Louis are both straight and in happy relationships, that is until the two of them end up shagging in the bathroom of a club during Harry's bachelor party.
i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) by thedeathchamber / @louehvolution (55844)
Harry thinks he has good reasons for avoiding relationships. Meeting Louis puts those reasons to the test.
The Best Thing I Never Had by j_klmnop (71128)
Louis meets the love of his life.
Then has to leave.
After being offered the internship of a lifetime, Louis is out celebrating with friends when he meets a boy who takes his breath away.
a thrill that i’ve never known by sunflowersue / @sunflower-suesue (100000)
"I always wanted an upper thigh tattoo." He shrugs innocently as if the thought of tattooing Harry's thigh didn't send Louis into a spiral.
"Why? Nobody would ever see it." Louis' voice has the slightest, nervous shake to it. His mind is softly blurred at the edges, the world a little smaller. Just—Harry, Harry, Harry.
"I like short shorts." He shrugs.
jilted bride x rockstar au. After declaring themselves as married on the first night of meeting, Harry decides to join rockstar Louis Tomlinson on his sold out tour across Europe. What starts as a thrilling whirlwind of falling in love and sex, they find the sharp reality of stressful tour life creeps in quickly. Cue heartbreak and angst.
with the blossom tree above you by staybeautiful / @harruandlou (107814)
A little over a week later, Louis was on his laptop paying a few invoices when he came across an email in the shop’s inbox.
Good afternoon,
I don’t know if you remember me, but I was in your shop a week ago to purchase some pastels. We talked about cherry blossoms and you suggested I go to the Parc De Sceaux. It was just as beautiful as you said it would be. While I was painting, I was thinking about your shop. I don’t mean to be untoward, but are you looking for any summer help? I finish my exams in a couple of weeks and it would interest me greatly to assist and learn your craft.
Thank you for your consideration.
Best,
Harry Styles
Or the summer before his last year of art school, Harry secures a job working for Louis, a reclusive pastel maker. He doesn't expect that his planned summer of Parisian debauchery will blossom into something much more.
slowly we unfurl as lotus flowers by yourdelicatepov / @howdididisco (143526)
UNI AU. In which Louis gets cast in what Liam calls his career defining short film, and his co-lead is, well, one Harry Styles. That's just how it begins.
Or, the one where Louis tries not to chase after abandoned dreams and lovely musicians, Harry is a lovely musician who needs to heal, Niall should win the bestest friend award if there is one, Liam just wants to finish his very important gay rom com in time and Zayn is...around.
comfort reread of the month: Them Butterflies by momentofclarity / @gaycousinlarry (68507)
My fave WIPs that updated this month:
Cranberries by juniperlightning / @juniperlightningwrites (95287)
A story about two people growing closer together even when the universe seems determined to keep them apart.
Good Grief by faithinthegrapejuice / @faithinthegrapejuice (402282)
Or the one where school-weirdo Harry brainiac Styles has become a palliative care doctor, school-dropout Louis arse-to-die-for Tomlinson a self-made CEO with a terminally ill best friend, and the universe thinks it’s a good idea to throw them back together after 17 years—with two kids, two dogs, a fiercely loyal circle of friends and family, and a whole lot of meant-to-be.
Influenced. by zita17, zmmf / @louisandtheaquarian @zaynmaliksmiddlefinger (622295)
A fake dating with a twist, famous/not-famous, enemies to friends to secret lovers au where Larry and Ziam fall in love behind the scenes while Zarry bicker in public.
Total number of fics read: 74 (that’s 2.2 mil words!) across two fandoms