too ill to tumble

A One Direction fic rec of fics that feature a cat as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other recs here. Happy reading!

- Louis / Harry -

🐱 Emperor's New Clothes by sunsetmog / @magicalrocketships

(E, 92k, exes) Harry’s a pop star and Louis isn’t, and there’s a non-disclosure agreement where there used to be a relationship.

🐱 if we were butterflies by @blueskiesrry

(E, 52k, omegaverse)  after recruiting harry to model for his sculptures and coming to know all his edges, louis loses him to a life more prosperous than he can provide. he finds harry again four years later.

🐱 Blossom Close by @snowy38

(E, 24k, neighbors) AU wherein Louis and Harry are neighbours and Louis' cat knocks up Harry's cat and when Harry realises who the father is he storms over to Louis' house telling him to keep that savage animal away from his princess and Louis responds by leaving things like cat food and toys on Harry's porch with a note that says 'child support'. (Spoiler: Harry and Louis eventually decide that they want to keep the kitty family together and raise them as a team.)

🐱 i'll be your new favourite tune by lsforever / @kingonafiftymetreroad

(E, 22k, animal shelter) Louis is the Pop Punk King of our dreams, and Harry is the cute associate at the rescue who helps him adopt a cat.

🐱 Spinning Out Waiting for You by amomentoflove / @daggerandrose

(M, 18k, uni) From Halloween night until graduation, matched witches and familiars will have to create a talisman to be a physical representation of their bond. One for the witch and one for the familiar. Most pairings last an entire lifetime. If only it were that simple.

🐱 the inconvenience of wanting you by @tracksuitponytail

(M, 14k, omegaverse) Alpha Louis Tomlinson loves music, his balcony overlooking an unkempt garden, and (most of all) his solitude. When omega Harry Styles moves into the downstairs flat with four-legged company and a love of gardening, Louis is determined to despise the disruption and keep his distance.

🐱 Man, Deconstructed by jacaranda_bloom / @jacaranda-bloom

(E, 13k, humor) Harry doesn’t need help getting laid and he certainly doesn’t need Niall to hire a professional to ‘sort him out’. But when a gorgeous man turns up on his doorstep on his birthday to ‘lay some pipe’ in the back garden (who just happens to have the best arse Harry’s ever seen), his world is upended.

🐱 oh so familiar by @insightfulinsomniac

(E, 13k, enemies to lovers) When Harry transferred to the University of Mestonwood, he hoped that he'd finally fit in. As a witch, he's much less likely to feel isolated on an entirely supernatural campus, right? Wrong. Thanks to the cold-shoulder efforts of Louis Tomlinson, president of the vampire Coven, Harry still feels the sting of rejection from the most gorgeous boy on campus.

🐱 Come In and Change My Life by lightswoodmagic / @lightwoodsmagic

(E, 12k, omegaverse) Harry and Louis become friends when Harry looks after Louis' cat during away games, until one night at a party changes everything between them. It's just a shame Louis' going to be away for the FIFA World Cup for three months.

🐱 Thought The Song Was Sung by 100percentsassy

(E, 12k, famous/not famous) Louis never auditioned for the X-Factor. Years later, Harry's just another gay ex-boybander who lives alone with his cat... until Niall decides to take matters into his own hands and set up a profile for Harry on a dating website.

🐱 Far Afield by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird

(T, 11k, flower shop) Harry Styles is a witch who owns the best flower shop in Manchester. Lottie Tomlinson is planning her wedding, and brings her brother along to her first appointment. Both men have been having a bad day and sparks fly.

🐱 be with you day and night by ballsdeepinjesus

(E, 10k, humor) louis inherits a demon cat. harry is a cat whisperer.

🐱 The One Where Harry Really Doesn't Have Ten Cats by LoadedGunn

(T, 10k, humor) the AU where Harry is a pet-sitter for the rich and famous, and Louis is rich and famous.

🐱 You Make Me Feel Like Home by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

(T, 8k, coffee shop) There's a cat out behind the coffee shop where Louis works. There's also a homeless boy sometimes. Louis likes to feed both of them.

🐱 Won't You Please Come Around by @allwaswell16

(M, 5k, neighbors) a Valentine's Day story where Harry has a really fit neighbour, and his cat is a thief.

🐱 Pretty and Preposterous by @brightlyharry

(NR, 5k, little free library) Harry donates a copy of Pride and Prejudice to his little free library. He never expects what comes next.

🐱 Harry Styles Plays with Kittens While Answering Questions by @sadaveniren

(T, 4k, hybrid L & H) Louis runs a Youtube channel and Harry is his celebrity guest

🐱 Twist of Fate by @phdmama

(M, 4k, meet cute) A chance encounter with an opinionated cat seems likely to change Louis's life.

🐱 Monday by @seekforwarmth

(NR, 2k, florists) A flower shop AU featuring a one-sided feud, puns, and a missing cat.

🐱 You're My Sunlight on a Rainy Day by @huggieshalo

(G, 1k, cat cafe) When the duo planned their college break trip, they debated between Singapore and Thailand for a long while. That was until Harry came across an advertisement for this cat cafe, "Purrfect Treats", located in Bangkok.

🐱 one more pine (or five) by momentofclarity / @gaycousinlarry

(G, 1k, fluff) Louis is pining. Harry's cat is a good listener.

- Rare Pairs -

🐱 The Dreams That You Kill by @reminiscingintherain

Louis Tomlinson is coming to North America this summer! As part of his How Did We Get Here? World Tour Louis is playing in 28 cities and spanning 2 months!

Opening for Louis are The Aces, The Beaches, The Royston Club and Picture Parlour.

❗️in 4K

At 49:30, Harry notices everyone clacking 🪭 (which is a big part of drag and queer culture - “The ‘clacking’ of a fan is a stylised auditory and visual form of underlining or exclamation. It signifies a robust style and a certain sassy attitude.”) He then looks around in the crowd and seems to get an idea..

..and bends down to ask a fan with a fan (heh) "Can I borrow this?"

..and is then "taught" by the crowd how to clack..

..and studies the people with fans more, asks "It's quick!?" and then tries again and again -- he takes the little lesson very seriously 😌

And i'm going out on a limb here to say that he keeps looking up to the big screens to watch himself doing it:

He seems to not have a lot of practice with it (or pretends not to have it), but he looks to be very curious and like he finds it fun. Then he says something along the lines of "I'm starting to see why Bruce Springsteen plays for 4 hours, you could have a lot of fun up there, doing this the whole time."

The entire interaction is SO wholesome. 🥰 And imo, you can really see how he loves to connect with his community. -- He then gives the fan back to the fan (double-heh) and asks for their name, then genuinely thanks them again.

During TPWK, he doesn't pick up or ask for any 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ rainbow flag (I also didn't see any rainbow flags being thrown his way, but it's obviously a limited view), but at 1:06:29, someone throws a Bi pride flag right at him..

..and for a second, he bends down to catch it..

..but then he doesn't catch it or changes his mind and doesn't pick it up after and doesn't acknowledge it again.

Then he turns away and catches a tiny bouquet of flowers instead (i am cracking up at how it looks like he's yelling at the flowers 🤣)

He then dances with the flowers a little and then the song ends.

So, sadly no pride flag run tonight, but a little clacking lesson 💅🏼🪭 and a 💐 flower dance.