#leighbot

HL Fic Library 🎪 Circus/Carnival Fics

Remember to leave kudos and a comment on the fics you enjoyed to show your appreciation! You can find the library's other recs here.

🎪 Coax the Cold by MediaWhore / @mediawhorefics {M, 86k}

England, 1897.  

English Professor Louis Tomlinson’s passion for the occult has been a source of mockery and derision for most of his life. When he hears whispers of a travelling freak show newly established in London claiming the existence of a monstrous sea hybrid, half-man, half-fish, Louis sees it as his ticket to credibility amongst his peers. The summer he spends undercover working on the show, however, gives him much more than that.

🎪 here comes the sun (little darling) by you_explode / @nobodymoves {E, 46k}

Louis and Liam are a trapeze act who’ve just joined Syco Circus. Despite his best efforts, Louis immediately falls head over heels for Harry, one of the jugglers with a penchant for glittery pink leotards. But Louis’s had issues before with intra-circus dating, so he’s trying his best to ignore his feelings. Which is why he’s not at all bothered by Harry flirting with everyone but him.

featuring lots of pining, lots of ot5 friendship, runaway boys reconnecting with their families, Harry and Louis becoming co-dependent best friends until they figure out they’re in love with each other, Liam fancying Zayn who’s already dating Perrie, and a Beatles-themed circus.

🎪 Breaking Free by @snowy38 {E, 43k}

“Let me introduce myself properly. I’m Ricardo Jose Diablo,” he beamed. “This is Louis Tomlinson, our resident lion-tamer,” he added.

Harry glanced again at the other young man.

“Harry,” he put forth his hand only for a simple case of manners. “Harry Styles...”

“What a great name, kid!” Ricardo grinned, squeezing his shoulder. “Now tell me something? Have you ever wanted to run away to the circus?”

🎪 Train Tracks and Porcelain by @jaerie {E, 41k}

At the first hint of light, Louis was slowly brought back to consciousness by the growing swell of activity around him. It started in the distance with loud clanks and clatters and rose with the hollers of men and thudding of boots against the solid earth. He listened as he blinked the sleep out of his eyes and tried to place any sounds he was familiar with. It took him too long to remember that he wasn’t back in his rented room. The energy was what floated to him next, a buzz that made him peek through the leaves to see what was going on.

The next moments happened in the strange slow motion of dawn. Shadows were forming into people and things and, there in the middle of it, Louis watched the humongous head of an elephant emerge from a box car right in front of his eyes.

Or a Water For Elephants inspired AU

🎪 My Other Half Was You by @lululawrence {NR, 35k}

Louis turned the corner to head to Niall and Lewis’ music shop, and slammed right into someone.

“Shit,” Louis gasped, gripping the person’s shoulders in an attempt to remain standing. “God, I’m so sorry!”

“No, I’m sorry,” the man said. “Uh, you steady?”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry again.” Louis blinked a few times and then took a step back. It was only then that he finally glanced up to the man’s eyes. They were a clear, bright green, and curly brown hair fell onto his forehead.

“I should probably…” The man trailed off, motioning towards the antique shop behind Louis.

“Right, sorry,” Louis apologized again, stepping aside.

“It’s alright. Have a good day.”

“You too,” Louis replied as the man disappeared around the corner.

By the age of 30, Louis' entire life trajectory had changed from what he'd thought it would be. He moved back to the town he grew up in and did his best to pull himself and his life back together again.

Four years, seven months, and sixteen days after the day that changed everything, Louis turns a corner and literally runs into the man who just might change it all again.

🎪 Madame Viola's Circus (series) by sweetly_disposed {M, 28k}

"Tell you what, why don't you come by sometime, when there's no practise on? I'll teach you how to fly."

Or, Harry, Zayn, Liam and Niall are trapeze artists, and Louis has a love for the circus.

🎪 responsible forever for what you have tamed by leighbot {M, 26k}

He deals with a sassy, 500 pound liger every day, but Harry Styles might be his downfall. The thought doesn’t scare him as much as he thought it would.

Or, the one where Harry runs away to escape his past and Louis has nowhere else to go to have a future.

Circus Fic.

🎪 The Ones Who Entertain by LiveLaughLoveLarry / @loveislarryislove {T, 18k}

The prompt I based this on was: "Louis, Niall, and Liam are three friends looking for a summer job before they head off to university. Their extraneous efforts and lack of motivation lead them to a world famous traveling carnival staying in town for 3 months. Louis works in a shitty game booth, Liam cleans up the elephant poop, and Niall is supposed to be working the ticket booth but honestly he just does whatever the fuck he wants. All is well until they meet Harry (a palm reading, dream analyzing, plant whisperer) and Zayn (“the hot bloke in the genie costume that does shows with the elephants”). Fortune telling, cleaning up elephant shit, and romance ensues." Honestly, that pretty much sums it up.

“Hi guys,” Curly said. “I’m-”“Hanzi the All-Knowing,” Niall said.“Harry,” Curly said.“Hot,” Louis said. There was a momentary pause, and everyone looked at him. Oops.

🎪 The Future Is Now by jacaranda_bloom / @jacaranda-bloom {E, 16k}

Louis has a great life, really, he does. He studies hard, has great friends, a boring but decent job at the carnival, and of course, he has Harry, the best flatmate anyone could ask for. All that’s missing is someone to love. But when a strange new fortune-telling machine appears at the carnival, Louis’ life takes an unexpected turn. Could this be his chance to finally find love and will it be where he least expects it?

Or the five times Louis follows the fortunes to seek out his true love, and the one time he realises that what he's been searching for might've been right in front of him the whole time.

🎪 Don't Like The Backseat by sailingonstars / @anchorsship {G, 14k}

The one where its the year 3019 and Louis runs away to join a circus in which Harry is a trapeze artist.

🎪 you've got a smile that takes me to another planet by aceofdiamonds {M, 13k}

harry is too cool for circuses. louis is a fortune teller who knows literally everything. obviously, they're meant to be.

🎪 what if we rewrite the stars? by orphan_account {T, 12k}

Louis doesn't even know the man’s name, just knows that he wants to — needs to know him, touch him, be with him forever and ever until they grow old and get matching gravestones behind the church on 8th Street—

He needs to calm down, is what he needs.

It’s his first day working with PT Barnum and it’s already changed his life.

Or a Greatest Showman/Rewrite The Stars AU.

🎪 It's A Never-Ending Helter-Skelter by runaway_train / @runaway-train-works {T, 8k}

Harry coughs again, confused. There’s a good chance he’s going about this questioning thing in completely the wrong order. He looks at his surroundings. He’s on a beach. A very beautiful but very empty beach. There’s nothing but white sand in either direction until it curves around and disappears into the luscious green of the tropical forest behind them. “Where am I?” he asks. For some unknown reason that Harry would never be able to articulate, he instantly trusts Niall.

Niall scratches at his cheek. “Uh… Well you see, that’s a bit more complicated. What’s the last thing you remember?”

Or

The one where Harry winds up on a desert island with a bunch of circus performers and it might just be the best thing that's ever happened to him.

🎪 Never Be Ready by @afirethatcannotdie {NR, 7k}

“Remember the documentary film program in Los Angeles? The one that I got waitlisted for? They called me this morning and said that a spot opened up and they offered it to me.”

“That’s great!” Louis says, and he means it. “When do you come back?”

He and Harry have spent every summer of their lives together. Surely Harry won’t ruin that perfect record.

“The middle of August,” Harry says, clearly thrilled at the prospect of spending ten weeks in California, and Louis’ heart sinks to his stomach like a stone in the sea.

A high school AU where a summer without Harry makes Louis realize that he wants to be a little bit more than best friends.

🎪 Young And Sweet by lilliandherself / @vogueharrystan {E, 5k}

Louis sees his ex at the carnival and thinks that he must be the solution to his problem.

🎪 the skyline looks brighter tonight by bravefortheboys {G, 3k}

Louis thinks this whole 'soul mate' thing is just a bit too cliche for him. Then he meets Harry.

your eyes are blocking my starlight by leighbot 

( @iamleighbot​ )

There’s a Muggle on the Tube that Harry sees every day. While he wouldn’t say he’s obsessed with this man, thank you very much Nick, he would maybe admit that he’s very observant of him to the point where Harry knows this is the second day in a row that the stranger has worn the same dove grey button-up shirt.

Or, Harry's doesn't know how Muggle-Wizard relationships ever make it past the Big Confession.

Sorry for the long delay, I’ve really been lacking the motivation these past few months - but I am still reading fic! Here’s what I’ve been reading lately:

Re-Reads:

1. We’ll Be Seamless (dinosaursmate) - Louis spends all his spare time scrolling arty nude blogs on Tumblr but amongst them all, Green is his favourite.

2. Responsible Forever for What You Have Tamed (leighbot) - Harry runs away to escape his past and Louis has nowhere else to go to have a future.

3. Just Lay with Me (givemesumaurgravy) - Louis is the coach of Harry’s daughter’s football team and Harry likes Louis’ bum. One day there’s a parent football game and Louis, just maybe, starts hitting on Harry and, just maybe, Harry gives in.

4. For Better, Worse, and Mischief (I’m All Yours) (redorchid) - The One Direction PR management team decides that Harry needs to get married. Harry doesn't want to. Louis comes up with the perfect solution to the problem.

5. I’d Burn This City Down to Show You the Light (you_explode) - Harry’s a sheltered rich kid and Louis’ a punk with a heart of gold. They meet when Louis breaks into Harry’s house, Harry obtains an instant and all-encompassing crush, and they spend the summer falling into a whirlwind romance.

6. Hold My Breath (zarah5) - It's possible — possible — that his three-week ban from the football pitch makes Louis just a tad antsy. Surely it's not so bad that it warrants punishment in the form of his friends signing him up for a yoga class? Either way, Louis is determined to hate every second of it.He didn't count on a yoga instructor who wears flower-patterned headscarves and smiles like summer won't end.

7. In Dreams (dolce_piccante) - When Harry moves to a new city, his new flat come with a number of sweet, anonymous gifts and surprises that brighten his days. Could it be a friendly ghost? Another friendly presence in his new building is his tattooed neighbor, Louis, who seems determined to put a smile back on his face.

8. I Love You More (shoulderbone) - Boys like Harry can't fall in love. But then he meets Louis. A love story in two parts.

9. Standing on the Edge of Forever (ellao) - Harry Styles is a single father, just trying to keep his life organized after losing his husband four years earlier. Between his daughter, Liam's hellion twins, and Sophia throwing him into any romantic tangle she can think of, life gets a little crazy. Of course, everything changes the moment Lo and the twins get interested in their school musical, The Wizard of Oz. Because the new director, Louis Tomlinson, is just about the most attractive man that Harry has ever seen.

10. Cupid’s Chokehold (bluelemur) - Louis is a Cupid who tries to match up Niall and Harry. It doesn't work out as planned.

11. Hold Onto Your Stars (vashtaneradas) - Harry's in the army, Louis' back home, and ninety days is a lifetime.

12. Bring Out Feelings in Me I Never Show (orphan_account) - Louis accidentally hires a felon to be his fake boyfriend for Thanksgiving.

13. (Your Heartbeat) Rang True Inside My Bones (flimsy) - Harry goes as Louis' date for a weekend wedding. He ends up taking the role a bit too seriously.

14. Life at Shutter Speed (zarah5) - Having landed a job modelling for an outdoor clothing catalogue, Harry certainly wouldn’t mind doing some extracurricular work for photographer Louis Tomlinson. Say, a private photo session? Yes, please? Good thing that Harry has ten days and three beautiful locations -- Morocco, Indonesia and the Swiss Alps -- to make Louis see just how good they could be.

15. Three French Hems (100percentsassy, gloria_andrews) - In which Louis is a designer at Burberry and Harry spends December wearing Lanvin… and Lanvin… and Lanvin.

New Reads:

1. We are Timeless (star_henderson) - Louis and Harry meet as teenagers and have a sweet encounter in Ibiza. Years later they meet up again...

2. Tightrope (sadaveniren) - Louis gets pregnant from "one last time" sex and he and Harry somehow think they'll be able co-parent without it being weird for anyone (most especially their new boyfriends).

3. Ten Million Ways to Love Somebody (slashter) - Louis and Omega!Louis switch places and there's basically a lot of confusion and feelings and sex.

4. A Perfect Reason (chelsea frew) - During a visit to a charity he'd like to support, Prince Louis--next in line to the throne of the United Kingdom--meets Harry, the man of his dreams. Trouble is, Louis is not out, and the law says his heirs can only be born of a woman. Louis is determined not to let that stop his pursuit of Harry. His determination doubles when Harry accidentally becomes pregnant. He and Harry will have their little family--and change the monarchy while they're at it.

5. Building Castles in the Sky (sexyasswoman) - Louis has a four year old with a stuttering problem. Harry is always there to help.

6. You Cured My January Blues (Yeah You Made it All Right) (writtensoul) - Louis is a lonely old soul with nothing to keep him company but his wild, albeit dry humor - and maybe the pretty boy who works at the pet store down the road.

7. Nobody Shines the Way You Do (wildestdreams) - Louis pretends to be Harry’s boyfriend to help him win back his douchebag ex-boyfriend, but things don’t go according to plan.

8. Monsters at Home (theteapirate) - Everyone's eyes are on Harry, the beautiful, charming new student. Harry's only got eyes for the school golden boy: football captain Louis Tomlinson, whose homophobic father complicates matters a bit.

9. Stuck in the Middle with You (green_feelings) - When Harry starts university, he finally gets to spend every day with Louis again. They have been friends since forever, and would do anything for each other. Given that, Harry doesn't hesitate to pose as Louis' boyfriend once he finds out that his new roommate is no other than Louis' crush.

10. ZIAM I Breathe You in, but Honey I Don’t Know (sweetdisaster) - Liam's a new solo artist who's had a crush on Zayn for ages and Zayn's in One Direction and doesn't think it's a good idea.

11. That Lace Shirt (missandrogyny) - "Nope," Louis answers. "I demand compensation for the hurt and trouble I underwent."

Hi, anon! I do know of some...the first is an obvious one, but I'll list a few more as well...

Soft Hands, Fast Feet, Can't Lose by dolce_piccante / @haydolce

American Uni AU. Harry Styles is a frat boy football star from the wealthy Styles Family athletic dynasty. A celebrity among football fans, he knows how to play, he knows how to party, and he knows how to fuck (all of which is well known among his legion of admirers).

Louis Tomlinson is a student and an athlete, but his similarities to Harry end there. Intelligent, focused, independent, and completely uninterested in Harry’s charms, Louis is an anomaly in a world ruled by football.

A bet about the pair, who might be more similar than they originally thought, brings them together. Shakespeare, ballet, Disney, football, library chats, running, accidental spooning, Daredevil and Domino’s Pizza all blend into one big friendship Frappucino, but who will win in the end?

More than a bet by larrysbitchx

“I bet you my signed Manchester United jersey, and drinks on me for the rest of the year if you can make him fall in love with you and then dump his arse in a week” Stan said, smirking afterwards and quirking an eyebrow at Louis who was sitting there feeling himself shift in his seat.

Or the one where Louis makes a bet to date the art freak, Harry Styles, for a week and dump him. But what happens when he ends up falling hard for him?

Milkshake by Speechless / @smokingluckiesalltheway

He's been saying it for years. He doesn't care that it makes Liam roll his eyes and Zayn sigh and Niall crack up. Lots of things he does get that kind of reaction from the boys anyway. Louis won't stop saying it, 'cause it's true. His milkshake does bring all the boys to the yard. It's a fact.

So the day he decides to get into Harry Styles' pants he says it again, when all three of his roommates are there to witness it. "I'll fuck him by the end of the month. You'll see."

my kingdom for a kiss (tonight you're on my mind) by @leighbot

“Oh fuck, I’m going to have to tell my mum,” Louis says, closing his eyes.

The silence stretches between them for a long moment until Harry starts breathing heavily. “I’m going to have to tell the Queen,” he says, “and my mum.”

“I’ve met the guy and he’s always making eyes at you when you’re not looking.” 

 “No, he isn’t,” Zayn dismisses, finishing off his second glass of water. “I would have noticed if Harry ‘made eyes’ at me,” he says, using the air quotes. “We’ve been best mates for over three years.” 

 “That’s why I said: when you’re not looking,” Griff repeats. “It’s like you’ve never seen a Sandra Bullock movie.” Zayn rolls his eyes and stands up. 

“Harry Styles and I are best friends,” he says, loudly and clearly. “Nothing more.” 

 Or, the one where single parent Zayn is being sued for custody of his two sons and he stumbles into a fake relationship with his best friend that he can’t get out of without putting his case in jeopardy.

Author: leighbot Pairing: Liam/Zayn Word Count: 10K+ Tags:  college/uni, frat,  Summary: “You don’t look like a guy who’d resort to an American Pie bet to lose his virginity.”

“What do I look like, then?” Zayn asks, crossing his arms.

He clearly has the wrong impression and Liam feels his cheeks heat even as he blurts out, “You look like a guy I’d work for all night for the chance to take home.”