#myownspark

HL Fic Library 💙 Friends To Lovers Fic Rec

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.

💙 This Multiplicity of Powers by @helloamhere {E, 149k}

Maybe in another universe he isn’t different. Maybe he hadn’t been given an impossible choice. Maybe he wouldn’t have lost everything and broken everything and then fallen impossibly, irrevocably in love with the first next thing that was kind. Maybe in that universe he doesn’t feel like he’s never breathing, always pretending, teaching the kids even though they all have to learn alone, trying hard not to read the headlines, and so afraid, every day, that he won’t be a good enough teammate to the superhero he can’t live without. He knows that love isn’t supposed to feel this way, slid secret under your skin like a surgical razor, an invisible war held close over the tender vein that keeps you alive. On the other hand, Louis wonders, had he ever known how to do it any other way?

Maybe there’s a universe where he doesn’t have to keep all his secrets on the inside.

But this isn’t that universe.

//an X-Men AU.

💙 Own the Scars by @crinkle-eyed-boo {E, 144k}

“But I don’t belong here,” Louis insists.“Why do you say that?” James asks.“These people are all drug addicts and alcoholics,” Louis shrugs.Something sparks in James’ eyes.“And you’re not?”

Louis has never felt like he was good enough: for his stepdad, for his life-long best friend, for the life he's supposed to want. After an accident that nearly costs him his life, Louis' parents send him to rehab where he’s forced to face his demons. On the long and difficult road to recovery, Louis must confront the truths he’s been avoiding about his future, his relationships, and his sense of self-worth. Because before he can love anyone else, he’s got to learn how to love himself first.

💙 I'll Fly Away by @juliusschmidt {E, 122k}

Harry and Louis grew up together in Lake County, Harry with his mom and stepdad in a tiny cottage on Edward’s Lake and Louis in his family’s farmhouse a few minutes down the road. But after high school, Louis stuck around and Harry did not; Harry went to Chicago where he found a boyfriend and couple of college degrees. Six years later, Harry ends up back in Edwardsville for the summer and he and Louis fall into old patterns and discover new ones.

ft. One Direction, the local boyband; Horan’s Bar and Grill; families, most especially children and babies; Officer Liam Payne; many local festivals and fireworks displays; and Anne Cox, PFLAG President.

💙 ghost of you by beckywritesthings / @beckydoesthings {E, 109k}

As a rule, Mandalorians and Jedi do not get along.

So when Harry Styles, esteemed Jedi Knight, finds out he has to work with the hot-tempered Mandalorian Duke, Louis Tomlinson, he’s prepared for it to go poorly. But it doesn’t, testing both of their boundaries of what they deem acceptable for a partnership.

It’s the start of something, and as the galaxy dissolves into war, they find themselves clinging to each other, even as it drags up things better left in the past. As it turns out, nothing between them has changed.

Or, a Star Wars AU where Harry is Obi-Wan, Louis is Satine, and somehow there’s a love story between the cracks where there shouldn’t be.

💙 Your Name Is Tattooed On My Heart by @mcpofife {E, 86k}

Louis is ready to find the love of his life, but first he has to stop falling for the punk rocker next door.

💙 Felt Nothing Like Home by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird {E, 61k}

The Bon Appétit YouTube channel has become an unexpected success partly due to the newest series developed by classically trained pastry chef Harry Styles who is intent on making the art of baking accessible to the masses. He and his best friend Louis Tomlinson have been with the magazine for years and they’re unused to the level of online fame they’ve suddenly achieved.

It’s easy for Harry to brush it off and ignore it (despite the teasing they get around the test kitchen) because Louis is happily married and has been for years—since just before they met for the first time. Or, it was easy to brush it off, but at the beginning of the summer, just as they’re leading up to the stress of planning the annual holiday issue, Louis and his husband decide to file for divorce.

💙 Never Let Me Go by loveisalaserquest17 / @elenaferrante {E, 55k}

“Harry! I’ll tell you what,” Louis exclaims, clapping his hands together. There’s a big grin on his face. “If both of us are still single by your thirtieth birthday, we’ll marry each other.”Harry’s head snaps up, eyes widening. “What?”

Harry and Louis have been friends forever, but they couldn't be more different. One night, with a little too much alcohol, they make a pact to marry in ten years if they're both still single. Now, one month before the deadline, Louis is willing to do whatever it takes to avoid ending up with his best friend. But is he, really? | Loosely inspired by The 10 Year Plan

💙 Home To You by Crowsonthewire / @crows-onthewire {E, 54k}

“If someone wrote that for me I’d probably be a crying mess before it was even over. I’m crying a little right now actually.”

It’s about you, Harry’s brain screamed. I wrote it about you.

Gemma appeared in the doorway then and dragged Louis away. With one winking smile he was gone. Harry curled up and stuffed his face into his duvet so he could cry with no one hearing.

At fifteen, Harry wrote his first song for an oblivious seventeen year old Louis Tomlinson. Ten years later he’s a singer/songwriter who cant find any words for his second album and Louis is a closeted actor tired of LA.

They both try to run from the things weighing them down and in the process, they find each other.

💙 kiss me on the mouth (and set me free) by tempolarriefics / @tempolarriefix {M, 47k}

Harry, being his endlessly patient self, asks with a wry smile, “And who am I going to spontaneously marry for financial aid?” 

He clearly intends for it to be a rhetorical question, for it to shoot down Louis’ ridiculous marriage idea. But Louis answers easily, “Me. You’ll marry me."

aka the not-so fake marriage AU in which Harry and Louis get married to keep Harry from dropping out of uni (and if they discover that they’re in love along the way, well, that’s neither here nor there).

💙 Chasing, Searching, Dreaming by @parmahamlarrie {E, 46k}

Everyone is chasing, searching, dreaming of their soulmate.

Harry has known who his soulmate is since he was twenty years old, and ever since, he has been waiting for Louis to be ready for him. The unexpected passing of Louis' mum, and the fact that now he is the guardian of his twin two-year-old little siblings, just means that Harry is going to have to wait a bit longer.

A soulmate AU full of cute kids, house building, therapy, and a lot of dreaming.

💙 It Had To Be You by @kingsofeverything {M, 45k}

Harry and Louis are strangers who share the long drive from Chicago to NYC after college. They don't have anything in common, don't get along, and at the end of their trip, they're both glad to say goodbye.

During a chance meeting five years later, they find that nothing has changed, and they part ways expecting never to see each other again.

Ten years after their post-college road trip, Louis and Harry meet once again, but this time they become friends. Eventually, things get complicated.

A When Harry Met Sally AU.

💙 Looking Through You by @allwaswell16 {E, 41k}

Just as Louis and Liam were starting out in the music industry, writing and producing for up and coming artists, a fateful meeting with new pop singer Harry Styles changes everything. Four years later, just as Harry is set to embark on his next world tour, a drunken confession causes a rift between once inseparable friends. As Harry tries to make sense of his feelings for Louis, he begins writing his next album to express them as it may be the only way to break through the walls that Louis has built between them.

💙 Snow In Love by @lululawrence {NR, 33k}

Harry and Louis are best friends and have been for basically as long as they can remember. For the first time since middle school, they are both single for the holidays leaving them with the brilliant idea to take each other as their dates to work events. To make things easier they will pretend like they’re dating. But then they learn something funny.

People thought they were already dating. Weird.

An advent fic featuring childhood friends, fake dating turned actual dating, really horrible secret keeping, and a winter weather surprise.

💙 'cause I want you (for the worse and for the better) by nonsensedarling / @absoloutenonsense {NR, 26k}

When Louis gets invited along to Anne's wedding, Harry is prepared to let people think whatever they want about their relationship. That's what Louis said -- let people think whatever they want. That changes when Louis sees his ex, who turns out to be Anne's future husband's son. Now, Louis wants to prove that he's an omega that an alpha could want, and Harry wants to get through this weekend without letting his best friend figure out he's in love with him.

💙 No One Like You by myownspark / @myownsparknow {M, 19k}

Dear Niall,

I was glad to have the chance to talk with you again at the AHA conference. Your idea that the Musee D’Orsay Tomlinson painting is in fact not a self-portrait is an intriguing one, and I may have discovered something that will have a bearing on that theory.

Some background: as you may remember, I’ve been researching for a book I’m writing about Harry Styles. I’ve been in communication with Styles’ last living descendant, who is in possession of a trunk that her family believed to have belonged to Styles himself. It held some personal items she presumes to be his, including two unmounted paintings and a small collection of letters.

Upon spending the last few days in Provins studying these items, I believe there to be a connection between Tomlinson and Styles, and I would very much like your opinion.

Are you up for a trip to France?

Sincerely, Liam Payne

Where Liam and Niall are art historians discovering the truth about two nineteenth century painters on opposite sides of an artistic divide.

💙 I Left My Heart In Every Chorus by FelintoGirl / @felinto-girl {G, 15k}

It started with a karaoke duet and a boy in a denim jacket. Harry never meant to fall in love with Louis. He just couldn’t stop himself.

or 29. The five times a pining Harry sang karaoke with his friend Louis, who didn’t get the gist of the song selections, and the one time Louis finally got it.

💙 softness as a weapon by @ursulalequeen {NR, 7k}

“This isn’t–this wasn’t meant to be sexy, alright? I mean–I guess, it kind of is, but not like… for you.”

The corner of Louis’ mouth twitches. “This your regular Tuesday fit, then?”

Harry furrows his brows.“I’m just saying, I didn’t put this on to seduce you,” he vaguely gestures at Louis’ crotch. “But now you got your dick involved and it’s not funny anymore.”

Louis swallows thickly, one hand lifted in the air like he wants to touch, but he stops himself, stepping closer instead. “If you weren’t trying to seduce me, darling, I’ve some devastating news for you.”

or, Harry tries on a lingerie set. Louis walks in with a hard on and a personal mission to make him believe he’s pretty.

💙 Your secret's safe with me by lightswoodmagic / @lightwoodsmagic {M, 7k}

He knew almost everything about Haz, considered him his best friend. He knew his favourite movies and books, how he liked his coffee, knew how many pets he had and what he was most afraid of. Louis knew how to calm him down when he was panicking, and that he’d lost his virginity to his ex-boyfriend when he was 17. He knew that Haz had curly hair, green eyes, that he was tall and considered himself slightly awkward. He knew his Instagram account that only had aesthetic pictures or ridiculous jokes, but in the all the time that Louis had known him, he’d never learnt, or been allowed to know, Haz’s full name, what he sounded like, or what he looked like.

Louis didn't care.

Or, when Louis' favourite singer comes back and announces he's performing again, him and the rest of his group chat decide to go. When Haz, the man Louis' fallen in love with without meeting him, says that he can't, Louis tries his best to convince him with a drunken phone call, hearing his voice for the first time. It's not until he's at Royal Variety that he swears he can hear it again.

💙 I Want You to Linger by @insightfulinsomniac {E, 6k}

Louis swallows, suddenly feeling very caught out. “Those… those are all for Harry.”

“Yes.” Niall nods. “For Harry, who does not live here.”

“I know he doesn’t, but I —“ Louis sets down his pen with a grimace. “Look, I’ll keep them in a box in my room, yeah? I just want him to feel comfortable when he’s over.”

“Hm,” Niall hums, looking entirely unimpressed. “Mate, I’m not worried about the things themselves. The vase is actually really fucking nice; we look like proper adults with flowers on our coffee table. I’m saying we should talk about you courting Harry.”

A friends-to-lovers fic in which oblivious alpha Louis courts his best friend, nests with the gifts he gets him, and is faced with the reality that sometimes telling someone you love them doesn’t go to plan (but turns out better in the end anyway).

💙 If I Can't Have You by Janie_17 {T, 2k}

Non sono risalita per vedere il sole, ho solo imparato a respirare dove annegavo nel silenzio, lì, dove le mie ombre danzano con i ricordi e il dolore non è che il ricamo nero sulla mia pelle.

Non cerco la guarigione che cancella i segni: le mie cicatrici sono costellazioni antiche, perché ogni ferita è diventata una lezione incisa nel marmo, segreta e fedele.

Ricompongo il mio volto nel riflesso di specchi incrinati, pezzo dopo pezzo, con la lentezza di un rituale, senza fretta di tornare a essere intera per chi non sa guardare oltre la superficie.

E quando, tra le pieghe del crepuscolo, si inizia a trovare la luce, non è il giorno che cerco, ma il bagliore tenue di una candela, perché, in fondo, io rimarrò sempre un po' nell'ombra, ed è proprio lì, nel mio posto più vero, che ho finalmente smesso di cercare la fine

Ahead in the Count by kingsofeverything | E | 2148 Louis’s been a catcher in the minor leagues for more than a decade and he’s never known a pitcher to touch his junk more often than he touches the baseball. Harry Styles, however, threw 117 pitches tonight, and adjusted himself 228 times.

On a Day Like This You Know It's Meant to Be by allwaswell16 | T | 2808 One year ago Harry Styles met Louis Tomlinson, the man of his dreams. Harry is certain he'll never see him again, even if they did make a pact to reunite should the Chicago Cubs win the World Series. Harry has one small flicker of hope left when it appears the Cubs might actually win it all. But will Louis fulfill his end of this fateful bargain?

Sliding into home by becka | E | 4896 Niall and Louis have been on the same baseball team for two years, and they've been fucking for nearly that long. But when Louis gets hurt and can't play for a while, he's cranky and in need of soothing. Niall helps.

Right In Front of Us [Series] by parmahamlarrie | M | 6786 Harry's goal in life was simple: become a professional baseball player. He didn't have time to date or be distracted by cute psychology majors with pretty blue eyes. Unless, of course, that psychology major ends up being the best thing that ever happened to him.

Controlling the Curve by CordensAngels131 | E | 12229 Harry Styles is baseball's hottest phenom, signed first in the draft and ready to light up the big leagues. The team, however, decides he needs a little seasonsing first and sends him down to play for their Tripple A team in Florida. Niall Horan is a minor league catcher, a player’s player, bouncing around from team to team, trying to hang on for a few more years. Now he's charged with preparing Harry for his big league debut by teaching him control on the field. Their dislike is mutual and instantaneous. Harry thinks he knows all he needs to know about baseball and Niall thinks Harry is a spoiled pretty boy who doesn’t respect the game or his teammates. Come join my Narry fantasy baseball team.

Double-Play by photo41 | M | 13094 For tumblr user cheerleaderharry; write me an au where harry is a ballboy for a triple a minor league team and louis is the hotshot shortstop on the cusp of being called up to the majors who flirts with him from the dugout, hanging over the railings winking at him Harry’s studying abroad in the states with his best mate Niall, and somehow gets thrust into the world of baseball. Not that he minds though, as baseball is chocked full of attractive players, especially Buffalo’s shortstop, whose favourite past-time seems to be using as many baseball pick-up lines as he can. Directed at Harry. “Is that a Louisville slugger in your pocket?”

Just Tell Me the Song and I'll Sing It by myownspark | nr | 39919 Louis is an architecture student who can only think about the future. Harry is a baseball player who can only think about right now. Both are lonely for different reasons. Boybands bring them together. Or, this may just be a long love letter to Louis’ voice, I’m not sure. Based on the following prompt: Harry and Louis are university students who go to the same bar on the weekends. The bar has karaoke and Louis likes to sing Disney/Musical/Boyband songs sometimes. Harry thinks he's cute so he starts singing Disney/Musical/Boyband songs and flirting with him while he's on stage.

the sun's been quite kind by hemakeshimstrongx | T | 53753 “You know I can see you looking at him, right?” Lottie says pointedly, right in Harry’s ear so Louis can’t hear them; although it’s not like Louis is paying attention anyways, Tommy is there and they’re talking about something entirely different now. Harry gives Lottie a funny look, even though he knows exactly what she’s talking about. “Even after all this time, huh?” she asks. Harry shrugs. “I dunno. It’s probably just a nostalgia thing.” - Or: Harry and Louis haven't spoken in eight years. Harry finds himself unable to free himself from Louis' captivating pull. It's definitely not just a nostalgia thing.

This is a fic rec of One Direction fics where at least one of the main pairing is of an older age than they are in real life as requested in this ask. You can find my other fic recs here. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers. Happy reading!

Larry

💛 The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, @kingsofeverything (E, 109k, cheating au, married Louis, Louis/ofc, Harry/omc, sexuality crisis, chance encounter, silver fox Louis, older Harry, beach, surfing, hotel sex, falling in love, bad decisions, angst with a happy ending, smut)

💛 You Make Lovin' Fun, @homosociallyyours (E, 109k, girl direction, cruise ship, silver fox Louis, age difference, strangers to lovers, polyamory Harry/OC, butch/femme, based on a true story, journalist Harry, vacation, Lesbian cruise, NYC, long distance relationship, light angst, masturbation, smut)

💛 Say Something, @kingsofeverything (E, 105k, a/b/o au, alpha Louis, omega Harry, older Harry, mpreg Harry, heat/rut matching service, age difference, unplanned pregnancy, insecure Harry, lawyer Harry, actor/theatre manager Louis, lactation kink, hurt/comfort, scenting, smut)

💛 Lightning Strikes Twice, @dinosaursmate​ (E, 104k, famous/not famous au, famous Harry, rock star Harry, groupie Louis, book store owner Louis, time jump, second chance, drug use, depression, light angst, smut)

💛 Don't Want Shelter, @kingsofeverything (E, 76k, enemies to lovers au, fwb, silver fox Louis, drinking, drug use, older Louis, older Harry, beach house, home repairs, bed sharing, hurricane, miscommunication, smut)

💛 That's What I'm Here For, @taggiecb (E, 46k, farm au, farmer Louis, older Louis, divorced Louis, age difference, boss/employee relationship, Canada, small town, demi Louis, sexuality crisis, grief/mourning, depression, self care, silver fox Louis, smut)

💛 we should open up (before it's all too much), @disgruntledkittenface (M, 43k, vampire au, vampire Louis, older Harry, grief/mourning, depression, emotional hurt/comfort, support group, loss of parent, dementia, strangers to lovers, falling in love, baker Harry, flirting, banter, smut)

💛 Someone to Fly Home To, @kingsofeverything (E, 34k, exes to lovers, post divorce, older Louis, older Harry, pilot Louis, kid fic but kids are adults now, professor Harry, weddings, travel, infidelity but not between Larry, smut)

💛 One Minute to Midnight, @becomeawendybird / QuickedWeen (E, 29k, curses au, finance guy Louis, actor Harry, older Louis, aging, Seeking Arrangement, sugar baby Harry, sugar daddy Louis, Boston, holidays, holiday parties, NYE, angst with a happy ending, smut)

💛 Moments of Memories, @gaycousinlarry / momentofclarity (M, 17k, reunited au, older Harry, older Louis, nostalgia, romantic soulmates, fate/destiny, fluff, smut)

💛 The One Who Holds My Heart (series), @phd-mama / phdmama (E, 13k, established relationship au, librarian Louis, professor Harry, long term love, marriage, older Harry, older Louis, kissing, angst, smut)

💛 Thought The Song Was Sung, @100percentsassy (E, 12k, famous/not famous au, famous Harry, not famous Louis, ex-boybander Harry, older Harry, older Louis, online dating, phone sex, teasing, flirting, fluff, smut)

💛 a garden in bloom, @gaycousinlarry / momentofclarity (G, 10k, bed and breakfast au, writer Harry, bed and breakfast owner Louis, older Louis, older Harry, platonic soulmates between Louis and Niall, silver fox Louis, bickering, fluff, gardening, pining, insecurity, falling in love)

💛 Silver Fox Harry (series), @softloubabie (E, 8k, older Harry, age difference, jealous Harry, long hair Louis, daddy kink, lingerie, subspace, wall sex, smut, each fic is stand alone)

💛 sweet like cherry vodka, dilfrry (NR, 8k, older Harry, sugar daddy Harry, sugar baby Louis, age difference, college student Louis, CEO Harry, fluff, smut)

💛 'Sup, @mediawhorefics / MediaWhore (G, 6k, coffee shop au, older Harry, older Louis, awkward flirting, disaster gay Harry, embarrassment, fluff, pushy Gemma, Starbucks, lawyer Harry, divorcee Harry, writer Louis, pining Harry)

💛 Have Me And Hold Me, @letsjustsee​ (NR, 5k, established relationship, wedding, wedding day, rain, fluff, no smut)

💛 I Want to Write You a Song, @phd-mama / phdmama (G, 5k, established relationship au, older Harry, older Louis, kid fic, parenting, reverse chronology, America, snippets/vignettes)

💛 You Drive Me Wild, @jacaranda-bloom / jacaranda_bloom (E, 5k, older Louis, silver fox Louis, executive Louis, chauffeur Harry, age difference, masturbation, dirty talk)

💛 may we all have a vision now and then, @gaycousinlarry / momentofclarity (M, 4k, older Harry, age difference, America, bar, one night stand, insecure Harry, strangers to lovers, feelings, vulnerability, kissing, smut)

💛 Empty Nest, @loaded-gunn / LoadedGunn (G, 3k, canon, older Louis, older Harry, kid fic, grown kids, empty nest syndrome)

💛 It’s About Time, @kingsofeverything (G, 3k, friends to lovers, older Louis, older Harry, roommates, marriage proposal, lawyer Louis, chef Harry)

💛 When I leave you / When you leave me / When we leave, @sweariwouldnt (NR, 3k, canon, three scenes, leaving, xfactor era to present era to older Harry/Louis, feelings)

💛 The Depth and the Breadth and the Height, @phd-mama / phdmama (M, 2k, long term relationship au, vignettes, grief/mourning, depression, loss of parent, healing, therapy, hopeful ending, smut)

Shiall

💛 A True Love of Mine, @myownsparknow / myownspark (T, 2k, Niall/Shawn Mendes, older Niall, older Shawn, established relationship au, beach, past Niall/Zayn, funeral, friends to lovers)

Zouis

Dear Niall,

I was glad to have the chance to talk with you again at the AHA conference. Your idea that the Musee D’Orsay Tomlinson painting is in fact not a self-portrait is an intriguing one, and I may have discovered something that will have a bearing on that theory.

Some background: as you may remember, I’ve been researching for a book I’m writing about Harry Styles. I’ve been in communication with Styles’ last living descendant, who is in possession of a trunk that her family believed to have belonged to Styles himself. It held some personal items she presumes to be his, including two unmounted paintings and a small collection of letters.

Upon spending the last few days in Provins studying these items, I believe there to be a connection between Tomlinson and Styles, and I would very much like your opinion.

Are you up for a trip to France?

Sincerely, Liam Payne

Where Liam and Niall are art historians discovering the truth about two nineteenth century painters on opposite sides of an artistic divide.

by: myownspark (1D Reverse Bang 2017)

Hi anon! Here are some fics I loved that involve sports!

Just Tell Me the Song and I'll Sing It by myownspark / @myownsparknow

Louis is an architecture student who can only think about the future. Harry is a baseball player who can only think about right now. Both are lonely for different reasons. Boybands bring them together.

Or, this may just be a long love letter to Louis’ voice, I’m not sure.

Based on the following prompt: Harry and Louis are university students who go to the same bar on the weekends. The bar has karaoke and Louis likes to sing Disney/Musical/Boyband songs sometimes. Harry thinks he's cute so he starts singing Disney/Musical/Boyband songs and flirting with him while he's on stage.

burn this flame by rainbowninja167 / @rainbowtitania

“You’ve played keeper before?” Tomlinson asks suspiciously, hands on his waist.

“Er, yeah,” Harry coughs. “Loads of times.”

“Alright Popstar, if you’re sure,” Tomlinson tells him with a shrug, his professional expression already curling into laughter. Harry tries not to read too much into it. After all, how hard can goalkeeping really be?

When Harry gets invited to play in a celebrity charity match with Louis Tomlinson, Manchester United's star player, he's determined to impress him with brilliant football skills. The only flaw in Harry's otherwise foolproof plan? He has absolutely no football skills, brilliant or otherwise.

Swallow My Words by YesIsAWorld / @louandhazaf

HL Fic Library 💕 Established Relationship

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

💕 We Are Only Just Beginning by @afirethatcannotdie {E, 129k}

In the dim light of a dorm kitchen, Harry Styles meets a boy who flips his life upside down. Three years later, he's a senior in college, ready to take on the world with the love of his life by his side. And then Louis Tomlinson admits he doesn't know what he wants to do after college after all, and Harry's world flips again, this time not so pleasantly. He can't imagine his life without Louis, but he's starting to worry he might have to.

A college AU featuring lots of domestic sappiness, waffles, tattoos, late nights and early mornings, and above all, Louis and Harry against the world.

💕 Been Together Since Way Back When by @alivingfire {E, 95k}

Louis Tomlinson is a law student with a simple but effective four step plan: 1. Finish law school. 2. Get hired somewhere awesome. 3. Marry his best friend and boyfriend of two years, Harry. 4. Live happily ever after.

Harry Styles doesn't know what he wants to do with his life, where he wants to go, who he wants to be, or if he even wants the college degree he's almost completed. All he does know is who he’ll be with forever, as long as Louis wants to keep him around.

Or: the painfully realistic college au where everyone's poor, lovesick, tired of school, terrified of the future, and still having the greatest times of their lives.

💕 Such Good Luck by @casuallyhl {E, 66k}

Louis smiles at Harry’s words, leaning into his touch. “Tell me again.”

Smiling, Harry takes Louis into his arms. Pressing gentle kisses to his face, Harry murmurs, “In six months’ time, I will have my twenty-fifth birthday. On that day, my portion of the inheritance will become legally mine. And I plan that very day to announce to my family that I have found love.” Harry chuckles as he runs his lips lightly along Louis’ cheekbone. “That, in fact, I found love when I was twenty-one years old, and that I have loved and been loved every day since.”

Or, an Edwardian AU where Harry is a young aristocratic lord and Louis is a working class dairy farmer. Secrets are a necessary part of their relationship, but Louis has one that could topple their whole world.

💕 Swallow My Words (series) by YesIsAWorld / @louandhazaf {T, 41k}

Senior year is stressful. On top of balancing school work, family, and friends, Harry's lacrosse team is vying to win the state championship, he's not sure where he's going to college yet, and he has a secret boyfriend that no one can know about.

💕 yeah, he's a looker (but i really think it's guts that matter most) by devilinmybrain / @thedevilinmybrain {E, 40k}

Five times Oli was asked to do something that was outside of his job description, and the one time he didn't have to be asked.

💕 Lover Boy by @brightgolden {E, 27k}

“I’d love to meet your lover boy one day,” Lottie says suddenly as she pours Louis a whiskey on the rocks after their dinner.

OR Where Louis wants to tell everyone about his relationship with Harry, but his boyfriend clearly thinks otherwise.

💕 Spellbound by lovelarry10 / @chloehl10 {T, 22k}

Louis’ a shifter. Harry’s a witch. The only problem is, they’re hiding those things from each other.

Will they be able to keep their secrets hidden at the most spooky time of year?

💕 You Were Mine by @brightlyharry {E, 20k}

Harry and Louis hardly speak to each other unless they're fighting. Harry has ran out of ways to try to repair their broken marriage and Louis can't be bothered to even try. When the loneliness becomes too much, he joins a new social media app. It doesn't take him long to make a new friend on there that helps pull him out of his solitary hell. The more they talk, the more Harry finds comfort in his anonymous friend. He is smiling and laughing again for the first time in months.

He soon discovers that Louis is smiling again too, and it's not because of him.

💕 Dance Me (to the End of Love) by @phdmama {E, 19k}

You would think that it's a simple process - you meet, you fall in love, you get married. But when you add one lawyer and one overly-competitive high school teacher to that equation, it's no longer a straight line from beginning to end. Or the story of how a simple proposal becomes a competition where no one loses in the end.

💕 On Thin Ice by @neondiamond {E, 16k}

As the goaltender for one of the best hockey teams in the world, Harry never expected participating in his second winter Olympics would be so eventful. His hidden long-term relationship with the captain of their biggest rival team may have something to do with it.

💕 Another One For The Road by @reminiscingintherain {T, 15k,}

She looked up at Louis with a smile. "Congratulations Louis. You're pregnant." "Oh fuck," he said softly, before his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he promptly passed out.

Or the one where Louis' on tour when he finds out the hard way that men can get pregnant too....

💕 Wild As You by bluegreenish / @greenblueish {M, 9k}

As much as Harry had not been overjoyed at the prospect of leaving Minnesota behind and starting high school in rural central Nebraska, it had definitely changed his life in ways staying at his childhood home never would have. Within days he had found fellow students to sit with at lunch, within weeks he had considered them friends, within months he had learned to love Nebraska, and within four years, he had wildly fallen in love with Louis Tomlinson.

or, a story about how Harry figures out whether the ideal of a house with a white picket fence in the suburbs of a medium-sized city is what he wants, or whether Louis' sheep ranch is the home his heart really desires.

💕 caught up in your love affair by @disgruntledkittenface {NR, 8k}

“And the corgis took to you straightaway,” Harry remarks.

“That’s true,” Louis chuckles.

  “I’ve spent the last 29 years being barked at,” Harry deadpans, jerking his hand toward Louis, “this one walks in, absolutely nothing.”

 Louis outright giggles at that, saying, “They were just lying on my feet during tea.”

 “Wagging tails,” Harry says, shaking his head.

 “It’s because they don’t understand flirting,” Louis tells him, “you can’t charm them the way you do everyone else.”

Royal AU. Prince Harry announces his engagement to Louis Tomlinson in an interview with longtime friend and BBC host Nick Grimshaw. Inspired by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

💕 So Much Left to Say by myownspark / @myownsparknow {M, 7k}

Harry remembers Louis stalking along the Cougar’s sideline as the final seconds of the game ticked away. He was apart from everyone, with his arms crossed and his head down, sort of fragile looking even in his pads and helmet. Harry’s fingers actually itched to hold his hand, just as they do now. He holds the phone up to take a selfie and smiles into the camera, trying to ask Louis a question with his eyes. (Are you really okay? Tell me the truth. I bet you’re sitting on your bed, playing Madden, sulking. If you want to see me, I’ll come. I know you better than anyone. You’re sad. I’d like to come.) He pushes send.

(Harry and Louis play for rival high school football teams, and when they play against each other in the Homecoming game, someone has to lose.)

💕 As one we are everything/We are everything we need by louloubaby92 / @louloubabys1992 {M, 5k}

Harry finally marries the love of his life. He's got the mating mark, he's got Louis' ring on his finger.

And now, he's on his honeymoon. Louis is but a door away, waiting for him.

Honestly, he doesn't understand why he's nervous.

💕 Tuca Tuca (ILikeYouILikeYouILikeYou) by @persephoneflouwers {E, 4k}

The San Francisco getaway AU, where Harry is needy and Louis has a flight to LA in a few hours.

💕 sensitive to pressure by momentofclarity / @gaycousinlarry {E, 4k}

Harry’s breath stutters on its way up his throat, his cheeks heating more with each step as Louis gets closer and Harry can’t move. Feet stuck to the carpet, heavy and unwilling, unable to shuffle away or take control, stuck in place and waiting.

💕 Gonna Dress You Up In My Love by @fallinglikethis {T, 3k}

Harry decides to take up knitting. He's horrible at it. Louis wears everything anyway.

💕 lying close to you by @nouies {NR, 2k}

could you make me a fic rec that has the same vibes as these series: https://archiveofourown.org/series/725172

i'm looking for the type of fics that have them falling HARD in love, like it's the first time it hit them like this, nothing has felt like it before, the world shifted kinda thing. I like those that don't exactly have something happening plot-wise to kick start their connection, just ordinary life meetings like the fic describes it (not a requirement for the rec but if you happen to find more like that, i'll happily take it)

thank you!

Hi, anon! You're very welcome! Here are some fics that have similar vibes to Them Butterflies...thanks for explaining what you were looking for because I think I found just what you're wanting...

such a beautiful dream (series) by staybeautiful / @harruandlou

“I had a sex dream about Harry.” Louis slapped his free hand over his mouth after the words slipped out.

Zayn paused, his hand freezing as he was about to take a bite, his head snapping up to look at Louis. Louis could relate, it’s how he’d felt that morning after he’d woken up. He’d laid in bed for fifteen minutes trying to figure out what had happened, why it had turned him on so much, and then patiently waiting for his erection to go down.

“Like… my Niall’s Harry? Harry Styles?” Zayn clarified, his face bewildered as if trying to comprehend what had just happened. “Do you even like Harry?”

“His last name is Styles?”

or Louis woke up after having a sexy dream about his best friend’s boyfriend’s best friend resolved to never think about it again. He hardly knew Harry, so what difference would it make? But when they are thrown together only a few days later, Louis had to admit, his subconscious might have been onto something.

Just Tell Me the Song and I'll Sing It by myownspark / @myownsparknow

Louis is an architecture student who can only think about the future. Harry is a baseball player who can only think about right now. Both are lonely for different reasons. Boybands bring them together.

Or, this may just be a long love letter to Louis’ voice, I’m not sure.

Based on the following prompt: Harry and Louis are university students who go to the same bar on the weekends. The bar has karaoke and Louis likes to sing Disney/Musical/Boyband songs sometimes. Harry thinks he's cute so he starts singing Disney/Musical/Boyband songs and flirting with him while he's on stage.

My Other Half Was You by @lululawrence

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.