#runaway_train

Foolishly Laying Our Hearts On The Table by runaway_train   @runaway-train-works

Length: 11k

“You think Harry wants that?”

“Dunno. Maybe. Wanna make him happy.” Harry takes advantage of the red light he’s pulled up to turn and look properly at Louis’ face. He’s not even looking in Harry’s direction though, focused instead on something out of his side window, head drooped, mindlessly playing with the string of his hoodie between his fingers, lost in his own world somewhere. For some reason, it makes Harry’s spine straighten.

“Because he’s your best mate?” Harry questions carefully.

“He’s my boyfriend.”

He couldn’t have heard him right. “What?”

Louis releases a deep breath, still not turning around. Harry wonders who he thinks he’s talking to right now. “He’s so pretty. Want to kiss him all day long. And buy him a big house and give him presents and marry him.”

Or

The one where Harry is in love with his best friend Louis but doesn't think he stands a chance until some wisdom teeth and a rather unusual confession might just change his mind.

Any fin is possible by gorgeousnerd | E | 6066 Harry falls off his ship and washes up onto an island. Turns out, he's not the only one looking to get home. Or: in which Harry is not a pirate, Nick doesn't like a cuddle (except when he does), and they both have magical secrets.

And the Deep Blue Sea by provetheworst | nr | 7249 Now that Nick's been thrown overboard for siding with the captain during a mutiny, his only hope for survival lies with a complete flop of a mermaid whose idea of help is a bouquet of forks. At least Nick's got something pretty to look at before his inevitable demise.

It's A Never-Ending Helter-Skelter by runaway_train | T | 8143 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.

A King Under Your Control by Thelonelycoast | nr | 10552 Zayn is a famous R&B singer and Louis is an air host on Zayn's private jet. A storm comes and they crash on a deserted island... Also, they hate each other.

Lost Coastlines by pukeandcry | T | 21834 Nick doesn’t know what you’re meant to do when Harry Styles has suddenly come back from the dead. It's been a year since Harry and Niall died in a plane crash – only it turns out they didn't, because they've just been rescued from the island they've been stranded on, and Harry is suddenly back in Nick's life, not quite good as new.

we'll be alright by bravestyles | nr | 31363 He stares at the water for a few minutes, thinking, why are you trapping us here? Why are you doing this to us? You're the only thing separating me from my family. After that, he turns to look at the island, and Harry nearly cries with relief at what he sees. There's fruit. A lot of it. Mangoes, bananas, coconuts, a few other fruity looking things he doesn't recognize. And there's a lot of colors, too. Trees and flowers everywhere. At least they're not trapped somewhere terrible. This feels like they're being given at least a chance. or, Niall, Louis and Harry get stranded on a desert island.

What Am I Gonna Say When I See You

by runaway_train

“I wouldn’t have asked you to come if he didn’t want you there.”

Louis hands her the gift bag when he reaches the pavement beside her and they turn to walk down the street to the house he has been in too many times to count. “I know you wouldn’t, but I haven’t seen him in forever. And you said it was just close family and friends going.”

“You are close family and friends. A lot closer than I am. The main reason I’m going is because mum made me since she’s sick in bed with the flu.” Louis kind of wishes he was sick in bed with the flu. He shouldn’t be this apprehensive. It’s Harry. It’s only Harry. And yeah, they might not have seen each other in almost six years, but they're still friends. Aren’t they?

Or

The one where Louis' unsure if too much time has passed since he last saw his childhood best friend to try and make things right.

“Does she know who it is then, from the New York office?” Louis enquires.

“Yeah, some guy Henry? Henry Styles I think she said?"

“Harry.”

“What?"

“Harry. His name is Harry Styles.” His heart sank. Louis hadn’t met him, they had only shared a couple of emails back and forth, but he knew exactly who he was. And Harry hadn’t just been killing it in the Big Apple, he’s been ripping the place to absolute shreds, nailing some of the most lucrative accounts in the business.

Louis is so fucked.

Or

The one where Louis is up for a promotion, he just has one tiny, little problem standing in his way.

Falling by Lovelyziam | G | 2138 “So what? I get shot at all the time. I don’t know if you know this, Zayn, but it’s kinda part of the job—” “—and,” Zayn interrupted, “you were shot at and you fell two fucking stories, Liam. Excuse me for being more than a little concerned. I don’t know if you know this, but that kind of fall kills people, Liam.” Liam just smirked up at him, the bastard. “Aww, c’mon, Zaynie. I’m not even hurt. I thought you knew me better than this. It’s gonna take more than a little fall to kill me.” And then the asshole winked at him, fucking winked while Zayn was sitting there consumed with worry, and now more than righteous anger. If he wanted to pretend like his fucking safety was a joke, then fine, Zayn wasn’t going to treat him delicately, either.

Screamin' At My Face, Baby, Don't Trip by runaway_train | G | 2498 He’s been waiting at their table in the restaurant for thirty minutes now, already deep into his second large glass of Shiraz, when he checks his phone. No new messages. He clicks onto WhatsApp to check when Louis was last online; 3.34 p.m today. That certainly doesn’t bode well. Louis was always late, yes, but he had promised, he had sworn to Harry that he wouldn’t be late tonight. But he was. By thirty one minutes and counting. Or The one when Harry's anniversary dinner plans don't go quite how he hoped they would.

Super Secret by Caliske_XP | G | 10326 When Louis Tomlinson's life gets saved by the local superhero and his celebrity crush, his world turns upside down.

under me, you by hazzafrazza | M | 12435 You Won’t Believe Who Was Spotted Leaving Harry Styles’ Primrose Hill Pad! If Harry was being completely honest, it probably wasn’t the best idea to be a world-renowned popstar and an infamous vigilante. (Especially when all the comic books said never reveal your secret identity to keep your loved ones safe – which was all well and good, until Louis.) Or: Harry wants a lot of things – fame, glory, Louis – but that last one is particularly hard to get when everyone thinks you’re dating your secret superhero alter-ego and suddenly you’ve become your own worst cockblock.

all the stars were crashing by sarcangel | E | 25845 “We should practice,” Louis says. He’s got a faraway look in his eye that doesn’t bode well for anyone, based on Zayn’s newly-formed knowledge of Louis. “Find a place, set up a schedule, all that.” “What?” Zayn says, not sure where the conversation is exactly headed anymore. “You know, in a movie - like, this would be our montage sequence,” Louis says, hands everywhere, gesturing wildly. “There’d be some song playing in the background while we spar and gain strength and -” (and lick sweat off of each other’s necks, Zayn thinks, and then you knock me to the floor and lay on me and) “Yeah, that’d be sick,” Zayn says, instead, not knowing if he’s more surprised that anything coherent comes out of his mouth or that he’s actually agreed to Louis’ awful plan.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS AT THE DAILY PLANET! by HelloAmHere | E | 31250 Companies like LexCorp think they run the world. Louis does not think that anybody in particular runs the world; the world is a mess that no one is above, not even Lex Luthor, CEO and scion and heir to the empire, billionaire and genius. He’s walked around Metropolis like some kind of superhuman since Louis can remember, since they were both kids growing up in the city. Nobody is superhuman. Everybody has a weakness. You just have to be persistent enough to find it. Louis cannot wait. // A Superman/or a Daily Planet, AU.

Something Just Like This by kiwikero | E | 31281 Newspaper intern Harry Styles can't believe his luck when he goes from fetching coffee for his boss to writing about London's own superheroes, One Direction. Even better, he gets to spend time with the unfairly handsome Freefall, also known as Louis Tomlinson. Louis, who is way out of Harry's league and far too busy for a proper relationship—so how on earth is Harry supposed to tell him they're expecting?

Just As Fast, Twice As Dangerous by lightswoodmagic | E | 45721 When he realised it was only him and Liam in the hallway, he felt safe enough to drop his shield. Oh. Lovely. Liam was emanating affection and fondness, his primary emotions filled with warmth and love. Zayn let himself bask in it, how it would feel to be loved by Liam. He knew Liam loved him, but he wasn’t in love with him; Zayn had felt that emotion too many times to count, and this just wasn’t it. He dug slightly deeper, could feel that Liam was excited and nervous, and when he hit a wall Liam had built himself, he dropped back. He wasn’t supposed to know everything. Or, Zayn's a normal student by day, and a superhero by night. When a mysterious man seems to target him at the same time a natural disaster strikes, Zayn has to figure out a way to save the day, protect his heart, and convince the boys he's not a vigilante all at the same time.

beneath the sound of hope by YesIsAWorld | E | 6620 After Louis Tomlinson leaves the set of the Smashing Pumpkins’ “1979” music video, it’s not the band or the experience that he can’t stop thinking about—it’s the curly-haired boy he met while filming. Determined to track that same boy down, he sets off on a short journey and ends up figuring out some truths about himself along the way.

this love will keep us through blinding of the eyes by HazHas4Nips | nr | 9847 As his other friends head into the strip club, he steps towards the bouncer, fumbling through his wallet to find his ID. He’s so distracted by his search that he hasn’t gotten a proper look at the bouncer until he’s standing right in front of him, shoving his ID into the alpha's ridiculously long, painted fingers. Louis will blame it on the alcohol if anyone asks, but he can’t help staring intensely at the alpha in front of him, soaking up every detail of the guy. His breath catches in his throat as he watches the alpha, unable to look away from the strikingly green eyes. It’s weird. So weird. Maybe Louis is more drunk than he thought, but he was feeling just barely tipsy only moments ago so that seems slightly unlikely. Between the long curls, the jawline so sharp it could cut glass, muscles rippling under his shirt, and endlessly long legs, this alpha is objectively the most attractive person Louis has ever seen. But that can’t be right, because Louis’ an alpha, too. When Louis' friends bring him to a strip club for his 18th birthday, the last thing he would have expected is leaving with a crush, let alone a crush on another alpha.

the way that you're thrilling me by hereforlou | E | 12136 Sometimes he wondered if everyone was pretending. Alphas were smelly and cocky and mostly arseholes, in Harry’s experience. Or at least they were at school. He didn’t understand how his friends—lovely, soft-skinned, sweet-smelling omegas—could actually want to touch them, or be touched by them. Maybe he was just immature. That’s what his friends said, anyway. He’d want it eventually. (Or, the one where Harry and Louis don’t enjoy sex - until they do.)

Pillow Talk by FallingLikeThis | E | 25981 “So, do you think I should… find someone to fool around with?” Harry asks, nervous again. “To see if I like it?” Louis swallows hard but hopes he covers it pretty well with a casual shrug. “I mean, it would probably help to know that you actually want everything that goes along with being with a guy. If you can’t handle the machinery, it’s probably not for you, you know?” Harry nods and appears to be steeling himself. Louis tenses, afraid that he knows what’s coming. “Would you do it?” “Do what?” Louis plays dumb. Harry has to take another deep breath before he can say it. “Will you help me figure out if I like it? Being with a boy?” Or When Harry starts having confusing feelings for a male classmate, his sister's best friend, Louis, helps him figure himself out. Cue lots of kissing, sex, and falling in love.

And Touch Me Like You Never by runaway_train | E | 35971 “Lets move back a bit yeah?” Harry clutches at his waist with a free hand and tugs him to move through the crowd until they are almost at the back of the group and settles them both beside the far wall. “There. That better?” Louis looks up at him, as if he’s a tad dazed. “Uh, yeah, thanks. Can’t really see much from back here either though.” Harry lifts a shoulder and grins at him, placing a hand on the wall behind Louis to pen him in. “We’ll just have to create our own fireworks then, won’t we?” He says it jokingly with a wink, and Louis laughs but he seems nervous. He must know that Harry is harmlessly flirting. Harry flirts with everyone after all, including Louis. “Do you think this is a good idea Haz?” Louis asks quietly, almost too quietly in the clamour of the room, his head bowed as he scuffs his shoe on the carpet. “Stop over thinking it Lou, it’s one kiss. What’s the worst that could happen?” Or The one where Harry and Louis agree to be each other's New Year's kiss and it ends up being a lot more than they bargained for.

Easy As All That (Go Around A Time Or Two) by sunsetmog | E | 84957 Sometimes the hardest part of growing up is figuring out who you are in the first place. Or: The one where Liam and Louis only kiss when they're on nights out, when it's secret, when there's no one around to see them. If no one knows you're having a sexuality crisis, that means it isn't happening, right? Or, or: Liam accidentally turns Louis' world upside down. A high school sixth form AU.

All I See Is You, Lately

Written as part of the @1dshortficfest

by runaway_train

Harry noticed him for the first time three months ago. He couldn’t not, really, what with the man being so pretty and all, and Harry remembers it well because it was three days before his birthday and he had joked to himself that seeing someone so gorgeous for three days on the trot must be an early present from the Gods.

Or

The one where Harry has a crush on a fellow commuter.

Manipulate My Decisions

Written as part of Wankfest 2019

by runaway_train

“But… but…” Niall stammers, trying in vain to think of another reason as to why he shouldn’t have to do them. He comes up empty-handed. “Shawn, I feckin’ hate doing the dishes.”

Shawn intertwines his fingers together and rests them on his stomach, narrowing his eyes and looking at Niall for a long moment in silence. Niall’s about to ask him what he’s thinking about when he speaks. “I’ll tell you what, babe, let’s have a little competition, and whoever loses has to do them.”

He’s playing into Niall’s competitive streak. Clever. Niall can’t help but be intrigued. “OK. What’s the game?”

Or

The one where Niall and Shawn have a minor disagreement on household chores and Shawn comes up with a rather unique way of settling it once and for all.