#whimsicule

HL Fic Library ✨ Fantasy 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.

✨ forever is in your eyes by we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed {M, 125k}

Harry looks fragile in the moonlight, and Louis stands there, pondering, not even sure what it is that he’s thinking of. It’s all just noise in his head, a mix of melancholy and desire, of longing for something that he doesn’t even have a name for.

He wants-

He wants love. He wants to be held and cherished and have a home. Not just a place to lay his head down at night. He wants to be loved the way that Louis had loved creating Harry. He wants his perfect man, but he wants him to be real. He wants Harry to be real-

His lips press against marble, against something cold and unforgiving, and it’s not until his hand comes up to rest against a sculpted neck that his eyes fly open and he stumbles backwards, nearly falling off the stepladder that he’d stood on.

“Jesus Christ.” He whispers, shaking his head and resisting the urge to brush the back of his hand against his lips, erase evidence that isn’t even visible to the naked eye. Harry stands there, as though nothing’s changed, and of course he does, because he’s a statue.

A statue that Louis has just kissed.

✨ Black with Autumn Rain by whimsicule / @baroness-elsa {T, 93k}

“Thank you,” Geoff says, taking a sip of his tea. “What did you tell him?”

Louis has a sip as well, lets the tea burn down his throat too quickly, too hot, and he feels it all the way down to his stomach. “The truth. Essentially,” he replies after a moment, licking his lips, relishing the slightly bitter taste of the brew that’s never quite strong enough for Louis’ liking. At least it’s not decaf. “That my dog scented it. That I didn’t touch the body. That I came here first thing.”

Geoff nods pensively. “Did he believe you?”

“Probably not. There’s only so many people who can drown on dry land before it gets fishy.”

or: Harry is a journalist, Louis has lots of secrets and the moors aren't exactly the ideal place to rekindle a lost romance.

✨ It's a Better Place (Since You Came Along) by @phdmama {E, 51k}

When Harry Styles, a mid-level talent, Finder, and small business owner, sets off on the vacation of a lifetime with his best friend, Niall Horan, he has no idea the changes his life will undergo over the next nine days. He's got it all planned - there's going to be shore excursions, lounging by the pool on the deck of the luxurious cruise ship, not to mention margaritas. What he does not plan for are the new friends, new bonds, or the mystery from his past that comes back to haunt him, and he certainly hasn't planned for Louis.

✨ through walls of trees by @ineverateakiwi {T, 41k}

Elesdon is a country divided into five kingdoms and had long been considered peaceful. After a coup in the heart of the country, Lady Sulia ascended to the throne and imprisoned the four courts, stripping them of their powers. With the exception of King Louis Tomlinson, who submitted to her favors.

But something is changing on the horizon. Magic no longer obeys her, and scarcity threatens her reign. Desperate to stay on top, she brings Harry and Liam back into play, entrusting them to her most loyal warriors.

The beginning of a series of mistakes that may give them the opportunity they needed to defeat her.

✨ The Things We Know To Be Wild by harryanthus_annuus / @harryanthus-annuus {M, 38k}

Louis is a London zoologist sent by the University of Highlands and Islands to assess the safety of the island of Eroda as part of the Wonder Seekers Project for sustainable tourism. With his signature needed to write off the concerns raised by the investors - owing to dragons - he faces the true, unassuming local life, and finds himself blindsided by the forms it takes.

✨ One Minute to Midnight by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird {E, 29k}

Louis Tomlinson is at the height of his game in Boston's financial scene. He's got the instinct, and he's got the guts to take calculated risks that make everyone around him a lot of money. Everything is going well until the day after he gets promoted when he wakes up forty years older than his actual age.

Two years later he's adapted to his new life as a retiree, but he's lonely and desperate for company closer to his real age during the rigorous holiday party season. He gets some questionable advice from Niall and turns to the Seeking Arrangement app where he finds Harry Styles, a local actor he's been a fan of since they had an undergraduate class together. But what happens when a few dates here and there isn't enough?

✨ Genie In a Bottle (series) by @kingsofeverything {E, 29k}

As the owner of a second hand shop, Harry comes into contact with a lot of strange and unusual objects. There is, however, a first time for everything.

✨ Where the World has Come Together by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup {M, 26k}

For the crime of elven blood running through his veins, Louis Tomlinson spends his days protecting the human kingdom he’s been cast out of. Forcibly tied by magic to the very walls that encircle the city, he and the other guards do what they can to find some semblance of a life.

Then, against Louis’ wishes, someone new is added to their number. How is he supposed to share living quarters with a monster?

✨ Room For One More Troubled Soul by patdkitten / @babyarcanacasey {M, 25k}

Louis Tomlinson is the chief medical examiner of the Centre for the Law Enforcement of Supernatural Beings - more commonly referred to as simply "The Centre". When bodies start piling up that look like vampire attacks, Louis starts searching for answers, but there's this strange man who showed up at the first crime scene and who keeps showing up on Louis, and there's also a doctor who seems very interested in Louis' involvement in the case.

✨ Spinning Out Waiting for You by amomentoflove / @daggerandrose {M, 18k}

Harry Styles is a year and a half away from graduating with a masters in potions and he has one huge milestone to reach in his academy career: the Matching Ceremony.

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 Journal by 4ureyesonly28 / @evilovesyou , RecycledStardust {G, 13k}

When Harry finds himself purchasing an antique journal in the ancient bookshop of a town he's never heard of, he doesn't exactly want to admit that he has no idea how he got there. A myriad of odd coincidences and a few kind smiles from the shopkeeper have the two of them working hard to solve the mystery of this strange journal that seems to have been waiting for Harry for almost a hundred and thirty years.

✨ Just Your Jinx by @larryatendoftheday {T, 10k}

Harry Styles may or may not have accidentally jinxed his extremely fit new neighbor, and it's not so easy to make things right.

✨ Tongue Tied by YesIsAWorld / @louandhazaf {G, 1k}

Louis’ new bestie placed a hand on his shoulder; he turned with a sway and looked into his blue eyes. ”What do you wish?” The world spun for a moment, and Louis shrugged. It was easy. The only thing he wanted. “I wish that I could tell Harry that I love him, instead of getting all tongue tied and chickening out.” The Irishman winked. “You never know, your wish may just come true.” “From your lips to God’s ears, mate.” He gave the man a hug. “I gotta go before my Uber leaves me.” He stumbled to the door, and that was the last thing he remembered from the night.

✨ Needle by @seekforwarmth {NR, 666 words}

The Dead of July by whimsicule ( @whimsicule )

Being an Avenger means continuing to be Captain America and smiling and being honorable for the public and Harry does his best. But it doesn’t give him time to figure out who he is supposed to be once he takes off his uniform and puts the shield to the side. Just being Harry had always involved Louis, and Harry fears he doesn’t know how to exist without him.

One Direction fics that are slow burn with twists and turns as requested in this ask. You can find all my other fic recs here. If you enjoy the fics, don't forget to leave kudos and comments for the writers! Happy reading!

-Larry-

Truth Behind Golden Eyes by MyEnglishRose / @lwtisloved

(E, 228, royal au) A Fantasy AU loosely inspired by Merlin BBC where one relationship has the power to define the destiny of the whole land.

Love After the End of the World by @mercurial-madhouse

(E, 168k, dystopian au) When staying alive is already a constant battle, the deadliest weakness is to be in love. For Harry and Louis, finding each other sits on top of the endless list of What Else Could Go Wrong.

This Multiplicity of Powers by @helloamhere

(E, 149k, X-Men au) Maybe there’s a universe where he doesn’t have to keep all his secrets on the inside. But this isn’t that universe.

Tainted Saints And Velvet Vices by Toomanytears / @toomanydreamers

(E, 126k, Potter Direction) A self-fulfilling Hogwarts AU in which Louis is new to seventh year and Harry is the resident devil-may-care Slytherin set to make his entire experience a living misery. 

ghost of you by beckywritesthings / @beckydoesthings

(E, 109k, Star Wars au) 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.

For the Right Reasons by @juliusschmidt

(E, 105k, Bachelor au) Harry doesn’t agree to be the Bachelor expecting to find love.

The Rose of Whitechapel by @itsmotivatingcara

(E, 100k, historical) Jack the Ripper au - Detective Constable Harry Styles and his partner, DC Liam Payne, lead the case on the Whitechapel murders.

Black with Autumn Rain by whimsicule

(T, 93k, magical realism) Harry is a journalist, Louis has lots of secrets and the moors aren't exactly the ideal place to rekindle a lost romance.

Face Your Fears by @sadaveniren

(E, 92k, a/b/o) Harry is a single father, pretending to be a beta after his alpha mated him and left him. 

Nothing But You On My Mind by nonsensedarling / @absoloutenonsense

(E, 83k, royal au) Louis Tomlinson is a PR manager hired to improve the image of royal bad-boy Prince Harry Styles. 

technicolor by @creamcoffeelou

(E, 81k, crime au) The slow-burn, hate-to-love, crime au where Harry is a psychic, Louis is a detective, and the world is against them.

Consequences by @allwaswell16

(E, 78k, amnesia au) Two years ago Harry let his powerful family come between him and the love of his life, something he deeply regrets. 

Let Our Hearts Collide by @crinkle-eyed-boo

(M, 76k, While You Were Sleeping au) When Harry, a lonely transit worker, saves the life of the handsome commuter he's been secretly pining for, an innocent mistake results in Liam Payne's family believing that Harry is engaged to their son.

All I Wish Not To Remember by thealmightyavocado / @avocadolouie

(E, 71k, The Count of Monte Cristo au) A tragic tale of timeless undying love, merciless revenge, and selfless sacrifice.

After Dark, After Light by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird

(E, 71k, historical) Harry Styles is the laird of Clan Edwards who is just trying to keep his clan afloat when they get word that the Mackenzies have been cutting a swath through the Midlands and beyond, and their sights are set on the northern Highlands next. 

-Rare Pairs-

your crimes are quiet, my love by lightswoodmagic / @lightwoodsmagic

(E, 93k, Zayn/Liam) A darker Miss Congeniality AU that follows Zayn and Liam, MI5 agents, partners since training and best friends, as they race to stop a serial killer.

Winter Light by wordsnnotes / @quelsentiment

Contact by myownspark | nr | 2483 A short story about two men navigating the wilderness.

Unto You by LadyLondonderry | T | 3671 Louis is a lamplighter celebrating the saturnalia season in his own way. Harry is heavily pregnant and new in the city. The holiday of Christmas is yet to be created.

Manifest Destiny by casuallyhl | E | 15210 Harry and Louis had fallen into bed together again that night, mouths greedy and hands needy. And now every time Louis stops at Fort Kearney, even if it’s weeks in between, he and Harry spend the night together. The nights are always filled with heat and passion, and it gives Louis something to think on fondly as he rides across the western territories carrying sacks of mail. They’ve never talked about it, and they’ve never kissed. Louis doesn’t know if he wants either of those things to change, but he knows that his presence in Harry’s life is sporadic at best. Probably best to leave things be. Or, Louis is a Pony Express rider and Harry runs a station along the trail.

Leave Your Damage Behind and Gone by QuickedWeen | T | 15673 It's the spring of 1882 and Sir Louis Tomlinson is a simple man with simple needs. Money. Running an old estate and dairy farm costs money, and he would much rather focus on his science experiments than take a trip to the Exposició Universal de Barcelona to beg for funding especially when everyone there is English anyway. He's taking a walk one night to clear his head when he comes upon something mysterious on the beach that may or may not change his life forever.

No One Like You by myownspark | M | 19924 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.

And down the long and silent street by whimsicule | M | 86090 The year is 1881 and if you’re alone in this world you might as well be dead, because starving dogs have no mercy. Or: Wherein Louis and Harry are on the opposite ends of the social ladder, but their paths still cross on the filthy streets Louis calls his home. The odds are staked against them from the beginning, and even more when Louis' past finally catches up with him.

Coax the Cold by MediaWhore | M | 86440 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.

Victorian Boy by audreyhheart | E | 101209 Victorian AU. Harry the virgin Duke of Somerset knows little of love, while Louis the sly Duke of Warwick knows too much. When the two dukes come together for the Bilsdale fox hunt in York, Harry finds himself drawn into Louis' bed. But when secrets from Louis' dark past come to light, Harry fears that the fox isn't the only one being hunted.

Ooooooooh, that would have been tough. I learned very quickly when I went to the States not to assume anything about people’s religious beliefs - in NZ it would be fairly unusual for Pākehā to be actively religious (like, weekly churchgoing kind of thing) and university lecturers, not so in the US, even in a very liberal state. 

That would definitely happen to Joe in this scenario, though! I imagine there’s also a gossip process that goes something like: STUDENT ONE: “hmmm, he's relatively young and attractive and has a lot of female grad students, is that a....Thing”  STUDENT TWO: “nah, it’s cool, he’s very happily married”  STUDENT ONE: “to...an ex-grad student?” 

STUDENT TWO: “no, to an adult student” 

STUDENT ONE: “oh, hmmm” 

STUDENT TWO: “who’s a man” 

STUDENT ONE: “huh!” 

STUDENT TWO: “and an ex-priest”

STUDENT ONE: “w h a t, I did not expect Professor al-Kaysani to be Catholic”

STUDENT TWO: “oh no, he’s Muslim”  

Joe/Nicky

And last but not least: Prof. al-Kaysani got married last week! And while he has explicitly asked for no fuss to be made, we have organised a small gift and a card that you are all welcome to sign. It will be on my desk until September 7th.

Best,

Dr. Quynh Pham Course Leader BA (Hons) Curating

--

Nile’s eyes are stuck on the word ‘married’. Her mouth drops open, toast falling into her lap without her noticing.

Married.

                          Author Spotlight : whimsicule 

The Dead of July

Words: 117k

Being an Avenger means continuing to be Captain America and smiling and being honorable for the public and Harry does his best. But it doesn’t give him time to figure out who he is supposed to be once he takes off his uniform and puts the shield to the side. Just being Harry had always involved Louis, and Harry fears he doesn’t know how to exist without him.

or: Harry is Captain America, and Louis’ been dead for 70 years.

And down the long and silent street

Words: 86k

The year is 1881 and if you’re alone in this world you might as well be dead, because starving dogs have no mercy.

Or: Wherein Louis and Harry are on the opposite ends of the social ladder, but their paths still cross on the filthy streets Louis calls his home. The odds are staked against them from the beginning, and even more when Louis' past finally catches up with him.

Black with Autumn Rain

Words: 93k

“Thank you,” Geoff says, taking a sip of his tea. “What did you tell him?”

Louis has a sip as well, lets the tea burn down his throat too quickly, too hot, and he feels it all the way down to his stomach. “The truth. Essentially,” he replies after a moment, licking his lips, relishing the slightly bitter taste of the brew that’s never quite strong enough for Louis’ liking. At least it’s not decaf. “That my dog scented it. That I didn’t touch the body. That I came here first thing.”

Geoff nods pensively. “Did he believe you?”

“Probably not. There’s only so many people who can drown on dry land before it gets fishy.”

or: Harry is a journalist, Louis has lots of secrets and the moors aren't exactly the ideal place to rekindle a lost romance.

♡ tumblr : @whimsicule

♡ credit to the owner of the manip

REC OF THE DAY

Black with Autumn Rain (93K, Teen and Up Audiences) by whimsicule (@whimsicule)

SUMMARY: Harry is a journalist, Louis has lots of secrets and the moors aren't exactly the ideal place to rekindle a lost romance.

MY RECOMMENDATION: A gorgeously written tale of mystery with a dash  of romance that completely took me by surprise. I did not expect it one bit to go where it went and that’s why I adore it.