#youexplode

HL Fic Library 📸 Famous/Not Famous 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.

🩷 Tired Tired Sea by MediaWhore / @mediawhorefics {M, 113k}

As a B&B owner on the most remote of all the British Isles, Louis Tomlinson is used to spending the coldest half of the year in complete isolation, with his dog and the sea as sole companions. Until, one day, a mysterious stranger on a quest to rebuild himself rents a room for the winter.

🩷 In A Twinkling by jacaranda_bloom / @jacaranda-bloom {E, 98k}

Louis’ Nan just wants him to be happy, to settle down with a nice boy, and bring him around for Christmas.

Louis is too busy with his career to bother about relationships, but in an attempt to appease his Nan, he sends her photoshopped pictures of him and his pretend boyfriend, Harry. The fact that the man in the pictures is none other than Harry Styles, world famous Gucci model—and recurrent star of Louis’ fantasies—is irrelevant. It’s not like their paths will ever cross…

So it comes as somewhat of a surprise when Louis returns home for Christmas and walks into his Nan’s sitting room only to find the real-life Harry Styles happily chatting away with the grey-haired ladies of his Nan’s Crochet Circle.

Featuring Niall and Liam as Louis’ childhood friends, Harry as the painfully perfect man of Louis’ dreams, Zayn as Harry’s very protective best mate, Louis’ Nan as a well-meaning matchmaker, and Louis as a guy who thinks he’s happy with his life, until a certain someone shows him what he’s been missing.

🩷 Emperor's New Clothes by sunsetmog / @magicalrocketships {E, 92k}

The fact that Louis’s most precious belonging was a cat with a face like thunder and an uncanny ability to cover every single inch of Louis’s clothing with cat hair was something that Louis chose not to think about too much.

or: Harry’s a pop star and Louis isn’t, and there’s a non-disclosure agreement where there used to be a relationship.

🩷 Cameras Flashing by @juliusschmidt {E, 81k}

With his breakout single platinum three times over and his second album still selling out in stores around the world, Louis Tomlinson has made it to the top. However, his position as Pop Heartthrob of the Decade is threatened by the edgier, more artistic Zayn, who happens to be releasing an album a week after Louis’ upcoming third. Louis needs something groundbreaking- scandalous, even- to push past him in the charts. Much to Louis’ dismay, his PR team calls in The Sexpert.

Consulting with PR firm Shady, Lane and Associates pays the bills so that Harry Styles can spend his down time doing what he really loves: poring over data. On weekends and late into the evenings, he researches gender, presentation, and sexual orientation, analysing the longitudinal study that is his father’s life’s work. That is, until his newest client, the popstar with the fascinating secret, drags him off his couch and frighteningly close to the spotlight.

As the album’s release date approaches, will Tomlinson and Styles be able to pull off the most risky PR scheme of the millennium and beat Zayn in sales or will the heat of their feelings for each other compromise everything?

🩷 A Thousand Miles From Comfort by @littlelouishiccups {E, 74k}

It wasn’t like Louis was Lindsay Lohan or Justin Beiber. He’d had one fucking meltdown and a handful of public drunken accidents. And now he could never screw up ever again. He hit the STOP button on the treadmill and matched his pace as it slowed to a stop.

“It’s not break time yet!” Harry told Louis, tapping his watch with a stern expression. “Come on, you were doing so well! Don’t quit now! Ten more minutes and then you can have a break!”

“I don’t want to be here anymore,” Louis spat. “It’s not anything you did, okay? I just… I don’t know. I can’t do this. I hate playing the stupid media game. That’s what all of this is! There’s no point.”

  In which Louis is a closeted gay actor and a recovering addict with a troubled past. Harry is the personal trainer who helps him get his life back in shape.

With Liam as Louis' childhood best friend, Zayn as a famous R&B artist, and Niall as a fanboy.

(aka the trainer au)

🩷 another dream but always you by you_explode / @nobodymoves {M, 66k}

Harry is a Dreamwalker; he has the ability to visit people in their dreams and help put them on the right path. He's assigned to Louis, who's struggling after the break-up of his band. It's an unusual assignment from the beginning; Harry has a crush on Louis, and Louis's subconscious immediately decides Harry is the love of his life. When Dreamers cast Harry as their love interest, he can usually redirect them, but Louis is insistent on being Harry's boyfriend, and despite knowing they have no future, Harry wants to keep up the charade.

🩷 My Sweetest Downfall by kiwikero / @icanhazzalou {M, 42k}

Louis is a retired guardian angel. After the death of his last charge, he became jaded. Humans die—what use is prolonging the inevitable?

He's more than happy to forget about humanity altogether until one day, when Louis is pulled from his desk job for a new assignment: protect One Direction's Harry Styles. It doesn't help that there's something about Harry that Louis can't resist, and it's making him question everything he's ever known. Humans are strictly off limits, and breaking that rule means risking everything, but Harry just might be worth it.

This is a story about forgiveness and discovery, featuring an angel who wants to be a little more human and a human who is so much more than he seems.

🩷 hymns for restless stars by @turnyourankle {E, 37k}

Every Holiday season Louis has his pupils write down their Christmas wishes for class. He's read almost every wish under the sun, but one girl's wish takes him by surprise. It's for her uncle not to be alone anymore. It's not a wild wish by any means, but Louis had no idea that former teen idol Harry Styles was lonely in the first place.

🩷 But Why Wonder, Why Wonder? by @100percentsassy {E, 30k}

The one where Marcel Styles has improbably landed a job in the fashion industry, and Louis Tomlinson is the actor-turned-lingerie-designer he’s been infatuated with for years.

🩷 Bitter Ends Turn Sweet by @allwaswell16 {E, 30k}

It had been four years since Harry first heard the song his ex wrote about him and far longer since they broke up. He forgave Louis long ago, and now his life was focused on his career, his family, and especially his son, Max. But Louis was back in Chicago, after all this time, and he’s not an easy man to ignore.

Or a songfic inspired by the song Chicago

🩷 Rewriting the Melody by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13 {T, 26}

Louis doesn’t get put in One Direction. This time, the path to true love takes the long way round, including singing in toilet cubicles, fruit baskets, and long distance band counselling from someone who really doesn’t know what he’s doing, he just wants to keep talking to Harry.

🩷 Singing To Tiny Dancer by BriaMaria / @briannamarguerite {E, 22k}

“Yes!” Harry punched a fist into the air. He laughed at the confusion that wrinkled the little space between Louis’ brows.

“What?”

“You’re flirting with me,” Harry smiled, letting his dimples pop.

Louis’ face went blank for two seconds and then he rolled his eyes, one side of his mouth lifting. “Am not.”

“You soooo are,” Harry sang out, poking him in the shoulder. “You like me.”

“I was simply showing you how to actually bring… what did you call it? Your A-game.”

Harry adopted a patronizing expression, sure it would piss him off. “And you did great. Really.”

“Oi, fuck off,” Louis said, but he was actually laughing now. Outright. It was gorgeous and Harry wanted to live in this moment forever. It was the very best one he’d experienced. He wanted to always remember the image of Louis’ crinkled eyes, the sound of his breathy giggles, the smell of citrus that radiated off him as he swayed in his amusement. And Louis didn’t even know his name.

Or ... When everything gets to be a bit too much for A-list actor Louis Tomlinson, he runs back to the town he had never really called home and the boy who was the only one he did.

🩷 Then We Talk Slow by @letsjustsee {E, 20k}

The picture showed Harry smiling widely (with a fucking dimple) at the camera, his glossy brown curls situated artfully around his shoulders. Louis couldn’t see his whole outfit, but it seemed to consist of a pink, floral button-up with most of the buttons undone. Louis could also detect the dark outlines of tattoos on his chest, although he couldn’t quite make out what they were underneath the shirt. What he could make out was that his own heartrate seemed to have picked up significantly. Shit. This was so not good. Not only had Louis drunkenly sent messages in a deliberate attempt to interact with this man, he was now insanely attracted to him without ever having met him in person. Maybe Liam was right – drunk tweeting really was a horrible, rotten idea.

A famous/non-famous AU in which Louis banters back and forth with his new record company on Twitter, only to find out that Harry is the man behind the tweets.

🩷 Play (series) by @taggiecb {E, 19k}

Louis loves working towards a goal. His friends say having a goal in life is the only thing that keeps him sane some days. Right now he is working towards his before twenty five bucket list, and fate must have been smiling on him the day he won tickets for a show at Wembly, getting into one of the locker rooms is something he will have to think about later. Plus it doesn't hurt that the show he's seeing is his favourite celebrity crush Harry Styles.

🩷 Confessions of a Fabricated Alpha by @jaerie {E, 18k}

Hearing it now almost made Harry hang up the phone, but he sighed and pressed one to be connected to one of their alpha operators. He’d already committed to this low point in his life and hanging up meant he couldn’t wallow in it and he was in a wallowing mood.

“You are being connected to alpha operator number forty-four. Rogue will be with you shortly.”

The name was said in a different voice like a voice mailbox someone might have on their office phone. It made him snort out a laugh at how stupid it all was. It felt like a budget sex line.

 or famous alpha Harry Styles has a secret and paying an alpha to roleplay a relationship with him over the phone is the only way he can be himself.

🩷 Be Mine? by @softfonds {E, 11k}

Getting dumped the week before Valentine's Day wasn't in Harry's plans, and neither was being dragged to a concert to forget about it. But a sign Zayn brings manages to turn his night around in more ways than he hoped for.

🩷 More Than a Mic Drop by @haztobegood {E, 7k}

“You dropped the mic last night.”

“Oh, yeah. I did.” Louis gives a little shrug. He tucks his hands into the pockets of his baggy grey sweatpants.

“That was really careless.” His tone is very stern, unlike his usual bubbly and helpful voice when he suggests Louis try singing a chorus for the third time as he adjusts the sound mix again. Harry levels him a serious look and suddenly the room feels too hot. “You could have broken the mic and we don’t have a lot of spares.”

🩷 I Remember (The Distances We Covered) by @lululawrence {NR, 5k}

@ColleenisStylish: @LouisTomlinson my dad thinks he’s sat next to you on a train from Edinburgh right now, so if you could confirm that would be amazing. His name is Harry and he’s just had white wine and says you’re on red x

Louis glanced at the glass of red wine in his hand before taking a quick look around those nearest him on the train. Just across the aisle in a seat facing him was a man with graying, curly hair falling into his face yet somehow staying above his glasses. He was reading a book as he tapped his foot, seemingly oblivious to everything around him, and there sitting on the table in front of him was a half glass of white wine.

🩷 That’s the way love goes by bella28 {T, 4k}

“Why would someone attend a concert when they have a soulmate goose?” Harry questioned his sister bewildered. “Everyone knows that they can get very aggressive. Why did security even let this person enter the venue, they must know what a risk this is!”

His sister didn’t seem to know the answer. They were both aware that soulmate geese were sent to people that didn’t get their shit together with their soulmate. Hopeless cases in Harry’s opinion. Who didn’t recognise their soulmate when they standing were right in front of them?

OR: In a world, where soulmate geese are sent to the people who can't figure out who their soulmate is, Harry finds himself stuck with a goose when he is attending a concert of his favourite artist Louis Tomlinson.

🩷 Touch the Sky and Kiss the Sun by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup {T, 2k}

Louis Tomlinson knows without a shadow of a doubt that Harry Styles is his soulmate.

here comes the sun (little darling) by you_explode ( @nobodymoves )

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.

✤ Farm / Ranch Fics ✤

A series of posts with the top five fics of each category by kudos plus five more hidden gems from that category! 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.

- Top 5 H/L Fics -

1️⃣ Wild And Unruly by @100percentsassy , gloria_andrews / @gloriaandrews {E, 123k}

Harry is a cowboy sitting on the biggest oil reservoir in Wyoming, and Louis is the paralegal assigned to pressure him into selling his land.

2️⃣ Naked & Proud by kiwikero / @icanhazzalou {E, 18k}

The town itself is tiny, as evidenced by the ten minutes it’s taken Louis to drive the entire thing. There’s not a single recognisable brand in sight—no Tesco or McDonald’s or even a bloody Starbucks. Lining the streets instead are mom and pop stores with names like ‘Jerry’s Burgers’ and ‘The Market Basket’ and…

“'Naked & Proud?'” Louis almost slams on the brakes at the outlandish sign, the name written in a seemingly innocent font, words curved around a large cartoon peach. He can’t help turning into the carpark, easing the car into a spot next to a beat up truck.

He isn’t sure what to make of it. Surely it isn’t a strip joint or sex shop, not with the families and little old ladies going in and out of the establishment. Some kind of nudist hangout, perhaps?

And, oh, God. Did Louis’ mother accidentally send him to live in a nudist colony?

In which Harry runs an organic store, not a nudist colony, and Louis doesn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

3️⃣ Ever Since I Tried Your Way by fairytalefemme {E, 25k}

Harry had been kissed before, but never like this.

He’d shared sweet, curious kisses behind bleachers and in soda shop booths, one or two more daring ones in cars parked on dark suburban streets, but the girls he’d kissed had never filled him with the desperation that erupted from Louis’ touch. He parted his lips and pulled him closer, as though he could breathe Louis straight into his lungs, as if he could swallow him. He wanted to consume Louis the way he consumed the body and blood of Christ. He wanted to place Louis on his tongue and feel him dissolve into a frothy mess of starch and saliva. He wanted to gulp him down until his teeth were stained purple and he was drunk on him. He wanted him in some violent holy way that made his hands shake where they were twisted in Louis’ shirt.

In 1949 Harry left his bride at the altar, running away from the only life he'd known. When a kindhearted farmer offers him a ride in his truck and a place to sleep the two find themselves inexplicably drawn together. Isolated on Louis' farm with nobody but a field of dairy cows to intrude, the men are finally able to explore the parts of themselves they've spent their lives hiding away.

4️⃣ put the stars in our eyes by pinkgelpen (crybaby) {E, 53k}

Louis goes to bed having ordered a nineteen year-old husband.

Louis is set to inherit the family farm after the death of his father, but after finding out that he needs to be married in order to do so, purchasing a nineteen year-old, mail-order husband named Harry Styles seems to be the easiest answer.

5️⃣ i'm not calling you a liar (just don't lie to me) by hazmesentir {M, 33k}

Louis can't stop lying. Harry runs a farm. Somehow, he squeezes the truth out of him.

HIDDEN GEMS:

💎 an everlasting eclipse by you_explode / @nobodymoves {M, 63k}

The sky is a deep blue and a soft breeze blows through the willow trees. From his position outside the railway station, Harry can see the centre of the village in one direction and rows of trees in the other. He feels his nerves could choke him, but so too could his excitement.

He is to have a family.

Anne of Green Gables/Anne With An E AU. In 1891, orphan Harry is adopted by the Teasdales and goes to live on their small farm in Holmes Chapel. In his new life he finds supportive relationships, he finds himself, and eventually, he finds a home.

💎 Into Daylight by crimsontheory / @ireallysawanangel {M, 12k}

When Louis is let go from his dream job he’s forced to move back in with his mom in his small hometown. In desperate need to make money again, Louis takes the only job he’s able to find at the local cattle ranch. Except the new owner of the ranch is the only person Louis was hoping he could avoid.

💎 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.

💎 Never Seen A Boy Like YOU Before by @jaerie {E, 3k}

Of all the housemates out on the ranch Louis had had over the years, none of them could even come close to Harry. Louis would be settled with someone who picked up after themselves and pulled their weight out on this section of the ranch. The men that had passed through were all a mix of those things to varying degrees and Louis got along alright.

Harry was just different.

Which was perfect since Louis was different as well.

💎 What’s that flower you have on? by 4ureyesonly28 / @evilovesyou {G, 1k}

He smiles and whistles as he walks out the front door on his annual one day off. Niall and Liam wave at him from the stable and barn respectively. They’re smiling too, but it doesn’t look quite right on their faces. Louis doesn’t understand why they look so sad every time he does this.

Just like he does every year on September 28th, he walks to town in his best suit, a perfectly dried and preserved rose tucked into the button hole of his left lapel. He waves at the townsfolk and greets his friends, a genuine happy smile playing at his lips the entire way down to the train station.

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.

✤ Friends With Benefits ✤

A series of posts with the top five fics of each category by kudos plus five more hidden gems from that category! 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.

- Top 5 H/L Fics -

1️⃣ Relief Next To Me by dolce_piccante {M, 333k}

AU. What happens when a baker and a graphic designer meet via a very specific Craigslist post? Fate, friendship, food, and maybe more.

2️⃣ Paint Me In A Million Dreams by green_feelings / @greenfeelings {M, 112k}

Harry's one of Hollywood's biggest actors, has made a name for himself in prestigious films and lives the life of a superstar. There's just one thing missing to make it picture-perfect, but the one Harry's in love with is completely out of reach for him. Enter Louis, one of Hollywood's biggest actors himself, who just came out of the closet and taps new genres in the industry. When Louis sacks the role Harry auditioned for in Scorsese's next big film, their irrational feud starts. Who could have guessed it would get even worse when for promo season, their teams decide to present them as a couple for publicity?

In short, Harry's in love with someone and doesn't care about dating anyone else, Louis never felt home in L.A., Liam writes love songs for someone he shouldn't write love songs to, and Niall makes everything better with good food.

3️⃣ Nicotine by KrisStylinson {E, 32k}

"We're two different types of people, Liam. He likes sex and drugs, I like theater and tea. Trust me, we'd never date." Except they would, they do, and neither of them plans on letting go anytime soon.

"Just because you can get me hard doesn't mean I like you," Louis whispered. The fact was, he didn't like Harry right now, not at all. Not even a bit.

"Yeah, yeah," Harry murmured, his breath fanning over Louis' cock as he spoke. "You done telling me how much you hate me so I can suck you off?"

4️⃣ Where You Lay by HamPalpert {E, 86k}

When Louis's upcoming heat threatens his success at his new dream job, he asks the best (and only) person he can think of to help him through it: his best mates' best mate, Harry Styles. Harry reluctantly accepts, and together the two navigate a strange friends with benefits relationship that quickly turns complicated.

5️⃣ Into The Blue by @zarah5 {E, 117k}

AU. In which Louis is Harry's scuba instructor and quite happy to provide the requested special treatment, pun fully intended. It can't be all that difficult to convince Harry that they're on the same page, right? Also, Niall and Liam may or may not be dating, and Zayn is surrounded by emotionally stunted idiots. He bears it with dignity.

HIDDEN GEMS:

💎 awake and unafraid by you_explode / @nobodymoves {E, 101k}

It's 2007, Harry's seventeen, his favourite band is My Chemical Romance, and he's in love with his best friend.

(an emo au set from 2006 - 2009)

💎 what's left of my halo's black by LiveLaughLoveLarry / @loveislarryislove {E, 22k}

As Harry sucks lovebites into Louis’ neck, Louis hopes that one day those marks will cover the way he can still feel Alex’s handprints burned into his flesh.

As Harry’s nails drag scratches along Louis’ back, Louis hopes that one day the scabs on his heart will heal and drop away just like the scabs on his skin.

As Harry fucks him down into the mattress, the bed shaking with every thrust, Louis hopes that one day his mouth will forget the shape of Alex’s name, won’t trace it over and over as the heat builds inside him, won’t want to scream it when he comes. Maybe one day he’ll open his eyes, as he slowly floats down from his post-orgasm haze, and won’t expect to see Alex’s face smiling back at him.

But today is not that day.

A year after a devastating breakup, Louis is still trying to put himself back together - but getting over a breakup is hard when you work as a wedding planner. Thankfully, his coworker Harry is the most supportive friend Louis could ask for. But Harry has some secrets of his own, and they send Louis' world spinning off its axis all over again.

💎 Just You and I (a starry sky) by @justanothershadeofblue {E, 7k}

"getting accidentally pregnant by his childhood best friend-with-benefits" was definitely not on Harry Styles' holiday to-do list - but apparently it's what has happened, so now he has to figure out how to tell Louis without ruining Louis' birthday, their family holiday, oh, and literally everything else about their lives. Oops?

💎 What About Tonight by @taggiecb {G, 2k}

Louis loves his new career. It might just be killing him, but he loves it. What he doesn't love is how easily the boy he cares most about seems to move in and out of his life.

or prompt #593 The despair at how long it takes to get there.

💎 We Can Just Dance to This by cherrylarry / @beelou {T, 1k}

"Like a friends with benefits thing?" Harry asked. They were still lying in bed but with clothes on. Harry had his head propped up on his elbow facing Louis, who was sitting up against the headboard.

"Yeah, if you want to call it that, I guess," Louis answered. And that had been that.

Hi, anon, I'm going to give you some famous/not famous fics that are from the last couple of years to check out on here, but if you want some canon fics as well, feel free to send me another ask!

(Gimme a Solution and) Watch Me Run With It by @lululawrence

This second, this minute, this hour, this day... hell, this week the trend was for Harry to feel overwhelmed. He was having a hard time not drowning in all of the responsibilities he had heaped upon himself and it had exhausted him. Beyond that, really. He had gotten to the point where he didn't even remember why he used to be so focused on getting back on stage every night.

Fine. Maybe this trend had been going on for even longer than a week. It might have even been months.

Harry is getting dangerously close to his breaking point, and that is when things start to change, starting with a favorite childhood sweet a member of the touring crew leaves for him in his dressing room.

Voice from the Grave by harryanthus_annuus / @harryanthus-annuus

When a body is found in Harry's drawing-room, it's practically bound to spark notoriety in the public increasingly morbidly fascinated by the diminished gentry. But assets are easier lost than class.

An eager, passionate young detective is determined to railroad the case to an airtight close, knowing that in order for a working class man to prosecute one of the upper class, there can be no loose ends.

But the gentry are closing ranks as Inspector Tomlinson speaks, his Police-Constables are missing leads by bowing to titled men by habit, and the Inspector has never seen a more tragic victim than the doe-eyed Harry Styles.

Who did it?

another dream but always you by you_explode / @nobodymoves

Harry is a Dreamwalker; he has the ability to visit people in their dreams and help put them on the right path. He's assigned to Louis, who's struggling after the break-up of his band. It's an unusual assignment from the beginning; Harry has a crush on Louis, and Louis's subconscious immediately decides Harry is the love of his life. When Dreamers cast Harry as their love interest, he can usually redirect them, but Louis is insistent on being Harry's boyfriend, and despite knowing they have no future, Harry wants to keep up the charade.

Bitter Ends Turn Sweet by @allwaswell16

It had been four years since Harry first heard the song his ex wrote about him and far longer since they broke up. He forgave Louis long ago, and now his life was focused on his career, his family, and especially his son, Max. But Louis was back in Chicago, after all this time, and he’s not an easy man to ignore.

Hi, anon! Thank you so much! And I'm so glad you enjoy all the recs! So here are some that I think fit what you're looking for!

Baby, It's You by Bearandleonardwrite

"Oh, yeah. Um..” Harry lets his hands fall to his sides. His brows furrow, face full of concern, and he asks, “You’re not, like, stalking me, are you?”

Louis can’t help the loud cackle that escapes his lips and immediately slaps one of his hands over his mouth to muffle the sound. “Oh my god, Harry, no!” Louis tells him, a little breathlessly, giggles still bubbling out of his chest. “Lottie’s one of the makeup artists here today and she somehow got me to agree to come. I had no idea you modeled for, uh.. this brand until I saw you walk.”

“Oh,” Harry says dumbly, eyebrows still pinched. He lets what Louis just said sink in before a bright grin takes over his face and he goes back to doing up the buttons on his shirt. “Well, that’s alright, then. I’m glad you could make it.

(Basically, Louis' a footie player for Man U and Harry's a YSL model. They meet at a masquerade.)

And I spend my time trying not to feel it (but what would you do if I went to touch you now) by refusethyname / @refusethyname28

It was now Niall’s turn to spin the bottle and after a swift spin, it landed on Harry. That familiar glimmer Louis had seen in Niall’s eyes before this evening made its appearance once more and Louis knew he was fucked. He wasn’t sure what Niall was planning, but it sure as hell was going to involve him as well as Harry.

“Oh Harry,” Niall grinned, clearly amused, “your challenge tonight is that you have to call your right-hand player ‘daddy’ for the rest of the evening.”

Everyone’s eyes shifted from Harry to Louis and it was then that Louis realised that he was Harry’s right-hand player.

Or the NYE fic that involves a lot of pining, a drinking game and a daddy kink.

– Alternative title: head empty, just vibes (and smut)

promise not to fade away by you_explode / @nobodymoves

"Louis doesn’t take his eyes off Harry for the rest of his set. He doesn’t even drink his pint. He just watches, and listens, and is completely enraptured by this boy with his curls and his velvet voice. Harry plays a mixture of originals and covers (songs Louis loves, by the way, so he’s got great taste as well), and in between songs he’s cheeky and charming, and Louis is desperate to know him."

Hmm...okay, so these are new(er) like within the last year that I loved and then I'll give you a few more that are on my to read list that are newer and by two of my favorite writers.

another dream but always you by you_explode / @nobodymoves

Harry is a Dreamwalker; he has the ability to visit people in their dreams and help put them on the right path. He's assigned to Louis, who's struggling after the break-up of his band. It's an unusual assignment from the beginning; Harry has a crush on Louis, and Louis's subconscious immediately decides Harry is the love of his life. When Dreamers cast Harry as their love interest, he can usually redirect them, but Louis is insistent on being Harry's boyfriend, and despite knowing they have no future, Harry wants to keep up the charade.

and i would search the night sky to find you by devilinmybrain / @thedevilinmybrain

Harry Styles is a high class, well-bred Omega attending Bosworth Academy - a prestigious boarding school looking over the small town on Kinsey. He has his whole life already planned for him, learning his place as the potential mate for an important Alpha, practicing his home making skills, and be obedient above all else.

When he attends a school trip into town though, he meets Louis Tomlinson - a blacksmith and mouthy Alpha who doesn't particularly care for the standards of high society nor for the people in it. But things are not always what they seem and a past grievance may change the lives of everyone involved forever.

your memory over me by @shimmeringevil

Three years have passed since Louis last saw him, but all it took was a few minutes in Harry’s presence for him to be relegated to the desperate twenty-one year old that was practically begging his boyfriend for an ounce of reassurance that he still cared about him.

Harry shouldn’t be here. He’s brought too many unresolved feelings with him, that Louis thought he’d never have to face.

It’s Harry’s apparent apathy that’s the most difficult to come to terms with. Anger, he could handle. Regret, he would welcome. But Harry’s amiability, and carefree demeanor can only be born from indifference.

He’s moved on. He doesn’t care. And that is something Louis doesn’t think he’ll ever be strong enough to face.

OR - The worst heartbreak of Louis’ life walks right back into it when his parents invite their family friends on an all-expenses-paid trip for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Facing a past that he tried to bury long ago, Louis learns that some people have a way of sticking with you even when they’re gone.

TO READ:

Get Out Of My Head (and I'll get out of yours) by Imogenlee

“You really that desperate, are you?” Despite it being a shitty thing to say, Harry didn’t mind too much, as the bitterness in Louis’ tone sounded like music to Harry’s ears. Harry was winning tonight. “Can’t find anyone new to be interested in you, so you try to hit on Zayn.”

“I can’t find someone interested in me?” Harry asked, raising an eyebrow. “You’re having a laugh, mate.”

“Yeah, well, where are they, then? Because from what I’ve heard, you’re here alone.”

“As if I’d bring anyone to somewhere I knew you’d be. I wouldn’t wish your presence on my worst enemy.”

“Aw,” Louis cooed in a way that made Harry want to slap him. “You’re saying I’m not your worst enemy?”

“For someone to be an enemy, you have to give a shit about them. So, no. You’re not even on the list.”

“Oh–kay. Well, it’s been lovely as always, gents,” Zayn said before knocking back the rest of his drink.

Or the one for the Bottom Harry Fic Fest where Harry bottoming is more of a side plot, because angst got in the way--but it doesn't really matter because the fest stopped existing when I was halfthrough.

with venom on your tongue by wildestdreams

While Louis had to try so hard to stay focused and be the best, Harry somehow did the same things with ease and confidence. He hated how Harry glided through life, carrying happiness on his shoulders like it was nothing when it was arduous for Louis. His carefree demeanor made Louis feel crazy.

But that feeling just motivated him to always keep his eyes on the prize. Number one in the class rankings every year and the valedictorian spot the next year when they graduated. He was so close he could taste it. And if the only thing in his way was Harry Styles, then Louis was willing to up the stakes to figure out what made him weak just to beat him.

“Whatever,” Louis eventually said to Liam. “He’s a fucking cliche.”