#you_explode

[alwaysxlarrie]

Didn’t know where to ask but do you know of a few fics that are fluffy Larry ? Similar to of mates and men and babes in boyland? Thanks

sorry this took so long to answer omg i had this ready to go like weeks ago but my laptop broke & formatting this on my phone was horrendous. anyway, i haven’t read of mates & men yet bc that sucker is LONG, but it’s been sitting in my read later list for a while. i rly need to read that shit bc i know it’s right up my alley 😭😭 regardless, YES!!! i always have some fluffy larry fics on hand who do you take me for

disclaimer is that some of these are pretty different from what i understand the premise of omam to be but i chose them bc of larry’s dynamic & the amount of fluff / harry is louis’ baby that occurs in them -- if you want different ones/more, just lmk !! i have a bunch on deck <3

knock knock, i love you by beautlouis

“Well,” Louis says, searching for something to relieve this tension. “I think if a bloke gets kicked out of his stats exam for a knock knock joke, he deserves to hear the punchline, yeah?”

“Oh!” Harry says, beaming. “I forgot where we left off, what was it again?” He looks overjoyed to be exchanging a shit joke.

“Ah, you said knock knock, then I said who’s there, and then you said Noah,” Louis supplies helpfully. He hates that he's actually curious about the rest of the joke. “So, Noah who?”

“Oh,” says Harry, in a much different tone, dragging out the syllable. He looks bashful now. Louis cannot keep up with this boy, it's going to kill him. “Right, well.” He shuffles his feet. Fuck, what kind of knock knock joke gets a boy nervous? “Noah a good place we could get something to eat?”

[Harry and Louis get kicked out of a statistics exam for passing a knock knock joke note, and subsequently fall in love. Harry's a virgin, there's a cat, a hot cocoa date, a lot of sex, even more knock knock jokes, and everything is lovely and happy.]

lazy days and pancakes for two by cyantific / @beyondxmeasure

They haven't seen each other in eighteen days. What better way to spend a much-needed tour break than having a lazy day watching shit TV and having breakfast in bed with your husband.

no bunny but you by crinkle-eyed-boo / @crinkle-eyed-boo

“So you saw the bunnies then?” Harry clarifies, a smirk tugging at his lips.“Yeah, those were a bit of a surprise,” Liam huffs. “I mean, they definitely weren’t part of what we commissioned from him, but they’re kind of cute, right?”Harry sputters a laugh.“What?” Liam asks, the furrow in his brow deepening. “They are cute little bunnies!”“Cute little bunnies that are fucking,” Harry snickers.“What?” Liam gasps. “Liam,” Harry says, trying to school his face into a serious expression. “Those bunnies are fucking.”

A slow Monday night behind the bar turns into something else entirely thanks to a new mural and a new customer.

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."

Louis is an A&R rep, and Harry is a singer/songwriter. They meet on New Years Eve.

sweetest devotion by brightgolden @brightgolden

After his divorce, all Harry wants in life is to provide a stable, loving environment for his three-year-old daughter, Evie.

Never in his wildest dreams has he ever considered that life might come with the presence of his teenage crush — Gemma’s friend from secondary school, Louis Tomlinson.

Luckily, Harry isn’t still pining over him.

Or so he thought.

walking in a winter wonderland by pinkgelpen / @girlharryofficial

Louis opens the door still in his pyjamas and Harry’s heart beats n his throat because Louis has milk at the corners of his mouth and biscuit crumbs on his chin and Harry thinks that this is what love might feel like, having your heart beat in your fingertips and rattle your body in an attempt to break free and give itself over to the object of your affection.

(Harry has a serious crush on Louis Tomlinson that ends up with him accidentally signing up to be on the Winter Ball committee)

what do you mean he's coming? by mediawhore / @mediawhorefics

When Harry accepted to be his sister’s Maid of Honour, despite how non-traditional of a choice he was, he didn’t think writing a speech for the wedding reception would be this hard. Now, not only does he have less than two weeks left to find something moving and inspirational to say, but Gemma just confided in him that her old childhood best friend is going to be in attendance. The one who moved to LA and they haven’t seen in fifteen years because he was too busy becoming an Academy Awards winner. But hey, no pressure. It’s just Louis Fucking Tomlinson.

Harry is screwed.

want it flowing through my streams by screwstyles / @screwstyles

Wimbledon ABO AU: Harry has just qualified for his first Grand Slam, and he’s prepared to make the most of it – that is, until his heat unexpectedly hits him only a few days before his first match. And it’s just his luck that Louis Tomlinson, the resident bad boy of British tennis, is the only person around to help him.

young hearts on the chase by homemotif / @polaroidlouis

Before he can question him any further, Harry’s holding out a drink to him, ‘Louis’ written on the side of it with messy, pink letters. Warmth spreads all throughout Louis’ body when he takes it, starting from the tip of his fingers where they brush Harry’s to curl around the cup and settling in his chest.

“I also got us– um,” the omega starts, nervous fingers fumbling to get the paper bag open. “Got you an egg muffin. Or– or a normal muffin if you don’t like egg ones.”

“Who doesn’t like egg muffins?”

The smile that breaks across Harry’s face in response is as bright as the one yesterday. Louis almost expects it to be kissed into his cheek as well. It looks like Harry’s considering it for a moment, too, dreamy gaze gliding all over Louis’ expectant face. He seems to decide against it with a sigh though, and Louis’ not disappointed when they start walking side by side instead (he’s not).

harry’s a hopeless romantic, louis’ oblivious, and it’s going to be Valentine’s Day.

you've been taking up my mind by styleandsin / @styleandsin

“Wish I had a popstar boyfriend who wrote me songs,” Harry mutters petulantly. He’s kind of kidding. He’s happy for Liam, and if who he falls in love with ends up being a famous singer who writes him songs, great. But he’s also a tad jealous because he remembers his phase—that he definitely grew out of a long time ago—where he was certain he’d marry Louis Tomlinson.

Harry's always been a fan of Louis Tomlinson, and when he gets a artist pass for a music festival (thanks to his best friend's new popstar boyfriend) he doesn't expect to actually meet Louis.

[allwaswell16]

A fic rec of One Direction fics in which Louis has a girl child as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other recs here. Happy reading!

- Louis / Harry -

🩷 Be There by @mission2feelike

(NR, 197k, exes) The one where their family has been torn apart and their hearts broken, but an accident, a snowstorm, cinnamon rolls, and the adorable Josie force Louis and Harry to finally face the truth, and each other.

🩷 Flour and Chocolate by teaandtumblr

(M, 145k, hipster Harry) Louis is a single dad and Harry works at the newly opened bakery down the street.

🩷 Linger by @yourpricelessadvice

(E, 136k, speed dating) Louis has a truckload of painful memories and a custody arrangement where a family could’ve been. The last thing he’s looking for is a new relationship.

🩷 Just Pretend by @kingsofeverything

(E, 90k, fake relationship) Louis Tomlinson is a divorced dad who doesn't date. What free time he has, he likes to spend with his teenage daughter, and if he wants to take someone home, he does it when she's spending the weekend with her mom.

🩷 Full of Terraced Dreams by @insightfulinsomniac

(E, 47k, neighbors) In the midst of parenting a teenager on the precipice of presenting as an alpha, the new neighbors moving in next door are the least of Louis' concerns. That is, until said neighbor turns out to be entirely too lovely and also a young single parent.

🩷 For You I Saved the Love (I Never Knew How to Give) by pinky_heaven19 / @pinky-heaven19

(NR, 42k, small town) the one where Louis moves to a small town with his young daughter and has a gorgeous neighbor. Harry loves children and Louis also likes him a little bit. Lots of fluff.

🩷 Oh, That's What I Want by @lululawrence

(NR, 38k, girl direction) Louis is 42 and newly divorced with her four daughters off to college when she realizes all the plans she used to have for her life no longer fit. Just as she's starting to figure things out, she meets Harry Styles who proves sometimes starting over turns out so much better than sticking with the original plan.

🩷 Heart Beat by @allwaswell16

(E, 35k, small town) When Harry returns to start a music academy in his hometown, he finds himself face to face with his high school crush—and his charming daughter who wants to learn to play the drums.

🩷 maybe this christmas by you_explode / @nobodymoves

(M, 34k, A Miracle on 34th Street AU) Harry lives next door to Louis and babysits his daughter. He might be hopelessly in love with Louis and desperate to be part of his little family, but he’s ignoring that in favour of trying to make Louis’s busy life as easy as possible.

🩷 we can get there (we can do it if we try) by @zouisclimax

(E, 28k, nanny Harry) the one where Louis's a dad in desperate need for a new nanny. Harry's perfect for the job

🩷 KIWI KIWI KIWI by Rearviewdreamer / @all-these-larrythings

(NR, 24k, famous/not famous) When Louis' daughter took up acting as a hobby two years ago he figured he'd be just like every other parent of a young aspiring star. But that was before she was cast in a music video for Harry Styles in a one to a million shot, and before Louis began falling for way more than just his music.

🩷 Took Me by Surprise by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird

(M, 20k, secret relationship) A decade later, he's the head anchor of the American version of Match of the Day and is raising the coolest nine-year-old on the planet, who happens to be obsessed with Harry Styles - popstar, musician, and all-around household name.

🩷 all i want for christmas is by pinkgelpen

(E, 17k, age difference) harry is louis' daughters' au pair. they spend christmas in austria

🩷 O' Christmas Tree by @justalittlelouislove

(M, 15k, Christmas) Louis has a busy schedule to keep and a daughter to raise. He definitely isn't looking for a relationship. Enter Harry Styles, a local Christmas tree farmer that seems just a little too good to be true.

🩷 reckless behaviour by @seekforwarmth

(E, 13k, famous/not famous) Harry is a retired football player looking for a new opportunity. Louis is the image consultant hired to help him find it.

🩷 A Long Way From the Playground by nightwideopen / @themarshalstale

(G, 10k, Dr. Harry) Louis is a single dad who is having a lonely life crisis and Harry is a doctor that carries around princess band-aids in his pocket.

🩷 1D Wordplay Series 2022 by @phdmama

(E, 8k, lawyer Louis) New town, new job, new school for his daughter. It's a chance to start again for Louis Tomlinson, a clean slate.

🩷 Elementary by iwillpaintasongforlou / @canonlarry

(T, 7k, teacher Harry) Harry is a kindergarten teacher who's been roped into coaching a youth footie league, despite the fact that he doesn't know the first thing about football. Louis is the father of one of the girls in Harry's class who thinks he could coach circles around Harry (he can).

- Rare Pairs -

🩷 happiness hits like a train on a track by @leighbot

(G, 9k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) the one where single father Louis is set up on multiple dates and none of them seem to take.

[hlficlibrary]

any new famous/non famous fics out there? i havent read a Larry fic in so long since like 2022 😗 or just any regarding cutesy canonish relationship that isnt too short and atleast over 10,000 words

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.

Or a songfic inspired by the song Chicago

[sunflowervoltwentyeight]

Hi! This is a fic rec of my favorite fics where Harry and Louis are co-workers. These fics are organized by word count from longest to shortest. You can view my other fic recs here. Enjoy!

If It Kills Me by you_explode / @nobodymoves (111k)

Harry and Louis have worked together in a difficult office environment for six years. They're best friends; Louis is the bright spot of all of Harry's days. But Louis is in love with Harry, and Harry's engaged to someone else. And that's only the beginning.

The Office AU. More or less follows the first five seasons. A lot of pining and misunderstanding the depth of feelings and rejection and angst, until there isn’t.

Let Your Heart Be Light by Cyantific / @cyantific (77k)

Louis Tomlinson, a self-proclaimed holiday-hater, loses his job two weeks before Christmas. Broke and desperate to see his family back home in England, he takes the only job left at the mall as one of Santa’s helpers. Harry is an unconventional mall Santa, the youngest one they’ve had in years, but with as much holiday spirit as any other seasoned Saint Nick. He’s determined to un-Grinch the new guy in Santa’s Village if it takes until Christmas, then he finds out the devastating reason Louis has lost his Christmas cheer. Will Harry be just the thing Louis needs to help him get his sparkle back?

Featuring Liam as the manager at Santa's Village, Niall as an easy-going Irish elf and Harry's best friend, grumpy Grinch Louis and his best friend Zayn and one matchmaking Mrs. Claus.

 A 2022 Advent Fic

Do Not Go Gentle by afirethatcannotdie / @afirethatcannotdie (70k)

“This is all a game to you, isn’t it? Well, it’s not for me. This is a real life or death situation,” Louis says, spitting the words at him. “And I just don’t think you’re cut out for it.”

For a moment, they stare at each other in complete silence. Harry can feel his blood thrumming between his ears, can see Louis glaring at him, feels red-hot anger. And then all he feels, oppressively and desperately, is lust.

Suddenly Louis is surging up to him to press his lips against Harry’s. Harry walks the two of them backwards, pressing Louis back against the door. Louis oomphs in surprise and brings his hands under Harry’s scrub top, scratching at his lower back.

“Lock — oh — lock the… fucking door,” Louis mutters.

When Harry Styles starts his first day as a surgical intern, he expects a lot of things: to treat patients, to observe a surgery, to feel a bit overwhelmed. What he definitely doesn’t expect, however, is that the handsome guy he kicked out of his bed this morning is also an intern.

A Grey’s Anatomy AU where tensions are high, Harry and Louis are hooking up in secret, and no one has time for love. Or do they?

Sail Away With Me by star_henderson / @tommosgun (47k)

“It’s inhumane putting four blokes in one cabin.” Louis stripped off and climbed up into his top bunk. “And why did we get the smelliest twat on the whole ship and bore of the century?”

Harry shrugged. “We clearly pissed someone off along the way.”

Louis snorted softly. “Who do I have to bend over for to get us an upgrade?”

Harry barked out a laugh. “If only it were that simple.” He rolled his eyes wistfully at Louis.

“The only way I’m going to get a two berth is to throw Payno overboard and be next in line for the deputy cruise director’s job.” Louis leaned up on one elbow to look over at Harry. “Would you help me weigh his body down so I don’t go to jail?”

“Only If I can share your cabin.” Harry shuffled about, tucking the duvet between his legs, sweeping his hair up into a bun and securing it in a band. “I’m not being an accessory to murder and then still having to share with them two, no fucking way.”

Or

Louis and Harry are part of the entertainment team on board a luxury cruise liner. They hate sharing their four berth cabin with two other guys and would do anything to get a cabin of their own. One drunken night the solution was simple. They’d just get married…

Hands Clasped Tight by afirethatcannotdie / @afirethatcannotdie (47k)

“What am I looking at here?” Harry asks.

“This, my friends, is a ‘proof’ Instagram account, run by your students,” Liam announces.

“It’s got all this stuff about how the two of you are together,” Niall adds.

“I heard about that,” says one of the math teachers. “Confiscated a kid’s phone today when they were looking at it. I have to say, the evidence that you’re dating is pretty damning.”

“Really,” Louis says dryly. “Do you think being married for three years might have something to do with it?”

Or the one where Harry and Louis are high school teachers and their students have been playing matchmaker for over a year. Little do they know, Harry and Louis are already married.

You Watched Me Sink by bananasandboots / @anylessreal (38k)

They've discussed it a few times - the boyfriend thing. It's not like it's some forbidden, horrific, abandon hope all ye who talk about furthering the relationship sort of subject. They're mature adults. They're in tune with their feelings, their hearts' desires, the way those butterflies swoop in their bellies whenever they so much as hold each other's hands. They like each other. A lot. It's mutual, they know. But for now, they're just content to enjoy the simplicity of what they have, and what they have is great.

When dating in secret stops being enough, then they'll discuss that too.

Or, the one where Harry teaches Sex Ed and sneaks around with the drama teacher, and doesn't realize how out of tune he is with his true feelings until everyone else figures it out for him.

Part 1 of You Watched Me Sink Verse

Big, Bright World by RealName (35k)

It really was just a little crush in the beginning, nothing to be worried about. Louis had never really liked anyone he'd worked with in the past, but he was sure he could control himself. Little did he know that over time his 'little crush' would develop into a blazing inferno of Hell-fire proportions. Every day, Louis' feelings became more intense, more immediate, each little smile and gesture and silly flirtation mounting up into something palpable, with a life of its own. Louis felt it every moment they were together.

The only problem? Harry was engaged to someone else and had been from the moment Louis started working at Visionary.

Office AU (not based on the TV show).

Like Vines We Intertwined by bananasandboots / @anylessreal (11k)

"You want to tell me what's up with you tonight?" Louis tries. "With the flowers and the suit jacket and kissing me on the cheek?"

Harry's stomach twists. "It's your big night," he says feebly. "And I'm kind of a big fan."

"Of musicals?"

"Yeah," Harry shrugs. "And you."

Or, the one where Harry and Louis first figure it out. A prequel to You Watched Me Sink.

Part 2 of You Watched Me Sink Verse

Erase My History, (Expo)se Me by BayouSexual, pacificrimjob (6k)

“My hair does not smell like strawberries.”

Louis blinks up at Mr. Styles. “I never said your hair smells like strawberries. How would I even know that?” Harry’s hair does smell like strawberries, Harry himself smells like strawberries, everyone who’s been within three feet of him knows this.

~~~~~~~~ Or the one where Harry and Louis both teach history, their students think they should date, and one pink dry-erase marker is trying to ruin their lives (with a little help of course).

[nobodymoves]

lost in the silver sea by you_explode

harry styles/louis tomlinson, 41k, for @1dastroficfest prompt Echo.

Harry’s felt powerless for so long now. They took away his voice last year and it feels like every day they somehow take away more of it. It feels impossible to ever get some power back, to ever speak. Every day he feels more like a puppet, like a marionette, a ventriloquist’s dummy. Like the price he has to pay to live his dream is sacrifice his voice, his own self, and become a shell of whoever they want him to be. But he has Louis. Thank god he has Louis. * Non-AU. From MSG 2012 to MSG 2018; or, Harry and Louis keep having their voices silenced, and they keep finding ways to speak.

[imogenleewriter]

Hi do you have romantic fantasy recommendations?

Hey!

To be honest, the only fantasy I really read are omegaverse fics.

However, I trust @allwaswell16 's fic recommendations with my life, and she has a rec list for everything, including fantasy, which you can find here. I also saw in her monthly fic recommendations for this month a few fantasy ones, you should check those out as well.

I know one was by @nobodymoves /you_explode on ao3. I haven't read it, but I did meet the author at all 3 Louis concerts, so I can recommend it based on them being lovely.

[roseanddagger-28]

I didn't get to cross everything off my list, but here you go:

Read a short fic (1k-5k):

All the lights are sparkling for you, it seems by @thebreadvansstuff

(yes, I read a christmas fic in october and it was awesome :-))

Read a long fic (+30k):

lost in the silver sea by you_explode @nobodymoves

(this was amazing and took me on an emotional journey)

Read a trope that's new to you:

I started reading A/B/O just before this Readathlon and I haven't read another new trope...

Read a fic by a new (to you) author:

Tastes like Strawberries by SadaVeniren @sadaveniren

(boy, I have missed out)

Read an old fic (2018 or before):

you pull me in by @yoursongonmyheart

Read a fic from your open tab/downloaded:

I always download all of the fics, which makes it easy to keep track (files save my life) but unfortunately make it less likely for me to comment... I might need a new system for that

Read a rare pair fic:

No, sorry, can't do

Yeah, that's about it... thank you so much to @pocketsunshineharry for putting this together!

[theficpusher]

But Now Together, We're Alone by QuickedWeen | M | 22983 It's a stroke of good luck when Harry Styles, a man who grew up on the small island of Martinique, is offered the position of tutor to the Dauphin and his sister. When he arrives at the palace, he is dragged into a world of opulence, courtiers, whispers in the shadows, and illicit affairs. But he is also introduced to the king, the most intriguing man he's ever met.

(we will be) as if chosen by alivingfire | E | 35591 There's not a royal in the world who doesn't carry some sort of secret, and Prince Louis has more than his fair share. To protect himself and his family, Louis withdrew from the public eye and tried to live a quiet life, biding his time until his sister Lottie could take the throne in his stead. Unfortunately for him, the national media and the worst person Louis has ever met team up to bring him kicking and screaming back into the spotlight. Under the watchful eyes of millions, Louis has to figure out how to keep his carefully constructed house of cards from falling, and the first step to accomplishing that is to keep from falling in love with the irritatingly charming Prince Harry, who just won't stop showing up and trying to whisk Louis out of the constraints of his boring life. Or: the course of true love never did run smooth, because sometimes people are stubborn and sometimes people are scared and sometimes, just sometimes, love can cause just as many problems as it solves.

Buried Like Treasure by QuickedWeen | E | 40200 Prince Harry Styles is very private. He chooses to keep himself out of the public eye but feels lonely and isolated while surrounded by people in his hectic royal life. When he finishes his dissertation, he decides to take a solo holiday to one of the royal family's properties in the Swiss Alps. Semi-retired thief Louis Tomlinson has been pulled in for one last job: steal a painting from an uninhabited mansion. Neither one of them expects a natural disaster.

Worth Dying For by whoknows | E | 44906 “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Louis says, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. In the center of the table, a set of three glossy photos stares up at him, mocking him. “A security detail is non-negotiable, Louis, you know this,” his mum reminds him, tapping the middle photo with two fingers. Louis doesn’t look back down at the pictures, gesturing towards them wildly, over-dramatically. “This is not a security detail!” he protests. “This is a lanky college student. In what world do you hire someone like this kid to protect me?”

like cabbages and kings by you_explode | E | 60875 When Louis was a kid, he had a series of very vivid dreams about a place called Wonderland. There were rabbits wearing waistcoats and talking cats and ridiculous tea parties, and amidst all the absurdity, there was a boy. A boy with dimples, big green eyes and the sweetest soul Louis has ever known. Louis has always kept a place in his heart for that boy and for his funny dreamworld, and when he’s twenty-five and his life falls apart, it turns out Wonderland might not be so imaginary after all.

In My Place by kassio | E | 97500 Prince Louis has it all. He's wealthy, privileged, famous, and handsome, with a loving family and a world of opportunities. There's only one problem: he isn't actually the queen's son. Harry and Niall Horan don't have much, but they have a dream: to win the X Factor and achieve something more than their normal middle-class life. Two dreams collide and two very different paths come together when Louis requests to meet with Harry after seeing him on the X Factor.

Like a Bullet in the Dark by Vurdoc | E | 99456 Prince Harold Edward Styles Lancaster is second in line to the throne of Great Britain. He is also your average Uni student- or he tries to be, anyway. With a promise from the press (and his father) that they'll leave him alone for four years, he sets out to be a student at Cambridge, when he meets his very normal, very working class, very handsome suite-mate, Louis Tomlinson. Louis makes Harry feel more like a person than he ever has before, which might cause some issues later on- 'cause Harry has a secret that he's only told his sister Gemma about. Little does he know though, that Louis has some secrets of his own. A Will & Kate Au- with a twist.

Wear It Like A Crown by zarah5 | E | 141303 AU. As part of a team of fixers hired to handle a gay scandal in Buckingham Palace, Louis expects Prince Harry to be a lot of things—most notably a royally spoilt brat. Never mind that the very same Prince Harry used to star in quite a number of Louis' teenage fantasies.

[alarriefantasy]

 Follow Me Down This Time by supernope 

Words: 27k

Harry first noticed Louis in his second term at Hogwarts, and despite three years of inventing ways to stumble across Louis, he's never managed to actually work up the courage to speak to him. Also known as, self-indulgent Hogwarts AU, because every fandom needs Hogwarts AUs.

But Why Wonder, Why Wonder? by @100percentsassy

Words: 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.

Life Saver by @horsegirlharry

Words: 30k

Nerd Boy’s giant, dorky, adorable hand shoots into the air. Louis notices he has chipped red polish on a few of his nails and some tattered friendship-looking bracelets, like the sort you make in camp, and he might hear the distant chime of wedding bells. He thought he didn’t even believe in marriage because it’s, like, oppressive and heteronormative or whatever, but that was before Styles, Harry (Harry Styles!!! What an absurd, wonderful name! What a perfect thing to scrawl in the margins of all his notebooks surrounded in hearts!) appeared in the bio lab at his new school and ruined all his principles forever.

or Louis is a sweetheart punk with a theater background and a heart of gold, Harry is an inexperienced nerd who plays by the rules. Classmates, lab partners, and eventually friends, what happens when Louis knows he’s in love, but doesn’t know how tell Harry?

tell them we're like magnets by you_explode

Words: 31k

Louis and Harry are roommates and best mates who like to kiss when they're drunk. Louis doesn't want her feelings to ruin things, so she starts seeing someone else, but she still can't seem to stop kissing Harry.

uni au where girl direction/little mix live together and get wasted a lot and make questionable choices.

Beneath the Sheets of Paper by missberrycake

Words: 55k

In which Harry Styles is about to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While his best friends Liam, Niall and Zayn battle with the trials and tribulations of another school year, it’s all Harry can do not to fall head over heels for Slytherin prefect Louis Tomlinson. Harry soon comes to realise that discovering Louis was a far greater piece of magic than anything Hogwarts could teach him. Magic, though, is not always what it seems …

♡ credit to the owner of the manip

♡ past fic recs here

[nadiasficrecs]

i’d burn this city down to show you the light by you_explode

pairing: louis/harry

wordcount: 23,602

summary: Harry's a sheltered rich kid and Louis's a punk with a heart of gold. They meet when Louis breaks into Harry's house, Harry obtains an instant and all-encompassing crush, and they spend the summer falling into a whirlwind romance.

[thelarriefics]

🎬 Gifs For Fics 📖

→  like cabbages and kings by you_explode / @nobodymoves

Summary: When Louis was a kid, he had a series of very vivid dreams about a place called Wonderland. There were rabbits wearing waistcoats and talking cats and ridiculous tea parties, and amidst all the absurdity, there was a boy. A boy with dimples, big green eyes and the sweetest soul Louis has ever known. Louis has always kept a place in his heart for that boy and for his funny dreamworld, and when he’s twenty-five and his life falls apart, it turns out Wonderland might not be so imaginary after all.

Word Count:  60,875

[kingsofeverything]

archiveofourown. org/works/14623110?view_full_work=true 😍💐💫❣

like cabbages and kings by you_explode

i think i already have this on my to read list! the tag “pure absurdity” is amazing!

(in case anyone is wondering, i asked what i should read tonight.)

[allwaswell16]

A fic rec of One Direction fics in which opposites attract as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other recs here. Happy reading!

- Louis / Harry -

♟️ Baby Heaven's in your Eyes by theboyfriendstagram

(E, 120k, high school) Or a sixth form!AU where Harry is the fucked up bad boy with too many problems, Louis is the perfect rich boy with too much money and their schools are right across from each other. They meet at a party and that’s the last (and maybe the only) thing they need.

♟️ Say Hallelujah, Say Goodnight by @alivingfire

(E, 110k, Greek mythology) Louis is an angel who is just a little too bad to be good, Harry is a demon who is just a little too good to be bad, and they're both a little too in love to be impartial when angels and demons go to war.

♟️ It started with a whisper by jaded25

(M, 92k, uni) Forced to attend University, Harry bumps into his sister's roommate and another time, another day Harry would have been a goner the very second he’d laid eyes on Louis. But he's already got the perfect boyfriend and Louis is the complete opposite of perfect.

♟️ with venom on your tongue by wildestdreams / @thelavendrhaze

(E, 91k, enemies to lovers) a boarding school AU where Harry and Louis are academic rivals until they realize they’re more similar than they thought.

♟️ Strawberries & Cigarettes by dimpled_halo / @comebackassholes

(E, 76k, punk Louis) Two stories, eleven years, and the two boys that never stopped loving each other.

♟️ I hear you calling in the dead of night by Thelonelycoast

(M, 72k, high school) No one really notices Marcel Styles. In fact, Marcel’s so invisible that if his teachers don’t call on him in lessons - and they rarely do - Marcel can go whole days without speaking to anyone other than his mum, his sister, Gemma, his cat, Dusty and the school librarian

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

(E, 56k, omegaverse) 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.

♟️ Even Angels Have Their Demons by @afangirlfantasy

(NR, 53k, demon Harry) Louis is appointed the role of Guardian Angel, and his first mission is a boy named Zayn Malik. Unfortunately, it seems that a certain Demon has gotten to him first.

♟️ You're Not My Type (still I fall) by Imogenlee / @imogenleewriter

(M, 38k, omegaverse) This is just a bit of rain; it'll blow over. Then Harry will just... well, alright, he isn't entirely sure what to do when the rain stops because he'll still be stuck and lost. 

♟️ That's How I Know by @allwaswell16

(E, 21k, neighbors) the one where Harry’s African grey parrot spills his dirty secrets to his very hot neighbor.

♟️ i’d burn this city down to show you the light by you_explode / @nobodymoves

(E, 23k, high school) Harry's a sheltered rich kid and Louis's a punk with a heart of gold. They meet when Louis breaks into Harry's house, Harry obtains an instant and all-encompassing crush, and they spend the summer falling into a whirlwind romance.

♟️ long hair don't care by ballsdeepinjesus

(E, 20k, Tangled au) harry is sheltered and louis is a thief.

♟️ Shut Up and Wink at Me by kikikryslee / @flamboyantommo

(T, 14k, high school) the one where Louis wants to go away to college to get away from everything having to do with his hometown. So when he finds out his roommate will be Harry Styles, perfect school athlete and the exact opposite of what Louis wants in a roommate, he's not happy about it.

♟️ Devil in my brain, whispering my name by @lunarheslwt

(E, 9k, pwp) Louis, a demon, shows Harry, an angel, just how good it can feel to give in to temptation and sin.

♟️ Opposites Attract by @kingsofeverything

(E, 7k, restaurant au) Harry has a list of reasons he and Louis shouldn’t date. Maybe they’re more compatible than he thinks.

♟️ Convalescent Boy (with a Heart of Gold) by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

(T, 7k, uni)  the one where Marcel is a nerd who loves to learn but loves to go to theatre productions even more, and may or may not have a long time crush on the lead in most of the plays, Louis Tomlinson. The same Louis Tomlinson who seems to be appearing wherever Marcel is.

♟️ Delicate by @fallinglikethis

(T, 1k, uni) They say opposites attract. Maybe that’s why nerdy, shy Harry Styles has such a huge crush on rough, brash Louis Tomlinson.

- Rare Pairs -

♟️ leave my life outside (or let me in) by we_are_the_same / @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed

(M, 52k, Zayn/Liam) Zayn is a 111 year old demon who is trying to decide his future. Liam is a 17 year old human struggling with his own life. Two people from completely different worlds, yet they find a little piece of home in one another. But nothing’s ever quite that simple, is it?

♟️ Like A Force Of Nature by @reminiscingintherain

(T, 30k, Zayn/Liam) the Heartstopper AU no one asked for.

[sunflowervoltwentyeight]

who is the most under-appreciated/overlooked fic author in your eyes?

This is such a tough question bc every fic writer deserves all the appreciation!!! I can't imagine my life without fics, truly!

One author that comes to mind is @nobodymoves (you_explode on ao3). Their canon fics are heartbreakingly beautiful. I read their office au many years ago and I still think of it so often. Many of their other fics are on my mental to read list and I'm very excited to read them!

[rainbowoffics]

FIC REC’S OF 2017 part 7 (june-july-august)

Here it comes! The 25 fic long list of fics (yes, I’m measuring length with fics now!) I’ve read this summer. Hope you’ve all had a great time and read amazing fics during the last months! I’ve separated the chaptered and one shots in this fic rec, so hopefully it’ll make this a little less messy. Happy reading everyone! 

CHAPTERED

Fool’s Gold by tvshows_addict (55k)

Leaflet for Over Again Inc.

“In relationships, there are three types of people: those who are happy, those who are unhappy but accept it and deal, those who are unhappy and in denial.

Handling this last category is our job: we are professional couple breakers.

To reach our goal, we use all means necessary.”

Or the Arnacoeur AU in which Harry is scheduled to be married to Liam in 10 days and Harry’s mother hires Louis and his team to break them up. THE ROMANTIC COMEDY FIC OF THIS SUMMER!

Mutability by haloeverlasting (108k)

Harry and Louis meet in a book club. Life and fiction have their parallels. SLOW BURN, (read the notes before each chapter for tw)

Come Away With Me by suspendrs (80k) 

Louis had such big plans. He wanted so much out of life, and so did Amy. Now Bridget is going to grow up without a mother, and she’s always going to wonder what it would be like if this hadn’t happened. He wonders if she’ll blame him for her mother’s death as she gets older, or if she’ll understand that this is just as painful for Louis as it is for her. Louis doesn’t know how he’s going to raise her on his own, because he’s a fantastic father, yes, but he’s always been the fun parent, and Amy was in charge of the rules. He doesn’t know how to make sure Bridget has everything she needs all the time, doesn’t know how to make her favorite meal or how to do that one braid she loves to have in her hair or how to teach her to be the best person she can be. He doesn’t know how to live without Amy, he doesn’t know what he’s going to do. SINGLE PARENT! LOUIS, MINOR CHARACTER DEATH, FRIENDS TO LOVERS

The Wonderlands by stylinsoncity (150k)

"Somewhere between chaos and control — these are the wonderlands."

Harry's daughter, Andy, is signed to Louis' girl band. Her path to success is marked by competition, chaos, and for Harry, a love affair. FAMOUS/NOT FAMOUS, SINGLE PARENT! HARRY

Just Ask Me To by TellMeThisIsNotLove (120k)

“You’re telling the truth,” Louis whispers.

“Of course I’m telling the truth!” Harry doesn’t even care that he sounds exasperated.

“Oh my god.” Louis grabs the wall behind him as if looking for support. His body slides down against it until he’s sitting crouched on the floor.

He mumbles something but Harry can’t really figure out what it is. He crouches down, and looks desperately at the breaking boy in front of him.

“You’re telling the truth,” Louis whispers. “You were not supposed to–”

“I was not supposed to do what? Tell me please,” Harry urges, taking Louis’ hands gently in his. CANON COMPLIANT, X-FACTOR ERA, FRIENDS TO LOVERS, ANGST

My Lights Stay Up, But Your City Sleeps by PearlyDewdrops (108k)

Harry breaks into his own smile, scrunching his nose when he glances back up, meeting Louis' eyes, his stiff posture loosening. They stare for a beat, Harry's smile dwindling. "So... you're okay with it? That it can’t go anywhere?"

Louis nods easily. "We're on the same page. Promise." He holds out his pinkie to prove it, mind hazy and giddy from alcohol. Harry’s dimples appear in each cheek as he holds out his own, their pinkies intertwining. "We're just two people who like each other, have fun together, and who may or may not kiss and... stuff.” He grins, wild adrenaline pumping through to his fingertips.

Harry sinks his teeth into his bottom lip, lowering his flushed gaze to the floor.

“Just don't go falling in love with me, and it'll be fine," Louis smirks.

Or Louis has trouble sleeping, Harry has a habit of wrapping himself around Louis during the nights, and a mutual agreement to engage in a fun and simple thing quickly turns into something perhaps not so fun, and certainly not simple. FRIENDS TO LOVERS 

Do Not Go Gentle by afirethatcannotdie (70k) 

“This is all a game to you, isn’t it? Well, it’s not for me. This is a real life or death situation,” Louis says, spitting the words at him. “And I just don’t think you’re cut out for it.”

For a moment, they stare at each other in complete silence. Harry can feel his blood thrumming between his ears, can see Louis glaring at him, feels red-hot anger. And then all he feels, oppressively and desperately, is lust.

Suddenly Louis is surging up to him to press his lips against Harry’s. Harry walks the two of them backwards, pressing Louis back against the door. Louis oomphs in surprise and brings his hands under Harry’s scrub top, scratching at his lower back.

“Lock — oh — lock the… fucking door,” Louis mutters.

When Harry Styles starts his first day as a surgical intern, he expects a lot of things: to treat patients, to observe a surgery, to feel a bit overwhelmed. What he definitely doesn't expect, however, is that the handsome guy he kicked out of his bed this morning is also an intern.

A Grey’s Anatomy AU where tensions are high, Harry and Louis are hooking up in secret, and no one has time for love. Or do they? HATE TO LOVE

If It Kills Me by you_explode (109k) 

Harry and Louis have worked together in a difficult office environment for six years. They're best friends; Louis is the bright spot of all of Harry's days. But Louis is in love with Harry, and Harry's engaged to someone else. And that's only the beginning.

The Office AU. More or less follows the first five seasons. A lot of pining and misunderstanding the depth of feelings and rejection and angst, until there isn’t. FRIENDS TO LOVERS, SLOW BURN

Right In Front Of Me Or Maybe You’re In Disguise by zahrasayed (15k)

Soulmate AU Where when you turn eighteen and are standing in front of your soulmate you get a tattoo around your ring finger (and are basically engaged after that ). Louis gets his tattoo when he's in front of his fourteen year old neighbour, Harry Styles, the kid he couldn't get rid off since his childhood and who he sticks around with only because of his mother (not because he has a urge to protect him or anything). SOULMATES, FAMOUS/NOT FAMOUS, MPREG

Relief Next To Me by dolce_piccante (333k)

AU. What happens when a baker and a graphic designer meet via a very specific Craigslist post? Fate, friendship, food, and maybe more. STRANGERS TO FRIENDS TO LOVERS, SMUT!

Remind Me Again by momentofclarity (28k)

He loves it when they do this, when they find comfort in each other like this, so close, soft and sweet. They have never really talked about it beyond “Oh so that’s a thing we do now” all those years ago, but it’s also something they have silently agreed not to share with their friends. This is just for them, just like the way they sometimes fall asleep in each other’s beds, pressed closed under the covers, or how they love to cook each other dinner and light candles all over the flat. They have lived together since they were teenagers and over the years they have settled into each other in ways that the other boys just wouldn’t understand. The romantic platonic friends to lovers AU where they are forced to speak about everything that has always been unspoken. FLUFF AND SMUT

This Wicked Game by cherrystreet (70k) 

An AU in which The Bachelor is gay, Louis is a contestant, Harry is the bachelor, everyone drinks a lot of champagne, the entire world gets to watch them fall in love, and no one plays by the rules. 

Escapade by dolce_piccante (146k) 

In the grand scheme of things, finding a date for a wedding should be no problem for Louis Tomlinson. He's rich. He's handsome. He's reasonably well behaved. But when the wedding is for his lifelong best friend (and former boyfriend), and is happening in under a month, finding a date for the ceremony and accompanying festivities becomes more of an adventure than he ever could have planned for. FAKE/PRETEND RELATIONSHIP, STRANGERS TO FRIENDS TO LOVERS

Little White Lies by xxSterre (13k) 

the AU based off of that one Craigslist post - how a little white lie takes on an enormous snowball effect, that might accidentally include a Tomlinson too. FAKE/PRETEND RELATIONSHIP

Building Castles In The Sky by SexyAssWoman (22k) 

"D-dad? You think I c-can do it? Y-you think i c-can..." Evan trailed off looking down at his chest. And Louis' heart melted.

"I think you can do everything, love. Everything." Louis said while pulling his boy closer. "Because you, my little dandelion, are very brave! And so strong and wonderful and so very bright! You will go up on that stage, and you will blow everyone away. I just know it."

They laid there on their porch while they hugged each other tightly. His little boy was so brave. Louis didn't need to see him on a stage to be proud. He was proud of him already.

"You know,” Evan mumbled aloud again. “Mr. S-Styles says the same t-thing. He s-says I c-can do e-everything too.”

And Louis couldn't help but smile.

or, Where, Louis had a four year old with a stuttering problem. Harry was always there to help. SINGLE PARENT! LOUIS, TEACHER! HARRY

May You Enjoy Your New Life by aimmyarrowshigh (264k) 

It begins for them all at the bungalow –

'Alright, time to lay out the cards. We’re in this together and hopefully, for the long haul, yeah? So I think – you know, we should just be honest. It’s deal-breakers time. That thing that like, if we’re gonna hate you or something, just tell us all now.'

When One Direction begins, Harry Styles is a sixteen-year-old boy foundering under the pressure of impending fatherhood. His ability to balance the sobering responsibility of caring for his tiny daughter, Millie, and the exhilaration of seeing his own dreams coming to fruition affects not only his future, but those of Liam, Zayn, Niall, and Louis, who never expected fealty to be the key to their success. But Liam is the first to show him how to grow up without growing old, and Zayn is the first to defend from the public what is private and precious. Louis -- Louis is the first for a lot of things; for most of the moments of Millie's life and for the moments of Harry's that matter. And Niall is the first to toast when Millie is born: Go maire sibh bhur saol nua -- 'may you enjoy your new life.' KID FIC, DOMESTIC FLUFF, FRIENDS TO LOVERS

ONE SHOTS

Carry This Feeling by Awriterwrites, dimpled_halo (49k)

There’s something about Louis Tomlinson that makes Harry feel unhinged. It’s in the other man’s stare, in the way he looks at Harry like he knows he’s hiding something. Like he’s not really all he says he is.

Harry’s not so sure it’s fear he’s feeling. Maybe it’s something deeper. Ever since Louis walked into his house, he’s felt on edge. He’s just being himself after all, and that’s usually enough to get just about anyone to drop their pants. But...it’s clearly not working on Louis Tomlinson. It dredges up something oily and unpleasant inside Harry. He doesn’t like it.

He’s got to lock that shit down tight.

*** Harry knows, objectively, that he shouldn't try to get his ghostwriter into bed. He knows. But...he finds it hard to resist temptation when Louis waltzes into his home and his life and turns everything upside down. And, as it turns out, Louis might just need a little turning upside down too. FAMOUS/NOT FAMOUS, STRANGERS TO LOVERS

Dirty Laundry Looks Good On You by suspendrs (19k)

“So um, Niall mentioned you haven’t lived here long. What brings you to London?”

“What is this, an interview?” Louis smirks, stealing Harry’s drink and taking a sip. “Wanted a change of scenery. Dunno.”

Harry hums and takes his drink back, narrowing his eyes playfully at Louis as he takes a long sip. “Can I buy you a drink, or would you rather keep sharing mine?”

“You most certainly can buy me a drink,” Louis grins, grabbing the bottle back out of Harry’s hand, “but I’m still going to be stealing yours.”

Or, Harry is jaded and sad and resigned to be forever alone, until Niall sets him up with a friend of his whose broken pieces may just fit pretty well with Harry's. STRANGERS TO LOVERS, PAST ABUSE

The Worst Fucking Idea by juliusschmidt (3k) 

Liam suggests Harry and Louis do Seven Minutes in Heaven, just like they always used to in high school. SEVEN MINUTES IN HEAVEN

Maybe We’re Perfect Strangers by starprediction (39k) 

When an EDM festival in the Caribbean touts itself as a “life-changing and transformative experience,” Harry’s not too sure he buys into it. Regardless, Harry wants nothing more than to please his best friend, so he goes along for the ride. What he doesn’t expect is to fall head over heels for the festival’s organizer who Harry discovers is also the object of his best friend’s affections.

in which it takes three days under the tropical sun for two men to fall in love FAMOUS/NOT FAMOUS

Barefoot In Blue Jeans by indiaalphawhiskey (24k)

AU. Louis Tomlinson is trying desperately hard not to fall for his son’s au pair, but he can’t, for the life of him, remember why. SINGLE PARENT! LOUIS

Tangled Up In You by missandrogyny (45k) 

Harry blinks once. And blinks again. And says, his voice dangerous: “Niall, did you get me a mail-order bride?”

Because what the actual fuck. It kind of looks like Niall’s just purchased a person. For Harry.

Niall blinks back at him for a few moments, before throwing his head back and howling with laughter. Harry throws a pillow at him. Hard. “No, what the fuck, Harry.”

“A prostitute then?” Harry also doesn't want a prostitute.

“Of course not!”

“A stripper?”

“No!”

Damn, he’s running out of ideas. He settles for launching another pillow at Niall’s head. Niall bats it away easily, still laughing. “Stop!”

“What did you get me, then?!” Niall must hear the tinge of hysteria in his voice, because he’s pulling himself together, trying to stop himself from laughing.

There’s still a big grin on his face, though, when he says, “I got you a professional cuddler.”

A professional…what. “What?” FAMOUS/NOT FAMOUS

Heart On An Open Highway by afirethatcannotdie (5k)

AU. Harry's a popstar about to release his second album, and Louis is the Radio 1 intern who gets his heart racing. FAMOUS/NOT FAMOUS

On The Go by phdmama (2k) 

Inspired by - where louis owns a landscaping company called MANSCAPE and harry thinks it’s some sort of in-home pubic hair grooming company, so he calls to make an appointment, there’s some discussion of whether he wants his bushes trimmed as well, and then when it’s time for the appointment, harry’s like half-naked waiting around in a robe or something and louis shows up with lawnmowers. COMEDIC 

Sugar by cheshireflowers (13k) 

“I hope our paths will ‘croissant’ again.”

There’s a little smiley face drawn next to the words, and it’s ridiculous, Louis knows, but he can’t help the swell of butterflies that he feels as he reads over the words once more. An odd fellow indeed, he thinks.

A moment later he shakes his head and collects himself, because he really does need to get home; he’s sure that Harry is probably watching him from behind the counter, all sweet, smug smiles and pink cheeks. And if he’s being honest, he’s not entirely sure he won’t toss his groceries into the trash and walk straight back into the bakery if he doesn’t leave now, so… he really does need to get going.

Before he goes on his way, though, he plucks the note from the top of the container and carefully tucks it inside of his wallet to protect it from the rain.

That’s how it begins. FLUFF, LOTS OF PUNS

[nobodymoves]

another dream but always you by you_explode for @onedirectionbigbang

Harry/Louis, 60k, mature / perfect gifs by @haroldsmoon over here

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.