#Niall Horan uni au

[forwhatiam]

Happy 28th! <3 Here's my favorite fics I read this month, organized from longest to shortest. Fics with a * before them found their way into my bookmarks!

The Greatest Thing by infinitelymint (E, 163.7k)

Harry and Louis haven’t spoken since the band broke up when a dangerous combination of Niall Horan, tequila, and an ordained Elvis impersonator means that the two of them have to embark on their biggest publicity stunt to date - together.

(aka the semi-canon accidentally married in Vegas fic that has been seven years in the making)

*Own the Scars by crinkle-eyed-boo (E, 144.7k)

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

*The Night Sky Is Changing Overhead by orphan_account (E, 124k)

“Um, sorry, but I believe that’s actually mine,” Harry said a bit awkwardly, pointing at the cup.

The man huffed, slightly narrowing his blue eyes, “Nope, large Americano, dash of cream.” He held the coffee up closer to Harry and honestly, Harry knew exactly what was in the cup because it was his coffee.

“Right,” Harry slowly drawled out as if he was talking to a toddler, “Which would make that mine.”

“Look, I really don’t have time for this, I’m running late. And this,” he said before he took a sip from the cup, “Is mine.”

Harry’s jaw dropped and he held his hands out, failing them slightly, “Wha-you can’t just drink it!”

“Well I did, so, do you still want it or can I be on my way?” The man challenged.

Harry shook his head disbelievingly, “Take it, but for the record, it says Harry on it.”

The man turned the cup around and a sharp laugh came out of his mouth, “Well, shit.” He looked at Harry, a smile stretched across his face as crinkles formed next to his eyes. “Thanks, Harry.”

*Come My Love Again by softfonds (E, 110.5k)

Harry Styles is handsome, clever, and rich. At least that’s what his friends say of him. He also thinks of himself as a matchmaker in Highbury, pairing people together when he finds the time. But when the arrival of a certain gentleman flips Harry’s world on its head, he starts to question everything that was once all too familiar to him, including his relationship with his good friend, Mr. Tomlinson. An Emma AU.

Say Something by kingsofeverything (E, 105.4k)

At fifty years old and recently divorced, Omega Harry Styles isn't interested in dating. When his doctor suggests a heat and rut matching service, he signs up out of necessity. It’s the only use he has for an Alpha in his life.

Twenty-eight-year-old Alpha Louis Tomlinson aims to change that.

You've Got My Devotion (Hate You Sometimes) by auburnstargazer (E, 95.4k)

Harry was in the biggest boy band in the world. He was also one half of the best (or worst, depends on who you ask) kept secret relationship in the music industry.

Now, almost five years on, after One Direction has broken up, and Harry and Louis' relationship has as well, a video threatens to put everything at risk.

One determined Irishman, a massive publicity stunt and two begrudging exes are all it takes to bring One Direction back to life and maybe, just maybe, Harry and Louis' mangled love life too.

Or: Harry and Louis are forced to fake-date after an old video from when they were dating emerges.

i would know you from touch alone by staybeautiful (E, 72.8k)

The Tomlinson and Cox gangs have hated each other for over forty years. Harry Styles, the grandson of Gritty Cox, was freshly back to the city after uni when, on his first night out, he punched the Tomlinson heir in the face. It shouldn’t have mattered, their gangs have done worse to each other. But all it took was one single touch to recognize your soulmate. Louis was adamant that being soulmates changed nothing, not who they were or which family they were loyal to. Or, at least, it shouldn’t have.

Sweetest Devotion by brightgolden (E, 61k)

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.

I'll put a spell on You by cc_horan28, Elmeiko88 (E, 56.2k)

Harry is a witch with half a cat's head tattooed on his chest who is desperate to find what he misses most.

Zayn is a lonely guardian who wouldn't say no to finding the dog of his life.

Louis is a cat who doesn't like... Cats. And who may have other problems of his own to deal with.

Niall is a... Well Niall...

And oh, look, Liam is a golden retriever...

Latching Onto You by reminiscingintherain (T, 34.3k)

The one where Louis wants to book Harry Styles to perform at his best friends' wedding.

Get Him Back by softfonds (E, 17.3k)

After finding out his husband was unfaithful, Harry does one thing that makes him feel good again. But it's up in the air if that one thing will stay.

Heat and Greet by HoldingOntoChaos (12.4k)

Harry and Louis are co-workers who are excited to represent the company they work for and do an important presentation at a week-long conference in Yosemite. It's just their luck that Harry slips into heat while there.

Panicked at the thought of missing the presentation, Harry asks Louis to help him through it. And how could Louis deny the omega he's been dreaming about since they met?

Necessities of Nesting by haztobegood (G, 5.2k)

“I know this is a sensitive topic and you probably don’t want to talk about your nest with me. But I have a friend that teaches nesting classes. Maybe they could help.”

“So you agree: my nest sucks and I’m a shit omega.”

Special Instructions by haztobegood (T, 2.2k, Zouis)

He didn’t mean for the drawings to become a thing. But they have. Every Tuesday night around eight o’clock, a take out order from Louis T. appears. Each order has new special instructions, requesting some change to the carefully curated dishes that Zayn has concocted. And every Tuesday night, Zayn doodles a response to those special instructions.

I'd Choose You Over Sleep by homosociallyyours (G, 2.1k)

If there's one thing Louis values, it's a bit of sleeping in on the weekends. There's very little she'll let come between her and those few precious hours of the day.

Harry might just make her shift her priorities. At least a little.

Carry The One by yeah_alright (T, 100)

Five times Louis carries her best friend and one time Harry carries the love of her life.

[starrysaturdays]

28th june fic rec!

wow this month has flown by!!!!! here are some fics/series i really enjoyed this month in no particular order!

Just for Tonight (I can be yours) (42K) by SadaVeniren | @sadaveniren

Harry, prince of Cestrescir, has been betrothed to Ludvic, prince of Yorvik, since birth. He'd accepted a loveless marriage as his duty to his country, until an accident threw him in the path of a gentle alpha

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

Someone You Couldn’t Lose (19K) by InsightfulInsomniac | @insightfulinsomniac

A uni AU where nesting behavior and a little body oil sparks a much-too-affectionate friends with benefits relationship that has some very unexpected outcomes.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

A Picture's Worth Series (478K) by unscattered_horizons

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

Life Was a Song, You Came Along (37K) by rainbowninja167 | @rainbowtitania

Louis is a songwriter trapped in a lie that could ruin his best friend's career. Harry owns a record store, distrusts everyone in the music industry on principle, but loves Niall Horan's newest album. A modern retelling of Singin' in the Rain.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

Keep Us Like A Secret (6K) by youresoawkward | @bisexvalziam

Liam discovers Zayn's interest in women's underclothes, and helps Zayn explore a side of himself that he's been making a conscious effort to ignore.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

Oh, That's What I Want (38K) by lululawrence | @lululawrence

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.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

In The Shadow of Ecstasy (52K) by abaddxns | @causticsunshine

In which HL are a happy couple that are fine with their plentiful vanilla sex... until it starts leaving something to be desired. Luckily for them, they both have the want—and the experience—to liven things up.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

You're in my veins (53K) by likelarry | @likelarryfics

Louis cheats on Harry after being married for twelve years. When Louis comes clean and asks to mend their relationship, Harry doesn't think he has it in him to do it, even if he is pregnant again.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

Break A Leg (24K) by unscattered_horizons

Louis Tomlinson is a writer living in Brighton with his two dogs. A new neighbor moves in next door and Louis is instantly charmed. Harry's shy, Louis is afraid of scaring them off, and it might take a medical emergency but damn it, fate is going to get these two together. With the help of Louis' dogs, codependent friends, and a long night at the A&E, Harry and Louis might find what they've been looking for.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

a perpetual sunrise (31K) by moonshinelouis (lunarflwrs) | @lunarflwrs

Louis Tomlinson lives the archetype of a successful man: he has a big white house, a gorgeous wife, and adorable daughters. Happiness is a superfluity, really. And his daughters' dimpled piano teacher is nothing more than a sinful distraction.

1950s AU.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

Black Raspberries and Butterscotch (114K) by MushroomMushroom28

Harry felt tears line his eyes. He’d waited so long for this. So fucking long-

Louis slammed into him, nearly knocking them both over. “Hazza,” he whispered, completely out of breath, arms vice-like around Harry’s body.

“Lou.” Harry gave in to the tears, letting them fall onto Louis’s shirt. “Lou, I’m here.”

“You’re here.” Louis sniffled and pulled back to look at Harry. “You’re really here.” They both broke into blinding smiles.

Harry took Louis in, looking almost exactly as he did four years ago, but with just a little more life experience behind his eyes. Those blue irises were as piercing as ever, none of his portraits having ever done him justice. His hair was wild as always, sticking up however it pleased. Harry laughed. It was good to be home.

(OR What happens when two best friends, late to present as their secondary genders, finally spend a summer together after four years apart?)

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

Only (33K) by allwaswell16 | @allwaswell16

Although Louis Tomlinson lived most of his life on the most remote island in the world, now he’s ready to leave home, attend university, and maybe have a chance at finding his soulmate. Prince Harry Styles reluctantly leaves London for yet another diplomatic visit, this time to the tiny island of Tristan da Cunha.

Or the one where the electric touch of Louis’ soulmate isn’t enough to discount that he's a bit of a dickhead.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

Get Out of My Kitchen (3K) by cc_horan28 | @cc-horan28

The one where Harry has had it with his husband interrupting him, but he isn't having any of his cheek.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

You Don’t Tell The Truth, No, You Like Playing Games (4K) by tommosgotabangerr

the one where Louis and Harry are trapped in their building's elevator and Harry suggests an innocent game of 'Truth or Dare" that becomes less innocent when wine and Harry's crush on Louis gets involved

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

Let Me Touch You Where Your Heart Is (3K) by InsightfulInsomniac | @insightfulinsomniac

Harry and Louis fuck in the back of the car on the way to the Euros. They use the television screen for more than a little background noise thanks to Louis’ private folder.

Aka an indulgent PWP inspired by Louis’ recent Instagram story.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

Homegrown (52K) by casuallyhl for allwaswell16 | @casuallyhl

a gardening AU where Harry is new to town and the newest volunteer at the local gardening club, Louis is the attractive grandson of one of the members, and the nosy volunteers hatch a plan to get them together.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

You can remain unaware (if you want) (7K) by harryanthus

the au where soul marks get coloured when they realise they’re in love with their soul mate and Harry has a coloured soul mark, Louis doesn’t.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

you’re the habit that i can’t break (24K) by ohpleaselarry | @ohpleaselarry

The boys decide to have a belated band reunion, just the five of them. One week, one cabin in the mountains, five boys.

Harry and Louis haven’t spoken sober in a year.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄

some statistics & a strawberry for you 🍓

this month ive read 37 fics with a total word count of 1,399,073

yes, i read the entire 478K series. took me a few days and it was AMAZING

honestly its scary when i see just how much i read- i promise i do have a big girl 9-5 office job haha. i truely love reading so much and i'm a fast reader, i can read a 100K fic in one afternoon hence why i tend to read so much

[1d-flower-fest]

1D Flower Fest 2024 Masterpost

Below you can find all the amazing creations that our creators made. Thank you so much to those who participated!

🌸 Language Of A Petal by @bittersweetsin | bittersweetsin Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan/Zayn Malik | Explicit | 15.1k | fic post

"Wait, you're reading Divin-" "-Divined Souls? Yup," Harry finished for him. Starving off a grin, Louis says, "Have you actually been stalking me all this time and just lied about not knowing me?" "Guess we'll never know." or Louis is a librarian, and Harry comes in all the time to return books he's finished reading. Every time Louis opens the book to check for any damages, there's always a flower hidden in between one of the pages, specifically on a paragraph that has a deep meaning.

🌸 I was on my way to Buy some Flowers for You by @srldesigns6277 | srldesigns6277 Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson | Teen and Up Audiences | 17.6k | fic post

After eight years of friendship, Harry and Louis are content with their lives together. Co-existing as best friends and roommates while teaching at their local high school. One weekend, Harry is taken away from his routine with Louis to help out his sister and niece. Neither knew that this would seem to be the straw that breaks the camel's back, and Harry ends up in the hospital unresponsive. Louis and Gemma have to figure out what's wrong with Harry and how to help before his condition worsens. However, Louis might be a lot more integral to Harry's recovery than any of them could have known. - Better known as a Accidental Courting and Mating fic between Alpha Harry and Alpha Louis

Fan Art by @louieshalo

🌸 someday we gonna fall in love by @gricha91 | gricha Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan/Zayn Malik | Mature | 24.8k | fic post

Niall drags Harry to a music concert; he gets bonus points and Harry gets a new crush, who soon becomes the most important person and star of his dreams. Or a uni au where Harry falls in love with Louis, a music student, and he falls in love back. Story based on prompt 4: Louis' first time receiving flowers

Listen to music by @wendersfive | Fond of flowers by @wendersfive

🌸 Can't Imagine You Without The Same Smile In Your Eyes by @galacticlarry | galactic_larry Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson | Teen and Up Audiences | 4.1k | fic post

It's been over a week since Harry's first semester at university began, and he has had zero new exciting friendships or noteworthy experiences, just a bizarre dream that keeps waking him up in the middle of the night. What happens when the boy with the pretty blue eyes from his psychology class catches his eye and starts occupying his mind?

🌸 Drowning on a dry land by @lunaticcat009 | lunaticcat009 Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson | Explicit | 13.1k | fic post

"The flowers that we'd grown together died of thirst..." Harry and Louis hit the rock bottom in their relationship. Turns out, there's no rock bottom if you have a shovel; you can always dig deeper and crawl further into the endless space until there's a crater in your heart where all the love was treasured. -OR- Louis visits a flower shop in his last-ditch attempt to hold on to at least something they had.

Comic by @liminalkitty369

[allwaswell16]

Part two of a fic rec of One Direction fics that have touch deprivation in them as requested in this ask. You can find part one here! If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other fic recs here. Happy reading!

—Louis/Harry—

✦ Light, Spark and Fire (series) by green_feelings / @greenfeelings*

(E, 239k, music industry) Harry’s working on taking Louis’ walls down, until he builds his own up.

✦ The Longer the Waiting the Sweeter the Kiss (It's Better My Darlin' I Promise You This) by pleasinglouis

(E, 160k, small town au) Louis is a big city omega that can't stand stubborn alphas and Harry is the southern cowboy that hates the city

✦ Invisible String by BoosBabycakes / @boosbabycakes28

(E, 84k, pack dynamics) Louis swears on his life that that man came out of literal nowhere and he thanks each lucky star for having good breaks in his car.

✦ Your Gift is Wasted On Me by therogueskimo / @bravetemptation

(NR, 54k, neighbors) Omega Louis has severe touch deprivation and is averse to touch. But he’s fine. Really.

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

(NR, 38k, farm) Harry is only twenty-four and has no inclination to settle down at all, especially not at the behest of an Alpha.

✦ Follow Your Arrow by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13

(T, 36k, canon) They said Louis playing alpha wouldn’t affect anything.

✦ Too Young To Know by @2tiedships2

(M, 35k, exes to lovers) the one where Harry doesn’t present as an alpha… until he does.

✦ Compass to my Soul by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

(T, 31k, canon) Louis Tomlinson, omega, is 1/5 of world famous boy band One Direction. He spends his time hoping his bandmates don’t notice him.

✦ never been a fan of change, but we’re still the same by fearsparks / @onlythebravest *

(T, 27k, uni au) after Harry's omega unexpectedly causes him to drop in the pub, their relationship is no longer the same.

✦ tread lightly on my ground by fairytalelights / @lookslikefairytale*

(E, 20k, mpreg) the one where Harry is having Louis' baby, but Louis doesn't know it's his.

✦ Keep Me Closer by zanni_scaramouche / @zanniscaramouche *

(T, 18k, uni au) Louis expects Harry to react poorly, maybe even file a formal complaint and that’s gonna suck ass but Louis won’t say shit cause he knows he deserves it, so he prepares an apology before Harry’s even turned around.

✦ how do I stay tender by jessicamcqueen

(E, 16k, neighbors) Louis has touch depri and Harry is the alpha neighbor that offers to help.

✦ Captain Cupid by @2tiedships2

(NR, 15k, friends to lovers) the one where Niall enlists his friends to help start a speed dating side hustle. Things don't go as planned... or maybe they do?

✦ Breathe me in, breathe me out by @lunarheslwt

(G, 14k, candle shop) Louis is drawn into a quaint candle shop in his desire to find ways to soothe himself while struggling with touch depri.

✦ A Fateful Snow by @parmahamlarrie *

(T, 13k, Christmas) Will Harry allow a simple misunderstanding keep him from the hottest alpha he’s ever seen? 

✦ Get Nesting & Soft Knots by ishiplouis / @pocketsunshineharry

(G, 5k, youtube au) AU where Omega Louis who runs a nesting materials Youtube channel meets Alpha Harry who knits his own blankets

✦ Perfect, For Now by @parmahamlarrie *

(T, 5k, neighbors) Moving to a new city is always hard, being away from home, finding your new community - none of it is easy. Dealing with all of this while being touch deprived is even more difficult.

—Rare Pairs—

✦ (I Was Broke) You Healed Me by @fallinglikethis

(T, 12k, Niall/Harry) Niall Horan is an unmated pregnant omega living on his own after his alpha boyfriend leaves him. 

✦ a little tenderness by @disgruntledkittenface

(NR, 10k, Harry/Niall) Harry’s never been around an omega in depri as bad off as Niall looks; most of the time, there’s an alpha friend or family member who can help out with scenting and physical contact.

[sunflowervoltwentyeight]

Hi! These are my favorite fics that take place in the summer. These fics are organized by word count from longest to shortest. You can view my other fic recs here. Enjoy!

I’ll Fly Away byjuliusschmidt / @juliusschmidt (122k)

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

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

Jump Before We Fall by green_feelings / @greenfeelings (113k)

Louis and Zayn's lives revolve around running a hotel by the sea, Harry is a student who wants a life far from home for just a little while, Niall doesn't know where life leads him and Liam thinks he has already found all purposes in his life.

Speaking of Marvels by navigator, quitter (100k)

AU. Louis is a nanny in suburban New Jersey, and the neighbors' son is home from college for the summer. It was supposed to be a fling.

Somewhere In Between Lightning by jassy117 nauticalleeds shiningdistractionwrites / @nauticalleeds @shiningdistraction (99k)

As Louis took another bite, he thought back to how he had once believed that the hardest thing about being on Love Island would be Liam handling his social media.  He had been wrong. It was Harry Styles, peeking over at Louis as he forked a pancake into his mouth, and gauging his reaction. It was having to quench the swelling of his heart, which felt simultaneously like hope and the breaking of a thousand pieces.

---

A summer gone wrong (or very right) when, under Liam’s persuasion, Louis finds himself drunkenly applying for Love Island, and getting accepted. Oh, well. A summer spent on an island paradise couldn’t be all that bad, right?

Imagine his surprise when Louis arrives in sunny Majorca to find that his first love and ex-boyfriend, Harry, is another contestant, about to capture the hearts of everyone in the villa. Most normal people don’t have to face their ex on an otherwise straight TV show. Most normal people don’t fall for their ex again in front of the whole nation, either. Too bad this whole situation isn’t normal.

Sun Means The Sky’ll Be Blue by pearlydewdrops / @moonhusbands (91k)

As the only singleton under thirty attending his cousin’s five-day wedding, Harry is desperate to find a date, or at least a reason to get people’s questions about his love life off his back. So when Louis, Harry’s old uni roommate and fellow wedding attendee waltzes back into his life, Harry seizes the opportunity, pretending Louis is his ex-boyfriend and that it’s a sore subject not to be mentioned.

If it’s a little bit closer to the truth than Harry would like, well, he’s a master at living in denial.

So cue a mess of trudged-up feelings, past misunderstandings, a rekindled summer romance and a whole lot of sexually-charged bickering.

You Come Beating Like Moth's Wings by supernope (81k)

Harry smiles. He's only known Louis for about two hours, knows nothing about him past his first name, but he's nice and sarcastic and helpful and so, so pretty. And Harry's still got a few days left in Barcelona, and he thinks he wouldn't mind spending them with Louis.

Also known as, Harry takes the summer before uni to travel Europe and meets Louis in Barcelona, and they end up traveling together.

Summer’s In the Air and Baby, Heaven’s In Your Eyesby starryhaze / @starryhaze28 (71k)

“So we probably shouldn’t do this.” Louis says, and Harry knows he means staying like this, wrapped up in each other, and he nods, then lifts his head from Louis’ shoulder. His eyes are focused on the ground while he tries to will the tears away.

“We shouldn’t. I’m sorry Lou it’s just-“

“Hey it’s fine, baby.” Louis promises, gently rubbing this thumb over Harry’s cheek. Harry leans into the touch and blinks up at Louis.

“Not your fault.” Louis says, looking around before he presses his lips against Harry’s in a short but sweet kiss. “You’re like my dirty little secret now.” He grins wickedly and gives a wink, making Harry blush and bite his lip as he steps away.

⋆ .ೃ ࿔ *: ･

or a 70s tennis au filled with skirts, pet names and intrigue

Adore You by isthatyoularry / @isthatyoularry (66k)

“We invited our new acquaintances from uptown. You’ve simply got to meet their oldest son!” said his mother with a flourish, and suddenly it became abundantly clear as to why his parents had so adamantly demanded he join them in Deansville for the entirety of the summer.

Against his wishes, Harry spends the holidays at his family’s summer estate, and is reluctantly pulled into a courtship he didn’t ask for. Harry doesn’t want to get married, but Louis does. They don’t fit, but then again they really, really do.

Vaguely set in the 1920’s. Headpieces, jazz, fashionable canes, and flapper dresses, and that.

Your Memory Over Me by shimmeringevil / @shimmeringevil (64k)

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.

I’ll Crash Until You Notice Me by stylinsoncity / @aliensingucci (61k)

Louis sets off to Barbados to oversee the massive resort his family owns known as Sandy Hill. For years, he’s been looking for a change in the monotony of his life, seeking adventure and perhaps love too. What he doesn’t expect is the bright eyed boy who spills a milkshake on his shoes.

Cue the summer loving.

Where the Tide Takes You, I Will Follow by pinkcords / @pinkcords (53k)

There’s no way around his departure, their inevitable fate. Harry will leave and he will return to London and when he sits in his new flat, wherever it might be, he will think of this summer and the warmth the sun brought him and the way it felt to be loved. He will compare all his future relationships to Louis and when they fall short, he will be disappointed. Harry knows this.

Or, Louis lives in Gloucester and Harry tries to find a way to stay.

The Boys of Summer by afirethatcannotdie / @afirethatcannotdie (45k)

“I mean…we’re gonna have to sneak around anyway, yeah? Like, with that whole rules thing that I guess we’ve decided to ignore. Might make it a little more fun this way.”

AU. In which Louis is a reluctant sports coach, Harry’s a fellow counselor who wears tiny yellow shorts, and camp rules say they’re forbidden to date.

Suddenly Last Summer by disgruntledkittenface / @disgruntledkittenface (44k)

Louis is bored, rich and lonely. He has no reason to expect that this summer in the Hamptons with his friends will be different from any other – until he meets Harry. Suddenly he has someone who listens to him and cares about what he thinks. Someone who really sees him. But their happily ever after is forever marred by an incident at a party during Labor Day weekend, and Louis is left with a choice to make.

Some Clear Jellyfish Don't Sting by gloria_andrews / @gloriaandrews (32k)

Louis Tomlinson is starting grad school in New York City in the fall and when his best friend Niall Horan finds out, he invites Louis to spend the summer with him on the end of Long Island, at the house of their childhood friend, Harry Styles. Louis hasn't seen Harry in years, not since he was sixteen and Harry was fourteen and Harry had a somewhat massive crush on him. What will happen when they meet again? Will the tables be turned????

Our Little Corner of the World by brownheadedstranger (29k)

AU. Louis is stuck in his mom’s diner for the summer. Harry is the line cook with a pickup truck.

Naked & Proud by kiwikero (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.

We Were Made to Love by supernope (16k)

“Everything all sorted? Need help with the buckles? I know they’re a bit tricky in this compartment.”

The voice startles Louis out of his daze, and he turns toward the voice to let him know he figured it out. When he catches sight of the owner of the voice, though, his response dies in his throat. Whatever he had imagined the conductor of a children’s train that rides around the shopping centre in Leeds would look like, this is certainly not it.

Leaning through the window, arms folded across the sill, is a green-eyed angel with cherry red lips stretched wide in a smile and dimples flirting in his cheeks. A black conductor’s hat is the only confirmation that this is not some gorgeous stranger who’s come to flirt with Louis through the window of a children’s train, but is just a man doing his job.

[or, Harry drives a kiddie train in the shopping centre for the summer and is obsessed with babies, and Louis never stood a chance.]

[hlficlibrary]

any new angst fics?

Hi, here's some new fics tagged with angst that I thought looked intriguing...

Enough To Wish For More by galactic_larry

Louis Tomlinson just wants a few days of peace and quiet while his family are out of state. But when he meets the lead singer of a band he’s never heard of, his life and everything he thought he knew about it changes forever.

Harry Styles just wants to get his new guitar and then he’s leaving Haverhill, Massachusetts as fast as he can. But when he gets lost and asks someone for directions, he finds a lot more than the street he was initially looking for.

A long, complicated, painful, fucked up story about love.

The Naked Truth by Larrysmomfics

The producers of Naked Attraction decide to do a 'Second Chances' edition of the show where past contestants who didn't find love on the show the first time can re-apply in hopes that the second time's a charm. Superfan of the show and season three contestant, Harry Styles, is nervous when he first finds out that Niall, Harry's roommate and production assistant on the show, has signed him up to be one of the singletons vying for a date with none other than Louis Tomlinson, from season one, who also happens to be the man Harry has pined for, drooled over, and borderline stalked since he first discovered the show. Will Louis pick Harry? Will Harry share the naked truth about his superfan and supercrush status with Louis? Will Niall Horan ever stop meddling? Find out if going au naturel can lead to a second chance at love in The Naked Truth!

OR The Naked Attraction Larry AU

Into The Mist by babyhoneyhslt

Sneaking on board the famous pirate ship Compass Arrow to get a story for his journalist father, Harry must do everything to keep a low profile. But when one of the crew discovers him, hiding from the ruthless Captain Tommo becomes almost impossible.

Gemini Rising by Speechless

Louis might as well give it a shot.

Maybe - just maybe - if he starts crossing boundaries in the same reckless way Harry does, that lunatic will get the message.

So he starts invading Harry's space any way he can think of.

He bites on his toast while Harry is speaking, he tears his morning tea out of his hold and he only hands him back the mug when it's empty, he steals half of his boxer briefs, he walks into the bathroom while Harry is peeing, he even uses his toothbrush right in front of him.

When Harry's phone buzzes, Louis dives his hand into his pocket and he reads his texts out loud.

When Harry's sleeping, Louis shoves his door open and asks him if he wants a snack.

Louis is really trying.

Like, really, really trying.

Too bad it's not working.

i would know you from touch alone by staybeautiful

They had never been face to face before now. They’d never touched, skin to skin, until Harry landed a punch to his face, high on his cheekbone.

Louis shoved him off and was pulling his fist back from Harry’s abdomen before he realized his face wasn’t tingling because of the pain.

It pooled out from his cheek, over his face, down his neck and spine. A shiver in the late September night. Heat, sparks - whatever you wanted to fucking call it.

or The Tomlinson and Cox gangs have hated each other for over forty years. Harry Styles, the grandson of Gritty Cox, was freshly back to the city after uni when, on his first night out, he punched the Tomlinson heir in the face. It shouldn’t have mattered, their gangs have done worse to each other. But all it took was one single touch to recognize your soulmate. Louis was adamant that being soulmates changed nothing, not who they were or which family they were loyal to. Or, at least, it shouldn’t have.

[kao-tika]

I’m finally doing fic recs!! I’m splitting it into five categories on a future masterpost , but this post only has the first one. Although some of the fics will have my own appreciations in addition to the author's description, it will not be applied in all of them (I have read so many that there are several that I don't remember in detail lol) feel free to message me for the links or have a chat 💌

🌷All time favorites/classics🌷

☆ Soft Hands, Fast Feet, Can't Lose by dolce_piccante

American Uni AU. Harry Styles is a frat boy football star from the wealthy Styles Family athletic dynasty. A celebrity among football fans, he knows how to play, he knows how to party, and he knows how to fuck (all of which is well known among his legion of admirers).

Louis Tomlinson is a student and an athlete, but his similarities to Harry end there. Intelligent, focused, independent, and completely uninterested in Harry’s charms, Louis is an anomaly in a world ruled by football.

A bet about the pair, who might be more similar than they originally thought, brings them together. Shakespeare, ballet, Disney, football, library chats, running, accidental spooning, Daredevil and Domino’s Pizza all blend into one big friendship Frappucino, but who will win in the end?

notes: this is a fic that I constantly come back to, although the plot can be a little cliche (guilty pleasure) it doesn’t fall onto one dimensional characters and as it develops you can feel the depth of the story, the laughs and the sexual tension are UNMATCHED

☆ Unbelievers by isthatyoularry

It’s Louis’ senior year, and he’s dead set on doing it right. However, along with his pair of cleats, a healthy dose of sarcasm and his ridiculous best friend, he’s also got a complicated family, a terrifyingly uncertain future, and a mortal enemy making his life just that much worse. Mortal enemies “with benefits” was not exactly the plan.

Or: The one where Louis and Harry definitely aren’t friends, and football is everything.

notes: BRACE YOURSELF FOR THE FIRST LINES OF THIS FIC other than that, i really enjoyed this story. A classic enemies to lovers and super funny. The story is told by Louis pov, but the author also later released the fic from Harry’s pov (bloodsport) and I’m still waiting for the epilogue :(

☆ Relief Next To Me by dolce_piccante

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

notes: a very wholesome (and spicy) fic. If you want to read something with no angst and just enjoy your time I definitely recommend

☆ Flightless Bird by audreyhheart

AU where Louis Tomlinson is a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet. When his rival from ballet school, moody dance prodigy Harry Styles joins the company, old wounds are reopened and old passions reignited. During the company's production of Swan Lake the secret that doomed their love is finally revealed, but will it be too late?

notes: I did enjoy this fic but read with caution because it has MAYOR TW (grooming, rape, assault) if you want to read some angst I recommend

☆ Tired Tired Sea by MediaWhore

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.

notes: a famous non famous AU that I really love, all of the story just irradiates cozy and soft <3

☆ Young & Beauitful by Velvetoscar

Louis, to his horror, attends an elitist university in which the name Zayn Malik means something, Niall Horan doesn't stop talking, there are pianos everywhere, and Harry Styles, only son of a drug-addled, clinically insane ex-rocker, has a perfect smile and empty eyes.

notes: if you want dark academia old money vibes y&b is for you, definitely NOT a light read but definitely worth it

☆ One More Time Again by orphan_account

Harry looks down to where Louis is cradling his hand between his own. Louis' hands are slender, the bones delicate, the nails bitten short. The 2-8 on the backs of his fingers is gone, but the faded scar from a skateboarding mishap in Year 7 is still there.

Harry's hand is awkward, knobby-boned and naked, no rings, no tattoos. It's too big for his wrist and his wrist too big for his arm. Yet it still somehow fits in Louis' in the painfully perfect way it always did.

He blinks back the sting in his eyes.

On the morning of his second sold-out performance at Madison Square Garden, Harry wakes up to find that he's sixteen years old, on The X Factor, and that he has a chance to make things right.

notes: a canon compliant time travel fic. SOO well written I’ve read this fic a dozen times and don’t get sick of it. you got your fluff, your soft, your friends to lovers, your angst and with a plot twist so good in the middle of the fic, cannot recommend it enough PLEASE READ IT SO WE CAN SUFFER TOGETHER

☆ For as long as I can remember ( it's been December) by green_feelings

After recovering from a severe accident that causes Harry to lose his memory of three years, he moves to London to start his life over as a star chef. Little does he know that when he falls in love with Louis at first sight, it’s not the first time they meet.

Featuring an unintentional game of hot and cold, Harry chasing memories that won’t come back, Louis burying himself in work to try and forget what he can’t forget, Liam being torn between two of his best friends, Zayn as a moral compass and Niall saving the day with good music and brutal honesty.

notes: an angst with a happy ending, really wholesome overall, prepare to shed some tears.

☆ Escapade by dolce_piccante

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.

notes: BIG ROMCOM VIBES love the work of this author and once again she doesn’t disappoint. As funny as it is spicy, a lot of tension between the main characters

──⋆˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆˚｡⋆──

[ao3feed-larry]

Sun and Moon

by chloelove_z

University AU Zayn is shy and introverted while Liam is all sunshine and rainbows. They bump into each other on the 1st day of uni and they slowly fall in love....

Words: 75, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: One Direction

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan

Relationships: Zayn Malik/Liam Payne, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson

Additional Tags: Zayn Malik/Liam Payne Fluff, Alternate Universe - College/University, Friends to Lovers

via AO3 works tagged 'Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson' https://ift.tt/jf0XqMa

[horansqueen]

Stuck With You - Epilogue 2

Epilogue 2 : Anyone But You

🡪chapter 1  🡪chapter 2  🡪chapter 3  🡪chapter 4  🡪chapter 5  🡪chapter 6  🡪chapter 7  🡪chapter 8  🡪chapter 9  🡪chapter 10  🡪chapter 11 🡪chapter 12 🡪chapter 13 🡪chapter 14 🡪chapter 15 🡪chapter 16 🡪chapter 17 🡪chapter 18 🡪chapter 19 🡪chapter 20 🡪chapter 21 🡪chapter 22 🡪chapter 23 🡪chapter 24 🡪chapter 25 🡪chapter 26 🡪chapter 27 🡪chapter 28 🡪chapter 29 🡪chapter 30 🡪chapter 31 🡪chapter 32  🡪chapter 33 🡪chapter 34 🡪chapter 35 🡪chapter 36 🡪chapter 37 🡪chapter 38 🡪epilogue 1

College Enemies To Lovers AU

characters // masterlist // instagrams // mood board

I don't change my mind for anybody I won't waste my time on just anybody I won't share my life (with anyone but you)

It's such a long road (with anyone but you) That I couldn't follow (with anyone but you) Never anyone but Never anyone but (anyone but you)

THANK YOU! thank you for reading this story, for commenting this story, for reblogging and liking this story. Thank you to everyone on the update list, everyone who sent me requests and ideas, everyone who followed this story and everyone who was excited for every chapter. Thank you to everyone who messaged me, complimented me, thank you for all the emotions you shared with me through the characters. THANK YOU SO MUCH! i love you all. i can’t explain how much!

This is the final chapter. i hope you enjoy it and that this story reached your expectations. and i hope it makes you want to read my next story!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH THANK YOU TIMES INFINITY!

NIALL

I stared at the painting on the wall as people walked slowly around me. I was proud of my girlfriend for her first exhibition but it was the very first time I was seeing this specific painting and although I knew no one had seen the picture it was based on, I recognized it immediately. She had asked me if she could expose the pictures but I couldn't see them anywhere. Instead, she had painted one of them and I was staring at it. The feelings invading me were the same than when I looked at the actual picture and I realized it was probably the moment that made me feel like that.

I felt her soft touch on my upper arm and detached my eyes from her art, blinking a few times to look at her. She raised her eyebrows slightly and bit her bottom lip nervously.

"You hate it."

"No!" I quickly replied, shaking my head and frowning a bit. "No it's just, so different than what you normally paint."

"I know, I think painting the human body is so complex and it really depends on how you see the person. It gets so much more emotional when you paint someone you love."

Her eyes found the painting and she breathed in before sighing. "Maybe I shouldn't have painted it, maybe I shouldn't have exposed it... I just thought it was a way to expose the pictures without really showing them to anyone."

"It's amazing, Devie." I whispered, making her turn around to look at me again.

Our eyes met and she sent me a shy smile. I turned to her and cupped her face, running my thumbs on her cheeks gently before bending down to kiss her lips.

"Dev!"

My girlfriend broke our kiss when she heard her name and I looked up to see Lewis, Daxia, Louis and Eleanor getting closer. We had been hanging out a lot recently and it was nice to be around people like them. Louis and I were also getting closer, probably because of Devon, and I liked that. I had missed him.

"This painting is beautiful." Daxia let out, making her glass turn in her hands as she stared at it. "I mean they all are, this one is just different."

"I was just telling her that." I smiled, glancing at my girlfriend.

"A lot of emotions thrown on that canvas." Louis pointed out, raising his eyebrows, and I immediately knew that he had guessed.

I thought about the real pictures that we had left at my apartment. Devon had created a mobile with them and we had placed it in a corner of my bedroom. Sometimes, I stared at it, just watching it move to see the lyrics written behind one of the pictures,. It brought so many memories to my mind and I knew It always would, no matter how many years passed.

"Hey, where are we celebrating tonight?" Lewis asked as Louis sent a smirk to Devon.

"Nope, not tonight guys, but we'll plan something soon." I quickly replied, shaking my head. "Tonight I'm just spending the night alone with my main girl."

"Seriously, why do you guys call each other like that?" Louis asked with a grimace. "Does that imply you have side girls and guys?"

Devon chuckled but I shook my head. "It's a secret between us, Tommo." I just replied, hitting his arm gently and making my girlfriend laugh.

I didn't answer his question because I knew he was joking, but it made me wonder if Devon really knew why I called her like that. It took an hour and a half before we finally arrived at my apartment and as soon as we walked in, I pressed her against the wall, pushing the door with one of my feet.

"It's my turn to be proud of you." I whispered, feeling her hands slip under my hoodie. "Your art moves me, Devie. You move me."

She grabbed my bottom lip between hers and sucked on it, making me groan.

"You know why I call you my main girl, right?" I wondered in a whisper, my lips brushing against hers.

"Mmhm, because of that conversation we had, when I said I wanted to be the protagonist." she moved closer to kiss me again and I let her before licking my lips.

"Not only that." I admitted just as low. "Devie, my real story didn't start before I met you. It was just a long prologue before the main thing."

Her lips parted and her eyes watered as I kept staring at her in the darkness of the room. I didn't know how to explain to her what she meant to me but seeing the way she was looking at me at that exact moment made me think she may know anyway.

She brought one of her hands in my hair as she stared at me. I loved feeling her fingers in my hair and I kissed her lips gently again. I thought I knew what love felt before but I really didn't. I knew it sounded cliché but it was true. I was ready to bet on anything that Devon was the love of my life and that what we had would last forever.

"I love you," she whispered, shaking her head slightly. "And we're going to your room right now."

I chuckled at her words and shook my head too. "No, we can't. I have a surprise for you." I admitted, making her frown. "Close your eyes." She stared at me and i smiled. "Do you trust me?"

Instead to answer, she closed her eyes and breathed in before I turned the light on. I put myself behind her, placing my hands on her eyes and leading her slowly to the living room, making her stop next to the couch.

"Okay, keep your eyes closed alright?"

She nodded and slowly, I took my hands off her eyes, making sure she was not cheating, and I took a few steps back. I stared at her for a while, feeling my heart thump against my chest, a bit scared of what she'd say, and when I softly told her to open her eyes. I watched confusion appear on her traits until she saw the little puppy, laying on the floor, asleep. I had tried to put a bow on his head but it was falling down and Devon chuckled, her lips parted.

"Niall!" she let out without sending me a glance before getting on her knees and moving closer to the small dog.

Slowly, she took him in her arms and he woke up, making my lips curl. "It's a miracle he didn't bark before, would have ruined the surprise."

"Niall I... I can't." she shook her head, looking at the puppy with loving but sad eyes. "My parents will never let me bring a dog home, you know it."

"He can stay here." I just shrugged, pushing my hands in my pockets.

She chuckled and rolled her eyes, turning to me with an amused smile. "Ah, you bought yourself a puppy, then."

"No, it's your puppy." I explained after swallowing the lump in my throat. "And he's gonna need you 24/7. And... and I need you 24/7, too."

She frowned and slowly got up, walking to her, the dog still in her arms. "Niall, what are you saying?"

I breathed in and swallowed again, taking a few steps closer to her very slowly. I had no idea why it stressed me so much. Perhaps I was scared that she'd think it's too soon, or that it was a stupid idea, but deep down, I really wanted her to accept.

"Devie, I'm ready to spend forever with you." I confessed in a gentle tone, taking my hands out of my pocket to grab one of hers. I opened her palm and placed a key inside before sighing. "It would be an honor for me if you moved in here, with me. What's mine is yours, and all that."

"That... That would mean we'd go to bed together all the time, and wake up together all the time. And I could watch you get ready for work in the morning, and we'd take showers together, and cuddle in front of the tv, and make food together... Every single day?"

"No." I shook my head with a chuckle. "Sometimes I'd bring take out or we'd order."

She chuckled and rolled her eyes, putting the dog down before he just ran away, making her laugh. She brought her attention back to me and I raised my eyebrows. "So? Is that a yes?"

She got on her tiptoes as her lips curled and slid her arms around my neck, pulling me gently closer. "Yes. It's a yes." she whispered, making me sigh of relief. "Did you doubt it?"

I chuckled nervously and kissed her lips. "Was just nervous." I admitted, raising my nose up. "How are you gonna name your puppy? Something original!"

"No idea yet, but you're right, we need an original name for our main dog."

I laughed and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her closer. "Thank you, Niall." she whispered, licking her lips. The way she looked at me all lovingly made my heart jump in my chest. There was something about the way her body fitted perfectly with mine that I couldn't stop thinking about.

"What for?"

"For being you. For seeing me. For loving me."

"Easiest thing I ever did, petal." I admitted in a murmur. "I love you."

"I love you more."

[crocodilenialledfics]

You’re all I need (the air I breathe)

eight - in which Stella is more than the rebound 

join the taglist

love-at-first-sight, falling-too-fast, uni au that will make your heart ache (in a good way)

catch up here

Stella thought that a weekend away from Niall would have calmed her down. Instead, all of her feelings rushed back in earnest, watching him sit down at the dining hall across from her. 

“Hey,” he said, a smile on his face. “You’re eating alone?

“No louis and Veda are...” she trailed off, looking over her shoulder. “They’re getting their food.” 

“How was your weekend home?” Niall asked, shrugging his book bag off of his shoulders. 

“Uh it was good,” she chuckled, rubbing her forehead. 

Aside from the part where they got so high, Stella could have sworn she talked to god. And the throwing up part. And the waking up with the pounding headache, confusion, and immediate regret. 

“That’s good,” Niall chuckled  “you got high didn’t you.”

“Very,” Stella nodded, poking at the pasta on her plate. “Regretfully high. Maybe even devastatingly high.”

“Celebrated 19 the right way,” Niall mused. 

Louis and Veda joined them just a few minutes later. Veda was grumbling about the food they were served and Louis was doing his very best to ignore her. 

“How’s come we pay all this money and we can’t even get a decent meal,” Veda grumbled. 

If Stella and her were alone, she’d press her until she said what was actually the matter. They weren’t, though, so she just watched her disgruntled behavior wordlessly hoping that no one would mention it. 

No one did. Louis exchanged glances with Stella. Niall was oblivious, eating his food as if nothing was wrong. Stella wondered how he couldn’t tell, the way Veda was angrily eating her green beans. Or the way she scowled at him. Oblivious.  

Stella wished she could be oblivious for a day. Instead she was hyper aware of every little thing. Every slight change of voice, eyebrow crinkle. She could notice it all. 

And then Stella wondered if Niall could tell she was a bit off kilter since she’d gotten back from Doncaster. Niall did notice, though as they did homework later that night. 

“Are ya alright?” Niall asked, a lilt to his voice that made Stella want to forget all of the weird feelings she was having. 

“Yeah...” Stella trailed off, propping her knees up on the table. “Just tired, I think.”

“Okay,” Niall answered slowly. “You’d tell me if something happened at home, wouldn’t you?” 

Stella’s instinct was to reassure him, so she did, sitting up. “Nothing happened at home,” she’d said, twirling her pen between her fingers in a way that would surely give her away. 

“Are you sure because...” he trailed off. “It feels like you’re upset with me or something” 

“I’m not upset with you,” Stella assured him, dropping her pen into her lap. She rubbed her forehead, sighing. “I just don’t know, Niall.”

“You don’t know what?” Niall asked, eyebrows furrowing as he looked at her. 

“I just don’t know how you can get out of a three year relationship and already start kissing the first uni girl you see,” Stella rushed out, looking up at him. 

“What do you mean?” Niall asked, eyebrows furrowing even more as he thought about what she’d just said. 

“Isn’t there like a grieving process? Sadness or something,” she emphasized. 

“There is,” Niall nodded. “There is a grieving process when you’ve lost something, but Stella,” he chuckled. “I didn’t lose anything.” 

“You just feel absolutely nothing for Nadia?” Stella asked, eyebrows raising. 

“I mean...” he trailed off, shrugging. “No I don’t feel anything. D-do you want me to feel something for her?”

“I mean no,” Stella shook her head. “But what does that say about you? How quickly you moved on.”

“I don’t know,” Niall shook his head. “I don’t care what it says about me either. Do you?” 

“I don’t know,” Stella shrugged. 

Niall ran his fingers through his hair, letting out a sigh, “Stella, don’t tell me you think you’re a rebound.”

“I don’t think that,” Stella argued petulantly. She sighed. “Maybe a little.” 

“Rebounds are for people that don’t know who the fuck they are or what they want,” Niall answered her, shaking his head. “Is it so hard to believe that I actually really like you?”

Stella didn’t answer him. Instead she kept her eyes glued on the book in her lap. A page from Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. She’d reread it ten times and still couldn’t think about anything but the nagging feeling she had in her belly. 

After a moment, Niall asked, “do you need reassurance?” 

It was painful to ask for that, Stella thought, drawing her eyes up at him. She felt like she could cry. She really was tired, exhausted after the weekend she had, exhausted after spending that whole weekend thinking about Niall. She wished he was there with her, getting high with Louis and her, talking to her mother, meeting Ludo’s date. All of it she wished so desperately that he’d been there. 

“Stella,” Niall murmured hand smoothing over her sweatpant clad thigh. “Y’know you actually have to talk to me.” 

“I don’t know,” Stella finally mumbled, shaking her head. 

“Is there anything you do know?” Niall asked, voice soft enough to make the knot in her throat slip away. 

“I wish you came to Doncaster with us,” Stella murmured, winding her fingers into her t-shirt. 

“I wish that too,” he admitted. “But there will be other opportunities.” 

“Will there?” Stella urged, lifting her head to look at him. 

“Yes,” Niall emphasized with a laugh. He pulled her jittery fingers from her shirt, sliding them into his. “Do you think something bad is gonna happen?” 

“Maybe,” Stella mumbled, unable to find the same humor he’d found. 

“Nothing bad will happen as long as I can help it,” Niall told her, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. “And sitting here worrying about it is wasting precious time.” 

Stella gave him a look like it wasn’t the right thing to say. Niall rolled his eyes at her, sighing, “Stella, you have to read 200 pages by the morning. I’d say that’s precious time being wasted.” 

“I don’t want to read this anymore,” Stella said, closing the book. 

“Well what do you want to do?” Niall asked, eyeing her skeptically.

“I don’t know,” Stella answered, sounding frustrated. 

“Look at me, would ya?” Niall asked, frustrated right back. 

“Why?” She mumbled, eyes now glued on the cover of the book. 

“I said look at me,” he repeated sternly, in a voice that made Stella look at him. Eyes wide and sorrowful in a way that only confusion could manage to do. “You have to cut this out.” 

Stella gave him another look because that wasn’t the right thing to say either. Niall rolled his eyes at her, tilting her chin up, “I mean it. Cut it out. I didn’t do anything,” he urged, searching her eyes. “Everything you’re upset about is in your head. It’s not real.” 

Stella wanted to argue that it was real, except for the first time since she’d seen Niall, she wanted to kiss him. Like really kiss him, the way he did on her birthday with tongue and teeth and hands that wandered. 

“Say okay,” Niall commanded when she didn’t respond. 

“Okay,” Stella said, eyelashes fluttering. “Are you going to kiss me?” 

“If you want me to,” he answered, his hand sliding from her chin to the curve of her jaw until his fingers pressed against the hollow of her neck.

“I do,” Stella managed to get out. 

Niall leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to her lips. It was a moment of relief all over again. Stella’s eyes fell shut and she let out a sigh against his lips. The lingering kiss morphed into one of desperation as Niall pulled her closer. 

The angle was awkward, a strain on her neck. Stella did the only thing she could think of. She all but pushed herself onto him, fingers curling into his t-shirt. At some point the motion set them off balance and the kiss ended just as Niall gripped her hips to save from falling off the futon. 

“Easy,” Niall murmured, lips spreading into a smile. 

Stella felt herself begin to smile as she straddled him properly. And that was the Stella he loved to see, shining eyes and flushed cheeks, “there she is,” Niall murmured, pushing his fingers through her hair. “Stel, I missed your smile. I haven’t seen it in days.” 

It felt like she hadn’t smiled in days either, but there she was, cheeks beginning to ache. Niall’s hands slid over her bum, pulling her closer, impossibly so. He kissed her again, far too innocent for someone that had a hold of her so tightly. Niall had a way of getting Stella to take the lead. He’d give her the very least until she had no choice but to kiss him fervently, fingers tugging at his hair until he groaned against her lips. 

Stella found herself to be a little too good at taking control of him. The desire pooled in her belly as they kissed until the ache between her legs became too much and she had to pull away, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand, “easy,” she said as if this whole thing wasn’t her doing. 

“I’m trying,” Niall breathed, fingers sliding under her shirt to press against her back. “Unfair when you pull my hair. I think you do it on purpose.” 

Stella gave him a smile, her best innocent smile. Who would believe that of Stella? Probably only Niall. He was eager to keep that secret for her, though. 

taglist: @niallsguitarsthings​ @exoticniall​ @jadore-lamer​ @nannav47​ @coconutdawn​ @stayclose-holdsteady​ @my0nly-remedy​

click here to be added to the taglist!

[niallismymuse]

Chapter 8

By the time Sadie had found the will to get up from the watery sidewalk and go home, the sky was black. She was freezing, teeth chattering as she took step by wretched step back towards her dorm room. Her thighs were chafing because of her sodden jeans, but that was the least of her problems.

It was warmer inside thankfully. She was leaving puddles all over the floor. Sadie didn’t care. She took off her wet clothes and left them on the bathroom floor, somehow having the mental fortitude to dry herself off. After pulling on a thick pair of gray sweat pants and a nondescript t-shirt, she collapsed in bed and pulled her blanket over herself completely.

Lighting struck, and thunder crashed, briefly illuminating her dorm room. She could see it through the material of the blanket, though it darkened too quickly for her to register anything. Sadie laid there, breathing, letting her body warm up enough until she wasn’t shaking anymore. Well, until she wasn’t shaking of cold – there was a different sort of tremble wrecking her bones.

Sadie thought briefly about pushing her head clear of the blanket, so she wouldn’t suffocate from lack of oxygen or pass out from heat stroke. Her breath was making the air around her face too hot and damp. Finally, she pushed her head clear, relishing in the quick coolness washing over her head.

I should have stayed under the blanket.

She almost called Becca, to tell her younger sister that she had fucked up and ruined everything, to tell her that she was a fucking monster incapable of having a relationship, that she was worth nothing. But that would have required talking, so Sadie slept instead.

She didn’t wake up for her class the next day, which normally would have freaked her out, but Sadie couldn’t bring herself to care about that either. When she woke up, the only thing that flashed into her mind was the total devastation on Niall’s face: he had laid himself bare, and she had ripped him apart.

Now, it seemed, she could at least think the l-word. I love you, I love you, I love you Niall, I’m so sorry, I love you I love you love you love you love love love.

After rousing herself enough to check her somehow perfectly fine cell phone, Sadie found it empty of notifications. Not that she had been expecting anything, but she was so used to seeing at least one message from Niall. Her heart sunk even further down than her stomach, resting somewhere near her toes.

Sadie called Becca, not caring what time it was or even what day; her sister probably had class. But, to Becca’s credit, she answered.

“Sadie, what’s up?” she greeted, voice light and calm, like it wasn’t strange at all that Sadie was calling at 10:02 AM on a Friday. Sadie normally had class right about now herself, which Becca was aware of – she had sent Becca her schedule for the semester when it was finalized – and at any rate, she normally called in the evenings.

Sadie tried to speak and found that she couldn’t. She cleared her throat, felt the rawness and the ache that came with it, and tried again. “I fucked up.”

A beat of pure silence. Then, “what happened? You sound awful. Do you have a cold?”

Most likely. She had sat out in the cold rain for hours last night, like the dumbass she was. But she had deserved it. She deserved the cold she was inevitably going to get too. “I…Becca, he told me he was in love with me, and I…”

Sadie couldn’t finish her sentence, because all of a sudden, a loud banging sounded from the door. Hope flared in her chest. Niall. It had to be. He was literally the only person who ever came to her dorm, besides her RA, and she never pounded on the door like that. Niall would have every right to.

“Come in,” Sadie croaked out, about 95% sure she had forgotten to lock her door last night. The door opened, and in stalked Nellie, looking righteously angry and simultaneously disappointed. The hope in Sadie’s chest exploded into sadness and the tiniest amount of fear.

“Sadie Fraiser.” Nellie’s voice was hard and loud; she could have been a commanding general about to humiliate a squadron. “What in the hell did you do?”

“Sadie,” Becca whispered, undoubtedly hearing the unrelenting authority in Nellie’s tone, “what did you do?”

Sadie put Becca on speaker and opened her mouth. However, Nellie beat her to it. “Actually, you don’t need to tell me what you did. I am already completely aware of the fact that you just shattered Niall Horan’s heart into a million little tiny pieces. You know how I know that? Because Niall went over to Louis’ last night and cried. And Louis told me this morning. So here we are.” She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot, clearly waiting for some sort of explanation.

“I…” Sadie couldn’t imagine Niall crying. The closest he had ever gotten to it was the time he was drunk and sleeping over on her floor, and he had told her about his mom. That had been way before they had ever started dating.

She, on the other hand, didn’t cry regularly, but often.

And she was about to do so now.

When Nellie saw the tears brim in her eyes, she softened, clucking her tongue and sitting on the edge of her bed, brushing a hand over her back. “You poor little broken thing.”

Sadie could only agree, tears finally shedding as she began to cry.

After sobbing uncontrollably for around twenty minutes, Sadie got it together enough to speak. She took in a shuddering breath and nearly choked on it. “Okay. I think…I think I’m done.”

Nellie clucked her tongue again and stroked the hair back from her face, completely her transformation from angry general to mother hen. “Oh, love.”

Sadie grimaced and glanced down at her cell phone. “Becca, are you still there?” She had completely forgotten that her younger sister was on the line, and hence did not expect her to still be listening. She was, after all, in class.

“Yes,” came her cheerful response. Sadie blinked.

“But you’re supposed to be in school.” She had a terrifying thought: Becca sitting in class, listening as Sadie cried over the phone, all of her classmates listening too. Some of those bastards had made her cry themselves.

“Well, while you were crying, I went back to my teacher from the bathroom and told her I was having a family emergency. And then I left.”

Sadie huffed, wiping at her eyes. “My emotional breakdown isn’t a reason for you to leave class, Becca.”

“Well, I do have a project due tomorrow, so this will give me time to work on it.” Sadie laughed against her better judgement, and then realized that had been Becca’s goal all along. “Now, what exactly happened? I’m still not connecting the dots here.”

“Well…” There was a hollow, aching sensation in her chest. “Niall told me he was in love with me, and I left…without saying I loved him back…I just left him sitting there…”

Nellie was gazing at her seriously. “But you do love him. Don’t you?”

“Yes.” Sadie whispered.

Becca cut in this time. “So why didn’t you tell him? Why did you leave?” There was no judgement in her voice, but Sadie felt it anyway, felt herself compress as a result.

Nellie lifted an eyebrow, as if to say, my questions exactly.

“I can’t do this if you two are going to be rude about it,” Sadie snapped, wrapping her arms around herself. “I couldn’t tell him because he could still leave me. And if he left me after I admitted I loved him out loud, I would…” her voice cracked, and her eyes watered up again. She had thought she had cried all of her tears out. But she found the strength to finish her sentence: “It would kill me. He was the best thing in my life here.”

“Is,” Nellie corrected gently, “he still is. You can fix this.”

Sadie shook her head. “I can’t. He knows how mentally fucked up I am now. He won’t take me back.”

“So, let me get this straight,” Becca spoke, her voice made of pure steel, “you couldn’t tell Niall you loved him because you were afraid he would eventually leave you.”

Sadie swallowed harshly. “Well, when you put it like that…”

“It’s stupid.” Becca finished for her. “Completely idiotic. He loves you, Sadie. You are a wonderful woman, and he knows that. I can’t say that you two won’t ever break up, because I can’t tell the future, but even then, having him now is worth it. And you might have him for the rest of your life.” Her voice softened. “Don’t self-destruct like this, Sadie…you are not a worthless person. You deserve love and happiness. Quit telling yourself you don’t and quit running from things that might not ever happen.”

Nellie looked at the phone with newfound respect in her eyes. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.” She pushed the fading purple bangs out of her face, frowning slightly. “You can still fix this. Niall’s a mess right now, but if you go and plead your case and throw yourself on the floor in front of him, declaring your love for him, he won’t tell you to leave.”

Sadie looked down at the bed. “I would tell me to leave if I were him.”

“Yeah, well he’s not you, and he’s put up with your bullshit before, so he’ll probably do it again,” Nellie snipped, and Sadie winced. Nellie took a deep breath and blew it out harshly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. You have your problems, yes, but you’re working through them. And you need to try. Don’t let him go.”

Don’t let him go.

Sadie nodded her head slowly, repeating the words in her mind. “Okay. You guys are right. Okay.” She stood up on wobbly feet and walked into the bathroom. She was a wreck – hair messy and knotted, eyes bright red and swollen. She started to run a brush through her tangled mane, cringing at the pain of pulling out the knots. But it focused her. “I can do this. I can fix this.”

“Hell yeah you can,” said Becca from the phone on the bed, voice echoing.

Nellie tossed a fond look towards the phone, then at Sadie. “You’re a mess, kid. But you can fix this. He loves you. Tell him you feel the same.”

Sadie took a deep breath and nodded. She roughly yanked her hair up and herded it into a bun, thought about changing her clothes, decided against it. Sweatpants and a t-shirt were going to have to work. She had never presented herself any differently for him, and that wasn’t about to change now.

“Go get your man.” Nellie firmly stated, and Becca cheered “Yeah!” loudly through the phone, making it crackle.

“Yeah,” Sadie nodded in agreement, grabbed her bag, and whirled out of the room, leaving Nellie and Becca behind to wait.

She stood outside of Niall’s dorm room for fifteen minutes, loitering and shifting her weight from foot to foot. Every now and then, she raised her hand to knock, then let it drop. She knew Niall was inside – she heard someone moving around in there, and he lived alone like she did, so it could really only be him.

Sadie just couldn’t bring herself to knock.

It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since she had shattered his heart. Since she’d seen that utter despair ring clear on his face. How could she waltz right back in and demand forgiveness, claim that it wasn’t him but her, that she actually did love him? Would he even believe her? Sadie wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t.

Her courage was starting to fail her. If she didn’t do it now, she never would. She would leave and suffer with the consequences.

Taking a deep breath, Sadie knocked hard on the door, letting her fist fall back to her side after three sharp hits.

She heard shuffling on the other side of the door. Then, heavy footsteps approaching. Finally, the lock clicked, and the door opened, and Niall stood there. He looked at her, frowning, and blatantly not surprised.

“I don’t want to see you,” he said hoarsely, and he looked like shit as he said it. His glasses weren’t even on, giving Sadie a clear view of the redness in his eyes, the bags purpling the skin beneath. It had hardly been a day, but Niall looked like he had barely survived the plague. That’s what she had done to him.

“I know,” she answered, voice thick. Sadie felt like crying already. Niall didn’t deserve the mess that she was. He deserved someone better, someone stronger and more in control of herself and her emotions. “I know, but…I want…no, I need to see you.”

Niall leaned against the doorway, looking inclined to stay there and hash this out in the hallway. She cringed – that’s how upset he was with her. Upset enough that he didn’t invite her in to hide this from his nosy dorm hall friends. That’s how badly she had fucked up.

But he stayed. That had to count for something. He stayed and watched her warily, clearly waiting for her to speak.

So, she spoke. “Yesterday, that…that was…not you,” she whispered, hating herself even more strongly as his eyes shuttered. That blue she loved was cloudy, that smile not even close to breaking out. “That was me. That was me, and how incredibly, incredibly fucked up I am. I…I shouldn’t have left.”

Niall stared down at her, boring into her with those depthless eyes. “No, you shouldn’t have.”

Something inside of her shrunk. “I shouldn’t have,” she echoed hollowly, twisting her hands together. Her guts were twisting right with her hands.

He merely lifted a brow at her. This wasn’t the Niall she had come to know and love – this was the Niall that only emerged when every good thing had been sucked out of him. They didn’t coexist in the same space; one came out, and one disappeared.

Sadie took a deep breath. This – whatever this was, it was slipping through her hands like grains of sand. “I love you, Niall Horan,” she finally admitted, and something inside of her chest seemed to lighten and disappear with the words. “Not only do I love you, but I am in love with you. And…and I will always be choosing you over everyone else, because I am in love with you and you are my home.” The words released even more of the tension in her chest, until her shoulders were loose, and she felt lighter than air by speaking them.

“And I get it, if you would rather slam your door shut in my face, because it’s what I would do to me if I were you. But I can’t let you think that…that I don’t love you. Because I do. I love you so much that the thought of not having you in my life takes my breath away. I panicked, and I ran, and that was so fucked up of me, and I know that. But I love you. I love you.”

Niall didn’t say anything for a long time, and Sadie wondered distantly if this is what it had felt like when he had been waiting for her to respond to his declaration of love yesterday. She eventually couldn’t look at him any longer, so she dropped her gaze and stared at the floor. And waited.

She felt his fingers, the touch of them gentle, brush against her chin, then tilt it upward. Sadie let him. She looked at him, and his eyes were simmering with anger. “You shaved about ten years off of my life,” he murmured, and she cringed, “but I love you. You know that?” At her nod, Niall continued. “I love you because of your flaws, not in spite of them. And, yesterday…that was one of them shining through, and one I think we’ll have to work on.”

“Yes,” Sadie agreed, scarcely breathing out of the fear that she would accidentally turn him away or make him leave, “I have this…this fear that…one day you’ll finally realize that you deserve someone better than me. And you’ll leave me because of it. I’ll have opened up and let myself love and trust, and it’ll all have been for nothing.”

“That’s going to have to go,” he muttered, and she laughed humorlessly. “Sadie, I’m not going to dump you and run off with some other woman. I love you. I would never have told you that if…if I wasn’t in this for the long run.”

Sadie’s heart beat started to pick up in her chest. She looked up at him, felt her eyes burn with tears that were so far unshed. “Really?”

That anger that had been resting in Niall’s eyes finally vanished. “Really. I’ve never told another woman that I’ve loved her. You’re my first.”

“Oh,” Sadie croaked out, even though it made sense, because he had told her before that his previous relationships had never been that serious.

“Yeah, and to be honest, it could have gone better.”

She swatted at him on instinct. He laughed, which made her smile. Then he leaned down, cupping her chin now, and kissed her. She kissed him back, not very effectively, because she was smiling too hard to focus.

It just made Niall laugh even more, and Sadie knew – he was back. And he was hers.

“I’m picking you up at six tonight, remember?” Niall leaned down to peck her lips. “Make sure you wear something nice – I mean, you always look nice, even in sweatpants, but try to look better – I mean, not better, just…” Seeing the laughter in her eyes, he stopped. “Don’t laugh at me,” he pouted.

“You’re just so funny when you ramble and dig yourself deeper in the hole,” Sadie replied, smirking at him. He rolled his eyes and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, as if he couldn’t help himself. Niall waved, and then strode briskly in the way they had just come, heading for his own class. She often suggested that she could ‘drop him off’ first, but he never agreed, the stubborn idiot.

She headed into her last class of the day, though she knew she wouldn’t be able to focus. Ever since she had stood outside of Niall’s dorm room and proclaimed her love for him, they had both been taking things slowly. Slower than usual; those two quick pecks were normally what Niall chose to do to express his affection, to express his love, as if he was afraid he’d scare her off by doing anything different.

Sadie missed the longer kisses, but this part of their relationship, this ‘I love you’ part, was so newthat she just dealt with it. They would work their way back up.

And maybe tonight was the first step in working their way up. Niall had asked her on a date yesterday – a date, something they had never done before. Normally, they just spent time together in each other’s rooms, or at the Holy Bagel. They had never gone on a date before, much less anything that required fancy dressing. Which was why Sadie was a bit panicked.

She had one dress, and it would have to work. It was a wine-red halter-style dress that clung to her shape, ending below her knees. She had bought it on a whim while out shopping with Nellie, who had smirked and commented, “I think Niall would spontaneously combust if he saw you in that.” Sadie, blushing, had bought it for that specific reason, and then stuck it into the back of her closet, waiting for an opportunity to wear it. It wasn’t like she could have just put it on and wait for him to show up at her room; okay, she totally could have done that, but it would have been awkward to show him the dress in that manner.

After class, Sadie hustled back to her dorm room and shut the door, checking the time. It was three; she had three hours. That was enough time for an hour nap to energize herself and then makeup and hair.

So, Sadie did just that. She napped, somehow calming her mind enough to sleep, and then she woke up and glanced at her disheveled reflection in the mirror. Time to beautify that.

She hadn’t touched her makeup in a long time – she had done Becca’s for Christmas, using red and green themed items, but beyond that, she just hadn’t…felt like it. Sadie hadn’t felt like painting herself up, or anyone else, though Nellie had once begged for a makeover.

Now, though, she stayed simple: neutral eyeshadow, black eyeliner, and bright red lips, her signature. If she thought hard enough, she could remember back to that party, the first time things had gone terribly wrong; the red had given her confidence, and Nellie had told her she looked great in it.

So red it was.

Sadie often pulled her hair up, so she decided to leave it down for once. She finger-combed it, twisted a few curls, and voila, she was done.

Sadie checked her phone. 5:47.

She strode to her closet and pulled out the dress, laying it carefully on her bed after unzipping it. She stripped and then pulled it on, yanking the fabric down before it bunched up around her hips. Sadie tried, and failed, to zip it completely up, and, sighing, knew she would have to ask Niall to help her finish it.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at herself in the mirror. And was stunned.

She…Sadie was beautiful.

The dress fit her just right. It accentuated her curves, every dip and sweep of them. It left her shoulders bare, and while she normally hated exposing her arms, it just worked. She felt, for the first time in a long while, happy with how she looked in a dress. It had been a good look in the store, but now it was perfect.

Right on cue, a knock sounded from her door.

A bit breathless, Sadie quickly strode over and pulled it open. Niall stood on the other side, a bouquet of flowers in his hands. His lips parted, and his eyes slowly swept down her body, from her face down, then back up. Flames engulfed her entire body at his stare. She swallowed nervously, shifting on her feet as the silence stretched on.

When his eyes finally made it back to hers, he grinned, still looking a little dazed. “I…wow, Sadie. You are gorgeous.”

Huffing out a breath, Sadie took the offered bouquet and stepped back into her room, Niall following. She tried not to act like her heart hadn’t just melted, snipping, “Oh, I know,” that was only half-fake before setting the flowers on her desk. She filled a coffee mug with water and set the bouquet inside of it. She didn’t own a vase, so the mug would have to work. The only ever bouquet she had been given before had been edible, so she hadn’t needed a vase.

“Do you want me to zip up your dress the rest of the way?”

His question made her pause. She had forgotten about that stupid zipper. Sadie looked over her shoulder at him, biting her lip. “Yes, please.”

Niall stepped up behind her, and Sadie stilled as she felt the warmth of his hand on her back. She gathered her hair on the other side of her shoulder, making sure it wouldn’t tangle with the zipper. It also gave Niall access to her neck, something he definitely noticed, because his thumb brushed the base of her neck immediately, despite the fact that the zipper was a few inches below. She sucked in a breath, held it.

Pulling the zipper up completely only took a second, but Niall’s fingers lingered, and then she felt his lips press against the base of her neck, his hands coming up to cup her shoulders. “There. Absolutely perfect now.”

Sadie spun in his arms, thankful she hadn’t put her heels on yet. “You…you are too much,” she breathed out, entire face hot. Niall smirked and pecked her nose in response.

He stepped out of the circle of her arms and fiddled with the flowers he had gotten her, arranging them properly. It gave Sadie the chance to study him – he was dressed in pressed black pants with a long-sleeve, button up, baby-blue shirt that matched his eyes. If she hadn’t already been breathless, he would have stolen the air right out of her lungs.

As if feeling her gaze on him, Niall turned and smiled softly. Sadie was a goner for him. “Are you ready to go?” he asked unhurriedly, still smiling.

“Yes,” she smiled back, reaching out to take his hand. He gripped hers and helped her to her shoes, pausing while she slipped them on and grabbed her purse, then Niall led her out of the dorm. He guided her towards the dormitory parking lot, and Sadie suddenly realized she didn’t know how they were going to get to dinner. “Niall, where are we going? And how?”

He winked at her. “I’m not telling you the first one. But I borrowed Louis’ car for the night.”

Sadie lifted a brow, then raised it further as Niall gestured to the sleek, electric blue BMW waiting for them. To confirm that it was their ride, he dangled the keys and then hit the unlock button. The corresponding chirp made her laugh. “God, he’s loaded.”

Niall chuckled quietly and opened the door for her, letting her settle in before closing it. He hopped in the other side and grinned. “And off we go, madam.”

They drove for twenty minutes before pulling up in front of an upscale restaurant, upscale enough that a valet waited for Niall and her to exit. Sadie’s eyes widened as she got out, Niall quickly coming over to her side and taking her arm. They walked together up to the front doors, which he opened for her. Inside was all crystal and glass, sparkling light shining everywhere she looked.

“This is…a lot,” Sadie murmured softly, trying her best not to feel intimidated. But as they approached the hostess, she couldn’t help but feel judged. She did not belong here.

The hostess smiled and asked for the name the reservation was under, Niall replying, “Horan.” She remained chipper as she led the couple to their table in a large dining area, smack dab in the middle. Niall pulled her chair out for her and scooted her in before claiming the opposite side. The hostess deposited two menus and swept away gracefully.

Sadie carefully, ever so carefully, lifted her menu. It was heavier than she expected, and it fell open with a thunk that had her wincing. “This is quite the place,” she said, looking at Niall across the table. She thought maybe Niall was just as uncomfortable as her, judging from the stiff way he held his body up straight.

“It is,” he agreed, eyeing the heavy-looking silverware set out.

Sadie looked down at the menu in front of her and her mouth dropped open. “And expensive,” she ground out. How in the hell would they afford this?!

Niall nodded once. “Yeah, I was prepared for that.” His voice was quiet suddenly, and Sadie gazed across the table at him.

“This…isn’t us,” she finally said after a long minute.

Niall shook his head. “I wanted…to take you somewhere special, somewhere nice, so I could treat you like the queen that you are.”

Her face softened, and she had to press her lips together to stop from screaming about how cutethat had been. “Oh, Ni…everything we do together is special for me. You don’t…you don’t have to take me some fancy place, pay too much money for too little food. I love what we do together, laying in our rooms or at the Holy Bagel. This isn’t us,” she repeated, saw that spark begin to glimmer in his eyes again.

Their waitress appeared, smiling brightly. “Good evening, my name is Michaela. What can I get you two to drink?”

Niall looked at her, nodded to himself. “Actually, Michaela, we were just leaving.” Standing, he offered his hand to her, ignoring the raised eyebrow and pursed lips of the waitress. Grinning, Sadie took his hand and rose up, grabbing her purse. Together, they strode out the way they had come in just two minutes earlier, and they both pushed the doors open.

The valet, probably having just dropped off their car, merely held his hand out for their ticket. Niall handed it over, still gripping her hand, giving it a squeeze. The valet disappeared, coming back with their car – Louis’ car – only minutes later. Niall let her in again, their actions repeating, and then he drove towards the road that had brought them here.

“Where to?”

“Let’s just find somewhere more our speed.” Sadie suggested, smiling over at him. Her heart was racing in her chest. “I can’t believe we just left that place,” she added after Niall got onto the main road, grinning once more.

Niall burst out laughing. “Did you see our waitresses’ face?” he crowed, laughing hard enough that tears watered up in his eyes. He brushed at them under his glasses, and she squealed out a quick “eyes on the road!”, making him laugh harder.

“Yes, I did see her face,” Sadie giggled quietly, lifting a hand to cover her mouth. “She looked personally offended. I bet they’re going to put us on some sort of ‘do not let enter’ list.”

They laughed together and just drove, Niall choosing the directions, until they found a little diner tucked off of the road that looked exactlylike what they wanted. Niall parked and they both got out. “We are totally overdressed,” she muttered, smiling at Niall’s chuckle. For some reason, she wasn’t embarrassed at the thought.

They walked inside, and Niall pointed at the sign that instructed them to choose their own seating. Sadie chose a booth near their windows, giving them a view of the road and the trees surrounding it. Their menus were placed next to the wall, held by a metal bracket. A far cry from their original dining place.

This was perfect. Even though they were overdressed, it was perfect, and it was  them.

The older woman who came to take their drink orders either didn’t notice or didn’t care that they were both in their finery, even though every time Sadie looked at Niall sitting in the cracked, red upholstery in his button-up, she had to fight the urge to laugh. There was a no-nonsense look on her face, thin lips pressed into an even thinner line, so she bit her lip and asked for a water. Niall ordered a coffee, and the waitress briskly moved to the next table. She hadn’t even given them her name.

Sadie looked at Niall, and this time she started laughing uproariously, Niall joining her, even as the rest of the customers in the diner looked and stared. She couldn’t help it; this whole scenario was so different from where she and Niall had just come from, how could she not laugh?

The waitress, a few tables down, merely rolled her eyes and muttered something about college kids.

Niall and Sadie laughed even more as they ate, edging towards the line of hysteria. They never crossed it, instead calming down a bit before starting up again. “You look so ridiculous and over-the-top,” Niall snickered as he took a bite of his waffle, pausing just enough to chew before continuing to laugh. They had both decided on breakfast for dinner – Niall ordered a waffle with sausage, and Sadie ordered a chocolate chip pancake with cheesy, greasy, hash browns. Everything was delicious. She was considering living here.

“Whatever, Mr. Button Down,” she snapped back, pointing her fork aggressively across the table at him.

Niall snorted and batted her fork down with his own. “That was lame.”

“You’re lame.”

Obviously, eating the food was more of a priority to Sadie than snark was.

They finished their dinners in companionable silence, holding hands. It was this – this sense of comradery, the contentment, that Sadie loved. Even when they were bickering, they were enjoying themselves. He was her everything, and it was insane to contemplate that there had been a time where she hadn’t liked him, where he hadn’t been hers.

In the space of a moment, everything settled for good inside of her. There would be no running from this, no turning back. She looked across the table at Niall. “I love you.”

He smiled widely enough that his eyes crinkled, and it made her smile grow bigger in return.

The waitress chose that moment to drop off the check, definitely dampening the moment but not ruining it for good. “I’m paying half,” Sadie warned, already reaching for her wallet, and Niall shook his head.

“Absolutely not. I’ve got this. It’s not expensive, like, at all. Besides, I make good tips at the Big O because I’m such an attractive donut salesman.”

Sadie reached across and smeared her thumb across the lens of his glasses, ignoring his squawk of outrage as she sat back down. She was trying not to smirk – that had been something she had wanted to do since day one. “You’re a loser. I bet you’re a terrible donut salesman.”

Niall glared at her, squinting as he took his glasses off and cleaned them with his shirt. “You can cover tip.”

After glancing at the bill, Sadie pulled out the appropriate amount of money (plus some; she recognized that she and Niall had been annoying) and laid it on the center of the table. Right as Niall set down his bills, exact change, the sky opened up.

Lightning cracked, and thunder boomed, lighting up the dark night sky. The rain struck the metal roof almost rhythmically before increasing in speed and force, until there was nothing but the constant beat of water striking aluminum.

“Well. It’s raining cats and dogs out there.” Niall stated, turning to look out the window. “You want to stay and see if it slows?”

Sadie shook her head. Glancing outside, she couldn’t even see the moon, so the storm was probably large enough for it to take a while to pass. “Want to make a run for it?”

Niall smiled crookedly. “Sure.”

Sadie slipped her heels off and stuck them haphazardly in her purse, standing up and heading towards the door, trying not to think about the floor she was stepping on barefoot. “Is the car unlocked?”

Headlights flashed in the parking lot. “It is now.”

“Okay,” Sadie blew out a breath, clutching her purse tightly, “3, 2, 1…go!”

Niall, like the dumbass he was, stopped to hold the door open for her, and since the rain was coming in sideways, the entranceway of the diner became wet. She barreled past him, nearly slipping on the slick tile, but charged on into the storm, Niall following close behind. In a single second she was drenched, hurtling towards Louis’ car like a lion zeroing in on a gazelle. She only had one target – inside.

Sadie threw herself in the passenger’s side, panting and dripping. Niall was in a millisecond after her, soaked to the bone as well.

“You got…” she paused, trying to calm her breathing, “you got a little bit of water on you there.”

Niall laughed, shaking his head hard enough that water sprayed off of his hair, making her squeal. “Oh, stop, you’re already soaked, you drama queen,” he muttered as he turned the car on, giving her a playful eyeroll.

“Can you even see?” Sadie asked suddenly, genuinely fearing for her life. “Your glasses have water all over them. And you can’t see without them.” Niall frowned, eyes locked on the speckled lens.

“No,” he admitted, “trade with me?”

Sadie sighed and nodded. After turning the car off so they wouldn’t hit any buttons or accidentally step on the gas pedal and send the car careening into the forest, Niall ended up crawling into the backseat. She climbed into the driver’s seat and began adjusting the seat and mirrors. Once she was situated, he pulled himself into the passenger’s seat. “Your old seat is wet.” He told her disdainfully.

She flicked his shoulder.

Sadie turned the car back on and started the careful drive home. She could see Niall watching her out of the corner of her eyes, and finally asked, “what?” She didn’t dare take her hands off of the wheel due to the weather, but she was tempted to grab his hand. Just because she could.

Niall shook his head and glanced. “I’m wondering how we’re going to explain to Louis why his car is so wet.”

Sadie eyed him for a nanosecond, then focused on the road. “Easy. We tell him exactly what happened. Besides, he probably won’t even know. The seats are leather; they’ll dry by morning. What are you really thinking about?”

He was quiet for a few moments, but then he reached over and placed his hand on her knee, permeating her skin with his warmth. She nearly shot down on the accelerator. Niall, seeming to know her reaction by her stuttered breath, smirked. “I was thinking about how this was an incredible first date, and I would like to do it again sometime.”

Sadie pressed her lips together to hide what would be a too-wide smile. “So…I’m getting a second date out of this?”

Niall’s hand crept a little higher. She wondered what his goal here was, though the feel of his fingers on her skin…she was tempted to let him continue. “And a third, I hope. And many, many more.”

She grinned, felt those fingers brush her thigh, and then moved her hand briefly off of the wheel to hit the button that would make Niall’s window roll down. He shrieked and began to curse as the first touch of the cold wind and rain hit him, and laughter nearly made her swerve down the road. Sadie slowed down to a snail’s pace even as she rolled her own window down and stuck her hand out of it, letting the rain strike her skin.

Something like glee sent a thrill through her skin as Niall, seemingly over his hissy fit, copied her movements. That was joy on his face – he was soaked and cold, but there was pure joy in his smile at her. So, she smiled back, and that smile turned into a laugh as she continued to drive with her hand out the window, getting hit by the rain. It wasn’t safe exactly, but it felt like an adventure.

And Sadie knew there would be many adventures to come, hundreds if she bothered to count them. She would go on them all without hesitation, so long as he was going with her.

It was funny how mere months ago she had dreaded his company, and now she yearned for him constantly, even when he was right next to her. Funny how, despite both of their mistakes, they were still here, like it was meant to be.

Sadie liked that thought: that they were meant to be.

Because at the end of the day, there was no one else she would rather have beside her than Niall Horan, glasses needing to be pushed up and mega-watt smile in place.

The end.

[liberty-barnes]

Switching Things Up

Louis Tomlinson x Female!Reader 

University AU / Non-Famous AU

Summary: Five times Louis almost asked you out and the one time you asked him.

Warnings: cursing, fluffffff, bit of angst, misunderstandings, and Louis pining.

Word Count: 5k words

ERT: 20 minutes

A/N: i'm so in love with Louis it's not even funny anymore. also, it's finally out!!!!!!!

Inspired by: "Kiss You" "18" "Infinity" by One Direction, that one scene in the This Is Us movie. 

Masterlist | Taglist

Louis's First

It was just another usual day for Louis. Wake up at six o'clock, drink his tea, go to class, pick up the girls from school, have lunch all together, and start his shift at Toys 'R' Us.

He genuinely liked working there. He loved kids, it was fun to be surrounded by toys, and they were quite respectful of his uni hours, so overall, it was quite a nice gig.

He was working on the floor today, greeting costumers, seeing if they need help with anything, trying to keep the shelves tidy. It was quite a slow day so since he was done with all his homework he took some time to play with the toys a bit. 

"Okay, they've got to be here somewhere. Don't worry, we'll find you one just like it."

He lifted his head from where it was bowed over one of the pianos in the lower shelves, giving up on trying to get it to be straight and cracking his knuckles a bit.

The woman sounded pretty young and her voice was very nice so he started playing a random tune on the piano that was a bit more level with him (and sounded better too), just waiting for her to round the corner and spot him.

"Auntie, look, it's right there!"

The girl that passed right by him was absolutely divine. He'd never seen anyone as gorgeous as her and if the way his heart stuttered in his chest was any indication, his body seemed to agree. He straightened his shirt and ran his hands through his hair before turning around, ready to offer his help and maybe get her number after.

And if he pouted when she walked right past him with not the smallest reaction, nobody will ever know.

Louis's Second

He sat on a wooden bench as he waited in front of his youngest sisters' primary school. He was among parents and nannies, waiting for the bell to go off and the children to leave. His fingers tapped a random beat on his thigh while he hummed a melody that's been floating in his brain for a few minutes, trying to match some words to it.

So tell me, girl, if every time we touch

You get this kind of rush

He was about to take out his phone to write it down when a girl sat on the other side of the bench, taking out her headphones and putting them neatly into her bag.

But it wasn't just any girl.

It was the one he'd dubbed 'Future Mrs. Tommo', the girl from Toys 'R' Us. He refused to let her go this time, but he had no idea how to start the conversation.

That is, until she took out a familiar-looking binder, flipping it until she reached her desired page and started filling it out. It had been a mere thirty seconds before she started frowning.

He's never been so grateful to have chosen music as his minor.

"Are you in Charlton's class?"

The girl looked at him and he momentarily froze in place as his blue eyes met her (y/e/c) ones.

"Yeah, are you in his class?"

"Not anymore, I had him last year, though, he's a prick."

She huffed out a laugh and leaned back on the bench.

"Tell me about it, we've been talking about the Renaissance Era for two months and he still hasn't gotten to the interesting part."

"I thanked every deity imaginable that I got Natalie this year, I don't think I could do another year of that old man."

She turned to him and cocked her head.

"I've never heard of a 'Natalie' before."

"Natalie Dubois, she's a new teacher from France. Got a bit of a weird accent but she's a hell of a good teacher, and fun too, she gives us a bit more freedom, nothing like Charlton."

"What year are you?"

"Third, you?"

"Second."

He nodded and she tapped her pen against her binder.

"What're you studying?"

He was quite happy that she kept the conversation going.

"Drama major, music minor."

"Very artistic."

"I live to entertain. What about you?"

"Psychology major, music minor."

"Ooh, a brain doctor, I've always wondered if Psych majors could identify psychopaths from a single conversation."

She laughed at that and he felt his heart wanting to beat out of his chest. He wanted to record that sound so he could listen to it all the time. Use it as a ringtone, a melody for his next song, his alarm in the morning. He was positive he'd wake up in a much better mood if that's what brought him out of his slumber.

Unfortunately, he was interrupted before he could even ask for her number, or name, mind you, by the children's excited cheers.

Sooner than he would have liked, a little black-haired boy came running out and into her arms, Phoebe and Daisy only a couple steps behind.

"It was nice talking to you, I'll see you around!"

He could only wish her luck with that idiot teacher before she was gone and he had to care for his two little girls.

Louis's Third

The music room was quiet as he sat in front of the piano. He took out his notebook and started to play, following the notes messily scribbled on it.

I got a heart, and I got a soul, believe me, I will use them both

We made a start, be it a false one, I know

Baby I don't want to feel alone

He tried out, but something felt off. He tried a different note for the end, content with the way it sounded and scribbling it onto the notebook right after.

So kiss me where I lay down, my hands pressed to your cheeks

A long way from the playground

He frowned, changing a few notes here and there.

It sounded better, but there was still something missing.

"Try a key higher, it might sound better."

He heard her voice from the doorway, heart almost beating out of his chest for two entirely different reasons, though he chose to focus on the "I was startled" one instead of the "My dream girl is here" one.

He did as she told him though, and it did sound better.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

She looked entirely too pretty when she smiled. He wondered if the sun was really necessary given that she smiled bright enough to light up this galaxy and the next. He busied himself with writing the changes in his notebook while she went from table to table, searching up and down for something he wasn't aware of. He secretly hoped she wouldn't find it, just so he could stare at her for a bit longer.

"How're classes with Charlton going? Still a prick?"

"The day that man stops being a prick, angels will be falling from the sky."

He didn't see her fall, but he was pretty sure she was an angel. 

"A-ha!"

He saw her lift a blue journal, the word 'Songs' beautifully calligraphed on it in gold. She put it back in her bag and approached him so she was standing right behind him, reading the words in his notebook. 

He felt her shoulder grazing his and smelled her perfume. It was fruity and sweet. Peaches, maybe?

"That's a beautiful song, you're very talented."

He felt his cheeks heat up at the praise.

"Thanks."

He took a deep breath. This is it. He's gonna do it. He's gonna ask her out.

"Hey, I was wondering-"

"Shit!"

She got up in a flash and took her backpack from where she had put it down next to the seat.

"I'm gonna be late for my appointment but hold that thought 'til we meet again?"

She looked so sorry that he couldn't bear to tell her no.

Louis's Fourth

"I'm telling you, Niall, she's the most perfect girl to have ever walked this Earth."

He sighed as he faceplanted onto the couch, the blonde still strumming his guitar as if Louis wasn't having an existential crisis a mere six inched away from him.

"You don't even know her name."

"I'll just call her mine."

The punch that landed on his arm was deserved, he'll admit it.

"The way I'm seeing it, you just need to find out who she is and ask her out, it's really not that hard."

"But I don't know where to find her."

"Wrong, you know that she picks up her nephew at midday. A nephew that goes to the same school as your little sisters. Just figure out the kid's name, find the school records, and trace it back to her. Easy."

He lifted his head from the pillow and glared at Niall.

"That's illegal."

He shrugged.

"Most importantly, though, I'm awful with computers so we'd need to find someone to do it for us."

"I know a guy."

He nodded, that would be plan B, assuming they find a plan A first.

The door opened to the sound of Harry's amazing rendition of Juice, and Louis smiled unconsciously.

"Nialler, you home?"

"Living room!"

The brunette walked into the room and fist-bumped them, lifting Louis's legs so he could slide under them and sit.

"Why do you look like a kicked puppy?"

"I met the girl of my dreams but I don't know her name and have no idea how to contact her."

Unlike Niall, Harry was much more the romantic type. He believed in fate, love at first sight, and all that stupid shit in the books he read his sisters every night. It was no surprise when he gave him the most poetic, love-filled piece of advice Louis had ever heard.

"You just need to have faith, Lou. If she's the one for you then the universe will find a way to get your paths to cross again. Before you know it you'll be married with four kids and a cat, living on a little farm with a giant trampoline in your backyard."

"How did I end up with you two as my best friends? I either get a 'break into a primary school' or 'trust the universe', there is no in-between."

Niall laughed loudly and Harry patted his calves reassuringly before they heard the door open and their friends' voices echoing in the small flat.

"Hey, boys?"

"Living room!"

Liam came in with a couple of packs of beer, followed by Zayn and a third person whose footsteps he didn't recognize.

(Because yes, he'd memorized the sound of his friends' footsteps, sue him.)

"Lou, stop sulking, it's time to drink beers and be happy."

"I'm deeply sorry if my existential crisis is bothering you, Zayn, I'll try to suffer silently."

The laugh he heard made his breath hitch and his heart stutter in his chest.

He knew that laugh.

That laugh had been playing on a loop in Louis' brain for two weeks now.

He tried (read: failed miserably) to sit up naturally, though it looked a bit more forced than he wanted it to.

"Mystery Boy!"

She pointed at him with a gleeful expression on his face and if his soul hadn't left his body before, it sure had now.

"Hey."

Really? 'Hey'? That's the best he can do?

"I never caught your name."

She cocked her head to the side adorably, arm stretched over her knee from her place on the floor, leaning against the armchair.

"I never threw it."

It was stronger than him, he didn't even register his comment until she started laughing and he felt his cheeks burn up, the overwhelming sense of having fucked everything up taking over him.

"Drama majors, always clowning around."

He let out a relieved breath and smiled when she didn't seem to take any offense to it.

"You guys know each other?"

Liam, lovely Liam, looking like a confused puppy but bless his soul for asking because it made her speak and Louis loved hearing her voice so much, it sounded better than any music the world could provide.

"We've kind of met. I'm (Y/n), by the way."

(Y/n).

(Y/n), (Y/n), (Y/n).

(Y/n) Tomlinson.

That had a nice ring to it.

A really nice ring to it.

Mrs. (Y/n) Tomlinson.

Perfect.

"Usually, this is the part where you tell me your name. I can't keep referring to you as 'Mystery Boy'."

She giggled and his cheeks heated up again, though he didn't mind embarrassing himself if it earned him a laugh from her every time.

"I'm Louis. Tomlinson. Louis Tomlinson."

"Nice to formally meet you, Louis."

He smiled and thanked the sun, moon, and stars for this opportunity. Because really, there wasn't a better opportunity than this one.

She's here.

With him.

(And his friends, but who cares about them?)

And he finally knew her name.

He could ask her out.

No fear.

No time-clock.

No hesitation.

"Here's your juice, love."

"Thanks, babe."

She threw Zayn a kiss and he felt his heart break.

Oh no.

"Guys, I have to tell you about this girl I met."

Louis sat down properly on the couch so he had a clear view of Zayn's face.

"Ooh, gossip."

The younger boy swatted him before letting out a dreamy sigh.

"She's just- She's so pretty and kind, and her laugh, she has the most beautiful laugh I've ever heard. She's a psych major so she always has something interesting to say and her friends are so cool. She's... She's just perfect."

Louis's Fifth

And perfect she is.

Louis left the flat right after he realized that the girl he'd been pining over was the same girl Zayn had been seeing, muttering about homework and essays and studying or whatever.

Now here he was, working the register at Toys 'R' Us, his usually bright and genuine smile replaced by an incredibly awkward and forced one, trying not to let the heartbreak eat him alive.

"Tommo!"

His coworker came over to him.

"Switch with me, James asked to see you."

Great, and now he was probably gonna get sacked from the only job he ever liked.

He walked with a frown on his face to his manager's office and sat down on the chair, waiting for him to finish what looked like a very intense phone call about... mechanical kittens?

He hung up a couple of minutes later and turned to Louis, resting his elbows on the desk.

"Louis. Louis, Louis, Louis. D'you mind telling me why my best worker's been sulking all day?"

He shrunk down a bit on the chair, suddenly feeling very small. Toys 'R' Us is a magical place, workers are supposed to be happy all the time.

"Just... Stuff."

"It's okay to be sad, but we worry about you. I mean, some of our regular costumers asked if you were alright cause you weren't jumping and joking. Just tell me what's wrong so I can try to help."

He let out a breath and let his head fall onto the desk.

"I met this girl and she's amazing, and kind, and funny, and just overall perfect."

"So you're sulking because you met the love of your life?"

"No! I'm sulking because the love of my life is dating one of my best mates."

He froze for a while, definitely not expecting that.

"What?"

"Zayn's dating her. I found out yesterday."

Jame took a deep breath and got up from his chair so he could get closer to Louis.

"Oh no."

"Oh yes."

"Not a Jimmy Hug."

"Shut up, you deserve one right now, no matter how much you like to pretend you hate them."

When he came out of his boss's office, more relaxed and with a small smile on his face, he immediately spotted you next to the pianos.

He took his break at that moment and only returned when he saw you leave through his place in the alleyway right next to the parking lot.

Your First

You took a deep breath and tightened your grip on your nephew's hand, steeling yourself before entering the store.

"We have to get one with brown fur, just like Summer!"

You promised little Lucas that if he behaved at the doctor's you'd get him get a new plushie, a German Shepherd, just like your parents' dog.

"Okay, they've got to be here somewhere. Don't worry, we'll find you one just like it."

You looked up and down aisles, trying to find the plushies but not knowing where to look. You could hear someone playing the piano a couple of feet away and let yourself be lulled by the sound of the song, you'd always loved Tchaikovsky.

"Auntie, look, it's right there!"

Your nephew pointed at the shelves just on the other side of the piano (and the beautiful pianist standing in front of it). You let Lucas pull you towards the shelves and search carefully for the perfect plushie while you tried to not let the man get to you.

He was gorgeous. Like, model tier, plaster his face on your walls gorgeous.

And you were shy.

So you dragged the time out and mentally asked him to approach you, pouting when you realized he couldn't read your thoughts and your nephew was asking to leave.

Your Second

You speed-walked to the school, still riled up because of your class with bloody Charlton.

You wanted nothing more than to sit down on the bench, listen to your music, and people-watch until your nephew got out.

But you weren't expecting him to be there.

You were still too shy to approach him so you just took out your headphones and sat on the other side of the bench, taking out your binder and filling out a few things before purposely stopping somewhere and tapping your pen on the paper, pouting and wishing that he'd 'save you' from your boredom.

"Are you in Charlton's class?"

Bingpot!

You looked at him and were temporarily taken aback by just how blue his eyes were, but forced yourself to speak. You weren't gonna get anywhere by keeping quiet.

"Yeah, are you in his class?"

"Not anymore, I had him last year, though, he's a prick."

You huffed out a laugh and leaned back on the bench, trying to look nonchalant.

"Tell me about it, we've been talking about the Renaissance Era for two months and he still hasn't gotten to the interesting part."

"I thanked every deity imaginable that I got Natalie this year, I don't think I could do another year of that old man."

You turned to him and cocked your head.

"I've never heard of a 'Natalie' before."

That's a lie, you knew who she was, you'd even interacted with her.

"Natalie Dubois, she's a new teacher from France. Got a bit of a weird accent but she's a hell of a good teacher, and fun too, she gives us a bit more freedom, nothing like Charlton."

"What year are you?"

"Third, you?"

"Second."

He nodded and you tapped your pen against your binder.

"What're you studying?"

"Drama major, music minor."

"Very artistic."

"I live to entertain. What about you?"

"Psychology major, music minor."

"Oh, a brain doctor, I've always wondered if Psych majors could identify psychopaths from a single conversation."

You laughed at that. Usually, you hated when people were that shallow about your job but when he said it, it didn't sound shallow or mock-ish. It sounded like a legitimate concern, like those things you think of at three in the morning when you can't sleep.

You were interrupted by the school bell and cursed mentally to not have gotten here earlier so you could talk to him more. Your nephew came running towards you and two little girls followed, walking towards Louis. He looked so good with children clinging to him that you had to physically extract yourself from that situation before you said or did something embarrassing.

"It was nice talking to you, I'll see you around!"

Your Third

You walked to the music room, praying that your song notebook was left behind there. You don't know what you'd do without it. It has every single one of your creations there.

You heard someone play the piano and groaned. You were way too sleep-deprived to deal with human interaction.

But this wasn't just any human interaction now, was it? Because Mystery Boy was there.

(He's been dubbed Mystery Boy in your head since you have no idea what his actual name is.)

You stood in the doorway for a while, notebook be damned, just watching him play, then frown, then play again, and light up like a happy little puppy once he found the right melody. Until he reached a complicated part and couldn't find the right combination.

"Try a key higher, it might sound better."

He jumped a bit and you felt bad for scaring him, but the way he blushed after was cute. He didn't answer, just did as you advised and smiled once he found that it sounded like he wanted it to.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

You smiled and the blush on his face was entirely too adorable and you went from table to table, pretending you didn't remember exactly where you were sitting that morning just so you could spend a bit longer than necessary in his presence.

"How're classes with Charlton going? Still a prick?"

"The day that man stops being a prick, angels will be falling from the sky."

You couldn't stall anymore, it would just be awkward at this point.

"A-ha!"

You showed off your journal before putting it back in your bag and going down the stairs of the auditorium so you could stand right next to him.

Deciding to be subtle but a little more daring than usual, you stood next to him, shoulders grazing while you read the words on his journal.

He smelled heavenly, like cologne and deodorant, and something that had to be entirely him. You wanted to bury yourself in that scent.

"That's a beautiful song, you're very talented."

You'd never get tired of watching him blush.

"Thanks."

You heard him take a deep breath just as your eyes went to the clock and you remembered your doctor's appointment with Lucas, he had to get the second dose for his shots and you were the only one who could get him to quiet down.

"Hey, I was wondering-"

"Shit!"

You got up in a flash and took the backpack from where you had put it down next to the seat.

"I'm gonna be late for my appointment but hold that thought 'til we meet again?"

He answered a small yes and you dashed out of the room.

Your Fourth

You followed Zayn to his friend's flat off-campus. You had met him a couple of months ago through Gigi, your best friend. Those two had been flirting for ages and it honestly made you sick, but Zayn was an easy-going person and you got along great, so when you mentioned that you had plans of getting drunk alone tonight, he offered to take you to his friend's house so you could get drunk with some company.

You entered the flat with Zayn and who you now knew to be Liam, saying hello to the two men in the room and tilting your head in questioning at the man lying face down on the couch.

"Lou, stop sulking, it's time to drink beers and be happy."

"I'm deeply sorry if my existential crisis is bothering you, Zayn, I'll try to suffer silently."

You couldn't stop the laugh bubbling from your chest as you sat down next to the armrest.

He sat up way too quickly to be safe and you smiled brightly once you realized who it was.

"Mystery Boy!"

It was fate, it had to be. This was the universe's way of telling you that you belonged together.

"Hey."

You giggled at his awkward greeting.

"I never caught your name."

"I never threw it."

You started laughing at his sassiness. If you weren't completely smitten before you sure were now.

"Drama majors, always clowning around."

"You guys know each other?"

Liam asked and you jumped into an explanation.

"We've kind of met. I'm (Y/n), by the way."

He said nothing for a couple of seconds and you worried you were being too forward.

"Usually, this is the part where you tell me your name. I can't keep referring to you as 'Mystery Boy'."

He blushed again, he seemed to be doing that a lot and you wondered if that was as unusual for him as it was for you to be this confident.

"I'm Louis. Tomlinson. Louis Tomlinson."

(Y/n) Tomlinson.

That had a nice ring to it.

A really nice ring to it.

Mrs. (Y/n) Tomlinson.

Perfect.

"Nice to formally meet you, Louis."

He smiled and you wanted to yell at the sun to hide because it was stopping you from seeing the true brightness of Louis's eyes.

"Here's your juice, love."

"Thanks, babe."

You threw Zayn a kiss and he rolled his eyes, already used to the fact that you were kind of nickname-addicted and very endearing.

And also kind of drunk, which is why he brought you the juice.

On second thought, that might be why you were being this confident.

You thought everything was going well, but as suddenly as it started, the object of your affection was out the door, muttering about appointments, or homework, or something you didn't understand, but that sure made you frown for the rest of the evening.

Your Fifth

You walked into Toys 'R' Us for two reasons that day. 

The first is to get your nephew a birthday present.

The second is to (hopefully) see Louis.

You wanted to talk to him, the way he left the flat was strange, so you took advantage of the fact that you needed to get something from the store to try and see him.

You saw him go to the back as soon as you got here and decided to wait a bit for him to come back, looking at everything slower than you needed even though you knew exactly what to get. After fifteen minutes, you were pretty sure he wasn't going to come back. Maybe his shift ended already? 

You took your present and left the store, looking around to see if you found him, to no avail.

The One

You marched to the door with only one goal in mind: ask Louis Tomlinson out on a date. It's been a week of him ignoring you, running away as soon as he saw you, barely answering your greetings and you were more than done. 

If he wanted to turn you down, then it at least he would do it to your face, none of this ghosting nonsense. You don't want to spend the rest of your life thinking what might have been if you'd just reached out.

So, you talked to Niall, who gave you Louis's address and his schedule. You knew he was home and he had no way to escape you. He was babysitting his sisters, after all, so there was no way he could just run away.

You rang the doorbell and nervously wrang your hands in front of you, taking deep breaths and mentally going over what you wanted to say.

"I'll be right there! No, Daisy!"

His voice rang through the door and you smiled fondly at the sound, imagining him taking care of his sisters did something to you for some reason.

"Hi, sorry for the-"

He froze when he saw you, eyes going wide and mouth hanging open.

"Hi."

You said, and that seemed to bring him out of his stupor.

"(Y/n)."

"Yep."

"(Y/n)."

It seemed like he couldn't quite believe you were here.

"That's my name. Don't wear it out, though."

He shook his head and started stuttering his way through a response, trying to ask what you were doing here, at his house.

"Um, Niall told me where you lived. I had something I wanted to ask you."

When he didn't answer, you went for it.

"So, um, you've kind of been avoiding me lately which is quite unfortunate because I happen to like you... a lot... and so I-"

"Does Zayn know that?"

You were cut off in the middle of your rant and tilted your head confusingly at him.

"What?"

"Does Zayn know you 'like me a lot'?"

He looked angry, jaw clenched shut and arms crossed in front of his chest, which was no help to the attraction you felt towards him, that shirt did wonders for his biceps.

"Why should Zayn know about it?"

"Well, he's your boyfriend after all."

Wait, what?

"Well if he's my boyfriend then I should probably let Gigi know he's cheating."

He seemed to blanch at that.

"Gigi."

"Yeah. Gigi. You know, the girl he's been pining over since the beginning of the semester, they got together officially two weeks ago."

Only his sisters' voices could be heard.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"So, um... you and Zayn... you're not..."

"Together? No."

You laughed and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear nervously.

"Would you like to go on a date with me?"

You snapped your head up and grinned devilishly.

"I believe I asked you first."

He laughed and took a step forward.

"Then I will most certainly go out with you, as long as you let me pay. Take it as an apology for how stupid I was."

"I guess that could be arranged."

He was so close you could smell his cologne. Still so, so tasty. Still so, so wonderful.

"Do I have to wait until the end of our first date to kiss you?"

"I think you've done enough waiting already."

"I think so too."

And he kissed you.

And you were happy.

here it is babes! finally out!

i hope you liked it and if you do, don’t forget to comment, reblog, like and stuff

have a nice day/morning/afternoon/night/whatever

-Love, Libby

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

Taglists: (if your name is striked through it means for some reason tumblr wouldn’t let me tag you) 

PERMA TAG 

@jeezkiddo​ @beananacake​ @yoinkyourheart​ @averyfosterthoughts​ @onebigolemess​ @samoney69​ @agirlwithpointlessideas​ @ddaawwssoonn​ @inhumanwithpowers​ @imagineshere-forall​ @stiles-banshees​ @orowit​ @spideynut​ @deathofmissjackson​ @parkersbliss​ @ephemeral-limerences​ @write-from-the-heart​ @cardboard-ben​ @my-alignment-is-bisexual @mendes-marvel​ @shawnsnovel @inthecornerchair​ @lovelynerdytraveler​ @niallssweetheart22​ @incorrect-things​ @lost-in-the-stars03​ @harishaanne​ 

ACTORS/RPF TAG 

@bubblegumbarnes​ @sofiaconlaz​ @hyluas 

ONE DIRECTION 

@hhighlydisfunctional1  

[mtr-reads-fic]

Summary: Niall doesn’t tell Louis, for obvious reasons. He doesn’t tell Harry, either, because if Harry knows something, it’s only a matter of time before Louis knows it, too. And he doesn’t tell Liam because Liam is honestly the worst liar he’s ever met.

He’s not trying to keep it a secret. It just sort of... happens.

[allwaswell16]

A One Direction fic rec of fics that involve football (soccer) as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other fic recs here. Happy reading!

—Louis/Harry—

⚽ Learning to Breathe by youcomecrash

(E, 110k, uni) He’s playing football at one of the top universities in England and he should love everything about his life right now, but instead he’s moving backwards

⚽ Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow by @1diamondinthesun

(NR, 84k, high school) the American high school AU loosely inspired by She's All That.

⚽ Bring Your Body Baby (I Could Bring You Fame) by @theboyfriendstagram

(E, 84k, famous/not famous) A self-indulgent AU that takes place over the summer of 2015. 18 year old Harry hates pining after people he can't have, and 23 year old footballer Louis loves flirting with people even though it never means anything.

⚽ Way in the World by flowsque / @mortediunfiore

(M, 74k, both players) the one where Harry has a knee injury and an embarrassing crush on Manchester United's pretty number ten.

⚽ Caught In Your Gravity by @lululawrence

(NR, 62k, Ted Lasso au) an AU inspired by a 30 second trailer of Ted Lasso that doesn't actually have much in common with the show at all.

⚽ so grab your passport and my hand by @infinitelymint

(M, 32k, strangers to lovers) The one in which Louis plays football and Harry sings a lot, and somehow that means they're meant to be. They'll figure it out soon enough.

⚽ Higher, Further, Faster by hazzahtomlinson / @itsnotreal

(E, 31k, uni) the one where Harry decides to go to college regardless of what his team warns him about and has to face the consequences, some of which aren’t so terrible after all.

⚽ Dive (series) by @allwaswell16

(E, 21k, famous/famous) Newly retired football star, Louis Tomlinson has left Manchester for Malibu. Along the way, he finds music, friendship, and love in the form of his pop star neighbour and the very fit movie star hiding out next door.

⚽ Hold My Breath by @zarah5

(M, 19k, injury) It's possible — possible — that his three-week ban from the football pitch makes Louis just a tad antsy. Surely it's not so bad that it warrants punishment in the form of his friends signing him up for a yoga class?

⚽ time slows down whenever you're around by wildestdreams / @thelavendrhaze

(E, 14k, flower shop) Louis plays "soccer" and falls for the wrong boy and Harry works in a flower shop and falls for Louis — again.

⚽ burn this flame by rainbowninja167 / @rainbowtitania

(E, 13k, famous/famous) When Harry gets invited to play in a celebrity charity match with Louis Tomlinson, Manchester United's star player, he's determined to impress him with brilliant football skills. The only flaw in Harry's otherwise foolproof plan? He has absolutely no football skills, brilliant or otherwise.

⚽ Come In and Change My Life by lightswoodmagic / @lightwoodsmagic

(E, 12k, neighbors) Harry and Louis become friends when Harry looks after Louis' cat during away games, until one night at a party changes everything between them. It's just a shame Louis' going to be away for the FIFA World Cup for three months.

⚽ Want you more than a melody by @softfonds

(E, 12k, mpreg) It's 2016, and Harry's life couldn't be better. His band is about to release their third studio album, he's dating the hottest football star on the planet, and tour is going to start the following year.

⚽ Just One Touch by jacaranda_bloom / @jacaranda-bloom

(E, 11k, Dr Harry) When footballer Louis Tomlinson needs to get match fit in a hurry, team doctor and best mate Niall Horan prescribes an unusual form of treatment.

⚽ Down the Field by @creamcoffeelou

(M, 9k, coach Louis) Louis, a pro football player of Chelsea, is forced to retire after a severe injury to his foot.

⚽ every day and tomorrow night by @justanothershadeofblue

(E, 8k, high school) Harry stares. The new boy is beautiful, there’s no other word for him. 

⚽ Eat Your Vegetables by @bananaheathen

(M, 8k, famous/not famous) In which Louis is a celebrity footballer and Harry is the new team nutritionist.

⚽ Glass Heart by @musketrois

(G, 7k, coming out) “26-year-old West Ham footballer Louis Tomlinson was seen getting acquainted with 24-year-old pop sensation Harry Styles and others. Although it is not unordinary for these two professions to be social, we can’t wait to see what this budding relationship will bring to London’s social scene.” -Celebrity Blurb 25 March, 2017

⚽ Down To Be a Distraction by QuickedWeen / @becomeawendybird

(E, 6k, famous/famous) The English national team is on the brink of winning the UEFA final and it all hinges on a penalty kick from team captain and national hero Louis Tomlinson, who was forcibly outed in the press right before the tournament. 

⚽ Game Changer by @neondiamond

(E, 6k, mpreg) A couple months before playing in his first long-awaited World Cup, Louis finds out he’s pregnant. Harry’s there for the ride.

⚽ The Air From My Lungs by Kikiberoski16 / @larrysballetslippers

(E, 5k, uni) Harry doesn't like to take showers in public for reasons he isn't willing to share, until Louis, the hot football captain, rocks his whole world.

⚽ the stars are coming home by lsforever / @kingonafiftymetreroad

(G, 5k, established relationship) After three years together and nearly a full year of marriage, Harry has finally been permitted to sit in for one of the team’s practices. 

⚽ every night with us (is like a dream) by moon_rose25 / @darkinfinity

(T, 2k, established relationship) A look into the life of a professional football player dating a physical therapist.

⚽ 2,870 Miles by @sadaveniren

(G, 1k, mpreg) Harry hated the BT Sports commentators, but considering he couldn’t fly to Baku while eight months pregnant this was all he had if he wanted to watch his husband in the Europa League final.

—Rare Pairs—

⚽ love and kickin'!verse by camiii

(E, 140k, Louis/Nick Grimshaw) the fic where Nick has no interest in football but is dragged to a football match, Louis is the Arsenal player that catches his attention, and maybe there are some redeeming qualities to the game after all.

⚽ Devoted by @nouies

(E, 5k, Louis/Alisson Becker) A collection of drabbles about Louis’ life as the housewife of a professional football player.

[this-feels-like-home]

Larry Fic Rec Masterpost

Fandom Favourites

I just wanted to compile some fics I feel have become the ultimate fandom favourites over the years.

These Inconvenient Fireworks (190k) by mdasch & everydayslike

Future AU in which nobody tries out for X Factor but the boys end up finding one other eventually anyway. Louis is a jaded bastard who owns a cat named Duchess and teaches drama to teenagers, Harry is an idealistic aspiring photographer/part-time footy coach, Zayn teaches English lit and wears leather jackets, Liam saves people from burning buildings, and Niall is Niall.

Escapade (146k) by dolce_piccante

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.

Pull Me Under (140k) by zarah5

AU. As the first British footballer to come out at the prime of his career, it helps that Louis Tomlinson is in a long-term, committed relationship. Even if that relationship is fake. (Featuring Niall as Louis' favourite teammate, Liam as Louis' agent, and Zayn as Liam's boyfriend, who just happens to be good friends with one Harry Styles.)

Relief Next To Me (334k) by dolce_piccante

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

Young & Beautiful (227k) by Velvetoscar

Louis, to his horror, attends an elitist university in which the name Zayn Malik means something, Niall Horan doesn't stop talking, there are pianos everywhere, and Harry Styles, only son of a drug-addled, clinically insane ex-rocker, has a perfect smile and empty eyes.

Wild and Unruly (124k) by 100percentsassy, gloria_andrews

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.

Fading (202k) by tothemoonmydear

Louis knows about beauty; the combination of qualities that pleases the aesthetic senses. He creates that combination every day in the garments he designs while studying fashion at uni. The cut of the design, the color of the fabric, the intricacy of the stitching; it all comes together to create something beautiful. When the science student with the long legs and dimpled smile agrees to model for him, Louis decides he’s found beauty personified. Harry just thinks Louis needs someone to show him how beautiful he is.

Gods & Monsters (201k) by Velvetoscar

The instructions were simple: seduce and destroy Harry Styles. Not once did they discuss the option of Louis actually falling in love. So, naturally, that's exactly what he did.

[fromherlips]

cut to the feeling

Lennox Sloane was always taught that you shouldn’t make assumptions about anyone unless you wanted to make an ass of yourself. Unfortunately, that lesson never stuck with her as much as the lectures on safe sex (no glove, no love), texting while driving (it can wait), and the proper way to consume alcohol (liquor before beer, you’re in the clear).

A short story about night classes, snarky remarks, and learning lessons the hard way.

a(nother) one shot written for the 2017 1D summer fic exchange

read on tumblr