#because knobheads would find it and use it to harass me

[heavy-buddy]

saying “you can write about whatever you want” shouldn’t be a fucking controversial statement

[punkscowardschampions]

Janis & Jimmy

Janis: Don't get excited or anything Janis: only talking to you to look busy Jimmy: steal my job an' all or just my lines? Jimmy: so proud me Janis: technically I got you fired from that one Janis: and not to get ahead in the java game myself so Jimmy: fucked my future as a recruiter that Jimmy: tah very much Janis: 💔 Janis: what can I say? Janis: your chat has left a lot to be desired from the start Janis: though I'd happily pick up a CG shift now, nothing to do with your skillz or lack thereof Jimmy: You could've started this one with 'oi Jim don't put persuasive on the CV' and have done, mate but here we still are pissing about Jimmy: 🎻🎻 Jimmy: use your head and pick up a shift where Pete works now not where he burned his bridges if you want the good chat, girl Janis: Yeah 'cos you want me interrupting your bromance time more than I already do Janis: reverse psychology won't work on me either, boy Jimmy: Tell it to the lad who's rewriting a birthday classic in your honor 'cause that ain't me, babe Jimmy: Still got it bad after all this time he has 💘 Jimmy: #thejulieteffect Janis: God, Gracie didn't slip him an invite as a tip, did she Janis: will have to maim my face to avoid any further association with her, like Jimmy: Might've Jimmy: Much as we throw Shona on that Gracie sized bullet she's nowt but persistent Janis: Desperate is the word Janis: invite half the town, why not Janis: no girl needs that many 'idk you really so I got you a bath set' gifts Jimmy: Alright, alright I'll take yours back to the shop Jimmy: Calm down Janis: bung it her way Janis: still might get some 'gratitude' 🤞 Jimmy: 👌 Janis: cool so it's a plan Janis: you distract, I'll make myself scarce Jimmy: challenge accepted Janis: it's not known to be challenging Janis: but we have just discussed your shortcomings too so yeah Janis: maybe baby Jimmy: having her about when I ain't being paid is proper challenging Jimmy: you wanna sweeten the deal, rich girl Janis: Hmm, what you got in mind? Jimmy: we both make ourselves scarce Jimmy: I reckon that's a better plan Janis: maybe ain't earned persuasive still but Janis: you can tick off problem solver Jimmy: 👍 Jimmy: ain't gonna be a problem if have the dickheads in town have an invite to your gaff Jimmy: slip away easy through that #opendoor Jimmy: half* Janis: you forget I'm 1 outta 2 guests of honour Janis: sadly, you are the only one on that score Jimmy: Nah Jimmy: nobody but Pete's coming for you, babe and we can slip him a note ahead of time Janis: You really know how to make a girl feel special, huh 😏 Jimmy: 💕 Janis: is it worth me coming to you Janis: how long you got left on Jimmy: both feeling special now Jimmy: how #goals Janis: well you know Janis: hit up the CG already and the replacements aren't much Jimmy: 💔 for 'em and you Janis: don't look too 😢 for me when I show Janis: not #goals Jimmy: Drying my eyes on my apron as we speak, like Janis: need your 😎 Jimmy: that's alright til the fans wanna see my 😍 Janis: who are you kidding, Doris can't see in front of her face Janis: it's the accent Jimmy: she can see my 🍆 Jimmy: keeps her coming back Janis: please don't make me laugh Jimmy: sexual harassment is no laughing matter, dickhead Jimmy: she's a menace 👵🚫 Janis: you know you're asking for it, babe Janis: made your granny love no secret Jimmy: when I'm not 😢 over you I'm 🤤 over her Jimmy: busted Janis: can't fool me Janis: know what you're like far too well tbh Jimmy: see right through me you Jimmy: only gonna get more of a bighead the older you get, aren't you? Janis: don't plan on changing Janis: not that kind of birthday girl Jimmy: 👍 Janis: dunno why she's bothering Janis: 'less she can get Pete to fake marry her she ain't even competing Jimmy: shut up, he'd get a decent amount of song writing material outta that Jimmy: enough to consider it Jimmy: don't be giving ideas like that out for nowt Janis: so you're saying recruiters out for you but pimp/band manager is my calling Janis: cheers, keep it in mind Jimmy: can't be living off mummy and daddy forever, babe Jimmy: time's running out Janis: they're running out of kids who wanna be around them, more like Janis: you know they don't wanna be left just them and Gracie Jimmy: Give 'em the heads up and they'll have time to have a load more Janis: 💀💀💀 Jimmy: 💸💸💸 Janis: if they do, not me Janis: and all the others Janis: splitting it 10 ways makes it less impressive Jimmy: actually 💔 Janis: I know Janis: babysitting is your primary gig Janis: soz, like Jimmy: 🎻🎻 Janis: Poor, poor boy Janis: have to stick with your two Jimmy: You still ain't taken the 🐶 off me yet so it's 3 Janis: if you put 'dog dad' in your bio it's over Jimmy: saved that 💎 for the dating apps Janis: fairplay Janis: go over well with that crowd Jimmy: 🐶💕 Jimmy: gotta earn her keep somehow Janis: subtle Janis: what do you want, like Jimmy: other than 🐶💀 Janis: you love her, shut up Jimmy: bollocks Jimmy: you love her Janis: I know what I've 👀 Janis: and I've got plenty of blackmail evidence for when this all goes tits Jimmy: I know how to fake it Jimmy: tah for all the practise Janis: mhmm, 'cos you did such a top job at that Jimmy: 🥇 me Janis: Sure thing babe Janis: best bae ever Janis: fake enough for you? Jimmy: might be if you didn't mean every word Janis: Idiot Jimmy: you love me Jimmy: and you're on your way here, deny it Janis: I can't deny I'm en-route Janis: but that's like 96% because I need to hide Janis: no funny business Jimmy: I get it Jimmy: only thirsty for a fruit juice Janis: I ain't a toddler Janis: and obviously, I ain't looking for you to serve me either 🤷 Jimmy: you ain't a coffee drinker and we don't serve booze, pisshead Janis: 1. I'm gonna subtly wait for Pete to be free 2. we'll think of something Jimmy: 1. enjoy helping him close 2. he won't be thinking of owt when he's this hungover so enjoy doing that yourself an' all Janis: 🙄🙄 Janis: not entirely sure you barista boys are worth the hassle Jimmy: on you go then Jimmy: find a barman and solve all your problems Janis: no tah Janis: can't be going there Jimmy: 🎻💔🎻 Janis: it'd be like you cracking on with a miner Janis: assume your granddad was a miner Jimmy: be like me having a go on a 👻 Janis: can make that happen Janis: that kinda cool girlfriend, obvs Jimmy: 😍😍😍 Janis: find out the equipment Janis: not talking 🍆🤖s Jimmy: so I'll meet you in the cemetery or what? Jimmy: #datenight Janis: Such an emo Janis: called it and you out from day one Jimmy: Piss off Jimmy: You reckoned I wanted to suck Alex Turner's ballsack Jimmy: Indie and emo are different genres, mate Janis: It's all fringes and marding really, isn't it, mate Janis: point is, ghosts are everywhere Janis: have as much if not more luck in any house in this shithole of a town Jimmy: proper poetic you Jimmy: I smell a lyrical collab with your bf Janis: nah Janis: we both know muse is about as good as I got Jimmy: but there's no need to pass that along to Pete and have him 💔 Janis: Shut up Janis: he loves me just the way I am, and YOU'RE just jealous Jimmy: #duh Janis: if I wanted that kind of guilt-trip, I'd have stayed there Jimmy: The orchestra is raring to go here Jimmy: What more do you want? Janis: you Janis: dickhead Jimmy: I'm yours, dickhead Janis: Good Janis: I need you, like Jimmy: We don't need to be here, either of us Janis: I can't Janis: I can't be anywhere near that fucking party tomorrow Janis: it's not just because it's the usual bullshit family function either, like Janis: just Janis: nah Jimmy: Alright Jimmy: good thing I have a better idea Janis: Yeah? Jimmy: Nowt for you to do but come with me Janis: Alright Janis: obviously Janis: never gonna have better plans or better company 'round here so Jimmy: 🥇 Jimmy: come here and we'll go from there Janis: I am Janis: I'd almost forgot how long this bus took Janis: been that long, like Jimmy: you should be live tweeting Jimmy: fans love a throwback Janis: well, we both know what I should really be doing Janis: but ain't really feeling it and this bus driver is new Jimmy: 🤞 our top bloke ain't 💀💀💀 Jimmy: weren't meant to be part of the pact, like Janis: if he was on the outs, I'd have 💀 him at the wheel ages ago Janis: just that good Janis: call me the eternal optimist Jimmy: 🌹 by any other name Janis: peak romance always Jimmy: 💪🏆 Jimmy: you ain't seen nowt yet birthday girl Janis: Idiot Jimmy: 💕 Janis: do I need to bring anything Janis: not fishing for clues or nowt but could be relevant Jimmy: bring whatever you would to fuck off for a day Jimmy: we ain't coming back til its over Janis: okay Janis: just us? Jimmy: you can bring the dog if you want Janis: 😏 Jimmy: I draw the line at Pete's puppy dog eyes though Janis: 💔 Jimmy: You'll live and he's half 💀 so there ain't no challenge in smacking him down Janis: Hot Jimmy: 😏 Janis: is that my surprise? Jimmy: Do you want that to be your surprise? Janis: Yeah, I'm gonna be an accessory by admission Janis: think on, babe Jimmy: 👍 Janis: Your man of mystery bit is very unhelpful sometimes Jimmy: poor baby Jimmy: soz you can't handle being kept on your toes Janis: oh please Jimmy: What? Janis: I could run circles around you in my sleep Jimmy: go on then Janis: maybe Janis: if the plans allow time Jimmy: maybe I'll make time if it's that important to you to prove yourself, Juliet Janis: I know I don't need to prove myself to you Jimmy: 👌 Janis: fuck off Janis: you love me Jimmy: You're alright, for a rich girl Janis: I'm the best Jimmy: 🥇 or nowt babe Janis: #duh Jimmy: #youknowthedrill Janis: town is finally in sight Janis: jesus Jimmy: the new driver ain't winning me over 💔 for him Jimmy: sort it out knobhead Jimmy: 🎅 will get there before his bus, like Janis: N'awh Janis: you missed me? Jimmy: for a sec or two Jimmy: not owt to get a big head over Janis: have to work on that then, won't I Jimmy: hate for you to be bored while you're waiting for Pete to make you a drink Jimmy: gotta give you something to do Jimmy: it'll take him ages longer than two secs Janis: weird brag, mate Janis: usually the other way 'round but admire the honesty 😂 Jimmy: been a bit since I've made shit weird Jimmy: nice to know you've missed it Janis: you know Janis: keeps things interesting, you do Jimmy: Yeah Jimmy: part of the deal, like Janis: I'll renew your contract Janis: 👌 job Jimmy: tah Jimmy: might take you off the trial period for a bit Jimmy: see how you go Janis: 😏 Janis: might not hand in my notice Jimmy: won't have to get a replacement in then Janis: 💔 Janis: know how you love that Jimmy: 🎻🎻 Jimmy: keep disappointing me, you Janis: psh Jimmy: It's alright, well used to it, me Jimmy: nowt I can't handle Janis: We'll put that theory to the test when I get there Janis: 5 mins Jimmy: good Janis: thanks Janis: by the way Jimmy: you ain't opened your bath shit yet Jimmy: leave it out Janis: I've got to work on my so real surprise/grattitude some time, babe Janis: want me to fake it when I'm there Janis: alright Jimmy: that top job you reckoned I did faking it goes double for you, girl Jimmy: I ain't helping Pete close so you've got more time to piss about having a go Janis: Not how I remember it, boy Jimmy: scroll back through all your feeds Jimmy: I'll hang on Janis: admitting you're more #basic Janis: cute Jimmy: surprise! 🎉 Jimmy: happy birthday Janis: 😍😋 Jimmy: 💘 Janis: love you Jimmy: I love you Janis: I really do Jimmy: Is it my turn to act surprised or what? Janis: You can Jimmy: #kinkunlocked Jimmy: ages after I thought we'd run out Janis: just that good, baby Jimmy: I'll give you a few minutes Jimmy: deffo worth that Janis: and so generous Janis: 😩 Jimmy: too northern for that shit Janis: Nah Janis: this place has changed you Janis: 🍀💀 Jimmy: If owt's changed take your share of the blame Jimmy: 💕🔪💀 Janis: alright Janis: I ruined your life Janis: do something about it

[hsalbum2]

Liability - Chapter Six

The Beginning

august 1, 2014 “Is every night this hectic, or are we all just getting the nerves out for the first show?”

I let myself collapse backwards onto one of the large leather couches in the dressing room as I watched Lou brush a matte finishing powder onto Harry’s nose. He was the last member to come through for hair and makeup before taking the stage, the other four rowdy One Direction boys had come and gone, wandering off into one of the multitude of backstage rooms reserved for us in Toronto’s Rogers Centre. I had never been part of a production this large, and was completely thrown for a loop when we arrived at the baseball stadium at the sheer volume of people involved backstage to make this tour happen. Wardrobe, hair & makeup, catering, security, and the opening band all had their own rather large designated rooms. They would filter in and out as they pleased, coming to Lou and I to fix them up just before taking the stage. I hadn’t realized that I had yet to sit down since arriving at the venue that morning until I had finished styling Niall’s hair and he bounded off down the hallway shouting something about having to finish a footy match Louis had started in another room. Everyone was high energy, zipping around backstage in a rush to complete their respective jobs. It was a bit like a circus, watching how this band operated. Everyone had their own set job and when completed seamlessly the whole act came together. Harry was the last one to come visit Lou and I because he had been on the phone with Gemma, grilling her about a date she had just gotten home from. Even from across the pond he was stepping into the role of protective brother. He whined to Lou and I, voicing his displeasure that Gemma had told us about the date before telling him. Based on Harry and Lou’s incredibly tight bond, I assumed he was usually the last one to come through and spent the remainder of his downtime before the show chatting with his hair dresser confidant. Lux was curled up on the couch next to me, eyes glued to a cartoon playing on an iPad. She seemed entirely unfazed by the chaos unfolding around her, way too focused on what I assumed was a rerun episode of Peppa Pig. Myself, on the other hand, I was completely wiped out. “Every night is this hectic, love.” Lou answered back with a laugh, glancing over at my collapsed body as Harry took a break to tussle his own hair into the style he preferred. “Plus this is far from the first show.” Harry chimed in. Of course. This was Trixie’s first show, but this was old news for everybody else. This tour was already halfway to completion and I was late to the party. Realizing that this world didn’t revolve around me was going to be an adjustment. “You get used to it, though. Makes home seem rather dull and boring without all this chaos.” Lou was back to trying to powder Harry’s nose as he continued to swat her hand away. “I’m sure once the jet lag subsides I’ll be back on my game.” It was nearing show time and Preston was sure to bound into the room to collect Harry for his call to stage any moment now. Other than that I had absolutely no concept of what time it was here or even back in England. Although Harry mentioning chatting to Gemma after a date led me to believe it was way passed my bedtime back home in London. “I think I live in a permanent state of jet lag.” Harry spun around in the chair in front of the vanity Lou and I worked at. “Might just register One Direction as its own timezone at this point because we never get to stay anywhere long enough to really adjust.” “You’re all doing an awful job of selling this tour to me.” I groaned dramatically. Lou let out a hearty laugh as she dismissed Harry and began to tidy up the mess that had been left in the wake of all of the One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer boys. No two members used the same hair products, each desperate for a style that they could brand as their own. Lou had ran me through what everyone liked, all of them tending to stick to a bit of a routine. But Harry was the outlier. Every night he was feeling something different. Sometimes he’d braid his hair, sometimes he’d let her put product in it to bring out the intensity of his natural curls, and on some nights, like tonight, he insisted on doing his own thing entirely. Tonight’s look screamed Keith Richards, with Harry dressed in a sheer black button up, and a bandana tied in his hair to hold back his wild curls. I could see all of his tattoos through the shirt and it took quite the effort to force my tired eyes away from his chest before he noticed I was staring. “You can’t possibly be hating this already, we haven’t even started yet!” Harry seemed distraught, eyes wide as he gawked at me. Without even having to look at her I could just feel Lou rolling her eyes. “Trix is just being dramatic.” “I’m not dramatic.” I crossed my arms defiantly in front of my chest, but I could practically feel my nose growing three sizes bigger over that fib. “I like the theatrics.” Harry’s eyes were wicked with a sparkle at his simple comment. I was unsure if he was referring to me or the theatrics of making this tour a reality. But suddenly my entire body was acutely aware that his eyes were still glued to me. God, did this boy ever have a power over everyone else in the room. He was humble and yet still just his presence in a room demanded all eyes on him. He was a showstopper. Lou paused her cleaning to lean up against the edge of the vanity for a moment. “I’m sure in a couple days you’ll be feeling alright again, you’ll be healthy and loving every minute of this.” I could just tell by Lou’s tone when she spoke she was in mother mode. That was probably the biggest difference between Lou and Sam. Sam was a little more laid back, but Lou was always watching out for everyone. Her words were more of a statement of fact than a suggestion. I knew she was trying to psych me up about this tour, offering a bit of motivation about moving on from Jacks and making the most of this opportunity. I knew this because it’s all Lou would yap about this morning while I tried to sleep in. She was still on the same kick, but she just wasn’t name dropping my ex-boyfriend in front of Harry. I wasn’t that concerned with this cold. I’m sure that tomorrow morning it would fully break and I’d be a right mess, sneezing and sniffling all over everything. Right now my body just ached and I was constantly tired. It wasn’t ideal, but I knew I could survive and keep working. “You’re still ill?” The way Harry scrunched his nose up in confusion brought on an irresistible urge to smile, so I focused my attention on my iPhone that I had left laying in my lap when I sat down. A few messages from Sam wishing me luck on my first show greeted me on the lock screen, as well as a few notifications for new voicemails from Jacks. I’m sure they were just drunken rants when he finally figured out my apartment had been nearly entirely emptied out of my clothes and belongings. When I failed to respond Lou jumped in for me. “Everyone gets sick on their first tour, Harry.” Her tone was strict, coming quick to my defence. “Jet lag mixed with all the recycled airplane air is a recipe for disaster.” I was far too wrapped up in the notifications on my phone to respond, the sight of Jackson’s name on my phone an instant distraction for me. I had never felt like this about Jackson before. I guess you were supposed to get a feeling of sadness or longing when your ex-boyfriend reached out to you, but today was more of just an annoyance. Travelling across the ocean couldn’t even put enough space between us to give me some breathing room. My patience was wearing thin with all of this. My life back in London was filled with daily harassment, and the constant dread of having to risk an interaction with Jacks. Combined with Sam and Gemma watching over my every move as if I wasn’t capable of handling myself. I loved them dearly, but I just wanted space. I was going to be okay on my own. Granted, their hovering was exactly what had taken me away from London and the life that I loved so much. As much as I was thankful for this experience and was going to make the most of absolutely every second, I was also a homebody at the end of the day. I liked my routine. I liked my flat and my short commute to Bleach every day. And now I didn’t have that because Jacks wouldn’t let me. My life recently felt like I was treading water in a storm and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep my head above water. Jackson was the hurricane. I found it interesting that the thing you once loved, that meant the entire world to you, could so quickly become the same thing that made your life a living hell. “On a serious note, orange juice helps, Trix.” Harry saying my name brought me back down to Earth, clicking the lock screen on my phone after I typed out a quick text to Sam. I promised I’d call her tomorrow when we figured out a time that worked for both Canada and England. I deleted the voicemail notifications. Maybe I’d listen to them later. Maybe I’d just let my inbox fill up until there was no more room for him to leave a message. “Orange juice?” I repeated in an attempt to make it seem as though I had actually been paying attention to the conversation at hand. Harry nodded his head to confirm, “with all the vitamin C, you know?” I remember my mum saying the same thing to me all the time when I was growing up. I’m sure Harry’s mum had insisted the same thing. “I’ll pop over to catering when you’re all on stage and see if I can find some.” “Absolutely not!” I was caught off guard by how violently Harry began to shake his head no. “You need the freshly squeezed stuff, not the sugary processed shit they’ll have there.” As soon as the word was out of his mouth, Lou’s hand made firm contact with the back of Harry’s head. “Watch the language, knobhead.” “Soz, Lou.” Harry mumbled, rubbing at the back of his head. We all glanced over at Lux briefly, but she wasn’t really paying attention to any of us with Peppa Pig still playing on the iPad. “I’ll put some on the rider for tomorrow’s show for ya.” “You really don’t have to do that, Harry.” I offered. I’m sure there was plenty of juice in catering already, or even just a grocery store near the venue. There was no need to make such a fuss over fresh juice just for me. “It’s fine, Trix.” Harry waved me off, just as Preston appeared in the doorway. “Showtime Haz, let’s go.” Harry jumped out of his chair, ruffling Lux’ hair as he passed the toddler on his way out. “Bye girls, thanks for everything.” He called over his shoulder as he followed Preston towards the stage. As soon as his curls had disappeared out of sight, Lou turned towards the vanity to begin the cleanup process. With the exception of a few essential items that we would use for touchups throughout the show, she began to pack up the rest of the mess that had been left on the vanity in the wake of getting all of the boys ready. Each 1D member had their own clear plastic case for all of their unique products, neatly labelled with their names. Lou had this whole crazy circus act down to a fine routine by now and it was fascinating to watch her. Back at Bleach, I only ever had to focus on one client at a time, most customers coming in with similar requests for platinum hair and pastel colours. “Mummy, I’m all done.” Lux announced, putting the iPad down as the episode she had been watching ended. “I just need to pack up and then we can go get some dinner, alright?” Lux nodded at Lou and then handed me the iPad to put away into her small backpack full of toys she brought with her backstage. She was probably the most well behaved toddler for this crazy situation, but I guess this backstage rockstar life was all she had ever known. Placing Lux’ backpack down on the couch next to her, I stood up to help Lou clean up. Lux grabbed the bag and began to clean up her own mess, placing stuffed animals that she had with her on the couch into the bag as well. “That boys taken quite the liking to you already.” I couldn’t see Lux’ face, but just by her tone of voice I knew she had a wicked smirk. I grabbed the clear plastic makeup bag with Niall’s name scribbled onto it and began to zip it up as Lou placed the last few bottles into Harry’s bag. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lou.” “Don’t play coy, Trixie.” “We were sat next to each other on the plane, so he just happens to be the guy I’ve gotten to know the most so far on this tour. I’m sure I’ll be close with all of them soon.” “But do you fancy him?” Lou zipped up the last bag, placing it back down onto the countertop. “It’s alright if you do, love.” I gave her the most stern look I could muster, trying to ignore the Cheshire cat grin sprayed across her face. “I’m just hear to work, Lou. That’s it.” “That didn’t answer the question.” She walked away from the vanity to pick Lux up from the couch. With her backpack on, the three of us were going to head down the hall to catering to grab dinner while the boys took the stage. “I mean, I’m sure if he likes you I’ll find out fast. That boy can’t keep a secret to save his life.” I rolled my eyes to brush off Lou’s comments. Harry was attractive, and from the limited interactions I had had with him, he was nothing but a sweetheart. He was also probably one of this most fit guys I had ever laid my eyes on, but he was an international pop star. Practically every girl on Earth fancied Harry Styles, so of course there was a bit of a crush there. But for Lou to insinuate that something was going on was just mad. In reality we barely knew each other and had only spent a couple days together. He had such a warm personality, I’m sure that he was this friendly and welcoming with everyone he met on these tours. There was no need to fuss over Harry and I. There was also no need for me to start overthinking. I had enough on my plate already. I wouldn’t even think of dating another guy until Jackson was finally out of my life, and I didn’t see that becoming a reality anytime soon. Harry and I were becoming friends. Just friends. “All I’m saying is don’t forget who invited you out on this tour when you’re sending out the wedding invites, babes.” Lou winked.

Chapter Five > Chapter Seven 

[louisfeatharry]

Ok so right now im re-reading Have You Coming Back Again for like the billionth time bc i love it so much!!!! Do you know any other fics that are similar in the way of being in denial/oblivious to dating each other? Doesn't have to be Louis/Harry! You have the absolute best fic rec :)

so, when looking through my fic rec page for “denial” type fics, i may have gone a bit overboard, and some of these fics may not entirely fit into what you’re looking for - but for the most part, there is some aspect in these fics where one of the characters is oblivious or in denial to their feelings / being in a relationship with the other.

with that said, most of the fics are larry (since that’s what i p much read the most of) unless stated otherwise.

first off, here’s a link to the fic mentioned in your ask, anon, since some people might not know what fic you’re talking about! the rest of the fics are under the cut! :)

Have You Coming Back Again by whoknows (31k)

It’s five o’clock in the morning. Louis has a lecture at half eight. He could be using this time to study or to do his readings or to go to the gym, but - well. He doesn’t have any exams coming up, he’s not going to his seminar today anyway and he hates the gym.

Instead he’s using this time to fuck with Harry Styles’ poor little brain.

Louis jogs across the street and jabs the key into the car door. It opens easily, not that he was expecting anything else. He copied the key for a reason, after all.

He’s got Harry’s schedule memorized, more because the guy keeps following him around than anything, so he doesn’t bother looking around before climbing behind the wheel and setting his bag on the passenger seat. It’s a Monday, which means that Harry doesn’t even get out of bed before noon unless he’s planning on harassing Louis.

(your heartbeat) rang true inside my bones by flimsy (32k)

Harry goes as Louis’ date for a weekend wedding. He ends up taking the role a bit too seriously.

A Little Love (is better than none) by objectlesson (15k)

It’s supposed to be no strings attached sex, but Harry’s in love with beauty and tragedy and Louis Tomlinson so there might actually a few strings they’re not talking about.

Or, alternately, the four times they fuck and don’t kiss, and one time they fuck and do

Da Mi Basia Mille by StormDancer (zarry, 28k)

“An idea comes to Harry then, a brilliant, brilliant idea, the best idea he’s ever had, other than the time he thought he should grow his hair out. “New plan. I’m going to kiss you every day until you start thinking you should be kissed every day.”

Dreaming of You by Velvetoscar (68k)

The Begrudging Starbucks AU.

The world is winter and steamed milk and creamy espresso shots. The world is a never ending queue. The world is a Starbucks logo and a pink-cheeked smile from Niall and a bored scowl from Zayn and the world is Louis watching his best mate, Liam, fall in love with their newest customer, Harry. Who may or may not be in love with Louis. The world is cruel.

Gods & Monsters by Velvetoscar (201k)

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.

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) by thedeathchamber (55k)

Harry thinks he has good reasons for avoiding relationships. Meeting Louis puts those reasons to the test.

I Had Rather Hear My Dog Bark At A Crow by sunsetmog (tomlinshaw, 122k)

The first time Louis Tomlinson kisses him, Nick is three sheets to the wind, wearing a pirate hat, and so fucking tired of Louis being a complete and utter knobhead that he’s spent the last ten minutes snapping at him.

The kiss takes him rather by surprise, all things considered.

Or: Nick and Louis don’t like each other, not even a little bit, not even at all.

Like Real People Do by moodlighting (58k)

AU. Harry is Louis’ soulmate but Louis isn’t Harry’s - it takes Harry a while to figure it all out.

Looking Through You by allwaswell16 (41k)

Just as Louis and Liam were starting out in the music industry, writing and producing for up and coming artists, a fateful meeting with new pop singer Harry Styles changes everything. Four years later, just as Harry is set to embark on his next world tour, a drunken confession causes a rift between once inseparable friends. As Harry tries to make sense of his feelings for Louis, he begins writing his next album to express them as it may be the only way to break through the walls that Louis has built between them.

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

It begins for them all at the bungalow –

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

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

Nameless Night by green_feelings (155k)

For their 18th birthday, every person receives a letter that reads a simple date. That is the date you’ll meet your soulmate.

Harry and Louis have different beliefs, live in different worlds and have different dreams, hopes and fears. Yet, they’re not so different from each other when it comes to love. When their paths cross, there is no doubt they belong together. Except for that one, essential difference: they didn’t receive the same date.

Or, a fic about differences that make no difference at all: Harry and Louis are soulmates. In every way possible. Featuring Niall as a role model, and Liam and Zayn as a different kind of role models.

Pinkies Never Lie by emma1234 (83k)

AU in which Louis hates his job and loves Harry, Harry just wants a distraction, everyone else wants them to get their shit together, and Louis learns the hard way that new beginnings are only possible when something ends.

Play the Odds by alivingfire (25k)

Harry and Louis are best friends since childhood who, after a night of drinking, find themselves locked in a bet: first one to kiss the other a thousand times wins. Wins what? They don’t know. Glory, Harry supposes. Bragging rights, though those don’t do much in this economy. All Harry knows is that this is one bet he can finally win. What he doesn’t expect, though, is what happens when he starts kissing his best friend on a daily basis.

Namely, he doesn’t expect falling head over heels in love with his best friend.

Now all he has to do is make sure the bet never ends, so he never has to stop kissing Louis.

say i hate you but i always stay by clicheanna (8k)

Or the one where Harry hates Louis, he’s almost sure Louis hates him, and they live together. Driving him to football practice everyday is not apart of Harry’s plans, but Louis is pretty adamant if it means annoying Harry.

Unbelievers by isthatyoularry (136k)

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.

You and The Moon and Neptune (Got it Right) by alienharry (34k)

Louis has always wanted to meet his soulmate; he’s built his life around the plan that one day his soulmate would come along, and they could begin their happily ever after.

Harry has always wanted to travel; he’s built his life around the idea that nothing is permanent, and seeing the world is his only objective - soulmates mean nothing to him after all.

You’re the Light by allwaswell16 (31k)

Before beginning a new graduate school in the fall, Louis Tomlinson decides to spend the summer working in Chicago as an editor’s assistant for the Chicago Tribune newspaper and staying with his old college roommate. What he finds on his first day of work is a tall, gorgeous editor named Harry who has the most beautiful green eyes he’s ever seen—and who also happens to be his new boss.

[toodaysandtoomorrows]

My Favourite Fics Ever — One Direction Fandom Edition

Or: The fic rec nobody has asked for that I made no matter what because everything is better than studying and I am bored.

Here's a list of fics in no significant order of importance that happens to be my favourite in the One Direction Fandom. Mind me, they are not all the good fics I read, they are the ones that I always come back to, or the ones that left me something emotionally speaking, the ones that will probably stay with me for a long time.

Have You Coming Back Again by whoknows (31K, Bottom!L)

It’s five o’clock in the morning. Louis has a lecture at half eight. He could be using this time to study or to do his readings or to go to the gym, but - well. He doesn’t have any exams coming up, he’s not going to his seminar today anyway and he hates the gym.

Instead he’s using this time to fuck with Harry Styles’ poor little brain.

Louis jogs across the street and jabs the key into the car door. It opens easily, not that he was expecting anything else. He copied the key for a reason, after all.

He’s got Harry’s schedule memorized, more because the guy keeps following him around than anything, so he doesn’t bother looking around before climbing behind the wheel and setting his bag on the passenger seat. It’s a Monday, which means that Harry doesn’t even get out of bed before noon unless he’s planning on harassing Louis.

It'd probably be easier just to say that everything whoknows ever wrote is gold, I adore everything she has written and I think I read at least two times everything she published on Ao3. BUT. This is the best. To me, this is her masterpiece. Not because of the marvellous slow building plot, not because of her beautiful and very entertaining writing style, not because of the hot (like HOT hot) scenes. Nope. The reason is Louis. This Louis is THE Louis. He's my favourite one. Ever. He's a little oblivious shit and he's amazing.

I Had Rather Hear My Dog Bark At A Crow by sunsetmog (122K, Bottom!Louis)

The first time Louis Tomlinson kisses him, Nick is three sheets to the wind, wearing a pirate hat, and so fucking tired of Louis being a complete and utter knobhead that he's spent the last ten minutes snapping at him.

The kiss takes him rather by surprise, all things considered.

Or: Nick and Louis don't like each other, not even a little bit, not even at all.

I read over three hundred fanfictions in the 1D fandom, and the 98% of those where Harry/Louis. And yet somehow my favourite fic ever in this fandom is a Tomlishaw. When I think of it I feel I bit disconcerted, but honestly, it only makes sense. This fic is so good. I love the plot, the hurt, the smut. Louis. Louis is perfect. He's so tense, so thick, a little shit most of the time, a little baby the other times. I love it. Read it. I don't care if you don't like the pairing. Just read it.

Who Would've Thought by whoknows  (44K, Bottom!L)

The idea doesn’t come to Louis until they’ve been at the bungalow for a couple of days. Harry has no idea that he’s going to pop a knot. He’s been living his life with the expectation that he’s going to be a beta, and Louis isn’t going to tell him otherwise.

Louis is an omega, though, and most omegas want to be filled up with a knot, fucked the way their bodies are made to be fucked, and Louis is no different. In ten years he wants to have an alpha waiting for him at home who will hold him down and fuck him exactly the way Louis wants to be fucked without worrying that they’re going to expect him to stay at home, open a joint bank account, raise a litter of babies, cook and clean and, most importantly, be submissive. For that to happen Louis needs an entirely different kind of alpha.

And so the plan is born.

This is the ABO fic. Still haven't found one as good as this. As always whoknows fics get extra points for the way Louis is characterised. Also, the way the storyline has been structured, it's so smart. (I admit the first time I read it I didn't understand what was going on until I was almost halfway in, but when I did it made so much sense. I also may have re-read it backwards since then because it's easier, but I love how it is nonetheless.) (I won't tell you to read Swim In The Smoke too, another excellent ABO by the same author, otherwise this would turn into a whoknows fic rec. But.)

My English Love Affair by isthatyoularry (19K, Bottom!L)

The thing about sleeping with a member of a famous indie band is that the inevitability of having a song written about you is most likely a hundred percent. The second thing is that in the end, nobody's supposed to find out it's about you.

The one where Harry writes a song about his English love affair and Louis sleeps with someone in White Eskimo and all he gets is a stupid song written about him.

I simply like this one. It's no epic piece of literature, but it has everything I need. I love when they are in love with one another but they don't realize it until it's too late, I love the pining, I love the hurting each other while trying to get better.

Unbelievers by isthatyoularry (136K, Bottom!H)

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.

So you may have realized that I tend to prefer mostly Bottom!L. Guilty as charged. You see, I don't have a problem picturing Harry bottoming. My problem is Louis topping. I can't see that, mostly because I like Louis' character with determinate characteristics, which in B!H fics he tends not to have. But this is not the case. I love this fic. I believe it's the one I read the most times, even if Louis tops. And the reason is because Harry and Louis are so beautifully characterised, in a way that goes far beyond sexual roles. It's amazing to see how their relation slowly changes and I love the way they act to one another. Also, I'm a sucker for enemies to lover fics. So.

Let the Words Fall Out by pertunes (6K, no smut)

It’s not a thing, he decides. It’s not going to be a thing, because his ears have been ringing for months and so what if some days he feels like he’s straining to hear what even Niall’s jabbering on about.

Probably the only story under 10K I will (ever?) rec. I don't like short fics, with those you don't have the time to get fond of the characters that the end has already come. Well, unless you don't stick to a very canon or vague context and I prefer a bit more of originality If possible. Though, as always, I've got my exceptions and this is the one. I've read this story more than ones and it hurt every time. Louis centric, touches a delicate matter such as hearing loss, very nice. It has a brief sequel.

A Castle of Twigs and Thistles by flowerheaddress (187K, Kid!Fic, Major Character Death)

In 8-year-old Louis Tomlinson’s world, things were bleak and desolate. Yet, when discovering the boy swaddled to his jumper that had been watching him pass everyday from primary since his arrival to the other side of the thicket, Louis’ life takes a turn in brilliance and beauty that had never graced him until the clouds were brushed from his eyes by the tiny hands and arms littered with the bruises of a conflicted past and a wary future. Swept into imagination, Louis must learn to love and let go when life interrupts the adventures that carry both boys far from the gloom of the tiny village nestled away to the hills just out from London’s crawling city limits. In again falling to his desires of a bustling, full life and the hidden world he’d never known to be reality tangled within the brambles and weeds, Louis must take reigning place to the side of the invisible boy and his kingdom no one had dared to find where nothing is what it seems.

This HURTS. And it's the kind of hurt that gets inside you and stays forever, which, I know it doesn't sound good, but it takes a lot for a work of fiction to create such a strong and long lasting mix of devastating emotions, and in this case I think it's all worth it. I really feel more people should read this fic, not only because I need to share my pain and my amazement for this story, but also because it may be the most well written fic I have ever read in this fandom and it's so so emotionally engaging. I fell in love with its phrasing and its style in a matter of a few paragraphs, it feels like going through poetry. It's beautiful and I think it's one of those story I will never forget. (But if you are easily upset by hard themes avoid this like the plague. The main character death warning is not there just for fun. Just saying.)

[justsomelarryfics]

Misunderstanding/ Miscommunication

gonna stay 'til I can't remember my name anymore - So, Louis fucked up. Big time. The thing is he doesn't exactly know what he supposedly did, he's got absolutely no clue whatsoever. It isn't like he didn't try to find out – 'cause he did – but to no avail. The only reason why he even knows he must have done something really bad this time is because Harry isn't talking to him – like not at all. No answered calls or texts (which is fucking horrible, okay? Because they text each other all the damn time and Louis hates not being able to text Harry shit like 'stop being cute, ya weirdo' during lit class when Harry would scrunch up his face in the way he always does when he concentrates on something really hard and then he would blush and shake his head when he reads Louis' message, small smile on his face). He won't even spare him as much as a look. or Louis fucked up. Harry is hurt. It's all Lottie's fault.  (one shot, 2k)

Teacups - "Looks like your attraction is not any body's cup of tea today," he puns cheekily. Harry rolls his eyes and lifts the box onto the counter easily, dusting his hands off without a blink of an eye to Louis. "I think it might be your costume."   "Alright, babe, you listen here." Harry comes forward and makes sure he's close to Louis' ear. Louis swallows carefully when Harry speaks. "Cut this shit out, you're no Peter Pan in my eyes. You're a fucking twit. I know what you're like, and that's all you need to worry about." or the au where louis works as peter pan at paris' eurodisney while harry's the mad-hatter who works at the teacup ride, and just so happens to be the annoyingly gorgeous man louis is in love with.  (one shot, 25k)

You Fill My Lungs With Sweetness, And You Fill My Head With You -  Knocking on the door of Harry's sister's apartment shouldn't be an issue, until a beautiful blue-eyed boy opens up. Whoops.  (one shot, 6k)

Stealing My Trust -  Harry hates the danger Louis' 'job' puts him in, but no one ever said being in love with a criminal would be easy. But Louis' job isn't the problem, Harry's secretive past is, and when Louis is almost killed on a job he catches wind that Harry may have been involved. Now Harry's lover is homicidal and ready to hunt him down, how the hell is he supposed to survive long enough to explain the truth?  (one shot, 3k)

The One That Saves Me - There’s a moment of silence but it’s not awkward or uncomfortable. Harry is oddly reassured just by the fact that Louis is on the other side of the phone. Everything still feels unbearable, but him, being there, it’s enough for now.  Harry’s never really come to terms with what goes on in his house when his mother isn’t home, has never admitted even to himself that this, this thing that’s happening to him, is real. Nearly nine years of sexual and physical abuse and he’s still trying to learn to grunt and bear it. He finds ways of coping, whether it be slicing his wrists or throwing up his dinner just because he needs control of something.   On the outside, he's a smiling, cheeky sixteen-year-old. On the inside though, Harry's broken, damaged goods tittering on the edge of hopelessness.  And then he meets Louis. (part of a series, chaptered, complete, 82k)

Forever, Uninterrupted -  Harry finds a mysterious picture in Louis' bag one night and drives himself crazy over it. It's definitely not what he thinks.  (part of a series, one shot, 8k)

hiding from you in this skin -  As soon as the words leave his mouth, he wants to snatch them back. It’s everything he wanted to say, everything he felt ever since he heard her name, ever since he saw Harry’s face when he’d looked at her; and it didn’t have to be her, god knows it could’ve been anyone else, anyone on the planet, and Louis still would’ve wanted to destroy them. (one shot, 25k)

know the water's sweet but blood is thicker - “What the fuck?!” Harry exclaims, taking in the sight of Louis and Liam, moving his gaze to glare at Louis. “Why the fuck did you invite me over here just to see you with another guy?”“No, Harry, this is my broth –” “Are you cheating on me?”OR, the one where louis has a cuddly reunion with his older brother liam who was away for university, his boyfriend harry walks in, and misunderstandings ensue. (one shot, 3k)

On My Radar -  Harry has moved in across the street from Louis, and every night, sets up a telescope. Naturally, Louis decides to give the the creeper across the street a little show, just to teach him a lesson. Only, Harry isn’t a creeper, and Louis’ little plan lands both of them in a situation neither of them saw coming. (porn with plot, one shot, 6k)

Have You Coming Back Again - It’s five o’clock in the morning. Louis has a lecture at half eight. He could be using this time to study or to do his readings or to go to the gym, but - well. He doesn’t have any exams coming up, he’s not going to his seminar today anyway and he hates the gym.Instead he’s using this time to fuck with Harry Styles’ poor little brain. Louis jogs across the street and jabs the key into the car door. It opens easily, not that he was expecting anything else. He copied the key for a reason, after all. He’s got Harry’s schedule memorized, more because the guy keeps following him around than anything, so he doesn’t bother looking around before climbing behind the wheel and setting his bag on the passenger seat. It’s a Monday, which means that Harry doesn’t even get out of bed before noon unless he’s planning on harassing Louis. (one shot, 31k)

2 Days - Based on this prompt: If you take prompts please could you do a larry stylinson fic when Harry thinks louis is cheating on him so they have a huge fight and Harry moves out but then a few days later louis shows up explains everything and proposes?  (one shot, 4k)

Christmas Lights, Winter Formals, and Fragile Hearts - After being neighbors and inseparable best friends for ten years Harry thought he knew every single thing there was to know about Louis, but that changed the day he overheard Louis confiding his most personal secret to another friend. Finding out Louis didn't trust him enough to confide in broke Harry's heart, but finding out Louis was in love with someone else shattered it. Best friends AU where it really doesn't take an expert in the art of misunderstandings, and being best friends and knobheads in love to know where this is headed. (one shot, 16k)

A piece of you that I couldn't take apart -  They were best friends and now they're not.  (one shot, 3k)

Just You Wait - When Harry eavesdrops on a conversation between Louis and his mother, he hears Louis insulting his family. He doesn't have the heart to tell his family, who believes Louis and Gemma will get married, so Harry makes a plan to expose Louis for the person he really is. Very loosely based on Downton Abbey. Harry is the son of nobility, and Louis is expected to marry his sister. (one shot, 8k)

it's not a secret that i'm into you - Louis is halfway out the door, already trying to figure out the closest way to the office, when he hears the puppy boy say to flour boy "Harry! I've got you a sandwich," and he almost drops everything he's holding because Harry. Could it be...?  Louis finds Harry's diary and falls in love with him through the words. (one shot, 6k)

Whisk You Away - "Okay, so you met your high school crush, Harry Stills--" "Styles." "Not for long," Niall said in a sing-song tone, and Louis threw a chip at his face. It landed on top of his head. Niall grabbed it and put it in his mouth. "Anyway, so he is getting married tomorrow and invites you to help him bake a cake." "Mhmm." "And you accept. You can’t bake. And you can’t even make pancakes...Bravo." Or... Louis is quick at assuming the worst, only for the best thing to happen.  (one shot, 2k)

[fyeahjamesandlily]

Risky Business

for @jilys, who requested both a royalty and/or uni au. enjoy <3

word count: 3,220

“Highness.”

Lily, Queen of Evanshire, Empress of the Cokeworth Isles (and outlying territories), almost conqueror of Pottsworth, greeted her guest with a cool smile. She did not rise from her seat.

“Highness.” Her guest greeted her with equal stiffness, and he did not bow.  

She, for one, couldn’t stomach the usual formalities, so it came as something of a relief that he didn’t, either. Lily gestured to the seat opposite. After a flicker of hesitation, he took it.  Once settled, he leaned back and tried, rather desperately, to project an unruffled air.

Or was that her?

More wine. Now.

“I’d offer you some,” she said as she refilled her glass, “but I daresay it’d go untasted.”

“You’d be right. I’d rather not risk poison.”

“I’ve kept my word,” Lily said. “No emissaries or advisors.”

He looked around the room, which was empty, save them, quiet, save the clock ticking in the corner, and dim but for the tapered candles set on the small table between them. It might have been romantic, under different circumstances.

“I can see that,” he said, “though you won’t get any credit from me.”

“Formalities, Highness. Play nice.”

“I’m still waiting for the assassin.”

“Only Remus, and he’s sleeping, and he’s just as libel to murder me than you.”

“Ah.”

“And I wouldn’t try to kill you—by poison or assassin—when you’re holding my baby hostage.”

He laughed bitterly. “And after that?”

Lily slipped her wine, slow and steady, measuring her next words carefully. “If you’re so convinced I mean you harm, Highness, then why did you come?”

Rather than answer, he studied the map covering most of the table—her father’s map—and the pawns which represented their respective armies. She and her sister had painted the pawns as small children. Even in the flickering light, the story the map told was unmistakable: Lily’s failed retaliatory campaign, her ever-shrinking territory, now surrounded on all sides by enemy forces.

Her own forces, cornered and trapped.

A perfect metaphor for how she felt right now, wasn’t it?

Certain defeat for her, and certain victory for her sworn enemy.

Who sat across from her, fidgeting awkwardly, staring anywhere but at her.

Odd, because he knew his victory was all but secure. He might at times be arrogant and presumptive, but he was brilliant, a master strategist. She could give him that much, even now. Was that why he’d come? To gloat?

“Why did you invite me here, Lily? Do you really want to negotiate war prisoners?” He pointed to the map. “Or even any of this?”

She refilled her glass, but he reached across the table, took it from her, and finished it one gulp.

When he saw her surprised expression, he shrugged.

“No use abstaining, now I know it’s not poisoned.”

Lily set the bottle back down. “I wasn’t going to poison you, James.”

“I’m not sure anymore—this has all gone a lot further than I ever anticipated.”

“I’m not the only one who’s gotten carried away.”

“I know. And In that vein, I’ll make you a promise: your baby will be returned.”

“Unharmed?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“After we resolve all of this. Which is the reason I’m here.”

“Resolve doesn’t sound very optimistic for someone who appears poised on the cusp of victory.”

He leaned back in his chair, pressing his fingertips together like a wizened old man. “It appears to be a victory—you called me here, after all—but you and I both know that we aren’t being fully honest. You didn’t call your allies off, like you’ve said, Lily.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. They’ve abandoned you.”

“Yours have abandoned you as well,” Lily bit back.

“Of course you’d know that.” He reached a hand behind his head to scratch the back of his neck, a gesture she found so familiar that she couldn’t help the small smile. She quickly let it drop. “Spies?” he asked.

She nodded. And then she offered: “They think we’re being ridiculous with this whole thing…yours and mine.”

Because this had escalated out of their control, hadn’t it?

He took it.

“Agreed. And I’m tired of arguing with you, Highness. Do you think it’s even possible that we—come to an accord—without any more”—he glanced at the map—“collateral damage?”

He said Highness with far less sarcasm than before, which gave her something like hope that this could, indeed, be sorted out. Properly. Without her having to surrender. Because she would surrender, if it came down to it, but she’d rather not be the one to cave first.

“I think we owe it to ourselves—I mean to them,” she said, pointing to the pawns, “to try.”

“Yes.”

“What if we fail and bugger this up?”

He smiled, but it didn’t meet his eyes. “More than we already have?”

Lily gave up her stiff posture and crossed her legs. Very unladylike, yes, but she too flustered to keep any sense of decorum. “Do you think the damage is irreversible?”

A dangerous question, but he didn’t hesitate in answering.

“I came, didn’t I? And you summoned me here for this clandestine, middle-of-the-night meeting.”

“I sent you a missive requesting an audience, James. It’s our protocol. I didn’t summon you—”

“You wouldn’t have summoned me if there wasn’t hope for peace.”

“Peace?”

He waved a dismissive hand. “Resolution. Accord. Whatever you want to call it.”

“Resolution.” Lily mulled over the word. Resolution didn’t sound like ‘gloating in victory,’ did it? “So you aren’t expecting me to just, surrender? Give in?”

“Surrender? No. But I am expecting us to sort this out like adults.”

“But we aren’t adults, James.”

“Yes we are.”

“Technically, maybe, but barely. And that’s part of what got us into this mess.”

“If by that, you mean your misinterpretations and overreactions, then yes—”

Lily scrubbed a weary hand across her face. “Can we not start going around and around again? Please? Because hurtling accusations of blame isn’t a very good start, if you want to talk through this with any sense of rationality.”

That got his attention.

“We are adults, at least adult enough to sit here and talk about this.” A pause, then, “Aren’t we? “ He waited for Lily to nod. “And you’re right, I’m not interested in what got us here. Well, I am. I just know this fighting has been going on for too damned long.”

She smiled. Again. Damn this boy. “The…current campaign…has only been going on for two days.”

“But aren’t you exhausted with it?”

This time, Lily didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees, and for the first time all evening, looked her square in the eye.

“Then I want to talk about the possible unification of our, erm, kingdoms.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, I do. And I’m asking you, Lily, what do you want?”

That, Lily wasn’t prepared for. She also wasn’t prepared for the pounding of footsteps down the hall, or the flip of the switch, bathing the living room in the offensively bright, yellow light of the overhead. Both she and James winced and shielded their eyes.

“Do you know what I want, guys?”

Lily removed her hand and found a harassed, disgruntled Remus Lupin glaring at her. And James.

“D’you think you could turn that off, Remus?” Lily asked. Nicely, because Remus’s go-with-the-flow, relaxed attitude did not extend to the hours of one and five in the morning.

“No.”

“Okay, then.”

Remus looked at James. “Aren’t you going to ask me what I want, Prongs?”

After a brief glance at Lily, he turned in his sofa to meet Remus’s gaze full on. “Sure, mate. What do you want?”

Remus crossed his arms and leaned against the doorjamb. “World fucking peace. Barring that, sleep, because my econ final is in six bloody hours. Barring that, I want you two to sort your shit out so I can listen to literally anything on this earth but you two being…weird.”

“We aren’t being weird,” James and Lily chorused.

“You’re attempting to resolve your real-world issues—which you’ve dragged every last one of your friends into with your lunatic dramatics—through a board game. Weird is being pretty goddamn generous.”

Lily glanced at the Risk board—the board game in question—and both she and James opened their mouths to protest. Remus held up a hand to silence them.

“No! No interrupting, either of you.”

Lily sat back in her armchair and prepared for the onslaught.

“This, here, is precisely the ‘dramatics’ I’m talking about. You’re here, in the dark, at two in the morning, pretending you’re royalty about to destroy each other’s kingdoms.”

“Unite them,” Lily said. “Hopefully.”

“Whatever. I’ve listened to your tales of woe. Both of you, nearly crying, for two nights in a row, and this, here,”—he flapped his arms at them with a look of utmost revulsion on his face—“is worse than that. It’s unacceptable, especially at two in the bloody morning. And I know we—your mates, all of us—said we weren’t going to intervene, let you work it out on your own, but that’s not possible. Do you want to know why it’s not possible?”

He looked at James, eyebrows raised, face expectant. James sighed. “Why, mate?”

“Because you two are infants! And I really, truly mean that. You aren’t adults in any sense of the word. You can’t be trusted with pizza, let alone armies. You can’t even talk about your feelings without using your favorite board game as a, I have to say it, really shitty metaphor.”

He took in a deep breath, and Lily thought for a short moment that he might have finished early. She was wrong.

“Which, while I’m at it, is also complete bullshit. That’s not how you play Risk, Lily, whatever your dad said. It takes two hours, three if you’re playing with a militant knobhead like Prongs. But you two have kept this game going for months—“

“But—”

“You’re wearing crowns, Evans. Actual crowns.” Remus turned his attention fully on Lily. “And you, Lily, listen. James has been my best mate since we were eleven. We came to uni together! I’ve lived with him for going on ten years. And he—sorry, mate—says and does stupid shit. All the time. No filter. He speaks out of his arse 90% of the time. 95% with you, because you make him so bloody nervous. And I’m here to remind you that you find it endearing when it isn’t driving you absolutely mad.

“And James. Prongs. Evans overreacts. To everything. All the damn time. She lit sparklers in the living room on Christmas. She bought cake to celebrate ‘no cavities’ at your last dental visit, for fuck’s sake. She tried to hide a duck in the bathtub on Bonfire night. And, surprise to no one, she ’ sakefuckast dental visit.s because ooons forctively, but he turned his attention fully on Lily.

iends into over the last fortyoverreacted to the fur ball, yeah? You find it bloody adorable, nauseatingly adorable, when it’s not driving you absolutely bonkers.

“He got you a kitten, Lily. And yes, he assumed a lot in getting that cat. That you’d want the shared responsibility for the next decade, and that you’d move in together, et-fucking-cetera. Darling, you use my razor to shave your legs most mornings, so you don’t get to harp on about ‘presumptions.’ You already live here. You live her more than I do.

“Honestly, how you two hurdled from fur ball to ‘does she even really love me’ and ‘I guess this is over’ is beyond me, but here we all are, at two in the bloody fucking morning.

“You love each other, yeah?” They both nodded. “Of course you want to move in together! James, you shouldn’t have just assumed it. Lily, you know, you know, he didn’t mean ‘sure thing’ like you were a sure thing. And it’s a cat. An adorable cat that is clawing the shit out of my sheets, so come get him when you’re done sorting your shit out.

“Sidebar: I want you to move in together, If only so you can work out your weird Risk fetish and couch shagging—which everyone knows about, by the way—in private. You two have no boundaries, and you’re bloody perfect for each other. If you two can’t sort it out from here, I give up. Now I’m going to bed. If I hear you again, I will douse your favorite shoes in milk.”

“Now-please-snog-and-go-to-bloody-sleep-for-fuck’s-sake. Good night, your highnesses.”

With a bow, Remus flicked the light off and stomped back to his bedroom, closing the door none-too-gently behind him.

Lily and James turned to each other in stunned silence.

“Well, what’s up his arse?” James asked. “We haven’t been that dramatic.”

“He has an exam in five hours and forty-seven minutes.”

“True.”

“I’ve never seen him that worked up though.”

“He’s like solar power—saves it all up for when he really needs it.”

“He did save us the trouble of working through all of that on our own. But we aren’t…playing this game wrong.” She pointed to the Risk board, which was unrecognizable as such which new lines and country names drawn in with different colored Sharpies. “We play it better.”

James nodded solemnly, his paper crown slipping a little sideways in the process. “Rules are for losers.”

“Exactly. Our countries are loads better. And you got me this tiara for New Year’s. I love it.”

“And I love my birthday crown.”

Lily nodded. She’d gotten it for him for his birthday. His birthday, which was a blast. Suddenly, surrendering first, apologizing first—or rather, not—didn’t matter as much as it did twenty minutes ago. “He’s right about other bits, though.”

“Yeah?”

“About me. I do…overreact. And misinterpret.”

“Can you come over here?” James asked from his vantage point on the sofa. Her armchair was right next to his part of the sofa, but the separation did feel unnecessary, now that the illusion of the middle-of-the-night parlay was broken.

“Time to give up our crowns?” she asked.

“It’s kind of a shit metaphor.”

“Is not.”

“Evans.”

“Fine.”

Lily tossed her crown onto the coffee table and moved to the sofa. After a momentary crisis—sit far or close? facing him or the fireplace?—she settled for middle cushion, but not touching. He immediately turned sideways to face her, sitting cross-legged, so his knees were touching her thigh and knee. But okay.

She’d barely sat down when he jumped right in. “I shouldn’t have gotten you the cat, okay? Or I shouldn’t have just assumed you’d want a cat. Together. For the next ten years. And I didn’t mean ‘sure thing’ like that. And if you don’t know that, I’m telling you now.”

She laid her head back on the couch and turned it to face him; he grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

“But, I need you to know, Evans, that this does feel like a sure thing to me. You and me, it’s the surest thing I know. Or it did. And not feeling that sucks. A lot. And that’s not what I said, I know, but it’s what I meant. And it’s all I meant. And I don’t take that back.”

She squeezed his hand. “I—don’t want you to take it back, James.”

“You don’t?”

“No. Of course not. I’ve been bloody miserable. Angry and confused and hurt, but all wrapped up in misery. That’s why I sent you the missive.”

“You tucked a post-it note into the toilet roll, Lil. Remus brought it to me.”

“Yeah, but I knew Sirius and Peter are already at the lake, and Remus wouldn’t have wiped his arse with it. I knew it’d get to you.”

James smiled, genuinely smiled, and it was so far removed from the coldness with which he had greeted her that it gave her the courage to get the next bit out. “I panicked a little, okay? And yeah, got a bit dramatic.”

His grin widened. “The goldfish was over the top, even for you.”

“I know.”

“But the fireworks were a nice bit of work. If I wasn’t the recipient.”

Lily rolled her eyes. “Okay, so a lot dramatic. But of course I want to move in. Officially. And I want the furball. And you. I want you for—like, longer than a cat. Like Seven cats.”

“A cat can live anywhere from 12-15 years, Evans, so that’s until we’re over a hundred.”

“How d’you even know that?”

“I’ve been reading up. Responsible pet ownership.”

“Ah.”

“I was afraid I was going to be a single parent.”

“Well, you aren’t. You’d be a cute single dad though. I’d pick you up.”

“Well, thank-you.”

“And I’m planning on living forever, didn’t you know?”

“Well, glad I can be there to watch it.”

“So my living here is a permanent thing then, yeah?”

“If you’re amenable to that, my lady.”

“You are a giant fucking nerd, James Potter.”

With that, he pulled her onto his lap, and into a kiss. And she forgot about the fighting, and the crowns, and anything but the taste and the feeling of him. This, here, in his arms. This was home. How could she ever, ever have doubted that she wanted anything else? It’d only been two days, but a really, really long two days. Lily shifted on his lap, and in the process her toe tipped the board game—the board game they’d made their friends leave on the coffee table, untouched, for three months—over, sending the pieces scattering on the rug.

The kiss broke.

“Fuck,” James said. “I was looking forward to finally trouncing you.”

“You were going to win anyway. I’ve known it for weeks.”

“Were you going to surrender peacefully?”

“Never.”

“Good.”

“You still drive me mad with your assumptions, Potter.”

“You still overreact.”

“We’re still too young.”

“I definitely love you.”

“I definitely love you, too.”

“So,” James said, pulling Lily close to him again. “What do we do now?”

“Fuck.”

“Yes, please, but we’d better go to my room, or—”

“No. Fuck…Remus and I have econ together. I have my final in six hours, too.”

“Closer to five.”

“Shit.”

“Okay, so no fucking. Just bed. But first, I’m going to need to hear you say it.”

“I love y—” But he pointed to the game board, scattered on the floor; she groaned. “Really?”

“If you want your baby back alive, yes.”

“You’re insufferable.”

He pinched her side.

“Proof of life, please, before I humiliate myself forever.”

James pulled Lily’s beloved childhood stuffed elephant, Ellie, from between the couch cushions. She’d been held hostage for the last three weeks, and—

Lily lunged for it, but James held it high above their heads, out of Lily’s reach.

“She was here the whole time?”

“Yes. And you can have her just as soon as you say it.”

“Fine. You are the master of Risk.”

He waved Ellie in the air.

“You, Lord James, King of Pottsworth, are the, er, victor. Of Risk. Master player. Really wonderful. Cute arse, et-fucking-cetera.”

“You say it like that, all over the top, and I think you don’t mean it.”

“You want to start a new game?”

“Maybe after you fail your exam tomorrow, yeah?”

She grinned at her boyfriend. Her live-in, co-cat parent boyfriend, one time Risk victor boyfriend. “Sounds like a plan.”