#instead of louis & ot4

[softestomlinson]

.

[twopoppies]

Ill never under stand that line of thinking lol 1) Sony assumed they wouldn't resign; citing that 1ds incomng revenue would drop after 2015 2) ot4/ot5 own the 1d name so they had to have an agreement on if they resigned or not, they all knew it was coming and had plenty of time to think and talk it over (in their dec carpool karaoke Louis was said he was excited to see what they would all do, but i thought he was blindsided and upset?? Make it make sense) and 3) Harry didn't hit the ground running? lol Liam was the first one with a solo deal (Ed gave him strip shortly after the hiatus started iirc) and Niall was shortly after that (hli vaguly remembered him tweeting and saying he was excited to get back to music after his trip), Harry's deal wasn't confirmed until later (he was probably already promised to sony but it wasnt confirmed/ he hadnt signed until later and he still took a while to release a single) yeah he was working on music/an album before he was signed but they're musicians ffs (again see Liam and niall) like there's no doubt they all were going to get solo deals if they wanted them lol

*sighs deeply in veteran 1d stan*

Yep. All of this. It's all spin, and it makes more sense to look at what happened instead of just believing what any of them say in an interview.

in reference to this (I assume)

[loisfreakinglane]

What are your top 5 new opinions from your current suits rewatch?

oh god i don't know if i have any NEW OPINIONS but things that morph slowly over time. lettuce discuss what's at the top of my mind!

read more cut for everyones own good

SHIPPING THOUGHTS: i love mike/rachel waaaay more on rewatch, i find myself dissatisfied with the relationship arc trajectory that donna/harvey takes in a way that didn't hit me watching the first time (i wish they'd happened way sooner OR put way more effort into the buildup to them finally getting together in s8. s7 rly took the wind out of my sails with that kiss that they both said MEH at. after that i needed waaaaay more work in s8 for them to just throw themselves at each other), i looove harvey/mike the exact same amount, louis/sheila is the epitome of a SOMEBODY GONNA MATCH MY FREAK ship, i love jeff/jessica a lot but i really really wish that they'd fallen for each other onscreen after she hired him, harvey/scotty makes me SAD bc i love scotty and she deserves someone just as invested in her as she is in them and even tho i love their competitive vibe sfm harvey never puts the energy in that i want him to, paula is vile and should not be allowed to date anybody ever, donna/sam should have been a ship, sam should have been a lesbian or at least canonically queer, katrina is a queer ace enby to ME AND MY SOUL. harvey and jessica should have been a thing. alex and harvey should have been exes. i was veeeeery into the mess that was logan/rachel to the point where i'm like....... in another life..... in fic.......... rachel should have gone that route i'm SORRY. i don't think mike/trevor ever happened but if trevor had opened that door mike would have gone thru it, EVEN THO TREVOR SUCKS. louis/tara was the biggest waste of screentime and one of the worst parts of s6 bc it was so boring and perplexing?? like. why. donna/thomas was an immediately good vibrant ship and i wish they hadn't dropped it so abruptly. or at all tbh!!!!!! i was very into them! at the very least i'd have liked it to go for all of s8 instead of just the very end. i'm good with all canon endgame ships, i'm very happy with how the series ends. i love my ot4 besties. but this is my truth lol

i like sam so much more on rewatch! i went back and forth on how i felt about her the first time around- she IS a very polarizing person. but she's a messy bitch and i appreciate her. i think they flop on a lot of her plots (whyd we get a road trip to meet birth dad but not actually see her meet birth dad. why did we spend so much time on the absolute ickiest ex boyfriend. why was i supposed to think it was cool she did an illegal thing to win the case against mikes client trying to cut ties with a sweatshop. why was it everyone elses problem to save her job for that)

why wasn't robert a series regular in season 8..... he was there the whole goddamn time. also gretchen should have been a series regular starting in season 5, but ESPECIALLY in s8/9. she was there the whooooole time. i also think its incredibly annoying that robert got disbarred because of donna shenanigans. like. both jessica and robert, the only two black name partners, got disbarred to save the jobs of white ppl who fucked up. it's a bad fucking look. but it makes even less sense for robert. at least i get why jessica would want to save harvey. robert has noooooooooo allegiance to harvey or donna. and they twisted it into being robert saving sam somehow? idk that was such a bad choice imo it really sticks out.

in general my biggest gripe from s8/9 is not mike and rachels absence (tho i dearly miss them, and ofc i still miss jessica!), it's that the entire cast is upper management. everyone is a name or senior partner or the coo or managing partner. and the recurring characters are like..... 2 associates and gretchen being everybodys secretary. it's absurd to have everyone be a name partner immediately (and a copout to give it to both alex and sam at the same time just to quit their whining) and it makes the firm feel so small. nobody even has a secretary who's not gretchen anymore. it just feels divorced from reality in a very specific way that the first 7 seasons weren't bc we're locked in battle for the tippy top, with almost nobody at the bottom or middle. (i also think donna should have become coo in season 5/6. everyone jumped ship when mike got arrested and went to prison. they were like...... a 5 man office. that would have been the peeeeeeerfect time for donna to rise the ranks organically. as is i don't love how her becoming coo works plotwise)

i think on rewatch it's easier to see how much mike and rachel are meant for something else career-wise. like obviously they're both amazing at corporate law but their hearts just aren't in it. they badly want to fight for the little guy but there aren't little guys to fight for when everyones arguing over millions of dollars. their choice to leave the way they did was very abrupt, and i still think they could have put way more work into the season 7 finale (not splitting it between new york and chicago would have been lol A GREAT START, and this is coming from a massive jessica stan who otherwise would have been thrilled to see a jessica-heavy episode with flashbacks). we saw mike struggling for a long time with his priorities, and he couldn't devote his whole career to corporate law purely to make harvey happy. i think canon landed on the right endgame anyway. harvey hit the pinnacle of his career, everything he ever worked for, realized he didn't actually want to be managing partner, and said alright now i'm gonna follow mike and rachel to their passion project, so we can work together again. PERFECT ENDING. tho now i'm like......... suits la better be really goddamn careful with what they say about harvey and his life postseries...... BLEH HANGING OVERHEAD

[5sosfanfictioncatalogue]

Fic Titles That Start With E Masterlist

Eager to Please (ao3) - howtotrainyourpup ot4, luke/ashton E, 5k

Summary: Ashton is Luke’s baby. His cupcake, his little lion. There is nothing in the world that Luke wouldn’t do for Ashton, he prided himself on being the best Daddy he could be when he was needed, and the best boyfriend he could be the rest of the time. Their relationship, while unconventional, is happy and safe and full of trust both spoken and unspoken. Calum and Michael understand, they’ve made a safe zone for the boys that could never be recreated and is worth more than gold.

or, Ashton slips and helps out all his boys instead of only Luke just this once? i don’t know

Ease (ao3) - Grace_Williams calum/ashton, michael/luke G, 138k

Summary: In a world where everyone was a dominant or a submissive and everyone had an assigned soulmate, Ashton was remarkably unsure of himself. Nothing is going as he planned and his soulmate, Calum, is, to put it simply, not who he expected.

Michael is Calum's best friend and an all round terrible example when it comes to navigating relationships.

Calum's assistant Maggie, along with her soulmate Carla, seem to be the only ones who do understand how a relationship is supposed to work.

Are they the only people can put those around them at ease?

Easy like Saturday Nights(ao3) - ademigodgirl calum/ashton, harry/louis T, 2k

Summary: When Calum is dragged out to Michael’s performance, he doesn’t expect the chance to meet someone special. Especially not in such an embarrassing way…

Eat Me (ao3) - notonguexwithbutt michael/luke M, 14k

Summary: “Michael’s bottle green eyes are absolutely shining and Luke has to take a second to appreciate the beauty before him. Luke convinces himself it’s not weird to think things like that because it’s so obviously a fact. Michael is a beautiful boy, the prettiest Luke’s ever seen, and it makes Luke’s heart pound to think that he’s his best friend. How did he get so lucky?”

Michael is upset that none of his bandmates want to take him to a deserted island and eat him so Luke makes him feel better. In doing so, he discovers the feelings he has for his best friend are a little stronger than he ever intended.

Eighteen (ao3) - boomercal luke/ashton E, 56k

Summary: Eighteen-year-old Luke is done putting up with his father and brothers so he takes his father’s Corvette and credit card to track down Ashton Irwin. Who graduated a few years ahead of him and has a reputation for smoking, drinking and sleeping around; surely he’ll be enough to make his dad meet his demands… right?

Empty Wallets (ao3) - gayrightsalec calum/ashton G, 2k

Summary: this is my first 5sos fic after rejoining the fandom for the third time since 2014. there are no major trigger warnings, but please note the tags. thank you for looking!

for the prompt ‘Can you come pick me up?’

Enchanted (ao3) - RoseAmaranth luke/ashton G, 2k

Summary: After realizing that his bandmates never got to go to their senior formal, Ashton decides to set up a little something in his house. And that’s totally the only reason he has for wanting to host a private formal in his home. Yep.

Endlessly (ao3) - thesoulsailor calum/ashton, michael/luke E, 27k

Summary: “I know who he is.” The boy, Ashton, commented, closing his book. Not sparing Calum a single look, he hopped off his chair and started walking towards the back door of the room. His movements were rigid, tense as if Calum had offended him personally by just his presence. Which confused Calum more than it should’ve if he was being honest. Normally people were easy for Calum. He got along with almost everyone he met from the go. Not so Ashton. Ashton seemed to detest him and Calum had no idea why.

or Calum is the undisputed king of his high school, Ashton speaks through colours, Luke doesn’t let anybody touch him and Michael is so getting killed by for hiding that snake in their teacher’s drawer.

Energy Drinks, A Black Cat& Other Signs of Vampirism (ao3) - Headgehog_Louis007 michael/calum, luke/ashton T, 80k

Summary: “What? it’s just garlic bread.”

“Aren’t vampires like.. I mean.. don’t they not like garlic?”

A fic in which Michael is a vampire and every trope about vampires is wrong.

Erotic Nightmares (ao3) - valiantnerd (arareads) michael/calum E, 23k

Summary: “Hi there! I’m Michael,” they smile sweetly, cheeks rounding and face squishing cutely around the soft gesture, “I’m a demon.”

Huh.

What the fuck?

Calum is being haunted by an odd sex demon. Love ensues.

even if i want to, i can’t look away (it ain’t easy to forget you) (ao3) - bellawritess luke/calum T, 4k

Summary: “Calum,” Luke says. It might be wishful thinking, but Calum is pretty sure he sounds happy. “What’s up? Haven’t heard from you in a while.”

Yeah. Since Luke moved to London. Well. Since Luke got cast in a play in the West End and relocated in less than a week. Calum knows exactly when they last spoke was, and not only because there’s a time stamp on the text messages. Luke’s play — okay, the play Luke is starring in — had been a smashing success, and after he’d left Calum on read three times in a row, Calum had gotten the unsent message loud and clear.

even the stars burn (some even fall) (ao3) - calumsbf (selvish) michael/calum G, 1k

Summary: The poster on the front window read “Andy’s Friends” and as always, he chuckled and shook his head. Only once did he ask the owner why he chose such a silly name; the man had winked and replied, “Animals are friends, not products.”

aka “Once a week I go to visit the pet store just to stare at the cute kitties and puppies and you’re the nice employee who always lets me hold them”

Everybody Wants To Rule The World (ao3) - TheRadioactiveWizard michael/luke, luke/ashton, calum/ashton N/R, 9k

Summary: “Since Lucas, King of Scotland, was a child the English have wanted his country and his crown. He is sent to France to wed its next king, to save himself and his people - a bond that should protect him, but there are forces that conspire, forces of darkness, forces of the heart. Long may he reign." 

or King Lucas of Scotland and Prince Michael The II of France are in an arranged marriage and eventually fall in love.

Everything Has Changed (ao3) - mukedayparade michael/luke N/R, 6k

Summary: Michael has been obsessed with Luke Hemmings and his band 5 Seconds of Summer for 3 years, and all he’s wanted since then was to get a chance to meet them.

Everything is never as it seems. (ao3) - orphan_account michael/calum M, 20k

Summary: Calum thought he knew which type of people belonged in each Hogwarts house. It wasn’t until he met a certain Hufflepuff that he started to change his perception.

Everything That’s Come and Gone (ao3) - MCRmyGeneral ot4 E, 6k

Summary: Mostly he just sat and stewed on the fact that apparently he’d been fucking as least Ashton, if not all his boyfriends, for months while they laughed behind his back.

Or, Ashton says the wrong thing and it makes Luke think too much.

Exploring The World (ao3) - mccraeolson luke/ashton N/R, 1k

Summary: In which 5 Seconds of Summer go to Japan for some tour dates, and Ashton enjoys the travelling just a little too much. Luke mostly just enjoys Ashton.

Eyeliner (ao3) - Nerd_Cake michael/luke E, 1k

Summary: Luke wears eyeliner during the show and once their backstage after and he takes off that ridiculous wig Michael’s feeling even hotter seeing the gorgeous, sweaty boy in black eyeliner.

[missytearex]

Happy 28th! I only read 1D fics this month, and there are some truly amazing ones in here. Remember to leave kudos and comments if you check them out!

🤍 Ace of Spades by @allwaswell16 --- [fic post]

larry | 78k | explicit

Living as a sheltered omega in a farming village has not prepared Harry for life aboard the most notorious pirate ship to sail the Atlantic.

Or Louis is a pirate, Harry is his captive, and no one is who they say they are.

🤍 keep this love (in a photograph) by carissima 

ziam | 64k | mature

the one where Liam's a fireman, Zayn's a photographer and yeah, there's a calendar shoot or two involved.

🤍 In the midst of a storm by @quelsentiment --- [fic post]

ot5 | 54k | mature

Zayn didn’t know that a new story was about to unfold right in front of his eyes. If he had known, maybe he wouldn't have been so quick to claim that his life was quiet and uneventful, even verging on boring at times. If he had known, it was hard to say whether he would have stayed in bed that day, kept the bookshop closed, and avoided all that was to come or, on the contrary, gone to the pier himself to greet the newcomer with eagerness.

🤍 now you're in my life (I can't get you off my mind) by @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed --- [fic post]

larry | 34k | mature

Harry loves romance.

In theory, anyway.

He loves the romantic movies, the careful brush of fingers against the back of a neck, the hand holding and the endless gazes. He loves the possibilities, the tension and the wonder. He loves the idea of falling in love, finding someone to come home to.

In reality, it’s a little different. Because as much as Harry loves the concept of dating, the reality sucks.

🤍 A Tear in the Sky by @zanniscaramouche --- [fic post]

ot4 | 27k | mature

Niall Horan is a consultant on cases that need a personal touch, someone to get close to prey and predators alike to discover the truth, and he's eager for the chance to work with old acquaintance Zayn Malik at Station Twelve. His attitude shifts when he discovers what waits for him is more than just three boys caught in the midst of a cult. A tight deadline presses on him to complete his report, yet the more he learns about the unique dynamic between these three, the more he starts to question his own sanity. Professionalism is hard to hold onto as the case and Niall's mind begin to unravel.

🤍 never beat much faster by @1dgaf --- [fic post]

nouis | 22k | explicit

After a bad break-up, Louis escapes to the beach. (In which Niall is a local, Louis reads Harry Potter for the first time, and summer is a slow burn.)

🤍 to be struck by something shining and mad by @halien --- [fic post]

gen | 7k | teen and up

“Haz. Love. What does—” The pounding behind Louis’ eyes gets exponentially more volatile as he tries to decipher the words on the page. After a second, he gives up, instead handing the book back to Harry and pointing. “Read that sentence out to me.”

"Her light is as loud as as many ambulances as it takes to save a saviour,” Harry dutifully parrots.

Louis raises his eyebrows, see? Harry looks at him back.

“See?” he says. “It’s good!”

🤍 Will Death Be Our Last Kiss, My Love? by @fallinglikethis --- [fic post]

larry | 6k | mature

As a half-veela, Louis has always had a past full of romantic turmoil. But his past comes back to bite him fully on the ass when a case falls into the lap of fellow aurors, Niall and Liam. A case with which Louis has a disturbing connection to the victims.

🤍 Things I Used to Feel by @zanniscaramouche --- [fic post]

nourry | 3k | explicit

Tomlinson Manor has been haunted for centuries when Niall Horan moves in and hangs a mirror that has no right to be there.

🤍 in the arms of an angel by countthestars

lilo | 3k | general audiences

Firefighter Liam Payne poses for a calendar to raise money for charity.

🤍 takes me up so high I can't come down by feelslikehxme

tomlinshaw | 2k | general audiences

nick gets himself stuck in a swing. it'd be less embarrassing if the firefighter that helps him out wasn't so attractive.

🤍 Firebird by @wabadabadaba --- [fic post]

niam | 1k | general audiences

Niall is helping Liam practice before his training camp and she gets exciting news about an acclaimed position she interviewed for.

[goongiveusnothing]

The thing with Louis is that, he has no radio play. The only times his songs get played are when fans request them. Why is it like that? The bands that support him have radio plays and they are way more Indie than he is, one of them is like proper punk. When his album reached number 1 in the UK, bbc (jack Saunders) made the customary phone call, where louis tells him that he got that without radio support and it is thanks only to his fans. Guess what, they edited this part out before putting it on YouTube. Why would they do that? When his first single was released, and there was no radio play, some of his fans from the UK wrote a written complaint to the officials in BBC and the song was added to the c playlist, which they play at 2am. Even that they wouldn't do for more than a week. There was a q&a he did two weeks ago in London, where he again talked about the lack of radio play.

He cannot reach new audiences without that. He is the only one from ot4 who hasn't played bbc live launge or similar stuff. The next thing he can do is play festivals. Again he himself said that he doesn't get invitations to festivals. It is evident that he can pull in a crowd, then why wouldn't he get booked? He made a festival by himself and even that would hardly get any media coverage.

His number 1 album got four mainstream reviews that qualify for a meta critic score, just four. Out of which one is by an ex larrie, who wants to impregnate harry styles and fuck Zayn. He went private on twitter now. He has been abusing louis on twitter since 2017. Again if there is no review, good or bad, no new audience. Bruce Springsteen's album was released the day louis' album was released. This guy from official charts tweeted about the extreme level of promotion Springsteen has been doing and mentioned Columbia and one direction and BMG. Louis's uk promo was near to non-existent. No Graham norton, no tv performance, nothing. Again no new audience. All of this cannot be a coincidence. I hope Harry is not at least directly complicit in this( but I also hoped he had nothing to do with that whole euphoria mess, which he clearly had) . Sony 100% has involvement in this. Do the Azoffs have? I don't know, there is nothing to implicate them directly. But as you have mentioned they have a clear history of sabotaging artists. Afterall louis and harry share a fanbase. Larries like to tell that all this is happening because he left syco music. That is not true. This has been happening since his second single with bebe Rexa came out. At that time in 2017, there was this twitter conversation between her team and some rj's, where the rj's mention the lack of effort from his label's part as the reason for it not going viral. His next single just like you(which also mentions the Sony- George Michaels clash in the visuals). Was pulled off the radio within a week. And it has been like that ever since.He teased an album and world tour for 2018, instead he became a judge in x-factor. He said that he could not get people to write with him( even though he is the one with the most writing credentials in 1d), he said recently in Zach zang show that he contemplated leaking his album walls because it was going nowhere. He isn't even invited to events or after parties, since 2017. Absolute blacklisting!

Then there are larries, the bane of his existence. They have been writing essays on why he shouldn't be let to grow as an artist for the past many years, especially for the past two months. Spoiler alert: their theory is that louis is forced to make music, his life ambition is to get inside a suitcase and travel alongside harry styles and be a good loving house husband. Apparently he broke his arm, to not promote his album and go visit harry who had the flu. Now a large chunk of them are boycotting him, because he celebrated his birthday with his son. Some of these buffoons are cis white women who are senior citizens.

I am actually quite surprised that he got to make two albums. Honestly didn't expect even that.

Sorry didn't realise it became this long.

it's just that music is a gamble, and sometimes popular musicians don't even get the steam they need, and really talented ones are overlooked entirely. so it's hard to say well it's all because they're being blacklisted or whatever. it's just not a set in stone industry.

i have to say that with radio everybody knows it is a payola industry. it's pay to play. i've always assumed that because louis has real genuine convictions about pay to play and the machinations of the industry, that he's just never been willing to pay to get his music on the air. that he wants the success of his music to be organic and real, not a playlist payola or a radio payola scheme like harry styles.

with the other things like festivals and reviews, i've felt that's because the industry has decided because he's a former one d member, and because harry styles and maybe niall horan are the only ones you're "allowed" to like from one d, that they don't do these things for him. niall does more radio friendly music. louis doesn't and he knows that he doesn't. louis is trying to break into an area of music that is pretty tough because rock/indie music is very gatekeepy, so they don't want former boybanders to show up, as they think it's uncool. we've seen this already in random bands try and make fun of him. he has to really work hard to break into that scene.

we also know how the industry is all about connections. harry has masses of them, and they all cater to him. rolling stone interviews, vogue, another man, auditions to every movie in the world, MET gala, even louis has basically spoken about that. louis could try and spend his time in hollywood trying to schmooze people, but that isn't him. is louis willing to literally become a family member to some random powerful member of the industry just to get a career? do people think louis would be happy like that?

and while i also think showing up to events is something that would boost his profile, again these are things that louis has always said he's not interested in. he's always hated these PR event things, he even hated when in one d. they're very fake and everybody's posing and being full of it, it's exactly where louis would hate to be.

maybe i'm wrong about things. i can think of good promo ideas that don't involve these types of machinations. doing charity work, being seen at local charities or music for like impoverished kids type things, doing low key cheap gigs at small places, learning an instrument or showing how far along on the guitar he is.

personally, i would also change louis's sense of fashion, i think it's just boring to me to see a guy in hoodies onstage. but again, louis thinks wearing that stuff is authentic because it's him. but i personally think it's cool and fun for a musician to have a bit of flair and fun with fashion onstage, of course not clown costumes and maybe he has PTSD from thinking if you dress onstage you gotta dress like a clown like harry, but just something a bit fun. i remember the clash used to talk about how nobody would show up to a gig if you looked like shit, you had to dress cool in a way other dudes want to dress, i do think that does create a coolness and appeal and would be fun.

[wellthatwasaletdown]

Harriet gets brits nominations...his fans don’t celebrate him but instead they insult ot4 and laugh at them because they don’t have nominations. Harries are really rotten inside//

They are not attacking ot4 because they didn't release music last year so arent eligible. Just Louis as usual.

.

[walkinginsunflowers]

Hello! These are the fics I’ve read during February! Hope you like them and happy reading!😊 PS: Keep in mind that I’ve shortened some of the summaries.

💖 where you lay (86k) by @ham-palpert​

Friends to lovers - Miscommunication

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

My notes: I usually don’t read abo and specially, I don’t usually read ‘Alpha Harry’ fics because I don’t like how Louis is portrayed in some of them but I like this fic. And can these two TALK? Omg.. the miscomunication was driven me crazy...

💖 seeing blind (47k) by zedi

Strangers to lovers - Hurt/Comfort

Summary: The one where Harry’s an independent omega who likes to have his fun and Louis is the blind alpha that changes Harry’s priorities.

My notes: As I said, I usually don’t read abo but I love this one because it's not the typical alpha/omega story! I love how patient Harry is but Louis, babe, you have to believe in yourself!

💖 have you coming back again (31k) by whoknows 

Friends to lovers - College 

Summary: Louis has got Harry’s schedule memorized. It’s a Monday, which means that Harry doesn’t even get out of bed before noon unless he’s planning on harassing Louis.

My notes: Harry calls Louis his boyfriend and Louis is oblivious. Also, Louis is a menace and Harry has too much patience. I enjoyed it a lot!

💖 barefoot in blue jeans (24k) by @indiaalphawhiskey

Kid fic - Football player Louis - Aupair Harry

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

My notes: I said that I usually don’t read kid fics and well, I’ve discovered that I like the trope ‘aupair/only parent’. I love this fic, the slow burn is so well written and please, the kid is so cute! Also, ot4 friendship.

💖 precious little thing (21k) by mercutionotromeo

Strangers to lovers - Phone Sex - Daddy Louis

Summary: Also known as: a university AU featuring phone sex operator Louis, copious amounts of sweet, soft kink discovery, and Louis being Harry's Daddy.

My notes:  This fic is too sexy - the dirty talk, the kink exploration. But it's also cute because they're discovering things together and Louis is so patient with Harry. I love when the meet the second time in the party.

💖 my saddle’s waiting (13k) by crimsontheory 

Strangers to friends with benefits/lovers - Plot what plot

Summary: It's late and Harry is bored. He texts his one night stand from last week for a quick, no strings attached hookup. As it turns out, the guy gave Harry the wrong number and it ends up being Louis instead.

My notes: This fic is mostly porn but it’s so good and sexy!

💖 the section (11k) by bananaheathen

Teacher Louis - Mutual pining 

Summary: In which Louis is a TA for an Intro to Cinema course, and Harry is an undergrad with a bit of a crush.Or, the one with "Name: Harry Styles, Date: me please"

My notes: This fic helped me to keep my anxiety away and that is something really important to me! It’s funny, cute and have Ziam too! 

💖 a fire in us (9k) by hereforlou / @hereforlou

Friends to lovers - Soulmates - Phone sex

Summary: The one where Harry waits and Louis worries.

My notes:  Give me all the soulmate fic you want, I'll read all of them. Love the fact that they only know each other by phone and also, that they have brief phone sex. I would read more about this fic.

💖 got my teeth on you (9k) by @hershelsue

Friends to lovers - Friends with benefits

Summary:  Harry has been best friends with Louis since he can remember. When Louis is brave enough to break the wall between them, they start sleeping together. Harry's thoughts spiral as he's caught up between his newfound feelings, the crushing weight of being a Literature major and the imminent threat of losing Louis forever.

My notes: I read this fic yesterday after seeing the post on my dash and I can’t stop thinking about it. I love how is written and I love so much their relationship.

💖 how i imagined us (8k) by Eliane

Established relationship - Canon compliant 

Summary: Sometimes reality is shitty and Louis plays Scheherazade.

My notes: This fic made me a bit sad because it's about something I usually think: how Louis and Harry’s lives would have been if they hadn't met on xfactor? But it's really cute and there are different mini stories in one fic so it’s like reading different fics.

💖 a few of my favorite things (8k) by sweariwouldnt

Established relationship - No smut 

Summary: Harry and Louis do cat sitting.

My notes: Please, this is so cute! I love all the flashbacks but my favorite one is with the word 'horse.'

[pwrlessobvious]

1D Hiatus: Day 558

* Louis is on the cover of the latest issue of The Observer Magazine which will be released this Sunday

* Louis posts his cover of The Observer Magazine on Instagram

* Pictures of Harry with fans in Mallorca last week come out

* ‘Strip That Down’ behind the scenes video is released on Liam’s VEVO channel

* Liam posts two pictures on Instagram

* Liam posts three videos and a picture on his Instagram story

* Behind the scenes video of Niall’s photoshoot for Notion Magazine is released

* Niall posts a video on his Instagram story

It’s Jun 23rd, 2017.

On this day a year ago: #193

[bakagamieru]

Hi! I've been feeling really down, as well as frustrated and sad these past few days and I guess I'm here for a bit of reassurance maybe? Your blog was what opened my eyes to Ziam and also to the stunt ot4 v Zayn and all that, about a year ago, so I'm quite new. Your masterposts especially have been very informative! So basically I trust your judgement in this as someone who's been here a while and gone through it. Anyway, I completely believe in Ziam along with Larry now (been a Larrie (1)

(2) a long while) and I also believe all bbg's are fake etc. The thing I still get confused about/doubt sometimes, is the whole Harry&Louis & Zayn 'feud' thing. Most days I'm sure in my heart that all the twitter fights and post-interviews being mad at Z is all fake and part of a narrative. Zayn honestly even put lyrics to a song about a fight before actual fight for fucks sake?! Also it was all so ridiculous and public, childish, etc. it can't possibly have been real. Then his 'falling out

(3) with NB in the end. Also what ELSE (if not that 'fight') could they have been mad at him for? For 'leaving' because of his health (or whatever they said was the reason)? And after all this time still being mad/or at least bringing it up? Sounds very unlike H&L too doesn't it? Then I remember rbb/sbb, and this is something I've researched TOO MUCH honestly. Some people still refuse to even admit it was there or that it meant ANYTHING. But that goddamn yellow smiley was there several times

(4) after the 'twitter fight'. Why would that be the case? Also Ziam being together, and Louis being so close with Liam and hating on his man? It just doesn't add up anywhere. Sorry I know this is just me sounding very insecure about it all and atm I kinda am. I was having a discussion with a Larrie the other day. One of the bigger blogs with a big influence and lots of people reblogged and agreed with them, when I was trying to point out how I think 1D as a 'whole' are still being under some

(5) form of contract or image clause at the very least. They said the whole contract thing is fanfiction at this point (besides Louis essentially) and the other boys are all free to do whatever. They also don't believe in Ziam or that Zayn is friends with the boys at all. Mentioned how Harry is still 'salty' about him in interviews etc etc. They are so SURE of themselves. But yeah even though I mostly KNOW I still doubt on this because of the fucked up narratives. what if H&L / Zayn really did

(7) has been a stunt? Not saying they hang out as best friends these days maybe, what with their own lives and pandemic on top of it, but do you still think they're 'family'/ot5forever'? I honestly feel like I get gaslighted even by Larries these days and it's not much fun to follow them anymore :( Seeing Harry with Niall made me smile though! Gives me at least some hope that they still are close xx //This got very long, I'm so sorry. You can answer in tags if you wish :)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number 6 never seems to have made it to my inbox.  Good job numbering them, though, because I never would have realized one was missing otherwise.

Anyway, I hate to say it, but talking to Larries is a fraught prospect.  Almost all of the people who still call themselves Larries don’t believe in Ziam and it’s because they’ve never bothered to actually look at the evidence.  They don’t treat all of the boys with the same respect or interest that they treat Harry and Louis, so any time you try to convince them of a stunt related to Liam, Zayn, or Niall, they’re likely going to make their decision based on nothing but bias and refuse to budge on it no matter how much evidence you have.  Taking their word on Louis being the only one still under contract/sabotaged when they clearly don’t pay any attention to what’s actually going on with the other boys would be foolish.  You can always try to change a Larrie’s mind and maybe there should always be people that do try, but from my perspective, it’s just a depressing and infuriating situation to put yourself in.  

At best, I would have those conversations privately, especially if the blog has a lot of influence.  A blog with a lot of influence has ulterior motives to not changing their views publicly because if they do, they may well lose followers.  You may have a chance of getting them to look at evidence if you’re talking in private though.

I know the whole 1D friendship thing is hard right now because it’s been more than 5 years since they’ve really interacted.  We’ve gotten some Niam, Nouis, and Lilo here and there, but most of that is just talk even, no pics.  Because we have no immediate evidence of their friendship in front of us, all we have to rely on is interviews which we KNOW are BS-narrative machines.  It’s hard to ignore them when it’s all we have, but we should ignore them anyway because past experience has taught us just how much interviews push stunt narratives.

I would actually say the whole Narry outing recently gives us more to believe in than anything else.  If Harry and Niall hung out completely in public and we only found out about it through a picture a week or two later that could easily have never been identified by a fan, then it’s pretty likely that all the boys have managed to hang out whenever they want without being noticed, right?  Especially if they went to each other’s houses instead of to a public hiking trail.  There’s so much going on behind the scenes that we don’t have access to or knowledge of.  Zayn could have hung out with any one of the boys at any time because we hardly know where he is.  He’s almost never even on social media, so there are huge chunks of time where he’s unaccounted for.

The hiatus is hard specifically because of a lack of new information and because the status quo (in terms of the BS narrative) has had no reason to change for a long time.  I’ve said it before, but with Zayn’s situation, the only time after hiatus started that it makes narrative and business sense to reverse the “feud” narrative is leading up to a reunion.  That means we most likely WILL NOT see any improvement until a reunion approaches and with the pandemic, that’s definitely not happening this year and probably not even next.  It sucks, but the status quo of BS being maintained is what we should expect right now and just because it IS being maintained isn’t a sign of anything having worsened.  It’s just logical.  If you want to use the hype of a reconciliation to get fans excited, to sell tickets, to earn money, etc., then you need to wait until a reunion so that you HAVE tickets to sell and money to earn.

I would say hold on to the logical conclusions you can come to from the time when we had a lot of information to go off of (the OTRA tour and just after) and try not to read into anything happening now because there’s just about NOTHING happening right now and there’s just not enough data to find patterns and draw conclusions about the reality behind the fakery. 

[twopoppies]

You know, it’s times like this where I think stepping away from Twitter is a good thing.

Good advice to the anon Gina. Unfortunately those comments are everywhere. Instagram, tumblr, tiktok, even curioscat. Most negative comments come from some ot5s or harries who only like niall. In fact I don’t understand why they don’t celebrate the nary content instead of thinking about Louis and Liam. 🙃

I just stay in my little bubble and talk to people I enjoy. The haters can scream into the void. OT4/OT5 are completely unbothered and are probably laughing in their GC about everyone getting their knickers in a twist.

[infinitees]

.

[5sosfanfictioncatalogue]

Horror Masterlist

Always, The End (ao3) - Astroash94 ot4 N/R, 12k

Summary: Don’t move. Don’t breathe. Don’t exist.

“...I wish you would hurt me harder than I hurt you...”

fear the fever (ao3) - kingscrossinseptember luke/ashton M, 8k

Summary: The breeze shifts and Ashton catches a whiff of a new scent that makes his heartbeat stutter. It’s cold and metallic and hungry in a way that shouldn’t be possible to emulate via smell, which means it can only be one thing: a vampire.

Heavy On Our Heels (ao3) - Branithar M, 1k

Summary: While working on a space ship, Ashton, Luke and Geoff are captured and held hostage by pirates.

i'm not alone (ao3) - orphan_account ot4 M, 22k

Summary: calum had worked hard to get into uni on a sports scholarship. all he wanted was to play football, pass his classes and meet the occasional hot guy.

instead, he moves into a haunted house with his best friend and discovers he might have magic powers? this starting to smell like a netflix original series to anyone else? at least there are still hot love interests, right?

It Happens In April (ao3) - Astroash94 luke/calum/ashton N/R, 15k

Summary: In August summer ends. In September autumn starts. In February, winter ends. And in March spring begins.

But what happens in April?

mirror :: malum. (ao3) - eaty0urveggies michael/calum M, 11k

Summary: "you really should be afraid."

or,

When Michael receives an old mirror for his birthday with a scary past.

lowercase intended

stay on the path (ao3) - mimi_reads T, 1k

Summary: It's common knowledge that when one goes into the woods, one should stay on the path.

or, another horror story about 5sos

Tears Remind You You’re Alive (ao3) - NarryEm niall/harry, zayn/louis, luke/ashton, michael/calum, liam/sophia

Summary: Niall, along with eight other guys, are chosen to participate in this year’s Run and they dread it so much. None of the survivors ever come out of the Heartbeat Mansion unchanged and the details are never released to the public. Can they all survive the horrors that await them?

The ghost of you (ao3) - Goldrush23 luke/ashton M, 589

Summary: 3 stupid boys play 1 stupid and end up setting free a ghost from 1890

the world is vast (and filled with terrible horrors) (ao3) - riibread N/R, 4k

Summary: “Mystery Flesh Pit National Park, cosmic horrors beyond our comprehension, yadda yadda,” Michael rattles off, “yo what the fuck?” All four of them huddle around Michael’s laptop screen. There it is, Luke gives a casual glance at the information, what little he reads brings the nausea back tenfold.

or

What happens when four musicians have to deal with terrors beyond their comprehension? The answer is fucking around and finding out and the power of friendship.

To Be Unbridled And Unburned (ao3) - Branithar michael/calum, luke/ashton E, 8k

Summary: Since a wealthy businessman found his pelt while he was relaxing on a beach several years ago, Calum's done his best to make the most of his new life. He hasn't been able to like his wife or their home or their neighbours, but he's surviving, at least. Unbeknownst to him, rumours of what his father-in-law did have spread and a shady group of traveling magicians have taken interest in his situation.

Trapped in a Horror Movie | Niall-Centric (ao3) - xdistorted_cliffordx T, 12k

Summary: It was the night an innocent prank went bad.

All these six teenage boys wanted to do was mess with their friend Niall on Halloween by going to an abandoned mansion. That's all. Just to give him a little scare, to change up their age old tradition of watching horror movies.

But it's a night that will alter their lives forever, one they'll never forget.

Because unlike years past, the boys will be trapped in a horror moie, fighting for their lives, trying their best to escape the mansion.

With each other.

ALIVE.

would you kill for me, my darling? (ao3) - mimi_reads michael/luke M, 1k

Summary: Michael and Luke have a conversation with unexpected consequences.

Your Eyes Are Cooler Than My Beating Heart (ao3) - CliffordAffliction michael/luke E, 64k

Summary: Michael is a demon who somehow makes Luke want to die and live all at the same time

[allsassnoclass]

here’s a hand my trusted friends

Ficmas Day 7

Pairing: platonic One Direction ot4

Rating: General Audiences

Key Tag(s): New Year’s Eve, Hiatus

Word Count: 1909

Read on AO3

—

Liam invites the boys to spend New Year's Eve with him in a cabin in Canada.

—

Liam arrives at the house before anyone else, key unfamiliar in his hand and nearly swallowed by his gloves.  It’s a cabin in Canada, somewhere rural enough that they can exist without being discovered and hounded, chosen specifically to give them a bit of peace tonight. The front yard is covered in a thick sheet of snow, smooth and undisturbed by footprints, and he grabs the railing by the stairs to ensure that he won’t slip on his way to the front door, kicking off as much snow as possible from his boots so he doesn’t track it inside.

The house is a bit cold and drafty, so he goes around turning on the heat and double-checking that all four of the bedrooms are clean as promised and that the fridge and cupboards are stocked with the food he ordered.  The entire place is furnished in the welcoming but impersonal way that every temporary lodging is, from hotel rooms to vacation mansions, and he almost mourns that they won’t be here long enough to put their mark on it.  Getting a fire started in the fireplace warms the atmosphere a bit, and once the other boys get here there will be other things to focus on.

He hopes it’ll be easy.  The idea of seeing the boys again for the first time in a year hadn’t made him nervous yesterday, but the closer he gets to everyone’s arrival, the more anxiety gathers in his gut.

He misses them.  He wants to spend time with them and give them each a hug and feel like they’re brothers again.  They’re not really getting the band back together, because it’s not time yet, but they’re figuratively getting the band back together.

To go from seeing the boys almost constantly for five years to barely seeing them at all over the past year was an adjustment.  You don’t notice the changes when you’re with someone all the time.  He’s not ready to see how drastically different they all might have become when he wasn’t looking.  He doesn’t want to look at them and not recognize every inch.

The doorbell launches him out of his thoughts and towards the door.  He checks the peephole before opening, a habit he’s been in since fame began breeding unwelcome visitors, then wretches open the door to let Louis in from the cold.

“Hey, Payno,” Louis says, and the sound of his voice, unfiltered by phone lines or video chats, is enough to make something out of place inside Liam realign again.

“Louis!” he greets, pulling him into a hug before taking his bag so he can shed his coat and hat.

“Bloody cold out there, isn’t it?” Louis says, tucking his arms around himself.  “Anyone else here yet?”

“Just you,” Liam says.  “Means you get to pick your room first.”

Louis nods.  Liam has missed the familiar way he presses his lips together in a smile when he’s pleased about something.  It makes him feel warm to see that face now.

Niall arrives next, after Liam has given Louis a tour of the house and already been given shit for his food choices.  Niall automatically brings a joy and brightness with him wherever he goes, even if his hair is no longer bleached blond and instead growing out in his natural brown.  His laugh is the same, though, a welcome sound when he gets into it with Louis.

Harry is last, uncharacteristically late with an apologetic excuse about road conditions and a delayed flight.  He collects hugs from all of them and gracefully accepts the last and least desirable room, saying that it’s charming.  It doesn’t really matter, because all of them will only be here for a night, anyway.

Liam had invited Zayn as well, but he said he wasn’t ready yet.  When Zayn left, he left, isolating himself until he felt like he could breathe again.  Liam has been trying to convince him that seeing the boys again without the hustle and bustle and strict confines of the band won’t be suffocating, but it’s no use.  Zayn isn’t ready, but Liam will be here when he is.  Hopefully the other boys will be, too.

They have a large and messy dinner, all four of them trying to contribute to the cooking in a way that creates more chaos than help.  Harry spends a lot of time threatening to hit Louis with a spoon if he continues being a nuisance while Niall sneaks bites of ingredients behind his back, sharing a wink with Liam when caught.  It’s edible, at least, and they fall into a comfortable pattern of conversation.  The cadence of their voices is familiar, one more thing that Liam knows he shouldn’t have worried about being different since they were last together.  If there’s one thing he’ll never forget, it’s the sound of each of their voices.

Washing up after takes no time at all with all four of them helping, the kitchen just as spotless as they found it by the time they move into the front room to sit by the fire.  Niall tends to it, getting it roaring again while they sit in the dim light on lumpy furniture with various beverages of choice.

“Any New Year’s resolutions?” Liam asks.

“I don’t know,” Niall says.  “I haven’t made resolutions in a long time.”

There should be more to add, but none of them do.  Thinking back, Liam hasn’t really made resolutions in a long time, either.  Once they formed the band, everything was a whirlwind, and sometimes it felt like they had no agency or control, brought along for the ride only because they had their seatbelts on.  They kept reaching for new heights, ones Liam would never have fathomed making goals for, and once you get that high it becomes difficult to find something else to reach for.  When you overshoot the moon, where can you go before you forget what Earth looked like?

Last year, Liam’s resolution had been to survive.

“Probably spend more time with the family, like always,” Louis says eventually, when the silence has stretched like taffy and comes too close to snapping.  “Maybe work on more creative projects again.”

Liam nods.

“I think,” Harry says slowly, “I want to come out.  Well, no, that’s not right.  I want to feel like I don’t have to hide.”

He looks around at all of them, and Liam hopes he can see the support there.  It’s always been difficult for Harry to feel like he had to stifle that part of him, but they always backed him one hundred percent.  It was never the members of the band that were the issue.

“I hope you can do that,” Louis says, reaching over to squeeze Harry’s knee.

“Yeah, you deserve it,” Liam agrees.  Niall pats him on the back, prompting Harry to smile, a small thing that grows until it takes over his face.

“What about you, Liam?” Harry asks.  “What are your resolutions?”

“Dunno,” he says.  “I just want to live better, I think.  There’s always something that can be improved.”

Ensure that I see you guys again feels too personal.  It’s funny: once they stopped being forced to hang out with each other at every waking moment, all of them forgot how.  If any of them had said no to spending New Year’s Eve together, Liam isn’t sure if he could’ve maintained hope in their friendship.  He doesn’t know when he would see any of them next if each of them hadn’t sighed in relief at his phone call.

The band will not be getting back together this year.  The eighteen month hiatus won’t stick to its timeline.  None of them wanted to put the band on hold, but all of them needed it, and Liam knows that they haven’t fully recovered yet.  He doesn’t know when they will.

Zayn still won’t see them in person two years later.  They all move at their own pace, but it’s become clear that it’s a pace much slower than all of them anticipated.

When it nears midnight, Liam suggests that they bundle up and watch the fireworks from outside.  Although the nearby town is small, Liam has been assured that their New Year’s fireworks display is visible from the house, best seen in the backyard.  Everyone gets on coats and boots with minimal complaining, staining the flat expanse of snow with their footprints.  The back light is bright, illuminating up until the treeline of the small forest at the back of the property.

“We should go exploring,” Harry says.

“Yeah, if you want to get eaten by a bear,” Niall says, sounding scandalized.  “Do you know how dangerous tramping around an unfamiliar forest at night is?”

“You should be more worried about nearby dangers,” Louis says.  That’s all the warning any of them get before Niall is hit in the face with a snowball.  He rears back, sputtering.

“Louis!” Harry scolds, but he’s not the next target.  Louis sets his sights on Liam, another snowball already being packed together in his hands.

“If you do this, you’re declaring war,” Liam warns.  “And I’ve got a good throwing arm.”

It’s no use.  Louis has the same look on his face that has meant trouble for the past six years, so Liam ducks for cover.  What follows is a snowball fight the likes of which he hasn’t seen since the early days of the band.  Niall joins him in his crusade against Louis, and Harry flounders in an attempt to remain neutral until a stray snowball thrown by Liam hits him.

(His throwing arm may be powerful, but he never claimed it was especially accurate.)

Casualties are many on both sides.  Niall complains about snow in his shoes.  Louis is too fast to make an easy target, so Harry takes a lot of hits.  Louis’s attacks become increasingly fiercer every time he takes damage.  Liam runs around the yard and scoops up snow to fling around, feeling more like a kid than he has in a long time.  He’s only 23, but he’s been wrangling everyone around him and trying to be the mature one since the X-Factor house.  It feels especially freeing to participate in something as juvenile as a snowball fight when he knows that there are no other responsibilities waiting for him.

The fight eventually ends when Harry manages to stuff snow down the back of Liam’s jacket.  He’s not proud of the way he shrieks, but he thinks it’s justified, even if the others laugh at him.

The first firework goes off a moment later, gold sparks lighting the sky.

“Lads,” Niall says, pointing up as explosion after explosion paint the night in fleeting and colorful hues.

“Happy New Year!” Liam yells.

“Happy 2017!”

They whoop and laugh, Niall breaking into a rendition of “Auld Lang Syne” that the rest of them mess up the words to.  Harry links their arms together, reaching out to invite everyone into contact, and all of them stand on the lawn, eyes drawn upwards, singing out of tune about old friends.

Liam has been to some amazing parties over the years.  None of them can compare to this moment and the easy knowledge that he’ll have infinite more with these boys by his side in the future.  Even when they’re not in a band, there still is something drawing all of them together, and none of them will let that go.

[icarusgf]

no but fr tho louis even had a chance to speak against racism towards zayn but he chose to ignore it and spoke about cyberbullying instead so dumb istg

sorry i dont actually know which exact instance this is referring to (if u wanna lmk in another ask pls do) but i def agree w the sentiment, all of ot4 have huge platforms & copious opportunities to speak out (and even if they didn’t they should’ve.... gone for it anyway that’s what u do when ur friend is suffering) and they didnt. but unfortunately wandee stans are notoriously white/white men apologists lmao

[one-d-library]

Childhood Friends

Here are some childhood friends/growing up together fic recs because I’m a sucker for them and it’s probably one of my favourite canons:

Other Childhood Friends Recs:

Childhood Friends (2)

Childhood Friends (3)

~

Down Memory Lane by flicker_album {general audiences, 1k, fluff, one shot, friends to lovers}

Harry and Louis have known each other since they were five. Now they’re in their senior year of high school and still best friends. Harry, as sentimental as ever, keeps anything Louis gives him in a box under his bed. He doesn’t anticipate Louis finding the box.

~

Tick-Tock by bubblegumclouds {general audiences, 6k, fluff, soulmate AU, soulmate identifying timers AU}

When Louis was born to Jay Tomlinson with a tiny 2 years on his clock, it starts the most beautiful love story. Even if things are missed, fate finds a way to make it work.

~

Though the Seasons Change So Quickly (Keep Them Buried In My Heart) by LiveLaughLoveLarry {general audience, 6k, outsider POV, oneshots, fluff, OT5 friendship}

A series of moments of Harry and Louis' relationship through the years, from the very beginning to the present, through the perspective of those around them. It's beautiful and it's brutal, it's awe-inspiring and it's awful - it is what it is.

"He’s special, Gem," Harry says. "He’s different. Different from anyone else I’ve ever known. I think-”Gemma holds up a hand. “Slow down, buddy,” she says. “You’ve only known him a few months.”“I know,” Harry says again, his fingers tugging at the designs embroidered in the blanket. “But it’s still true.”Gemma studies him for a long moment. It’s interesting, she thinks. She’s never seen him like this -– not really. He’s almost glowing, a smile constantly either present or hiding just below the surface, and while it could just be the band as a whole making him so happy, she somehow doesn’t think so.

~

underneath the christmas tree by suspendrs {not rated, 17k, fluff, flashbacks, one shots, OT4 friendship, marriage proposal}

Good morning, and happy birthday to ME! You’ll be happy to know that I went ahead and planned out your present to me, so you can return that awful watch (sorry I peeked, I couldn’t help it) at your liesure leisure (?) and do this instead! I’ve planned a scavenger hunt for you, and I’ll see you at the finish line. Your first clue is hidden inside my favorite box of cereal. Love you! -L

Louis sends Harry on a scavenger hunt on Christmas Eve.

~

you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars by stylinsonstea {mature, 17k, fluff, smut, OT5 friendship, friends to lovers, time jumps}

harry and louis grow up together and might be a little in love the entire way.

~

TGIF by dinosaursmate {explicit, 20k, slow burn, smut, fluff, OT5 friendship, friends to lovers} 

“So, you moved in today?” “Yeah.” Louis huffed. “I’ve had to leave all my friends behind in Donny and move here because my mum got a good job. And this house is bigger than the one we were in, so that’s good. But I just… I was popular, I had loads of friends, I was captain of the football team. I don’t think the school I’m going to even has a football team.” “What school are you going to?” “St. Mary’s.” “That’s my school!” Harry stopped, and the ball hit his foot. “I’ll be your friend.” Louis smiled, and something about it made Harry’s stomach twist uneasily. “That’s sweet, Harry. But I can’t exactly hang out with an eleven year old.” Harry’s mouth twisted into a frown, but he kicked the ball back anyway. “Okay.” “We can hang out here, though.” Louis, 13, moves in next door to Harry, eleven. They immediately hit it off and quickly become best friends, but as they get older, things get a little complicated.

~

Two Steps Behind by orphan_account {teen and up, 38k, 19 chapters, slow burn, friends to lovers, fluff, OT5 friendship}

"Can I play?" He's far away enough that he almost has to yell a little bit. He's got one leg steadying him on the ground, and he's holding the handles of his bike as tightly as he can. He doesn't want to fall off in front of the older kids - the cooler kids.

"We've got four of us, though, and we don't want uneven teams," Zayn lies apologetically, and Louis frowns. He's not stupid. They don't want to play with him. "Maybe tomorrow." That's also a lie, because Zayn said the same thing yesterday and now it's tomorrow and Louis is being told no, again. His head is spinning with rejection and confusion and, most of all, disappointment.

(Or, Louis is two years younger than his neighbors, Harry, Liam, Niall, and Zayn, and he grows up bending over backwards to get their attention and acceptance. Especially Harry's.)

~

more fic recs can be found here!