#this is best wishings best tidings and happy holidays

[allyourbased]

salut.

okay. today is pay day, literally three days early, my parents legit came through for me and gave me rent money plus some, and I've got a community for the first time in a while.

I've got new love(s), new friends, new lovers, and I'm about to start T. I've been busting my ass celebrating yule and yuletide, making up feasts, trying to spread hearth where I can.

I think I'm getting good return on that. so let me spread my hearth to here, to the internet, to you. wishing you a blessed yuletide, and a season of rest, a breath from toil, and peace

— ❄️💚🐺

[phelanxroen-blog]

I’m wrapping presents and drinking whiskey, but had to take a pause to make this and share. I hope every one has a good season, whether you celebrate anything or not ❤️

[foreverisntenough]

‘Act II’

Summary: Attraction is like a gravitational pull that is undefinable and unavoidable. Unbeknownst to you, Jude had been keeping an eye on you since he caught a glimpse on his best friend’s girlfriend’s Instagram but he’s been loving his single life. You always were independent and know how to swim on your own but maybe you have been just treading water. Could the tides change on a holiday in Greece when you finally meet? It might get a little rocky but maybe you could be his paradise.

Index

Warnings: This series is 18+ MDNI

Note: Thank you for reading! Please be sure to like, comment, or message me what you think of the series! ‘Act II’ is interconnected to the 'You’re Mine' and 'Ours' Series but can read it independently.

Chapter 1 - Round Two | ‘Act II’

word count - 10 k

“Erm... yeah, that’s a bit of me. Big follow.” You giggled, plucking the phone out of your friend Whitney’s hand admiring an abnormally pretty boy she was showing you on the screen. 

“Right?” She laughed with you spreading her two fingers on the screen to zoom in on the boy’s perfect physique. Whitney’s dad spent every day he could watching football. It was on in their house twenty four hours a day. He was an awesome dad to two girls you called your best friends but you always sensed that it pained him he couldn’t have had a son to give it a go in an international football league. He could care less about the American MLS teams but that’s a story for another time. Previously, you really hadn’t cared about your best friend’s fathers interest in the sport. Your own family was into footie, your brother, your dad, but again, you didn’t really buy in. That said, if someone asked you on the street who you supported, you’d have an answer, you knew the high level things going on in the world of football.  

“Like okkkay besties! I’m into this.” You cheekily cooed. Your disinterest suddenly became a big interest when Whitney showed you a photo of two boys that played for the England international team. One was cute... pretty, in fact. You’d say he gave off a sort of a more demure vibe in comparison. Whitney was hooked; her dad was an avid Liverpool supporter and by turn Whitney was. Apparently her dad pointed Trent Alexander-Arnold out to her during a regular season match earlier. The other boy in said photo, well, that was a bit of you. 

“They’re so pretty.” Whitney sighed, taking a longer look at Trent’s face. “Hello. Earth to Y/N.” She called for you after your eyes began to glaze over wishing your thumb hovering over his happy trail was able to actually feel the muscular abs you’d been actually drooling over beneath it. 

“Sorry but he’s so hot.” You laughed with a shake of the head trying to snap out of your lustful haze. Whitney hadn’t even said their names but frankly, you didn’t care. You just might support England in this tournament. Your brother and dad would kill you but you’d do it for a man that looked like this. You were French, that would arguably be seen as treason in your household but he was so good looking they’d have to understand. Your dad would tell you you were French the same way Whitney’s dad would tell her she was British. You both were not born in your respective native lands but your dads were from, you had dual citizenships but no accents. That said, you did speak the language. Your family had actually lived in Paris for a few years before you went to university and met Whitney.   

“I know I figured I’d share.” Whitney smiled at you with a bob of the head happy with her recent Instagram follow as she grabbed her phone back from you. 

“Thank you Mr. Smith. Who knew he had such good taste in men.” You teased taking her phone back once more to actually look at the instagram handle above the photo that had you in such a trance. ‘Jude Bellingham’ you read the name in your head in a silly British accent that probably wasn’t all that accurate. You didn’t know a thing about him. You hadn’t heard either of the boys even speak but he just gave off such British vibes and it made you laugh a little. 

“Man of many talents, l suppose.” Whitney snatched her phone back and went back to Trent’s Instagram, scrolling through photos she’d seen at least a hundred times by now but she wanted to see them one hundred more. 

Flash forward a couple years, a lot of drinks, a blossomed relationship for Whitney, and unfortunately a few more tears than you would’ve hoped later and you found yourself in a Greecian club on a holiday with the two English footballers and their friends. How? You wondered the same thing but Whitney seemed to have fate on her side. Although, she didn’t seem to want to share any because a night ago you could have used some when you fucked her now boyfriend, Trent’s brother, so it didn’t really come as welcomed news when you found out the lustful torch you carried for your instagram crush, Jude, was in front of you in real life now burning. It had been a long couple of hours navigating the waters of two men in a confined space. 

“I like this…” Jude cooed, slipping his fingers under the strap of your red dress.  “Would look better on my floor though.” He whispered a line you’d heard too many times in your ear despite the loud thump of the bass in the club. It should’ve put you off. It should’ve been an eye roll moment except it wasn’t. There was something about the way he spoke to you, the way he looked at you, the way he touched you. All night he had you in a trance. It made you feel attended to in the least cheesy and cliche way. You’d flirted earlier in the evening when you’d been introduced after dinner but you were proper close now and the game had begun. You were not an easy lay… well it depended on the day and how bad you wanted to have sex. Regardless, you liked the game with boys. It was fun. You knew you were attractive and you knew that came with many perks like lines of men interested in you and the only way to make it slightly more entertaining and fun and maybe sift out the trash, although some always managed to seep through, you’d test them. Play games, flirt mercilessly and then leave high and dry, you’d make them buy your drinks while you played with their hearts and their hands dragging them up and down your figure. 

“You can’t put a dress like this on the floor, Jude.” You quipped back, placing your hand over his and guiding it down your body and the sheer beaded fishnet fabric. It was a gorgeous Roberta Einer mini dress that you’d been itching to wear somewhere but the way the lights were reflecting off it now and your newly tanned skin barely hidden under it, you knew tonight was the perfect debut for it. 

“Alright, I’ll hang it up just for you.” He gently whispered into your ear. He wasn’t offering to do you some sort of grand favor but the way he said it made it sound like you were meant to be grateful and you didn’t like that he had made such a subtle move to take the upper hand. So you cut the line.

“Okay, thank you.” You brushed him off with a short smile as if he had handed you a coffee over a counter. 

“No problem. As long as it’s still coming off.” Jude was persistent though. He was sweet and smooth. His scent was encircling you and keeping you hostage. His woody musk built walls around you, caging you in. His big soft hands on your exposed skin acting as shackles. You were trapped.

“We shouldn’t.” You muttered haphazardly as he ducked his face to be in front of yours. He gently guided you to step back against a wall in a corridor of the club. You thought you’d get some air and free yourself from the thick tension being near Jude but he followed you. You two were like magnets. There was something there and you weren’t sure why it felt a little more dangerous than just lust. He placed his massive hand on your waist, squeezing you just a little before letting his hand drop down to your hip.

“But we could.” He cooed with the cheekiest smile you might have ever seen in your life and arguably the prettiest too. You couldn’t stop the giggle from escaping your lips. You hated that he had you like this. He moved closer and dragged his lips down your neck, kiss after kiss, running his tongue along your warm skin. It was like he was a live wire jump starting your whole system. The tension was palpable and you wanted more of it but not that easily, of course. You knew who Jude was. You were shown his instagram obviously by Whitney and if the millions of Instagram followers weren’t enough of an indicator it was his insistent presence in the media. A ad campaign, a dramatized story in the Daily Mail, a shirtless instagram post, you would’ve loved to say you did notice it all but you were very aware and embarrassingly you welcomed his ever presence on your phone when you were miles apart. Right now though you weren’t sure there was even a centimeter separating you. Despite knowing what you knew, you were not going to be complacent to the great Jude Bellingham. Tonight was meant to be a level playing field. 

“Your first night out?” You questioned him. Honestly, the only reason you were asking this is because Whitney had made a point before you’d even left for this holiday that you not ruin it all making a rash hook up night one… except you already had. You slept with her boyfriend’s brother which in both his and your defense was good sex. It was fun, rough, drunk, orgasmic and unattached just the way you liked it. He wasn’t exactly off the table though in your mind. He was cute, you had control of the situation and his room was next to yours at the villa you were staying in. Like you said, it was good sex. Although you weren’t going to say no if Jude pushed and you hoped he did but you weren’t exactly closing off other options either. You were on holiday. No one would get hurt, they were twenty some year old men in Greece, you couldn’t imagine commitment was on anyone’s minds. You didn’t kiss Jude in the corridor even though it was the only thought populating in your mind. Jude hated that your game of teasing drew him in more. He liked to be in charge. He liked to run the show and he knew he was losing ground when you moved past him to get back to the ropped off private area in the club with everyone else. Jude was slick as you made your way back and moved quickly in front of you to sit down first. He pulled you down to sit on his lap and you faked an eye roll as if Jude’s persistence was unwelcomed but it was anything but. As the night rolled on you got drunker and his touches got more courageous.  In the dim light of the nightclub, the bass thrummed like a heartbeat in the air, creating a pulsing rhythm that matched the intoxicating sway of the crowd. The atmosphere was thick with a heady mix of laughter, music, and the sweet scent of bottles and bottles of Don Julio 1942. You stayed settled on his lap, warmth enveloped you, igniting a spark that sent shivers down your spine. His strong hands rested gently on your hips, grounding you while the world around you blurred into a swirling tapestry of colors. With each sip of your drink, the world grew more vivid, the laughter more melodic, and the closeness between you more electric. Your heart raced, not just from the alcohol but from the magnetic pull of his gaze. 

“Just want to pull this right up and…” He leaned in closer, his breath a tantalizing whisper against your ear, sending tiny jolts of excitement through you. The rich timbre of his voice wrapped around you like velvet, drawing you deeper into this intoxicating moment, letting his hand on your thigh go higher and higher pulling the hem of your dress with it. His pinky finger able to ghost over your panty clad pussy. 

“Stop…” You giggled, meaning exactly the opposite, grabbing his hand to halt any further movement. This was a dangerous game. You were both on the verge of blacking out. As the night wore on, the music wrapped you both in its seductive embrace, and every glance he stole felt like a secret promise. You found yourself laughing freely, each sound mingling with the pulsating rhythm, feeling utterly alive under the spell of his charm. The lights danced across Jude’s features, enhancing the sharp lines of his jaw and the smirk that hinted at playful mischief. The more you drank, the more you adored him—the way he held you, the way he listened with rapt attention, as if you were the only person in the room. You could feel the warmth of connection building like the crescendo of a song, enveloping you in a cocoon of desire and vulnerability. The laughter faded into a soft hum, and in that moment, you knew you were falling—not just into drunken bliss but into something deeper, something intoxicatingly real. Time slipped away, lost in the rhythm of the night, and as you rested your head against his shoulder, a tender smile graced your lips. Similarly a boyish, lopsided grin plastered to his face.  A darkness flooded your mind. You. blacked. out.  You thought you had a pretty okay tolerance but maybe your stature didn’t exactly match the 6’2 man you were trying to keep up with shot for shot. 42 was starting to taste like water and you were pretty sure no one had an accent anymore. 

You had a blurry memory of his lips brushing against yours, gentle yet urgent, igniting a fire that danced within you. As the vibrant strobe lights cast fleeting shadows across his face, you felt a magnetic pull, drawing you closer into a world that existed solely for the two of you. Each brush of his lips sent shivers racing through your body, igniting every nerve ending in a delicious wave of ecstasy. The heat of his body pressed against you, a tantalizing reminder of the summer night outside, while his hands tangled in your hair and traced the curve of your back, urging you deeper into his embrace. The music swelled around you, a backdrop of heavy bass that mirrored the pounding of your heart, creating a bubble of exhilaration and desire. Time seemed to dissolve as the world outside faded, leaving only the taste of his kiss—sweet and intoxicating, mingling with the warm summer air that danced around you. Your bodies moved in sync, a rhythm as intoxicating as the melody that surrounded you. With each kiss, the world blurred into soft hues of color, a vivid painting of passion and spontaneity. The tender urgency of your connection deepened, exploring uncharted territories as hands explored, pulling each other closer, savoring the moment as if time itself stood still. It was a wild, breathless escape, filled with promises whispered between breaths, where the pulse of the music became the heartbeat of your desires, leaving you both breathless, alive, and utterly entwined.

The morning light peeked through the curtains, casting a soft, golden glow across the disheveled bed. You stirred, feeling the weight of a night filled with laughter and passion settle heavily on your limbs. A dull throb pulsed in your temples, each beat a reminder of the revelry that had unfolded the night before. As your eyes fluttered open, they fell upon the figure beside you… Jude. His chiseled silhouette half-hidden beneath rumpled sheets, radiating an effortless charm even in the quiet aftermath of the night. The scent of his skin lingered in the air, a rich, intoxicating mix of cologne and the faint hint of warmth from your shared adventures. As you attempted to piece together the fragments of last night, the tableau before you sent a rush of sensations coursing through you. There he was, tangled in the sheets, sunkissed skin glistening slightly in the morning light, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. You could have sworn he looked like a work of art, perfectly imperfect in a way that made your heart flutter unexpectedly.

“I have to get to my room.” You whispered to Jude with a pounding headache, not entirely sure what happened but you were sore and naked so you had a good idea. Your heart was racing praying to see some remnant or clue that protection was used. The world around you felt hazy, your thoughts muddled from too much tequila and laughter, yet the sight of him brought warmth and a flicker of exhilaration to your chest. You shifted slightly, the crisp sheets whispering against your skin, and he stirred, his eyes fluttering open to meet yours—a lazy, sultry gaze that ignited memories of stolen kisses and whispered secrets shared in low-lit corners of the nightclub.

“Good morning to you to." He laughed tiredly. "What’d you say?” His voice was low and smooth, like velvet draping over your senses, both teasing and inviting. A smile crept across his lips, illuminating his features and crinkling the corners of his eyes in a way that made your heart race. You couldn’t help but mirror his expression, feeling the pull of a connection that thrummed between you, more potent than the remnants of your hangover. 

“I said, I have to get to my room.” You smiled as you tentatively lifted your hand to brush a loose strand of hair from your face, the soft rustle of sheets surrounded you both, creating a cocoon of intimacy that felt deliciously intoxicating. There was an unspoken understanding in the air, an acknowledgment of last night's escapades, layered with the thrill of unexpected mornings. In that moment, the world outside faded away, leaving just the two of you wrapped in warmth and longing, a beautiful aftermath that felt fleeting yet infinitely precious.

“Why…” Jude groaned, letting his eyes close again. With every heartbeat, it became clear: the night had woven your lives together, if only for an ephemeral moment. And though uncertainty lingered like a sweet aftertaste, the promise of the unknown shimmered in the air. 

“Everyone can’t know I slept in here.” You whispered again with some urgency. Image was important to you. Sleep with whoever you want, absolutely. Let people know that? Absolutely not.  

“Whyyy…” Jude kept on his childish theatrics with another groan. He outstretched his arm and draped it around your waist as insurance you wouldn’t leave. This was not a rare indulgence for you but it would cling to you like the sheets twisted around your body currently were, all day if you didn’t get out of there. The lavish villa room was stunning and an opulent blend of modern luxury and understated, but it did little to distract from Jude. His hair messy in a way he’d hate yet it formed a careless halo on the pillow beneath him.

“I’ll see you later.” You giggled pulling down the sheet and slapping his ass trying to make light of you not  being able to remember anything and remind him you were waking up naked in case he didn’t either. You moved in a way that was calculated after that, you’d done this before. You have a good night, a great night in fact, great sex, although usually you prefer to remember a semblance of it… god damnit where is a condom wrapper… literally anything! But you’d done this before and you knew you had to move quickly as if your very presence in Jude’s room might unravel the meticulously crafted image you’d built. The mesh of your mini dress, now crumpled on the foot of the bed, tells the story of a night you could barely recall. You did recall Jude saying he’d hang the dress up but that went out the window and evidently so did your morality when it came to safe sex. It was a night you both dreaded and longed to remember.

“Ow fuck, Y/N.” Jude complained reaching lazily to pull the covers back up to cover himself. You laughed a little at his poor morning attitude but got distracted when you caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. It reflected a woman who was both powerful and vulnerable, your usual poise slightly fractured. You couldn’t even attempt to restore any dignity to your appearance. This was simply the job for a real shower. 

“I’m sorry, did that hurt?” You mocked him a little, coming and kissing near Jude’s ear softly with a hum. 

“Yeah, fuck.” He complained, burying his face in a pillow. 

“Aw, I’ll remember that when I’m laying concealer over your bite marks before breakfast.” You teased running your hand over a bruise you could clearly make out on your collarbone. There was no use trying to restore your usual pristine facade. There’s no hiding the telltale signs: the smudged mascara around your eyes, the bruised lips, the scent of him lingering on your skin. “It was good though.” You sympathetically smiled at him. You felt bad. Why did you suddenly feel a tinge of guilt and softness towards him? No idea. You weren’t sure. You snapped your eyes off him to hopefully help break the emotions you were starting to feel. 

“Yeah? What you had wanted?”  Jude opened his eyes again and  smiled sleepily at you. You glanced back at his chiseled features softened in the haze of his tiredness. A part of you felt so drawn to him. So you took a seat on the side of the bed running your hands over his warm skin. 

“Erm… don’t know, I might need one more go just to make sure it was as good as I remember.”  You lied. Why did you lie? You weren’t sure. What had this boy done to you? You were having a hell of a hangover and you were starting to wonder if the tequila from last night somehow disregulated or fucked with the limbic system in your brain. 

“Mmmm C’mere.” Jude pulled you down into a kiss and you let him. It was warm, soft, slow, and sleepy and yet it had you trying not to moan into his mouth it was turning you on so much. 

“I have to go.” You sympathetically pulled away with an apologetic smile. 

“Yeah but you’ve got me hard now.” Jude flashed you a conniving grin hoping that his pretty face could convince you to stay. It almost worked. Unfortunately his face didn’t outweigh your fear of being caught out. Two men in three or so days wasn’t a fact you’d be broadcasting but you weren’t exactly complaining either. 

“That sounds like a you problem.” You gave him an annoyingly cheeky grin. Jude was upset that he still managed to find it cute despite him being painfully hard now. He sighed and grabbed your arm before you could get far. You looked at him innocently not sure what he needed because you weren’t going to stay. He kissed your knuckles and then rolled over in the bed. That was it. You weren’t sure what to make of it so you just smiled with a hum stepping away, leaving behind a world of temptation and chaos as you quietly gathered the remnants of your dignity and fragments of your outfit from last night. You grabbed Jude’s shirt of the floor and pulled it over you. You weren’t about to put back on your dress from last night. You were missing an earring as well but you’d find it later. It wasn’t a proud moment as you slipped out the door cautiously and tiptoed to your bedroom, heels in hand, your bare feet peeling off the marble floors of the villa, wincing at the noise with every step, terrified someone might see you. You went to the en suite of your room and took off his shirt. You looked at it and smiled until you caught yourself in the mirror smiling like an idiot at it. There was a slight smudge of your lipstick color on the collar. It smelt like him and you just wanted to put it back on and go to bed but instead you turned on the shower. In a state of delusion and a hangover haze you held the shirt in your hand and cheekily took a nude in the mirror sending it to Jude.  

‘To help with your problem. xx’

Jude threw his head back on his pillow with another groan as he opened the message. He sorted himself out after that thanks to your photos assistance and memories of last night before he went back to sleep. You smiled when you saw he responded after your shower… until you read it. 

‘You’re unreal, angel. Liked it better when I was cumming inside you though and not just to the thought of you. Maybe later? xx.’

“Oh my god!” You gasped out loud dropping your phone. It fell on your toe and you thought you were going to cry. It hurt so bad. You grabbed your phone and wrapped your towel around you a bit tighter and ran to your bed and fell face first. “I’m so stupid. I’m so stupid.” You repeated over and over again. You were haunted by the memory of last night you couldn’t remember, and the man down the hall, clinging to you like a whisper you couldn’t  quite shake, a reminder that even the most perfect facades have cracks.

“I need to talk to you immediately.” You hushly but harshly whispered to Whitney in the kitchen later that morning gripping her arm so tight she might have a bruise later. She was sitting on Trent’s lap who gave you a curious yet concerned face. You just smiled and yanked Whitney off him pulling her all the way down the hall to your room. “Look at me…” You snapped peeling your shirt off to reveal the remnants of your night with Jude. Her eyes went wide and a cheeky grin began to pull on her face. 

“Can you give me a little more context because I need to know if I should be applauding someone’s handiwork or if something happened because you look like someone attacked you.” Whitney kept her smile knowing it wasn’t the later. 

“Whit… I don’t even remember it and I think he does. I lied and said I did and then I was a fucking idiot and sent him a nude this morning because I apparently willingly opt for chaos and he jerked off to it and said he…” You picked your arms up to air quote. “‘Liked it better when he was cumming inside me’ so that’s fucking insane.” Whitney’s jaw dropped at your confessional. 

“Okay.. erm it’s fine. Sit down, sit down, sit down.” She beckoned you over and you sat next to her on your bed letting your body fall limp into her lap. “It’s fine. Honestly, we’ll sort it. A few questions for you. Erm… one, who are we talking about?” She asked you gently, running her hand over your head. That question alone made you feel dumb. To Whitney’s credit, it was a fair question. 

“Jude… I woke up with Jude this morning.” You whined covering your face with your hands embarrassed to admit it. 

“Y/N, its okay. Second question,  you wanted to right? Like you’re not upset because he… you know. Like this was consensual?” She sheepishly asked you. You softly smiled at her with a shake of the head. Whitney was always so mindful and gentle. She did this with everything. She needed to make sure everything was okay so she could properly help. She wanted to make sure you were okay and she was probably the only person in your life that when she asked that, you knew she meant it and honestly wanted to listen. She really was the sweetest and had good intentions but consent wasn’t an issue here. “Okay, as long as you’re fine in that regard. Well, you should ask Jude like if he actually did finish inside and we’ll go from there. I mean… we’ve handled this before.” She giggled a little recalling many of antics between the pair of you from university to date. “The nude is whatever. Don’t worry. He’s seen you naked. It's not exactly like you have a body anyone would be ashamed of either.  The photo won’t go anywhere and if you liked him or the sex, I mean it’s not a bad person to add to your body count.” She cheekily smiled at you. You couldn’t help but smile back. Her smile was infectious and it made you feel better just seeing it. “Jude is nicer than you’d think so just talk to him. You two can just have a pretty person conversation.” 

“Yeah, I’ll talk to him. Do you want to get your joke in now or will you give me the morning?” You laughed, running your hands over your face again. Your relationship with Whitney was like any good friendship it was filled with love and support, a lot of laughter and amazing memories, but humor was a pillar for you two. When things got hard if you didn’t laugh about it you’d cry. 

“Eh… When you least expect it. Today though.” She laughed. “To be fair, you looked really good last night. I didn’t think you’d be going to sleep alone.” Whitney cooed as you sat up. You picked up your phone and opened your messages with Jude and deleted them for your own sanity. You couldn’t have your mistakes just sitting there. “You’re supposed to say ‘yeah, Whit you looked good last night too, did you go home with anyone?” She teased bumping her shoulder against yours drawing you out of your moment of embarrassment rereading Jude’s message. 

“Yes, yes, Whitney. You’re gorgeous and Trent loves you. You guys probably fucked four times yesterday so forgive me if I didn’t add to Trent’s chorus of chants of how beautiful you are.” You teased her dropping your cheek to rest on her shoulder. Whitney deserved Trent’s high praise. She was stunning, you just were a little caught out over your mistakes. 

“It’ll be fine. I promise. Honest. Just talk to him, okay?” Whitney snapped back to a moment of seriousness and reassurance wrapping her arms around you tight. You don’t know what you’d do without her. She’d had this conversation with you more times than you cared to admit. 

“Hey… Can I talk to you?” You embarrassingly asked Jude, coming up sheepishly beside him. 

“Yeah, course but only if you help me with suncream.” He cheekily answered you, handing you the bottle.  His tanned muscular physique in front of you had you momentarily forget what you even were coming to ask him. You hated that it all made your heart falter but in all seriousness, you needed to find out what happened so you took the bottle from him and squeezed it into the palm of your hand. 

“Erm… so this is embarrassing, like I’m actually so embarrassed to say this but I don’t exactly remember the latter half of our night so can you just.. Ugh.. like… did you actually cum inside me?” You muttered out the words letting your face fall against his bicep. The sunscreen just waiting in your palms. You pressed your forehead against his arm muscle mortified unable to do anything else. You couldn’t look at him. Your words were quiet and mumbled. 

“You were that drunk, Y/N!?  That’s so bad. Fuck…” Jude was shocked. He pulled you off and held you by your shoulders in front of him looking directly into your eyes. “Okay, erm, first off I did.” He confirmed and your face dropped when he told you the fact you were hoping he was going to say wasn’t true. “Y/N… Y/N… hold on. I mean.” Jude started to laugh and your eyes widened in confusion and terror. “I mean, you don’t have to worry. I… or it was in your ass so you can’t get pregnant from that if that’s what your worried about, yeah?” Jude flashed you a devastatingly handsome and equally cheeky smile. 

“Oh… my god. Are you serious right now?” If you weren’t embarrassed before you certainly were now. You wanted to just disappear. 

“Yeah but I’m not really concerned about that. Are you serious you don’t remember? I feel awful that I was having fun last night with you now.” Jude admitted to you with no an unintentionally cute pout. His mind was racing panicking that he had somehow done something wrong but you didn’t think that at all. You were in your own head about how self-conscious you currently felt but also a little bit by how sweet he was. 

“You had fun last night?” You asked him more reserved than you would’ve wanted to. You wanted to be confident in front of this person who felt almost larger than life but you couldn’t help but feel a little smitten by him, a shyness washing over you you didn’t often feel. You tried to move last night's antics into the back of your mind. Both he and your ‘cool’ facades were crumbling. You both clearly cared.

“Y/N, you're fit. Of course, I had fun. It was amazing. I just feel horrible you don’t remember because visuals aside it was just a fun night in general. Honest, it was great. If you’re interested, I can give you a refresh?” Jude cooed, running his hands up and down the sides of your arms in a way that somehow managed to be both comforting and sensual. His cheeky smile returning. You did as he asked and helped him with the suncream and both of you were plagued with memories of last night. “Am I wrong for thinking we have to pack condoms for the boat?” Jude whispered to you as you applied the lotion on so that no one else could hear. You wanted to laugh but you bit your lip and rolled your eyes instead. 

“Yes, yes you are.” You spoke at a normal volume as you turned around to look directly at him. Funny he was asking to use condoms now considering you couldn't find any in the bedroom this morning.

“Oh, okay so you want to do round two, just do what we did last night, yeah?” Jude gave you a smug smile and slyly squeezed at your waist. Your jaw slacked at his cheek.  No, you definitely weren't planning on anymore anal sex on this trip. That was a drunk indiscretion you typically preferred to save for a serious boyfriend, if that.

"No! We’re just not fucking on the boat. Full stop.” You smiled at him really having a hard time trying not to laugh but you managed spinning on your heel away from him and jetting off to find Whitney and your sexiest bikini just to really rub it in his face you weren’t fucking him on this boat. Although a part of you kind of wanted to but you'd hold your ground.

For the rest of the day though, suncream became your secret way to touch each other all day. The sun was already climbing high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the shimmering waters of Greece. The yacht bobbed gently in the marina, waiting for its passengers to board. You stood on the deck, holding a bottle of sunscreen, watching the sunlight dance on the sea’s surface. You could feel the excitement of the day ahead—a day spent out on the open water with Jude, a day of freedom and escape. Jude emerged from below deck, a grin on his face, wearing a pair of dark Prada sunglasses and Bottega swim trunks. His skin was already kissed by the sun from the days you’d spent together here, but there was something about the way the light hit him now, that made your heart skip a beat. 

“Hey, you got that suncream?” Jude called out as he approached you. He took the bottle from your hand, your fingers brushing just slightly, sending a small jolt through you.

“Course” you replied with a playful smile. “Don’t want you getting any sun damage out here. You know, we wouldn’t want to ruin that pretty face of yours.” You teased. 

“I don’t know, I think it could be a good look for me. Adds a little rugged charm.” Jude chuckled, shaking his head. He squeezed some sunscreen into his hand, rubbing it over his chest and arms in quick, careless strokes. You raised an eyebrow.

 “I think you missed a few spots,” you teased, stepping closer to him. Your hand lightly grazed his back as you took the bottle from him. “Let me help.” Jude smirked, enjoying the attention. 

“Only if it means getting your hands on me,” he said, his voice dropping slightly, adding a teasing tone.

“Oh, stop,” you said with a laugh, trying to sound casual as your hands spread sunscreen across his back. Your fingers moved slowly, deliberately, feeling the muscles tense slightly under your touch. “You’re lucky I’m nice enough to do this for you.”

“Lucky doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Jude replied, closing his eyes for a moment to enjoy the feeling of your hands on his skin. “I’ve got the best view and the best company. And now, a free suncream application. What more could a guy ask for?”

“Don’t get too comfortable,” You warned softly with a giggle, your hands moving to his shoulders, your touch more lingering now. “I still have to get my own back, you know.”

“I’d be more than happy to return the favor,” he said, his voice low and smooth. “In fact, I insist.” Jude turned his head slightly, peering over his shoulder at you. You felt a flutter in your chest but kept your expression playful. Jude took the suncream and poured some into his hands, stepping behind you. His hands were warm as they gently spread the lotion across your shoulders, his touch firm yet tender. You closed your eyes, feeling a shiver run down your spine despite the warmth of the sun. “Are you sure you trust me?” Jude murmured close to your ear, his breath hot against her skin.

“I don’t know,” you replied, your voice slightly breathless. “But I guess I’ll have to find out.” Jude’s hands moved down your back, his fingers grazing your skin in a way that made your knees feel weak. You could feel his breath on your neck, the closeness of him making your head spin.

“I’d never do anything to hurt you,” Jude whispered, his hands still working the sunscreen into your skin but moving slower, more deliberately. “You know that, right?”You nodded, your eyes still closed, leaning back slightly into his touch.

 “I know,” you said softly, your voice barely more than a whisper. Jude’s hands finally reached the small of your back, lingering there for a moment before he let out a deep breath and stepped away, breaking the spell. “Alright, I think you’re all set,” he said, trying to sound casual but unable to hide the warmth in his voice. You turned to face him, your cheeks slightly flushed but smiling. 

As the yacht continued to glide smoothly over the azure waters of the Mediterranean, everyone gathered around a large table for lunch. The sun was high, warming the deck, and the soft sound of waves provided a calming background melody. Plates of fresh seafood, salads, and cold drinks were spread out, and the air was filled with the scent of the sea. You were seated directly across from Jude, your little yellow Louis Vuitton bikini doing little to cover your sun-kissed skin. Every time you moved, the sunlight would catch on you, making you glow in a way that Jude found impossibly distracting. He tried to focus on his plate, spearing a piece of grilled octopus, but his eyes kept drifting back to you. You caught him looking more than once, your lips curving into a coy smile every time your eyes met.

“So, Jude,” you said suddenly, drawing his attention fully to you. You were leaning back in your chair, stretching in a way that made your body arch just slightly. “You enjoying yourself?” Your tone was light, but there was a playful glint in your eyes that didn’t go unnoticed. Jude swallowed hard, feeling the heat creep up the back of his neck. 

“Yeah, I’m having a great time,” he replied, trying to sound casual. But his voice betrayed him with a slight huskiness. “How about you?” Your smile widened at his question, your fingers toyed with the rim of your wine glass. 

“Oh, I’m having a wonderful time,” you said, your voice soft and teasing. “The company’s great… and the view’s not bad either.” Trent and Whitney exchanged a knowing glance but continued eating, choosing not to interrupt the obvious tension building between Jude and you. Whitney smirked, clearly amused by the situation though. Jude shifted in his seat, trying to keep his cool. 

“Glad you’re enjoying the view,” he said with a smirk, though his eyes betrayed the way his pulse quickened every time you moved. You lifted a piece of fruit to your lips, biting into it slowly. You licked a drop of juice from your lower lip, watching Jude intently.

“I could say the same to you,” you murmured, your voice low and flirtatious. Jude’s grip tightened around his fork. It was becoming harder to focus on anything but you but he was annoyed by your cheek. Annoyed that he felt like he was loosing this conversation. 

“Yeah, well,” he began, attempting to match your lighthearted tone, “it’s hard not to when you keep… putting on a show.” Jude quipped trying to regain ground. You feigned innocence, your eyes going wide. 

“A show?” You repeated, your tone laced with playful mockery. “I’m just eating my lunch, Jude. What show?” You asked. Whitney lightly elbowed Trent, a small laugh escaping her. 

“Maybe Jude’s just not used to being distracted during a meal,” she added, winking at you. You laughed softly, a mischievous glint in your eyes. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, Jude. Am I distracting you?” You purred, leaning forward slightly so your bikini dipped a little lower, tits out.  Jude’s throat felt dry, and he took a sip of his drink to steady himself all he could think about was you in his bed last night and getting that stupid bikini off you now. 

“Just a little,” he muttered, his voice strained with the effort of maintaining his composure. “But I’m managing.” You raised an eyebrow, your smile teasing.

“Well, I wouldn’t want you to suffer,” you said, drawing out the last word. “Maybe I should… cover up?” You smirked. All the boys sans Trent at the table shifted in their seats. Not keen about your suggestion.  Jude quickly shook his head, a bit too fast, doing what they all wanted to. 

“Nah, nah, nah, you’re fine,” he blurted out, then cursed inwardly at how desperate he sounded. He cleared his throat and tried again, “I mean, it’s a boat. You’re supposed to be comfortable.” He rectified. Your laugh was soft and melodic as you leaned back, clearly pleased with yourself. 

“Good,” You said simply, your eyes twinkling with amusement. “Because I’m perfectly comfortable.” Jude could only nod, his eyes locked on hers. He felt a mixture of frustration and amusement at how effortlessly you could make him lose his cool. He knew you were doing it on purpose, and yet, he found he didn’t really mind. There was something thrilling about this game you played, a tension that made every glance, every word feel charged with electricity. As they continued eating, the conversation flowed around them, but Jude and you remained locked in your private dance of flirtation and teasing, each word, each look a step closer to something inevitable.

The villa was silent, the only sound being the soft hum of the waves outside. It was late, and everyone had already gone to bed after another lively night out at a Grecian club. The moonlight spilled into the hallway, casting gentle shadows on the whitewashed walls as you quietly padded towards Jude's room. Your heart raced, not just from the couple too many of drinks you had earlier, but from the anticipation of seeing Jude again. The whole day had been a tease-sly glances, lingering touches, and stolen moments of whispered words that had you on edge. You reached his door and paused, biting your lip, starting to second guess yourself. You could feel the fluttering in your stomach, a mixture of nerves and excitement. Gently, you turned the knob and slipped inside. The room was dimly lit by the moon, enough to make out Jude's form lying in bed, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. You tiptoed over to his bed, your bare feet barely making a sound on the cool floor. 

“Jude…” you whispered as you slipped under the covers, pressing your body against his. Jude stirred slightly, his eyes fluttering open in the darkness. He turned his head to see you, a lazy smile tugging at his lips even in his half-awake state

“Y/N." He mumbled, his voice husky from sleep. "You alright?”  He smiled and you felt relief weigh over you. It was unsaid but Jude was welcome in your room and you were welcome in his. Although tonight you had gone your separate ways both trying to make it seem like you weren’t dying to sleep with the other. You were the first to cave. 

"I'm cold.”  You lied, shivering dramatically. You knew it was a poor excuse, especially considering the warm summer night, but you didn't care, you knew he wouldn’t care. All you wanted was to be close to him.

“Cold, huh?” Jude teased with a soft chuckle, his arm reaching out to pull you closer to him. His voice was still thick with sleep but laced with amusement. "You're always cold." You pouted, though the darkness hid your playful expression.

“I am," you insisted, snuggling closer, pressing your body into his. You could feel the heat of his skin and it sent a shiver down your spine-this one was real. Jude's arms wrapped around you, his touch gentle but firm. He pulled you even closer, your bodies now pressed tightly together under the covers. 

"Better?" he whispered, his lips brushing against your forehead.

"Much," you breathed, letting your hands rest on his chest. You could feel his heart beating steadily beneath your palm, and it made you feel safe, like this was exactly where you were supposed to be. For a few moments, you laid there in comfortable silence, the only sound the faint rustle of the sheets as you shifted slightly against each other. Your fingers traced light patterns on Jude's chest, your touch soft and exploratory. You could feel his muscles tense slightly under your touch, a silent acknowledgment of the effect you were having on him.

"Y/N," Jude murmured, his voice a little tighter now. "What are you doing?" He smirked at you. 

"Nothing," you whispered back, your fingers continuing their slow journey over his skin. "Just…feeling you." Jude let out a low breath, a mix between a sigh and a groan. 

"You're not making it easy to try to go back to sleep , you know.” Jude’s tone dropped. You’re breath began to increase.  

"Who said anything about going back to sleep?" You shot back playfully, your voice hushed but teasing. You tilted your head up to look at him, your eyes catching the moonlight just enough for him to see the mischievous glint in them. Jude chuckled again, but there was a strain in his voice now, a tension that was unmistakable.

"You're trouble," he muttered, his hand sliding down your back, resting just above your waist. "You know that?" His eyes lit up as they looked at you. You smiled, your lips brushing against his jawline as you leaned in closer. 

"Only for you," you whispered, your breath warm against his skin. Jude's grip on you tightened instinctively, his body reacting before his mind could catch up. He rolled slightly onto his back, pulling you with him so you were half-draped over his chest. Your faces were close, the heat between you palpable. His hand slipped under your shirt, fingertips grazing your spine, causing you to shiver again-but this time, not from the cold.

"Still cold?" Jude asked, his voice low, almost a growl. His eyes were dark with a mixture of desire and uncertainty. You didn't answer with words. Instead, you pressed your lips to his, a soft, tentative kiss that quickly deepened as Jude responded. His hand moved up your back, pulling you even closer, while the other hand found its way into your hair, tangling in it. Your kiss grew hungrier, more insistent, as if all the teasing and flirting throughout the day had led to this inevitable moment. Your fingers slid up Jude's chest to his neck, holding him close, not wanting to let go. You could feel the heat of his body beneath you, the way his muscles moved under your touch, and it made your head spin. He broke the kiss, breathing heavily as he looked up at you, his eyes searching yours. “I want you to remember this time.” His voice thick with emotion. You nodded, your hands moving to the back of his neck, pulling yourself down towards him. 

"I've never been more sure," you whispered, your voice barely audible but filled with certainty. Jude leaned foreward, capturing your lips again, and this time, there was no hesitation. The tension that had been building between you all day finally snapped, and you gave in to the desire that had been simmering just below the surface. His hands roamed over your body, memorizing every curve and line, while your hands explored his, feeling the strength and warmth of him against you. The world outside faded away, leaving just the two of you tangled together under the moonlight, loosing clothing items by the second, lost in each other, and in the heat of the moment. His tongue slipped past your lips, causing you to moan. Judes hand slowly drifted down towards your core. The sounds you were making in desperation were driving him crazy. The soft moans like music. You could feel your pussy aching and dripping begging for him to move faster. You wiggled your body closer into his. He gripped your thigh squeezing you as he moved closer. You were so fixated on his hands so painfully close to your pussy you hadn’t noticed one of his hand coming to grip your chin. He moved your head to look directly at him. His deep brown eyes stared back into yours. His thumb grazed over your lips as he smirked at you. He slid his finger over your plump lips a few times before pressing it into your mouth. You took it desperately, swirling your tongue around his thumb. 

“So impatient, angel. What? You want me to touch you?” He asked you with such smugness you wanted to tell him to shut up but you couldn't. The only thing on your mind was his massive hard dick beneath you. He began to kiss down your jawline to your neck and you whimpered. You didn’t get to feel this last time or at least you hadn’t remembered it but god you wish you did. You tilted your head back to give him more space. He let his lips graze your warm soft skin before you started to leave little bites and nips, marking you again. You bit your lip in an attempt to muffle your moans. Jude knew exactly what he was doing and he was playing you. He now had you distracted by his lips on your neck you failed to remember his other hand, wet with your spit sliding through your folds, quick to place his thumb onto your clit and tease your entrance with his finger. He pushed one finger inside of you. He hit your sweet spot out the gate. Jude smirked in a devilishly handsome way. You couldn’t help but clench around the singular digit. He began to speed up whilst pushing in another finger. A loud, squelching sound filled the room as he played with you. “Good girl.” Jude praised you as your eyes began to roll back and the pace of his fingers sped up.  His thumb keeping up its motions on your clit. Involuntarily, your hips grind on his hand as you quickly grow addicted to the feeling of him. Your back arched as he kept at it for ages until you were cumming all over his finger. You covered them in your slick as he brought you to your first high of the night.

“Jude. Please, I want more.” You begged him with a whimper as he slowly removed his fingers from your pussy. You were practically shaking and the only thing you wanted was more of him. He brought his slick covered fingers up to his mouth, sucking them clean with a groan. While he attempted to tease you, you had had enough. You made quick work and wrapped your hand around his massive length beginning to pump his cock in your hand as you let some of your spit drip onto it. Jude let his head drop back into the pillow behind him not anticipating your eagerness. You loved the way he reacted to you. You moved your other hand to take his balls into it, eliciting more groans from him. You wish you remembered the first time better because his cock looked so fucking good it had your mouth watering as it began to leak precum. The prevalent vein running along the underside had you swallowing to keep yourself from drooling. Jude grabbed your hips and moved you. He pinned you beneath him now, pushing your legs further apart, settling himself in between them. He took his cock in his hand and slapped the tip softly against your wet pussy. 

“I’ll give you more, baby. Is that what you want? You want me to fuck you?” Jude roughly asked you dragging his cock through your folds. You nodded desperately reaching for him and pulling him into you. You gripped his muscular arms, digging your nails into his skin as he lined himself up with your entrance. He slowly stretched you out as he pushed inside, your walls already clenching around him, squeezing his cock. “Tell me, Y/N. Tell me you want me.”

“Please. Please. I need you to fuck me. I want your cock so bad.” You whined. You couldn’t believe this man had you begging like that. You bite into his lip, causing him to laugh. When he leans back, your eyes are almost closed. You moan, arching your back, and he pushes completely into you. He begins to thrust his hips and the discomfort from his massive size slips into pure pleasure. He moves in a hypnotic rhythmic pace, loving the feeling of your tight pussy squeeze him in the dead of the night. 

“Fuck. This pussy’s so good, angel. Just for me, yeah?” Jude mumbled leaning down to press his lips to yours. You nodded and absentmindedly smiled at his words but were unable to get any words out as his thrusts began to get harder and faster. You moan and your eyes shut tight when he repeatedly hits your g spot. Jude’s cock is throbbing. He can barely focus. He was probably too drunk the first to really relish in how fucking good this felt.  The coil in your stomach was tightening with every stroke of his cock. Your orgasm was imminent but when he slipped his hand in between your bodies to play with your clit your whined digging your nails into him further. Your mouth dropped open as you could feel your slick drip down your thighs and all over him. “Good girl—just like that– fuck. Cum f’me.” Jude groaned, moving his hips with skill. His cock glistening with your arousal.  Your body is on fire, and neither of you does anything to dampen the flame, only adding gasoline to it. 

“Jude.. Jude.. wait.” You whined as another climax began to blended into the one you were struggling to come down from. 

“Cum f’me angel. Cum with me this time. Gimme one more. Be a good girl f’me.” Jude whispered into your ear nibbling on it and simultaneously you spasmed around his length once more clenching tightly around him. “Fuck!” He growled, nudging his face in the nape of your neck as his warmth began to fill you up. He pushes his cum deep into your pussy, fucking you through your orgasm. His thrusts began to slow and then still. Jude held himself up with one hand while his dominant one came to caress your cheek. He softly swiped some stray stands of hair out of your face, tucking them behind your ear. He kissed you softly with a hum. “That was the best reason I’ve ever been woken up in the middle of the night.” He smiled at you as he flopped over dramatically to your side. 

“Yeah?” You questioned him with a breathy giggle now exhausted. He pulled you tight into his side. 

“Hmm. You should’ve just stayed with me to begin with. This could’ve been round two.” He whispered pressing kisses to your temple. 

“You want round two?” You cheekily asked running your hands over his bare chest, his skin warm and slick with a sheen of sweat. He was impossibly sexy. 

“Yeah, gimme a bit more of you.” He cooed and dragged your body on top of his. You obliged happily and in the end didn’t get much sleep till the morning. And as that morning’s sun filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a soft, golden light across the room, the rest of the house was still asleep. The quiet hush of dawn wrapping everything in a gentle cocoon. The early light painted Jude’s features in a warm glow, making him look almost ethereal, like a dream made flesh. There was something intoxicating about seeing him like this—unguarded, vulnerable, bathed in the morning light. Jude stirred slightly, his arm tightened around you, pulling you closer as he murmured something soft and unintelligible in his sleep. You smiled against his skin, your fingers tracing light patterns across his back, a silent promise of affection and comfort. For a moment, you simply lay there, wrapped in the stillness of the morning, your breaths syncing in a quiet, intimate dance. The world outside the room felt distant, irrelevant, as if nothing else mattered but the feel of his body against your, the rise and fall of his chest beneath your cheek. As the minutes passed, Jude began to wake, his body slowly coming alive under your touch. He shifted, his hand finding its way into your hair as he pressed a sleepy kiss to the top of your head. You looked up at him, meeting his half-lidded gaze, and the sleepy smile he gave you was like the sun breaking through the clouds.

“Morning,” he whispered, his voice rough with sleep, and you couldn’t help but smile back, your heart swelling with a quiet joy that only these secret, stolen moments could bring.

“Morning,” you whispered back, your voice just as soft. You shifted slightly, pressing a kiss to his jaw, your lips brushing against the stubble that shadowed his skin. Jude sighed, contentment settling over him like a warm blanket as he pulled you even closer, your bodies fitting together perfectly. You stayed like that, entwined in the early morning light, the world outside forgotten as you indulged in the simple pleasure of being together, of holding each other close. In that quiet, tender moment, nothing else mattered. Last night was sex you would always remember and you were starting to realize it may be hard to forget it and even harder to forget Jude.

•

🪩🫶❤️‍🔥🍹🌞🍒 Thank you for reading! Please like, comment, or message what you think of the chapter 🍒🌞🍹❤️‍🔥🫶🪩

Next part  -  Chapter 2 - Wine & Tequila xx

[sitp-recs]

15 Christmassy fics to read (or reread) this month

This rec list is for @annakendricks who sent an ask about Christmas reads and also dedicated to @lettersbyelise for supporting this idea 💜 Despite the winter blues, December will always lighten up my mood with the holiday spirit. This month has been pretty hectic for me but I can’t wait to get some time off and indulge my fave Christmassy rereads. Come and join me if you like! Here you’ll find a little bit of everything: soft and contemplative, smutty, crack-y, movie AU, holiday romance and even Gen fic, which is not my usual fare but fit the theme perfectly. Pick your flavour and Happy Holidays!

🎄A Christmas Happenstance by Only_1_Truth (E, 5.5k)

The Hogwarts School for the Gifted and Supernatural had classes year-round, but the dormitories emptied out regularly on holidays as if the students were suddenly becoming allergic to the walls. Both humans and non-humans mingled freely in the surrounding town of Hogsmeade. Draco Malfoy, however, isn't feeling in the mood after a rather spectacular break-up.

🎄A Charitable Christmas by Alisanne (E, 5.6k)

Hermione’s plans to raise money for war orphans do not meet with Harry’s approval. Fortunately, Draco steps in to help him come up with a much more enjoyable strategy.

🎄A Hippogriff for Christmas by @xanthippe74 (G, 6.4k)

Draco is desperately trying to fulfill four-year-old Scorpius’ dearest wish for Christmas: a visit with a real Hippogriff. Harry is desperately trying to be left alone, safely tucked away from the attention of the wizarding world as Hogwarts’ Keeper of the Keys and Grounds.

🎄Surviving the Horde by FleetofShippyShips (T, 7k)

Draco has managed to avoid Christmas at the Burrow for ten years, but not this year.

🎄Tidings of Comfort by @blamebrampton (G, 10k)

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. Luckily for Draco Malfoy, London has places where the tired can rest and recover.

🎄Love, Actually, is All Around by @punk-rock-yuppie (T, 10k)

It's Christmastime, and Harry has just started as the new Minister of Magic. It just so happens that Draco works in his office as well, a holdover from Kingsley's tenure. Naturally, love is in the air.

🎄break the bad luck in my life by seaworn (E, 12k)

Draco and Harry are both brooding on Christmas Eve.

🎄All Roads Lead Home by @dracogotgame (G, 15k)

Draco is strong-armed into spending the first Christmas after the War with the Weasleys. And Harry Potter.

🎄Love All Lovely by @shealwaysreads (T, 19k)

Draco comes home for Christmas, and discovers that sharing is the best way of celebrating old traditions, and new ones too.

🎄Waking Up Slow by @sweet-s0rr0w and @ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm (E, 22k)

'Twas the night before Christmas, although it’s July / Draco’s a shopkeeper, no-one knows why / There’s hiking and witch caves, freak snowfalls and more / Bad Christmas jumpers, nosy neighbours galore / Narcissa’s here too, but… something’s amiss / And what’s in those chocolates that’s making them kiss?

🎄I'll Floo Home for Christmas by jadepresley (T, 39k)

The Ministry Christmas party is the biggest event of the year and Harry absolutely does not want to plan it, and he certainly, one hundred percent, does not have a crush on Draco Malfoy.

🎄The Romantic Prawn Who Loved Christmas by @bixgirl1 (E, 39k)

When Draco, forced into sharing a room with Potter for the year, finds out that Potter has a sleepwalking problem, he expects the odd conversations and the weird games of chess. What comes as a complete shock are Potter's other activities...And why he seems so intent on having Draco join him.

🎄December Never Felt So Wrong by @maesterchill (E, 50k)

'Twas the month before Christmas and sixteen year old Draco Malfoy had never felt worse. His attempts to kill Dumbledore were failing and, as usual, Harry Fucking Potter was a constant thorn in his side. All that suddenly changed when Draco woke up 15 years in the future and discovered that not only was he allegedly shagging Harry Fucking Potter, he also had thinning hair and a five year old son, and no fucking clue how he got there.

🎄A Room Up There (And You In It) by @the-starryknight (T, 59k)

When Preservationist Draco Malfoy was assigned to work on Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, he was excited to delve into the gorgeous Black family antiques. His excitement quickly ended when something in the House decided it did not like his presence one bit.

🎄All Must Draw Near by Saras_Girl (M, 61k)

Harry doesn't have time for rumours; he has a shop to run. Which is just as well, really.

[bongbingbang]

I wish to be turned into a muscular gym-obsessed Krampus for the holidays

Christmas morning, you discovered an unusual ornament on your holiday tree. You were sure it wasn't there on Christmas Eve.

But for you, a disciplined young aesthetic bodybuilder with the body to prove it, every day was gym day, wasn't it? Even Christmas Day.

Spending time with loved ones didn't matter. Figuring out where that odd ornament came from didn't matter.

Your ever-improving body was the only thing that mattered. Self-obsessed? A bit.

Working your way from machine to machine, you're suddenly meeting, then exceeding, your all-time bests, moving mind-boggling amounts of iron as if it didn't weigh anything.

This was awesome. You never felt better, stronger or more powerful. When your body is all that matters, and you had a day like today in the gym, you chalked it up to all your hard work finally starting to pay off.

Until you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror.

Your bros were in awe of your pump today, dude. But there was no time to worry about appearances or stare at yourself in the mirror. You felt like you could keep lifting for a few more hours.

So you did.

Nothing could stop you. Your body was feeling like you always dreamed it could feel. Your strength felt unlimited. Because it was.

And then you didn't need to worry about your body anymore. Your body had finally become what it was meant to become all long:

The Krampus.

This meant you had a new long-term priority from then on:

Frightening little children who misbehave.

Now you'll get to enjoy your new body, Krampus, until the strike of twelve midnight on January 6th when the holiday season comes to a close, and you'll be returned to your normal body, just as requested. You'll be ready to return to work by the second week of January 2024. Somehow, that strange ornament will have disappeared as well.

Just kidding. The change is permanent.

Happy holidays, Krampus!

And joyous tidings to you for the years and years and years and years to come.

Thank you for your wish. Fulfillment has been completed.

[thiswasneverthat]

him as your bestfriend (who's secretly in love with you.)

happy belated birthday, sweetest christopher.

First and foremost, the term 'secretly in love with you' didn't quite apply to Chris.

It was not because he ever vocalized his affection; but rather, the poor guy's emotions weren't the type that could easily be concealed. There were times when the heat would slowly creep up his cheeks at the moment you unconsciously grabbed his arm during movie night; or when you simply sit a little bit too close to him.

From the very moment you crossed paths in college, your lives became intertwined. Fast forward a few years, and even in the professional world when the two of you worked at the same company, nothing had altered. You and Chris remained inseparable, like two puzzle pieces that had found their perfect fit.

All along, you were acutely aware of his feelings for you. It wasn't like he was the master of subtlety, despite his best intentions. He convinced himself that his emotions were a well-kept secret, solely because he never uttered a word about them.

But, oh, the truth was far from his perception.

Your mutual friends, the ones who witnessed the sparks fly whenever you two were together, were not as oblivious as he thought. They quietly shared knowing glances behind your backs, exchanging unspoken truths that floated in the air, forming an invisible thread of connection between you and this affectionate but seemingly covert admirer.

Knowing Chris for years had granted you an unparalleled understanding, almost as though you possessed a special ability to read him like an open book. It was in the subtle nuances, the unspoken gestures, and the way his eyes lingered on you just a moment longer than anyone else. The way he uttered your name held a unique cadence, a tenderness that set it apart from the rest of the world.

His actions also spoke volumes, a silent declaration of his affection. From those daily post-work rides that ended at your doorstep to the steaming cup of coffee that appeared magically in your hands each morning, even though he was no coffee aficionado himself. As if it was the most natural thing, he wove his affection into your everyday life.

And then there were the moments of solace where he held you close when tears welled in your eyes, offering hushed comfort when words fell short. On holidays, Chris became your reliable chauffeur, ensuring you reached your parents' house with ease.

But perhaps the defining moment was when he stepped inㅡ a knight in modern armor, to protect you from the advances of an unruly drunkard during a night out with friends. It was in these moments, when his affection for you transcended mere words and blossomed into the unspoken verse of actions.

Well.. How endearingly oblivious he was.

He carried this fallacy that by keeping his feelings unspoken, they would remain a well-guarded secret. 

More often than not, you also found yourself yearning for a different script, one where Chris would step out of his best friend persona and take the role of someone more than that.

You really couldn't help but wish he would just muster up the courage to articulate those elusive words, breaking free from the confines of the 'best friend' charade that he maintained with such dedication for years. 

The frustration, like a relentless drumbeat, echoed within you because you had lost count of the times you teetered on the edge of confessing your own feelings.

However, in the grand scheme of things, you were very much aware of the added layers of complexity. The cliché was undeniable: you wanted him just as fervently, if not more so. Yet, your hesitation served as a sentinel against reckless decisions.

You understood the profound risk involved. The weight of the question lingered in your mind like a persistent echo: was it worth jeopardizing the treasured friendship you shared for the possibility of something more like.. love?

Because the fear loomed largeㅡ that one day, if the tides turned unfavorably, your beautifully woven friendship with him might fray and unravel.

And more than you would like to admit, the mere thought of losing him shattered you into a gazillion pieces.

So, until the time you would be ready, or until that one point where you just really couldn't take it anymore, you convinced yourself to put on a smile and pretend to be blissfully oblivious as he was. 

[sunflowervoltwentyeight]

Happy 28th! Here is my October 2023 fic rec, organized by word count, from longest to shortest. Enjoy!

Babydoll Blues by devilinmybrain / @thedevilinmybrain (111k)

Louis is a high profile, filthy rich label executive who has the world at his feet - a music god.. Harry is the sugar baby trying to make a name for himself singing in shady bars and hanging off the arm of Louis’ biggest rival. What Louis wants, Louis gets. But what if the game gets too hot and hits a little too close to the heart?

Little Technicolor Things by scary_crow (72k)

Louis is a poor writer and recent university graduate, depressed, anxious, and living in London when he meets Harry, an artist with a secret who likes to paint sunrises and pretty boys from California.

Every Kind of Way by halos_boat / @halohamilton (68k)

"This shouldn't have happened so many times..." Louis trails off, dropping his head into his hands.

He hears Harry shuffle across the mattress until he's behind Louis, forehead meeting Louis' back as he let's out a heavy exhale, his warm breath causing goosebumps to form down his spine.

"He's my best friend," Louis continues, "and you're his ex."

"I know," Harry says quietly.

"Why can't I resist you?" Louis whispers, squeezing his eyes shut.

"For the same reason I can't resist you," Harry says, voice rough and throaty.

The kind-of friends with benefits AU where Harry lands up in the same group of friends as Louis after Louis' best friend dates Harry for a year. The first time they hook up, they agree it won't happen again. But when they do it again and decide on a casual arrangement, feelings start to get involved, and things get complicated.

Adore You by isthatyoularry / @isthatyoularry (66k)

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

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

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

Mirror Touch by pink_heaven19 (58k)

“You know I can see colors in sounds, right?”

Harry nods, confused as Louis knew he would be.

“Well, I have another type of synesthesia, called mirror-touch. Have you heard of it?”

Harry shakes his head, and Louis can feel the tenseness in his shoulders and jaws slacking a little at the unexpected topic.

“It means I feel what other people feel. Literally, all the time.”

OR the one where Harry owns a second-hand clothing store, and Louis is a radio host. Louis has mirror-touch synesthesia, which makes him experience what people around him feel. He feels a lot around Harry.

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

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

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

Home Calls the Heart by itsmotivatingcara / @itsmotivatingcara (44k)

A series of unfortunate events lands Louis Tomlinson in the heart of Texas. After running from his life in London and a performative marriage, he leaves a scandal in his wake. Home calls the heart, as his Nana always said. Though her words couldn't be truer when he decides to take up her offer to watch over Hyacinth ranch while she travels abroad.

He figured the worst he'd have to deal with would be the meddlesome goats, some repairs and an errant spirit or two. That is, until the gorgeous Cowboy next door makes his presence known.

or

A romcom au.

2 A.M. Texts by everysingleday / @sun-lt (30k)

Harry has just come out and, with his best friend Louis’ support, he might finally be brave enough to go on a date with the guy he’s been chatting with on a dating app. Meanwhile, there’s a cat that wants to murder Louis, a fast-approaching deadline for Harry to find a new place to live, and this minor situation wherein he and Louis can’t seem to stop making out. It’s not a big deal. Louis is just being supportive.

—

aka, a practice kissing fic.

That Shirt You Hate by isthatyoularry / @isthatyoularry (15k)

“Soph,” Louis says to his female executive assistant. “I’m making more money than ever, and I have just realised that I have no one to spend it on.”

At thirty years old, Louis is past halfway to becoming a billionaire, and he needs to find the one. He literally stumbles upon his university sweetheart.

[cherrrysue]

Heyy any Larry fic recommendation without very sad moments and has happy endings

Thank u

i'm sure this is a very old question cause it got into the bottom of my inbox and i've been on hiatus for like almost 2 years and sat in my drafts for a few days but i'm gonna answer it anyway lol. so here it is:

comforting fics with happy endings

Escapade by dolce_piccante

M, 146k

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

Tired Tired Sea by MediaWhore

M, 113k

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

Walk That Mile by purpledaisy

E, 149k

Harry stares at him, the line of his jaw standing out scarily. “I wanted to get the most out of this trip so I planned it carefully.” His voice is low and steady and somehow that’s worse than when he was yelling. “So far, you’ve put your sticky fingers on everything I’ve tried to do.”

“Sticky fingers?” Louis repeats, offended. “Are you saying it’s my fault you got stung by a bee? Had you been alone you would have gotten halfway to the Dotty Diner and ran the car off the road because of an allergic reaction, so don’t go blaming me.”

“Polk-A-Dot Drive In,” Harry spits before getting out of the car. He slams the door shut with a deafening reverb and Louis rolls his eyes. - A Route 66 AU where falling in love was never part of the plan.

we can take the long road home by pinkcords

E, 45k

Late afternoon seeps into the cab, just shy of too warm, and the breeze that crosses window to window tosses their hair in their eyes, around their faces. They ride in pleasant silence, the radio humming softly in the background as they speed down the coast, and when Louis looks over, Harry’s smiling to himself, a private happiness born from whatever’s going on in his head. Louis likes to think it has something to do with him, or at the very least, this adventure they’ve embarked on together, chosen to see through to San Diego. Or, Harry and Louis fall in love down the coast of California.

where the tide takes you, i will follow by pinkcords

E, 53k

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

Chasing Empty Spaces by Lis (domesticharry)

E, 79k

The year is 1934 and Harry Styles was to inherent the largest tobacco firm in the south. His parents have picked out the “perfect” girl for him to marry and he has the privilege of receiving the highest education possible. The problem was, Harry hadn’t realized he didn’t actually want any part of that future until he met a mechanic named, Louis Tomlinson.

Adore You by isthatyoularry

M, 66k

“We invited our new acquaintances from uptown. You’ve simply got to meet their oldest son!” said his mother with a flourish, and suddenly it became abundantly clear as to why his parents had so adamantly demanded he join them in Deansville for the entirety of the summer. Against his wishes, Harry spends the holidays at his family’s summer estate, and is reluctantly pulled into a courtship he didn’t ask for. Harry doesn’t want to get married, but Louis does. They don’t fit, but then again they really, really do. Vaguely set in the 1920’s. Headpieces, jazz, fashionable canes, and flapper dresses, and that.

Falling For Me Won't Be A Mistake by Rearviewdreamer

M, 58k

Harry is married to his job and so overworked that he doesn't know how to stop. All it takes is a forced Hawaiian get-a-away, the warm tropical breeze of the island, and the most beautiful, elusive man he's ever seen to make him remember what living is like outside of work. Well, that, and the little souvenir he accidentally takes home with him.

Sodalite & Aventurine by forreveries

E, 80k

The one where, in his travels to find Swan’s elusive treasure, Captain Louis Tomlinson of the Black Dagger discovers he has a stowaway onboard - a stowaway who is rather tall and pretty and pouty and can spout off Shakespearean poetry as though he had written it. A stowaway who is also, unfortunately, secretly Louis’ biggest threat. Captain Harry Styles.

Paint Me In A Million Dreams by green_feelings

M, 112k

Harry's one of Hollywood's biggest actors, has made a name for himself in prestigious films and lives the life of a superstar. There's just one thing missing to make it picture-perfect, but the one Harry's in love with is completely out of reach for him. Enter Louis, one of Hollywood's biggest actors himself, who just came out of the closet and taps new genres in the industry. When Louis sacks the role Harry auditioned for in Scorsese's next big film, their irrational feud starts. Who could have guessed it would get even worse when for promo season, their teams decide to present them as a couple for publicity? In short, Harry's in love with someone and doesn't care about dating anyone else, Louis never felt home in L.A., Liam writes love songs for someone he shouldn't write love songs to, and Niall makes everything better with good food.

Our Lives, Non Fiction by indiaalphawhiskey

E, 113k

Heralded as the next Neil Gaiman, Louis Tomlinson does not appreciate being told that his very serious novel is in dire need of a PR boost. Even worse, that it comes in the form of a joint book tour with the UK’s #1 online romance-writing sensation Marcel Styles. Already turbulent at best, their partnership takes a drastic turn when, overly stressed about his looming deadline, Marcel accidentally blurts out a secret: though he’s famed for his scorching hot literary love scenes, he is, actually, a virgin. Convinced that the only way to rid himself of writer’s block is to gain some experience, Marcel asks Louis, author-to-author, to sleep with him – for Science. And of course Louis agrees because, well, what on Earth could possibly go wrong? Or, a lesson in romance that proves that sometimes the best love stories aren’t always by the book.

Time Passed by coffinofachimera

E, 66k

Louis struggles with their relationship as Harry grows into his identity.

beautiful sound beautiful noise by delsicle

M, 53k

Louis is a washed-up pop star who has spent nearly a year hiding away from the world. Harry is a guardian angel who is assigned to live with him for the summer. Neither of them quite get what they’re expecting.

the impossible now by stylinsoncity

M, 64k

A wish on Christmas Eve sends Louis to an alternate dimension where Harry is a member of One Direction

please leave a like and reblog ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

[bobbie-robron]

Robron Fanfiction Recommendations (Oct-2023)

The below were recommended during Oct-2023 on Twitter.

Tan Lines (2015) 4.1K words, robronsugsy

It’s February 2016 and Robert and Aaron had been seeing each other since November 2015 and made it public at Christmas. Now back from a long holiday, they are trying to keep a certain (happy) secret from all for a time while still ironing out a few things involving the scrapyard. Well, best laid plans and all… How will the families react when they put two and two together (no thanks to obvious tan lines) and get the right answer?

Strictly Robron (2015) 6.4K words, lullabelle_moon

On Strictly, model Aaron is paired with the popular dancer of the prior year, Robert, to gain a wider public appeal per his agent. Well, it’s oil and water working together and unfortunately for Aaron, he cannot quit the show. But that may not be needed at the end when Robert pulls him in for a kiss after one of their usual heated arguments changing the tide for both. But it’s not smooth sailing as Chrissie is stalker-ish with Robert and the media has her and Robert in a relationship. So, will it be a happy ending for the dance partners or will Chrissie ruin it?

A different language series (2017) 11.8K words, thisissirius

A set of four stories. A deaf Robert is back in the village and his family especially his sister adores him (definitely AU). Aaron is put off at first by not being able to catch Robert’s attention but Vic fixes that post haste. Aaron is reluctant to get to know him but soon enough Robert is working for him at the scrapyard and feelings develop. The additional stories focus on Robert wishing he could hear Aaron’s voice, Robert finally deciding to get a service dog and Robert deciding to get an implant just in time for a special event.

How it feels to be yours (2016) 3.7K words, sugdensquad

Aaron decides to play matchmaker for Finn when a builder bloke, who has an uncanny resemblance to Jackson, shows an interest in him. But as Aaron sets things into play, Robert gets the wrong impression on the situation between the two allowing jealousy to surface. Time for an honest chat to clear this mess up stat!

Lie to me, if you have to (2016) 3.4K words, wafflesofdoom

Robert arranges for a weekend away at a posh hotel for Aaron’s birthday. Unfortunately things are tense at the hotel since seeds of doubts are being planted in Aaron’s head about a certain person who helped arrange things at the hotel. This leads to a much needed honest conversation about the state of their relationship and whether they have a chance to remain together.

Stuck together with all our flaws (2017) 6.5K words, thisdamndesire

Robert and Aaron are two strangers that get stuck in an elevator in a high-rise housing building where one lives and the other uses for both business or pleasure as needed. How did both of them end up in Leeds rather than in the village and will there be more going on in that elevator while they wait to get unstuck.

Let love be your energy (2018) 4.4K words, aarobron

Aaron has been very close friends with Ella since school and now Ella has a boyfriend, Robert, for close to two years but… Aaron has fallen in love with Robert since he’s met him but has kept his feelings hidden as to not to betray Ella. When a house party leads Robert to kissing Aaron, what does this mean to everyone involved? Robert and his relationship with Ella? Will Aaron and Ella’s friendship be forever severed and what of Robert and Aaron?

Alchemy series (2016) 6.4K words, iwillsendapostcard (zoeteniets)

In this two part series, Aaron gets a job at Alchemy, a bar/club in Leeds, which is bought out by Robert and Chrissie. In time, Robert and Aaron begin an affair. What happens when Chrissie finds out about them? The second story follows the now boyfriends taking things slow and Robert’s reactions, jealousy at times, to the punters Aaron serves, both male and female at a new bar.

There’s a thousand things I’ve wanted to say but I’ve never been brave (2018) 4.0K words, storiesthatmakeus

An alternative take to the lead up to Reunion II with Robert not staying on Valentine’s Day because of a blind date with Mike arranged by his sister. Valentine’s is still a turning point for Aaron to realize how much he’s missing Robert and we follow events a little differently but the destination is still their wedding anniversary date. The location though is close to both of their hearts.

Accepted (2016) 2.2K words, Wishful86

Ross has had a taxi wrecked which (bad) gossip suggests Robert was behind it. When Ross goes after Robert, certain Dingles come to Robert’s defense as he’s one of them. This is clearly an AU.

[redgoldsparks]

January 2023 Reading and Reviews by Maia Kobabe

I post my reviews throughout the month on Storygraph and Goodreads, and do roundups here and on patreon.

Piranesi by Susanna Clark (Bloomsbury Publishing)

I am a big fan of Susanna Clark. I've read Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrel two or three times, and will probably read it again someday. I love The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories but I've been waiting to read this one until the time was right. When I saw a half off paperback at my favorite indie bookstore right before the holidays, I knew that was my moment! I associate Clark's work deeply with winter, and love reading her stories by a warm glow around the shortest and darkest days of the year. This one opens in a House of apparently endless size, filled with statues, great vaults, marble floors, and many staircases. The lowest level is full of the sea, with fish, sea creatures, seaweed and seabirds. The upper floors recede into cloud and mist, which rain at regular intervals. In this cold but beautiful world lives a man called Piranesi by the only other living inhabitant. Piranesi journals diligently about his days, his discoveries, his catalogue of the tides and statues. The Other Man arrives at irregular intervals and gives him tasks and the occasional gift. Piranesi is very happy in his world, but soon it is threatened by outside forces: another person, with possibly malicious intent, begins to invade. The peace of the House is broken. What does this say about the bones of 13 dead which Piranesi has found, and the occasional fast food wrappers that regularly blow in one of the vestibules? Some might savor this book, but I instead devoured it in three days and wished for more. 

The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer (Katherine Tagen books/HarperCollins)

I will be withholding my review until the HarperCollins strike ends. More info here.

M is for Monster by Talia Dutton (Harry N Abrams)

A girl wakes up on a lab table, stitched together from pieces of a previous girl, Maura, who died in a lab accident. Maura's sister is an experimental scientist and when she wakes up a spirit, she's convinced she's gotten her sister back. But the new girl, M, has no memories from a previous life. She looks like Maura- and when she looks in the mirror she can see Maura's ghost- but she feel compelled to pretend to be someone she isn't. This is an interesting take on resurrection, the afterlife, and identity. It's beautifully drawn in black ink with teal shading, and includes a minor nonbinary character. The book flirts with some real danger and existential fear around our lead, but ultimately takes a gentler route towards a happy ending. 

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi (Atria Books)

This was my fourth Akwaeke Emezi book, and so far my favorite! A lush, interesting romance that tackles grief, recovery, processing trauma through art, and falling for someone in a complicated family dynamic all against the background of gorgeous tropical island. The main character, Feyi, is very tentatively stepping into dating again after loosing her husband five years prior in a car crash. It's taken a long time before she's even felt alive again herself, let alone willing to open her heart to someone new. The writing is so sensual, full of food descriptions to make your mouth water, landscapes and vistas to make you yearn to travel, and witty banter that will make you want to call your best friend to dish about your ex or your new crush. Highly recommend! 

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho (Ace Books)

Jess is a queer, closeted, Malaysian-American college grad with a long distance girlfriend and no job prospects. She decides to move back to Malaysia with her parents, partly to help them handle the move. When she starts hearing voices, she tacks it down to the stress of being broke and alienated in a country she hasn't lived in since she was a toddler. But it quickly becomes clear that the voices are real and one of them is Ah Ma, her estranged grandmother, who was a spirit medium to a violent god called the Black Water Sister. A real estate developer has purchased the land around the Black Water Sister's temple and plans to turn it into apartments. Ah Ma enlists Jess to fight back, not realizing or not caring that this could throw Jess into deadly conflict with both humans and gods. I listened to this as an audio book and enjoyed it a lot, though it does have some semi-graphic violence, and a morally grey conflict. The writing is very vivid and quite different than anything else I've read before. 

Into The Riverlands by Nghi Vo (Tordotcom)

Nonbinary historian-cleric Chih and their talking bird companion Almost Brilliant travel to the riverlands, an area rich with myths about near-immortal martial artists and the bandits and monsters they battled long ago. Chih ends up walking a mountain road with two young women- a martial artist and her long-suffering companion- and an older couple, all of whom prove to be more than meets the eye. All of them share tales with Chih, and when they stumble right into an ongoing conflict, Chih realizes that they might be in one of the very tales they'd been collecting. This third book didn't hit me quite as hard with the ending twist as the first two books of this series, but I still really enjoyed it and hope for more! 

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickerson (Tor Books)

I have to open my review with content warnings: violent homophobia, polyphobia, genocide of an indigenous culture by intentional plague spreading, brainwashing, rape threats, eugenics, murder, torture. This is a book about a horrible oppressive empire using the tools of colonialism to try and control more and more of the world. Baru is a child of a tropical paradise, with two fathers and a mother, who is taken away from her parents and placed in a residential school from which she watches the total destruction of her culture. This plants a seed of ferocious rebellion in her heart, and she vows to excel past the wildest dreams of her abusive teachers, to rise up in the ranks of the empire, and eventually to destroy it from within. Baru is a savant in the study of power, money, economic control, and the science of breaking the human spirit. The open question of this series is whether she will be able to achieve her goal without being utterly ruined as a person. This book is brutal, and so well written, by turns a confusing mystery and a heart-pounding page turner. It is not a light read, and I definitely need a break before I continue on in the series, but I can see why this gets put on lists next to some of my very favorite series such as The Locked Tomb and Teixcalaan.

The Past is Red by Catherynne M. Valente (Tordotcom)

Another strange little tale from Valente! This one is set in the future, when all of the dry land on Earth has been submerged by water, and the remaining humans live on the floating continent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Long before our protagonist, Tetley, was born, people sorted the garbage into huge piles of similar kinds of things, leading to neighborhoods made all of candle ends, or all of pill bottles, or of molding books. This lends the landscape a fairytale-like aspect that reminded me of McGuire's Wayward Children series. Tetley was born to disinterested parents, and committed a crime in her teenage years which turns her into a physically abused and hated outsider. But she still finds things to love about her home and her world- a kind of childlike delight in a hibiscus plant, a plastic trophy, the inventiveness of her fellow survivors at the end of the world. The story takes several unexpected twists and turns, some more believable than others, but the playful language and rich audiobook narrative carried me through and overall I quite enjoyed it. 

Lights by Brenna Thummler (Oni Press)

A rich and emotional conclusion to the series, which deepens the themes of friendship, grief, and healing. I loved seeing Marjorie find ways to balance her commitments to both the living and the dead, Eliza learning that compromise is part of any relationship, and Wendell unraveling the truth of his own story. Thummler has grown a lot as a storyteller over the course of writing and drawing this trilogy. This is the quietest and most beautiful volume so far, and my favorite of the three. The art is absolutely next level, both in terms of color panels and page design. I was lucky enough to get to read an advanced copy for review; the book is due out in September 2023. 

[bangtanwritershq]

BangtanWritersHQ Presents: "Christmas Love” Masterlist

The secret’s out and the gifts have been given!

Some of our wonderful and talented members have come together to create a beautiful collection of stories given as holiday gifts. Each participant was given a ‘Wish List’ from another participant and had to create a minimum of 1k word story using that prompt. We hope these stories bring you much joy and good tidings during this time of year ❤⛄🎄 *Not all stories are Christmas or Holiday related*

KEY:

🔞 - nsfw (mature themes)

✅ - sfw (no warnings)

💖 - smut

⚠️ - other warnings

SET UP - emojis: Title (if link is to another platform) | Author [parts] pairings, genre/aus, rating, word count

🔞 💖 ⚠️  Lifeline (Twitter) | @downbad4yoongi [1/1] Pairing: Kim Namjoon x Reader AU Type: First Responder Rating: R WC: 7,157

✅  The Perfect Gift | @moonleeai [1/1] Pairing: Park Jimin x Reader named Taylynn AU Type: Fake Dating/Friends to Lovers Rating: PG WC: 6,346

🔞 💖 ⚠️  Chasing Shadows | @colormepurplex2 [4/4]  Pairing: Jungkook x Reader AU Type: Modern Day Sherlock Holmes/Brothers Best Friend Rating: MA WC: 21,511

🔞 💖 ⚠️   —tri-wizard trials | myg | @hisunshiine [1/1] Pairing: slytherin!yoongi x gryffindor!reader AU Type: Hogwarts/Brothers Best Friend Rating: MA WC: 7,251

🔞 💖  All I Want For Christmas Is You | @bangtannoonasmut [1/1] Pairing: Jungkook x Reader AU Type: Smut/Fluff Rating: MA WC: 1,277

✅   Enchanted Arrangement (Twitter) | @noonasto​ [1/1] Pairing: Park Jimin x Min Yoongi AU Type: Fake Dating/Royalty Rating: PG WC: 2,366

🔞 💖 ⚠️  Beautiful Jingles (Twitter) | @heathfritillary​ [1/1] Pairing: Seokjin x Jimin AU Type: Fluff/Light Angst w/Happy Ending & Smut Rating: MA WC: 4,522

🔞 💖 ⚠️  Just A Bite (Twitter) | sunkissedwriter [1/1] Pairing: Hunter!Jungkook x Vampire!Reader AU Type: Vampire Rating: MA WC: 1,500

🔞 💖 ⚠️  The Last Christmas (Twitter) | @mrsparkjimin18​ [1/1]  Pairing: Jung Hoseok x OC Allianna AU Type: Christmas/Established Relationship Rating: MA WC: 1,696

Thank you to all of our members who participated in the "Christmas Love" BWHQ Secret Santa Fic Event! All stories copywritten of the specified author. The authors provided consent for their stories to the network to be shared by submitting their stories. Stories posted in the order of submission to the event.  

[digitalworldbound]

honeysuckle

happy holidays to @noctilucentstorm ! i hope that you have a wonderful festive season, and that you like this little gift :) (if you have AO3, lmk so i can gift it to you!)

characters: sora/yamato

summary: unexpectedly, sora finds common ground with yamato. also, gift giving is nerve-wracking.

a/n: this is my first time writing sorato. i apologize for any mischaracterization! also on AO3 and FFN !

Sora smelled faintly of flowers. 

There had been a time when she despised anything with petals. Her mother toiled away with stems, arranging them with such precise care that Sora couldn’t contain her jealousy. Flowers sat mockingly on flat surfaces, staring up at her with unseeing eyes inside crystal vases. 

Her mother’s flowers were poised and perfect; her mother’s flowers were everything she wasn’t.

Initially, Sora fought against it, fought against her mother’s wishes and plans with such a ferocity that it scared her. Often, her outbursts left her with the bitter feeling of regret simmering in her stomach. No matter how hard she tried to reign in her anger and disappointment, the tilt of her mother’s eyebrow or shift in her voice could send Sora’s mood spiraling and spewing, destroying everything in its path.

Despite the blood bath and survival, the Digital World had given Sora a reprieve. For a fleeting moment, she was able to shift her focus from her mother’s expectations to something more substantial. In the Digital World, people depended on her. Biyomon needed her in a way her mother never did. Months seemed to pass them by, full of learning and growing and friendship. At first, she couldn’t understand the others’ want to go home. This new world offered no preconceived expectations or responsibilities. As she laid underneath the stars, she would listen to the steady breathing of her friends. The stars twinkled from up above, the familiarity squeezing at her heart strings until she came to her senses.

Going home meant leaving Biyomon, and Sora refused to picture her life without her. She didn’t want to go home to her mother’s sour words and cold heart. But, the tides of the Digital World were shifting, and Sora was worried that she would be swept away.

The fantasy world they found themselves in turned sour quickly.  An unfamiliar sadness grew underneath her ribcage, straining against the pounding of her heart. As the excitement of the Digital World wore off, Sora’s sadness only grew. At points, it felt all consuming, like an impenetrable wall that surrounded her. With her other friends focused on the task at hand, slipping away had become easy. Sora felt an odd sort of company in her sadness, wrapping it around her shoulders in a vain effort to shield herself. 

If she were one of her mother’s flowers, her petals would perpetually droop towards the ground.

At first, she thought that she was the only one to experience the overwhelming, stifling sort of loneliness. 

That was, until. Yamato came into the picture. 

Like all boys her age, Yamato was rambunctious, moody, and slightly smelly. The Digital World had equipped itself with digital friends, but had yet to install hygiene products. Despite the changes around them, Yamato always tried his best to remain calm. Most times, he was good at it.

Sora couldn’t help but to feel jealous of him. With a younger brother, there was always someone to need him, to want him around. Her mother only cared for her out of obligation, Sora was sure. Yamato had Takeru, who would love him regardless. 

Despite being related to the personification of sunshine, Yamato, too, carried a deep sadness within. It was something only another sad person could recognize - the slight curve of the mouth, nails bitten short and raw. Sora could see the pinched look on his face whenever Takeru chose Taichi to hang out with, or when Gabumon pressed too hard on a sensitive subject. From afar, she allowed her heart to hurt for him, but didn’t dare to come too close. 

Only once their adventure was over, their personal dark caverns conquered, did she muster up the courage to talk to him. In the real world, her inbox overflowed with emails and inside jokes. More often, Yamato would attach snippets of lyrics of songs he was working on, seeking her advice or appreciation. 

It had been years since their first adventure, but Sora’s feelings grew with every chord he played on his hand-me-down guitar and flick of his overgrown hair. 

-

The wind bit at her cheeks, staining them a rosy pink. December had arrived in a flurry of white, her snow boots doing little to fight off the chill. Wistfully, she thought back to that summer years ago when heat came in surplus. 

Her fingers fidgeted anxiously in her mittens as she walked down the street. The box, wrapped precisely and carefully in green wrapping paper, seemed to weigh her down. 

It had taken three international calls to America and countless hours to decide what to get him. Mimi had been little help, her suggestions ranging from outrageous to downright scandalous. But Mimi’s exuberance gave her strength, and eventually, Sora was able to find the perfect gift. She was excited for him to open it, but anticipated his smile most of all. 

An address glittered up from the screen of her phone. Echoes of chords and microphone feedback reverberated from within a nondescript building. 

Hordes of teenage girls stood outside in the cold, their chatter keeping Sora company as she made her way towards the back of the building. A few of the girls cast Sora an odd glance, but she let it roll off her shoulders. Her mother’s tough critiques had thickened her skin; petty drama could no longer touch her. 

The butterflies in her stomach fluttered about as she rounded the corner. From above, a bird seemingly sang a melody against the clashing of the drums. 

Tentatively, she knocked against the back door. With the collective noise from the instruments, she wasn’t sure that anyone would hear her, but after a moment, the rusty hinges creaked open. 

Amber eyes gazed into shocked blue ones, another flush of embarrassment coloring Sora’s cheeks. 

Late afternoon sunlight reflected off Yamato’s blond tresses. In most ways, it reminded her of their summers spent together, and the way his hair would shine in front of the campfire. 

“Hey,” she managed after a breathless moment. 

“Hey.”

From behind him, the drummer still clamored away while two other boys chased each other around with a dirty sock.

“It seems like band practice is going well.”  Sora struggled to hide her grin for Yamato’s sake, but mirth shone in his eyes.

“The Crusty Sock of Shota is our band bonding activity before every show. Are you sure you don’t want to play? It’s absolutely riveting.” 

The crowd outside of the venue’s door seemed to grow larger by the minute. A light breeze coaxed a chill up Sora’s spine. 

In the silence that stretched between them, Yamato’s gaze shifted towards the box in Sora’s hands. A pair of mittens curled around it almost protectively. Anxiety bubbled up in Sora’s stomach; she had never felt so invested in a gift before. 

“I, uh,” her throat seemed to close up. Despite all of the time they’ve spent together, a strange sort of tension bubbled between them. Sora stood on the edge of something palpable, but struggled to form the words.

Patiently, Yamato stood in place. Having a younger brother prepared him to wait out whichever storm Sora was battling. Still, the corners of his lips twitched upwards at the way her eyebrows scrunched together. The tag on the present stated his name in a careful, yet elegant, font, but Yamato remained silent.

He knew that Sora had the courage to get whatever was resting heavily on her chest out in the open without his help. 

“I bought you something for, you know, Christmas.” The wind blew wisps of Sora’s auburn hair around her rosy cheeks. Her hands quivered as she thrust the box towards Yamato, who accepted it with a flush of his own. 

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” he insisted. Yamato’s voice was hushed against the ruckus of his bandmates in the background. “I haven’t had time to do any shopping with everything going on.”

Sora glanced up into his crystal blue eyes, her own anxiety forgotten. “You didn’t have to get me a gift! Besides, you’re the only person besides my parents that I’ve gotten anything for at all.”

In the heat of the moment, the connotation of her declaration fell onto deaf ears.

Only once the wind died down and the pair stared at each other for a moment longer did Sora feel the warmth of embarrassment crawl up past her scarf. 

A tentative smile played on the corners of Yamato’s lips, but any retort that bubbled in his throat died out as soon as Sora averted her gaze. 

“Thank you,” he nearly whispered. 

With a light flush, Yamato leaned closer, his eyes impossibly blue against the drab building. For a moment, his face hovered next to hers, his breath ghosting over Sora’s chilled cheek. “You smell kind of like a rose.”

His voice was no louder than a whisper, as if he was afraid to break the gentle tension that surmounted the space between them.

Sora didn’t fight the blush that bloomed on her cheeks. His palm found her mitten, squeezing lightly. He seemed to know that speaking would overwhelm her, instead opting to press his chapped lips against her warm cheek. 

Silently, Yamato slipped back into the bustling building, the twang of a guitar escaping into the winter air. 

Alone, Sora smiled to herself. The prettiest flower was the one that bloomed in adversity, she mused.

[vangenius]

Christmas

Christmas

I’ve always found Christmas to be a difficult time of year for me. I believe it might be in part from the expectations of the season from people, “to be merry and happy and jolly through the entire season”, when I feel my brain doesn't have that capability a lot of the time. I used to find it difficult when visiting two divorced parents and having one feel of them feeling guilty and embarrassed as they couldn’t provide what they believed the other was possibly providing to my brother and myself. In reality I didn’t really feel like I fit in with the Christmas events my father would have as well with his other family at the time so it was always a woeful time of year. Moving from a location you felt as if you didn’t belong to a location where there was sadness for what they believed they weren’t able to provide you always made Christmas a depressing event I wasn't looking forward too each year. A parent shouldn't have to feel that they have to apologise to their children for lack of gifts or money or anything like that, just spending time together is the precious part of it.

I also find Christmas difficult as it’s probably one of the main times I actually do take a holiday from work, as most would know I’m a bit of a workaholic and rarely take leave at all. I would love to see friends and do things with them during this time but the majority of the time they are too busy with their own friends and families to want to do anything or respond to messages, etc. That sort of thing alone can cause your mental health to take a hit.

I also have a tendency to wait on people when I’ve asked them to do something, maybe a board game session, or a hike or even a trip to a café. When they tell me they will get back to me with when they can do it, I will end up waiting for that response and not really planning anything else. I’m unsure if this is related to my ADHD at all or just something else I do mentally, there’s been so many times when I’ve done this in the past and the plans never happened, the people never came back to me and never made a future plan and I’ve just wasted time waiting.

I remember being younger once and being very busy during these holidays, using them to do trips, do activities, receiving a hundred texts wishing you Merry Christmas you had to reply to, etc. I feel as we get older and maybe we end up with less close friends over time, it’s hard to keep this up when the friends you used to do it with have moved on with their own lives and started their own families. It’s also hard to know who close friends are a lot of the time, I know we have interactions at places like work where we may feel someone is sort of close to us in a way but that other person may not feel the same way at all. The whole “work acquaintance” thing has always confused me as I used to have some amazing friends in past jobs I used to do things with and then as soon as the jobs ended, you don’t hear from them again.

Maybe what’s a part of what makes Christmas better for some people, is as they start their own families they can plan their own events, make their own traditions and view the beauty of Christmas again through a child’s eyes instead of just trying to make it work as an adult and figuring out who may want to engage with you. Maybe someday I’ll have something like that with someone special to me and it’ll cause the other parts to fade away and be replaced with rolling tides of happiness in the future.

All I can say for now is Merry Christmas and let us hope for the best for 2024.

[lord-of-the-weird]

Hello and happiest holiday tidings 🎁! It is I your srs… also known as @syndicateanyboat !!

It has been SO lovely to get to know you over the past few weeks! I’d love to continue our conversations— just message me anytime! Happy holidays and much love 💕

hi! so nice to meet you i’d love to continue talking with you!!! thank you for making my december extra bight!

happy holidays! wishing you the best new year🎉

[samwinchesster]

Creative Ways to Use Mini LED Lights for Festive Craft Projects

If you’re looking for an affordable way to jazz up your festive craft projects, then mini LED lights may be the perfect option. Not only are they affordable, but they can be used in a variety of creative ways to give your projects an extra touch of sparkle. Whether you’re looking to display a homemade wreath, create a festive ambience for holiday gatherings, or otherwise dress up the home, these tiny LEDs are sure to make any project come to life! With their ability to add a warm twinkle and punctuate the mood, mini LED lights for crafts can make any project truly stand out. Many of today’s LEDs are designed with versatility in mind, making it possible to customize the light display for any project. Different colors, string lengths, and nuanced brightness controls make LEDs the perfect choice for crafting. With a few simple lights, you can turn a plain tabletop into something beautiful.

Illuminate Christmas Baubles with Decorative LED Lights

Christmas baubles are a timeless tradition and a popular festive element. This year, why not incorporate LED lights into your decorating scheme for a sparkly and enchanting look? Whether you hang them singly or in garlands, they will surely add to the magical ambiance of your holiday festivities. You can choose from a variety of colors, sizes, and varieties to light up your living space. Twinkling starbuks, glimmering snowflakes, dazzling icicles, and sparkling snowmen baubles are some of the decorative LED lights available to brighten up your Christmas decorations. These energy-efficient LED fairy lights come in strings and clusters for you to hang from your walls and windows to give your home an uplifting atmosphere. Each bauble emits a warm, cheerful glimmer, adding a cheerful hue and hue to the festivities. You can also buy battery-operated LED lights, so you don't have to worry about plugging them in or using an extension cord.

Spell Out Inspiring Words with Mini Lights

Words of wisdom and inspiration can be a great way to motivate and encourage each other during the holidays. Spell out meaningful phrases, quotes, and holiday tidings with mini lights for a lovely and heartfelt display. You can install the mini lights on your mantel, near a door, or even around mirror frames. There is a variety of words you can choose from, such as “Happy Holidays”, “Wish the Best This Christmas”, or “Peace and Joy”. Aside from the literal meaning, the twinkling LED lights in the words will give an added sense of magical festivity to your Christmas decorations. You can also find inspiring proverbs and mantras in stores and string these words up for your family and friends to read throughout the holiday season. The mini LED lights will create a luminescent ambiance to your home and reflect a message of peace, comfort, and joy.

Create a Twinkling Luminous Lamp Cover

The lighting in your home greatly affects the look and mood of your festive decor. You can bring a vibrant and luminous glow to your living space by making your own lamp cover using tiny LED lights. First, choose a style and size of lampshade that best fits your aesthetic. For a luminous cover, you can use a clear plastic or a frosted one. To create the twinkling effect, you can use tiny LED rope strip lights. These LED rope lights come in a variety of colors and sizes. Simply measure your shade, cut the LED rope light to fit the measurement, and then wrap it around your lampshade. Make sure to secure the cables to the inside of the lampshade so that the lights don't move or come off. The LED rope light will illuminate the lampshade with a magical twinkle that will create an inviting atmosphere when switched on.

Create a Shimmering Festive Garland 

Garlands are a great addition for adding a festive touch to any space. You can create an especially sparkly garland by using LED fairy lights. These LED fairy lights come in various lengths, sizes, and colors so you can customize the design and create a dynamic garland with many color choices. When deciding the length of your garland, measure your desired length and then clip off the excess lights. You can use the clips included with the lights or some heavy-duty craft glue to secure the lights along the garland. Hang the shimmering garland to the ceiling or around a door frame. The LED fairy lights will create a warm and cheery atmosphere while adding a sparkle to your decor.

Decorate Porcelain Ornaments with LED Lights 

Christmas decorations can be made extra special by adding a touch of LED lights. You can decorate porcelain ornaments with LED mini lights to give your Christmas tree a memorable, radiant look. Decorating ornaments with LED lights is easy and fun! Pick out some porcelain ornaments of varying sizes and shapes. Select multicolored LED mini lights in various lengths (do not exceed the desired length of the ornament). Secure the LED lights around the porcelain ornaments with craft glue, hot glue, or clips. Once secured, hang these dazzling LED lit ornaments on your Christmas tree. The light they exude will fill your living space with a bewitching glow.

Construct a Lively Light Wall Display 

Make your walls glisten and shimmer with a lively light wall display. You can build an accent wall with tiny LED lights that will truly make your walls come alive. Simply choose a color pattern of lights that matches your interior and wallpaper or paint the wall to make the LED lights pop. To make a wall display, trace an outline of your desired design and lay out the micro LED lights on the wall. Install frame rails on the wall to keep the LED lights in place. With the appropriate fixing strips, secure the rails along the edges and drill a hole in the centre for the power cable. Connect the LED light strings and transform your wall into a captivating luminescent display.

Make a Radiant Inspirational Word Mobile 

Hang up a stunning and uplifting mobile featuring colorful LED lights and inspiring words. This DIY project is an easy and creative way to dress up your home for the holidays. You can create the mobile with origami decorations, a coat hanger, and mini LED lights. To begin, choose a paper of your desired pattern and create a few origami decorations and letters that spell out a meaningful word. For a festive look, use glittery, foil paper. Cut the LED lights to the desired lengths and attach them to the decorations and the letters. Secure all the pieces together with string, wire, or a hanger. Hang up the mobile anywhere in your living space and let the twinkling LED lights gicirl the magical message of happiness and love for all to enjoy.

Conclusion

Using mini LED lights for festive craft projects is an inexpensive, creative way to spruce up any home. The mini lights come in a variety of colors, sizes and styles and can easily be attached to fabrics or decorations for an added splash of holiday cheer. Additionally, these lights allow for endless creativity – they can be used to spell out words, string across a mantelpiece, give a plain jar a whimsical surprise, and provide the perfect accent to many other projects. So, gather an array of mini LED lights and get creative.

[alwaysxlarrie]

my fav fics masterlist part 1 (A-M)

i’m currently procrastinating learning autocad & editing youtube videos, so here i am. this post is long bc of the format of the summaries - sorry about that, wanted to keep them formatted how the authors had them! anyway, this is all my fav fics, alphabetically. this is part 1. part 2 will be coming...at some point. grab a snack, grab a beverage & settle in friends. :)

as small as possible by mickey_d

“Harry is a rather shy omega who's quite convinced everyone (except his best friends) laughs at him behind his back and sometimes to his face.

Louis is a confident alpha who is taken with his best artist's friend.”

a million roses (bathed in rock n’ roll) by deLILAh

“au. harry sings in smoky dive bars; louis misses his flight home. they go to coney island in the morning.

(aka - harry is lana del rey, and louis makes him a star.)”

adore you by @isthatyoularry

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

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

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

are you taking clients? by @jaerie

“Escaping had been the hardest thing Harry had ever done. They'd stolen his child and nearly stolen his life. Being homeless and pregnant gave Harry few options. It's a last resort to let men fetishize his body, but the luxury of choice is something Harry doesn't have.”

and the truth shall set you free... by @jaerie

“Betism: A religion based on the belief that the beta gender has been chosen by God to protect and defend the purity and dignity of the human race by resisting and condemning the lustful ways and flawed biology of the alpha and omega”

ain’t that a kick in the head! by @karasunonolibero and keysmashlesbian

““Well.” Niall unlocks his phone. “It wasn’t getting the traction I wanted on Snapchat. So…I tweeted it.”

What.

“You tweeted it,” Harry states, nearing a state of brain dead. “To your ten thousand followers.”

Niall nods, handing Harry the phone. “You’re a meme, Harry.”

“I’m a what?”

“A meme. It’s like an internet—”

“I know what a fucking meme is, Niall! Why did you make me into one?”

Niall has the fucking balls to cackle at that while Harry looks at the mess his former friend created. Videos of him screaming at Tomlinson about Tide Pods and his ass are being quoted and combined with memes to a create a level of memeception Harry has never seen before. That isn’t even including the thousands of tweets of him falling up the stairs remixed with random Top 40 songs.

~

In which Harry’s a disaster gay who doesn’t know shit about soccer, Liam drinks too many blue raspberry Coolattas, Niall knows everyone, Zayn looks dead, and Louis is Not Happy about sharing his breakout moment with “Drunk Hawaiian Guy.””

atlas at last by louisandthealien

“He doesn’t know what he had been expecting out of the road trip itself besides burping contests and too much shitty gas station food with Oli and Stan, but in the brief moment before Harry ambles up his driveway, Louis idly wonders if this is about to become some sort of Gay Coming of Age story.

Maine to California in ten days. In which Zayn’s an open-shirt hippie they meet somewhere in Ohio, Liam’s the pastor’s son running away from home, and Niall’s the number they call on the bathroom wall.

It’s 1978. Harry and Louis are just trying to get to San Fran in time for the Queen concert.”

all i want is to fall with you by @2tiedships2

“The pair looked at each other for a few moments before Harry moved forward and gathered Louis in an unexpected hug.

It was nice, but why the fuck was an unknown alpha hugging him? Maybe an even better question would be why did Louis feel so secure in this stranger's arms?

Harry quickly let go and Louis felt something pull at him.

"Sorry," Harry said, holding his hands up in surrender. "Shit, um, that just seemed a natural response for some reason. I’m so sorry."

Louis smiled up at the alpha. "It's okay. Thanks again, Harry."

"You're welcome. I know it's horrible weather, and less than optimal circumstances, but this was a brilliant meet-cute."

What the fuck was a meet-cute?

Or the weekend ski trip where omega Louis discovers that he can’t change a tire and his skiing skills are debatable but still manages to find the alpha who will change his life.”

ask and i’ll obey by orphan account

““So, tell me what you want?” The younger boy demanded, and Louis’ mind filled with inappropriate images of Harry. Everything to do with Harry.

“I…” He couldn’t think. Could barely breathe, and his dick was so fucking hard in his track pants he didn’t know why Harry wasn’t pointing it out.

“You…have to do whatever I say for a whole day.” Louis blurted out.

“Deal.” Harry said without missing a beat, his green eyes shining like the light in The Great Gatsby. His easy agreement had Louis groaning, because Harry already did whatever Louis told him to do.

Or, the one where Harry and Louis challenge each other not to get off to see who will break first.”

and that’s the tea by @2tiedships2

“I’d like an Earl Grey with milk and sugar, please.

Louis had the phrase memorized, even though it had disappeared off its place on his upper arm over thirteen years ago now.

At fourteen he didn’t understand. Soulmarks don’t just disappear. Not unless…

Unless one of them dies.

Or, the one where Louis loses his soulmate before even getting the chance to meet them, and he is in no way prepared for the kind of distraction his new friend Harry proves to be.”

a cauldron of love by @zimriya

““Oh for Merlin’s sake, yes,” Niall interrupts finally. “Harry’s been in love with Louis Tomlinson since that time in second year when he went and accidentally peed on him.”

Harry turns to face him, horrified. “Niall!” he squeaks out. “You promised you wouldn’t tell anyone about that!”

Niall just shrugs and wipes his mouth with a napkin. “Aw, come off it, Hazza, was it really a secret?” When Harry doesn’t say anything, he pauses and looks up. “It was?” he says. “Ah, bollocks.””

a fully armed battalion (to remind you of my love) by @mediawhorefics

““He was flirting with you by the way,” Niall says casually once he’s finished saying goodbye to Louis and he’s joined Harry outside.

“No he wasn’t,” Harry replies automatically, feeling his heart clench at the thought. Was he?

Niall simply raises a mocking eyebrow in response before wrapping his scarf twice around his neck.

“Not that it matters!” Harry says quickly, eyes widening. “I wouldn’t care even if he did because he’s awful and the worst.”

Everyone at Hogwarts knows that Professor Styles and Professor Tomlinson absolutely despise each other. It's too bad that they're in love.”

all your mates are here by @londonfoginacup

“"The pack is... It's folding, Harry."

Like every werewolf does when they get to a new town, Harry joined one of the many local packs when he started university. Now, three years into his program, he's hit with the news that his pack is giving up, going their separate ways. In the wake of the holidays, the three single wolves from the Majestic pack are pointed in the direction of a new pack to join; one that's got struggles of its own.

A new pack, a new house, and two new roommates with personal space issues... Plus exams, of course.

Happy Christmas, here's to many more.”

a cage for every ugly spirit by @povverbottoms

“First-year uni student Harry gives up orgasms for Lent, featuring a cock cage and weekly prostate milkings on Sundays. Warning for religion kink. Written for the 1D Novena Ficathon.”

at last, at last by @suspendrs

““Come with us,” Tommo says, stopping at the other end of the gymnasium, near the doors. “Don’t let them make you suffer any longer. Come with us, and be human.”

Before Harry has even finished thinking it through, he’s on his feet, gaining the attention of every single person in the gymnasium. What has he got to lose, anyway?

Or, Harry is born into a cult in a post-apocalyptic world, and Louis is the leader of the rebel group tasked with the mission of shutting them down. Together, they make a rather effective team.”

all we have by colourexplosion

“He looks at the person who’s asked him a question and then immediately wishes he hadn’t. He’s beautiful, is the thing, and Harry’s met him before.

“No, sorry,” he says, shaking his head, averting his eyes. It’s an old habit, one he’s gotten better about resisting, but he supposes seeing Louis Tomlinson out in the wild transports him right back to youth club.

“Ah, s’fine really,” Louis says, instead of just walking away like a normal person, “Pretty boy like you shouldn’t be smoking anyway, yeah?”

Harry’s cheeks flood with heat before he can stop it, and he squeezes his eyes shut. Of course. Of course Louis Tomlinson — the boy who basically made Harry realize he’s gay — thinks he’s cute now. Ten years after the fact, and much too late for it to do any good at all. Or, a 'Grown' au”

a million one, a million two (a million more will never do) by @littlelostpieces

“While Harry doesn’t want to spend his final year at Wilshire Academy sharing his space with yet another idiot roommate, he figures he could have ended up with a lot worse than Niall. As the school’s newest scholarship student, Niall provides a fresh perspective on Harry’s privileged life, as well as a grounding presence when Harry’s other friends, Liam and Zayn, are acting like lunatics. Most importantly, though, Niall introduces him to Louis, a cynical townie with zero interest in spending his time around entitled boarding school kids. Convincing Louis that he’s more than a trust fund and a charming smile won’t be easy, but Harry’s never been one to back down from a challenge.

An AU loosely inspired by the short-lived WB drama, Young Americans, and the Gotta Be You music video.”

a life that we share (i owe it all to you) by @all-these-larrythings

“When Harry's son came home from school crying he didn't think things could get any worse. Lucky for them, things were just about to change for the best.

or

Harry's son get bullied until Louis' son shows up :)”

all the right moves by @cherrystreet

“This is the third game in a row that Harry has been distracted by the noisy boy in the stands, five rows back.

There’s really no reason that he should feel compelled to stare into the audience as frequently as he is, but he can’t help it. This boy is a nuisance. And he’s loud. Even from basketball court with nine other players running by him, shoes squeaking on the shiny hardwood floor, and thousands of cheering college students, Harry can hear this boy nearly shrieking, his laugh more like a cackle than anything.

It’s seriously obnoxious.”

boys fall like dominoes by orphan account

“Harry slips into an early heat while riding the tube. Naturally, that's when he meets Louis.”

baby we could be enough (i’ll make this feel like home) by orphan account

““Did you clean the table?” Harry asks Louis once Rose is done speaking, now occupied with trying to see if she can reach over and touch Harry’s hair from where she’s sat. At Louis’ nod, Harry frowns. “You didn’t have to do that. You’re my guests here, I could’ve dealt with it later.”

Louis just smiles easily, though, adjusting Rose on his lap so that she’s facing Harry better. She manages to tug on a loose wave of hair, and she makes a noise of triumph that both Louis and Harry smile at.

“I don’t mind,” Louis murmurs to Harry, even though he’s looking at Rose. “This one here seemed very excited to talk to you.”

And, okay. Harry can’t help but think of how domestic this feels, all of a sudden.

[harry is a photographer who's trying to find his place. louis is a single father with a smile that feels like home.]”

but if you close your eyes does it almost feel like by pukeandcry

“Marcel’s not sure what the draw is for Louis, but he finds himself looking forward to it, glancing out into the hall several times an hour to see if Louis might be walking by. Louis is just -- he’s magnetic, like he’s got his own gravitational field around him, and it makes Marcel’s stomach jump around nervously just being around him, but it only takes him a few days to realize how much he likes that feeling, the hitch in his chest he gets when he spots Louis across the office and smiles at him.”

burn this flame by @rainbowninja

““You’ve played keeper before?” Tomlinson asks suspiciously, hands on his waist.“

Er, yeah,” Harry coughs. “Loads of times.”

“Alright Popstar, if you’re sure,” Tomlinson tells him with a shrug, his professional expression already curling into laughter. Harry tries not to read too much into it. After all, how hard can goalkeeping really be?

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

but why wonder, why wonder? by @100percentsassy

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

babydoll blues by @thedevilinmybrain

“Louis is a high profile, filthy rich label executive who has the world at his feet - a music god.. Harry is the sugar baby trying to make a name for himself singing in shady bars and hanging off the arm of Louis' biggest rival. What Louis wants, Louis gets. But what if the game gets too hot and hits a little too close to the heart?”

back to seventeen by @ireallysawanangel

“As a first grade teacher in a small town in Illinois, Harry’s life is pretty simple. He loves his job, is close with his family, and has a best friend he would go to the ends of the earth for. When a new soccer coach starts at the local high school, things start to get a bit more exciting for Harry. Because that coach just happens to be Louis Tomlinson; the guy Harry was unrequitedly in love with in high school.

Or the one where Louis moves back to his hometown and Harry realizes he’s still not over his high school crush.”

business or pleasure by therogueskimo

“Boss: Know why I called you in here? Employee: Because I accidentally sent you a dick pic. Boss: (stops pouring 2 glasses of wine) Accidentally?

or the one where Harry sends a snapchat to the wrong person, who just so happens to be Louis Tomlinson, aka his boss.”

baby shut your mouth and turn me inside out by ballsdeepinjesus

“And it’s good. It’s really, really good. Except they haven’t really talked about any of this and Harry can’t muster the courage to bring it up. Niall’s words at the bar run through his mind nearly every day. Fresh meat. Is this a thing Louis does, then? Find a toy to play with for awhile until he gets bored?

He knows Louis, though. He’s been friends with him for months now and he knows that he’s not just some heartless asshole. But he doesn’t know if this is just a nice convenient hook-up to him or something more, like how Harry feels. And he knows he should ask, but he’s not brave enough. Not brave enough to possibly ruin everything when Harry can take what he’s being offered without complaints.

[harry and louis meet in a mcdonalds. louis is everything harry needs.]”

be my little good luck charm by @100percentsassy

“In which Harry is a promising amateur golfer making his debut at the PGA Championship, and Louis is a Sky Sports anchor who would really rather be commentating on footie.

The other boys are around too: caddy!Niall provides victory pints, Liam is Louis's Very Serious co-anchor, and poor Zayn just gets his face drawn on.”

baby thinking of you keeps me up all night by ballsdeepinjesus

“Louis sputters in response, shaking his head wildly. Harry moves closer, placing his hand on Louis’ chest and trailing it up towards his neck to curve around. “I am younger than you. Bet you like that. Think you can push me around.”

Louis fishmouths, glaring at Harry who reminds him suspiciously of a shark at the moment. He smells blood in the water.

“Is that what this is about, Louis?” Harry asks. He leans in and fits his mouth against Louis’ earlobe, huffing hot breaths into his ear. “You want to fuck me, don’t you?”

[harry is a 19 y/o singer and louis is a 29 y/o actor with no love for teenage popstars.]”

but when we kiss... by @indiaalphawhiskey

“Louis only nodded, still smiling. “Right, okay. As much fun as this has been, I really doubt the lovely heated seating of my car will dull our banter. Or...” he dragged out the ‘r’, eyes mischievous. “Are you really going to let a…” he assessed Harry. “Twenty? Twenty year gap,” he confirmed. “Be the reason you get hypothermia? Is that really the hill you want to freeze on, Mr. Principled?”

–– Or, while Harry and Louis adore the chase, they find they adore each other much, much more.”

boom, boom, don’t you wanna go by anonymous

“It doesn't take much to convince Harry to participate in Lambda Sig's annual ceremony for graduating seniors. She's hooked up with a few of the brothers already anyway, as lackluster as they were. She has to have her legs and bare bottom half on display for the rest of the brothers in the senior class to see, but she's always kind of liked being played with and definitely likes being on display. She's graduating in a few weeks anyway. What's the worst that can happen?

She doesn't expect contestant number fifteen to blow her mind in the first round. He doesn't let up.”

caught in your gravity by @lululawrence

“It felt like the blood froze in Harry’s veins even as he got a bit lightheaded. He hadn’t even made it two practices, only one of which he was remotely in charge of, without giving it all away and now he and Liam were both absolutely fucked.

“Shit,” Harry breathed out. “Who all have you told? Does everyone know? I thought I covered it better than that…”

“No, no,” Louis said quickly. "They’ll figure it out soon enough, though, because they’ll get used to you changing things up, but you’re only going to trip over your so called Americanisms for so long before they realize it’s because you don’t actually know fuck all about football.”

Harry sighed. “Yeah. I figured. I just need to bullshit for long enough to allow Liam to get the situation figured out from his end.”

“Right, which brings me to my entire point. I think we can find a mutually beneficial arrangement with all of this.” Louis leaned forward. “You need to learn the ins and outs of the sport incredibly fast. I can help you with that.”

“What do you want in exchange?”

Or, an AU inspired by a 30 second trailer of Ted Lasso that doesn't actually have much in common with the show at all.”

counting the steps between us by zarah5

“AU. So, yeah. That year abroad helped Harry establish that he is in love with his best friend. Now, if Louis would stop treating him like a little brother, that would be awesome. (Additional ingredients: a collapsing tree house, a lot of pining, the other three boys as Louis' new best mates from university, and a camping trip. Serve hot.)”

come in and change my life by @lightwoodsmagic

“He’d had the same neighbours since he’d moved into the building, a lovely, wealthy couple in their late sixties who had always invited him around for tea on Sundays. Martha had dropped off homemade biscuits the day he’d moved in, so Harry figured he may as well repeat the sentiment. He could hear someone getting closer to the door just as a flush ran through his body; oh fuck. His heat was close, too close to be knocking on a potentially unknown alpha’s door, but it was too late. The door swung open, and Harry’s mouth dropped. He’d never been overly interested in football, couldn’t find the fascination in watching men run around after a ball for hours aside from their uniforms, but he knew who this was. Louis Tomlinson, alpha, captain of Manchester United, star in a number of Harry’s heat addled fantasies, was his new next-door neighbour.

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

cookie jar by fanshae

“Louis catches Harry with his hand in the metaphorical cookie jar and stays to watch.”

counterculture by @sadaveniren

“It all culminated to this: Harry in the middle of a crowded basement, music blasting from the live show on the far side, shirtless amongst alphas and omegas who all weren’t covering their scents. He took a deep breath of the heavy air and he felt alive.”

convalescent boy (with a heart of gold) by @londonfoginacup

“Just as the professor beginning to mess with his powerpoint, the door at the back of the balcony creaks open and Marcel looks back to notice Louis Tomlinson, The Louis Tomlinson, slip in and take a seat in the very back.

Marcel is starting to feel like his life is a comedy. Only yesterday was Louis Tomlinson on his floor at the library. Now he’s in his seminar. What is happening?

“Hey Mars,” Nick says, not particularly quietly as he leans over. “Isn’t that your crush?”

Marcel smacks him.

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

drape me in your warmth by @husbandau

“TMH era fic where Harry is an omega whose heat comes a little earlier than expected and really, who is Louis to deny him his knot?”

deep in my heart i know there’s only you by ballsdeepinjesus

“"Will you do it?” Harry whispers. Louis has to lean closer just to hear him. He furrows his brows and shakes his head, not knowing what Harry means. “Would you donate for me?”

Louis is dumbfounded. “I’m sorry, I thought you just asked if I’d donate my sperm. Can you repeat yourself?”

[harry and louis are best friends who engage in some platonic baby-making. very platonic.]”

don’t move in (don’t move out) by @2tiedships2

“Only one more week and Harry would be living under the same roof. Gone would be Liam’s alpha scent, quickly replaced with Harry’s. All Harry. Louis was going to fucking die. You’d think Louis would be used to it by now, that Harry’s scent would simply fade into the background like Liam’s did. But Louis had a feeling he would simultaneously be living in Heaven and Hell once Harry moved in.

Louis was pulled out of his thoughts when Niall smacked him on the back of his head.

"The fuck was that for?" Louis asked, rubbing his head and looking at the bloody Irishman he called his other best friend.

"You were basically drooling, mate,” Niall said. “That was a courtesy smack to keep your daydreaming from seeping into your pheromones."”

do you like my sweater? by @icanhazzalou

““Look, for a Sadie Hawkins dance the omegas are supposed to invite the alphas instead of the other way around.”

Niall and Liam shared a look. “That… sounds like the sort of thing you would usually be all over, Lou,” Liam said, face pinched in confusion. Niall nodded his agreement.

“Yeah, if omegas were hosting it,” Louis replied sourly. “It’s one thing if we decide that we’re going to ask the alphas for a change. It’s insulting that they think we need their permission.”

When Harry's alpha fraternity decides to host a Sadie Hawkins dance, outspoken omega Louis has a thing or two to say about it.”

don’t have to go to the pool by @kingsoftheimpossible

“Louis is the captain of the swim team, Harry is in love with him a bit, and there's this ritual before Big Meets. Everything goes fine. alternative summary: a suspicious lack of swimming for a story involving a swim team.”

dom louis by @comebackassholes (summary is from first work in the series)

“Dear Mr. Louis, Hello. I’m Harry. I got your contact from a good friend of mine and was wondering if I can get your services. My 30th birthday is coming up and all I’ve ever wanted is to get spanked, maybe more? If you’re interested, please contact me. I’d love to hear from you. Sincerely, Harry Marcel reads over the words. He guesses there isn’t a much better way to ask for what he needs. He almost changes the name again but decides Harry is fine. It’s generic and nothing that can be traced to him. At least he doesn’t think so. Okay, he’s overthinking again so he clicks the send button before he can talk himself out of it. His heart races as soon as he does. He almost wants to take it back, figure out a way to undo it, but he takes a big gulp of his wine to calm down. It’s fine. This is fine. He can do this.”

do not falter (there’s a star ahead) by @londonfoginacup

“It's Christmas Eve, and every single one of Louis' family members are crowded inside his little flat. Really, what more could he ask for on his birthday?

The present he never knew he wanted - in the form of an omega from his past - might just make this his most memorable Christmas.”

enjoy the ride by @2tiedships2

““Stop sulking and get up. I have a proposition to make.”

“Niall?” Louis questioned. “Do you think I should put glow in the dark stars on my ceiling?”

He looked over and found Niall giving him an unimpressed look.

“So, no?” Louis asked. “No stars?”

“We’re going on a road trip,” Niall stated.

Louis looked back at his starless ceiling and waved farewell to Niall. “Cool. Have fun!”

“No, you idiot.” Niall let out a frustrated sigh. “You, me, Liam, and Harry.”

Louis glanced over to Niall and back to the ceiling. “Who’s Harry?”

Or the one where Louis, an omega more than tired of being treated as lesser than alphas, is forced on a road trip by his beta besties only to meet Harry who might just be the alpha he never knew he wanted.”

even as young as you are by ologist

“Harry’s sister has a baby. When he goes to meet her, he finds more than one new love of his life at the hospital.”

everywhere and nowhere by @2tiedships2

“Niall took a seat and said, "Apparently Louis' downstairs neighbor is a fan of giving Louis creepy gifts. Maybe I should go introduce myself and tell him that Louis actually prefers food."

"What has he given you?" Liam asked.

Louis shrugged as it were no big deal. "There was a rabbit's foot keychain on the door a little after he left from introducing himself and there was a small teddy bear sitting by my door tonight. Obviously I can't prove it's from him, but they seem to have his scent. I could be wrong though."

"Wow," Liam said, looking deep in thought. "That's old school."

"What's old school?" Niall asked. "Giving creepy gifts?"

"I've never known an alpha to do it, to be honest, but he's courting you."

Louis couldn't contain his look of disbelief directed at Liam. "He's courting me. Like some sort of romantic shit they'd do in the 1800s or something?"”

from eight until late, i think about you by supernope

“After finding out that his University of Brighton roommate has a YouTube channel, Harry starts up his own channel, on which he posts videos of himself doing weekly challenges. He strikes up a friendship with Louis, a popular youtuber in London, that starts in the comments on their videos and progresses to texting, skyping, and talking about each other in their own videos far too often. They fall for each other long-distance, but put off meeting face-to-face as long as possible, too nervous that they'll screw it all up.

Involves a bunch of YouTube challenges (AKA excuses for Harry to get naked), some awkward snapchat mishaps, and a whole lot of pining.”

face your fears by @sadaveniren

“Harry is a single father, pretending to be a beta after his alpha mated him and left him. He’s getting by just fine raising the twins when Louis walks into his bakery. Too bad him and Louis will never be a thing.”

foolishly, completely falling by dea_liberty

“"Now that he’s actually gone and done it, there seems to be no way of going back - no rinse and repeat, no ctrl+alt+del, no abort button, no help to be had. He’s fallen into a black hole and he cannot seem to find a way out. The black hole is also known as Tumblr. More specifically, it’s known as Tumblr’s Larry Stylinson tag."

OR: The one where Louis becomes a Larry shipper by accident.”

faking it by @donotdialnine

“A uni AU in which Louis has been Harry’s best friend since he offered him cubed fruit on the playground, and they spend more time cuddling in their dorm beds than they do apart, but it’s not like that. Or is it?

Aka Harry pretends to date his best friend to escape unwanted attention from a too insistent classmate and hopes it won’t blow up in his face. Featuring embarrassing dildo accidents, awkward boners, longing, first times, late night conversations, emotional discoveries and Niall as the exasperated friend with bad advice.”

feel so foolish by @juliusschmidt

“Louis and his friends keep laughing at Harry; he's sure of it. But he's not sure why.”

fever started long ago by @mediaville

“"Stay." His brain is skipping backwards but his mouth is skipping forward. "Like, in this bed? With me."

The words hang in the air, somewhere in between their naked chests. Louis licks his lips, and a tiny crinkle appears between his eyebrows. "Why?"

Does there have to be a reason for everything? Does everything have to be a debate? Why does Louis ask 'why?' and not 'why not?' Harry's already annoyed that he wants him to stay. "I'm ill," he says, sniffling for good measure. "I need supervision."

Louis hesitates, looking uncertain, and Harry doesn't like that look on him. "It's late," he says eventually. "You need your rest."

"We'll sleep," Harry promises, and as if on cue, he yawns. He is rather sleepy. "It will be restful."

SPOILER: Styles gets his way. It's not restful.”

fiction romance by orphan account

“Harry has a type.

He likes older, sophisticated, mature men. Well-educated men. Men with life experience and passion for arts and social causes. Men who are established in their careers, who've sorted their lives out.

Niall knows this.

And so Harry can't understand why he's sat here opposite Louis Tomlinson.

A punk Louis/uni Harry blind date AU.”

freeze this moment in a frame and stay like this by @rosesau

“Harry (not so) secretly crushes on the cute footie player and fills pages with sketches of him.”

follow me down this time by supernope

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

faith, trust, and a little pixie dust by orphan account

“Louis loves Halloween. Harry hates everything about it, but he loves Louis. And Niall loves vodka and glitter so there's that.

Or the one where Harry has been pining for his best friend and roommate for years. It takes a costume party, an Irish fairy and a sprinkle of pixie dust to give this fairytale prince his happy ending.”

foolishly laying our hearts on the table by @runaway-train-works

““You think Harry wants that?”

“Dunno. Maybe. Wanna make him happy.” Harry takes advantage of the red light he’s pulled up to turn and look properly at Louis’ face. He’s not even looking in Harry’s direction though, focused instead on something out of his side window, head drooped, mindlessly playing with the string of his hoodie between his fingers, lost in his own world somewhere. For some reason, it makes Harry’s spine straighten. 

“Because he’s your best mate?” Harry questions carefully. 

“He’s my boyfriend.”

He couldn’t have heard him right. “What?”

Louis releases a deep breath, still not turning around. Harry wonders who he thinks he’s talking to right now. “He’s so pretty. Want to kiss him all day long. And buy him a big house and give him presents and marry him.”

Or

The one where Harry is in love with his best friend Louis but doesn't think he stands a chance until some wisdom teeth and a rather unusual confession might just change his mind.”

give you my fever by beautlouis

“And he’s wanted it even more since he met Louis, it's driven him insane, he spends 90% of his life turned on because of Louis and he’s had no relief at all. He’ll wake up at night too hot and itchy, with Louis warm and sweet smelling next to him, and unable to do anything but wank unsuccessfully, with no release. “I can try,” Louis says, close enough that Harry’s eyes cross a little trying to look at him. “I want to, I’ve never been with anybody, like, I’ve snogged people, lots of people, but I’ve never—touched anyone.” He clears his throat. “I’d touch you, Hazza.”

Harry’s breathing picks up. “Yes.” He doesn’t think there was a question but he’s a little overwhelmed. “Yes,” he repeats, dizzy.

*x-factor era. harry's never had an orgasm before, louis gives him his first”

gathered on wings by @twopoppies

“As Harry lay by Louis’ side, covered in sweat and come, he knew he should feel ugly, messy, ruined, like the life he’d left behind. But something about the way Louis looked at him, the way he stared at him with want and awe, made Harry wonder if he’d ever feel this beautiful again.

Harry rolled his eyes at himself for his momentary romantic dreaminess. As good as this was, he knew it was nothing more than sex. He literally couldn’t afford to fall for just anyone, no matter how fit they were.

-----

What Harry Styles wanted was to be taken seriously as an artist. What he needed was a new sugar daddy to pave the way. Louis Tomlinson is an artist who isn’t what Harry is looking for. Somehow he still manages to turn Harry's world upside down. “

gorgeous (it makes me so mad) by @artxghoul

“Harry’s a coffee barista with nothing really going on for him except for the occasional flirting with, some, particularly hot male customers. But when a new guy starts coming in, he suddenly doesn’t know what to make out of any single situation anymore.

or: Harry is a hot mess. Liam is a brilliant roommate. Niall is a wise lesbian co-worker. Clifford is a good boy. Louis is a bad boy. Circumstances are bizarre.”

got my eyes on you by @eleadore

“Harry’s not supposed to take off his clothes, but it’s one of those unspoken rules, much like don’t have a wank with your best mate and definitely don’t make that a regular thing, fuck, what the fuck.”

give a little sing to the singles by @londonfoginacup

“Harry Styles is an adult now, with a real adult job (and benefits! Whatever those are!). He spends his days at the copier. Copying things.

That being said, no one told Harry that being an adult came with a confusingly chaotic boss, a copier machine that would be hell-bent on ruining his life, and a coworker so good looking that Harry might just have to quit. After all, Christmas is coming and if their office doesn’t win the decorating contest, Louis has threatened to break several laws and kneecaps in retaliation.

Happy Christmas, here’s to many more.”

haven by orphan account

“"I take it you’re not a new student?” “What?” Harry mumbles, caught up in the way his eyes are quite literally sparkling in the light. “Oh—No. Not a student.” “Are you a sub?” Louis asks. Harry clenches his hands into fists, holding them behind his back as he stumbles a bit. “I don’t, uh—I mean. I’ve never really gotten a chance to be a true sub, you know? My ex-partners were always scared they’d hurt me. But, like—If I trusted someone a lot, and if we used a, a safeword. And talked about, you know, boundaries, then—Yes, yeah, I-I’m a sub.” Louis’ eyes are so wide, his cheeks puffing out in the effort to not burst into laughter. “Oh shit, oh my god,” Harry whispers. “You meant—Oh god."”

horizontal like a quarter to three by orphan account

“The worst part is that Louis just wants to get really rough with him. He's wanted it right from the start, and it doesn't make sense, because Harry's always been so gentle and understanding and sweet, and yet all Louis wants to do is fuck him up.”

homegrown by casuallyhl

““It wasn’t an easy decision, if I’m honest,” Harry admits, shoulders sagging in on himself. “Moving is really difficult. My whole life was in Manchester. But Manchester didn’t want me. Leeds did.”

“Well, Leeds is happy to have you,” Louis says, giving Harry a kind smile.

Harry brightens a bit at that, undeniably pleased. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Louis replies, expression soft and lips curved.

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

hike up your skirt (and show your world to me) by anonymous

“Louis has a very hands on approach to training his new secretary. How else can he make sure Harry realizes his full potential?”

have a nice trip by @kingsofeverything

“While Harry and his roommate Louis are stuck at home practicing social distancing, they decide to take a little trip to pass the time.”

holiday greetings (and gay happy meetings) by @2tiedships2

“"Onwards to drop me off at Robert's before you go to Harry's!" Louis proclaimed when they were safely in the car. Or at least Louis was safely in. Niall was still brushing the snow out of his hair that Louis had accidentally dropped on him.

"We're picking up biscuits first," Niall grumbled as the snow melted into his hair. "You can wait in the car."

After three times of the car sounding like it was dying a slow and tragic death, it finally decided to start.

"This is what happens when you try to change the name of your car after five years," Louis said as a reminder of Niall's stupidity. "You'd be upset too if you were a car named Greased Lightning with a passenger trying to get it renamed to Dusty."

"To be fair," Niall explained, "the name Dusty does seem a bit more accurate."

"Make sure to leave the car running while you're getting whatever you're getting from Harry," Louis said in disgust. "This car is going to choke for good after that comment and I don't want to be stuck at Harry's place when that happens."

Or the one where Niall's dead car and and a foot of snow conspire to force Louis into spending time with an alpha he hates.... or does he?”

hard for me to know i might see you around by @coffeelouis

“The next profile shows a guy and his horse both crashing into the ground, the bio below reading:

"Hi, I'm Louis, I suck at riding horses so I ride dick."

Harry rolls his eyes and swipes left, but before he can consider the next profile in his feed, there’s a quiet “Oof” from right behind him.

[or, a TINDER AU where Harry swipes left on Louis' joke of a profile, then ends up stuck next to him on a trans-Atlantic flight.]”

in all its imperfections by @briannamarguerite

“From: Louis Tomlinson To: Undisclosed Recipients

Hello!

I’ve asked the front desk and you lovely folks are the ones who are on the same level as me in the car park. I found a to-do list today that looked somewhat important because it has lines of poetry scribbled at the bottom that seemed like they might be for a card project. The stationary has a moose in a canoe at the top of it (and he is quite adorable). Let me know if it’s yours!

Cheers!

“Oh. My. Fucking. God,” Harry whispered, his eyes darting over the sentences again willing them not to make sense. They did, they did make sense. “Oh. My. Bloody. Fucking. God.”

The next thing he knew he was on the floor, staring at the ceiling, with a very concerned Liam hovering over his head.

"What happened, mate?" Liam asked.

Harry just pointed to his computer.

Liam bent over Harry’s desk to read the email. “What? This isn’t bad. Is that your to-do list? Did you finally come up with the inside text for those cards?”

“Leeyum" he groaned. “It’s what’s on the list.”

“Oh,” Liam paused for a beat. “Is it dirty stuff?”

Harry nodded.

There was more silence. And then, “Dirty stuff with Louis?””

i wanna get dirty with you by awriterwrites

““You good?”

The man’s voice rang out like clear bells from a church tower, light and airy with a gentle rasp like a knife on toast.

It took Harry a moment to realize he was talking to him.

“Me?” Harry squeaked out, his voice a bit wobbly around the edges.

“Just waiting for you to get settled, sweetheart.”

This guy was a naturalist? The headmaster of an outdoor preschool? Harry felt a little woozy. Like he might collapse or propose. He wasn’t quite sure.

**** Harry is a kindergarten teacher. Louis is revolutionizing education--one child at a time. A conference may be an unlikely place to meet someone, but somehow Harry finds Louis and Louis helps Harry find himself.”

i don’t wanna be your friend, i wanna kiss your neck by crybaby

“Harry has been in love with Louis Tomlinson for four years, five months, and thirteen days.

Harry had fallen in love with Louis Tomlinson like how he’d seen in movies, and how he’d read in all the books he’d stolen from Gemma, headfirst and shameless.

The only problem was, that in films and books, love was always either returned instantly, or else it took time for unrequited love to lose the first two letters, and since the first option was obviously not true, Harry decided he would wait for the second to become reality. And so Harry waited, three years, eight months, and four days, before his heart had been broken by a gentle rejection and a misplaced blowjob, before Louis and Gemma had packed up and gone to Manchester for university.

(Harry is a hopelessly romantic omega and Louis is his sister's best friend)”

i want your high love and emotion, endlessly by deLILAh

“au. louis is sick of vajazzling, harry is saving up for a tandem bike, and they master their own destinies.

[or, camboy harry goes in for some intimate detailing, and something big happens.]”

if tomorrow never comes (we had last night) by @fallinglikethis and @all-these-larrythings

“Louis accepts the call without bothering to look at the caller ID. Only Zayn would be a big enough asshole to call him at two in the morning. This fucking better be important. “This fucking better be important,” Louis greets.

On the other end of the line comes a soft giggle. “Li, you don’t usually curse. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I like it.” 

Yeah, that’s not Zayn. Louis sighs, his anger melting into resignation when he realizes that it’s some poor bastard probably drunk dialing his ex or something. “Sorry, mate. Think you’ve got the wrong number.” Based on this Tumblr prompt: "Accidentally called your number while drunk asking for a ride and you actually came au"”

i’ll crash until you notice me by @aliensingucci

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

Cue the summer loving.”

into another (another) serotonin overflow by mercutionotromeo

“Harry wants this year to be different - wants it to be the year that he finally gets over this stupid crush. He’s going to uni, he needs to decide what he wants to do with his life.

Instead, he’s deciding what he wants to do to Louis Tomlinson.

Or: Sweet first time sex wherein Harry's adorably awkward, Louis is achingly cool, and Harry rides Louis wearing his jersey.”

i’ve been thinking ‘bout it all day lsforever

“When he heard about the job opening, from his nosy Aunt of course, Harry was ecstatic to go down there and talk to the shop owner. Her name is Perrie, and she and her best friend Louis opened the shop together not too long ago. Harry remembers the pair well from when he was in school.

or, Harry gets a job in Perrie and Louis' potion shop. He wasn't planning on the huge crush he develops on his boss.”

i’m not that other guy by @jaerie

“Harry has just come back from maternity leave when he unexpectedly goes into heat. He runs into a coworker on his way out.”

introduction to dynamics by @juliusschmidt

“Louis Tomlinson is the outspoken omega in the 'Introduction to Dynamics' course Harry wishes he didn't have to take. He's nearly certain to present as a beta, after all. Things will be simple for him.”

it’s not what it looks like by @kingsofeverything

“Quarantine allows Harry the time to improve his sewing skills, thanks to the face masks he makes for friends and family. Proud of his work, he posts a picture on Instagram, but it's not what it looks like.”

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

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

i made a map of your stars by @brightbluelou 

“Harry does not have a crush on Louis Tomlinson. Yes, Louis is very pretty and funny, and Harry may have had more than a few inappropriate thoughts about him, but he certainly doesn’t like him. (Except for the fact that he totally does.) or, Harry is the shy boy in the back of the class that no one really notices. Louis is the loud, outgoing football player that everybody likes.”

in dreams by @haydolce

“AU. When Harry moves to a new city, his new flat come with a number of sweet, anonymous gifts and surprises that brighten his days. Could it be a friendly ghost? Another friendly presence in his new building is his tattooed neighbor, Louis, who seems determined to put a smile back on his face.”

i do not feel the fear of falling (thought i could fly) by turismoemocional

“"After months of being showered with attention from the gorgeous boy, Louis feels like he’s experiencing a drought, and he yearns for even a single look in his general direction. He's pining and he knows it, feels like he's wilting. He can’t decide if being fired and arrested and disowned by his mum would have been the better outcome at this point."

Or - Harry is 19, Louis is 25. Student/Teacher relationships should remain strictly professional at all times... That's not to say they always do. Things get messy quickly.”

it’s halftime. are you ready to go? by @gaycousinlarry

“Reason #12 - Because it's halftime.

Harry would like to think that he doesn’t know how he got himself into this. Only… he’d be lying. Because he knows exactly how he got himself into this. Oh man, does he know, and it’s all because of a certain Louis Tomlinson. Alternatively - football is gay and Harry is trying to cope.”

it’s like i breathe you by orphan account

“Louis shrugs, grabbing the smoothie and taking a sip of it. He’s not really bragging. But. “I’ve kind of always had everything I wanted.”

“Everything?” Harry asks, genuinely interested, his green eyes wide.

Louis looks at Harry, smiling at him across the table and twirling a curl around his finger. Not everything.

or the one where louis volunteers to teach high school students about the ropes of business and running a company of your own, but he certainly does not plan on running into harry styles.”

i know how to whisk (but teach me anyway) by @2tiedships2

“Louis scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. “I don’t understand. Unmated alphas don’t just go into a rut out of nowhere. Unless…”

Louis grabbed onto Niall’s arm in desperation. “Am I a homewrecker? Does Harry have a mate? Oh my God, was he not flirting? Did the change in his scent not have anything to do with my smell yesterday? Did I just make that up!?”

Louis let go of Niall and dropped his face in his hands. “I knew it was too good to be true.”

“You’re an idiot,” Niall stated. Louis looked up to find Niall rolling his eyes. He snapped his laptop closed and moved to stand up. “I need to get some work done. Why don’t you stay here and think back to ABO dynamics 101.”

With that Niall hopped off the couch and headed to his room. He stopped and turned to Louis before he made it to the hall and said, “Oh, and Lou. You may want to reconsider your outlook on soulmates.”

Louis yelled after him. “Soulmates aren’t a thing, Niall!”

Or the one in which banana bread just might make Louis change his mind about soulmates.”

it’s in the contract by anonymous

““I can’t make rent this month,” Harry says.

“Awesome,” says Mitch. Mitch is the house leader. He’s the one leading the house meeting. “Free your schedule on Friday, Phi Sigma Kappa are coming over for game night anyway.

Harry swallows, nodding. “Alright,” he says.

Harris puts a hand on his thigh. “Hey,” he whispers into Harry’s ear. “I’d pay at least thirty for you.”

Harry snorts. “Thanks,” he says. “Good to know I’m an expensive bitch.””

just jump by @jaerie 

“Finally, after years of suffering alone, the insurance plan at Harry's new job covered omega heat services. As a grown omega adult, it finally felt like the right time to try it out. And, since taking an entire week of heat leave would really put him behind at work, using a service to shorten it seemed like a responsible decision. At least that’s how he rationalized it. He was nervous about his decision but it was too late. The doorbell rang.

“Hi!” The alpha said again and Harry took the hand he offered and shook it firmly. “I’m Louis from Omega Services. It’s nice to meet you.””

just for me by @canonlarry

“Harry is a supermodel with a fake boyfriend. Louis is the captain and star forward of Manchester United with a fake girlfriend. They should have no problem having a completely platonic lunch between friends.

(They do.)”

just one look (and i fell so hard) by @disgruntledkittenface

“Louis takes a small step back, breaking the moment first. “Well, I should–” 

“Do you want to come up?” 

The words are out of Harry’s mouth before he’d even planned them, and he bites his lip. 

“Oh, thank god,” Louis laughs, stepping back into Harry’s space. “I wasn’t, um…” “Wasn’t ready to let go of you yet,” Harry finishes quietly, glancing up at Louis. “Yeah,” Louis nods, reaching up and twirling one of Harry’s curls in his fingers. “Yeah, exactly.”

Harry has wanted to go to the Shubert Theatre ever since he moved to New York and lucked into a rent-controlled apartment just outside of the Theatre District. When he finally gets his chance, he hopes the night can meet his sky-high expectations. But the last thing he could have expected was the man seated next to him.”

know you better. by @wabadabadaba

“It didn't help that oftentimes Niall and Zayn's other friend, Louis joined them and from all the stories Marcel has heard about Louis, he was positive they wouldn't get along. From their description, Louis was loud, annoying, and competitive. He liked to tease Niall and Zayn mercilessly and he was creative. Being a tattoo artist, Louis knew things about art that Marcel would simply never understand due to his analytical mindset. He was the complete opposite of Marcel and Marcel didn't think he would ever last in a social setting where he had to be with Louis.

or the one where Marcel and Louis fall in love.”

kiss me on the mouth and set me free by @maggieisalarrie

“Louis has his head thrown back in a laugh, his wet fringe hanging in front of his eyes, and a beautiful flush to his cheeks. From this angle, the sun hits his face just right to where the beams of light are shining in between the spaces of each individual clump of watered down eyelashes. His chest is showing through the soaked material of his white jersey and it seems that his biceps are attempting to break free from the sleeves that are clinging to his skin.

And Harry can do nothing except take it all in. He doesn’t even think he’s breathing at this point. He is literally stuck in place, admiring the true beauty of Louis Tomlinson, while being surrounded by fit footballers and generally attractive people. He doesn’t think he’s ever been in love before, but if Louis let him, he’s pretty damn sure he could change that in the matter of a few nanoseconds.”

kiss from a rose by @chloehl10

“Harry is the quiet one in the office no one ever notices. Until Louis does, that is. When notes start appearing on Harry’s desk, he ponders who is behind the kind words, oblivious to Louis’ attempts to get his attention...”

knock knock, i love you by beautlouis

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

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

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

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

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

love is divine by @aliensingucci

“Being a witch doesn't help when it comes to unrequited love.”

let me outshine the moon by sarcasticfluentry

““Fuck,” echoes Liam, shaking his head at them with a small smile on his face. “Just don’t get yourselves killed.”

“You can come too, if you want,” says Niall, standing up.

“I wouldn’t be caught dead at a vampire bar,” Liam scoffs, standing up as well. “Wait. Fuck.”

...or, boarding school students Niall and Harry chance a trip to the local vampire bar.”

let’s talk about making love by istajmaal

““That’s my name, baby, I’m Louis.” The voice on the phone inhales sharply, then says, “Gonna take my cock now, princess?”

Harry lets out a high-pitched mhmm and shudders as he pulls his fingers out of his hole, groping for the vibrator. “Nice to meet you,” he says, feeling a bit dizzy with how hard his untouched cock is.

Louis is just a simple phone sex line operator, but to Harry, he's Daddy.“”

loving you is free by @littlelouishiccups

“Louis is a workaholic record label CEO who hasn't been on a date in nearly a year. Niall and Liam make an account for him on a sugar dating website as a joke. And then Louis meets Harry.”

laundry room by beautlouis 

“The third Wednesday of the new year, Louis finds himself in the laundry room, just as he was the last Wednesday and the one before that. He’s doing pretty well with his New Year’s resolution. The only problem so far is the company he finds in the laundry room. It seems that it’s just him and one other boy who’ve chosen late Wednesday nights as prime laundry-doing time. That wouldn’t be a problem except for who the other boy is.

He’s seen this boy around; it’s hard to miss the long-legged, long-haired dream that lives in Louis’ complex. He likes to wear very sheer shirts and very high boots; he is incredibly fucking gorgeous and yeah, Louis’ noticed him but he’s never spoken to him. Until tonight, apparently.

[Louis and Harry are both students living in the same apartment complex. They end up having the same laundry night and time. Louis can't stop staring at Harry and he can't figure out why Harry consistently points out Louis’ inside-out shirts, and his untied shoes, and messy hair. Enter slow burn-ish flirting, banter, awkwardness, and a lot of laundry.]”

lead me out on the moonlit floor by @scrunchyharry and @beauxbatonslouis

“In all honesty, Harry was long forgotten, cast aside by a dimpled stranger and too much champagne. He was almost glad, now, that Harry hadn’t come, because he wouldn’t have met this stranger, this tall man who could make his heart flutter with a single glance. 

Victorian!AU where Louis is a wealthy lord throwing a masquerade ball for his birthday and Harry is a toymaker who's only confident when he's wearing a mask.”

let our hearts collide by @crinkle-eyed-boo

““Liam is in a coma.” “Yeah, we can see that,” the father says, throwing his hands in the air. “God, this is the most depressing Christmas ever,” the blonde sister mutters. “His vital signs are strong,” Dr. Higgins assures them. “Brain waves are good–” “Brain waves?” the mother wails, taking Liam’s hand in hers. “Oh my God!” “How did this happen?” the father demands. “Um, he was pushed from the platform at the subway station,” Harry pipes up. The entire family turns to look at him, confused. Harry shrinks back, wishing he could have just kept his big mouth shut. “Who’s this?” the father asks, pointing at him. “Um, I’m Harry–” he starts. “He’s Liam’s fiancé!” Jade adds helpfully from where she stands by the door. Every jaw in the room drops, including Harry’s. Oh, shit. Shit shit shit. What?

When Harry, a lonely transit worker, saves the life of the handsome commuter he's been secretly pining for, an innocent mistake results in Liam Payne's family believing that Harry is engaged to their son. In the Paynes, Harry finds the big family he's always longed for...and a love he never saw coming.

A While You Were Sleeping AU”

lemon eyes by @turnyourankle

“It's not proper for omegas to mess around with alphas before finding their bondmate. But Harry doesn't give a damn what's proper and fully intends on getting as much experience as he can before even trying to find one. As far as he's concerned, the right alpha won't care, and he'll have some fun on the way.

And who better to start with than Louis Tomlinson, the alpha with the worst reputation on campus?”

like how your hands feel me up and down by ballsdeepinjesus

““How do I look?” Harry asks lowly. He turns around and gestures towards the unzipped back of his skirt for him to help. Louis stumbles forward and places a cold hand on the exposed side of Harry’s stomach, steadying him while he pulls the zipper up the rest of the way. He pushes Harry back into the dressing room and stands behind him in front of the mirror. “It’s -- you’re tight,” Louis chokes. “It’s tight, I mean. It’s. Yes.” His hand is curved around his hip now, squeezing lightly.

“Tight’s good, right?” Harry murmurs, batting his eyelashes. He almost can’t believe himself.

“Very good,” Louis grunts.

[louis works in a halloween shop and harry needs a costume]”

my pleasure (to make you mine) by @zanniscaramouche

““Think about it.” Niall raises an eyebrow at him before amiably leading the interrupting customer to the other side of the store.

And the thing is, even a day later, Harry's done nothing but think about piercing his nipples.

Harry decides to get his nipples pierced. Louis is the piercing artist with a smile that breaks every rule of the universe.”

my service, your pleasure by @hershelsue

“Harry moves in with Louis, his childhood best friend. He had always enjoyed doing things for him, never putting much thought into it. What happens when they're in the same space all the time and Harry can't keep his hands to himself? Surely, his adoration bursts at the seams and a very suspicious Louis tries his best to keep up.”

milk kinship by @jaerie

“Harry had aspired to become a wet nurse since first learning about the honored and respected tradition when he was a teenager. The first documentary he’d seen had been detailed and brutally honest and Harry had still fallen in love with the idea. It’s origins were rooted in highly regarded positions of the royal staff and were credited in playing a role in the lives of some of the most famous children in history. There were medically trained wet nurses and other milk services for mothers unable to feed their babies, but true wet nurse nannies could only be afforded by the rich and famous. The glamorous life appealed to Harry even if his understanding of his role changed to a more realistic view over time. As a starry eyed kid, that was where he wanted to be.

Or Harry is a wet nurse and isn't allowed to have an alpha. He may or may not break his vows.”

make tea, not war by @whateverdelusional and @popsongnation

“"Is he the messiest?"

"Yes."

"Does he do the washing up?"

"Never."

"Does he make his bed?"

"Never."

"Hopeless, hopeless flatmate. Would you rather be with one of these guys?"

"Nope!"

Or: Louis attempts to become a better flatmate, much to Harry's dismay.”

masterpiece by @rainbowsandlovehl

“Harry stared at his phone for five minutes, waiting for a response before giving up. He scrolled through instagram for a while but nothing caught his fancy. He sighed deeply, glancing up for a second before looking at his phone again then blinked. Wait a second... Harry’s head snapped up quickly and he did a double take because this guy surely hadn’t been there the last time Harry had checked the place. No, this person was new and beautiful and different and Harry was pretty sure he was openly gaping at him.

Harry is unwillingly dragged to an art gallery by Niall and his evening turns out better than he expected when he meets Louis. Featuring bad pickup lines and ample flirting.”

meow or never by velvetnoodle (goldfishsunglasses)

“Harry is having a terrible, no good, very bad day.

He’s holed himself up in the back of the university library, stealing an entire sofa for himself. The fact that no one has said anything to him about it just goes to show how much his feelings must be on display. That’s nothing new; Harry’s always worn his heart on his sleeve. And cried easily. Not that he’s crying yet, but he’s close. It’s been a right shit day, and Harry just wants to go back to his room and bury his face in Evie’s soft fur. Unfortunately, he no longer has that luxury.

When Harry is forced to choose between getting kicked out of student housing or giving up his cat, a moment of self-pity leads to the discovery of a third, and much more appealing, option”

my things aren’t the only thing you’ve stolen by beautyhaz

“Harry thinks he's gone insane when things begin to go missing at school and only one boy knows where they are. It turns into more than he expects.”

midnight memories by grand buzz

“Louis Tomlinson is the successful author of several children's books. Those books happen to be the favourites of Eve Styles, Harry’s six year old daughter. Never one to deny her anything, he takes her to a book signing where Louis will also be reading an excerpt from his new book

Of course, Harry doesn't expect to fall in love with the author whose books he reads every night--but that's exactly what happens.“

make him want to sin by @becomeawendybird

“The stranger’s sharp gaze landed on him immediately, the eye contact shattering through Harry’s defenses. For the first time in his life, Harry had an instantaneous reaction to someone. The man stared down at him with interest, like he wanted to take Harry apart and put him back together again, piece by piece. Harry wanted that more than anything, and he wanted it right now. It took every ounce of strength he had ever possessed to not drop down to his knees instinctively.

All from one glance.

Harry is a curatorial assistant at the London Museum of Natural History, on the day of the big annual gala he catches a glimpse of someone unexpected.”

thank you to all the authors for creating wonderful fics! you’re all so talented and valued. :)