Here are some childhood friends/growing up together fic recs because I’m a sucker for them and it’s probably one of my favourite canons:
Other Childhood Friends Recs:
Down Memory Lane by flicker_album
{general audiences, 1k, fluff, one shot, friends to lovers}
Harry and Louis have known each other since they were five. Now they’re in their senior year of high school and still best friends. Harry, as sentimental as ever, keeps anything Louis gives him in a box under his bed. He doesn’t anticipate Louis finding the box.
Tick-Tock by bubblegumclouds
{general audiences, 6k, fluff, soulmate AU, soulmate identifying timers AU}
When Louis was born to Jay Tomlinson with a tiny 2 years on his clock, it starts the most beautiful love story. Even if things are missed, fate finds a way to make it work.
Though the Seasons Change So Quickly (Keep Them Buried In My Heart) by LiveLaughLoveLarry
{general audience, 6k, outsider POV, oneshots, fluff, OT5 friendship}
A series of moments of Harry and Louis' relationship through the years, from the very beginning to the present, through the perspective of those around them. It's beautiful and it's brutal, it's awe-inspiring and it's awful - it is what it is.
"He’s special, Gem," Harry says. "He’s different. Different from anyone else I’ve ever known. I think-”Gemma holds up a hand. “Slow down, buddy,” she says. “You’ve only known him a few months.”“I know,” Harry says again, his fingers tugging at the designs embroidered in the blanket. “But it’s still true.”Gemma studies him for a long moment. It’s interesting, she thinks. She’s never seen him like this -– not really. He’s almost glowing, a smile constantly either present or hiding just below the surface, and while it could just be the band as a whole making him so happy, she somehow doesn’t think so.
underneath the christmas tree by suspendrs
{not rated, 17k, fluff, flashbacks, one shots, OT4 friendship, marriage proposal}
Good morning, and happy birthday to ME! You’ll be happy to know that I went ahead and planned out your present to me, so you can return that awful watch (sorry I peeked, I couldn’t help it) at your liesure leisure (?) and do this instead! I’ve planned a scavenger hunt for you, and I’ll see you at the finish line. Your first clue is hidden inside my favorite box of cereal. Love you! -L
Louis sends Harry on a scavenger hunt on Christmas Eve.
you are my sun, my moon, and all my stars by stylinsonstea
{mature, 17k, fluff, smut, OT5 friendship, friends to lovers, time jumps}
harry and louis grow up together and might be a little in love the entire way.
TGIF by dinosaursmate
{explicit, 20k, slow burn, smut, fluff, OT5 friendship, friends to lovers}
“So, you moved in today?”
“Yeah.” Louis huffed. “I’ve had to leave all my friends behind in Donny and move here because my mum got a good job. And this house is bigger than the one we were in, so that’s good. But I just… I was popular, I had loads of friends, I was captain of the football team. I don’t think the school I’m going to even has a football team.”
“What school are you going to?”
“St. Mary’s.”
“That’s my school!” Harry stopped, and the ball hit his foot. “I’ll be your friend.”
Louis smiled, and something about it made Harry’s stomach twist uneasily.
“That’s sweet, Harry. But I can’t exactly hang out with an eleven year old.”
Harry’s mouth twisted into a frown, but he kicked the ball back anyway. “Okay.”
“We can hang out here, though.”
Louis, 13, moves in next door to Harry, eleven. They immediately hit it off and quickly become best friends, but as they get older, things get a little complicated.
Two Steps Behind by orphan_account
{teen and up, 38k, 19 chapters, slow burn, friends to lovers, fluff, OT5 friendship}
"Can I play?" He's far away enough that he almost has to yell a little bit. He's got one leg steadying him on the ground, and he's holding the handles of his bike as tightly as he can. He doesn't want to fall off in front of the older kids - the cooler kids.
"We've got four of us, though, and we don't want uneven teams," Zayn lies apologetically, and Louis frowns. He's not stupid. They don't want to play with him. "Maybe tomorrow." That's also a lie, because Zayn said the same thing yesterday and now it's tomorrow and Louis is being told no, again. His head is spinning with rejection and confusion and, most of all, disappointment.
(Or, Louis is two years younger than his neighbors, Harry, Liam, Niall, and Zayn, and he grows up bending over backwards to get their attention and acceptance. Especially Harry's.)
more fic recs can be found here!
