Soul Mates
Welcome to summertime and butterflies–Summer Love! The fics this month are all about finding your soul mate. Most of them have a magical quality that manifests when the souls find each other. It’s one of my favorite tropes–I’ve listed 10 of my favorites, but I’ve got more if anyone wants a longer list.
Note that some AO3 fics are available publicly on the server, while some require an Archive of Our Own account/membership to access. If you don’t currently have access, you’ll need to sit on a waitlist – typically for a week or two – to gain access. Get yourself on that list ASAP as some of these require that access to read.
The “Summary” is taken from the author’s own AO3 summary. “Why I Liked It” is my opinion (and only mine). “Content Warning” is a mixture of my own warning and sometimes pulled from the Triggers the author has suggested.
If you like this feature, want to chat, or give me suggestions for future themes or recommendations, please hit me up on Twitter. @Rosann_1986 (formally @FlyWishing).
These are NOT in ranked order.
- Say Hallelujah, Say Goodnight by alivingfire
Summary: Louis is an angel who is just a little too bad to be good, Harry is a demon who is just a little too good to be bad, and they’re both a little too in love to be impartial when angels and demons go to war.
Why I liked It: This is an epic love story played out across two millenia. It doesn’t sound like it will work in just over 100K words, but it’s wonderful. From their origins in early Greece to the climax with OT5 in the present day, it’s a great ride. Thrilling at times, sexy, poignant, this one will stay with you. The characterizations of all the boys as immortals is great.
Content Warning: some violence.
- Angels Fly by LilyBlue28 (read my author profile with April in the June 2023 edition of No Stunts Magazine).
Summary: Harry is a lonely omega in the North Western White River Pack who is uncharacteristically drawn to nature and his now outdated primal instincts. He fills his days with going through the motions and clinging to the one actual friendship he has in the omega Zayn, and when he gets a chance he sneaks away to the edge of their territory to sit with the trees and the wildlife and sketch his favorite part of the river.
But what happens when one day he spots the pack alpha, Louis, having an intimate moment with something, or someone, unexpected? Suddenly his quiet, nearly invisible existence gets upended, and secrets he never wanted to know quite literally won’t leave him alone, and even when he tries to stay away, he keeps being pulled back into Louis’ turbulent orbit.
A magical love story featuring a generations long grudge, a menacing curse, and secrets that keep pulling them apart. Will they be able to find a way back to one another through the dark?
Why I liked It: I’ve talked about this one before in my ABO/Wolves theme, but it’s worth mentioning again. The plot was really well thought out and intricate. I loved the soulmates subplot and the way the boys were connected through tragedy. It was messy and lovely and really well done. Also a nice OT5 found family emerges.
Content Warning: pretty violent, some self-hate, and parent death.
- Nameless Night by Green_Feelings (see my author profile of Shaina in this month’s issue)
Summary: For their 18th birthday, every person receives a letter that reads a simple date. That is the date you’ll meet your soulmate.
Harry and Louis have different beliefs, live in different worlds and have different dreams, hopes and fears. Yet, they’re not so different from each other when it comes to love. When their paths cross, there is no doubt they belong together. Except for that one, essential difference: they didn’t receive the same date.
Or, a fic about differences that make no difference at all: Harry and Louis are soulmates. In every way possible. Featuring Niall as a role model, and Liam and Zayn as a different kind of role model.
Why I liked It:This has a really slow burn, but a lovely payout. It explores the concept of soul mates as a legal institution, and personal choice vs. fate.
Content Warning: Angst/Pining.
- Hiding Place by alivingfire
Summary: Louis never wanted a soulmate, didn’t really care for the whole Bonding thing at all, really. Enter Harry Styles, who’s wanted to be Bonded for as long as he could remember. With one fateful meeting in an X Factor bathroom, Louis gets a dagger on his arm and the realization that just because Harry is his soulmate doesn’t mean it’s mutual.
From the X Factor house to Madison Square Garden, from the Fountain Studios stage to stadiums across the world, Louis has to learn to love without losing himself completely, because someday his best friend will Bond to someone and replace Louis as the center of his universe. Meanwhile, Harry begins to think that maybe fate doesn’t actually know what it’s doing after all, because his other half has clearly been right in front of him the whole time. All he has to do now is convince Louis to give them a chance.
Or, the canon compliant Harry and Louis love story from the very beginning, where the only difference is that the love between them is literally written on their skin, and there’s only so much they can hide.
Why I liked It: I didn’t even realize that alivingfire appeared on this list twice until I started putting in the links. I LOVE this one. It’s also one of my favorite canon fics. Great envision of x-factor and early days backstory. Really good character growth as the age, and good slow burn of romance.The soul mate marks as tattoos fits into the canon lore really well.
Content Warning: internal and external homophobia, some self-hate.
- Make Your Words a Weapon by HelloAmHere
Summary: There’s no single path forward from the connection, no truth other than the truth that the person whose words you carry is out there, an undefined something that you’re going to have to deal with. In whatever way you can possibly deal with meeting the stranger who’s always been there, and always been missing. OR: Louis is a music critic, Harry is a rockstar, soulmates are destiny but no one ever said destiny was easy, music is everything.
Why I liked It: HelloAmHere has a lovely way with words.I love the voice and the tone. Love the slightly needy/body image Louis. LOVE The soul mark lore. Louis is so complex in this one with his quirks and love of words and music. Harry’s just his soul mate trying to make him break down his walls.
Content Warning: none that I can think of, but check author warnings.
- Every Universe but Ours by 28FineLines
Summary: Louis and Harry have been friends with benefits for going on nine years, until a woman claiming to be louis’ fairy godmother decides to send him into a variety of alternate universes to help him find his soulmate.
Why I liked it: I love being able to read about them falling in love over and over and over. Really good “in every universe” soulmates
Content Warning: none that I can think of.
- You’ve Got My Devotion (Hate You Sometimes) by LucyTheGoosey
Summary: Harry was in the biggest boy band in the world. He was also one half of the best (or worst, depends on who you ask) kept secret relationship in the music industry. Now, almost five years on, after One Direction has broken up, and Harry and Louis’ relationship has as well, a video threatens to put everything at risk. One determined Irishman, a massive publicity stunt and two begrudging exes are all it takes to bring One Direction back to life and maybe, just maybe, Harry and Louis’ mangled love life too. Or: Harry and Louis are forced to fake-date after an old video from when they were dating emerges.
Why I liked it: This is such a cute one. This is the first non-magical one on the list. But they are meant to be soul mates. It’s One Direction canon compliant (ish) w/ great depiction of post hiatus OT4. Fake boyfriends and exes to lovers subplot.
Content Warning:.None that I can think of.
- No Going Back by Jacaranda_Bloom
Summary: Sales reps Harry and Louis are bored with their jobs and their lives. After meeting at a conference in Cardiff they hook up, have a few too many drinks, and jokingly apply to become remote lighthouse keepers. Six months, just the two of them, looking after the southernmost lighthouse off the bottom of Australia. It’s not like their applications will be accepted. Right?
This is the story of how one choice – a left instead of a right, a go instead of a stop, a yes instead of a no – can change the future forever and that sometimes, taking that leap of faith, is worth the risk.
Why I liked it: Second non-magical fic on the list. Super cute. Really good smut. The banter is good and it has such a unique setting. The boys go to a deserted island to be lighthouse keepers and fall in love. One night stand to soul mates.
Content Warning: nothing I can think of.
- No Hand on the Rein by tempolarriefics
Summary: Then, he sees it. His eyes lock on the tattoo and he sucks in a sharp breath, unable to look away. His brain screeches to a halt, and not just because of the sight that is a half-naked Harry.
There, on Harry’s outer arm, is an intricate tattoo of a large ship. A large ship which perfectly complements the compass tattoo hidden on Louis’ own forearm.
“It’s that one.” Louis breathes, reaching out a shaky finger to point to the ship on Harry’s left outer arm.
“You’re sure?” Harry asks.
Louis nods. He’s never been more sure of anything in his life.
He has found his soulmate.
Or, a twist on a soulmate au where Louis is a newly independent tattoo artist and Harry just wants his soulmate tattoo removed. Of course, they’re soulmates.
Why I liked it: This was an Interesting twist on the soul mate trope, w/ the addition of a government conspiracy. I love the idea of them bucking the system and fighting for what they believe. And falling in love.
Content Warning: government conspiracy
- Waiting for the Tides to Meet by nauticalleeds
Summary: Soulmate AU. Everyone is born with heterochromia — one eye is their own eye colour, while the other is the colour of their soulmate’s. It’s only when they meet their soulmate for the first time that their own eyes match properly. After a hazy night at a frat party, Louis wakes up to blue eyes and the shocking realization that he had met his soulmate, without any sober recollection. Seven years pass where Louis comes to terms with the fact that he’ll never know who his soulmate is. Then one fated summer, a beautiful green-eyed photographer arrives at Louis’ workplace, with promises of endless laughter and a familiar feeling in Louis’ heart.
Featuring a lovely cup of OT5, a road trip down the coast, and a scene where Harry eats a whole head of lettuce. Don’t ask why.
Why I Liked It: I really like the soul mate lore in this one–the eyes changing color. And then they fall in love not realizing they were fated. Lovely.
Content Warning: None that I can think of, but read author triggers
Xoxo – Rosann.
Happy reading and thanks for checking out my recommendations. I’d love to hear from you and what you think of my suggestions! Let me know if you have any thoughts for future themes!
