Louis loves his fans. He really does. They got him where he is today, they're so supportive and nice. They tweet him clever things that make him laugh and are just generally brilliant. But, Eleanor is more important than them. And right now, they're hurting her.
He isn't really sure where all this 'Larry Stylinson' stuff came from. Yes, him and Harry are close, really close, practically brothers, but they aren't gay. He loves Eleanor, loves her more than he's every loved anyone. But the fans... or, at least, most of them, can't seem to accept that.
It makes him angry, so angry, to see those tweets and blogs dedicated to hating his girlfriend. And he means, hate. He isn't sure why, how, they can, because she's perfect to him but they do. And it makes him hate them, for saying they 'support' Louis when they can't even understand that he's happy, happier then he's ever been before.
And it hurts Eleanor, he can see it. Her phone will ding and she'll check her mentions or whatever and her smile will waver for a millisecond before she pastes it back in place. She's just that kind of girl, the kind who can smile no matter how hurt they are.
He's seen it in Harry, when the lad got so much hate and just broke, just cried for hours and didn't let anyone see him. Eventually, Louis and the rest of the band were able to heal him, but Harry's been different, he lost that sparkle that used to be there. It was gone and it was replaced by a sort of dark knowingness that they all have.
Even if it kills him, he won't let it happen to his precious Eleanor. She doesn't deserve this just because she happens to be dating him. He won't allow it.
It's chilly out when Louis pulls into Eleanor's driveway and walks inside. There's this sort of silence that doesn't feel right and he shivers as he peers into the kitchen, looking for the gorgeous face of his girlfriend.
"El?"
No answer, but a small sniffle coming from her bedroom. He moves down the hall and opens the door.
She's sitting on her bed, her coat and shoes on as if she was going to go out. Her laptop is in her lap and she's crying.
"I just wanted to check Twitter, before I left," she says softly, not looking up.
Dread curling in his stomach, he moves across the room and looks at the screen.
@EleanorJCalder y is louis even dating u? Ur so ugly
@EleanorJCalder eleanor, more like eleawhore
@EleanorJCalder bitch, let larry b together! U don't deserve lou
He slams the laptop close and holds her close. Right now, he hates his fans, all the ones who ship 'Larry' and send horrible things to this girl, this wonderful, wonderful girl who he loves so much it hurts sometimes.
He kisses her forehead. "Shh, they're just jealous, shh."
She sobs into his chest. "They hate me. They all hate me and I didn't even do anything."
He closes his eyes. "I know, it's them, it's not you, I love you." He takes his phone out of his pocket and opens Twitter. "And it's not all of them, there are fans that support us - you and me, El."
He shows her the screen, the row of tweets saying how cute they are together and how they support 'Elounor' and Louis' love for the fans is back as she slowly smiles. They have the best fucking fans in the world.
He turns off his phone and pulls her closer than before (quite a feat, because they were already pressed together) and kisses her softly.
"I love you so, so much Eleanor, and anything they say won't matter." She cuddles into his chest.
"Thank you, Lou. I love you, too. I love you so much." He doesn't leave her side that night and after he makes her tea and she falls asleep, he lies beside her and listens to her murmur his name.
