( ⁱⁿ ʳᵉᵃˡ ˡⁱᶠᵉ ⁺ ⁱᵐᵉˢˢᵃᵍᵉ )

ⁱⁿ ʳᵉᵃˡ ˡⁱᶠᵉ !

WHEN louis gets home from work, he goes to find stella to show her this video he found of taylor swift, but he realizes that she isn't at the apartment.

instead, he finds william laying on the couch, a scene of gilmore girls playing on the screen. he walks to the side of the couch and grabs william's legs, throwing them off the edge.

"WHAT THE HELL, LOUIS?!"

william glares at him to which louis just laughs and makes himself comfortable next to his best friend.

"where's your sister?"

william huffs, rolling his eyes and turning his attention back to the screen. "she went out with daisy and sebastian."

louis hums in response and then the two silently watch the show playing on the tv. the scene shows dean telling rory he loves her and rory freezing up which makes dean pissed.

"asshole," william remarks under his breath.

louis expresses his agreement with a snort and a nod. as the next scene starts to play, william suddenly turns to louis.

"listen."

"oh no."

william rolls his eyes and then turns serious. "i'm going to europe next week for a model shoot with this magazine."

"okay?" louis raises a brow in confusion, wondering why he's being so serious about this.

"i'm going to be gone for, like, two months."

the brunette boy's eyes widen as he stares at his best friend. "two months?"

william nods. "yeah and i've got a favor to ask of you." louis gestures for him to continue. "stella will be staying here for who knows how long until her apartment is fixed, and i need you to promise me you'll take care of her while i'm not here. she's been through a lot and i don't want her to ever suffer by herself again the way she did when she was dating that bastard."

louis immediately nods. "of course, will. that goes unsaid. she's just as much my sister as she is yours. you know i'll take care of her no matter what."

william lets out a breath, relief washing over his face. "thanks, lou."

they both turn back to the screen, but louis has stopped paying attention. now all he's thinking about is stella and how he had no idea she was dating someone until it was out on all the news outlets last year. he barely saw her seeing as how he was shooting new movies and shows while getting ready for the enola holmes 2 premiere which had been the last time he had seen her before he moved to la with william.

everything was so hectic then that he hadn't been able to recognize how sad stella had seemed. she was still dating that guy at the time, but louis was so caught up in his own things that he hadn't paid as much attention to her as he should have.

if he had just seen that she was unhappy, would he have been able to prevent her heartbreak?

that question plagues louis a lot more than he'd like to admit. he hates that he wasn't there for her during the hardest time in her life. he hates that she had to suffer alone and he didn't even know about it. he hates that fucking dickhead who broke someone so pure and genuine, and every time he thinks of hunter lennox, he wants to strangle him to death.

louis clenches his jaw subconciously as he leans his head back against the pillows. he blames himself for a lot of things, and stella's sadness is at the forefront of them.

fuck. he should have called more. he should have checked in more. he should have visited more.

he should have protected her.

but what's done is done, and louis has learned from his mistakes. he will do anything and everything in his power to keep stella happy. she is just like millie or issie in his eyes, and just like he would protect them, he will protect stella just the same.

he'll die before he lets anyone hurt her again.

꘏

"PANDA?!"

stella gasps as she finds william and louis eating plates from panda express on the kitchen counter when she comes home. before her brother can comprehend what she's doing, she darts toward him to steal his fork and gulp down a bite of his beijing beef and chowmein.

william swats her hand away, glaring at her. "didn't you just eat?"

"so?"

louis snorts as william just rolls his eyes and shakes his head. stella laughs as she places her stuff down and goes to grab a glass of water. right as she's taking a sip, her brother opens his mouth.

"by the way, i'm leaving to go to europe next week for a model shoot."

stella starts choking on her water. louis stands up in concern, patting her back until her coughs die down.

"you okay?" he asks.

she ignores him, instead looking at william. "what do you mean you're leaving?"

he rolls his eyes. "i mean i'm leaving, you idiot. what else do you think i mean?"

"how long are you going to be gone?"

he shrugs. "two months maybe?"

stella's eyes bulge out of their sockets. "two months?! what kind of model shoot is that fucking long?"

"this one."

she huffs in frustration. "so, what? i have to stay here with louis alone?"

louis pouts at her. "aw, ellie, you don't want to spend time with me?"

she glares at him. "shut up."

he holds his hands up in defense as william just chuckles under his breath, taking a bite of his food.

"i don't see the problem," he states.

of course he fucking doesn't because he's an idiot and doesn't know that she's in love with his best friend who she's apparently going to have to be alone with for two whole months?! it was fine living with him with william here, but with him gone...

stella isn't quite sure she'll be able to survive.

louis swings an arm around her, grinning down at her. "we'll have a great time, just the two of us."

stella forces a laugh as warmth blooms in her chest from his touch. and then she sees his dimples curve into his cheeks as he smiles at her that special little smile he has reserved just for her.

yeah, she won't survive at all.

ⁱᵐᵉˢˢᵃᵍᵉ !

✨ bitch pack friends ✨

[ participants ]
starlight🌟 ; stella
corey 🤠 ; cora
daisy may🌸 ; daisy
crabby🤢 ; sebastian

starlight🌟
im dying.
i have died dead.

crabby🤢
what is it now 🙄

daisy may🌸
don't say you've just read if he had been with me again and are sobbing in ur bed.

starlight🌟
worse.
will's going to this model shoot for like 2 months
i have to stay alone with louis 😭

corey 🤠
its 3 am and yall woke me up.
wait.
WHAT
HOLY SHIT JDSJKSAKA

daisy may🌸
OMG SHUT UP

crabby🤢
THIS IS UR CHANCE GIRL

corey 🤠
i hope the apartment never gets fixed.

starlight🌟
🖕
screaming
crying
not perfect storms

crabby🤢
you're such a drama queen

daisy may🌸
fr
plus this is the perfect opportunity for some alone time with him!!

corey 🤠
literally!
u were given the ultimate chance to get him to fall for you

crabby🤢
don't fuck it up.

starlight🌟
hey daisy...still got room in zoe's apartment?? 

daisy may🌸
no.

starlight🌟
fuck you.

daisy may🌸
😊

crabby🤢
stop being dramatic
it'll be fine

corey 🤠
if i were u i'd be fucking ecstatic

starlight🌟
this is going to be a disaster pt 2.
doomsday is close at hand, i'll book the marching band

corey 🤠
🤦‍♀️

daisy may🌸
🤦‍♀️

crabby🤢
🤦‍♂️

𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 !

i feel more free than i have in years, six feet in the ground.