36 Questions: A Joanne Fanfiction

Question Thirty-Three:

If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven't you told them yet?

It was a Thursday evening, and outside the studio it was cold and dark, the wintry evening providing a contrast to the warm, bright studio, as the pair continued to practise. The week had been difficult for them both, due to their mutual focus on not only two dances, but their attraction to each other that was becoming more and more difficult to hide. They knew the dances, yes, but they were not as smooth as they had been previously. Dianne understood this, it was to be expected when they had less time, and more work to fit into it. But she was proud, so proud of how far they had both managed to progress, and by now reaching the final was simply a bonus to a brilliant journey.

Currently, they were rehearsing and filming the Viennese waltz, ready for a reaction video. This number had quickly become one of Dianne's favourites, and although she hadn't admitted it to her partner, the song was something she felt like had perfectly summed up their journey. She really hoped this would last.

This particular run was going well, Dianne couldn't help but smile as she let her partner lead her around the room, relaxing into the dance. Her smile only grew wider as the dance continued, and she felt him navigate a particularly tricky section with ease. He caught her eye just after this, and she spotted a matching soft smile adorn his face. She found herself relating to the lyrics as they continued to move around the room, until they reached the end sequence.

She felt her heart rate quicken with anticipation as one hand rested behind her head, and the other gently cupped her chin, lifting up her face so that it was level with his. Although they'd practised this so many times before, it felt different somehow. Pride rushed through her and, out of their own accord, her hands brought him flush against her.

She gasped as she saw his pupils dilate at their sudden close proximity as their position left them silently gazing directly into each other's eyes. It was now or never. Dianne had had enough of waiting, and decided that enough was enough. She brought him closer, her gaze dropping to his lips, causing his breath to hitch. Inching further and further forward, she felt him do the same until there was almost nothing between them.

At the final moment, she watched as he stepped backwards slightly, before she was brought into his arms. She felt something inside her drop, but hugged him tightly in return, trying not to let what she could only comprehend as rejection affect her. They stayed, moulded together for several moments before they pulled apart. Joe stayed in her embrace for longer than normal, rubbing her upper back gently as he tried to wordlessly reassure her. At this point, both of them could barely comprehend what had happened so turned away from each other.

In his arms, she stood kicking herself at her actions, having regretted them immediately in case it ruined whatever they had. Dianne blushed brightly as she followed his eyes fixing on his phone on the other side of the room, still recording. She smiled slightly, maybe there was another reason why he pulled away. Still, she was embarrassed at her previous actions, so found herself turning away from him, and choosing to comment on the dance rather than the moment they had shared. "It wasn't boppy, it was perfect."

As Joe walked away from his partner, a large grin adorned his face. He couldn't quite believe what had just taken place, both the success of the run and what he believed Dianne was about to initiate. He'd felt awful pulling away, and was in fact still beating himself up about it, but he could feel the camera on him and didn't want to have to edit around what could have potentially been an awkward moment for them both, that was the last thing they needed. He found himself overthinking his earlier actions, as he became aware that he'd potentially scuppered his chances with her. Worry rushed through him until he reassured himself that Dianne had probably just caught up in the moment, it was more than likely that she didn't mean anything by it, and he didn't want to get his hopes up so he vowed to push this moment away from his wandering mind. In response to her feedback on the dance, only one word could come to his mind. "Yes!" He whisper-shouted to himself as he approached his phone to end the recording.