Daylight

Chapter III - I think he knows

"Right," Joe seems to have calmed down almost instantly, "sorry about that. It's just very," he looks at her, "fishbowl-y, you know?"

Silence.

"What is?"

"You know."

"Tell me." Taylor feels a familiar unease creep in, "Dating me?"

"Well," Joe seems to mull over his words, "yeah." He states rather quickly, "They're just everywhere, all the time, it just gets on your nerves, doesn't it?"

She just looks at him. He's not wrong. Of course he's not wrong. He echoes the exact same thing the first Joe had said. And Taylor. Harry. Jake. Karlie.

Karlie.

In fact, she remembers it as if it happened yesterday. Karlie and her bodyguard buzzing the flat like crazy one day two summers ago, Taylor's security letting them in and then Karlie storming into the Cornelia Street penthouse, rushing past a curious Olivia and a furious Meredith, for once not avoiding that one really annoying creaking floorboard and launching straight into a rant about the paparazzi that seemed to permanently stake out Taylor's place.

It's just so fucking awful, Tay. How do you even deal with it? The blonde had grunted, running her hand through her hair in a way similar to Joe's, Doesn't it make you want to scream?

In response, she'd just walked over to Karlie and pulled her into a hug. Standing on the tips of her toes to wrap her arms around the taller woman's neck had amused Karlie enough to halt her angry breathing and she'd relaxed in Taylor's embrace.

I deal with it because I'm living pretty close to you. She'd murmured into the nape of Karlie's neck and Karlie had turned briefly, pressing soft lips upon an even softer cheek.

Such a way with words. Green eyes had looked at her in amusement, What do you want to do then?

Taylor had answered and Karlie had gasped in mock shock. It had turned out to be a nice evening, just the two of them. She'd hoped the same for tonight but Joe's outburst was slightly more explosive than Karlie's.

"I'm sorry."

Joe's voice draws her back to the car.

"Don't be, I know it's a lot."

"You deal with it so well though," he sighs, "Like you've had this going on for over a decade and you still haven't once lost your cool. You'll have to teach me."

"Do I now?"

"Yeah!" Joe grins, "I am sticking around, you know that, right?"

"Joe," Taylor smiles, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

---

Dinner is nothing short of spectacular. The concept of going for a quiet bit to eat (instead there had been quite some photographs and signatures and Japanese fans screaming her name) and time between the two of them (technically checked off, not taking into account half of her security detail being in the backroom of the restaurant with them had been idealistic but the food itself had been stunning.

"I literally cannot believe you don't know how to eat prawns."

"They are hard," Taylor yelps, "And they're hot, so getting them to do the crack thing and then trying to –"

"You twist the head off, crack down the middle, take the legs, crack down the back, peel away, done." Joe grins, "I'll teach you when we've got more time."

They're roaming the streets late enough at night for there to be relatively few people walking around. Security is ahead of them, with two tailing behind, and Taylor feels at ease. It had been a while since she'd been in Japan and it would probably take another while to come back, she may as well make the most of it.