Taylor Swift and Tree Paine Oneshots

Silence

The backstage area buzzed with its usual pre-show chaos. Crew members rushed from one side of the venue to the other, adjusting lights, checking equipment, and preparing for Taylor Swift's sold-out concert. The energy was electric, as it always was before she took the stage. But for Tree Paine, something about today felt off. She had been Taylor's publicist for years, long enough to know when things weren't quite right.

Tree stood off to the side, scanning the bustling room. It wasn't just the usual pre-show jitters that made her uneasy. For weeks, she had been watching Taylor more closely than usual—picking up on little signs that didn't add up. Taylor was missing her cues more often, stumbling over words in interviews, or awkwardly pausing before answering questions. On stage, there were moments where she seemed slightly out of sync with the band, almost like she couldn't hear the music the way she used to.

At first, Tree had brushed it off. Everyone had their off days, and Taylor was under immense pressure. But as the days turned into weeks, Tree couldn't ignore the growing feeling that there was something more to it. Taylor was hiding something.

Tree's phone buzzed with notifications, but she silenced it, her eyes narrowing as she watched Taylor head toward her dressing room. The way Taylor's shoulders slumped, the slight hesitation in her step—it wasn't like her. Tree had seen enough. Something was wrong, and she needed answers.

Without overthinking it, Tree followed Taylor, her footsteps quick and determined. She knocked on the door once—no answer. Twice. Still nothing. Finally, she pushed it open.

Taylor was seated at her vanity, her back turned toward the door, leaning close to the mirror. Tree was about to call out to her when she stopped dead in her tracks. In Taylor's hands was a small, almost invisible object—something Tree hadn't expected to see. Taylor wasn't just applying makeup or fixing her hair. She was inserting hearing aids.

For a split second, the world seemed to stop.

Tree blinked, trying to process what she was seeing. Hearing aids? Taylor Swift was wearing hearing aids? That couldn't be right. Taylor had never mentioned anything about her hearing. Why would she keep this from her—from everyone?

Before Tree could collect her thoughts, Taylor noticed her reflection in the mirror and jumped, quickly shoving the hearing aids into her ears as if trying to hide them. But it was too late.

"Tree," Taylor stammered, standing up abruptly, her hands nervously brushing her dress. "I didn't realize you were—"

"Taylor," Tree's voice cut through the tension like a knife, her tone sharp with concern. She stepped fully into the room, closing the door behind her. "What the hell is going on?"

Taylor looked down at the floor, her cheeks flushing. "It's nothing," she mumbled, her voice barely audible. "I'm fine."

"Nothing?" Tree's voice rose with frustration, and she crossed her arms tightly over her chest, narrowing her eyes at Taylor. "You're wearing hearing aids, Taylor. That's not 'nothing.'"

Taylor flinched at the words, a flash of guilt crossing her face. "I... I just didn't want to worry anyone."

"Too late for that," Tree shot back, her frustration growing. "How long have you been hiding this?"

Taylor turned away, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. The silence stretched between them, heavy and uncomfortable.

"Talk to me," Tree pressed, stepping closer. Her voice softened slightly, but the urgency remained. "You can't keep dodging this, Taylor. I've been watching you—missing questions in interviews, stumbling on stage. What's going on? Why didn't you tell me?"

Taylor swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she clenched them into fists. She didn't want to answer, didn't want to admit the truth that she had been avoiding for so long. But Tree wasn't going to back down. Not this time.

"Damn it, Taylor, look at me!" Tree's voice cracked, the hurt in her tone unmistakable now. "I've been by your side for years. You trust me with everything, so why are you keeping this from me?"

Taylor's eyes flickered up to meet Tree's, and in that moment, the walls she had built around herself began to crumble. The weight of the secret she had carried for months—alone—was too much.

Tears welled up in Taylor's eyes, and she choked back a sob. "I'm losing my hearing, Tree."

Tree's breath caught in her throat, the words hitting her like a punch to the gut. "What?"

Taylor's voice wavered as she spoke, the vulnerability pouring out of her. "It started months ago. At first, I thought it was just stress or exhaustion. But then I started missing things—small sounds, parts of conversations. It's been getting worse, and now... now I need these." She gestured to the hearing aids, her voice breaking. "They said it's permanent. I'm going deaf."

Tree's heart sank as she took in Taylor's confession, the weight of it settling heavily in the room. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I didn't know how," Taylor admitted, her hands shaking as she wiped away the tears that had started to fall. "I was scared. Scared of what people would think. Scared that everyone would treat me differently—like I'm broken."

"Taylor..." Tree's voice softened, the anger draining away as she stepped closer, reaching out to place a hand on Taylor's arm. "You're not broken. This doesn't change who you are. But you can't go through this alone. You should have told me."

Taylor shook her head, her voice rising with frustration. "I didn't want to be treated like some fragile thing! I thought if I could just get by without anyone noticing, it would be okay. But it's not. It's not okay, Tree. I'm scared I won't be able to do this anymore."

Tree's eyes filled with sympathy as she pulled Taylor into a tight hug, holding her close as the tears continued to fall. "You don't have to be scared. We'll figure this out. Together."

Taylor's body trembled in Tree's embrace, the weight of her fears finally being shared lifting a small part of the burden she had carried for so long. But there was still doubt in her voice when she spoke again. "What if people don't believe in me anymore? What if they think I can't do this because of my hearing?"

Tree pulled back slightly, looking Taylor directly in the eyes. "Then we'll show them that you can. You're still the same person, still the same artist who can fill stadiums and make people feel something with your music. This doesn't change that. But you have to trust me. Let me help you."

Taylor wiped her face, nodding slowly. "Okay. I trust you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

Tree squeezed her hand, giving her a reassuring smile. "It's okay. But no more hiding. We're in this together."