unfinished echoes - taylor swift

11

As Taylor finished the last spoonful of soup, she set the bowl on the bedside table and leaned back against the headboard with a soft sigh. The morning light filtered through the curtains, warming the room, but the warmth in her chest had nothing to do with the sun.

Daisy watched her for a moment, her own expression unreadable. "What?" Taylor asked, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Daisy shook her head, though her gaze lingered. "Nothing. Just... you seem more at ease. It's nice."

Taylor's smile faltered, replaced with a flicker of something more vulnerable. "It's because of you," she admitted softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Last night, this morning... It feels... safe."

The sincerity in Taylor's tone made Daisy's chest tighten. She reached out, her fingers brushing against Taylor's arm. "You deserve to feel safe, Taylor. With everything. With me."

For a moment, Taylor didn't respond. Her eyes dropped to where Daisy's fingers rested on her arm, and then she placed her hand over Daisy's, lacing their fingers together. "I'm trying," she said, her voice quieter now. "It's still terrifying, but I want this. I want... us."

Daisy's lips curved into a small smile, her fingers tightening around Taylor's. "We'll figure it out. Together."

Taylor nodded, letting the moment settle between them, then smirked faintly. "Do you always keep hangover soup ingredients in your hotel room, or am I just special?"

Daisy laughed, the sound light and genuine. "You're special," she teased. "But also, I always come prepared. I used to work with Dylan, remember? He's a walking hangover half the time."

Taylor chuckled, the sound warming the space between them. "Remind me to thank Dylan for making you so good at this."

"Maybe don't mention you were the one needing it, though," Daisy replied, arching a playful eyebrow.

Taylor laughed again, but the sound softened as her gaze lingered on Daisy's face. "I'm really glad you gave me another chance," she said quietly.

Daisy's expression shifted, her teasing melting away into something more tender. "I'm glad you're proving I was right to."

Taylor leaned in, her hand still wrapped around Daisy's. "I'm not going to let you down," she said, her voice steady, but her eyes shimmering with a vulnerability that Daisy knew wasn't easy for her to show.

"I know," Daisy replied softly, her heart aching at the raw honesty in Taylor's words.

For a moment, they stayed like that, close enough that the space between them felt almost nonexistent. Then Taylor hesitated, her gaze flicking down to Daisy's lips before darting back up.

Daisy caught the movement, her lips twitching into the smallest smile. "You don't have to ask, Taylor."

Taylor's breath caught, but she didn't wait any longer. She leaned in, closing the gap between them, her lips meeting Daisy's in a kiss that was both gentle and filled with a quiet determination.

Daisy responded instantly, her free hand sliding up to rest on Taylor's jaw as the kiss deepened, slow but unhurried, as if they had all the time in the world. When they finally pulled back, both of them were breathing a little harder, their foreheads resting together.

"Yeah," Taylor murmured, a small, almost giddy smile spreading across her face. "Definitely not going to let you down."

Daisy laughed softly, brushing her thumb over Taylor's cheek. "Good. Because I'm not going anywhere."

Taylor sighed contentedly, leaning into Daisy's touch.

The rest of the morning passed in a quiet intimacy, the two of them sharing stories and laughter in the cozy warmth of Daisy's hotel room. It wasn't until Taylor glanced at her phone and saw the time that reality began to creep back in.