36 Questions: A Joanne Fanfiction

Question Six:

If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year old for the last sixty years of your life, which would you want?

It was a couple days later, and the pair were undoubtedly closer after that evening at Joe's. Dianne no longer felt the pressure to be someone she was not in front of Joe (not that she was anyway) and as a result of this they were both laughing more, and harder.

However, the American smooth still wasn't any easier, as although Joe did look like he had improved, he was still quite obviously finding the dance just as difficult as he had to begin with. Thankfully, the two were on It Takes Two that evening, so they didn't have to spend it running through the dance in a stressful panic. Well they got to have a break from that anyway, Dianne certainly wasn't going easy on him.

As much as Joe loved chatting to Zoe about how he was getting on, he still found it difficult to be live on TV. Currently the two were backstage in one of the dressing rooms, all ready to get going despite the show not starting for another half an hour. Due to the extent of their boredom (the empty dressing room with excruciatingly slow Wi-Fi was not the best company) they decided that this was the perfect opportunity for another question.

"Right," said Joe, who was currently stretched out on a sofa, with Dianne perched on the other, the other side of the coffee table. "Whose turn is it to go first?"

"Yours," said the red-head, smiling as he rolled his eyes. "Okay Joseph, if you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year old for the last sixty years of your life, which would you want?" she read carefully.

"This reminds me of one of those would you rather challenges." He said.

"Yeah I suppose it does!"

"I did one with Jack once where we had to actually do the thing we'd rather do." He explained to her.

"I know I watched it," she replied.

"You watch my videos?" he asked, slightly amazed, he thought that she had had no idea who he was.

"Well when I found out you were partner I thought I better do some research." She smiled cheekily, as a blush rose up his neck.

"Oh God," he said comically, "How far did you go back?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," she grinned, before deciding to tease him more "I did love your bubble wrap boy."

"I knew I should have taken that down!"

"Well stop worrying about that and answer the damn question," she laughed, "I'm not reading that essay again."

"Very well, as you wish Ma'am" he joked, before adopting a more serious tone. "Mind."

"Okay, why?"

"That's not part of the question!" he protested.

"I don't care I'm asking you it anyway." She pressed, not taking one word for an answer, they had far too much time to kill for that.

He sighed, took a deep, shuddering breath and began "I don't really talk about this but one of my biggest fears is getting dementia or something like that. I know family members that have suffered from it, and I can't imagine anything worse. Not being able to recognise those that love you, forgetting everything that you used to love. It's my worst nightmare, to not know who I am-" he paused in an attempt to collect himself before continuing. "It's why I've done so much work with Age UK in the past, it's something I'm really passionate about. It's also another reason why I signed up for the show, your risk of dementia is dramatically reduced if you continue to learn new skills through your adult life." He paused again, before continuing, his voice shakier this time "so yeah, I'd pick to keep my mind, without it I wouldn't be myself." "Besides," he joked weakly "it's not like these legs could get any skinnier anyway."

Dianne sat back for a second, she certainly wasn't expecting Joe to come out with an answer such as this. Every day she was learning that there were multiple layers in Joe, and she took pride in the fact that she had become one of the few people to see them, even if he was about to make her answer to this question seem very silly indeed. "You Joseph Sugg, surprise me every day." She said simply. Noticing her partner's still quite fragile state after that admission, she moved towards him and engulfed him in a gentle hug. "I'm so proud of you for telling me that, I know it wasn't easy for you," she murmured into his ear, before releasing him and sitting next to him instead.

He smiled weakly, "these questions are good at forcing stuff out of me I think," he pondered aloud, turning to her.

"I think they are, I'm glad we started them."

"So am I."

There was then a pause in their conversation, as they each reminisced about the questions, and their answers so far, before Joe spoke into their silence "I'm guessing you were going to pick body then?" he asked Dianne.

"How did you know that?"

"Your reaction to my answer gave it away "he teased her, loving the fact that he could, after just a month of properly knowing her, read her like an open book.

"How do you always do that?" she laughed. Now slightly embarrassed, she admitted bashfully. "You're right I was going to say body. But I think you've converted me to team mind."

"Glad to be of service. But why were you going to say body?"

"That's not part of the question Joseph," she said mocking him from earlier.

He rolled his eyes fondly, before gesturing for her to continue.

"Well number one: having a thirty year old body would certainly make it easier for me to continue dancing." She explained. "With the exception of Anton, most of us strictly professionals are under thirty five, once you get past that age it's a lot more difficult to get work, after all there are always going to be younger, fitter, prettier girls who can pick up the choreography quicker, it's just a sad fact. The truth is, this industry is so competitive that after thirty-five, I'll probably be back to hairdressing. Number two: if my hair is red at thirty I'll never have to dye it again right? Think how much time that'll save me!" she joked.

"I knew dancing was competitive, but Jesus Christ I had no idea." He exclaimed.

"Yeah, but it's so competitive because the rewards are so good." She defended her industry. "I knew what I was getting myself in for, don't go feeling sorry for me" she said, noticing the pity in his eyes.

"I suppose, but still Di, I hadn't considered that as even something that you'd have to worry about."

"Well getting older isn't the end of the world-look at Anton!"

"True. Do you think you'll stay dancing like he does?"

"Maybe, but when I eventually settle down I'd want kids, so I'd have to stop, not now of course, but my time is ticking."

He rolled his eyes at this, "you've got a little while before you need to be worrying about that love," the West Country pet name rolling of his tongue.

Dianne was about to protest against this when she finally noticed Zoe, who had stuck her head around the door, smiling when she saw the pair clearly in some sort of deep discussion. "Right you two, we're on in five, I'll see you out there!" she said, before leaving the room. The pair smiled at each other, pleasantly surprised at how quickly time had passed, it often had a habit of speeding up all-too-quickly when they were together.

Joe offered her his arm, and she took it before they walked backstage, ready to start the show.