Wot you sayin'?

Playing Devil's Advocate (Samba week No. 1)

A/N- I've got a list of ideas for this series and have been reluctant to write this one for so long. This bit is a three part... one-shot? Can I call it that? Anyway, since the last few have been lovely and fluffy, I don't feel so guilty for posting something as horrible as this. You might wanna read something fluffy after this. Just sayin'

It was the second day of training for our samba and we were both beginning to stress out over it. Yesterday Dianne found practically everything hilarious, which was worrying. She only ever gets like that when she's tired, but I think even that was an understatement. My grandad dancing couldn't have been helping either.

Sometimes we'd stop halfway through the routine and there had even been some times where I didn't even get the chance to chuck my "drumsticks" away.

"What was wrong with that?" I honestly didn't know. Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because if looks could kill, I'd be dead.

"What's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong..." She shook her head before she could start. "Forget about it. Let's start again."

As I sighed as I walked back to my "drums". I was trying to avoid a confrontation. As I turned back I saw Dianne wipe away... tears? I walked over to her by instinct, my heart breaking because of seeing her in this state. I gathered her into my arms but I felt her flinch and pushed me out of my embrace. My heart shattered. She rejected me. She'd never done that before. She walked out of the room without a word and I stood rooted to the spot.

In a clichéd love story, at this point I should be sobbing my heart out. Me being Joe Sugg, though, couldn't muster up any response at all. Shock. Rejection.

I don't know how long I'd been stood there before Stacey walked in.

"Hey, Babes. I saw Lady Di run off in a hurry. Everything alright?" I got a sense of déjà vu. I shook my head. "It's worse than the bloody waltz. I hate it."

"Didn't you feel the same about that too?'

"Honestly, it's worse. At least Dianne didn't run out crying." She knew she didn't need to say anything, so she gave me a hug. I flung my arms around her and rested my head on her shoulders.

"You're allowed to cry, you know." I chuckled darkly.

"That's what Zoe said when our parents were getting divorced."

"Did you?"

I shook my head against her shoulder. "No," I added for good measure. I looked at her and said, "I could do with watching some of that video you and Neil are making. There's no use lying to me."

"You'll see it when it's complete. No buts. Tell me what's happened with Lady Di. She's never done this before, has she?"

"No. Never like this..." I debated whether or not to carry on. She was in Stacey Dooley mode. It was like her eyes were saying, No pressure. You can tell me if you want. "I don't think she's been sleeping well. Stace, she wouldn't let me hug her." I bet Stacey couldn't help but see the rejection on my face.

"Look, she's probably going to go outside and clear her head then she's gonna come back in and you'll do more training. You'll do better." I snorted. "Listen, OK. It won't be granddad dancing. It will be dad dancing." That actually did make me laugh.

"Thanks, sis. You always know what to say."

"Maybe a change of scene will do you good as well. Come and see mine and King Kev's waltz. I'll text her."

I've kidnapped Joe Sugg. Come to mine and King Kev's training room if you want him back.
- Captain Stacey

I laughed. Hopefully things will go just as Stacey predicted.

~—~

What do I do? It was fast approaching an hour since I last saw Dianne and she hadn't been here to pick me up. That just sounded like I was at school waiting for my mum to come pick me up. /Maybe she's already waiting in our room. Maybe she's changing our choreography. Or maybe she doesn't want me back./ It didn't matter. We needed to learn this samba, because it sure as hell isn't going to learn itself!

It wasn't as if I was wasting time though. After their first performance, which was way better than my attempts, I started looking through the recordings of my granddad dancing and cringing to myself. I was watching it, but it just wouldn't translate from mind to body. It was like it was going through one ear and out the other. I hate it.

I stood up and was about to say goodbye to Stacey and Kevin once their waltz came to an end when Dianne walked through the door.

"Hi guys." She still looked exhausted, but I knew better than to try and hug her again. She cast a sideways glance at me that said, What are you doing?!

"Just come out and say it. They already know what's going on."

"Fine."

"Good rest?"

"Yeah. You?"

"I wouldn't call it a rest. I was looking at my footage. You know, because I care." You could tell she caught the double meaning because of the guilt on her face. I knew I was out of line. I wasn't supposed to be playing devil's advocate! I was supposed to be making things better.

"Your nose is bleeding again. I'll see you in our room. Take this." She handed me a couple of packets of tissues. As she was leaving, I could see the tears only just falling from her eyes.

I caught the end of Kevin's sentence, "... never seen her like this before." Well, that makes me feel a whole lot better.