Strictly Stories

Affair

This one-shot is a request from @TudorPrincess12 with the prompt being about the affair claims written about Faye and Giovanni and about her sharing a talk with her husband about these articles. Enjoy! :)

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Faye:

"They actually wrote that?" I ask Giovanni as we sit in the dance studio together. 

"They did. Sorry." he replies. 

I shake my head purely annoyed. So apparently some journalists decided to write about an affair between Giovanni and me - just because we seemed close in our dances. Don't they know that I'm actually married? But well, that just seems to entertain them even more. I should definitely talk to my husband before he actually believes these claims. Our marriage is very solid, we rarely argue - but he won't be pleased to read about me apparently cheating on him. 

So when I return from rehearsals and open the door, I'm just nervous. No, he isn't someone who's easily angry but he must be so disappointed if he already read that. I spot him sitting at the desk in his room, seeming busy with some work. 

"Hello." I say quietly. 

"Hello, my love. How were rehearsals?" Michael greets me friendly, putting the work aside.

"Okay I guess, but-"

"What's the matter? You seem a bit off." he asks worried. "Let me guess, the dance isn't going as great as planned?"

"No." I say quietly, sitting down next to him and exhaling. "Please don't be angry, but I need to tell you something."

He frowns, seeming very confused. "Faye, what's the matter? You can talk to me, you know that."

I look at him, not knowing how to explain everything around these claims. Before Strictly we did talked about people maybe interpreting a romance into a dance but- but oh my, we're happily married! "Journalists are writing articles about- about Giovanni and me. They-" I trail off, not knowing what to say now.

"That stuff about 'dance experience' again?" Michael asks. "They're just saying that because-"

"No." I interrupt him. "They write about an affair between Giovanni and me."

His slight smile drops and he looks at me thoughtfully. "What?"

"Please, you don't need to believe them. We're just dance partners. Giovanni knows that I'm married, he also knows you - and he knows that we're happy together."

"Are we?"

"Yes, of course!" I say loudly. "Please don't believe them, I love you! I wouldn't cheat on you!"

He lets out a sigh, making me being even more nervous. Does he actually believe them? "I love you too. And I believe you, my dear. I mean, I met Giovanni and yes he's definitely a great person - but I know you wouldn't cheat on me. Maybe people just like to write about affairs."

"They do. So, you're not angry?"

"No, not at all. Disappointed maybe, but not with you. I'm glad you were honest and told me about these articles."

I still sit on my place, looking at him nervously.  "You could come to rehearsals, you know."

"That would seem odd now, wouldn't it? Listen, Faye. I absolutely believe in what you told me, there's no need to apologise for anything. Media likes to write claims about affairs, you know that."

"Indeed." I say, recalling that media was writing about apparent affairs in between the band too. 

"Don't they also write articles about Stacey and Kevin?" Michael questions.

"Yes, though they don't write it like an affair." I explain. "I'm honestly so sorry. I don't want people to think like this about us."

"I know." he replies. "But that's what they want: people talking about their articles. Isn't it like that?"

"It is." I say quietly. And although he seems to believe me and isn't angry, we don't continue or conversation and he goes to our room without continuing our conversation, while I keep sitting on my place in silence.

When being on my way to rehearsals the next day, I can practically see the journalists already waiting for us to comment on what they wrote. Much surprisingly, it's only Giovanni who's waiting at the door, welcoming me with a friendly smile. 

"And, what did he say?" he asks. 

"He congratulated us on our love for each other, what else?" I snap. Obviously I shouldn't be so rude towards Giovanni, he didn't wrote these articles and he also wasn't behaving flirty - but I'm just annoyed that these stupid journalists managed to create a angry atmosphere around the marriage. 

"He's angry." Giovanni says as a matter of fact. 

"Well, what do you think?" I ask loudly. "Of course he is! Even if he said he isn't angry and that he believes us. But obviously he doesn't like seeing articles about us or our marriage not being solid."

"Yeah, that's understandable." Giovanni says, seeming to search for words. "Sorry for that."

"You didn't write these articles, so no need to apologise." I say, a bit more calm now. "Sorry for snapping."

The journalists not only managed to create an odd atmosphere between Michael and me - but also between Giovanni and me. We don't talk a lot in rehearsals, except for when he tells me about the dance, and we just say a quick goodbye before I'm heading off back home. 

As previously, Michael is sitting on his desk and seems to be focused on his work again. I sit down on a chair next to him, greeting him with a small "Hello." before keeping quiet. 

"Hello, love." he says friendly. "How were your rehearsals?"

"Good." I reply. "Listen, I would like to talk to you again. There should be no odd atmosphere between us, we can talk about everything."

He stops looking at his work and instead focuses on me. "Of course we can do that. I don't want you to be sorry for these articles, because they're not your fault. You just want to compete on Strictly - and not because of wanting a relationship with one of the dancers."

"I can understand why people might say things like that, after all we did some romantic dances - but it were performances and nothing else. I love you and hopefully, you don't believe in them saying I would cheat on you." I add.

"No, I don't believe them. I know you're honest with me. I'm not angry, just annoyed with people actually writing stuff about us for pure entertainment. But our marriage is solid and I'm sorry for upsetting you."

"You didn't-" I start, being interrupted by him putting a kiss onto my lips.

"I saw that you looked quite sad. Please, I really wasn't angry with you - and I still am not angry. It's just rude that people write about an affair just because you get along with your dance partner. But look at me, I really mean it. It's okay and I love you."

I let out a slight laugh, happy about his words. "Love you too."