It's in the little things: One-shots x2

Final flashbacks: "What if..."

This one is slightly different, in that it will be entirely in Dianne's POV from way back in the 2018 final- I seen someone tweet about this earlier on but I can't for the life of me find the account to credit them!

Morning of the Strictly Come Dancing final 2018 but this year is like no other before. Don't get me wrong, I have been a high-level competitive dancer for nearly a decade, danced around the world in shows but nothing compares to this. You see, Joe Sugg has changed everything for me, reignited my true love for dance again and taught me so many life lessons that I didn't know I had missed- he proved to me that real gentlemen did exist, that they could be soft and kind without wanting something, that someone could want me for who I am, not just because i'm a dancer. See that's the thing, from that first accidental kiss in week three, I knew Joseph was different:

Flashback

"You know the world can see us, in a way that's different to who we...are." Lifting me carefully and leaning in, head to head, nose to nose, we spin until we reach a natural end yet neither of us move. My eyes flicker between his ocean blue eyes and his seemingly soft lips, almost as if I was subconsciously daring him to make the first move. Since my inevitable breakup, the chemistry between us has been bubbling, building up to this very moment where the world seemed to stop, leaving Joe and I, a whispers distance between us...will he do it? Will he kiss me..my eyelids flutter closed as one hand finds my face, the other resting on my hip and...

BOOM.

The second our lips touched, my head exploded in a series of fireworks and my heart genuinely skipped a beat. He did it! He kissed me! God, I feel like a teenager all over again...Pulling away softly, I can't help but giggle as I see the wave of panic wash over his innocent face, "Di...God...What...I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me. Oh my go..." There was only one, logical way to ease his worries, so stretching on my tiptoes, I seal his lips with a kiss, this time allowing it to go deeper than before as my hands plant themselves in his hair and I hold him tight against my body. Stepping back from his grasp, I giggle again as that all-to-familiar blush floods up his neck and into his cheeks as he runs a hand through his now messy hair. "Dianne...wow. That was.." Searching for the words in his head, Joe hesitates and I take the opportunity to fill the silence with some harmless flirting, "Yeah Joseph, that was...incentive for you to keep up the hard work and make it through each week."

Wow, he kissed me.

Since that week, we had grown from strength to strength in our...friendship I guess? To the point of which that we had attended events together, shared dinner in his apartment and eventually began spending the nights together. After a minimum of twelve hours rehearsal time, Joe and I often shared the uber ride back to his, choosing to spend even more time together where we could, out of the public eye- I'm genuinely forgetting what my own apartment looks like. We've had so many memorable moments in this journey from our first kiss, our rainbow connection dance, pride of Britain and of course, not only did we get three tens in Blackpool, I also met his Nan and his mum again, then getting into the final to where we are now. Following camera blocking yesterday, we had left Elstree together and shared a candlelit dinner before collapsing into bed, wrapped in one- another's arms whilst we muttered sweet nothings and words of encouragement and eventually fell into a peaceful slumber. Well, Joe did anyway. Despite the movie of our journey, running through my mind, I can't suppress my biggest fear- we have shared so many wonderful memories but yet nothing between us is actually official and after the final performance tonight, Joe could walk out of Elstree for the final time and whatever we have? That could be over, what if he is only here until we finish the show? What if all the words? he mutterings? The sweet kisses? What if its the same as always and he walks away? Rolling round from my current position, I bury my face into the sleeping mans chest and vow to enjoy what could be the last morning snuggled up between his sheets, wrapped in his strong yet gentle arms.

From relishing those last few moments of peace, our day quickly became chaotic, rushing left to right for costumes, makeup and last minute panic over choreography and before we knew it, both Joe and I found ourselves lost in the nature of our final show together. Finishing our show dance, we jogged off the strictly floor for the last time before Joe pulled me into a bone crushing celebratory cuddle, "Di! We did it! We did it! We have completed Strictly, the final, we have done it!" and the grin on his face is undeniably cute. As we wonder, hand in hand to dressing room...that sense of anxiousness fills me again but I shake it off, that is an issue for later, now we focus on the ending of the show. "Aw Di, i'm going to miss this, i'm so going to miss this." He mumbles, allowing me to rest against him as we relax. Our peacefulness so interrupted by our runner, James who quietly announced it was time for the last scenes, where we would find out that half of the awesome foursome would go on to win Strictly Come Dancing 2018- go on King Kev and Our Stace. Pulling me back towards the room that had become our sanctuary during our time in the show, Joe leaned in and pressed his lips to mine, smiling into our kiss as he held me close and suddenly the last 16 weeks feel like a beautiful dream, ready to come crashing into a nightmare any second now. "Dianne, what is going on in that head of yours, I can practically feel the steam rising...are you...are you disappointed in me? That we didn't win?" The pain is evident in his voice, god i'm so stupid and wrapped up in my own, selfish thoughts that I hadn't noticed just how nervous the poor guy had been. "Oh Joe, no! I'm so proud of you! You've got me to the final Joseph and you have made this journey so special for me, so special. You really have done me proud! I didn't lie in our VT and those tears? They were real." I whisper, pulling him close to me again as I feel my emotions shift once again, pushing my own feelings aside to comfort the man I had grown to love.

Once suitably settled, we begin the process of getting ready for the famous strictly final party and I slowly peel off our show dance costume and slip into my little black dress, determined to make the best of tonight, regardless of how It ends and what happens between the unspoken "us". So lost in my own thoughts, I didn't notice Joseph appear behind me until I felt a soft hand on my waist, stroking gentle patterns with his thumb, "You alright darling, you have been so quiet, it's scaring me a little bit if i'm honest...don't you want to party?" Running his hands up and down my back and showering me in little kisses as he cuddles into me, filling my body with that warm and fuzzy feeling once again and subconsciously nuzzling closer to him, "I'm fine Joe, im just...Fuck it, Joe, what are we? Like we were dance partners, then friends, then best friends, then best friends who kissed each other and now...Strictly is over, where we do we go from here, why are you still being so...so you?" I rant, pulling back from him and shuffling away in frustration; not quite sure if i'm irritated at him or at myself. Looking up at me, he starts to chuckle and shaking his head, he places his hand on my cheek to lift my head up, "Dianne Buswell, you know me and i'm not great with the whole girlfriend thing so you've got to bear with me. You have never been just my dance partner, you've always been a million times more special that the glitterball, everything I did tonight, all those performance? They were for you! Oh my love, come here!" I just can't process my thoughts right now, they are travelling at light speed and my words just can't form an order. "Di, stop overthinking it. I've told you this before but you might believe it this time, I love you. I love you because you are amazing, you are funny, talented and so special to me. Lets go dance till we drop and then we will go home, back to mines because tomorrow? Tomorrow is our day, just for us. Right girlfriend, you ready?"

Joe Sugg's girlfriend...I can live with that title I suppose.