A Matter of Perspective

21 - Neil

"I think this group is more excited about your boyfriend visiting than they were about opening night," Neil joked, lightly elbowing the redhead to his left who was bouncing up and down on her toes backstage. "Also watch out for Shirley, she's got that hungry look in her eyes."

"Neil!" Dianne retorted, letting a giggle slip out. "You're sick."

"She'll be ready to pounce, that Shirley Ballas...she knows what she wants," Neil egged her on, a smirk on his face as Dianne rolled her eyes, before fixing them back on the door at the end of the corridor.

Reaching up to stretch his arms over his head, Neil surveyed the scene. They had been at the Birmingham arena for less than a week, their opening show the day before. But today, the air was full of an extra buzz, felt by every dancer and every crew member. And that was because Joe Sugg was visiting.

Not that he was ever really absent - Neil chuckled to himself as he remembered every time he'd caught Dianne casually dropping Joe into her conversations the past few days. Joe was part of the Strictly fabric now - even when he wasn't there in person. He wasn't quite sure how they'd make it through the next three weeks, considering all the moaning he'd heard Dianne do since being separated less than a week ago.  Though, he had to admit, the pair were still just as adorable as they'd been a year prior. Maybe even more-so. He could still remember early in the competition when he'd first stumbled - quite literally - into their cuteness...

~~~

"Neil, shut your loud mouth, people are sleeping," Oti shushed him in a loud whisper, her finger coming to rest over her lips.

"Their fault for falling asleep in here...oh...my...God..." Neil trailed off as he turned the corner into the Star Bar area of the Strictly studios, stumbling over his feet as his eyes landed on the two bodies curled up on the sofa in the middle of the room. A few locks of red hair peeked out from behind a fluffy robe, alerting Neil to the fact that his friend Dianne, was one of the bodies. The other, who she had her legs pressed against, was very clearly her dance partner, Joe Sugg.

"Shush!" Oti whispered again, shaking her head. "I swear Neil Jones, you are the loudest mother fu--"

"Oti! Joanne is real!" Neil exclaimed in a whisper that matched her tone, as he crept over to the couch to get a closer look.

"What are you on about?" Amy interjected, as she walked in behind Neil, before pausing to peer over his shoulder. "Aw...that's cute."

There really wasn't anything out of the ordinary when you assessed the scene - if Neil hadn't been watching the partners friendship blossom over the last few weeks, he wouldn't have taken a second glance - it was two exhausted competitors taking a cat nap. But - this was Dianne and Joe. This was Team Joanne. This was his old friend,  who he had watched stumble through heartbreak at the beginning of the season, only to light up with a joy he'd never seen in her whenever she was around her new celebrity partner. And this was his new friend, who he had  watched enter the competition about as nervous as one could be, only to loosen up and find his confidence, all while unknowingly shooting heart eyes toward his pro partner right from the start.

It was the stereotypical schoolyard crush, played out in front of everyone. And Neil was their number one fan.

"Bloody cute," he replied to Amy under his breath, reaching for his phone to take a quick picture.

"Neil!" Oti scolded, this time her voice a bit louder than a whisper, causing the pair to stir. Neil froze, his phone still extended, breathing out a sigh of relief as he watched them both settle back into a deep sleep, Dianne's feet unconsciously wiggling underneath Joe's bum, as Joe reached down to grasp her ankle. Neil resisted the urge to laugh, though his laughter turned to awe as he watched Joe's grasp remain firm on her leg, his thumb brushing against her spray tanned skin. They both let out little sighs of contentment, snuggling deeper into the cushions.