The others

Official

"Right... balloons, check... food, check... drinks, double check." Joe mumbled to himself erratically as he went throughout his house, checking he had everything he could possibly need for the next few hours.

Despite having been up since eight o'clock to pick Holly up from the train station, and since that early hour having herself, Byron, Zoe and Alfie help for later that evening, the young man couldn't help but feel just as stressed for tonight as he had done six days before when he waited nervously on those steps to hear Tess Daly call out his name.

"Joe calm the fuck down." Zoe mumbled as she helped Alfie add the finishing touches to the make shift balloon arch which was now hanging precariously over the double doorway.

"What do you mean?" Joe hit back. "I'm chill."

"Yeah so chill that you've been walking around your own house so much that you're sweating, and done so much checking about what's been done or not been done that you haven't actually done anything yet."

"Hey, I've done stuff!" The brunette retorted back. His finger pointed in an accusatory manor at his sister and her boyfriend, both of who were trying their hardest to hide their laughter at his dismal attempts of staying calm.

"Yeah come on guys he's done loads of stuff." Byron counteracted from across the room where he was folding laundry.

"Exactly, thank you Byron."

"He's been stressed, he's been anxious, he's cried, and at one point I do believe he had his first midlife crisis when he put that shirt on." The South African retorted sarcastically, causing the entire room to burst into laughter. "Which I think we should all take the time to be proud of him for."

"I hate you..." Joe sulked in response as Byron continued to mock him. "And what's wrong with this shirt?"

"Nothing... It's just a bit...." Zoe paused, looking intently at the floral pattern of the loose fitting shirt.

"Feminine." Alfie added, finishing off his girlfriends words.

"Don't say that." The brunette remarked, his eyes wide in disarray. "Holly, you like it don't you?"

"Umm..." The Welsh woman stalled as she made her way out of the spare bedroom. "I think it's... A little..."

Staring at her blankly, the brunette instantly found herself wishing she had stayed in the bathroom for just a little longer. Her boyfriends desperate glare, and the sniggering noises coming from the three others before her, instantly placing her in a moral dilemma.

"Listen Joey baby, I love you and you know that I think your fashion sense is great. But if you want me to introduce myself to all your swanky, gorgeous new dancer friends as your girlfriend, then I'm sorry but you are going to have to change that shirt."

"But Holls you bought me this." Joe deadpanned. His voice short and mellow as he looked into the wide, unblinking, hazel stare of the woman who's opinion mattered the most to him.

"I know, I know! And it looked great on the model, but..."

"Joe, you look like Mum." Zoe responded, resulting in Holly and Byron to laugh gently, their hands thrown across their mouths to make it seem as if they had at least attempted a little to hide their enjoyment at this little skit.

"THANK YOU!" Alfie cheered, causing the rest of them to glance his way. "I knew he looked familiar in it, but for the life of me, I just couldn't think who it was."

"I do not look like Mum in it, shut up." The 27 year old protested.

Walking up to him, Holly wrapped her arms around the length of his neck. His hands instinctively falling to the curve of her hips as their bodies pressed against one another.