"We're joined today on the phone by Leia Hudson, who has just finished almost a month of touring across the States with the one and only Adele! Tell us, how was it getting to experience your first tour as a supporting act?"

Leia smiled as she leaned back on the couch, her eyes twinkling as she smiled at the voice of Nick Grimshaw, the BBC radio host. Adjusting the earphones that rested on her head, she shot her manager a big grin before leaning back towards the microphone to continue with the radio interview. She was currently in her hotel room in Nashville, having just finished the last date of the tour the night before.

In the space of just over a month, her life had seemingly changed completely. Almost three hours after receiving the phone call from Cara about Kim Kardashian's Snapchat posting against Taylor, Adrian had phoned to inform her that Adele's supporting act for her upcoming US tour had fallen sick and was unable to perform at the shows starting a week later.

She had eagerly accepted, unknowing how the tour was going to help her incredibly in the long run. She'd released another song, 'New Rules' and it had also been a hit. Her songs were sitting in the charts, and she was yet to even have released a full album. Critics were calling her yet to be made freshman album one of the most anticipated albums of the year - and her manager had declared that a November release was their ideal time frame.

"It's been great! I've loved every second of it and I can't wait to be able to finally tour by myself soon. I honestly can't thank Adele and her team enough for sharing the experience with me!"

Adrian and Riven both gave her a thumbs up from the side of the room, proud that she was praising Adele rather than making it about her. They didn't want her to be perceived as ungrateful at all for the opportunity, especially not with the press that was surrounding her and her best friend.

"We saw a few of your friends came out to a few dates in support - one notable one being Gigi Hadid even posting a little Instagram story of her backstage! Obviously you've got quite a lot of big name friends such as Camila Cabello, Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift too - have they all been supportive of your touring?"

Leia's smile twitched slightly at the mention of Taylor's name and Riven furrowed his eyebrows as she awaited the girls response. He wasn't sure what she was going to say.

—-

"Hey Andrea, I know I keep calling but she won't answer any of my calls and I'm worried about her," Leia spoke into the phone, surrounded by clothes as she tried to finish packing for the month long tour. She had no idea what you even pack for a tour, but she was going to assume it was like a large extended working holiday.

Leia hummed as she listened to Taylor's mom's response before letting her smile drop into a disheartened frown once more.

"That's fine, just let her know I'm still here for her. Thanks Andrea."

The line went dead.

____

"They were all really great about it! Obviously everyone has their own commitments so couldn't all make it out to see me but I'm so grateful to even have them all in my life! They've all been doing this fame thing a lot longer than I have too so they're really helpful at keeping me grounded - especially Selena since she's probably been in the business the longest out of us all."

"It's good you got to catch up with her on the road, didn't you? We saw some of the backstage videos of the two of you goofing around and playing with Tate - Leia's dog for all listeners who aren't avid fans - during time off!"

___

"How is she?" Leia asked Selena as they sat in the hotel room, Tate lounging across the older girls legs as they both ate the sushi that Leia's manager had dropped off for them. She had just completed her second night of supporting Adele and while she was incredibly tired, she was desperate to get a catch up with her friend while she was in town.

"She's... not that great to be honest," Selena responded after a moment, watching Leia's reaction carefully as though she didn't want to spook a deer. "She really thinks everyone hates her."

"Sel..."

"I'm sorry Leia, but she still doesn't want to see you. You know it's nothing you've done, but she's just so afraid that you'll hate her too or that your reputation will be ruined by being near her. The rest of us, we've lived this life for a while and we know how the media works. She just doesn't want you to get dragged down before you even start."

"Selena, I don't care about my stupid reputation if it means I can't see her. She's my best friend, Sel. I'd never hate her."

"I know Lee, you've just got to give her time to realise that."

—-

"Yeah! It was so good to see her and I'm sure Tate loved it too - he loved being on tour and meeting new people but he definitely missed seeing the girls. Since we're usually with each other when we aren't all working he's gotten used to going out walks with them when I'm in the studio so I think he'll be glad to get back to LA soon. One of the team on tour brought his cat on the bus too and Tate surprisingly took a huge liking to him so it's also good to have learnt that he's a big fan of cats!"

Her manager and publicist both smiled warmly at how well the interview was going, happy that she had managed to steer the conversation away from Taylor. The press had been hounding everyone for information on the girl after the Kim Snapchat gate, and Leia had specifically already told the BBC Radio host that she wouldn't answer anything about the blonde superstar.

"Well thanks for joining us today Leia! And as a thank you for everyone who has joined in to listen, I believe you've got something exclusive lined up for us?"

"Of course Nick! The first official listen for my newest single, Lost In Your Light!"

"You're listening to BBC Radio One and this is Nick Grimshaw with special guest Leia Hudson, now playing the first ever play anywhere of Lost in Your Light!"

—-

The original plan had been that Leia was going to go straight from Nashville back to California so that she could get some more hours in the recording studio but there had been two flaws with that plan: the first being that she had no inspiration for any songs and hadn't even put pen to paper once since she had written Lost In Your Light the night that her and Taylor had watched the stars, and the second being that she physically couldn't leave Nashville without finally getting to see Taylor.

Andrea and Selena and all of her friends had told the girl that Taylor didn't want to see her and that maybe it was best she gave her space - but Leia had given her space and the girl still was too scared to see her. She saw right through Taylor's excuses that she had been giving out and she knew that the blonde was terrified of Leia seeing her in the state that she was in. Taylor had been betrayed and abandoned by so many people now that she was sure Leia was just going to do the same now that her reputation had literally been destroyed.

Austin was the only one to see through Taylor and decide that she needed to see Leia. He was aware of their brief beginnings of a relationship much like the majority of their inner circle, and after having conversed with Georgie on the phone he knew that both of their siblings needed to see the other. He had contacted Leia behind Taylor's back - something he knew his sister would be utterly furious about - and given her the access code to Taylor's Nashville gate so that the singer literally would have to speak to the Hudson girl. Leia wasn't entirely sure that an ambush was a good idea but it was looking like her only option.

So there she stood, her hand clutched tightly around the lead of Tate as the black dog jumped in his place with anticipation. She was very aware that he could clearly smell his friend Taylor was inside the house that Leia had been standing at the door of for the past five minutes trying to gain the confidence to knock. The dog was clearly growing impatient, but Leia knew that this was the moment her heart would either heal or break in half.

Raising her hand finally, she pressed firmly into the doorbell that rested on the side of the door. She smiled at the slight surprised "meow" noise she heard from the other side of the door, realising that either Meredith or Olivia must have been sleeping next to the front entrance of the house. Tate's head tilted to the side as his ears swivelled to the top of his head at his realisation that the house he was about to enter contained a species of the cat variety - something he had shown a deep love for on tour.

When the door swung open to reveal Taylor with no make-up on, eyes red from clearly having been crying, in sweats and Leia's old hoodie, the girl didn't know what the appropriate response was to the flurry of emotions that crossed Taylor's face as she studied the girl and the dog that stood on the porch.

"Surprise?"

_____

Leia was amazed Taylor hadn't slammed the door on her face. The songwriter had been adamant that she didn't want to see her but it was as if the second she physically saw the girl she couldn't leave her out in the autumn air. Taylor had crouched down to give Tate a rub on the head before motioning for them both to enter.

Olivia had hissed and scratched at Tate, but the dog had seemed completely unphased by it and remained lying on the ground as the two cats gradually warmed up to him. Leia and Taylor had left the animals to it, knowing fine well that Tate would lose a fight with the two cats if it came to it.

Taylor had given her a bottle of water from the kitchen almost out of habit before the two women had settled into the couches in front of the lit fireplace.

"You shouldn't be here. You shouldn't be with me," Taylor finally broke the silence, her voice croaky and harsh and she tried to hold back the tears. "Everyone hates me, you should hate me."

"I don't care about what the rest of the world thinks! I'm not going, not now, not ever. It doesn't matter what anyone else says, I know that this is real!" Leia burst out, Taylor instantly stopping speaking and her mouth wide long slightly in surprise at how quickly Leia had shut her down.

There was a somber silence as Taylor looked down at her hands, not sure what to say next. She hasn't realised that Leia was going to be by her side regardless of what Kim and Kanye and Calvin had to say about it. She'd just assumed she'd leave her, and her tarnished reputation.

"It's you," Leia spoke softly, Taylor looking up from her hands as she stared across at the girl who was clutching the bottle of water between her hands awkwardly. "It's always been you for me, Tay. So if you really want me to go, say the words and I will. But just know that I'll always pick you over the fame, over the reputation, over the tours, over the performances. It's always been you."

"Okay," Taylor said, her voice quiet as she looked across at Leia. The younger woman laughed slightly, a sigh of relief falling from her lips as she raised an eyebrow.

"I pour my heart out and all you have to say is okay?" She joked, causing Taylor to giggle slightly before she cast a quick glance to where Olivia was now sleeping with her head snuggled between Tate's paws as he too slept with his head rested on Meredith who looked less than pleased about it but wasn't that bothered since she stayed in place.

"Well I guess if the cats like you then that says something," Taylor joked back, a smile on her face as they watched Meredith's eyes slowly lull to a close too. It was rare to see all three sleeping at once and the girls were both delighted at how cute it was. Leia quickly snapped a photo on her phone with Taylor's approval before standing up and moving to reach for the singer's hands.

Pulling Taylor up from her armchair, she engulfed the girl in a big hug as she held her tightly against her own body. Taylor pulled away slightly, a goofy smile on her face as she looked into Leia's eyes with a chuckle.

"So, I listened to your BBC interview today," Taylor told her, a slightly teasing tone in her voice as she smiled at the girl who grinned back knowing fine well where this was going.

"And?"

"And you never played me that song before," Taylor noted, placing her hands on her hips and fake pouting at the girl. "So fess up, whose light are you lost in?"

Leia rolled her eyes, looping her arms around Taylor's neck as she smirked slightly and pulled the girl back towards herself.

"Okay so she's pretty amazing. Very tall, very American, very cat loving and ridiculously beautiful," Leia told her, smirking wider as Taylor blushed a bright red. "So obviously Cara."

Taylor snorted loudly, smacking Leia on the arm before rolling her eyes in disbelief at the girls ability to ruin the moment.

"Well but can Cara kiss you like this?"

Leia smiled into the kiss as Taylor pressed their lips together, her hands resting on either side of Leia's face as the girls shared their first kiss since Kim had ruined Taylor's reputation. Leia pulled back for a brief moment before relinking their lips together.

"I could kiss you forever, Taylor Alison Swift."

Taylor melted into the kiss, her mind and body consumed by the sensation of Leia's lips against hers. The taste of anticipation lingered on their tongues as they explored each other, their mouths moving in perfect sync. It was as if time stood still, the rest of the world fading away into insignificance.

Taylor's fingers found their way into Leia's hair, lightly tugging at the strands as she deepened the kiss, their breath becoming one. Leia's hands slid down Taylor's back, pulling her closer until there was no space left between them. Their bodies fit together seamlessly, as if they were made to be intertwined.

Every touch felt electric, sending shivers down Taylor's spine. She could feel Leia's heartbeat racing against her chest, matching the erratic rhythm of her own heart. The music industry seemed distant and inconsequential compared to this moment of raw connection.

As they broke apart for a moment to catch their breath, Taylor traced her fingertips along Leia's jawline, her eyes filled with an intensity that mirrored the passion burning within her.

"Leia," she murmured, her voice a fervent plea. "Promise me that no matter what happens, we'll always find our way back to each other."

"I promise," she whispered, her voice unwavering with conviction.

The taste of Leia on her lips was intoxicating, like a forbidden fruit she couldn't resist devouring. As their tongues tangled and explored each other's mouths, Taylor felt a shiver shoot down her spine. She had never experienced anything quite like this before—this raw, unbridled desire that consumed her.

They broke apart, breathless, their foreheads resting against each other as they tried to catch their breaths. Taylor could see the same mixture of surprise and exhilaration mirrored in Leia's eyes, as if they had both stumbled upon something they hadn't expected to find.

A loud cough from the doorway caused the duo to spring apart in fright as they hadn't heard the door open especially since the pets were fast asleep and hadn't alerted them either.

Tree Paine stood in shock, her eyes wide open as she cradled a batch of cupcakes in her arms and her head moved between Taylor and Leia like she was in a comedy skit. Her eyes narrowed as she gasped, pointing a finger between the two as she tried to adjust to what she had just seen.

"Um, am I interrupting something?" Tree's voice came out in a shaky laugh, an awkward smile plastered on her face. The cupcakes she held wobbled in her trembling hands as she glanced between Taylor and Leia, her eyes filled with a mix of surprise and concern.

Taylor's face flushed red as she stepped away from Leia, her fingers fumbling with the hem of her shirt. She stammered, struggling to find the right words to explain the situation.

"Ehm, surprise?"

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originally published: november 2020

rewritten: february 2024