save me - taylor swift

9

Taylor had noticed.

She hadn't said anything outright, but the way her eyes had lingered, the way she had hesitated before letting go—Ruby had seen that flicker of doubt. It was a dangerous thing. Doubt had a way of festering, of leading to questions that shouldn't be asked.

Ruby couldn't let that happen.

By the time she reached the studio door, she hesitated for a brief moment before pushing it open.

Taylor was still at the piano.

She hadn't been playing, just sitting there, her fingers resting lightly against the keys. Her coffee sat untouched beside her, the steam long gone. The second the door clicked shut behind Ruby, Taylor's posture shifted—just slightly, but enough that Ruby noticed.

"You didn't drink your coffee," Ruby remarked, her voice measured as she leaned against the doorframe.

Taylor exhaled a quiet laugh, though there wasn't much humor in it. "Got distracted."

Ruby pushed off the door and stepped further inside. "By what?"

Taylor hesitated, then finally looked up at her. "By everything, I guess."

There was something distant in her voice, like she was still caught in the aftermath of last night. Ruby couldn't blame her. The break-in, the fear, the bruises still fresh on her skin—it was a lot.

It should have been easy for Ruby to keep her distance, to maintain the role of detached professionalism. But something about seeing Taylor like this, quiet and unfocused, made that impossible.

"You should eat something," Ruby said, keeping her tone light. "Might help."

Taylor gave a small shake of her head. "I'm not hungry."

Ruby wasn't surprised, but she also knew Taylor couldn't afford to run on nothing. The exhaustion in her eyes was obvious, and Ruby knew better than most what happened when someone pushed their body too far.

She moved toward the side table where a few catering trays had been set up earlier for the staff. Most of it had been picked over by now, but there was still some fruit and a few croissants left. She grabbed one and tore off a small piece, holding it out to Taylor.

Taylor gave her a look. "Are you seriously trying to hand-feed me?"

Ruby smirked slightly, tilting her head. "If that's what it takes to get you to eat."

Taylor rolled her eyes but reached out, taking the piece from Ruby's fingers. Their hands brushed for the briefest second, and Ruby felt the same jolt of heat she had felt earlier when she had touched Taylor's neck.

She ignored it.

Taylor popped the piece of croissant into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "Happy?"

Ruby shrugged. "Ecstatic."

Taylor huffed out a quiet laugh, but there was something softer in her expression now.

Ruby sat on the edge of the piano bench beside her, close but not too close. The silence between them was different now—not uncomfortable, but something else. Something neither of them seemed to know how to define.

For a moment, Ruby let herself just watch Taylor.

The bruises stood out starkly against her pale skin, and Ruby hated herself for it. It had been years since she had felt guilt over a job, but something about this one wasn't the same.

Because it wasn't a job anymore.

Taylor was a person. She wasn't a faceless target, not some abstract mission Ruby could complete and walk away from. She was real. And worse—she was beginning to trust Ruby.

That trust was dangerous.

Ruby forced herself to look away. "Rehearsals start soon, don't they?"

Taylor nodded, finishing off the rest of the croissant piece Ruby had given her. "Yeah. I should probably head over in a few minutes."

"I'll walk you."

Taylor glanced at her, something unreadable flickering across her face. But she didn't argue.

Instead, she stood, grabbing her coffee—still untouched—and headed toward the door. Ruby followed, falling into step beside her.

The hallway was still mostly empty, their footsteps the only sound echoing through the space.

"You don't have to hover, you know," Taylor said after a moment, glancing sideways at Ruby.

Ruby arched a brow. "It's my job to hover."

Taylor hummed, a ghost of a smile touching her lips. "Right."

They walked in silence the rest of the way, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

If anything, it felt natural.

And that, more than anything, was what terrified Ruby the most.