the royal family of the music industry

24. No Judgement

Taylor Swift, 2021

"This is incredible." Joe says, awestruck while holding Taylor's hand under the table and letting his eyes wander over the round of people who joined them for their party dinner.

One Direction's contract is finally over and they currently sit in the dining room with twenty-seven people. Some of them brought plus-ones and then there are some special invited guests like Adele and Selena Gomez.

"It is." Taylor agrees, smiling at Joe.

"But that's not everyone, right?"

Taylor looks for the two faces that weren't there a few minutes ago and sees that they aren't here now either.
She leans to her right side.

"Niall." She whispers, trying to get his attention. Niall's been texting someone for the whole evening, but he looks up now that he's heard his name.
"Where's Louis?" Taylor asks and a wide grins spreads over Niall's face.

"Doing stuff."

"Okay." Taylor draws out. "And where's Harry?"

"Being stuff."

Niall looks so proud of his answer that Taylor can't even bring herself to roll her eyes at him.

She wants to answer but her sentence is cut off by Ariana, Adele, Zayn, and Olivia singing people watching with Conan sitting between them and looking like he's about to burst from pride.

Of course, their dinner is as chaotic as everything they do.

"Scarlett Johansson has a new baby and it's going to be named tomorrow." Rihanna says, looking at her phone.

"Not to offend anybody, but tomorrow is a stupid name." Louis says, having a dramatic entrance into the room, followed by Harry.

Taylor and probably everyone in the room sees what they've been doing.

Their hair is incredibly messed up and they didn't even try to cover their necks.

Taylor can't blame them, they're free.

Louis walks over to take a seat next to Mick while Harry bends down to give Gigi a tight hug and Khai three kisses on her forehead.

She sneezes.

"Bless you." Gigi says, holding her in her lap.

Zayn pats her arm, talking to Liam absentmindedly.

Harry aws at the small noise, that just left Khai, for so long that Zayn thumbs his chest.
"God bless your little soul and your heart and your whole personality and body. Hallelujah may you recover from that awfully cute sneeze."

"What the fuck Harry." Niall asks with his mouth full of chicken.

"How come that every time we have a big dinner, you two decide to fuck right before that?" Mick speaks up.

"We didn't plan on it. At least I didn't but then Hazza just thought it would be a good spontaneous idea to propose-"

Everything is loud after that.

A few people are shouting questions, Gigi and Ariana are squealing, Niall is crying and Liam and Zayn are congratulating them while Rihanna rips Louis hand over to her and inspects the ring.

"Again?" James Corden asks, also crying.

"How many times can you get engaged?" Joe speaks up.

"As long as you love each other." Harry replies and now Louis awes so long that Rihanna pinches his finger.