Joe Mazzello and the ‘Another one bites the dust’ scene. (x)
A/N: I just checked chapter 1 and I literally put it up over a year ago. Shit. I just wrote a part 2, and finally got ahold of a computer to post it. I hope you's enjoy it. my last chapter had like... 20 likes altogether, so hopefully this chapter will draw some readers in.
Summary: Paul makes it to the Princeton campus where he not only reunites with his cousin Vick, but he meets a fellow stoner named Max. From there, the boys indulge in some Ivy League Hospitality.
WARNINGS: Drinking, swearing, smoking psychoactive substances (Cannabis), just dumb college guys doing dumb college shit. also, it's probably got mistakes bc I suck at revising
This is just a statement clearing up that none of these characters are mine except for Vick. Everyone else belongs to those who were involved in and/or collaborated with Julie Taymor in making the Across The Universe film (2007)
I'll rate this one a T seeing as the substance use isn't THAT bad.
"Vick Hoffner?"
"Try across the way, man. I think there's a Vick of sorts there."
Paul simply nodded at the stranger before turning on his heel and making a beeline to the next apartment, his hands fiddling with his useless book of contacts.
What was the point of giving me your number if you won't even pick up the phone?
He sighed, and rubbed his eyes tiredly with the palm of his hand. He'd been hitchhiking for two days just to get to the Princeton Campus, and then a few hours going through the closest rented apartments to locate him.
This was apartment number 9.
And it was nearing one AM.
Paul rapped weakly at the door, silently concluding that this would be the last place to check before finding somewhere to sleep until the next morning.
The door swung open, and Paul was face-to-face with this college kid who seemed to be about his age. He had unkempt blonde hair that curled around his ears, patchy stubble, and big blue eyes hazed over with the red assault of cannabis in his system.
Despite this, and the nearly empty beer bottle in his hand, the guy looked like he was keeping it together pretty well.
Paul cleared his throat, and raised an eyebrow. "... Vick Hoffner?"
"Nah, man. He's out at the moment gettin' drinks," the guy paused, and looked at Paul for a moment.
"Hey, hold on, you're not... Vick's cousin, are you?"
"Would it be an issue?" Paul asked sarcastically, to which the other guy responded after a laugh, "Nah. I just can't wait for him to get back and find out you got the better looks."
Paul just rolled his eyes, a smile on his lips. "Probably don't matter. He's the brains n' so is me brother. 'S what really matters; though I take pride in this thing." Paul pointed teasingly at his face.
The other guy smiled, pulling two cigarettes from behind his ear. He offered one to Paul, and he claimed the other. He lit the both of their cigs, and they each took a long drag after Paul scanned the apartment hallway for any angry tenants who happened to be against smoking indoors.
"So... does Vick's "pretty boy" cousin have a name?"
Paul nodded like the fact that he had a name was astounding information, but he smiled genuinely before bringing the cigarette back to his lips. "It's Paul."
"Max," The blond shoved his hand out, and the boys shook hands firmly. Max eyed Paul again."Where's that accent from, Paul?"
"Same place as me," Paul answered as he shoved his free hand in his pocket, blowing out smoke a moment after. "Liverpool."
"But why come to America?" Max gestured Paul into the apartment as he spoke, closing the door behind them. "Kill someone? Were you on the run from the cops? FBI?"
"'Sounds like you'd be one to know 'bout all of that." The boys took a seat on the couch in the centre of the room as their cigarettes slowly burned away as they chatted.
"Hey, hey, I've barely ever been in trouble with the cops, but I have pissed off every professor in Princeton, and have broken several campus windows."
" 'nd... you're proud of it?"
"I'm an adrenaline junkie, what can I say? Smashed nearly forty five windows and despite being Princeton's number one vandalidm suspect, I'm still not expelled. Y'know why?" Paul leaned in a little, enough to catch the dank scent of weed, and Max lowered his voice. "... because they can never prove it's me."
" 'nd why is that?"
The answer to Paul's question burst right through the apartment door.
"There's three more of us, and it could be any of them!" One of which, Paul could surprisingly recognize.
"Vick. Long time no see," Paul rose to his feet, and Vick, who'd set a six-pack of beer on the coffee table between them, greeted his cousin with a friendly hug and some "how are you"s.
Despite being an intelligent young man, Paul noticed that Vick behaved a little less like how he used to: polite, conservative, and proper. It was suspected that his behaviour changed because his newfound freedom at Uni allowed him to experience and access things that he would have been otherwise restricted from when he was younger.
Booze was one of them.
Dope was another.
In fact, he wordlessly cracked open a beer for Paul, and handed it to him like he'd asked for a drink in the first place.
Paul wasn't a huge drinker. It was never a vice of his, or anything like that either. He got shitfaced every once in a while for fun.
But when he brought that aluminum can up to his lips, Paul would never have guessed that it would have led to the night it did.
Five minutes after Vick and his buddies returned, Max brought out the roach Paul suspected he was sucking on before he got there.
With enthusiastic cheers from around the room, Max lit the sucker up, took a nice drag from the hot remainders of the joint, and passed it on to Paul.
Paul looked at the roach, almost as if he was confused. No one had asked him if he'd ever smoked before, but Max and the others yelled hurriedly over top of one another, instructing for Paul to suck in quickly and hold the smoke in for as long as he could.
It resulted in a coughing fit, and encouraging pats on the back from the other guys. Vick ended up taking the roach next, and Max reached out across the table.
"Have another one of these, my friend," he slid over another beer after cracking it open just moments before, despite the fact that Paul wasn't quite finished his first drink.
"Y'know, the more you cough, the higher you get? Pretty fucking sick. Like a win-win, man. You don't cough: You're high. You cough: You're super high."
As time went on, and Paul nursed his second drink more responsibly than the first one, things, ironically, started making less and less sense to him.
At one point, he was talking to the guy sitting across from him, and he just stopped talking for a whole ten seconds before turning to Max and asking "what the fuck was I just talking about?"
"Who fucking knows." The blond's shoulders shook as he tried suppressing his laughs, but eventually Paul just burst out into laughs and uncontrollable tears.
And everyone followed suit.
He had absolutely no idea how he got there, or how long he'd been there for, but sitting before Paul were now two empty Tankards. A waitress just set down another to him, and collected the table's empty glasses.
They were in a bar.
Max sat beside Paul as he watched Vick spectate the other two guys play pool.
For the life of him, Paul couldn't remember those guys' names, despite knowing he was told multiple times in the last few hours. To be fair, being drunk and stoned is a perfectly reasonable explanation as to how one forgets another's name. He supposed it didn't exactly matter, anyways.
"So, you got any hot sisters abroad I should know about?" Paul gave Max a funny look but it may have been because it took so long for Paul's brain to register what had been asked.
"... No. Do you?"
"I've got two younger sisters; one's eight, and the older one's a little on the uglier side," though he didn't say it, Max's little smile indicated to Paul that he was joking about the last comment.
Paul and Max watched the boys play pool a little longer until the eight ball was pocketed.
"Wanna play?" Paul's head snapped to his left, and he nodded at Max's offer.
The other guys traded off, and Vick continued spectating. Max made the first break, and Paul watched as the cue ball rolled right into one of the pockets. Well, it seemed to have been only him to notice, because Max's eyes were instead trained on a brunette woman passing the two.
She looked over her shoulder to wink at Max, and rather than gouging his reaction, she simply walked off and took a seat alone in the corner of the bar.
"Do you believe in love at first sight, McCartney?"
"Well, I'm sure that it 'appens all the time. Never 'appened to me, personally."
"You just need to find the right one, my friend.." Max trailed off again, eyes still locked on the bird in the corner. He was slowly inching from the table and toward her. Max eventually just set the cue on the table and completely abandoned their game to talk to this girl, who flashed him a flirty smile with her bright white teeth and painted lips.
Paul watched Max amusedly, taking a swig from his beer and memorizing the moves Max was putting on his lady friend, who was clearly enjoying his company.
Maybe Paul wanted to get better at approaching certain women. He knew how to flirt, and be charming. It's not like he'd never had girlfriends. He'd had his fair share of girls in his teenage years, and he had Molly now back in Liverpool.
But Paul, at this moment, in his crossfaded brain, realized that he didn't want to attract the women he had been anymore. Just from her visual appearance, and how she was reacting to Max's charming flirts, Paul could sense an airiness to her personality. She was always smiling, inching closer, initiating physical contact by nudging his hand with her own, the list goes on.
Hell, even on her happiest days, Molly would be reluctant to kiss Paul, but he'd excuse her behaviour because she was just a regularly bitchy person who hated public displays of affection.
Or hardly any affection at all, it seemed.
Needless to say, Max returned to the table five minutes later with a phone number and a big red lipstick stain on his cheek. So to celebrate, the gang decided to go golfing.
"Here she is, Window Way," Max introduced Paul to the roof of their apartment building. The other boys started giggling at the name "Window Way". Each guy had their own club, Max held a bag of golf balls, and Vick carried another six pack.
Max set his things down and took in the crisp night air as Vick opened yet another beer for each of the boys. Max took a can for him, and one for Paul, and proceeded to show his new buddy just why he called it "Window Way".
"A Driver will send a ball..." Max pointed his arm straight out in front of him, his finger pointing right towards the windows of the Princeton Campus library.
"...Straight towards the school," Paul finished. He turned to look at Max. "You guys do this every night?"
"Paul, I do this all day. I barely go to class anymore."
"Hey, Max! You tee first!" One of the nameless guys called out to them. Max brandished the widest of grins before rushing to grab his club, a ball, and a green tee from his pocket. "Hey, Paulie, wanna help me out by holding my tee up?"
"Well, how'd I do that without gettin' hit?"
The other boys started laughing again, and Paul was genuinely confused until he found himself lying on his back seconds later, and the bottom of the tee between his lips, which only got heavier when Max set the ball down onto it.
If he were sober in this moment, Paul would not have been this comfortable with someone swinging a golf club full force towards his head and then trust their judgement regardless of their in intoxicity that they'd hit their target...
It was a good thing Max had been doing this for a long time, because wow, did that ball ever fly.
Paul watched in stoned disbelief as the ball soared far off into the distance and over the roof of the library. And while no one had seen it, they certainly heard the shatter from the other side of the building.
And that's when all five boys ran away from administration retired back to their room to light up a new joint Vick had also brought home as a surprise. They all sat around and lazily talked to one another about how crazy Max's shot was, and while some of them were falling in and out of sleep, Max insisted they all stay up to watch the sky change colour from the courtyard.
Paul didn't know how he stayed up any longer than he did, but he pulled through like a trooper, and they all watched the sky change as they lay down in the fallen leaves. But as soon as they all came back to their room for a final time, Paul dragged himself in exhaustion to the living room chair to sit, but he just slipped out of it onto the floor, and that's when his body decided to turn off on its own.
The other guys dropped to the ground or onto the furniture like dead flies, and within ten seconds of the door closing, the room was quiet.
And it stayed like that for nearly ten hours.
Paul woke up that evening with a raging headache and multiple trips to the bathroom to be sick, but now three things were certain for him: He definitely had one hell of a time, he definitely wanted to hang out with Max a lot more, and that evening Paul definitely got by with a little help from his new friends.
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A/A/N: alrighty, if this chapter doesn't do too too bad, I'll see about continuing this story. I've got chapter 3 pretty much done as well, I'm just in the midst of revising it. If you want more, by all means, PLEASE let me know!
A/N: Surprise! I’m briefly back from a year-long Hiatus and I have one chapter for TCND, one for ATU AND a George Harrison one-shot I’m just gonna drop and then probably disappear again for another few months. I’m also finding it even more difficult to write for Roger seeing as I’ve kinda been listening to nothing but The Beatles for the last fifteen months and I really only hear Queen at work, so that’s gotta change. But I am very sorry about the LONG wait. I really do appreciate you guys, and I think you’ve all waited quite long enough to find out what happens next...
Summary: Roger and Y/N spend the morning taking care of Bobby; they talk a little more about the future and come to the conclusion they both want the same thing.
(Let your imagination run free, bc this can be either Canon or Borhap!Roger)
WARNINGS: Swearing is probably a given at this point, self-doubt, mentions/ suggestions of sex (advise you to avoid if you’re under 18), and I usually revise when I’m stoned so there’s probably some typos in here too, sorry.
Rated T for Teen-- (I feel like a video game rating smh)
Bobby was crying again.
Granted, it was about seven in the morning, and he did sleep for the rest of the night.
Roger was the last of the both of you to wake up; not because of the crying-- he didn't even hear the crying-- but he was wrapped up in the blankets with you, and you were trying to remove yourself from his grasp.
"Don't leave," Roger grumbled as he pulled you tightly against his chest, eyes remaining closed as you whispered back to him.
"But I have to go. Baby's cryin'."
Roger loosened his grip on you, much to his dismay, and you slipped from his embrace, leaving him cold, and alone.
"Come back, Baby..." He really hoped his gravelly plea would entice you to return from the nursery after tending to Bobby, and although you were probably against having sex in your friends' bed, he figured there was no harm in testing the waters.
"That's not how that works when you have a baby, Rog. The day starts now."
Roger groaned in protest, but as he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands, he revealed to himself that you were no longer in the room, and the baby's cries settled when he heard your voice float down the hall from the nursery room.
Roger, as much as he didn't want to, tossed the comforter off of his body, and after rising to his feet and combing his fingers through his hair, he shuffled out of the bedroom and made a beeline to the stairs.
He was glad he was familiar with John's kitchen; because he was certain you had no idea where anything was, meaning he would be the one preparing breakfast that morning, and the one following it, most likely.
Fuck it, he would (try to) cook you up seven different meals a day if you asked him.
Anything for you.
He put the kettle on, and moved to the pantry in search for John's teabags, yawning lightly as he pulled the door open.
Nothing in the pantry really stuck out to him as being a good breakfast that morning, so Roger ended up migrating to the fridge after retrieving the tea, where his eyes fell on the carton of eggs on the bottom shelf.
He settled on making French Toast for breakfast seeing as he, according to you, made the best French Toast in England.
So he got to work whipping up some eggs and pulling four slices of bread from the bread box on the counter-- but not before he got one of Bobby's bottles out for you, warmed it, and placed it on the kitchen table.
Roger was frying the French Toast in no time, and he hummed gently as he busied himself with focusing on the now whistling kettle, and when the right time to flip the toast would be.
"... I thought you were still in bed," your words were sudden, and it made Roger jump a little. But when he realized it was only you, Bobby in your arms, his mouth contorted into a dopey smile.
"Nah," Roger turned the pan's burner down a little, and after he flipped the French Toast, he set his spatula on the counter, turning to face you.
"I was gonna let you sleep in, since you were so reluctant on waking up," you explained with a yawn. "But here you are awake, and making breakfast before me."
"Well it wouldn't be fair then, would it? Me sleeping in while you've all this work to do?"
"I don't know, would it?"
"I really don't think so, Dove."
He felt pride swell in his chest when pink dusted your cheeks at the sound of your new nickname, and he took this chance to swoon you further by pulling you in gently by the elbows, and he enveloped both you and Bobby in his embrace.
"Beautiful..." Roger's voice was barely a whisper as he touched his lips to your jawline, and you responded with a soft exhale.
"Even when you've just woken up," Roger mumbled against the skin of your neck, lips curling into a smile, "you are the prettiest goddamned thing I've ever laid eyes on."
"Mmm, down, boy," you purred back jokingly, taking a small step back. "Baby still needs to eat."
"Well yours is coming right up," he teased, "and Bobby's is already at the table." Roger pointed to the bottle on the other side of the room before tapping your rear. "Take a seat, and I'll bring your food over."
You didn't have to be told twice. You took a seat at the table, and although Bobby was growing a little agitated, it was short lived when you put the bottle of milk in his possession.
Roger, not five minutes after you sat down, joined you at the table with your French Toast and your mug of tea, made just the way you liked it, of course.
"'S the right tea, yeah?"
You took a quick look at the label hanging from the mug.
"Yep." Your eyes squinted after letting the label fall where the string tied to it would let it. "Y'know, you've been making my tea right for months, you don't have to check to make sure you're right."
"You know I'm always gonna make sure it's to your liking."
"And I love you for it."
"Hopefully for other things too. I'm not just good at being your barista."
"Oh, don't you worry. I'm not overlooking your other good traits," you smiled as you brought your mug to your lips and having the first sip of tea of the day.
As Roger sat down next to you with his own plate of food and mug of tea, he decided to wait on Bobby to finish so he could eat with you.
So, naturally, he took the time to evaluate again what kind of situation he was in.
There was nothing like watching you care for Bobby. Roger had known you for years, and not once in his life did he ever think he would be sitting next to you at breakfast while feeding a baby, whether or not the child was his own, or yours.
The whole scene looked too good to be true, though like the previous night, Roger just drank in the sight of you putting all your love and care into a child at breakfast with him.
How did you think you weren't cut out for being a mother?
This was in your nature.
The domesticity of the situation made Roger a little emotional. This was the closest he'd ever gotten to experiencing a breakfast with a family he'd built, and he spent every passing second filling his mind and heart with the beautiful sight before him.
"Y/n, you would make a wonderful mother." Roger's words left his mouth faster than his brain could register what he'd said.
You looked to Roger from Bobby, cheeks and tips of your ears darkening, and Roger was talking again before he could realize it and catch himself.
"Any man would be so damn lucky to have you. I honestly can't believe you stick around me still."
Your face was feeling real hot, now. Roger's head was still lagging behind his words, and clearly, he wasn't done talking.
"You could be out building a beautiful family right now, but instead you're babysitting with your best friend who you also occasionally sleep with. I just... I don't understand."
It took you a second to respond, but Roger didn't blame you. Honestly, he didn't even know what he would have said if he were asked the same question.
"... Well, I love you, Roger."
Your words were simple, and Roger knew your statement was nothing but platonic, but that didn't stop his heart from pounding against his ribcage.
You'd said those exact three words to him minutes earlier, but the context of the conversations contrasted their meanings.
"But we promised each other at the beginning of all of this that we'd be fine giving up pursuing family life if that means living with one another..."
"... You sound unsure, now."
The atmosphere felt heavy, and it was almost as if Bobby had known making noise wasn't in his best interest. He decided to finish eating at the right time.
"... It's not that I'm unsure. It's just..."
Roger waited patiently for you to answer, but you had noticed Bobby finished his milk, and you took the bottle from him.
You burped him, and placed a pacifier you pulled from your pocket in Bobby's mouth. You must have gotten it from upstairs before you came down.
"Let me," Roger offered his arms out for the baby, and you let him take Bobby. You'd stood up and moved to the sink to wash the bottle.
Meanwhile, Roger, who'd also gotten to his feet, was slowly walking around the kitchen. He was praising Bobby for finishing all his breakfast, insisting he was so proud of him, his smile wide and gaze adoring as he evaluated the child in his arms.
"It's just that. There. The way you're behaving with him," you turn to face Roger, finger pointed at him. "The way you're treating him as your own."
Roger's mouth opened and closed a few times, but after shutting his jaw for the third time, he decided the best thing to do in this situation would be to keep quiet.
"You'd make the most wonderful father, Roger. The way you behave with Bobby, god, the way you behaved with Raymond the other day," you sounded frustrated, and all Roger could do was watch you pace the kitchen, his sheepish face now a deep red.
"It's just that I would want the father of my kids to be just like you. I wouldn't settle for anything less."
Roger opened his mouth again to speak. He felt like his chest was on fire. Your thoughts were becoming painstakingly parallel to his, Roger had noticed. He couldn't get any words out before you started speaking again.
"Like you said last night, this job is giving us a chance to experience what it'd be like to have a family... and maybe I'm upset I did throw the chance to have all of that away."
You looked like you were on the verge of tears, and all Roger could do was watch you and listen to what you had to say.
"Roger, I hope you know you will always have a special place in my heart. You're my family, you have been for the last five years of my life, and there's no doubt about it. But being able to have a child..."
Your hands ghosted over the robe's fabric covering your definitely unpregnant belly. "... I think I want to have children."
"... Y/n I hope you know I feel exactly the same way."
And then everything was clear.
Roger understood where his band was coming from.
Getting married to you would solve all your problems.
He knew what the both of you were thinking in this new moment of silence, but there was absolutely no way Roger was going to fall to one knee and propose to you right now when he wasn't even romantically involved with you.
And he just felt it would be very inappropriate if he took this moment to spontaneously ask you on a romantic date with the intentions of courting you.
"Listen, Y/n," Roger finally built up enough courage to break the silence. Bobby cut him off with a short cry, and Roger immediately started swaying the baby in his arms. Sure enough, Bobby's agitation ceased, and Roger could continue, keeping the movement going.
"Just because we're living together without families now doesn't mean we won't be able to have families, say, five to ten years down the road."
At this point, although it was necessary, Roger didn't really want to mention the discomfort he felt when imagining you falling for someone who wasn't him.
Your eyes were big and sad, lip pouted as you considered Roger's words. "... are you sure?"
The idea of you and him having to move out of the condo Roger risked the both of your love lives for didn't sit well with him.
You'd be gone making sweet love to some lucky asshole who probably didn't deserve to be in your presence, while Roger goes on a bender, gets ahold of some weed and coke, and sleeps with enough girls to distract him from realizing he'd thrown the best thing in his life away-- you.
He didn't want you to think he thought you were selfish. The last thing he needed right now was to feel guilty for making you feel guilty.
So he just nodded. "No house isn't forever anyways." When you didn't respond to his little joke, he sighed.
"Y/n, we're still so young. You don't have to commit yourself to anything like that just yet. Enjoy being able to go out drinking with me every weekend, and sleeping in on our days off. Your chance to start a family will come when the time is right."
You let out a shaky breath. Roger was actually a little surprised with how well you were keeping yourself together.
But his actions put the both of you here, and to see that this conversation nearly reduced you to tears had Roger drowning in guilt, even without the help of mentioning any of his inner conflict to you.
"I just hope you're right." Your voice was broken and your fingers were tangled stressfully in your hair.
"Hey," Roger's voice had gone soft again, his rocking slowing to a halt, and you looked up to find him with an open arm, awaiting your touch.
You slowly unravelled your fingers from your hair, and you gave into the hug not moments later. Roger pulled you to his chest tightly, his free arm occupied by the baby.
"Y'know... I made you French Toast to start the day off good." When you didn't say anything in response, Roger pulled away from you just enough to look you in the face.
He was giving you that same look he did at the Garrison's again; that unreadable gaze he'd achieved with those big blue eyes that seemingly bored holes into your very soul.
His free hand slipped up from your back to your neck, and he leaned in to just touch his lips to the corner of your mouth.
So close, yet so far away.
It wasn't before long that he pulled away from you, but Roger just couldn't keep his eyes off you.
"You come sit down and enjoy your French Toast, Dove. I've got Bobby."
"But--"
"Please?"
Roger knew he'd convinced you as soon as he said that magic word. Though you took a moment to look from the bundle in his arms to the breakfast you really were dying to dig into, you eventually sighed out a gentle "thank you," before taking your seat again at the table.
He came around and kissed the top of your head. "Enjoy, Honey." Roger took a seat next to you, Bobby still in his one arm, and the both of you ate your French Toast in relative silence for the first few seconds.
"... God, you really do make good French Toast, Blondie." Roger was smiling now. At least you were talking again.
"I only improved my cooking skills for you, y'know," he admitted with a mouthful of his food, though he didn't sound ashamed of it.
"And thank God for that. Cooking every other night sure beats cooking every night."
"You can say that again," Roger mumbled before shoving the last of his breakfast into his mouth. You still slowly ate away at your meal, and Roger was making funny faces at Bobby in between taking sips of his tea.
The telephone in the living room started ringing, and you stood up to go get it, but Roger immediately dropped his fork and grabbed your wrist.
"Nuh-uh. I just finished eating. You still have a little bit to go. Take Bobby and I'll get it." You scooped the baby up without another word, smiling when he opened his eyes.
"Can you at least bring back his rattle from his play pen?"
"Can do, Princess," he called over his shoulder as he approached the phone.
"H'lo?"
"Roger?"
"Oh, hey, John!" Roger tucked the phone's handset under his chin, carrying the telephone in his left hand so he could get Bobby's rattle.
"Isn't it a little early to be up?" Roger glanced at the clock, which read that it was quarter after seven.
"Biological clocks. Just wanting to checking in. Is Bobby okay? Has he been any trouble?"
"No, of course not! He's doing fine, John." Roger tucked the rattle in his back pocket when he found it, and returned to the writing desk where the phone was meant to stay.
That was something he loved about you. You always bought him pyjamas with pockets. The concept was cool, and being able to use them was even cooler.
"Y/n's got him in the kitchen right now," he explained, taking the handset again with his now free hand. "We're all just finishing up breakfast, actually."
"Oh good. How is she?" John paused for a second, his voice dropping a little lower. "... How are you guys?"
Roger made sure his voice was a little quiet, as well. "John, this may have been your guys' best idea ever. I don't know why I was against this in the beginning."
"Really?! What's happened already?!" John, everyone would have guessed to be one to avoid certain kinds of gossip, though when it came to Roger's business with you, he liked checking up on that.
"I told her about all that family stuff."
"And?"
"And, well..." Roger set the phone back onto the desk and scratched the back of his neck. "... She may or may not be having the same problem," he mumbled.
"So... so you both want a family?" John tried clarifying.
"Yes."
"Then why are you two not together?!" Roger slipped away around the corner into the main hall with just the receiver so he was a little further away from the kitchen. He didn't want you hearing their conversation, or John through the receiver.
"Well I'm not asking her here!"
"Then where? And when?"
Roger knew John was just getting excited, and his questions honestly had Roger brainstorming every possibility when it came to asking you.
"... I don't know, yet," Roger said after a while of thinking. "But soon. God, it needs to be soon." He didn't quite know why he was pressuring himself to ask you sooner than later.
Maybe it was because he was scared someone much better and more deserving of you (or alternatively, a selfish prick) was going to waltz in and steal you from him just before he had you for sure.
"Do you need any help with that part? I can get Fred and Bri--"
"No no no, it's okay, John." Roger leaned up against the wall of the hallway, fingers tapping the handset absentmindedly with his eyes squeezed shut for a moment.
"You guys have already done enough, really. I... I think I'm good on my own from here."
"Well, I'm glad," John expressed to Roger. "It's not every day you need to help Roger Taylor get with a girl, y'know."
"This is different, and you know it."
"I just like to tease," John defended, and Roger could even hear a smile evident in his words.
"Anyways, Veronica and I will be home tomorrow around noon. Y/n's got our number. You two take care."
"Of course, you too," Roger was making his way back to the writing desk.
"Thanks. Oh, and Roger?" John added quickly.
"Hm?"
"If you two end up doing anything, for God's sake, please wash the sheets."
As John was speaking, you'd walked into the living room with Bobby in your arms. "We're gonna go and have some play time, now! Yes we are!"
Roger was too panicked by your presence to even realize you weren't paying any attention to the phone call, and he hoped to God you didn't hear a single thing John had said. "Yeah-yes! Laundry. Will do."
He nodded his head once, though John couldn't see him, and after saying their good byes, Roger hung up the phone.
He turned to where you were in the living room. You were looking in the play pen for something, and Roger suddenly remembered the rattle in his back pocket.
He pulled it out hurriedly and held it out to you. "Shit! I'm so sorry about that--"
"Don't swear, Roger," you took the rattle, a smile on your lips you both knew you were trying to frown away. "There's a baby here."
"What? He doesn't know what that word means."
"Well, the more you keep saying it, the more of a chance he has at that being his first word, and I do not need the Deacon Family hunting us down for teaching their kid swears." You looked from Roger down to Bobby, shaking the rattle gently and grinning when Bobby squealed happily and reached out for the toy.
You took a seat on the couch, and played around with Bobby while Roger went back to the kitchen to do the dishes.
From 7:30 AM to about 2:30, all that really happened was play-time and lunch, something Roger prepared. You offered to do the dishes, but Roger wouldn't allow it. He just suggested you put Bobby up for his nap. He'd fallen asleep in your arms during play-time, like he did with Roger the night before.
The both of you thought it was crazy Bobby would just fall asleep rather than cry, but honestly, neither of you were complaining. Quiet baby for the win!
Roger just finished putting the last plate on the drying rack on the counter as he listened above for your footsteps leaving Bobby's room. He dried his hands off with the dishtowel hanging over his shoulder after turning off the faucet.
From behind, Roger felt a pair of arms slowly circle his body, and he smiled warmly at the feeling of you pressed against his back.
"He asleep?"
"Mhm."
Roger's smile only widened as you inched your palms up his chest. He turned in your arms and pressed his hands against your hips, inching you closer as he leaned back against the kitchen sink.
"Well, what do we do, now?" Roger asked. He sounded like he was up to no good. With the sultry look in his eyes and the way the smile on his lips looked like he was repressing a naughty suggestion, he knew you knew he already had something on his mind.
"Well, I mean," your hands slipped up into Roger's long hair, fingers tangling themselves between the strands. "Anything, really."
You knew what game Roger was playing, and you loved how cute he was, thinking he was going to have you on your knees for him.
His eyes shamelessly raked over the top half of your body, and he squeezed his hands, still at your hips.
"What'll you be doing with your free time, Roger?" You took one more step closer to him, and he pulled you the rest of the way to him so your groin was flush with his.
"I'm looking right at her."
He was already strained against his jeans, and you just offered a smile, fingers tightening their grip in Roger's hair.
"Mmm... I kinda like the sound of that," you admitted lowly, half of a smile on your lips. You shifted your hips from side to side, and Roger tried to pull you even closer.
You rolled your hips against Roger again, and the cheekiness in his face fell with a look of long-awaited relief, and his head dropped to your shoulder.
One of his hands moved up to grab you by the back of your neck, and when he lifted his head to look at you again, his second hand dragged upwards from your hip to squeeze your waist.
Roger lifted the hand by your neck, and combed your hair back with his fingers. His eyes fell onto yours for a brief moment, and you could have sworn there was something he tried to tell you there.
You just couldn't read him.
But he didn't care. He pulled you in close again, and his lips were on yours.
You'd kissed Roger before. Not in public, but definitely in the bedroom. And they weren't very scarce. Honestly, if Roger's lips weren't somewhere else on your body, they'd be on yours.
But why was this feeling different from all the other times he'd kissed you?
He was being a lot less forceful and needy than he usually was.
His grip wasn't tight on you, and it wasn't like he was crushing you against him as if indicating he needed more of you, now.
He was holding you rather, and the hand at your waist circled around to press against your lower back. The hand on your neck shifted a little forward so Roger could gently slide the pad of his thumb down the column of your throat.
The both of you were holding your breath, and Roger was the first to pull away. The both of you sucked in some air, and before you could even draw in a full breath, Roger's lips were on yours again.
He pushed towards you, guiding you backwards until your back was flat against the refrigerator. His warm hands grabbed for yours and he pinned them above your head by your wrists.
Okay. This, was something you were used to. But there was nothing that could have prepared you for when Roger's hands loosened their grip on your wrists, and he was lacing his fingers between your own.
Your hands felt very small in Roger's. How had he never noticed that before? What else had he neglected to realize about you?
In that moment, he felt you pull away to breathe, and he looked down at you worriedly, fingers frozen, yet still laced with yours.
"I- uh... I-I'm sorry--"
"No no, don't be. It's okay," your response was very rushed, but you didn't skip a word.
There was about a minute of silence, your hot breaths mingling in the space between your lips, though your gazes were locked with one another, and you couldn't look away.
"Did-uh... did you want me to... to stop?" His question was gentle, almost sincere-sounding, but he still made no effort to move from his place.
"No. God, no." And as soon as you'd answered, Roger closed the space between the both of you again, his fingers unwound from yours to grab you by the jaw, and you just held his waist, pushing your body as close to him as he would let you.
He shifted around a little, and moved his leg between yours. You could feel his mouth bend into a smirk against yours, and he began to apply pressure to the apex of your legs with his knee.
Before long, as much as you wanted to resist it, you fell to Roger's submission, and as you waited for him to grab your waist and put you wherever, he hesitated for a second, and dropped his hands from yours.
You opened your eyes again to find Roger, face red, and staring at your chest. Not in an ogling way, but more of a method to avoid looking you in the eye.
He could tell you were looking at him, and he shifted his gaze to you. He itched at his hands awkwardly, mouth opening and closing as he tried to explain himself.
You just waited. You gave him time to think, and he had an answer for you sooner than either of you would have thought.
"I just... I wanna try something else. I don’t want to control you like I do every night."
It wasn't much of an explanation, but a good beginning to a demonstration.
"Will you come to bed with me, Y/n?" His offer was gentle, yet confident, despite offering a hand out hesitantly.
When you dropped your hand into his, all of the tension in Roger's being relaxed, and he quietly led you up the stairs, past the nursery, and into John and Veronica's room.
Before you could say anything he gently explained that he'd do laundry later, and then he pulled you in for another kiss he'd been waiting to give you since the last one.
Roger pulled you closer to him, hands cupping your face as his lips began to desperately chase after yours. You kissed Roger back with just as much vigor, but then he slowed the movements of his mouth, and guided you backwards until the back of your legs hit the edge of the bed.
Roger helped lower you down onto the bed, and he leaned over you, dipping down to kiss your lips again. He knelt between your legs, and pulled them up around his waist so he could lean in even closer.
You felt his hands squeeze your hips, and he pulled at your bottom lip with his teeth. You hummed lowly, your eyelashes kissing your cheeks as Roger pulled away ever so slightly-- just enough to pull his shirt off of him, and close the distance between your bodies again.
You tangled your hands into his hair, and he hummed in approval before pulling back just once more.
"I'm sure that's hardly fair..."
"What?"
"This," Roger tugged gently at the hem of your shirt.
"Why's yours still on?"
"... I never said it had to be."
Roger exhaled, and slowly pulled your shirt up over your head after you raised your arms to help him out a little.
He placed the palm of his hand over the smooth skin of your belly as he stared at your bare torso. And before long, he dipping down to kiss you again.
You reciprocated his actions, wrapping your arms around his neck and tightening your legs around his hips, to which he rocked himself against your core, and then---
Bam!
The headboard hit the wall, and Bobby woke up.
"Nooo..." you squeezed your eyes shut as the baby's cries began to reverberate down the hallway.
"Fuck!" Roger groaned, eyebrows knitted together helplessly as he climbed off of you. You both knew it was Roger who technically woke the baby up, and it was just silently agreed on that he went to put him back down.
"Dammit to hell, those separated headboards."
Roger opened the nursery door, and made his way to the crib in the corner of the room. Bobby's cheeks were wet with tears, and Roger's heart sank. "'M sorry, little guy. C'mere. Come see uncle Roger."
He picked the baby up and rocked him back and forth, though it wasn't exactly doing much, so Roger took a seat in the rocking chair on the opposite side of the room, swaying the both of them with a push of his feet.
Bobby's cries settled, and Roger felt proud of himself. Sure, he wanted to get back to what he was doing before, but instead he took his time in making sure Bobby was comfortable and not in need of anything before he drifted off to sleep again.
Bobby played around with Roger's fingers a few moments after his agitation ceased, and he couldn't believe how large his hands were in comparison to Bobby's. He was once that size.
A little while later Roger set Bobby down in his crib, and the infant was out. The drummer smiled at his accomplishment. He didn't even need your help.
With that, he left the room without a sound.
He stepped into John and Veronica's room, and closed the door quietly behind him. He was in the middle of turning on his heel when he stopped dead in his tracks.
You'd taken some of the pillows off the bed and wedged them between the wall and the headboard to keep the bed from making noise.
You were also splayed out on the bed in a lot less clothing than he remembered you in when he left.
With a teasing beckon from your finger, Roger knew three things were for certain.
1. You were the smartest woman he knew.
2. You were the most gorgeous woman he'd ever laid eyes on.
3. He, the Roger Taylor, had fallen madly, and helplessly in love with you.
-------------------------------------
A/A/N: Again, you’ve all been waiting long enough for the next chapter, so here you are. i hope you all enjoy, and if my response is great with this one, I’ll see if I can spit out another one soon <3
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A/N: Okay, yes, I may or may not have written this in less than a day, and no, I’m not the happiest with it. Then again, I’m not exactly always happy with what I produce. As long as my works entertain others, that’s all that matters.
But anywho, I wrote this part of the series in 3rd person Omniscient for Roger because we need to know what’s going inside that tiny head of his.
Don’t forget to leave notes, show your support and interest in my pieces by sending in a reply. All support and feedback is greatly appreciated! :)
Summary: Roger and you spend dinner at the Garrisons, and Roger does some thinking.
(Again, Borhap! or Canon! Rog, whatever tickles your peaches)
WARNINGS: Swearing, slow burn, mentions of sex (nO sMuT), mentions of drugs, alcohol, overthinking(?) idk this part made me a tiny bit sad)
I’m rating this a T, but the subject matter is a little heavier than my previous parts of this fic. I would advise you to proceed with caution.
Roger stepped out of the shower, staring at his muted reflection in the foggy mirror before reaching for a towel. He took his time towel-drying his hair, and by the time he’d dried himself completely off, the steam in the bathroom dissipated just enough for him to be able to make out his facial features in that same mirror.
At this point he reached for the blow dryer on the right side of the counter. After fully removing the vapour off the mirror with it, he used it to completely dry his hair.
His fingers ran through his blond strands carefully as he tried to make sure he didn’t leave anything wet.
As much as Roger liked his hair, he’d rather have some girl pulling on it than him.
But that was besides the point.
Roger set down the blow dryer after a while, and just stared at himself in the mirror, his hands on either side of the vanity.
What the fuck was he doing?
He decided to fake a relationship with you, (on a limb, I may add) for the benefits of having a nice place to live.
It sucked that his days of sleeping around were coming to an end, though he didn’t exactly mind it.
In a way, Roger loved you. But it was like… a weird love. Almost like a “you-are-my-best-friend-and-I-would-die-for-you-but-if-you-totally-wanted-to-kiss-me-I-wouldn’t-think-twice-about-reciprocating” kind of love.
He’d felt like this towards you since high school, but you were with someone, and he forced his feelings down by sleeping with so many women he probably couldn’t remember any of their names if he tried.
Eventually, with all the drugs and alcohol he consumed, and all the skirts he’d been under for the last five years, that other, almost forbidden feeling towards you, was gone.
Well… Until now.
"Rog, you good in there?“ You called through the bathroom door. The sound of your voice almost had his heart jump up into his throat. He circled a towel around his waist, and opened the door.
You looked him up and down, and Roger could swear he saw your cheeks glow. "Damn, you’re looking good, Rogie."
He choked out a strained laugh, averting his eyes to the small droplets of water on his feet. "Wel-uh.. th-thanks, um… y/n."
You rolled your eyes, a dopey smile on your face. "And you thought I took those compliments seriously.” You squeezed past a nearly heartbroken Roger in the threshold of the door, and you reached into the medicine cabinet for your toothbrush.
“All I need to do after this is put on my lipstick, and you’re not even dressed! We’re supposed to be over there in five minutes!"
This had Roger disappearing immediately into the second guest room on the left, the one you decided would be his room after he forfeited the master bedroom over to you.
You just shook your head before shoving your tooth brush into your mouth.
_______________________________
"Just… be calm."
"I am calm. You’re the one that’s not calm."
"Why would I tell you to be calm if I’m not?"
Roger was about to respond just before Anna opened the door. Roger and you immediately slapped painfully wide grins on your faces, and greeted the older woman with a soft hello as you stepped inside.
"Something smells good,” Roger complimented as he removed his jacket. "Thank you, Roger. It’s almost ready. I’d give it another fifteen minutes, and then we’ll dine.“
Roger nodded to Anna with a smile and turned towards you. He helped you take your jacket off, and you watched as he placed the coats on an empty hook on the wall.
He faced you again, and winked. He reached down and grabbed your hand, giving it a warm squeeze before you were both led further into the Garrison’s home.
Anna encouraged you both to take a seat on the sofa while she continued watching the food.
"Charlie kept an eye on the casserole while I grabbed the door. He’ll be out in just a minute, loves."
"Take your time,” you called to her as she made a beeline to the kitchen, leaving Roger and you alone.
Roger pursed his lips, twirling his thumbs in the sudden, and awkward silence. He took this time to examine the tidy, well-furnished home.
He began silently counting all of the framed photographs on the wall.
He came across one of Anna and Charles. It seemed to have been an older one compared to some of the others. They were in wedding attire, Roger guessed, from the thirties or forties, the newlyweds brandishing bright, and ecstatic grins.
He couldn’t help but smile back at the photograph.
He didn’t feel as if it were a necessity to get married, but he wished he would find pure elation being with you.
It didn’t matter if he could never properly marry you; if he discovered you were never in love with him in the first place… or even if things did turn out that way; he just saw you. No one else.
It had to be you.
Roger’s eyes flitted to the right when Charles returned from the kitchen.
"Sorry to keep you kids waiting,“ he said sincerely, sitting down in his living room chair.
” ’S no rush, Mr. Garrison,“ Roger assured him.
No one really decided to say anything after that. It was silent for a few second too long, and Charles laughed a little.
"Geez, are you guys uncomfortable? You both look tense. You’re good here. You can relax. Been a long day for you two–"
"Charlie?"
"Oop– Excuse me,"
Charles pardoned himself from your presence to see what his wife needed.
You sighed heavily, and Roger’s head began to spin.
How could this look more natural…?
”… hey um…“ Roger mumbled gently, successfully grabbing your attention, and you raised an eyebrow in confusion.
Roger licked his lips, his hand slowly lifting and moving to hover just over your knee. His eyes refused to look back into your own.
You caught sight of his hand in your peripherals, and after looking downwards, you glanced back up at Roger.
"Is uh… is it okay If I…?”
You simply nodded, and Roger sighed in relief, his hand lowering onto your leg. You shifted the smallest bit closer to him, and you smiled a little at how embarrassed he was to be touching you like he would with any other girl.
You placed your hand affectionately over top of his when he started rubbing circles on your pant leg with his thumb.
Your cheeks were a pretty shade of pink, and Roger’s were, too.
Charles returned from the kitchen just then. “She "lost her glasses”. They were right on her face and neither of us even noticed until she saw herself in the window!“
You and Roger laughed along with Charles in regards to his wife’s antics.
"But enough about her, I see her every day. Tell me more about you. How long have you had this one for, Roger?"
The drummer smiled at you, taking a moment to himself to search your entire face for an imperfection; maybe a loose eyebrow hair, some smeared makeup, lipstick on your teeth, or even an ugly zit he could make fun of you for later. But there was nothing wrong with you.
He couldn’t find one thing on your entire face he didn’t like.
"I wish I could tell you I’ve had her forever, Charles…"
You looked into his eyes. There was something… not quite right.
It was the way he was looking at you.
He’d never looked at you like that before.
Not with that much adoration; and never, did you ever think, you’d describe Roger’s tone as "dripping with affection”. At least, not when he spoke of you.
“It’s been about five years.” Roger concluded. “Best years of my life."
"And the fact you’re still going strong makes me very happy,” Charles mused, his eyes shining with joy.
"Things’ll get even better. Wait until you’re married and have children!“
That statement had your blood run ice cold, and you could swear Roger’s eye twitched at the word.
Children.
"I remember when my wife told me she was pregnant. It was one of the greatest days in my life, though their actual births and my wedding day are easily the top two."
You opened your mouth, but no words would come out. You cleared your throat and tried again. "Uhm…” Charles turned your way. “We never really um…” you took a deep breath and tried again. “Well, we’ve never really sat down and really… discussed whether or not we even want kids.”
“No um… we just… can’t see ourselves as parents. To a baby. With our face. It just seems so… surreal.”
“Roger,” The blond swallowed, and nodded to Charles in acknowledgement.
“Becoming a father is so rewarding. Wait ‘till you have a baby girl or a little boy, and you hold 'em in your arms for the first time. All that doubt will just wash away. Anna and I were so confident in our parenting skills, we had four more little ones!”
You couldn’t imagine having more than just one child, let alone five, or any of Roger’s, for that matter. The concept was so foreign to you, especially when it’s suggested that the father of these kids is the man who purposely puts the toilet roll on backwards because, and only because, it pisses you off.
Anna called the three of you to the table, cutting the conversation short, though you were relieved to get your mind off how hilariously ridiculous it sounded that you were sort of expected to give birth to Roger Meddows Taylor’s offspring.
He, on the other hand, couldn’t shake the idea. He spent the whole dinner on auto-pilot, trying to imagine how a child could share both his and your features.
He watched you a lot during dessert, trying to decide his favourite part of your face, something that he would be happy for your hypothetical child with him to be graced with.
But much like earlier, he realized he loved your face so much, he couldn’t make an ultimate decision.
Much like you, Roger thought the concept was close to impossible, as well.
He didn’t want to come down with a “Baby Fever”, so he took the next chance he could to talk about something distracting. The subject was averted to music, and Roger’s drumming and things like that.
He was just glad his subconscious wasn’t focused anymore about which room in the condo would hypothetically be the baby’s.
_______________________________
“Thank you for inviting us over, Anna. That was the best casserole I’ve had in my life. Just don’t tell my mother.” Anna laughed at your joke, and teasingly assured you she wouldn’t.
Roger, after helping you put your jacket back on, held the door open for you, and after saying your final good byes to both Anna and Charles, the both of you were left alone in the cool summer night.
Your slow walk down the drive with Roger was very quiet. You two didn’t say anything.
You both took slow, careful steps towards your new home, two pairs of eyes searching the sky for constellations.
Roger’s hands were stuffed into his jean pockets, and you had your arms crossed over your chest.
He expected you to start rambling about how much of a disaster the entire visit was, and how there was certainly not enough casserole for left overs as Anna suspected, but you said nothing.
So he said nothing.
Roger climbed the stairs up to your front door, and unlocked it, wordlessly holding it open for you. You just nodded in thanks, and stepped inside, Roger close behind.
That’s where you both disbanded. You went right upstairs, leaving Roger alone in the dark front corridor. He just sighed, and locked the door as his eyes fixed to the blackness of the room.
He went straight to the kitchen, and opened the refrigerator. There were a few beer bottles in the fridge, and he reached for one, twisting the cap off with his shirt before taking a swig.
He shed his jacket and tossed it on the couch before sitting in the chair on the other side of the living room, and propping his feet up on the ottoman.
Upstairs, he could hear the tub’s faucet running. You were showering.
Taking another sip of his beer, Roger decided to wait until you were out of the shower and in bed before he went upstairs.
"… Rog?“
Roger’s eyes snapped open and he sat up with a start, gaze shooting to the hand on his arm.
Your hand.
Roger exhaled, and rubbed his tired eyes, his brain registering that you’d turned some of the lights on.
"Scared the bloody ‘ell outta me, y/n,” He slurred groggily, rubbing his forehead and combing his hair back with his fingers.
“I’m so sorry! I went to knock on your door and you weren’t in there!"
"I was waitin’ here for you t’ go t’ bed…” he must have fallen asleep, you thought as you rubbed the side of his arm.
“Well I was checking in on you to let you know the bathroom was free if you needed in."
” ’M fine, Love. Thanks, though.“ He removed his feet from the ottoman, and rubbed the back of his neck, a number of empty beer bottles falling from his lap and onto the carpet below.
”… I swear I only 'member grabbin’ one.“
”… You go upstairs, okay? I’ll put you to bed.“ You bent down and started picking up the bottles.
Roger, who was on his feet, and turning the corner, stopped to watch you. He counted every bottle you picked up off the floor.
The higher the number, the guiltier he felt.
By the time you picked up five, Roger was already gone, upstairs and changing into some nighttime clothes.
He blindly chose his clothes, the combination being a pair of checkered pants and a Rolling Stones t-shirt.
He didn’t even bother trying to make an effort to get up and brush his teeth. He just climbed into bed and shut his eyes.
But as promised, you walked into his room, and sat on his bed.
”… Roger, you know I didn’t hear the faucet running.“
That’s how easily convincing you were to him: Seconds later Roger was in the blinding luminescent light of the bathroom, you sitting behind him on the edge of the bathtub as he drunkenly brushed his teeth.
"Spit, rinse, and I’ll meet you in the room.” You rubbed his back gently before leaving him alone in the room.
Roger removed the brush from his mouth, and stared at himself in the mirror, toothpaste froth lining his lips and dripping down his chin in an almost comedic manner.
Roger thought the froth kind of looked like facial hair. He even giggled a little at the idea of him maybe one day having a beard.
But then his smile disappeared, and he wiped his mouth off. Although he remembered only drinking one, he knew why he drank so much more.
Those thoughts about you were returning. The more time he spent with you, the more giddy he’d feel, and the more close he’d want to get.
Roger wondered how he used to be able to teasingly slap your ass and make sexual jokes with you all the time without feeling at the very least flustered with his own actions.
He did it in front of the band all the time when you were around, but it was like he was in high school again.
He always had the urge to kiss you at least once before he died. The constant suppression over the last few years buried that urge six feet under, but it seemed the suppression wasn’t working anymore.
What if, Roger thought, this would be different? He technically had no reason to suppress any feelings he had towards you; well, maybe except for dignity purposes, but that was all.
What if luck and pre-destiny existed, and his chance to be with you just so happened to be now, under these awkward circumstances that would overall result in a blissful future with nothing but happiness…
But why would someone like her want to be with someone like you?
With the depressing thought hanging over him like an obedient rain cloud, he shut the bathroom light off, and moped to his room, where you sat in wait.
You helped Roger climb into bed, and you tucked him in, kissing his forehead like a child.
“If you need me in the night, you know where I am, Blondie.”
Roger nodded, and mumbled his good nights to you before rolling over.
When his bedroom door closed, Roger opened his eyes despite not being able to see anything in the room.
He blinked.
At the beginning of this commitment, pretending to be with you seemed like a piece of cake to him…
… But Roger didn’t know how much longer it would be until his behaviour towards you wasn’t pretend anymore.
_______________________________
A/A/N: Wow, This is a lot longer than I expected it to be, but I’m glad this part is done. I think I may write in Roger’s perspective more in this fic because he’s got lots of shit running through his mind, clearly. What are y’all’s opinions though?
Anywho, enjoy this, I’m gonna go find something to inspire me for the next chapter.
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I hate when I look up how old the Beatles were during a huge turning point in their career and it’s some fuckass age like 22
“'When my hand is on your grease gun.’ That’s very subtle, isn’t it?”
“It’s a metaphor, Brian!”
Ok, so I was reading this news story:
So far so normal, right? But then:
Like what. And then:
Like, I think Alaska State Trooper Ken Marsh wants to be a romance novelist.
So I very rarely draw anything digitally because I find it very difficult but I found this the easiest way to do these. So as soon as I read this prompt, I immediately thought of the benefits of using medicinal marijuana. I was under the influence when sketching these. The first one-- the less detailed one-- was my original. The other one was one I spent more time on (clearly), and I'd completely forgotten about my first sketch.
The second one looks more like a fairy, but I think I get my point across.
Design an angel based on any sort of medicine or medical treatment you are familiar with. If you are not familiar with any medicine or medical treatment, draw a bandage angel.
THE RANGE OF ACTING THROUGH FACE BY AARON STATON
A/N: So, I kinda split this chapter into 2 parts bc it was so long. I’ll post the second one as soon as I post this one. I was also kinda upset bc I posted something this morning and there’s like… 2 notes on it (Thank you, fellow bloggers <3), so I’m trying to keep my mind off that.
But yes, you guys have been waiting for another chapter since February, so I’ve come to save the day (and your Quarantines)
Summary: John asks Roger for a favour.
(Read Roger as canonical, or Hardy!Roger, whatever brightens your day)
WARNINGS: Mentions of oral sex, implications of sex, swearing probably, and maybe some errors bc I don’t wanna edit this
I’m putting the fic at a T, bc nothing really happens, but I advise to read at your own risk if you’re under 18
(Also, been waiting FOREVER to use this gif)
Roger hadn't fully crossed the threshold of the door to the control room at the studio when both Brian and John, both there way before him and Freddie, turned to him and called him over.
"Roger, do you know any sitters? Veronica and I are planning on going up and visiting her parents this weekend and we can't take Bobby with us."
The look on John's face was clearly upsetting. He loved his son with all his heart, especially since Bobby was his first kid. It also probably didn't help that he was only a month or so old.
Roger wondered if there was ever going to be a day where he'd feel sad having to look for a nanny for a kid of his own.
"Just ask Brian to watch him. Surely Bobby would find entertainment in ripping all that hair from his scalp."
"Ha-ha. Very funny, Roger," Brian called back to him, arms and legs crossed as he spun around in his chair to face Roger head on.
"Chrissie and I are sharing our one year and I wanted to take her out this weekend." Roger shrugged. "Try Fred, then. He and Mary won't have a problem sitting for you, surely."
"Already asked, my Love," Freddie responded for John as he walked into the room, tossing a (fabulous, may I add) jean jacket down on the sofa pushed up against the back wall.
"Mary's visiting her father then, and I couldn't possibly care for a child on my own."
"You have like... fifteen cats, and you can't take care of a baby for a night or two?"
Fred just shrugged at Roger's question before taking a seat next to John. "Roger, do you think maybe you and Y/n could take him?"
Roger's face twisted in confusion.
"Wait wait wait... us? Why us?!"
"Roger," John sounded desperate. "We will pay you guys! You can stay at our house! Everything you'll need will be there!"
"John, I don't know..."
"Roger," Brian interrupted. The three other heads in the room turned to the curly-haired guitarist as he rose to his feet and crossed his arms over his chest.
"You can use this chance to prove yourself to Y/n."
"Prove myself? What are you talking about?!"
"Don't tell us you've forgotten about that whole family issue you've been having," Freddie tisked playfully.
"This is your chance to show her you're father material," Brian explained, slapping Roger on the back.
"Look, I get you all love Y/n, and you think it's funny if I make a fool out of myself,"
"It is pretty entertaining," John defended with a smile on his face, to which Roger glared back.
"But," Roger continued as Brian's hand fell back to his side. "The situation is between me and her. Not you guys."
"... But have you even spoken to her about it?" John asked quietly, to which Roger sighed. "It's just... It's complicated," Roger combed his hair back with his fingers.
"We're just trying to help, Rog. We all know you're dying to marry this girl."
"Shut up, Fred," Roger mumbled through his teeth.
"I'm just saying, marrying her would be a real problem-fixer with the whole... condo situation."
"They're not even dating," John reminded.
"Pssh. Yeah. And I'm not a Hysterical Queen," Freddie finished, kicking his legs up on the console, being mindful not to hit any buttons with the soles of his shoes.
"Besides, I can't think of one person I know who fucks their best friend and doesn't end up dating them in the end."
It was Freddie, John, and Brian who pushed Roger to even begin that arrangement with you.
He'd set the both of you up, all along!
Roger opened his mouth to give Freddie a piece of his mind, and Brian's hand was already gripping onto the drummer's shoulder to hold him back from literally throwing himself at the other, entertained, quarter of the band.
"Hey guys," all four of them turned quickly to the source of the sound, and it turned out to be you, peeking out from behind the doorway, and revealing five paper cups of tea. "Woke up and figured I'd be nice today."
"Aw, could you hear your ears ringing, my Love? We were just talking about you," Freddie drawled happily. Roger glared at him as he spoke while Brian and John watched the situation unfold.
"Me? What for?" You began pulling each paper cup from its place in the tray, and handing them out to each band member one-by-one as John cleared his throat to explain.
"Well, you see, Veronica wants to visit her parents this weekend, and we can't bring the baby with us. On top of that, we can't find a sitter."
"Well, why didn't you ask Roger? We'd be happy to take care of Bobby!"
"Is that so?" Freddie sarcastically asked, taking a sip of his tea before setting it down and dramatically throwing his hands behind his head. He leaned back into a relaxed state, giving Roger an amused look.
"Well we tried asking your Honey over here, and he said you two wouldn't be okay with it." Fred, Roger thought, is really asking for it.
"First of all, very funny," you smiled as you began counting on your fingers, clearly unaware of the depressing look on Roger's face when you dismissed Freddie's label for the drummer.
"Secondly, I love Bobby, why wouldn't we be okay with sitting for him?"
You glanced back at Roger before facing John again. "And thirdly, even if Roger doesn't wanna come, I will."
John's eyes widened as a smile broke out onto his face. "So is that a yes? You'll do it?"
"Of course, Deaky!"
"Perfect! You can stay at our house and everything so we don't have to send the crib or anything with you! You're a lifesaver, Y/n!"
"Anything for you and 'Ronica, Johnny."
"Well," Freddie clapped his hands once before kicking his legs off the console table and onto the floor. "Are we all good to practice now?"
"We should be," John confirmed as he downed some of his tea before standing up from his chair and stretching.
You turned back to Roger, taking a sip of your tea."I gotta go to work, Roggie. I'll see you tonight, 'round dinner, yeah?"
"Sure," he nodded as the room around the both of you bustled with the other three members of Queen preparing to enter the recording room. You nodded, and you turned to leave the room.
Roger watched you disappear behind the door, and Freddie called him to help record.
Despite this, Roger set his cup of tea down on the coffee table next to him, and actually took off out the door after you.
He assumed you'd be taking the lift, and knowing there were some issues with its mechanics, he knew for sure he could beat the lift to the bottom floor just before you could leave if he took the stairs.
Sure enough, when the doors to the lift opened on the ground floor, Roger was waiting for you on the other side.
It startled you, and before you could chastise him for scaring you, he stepped into the lift.
"Quick talk before you leave," he mumbled hurriedly as he shut the lift's doors.
"What?" You frowned in confusion.
"Look," he sighed. He tried to ignore how quiet it was in the lift, but it was hard to do that when he was the only one talking.
"That whole thing... with John and his son... I panicked."
God, he could hear himself thinking.
"I don't know anything about kids, let alone babies. I didn't wanna take responsibility for something I don't know how to care for."
"And I do," you responded, offering a warm smile to Roger before taking another drink of your tea.
"Love, you've nothing to worry about. I cared for my cousin in high school when he was just a baby. I've no issue in showing you the ropes."
"I thought you were iffy with kids, like I am."
"I'm just “iffy” with the idea of becoming a mother, and having children of my own," you corrected, nudging him in the arm when your comment didn't gauge a reaction from him.
You just figured the neighbours and their expectations of the both of you were on his mind.
"Hey, it's not like any of our neighbours are gonna see us with Bobby. We'll be at John's the whole time, right? Out of sight, out of mind."
"Yeah, I guess." Roger shrugged.
"Don't think this will change anything. We're doing this for a friend, not to appease the old people surrounding our condo."
Roger didn't say anything, his eyes cast to the floor. Of course this was bothering him, and although you thought it was for all the wrong reasons, he never admitted to you why he was actually uneasy about the whole thing.
"Roger," you sighed, rubbing circles on his back with your free hand. "We'll be okay."
You held out your pinky from your paper cup as a promise. "... Trust?"
Roger looked at your innocent eyes and hopeful smile, and that boy caved in so fast he hadn't realized he solidified the promise until after speaking. "Trust, Y/n," he breathed gently.
You unlinked your pinky from Roger's, and you caught him frown.
"Better not be moody when you get off work," you warned playfully to him, opening the lift's door.
"And why is that?" Roger lightly challenged back, trying a smile, and offering it to you when it felt right.
You turned on your heel as you walked out, eyelids lowering as you lazily grinned at Roger.
"Because dinner and a blowjob will be waiting for you at home this evening," you said matter-of-factly.
You almost laughed at the starstruck look in the blond's eyes, mouth hanging open, and face burning a deep red.
You tapped the lift's button to send Roger back to the floor he needed. As the lift's doors began to close, Roger watched you turn and make your way to the building's entrance.
"See you tonight, Drummer Boy," you called over your shoulder to him. The lift's doors finally shut completely, and Roger stood in absolute dumbfoundment until the lift opened again.
He really couldn't believe how lucky he was to be able to have you.
As a friend, and, of course, as a stress-reliever.
He made sure to keep a smile on his face the rest of the day.
When any of the guys questioned him, he'd just respond with a shrug, the tips of his ears flushing the same colour as his shirt.
And when Roger got home that night, dinner was most definitely ready for him...
Though with the look you were giving him as soon as the two of you sat at the table, you both made a silent agreement to head upstairs and just skip to dessert.
______________________________
A/A/N: I’m so sorry this took so long to post. The next one will be up within the next 2 hours. Thank you all for being so patient. I love Y’all.
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