"Really? He walked up and kissed you?" Freddie was looking at Roger with intrigue obvious on his face as he sipped his tea.
Roger nodded. "I was shocked too, you know. The last thing I expected was for him to march up to me and smash our faces together. I think I broke a tooth."
"How sweet! He was excited, though I'll never figure out why anyone would be excited about a kiss with you of all people. Maybe I should offer my services? I was the winner of our little competition, after all."
"You only one because you're shagging the judge!" Roger insisted with a huff that sent Freddie into a round of giggles. After a moment, Roger laughed along with him, realizing how ridiculous they must have sounded. "But maybe you should, Fred. Then Brian will agree that I'm better and we'll know who the true winner is."
Freddie rolled his eyes and finished off his cup. The blond's logic was all screwed up, but what did one expect from Roger Taylor? "I don't go around kissing other people's lovers...Unlike some people I know." He raised a brow and gave the drummer a pointed look.
Roger blushed and smacked Freddie's shoulder. "I had to see who would win! And I was kind of hoping John would say I was the best so that I could look good for..." He bit his lip.
Freddie didn't need to hear what he was going to say. He knew. "You don't need to show off to catch Brian's attention, my love. He's just as gone for you as you are for him. Let him know you care and he'll be putty in your hands."
"I'm already putty in his," Roger admitted, though Freddie had a feeling he wasn't supposed to hear it. Still, the singer grinned to himself and looked away to hide it. No need to make Roger feel self-conscious. Lord knew Freddie was already putty for John, his poor angel who had fallen asleep crying...Freddie needed to get to him.
"I'm going to check on-"
"I know. I feel it too," Roger interrupted knowingly. They shared a look before nodding and setting their cups down. The two hurried up the stairs, their minds telling them to collect their lovers before it got too dark outside. They definitely weren't sleeping without them.
Brian was awake. He'd woken up not too long ago and eased himself out of the bed so he wouldn't disturb John. After managing to get off of the mattress without waking the short man, he tucked John in under the covers. He was in the process of carefully tucking the comforter in around his shoulders when the door to the bedroom opened, and he looked up with a smile at the two in the doorway.
"He's still asleep," Brian told Freddie and Roger in a whisper as he made his way towards them. Roger instantly had his arms around the guitarist, causing Brian to blush and look questioningly at Freddie. The singer only smiled.
"We're heading to bed, then. We'll talk in the morning...If you need us, we'll be in Bri's room." Roger had to stand on his toes a bit to give Brian a kiss on the cheek before they moved out of the way so Freddie could get to John.
Freddie heard the door close before he even realized that Brian and Roger were gone. He didn't care to look back at the noise, his entire focus completely on his love. John was curled up under the covers as he usually did while sleeping, though it was obvious he was starting to get a little restless. As much as Freddie didn't want to interrupt his sleep, it would be the only chance he had to get them both ready for bed.
"John, love, wake up for me," Freddie cooed quietly as he reached over to stroke John's back. Ever the light sleeper, green-grey eyes were revealed only a moment later, and Freddie couldn't help but smile. His boyfriend was absolutely gorgeous. "That's it. Sit up, darling."
John groaned quietly as he wiggled his way up into a sitting position, rubbing his eyes sleepily. His groggy mind didn't get a chance to wonder why Freddie had brought him out of his sleep before his boyfriend was gently tugging off his clothes. John only sat there compliantly, letting Freddie do all of the work for his exhausted body. He didn't even flinch when Freddie removed his underwear. He didn't feel that there were any boundaries after that morning, and neither of them were complaining about the step in their relationship.
Thankfully, Freddie was quick to redress him once he was naked. It was chilly in the room without any clothes on, and John was already shivering by the time Freddie worked some pajama pants over his skinny legs. The younger man sighed in relief when he was completely covered again. The sleep clothes were much more comfortable than the denim trousers he'd been wearing.
"Almost done," Freddie assured. He helped John get back under the covers before changing his own clothes, opting to go without a shirt because he knew John would keep him warm. He was especially happy with his state of undress when John's lithe hands settled against his chest, the contact making them both hum. "Goodnight, my love."
John gently played with Freddie's hair as the sun cast soft rays through the thin curtain onto his love's face. It outlined Freddie's sharp jaw perfectly, and John couldn't help but picture how brilliant Freddie's eyes would look in the light. He'd often heard women squealing over Roger's baby blues, and, while John could completely understand, he thought Freddie's eyes were much more beautiful; they were mysterious and hid everything so well unless you truly knew him. Freddie couldn't hide anything from John, and the bassist was proud to know it.
The smaller man ignored the pain in his wrists as he waited for Freddie to wake up. He was trying his best not to think about what had happened yesterday. Well, none of the bad anyways. Walking in on Roger and Brian had been a nice surprise, and he was excited to get all of the details from Brian that morning. His friends deserved each other. They were such great people. On top of that, Brian had taken such good care of him, Roger had defended him so fiercely, and Freddie had protected him...Even if John didn't quite know how Freddie had gotten rid of Paul.
'Whatever this world can give me, it's you- you're all I see...'
John hadn't realized he was singing aloud until a sleep-filled voice told him, "That's beautiful, darling. Did you write that?"
The bassist snapped his mouth shut as a blush lit up his face. He nodded meekly, afraid Freddie would think the lyrics were much too sappy. Instead of a laugh, Freddie gave him a soft kiss on the nose that had his insides going soft. How could he be so in love with someone?
"I think it's perfect for the album...Something lighter. The others will love it, I'm sure," Freddie assured him. He moved to release John so he could stretch his arms, only for the bassist to quickly latch on to his biceps so he couldn't move. He looked at John with his brows furrowed in confusion. "What?"
"Don't leave!" John said quickly, his chest suddenly heaving as his eyes grew impossibly wide. Freddie was instantly reminded of their first night sharing the bed together. It seemed that John had forgotten his nightmare, but Paul's attack had only brought back his panic at being alone.
"Never, darling. Do you remember my promise? You know I'm a man of my word, dearest."
John didn't calm until Freddie wrapped him up in his arms again. They lay there for a while, Freddie humming in John's ear while lightly stroking his back. John's breathing was the last thing to return to normal. Even then, the man still shuddered. John knew why he was being so clingy. He was afraid that Paul would come up with another scheme that would rip him away from Freddie for real this time. He couldn't lose Freddie. The thought made him dizzy.
Freddie felt helpless. Usually his touches and assurances were enough to make John relax, but the incident with Paul must have shaken him up pretty badly. It wasn't a wonder with what he had walked in on...He still needed to find out exactly what had happened from the beginning. What if Paul had been worse than Freddie had seen? He wouldn't have put it past Paul to be an absolute wild animal.
"My love?"
John hummed in response, raising his eyes to look at Freddie's chin though the older man couldn't see from his position.
"What happened yesterday before I came down?" The last thing Freddie wanted was to get John all worked up again, but he needed to know so that they could work through it and move on. Freddie was dead set on making the bassist forget all about the little incident. He just needed to know what memories he had to erase.
It started off with John explaining his walk. He had been enjoying their time apart, taking in the fresh air, and thinking about his song. "I went in to get a pen and paper when..." John bit his lip, his eyes filling with tears. That's when the scene had turned horrid.
Freddie was patient as he waited for John to find his words again. He did his best to keep the calm, loving tone in his voice and on his face to avoid making John think that he was upset with him. Through the rest of the explanation, Freddie only became more affectionate, distracting John from the retelling of the story with soft touches and attention. It was easier for John to get everything out that way.
"I'm so sorry, my darling. Can you forgive me for not being there when you needed me?" Freddie asked quietly as his lips forged a trail along John's throat, his hands easing down John's sides.
"I need you now," John replied, slightly breathless. He swallowed audibly and closed his eyes as he felt those warm hands slip under his pajamas. The feeling made his blood burn feverishly, and he had to wiggle to relieve the sudden buildup of pressure around his groin. Freddie continued, and John knew he was lost to his love. For having never been with men before, they both caught on fairly quick, following their instincts and making each other squirm.
Freddie made sure to take his time going down the steps with John. The bassist had a bit of a limp that wasn't noticeable until they were no longer on even ground. The singer felt terrible. Had he been too rough? The way John had been crying out for him to push harder, faster made him think he hadn't. Was it always going to be like this?
"John, I'm s-"
"If you apologize one more time, I'm sleeping in Brian's room tonight, and I don't think Roger will be very happy," John told him before he could finish. Freddie blushed and quickly shut his mouth. John nodded in satisfaction. Yes, he was a bit sore, but it was nice. Kind of like after a long jog. He knew he'd be feeling it for a while, but it wasn't truly painful.
Both of them were distracted from their thoughts when they walked into the kitchen area and saw their friends. Brian was sitting down on one of the chairs at the breakfast bar while Roger leaned over it, their faces attached in a way that made John blush and look away. He was happy for them, but he felt like he was intruding. Freddie had no such tact, of course. He whistled loudly, making the other couple jump apart. Roger whipped around to give the singer a deadly glare while John simply walked over to Brian and stole a mug.
Brian smiled at him. "That one's for you. I figured you'd be coming down soon. You went to bed quite early."
"Thank you...For everything." John didn't want to make a big deal about Brian making him tea, but the guitarist had comforted him last night. Brian honestly couldn't have been a better friend. While Freddie or Roger's comfort would have done the job, Brian was the rational one John had needed at the moment. It seemed that Roger had helped Freddie calmed down too, but the brunets dreaded to think about what their loves had gotten up to in order to achieve that calmness. John wondered where Paul had gone off to...
"Anyways, lads, we need to discuss what songs we're going to put on the album. I know we've all been working hard, but I think I have our new single," Roger announced with a large smile, his eyes glittering in a way that had Brian blushing and John worried. The bassist moved closer to Freddie out of instinct. Roger being so excited usually didn't mean anything good for them. Boy, was he right.
Roger waited with baited breath as the others read through his lyrics. When John looked up from the sheet to share a look with Freddie, the singer had a blank face. John sighed. This was going to be trouble. He looked over at Brian to see the taller man's reaction, hoping that Brian wouldn't side with Roger just because of their relationship. The pressed lips and furrowed brows on Brian's face seemed like a pretty good sign. Freddie must have thought so as well.
"Oh, thank god, we all hate it." Freddie breathed in relief when he saw Brian's face for himself.
"I don't hate it!" Brian insisted quickly, his eyes moving between Freddie and Roger quickly.
"So, you love it, then?" Roger inquired hopefully. John looked away. He couldn't bear to watch what was about to unfold. He tried to mentally prepare himself for Roger's temper, but it really was no use. Roger hit like a quick moving hurricane.
"Not strong enough!?" The blond crumpled the piece of paper in his hands as he looked at his boyfriend with something akin to betrayal on his face.
Brian bit his lip. He couldn't lie to Roger no matter how badly he wanted to. "It's just not..."
"Strong enough," Freddie finished for him. "You said it yourself, Bri. It's not strong enough to be on our magnificent album, dear. It was a nice try, though. Maybe the next one." It didn't take a genius to realize that Freddie had no intention of letting Roger's song anywhere near their other works on any album. Ever.
"Don't be rude, Freddie," John chastised quietly.
"You like it, don't you, John?" Roger practically begged. The look of near explosion on the blond's face had John ready to lie straight away. He didn't want to hurt Roger's feelings. It seemed Roger knew that.
"Don't manipulate him, Roger. That's not fair." Brian's gentle voice stopped John before he could make a terrible attempt at a lie.
Roger's knuckles turned a deathly white, and his lips formed a skinny line on his face that made them practically disappear. The other three tensed in anticipation of what they knew was to come. They'd all had songs talked down upon by the other members. There had been plenty of fights over what tracks were featured. That didn't make Roger any less likely to blow up.
"Hit the deck," John heard Freddie mutter jokingly before a handful of bacon came flying over the counter. John quickly slid out of the way with a little help from Freddie. Unfortunately for Brian, his boyfriend was being the opposite of helpful. He didn't move in time, and the greasy meat hit him square in the face before falling into his lap.
John gasped while Freddie watched on with wide eyes. The entire room seemed to be frozen for a moment. Brian had his eyes closed, his body the picture of collected calm. They all knew it was only a mask, though. They could almost feel the fire that was burning inside the taller man. Then, there was a small crack in the mask. Brian's lip trembled with barely concealed rage and upset before he folded his newspaper with a little more force than necessary and stomped up the stairs. The bacon slapped the floor, and time sped up again.
"Bri, wait!" Roger called as he stumbled to catch up with his boyfriend, the anger he was feeling suddenly flying out of the window. "I'm sorry!"
There was a loud slam before Roger could make it even half way up the stairs, and he stopped again, pausing for a moment before walking back down with a sulking look on his face. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs with the most authentic kicked puppy look John had ever seen, and he didn't hold back from moving to comfort the drummer.
"I'm an idiot."
"You're not wrong," Freddie said, earning a glare from John that had him shutting up again. He cleared his throat innocently and turned back to the kitchen.
"Just give him some time to calm down. He'll forgive you...It'll just take some time," John assured. He gently pushed Roger to sit on one of the faded couches in the open area, then went to the kitchen to bring him some tea. Roger accepted the cup, but didn't drink anything. John decided to leave him alone for a bit.
Freddie wrapped an arm around John's waist when the younger man moved back to his side. Before he could lean in to steal a kiss, John put his hand up between their lips and said, "Why don't we eat in our room today?"
It didn't take much convincing after that. They made their plates and spared one last look at Roger before heading up the stairs together. They spent their time after that curled up together, feeding each other breakfast from both their plates. It was lazy and wonderful and just what they needed after their romp in the sheets earlier. The couple almost decided to spend the day in bed when they heard, "For fuck's sake, Roger, get out of the cupboard!"
Looks like they were needed elsewhere.
"You're a brat, you know," Brian told his love as he helped the blond out of the cabinet he had locked himself in for the past hour and a half.
Roger groaned at the feeling of stretching and using his legs again. It was painful, but worth it. His song was on the B-side, and Brian had forgiven him, though getting Brian to forgive him had been the easy part. If Brian and John hadn't been there, Freddie would have been content to let Roger stay in the cupboard all night. The singer had even loudly said so, uncaring of Roger's feelings. The song was atrocious! All of them were impressed with Roger's determination and stubbornness. None of them believed he'd keep up interest as long as he had. It wasn't hard for the drummer to get distracted.
"I know," Roger replied with a cheeky grin. He'd gotten his way.
"What a twat." Freddie smacked the blond over the back of the head for good measure before storming out. It was clear that he wasn't happy with the new addition to the album.
John covered a laugh with his hand as he watched his love moodily leave the room. It was quite adorable, and he knew Freddie was simply being over-dramatic. Queen couldn't be contained, so why not put the song on the album? He didn't see the big deal even if it wasn't really his cup of tea. He looked up at Brian and Roger who were giving each other nothing less than bedroom eyes. "Time to make up? I think I'll bring Freddie out for a walk in the fields, let him work through his anger."
Brian blushed, but they both had thankful grins on their faces as John moved to follow the singer out. Another apology was whispered, their lips joining quickly after. It was definitely time to make up. Brian couldn't stay mad when he looked into those large blue eyes, and Roger would do anything to make Brian happy with him again.
John wrapped an arm around his love, not stopping for a moment as he pulled the singer towards the door of the farmhouse. The weather was too nice to miss out on, and he'd rather not hear their band mates go at it in the room next to theirs. Freddie followed with false reluctance and a roll of his eyes, quickly falling in step with the love of his life. It seemed that all was forgiven, everything back to the way it was supposed to be. It was so perfect that Freddie just happened to forget about a speed bump during their walk until they happened upon it and John nearly screamed his head off.
There, slowly waking up from his terrible rest, was Paul. His face carried a thick layer of bruises that made him look like a horrid creature. More than he already was, at least. The man looked half dead, and John was thoroughly creeped out as Paul's body started to twitch and move.
"Freddie! What did you do!?"
"I took out the trash."