Faking It • Queen FanFiction

Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 45

"Thanks, baby," Roger whispered into Bernie's ear as he accepted the steaming mug of cautiously delivered tea.

"I'm not your baby," she whispered back, brushing past him and handing out the rest of the drinks. Already there was a hum of experimental riffs, tunes and bass lines. Since sleeping in the same bed as him, her feelings had fluctuated. You'd think by now she'd be melting all over him, but she was quite the opposite. The feelings were definitely there, but she was happy to keep herself to herself and didn't appreciate the fact that he kept acting as if they were an actual couple still, even though there was nobody to act in front of - aka: Holden. This annoyed her primarily because it wasn't helping her suppress her emotions for him. Not at all. Yes she wanted to kiss him, yes she wanted to spend time alone with him, yes she wanted him to hold her hand but for the time being, she was more than content with things staying as they were, by keeping the status quo and spending some much needed time on clearing her own head.

By the end of the day, some music had been scribbled by Freddie onto multiple pieces of paper. The lyrics and sheet music had all been jotted down and Bernie took a moment to read it. At the top of the first, slightly crumpled page, it read: Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon. The lyrics looked very sweet, something about doing just as the title said and 'painting at the Louvre'? She had no idea what it meant, but she couldn't wait to hear it, especially as she could imagine the rapidity of Freddie scrawling ideas down for the rest of the band, hence the crumpled pages. By now, everybody was inside beginning to cook dinner, which Bernie should have been joining in on, but she wanted some alone time and the studio was just such a calming place full of comfortable hustle and bustle.

In the middle of the room sat a grand, white piano, which she was now sitting in front of, contemplating what to play. All throughout her childhood her mother had pressed and pressed for her youngest daughter to master piano. And master piano she did. It was only by the time she became an adult that she truly thanked her mother for the effort she put into building Bernie's musical talent. Currently, she had no idea what to play and was really wishing for some sheet music...until it clicked. Laying there, merely ten feet away... Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon. Technically there was nothing stopping her from snatching it up, clipping it in front of her and playing what was there, hoping it was designed to be played on the piano.

And so sheepishly yet deviously, she leaned across and grabbed the two pieces of paper, giving the music a further look. Upon further inspection, it came to Bernie's attention that only the title was written in Brian's handwriting, whilst the actual music was written in a different hand. It was slightly cursive and a little scrawly, thus being the work of none other than Freddie Mercury. Bonus! That meant it'd be written for the piano, one of his best areas of expertise. Smiling, she straightened herself up and, after having examined the music, aligned her hands accordingly on the keys. This was no easy song and it entered her mind that she was possibly the first person to both play and hear this piece of music for the first time ever all put together.

Did she really want to take the christening away from Freddie? Well, nobody was around and she was dying to have a go on this beautiful, slick grand piano that sat vacantly before her. Gently, she pressed down on the keys and the most righteous sound came out. Slowly but surely, she played the next part and then the next, forgetting how easily music just came to her by now. The song was bouncy and fresh, crisp with the glint of success. As far as piano pieces went, this one was short, but Bernie had every confidence that it sounded perfect, rounded off with presumably a guitar solo, as there was a massive chunk of lyrics missing near the end. Although, that may have also been the lack of work done at Ridge Farm taking its toll.

Bernie was just too thrilled with the exhilarating sound of the new song that rang with potential. So much so that she played it again and again until she barely needed the sheet as a prompt anymore. Confidently played together, it sounded magically joyous and all she wanted to do was buy the record, instantly calmed by the sweetness of the music. The sound of the piano drowned out any other noise, exemplified when Bernie was given a nasty shock by a messenger calling her in for dinner.

"That sounds beautiful," he stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks, Roger. Don't tell Freddie I played his song before he did, though." She stood up and tucked the stool under, ready for food.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind. I didn't know you played piano?" A step closer and a hand brushing the hair out of her face. She let him.

"I've been playing for about nineteen years, sort of..." but she didn't get time to say 'second nature', as Roger's lips were slightly parted and his eyes closed, coming closer to her face. Tensing up, she couldn't find it in her to hit him, he was extremely close to her face now. Not quite getting her lips ready, checking they weren't chapped, she awaited the kiss, devoid of thought. But her mouth was left...disappointed....? Instead of going for the lips, his mouth glided over her cheek and he planted a gentle kiss there instead. Ripe dissatisfaction dawned over her and she felt a little bit dazed at what just happened. Undeniably, her lips felt empty, but he had also still kissed her, unmotivated. "What was that for?" She asked, more out of genuine cluelessness than the usual disgust he faced from her whenever he tried to be intimate with her.

"I wanted to," he shrugged, but not in a lazy I-don't-care way. "Dinner's ready," he brushed his hand over her head and cracked his signature smirk before leaving, causing her eye to follow him out. Oh, God, she felt queasy. As she made her way inside solitarily, she couldn't help but feel glad that Roger hadn't kissed her lips. She didn't want his lips to be where Holden's once had and somehow hers felt dirty at the mere memory.

15/2/23 - I wanted to have this chapter released for
Valentine's Day, so here you are!