Time Passages (Queen or Freddie Mercury Fanfic)

47. Talk Blockers, Part One

"Ooo. Never heard that one before."

All she could do in response to that was stick her tongue out at me, then kiss my nose- gently so as not to agitate the bruise.

Despite our bickering, I really wasn't miffed. In fact I was much more amused than annoyed. A tipsy Julia was always entertaining. Not drunk, you understand, just tipsy- just a little cheekier than usual. There was apparently quite a difference; according to what Roxie had revealed to me in the car ride home, "You know she's plastered when she starts getting emotional- and rambles nonstop about Danny's father."

That's the only way anyone referred to him, it seemed. Not by his actual name, which nobody seemed to know in the first place- not even Danny (for I had asked). Just "Danny's father." In fact, all people seemed to know about him at all was that "she loved him." A lot of fucking help that was. Certainly didn't make me feel any better, I tell you.

Perhaps this mysterious box Danny spoke of held a few more helpful clues. Already I was ever so anxious to get my mitts on it. Why did I care? Good question.

So she wouldn't be drinking alone, I splashed my own glass with the very last bit. Waste not, want not, after all.

"A toast?" Julia asked.

"Why not," I agreed.

She lifted her glass. "To the past, the present, and the fut-"

"No, no, never mind them, they can take care of themselves," I interrupted.

She frowned. "Then what?"

"To the moon. No, bigger, um..." Then I said the first thing that came to my mind: "To- to Andromeda!"

Julia's smile vanished, and her eyes widened. "...Andromeda?"

"Yes! Andr-" I cut myself off, realizing that once again, I'd unwittingly hearkened back to "those days", and a very intimate moment within them at that- but I didn't take it back. I had no wish to. Not with the way I was feeling.

Instead I cleared my throat and said again, in a softer voice, "To Andromeda."

The big eyes blinked slowly, her lips curving in a cautious half-smile. "And back?"

"Naturally." I winked.

We clinked glasses and drank. Julia watched my every move with pursed lips, but she didn't say anything. But somehow I could tell that she had a bit to say as well- something just for me. Something she might have tried to tell me were Danny not right there, washing dishes, smack dab in the middle of it all.

Suddenly Julia turned away and set her glass down so hard on the counter it nearly shattered. "Boys, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go dress for bed," she whispered.

"Do you need any help?" I offered slyly- but the question flew right past her. I doubt she even heard me, she hurried so quickly out of the kitchen. But I still saw the melancholy in her eyes, turning them glassy. I would have given a lot to know what was on her mind right then.

Ah, Danny, you dear little talkblock, I sighed inwardly, cracking a smile at my own joke. It occurred to me suddenly, how calmly I was taking Danny's, shall we say, unintentional interference, when not so long ago I might have become truly frustrated by it, enough to throw a small tantrum over. Perhaps the fact that I was indeed growing quite fond of the child had a hand in the change.

Or else I was just getting old, like Miami.

My stomach turned. Oh, yes. Dear Jim Beach, whom we called "Miami"- among other things, of course, but Miami was the band's favorite nickname for him. The memory hit so hard I had to sit down again and light another cigarette.