Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy (JoeMazzello!JohnDeacon fanfic)

eighteen

Though it's not an unwelcome one and Roxy smiles when he gives the three of them a little wave.

"John," she greets, "What are you doing here?"

"Roger rang me, said something about not being able to get your record player to work. He wants me to take a look at it and he mentioned you finished at five so I thought I'd wait for you."

Roger and Freddie had left the diner with her key, telling her that they'd head on back to her flat so they could finally build up her bed - yes, she had been on Roger's couch for another three nights and honestly, she was a little bit scared of what she was going to go home to.

"There's something wrong with my record player?"

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," he murmurs after she says goodbye to Molly and Kim, "He probably hasn't plugged it in properly."

Roxy laughs and pulls her bag to a more comfortable position on her shoulder, "I hope so."

"If not, I'm sure I'll be able to fix it."

"I'm sure you will," she nods, "After all, you are an electrical genius."

"I don't know about that..."

"You're building your own amp, John. I think that's pretty amazing."

"Oh, we'll thank you," he smiles and she could have awed at how sheepish he looked as they fall silent, listening to the sounds of the city as they walk.

Roxanne bites down on her lip when she feels his hand brush against hers.

Once.

Twice. 

Thrice.

When his hand brushes hers for a fourth time, he finally bites the bullet and takes her hand properly.

Roxanne isn't able to hide her smile this time as she looks down at their now joined hands; his palm is warm but not uncomfortably so and she doesn't know how to explain it but it just feels...right.

Like they're supposed to be holding hands.

The two make quiet conversation all the way back to her building, where she presses the buzzer so either Roger or Freddie can let them in.

"Who is it?"

"It's us, Roger. Open up."

"Us?" he repeats, "Who's us?"

"Rog-"

"Alright."

The door buzzes open and she thanks John when he holds it open for her and the two climb the stairs to the fourth floor, where her flat resides and she stops for a brief second to mentally prepare herself for what could be on the other side of that door.

"It'll be fine," John says, "What's the worst that they could've done?"

She doesn't even want to think about that.
The first thing she notices is that the couch, her couch has been pushed so it's blocking the window onto the fire escape - safety hazard!- and in the middle of the living room, is her bed.

"What the fuck?"

Both Roger and Freddie turn their way and Freddie is quick to come greet them, "Welcome home, darling!"

"Thank you," she mumbles, letting him kiss her cheek, "One question though...why is my bed in the living room?"

"We're building it up for you!" Roger huffs, "It's taken us bloody ages as well so if you could act maybe just a little more thankful-"

"Why didn't you just build it in the bedroom?" John asks as he stands behind Roxanne, "Mate, you're never gonna get that through the doorway."

The two of them look at the bed, then to the doorway that they'd have to take it through before Freddie is glaring at Roger.

"I told you that!" he yells, smacking the blonde over the head with a magazine, "But you said it'd be fine."

As they start arguing, John looks around the room for her record player and spotting it in the corner, he heads over to it and immediately plugs it in to test it, finding that it is indeed not working, he returns to behind Roxanne to grab his bag, digging through it to find his screwdrivers.

"Wait," she begins, looking around the room once more, "Where-where's Casper? Did you let him out? Oh my god, you did, didn't you? You let my cat out in a city he doesn't know. You guys, he'll get killed he-"

"Relax," Roger says loudly to shut her up, "He's fine. He's out there on the fire escape sleeping."

"Oh."

"I told him he'd love it here!" Freddie grins, "We stopped by the supermarket and got you some cat food for him."

"Yeah, we got you some stuff too. Milk, bread. Y'know, the basics. Got you some cheese and pasta too in case you felt like making us dinner for all our hard work. You guys need to try her macaroni. It's amazing."

"I'll make you dinner when you take that bed down and build it back up in the bedroom," she compromises, finally taking off her coat.

"Deal."

++|++

At ten o'clock, they finally took their leave - full of macaroni and Roger took some back to his flat for Brian.

"Deaky," Roger called as he pulled on his jacket, "Mate, you wanting a lift home?"

"Uh, yeah, that'd be great," he nods, "I'll meet you down there in a few, just gonna go to the loo."

Roger waves a hand and drags Freddie out the door, telling him that they'd be out in the van.

John wait till the door shuts before making his way over to where Roxy is cleaning in the kitchen and she looks up when she sees him out the corner of her eye, "This isn't the bathroom, Mr Deacon."

"I know," he shrugs, "Are you working Wednesday?"

"Uh," she dries her hands and ducks under his arm into the living room to get her bag, pulling out the sticky note that has her shifts written down, "I'm doing six till two."

"Oh," his face falls, "Was wondering if you wanted to go out then. But we can do it a day you're off-"

"We could have lunch?" Roxy offers, "It's six in the evening I start so I'm available up until."

He perks up again, "Oh! Then okay, do you want to have lunch with me on Wednesday?"

She nods eagerly, "I would love to,"

++|++

thank you! Can't believe that somebody to love has hit 500k and it's all thanks to you guys! Never in my wildest dreams did i think that it would get the response it did but holy crap i'm glad you liked it

and to celebrate, i am going to write a wee chapter for you guys and it'll be set in the future. how far in the future, i haven't decided yet but pls bear with me.