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

thirty six

Brian holds up a hand as if to say see! and Roxanne laughs, leaning over to ruffle his hair.

"I also ran into Joe from Crossed Peels. He says there's a slot for us tonight if we want it."

Freddie immediately perks up, "Fabulous! We've been so concentrated on this bloody album that we haven't played a gig in ages."

Roger grins as Roxanne tops up their coffee, "Good thing I said yes then, isn't it?"

"Tagging along, darling?" Freddie asks and she nods, which surprises Brian.

"Yeah?"

She nods again, "I'm off tomorrow and I can't spend another night in the flat, I'm going to go crazy. Besides, I think I'm ready."

John reaches over to rest his hand on top of hers and Freddie claps his hands.

At least she thinks she's ready.

++|++

Walking into the pub later on that night, Roxanne (for some stupid reason) feels as if everyone in the building is staring at her which was ridiculous. This wasn't even where it happened.

As if sensing her nervousness, John squeezes her hand lightly, which relaxes her.

She wasn't alone in this. John was here, Roger was here...her friends were here.

Mary was waiting for them in a booth and when she saw Roxy was with them, she lit up and let out a squeal.

"You came!" she cheers, getting up so she can hug her.

"Hi," Roxanna grins, wrapping her arms around her, "Feels like I haven't seen you in forever!"

Roxanne is grateful for Mary Austin. When she first met her, she wasn't sure how they would get on or if they would get on at all but when it became clear that she was the only other female that seemed to be a constant around the boys, they had just kind of clicked.

"Right ladies," Roger claps his hands, "What are we having? Nessie? Gin?"

"Can I have a beer?" she asks, "Ask if we can have the bottle?"

"Of course," he nods, ruffling her hair as John climbs onto the small stage to start setting up.

Freddie goes with Roger to get the drinks and while Mary and Roxy converse quietly on stuff that they can't exactly talk about with the guys, Brian strums away on his guitar, occasionally looking up at the door when it opens so he can get a feel for the audience and his hand stills when he hears a familiar voice call Roxy's name.

"You have got to be kidding me."

"What?" Roger asks as he sits back down, handing a beet over to Roxy and leaning back to pass one to John, "Oh..."

It was Kayla and she was heading straight for their table, leaving two other women who must have been her friends.

"Kayla!" Roxanne grins, standing up to greet her popular.

"What are you lot doing here?" the young woman asks after she's been introduced to Mary.

Roxanne gestures to the boys, "We're here to watch this lot play."

"I didn't know that you guys were in a band! W-"

"Well now you do," Brian interrupts rudely and her face falls, "So you can go now."

"Brian!" Mary gasps, not used to hearing that tone of voice from him and he shrugs.

The woman stood by their table tries to give them another smile but Roxy can see that she's hurt, that she doesn't quite know what she's done to annoy the guitarist so much.