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

forty seven

"Thank you," she hums.

"We should get going," Roxy pipes up from behind her as she grabs her bag, "We'll be lucky if we get a table."

John tears his eyes from the film once more and gets up to help her into the jacket that she got to go with the dress, smiling down at her when she turns to face him, "Have fun. And be careful."

Roxanne leans up to kiss him, wiping away the lipstick stain with her thumb, "I will. Don't really know how long we'll be out so don't wait up. You have work."

"Yes, mother."

She gives him another kiss, waiting patiently for Rebecca as she says goodbye to Roger.

"Nessie," he calls before they head out the door, "Be careful, yeah?"

"Don't worry, Rog, we will." she smiles, letting the door close softly behind her. 

++|++

Like they thought, The Crossed Peels was indeed heaving and they both had to fight their way to the bar and the push through the patrons to get to the empty booth that Rebecca had spotted, sliding into the one side so they could hear each other over the music. 

"So," Rebecca begins, putting her glass down on the table, "I couldn't help but hear that both John and Roger told you to be careful," she raises an eyebrow, "What have you been up to, hm?" 

Roxanne laughs quietly and pulls at the label of her beer bottle, "A couple of months back, if that, we were out one night at this club and my drink was spiked. If anything, they're just worried about me." 

The teasing smile that Rebecca had on her face sipped off, "Are you serious?" 

She nods, "This is actually the first time I've been out on my own since it happened. Normally I'm with the band." 

"And you're feeling alright?" 

Shrugging, she finally rips a section of the label off, "I'm a little nervous, I won't lie but I'd be more apprehensive if it was a club we were at." 

Rebecca puts her hand on top of hers, "If you want to leave, at any time, just say the word and we'll go." 

Giving her a smile, Roxanne takes a sip of her beer, "Thanks but I think we'll be fine." 

She's desperate to change the subject, she can't take how Rebecca is looking at her and so she decides to bring up her cousin. She really wants to know what he's like when he's with her. 

"Tell me something," she grins, turning slightly so she can look at Rebecca, "Whats Roger like?" 

She tilts her head, "How do you mean?" 

"Like..." Roxy searches for the best way to word it, "To me, he doesn't seem to be the type to be romantic, gentle, y'know? I'm just curious-" 

"He's romantic," Rebecca nods, stirring her drink with her stripey straw, "I mean, we've not been together long or anything but...he bought me roses the other day. He gives me his coat whenever we're out and it's chilly...he walks me to work every morning - even if it's his day off." 

Roxanne smiles, watching her light up as she talks about him. Who knew that Roger could be so romantic?

"Oh god," Rebecca suddenly whispers, ducking down slightly in the booth as she looks past Roxy's shoulder. 

"What?" she turns to see that a young man with brown cropped hair (and who honestly looks like he could be a bit of a twat) is making his way over to them, beer in hand and she looks back at Rebecca, "Do you know him?" 

"That's Jack," she sighs. 

"From the studio?" Roxy asks and she raises an eyebrow, "I may have overheard Joan mention him." 

Rebecca nods, "Yeah, that's him. He's always trying to get me to go out for dinner with him. He knows that I'm not interested and that I'm seeing someone but-Jack, hey!"

"Rebecca," he greets, sliding -uninvited- into the opposite side of the booth, "I thought it was you." 

"Yeah," Rebecca shifts uncomfortably, "It's me." 

"I thought you said that you weren't going out tonight. That you were busy." Jack then looks at Roxanne, who's watching him closely, "Who's this?"

Before Rebecca can speak, she's holding her hand out with a little smile, "I'm Roxanne. Becca's date for this evening." 

She doesn't quite know what made her say that. She thinks it's because of how uncomfortable her friend looks under his gaze. 

Jack's eyes dart back and forth between the two of them, "Oh, I didn't realise that you were...seeing someone." 

"Well she is," Roxy raises an eyebrow, "And no offence but you're kind of putting a dampener on the evening so..." 

Jack looks at Rebecca, who shrugs her shoulders, muttering a quiet have a good night before he's slinking back out of the booth and when he's far enough away, the pair start laughing. 

"Thank you," Rebecca murmurs, "He just never gives up. And like I said, I did tell him that I'm seeing someone." 

"Oh, so you and Rog aren't like, together?" 

"Not exclusively, no." 

What the hell was he waiting for? 

++|++

can brian pls record an audiobook or something because that man has the most soothing voice that i would listen to all-day long