When John wakes up the next morning, he swears that there's no place he'd rather be.
Roxanne is practically on top of him, wearing a shirt of his that she'd pulled on after their...lovemaking.
Admittedly, it was a little awkward at first; they were both nervous but Roxanne soon relaxed which made him relax and once they'd gotten over the initial shyness that obviously came with being intimate for the first time...John really couldn't describe it. It was perfect.
She was perfect.
The sounds he had managed to elicit from her formed the most beautiful symphony that he's ever heard and he swears it was written for him.
John feels Roxanne start to stir against his shoulder, looking down in time for her to see her eyes flutter open.
"Morning," he whispers, getting a sleepy smile in return.
"Morning," she stretches her arms out, "What time is it?"
He turns his head to look at the clock on his desk, "A little after eight. Can you stay a little bit?"
He knows that she has to set up for Freddie's party later on tonight, the one that they're having after they've all gone round to Freddie's parents house but he doesn't want her to leave just yet.
To his relief, she nods and moves closer to his body, pressing a soft kiss to the underside of his jaw.
It's all so soft; the way she trails a hand up his chest, the way he's playing with her hair, everything.
"Last night," she begins, biting her lip as she runs a hand over a love bite she's left on his neck and he moves his head so he can kiss her skin, making her smile, the words dying on her tongue as he does so.
He was just so wonderful last night; his gentle touches, passionate kisses, making sure that she was alright, everything.
John's hands still in her hair as a smile makes its way onto his lips, "Last night...?"
She hides her face in his chest as it heats up, "I just...thank you."
"For what?"
"Being as gentle as you were," she whispers, kissing him softly, "Taking care of me."
"Hm," he hums, gently moving them so he's hovering over her, "I'll always take care of you."
She giggles as the ends of his hair tickle her face before he leans down to kiss her.
"Do you want some breakfast?" he asks when he finally manages to drag himself away from her lips and she nods, "Then I'll go down and get our stuff."
She follows his lead when he gets up from the bed, nervously pulling on the pair of PJ trousers he had given her last night, "Are your flatmates back?"
He nods. He'd heard them return last night and was extremely pleased that he'd remembered to lock his room's door, "Yeah but it'll be a miracle if any of them rise before midday. Come on," he holds out his hand, "I make a mean omelette."
"Breakfast?" Roxy grins, slipping her hand into his, "Well, how can I possibly say no to that?"
++|++
Finally, after breakfast and after another few kisses had been stolen, Roxanne finally drags herself from John's bed (where they'd retreated when his flatmates had started to stir) and made her way home so she could get a shower and put up some of the decorations.
Closing the door to the flat behind her, she throws her keys down on the small table by the door before she makes for her bedroom.
"Well, well, well,"
She screams, reaching for the closest thing she can find to defend herself as Roger speaks up from the couch, "Roger?!"
"Look what the cat dragged in," her cousin smirks, getting up, "Have a good night, Nessie?"
Her face flames, "It was alright, yeah."
"I think she's lying, Casp," he picks up the cat and cradles him as if he were a baby, "I know a walk of shame when I see one. Last night's clothes as well, Rox. Have to say, I'm proud."
"Oh shut up, Roger," she hisses and makes her way through to her room so she can put her bag and such away, "What are you still doing here anyway?"
He shrugs, "Still no electricity. Brian only went home to go to bed. Besides, Casper and I are getting on swimmingly."
"I'm glad," Roxy drones, "No Alyssa?"
She definitely thought he would have rung her and invited her over. Though that's not to say that she hasn't already come and gone. Pun intended.
"No," he frowns, "I did ring her and ask her round but she was at work first thing."
"Again?" Roxy asks, "I thought today was her day off."
"Normally it is but they're offering a lot of overtime and since Christmas is coming, she wants to get some more money for gifts and stuff."
She nods, "Makes sense. She's coming to Freddie's though, right?"
"Yeah."
"Good," she hums, "And since you're still here and not doing anything, while I'm showering, you can put the banners and stuff up,"
"Aw, Roxy, no. Please don't make me do that," he begs, "Why do you insist on putting that stuff up? It's cheesy as shit."
She pats his cheek gently as she passes him, finally making her way to the bathroom to have her shower, "That's exactly why, Rog."
++|++
Like she always did, Roxanne drove everyone to Freddie's parents' house -except for Mary and Alyssa. Mary was coming with her father while Alyssa, despite Roxy saying that it was no trouble to swing by her place on the way, said she'd meet them there.
They arrive just as Mary and her dad were climbing out of his car and the two waited patiently for them to join them at the end of the garden.
"Where's Alyssa?" she asks and Roger puts his cigarette out.
"She was working today," he opens the gate for them, "She said that the manager has you lot working a lot of overtime."
"Oh," Mary purses her lips but quickly plasters a smile on her face as Freddie comes out to greet them.
Roxanne and John are at the back of the group, Roxy carrying the presents she's bought for him (but was from both her and John) while he carries the cake, which he almost dropped twice on the way over thanks to her erratic driving.
She grins at Freddie when they reach the door, throwing an arm around his neck as he kisses her cheek, "Happy birthday, Freddie!"
"Thank you, my darling," he beams, ushering them into the house where they hear Alyssa calling his name, signalling her arrival.
"Look at baby Freddie!" Roxy giggles, catching sight of one of the photos hung on the wall before they step into the living room and John looks over his shoulder at his friend.
"You were cute, Fred. What happened?"
He winces as Freddie shoves him, masking it as they finally join the others in the sitting room, where there's a long dining table set up to accommodate them all.
Introductions are made and Roxanne disappears into the kitchen behind Freddie's mum to so she can put the cake down and then help her bring out some of the food.
Freddie's family are lovely, very welcoming and it's not long until they're all sat down, helping themselves to Jer's delicious cooking.
Roxanne is sat between John and Brian, Alyssa is on John's other side and across the table sits Mary, Freddie, Roger and Freddie's sister, Kash.
"Slow down, Nessie," Roger laughs as she helps herself to more of the food.
"Sorry," she flushes, "It's just so good."
"Nonsense," Jer waves a hand, "Plenty for everyone."
She gives Roger a smirk, "Plenty for everyone, Rog."
"Now Mary," Jer begins, sitting down on Brian's other side once more, "I can't tell you how long I have waited for Forrokh to bring home a nice girl like you."
Brian and Roxanne share a confused look, as does everyone else. Why hadn't he told them that Freddie wasn't his real name?
"Forrokh?" Mary repeats.
Freddie's mum looks shocked, "Did Forrokh not tell you he was born in Zanzibar?"
"No," Roxanne says, looking at Freddie, who's clenching his jaw and not looking at Mary. She didn't look particularly happy, "No, he didn't."
Brian tuts quietly.
"I thought Freddie was born in London?" asks John, just as Freddie's mum gets up from the table again.
"Oh, he was," replies his sister, "At the age of eighteen!"
"Shut up," Freddie hisses, pushing his sister away and Roxy laughs. She had wished she'd had siblings to act like this with.
But she had Roger and let's face it, he was as good as her brother.
"Our family is Indian Parsi," Jer explains as she rejoins the table, holding something large and square in her hands, it looks like a photo album and Roxy shares an excited look with John.
More photos of baby Freddie!
"Mum," he begs, "Mum, mum, mum!"
"Have a look at these!" Jer smiles and immediately, everyone is reaching for the album; Freddie so he can make sure nobody can see them and the rest so that they can.
"We need to see them!" Roxanne argues as Mary manages to get the album from his mother's grasp.
"A thousand years ago, the Parsis fled to India from Persia to escape Muslim persecution."
Roxanne looks to the head of the table when Freddie's father, Bomi Bulsara, starts talking. He'd been pretty quiet for most of the small party but Brian, who seems to be the only one other than her who had heard him speak, leans closer so he can hear the man over the other's quarrelling.
"Really? That's terrible. So why did you leave Zanzibar?"
"We didn't leave," Bomi replies and Roxanne has to look away from the man because John is nudging her and Roger is kicking her shin, trying to get her to look at the photos they're holding.
She and John share an album but listen as Jer tells him that Freddie used to be quite the boxer when he was younger.
"He had to be," Kash replies, "His opponents were always trying to punch in his teeth."
Again, Roxanne laughs, glancing over to where Freddie is now stood by the family's piano and she's not at all surprised when he starts playing a very slow, very dramatic rendition of Happy Birthday though being used to this, nobody listens.
Towards the end however, Kash notices something different.
"Mercury?" she calls out, testing the name for herself.
"No looking back," Freddie announces, "Only forwards."
"So now the family name's not good enough for you?" his father shoots out and Roxanne gulps, sharing a wide-eyed look with Alyssa as she leans back against her chair.
She doesn't like yelling.
John wraps an around her shoulder, moving her attention from the growing tension to the photo in his hand, which is a young Freddie wearing some boxing attire.
Freddie continues to sing while his father continues to add to the tension and when the phone rings, Roxanne wishes that she could answer it.
"Who'd like some cake?" Jer cuts in, desperately trying to diffuse the tension a little bit.
"That would be amazing," John exclaims as the others nod in agreement.
The phone was for Freddie and while he spoke to whoever was on the other end, Jer cuts up the cake and Roxanne and John continue to look at the photos.
"Freddie tells me that you're a scientist," Jer ays to Brian.
"Astrophysicist, actually," he corrects and Roxanne has to look away. He hates it when people get it wrong.
"He's a dentist!" John suddenly joins in the conversation, pointing a finger at Roger, who glares at his band mate.
"Dentist?"
"I was never a dentist," he argues.
"He's a dentist," Roxanne nods, licking some icing from her fingertips while Brian nods in agreement.
"He's a dentist," he agrees, looking at Roxanne when she yelps, seeing her glaring at her cousin across the table and it's not five seconds before Roger grunts as she retaliates.
"Hey," Brian warns and Jer, who's unaware of the fight that's just happened asks Roxanne about her life, seeming very interested when she hears about her growing up in Scotland.
"I have an announcement," Freddie interrupts, causing them all to look up at him curiously.
"What's going on, Fred?" Roxy asks.
"One of the A&R men from EMI saw us recording," he begins and she looks at John, who shrugs, "Gave our demo to John Reid. He looks after Elton John."
"Oh my god," John breathes, one hand flying up to run through his hair while the other finds Roxanne's.
"Mr Reid wants to meet with us," Freddie continues and Roxy's mouth falls open, "Possibly even manage us."
"You're joking!"
"Oh my...my boys!" Roxy exclaims, turning in her chair so she can wrap her arms around John, who hugs her just as tight. She then gets up and rushes around the table to hug Roger, who seems like he can't quite believe what's just happened.
Eventually, it's just one big group hug in the middle of the Bulsara's living room with the three girls in the middle as they all cheer and laugh excitedly.
This was the moment they'd been waiting for.
++|++
bonus gifs of this scene cause it's one of my faves in the film