Towards the end of 1976, in early December, Queen's fifth studio album, A Day at the Races was released to the world and like it's predecessor, it shot straight up the charts to number one and because it was so close to the holidays, the band wouldn't be jetting off on their world tour until the fifteenth of January but given that it was now Christmas eve, that wasn't very long at all.
There are just a couple more hours until midnight and John and Roxy were still downstairs in the living room wrapping presents. She'll admit it, she may have gone a little overboard with presents for Arthur but she had to do it; this was his first Christmas and she wanted it to be absolutely perfect.
John step through the back door into the kitchen carrying some wood for the fire, stomping his feet as quietly as he can to rid his boot of the snow.
"It's really coming down out there, now," he calls as he kicks the boots off before moving through to the living room, smiling at the sight before him. She's surrounded by paper and sellotape, with a truly awful Christmas jumper on and some PJ bottoms that belong to him.
The house was decorated to the nines; the big tree that they couldn't have last year was proudly stood in the corner, John's angel ornament hanging in the same place it was last year, right in the middle. The outside, that was just as bright; there was lights on their bushes down by the gate and the house, well, they'd put icicle lights up so they were hanging from the roof and believe him when he says that he almost died putting them up.
He quickly tosses the logs onto the fire, placing the guard back up before he's sitting down beside Roxanne, reaching for one of the presents they'd gotten for Rebecca.
"Remember and put that out before you come to bed," she murmurs, placing a neatly wrapped present in her pile. Wait, was that for Freddie or Brian? She couldn't remember.
He nods, "I will. Don't want Santa burning his bottom, do we?"
"Exactly," she grins, "Did you say it was snowing again?"
He nods again.
"It's definitely going to be a white Christmas then."
"It is. It's a shame that no one can make it down though."
By that, he means their mum's. Lillian and Cathy were supposed to arrive on the last train last night but, due to the worsening weather, Roxy's mum had only made it to Leister so the two women were going to spend the day together instead of being alone.
So this year, it was just going to be the three of them.
"It'll be fine," John assures her, hand on hers before he gets up to go to their ever-growing record collection, "Some music will lighten the mood, won't it?" He winces as his knees crack when he bends down (twenty-five going on fifty-five, that's what Roxanne always jokes) and he starts going through them.
Roxanne moves on to writing tag, pausing briefly when she thinks she hears Arthur stirring through the baby monitor.
"Love, do we even own a Christmas rec-oh, here's one. Hope you don't mind some Bing Crosby?"
"Of course not," she grins as he gently sets the record into the player and it's not long before it crackles to life and John quickly turns it down.
He takes his spot on the floor again, back resting against the couch and he watches Roxy, in her perfect cursive, write out a tag for Freddie's gift.
"You're staring," she notes without looking up.
A smile tugs at his lip, "I know. Can't help it. You just look so lovely like this."
"John," she tosses a scarf that's for his mum at him, smile on her own face, "Stop it. And get that wrapped."
It takes them at leat another hour to finish up the wrapping and once she's made sure that all of Arthur's stuff is in a neat pile, Roxanne yawns and stretches her arms above her head.
"Go to bed, love," John whispers, catching hold of her hand, "I'll get the mess."
"Are you sure?"
He nods, "Gotta try and get the cats in, don't I?"
"Thank you," she breathes, bending down to press a kiss to his lips, "Don't know what I'd do without you. Remember and unplug the camera too."
He kisses her again, "Go to bed."
She returns her scissors and sellotape to the kitchen cupboard, shutting off the light as she heads for the stairs.
"Hey,"
She stops, looking back before she leaves the room, "Yeah?"
"Merry Christmas, Roxy."
++|++
The next morning, the young parents decided that they weren't going to wake early - just rising when Arthur did at his normal time. There was no point in disturbing the little one's routine and besides, he'd just get cranky sooner in the day.
John is the one who hears him stirring, gently nudging Roxanne awake before climbing out of bed to go fetch him.
She sits up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before looking at the clock. Right on time.
Many people couldn't say that their child has a routine but Arthur, he did. He woke up every morning at 8:30. He definitely got that from John. Roxanne was all over the place.
Hearing her boys heading towards her, she stretches, holding out her arms out for the child as soon John steps back into the bedroom.
John smiles as he hands him over, watching as Roxanne cradles him against her chest. He can't believe how big he's gotten - that he'll be one in less than three months. It felt like it was just yesterday that they were bringing him home from the hospital.
"Merry Christmas baby," Roxy murmurs, booping Arthur gently on the nose, which makes him smile, "Are you excited to see what everyone's got you? I'm sure you're going to be so spoiled, aren't you?"
"I'm going to get the camera," John says excitedly, "I want to get all of this...wait here."
She does as he says, sitting Arthur down between her legs, resting her chin gently on top of his head so he can play with her hair. She too couldn't believe how fast he was growing - she didn't want him to grow up. He was just too perfect and adorable that she wanted him to stay this small forever.
"You need to stop growing," she whispers, hearing John calling that they could come down now.
Arthur whines when she stands, effectively halting his playtime but she gently shushes him.
She's gotten quite used to John always filming - more so now since he's convinced that Arthur is going to say his first word soon.
To her relief, he's not stood at the bottom of the stairs because today would be the day that her foot would slip or something nd he would have it all on tape.
He's setting it up on the coffee table, looking through the viewfinder to make sure it's pointing at the somewhat large pile of gifts and he presses record as Roxy sits herself down.
"Is this really necessary?" she smiles when he joins them.
"Yes," he says quietly, "It's his first proper Christmas, love."
It soon became clear though, as they were opening the presents, that their son was far more interested in the shiny wrapping paper than anything else.
Like previously stated, they'd perhaps gone a tad too far, especially when their living room was littered in the new toys and clothes that they'd bought and they hadn't even opened those from the band or their parents.
From Brian, Arthur got a new stuffed penguin, this one bigger than the one he gave before he was born but the little boy just wasn't interested, taking it from Roxanne for just a few seconds before he tosses it off to the side. The second gift Brian had given him was a t-shirt, one with little planets on it and underneath, the words Space is Ace.
"He got you something too," Roxanne murmurs, handing John another wrapped present, one that feels like another shirt and he sets it down and let Arthur help him rip it open, "What is it?"
"It's a jumper," he murmurs, turning it over so he can look it, "That wanker."
"John!"
"Look at this!" he cries, holding it up for her to read and she can't help but laugh, "He's such a wanker!"
World's Okayest Bassist.
"Freddie's next," she announces to move him on, handing him another neatly wrapped box.
"God, I'm terrified to open it," John laughs before handing over two presents over to her, "Those are for you. From me and the little man."
She opens one of them to reveal a slim black box and she glances up at John, who's watching Arthur before she opens it, mouth falling open as she does.
Inside, nestled in velvet, are a set of sapphire earrings, a beautiful teardrop shaped cut with a matching necklace.
"Holy shit," she breathes, looking up to see him watching her with a smile on his face, "John, John, no-I can't-"
"I don't want to hear it, Roxanne," he murmurs as Arthur finally succeeds in ripping open Freddie's gift, "Besides, it's not from me, it's from this one. You deserve it, love."
Now she's terrified to open the second gift, who knows what else he's got planned. She opens the envelope slowly, turning it upside down to let the contents, two plane tickets, flutter to the floor in front of her.
"Now those," he says, letting Arthur crawl into the pile of wrapping paper, "Those are from me. They're for America."
She's speechless, truly speechless.
"And I know what you're going to say, that you can't go because of the cats but, your mum is very happy to come down here and look after them for the duration."
"I..."
"Did you really think I wouldn't ask the two of you to come with me?" he asks softly, letting out a soft laugh when she crawls toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Thank you," she whispers, "You're far too good to me."
He kisses her cheek, letting her sit back down and she hands him the gift from Freddie.
They both knew that there was a good chance that his gift would be the most extravagant and they were right not only had he bought Arthur a crystal attachment for the mobile above his crib, he bought an array of cashmere sweaters and blankets.
"That man, I swear," Roxy says to herself as she folds the clothing up, "Well, at least he got them for twelve to eighteen months. He'll get more use out of them."
Roger also got Arthur some clothes; t-shirts that had artwork for all five Queen albums, the Day at the Races one would be perfect attire for the upcoming tour. He also got him another pair of converse. Once again, the pink sparkly ones but they were in a much bigger size (she wouldn't throw the others away though, they were just too cute).
"Alright," Roxanne grins, "This one is for the two of you."
"Oh?" John takes it from her, only for Arthur to rip it out of his hands, "Alright, you can open it, kiddo."
Inside, is two t-shirts, one for each of them. On John's is, 'Yes, I know he's got my nose.' and on Arthur's, 'Yes, I know I've got his nose.'
"I had to get them," Roxy giggles, "Everyone's always saying it and I just thought that you could match."
"I love them," he chuckles, watching her as she stands, "Where are you going?"
"To get your presents," she grins, "You didn't think that was all I got you, did you?"
Her smile slips from her face as soon as she's out of the room. Sapphires. He got her fucking sapphires. How the hell was she supposed to compete with that?
Upstairs in her wardrobe, right at the back, are John's three gifts; a ring that he'd seen and said he wanted, a new strap for his watch, some new shirts and a couple of nice shirts.
She hated buying presents for him, hated it. Even though they were married, she doesn't like spending the money that he's earned and so she uses her own and well, since she's not got a job, there's not very much of it.
And yes, John's lovely and insists that what's his is hers and that she shouldn't worry or feel bad about dipping into the funds but she can't. It just makes her feel uncomfortable - it's his money, she didn't write the songs or release the albums.
She feels silly as she returns to the living room, seeing that Arthur is now crawling across the floor toward Casper and Amos while John is lighting the fire.
She sits on the couch, waiting patiently for him to set the protective guard back up.
"All right," he grins, sitting down by her, missing the embarrassed smile on her face as she hands over the gifts.
He's lovely about them, he always is; eyes lighting up the same way whenever she gets him anything.
"Thanks, love," he grins, "Needed this," he nods to the watch strap, "This one's getting a bit tattered. And the shirts, can never have too many, right?"
She really didn't know how she got so lucky.
++|++
so this chapter is dedicated to @a_classic_rocker (i hope this tag works).
she was the one who had the idea for the shirt about having the same nose and so i thought, hey, it'd be cute to have them both matching.
i hope you're all still staying safe during these crazy times 💕