'2017 | Queen/BoRhap cast fanfic; time travel (complete)

32.| When I was you and you were me

✰ 8.5k words.

Freddie was laying down on John's couch. Older Brian disappeared while the Johns tried to make tea, the others were in the living room; older Roger sat on an armchair as younger Brian occupied the other; younger Roger stood behind it along with Y/N.

The older Roger can't move his gaze away from Freddie. For a moment, he thought his eyes would fly from their sockets, his hands from his arms, his feet from his legs. He doesn't know what to think. He doesn't know what to do.

The only thing he knows - and now is sure of - is that time doesn't heal. Not that he ever believed it, nor wanted to. If any part of him had truly healed, would it mean that he had accepted the world without Freddie? It was hard to look at him, it struck nerves he thought were asleep. However, it was even harder to stop; he realized he was avoiding blinking. Freddie was there but he couldn't wonder for how long or if it was actually real.

Roger looked at Y/N, she brushed her shoulder against his; just a reminder that she was there for him. Roger drew in a breath and looked at his older self. It could be worse.

"So..." He spoke, the silence was becoming unbearable. "Do you have any questions or...? I don't know."

"I don't know either," Roger answered without looking at them. Brian sighed, it was exhausting to know that this encounter is necessary but to also be aware of the consequences of it.

"You don't want to ask anything?" The younger asked, almost offended by the older's lack of interest.

"I don't even know if you're real," Roger answered, he sounded sincere. Y/N is sure that she senses a bit of anger.

The younger one frowned and start walking, Y/N made an attempt to grab his shirt and keep him by her side, but failed. Roger's reaction to getting pinched was enough to make Freddie open his eyes, John appear in the hallway's entrance holding a kettle and his younger version getting slapped on the arm.

Brian stood up, and Y/N went to the front of the armchair.

"Why would you do that?" Roger asked, rubbing where his younger self had pinched him.

"Is it real enough for you?" The other blonde asked, a smirk almost starting to form. Older Roger almost felt a need to apologize to his bandmates, but the thought that the man in front of him isn't really him stopped that action from happening.

"You've always been loud," Freddie's voice was low but still dragged everyone's attention.

Roger snorted and leaned to kiss his friend's forehead.

𓂅̸ ׄ ✰ ִ ︵⏜̸

Younger Brian and Roger helped John bring chairs to the living room.

Older Roger found a seat on the sofa, and Freddie put his feet on his lap. Brian pushed the armchair closer to the couch because John wanted to be near Freddie as well, the older Brian was still nowhere to be found. Roger sat beside Y/N and a small smile reached his lips when their knees touched. Deaky sat on the floor and held Freddie's - who was feeling slightly better - hand. Brian chose to sit by younger Roger's side.

"I hope you can understand my reaction, Y/N. This..." Older Roger shook his head and let his words be swallowed by the air. His gaze shifted from her to Freddie, he had dreamed so many times about his friend opening his eyes again. "I still can't believe it, but..." He sighed, Y/N gave him a sympathetic smile and nodded.

"It's fine, I- I understand how hard it's to... Well, to have the past brought up like this, unannounced, but I- We had no other choice." She replied, feeling herself slowly become lightheaded.