Somebody To Love // Queen, Roger Taylor, Ben Hardy

8

The number of 'Queen' fans increased daily, which was in so many ways, wonderful.

On the other hand, the band's privacy started to be seriously affected by it and India couldn't deny it, it was making her insane.

Every time she left the house, paparazzi and overly excited fans would come up to her, and even though she felt grateful for the attention, she also knew that she didn't deserve it, nor did she like it.

There were also a lot of people who disliked and even hated her, only because of fake speculations or simply because of envy.

Everyone noticed this, from the boys, to their manager. All of the hate towards the band and their families started affecting the band, but mostly India.

Freddie was beyond destroyed. He was devastated, as well as his band mates, and also afraid that Indigo would part ways with the band sooner than expected.

**

1975 - somewhere in England

"Tell me again" started Roger who was sporting an incredibly fancy fur jacket and some stylish aviator sunglasses. "Why are we in the middle of nowhere?"

"To get away from distractions." smiled Paul. "That way you can concentrate on making more amazing music."

Roger just looked at him boringly and didn't even try to smile in a way that didn't seem fake.

"Guys come with me! I wanna show you your rooms." started Paul, excitedly.

Everyone followed the man into an old British house that stood in the middle of a valley. Apparently, it had a great recording studio and artists would often stay there to compose music.

"Freddie, that's yours." said Paul smiling at Freddie while pointing to a big room. "Roger, this is you. And Brian." he said pointing towards the other two rooms. "John, Indigo, follow me."

He then proceeded to take John to a very tiny room in the 'dungeons' of the house while he took India to the living room and simply laid her things on the couch.

"Hope you have an amazing stay." he smiled sarcastically.

"Am I supposed to thank you?" she said in response.

"What was that?" Paul asked back, getting irritated.

"I said-" the furious girl was about to snap, but was cut off by Roger who appeared in the room seconds after.

"That stupid fuck gave you the couch?" he then noticed that Paul was standing there, right in front of India. "Glad to see you're here! Why don't you start being a gentleman and treat India right?" the blonde asked the man with a mustache.

"I don't see what I'm doing wrong." he smiled cynically, right before leaving the room.

Roger huffed and said "That stupid coward... Should get some bloody glasses to see a little bit better!" he shouted after him, in hopes that he heard. "Don't worry, you can stay in my room if you'd like."

"And sleep beside you? I'd rather stay here" she smiled while arranging her stuff.

"Well, first of all: I'm offended." he said putting his hand in his heart. "And second: I was going to sleep on the couch if you slept in my room." he said matter-of-factly.

India laughed which made Roger confused.

"I don't know why you're using that tone, since this is the first time you actually invited me into your bed while you weren't there." India implied.

Roger thought about it and realized Indigo was right. "Well... in my defense..." he did try to find a good way to defend himself, but unfortunately failed.

Silence fell upon the pair while Indigo just smiled and continued arranging her bags.

"So, what do you say?" Roger insisted.

"It's really sweet of you, really, but I'll stay. You're the artist here, not me. You have to be well rested, not me-" she started only to be cut off by the drummer once again.

"That's where you're wrong, though." he started "How can I rest well, knowing you'll be sleeping on the couch?" He then cheekily smiled, the smile that only the drummer could do and India knew that smile way too well.

Not only because he used it on other girls all the time, but because he used it on her even more often, if that was possible.

"Thank you, truly" she smiled "I'm flattered, but I'll be fine. It's just a couch." She shrugged. "What's the worst that could happen?"

He made a thoughtful face and then managed to suggest "Paul could try and kill you in the middle of the night, which I know you're considering as an option." he laughed playfully as she shook her head while laughing as well.

"You're sure you'll be fine?" he smiled, showing that he truly cared.

"I've slept in worse places, Rog. With worse people." she said. "I'll be fine." she assured him.

"Recording studio in five, guys!" They heard Freddie shout. "I have our next hit."

"And the queen speaks again..." said India while making her way to the recording studio. She then turned to Roger, who she noticed didn't move from his previous place and asked: "You coming?"

Roger nodded at her question, smiling at her cute American accent as she continued her way out.

He noticed a couple of photos sticking out of one of her bags, and even though his mind told him not to, his heart told him otherwise.

He took the Polaroids and studied them carefully.

The first one was a photo of India, dressed in her usual 'hippie-ish' attire, somewhere in a place that resembled Woodstock, or maybe that was just Roger stereotyping.

He beautifully smiled at the first picture, sad that he couldn't keep it and moved onto the next one in which he recognized the woman to be Indigo's mother, more precisely his childhood celebrity crush.

He cringed at the thought. Beside her, was a smaller version of India, at which he smiled.

The drummer then noticed a last picture in which he saw a young man. Someone people would find very attractive if he happened to be in a rock band, the drummer thought.

He wondered why Indigo would keep that photo with her, and a ping of jealousy couldn't help but make its way to his chest.

"Rog? What the hell are you waiting for?" he heard Brian entering the living room, and rapidly put the photos back in India's bag. "Oh my God." the puddle haired man brought his hand up to his forehead and shook his head. "Please tell me that you're not looking for India's underwear again..."

"I never did that in the first place!" he defended himself. "I would never do that!"

Brian just stared at the blonde.

"Ok, fair..." he realized "I would never do that to her!"

Brian smiled incredulously. In all those years he had known Roger, the latter had never ever been so respectful to anyone, mostly a woman.

"What?" asked the drummer.

"You're so whipped." said the guitarist smiling brightly and shook his head before turning to leave. "Don't take too long, Freddie will kill you."

"Wait, Bri!" he stumbled on the house's furniture. "What do you mean 'whipped'?"

He didn't get an answer because Brian had already left.

-//-
08/01/2019