Somebody To Love - Maylor/Deacury

4 - Action This Day

John's POV

A week after arriving at the farm, I found myself stuck in the recording studio in the early evening after a long day. The day had seemed to drag on forever as it had consisted of indecisiveness, technical difficulties, and petty arguments. Some of us were becoming frustrated because we hadn't made any significant progress since we arrived, but I stayed optimistic because I knew that our hard work would pay off.

We had started off the day trying to play a song Freddie was still writing, but that proved to be too difficult so we set it aside and messed around with some of our older songs as practice. Now, we were playing through one of our previous hits, 'Keep Yourself Alive'.

I could tell that Roger was exhausted when he gave a nearly monotone, "Do you think you're better every day?"

Brian didn't even bother moving closer to the mic for his lyric, "No, I just think I'm two steps nearer to my grave."

"Let's call it," Freddie interrupted before the next section of the song could begin. We all stopped playing without question, glad to finally be done for the day. I took my time unplugging and putting away my bass guitar as the others did the same with their respective instruments.

Roger sat on the couch, lighting a cigarette while Brian sat beside him. I joined them, resting my feet on the coffee table in front of us. It was no secret that Roger had become bored out of his mind the past few days, something we had all anticipated. Brian, on the other hand, had seemed fairly content, but now he looked burnt out after the long day that had wrapped up our rather uneventful week.

Even Freddie looked tired as he walked over and sank into the couch beside me. He sighed, then moved closer and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. We all sat in a comfortable silence, letting our minds wander wherever they pleased.

Suddenly Roger sat up, disrupting the peace, "I can't spend another night stuck at this farm. I know you're all bored too, even if you won't admit it," he put out his cigarette in the ashtray in front of him, "there's a pub just down the road - who's coming?" We all took a minute to think.

"Sorry, Rog," Brian apologized, "I'm not really in the mood to go out tonight."

He looked at me next. I replied, "Same here - another time, for sure."

Lastly, he turned to Freddie with a hopeful look. I could sense his disappointment at the singer's response, "I think we're all just too tired, Rog. Myself included."

"Are you joking?" Roger asked, "We haven't left this place all week and you're tired?"

"Calm down, blondie," Freddie teased, trying to lighten the mood, "We don't need to leave the house to have a little fun."

Brian looked up, interested, "What are you saying, Fred?"

I looked at Freddie, noticing the way his eyes lit up as he shared his idea, "We have liquor at the house, and I can ask Paul to buy some more if we run out." He grinned at the mixed reactions he received.

"Well, that's better than doing nothing," Roger admitted.

Brian shrugged and looked down, "I could go for a drink too."

Freddie squeezed my shoulder, "Deaky?"

I smiled, "Sounds like a plan!"

Freddie's POV

With that decided, we all got off the couch, grabbed our jackets and started to head out. The promise of booze had seemed to lift everyone's spirits, possibly because the past week had been so monotonous.

The door to the booth opened as I passed it. "Freddie?" Paul called.

I wasn't sure what he wanted. "I'll meet you all there in a minute," I called after the rest of the band, before joining Paul. I closed the door and sat in a chair beside him. I could tell something was on his mind as he took a long pause before speaking.

"Freddie, I apologize if I'm overstepping my boundaries, but..." he struggled to meet my eyes, "Is everything okay?"

Caught off guard, I disguised my insecurity with a laugh, "What do you mean, darling?"

"I was watching you rehearse today, and... is everything okay with the band?"

I knew something was off, "You're worried about the band?"

"I - I guess so." He looked up at me, then reached across and put out his cigarette in the ashtray in front of me.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" He opened his mouth, but the words never came. I could tell that there was something he wanted to say, and I wanted to know what it was, "Paul, I know that's not what you're trying to ask," I turned my chair to face him, "Whatever it is, just say it."

He looked down, still giving no response. I could tell that this conversation wasn't going anywhere, so I got up to leave, "Come find me when-"

I was cut off when he rose to his feet and kissed me. I froze, in a state of shock, before pushing him away. "Paul..." I nearly whispered, still processing what had just happened, "I - I have a girlfriend. Mary - you've met her."

He pleaded, "Don't be childish - we both knew this was going to happen sooner or later."

I didn't know how to react, so I laughed. Then, I stepped away from him and went straight to the door, "I'm sorry if you got the wrong impression, but this can't happen."

A look of regret came over his face as I rejected him, "Freddie, I didn't mean to-"

I stepped outside and closed the door. I couldn't help but feel guilty as I practically ran out of the studio, headed to the farmhouse to get completely wasted. I needed that, especially after what had just happened.