Roses in December

Nine

It was an invitation that set him off, one that Roger had received year after year, like clockwork. Just like himself, his sister Claire had always been a fan of Christmas and took it upon herself to throw one hell of a bash.

She invited her brother yearly, though whether or not he showed was up to him. Claire was popular in her own group of friends and never needed her rockstar brother to show his face at any of her parties in order to have a good time. Most of them were intimate affairs anyway; people they had grown up with or friends from her workplace.

Roger went annually, as to how could he turn down a good party? Especially one was thrown by his sister during their favorite time of year. Nobody there really paid him much mind anyhow. Sure, as his career went off and the band got more well known, there were people here and there asking him if he really was who he said he was. Chatting with Claire about how wonderful it was to have such a talented brother, but never anything too over the top. Just a compliment or two or happy cheers for his success before they moved on.

Over time, Roger had tried to persuade the others to join him. Freddie and Brian had both given in a time or two until Brian met Chrissie and began spending the holidays with her, and Freddie would either return home or spend time with Mary or whoever he was attached to at that moment.

John would decline year after year, excusing himself to return back to his family home. Roger was never too disappointed, as they always had the actual holiday together. Roger respected his reasoning and never pushed too hard.

Until this year, however.

Roger read the invitation, his eyes scanning over the place where he was free to bring a guest if he liked. Every year Roger would show up to his sisters with nothing more than a bottle of something delicious and expensive, though no one pretty on his arm, even though for the past few years he had someone pretty at home waiting for him.

Roger had put his foot down this time, however. He wasn't going to turn up to Claire's alone, oh no. He cornered the man, insisting that they would go together. John was against it completely and while at first, it seemed like good fun, the arguing, Roger finally demanded to know why John wouldn't want to go to a family gathering with the man.

"I know how you get at parties," John told him simply. "You're going to drink, and get too comfortable, and get too handsy and I don't want to spend the night pushing you away."

"I don't get handsy at every party we go to," Roger told him with a roll of his eyes.

They had gotten used to keeping their distance at most events. No one would be suspicious if they stood around one another, talking all night. After all, they were mates, in and out of the band, so it wouldn't be too surprising if they enjoyed one the other company, but they knew the roles they had to play.

So John would be on the dance floor or speaking to the executives and Roger would be speaking to anyone else who was famous or flirting with a pretty girl that he never actually brought home. Gone were the days when the two were still trying to find their footing in the world. They knew at the end of the night, they'd be who they'd go off with, whether it be to their own comfortable home or whatever hotel they were shacking up in for the time being.

"Exactly! This is far too intimate, Roger and I know you too well. You're going to want to stay together, you're going to want to hold me."

"And wanting to hold you is a bad thing now?"

"It is when we're at a public outing."

"This isn't a public event with cameras, John. It's my sisters Christmas party." Roger tried to fight on his own behalf, tried to insist that John was making this out to be bigger than it actually was, but the brunet wouldn't budge.