Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy (JoeMazzello!JohnDeacon fanfic)

twenty four

Much to Freddie and Roger's annoyance, Brian had been right in saying that John didn't want a party thrown for his birthday. In fact, he didn't really want to anything for the day. Well, he was working until five and didn't really think that there was much point in doing anything so late in the day but when Roxanne offered to make him dinner, he happily agreed.

She'd spent most of the day cooking and baking his cake - a smaller one than Roger's since it was just going to be the two of them eating it.

An hour before he was due to arrive, she started getting ready; she had a shower, shaved her leg and put on her best dress.

"I don't know what's going to happen tonight, Casp," she tells the cat as she puts on some lipstick, "But just in case, y'know? Gotta be prepared."

She's a little bit nervous about how the night is going to play out if she's honest because although she's not a virgin, she hasn't had sex in a long time...a really long time.

John arrives right on time and after checking her appearance in the mirror one last time, she opens the door for him, seeing that he's holding a bottle of wine in one hand and his bass guitar's case in his other.

"Happy birthday!" she grins, wrapping her arms around his neck, "So tell me, what does it feel like being a whole year older?"

He smiles, kissing her softly in greeting before she's pulling him into the flat, "Thank you, love and I gotta tell you, it's a lot better than being twenty-one. I found a fiver on the way over."

"Here, I'll take those," she grins, holding out her hands for the wine and his bass, which is a lot heavier than she thought it'd be and he laughs at the face she pulls, setting the case against the back of the couch.

"It smells great in here," he tells her as he shrugs off his jacket, "Swear I could smell it down the road."

Roxanne hangs his jacket up, "It's almost ready."

"I hope you don't mind that I brought the bass," he follows her into the kitchen, "We have a gig tomorrow afternoon-"

"I know," she giggles, "I booked it, remember? And it's fine. Maybe you could play me something later on? Go sit down, I'll get the wine."

He does as she says, sitting on the couch with a huff and the first thing he notices on her coffee table is a brightly wrapped box, "Rox? This better not be for me."

"Of course it's for you, John!" she hands him a glass, "It's your birthday."

"I told you not to get me anything."

"And I didn't listen," she grabs the box, handing it to him as she sits beside him.

"Rox," he sighs but she interrupts him.

"No, I'm not listening to you, John. It is your birthday and I got you a present. Now open it."

He shakes his head but leans over to give her another kiss, "Thank you."

She sits back and happily watches him open her gift, sipping at her wine as he carefully tears at the wrapping paper.

His eyes light up as he opens the box to reveal the strap she had bought him. It was just a simple slim black one that the man in the guitar shop had recommended. He looks at her again, "Thank you. I've been needing one of these. Brian give you a hint, did he?"

"Maybe," she grins as he puts the box back on the coffee table just as the oven timer goes off, "Oh, it's ready!"

Sadly, she doesn't have a table for them to sit at and so they have to just sit on the couch though neither of them really mind and Roxanne brings the wine through and sticks it on the table for them to help themselves.

John practically inhales his food, letting out small hums when he gets to a particularly tasty bite and he keeps telling her that it's really good and he even goes back for seconds.

"Stop," she laughs, reaching over to wipe at some of the sauce that's dripping down his chin.

"It is though," John nods, "Should be a chef or something."

"Thank you," she flushes, gesturing to his empty plate, "Are you done?"

"I've got them," he offers but before he can pick the plates up, she's pushing him back down onto the couch.

"I've got it."

So as she cleans up, John pours himself another glass of wine before standing up. He pets Casper who's on the window sill and stops at her record collection, "Can I put some music on?"

"Go for it!"

"Any requests?"

She appears in the doorway again briefly so she's not shouting, "I'm not fussed."

He nods and goes through them; The Beatles, Diana Ross, Ella Fitzgerald...Elvis.

Yeah, everyone likes a little bit of Elvis, right? He slides the record out of its sleeve and sticks it on the record player before leaning down to plug it in.

"Blue Hawaii?" he turns as Roxanne returns, "'m pretty sure that's my mum's record."

"Yeah?"

She nods, "I loved Rock-A-Hula but that was it."

"Didn't like Falling in Love?"

"Never really listened to it if I'm honest. I didn't give his other stuff much of a chance. I mean, I think I was ten when the record came out," she hums, standing beside him, picking up the sleeve to go look over it, "And mum always had it playing but I only wanted Rock-A-Hula."

"You should give it a listen," John murmurs, taking the sleeve so he can find where it is so he can change the song, "I think you'll like it."

Roxanne smiles as the opening notes play; immediately being taken back to baking in the B&B's kitchen with her mum who, every single time the song came on, would make her dance with her.

John clears his throat as the King starts singing and she looks at him to see that he's holding out his hand for her, "May I have this dance?"

She wordlessly slips her hand into his as she steps closer.

Immediately, his hands find her waist while she wraps her arms around his neck as they start to sway.

Wise men say only fools rush in...

"You look wonderful," John whispers as their foreheads touch, "I never said,"

"Thank you," she replies, voice just as soft, "Yo-" The rest of her sentence is forgotten when he interrupts her with a kiss, making her smile.

"Sorry," he breathes, "What were you going to say."

Take my hand, take my whole life too...

"I was just going to say that you've been practising since the last time we danced."

He laughs resting his chin on the top of her head when she rests her head against his chest.

For I can't help falling in love with you...