A Man For All Seasons (Queen or Freddie Mercury Fanfic)

7. How Dost Thou, Frederick...

Freddie

"Oh, hey! What about this one?" Danny held up yet another amulet, this one a soft teal color.

As I had for the last four charms he showed me, I nodded approvingly. "That one's nice too. I think they're all good choices."

"Yeah, but this one's her favorite color."

With all my might I tried not to let him see how precious I found that. "Well, what does it mean? Did you look?"

"Oh, yeah, uh-" he read the tag- "This one means, 'tranquility.' And that means, peaceful or something, right?"

"Right."

"Cool," Danny giggled. "She needs all the tranquility she can get."

No, Danny, that's your mum you're thinking of, I answered him silently, before shaking myself and again forcing my thoughts elsewhere. Don't think for a minute that I wanted to, though, or that it was easy in any way- but it had to happen, if I wished to keep Danny oblivious to the enormous fucking mess we were in. So happen, it did.

The three of us were standing in Danny's favorite store, which was set up and advertised as some kind of bohemian haven. Unlike where I had dragged Julia some time prior, there were actually other people browsing round as well. A few of these, I couldn't help but notice, stopped and stared when they saw me there, and one or two did ask me for a photo. In the interest of safety, I turned them down, weathering their disappointment somewhat when I agreed to giving them an autograph instead (signing as Rick, of course, not Freddie; I had learned my lesson far too well to make that mistake again).

As far as the shop itself went, I wasn't altogether impressed; some of the more Oriental wares did briefly catch my eye, I admit, but really the place was more devoted to astrology, incense, and novelty shit, sprinkled here and there with a little watered-down Eastern culture. The dear boy's ulterior motive, however, was well worth it- for as it turned out, Danny had not simply wanted to avoid a trim in coming here after all.

"You really think Lauren will like it?" Danny asked one more time.

"Mr. Phantom, she'll be thoroughly chuffed, I just know it," I crooned with a flourish that made the boy laugh. As I straightened up, my eyes drifted aimlessly to John's face, which was beaming from ear to ear. A little embarrassed, I looked the other way.

I only became a dad about eighteen hours ago, John, I grumbled to myself. I've no doubt that compared to you I'm as ridiculous as they come, but there's no need to rub it in.

Danny, of course, didn't notice any of this as he hung the rejected amulets, or omamori as the Japanese call them, back on the hook where they belonged. "You gonna buy anything?"

"What, here?"

"Yeah, you know, like for Mom," he suggested, before a new little gleam I had not seen till now danced in his dark eyes while he added impishly, "Or for me, even."

Now it was my turn to grin. "Right, then. What would you like?"

"No, no, I was just kidding, I'm good," Danny said quickly, waving his hands. "I don't want-"

"No, really, thank you for reminding me, Christmas is after all a week off- isn't it? Yes." I still had a little difficulty keeping my dates straight; it takes much longer to adjust to a forty-two year, three month, and five day leap than you might assume.

But Danny shook his head. "It's really okay, I don't want anything."

"Of course you do, don't be ridiculous! It's just a question of what. Now, let me see." Casually I strolled up to the stocked shelves at the back and pointed. "That's it, I'll get you a salt lamp."