𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧' 𝐆𝐮𝐲 ➺ 𝐵𝓇𝒾𝒶𝓃 𝑀𝒶𝓎 & 𝒬𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃

(20) 𝘣𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦

((mature content ahead, read at your own discretion))

"I thought Roger would be the less educated one." I mumbled to Brian. He smirked, looking over at the doorway to their living room, where Freddie and Roger were busy playing a game of scrabble. Usually, Brian would join them but since he had company, he decided to be the true gentleman he was and stay with me.

"They're always at each other's throats over that game. It's rare that only one of us is the reigning champion. I tend to get very long words." He grinned, turning and putting the kettle on the stove. "They're just lucky I'm not playing."

"I used to play it with my brother when we were younger." I started, watching Brian as he prepared my coffee and his tea. "It was a bit difficult, to be honest."

Brian raised an eyebrow. "It's not that hard of a game, Maria."

"It was only hard because my dog ate the O's and the T's." I laughed. "The amount of times I got a bollocking for putting the word 'count' without the O..."

Brian laughed, shaking his head. "I didn't know you had a dog."

"I don't... We had to get her put down. She had some nasty wounds from when the neighbour's dog attacked her." I shrugged. The truth was, I never remembered much from that time. I was sixteen at the time and didn't pay much attention to what was going on around me. Things had just started to be prolifically shit and I wasn't used to the change.

Brian leaned against the counter, the kettle starting to shake slightly. "Well, I'm sorry about that... That's the thing with pets... They don't last forever." He frowned.

"I guess they don't. But at least you still have pictures and the memories."

Brian smiled softly, looking over me. "You're so optimistic. Sometimes."

I laughed, nudging his arm. "I'm probably one of the most pessimistic people you will ever meet. You're the optimistic one! You work so hard all the time and still manage to love everyone around you. Like, that's fucking talent."

"Talent!" I heard from the living room. "Shit, I didn't mean to say it out loud!"

I looked back into the front room to see Roger banging his head on his hands as Freddie smugly slid in a few letters, assuming he'd spelt out the word 'talent'.

When I turned back to look at Brian, he was pouring the boiling water into the mugs.

"Do you want to go upstairs? Might be a little quieter." He said softly, picking up both mugs. I nodded in response, reaching for the mug with the coffee in it, but Brian pulled it away from me. "I got it." He gestured for me to walk ahead of him.

"I'm perfectly capable of carrying a mug of coffee myself." I complained, making my way through the living room, Freddie and Roger practically serving as an obstacle course.

"Yes, but I don't want you to spill it and burn yourself." Brian said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I huffed, trudging into the hallway.

"I'm not a child." I sulked, standing aside to let Brian go upstairs first.

"Care to explain that look on your face then?" He smirked at me, shimmying passed me and making his way up the stairs. I looked over at Roger and Freddie, who were snickering to themselves, most likely at Brian and I.

Brian's room was more or less normal – nothing too insane, yet nothing too minimalistic. There were a few posters of people like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Little Richard and Jimi Hendrix. There were also books laying around, its contents probably dripping with astrophysics and... natural things, I don't know. I'm not smart like my Bri.