#poly!queen

Roger gently swatted him, and Brian swatted him back, then companionable silence settled as they returned their attention to the television.

John was the next to join him. Unlike Roger who had gone to visit other friends on their return, John had got up early to do some fiddling with broken electronics, to see if he could either fix them as was or frankenstein them into something new that worked. Freddie didn't like the mess it made in the kitchen, where John used to do it, so he made himself a little area in the shed after a good clear out session. (Which Freddie did not join in with, thank you very much, on the very real reason that the build up of dust was bad for his skin, and it had nothing to do with the family of spiders that were living harmlessly under the shed's window)

He came back in, through the kitchen and peered around in to the living room. "I'll make the tea then, shall I?" and dissappeared back behind the door.

"Thanks Deaky!" Brian shouted, trying not to feel guilty.

"Yeah, thanks Babe! Oh hey, can you bring the digestives in with you?"

A long suffering sigh that long since lost it's edge was the only reply, before being drowned out by the noise of water filling the kettle.

"Should we help him?" Brian asked Roger.

"Hmm... We'll make the next pot."

They went back to watching the television, though Roger did get up when John came back into the living room with the tea tray and helped him put it on to the coffee table. Roger leaned with a kiss of thanks, and then plucked the digestives off the tray before sitting down. Brian sat up properly so Deaky could sit on the couch with them, and they shared a warm smile.

"What's this?" John asked, looking at the television at last. "Oh not the Onedin Line!"

"It just came on after the news." Brian said defensively.

John sighed again.

"Biscuit?" Roger asked, passing the packet over Brian to John.

"I suppose."

None of them got up to turn off the television or change the channel.

On the last episode of the omnibus, finally Freddie returned from his parents. Shoes kicked off and coat hung up before he passed by the living room and went straight into the kitchen.

"Hello, darlings, no don't get up i'm fine. There's no dishes of food to put in the fridge, my parents have suddenly-"

Brian got up first, followed by Roger. John eventually followed them in to the kitchen, just finishing the last swig of his tea first.

"decided we're rich enough to feed ourselves. Oh hello, dears, did you miss me?"

"You left before I got up!" Roger shouted, and then hugged him

"I said I was going out early. You deserved the lie in."

"Here, let me take those." Brian offered and then started playing tetris with the stuff that was already in the fridge to fit tin foil wrapped dishes in.

"Oh, good news Fred,” Said John, “I fixed the silver clock."

"Oh that is good news. Hello darling." Freddie replied, kissing John.

"The bad news is, I couldn't save the alarm clock from Manchester."

"Alas poor Quartz," Roger interjected solemnly. "We knew him... Cassio Digital."

"I'm sure we'll get on just fine without it."

"Want a cup of tea, Freddie?" Brian offered.

"We've also got the biscuits out." Roger pointed out, pointing in the direction of the living room.

"Ahem".

"Deaky got the biscuits out." Roger corrected.

"Sounds good to me."

Brian, and Roger, finished making the tea as Freddie and John returned to the living room. Brian half expected the television to be off, or the channel to be turned over but to his surprise, The Onedin Line was still on.

"We're still watching this, then?"

Roger said, as he stepped around Brian to sit next to Freddie. John was between the arm and Freddie on Freddie's other side, that left just enough room for Brian on the other end. It was a good job the couch was long, and he was skinny.

"What is it? Oh not The Onedin Line." Freddie said exasperatedly.

"It's been on all day. Brian was watching it." Roger said, defensively

"I just put the news on and this was on after it." Brian added, also defensively.

“I just really couldn’t be arsed turning over.” Admitted John. 

"hmm," Freddie said, "Alright. I suppose one of us should get up and change the channel. Something better should be on by now."

"No, wait, hang on." Roger said, "We've invested our whole afternoon to this, we need to know what happens to Callon.*

"I.... what?" Freddie said.

"Roger does have a point." John replied.

"Oh alright. I see you must have missed me something terrible if you sought comfort in the Onedin Line."

They all readily agreed in a chorus, all found a way to share space with Freddie without looking away from the television, and then continued their afternoon in comfortable mindlessness.

‘I can tell.’ Freddie asked, resting his head on the Irishman’s shoulder. ‘You’ve barely said a word to anyone all day. We’re all really worried about you.’

Jim didn’t like keeping secrets from his husband. But he didn’t want to risk upsetting Freddie with what he was about to say.

His silence made Freddie nervous. The Persian wet his lips uncertainly and slipped his arms around Jim’s waist. ‘Are you having second thoughts about us?’

Jim turned around abruptly, almost dropping the bag of bread entirely. ‘Of course not. I love you, Freddie. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.’

‘Then why have you been so distant? Is it the others? If you’ve changed your mind about the whole poly thing, I completely under-’

‘It’s not that either.’ Jim insisted. ‘They’re three amazing men and I’ve grown really fond of them. It’s just…’ Jim lowered his eyes, knowing that he couldn’t keep running away from this issue forever. Seeing Freddie so confused and worried made his heart clench in his chest. He needed to be upfront and honest. ‘I feel like maybe it would be better if I wasn’t here.’

Freddie’s dark eyes went wide. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Come on, Freddie. You’re rockstars. You’re four gorgeous men at the peak of your fame and I’m just…me.’ Jim gestured to himself. ‘An underpaid hairdresser with a face only a mother could love. I know the others only keep me around to make you happy. I’m sure they’d be happy to see the back of me.’

‘Jim, stop it!’ Freddie took the other man’s face in his hands, looking up at him determinedly. ‘First of all, you’re one of the most handsome men I’ve ever met, so don’t even go there! Secondly, the boys love you to bits! Roger thinks your jokes are hilarious, Brian says your kindness to animals restores his faith in humanity, and John is relieved that he can finally have an intellectual conversation with someone who has more than two braincells – his words, not mine.’

Jim didn’t look convinced. Freddie stroked his cheeks with his thumbs, leaning up to kiss him deeply.

‘We love you.’ When he spoke again, his voice was trembling, and Jim could see he was holding back tears. ‘Please don’t go, Jim. We love you so much.’

There was no lie in Freddie’s eyes. The tightness in Jim’s chest loosened slightly after hearing his words, and he connected their lips again remorsefully. ‘I’m sorry, love’

‘You don’t have to apologise.’ Freddie reassured him. ‘It can be hard enough keeping up with one man – keeping up with four men requires the patience of a saint. But if you ever start having those doubts, don’t suffer in silence, darling. We’re always here to listen.’

Jim nodded, wondering how he got so lucky when he met such a kind-hearted man. He threw the last of the bread to the ducks, before taking Freddie’s hand and letting his husband lead him back to where the others were sitting.

--

‘I’m telling you; it’s a fucking vegetable!’

‘Oh, Jesus Christ.’ Brian pinched the bridge of his nose, seconds away from strangling Roger with his bare hands. ‘I am not going through this again with you. Tomatoes are fruit. They were fruit the last time we had this conversation, and they’re still fruit now. Shut up and eat your BLT.’

Roger picked up an olive and threw it at Brian’s head, sniggering when it got stuck in his thick curls. ‘I’ll believe that tomatoes are a fruit when I see you put one in a fruit salad. Next you’ll be telling me that pineapple belongs on pizza.’

John sighed, wondering if he would be able to block out the arguing if he shoved gherkins in his ears. ‘Where did Jim go? I miss being around someone who’s actually sane.’

‘He went to feed the ducks.’ Replied Brian. ‘I tell you, that man is a credit to animal lovers everywhere. Freddie says he leaves cat food in the garden to feed the family of hedgehogs living under their rosebush. I think I might ask him to marry me.’

‘You’ll have to wait in line.’ Roger tossed a grape into the air and caught it in his mouth. ‘Did you hear what he said to Paul the other day when that wanker tried to criticise my drumming? “I think Roger would be more willing to take your comments on board if you actually knew what you were talking about.” The world doesn’t deserve Jim.’

‘Speaking of angels, here he comes now.’ John pointed to where Jim and Freddie were making their way up the hill. ‘I’ve always questioned Freddie’s choice in men, but he hit the jackpot with this one.’

Jim swallowed down the slight lump in his throat as they re-joined the group, letting go of Freddie’s hand to take a seat next to John on the blanket. Before he could open his mouth to apologise for his absence, two arms were suddenly wrapped around his neck as the bassist kissed him like their lives depended on it.

‘Woah, Nelly!’ Roger crowed as Jim came to his senses and dropped his hands to John’s waist. ‘I think Deacy’s overdone it with the pink lemonade!’

John ignored him, burying his face into the crook of Jim’s neck. ‘Why were you gone so long? I’ve had to sit and listen to these idiots fight over fruit for the last half an hour and my head hurts.’

Jim chuckled and dropped a kiss onto his forehead. ‘Don’t worry, I’m here now. I’ll protect you from those maniacs.’

‘Who are you calling a maniac?’ Brian picked up a chocolate-covered strawberry and popped it into Jim’s mouth. ‘You’re lucky you’re so handsome, Mr Hutton.’

Freddie couldn’t help but smile as he watched his boys fuss over his husband, hoping that Jim now knew that all his worries were for naught.

‘I told you they love you.’ He murmured into the Irishman’s ear, reaching over to steal a strawberry for himself.

--