#queenthroughtheseasons2021

Seeing as Roger and Freddie have lived through all four seasons in Dawn of Aquarius now, I wanted to do just that. 💕

Spring

Roger rolled his shoulders and leaned back, stretching out his legs and lying down in the grass, one arm tucked underneath his head. There wasn't anyone in their immediate vicinity, except for two lovebirds a few yards away, also enjoying the sunshine. They were chatting, and as Roger watched them absent-mindedly, the girl laughed and leaned over to kiss her boyfriend, who wrapped an arm around her and hugged her closer.

Roger turned away and eyed Freddie's back, shoulders hunched over, the contour of his spine visible through his shirt. He reached out, delicately running the tips of his fingers over the small of his back.

Freddie straightened a little.

"It sucks that I can't touch you," Roger said softly.

Freddie shook his head, with a hint of a chuckle, as though in disbelief that Roger would just come out and say such a thing over lunch.

"You are touching me," he pointed out.

"I want to touch you more," Roger complained, sounding a bit like a petulant child, and pulled his hand back, folding it underneath his head instead.

Summer

"You wanna jump together?" Roger suggested, and very nearly grabbed Freddie's hand, hooking their arms together instead at the last moment. "The three of us."

There was a slightly manic twinkle in Brian's eye as he gave him a toothy grin and nodded.

"It's brilliant, you'll love it," Roger told them as they stripped off their shirts and kicked their shoes off. He wasn't entirely sure if he was trying to reassure them or remind himself, because all of a sudden there they were, standing right on the edge of the cliff and his heart was going a hundred miles an hour.

"Has anyone ever died doing this?" Brian decided to inquire at that very moment.

"Shut your mouth," Freddie hissed and Roger burst out laughing.

"Don't think so. Ready?"

"No," Brian chotled nervously.

"Yes," said Freddie simultaneously, staring down at the water. Roger nudged him gently, and caught his eye when he looked up. None of what he wanted to say could be said out loud, but he hoped that Freddie knew, anyway.

"It's easier with a run up," he said instead, and took a couple of steps back, vaguely aware of their friends, watching from the sidelines. Freddie and Brian followed.

"One..." he said, raising his eyebrows at Freddie.

"...Two..." Freddie murmured and took a deep breath, turning to face the cliff edge.

"Three!" shouted Brian, and as one, they broke into a run and leapt off.

Autumn

I would like to see it in person and hear your voice. I know I could have called a hundred times but it's easier to write. Don't you agree? If I call and speak to you I'm afraid I'll miss you too much. And I won't know what to say then, and neither will you. We'll both feel like idiots and I'll spend all night mulling it all over in my head.

So I'll write the things I can't say. Isn't that what letters are for? I know I harp on about it, but I miss you dearly sometimes. At least once a day, I'll find myself thinking something that I simply have to share with you, and it's gone before I have a chance to write it down. Or it seems too banal to put in a letter after a while. I suppose eventually it will get better, this missing you, only I'm not sure that I want it to. I'm not making much sense, am I? I have been listening to all the songs which remind me of you. All those ones we used to listen to the most.

I’ve written too much. You'll have to forgive me...

Winter

"I miss you."

A simple confession, uttered so quietly, almost in defeat. 'I miss you, too,' Freddie wanted to say, but couldn't, because he was afraid that if he tried to speak now it would come out a sob. He pulled his legs up to himself, the fingers of one hand fanning out over his face, brushing away a tear before it could roll down his cheek.

"Not like…" Roger was saying, a telltale quiver in his voice. "Not like that, I don't mean… I just, I miss… you."

Pressing one palm to the door, Freddie swallowed and turned his head to lean his cheek against it, too.

"I'm here," he managed to get out, followed by an involuntary noise somewhere between laughter and sadness. There was a choked-up chuckle and a sniff from the other side, too. It was perfectly ridiculous, really, that here they were, finally speaking honestly with each other. Through a bloody bathroom door. But perhaps that was better. Freddie was afraid of how he might have felt, what he might have felt, had they stood face to face. Had Roger wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tight. Freddie wanted him to, wanted to hold him in return, and then again he was afraid. Because it was one thing to forgive, and another to forget. And the wounds sharp words had left were scars on his heart that he was terrified to tear open anew.

For the Queen through the Seasons event hosted by @moriarty-sisters 💕

Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30350328/chapters/74818626

I wrote two fics for this event: the first "chapter" is the last one I wrote because I wasn't really sure whether to post the first one or not... I ended up deciding I'll post both together, please read the notes at the beginning of each chapter! Both rely on the concept season = an era of their lives, with spring being early 70s johnica, summer is early 80s johnica, autumn is early 90s and winter is current times. I hope you'll enjoy this and please be kind! 💖 I really loved writing both and even tho I’m a bit nervous I’d really love to know your thoughts! Summaries and taglist under the cut.

the end of a love or a season?

He had seen them all, lived them, but through someone else—that scent, those eyes, that hand… and now, that voice. Sweeping over him, shielding him from the harsh winds, this harsh life. 

In the last year of his life, Freddie feels the strength of love in each season.

-------

Part of the Queen Through The Seasons Challenge organised by the lovely @moriarty-sisters!

Adam sighed happily, looking around at the flowers in bloom. It was the most peaceful he’d felt in a while, now that the world was full of color again. The weather was perfect, the warm sun and the cool breeze contrasting nicely, and the singer was tempted to just lay in the grass for a few hours. Brian and Roger were a few feet down the way, talking quietly as they looked at the gardens.

Adam pulled his phone out and sat on the side of the pathway so other people could move past him as he snapped photos of the bees on the plants. He was so engrossed in his photography, he didn’t think much of the footsteps coming up behind him.

The hand ruffling his hair made him look up, Brian’s face smiling down at him. Adam felt a wash of affection run through him as he looked up at his oldest lover.

“Enjoying yourself?”

“Yeah, thanks for bringing me here. The gardens look amazing today.”, he said, taking Brian’s offered hand and standing up. The singer gently rubbed the older man’s hand with his thumb.

“It was actually Roger who got me into going to the gardens in the spring. He always tried to find a park or a garden to go to, even when we were on tour. I’m glad we can bring you now.”, the guitarist smiled, squeezing his hand.

“Well, Roger certainly knows how to pick a date spot. It would be amazing to have a picnic here someday.”, Adam said as he linked his pinky with Brian’s as they walked over to find Roger sitting under one of the larger trees that was just beyond the turn of the path.

The drummer grinned at them. “Have fun?”

Adam sat next to him and pulled him into a hug. “It’s beautiful, Rog. Now come on, up. I want to get pictures of you and Brian in the flowers.”

Summer

Adam parked the car, glancing at Roger through the rear-view mirror with a small smile. He and the drummer had checked the forecast for clear nights around one of the summer meteor showers, and thankfully the weather had held.

“Are we here then?”, Brian asked. Adam turned back to him.

“Yeah, just wanted to do a little night date to the beach.”, the singer smiled, stroking his jaw and leaning over to steal a kiss before he unbuckled his seat belt.

The taller man took a breath of the fresh night air as he climbed out of the car, looking up to the stars. “You know tonight is the peak of the Perseids. I wonder if we’ll be able to see them...”

Roger and Adam shared another look, barely able to keep the secret for much longer.

“Hey Bri, can you come help me get the blankets and the wine?”, Adam said, trying to keep his voice steady.

There was nothing in the world like watching Brian’s face lit up when he saw Adam remove his telescope bag from the trunk. 

“Did you-?” 

Roger couldn’t help grinning at the guitarist’s excitement, a small giggle escaping as he watched Brian thoroughly kiss the singer.

He gently took the bag so Adam could have his arms free to wrap around Brian’s waist. It warmed Roger’s heart to see Brian so excited, and he knew he and Adam had chosen the right spot.

The singer pressed a kiss to the tip of the older man’s nose. “Let’s get set up and then you can ramble about space all you want, Bri.”

Brian chuckled lightly, pulling Roger into his arms and kissing him just as thoroughly as Adam. “Lead the way, my loves.”

Later would find them both wading and lounging on the shore listening to the waves, sharing the wine, telescope aimed at the meteor shower as Brian talked.

Fall

Adam laughed as Pharaoh once again ran through the pile of leaves he was trying to rake in the backyard. He’d had a nice pile of leaves, but then Brian had let the pup out, and he’d raked the same pile of leaves three times.

The singer saw Roger coming outside, and quickly raked the leaves back into a pile. “Hey, Rog, watch this.”, he called, moving the rake. The dog continued his streak and ran through the leaves a fourth time, which pulled a laugh out of the drummer.

“You, mister, are why we can’t have nice things.”, the older man pretended to scold the dog, who just wiggled his butt in response. Roger picked up one of the toys that was scattered around the yard and tossed it across the lawn, watching the dog run after it.

“My hero.”, Adam grinned as he wrapped an arm around the shorter man’s waist, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“I see you’ve brought out the fall outfits.”

“Mm I was going for a rugged lumberjack style. How am I doing?”

“Hm, still a little too fabulous to get that really rugged look. And that’s just the way we like you.”, the drummer said, pecking his lips quickly. “You do look very good in fall colors though.”

Adam laughed as he let Roger walk them over to one of the stone benches in the yard. The singer wrapped his arm around the other man’s shoulder, sitting in comfortable silence as they watched the dog shake his toy and trot around the yard.

“Darlings,”, Brian called as he walked into the backyard. “I’ve got hot cider.”

Adam sighed as soon as he could smell it. Brian made hot cider with a touch of whiskey, cinnamon and nutmeg and the singer was convinced he had never tasted anything so good.

He held his cup in his hand and leaned up to meet Brian for a kiss, watching the guitarist do the same with Roger. When the tall man sat next to him, Adam tucked his head onto Brian’s shoulder, closing his eyes as Brian’s lips pressed against his forehead.

Winter

Brian sighed, feeling slightly exhilarated as his breath was lit up by the lights of the park. The park had put up lights for the winter nights and the first heavy snow had happened last night, so he decided to take Adam and Roger out for a walk to see the lights.

Roger’s face was flushed slightly red from the cold and Adam was cradling his hot chocolate, both with big grins on their face as they walked.

“I love winter time so much, it’s so nice.”, the singer sighed. “Especially this, thank you Bri.”, he said, reaching out to cover one of Brian’s with his own.

Roger leaned against the guitarist for a moment, looking up at the lights as they returned to companionable silence.

There were loud shouts as they walked deeper into the park, the skating rink and people having snowball fights catching their eye.

Adam was the first one dragged into the fight, when Roger pelted his back with a handful of snow. The singer chugged the rest of his drink, throwing the cup in the nearby trash can, which allowed Roger to hit him with another snowball.

“Oh you are on, Taylor.”, the younger man growled with a gleeful smile as he hit the drummer square in the chest. Brian couldn’t help laughing, even if it meant getting hit in the face with a snowball from Adam.

Everything felt so free and relaxed between them, all three of them laughing and throwing snow for a few minutes under the lights. Despite the cold, there was the warmth of love, and that seemed to be more than enough for them.

However, Roger was first to concede, holding his hands up in surrender as he brushed snow off his ear. Adam immediately dropped his snowball, pulling off his glove to rub Roger’s ear to get it warm again.

“Here, take my hat for now. It’s only 20 minutes home.”, the singer insisted, pulling off his hat and putting it on the drummer. “And Bri, your face is really red.”

The younger man wrapped his scarf around the guitarist’s neck.

“Darling, you don’t have to-”

“Bri, I want to. When we get home, I’ll make tea and run us a bath and make sure you’re both nice and warm.”, Adam insisted, brushing his fingers against Brian’s jaw.