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

How the Other Half Lives: Text Table Tennis

The device vibrated again; immediately Roger snatched it off the table and with a gleeful little grin read the new message. 

"What's he saying now?" Brian asked from where he was lounging on the hotel room sofa.

The drummer never looked up from his phone as he typed back an answer. "I could tie you in, you know, add your number to the mix so you can join in and talk to him yourself."

"We've been over this already, Roger. I'd rather keep the communication as simplistic as possible, as far as the number of participants are concerned." He reached up a bony finger to scratch at his eyebrow. "Besides, my eyesight isn't what it used to be, so-"

"For fuck's sake, so many excuses. Look, if you don't want to talk to him, just say so, you old woman."

"I just want to be careful, is all."

"What's to be careful about? Your little friend fucking confirmed it!"

"My little friend?" 

"You know who I mean. Preus, or whatever his name is, he said himself this thing is real. Full stop."

But Brian shook his head. "I'm not ready to fall head over heels into this yet. It could very well end up being a grand joke at our expense- some elaborate bit of performance art with us at the heart of the act."

"I thought you liked him."

"I do! I have the utmost respect for the man, really I do, and I mean, I'd like to think the good doctor has pure intentions. To be honest, I can't see why he wouldn't have them, he doesn't seem like the kind of chap to string along two old men for the fun of it. But I'm withholding my acceptance until further notice."

"Why not accept what I've told you, then? I saw the man myself. I saw all of them. Why not believe me?"

"What's the prescription on those glasses again?"

Roger coughed. "I'm not going to dignify that question with an answer."

"It also doesn't help that there's a ten foot statue of him in your garden."

The round eyes narrowed until they were frosty blue icicles. "So the way I choose to decorate my garden invalidates my credibility now, is that what you're telling me?"

"No. I just think it's worth keeping in mind, is all. Now tell me what he's saying."

I'm of half a mind to not tell you shit, Roger grumbled inwardly. Lucky for you, though, I'm a very generous person, and you're one of my best friends. 

So, swallowing his temper, Roger squinted at the screen. "Right, Freddie says-"

"Rick," Brian corrected him hastily. "Don't let's call him Freddie when I- we still have not established that it's really him."

"Jesus Christ," Roger huffed. "Fine. The alleged Freddie -how's that, that okay? Oh, good- says that he wants to meet up."

"What a surprise. Where?"

"That's what we're trying to work out now. I suggested somewhere here on the island, and now I'm just waiting on the - oh, there it is!" Silently he read the new message, then scowled. "Dammit! He says he's not in the area anymore."

"Really?"

"Yeah, says he and his friends are heading south- or, to quote him directly, 'I am flying south with my fellow geese for the winter.'"

"Fellow geese," Brian repeated. "So he's got traveling companions."

"What else? You know Freddie never traveled alone, and so, naturally, neither would this alleged Freddie," Roger replied, an extra helping of disdain slathered upon Brian's new favorite word. "John and the woman, I would bet."