Save Me (Roger Taylor FanFiction) [Wattys 2019]

1: Just Smile

*December 1st 1969*

I STOOD IN A PUB listening to the live music coming from a band called Smile with Freddie Bulsara.

"So, darling, what did I tell you? They're great, aren't they?" Freddie prompted me when his friend's band had finished playing.

"Yeah, they're amazing! Although, you could wipe the floor with Tim. I mean, I know he's your friend and all but still," I felt slightly bad for saying this but I'd heard Freddie singing a few times. When he came to my flat for my birthday with some of my other friends, we were all stunned to silence by his rendition of Happy Birthday.

"Well, I'm not going to even try," Freddie told me, matter-of-factly.

"Okay," I said, drawing out the ay sound and showing him I was unconvinced.

"Tim, over here!" Freddie shouted for his friend to come over and say hello. He'd insisted that I met the band.

This wasn't really my scene at all. I hated the crowds of people drinking and smoking listening to loud music. I was more of a sit-inside-and-pretend-the-world-doesn't-exist kind of girl.

Somehow though, Freddie had convinced me to come out tonight. Freddie was my best friend in the world. I met him last year when I moved down from Scotland to London and, once I met him, London wasn't so scary anymore.

Tim Staffell made his way over to us with the two other members of the band in tow. The guitarist had long and curly dark brown hair; he looked like a really tall poodle. The other was shorter with long blonde hair and he immediately caught my eye. His forehead shone with sweat from the rigorous exercise that was playing the drums for a rock band.

"Freddie! Glad you could make it," Tim exclaimed when he finally managed to squeeze through the crowd. "And this must be Julia?"

"Uh, it's Julie," I hated correcting people.

"Julie! Sorry, Julie," He took my hand and shook it rather roughly.

"Um, it's okay," I told him, happy when he let go of my hand.

"This is Brian May," The tall poodle looking guy stepped forward and shook my hand, a lot softer.

"Hi, Julie, thanks for coming along," His voice was very soft and kind and it was exactly the voice I'd expected him to have.

"And this is Roger Taylor," The rather attractive blonde drummer stepped forward and kissed my knuckles.

"Hello," He said with a raspy voice when he stood at his full height. So, he was a ladies man then.

"Hi," I blushed a little and stared at him for a bit when he asked if anyone wanted a drink.

I was snapped out of my trance when Freddie nudged my arm. He smirked at me and said "My dear, Roger asked you what you wanted to drink,"

"Uh, Irn Bru,"

Oh, wait. I'm in London. No Irn Bru for me then.

"No, sorry, just a coke," I stumbled over my words, slightly embarrassed by my mishap.

"I thought you were Scottish," Roger told me which just made my blush stronger. Why am I blushing at someone pointing out my nationality?

"Yeah, I just forget I'm not in Scotland sometimes," my tone of voice was very awkward and embarrassing.

"Relax a bit, darling," Freddie whispered to me when Roger left. I breathed in and exhaled loudly. He patted my hand on my knee in a comforting way.

When Roger and Brian came back with drinks, they handed them out to everyone. When I took mine from Roger, our hands touched slightly and I died a bit inside.

"So," Tim started, "If you're Scottish, how come you're not drinking?"

Urgh. This question!

As a Scottish non-drinker, my life was made extremely difficult by people constantly asking me what the deal with that is. People say "Scottish non-drinker" is an oxymoron.

"Just cause I'm Scottish doesn't mean I'm an alcoholic, you know," My frustration was very obvious and Freddie could obviously tell.

"That was a great show you played there guys," He changed the subject very quickly.

While they moved into a conversation about the band, Roger got up from his chair and sat next to me on the wee sofa, almost sitting on top of Freddie.

"So, how'd you like the show?" He asked, leaning quite close to me.

"It was great, you're amazing on the drums,"

If there was one thing in this world that drove me insane, it was watching guys play the drums. It was so attractive.

"Thank you," He replied with a beautiful smile.

"How'd you guys get together?" I asked, trying to keep a conversation going. This was why I loved Freddie; I didn't have to do any of the work when it came to conversations.

"Well, Brian and Tim started up a band last year and put out an ad for a drummer. I auditioned and got the job, then we called the band Smile cause I was studying dentistry. That's basically it, I guess, not much to tell. I wanna know what's got a Scottish girl all the way down in London?"

There was an aspect to my story that I really didn't want him to ever know but other than that I was an open book.

"Well, I moved down from a wee town just outside Glasgow because I always wanted to be a photographer and I thought there would be more opportunity for it down here. My friend had a flat here that she was moving out of so I just moved in, there's only one bedroom so it's nothing fancy and that's how I can afford it. My parents think I'm throwing my life away because I never went to university or college but it was never really for me, so, that's it. I'm sorry, I'm not very exciting, not like you, a drummer in a rock band,"

"Who studies dentistry? Yeah, exciting,"

"Yet you find a Scottish, waitress in a cafe who can barley afford a camera, more exciting?"

We both laughed and I was starting to realise that I liked Roger.

"I'd love it if we were friends," He mused.

"I'd like that too, Roger,"

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A/N

So, welcome to my new FanFiction and my newest obsession: Roger Taylor! I've always loved Queen but ever since I saw Bohemian Rhapsody I've fallen in love with Queen the band, not just their music.

It's a slightly crappy first chapter but I promise there's plenty of drama to come!

I hope you guys enjoy this story and just so you know, the timings of chapters jump around a lot so you need to pay attention to the date at the top of the chapter.

More to come!

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