the scent of heat → r . taylor ( COMPLETED )

eight

Adeline was looking around the sound stage in awe. She'd never been behind the scenes of a television program, and it was all so strange to her. But the redhead beside her seemed to be freaking out a bit.

"Addy, I can't believe you brought me along. This is mad!" Cecelia said, looking around.

"Can't say it was my idea entirely. Brian thought you might like to come along, as a thank you to the rooming situation we've got going on," Adeline explained, grabbing her new friend's arm to pull her out of the way of a few busy crewmen. Together the two women walked over to the stage, where a disappointed Roger was hitting a plastic cymbal with his drumsticks.

"This is shit," he muttered, then looked down at Adeline, who hopped up onto the stage.

"What's the problem?" she asked, setting a hand between his shoulder blades.

"These bloody things aren't real," he said, looking from her to Brian, John, and Freddie, who were just as confused, and even irritated. As she climbed down from the stage, the band's personal manager, Paul Prenter, came over with one the show's executives.

"Look, chaps, it is going to be playback. Lip synch's is all that's required," the man explained, and Adeline shared a look with Cecelia, and then with Mary.

"We do know how to play our instruments," Roger said, and Freddie stepped forward.

"You want me to lip synch?"

"I don't understand why we simply can't perform live," Brian said, setting a hand on his hip.

"The audience will never know the difference," the executive said.

"We'll know the bloody difference."

"This is the BBC. That's how things are done around here. All right? Don't be a nuisance." The man walked away, and Adeline rolled her eyes.

"Asshole," she whispered, and Cecelia laughed quietly. The two women turned to the boys, and immediately, a smile graced Adeline's lips.

"Well, the way things are done are a load of bollocks, old chap," Roger said, and Brian made a face.

"This is the BBC," he said, all while John shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm relieved," he said.

"You would be," Brian muttered as he adjusted the Red Special.

"Perfect performance."

Adeline, Cecelia, and Mary were quickly ushered off of the stage as the cameras were preparing to roll. The boys took their spots, and after making sure no one was paying much attention to him, Roger winked at Addy, who bit her lip before blowing him a kiss. She felt an elbow in her ribs, and she turned to look at Cecelia, who was smirking.

"Not a word," Addy whispered, and before Cecelia could reply, the studio was shushed, and the broadcast began. The four on stage did their best to look as convincing as possible, but as Freddie swayed his hips to keep the camera away from his mouth, Roger kept glancing over to Addy, his eyes narrowed with disdain. But as the song played, the studio audience couldn't help but dance along, creating the start of something new.

***

"Reid wasn't kidding. A whole tour of Japan."

Adeline was adjusting Brian's top, a beautiful white shirt with flowing angelic sleeves.

"You've earned it," she said, looking around at the others with a smile on her face, "all of you."

"Hear, hear," John said, raising his hand. The five of them laughed before Brian, Freddie, and John all started to make their way onto the stage. Roger, who's outfit consisted of shoes, black trousers, wrist warmers, a necklace, and a white fringe jacket with nothing under it, was quick to gently grab Adeline's wrist.