Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy (JoeMazzello!JohnDeacon fanfic)

eighty seven

Roxanne was glad that summer was now here. Sure, it wasn't scorching hot like it would be elsewhere in the world but it was warm enough that they could take Arthur for a walk without having to worry about funding him up and making sure that he's warm enough.

It was also the night of their big date; something that the two of them, though they'd never admit it, were looking forward to.

The day, however, that was spent out in the back garden; Roxanne seeing to the garden while John was sat under an umbrella with Arthur, who was laying on his tummy playing with one of his toys, the two cats not too far away.

Every so often, Roxanne would stop her gardening to sit and watch them for a bit, watching as John would make the baby laugh - she swears that there is no sound that is lovelier than hearing her little boy laugh or hear him babble to himself.

She couldn't believe that he was three months old already. It felt as if time was flying and there was absolutely nothing she could do to stop it. Before they knew it, he would be one.

A little bit later, when the clouds roll in and take away some of the harsh heat of the sun, John decides that he'd take Arthur for a walk around the park that they'd discovered was just down the road from them.

"He's getting fussy," he calls to Roxanne, who's now hanging out some washing, "'m going to take him for a walk, the pram always calms him down."

She glances at her watch, it was almost time for his nap, "Okay."

"Do you fancy joining us?" he asks as he lifts Arthur from the blanket, "I'll push you on the swings?"

Roxanne laughs and moves to stand beside them, taking the baby from him when he eagerly reaches for her, "You two go. I'm going to get his stuff ready for tonight."

"Alright," he hums, pressing a kiss to her forehead and she kisses Arthur loudly on the cheek, just to make him laugh, waving them off as they disappear into the house before she finishes putting out the washing.

With tonight being their first night leaving him with someone else, Roxanne -though she trusts Brian and Kayla with her life- still feels anxious.

Before going into the nursery, she goes into their room to get one of John's bags - one that's not too small, she doesn't know how much she'll be packing.

"Okay," she hums, setting the bag on the changing table, "What do we need?"

She packs a little more than is probably needed; a couple of outfits and onesies (he might spit up on one), the little pink Converse in case they want to take him out for a walk, nappies, wipes, a few toys and his tummy time mat and of course, his stuffed penguin.

All of that, plus the travel cot and a few bottles of expressed milk will be going into Brian's car when he comes for him, which will be in, Roxanne looks at the clock as she returns downstairs, just under half an hour.

John and Arthur have been gone longer than she thought.

When there are just fifteen minutes until Bran is due, she decides that she'll get the car seat from her mini. It's something that she despises doing because she always, always gets her finger caught somewhere and it makes her unnecessarily angry but she knows that she can't always get John to do it. He's just a lot quicker.

As expected, it doesn't go well and she jams her finger not once but twice and when John and Arthur finally make their way home, John can hear her swearing halfway down the street.

"Mummy's having a go at the car seat again," John murmurs as Arthur stares up at him, "I don't think it's cooperating."

"Son of a bit-"