Not Just A Roadie / Queen Fanfiction

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FREDDIE's POV

Roger looked absolutely ghastly. his hair was sticking up at all angles, not looking like it had been brushed for a couple of days. the hospital gown didn't contribute, but he did look genuinely ill, bags around his eyes, stubble sprouting around his jaw.

"put these on, you look ridiculous darling," I laughed and chucked Roger the pyjamas Brian had put down for him. he only held up one arm to defend himself, the other lying lifeless on the sheets. he swore at me and stood up to head to the bathroom to change.

"urrr...I can't do this by myself," he said awkwardly and I pitied him greatly. Roger of all people despised relying on others, so I could only imagine how humiliated he felt asking for help.

myself, Brian and Deaky all stood back a step, opting out. conveniently, the nurse from before returned with another doctor. they were rather surprised to see Roger standing, crooked and weak, but standing nonetheless.

the nurse guided Roger into the bathroom to help him get changed whilst the doctor ran through what had happened and how the x-ray went.

"he's dislocated his left shoulder," the doctor, who introduced himself as Dr Bannaleigh began to tell us. I could tell Deaky was getting the heebie jeebies, he hated hospitals. I nudged his arm with my elbow and gave him a small smile whilst Dr Bannaleigh continued.

"I'm here to pop it back into place for him," even I winced at that. "a simple procedure, but it'll be painful. your friend is a drummer I am aware of?"

"yes. we came off a tour six days ago," Brian answered.

"has he complained about any pain since then?"

"no."

"alright," Dr Bannaleigh peered at the photo in his hands. I could see that his shoulder was clearly out of place. to my right, I could feel Deaky cringing, he wasn't the biggest fan of medical dilemmas.

Brian, on the other hand, was absolutely mesmerised, and started having a conversation with the doctor even after Roger had returned.

he looked in a major huff, unlike the nurse that followed him, who was beaming from ear to ear. "thanks for your help, I'm okay now with the doctor here," he said as a very blatant way of dismissal.

"what happened Rog?" I came over and knelt down next to him once he was back in bed so we were eye level and he could whisper, just in case somebody else unwanted were to overhear. my black leather trousers were restricting the blood flow in my legs so I shifted my weight.

"bitch came onto me," Roger said, very unimpressed, while I laughed out loud.

"she did not!" I squealed. I did love a bit of gossip

"quieten down Fred, she definitely did. obviously she had to help me change shirt and trousers and when she was helping me put the shirt on she was all 'if I had my way, I wouldn't be keeping that shirt on you right now.' and stuff like that...she also wouldn't stop staring..."

I lost it then, I couldn't help it. I completely broke down and had to lean on the bed for support whilst I was in a crumple of hysterics.

"what are you girls laughing at?" Brian had finished talking about medical shit with the doctor and my loud laughing had obviously gotten his attention. oh I had to tell Brian, this was too funny.

when I finally got up, tears in my eyes, and was about to head off to get a tea with Brian (Deaky had already gone down after seeing the x-ray scans)  whilst the doctor was telling Roger what was wrong with him, he whispered "but I'm happy with Jennifer..."

I whipped around and saw that I was the only one who had heard. "did I hear that right?" I asked him.
Roger said nothing. "we'll talk later..." I gave him a look and went with Brian to get a drink.

ROGER's POV

shit, someone heard. damnit. I wasn't sure if she wanted people to know. that was, presuming we were in fact together. I wanted to talk to her so badly, but the doctor was boring me with everything that was wrong with me.

"your shoulder's been dislocated, so we're going to need to pop it back into place," Dr Bannaleigh told me. "and just so you know in advance, it's going to hurt."

"i'm a drummer in a rock 'n' roll band," I replied, "I'm used to it." my attempt at regaining my dignity seemed to give the doctor the answers he needed.

"ah, so have you had shoulder pain prior to last night?"

then it clicked. when I was writing, it ached then. and those concerts...that's when it all began.

"Mr Taylor?" Dr Bannaleigh got my attention again as I seemed to have spaced out.

"right, yeah, sorry. urr, I think I know when it started. when we were touring...I felt it jar then but I didn't do anything about it cause it didn't give me anymore jip. until now," I waved a hand over the bed that I was currently laying in.

"I see. so it probably was nothing but as you can see here, the injury has progressed, have you slept anywhere that could cause discomfort recently also?"

"that bloody sofa," I said more to myself that anybody else, but the doctor understood what I meant. he showed me the x-ray scan and I groaned at the sight of the mess my shoulder was in. "oh...this is going to hurt..."

———

an hour or so later, a nurse came through to take me through to a separate room so that the doctors could put my shoulder back. that sounded weird. apparently I had to be wheeled there in a wheelchair as if I bumped into anything accidentally, it could further damage the shoulder.

"if a short woman with long hair, and I mean loooong hair, comes in, do you mind telling me where I am? she's my...my...roommate."

okay so we'd made out a few times and we knew each other like the back of our hands, but what was there announcing us as partners? better safe than sorry...

"of course Roger," the nurse who had wheeled me here said and began to help hoist me up. at first I didn't think the help was necessary until I tried to get up myself with one arm and the chair nearly wheeled off behind me. I hated being this dependent on others.

"thank you," I said to her with sincerity for both the help and the potential passing on of a message.

the room had one window, projecting no light whatsoever as the sky was steely grey. instead, bright lights lit up every gleaming surface. I gulped comedically and suddenly dreaded the procedure that was about to commence.