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Roger loved these moments.
It was late, and with winter’s grip on the frosted streets his breath crystallised into clouds before him as he spoke. Thanking the man as he exchanged a couple coins for a cup of heaven- hot coffee. Steaming, creamy and warm enough to thaw his fingers, the numbness fading as his hands felt alive for the first time in a while. Roger loved these warm, bubbly moments- the feeling centred right below his heart. As he sipped, Roger trodded back along the ice-edged pavements, his too-worn shoes not quite suitable for the frozen feeling in his feet. Still, this was good.
“Wanker!”
As he turned the corner, Roger felt a smile creeping up on his face at the scene. Fred waving angrily at a huddled couple quickly retreating into the sea of winter coat racks of the other stalls, pointedly turning away from the crazed queen who looked to be at the tipping point of a rant. His cheeks were tinged with a blush, half from the cold, the other Roger guessed from that remark. He almost sank back down into the flimsy seats of their stall, when he glanced Roger, shooting a wide grin and jumping back up again.
“Busy?” Roger asked, his smile big and bold that made Freddie mock scowl.
“Like you wouldn’t believe, you’d hardly guess darling but in your coffee break-“ he stared pointedly as Roger set down his drink to squeeze behind the cramped boxes and benches “two members of the royal family wanted to buy our wares! I said that they were simply to dear to you, especially this fur coat…”
Freddie brushed the soft furs of the coat, a mixture of pale and darker browns like it had belonged some fine breed of rabbit. They almost reflected the sparkles of the light, the shine of some kind of good quality. Something about that had smitten Roger almost, with the silk-like lining on the inside being the cherry on top of what he had argued to be a top-notch investment.
“And that’s what provoked you to curse our clients?” Roger prodded, shuffling next to Freddie to share body heat.
“Not… exactly. They offered some extremely insubstantial prices Roger, so of course I had to be… firm.” He bit his lip, choking back a giggle.
“Uh-huh”
Roger glanced back at the coat, then to the embarrassed couple buried in the sea of mackintoshes, and laughed breathlessly against Fred. It could only be him, my god their faces were astonishing, taken aback by this extravagant young man peddling rabbit fur. Freddie’s laugh was even better, like bubbling boiling water, it burst out of him in waves and practically had Roger gasping with how much it tickled him. He didn’t even feel cold at this point, his nose red and fingers blue, grinning as Freddie ruffled a hand over his hair to stifle his giggles.
“Now darling, what did you get?” Fred finally managed, rubbing his hands together.
“Extra cream, little sugar- I know how to keep you sweet.” He quipped, carefully balancing the piping hot cup between his hands and passing it to Fred, whose eyes practically sparkled with the first sip.
The market was even less than quiet, but the occasional shopper bustled through the streets on the way home, pausing only to glance. Roger hardly minded, even though it had long gone dark. Early winter nights reminded him a little of those breathless nights after parties, outside clubs, a little bit of magic. Being huddled up close to Freddie like this made him feel warm inside, even if his fingertips froze in his pockets.
He stared upwards, beyond the canvas-topped stalls, the concrete rooftops and glassy skyscrapers: the night sky. Squinting, he tried to remember the diagram in one of Brian’s textbooks. Just a little more to the left, or was it east? Follow the spire of a building and then-
“Look Fred, the north star.” He pointed, tucking his chin over his shoulder to get a better view.
“Brian’s late nights?” He joked, humming under his breath as he followed Roger’s gaze. His face flushed in the cold; dark hair pushed behind his ears. He felt Roger smile against him, poking him lightly with an elbow as Roger seemed to tuck himself further into Freddie’s hold.
“Shush.”
~
“Roger could you be a woman for me?” Freddie poked his head out from under the table, brushing stands of hair from his face where it had fallen out from its tie.
“Pardon?” Roger peeped; his face incredulous.
“A lady, c’mon Rog, will you?” he cocked a smile, ducking as Roger flung a tattered scarf at him.
“Fred, I don’t even know what you’re asking for right now, even though at this rate it’s a thump.” He held back a laugh as Fred banged his head on the bottom of the table, crossing his arms as Freddie whined at him for help.
“No, no I need you” Another thud, “to take a picture in this.” With that he crawled out from underneath, flourishing some skimpy top with a grin.
“You must be joking.”
“It’s for sales! People like to know what it looks like on, and if I show a quite frankly flattering picture of my girlfriend wearing it how will they say no?” Freddie still grinned, twisting the garment so Roger could look at it. It was almost backless, and draped far beyond what anyone but Fred himself would wear. He took a long, hard look at it, then back up to Freddie’s waiting expression.
“Your girlfriend?” he raised his eyebrows, particularly as today on a unusually warm April Freddie was wearing a low-cut neckline jumper, a pleasing shade of magenta he swore he saw in a bundle of wool the last time he visited Fred’s parents.
“Fine, your girlfriend. You get the pretty ones anyway dear.”
~
“If these photos ever end up anywhere-“ Roger felt himself blush even as he threatened Freddie with certain, painful death.
“I know, I know, could you lean back a little?”
Freddie’s camera snapped away, and he really hoped the blush hadn’t spread to his back where Freddie was photographing. The top looked… not bad. A nice shade of blue, rich and light, which caught the light well in Brian and Roger’s shared apartment. It hugged him a little tightly around the middle, but the back was his main concern. Freddie wanted to make it look natural, flicking a strand of Roger’s blond hair over his shoulder. His hair flowed in waves, settling just above his shoulder blades, tickling his skin there.
“Are we almost done?” he whined, a slight chill in the apartment raising the hairs on his arms.
“Wait…” another snap. “Yes, completely. You’re gorgeous darling, very convincing.”
He breathed a loud sigh, watching as Freddie laid the polaroid’s on the counter-top, fiddling with his camera. He ran his fingertips briefly over the glossy material, by now it was as warm as his body, feeling almost featherlight on his skin. He tugged a little, squeezing the fabric over his shoulders. It was so soft, so smooth and-
“Fred.”
He tugged again, finding his elbows were trapped in some silken knot.
“Help.” He yelped, another tug dangerously pulling on the fabric, and Roger felt his heart rate increase. Oh god, what if he was stuck? What if Brian got back early and found him like this?
“Okay, oh wow Roger, hang on dear.” In his silken prison, Roger felt Freddie’s hands drifting over the material, then jerking strategically. The fabric loosened a little, and he had the strongest urge to wiggle.
“Don’t, don’t, you’ll rip it!” Freddie squealed, and Roger was having a very hard time choosing whether to laugh or yell at him.
“There!” and the fabric fell away in one swoop, the sweet air of freedom filling Roger’s lungs as he breathed fully without the tight fabric against him. Freddie chuckled silently, folding up the fabric as Roger turned back with a scowl.
“Never again.”
“Promise darling.” He laughed, and Roger guessed he could laugh a little too