Work Text:
1973, Madison Square Garden
The four musicians were led through darkened hallways to the backstage area, where they could feel the thrum of the crowd, thousands strong, awaiting the biggest band in the world. Then it was time, the quartet filed onto the dark stage and took their respective places.
Bonzo abruptly began the song "Rock and Roll" and the others crashed in, joining him, as the lights switched on and the flashes went off. Rob belted out the lyrics, no warmups, she blasted the cobwebs from her vocal chords and had that powerful siren blaring across the vast sea of people.
Bathed in the stage lights she was impossibly tall, long-legged, fluffy blonde hair bouncing as she strutted and danced. The tiny blouse she had tied underneath her round, heavy breasts, leaving that sinuous torso bare, down to the low-rise bell bottoms that accentuated the way her waist dipped in and flared into wide hips. Jimmy danced and moved in time to the rhythm as he played, but he usually kept an eye on his singer.
It was hard not to.
She wailed, groaned, screamed, cajoled, pleaded and growled her way through songs, leaving an indelible impression on anyone who witnessed, and despite her wide shoulders, large nose and thin lips she was breathtaking to watch; nearly six feet of pure sex and adrenaline, muscles rippling under taut skin.
Jimmy glanced round to his other bandmates to see Jonesy and Bonham feeding off each other, almost as if they could read each other's minds. It was a wondrous thing to be a part of, this communion, this creative spark they all shared with one another. The guitarist watched as Robbi swept a stray golden lock out of her face and then nodded and smiled at the drummer.
Jimmy still wondered about the relationship between Bonzo and the singer, their declarations of being best mates and raised like brother and sister notwithstanding. He knew it was a deep, platonic, loyal friendship, which didn't bother him. Before Zeppelin, though, he knew Rosette had stayed with Bonzo's family after she was kicked out of her parents' home. He shook his head, chastising himself for such useless thoughts. It didn't matter now, did it, now that Jimmy and Rob had each other? What did the rumours of her sexual exploits with other women and men matter, when it was plainly obvious they were helplessly in love?
She had coyly mentioned Charlie asking her to marry him, seeing as they had a kid together and all. She had rebuffed him, or so she said…
Jimmy was certainly not the marrying type. He had Lori, and Charlotte, and Miss Pamela…
But none of them were Rosette Antonia Plant.
He should do it. Maybe even after the show, just...just ask her. Make it official. They made music together, had seen each other through highs and lows. Why not?
What if she says no? What if she wanted to keep her side action with Maureen and Maureen's brother Charlie?
Suddenly she was in front of him, grinning, shaking her hips, then leaning against him, her sweat mingling with his. She was a shade taller than he and broader, the light to his dark, Amazon to his Wizard. When she leaned close, he quickly kissed her cheek, faster than most could register. She laughed, gazed at him lovingly a few moments.
Fuck, I'm gonna do it. Gonna propose to my singer, Jimmy said to himself.