Chapter Text
The lights of the town of San Junipero were beaming. Streetlights, nightclubs and bars. Cars drifting up and down the main street. Everybody was out and having a good time.
Walking along the sidewalk was Freddie. He was looking around, a little like a tourist, taking in the sights. There was a television in a store window, which was showing a news report. Freddie watched it for a moment until his attention was snatched away by a voice, a young woman's voice.
"Roger, c'mon..." the woman says.
Freddie's eyes follow the voice. He sees a couple striding along the sidewalk. At least they looked like a couple. The young woman is dressed in a red dress with a black leather jacket. On the other hand, the man looked Intriguing and attractive. He had long dark blonde hair and was wearing a black and white floral jacket with black leather pants that made him stand out.
"Roger..." the woman continued.
"What, Jane?"
She stands closer to him "We only got a couple of hours, you know, so let's use it..."
"I am using it." He winked and walked through the door of a large bar called Tucker's with Jane following him behind.
Freddie looks up at the sign of the bar and then at the door. Gingerly, he pushes it open and walks inside. The place is like a cavern. Crocodile Rock by Elton John was playing on a sound system somewhere.
Freddie looks around, but he doesnt see Roger or Jane.
It was bustling in there and Freddie got a bit overwhelmed. So he made his way to a corner containing a number of video arcade machines. He starts playing one which he turns out to be surprisingly good at. Shortly afterwards, a young woman spots Freddie on the machine. She walks towards him and stands beside him, watching his progress over his shoulder. It takes her a while to find some courage to speak.
"You're good at this."
Freddie doesn't look up. "Thanks. It's my first time playing it."
"Oh, I've played it before. It's got different endings depending on if you're in one or two player."
"Damnit." Freddie got distracted by the conversation which made him lose the game.
The woman tries to interest him in playing with her. "Do you want to... ?"
Freddie then realizes she was trying to flirt with him. "Uh, no. Thank you... I'm sorry it's not you, dear. I'm sort of..." He gestures around "Just want to get my bearings."
The woman looks slightly disappointed. "Uh okay. See you around, then."
Freddie wanders off to the bar, gets a drink and sits down at a booth. Little Lies by Fleetwood Mac was playing while he sipped his drink and checked out the comings-and-goings.
Suddenly Roger walks past. He spots something in the distance, rolls his eyes and abruptly sits down besides Freddie.
Freddie looks at him, a little surprised. "Uh..."
"Go along with whatever I say." Roger says quietly.
"Sorry?" Freddie asks, confused with the whole situation.
"Whatever I say, go along with it."
Suddenly, Jane appears nearby. She opens her mouth to speak but Roger doesn't let her.
"Jane, can I please have a minute?"
She checks her watch "There's not much time left. Roger..."
"Jane..."
"Last week, we had the most amazing..."
"Last week was last week." Roger says, cutting her off. "I need to talk to my friend here, okay? Haven't seen him in a while." Roger puts a supportive arm round Freddie. Freddie is surprised but puts on a smile for Jane.
Jane tries to speak but Roger interrupts "Jane, his cat is sick. Like six months to live sick."
"Five, actually." Freddie says. Roger looks at Freddie, amused and impressed. But immediately hides it and looks back at Jane.
"I need to catch up with him. Private time."
Jane considers protesting but then thinks better of it.
"Okay." She looks at Freddie "Hey, I'm sorry."
"That's okay." Freddie says.
"I'll see you around." Jane says to Roger and leaves.
"Sorry for killing your "cat". The whole six months to live thing. Sorry, five. Five was a nice touch." He holds his hand out. "Roger."
"Freddie, and thanks. I do have cat actually." he laughs a little.
"Oh really? Well, you do look like the cat person type." He points at Jane "She's not a bad girl, you know. I feel kinda bad. Met her at the Quagmire, so..."
"What's a Quagmire?" Freddie asks.
"Oh. If you don't already know what the Quagmire is, you probably don't want to know." Roger looks at Freddie's empty glass. "You want another one?"
"Uh, sure."
At the bar, Roger leans foward to get attention of the barman. "Hey, Jack and Coke, times two. Please." While the barman is fixing the drinks, Roger turns to Freddie and stares at him.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm ‘regarding’ you."
"Feel like I'm being... analysed."
Roger laughs. "I like your style." Freddie also had long hair, not as long as Roger's though. He was wearing a brown fur coat which, just like Roger and his floral jacket, made him stand out.
"Oh, uh. Thanks, I like yours too."
The barman places their drinks on the bar counter.
"Thanks." Roger says and turns to Freddie. "Cheers!" They clinks their glasses and take a sip.
"Do you live here?" Roger asks.
"No, but..."
"A tourist?"
Freddie waves his head as though to say "kind of yes, kind of no", uncertain how to answer.
"We'll go with tourist. So you're new here?"
"First night."
"First night! Well okay." He clinks his glass against Freddie's. The opening of Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry starts playing. Roger laughs and starts moving his body to the rhythym. He takes a large gulp of his drink and stands up. "Let's dance!"
"With each other?"
"Yeah."
Freddie glances at the dance floor. People are uninhibited, laughing and enjoying themselves. Then he looks back at Roger.
"I'm not sure if..."
"C'mon, Freddie. Let's not limit ourselves." Roger says. He takes Freddie's hand and starts to lead him towards the dance floor.
Yeah, they was dancin' and singin' and movin' to the groovin'. And just when it hit me somebody turned around and shouted.
Granted they weren't the best dancers there. But they were definitely enjoying themselves.
Play that funky music white boy. Play that funky music right.
Roger was mostly doing simple, but effective, dance moves. While Freddie was stepping up his game, performing a more flamboyant, somewhat provocative, writhing move. Roger smiled at him and tried to copy him. He got closer to him, bodies touching and spoke to his ear "You need to teach me that." Freddie could feel his cheeks getting warmer over the unexpected proximity.
Other people on the dance floor started to notice. Freddie glanced around, self-conscious. He slowly started to back away and then left, with a very confused Roger following behind.
Freddie opens a fire door and exits the building. It was pouring rain outside so he had to stay beneath the awning.
"Hey. Why'd you run away?" Roger asks.
"Everyone was looking."
"Looking?"
Freddie pointed at the two of them. "You know? Two guys, dancing."
"Okay. One, folks are way less uptight than they used to be, and two, this is a party town, no-one’s judging."
Roger walks towards him. "If they were staring it’s because I am a hot dancer."
This makes Freddie laugh a little. "I believe you're rather daft, dear."
"Thank you." Roger laughs and sits down besides Freddie.
"It's just... My family. They're very strict. Sometimes it feels like I can't do anything."
"Yeah. Well. No one knows about even half the shit I get up to." Roger looks at Freddie for a moment. "What would you like to do? That you've never done?" He slides a little closer and Freddie smiles shyly.
"Uh... So many things."
"San Junipero's a party town. All up for grabs. Midnight's two hours away." Roger gets a little closer.
Freddie is almost shaking now, with nerves and excitement. "That's not long."
Roger brushes some hair away from Freddie's neck. Then leans in and talks quietly, almost in his ear. "Why waste time sitting here?"
He puts his hand on Freddie's inner thigh, which makes Freddie lose his breath for a second.
But then he abruptly stands up, very flustered. "I... Uh... Listen..."
Roger isn't offended and immediately takes it with good grace. "It's okay."
"No, I mean..." He covers his eyes with his hand "Dammit. Look, I... Uh... You seem..."
"Really, it's okay."
"I'm sorry."
"I get it."
"I have to go."
"In this?" Roger points at the rain.
"It's been great to meet you." Freddie holds out his hand. Roger looks at his hand, amused. Then shakes it.
"Likewise."
Then Freddie turns around and starts to walk away, quickly. Roger watches him leave for a moment, still slightly amused.
While walking through the rain, Freddie murmurs to himself. "Okay. Okay. Okay. Shit. Shit."
But then he stops on his tracks and looks up at the sky again. He closes his eyes, exhales and opens his eyes again.
He turns on his heel to look at Roger. But he's not there. Freddie just catches a glimpse of Roger walking back in through the fire escape and the door closing behind him. Freddie hovers for a moment and then decides not to follow him.
He turns around again and walks away, a little crushed.