Chapter Text
"Paul...a-are you sure about this?" George asked, waiting with Paul at a bus stop in the middle of the night. Paul was smoking a quick cigarette while waiting with him.
"Of course I am, George," Paul said after taking a quick drag. "He'll let you in the band with no problem." George held onto his guitar case tightly, his anxiety showing on his thin, heart-shaped face. "Ah, here we are..." Paul said, stomping out his half-finished cigarette as the double decker bus approached them. George gulped a little as the bus slowly stopped at the stop and allowed them to get on. Paul quickly led George up the small staircase to the top deck. Once they were there, he heard Paul give a quick greeting to the older boy sitting in the middle of backseat. George bit his lip when he finally came to the conclusion he was was staring straight at the infamous John Lennon.
"Hey there, Macca." John said, looking up, a very small, half-smile on his lips, his eyes travelled to the young boy standing behind his best friend, "that the kid then?"
"Yes, it is," Paul said, thumping on George's back proudly as the bus started moving again. George winced a little as Paul patted his back; he started to look down at the ground nervously and clutching onto his guitar case tightly. After taking a quick glance up at John, he was immediately intimidated. The older boy looked so tough and confident to George, he was now afraid to make eye contact with him. He felt Paul moving him toward a set of seats near John's spot in the back. John put his feet up on the top of the seat in front of him, crossing his ankles and putting his hands behind his head, looking at the two younger boys and smirking.
"Well go on then, erm...what's yer name again?" John questioned, already knowing his name but just trying to seem like he could care less. George bit his lip hard, clutching onto his guitar even tighter than before; his knuckles almost turned while and he continued staring at the ground.
"G-George...Harrison..." he mumbled quietly. He looked up at Paul, who was sitting across from him. The doe-eyed boy gave a him a little thumbs up and an encouraging smile before he turned to John.
"He can play Raunchy, John."
"Can he now? Well that would be quite lovely ta hear, George Harrison." John said, his tone slightly mocking and his eyes on George. He knew Paul would get on him later for being mean but he was having too much fun. Paul simply stared at John, a look of warning on his face. He knew John could be a prick sometimes, but he didn't have to pick on George like that, not only after he just met the boy. George gulped once again as he unzipped his guitar case and pulled out his guitar with shaky hands. As he tuned his guitar, he accidentally looked up and stared straight into John's eyes. He felt an embarrassed, red blush come up on his hollow cheeks and Paul took that moment to break-up the silence.
"Go on, George," he said. "Show him what you got!!" John raised his eyebrows as George looked into his eyes, a light blush dusting his cheeks and looked back into the other boy's eyes before looking away quickly to Paul.
"U-um, yeah, Harrison, show me." he said, giving Paul an impassive look to his warning one. George gulped for the last time and he immediately began playing Raunchy note for note with no mistakes. As long as he kept staring at the ground and didn't make eye contact with John, he was fine. His anxiety disappeared as he continued playing. Paul smiled as George played, watching his younger friend show off his talent to John. Hopefully, John would let George into the band after hearing this performance. John was quite impressed and knew it would be very hard to turn down the kid after that but he couldn't let George show him up, he was the leader after all!
"Well, that was good." John said, trying not to give away much, "I'll think on it." he continued, keeping his eyes away from Paul's death glare. George started to feel nervous again when he heard John's response. He clutched his guitar neck tightly, looking up at Paul pleadingly. Paul took notice of George's expression and looked at John incredulously.
"Why are you gonna think on it, John? We should let him join!! He's really good!!" John finally looked at Paul and narrowed his eyes.
"I said I'm gonna think on it! Who's the leader here, Macca? You or me?" he said, not liking his authority challenged.
"Come on, John...you're scaring him." Paul said. George dared to look up at John and let his dark brown, nervous eyes lock onto John's face. He bit his lip once he saw John's eyes narrowed into slits. He almost wanted to stop Paul from challenging John; he was completely terrified of the older boy's temper and did not want to push his buttons. John let out an annoyed sigh, put his feet down and his hands on his lap, still looking at Paul.
"Why should I care if I'm scarin' him or not? He's got a chance ta get in, that should be good enough."
"Ugh...John...you're getting him all nervous now." Paul muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. George, on the other hand, continued staring at John's annoyed face. Was he really annoying him? Or were Paul's responses just making it look like he was annoying him? The youngest boy didn't want to find out. He didn't have the will power to speak up and break into their argument. He felt like it was something between the two of them; he was just there to play and, hopefully, get in the band.
"Yeah well he shouldn't be, I let you in, didn't I?" John smirked and snickered, leaning back in his seat again, knowing Paul was great but he couldn't let the opportunity to push his buttons pass. Paul let out a huff when he saw the smug look on John's face. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at George. George continued staring at John, his dark brown eyes intent on trying to make eye contact with the older boy, even though he was terrified by him. John rolled his eyes and mirrored Paul, looking over at George and accidently meeting his eyes. He bit his lip and searched the younger boys eyes, trying to see if he was really scaring the kid. George continued his stare down with John. The little confidence he had diminishing completely once he saw John staring back at him. He could fell his fear showing in his eyes and easily giving himself away to the older boy. But, even though he was scared, he couldn't help feeling a little attracted to John's bad boy attitude. He too wanted to be like John, but it was hard to accomplish that when you had two older brothers. John let out a heavy sigh but kept his eye contact with George, he was determined to stare him down till the other boy had to look away, and he could already see the fear in his eyes. Paul was now watching the two of them stare each other down. He didn't know what was going on, but he wished it would stop because it was starting to scare him.
"John...George?"
George continued staring at John, but he couldn't hold it much longer. He was too intimidated by John and he got scared that he would change his mind about letting him because of Paul's insistence to let him. The younger boy eventually looked down at the dirty floor of the bus and gave in. John grinned triumphantly as George looked down and glanced at Paul.
"Yeah, Paul?" he asked, his satisfaction at winning the stare down apparent from his cocky tone. Paul simply stared at him as he helped George put his guitar back in his case. George continued staring at the ground, afraid to look up at John again.
"Hey, George...come on. Our stop is coming up," Paul said and then he turned to John, "Did you even bother asking him how old he is, John? Because no one in your age group could play Raunchy note for note...not even I can do that."
George blushed a little at Paul's compliment, but, he didn't dare look back up at John. John rolled his eyes and looked to George again.
"Hey, kid, how old are ye?"
"Umm...I'm...I'm 14." George muttered, still looking at the floor. Paul looked at John with a triumphant smile. He knew John wouldn't stand for someone so young to be in the band, but, he couldn't pass up a chance to take George in the band since he knew well enough someone else would take him into their own band. John raised an eyebrow and looked between Paul and George, knowing it would be best to have George in the band just so no one else could, even if he was so young.
"Here, Harrison, come ta my house and play some more fer me, maybe it'll get ye a bettah chance in, aye?" George looked up at him in shock; he snapped his head up so quickly, he almost heard his neck crack.
"H-Huh?" Paul smiled at him and thumped him on the back.
"You heard him, Georgie. Now, come on...I gotta bring you back to your Mum before she gets too worried." They finally reached their stop and Paul simply nodded as he pulled George off the bus. George shyly stared back at John as Paul continued to drag him off. John laughed at how shocked George seemed and waved them goodbye, getting off at his stop and walking around to come in the back door of Mendips, doing his best to sneak upstairs only to be caught by the one and only Mimi.
"John Winston Lennon, what are you doing getting home this late?" she said sternly, hands on her hips and her lips pursed. John flinched and turned to her, standing on the staircase upstairs.
"I-it ain't really that late, Mimi, I wouldn't say so…" he said, biting his lip, not wanting George to come just to see him get in trouble.
"Don't give me that, John!! It's late!! I expected you to be home earlier!!" Mimi stated, her voice escalating in volume.
"Hey, look! I was out with Paul! He's a good kid, ya like him! Go ask! I wasn't doin' nothing wrong!" John said, getting louder as well.
"Don't you raise your voice at me, John," she shouted back, pointing an accusing finger at him. "Now, go to your room!!"
"What am I, ten?" John muttered as he stomped up the stairs to his room, slamming the door shut. Mimi sighed, sitting down in an armchair in the living room. She resumed her knitting and smoked a new cigarette. John sighed and opened his one window, taking a cig from his pocket and lighting it, he took a long drag and waited for George, he of course, already knew he was going to let George in the band but there was something about him, that made John want him over...and he wanted to figure it out without Paul there to butt in.