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successful||roger taylor x reader

Warning(s): none

Word count: 4,278

A/N: This is a request from @deacyloverogerinalove! I really enjoyed writing this even though it took me a little while. I’m really grateful for all the love that my first fic got and there will definitely be more parts. Also, if you have any requests, feel free to dm me any time! Ok, enjoy!

Summary/request:  Reader and Roger were best friends as children, so close, they were born in the same day in the same hospital on the same ward and their mothers soon became friends as did they. But when it hit high school and Reader left to pursue acting, they had a huge argument and hated each other. An amazing friendship turned into pure hatred for one another. Her reason for leaving was that everyone in their home town was unsuccessful, a nobody. But when she returns years later, she’s just that. A nobody and with Roger being a world famous drummer. She tries to reconnect with him after changing her name and she’s basically gold digging.

“It’s ridiculous!”

You had been fighting with your best friend for the past hour. You didn’t know how or when the conversation had escalated, but now you were both yelling venomous words at one another that could never be taken back.

“Ridiculous? Roger, it’s my dream! This is what I want more than anything and you’re saying that it’s ridiculous?” you paused. “Or is it because you think it’s ridiculous for me?

Roger looked down, guilt evident in his sad expression. The truth was that he didn’t want you to leave. But he couldn’t tell you that. It’d make him seem weak. Pathetic. Selfish. You had been there for him all his life from the moment you were both born at the same hospital in the rooms just across from each other. You had spent every birthday together and ate lunch with one another at school when there was no one else. You had comforted and encouraged him when he cried the first day of kindergarten (although he would never admit that he did). You were there for him when his first girlfriend had broken up with him and when he wasn’t happy with the music he was writing. You were always supportive.

It wasn’t one sided either. He was your shoulder to cry on when Tommy pushed you on the playground or when Katelyn called you names during math class. He had always stood up for you and he was there when you felt like the whole world was against you. He always believed in you and pushed you to be your best. But it was different now. You weren’t those two little kids skipping their way to the local grocery store a block away every day for popsicles. You had hopes and dreams and plans for the future.

Roger had been your rock. Your anchor. Your constant. And you had hoped that he would be your future too which is why it pained you so much to hear that he didn’t believe in you. Maybe you really weren’t cut out for acting. Roger had always had your best interests in mind after all. 

“Look, I’m not saying that you can’t do it but…Y/N it’s just so unrealistic. Look at where we live! Not a single person here has amounted to anything more than an extra in some stupid sitcom.” he argued.

“Whatever. I can’t let you get in my head because I honestly think I can do this,” your voice wavered trying to hold back tears. “You know, I always thought that out of everyone you’d believe in me but I guess not. I guess I really am alone.”

You left without another word, slamming the door behind you as you ran down two blocks to your house.

—–

It had been five years since you’d moved to New York to go to a prestigious school for theatre and the performing arts. You changed your name (not officially or legally though), bought new clothes, cut your hair and even dyed it in a desperate attempt to leave your little town and boring past behind. You had been having fun learning the ins and outs of film. In truth, you were still trying to get ahold of your life outside of the town you had grown up in. After all, it was a huge change going from a relatively unknown place to the Big Apple.

At first, you thought about that little town often. Every day in fact. You called your mother once a week to check up on things back at home. You considered asking her about Roger but always shied away from the topic. Knowing that you two had left off on a bad note, your mother never brought him up either. You hadn’t spoke to him since that argument on your last day in town in his backyard.

Thoughts of Roger and what he could be up to filled your mind every time you came back to your cramped dorm room after hours of lecturing on the History of Cinema and Using the Right Lens to Capture the Best Atmosphere and Tone. You loved film with all your heart but it became tiring. 

Perhaps you had the talent and passion, but you certainly didn’t have the energy or determination. You had been in a few indie films, but after all this time you still hadn’t gotten your “big break”.

You were going to school and working two different part-time jobs to support yourself. You were stretching yourself thin and it would only be so long until you’d snap. Every rejection you got put a hole in your self-esteem and you began to wonder if this was really for you. Of course, acting was your passion but you would be lying if you said that the idea of just giving up and going back home to rest didn’t give you relief.

“Ten more auditions.” you promised yourself. If none of those go right, you’ll just go back home and figure it out from there. You were done with this life. It was tiring and only made you feel insecure about yourself. No amount of love or passion could persuade you to pursue this. 

Then again, Roger could have. He would have told you that you couldn’t give up and that it shouldn’t even be an option. But Roger wasn’t in your corner anymore. Roger was off doing god knows what. You were alone.

—–

Two years later, you were packing your things for a flight back home. Back to that small town where everyone was no one. The ten auditions you had promised yourself turned into 30. You got a few callbacks, minor roles for filmmakers that were trying to make it just like you were. But all of those big roles that you had wanted so badly were always “the wrong fit” or it was always a “we decided to go in a different direction” call.

That was exactly what you had decided to do. Go in a different direction. Backwards.

—–

Walking around the streets where you had grown up was an emotional rollercoaster. At each and every turn there was something that triggered a memory inside of you. Most of those memories were made with Roger, you realized. You couldn’t help but wonder where he was and what he was doing these days. It had been almost seven years since you had spoken to him and as you looked at the grocery store that had become your hangout spot as children, you felt a little hole in your heart. You really missed him.

Walking into the store for your signature orange creamsicle (just for old time’s sake), you felt nostalgic as you imagined the seven year old version of yourself and Roger racing each other to the store as the poor owner yelled at you for the millionth time to stop running around and causing a mess.

“Hey Dan, how’s it been?” you chuckled, taking small steps towards the store owner, leaning against the counter.

“Y/N?” he asked excitedly as you nodded. “Wow, almost didn’t recognize you! Man, I swear you were just a little kid when you left!” “Well actually I go by Y/F/N now. Guess I just wanted to leave this place behind but, well… now I’m back. Maybe for good. I don’t know, still figuring it out.” you thought out loud.

He started talking again but you weren’t paying attention. Your eyes focused onto the small television screen in the corner of the room just behind the counter. You couldn’t believe what you were seeing.

“Is that fucking Roger??” you asked, cutting him off mid-sentence.

“Yeah, he’s been with this band called Queen or something for a while now. You didn’t know? What happened I thought you were best friends?”

“Yeah well things didn’t work out. Sorry Dan but I gotta go.” you said already sprinting out the front door.

—–

“Queen???” you shouted out to your mother after practically slamming the door open. “He’s with Queen now?? Why the hell did no one bother to tell me??”

“Baby, you did ask us not to talk about him…” your mother replied calmly, hoping to tone down your anger and shock.

“I know, I know,” you sighed rubbing your forehead. “It’s just… I didn’t think that THAT’S what he’d be doing.” You had listened to Queen many times before but you hadn’t been catching up about them in the news. Their music was all you knew about them.

“Look baby, they’re having a little show in town in two weeks. I know that you and Rog didn’t leave off in the best place but… don’t you think that it’s time to at least talk to him?”

“I’ll think about it.” you said as calmly as you could. 

The truth was that you were most definitely going to that show. Your years at acting school hadn’t been kind on your wallet and being a world famous drummer must come with its perks. What could you lose from a little reconnection with Roger?

—–

You had spent two weeks catching up with old friends around town and before you knew it, Queen was in town.

After years away in New York, you had stopped caring about Roger and thought about him less and less. However, something about being in this town made you miss him and the adventures you had together. You had to admit that you were a little nervous to see him again.

Looking into the mirror, you looked totally different from the girl who left town seven years ago. You almost couldn’t see how that girl and the girl looking back at you now were the same person. 

But that was what you wanted. If you were going to use Roger for his money, you didn’t want to do it as the girl he knew all those years ago. It would break your own heart for him to realize what kind of person you had become.

Five minutes. Oh my god five minutes?? You had to get going otherwise you’d miss the first few songs.

—– 

The venue was small and crowded. You recognized some people from around town but from the amount of people there were, it seemed that some had traveled quite the distance to see Queen.

The lights went dark as the crowd’s cheers grew. The spotlight shone across the empty stage as the band’s guitarist and bassist stepped out. The crowd grew so loud that it was almost deafening. Then, there he was.

Roger Taylor.

Your Roger Taylor. Roger Taylor who cried on the first day of kindergarten (though he would never admit that). Roger Taylor who was too afraid to play on the swings until you convinced him that it would feel like flying. Roger Taylor who came to you for help on his english homework every day because he had fallen asleep in class again.

But was he still that same Roger Taylor? You knew that fame changed people and knowing Roger, he could definitely have grown an ego bigger than the one he already had.

Your mind was swimming with thoughts and memories of your past and you couldn’t help but stare at him. You couldn’t take your eyes off of Roger even as Queen’s front-man stepped out in the most eye-catching costume.

“Hey, we all want a piece of him. You’ll have to get in line.” the girl next to you nudged you after catching you staring at Roger.

—–

The show went well and their music was amazing. There wasn’t a single stiff body within the crowd.

Now you were backstage with a bunch of other girls. You were shocked as to how many young women there were wearing the most revealing clothing that they had in their closets. Of course you knew that he would have groupies but you didn’t know to what extent. 

It was weird to think about. All these girls chasing after Roger when you had always known him as that loser that had fallen off of the slide in the 11th grade (parents around the playground would ask you “aren’t you a little old to be playing on the playground?” but you didn’t care. You were just having fun with your best friend). 

But isn’t that what you were doing? Trying to get close with this rockstar just so that you could maybe afford a place to live?

Your thoughts were interrupted by the screams of the young girls around you as Roger stepped out of his dressing room. Standing off to the side a little, Roger could see you clearly despite the large number of women crowding around his door.

“Y/N?” he asked himself in disbelief. “Hey, can we get that girl through here?” he turned to his bodyguard pointing towards you. Much to the dismay of the girls backstage, you were brought to the front of the crowd and into the drummer’s dressing room.

As the door shut behind you, your heart sped up. What were you thinking? He’d recognize who you were, wouldn’t he? He would definitely catch you in this lie oh my god you need to get out of h-

“Y/N? Hello?” his voice snapped you back to reality. What were you going to do?

“No actually, I’m Y/F/N. Sorry if you were expecting someone else.” you answered hesitantly. He had definitely caught you. There was no way that you were getting away with this.

“Oh sorry… you just… looked like someone I used to know” he said with disappointment clearly in his voice. He looked down with the saddest expression you had ever seen and you almost considered telling the truth. But you couldn’t because well… money.

There were a few moments of silence before you finally spoke. “Well…what now?

“Well honestly,” he sighed. “I’m not really up for sex right now. Wow, don’t think I’ve ever said that…”

“What? Not pretty enough?” you joked.

“No no it’s not that at all it’s just that…I was really hoping to see that girl today.” he spoke sadly.

The room went silent again. You were sure that you would have been caught by now and honestly, you didn’t really have a plan.

“Tell me about her.” you finally spoke.

“God she was…perfect. My very best friend since we were born.” he spoke fondly. “She was so kind and she was always there for me until she left. And then I was alone.”

You felt like you were being invasive because it was you that he was speaking of and he didn’t even know it. Somewhere in the back of your mind though, you were comforted by the fact that he felt exactly the same way as you did being apart from each other. Alone. Lost. Incomplete.

—–

You had been talking to Roger for hours about anything and everything all while holding up this fake persona.

“Oh my god it’s 4am,” you suddenly realized, looking at the clock above roger’s mirror. “I have to get going. Got a busy day tomorrow.”

“Wait,” Roger said holding onto your arm. “Okay this is really rare for me to do and I can’t believe I’m even asking this right now but… can I see you again?”

“Sure,” you spoke as you tried to hold back a smile. “Seven o’clock at the Angel Bar next week. Don’t be late.”

“What? No number?” he asked as you slid out the door.

“No number.” you smiled and made your way back home.

—–

Soon enough, it was next week. You sat on a bar stool as you watched Roger walk through the door.  Usually he was confident, but if you weren’t mistaken, you could see that he was a little nervous.

“So you finally decided to make it huh?” you laughed.

“Hey! I’m only… ten minutes late!” he smiled looking down at his watch.

—–

It had been several hours and several rounds of drinks later until the topic of money came up. Honestly, you were enjoying the time to catch up with your friend even if he didn’t know that it was you. You were starting to regret this entire scheme and considered just telling him the truth. But you couldn’t do that. You were too far in and you REALLY needed that money. The little place that you had been living in expected rent soon and your pockets were completely empty.

“Yeah, money’s been a little tight lately,” you looked down feeling guilty because you shouldn’t be doing this. Sure you left off on a bad note but he was still your friend.

“How short are you?” he asked right away.

“What?” you asked confused as to why he was so eager to know.

“How much money do you need?” he asked again.

“No you can’t do that.” you had to at least ACT like you weren’t just using him for his money. If you went straight to telling him how much you wanted, he would be suspicious.

“Y/F/N, it’s fine. Just tell me how much you owe and I won’t judge you.” he asked again.

“$400…” you sighed.

“Darling that’s nothing, I’ll cover it.” he answered quickly.

“Really? That’s too much for me to ask of you.” you lied.

“How about this?” he bargained. “I’ll pay your rent if you go on another date with me.” 

“Deal.” you smiled.

—–

With the money problem being out of the way, you had actually been able to enjoy your dates with Roger.

You had gone on two more dates after the one at the bar and now, you were on your fourth. You had avoided anything physical. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t help but fall in love. You loved him.

You were in love with Roger Taylor.

You walked through the park, holding Roger’s hand as you realized this. But you couldn’t say anything. You were Y/F/N not Y/N. You weren’t the girl he knew growing up who would clean up his scraped knee and read to him on the tire swing in your backyard because you had learned how to read far before he did. Now you were the girl that he had met backstage in a crowd of tens of other girls and the girl that was using him for his wealth.

You were so lost in thought that you hadn’t noticed that you and Roger had stopped walking and were now standing at the edge of the lake. You felt his eyes on you as you stared out into the shallow lake.

Was that what you were being? Shallow? No, you didn’t love Roger for his money, you loved him for him. Right?

You turned and looked into his blue eyes and he looked back. Were they always that blue? Your mind filled with panic when you realized that you had been standing closer to him than you thought. The tension was palpable as your foreheads rested against each other.

“Y/F/N,” Roger whispered so quietly that you could barely hear it. “I love you.”

Your heart started to pound in your ears. Did he really just say that? THE Roger Taylor said that? You were overwhelmed with happiness until you realized.

He said Y/F/N, I love you. Not Y/N, I love you. 

You couldn’t keep this up anymore. You couldn’t keep lying to him and let him keep falling in love when this wasn’t really you.

“Roger, wait.” you stopped him just as your lips were about to meet. “I’m not-”

“I know.” he interrupted. “I meant what I said, Y/N. I love you no matter what name you have or what colour your hair is. I love you.

Then it finally happened. Your lips met in a passionate and long awaited kiss. You feared that it would be awkward but it just felt right. It was as if your lips and mouths were made to fit with each other perfectly. The world around you seemed to dull out and the lake went quiet. In this moment, it was just you and Roger. Your best friend since birth. Through childhood. Perhaps the love of your life.

“I love you, Roger.” you said, only breaking apart for some air.

“I’m sorry for how we left things off.” he sighed, your noses still touching and your foreheads pressed together. “I love you and I should never have doubted you.”

“I’m sorry for how I started this.” you laughed. “I shouldn’t have tried using you for your money.”

You both laughed and it felt like when you were children. You two had always had a bad habit of downplaying situations that were quite serious.

“Why did you do that anyways?” he questioned innocently.

“Acting didn’t go so well and now…I’m completely broke,” you admitted. “Why didn’t you tell me that you knew it was me?”

“Dunno actually…guess I just trusted that you knew what you were doing.” he chuckled.

“Well, you were wrong. I had no idea what I was doing.” you laughed.

Soon the two of you burst out into a fit of laughter until your stomachs hurt. Collapsing on the grass together as you caught your breath, you looked into Roger’s eyes again. They reminded you of your childhood and your past but also of your present and where you were right now in this exact moment.

“Roger…you were right. About acting. It was really just a ridiculous dream and I have no idea what I’m gonna do now.” you said feeling comfortable with Roger again. Like you could talk about anything and he would be there. Just like how it was as kids.

“No, you can’t say that,” he answered suddenly sitting up. “Y/N, I always believed in you I just didn’t want you to leave me. You can’t give up Y/N.”

“Rog, I already tried for seven years. I just don’t think I’m cut out for it.” you said casually.

“No Y/N it’s your dream. C’mon, money isn’t an issue anymore. You have to keep trying.”

Deep down in your heart, you knew that he was right. You didn’t have a single clue as to what you would do if acting didn’t work out for you. It truly was your passion and you loved it with all your soul. But then you thought back to all those rejections. All the times when your agent had called you saying that it didn’t work out. It had broken your spirit and made you doubt yourself.

“Roger I can’t! I already tried for seven years and-” you argued before Roger cut you off.

“And you’ll try for seven more years if that’s what it’ll take.” he looked into your eyes with hope. Those blue eyes, full of hope. “Let’s go to LA.”

“What?” you said breaking out of your trance. There was no way that he just said that.

“Yeah, pack tonight and we’ll leave for LA tomorrow. I want you to get started as soon as possible because I know that you can do this.” he smiled.

You were in shock but still found yourself nodding before you even knew what was going on.

The next day, you were on a flight to LA with Roger.

—–

Three Years Later…

You made it. Driving back home from your agent’s office, you were beaming. This would be your third big Hollywood role. You were making quite the name for yourself.

After flying to LA, you had started going out for auditions straight away. You constantly got rejected just like you had before. The difference this time was that Roger was here with you. Despite all the times you had gotten turned down, Roger was in your corner. He had encouraged you every day to keep going and told you that you “had the talent” so often that you knew he was going to say it before he even opened his mouth.

You were proud of yourself. You hadn’t gotten here because of Roger’s fame or money. No one knew of your connection until last year when the two of you had announced that you were together. All of your roles were earned by your own talent and determination (with words of encouragement from Roger of course).

Money wasn’t a problem anymore. You didn’t need to rely on Roger after those first two big roles had brought in enough money to support the both of you for ages. 

You were forever grateful that Roger had convinced you to pursue your passions and believe in yourself.

Walking into the small and modest flat that you and Roger had bought together, you smiled upon seeing him struggling to make dinner.

“This is ridiculous!” he cried out in frustration. “Why would you add that much water?”

“Baby just follow the recipe,” you laughed. “You really can’t do a whole lot wrong with pasta.”

“Look who’s talking!” he replied. “Wasn’t it you that nearly burned down my house in the fifth grade trying to make soup?”

“That was totally you!” you retorted as he wrapped his arms around your waist.

“Well then, I think that maybe you should help me before I burn this pasta.” he said leaning in for a kiss.

“I didn’t ask for you to cook Rog,” you chuckled. “But I’ll help you because clearly, you need it.”

Turning to tend to the fire that was much too large for just some pasta, you smiled. You were happy and so was Roger. You were finally successful and you were loved and in love.

This was exactly where you wanted to be. It was where you were meant to be.

——————————————————————————————

A/N: Just like before, any constructive criticism or notes are appreciated! I don’t have a permanent taglist yet but I’m working on it! Thank u guys so much for reading! <3