Author's Note: This is a story for my girlfriend. I wrote it without worrying about grammar and keeping the characters perfectly in-character. This is a story for Valentine's Day that I wrote based on our story, on how we started out as friends and grew to become lovers. Do not take it as an offense, because I am as strong a Renthead as any reader may be. Love can blind, and when all you see is love, that's all that matters.

On another note, reviews would be quite lovely.


"Do you believe in love at first sight? I do. My whole life, I never believed in it, not even after I fell in love. But now I just do. I understand what it truly means, and it's something a lot more than seeing someone and "simply" falling in love.

It happened October 26, 2006. I fell in love with Roger Noah Davis, someone who I never thought I'd be with for a number of reasons...

1. Woah, wait. MARK COHEN'S GAY!?

2. First Mark's gay, now ROGER'S gay!?

3. Roger is the person who has guys and girls flinging themselves at him. How could he want a little Jewish nerd from Scarsdale?

Well, a little Jewish nerd is what he got. We have been dating for over two years now, and every single day since that cool, October night, I've fallen in love with him all over again. Every morning when I wake up and see his face beside me, drool trickling down his stubbly, little chin, my heart warms, like the first time we kissed, danced, made love. That's what love at first sight is. It's not seeing somebody for the first time and falling in love with that person instantly; it's looking at one person after falling in love with him or her, and falling in love all over again whenever you look at that person again. That is what "love at first sight" really is."


"Love can certainly be found in the strangest of places. I would know. The first time I laid eyes on Roger (not what most may call "love at first sight", I may add) was in the seventh grade. Mr. Woods's class. He was one tough cookie, but I just thought that because we were in the same history class, and history was my least favorite subject. The thought alone makes me shudder. It was so difficult for me to memorize the different Chinese dynasties and the names of their leaders. But Roger, he knew it all. He could name each dynasty as clear as day.

The first time I laid eyes on him, I thought he was the opposite of who he is - That only shows that you really can't judge a book by its cover. As he leaned up to kiss his mother on the cheek in the doorway to our classroom, I silently made a gagging noise against the back of my throat. Sure, we all kissed our parents goodbye on the first day of school, but we'd never dare do so in front of students who we hoped would one day become our friends. I guess that was something I had overlooked. He was always brave. Doing something that none of us dared to do in front of each other was the first account of bravery I had ever seen in him. At the time, I just thought it was him being a pussy.

I remember one of the first conversations we ever had..."

"Oh, you're Jewish?" Roger asked me in that raspy voice. "My uncle's Jewish. So's my great-grandpa."

I smiled politely and nodded. I was paying attention, but my mind was elsewhere. Roger Davis was someone who started out with no friends in the beginning of the year, but seemed to have a great talent for reeling them in. He was extremely good looking and seemed a bit out of place, not really knowing where to turn in order to make new friends. For some reason, I was glad he chose to turn to me.

"Really? That's cool. Yeah, I'm Jewish, too," I replied, snapping out of my thoughts. Before I could continue, I heard a loud, high-pitched voice pipe in.

"Marky, you're Jewish!?" Maureen Johnson interrupted loudly. I cringed inside. Why was she interrupting our first conversation? "Those things you wear on your head, they're called skull caps. See? I know Jewish stuff, too!"

Roger and I just looked at each other and laughed. "You mean yarmulkes?" we asked together, laughing. That was the first of tens, of hundreds, of thousands of laughter we'd share together.

"One of our first conversations was over religion. And it certainly wasn't our last."


"He's my only hope. Whenever he plays the guitar, it gives him hope. Hope for a future and a present, and for a rough past, some of which is meant to be forgotten, other aspects, such as our past, meant to live on forever. When Roger has hope, I have hope. I know we're simply meant to be, and that's all that matters. AIDS might not keep us together, but it will never tear us apart."

I stood up and grabbed my camera from the tripod it had been set upon, and took a deep breath. I wanted Roger to know just how badly I needed him in my life, and I wanted to show him that by showing how clearly I remember our firsts, and how often I think of our lives. I want him to know that he's all I have and all I've ever wanted.

Just to remember the loft, I began to walk through it, catching every dust bunny, every corner through my camera. Just as I was about to enter the living room of the messy apartment, I heard his beautiful, hoarse, sensational voice drifting towards me. Quietly, I raised my camera and focused it on him as I listened.

I can see it in your eyes, you're scared
All these things they force you to do aren't fair
I'm here to chase away these tears
And, baby, we can chase away these fears

Because sometimes, baby, you fall on your back
But you're three times the man that I'll ever have
And you know, you know it's true
This is a fight I refuse to lose

And I'll run
Have a little faith in me
You're scared and alone
And I'll run
This is where we both break free
I'll bring you home, you home, you home

I can hear it in your voice, you care
Let me run my fingers through your hair
I'll keep you company at night
And, baby, I'm here to make this right

Believe me and don't think twice
And don't leave me or say goodbye
Believe me, believe me tonight
Believe me and don't think twice
Believe me

And I'll run
Have a little faith in me
You're scared and alone

And I'll run
Have a little faith in me
You're scared and alone
And I'll run
This is where we both break free
I'll bring you home, you home, you home...

His words swept over me like a gentle breeze. He was right, I am scared, but he was wrong about one thing. I'm not alone.

Gently setting the camera facing us on the coffee table, I snuck up behind Roger and wrapped my arms around his neck, nibbling on his ear and whispering into it, "I'm not alone. I have you."

He looked up at me, his beautiful green eyes filled to the brim with tears, and whispered back, "You might not one day."

So that is what has been on his mind this whole time? Shaking my head, I leaned down and pressed my lips against his from behind, kissing him upside-down. I strangely felt like Spider-Man, kissing his lover, Mary Jane, upside-down. It was an odd, but a sensational feeling nonetheless. As I pulled away, I smiled down at him. "Even when you're gone, I'll never be alone. I feel Angel with me, and I'll always, always feel you with me."

Nothing will ever tear us apart, I knew that for sure. Disease, fights, other people. They'll never have an impact on our lives, nor our love, for we belonged together. And we'll always make the most of our time. What mattered was that at the end of the day, we'd crawl into bed beside each other and fall asleep, content with our lives and with each other. As long as everything was settled once night fell, everything would be okay.

Roger's life will always be perfect for mine. My life will always be perfect for Roger's. We're soulmates. And when Roger runs, we'll run together. We may be scared together, but we'll never be alone, because we'll always be home, and home is in each other's arms.


Author's Note: For my soulmate, Nicole Lynn. Happy Valentine's Day, baby.