A/N This is an original spin on the whole M/M relationship. Hope you like
it.
Lonely Nights
"Well fine then!" Mark said into the phone. "I guess that's it, because that's how it is!" He paused to listen for a moment. "Yeah, me to. Bye." He hung up the phone and flopped down on the couch next to Mimi who was reading a magazine.
"What was that?" Roger asked walking out of his room, pulling a shirt on over his head.
"That was Jessica. Or should I say the end of yet another of my doomed relationships."
"Oh." Roger was sort of sorry he asked.
"You okay sweetie?" Mimi asked, putting down her magazine.
"Yeah, I guess."
"So you two are all over? Like completely? Why did you break up?"
"I don't know." He looked up at Roger. "Because she had 'hoped I would have grown up by now' and 'decided to get my life together' and she didn't see me as 'marriage material' and she thought we shouldn't waste anymore of our time with each other if that wasn't our end goal or some stupid crap like that. I don't know. I don't really care."
Mimi didn't believe that. She scooted closer to Mark on the couch. "I'm sorry sweetie. Are you gonna be alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I'm more upset about getting dumped again than getting dumped by Jessica." He let out a long sigh. "Meems if you went out with me would you dump me on my ass."
"Never!" She laughed. "You're too much of a cutie! As a matter a fact you're the sweetest, cutest guy I know."
"Hey!"
"Oh relax!" She told Roger then turned back to Mark. "That is off course with the exception of Roger."
"Of course." Mark gave a small laugh.
"That's better." Roger told them as he reached over the back of the couch and tickled Mimi.
"Well if I'm such a great guy, why do I keep getting dumped?"
"You don't keep getting dumped." Roger told him, climbing over the back of the couch and sitting on the other side of Mimi. "You've only been really dumped twice now. Maureen and now Jessica. The rest of them you just sort of broke up with."
"What's the difference?" Mark asked skeptically.
"It's different."
"Roger's right. It's different."
"How?" He looked over at Roger.
"Well, the other ones, you just sort of stopped seeing. Or stuff happened. And some of them were real casual girlfriends."
"Whatever." Mark told him. "I think I'm just cursed."
"No you're not. You just need a change. You always date the same type of women." Mimi proclaimed.
"Yeah, bitchie ones." Roger added. "And pain in the ass ones. And--"
"Don't get offended," Mark cut him off, "but I don't know if taking dating advice from either of you two is such a good idea." He told them.
"He has a point." Mimi giggled at Roger.
"Whatever." Roger grinned at Mimi. "But you should go out. Have some fun tonight. Get drunk off your ass."
"Roger's right. Get dressed. You'll come out with us." Mimi pulled on his arm as she looked to Roger.
He was about to protest, but decided against it. "She's right. Come out with us."
"That's okay. Thanks though."
Roger moved up onto the arm of the couch. "Come on. It'll be fun. Take your mind off all this stuff. Maybe hook you up." He grinned.
"Yeah come on Marky. Please?" Mimi begged. "At least for a little while."
Mark knew it was a losing battle. It would be easier to just give in. If he didn't, Mimi would keep it up and either make Roger make him, or drive Roger crazy till Roger made him on his own. "Okay, just for a little while. I'll go to the bar, but I'm not going to the club after."
"Okay, that's fair." Mimi smiled triumphantly. "And who knows, maybe we'll find someone for you at the bar."
"Please don't either of you do me any favors like that. Please!" He gave a small laugh as he got up to change.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After two hours, Mark had had enough "fun." Mimi had managed to get a few drinks down his throat. Mainly to make it easier for her to attempt to drag him over to every girl at the bar and introduce him. Finally, seeing his pain, Roger convinced her to let him go home.
"Okay, but were not done with this. We're going to find you a nice girl yet."
"Oh god," Roger groaned, "she's on a mission now! You are so doomed." He smiled as he put his arms around Mimi and kissed the top of her head. "But you get a reprieve for tonight at least."
"Great. I'll see you guys later." Mark left and walked home. It was only about eleven o'clock when he got home. Too early to go to bed. Not that he could have slept anyway. Might as well finish getting drunk and watch a movie. He had been drinking rum and cokes at the bar, and Roger had just bought a new bottle of rum. He got it out of the cupboard and was just getting the coke out of the fridge when he heard the knock at the door.
Mark opened the door. When he saw who was standing in the hallway, he knew the shock and surprise he felt was definitely showing on his face. "Um, hi."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here, but, I didn't know where else to look. I'm sorry. I should go."
Her face was red and her eyes were puffy. He could tell she had been crying. "No wait. What's wrong. I mean, come on in. Are you okay?"
"Yes. No. I'm sorry Mark. I shouldn't have bothered you." She turned to go back down the stairs.
"Alison, wait." He reached for her arm and pulled her into the apartment. "It's okay. Really. Come on in."
Hesitantly she stepped into the apartment. Her eyes flew around the room. It had been a long time since she had been inside here. Years actually. "Are you, um, alone?"
"Yeah, nobody's home but me. Come on in and sit down. I was just gonna make a drink. Sit down, I'll make you one."
Silently she sat down on the couch. A moment later Mark walked over and handed her a glass. "Wow, Alison. I can't believe you're here. I haven't seen you in, well, a long time. How are you? Oh, stupid question. Sorry."
"It's okay." She said softly.
"What's going on? What's wrong?"
"I, I can't find Benny." She sighed. "It's been almost two days since our last fight. He stormed out. I don't know where he is."
"Oh. Wow. Well, I haven't seen him. Actually not for months. Besides, this is just about the last place I would expect him to come."
"I know, I, I'm sorry, I should go." She stood up.
"No wait, don't leave. You should stay for awhile. Till you're not so upset to drive and all." He pulled her back down to the couch. "Why did you think he'd be here?"
"Honestly, I didn't really think I'd find him here. At least here with you guys. I just needed to know. I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask this. I should go."
"It's okay. Really. Ask what?"
Her eyes went down to her lap as she sighed again. "I knew I wouldn't find Benny here. But was hoping to find, or at least to ask.if she. if you knew if they." She trailed off.
"Who?" He looked at her confused for a second before the realization of it hit him. She hadn't come here looking to find Benny, she had come here looking to find Mimi. "Oh."
"I'm sorry." She stood up again. "I should really go."
"No really, it's okay. And Mimi's not here. She and Roger are out. And I know for a fact she has not talked to Benny. Not in a really long time."
"Oh. Well I guess that's good. For them at least. And I guess I feel better knowing he's at least not cheating on me with the same person again. However I guess it means now he's cheating on me with someone new." She started to sob.
Oh crap. Mark hated when girls started to cry. He didn't really know what to do. "Alison, don't cry please. It'll be okay." He reached over and put an arm around her.
"I just, it's just the same old thing." She sobbed. "I don't know why he does it. I don't know why I put up with it." She wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry Mark. I shouldn't be bothering you with all this. I'm probably one of the last people you or your friends want to deal with. I should go."
"No, really, it's okay." He looked at her for a second. "And if you remember, you used to be one of my friends too." He gave her a small smile.
"Yeah, before Benny made you guys hate us."
"Not both of you, just him. And only at times." He grinned. "Okay, me and Collins at times, Roger all the time, but that's besides the point."
She gave a small laugh and drank back some of her drink. "How is Collins?"
"He's good. Teaching honors philosophy. Seems to really enjoy it. It's one of those classes you choose to take as opposed to have to take. It seems to make a difference in his students." He could tell they were both starting to relax.
"And Mo? She still crazy as ever?"
"More so. You know Mo. If it's not some strange out there idea, she doesn't want anything to do with it. I don't know how her girlfriend puts up with her." He laughed and so did she.
"Ewww. That's right, the girlfriend. Sorry, I forgot about that." She gave a shy smile.
"It's okay. We're friends. All three of us. Roger says our relationship is strange and twisted and we all need help." He laughed again. Mark never expected to feel this good tonight.
"How is Roger? How is he doing?"
"He's doing good. For Roger, real good. He's playing a lot. And writing. And he's got Mimi. They are good together. Good for each other. It's made a big difference in him."
"That's good. I'm happy for him. How are you doing? Still filming?"
"Yeah. Still not selling much, so as usual, I'm broke."
"But are you making things you're proud of?"
Mark could tell they had moved somewhat beyond small talk. Usually he didn't like talking about his films. Especially because he never really seemed to be able to sell anything. And no one had ever really asked him that question before. Asked anything like that before and seemed to genuinely want to know. "Yeah. Real proud of some of them." He smiled.
"I'd like to see them some time."
"Sure." He looked at her for a moment. "You know, I think this is about one of the longest conversations we have ever had."
"That's because Benny didn't want me talking to you guys. He didn't like me staying here. Didn't really want me getting to know you all. I don't know why." She shook her head.
"I do. He didn't want you to think he was anything like us. You know, destitute bohemians. No goals, no future, no vision of the kind of money we could make."
"I kind of always like the kind of vision you all had." She said softly as her eyes dropped back down to her glass. "I'm sorry Mark. For everything that happened. Everything that Benny did to you guys. I didn't really know what was going on over here. He didn't really tell me. For obvious reasons of course, but what he did to you guys was wrong, and I'm sorry."
He could hear the shame in her voice. He lifted up her chin so she would look him in the eyes. "Hey, none of that was your fault. I mean of course you didn't know what was going on. Benny had his girlfriend living here. He wasn't going to tell you anything about what was going on over here. We never blamed you." Well, I never blamed you, and various guitar playing other people just tended to lump you together, but we won't go into that. "Really."
"Thanks." She sighed again as she stood up. "I should go home. I don't have anywhere else to look for Benny. I guess I just have to give up."
Mark felt bad for her, but didn't know what to say that could possibly make any of it any better. "Um, wait, do you want to maybe hang out here for awhile? Maybe watch a movie? Just until you maybe feel a little better before you drive home?"
"I don't know. I've already bothered you enough Mark."
"No, really, it's okay. Beside I could use the company tonight." He looked up at her. "We both probably could."
"Okay, for a little while I guess." She sat back down on the couch as Mark pulled out a film for them to watch.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*
"Wow Mark that was really good."
"That was really depressing." He said pouring the last of the rum bottle into their two glasses.
"Maybe a little. Tonight probably wasn't the best night for me to watch something on failed relationships."
"Me either." He agreed, leaning his head back on the back of the couch. I'm drunk he told himself. Tomorrow may not be a nice day.
"Mark?" She asked quietly, still looking at the TV. "What's wrong with me?"
"What?"
"What's wrong with me? How could I have fallen in love with someone that treats me like he does? And stay with him as long as I have? What's wrong with me that makes him think this is okay to do?" She started sobbing again.
Mark reached over and hugged her tight. "Nothing is wrong with you. He's an ass, but nothing is wrong with you. You're great. You always have been." That was true. He had always liked Alison.
"Something must be wrong with me."
"No, it's not you. Really."
"But."
Mark heard her protest, and before he even thought about it, he just leaned in and kissed her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N Okay, kudos to anyone who guessed Mark/M was Mark and Muffy from the beginning! Someone (who only identifies themselves as ".") reviewed my other story, Another Second Chance and gave me the idea. Thanks to them for that. I've never really hated Alison as so many people do. I always had the feeling it was all Benny. Anyway, in that same story, everyone is after me to hook Mark up with someone, and this all just came together. I think it's a rather original spin on the Mark and any other character relationship. At least I haven't seen any Mark/Alison stories yet.
Anyway, review and give me your thoughts!
~~Thanks!
Lonely Nights
"Well fine then!" Mark said into the phone. "I guess that's it, because that's how it is!" He paused to listen for a moment. "Yeah, me to. Bye." He hung up the phone and flopped down on the couch next to Mimi who was reading a magazine.
"What was that?" Roger asked walking out of his room, pulling a shirt on over his head.
"That was Jessica. Or should I say the end of yet another of my doomed relationships."
"Oh." Roger was sort of sorry he asked.
"You okay sweetie?" Mimi asked, putting down her magazine.
"Yeah, I guess."
"So you two are all over? Like completely? Why did you break up?"
"I don't know." He looked up at Roger. "Because she had 'hoped I would have grown up by now' and 'decided to get my life together' and she didn't see me as 'marriage material' and she thought we shouldn't waste anymore of our time with each other if that wasn't our end goal or some stupid crap like that. I don't know. I don't really care."
Mimi didn't believe that. She scooted closer to Mark on the couch. "I'm sorry sweetie. Are you gonna be alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I'm more upset about getting dumped again than getting dumped by Jessica." He let out a long sigh. "Meems if you went out with me would you dump me on my ass."
"Never!" She laughed. "You're too much of a cutie! As a matter a fact you're the sweetest, cutest guy I know."
"Hey!"
"Oh relax!" She told Roger then turned back to Mark. "That is off course with the exception of Roger."
"Of course." Mark gave a small laugh.
"That's better." Roger told them as he reached over the back of the couch and tickled Mimi.
"Well if I'm such a great guy, why do I keep getting dumped?"
"You don't keep getting dumped." Roger told him, climbing over the back of the couch and sitting on the other side of Mimi. "You've only been really dumped twice now. Maureen and now Jessica. The rest of them you just sort of broke up with."
"What's the difference?" Mark asked skeptically.
"It's different."
"Roger's right. It's different."
"How?" He looked over at Roger.
"Well, the other ones, you just sort of stopped seeing. Or stuff happened. And some of them were real casual girlfriends."
"Whatever." Mark told him. "I think I'm just cursed."
"No you're not. You just need a change. You always date the same type of women." Mimi proclaimed.
"Yeah, bitchie ones." Roger added. "And pain in the ass ones. And--"
"Don't get offended," Mark cut him off, "but I don't know if taking dating advice from either of you two is such a good idea." He told them.
"He has a point." Mimi giggled at Roger.
"Whatever." Roger grinned at Mimi. "But you should go out. Have some fun tonight. Get drunk off your ass."
"Roger's right. Get dressed. You'll come out with us." Mimi pulled on his arm as she looked to Roger.
He was about to protest, but decided against it. "She's right. Come out with us."
"That's okay. Thanks though."
Roger moved up onto the arm of the couch. "Come on. It'll be fun. Take your mind off all this stuff. Maybe hook you up." He grinned.
"Yeah come on Marky. Please?" Mimi begged. "At least for a little while."
Mark knew it was a losing battle. It would be easier to just give in. If he didn't, Mimi would keep it up and either make Roger make him, or drive Roger crazy till Roger made him on his own. "Okay, just for a little while. I'll go to the bar, but I'm not going to the club after."
"Okay, that's fair." Mimi smiled triumphantly. "And who knows, maybe we'll find someone for you at the bar."
"Please don't either of you do me any favors like that. Please!" He gave a small laugh as he got up to change.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After two hours, Mark had had enough "fun." Mimi had managed to get a few drinks down his throat. Mainly to make it easier for her to attempt to drag him over to every girl at the bar and introduce him. Finally, seeing his pain, Roger convinced her to let him go home.
"Okay, but were not done with this. We're going to find you a nice girl yet."
"Oh god," Roger groaned, "she's on a mission now! You are so doomed." He smiled as he put his arms around Mimi and kissed the top of her head. "But you get a reprieve for tonight at least."
"Great. I'll see you guys later." Mark left and walked home. It was only about eleven o'clock when he got home. Too early to go to bed. Not that he could have slept anyway. Might as well finish getting drunk and watch a movie. He had been drinking rum and cokes at the bar, and Roger had just bought a new bottle of rum. He got it out of the cupboard and was just getting the coke out of the fridge when he heard the knock at the door.
Mark opened the door. When he saw who was standing in the hallway, he knew the shock and surprise he felt was definitely showing on his face. "Um, hi."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here, but, I didn't know where else to look. I'm sorry. I should go."
Her face was red and her eyes were puffy. He could tell she had been crying. "No wait. What's wrong. I mean, come on in. Are you okay?"
"Yes. No. I'm sorry Mark. I shouldn't have bothered you." She turned to go back down the stairs.
"Alison, wait." He reached for her arm and pulled her into the apartment. "It's okay. Really. Come on in."
Hesitantly she stepped into the apartment. Her eyes flew around the room. It had been a long time since she had been inside here. Years actually. "Are you, um, alone?"
"Yeah, nobody's home but me. Come on in and sit down. I was just gonna make a drink. Sit down, I'll make you one."
Silently she sat down on the couch. A moment later Mark walked over and handed her a glass. "Wow, Alison. I can't believe you're here. I haven't seen you in, well, a long time. How are you? Oh, stupid question. Sorry."
"It's okay." She said softly.
"What's going on? What's wrong?"
"I, I can't find Benny." She sighed. "It's been almost two days since our last fight. He stormed out. I don't know where he is."
"Oh. Wow. Well, I haven't seen him. Actually not for months. Besides, this is just about the last place I would expect him to come."
"I know, I, I'm sorry, I should go." She stood up.
"No wait, don't leave. You should stay for awhile. Till you're not so upset to drive and all." He pulled her back down to the couch. "Why did you think he'd be here?"
"Honestly, I didn't really think I'd find him here. At least here with you guys. I just needed to know. I'm sorry, I shouldn't ask this. I should go."
"It's okay. Really. Ask what?"
Her eyes went down to her lap as she sighed again. "I knew I wouldn't find Benny here. But was hoping to find, or at least to ask.if she. if you knew if they." She trailed off.
"Who?" He looked at her confused for a second before the realization of it hit him. She hadn't come here looking to find Benny, she had come here looking to find Mimi. "Oh."
"I'm sorry." She stood up again. "I should really go."
"No really, it's okay. And Mimi's not here. She and Roger are out. And I know for a fact she has not talked to Benny. Not in a really long time."
"Oh. Well I guess that's good. For them at least. And I guess I feel better knowing he's at least not cheating on me with the same person again. However I guess it means now he's cheating on me with someone new." She started to sob.
Oh crap. Mark hated when girls started to cry. He didn't really know what to do. "Alison, don't cry please. It'll be okay." He reached over and put an arm around her.
"I just, it's just the same old thing." She sobbed. "I don't know why he does it. I don't know why I put up with it." She wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry Mark. I shouldn't be bothering you with all this. I'm probably one of the last people you or your friends want to deal with. I should go."
"No, really, it's okay." He looked at her for a second. "And if you remember, you used to be one of my friends too." He gave her a small smile.
"Yeah, before Benny made you guys hate us."
"Not both of you, just him. And only at times." He grinned. "Okay, me and Collins at times, Roger all the time, but that's besides the point."
She gave a small laugh and drank back some of her drink. "How is Collins?"
"He's good. Teaching honors philosophy. Seems to really enjoy it. It's one of those classes you choose to take as opposed to have to take. It seems to make a difference in his students." He could tell they were both starting to relax.
"And Mo? She still crazy as ever?"
"More so. You know Mo. If it's not some strange out there idea, she doesn't want anything to do with it. I don't know how her girlfriend puts up with her." He laughed and so did she.
"Ewww. That's right, the girlfriend. Sorry, I forgot about that." She gave a shy smile.
"It's okay. We're friends. All three of us. Roger says our relationship is strange and twisted and we all need help." He laughed again. Mark never expected to feel this good tonight.
"How is Roger? How is he doing?"
"He's doing good. For Roger, real good. He's playing a lot. And writing. And he's got Mimi. They are good together. Good for each other. It's made a big difference in him."
"That's good. I'm happy for him. How are you doing? Still filming?"
"Yeah. Still not selling much, so as usual, I'm broke."
"But are you making things you're proud of?"
Mark could tell they had moved somewhat beyond small talk. Usually he didn't like talking about his films. Especially because he never really seemed to be able to sell anything. And no one had ever really asked him that question before. Asked anything like that before and seemed to genuinely want to know. "Yeah. Real proud of some of them." He smiled.
"I'd like to see them some time."
"Sure." He looked at her for a moment. "You know, I think this is about one of the longest conversations we have ever had."
"That's because Benny didn't want me talking to you guys. He didn't like me staying here. Didn't really want me getting to know you all. I don't know why." She shook her head.
"I do. He didn't want you to think he was anything like us. You know, destitute bohemians. No goals, no future, no vision of the kind of money we could make."
"I kind of always like the kind of vision you all had." She said softly as her eyes dropped back down to her glass. "I'm sorry Mark. For everything that happened. Everything that Benny did to you guys. I didn't really know what was going on over here. He didn't really tell me. For obvious reasons of course, but what he did to you guys was wrong, and I'm sorry."
He could hear the shame in her voice. He lifted up her chin so she would look him in the eyes. "Hey, none of that was your fault. I mean of course you didn't know what was going on. Benny had his girlfriend living here. He wasn't going to tell you anything about what was going on over here. We never blamed you." Well, I never blamed you, and various guitar playing other people just tended to lump you together, but we won't go into that. "Really."
"Thanks." She sighed again as she stood up. "I should go home. I don't have anywhere else to look for Benny. I guess I just have to give up."
Mark felt bad for her, but didn't know what to say that could possibly make any of it any better. "Um, wait, do you want to maybe hang out here for awhile? Maybe watch a movie? Just until you maybe feel a little better before you drive home?"
"I don't know. I've already bothered you enough Mark."
"No, really, it's okay. Beside I could use the company tonight." He looked up at her. "We both probably could."
"Okay, for a little while I guess." She sat back down on the couch as Mark pulled out a film for them to watch.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*
"Wow Mark that was really good."
"That was really depressing." He said pouring the last of the rum bottle into their two glasses.
"Maybe a little. Tonight probably wasn't the best night for me to watch something on failed relationships."
"Me either." He agreed, leaning his head back on the back of the couch. I'm drunk he told himself. Tomorrow may not be a nice day.
"Mark?" She asked quietly, still looking at the TV. "What's wrong with me?"
"What?"
"What's wrong with me? How could I have fallen in love with someone that treats me like he does? And stay with him as long as I have? What's wrong with me that makes him think this is okay to do?" She started sobbing again.
Mark reached over and hugged her tight. "Nothing is wrong with you. He's an ass, but nothing is wrong with you. You're great. You always have been." That was true. He had always liked Alison.
"Something must be wrong with me."
"No, it's not you. Really."
"But."
Mark heard her protest, and before he even thought about it, he just leaned in and kissed her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N Okay, kudos to anyone who guessed Mark/M was Mark and Muffy from the beginning! Someone (who only identifies themselves as ".") reviewed my other story, Another Second Chance and gave me the idea. Thanks to them for that. I've never really hated Alison as so many people do. I always had the feeling it was all Benny. Anyway, in that same story, everyone is after me to hook Mark up with someone, and this all just came together. I think it's a rather original spin on the Mark and any other character relationship. At least I haven't seen any Mark/Alison stories yet.
Anyway, review and give me your thoughts!
~~Thanks!