A/N: The same deal as all my other fics. Not mine.
I'd just re-entered the dating world when she came along.
A glorius gal looked at me and reached a hand down to help me get up.
"You okay honey?"
Yes, I am Tom Collins. Yes, that was Angel. Yes, I am gay. Yes, she was a drag queen. But no, we did not fall in love at first sight. Or ever. This is my story. The real story of my relationship with Angel Dumott Schunard.
It starts way back, back before MIT. Before Mimi and Angel and Joanne. Back when Maureen had just apppeared and April was still alive and well. Way back. It starts at two a.m.
I had just woken up, due to discomfort. I was sleeping on the couch, as always. That was how it was. Mark and Maureen (she had just moved in) slept in one bedroom, and Roger and April shared the other. Benny slept at his girls' houses, or in a chair in the living room. I took the couch. This couch was old and broken, still is, so I had a tough time at night. But it was okay. I was used to it. It wasn't really so bad, after a year or so.
I decided that I couldn't take the couch right now and wandered into the kitchen. Trouble is, someone else was already there.
"Eek! Who is it?" said a female voice.
"April?"
"Collins?"
"Yeah, hey. I was awoken by minor discomfort-"
"That damned couch, eh? We really need a new one."
"Yeah, but we can't afford one. Anyways. I decided to get a little something to eat. What's that in your hands?" I asked her, hoping it was food.
"Nothing, really...it's nothing. A candy bar wrapper."
"Oh...did you eat it?"
"No, I didn't. I...found it on the floor."
"Odd. Wish I'd been the one to eat it. Maybe Roger had it. I'm gonna pound him..." I said fiercely. When I looked up and saw the uncomfortable expression on April's face, I smiled broadly and went, "Just kidding. Really, it's fine. I'm not gonna fight for a candy bar that's not even there anymore." April looked relieved.
"What are you up to, Miss Kitchen Pouncer?" I asked her jokingly.
"Just...looking for a smack." she said. I nearly jumped out of my seat.
"What?"
"Snack, snack. Sorry, I meant to say 'snack'. Anyways..."
I settled back into my chair, which was, after all, warm and cozy. I reached into the fruit bowl and took an apple. I crunched into it and relaxed. April went back to bed and soon I fell asleep, apple still in hand.
I was awoken maybe an hour and a half later by rustling in the kitchen. I opened my eyes a crack to see Roger searching the floor fervently. Aha, I knew it, he was the one who ate the candy!
"Whatcha doin', Roger?" I asked, startling him.
"Wha- Collins? Nothing. Just..looking for a...candy bar. I thought I left it in a corner, I was gonna come back for it. Have you seen it?"
"Yeah, I did. April found a candy bar wrapper about two hours ago on the floor. No idea who ate it, though." Strangely, Roger looked really, really relieved. Oddly relieved. "Are you happy that someone ate it?"
"No, I'm just happy she found the...wrapper. Yeah. Well, oh, well, gotta get to bed."
"Um...sure." He seemed really eager to get out of there. When he retreated into the bedroom, I hopped off my chair. Shivering because of the lack of heat in the house and the absence of the chair at my back, I found a flashlight. I switched it on. I began to search all over the floor.
I figured that "candy bar" must have another meaning, or be some kind of code. Both people looked really uneasy when I questioned them. Maybe it was...
Then, my hand felt something plastic-y feeling. I reached and grabbed it. Bringing it up to my face to look at it more closely, I realized what it was. A little plastic bag about half full of a white powder. With a sinking feeling, I realized that it was a stash. Of drugs.
This must have been what Roger was looking for, and what April found. He'd probably hidden two. April got one, and Roger was looking for the other. That was why they both looked uncomfortable, both looked guilty and "caught". That was why April 'accidedentally' said "smack" instead of "snack". That was why both of them left the kitchen without any food. It all made perfect sense to me now...
Needless to say, I got no more sleep that night. After that, I watched helplessly as both Roger and April descended further and further into the seductive world of drugs. I watched them drift away from friends and family and closer and closer to death guided by drugs and depression. Their addictions both grew, as I looked on without being able to do anything.
By the way, this is my first attempt at a Collins story, so don't hurt me. cowers I'm not very good at Collins...but anyways. Sorry for the off-topic Roger/April thing. I will go further into that, and I swear it has something to do with the point of the story. (That would be, Collins/Angel.) Anyways... I'll definitely keep this one going. Please review!