WARNING: This is really sad. And probably pretty badly written. Just warning you. So don't hate ME if you hate IT, 'cuz I warned you.

Oh, and you could take this as a pairing or just super-special-awesome friendship, I go either way.

And since I should probably say, I don't own these people, their original story, or the diseases of influenza, HIV, or AIDS, kthx.

Enjoy!

...Or not...

TheInksane

"Mark... I have the flu."

Mark looked up from the newspaper where he sat at the table. Roger was just coming from the other room, his hair mussed, still wearing his plaid pajama pants and the oversized sweatshirt he slept in. He looked tired, shaken, and... sick. Mark's face fell.

"What? You can't- how?"

He set the newspaper down as Roger unsteadily took a seat next to Mark and leaned on the table.

"Mark, it's winter. People get the flu all the time in winter."

His voice was tired, and the gentle, sad smile on his face was wavering.

"But not you- you can't! I mean-"

Mark's blue eyes were wide with panic.

"I know. But we all knew it'd happen sometime or other."

Roger's voice was still calm, though a bit sad. He was remembering the last days of Angel and Mimi, in the hospital. Mimi had died last Valentine's Day, just a few months after her miraculous revival.

"But not now! It's Christmas!"

Mark's eyes filled with tears, though they didn't escape his eyes.

"I'm sorry..."

Roger looked away.

"Why are you apologizing? You're the one who's gonna- gonna-"

Mark choked on his words. Roger turned back, a mixture of sadness and anger in his green eyes.

"Gonna leave you alone... The one who was stupid enough to end up with this disease in the first place. The one who doesn't have the strength to fight it anymore... I can't do this anymore."

His calm mask cracked and he buried his face in his hands, though no tears came. There was a silent pause.

"Just... Don't leave, okay?"

Mark broke the silence, his voice the calm one now.

"What?"

Roger looked up, meeting Mark's eyes, which held a calm sort of acceptance.

"I know you hate for anyone to see you in pain. But don't leave. I won't leave you. So don't leave me until you have to."

Mark's accepting eyes gave way to pleading, and the tears returned, filling his eyes but only blurring his sight, not yet falling.

"I... I won't."

Roger looked down. How well his friend knew him. Yes, he had planned to leave. Where to, he didn't know, but did it matter? But... that look in Mark's eyes, that desperate pleading... He couldn't say no to those eyes. So much like Mimi's when he'd left the first time... Mark's voice shook him from his thoughts.

"And, Roger...?"

Something in Mark's voice made him look up.

"What, what is it?"

Mark smiled sadly.

"Tell them all I said hello... April, and Angel, and... Mimi."

The tears finally fell, slow and silent. Roger pulled Mark close and hugged him to his chest.

"I will. Aw, c'mon Mark, don't cry..."

Mark shook against Roger, trying hard to stop crying because he knew it hurt Roger as much to see him that way as it hurt him to see Roger that way.

"I'm sorry, Roger... I'm so sorry..."

Roger abruptly shoved him away, turning his face away from Mark so that he couldn't see the tears there.

"Shut up! You know I can't stand pity."

Mark heard the catch in his voice. He spoke gently.

"Look at me. That's what I thought. You always look away. You always pretend to be angry. Don't do this."

Roger turned, the tears falling freely.

"Mark, I- I can't... I can't be strong anymore."

This time, Mark was the one to pull Roger close.

"You don't have to be. Just be Roger."

After a while, Roger coughed and pulled away, wiping his eyes. He looked into Mark's eyes, a sad smile on his face.

"Merry Christmas..."

I warned you, yes...? If you cried, that's okay, I did, too. If you hated it, that's okay, I did, too. If it made you want to scream and throw things, that's okay, it made me want to do that, too. If it made you want to die... can't help you there.

Reviews plz, yesyes?

Thanks for reading!

TheInksane