A/N: This isn't slash. I know a lot of people say that their friendship fics could be slash if you squint, but I would like it to be known that this is definitely just a friendship fic….

Oh, and I don't own a gosh-darned thing.

…

The sun shining in through the loft window, illuminating the room, failed to have any effect on Roger. He sat on the windowsill, forehead pressed against the glass, staring out at the street below. The power had blown again, mainly because Mark had accidentally left on the hotplate his mother had sent them the previous Christmas, and overloaded the fragile circuitry. It was no great loss, though, because she was bound to send another one. They'd already gone through two, one she'd sent on Mark's birthday and another one after…

There was a ladybug on the other side of the window. Roger tapped the glass, more out of apathetic boredom than actual interest in what would happen. The ladybird took offence and flew away. Roger imagined it pouting like April used to when she didn't get her way.

He closed his eyes, trying not to picture her.

"Roger?"

He looked up to see Mark standing next to him, looking worried. "You've been sitting there hiding your face for twenty minutes," the filmmaker explained, concerned.

"I'm…" Roger sighed. "Mark, it's her birthday."

"Oh."

Mark patted his roommate's shoulder awkwardly as the ex-junkie scrubbed at his face, as if he was trying to scratch the misery from under his skin.

Mark sat next to Roger cautiously, squeezing his shoulder. "It's okay."

"Really?"

Roger leaned into Mark's chest, happy to take whatever comfort he could find. Mark put his arms around his friend, his role as Roger's rock now coming naturally. He patted his friend's back and waited patiently for the tears to subside.

Eventually, Mark and Roger looked up from their embrace to see a speechless Maureen standing in the doorway, her hands pressed to her mouth. "You guys… you are…"

Roger coughed, embarrassed, and pulled away from Mark.

Maureen giggled. "You're adorable."

"What? No!" Mark blushed, staring out the window to avoid eye contact.

Maureen smiled. "I'll leave you guys alone, shall I?"

The pair's protests followed her all the way down the stairs.

When he was quite sure she was gone, Roger turned back to Mark.

"Mark."

"Yeah?"

Roger squeezed the other boho's arm in a rare initiation of physical contact. "Thanks."

Mark smiled. "It's okay."

Roger looked out onto the sunlit street. "You know what? I think it could be."

…

Reviewers get a Marky huggle!