Lesson #1

Disclaimer: As always, I don't own RENT.

He couldn't sing, he was a short, white, blond boy with no real singing voice. He had no control over his voice. Almost everyone knew that he didn't like to sing the others thought he was just shy. Roger knew Mark better than anyone, he was sure that Mark had a voice somewhere within him. And when he got a sick call from one of the other singers in his band, Roger turned to Mark.

'Mark, I need you tomorrow for my concert,' his voice was serious and almost hard.

'What? Do you need me to do promos again?' Mark asked as his eye peered through his camera. Taking some new photos, Roger was just in the right spot, the sunlight resting so perfectly on him.

Roger shook his head and crossed his arms, leaning on the wall of the high school. 'No, I need you to sing.'

'S-s-sing? Me? Roger you know I hate singing…I can't sing at all,' the blond sputtered.

There was a moment of silence, Roger looked thoughtful and Mark did what he did best, he snapped away. Mr. Alvins wanted Mark to get some new pictures in. Then again, his teacher told him to take pictures of someone or something other than Roger. Mark had no other friends and no one else he found interesting enough.

'Everyone can sing…they just need to know how to do it properly. It's like…playing the guitar, you just need to learn how.' There was a certain pride that came to Roger's voice when he brought up the guitar. 'Come on, let's go to my house, my mom is at work.'

Mark hardly had time to protest as the larger boy dragged him away. They sat in almost silence on the bus. It was an hour to Roger's house through public transportation and Mark knew his mom wouldn't be happy to hear that her son took a public bus to his friend's house. It wouldn't have been the first time he did something without telling his mom, but he made a mental note to call her when he got to Roger's house.

Getting off the bus was pretty much the same as getting on the bus. Roger dragged poor Mark to the house, gripping his wrist with a bit of force. And there was no way Mark could resist and pull away, it was almost as if he were nothing but a rag doll. And the poor boy just went with it.

'Mark I'm gonna make you a singer, you'll see, the girls will swoon,' the musician stated proudly.

'But…I don't want to make them swoon,' Mark protested as Roger shoved Mark into the house and up the stairs.

Once Roger got Mark into his bedroom he started talking about singing and the key points of singing, how to use the diaphragm, key notes, the different levels of singing, head voice and chest voice. Then he said the wrong ways of singing, through the throat. It was odd to hear Roger talk like this, it was sophisticated and some of the things Mark had trouble grasping.

'Sing after me. Do…re…mi...fa…so…la…ti…do,' Roger sang on the C major chord flawlessly.

Mark tried to follow, but immediately went flat after the first note. Roger just shook his head, 'No, you weren't listening to me when I told you to use your diaphragm. Take a deep breath; make sure your chest cavity expands. And just do this Ha, ha, ha, ha…and put your hand just below your ribcage.'

'Ha, ha, ha…ha,' Mark stopped, 'I feel silly.'

Exasperated Roger let out a sigh, 'Who's gonna laugh? Me? Look, I'll put my hand over your diaphragm and you just do the ha, ha, ha, ha's, OK?'

Mark nodded and blushed slightly as Roger's hand came over his upper belly, but tried to do the 'ha, ha, ha' exercise. His breathing was becoming shallower and his mind was focusing less on his lesson. Roger looked at him when he stopped and Mark swore his face was a bright shade of crimson, but Roger hadn't noticed or pretended not to.

Slowly, something drew their faces together. It was as an invisible force was bringing them together, not that either of them believed in predetermined destiny. To believe that this was meant to happen was foolish, but it was happening. Slowly their lips touched, both of them, had their eyes open in shock for a moment until they felt that the kiss felt right and closed their eyes.

When they pulled away, Roger was smiling as if he had wanted this to happen and Mark was a bit pink in the cheeks and ears. Slowly, Roger drew him closer, rubbing the back of Mark's neck as Mark smiled weakly. Their lips touched again, Mark kissed Roger this time, almost timidly before growing bolder. And when they parted this time, Mark was smiling.

'We'll continue singing lessons tomorrow. For now Singing Lesson Number 1 is over,' Roger said softly before leaning in and kissing Mark again.