DISCLAIMER: Le bleh. I own nothing but the plotline.
A/N: My first attempt at any Rent fics. I hope this one is more loved than my others…;.;
Mark sat out on the fire escape, a mug of tea in one hand, Village Voice in the other. He'd been thinking an awful lot lately. Sometimes about what he wished his life was like, sometimes just about life in general, but mostly about random, senseless nothings. He felt…empty. Like some part of him was missing. I mean, Collins had Angel, Maureen had Joanne, Roger had Mimi, and Mark had…his camera.
I guess that's what he thought about more often that anything. He had nobody. He'd had no one, ever. No one but his camera.
Roger took a drag from his cigarette and put an arm around Mimi, looking into those beautiful eyes. Eyes…there was something wrong with her eyes. "What's wrong?" Mimi asked, smiling.
Roger hesitated. That glazed-over look, that far-away tone in her voice… "Mimi…have you been using again?" His look was one of concern, now, instead of lust.
Mimi giggled, almost psychotically. "What makes you think that, baby?" She took a drag of Roger's cigarette. Roger was still shocked.
I promised. She promised…she promised… "You promised, Mimi!" He stood up, now infuriated. How could she?! He had sworn he would never let her near the stuff again. She had sworn she wouldn't. She had made a promise to save her own life!
And now I'm alone, Roger almost said out loud. Three hours ago, he had told Mimi to go away, stay out of his life. He couldn't take it. She had been sobbing, the drugs making the hysteria even worse. He'd stormed from the Life almost in tears, terrified of himself and what he had just done.
It was at that exact moment that Mark finished his tea and came inside. One look at Roger tore him up inside. "Rog, what's up? What happened? I thought you were with Mimi."
Roger laughed half-heartedly. "I was…but…she was-"
"Oh, no." Mark guessed it. "Drugs again?" Roger laughed again.
"Bingo!" He smothered his cigarette and sobbed quietly. "How could she do this to me?" Mark sighed and sat next to him on their tattered couch.
"Rog…you'll find someone new. With your looks, it won't be hard." Roger melted into his friend's arms and let out the hurt. Mark ran a hand down his back. "Shh…it's okay, you're fine…" He really didn't know how to handle this. Roger hadn't broken down since April died. And, even then, Collins ended up taking care of it.
"I'm not fine, Mark…I'm alone…" Roger curled up on the couch, still sobbing mutedly.
"You're never alone, Rog. I won't let it happen." Mark smiled to himself. Maybe we aren't so different after all.
A/N: Well, there's my first sucky chapter. Reviews, flames, random things, any feedback is nice. Encouragement would be highly appreciated!