Title: Lower East Side Story
Pairing: Mark/Roger
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Mark and Roger watch West Side Story (kinda short bit) and Mark tells a story (kinda long bit). Post-Rent, maybe a couple of years from the end.
Disclaimer: I don't own them...wish I did.
It was a Saturday night and everyone was out. Collins and Joanne were hanging out at the Life Café listening to poetry, Benny was on a date with his wife, Muffy…I mean, Alison, and Maureen and Mimi were dancing at the newest club. Where were Mark and Roger you ask?
"You know, we're two young guys, handsome guys I like to think. And we're sitting here on our couch on a weekend night, watching the gayest movie ever made-"
"I think Saving Ryan's Privates holds the honor of that title," Mark interrupted his roommate's monologue.
Roger revised his statement, "One of the gayest movies ever made, with guys who dance while they fight. We've become domesticated and now we're-oh lord, they're on their tippytoes. So," he turned to Mark, "you want to go make-out now or later?"
Mark's attention to the TV never wavered, "Later, I like this part."
Roger continued, "Do you think the requirements for this gang was 3 years of tap, 4 years of ballet, and two years of sleeping with other men?"
"In 3 months I could be in a revival of this," Mark replied.
Roger raised an eyebrow, "Considering we've been together a year and nine months…when did you take dance class?"
Mark grumbled, "Mom made me."
Roger laughed until a pillow hit him in the head. "Do you think they dance in their sleep? God, this movie couldn't get gayer if it tried," Roger tilted his head and regarded the TV.
Mark just sighed and turned the volume up.
The movie continued until "Somewhere" began and Roger piped up again, "Have you ever thought of declaring this our official theme song?"
Mark finally tore his eyes away from the screen and looked up at Roger, "Why do we need a theme song?"
Roger cupped Mark's cheek, "So we can dance."
Mark nuzzled into Roger's hand and pressed a kiss to his palm, "I never needed music to dance with you." He stood and held his hand out to Roger, waggling his fingers in a 'come hither' gesture.
Roger laughed and took Mark's hand, using his other hand to pull his lover close and they swayed.
"Wanna go make out now?" Roger asked.
Mark laughed, "Way to kill a mood." Nonetheless, he tilted his head up and kissed Roger, coaxing his boyfriend's mouth to open to his questing tongue.
The young men continued to sway as they kissed, holding each other and moving to the beat of their hearts.
After a while, Mark looked at Roger and smiled, "Want to hear a bedtime story?"
Roger smiled back, "Sure." Mark turned off the TV and followed Roger into their bedroom.
When they had brushed their teeth and climbed under the covers, Roger gathered Mark into his arms and Mark started his story.
THE STORY:
Once upon a time, there were two warring kings by the surnames of Davis and Cohen. Each had only one son, one heir to their kingdoms. Roger Davis and Mark Cohen were their names and each one was an artist. Mark was a filmmaker, content to live behind the camera and let others shine. Roger was a musician, he played guitar and wrote songs, dreaming of that muse who would be his inspiration. Each dated beautiful women; Mark dated Princess Nanette of the land of JCC and the young, unfaithful Queen Maureen of the land of Drama, who dumped him to date Lady Joanne of Margins; Roger dated the late Lady April of Groupie and Princess Mimi of Feline, but ultimately, neither was satisfied.
One day, Mark went on a walk; he took his beloved camera to a secluded waterfall valley and started to film the area. He noticed a young man his age swimming in the water. He crept closer, still filming, as he gazed at the other boy. Blonde and tan, his strong arms propelling his lean body quickly through the water, Mark began to wonder if he had found a water nymph or some other such fantastic creature. The swimming boy climbed back onto the shore and Mark admired his muscular back and sculpted chest, watching the way the sun gleamed off the water droplets on his body.
"MARK!" a shrill voice cut through the silence of the moment. The boy quickly ran off in the opposite direction of where Mark was concealed. Mark sighed and turned to see his sister Cindy waddling towards him, pushing braches aside and calling his name.
"Cindy, you're 7 months pregnant, you shouldn't be chasing after me," Mark said to his sister.
"If you didn't keep running off and filming by the border of the kingdom, there'd be no reason for me to chase after you," Cindy scolded.
Mark rolled his eyes, "I'm in no danger."
Cindy took Mark by the arm and led him back to the castle, lecturing him on the sneaky and evil tactics of King Davis's army and how terrible they were, a monologue Mark memorized by the time he was 10.
Mark poked at his meal that night at dinner, only Maureen, visiting from her kingdom, seemed to notice.
She threw a napkin at Mark, who opened the crumpled ball and read, "Are you okay? Is something wrong, pookie?"
Mark sighed and wrote back, "We'll talk later. Stop calling me pookie," and sent the napkin back to her.
Later that night, Mark and Maureen convened in Maureen's chambers to discuss the boy Mark saw.
"He was magnificent. Like some whimsical dream or a god," Mark said, staring at the wall where he had focused the projector to show Maureen the boy from the waterfall.
Maureen whistled, "He's a sexy guy. What's his name?"
Mark sighed, "I don't know. Cindy came looking for me and her screaming scared him away."
"I'm sorry, pook- I mean, Mark," Maureen giggled.
Mark playfully shoved her, "So how's Mimi?"
Maureen had made great friends with Princess Mimi. "She's fine. I was talking to her yesterday and she said Lord Benny was still bothering her. She told me if he comes near her again, she'll be wearing an intriguing pair of testicular shaped earrings."
Mark laughed, "Good for her."
"She's throwing a party tomorrow. Let's go."
Mark rolled his eyes, "Why me?"
Maureen pouted her lips, "Because Joanne's busy and I can't go unescorted."
Mark smiled, "Fine. But if you try to molest me, I'll tell Joanne."
Maureen grinned back, "I'd convince her that you want a threesome."
Mark grimaced, holding up his hands, "I surrender."
So the next day, Mark and Maureen traveled to the kingdom of Feline and met up with Mimi.
That night, at the party, Mark stood by the wall talking with his friend Angel, a drag queen of no particular title and one of Mimi's closest friends, when he saw him again: the boy from the valley, the faerie boy with the Adonis body.
Mark caught his eye and the two boys looked at each other, slowly walking towards each other as if pulled by an unseen hand.
The boy held out his hand and Mark took it, they began to slow dance.
"Hi," Mark said, as the boy pulled him closer.
"Hi," the boy replied, leaning down to look into Mark's eyes, as he was about two inches taller.
Mark was mesmerized by the blue eyes looking at him. They were darker than his own blue eyes and Mark was trying to think of an appropriate metaphor when he noticed the boy was tilting his head and leaning in. Mark knew he was about to be kissed, he could have pulled back and should have pulled back, but he didn't. Instead he leaned in and met the boy's lips. Mark closed his eyes to better savor the softness of the lips pressed against his own, one hand coming up to thread through the boy's hair.
"ROGER!" Mimi came up and grabbed the boy away from Mark, pulling him quickly in the other direction.
Mark was startled and made his way back to Angel, fingertips pressed to his lips, trying to memorize the kiss. Mark sighed and sat down, smiling at his friend.
"Do you have any idea who you were dancing with and kissing on out there?" Angel asked.
Mark smiled, "Roger. His name is Roger." Mark began to say the name over in his head, marveling in how perfect a name could sound.
Angel sighed, "Roger Davis to be exact. Son of your family's worst enemy."
Mark shook his head, "No. That's not possible."
He looked around the room and noticed Mimi talking to Roger who, from the expressions on his face, was having the same reaction as Mark. Sure enough, soon Roger's eyes skimmed the room, meeting Mark's. Mark stood and walked to the exit, watching as Roger mimicked his movements until they both stood at the door.
"Want to go for a walk?" Mark asked.
Roger nodded.
They left the warm hall hand-in-hand and walked around the gardens, full of cat statues and red roses. The two boys continued, laughing, kissing, and talking, until they ran into Angel and Prince Collins of MIT who had also snuck away for a romantic moment.
"Mark, glad we found you two. Your sister is looking for you, news of your…choice of dance partner spread to her and she insists you go home now!" Angel said.
Mark turned to Roger who leaned down and kissed him gently, "Go. I'll find you again."
With that, Mark ran off back to the palace and Roger sighed, sitting down on one of the many benches.
Angel smiled and handed Roger a piece of paper, "Directions. Get going you."
Roger looked up at Angel and grinned, standing and hugging him quickly before setting off.
Back in his room, Mark was being treated to a longer and angrier version of the evils of the Davis's from his mother. She fretted and scolded and flailed and sighed, then finally she left him to sleep.
Mark crawled into bed and pulled the covers around himself, replaying the night in his mind. Suddenly, a rock hit his window, then another. Mark pushed open the window and got hit in the head. He rubbed his struck forehead and said, "When the person opens the window, you're supposed to stop throwing the rocks."
Roger sent him a sheepish smile and replied, "Sorry."
Mark smiled, "What are you doing here? If anyone sees you, you'll be killed."
"I'm willing to risk it. I fear nothing but the loss of your love," Roger said.
Mark laughed, "Did you practice that line?"
Roger nodded, "Yeah."
"I liked it," Mark said, leaning far out. His footing slipped and he fell out of the second floor window.
Roger rushed forward and caught him, holding him tightly in his arms, as they tumbled to the ground. The boys looked at each other and leaned in, kissing again and again. Roger covered Mark's body with his own, hands traveling down Mark's side. Mark's arms wound around Roger's neck.
"Let's go up to my room," Mark panted when the kissing ended.
Roger nodded and the pair climbed the vines next to Mark's window and climbed back into the castle. Once inside, Mark and Roger lay on the bed, kissing and divesting each other of clothing. Mark clutched Roger's back as Roger entered him. Roger slowly began to thrust and the boys kissed so their moans wouldn't be heard. Mark orgasmed and Roger followed soon after. Sated, the lovers drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.
That morning, Mark was awoken by Maureen shaking him and Roger and calling their names.
"What's wrong, Maureen?" Mark asked, scrambling for his glasses and boxers.
"Roger's father heard about you two and since Roger didn't come home last night…it's this whole mess." She turned to Roger who was blinking blurry-eyed at Mark, "And you better get home."
"No!" Mark said, "Haven't you ever read Romeo and Juliet? Once the lovers are separated, that's when everything goes downhill and they end up dead. No, get everyone together by the waterfall valley, and we'll figure something out soon as possible."
A few hours later, they gathered their friends at the waterfall and shared their plan to run away to New York. All agreed if was a fine idea and soon every one of them were making preparations to make their escape. So they did, each one leaving a note to their parents explaining how they wanted to be free from ancient feuds. Maureen and Joanne eventually married, Angel and Collins did the same, Mimi became a dancer and fashion designer, famous the world over. And where were Mark and Roger you ask? They were staying in on a Saturday night to watch one of the gayest movies ever made.
END STORY
"That was so cheesy," Roger laughed.
Mark pouted, "I thought it was very Romeo and Juliet like."
"They die. And Tony died in West Side Story," Roger pointed out.
"I know, but just once, I'd like the star-crossed lovers to get a happy ending," Mark said, nuzzling into the crook of Roger's neck.
Roger smiled and he tilted his head to kiss Mark, "You're such a hopeless romantic."