I Do
This is going to be a slightly AU chapter fic…AU because homosexuals in New York can't marry (I don't think…feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). Also, obviously, Angel will be alive, because in the great wisdom of Wilson Jermaine Heredia, "We all know corpses don't cry…" nor do they marry.
I do not own Rent. Enjoy.
Oh, and I'm sorry for the crappy title. I honestly couldn't think of anything better.
On Tuesday mornings, Roger Davis did not expect rude interruptions. Mark was usually out filming somewhere; Mimi was either a) not speaking to him, b) out with Angel or Maureen, or c) sleeping beside him. Collins was at work and Joanne had no reason to come over. Even Benny didn't start bothering him till well past noon.
So when a loud knock at the door awoke him at 11:00 AM, he was not happy. At all. He considered letting the rude person think no one was home. He was just about to go to sleep, when they knocked again, this time accompanied with a familiar voice.
"Mark, Roger! Open up! It's me!"
"Collins?" Roger mumbled into the pillow. He lazily rolled out of bed, yawning and scratching his head. He opened the door, only to be greeted by Collins, holding a bag. He had a newspaper under his arm and a gigantic smile on his face.
"Shouldn't you be at work?" Roger asked sleepily, trying to figure out how the taller man could be so happy this early.
"Well, good morning to you, too!" Collins replied, though his voice held no upset.
"Seriously, though," Roger said, grinning and letting him in.
"I'm sick," Collins replied, faking a cough. He turned and sat down, placing the bag down.
"Where's Angel?" Roger asked. Usually the professor and his transvestite lover were inseparable. It was rare to see one without the other.
"That," Collins' smile seemed to grow larger, if at all possible. "Is why I'm here right now."
Roger gave him a strange look, and then opened the bag. He pulled out the 'Breakfast Tofu Burgers' (which he was quite sure were just regular tofu burgers, which were nasty in the first place) that were piled neatly inside.
"What's going on?" he asked. He knew Collins was a generally happy guy, but the fact that his smile hadn't changed at all for five minutes was slightly scaring him. "Everything okay?"
"Everything is GREAT!" Collins exclaimed, nearly knocking Roger off his feet.
"Okay…" he said, sitting down quickly.
"It happened!" Collins cried finally, happily biting into his burger.
"What?" Roger asked. What was 'It'? 'It' was a good thing, obviously. He'd been promoted? He won the lottery? Angel was pregnant? Well, maybe not that last one…
"Don't you read the newspaper?" Collins asked, the smile finally leaving his face.
"Generally not, no," Roger replied, eyeing the paper Collins started to unfurl. He turned it around, letting Roger get a look at it. He read the headline.
"Madonna Tells All: The British Babe Reveals Her Secret For Fabulous Thighs," he read. "Why, Collins, I think you have marvelous thighs," he joked, smirking as the other man blushed a deep rouge.
"Not there," he mumbled, pointing at another article. "There."
"Gay Marriages Proclaimed Legal," Roger read. His eyes widened, before letting out, "Oh, my God! This is great!"
"I know," Collins replied, the smile returning times ten. "They've been debating it for a few months…and I've been putting money away ever since, and, well…" he looked at his hands, the blush returning. "I'm buying a ring today."
Roger stared at him for a second before breaking into a smile.
"Tom…" he rarely used his first name, but he felt it was appropriate. "That's-"
"Hey, Hon!" Mimi exclaimed, bursting through the front door. She was quickly followed by Maureen, who went straight for the food bag.
Maureen was quickly followed by Angel. Collins' eyes widened and he quickly folded the newspaper up.
"Hey, baby…" Angel greeted him, a little confused. "Shouldn't you be at work?"
"I…" Tom stared at her, then at Roger. He grabbed his newspaper. "I gotta go! Bye, guys!" He kissed Angel quickly before running out the door.
Angel stared as the door slammed shut.
"What…"
"He's late," Roger said quickly. "He's, uh, he's late for work," he quickly finished off his burger and proceeded to act like nothing had happened. He could feel Angel's eyes on him.
"What is going on, Davis?" she asked, taking a step closer.
"Nothing!"
"Sounds like something," Maureen said, staring at the burger in disgust. "Y'know, they kill cows to make these things."
"They're tofu," Roger said. Maureen dropped the burger, making a face.
"Tofu…" Angel said. "Then Collins must have brought them."
"What's going on, Roger?" Mimi asked, poking the back of his head. Angel grinned as Roger squirmed, uncomfortable.
"Nothing! I swear, nothing!" He cried out. "Collins just had a free period, so he brought lunch over!"
"Breakfast Tofu Burgers for lunch?" Maureen asked, keeping her distance from the discarded burger.
"They're regular tofu burgers. They taste exactly the same," Roger replied, trying to change the subject around. "Really, Maureen, you should protest about that."
"Actually," the drama queen's eyes lit up. "I've got a protest in the works. Joanne doesn't like it, but what does she know? Here, let me tell you guys…"
The rest of the day was spent with Roger, Mimi, and Angel trying to tell Maureen why it was not a good idea to do a strip tease at her next protest (When Mark got home, he tried to encourage it, of course).
At 3:30, however, Angel figured she should get home to greet Collins. She bid good-bye to the others and left for home.
Angel was the jealous type, she admitted it. So when she discovered her lover not at work, when he should be at work, it set her imagination at work and she got worked up. She walked all the way home without one bounce in her step, her wringing, her imagination running away. What if…what if…
Oh, god…she never should have let him go to the Life alone that one time. That waiter always gave him looks…And he had some nerve, telling him his tofu dog would be up 'right away, sir!' She mocked his voice in her head. High-pitched, squeaky…like he was going through puberty! She sniggered cruelly, then kicked herself. The kid was fifteen - he probably was going through puberty. That ruled that one out…
Or what if it was another teacher at the university? He wouldn't…but he might! Another teacher, gay as well…among the realization, the two lovers swear to be together, loving each other in secret, lest their homophobic boss find out…it was the stuff great movies were made of!
She opened the door, finding their tiny apartment empty. She sat down on the couch, willing herself not to cry.
In every movie she'd ever seen, the bad guy was always the first lover.
She grabbed the pillow and hugged it, tears slipping down her face, ruining her make-up.
Wait!
If Collins was out with a teacher, why was he at Roger's?
Oh no.
They wouldn't DARE!
Her painted finger nails pressed into the pillow. No, she was being ridiculous. Roger loved Mimi.
But they did fight a lot.
But, still…Collins and Roger? Would they dare?
If Roger was trying to get back at Mimi for something, he might…but why would Collins do it to Angel? Was it because she accidentally put meat in his sandwich? Would that drive him to do something that drastic?
It might, she decided tearfully.
Oh, they were SO dead.
She contemplated calling Mimi, but found herself crying into the pillow instead. Her makeup was SO ruined, but at the moment she couldn't care less.
She heard the door open, and Collins' worried voice rang through.
"Angel? What's the matter, baby?"
"YOU'RE THE MATTER!" She cried, throwing the pillow at him. It bounced off his chest.
"What?" He asked, coming to kneel by the couch. "What do you mean, sweet?"
"You're SLEEPING with ROGER!" Angel exclaimed. Oops. She hadn't meant to tell him so fast. Oh well.
Collins stared at her, willing himself not to start laughing. Sleeping with ROGER?
"Um…Angel…" he said, sitting on the couch and taking her hand. "Where did you come up with this?"
"Why weren't you at work? Why were you at Roger's? It all makes sense, dear! The ecstatic look on your faces, your rush to leave…how long, Tom, How long?" She was crying openly, now, cursing herself for showing such weakness in front of Collins.
Tom stroked her back gently, trying to figure out how she came up with such an absurd idea.
"Angel, sweet…no. No." Collins told her, taking her chin in his hand. He forced his eyes into his own. "No."
Angel wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Then why weren't you at work?"
"I…" Collins sighed, placing his hand in his pocket and fingering the small box inside. "I had stuff to do."
"Like what?" Angel sniffed, a frown gracing her red lips. Collins smiled, trying to decide what to do.
"Like…" he pulled out the box and stared at it. "Like this," he showed her the box, his chest getting tight. Angel gave it a small glance.
"What's that?" She asked, her voice sounding interested.
Collins felt himself shaking. He knew he wanted to marry Angel, but…somehow, he never really envisioned this moment. He never imagined getting on one knee and asking her. Should he get on one knee? Or should he just ask the way they were?
Steady, Tom, steady…
"A-angel…" he started. This was harder than he thought it would be! He kissed her quickly. "I love you…"
"I love you too," Angel replied. "I'm sorry…" she whispered. "I shouldn't have accused you…"
Collins sighed, and kissed her again. Why was she making it so difficult?
"Angel," he held her hands in his. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you…no matter how short that may be…"
"Don't start talking like that…you'll make me cry again!" Angel half giggled, half sobbed.
"Angel," He opened the box, showing her what was inside. Here goes… "Angel, now that we can….please…marry me…"
Angel stared into his eyes, then at the ring, then into his eyes again.
"What?"
"Angel, please. Say you'll be my wife, my husband, whatever you want to be, please…say you'll marry me…"
Angel fanned at her face in true diva fashion, trying to dry the tears that now trickled freely down her face.
Finally, she faced him, with a smile that rivaled the one Collins wore earlier.
"Yes!"
Love it? Loathe it? Please tell me!