Disclaimer: I own rent… in my fantasies. :) Any credit this story gets will be offered up to the peaceful rest of Jonathan Larson, its real owner.

Review and I will love you. XD

(Narrator's POV)

The Life Café: 9 pm, Eastern Standard Time

People stared at the two girls who were chatting noisily and laughing boisterously in the corner table. What caused them to stare even more was the tall drag dressed in a tight hot pink top and a pair of blinding orange stockings.

"Get out!" Mimi cried, as Angel narrated her experiences as a runaway in New York.

"You actually threatened a girl scout, and stole her outfit to get free food in their end of summer party?" Mimi cried incredulously.

"In my defense, honey, the outfit was quite cute," Angel said.

They both burst out laughing once again. The laughter was cut short by the café bell, which jangled as three boys entered. Mimi eyed the newcomers with high curiosity, finding the dirty blonde in a blue polo quite familiar. But he had his head bent, as if he didn't want to be seen outside. The other two were complete strangers.

Mimi watched them walk toward the table in front of theirs and take seats. The man, who Mimi had recognized, sat with his back facing her, showing her only his head. Mimi tried to remember where she had seen such cute yellow locks before.

"Meems? Hello? Are you listening?" Angel waved a hand in front of Mimi's face.

"Yeah, sorry."

Wow, they had only known each other for 1 hour and Angel already had a nickname made up for her.

"For a minute there, I thought you were focused on something else but mwah!" Angel exclaimed unbelievably, putting her hand up to her chest.

Mimi laughed and stuck her tongue out at her new friend.

In the other table, Roger was silently cursing his two best friends for dragging him along. The other two didn't mind and were just cheerful that Roger had finally left the loft.

"Col, what you looking at?" Mark asked, eyeing the anarchist.

"Oh, nothing."

Collins glanced over Roger's shoulder at the black haired woman who sat at a nearby table. He could swear he knew her, and no one could mistake her sense of style.

"Collins, I swear your scaring me," Roger said, his eyes wide.

"Are you staring at me or her?"

"Haha," Collins rolled his eyes and cupped Roger's face in his hands.

Roger, who now looked like a blow fish, grabbed Collins' face as well and they both got entangled in each other's arms.

"You have such beautiful eyes, Rog," Collins said, rather seriously.

"Oh. Shut up," Roger said, pulling his hand away.

Mark snickered and Collins shook his head.

"God, where the hell is Maureen?" Mark said nervously, looking at his watch.

Roger gave Collins a look, and had to restrain laughter.

"Uh-oh," Collins teased, sneering. "Told you this would come."

"Rog, I believe you owe me 20 bucks," Collins rubbed his fingers together.

"Aw man, you know I'm broke," Roger grumbled.

He shoved Mark hard and blamed, "Why'd you gotta be suck a dick when it comes to the ladies?"

Mark rested his head on his fist and muttered stuff under his breath.

Collins laughed then turned his gaze back to the woman wearing hot pink. And while waiting for Maureen, that was all he could do. Even Mark and Roger's constant bickering couldn't distract him. Could it be? Angel?

Collins smiled at the thought. The drag queen had left the Life Support meeting in a flash, before he could have a word or two with her. Fortunately, Mimi noticed that the man was looking at her friend.

"Honey, are you sure you don't want any beer?" Angel asked, gulping down the last of hers.

"No. No thanks. I have a bad past with beer," Mimi said, laughing at herself but shivering at the thought.

"Say, sweetie," Mimi beckoned Angel to lean in.

"I think that guy over there has the hots for you," she whispered, moving her lips toward Collins.

Angel leaned back in her seat with a sly smile. She clutched her chest and batted her eyelashes, as if flattered. She wrung her hands in the air, as if getting ready, and then turned discreetly to look at her admirer.

"Collins!" she exclaimed, getting up.

Collins automatically jumped up, as if his name was the cue he had been waiting for all along.

"Angel! H-e-ey," he stammered.

Mimi watched Angel give him a sweet peck on the cheek. The man's friends looked up at the weird scene with inquisitive eyes. Mimi drank some of her apple cider as Collins introduced Angel to his friends. She wasn't listening to their names, unfortunately, but caught herself staring at the dirty blonde again.

"Oh, this is mi amiga."

Angel gestured toward Mimi, who smiled sweetly. Collins extended a hand, and she shook it.

"Collins," he said, with a big grin.

Mimi bit her tongue to suppress laughter when Angel mouthed her the words: Isn't he hott? Behind the man's back.

"Mimi," she answered, in a fit of giggles.

Mimi? Roger thought. Now where have I ---

"Mimi?"

The man wearing a blue polo turned around in surprise. Mimi almost dropped the glass she was holding. The rest were dumbfounded.

For a while, no one said anything as Mimi and Roger gaped at each other.

"Roger!" Mimi finally said, standing up as well.

The musician stood up at almost the exact same time.

"I can't believe…" they started at the same time.

"Well you…" they said in harmony again.

"You two know each other?" Collins intervened, with matching hand gestures.

"Well…" Roger started, his cheeks getting red.

"Sorta," Mimi finished for him.

"Uh, hello? I'm over here?" Mark reminded, inching slowly up to the four.

"I'm Mark," he shook hands with Angel and Mimi, who did it almost absentmindedly.

Both of them were staring at Roger.

"Where did you… uh, meet?" Collins swallowed.

"She just…"

"Moved in," Mimi completed.

"In our building," Roger added.

"Oh is he…?" Angel began, suddenly excited.

Mimi put her finger up to her lips to silence the drag. But Angel couldn't help beaming from ear to ear. Roger couldn't say anything. Apparently, he was still embarrassed over what had happened earlier that day.

"Perfect!" Angel squealed. "Let's put our tables together."

Mimi and Roger were about to contradict, but when Angel had her mind set on something, no one could change it. And now, she just had her mind set on getting Roger and Mimi together.

Collins and Mark helped Angel drag the two tables together, while Mimi and Roger stood in front of each other in awkwardness. From the corner of her eye, the drag queen watched.

"Mimi, about a while ago…"

"I don't really want to talk about it," Mimi answered, clearly still upset.

She took a seat on the newly formed longer table. Roger sighed and decided to stay away from Mimi tonight. Maybe he would try tomorrow. But Angel apparently didn't want to wait for tomorrow.

"You sit here, Roger," Angel coaxed, pushing Roger down on a seat in front of Mimi.

Mimi folded her arms across her chest and looked the other way. The others took seats, unaware of the tension that was going on between the two.

"I didn't catch you after Life Support," Collins began. "I wanted to say thanks."

"Don't mention it, honey," Angel said, laying her hand on Collins'.

He smiled.

"What'll it be?" the waitress licked her pencil and pressed the tip against her notebook.

"We already ate," Angel said, looking over at Mimi. "Want anything, sweetie?"

The young Latina laid her arms down on the table and shook her head, her eyes still glued to the floor. Roger tried to catch her eye, but she refused to meet his gaze. He put his arms flat on the table also, not meaning to make them land on hers.

Mimi looked up in surprise, and blushed.

HA. Roger thought. She blushed.

"Rog?"

"Yeah?" Roger said in panic, bringing his arms up to his head in an instant.

"What do you want?" Collins asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing, nothing. Just a beer," he said, slightly angry that Collins had to ruin it.

Mimi giggled to herself, but remembered that she was supposedly angry at the musician.

"I'll have 3 bottles," Mark announced, grabbing a half-empty beer bottle from a waiter's tray as he passed.

He gulped down the liquid in one shot, firmly laying the bottle down on the table and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"He was supposed to be on a date tonight," Collins whispered.

Mimi and Angel's mouths formed an "O."

Minutes dragged on. Mark drank bottle after bottle of beer, Collins and Angel were sipping some cider in one bottle with two straws while really hitting it off, and Mimi and Roger sat in silent defiance, Roger taking some sips of beer every now and then.

Then, after almost 15 minutes of torture, two ladies entered the Life and walked up to the table.

"Hey Mo!" Collins greeted. "I didn't think you'd make it!"

"Sorry were late!" a lady with auburn hair said cheerfully. She went around the table, pecking cheeks, even of those people she didn't know.

"Guys, Maureen. Maureen, Mimi and Angel," Collins introduced.

"Hey!" she chirped, grinning broadly.

"Sorry were late. We had some business to attend to," Maureen apologized, removing her coat and draping it over a chair.

"Who's we?" Roger asked.

"Oh!" Maureen slapped her forehead. "Silly me."

She grabbed a dark skinned woman who was standing nearby and presented her to the entire table. The woman had a surly look and tried her best to smile.

"Guys, this is Attorney Joanne Jefferson," Maureen said.

"Hey," the table sang.

"Hi," she said curtly.

"Where's Marky?" Maureen asked, suddenly noticing her boyfriend's absence.

"Bathroom… 5 beers… don't ask," the table grumbled in reply.

"Maureen, baby!" Mark suddenly emerged from the bathroom. "Nice of you to show up after one hour."

"Sorry, baby. I was dealing with some business," Maureen apologized, avoiding Mark's protruded lips and kissing his cheek.

"Ah," Mark's lips retreated. "What kind of business?"

"Well," Maureen held Joanne's hand, and all of them eyed it. "I officially own my performance space! Legally!"

The table erupted into a congratulatory cry of applause. And everyone stood up to hug Maureen.

"Yeah, finally!" Mark said groggily. "Congrats, baby."

The rest saw Joanne's face twist into a disgusted look. She eyed Maureen with a look that seemed to say, "Well?"

"Uh, Mark. I have to talk to you about something," Maureen began, fidgeting with her bag zipper.

Collins and Roger exchanged "uh-oh" looks.

"Okay, what is it?" Mark said, drunkenly laying a heavy hand on his girlfriend's shoulder.

"Here? I was wondering maybe outside," Maureen said, frowning.

"Hey, it mustn't be something that the guys can't hear, right? Come on!"

Mark was having the worst hang-over that any one in the group had ever seen. Even his breath let out a putrid odor. The gang pretended not to be hearing the conversation, and busied themselves with their beer glasses.

"Okay…" Maureen glanced at Joanne. "Joanne and I are together."

"What? You came together? We all knew that!" Mark laughed hysterically, rousing the attention of every customer in the Life.

"No. No, Mark. Were together." Maureen let the word roll over her tongue.

"What?" Mark suddenly understood. "But baby were…"

"It just happened, Marky. Don't be upset," Maureen pleaded, grabbing Mark's face.

"No, right? You're joking?"

Maureen shook her head. Joanne kept her face smug.

"You're breaking up with me?" Mark spat, tears already fogging up his glasses.

Maureen nodded.

"I'm sorry, Marky… don't…"

Mark shook his head and took off his glasses.

"Shit, this can't be happening," he muttered to himself.

He looked at the table, and they all immediately looked the other way.

"Just great. Great."

The blonde broken-hearted boy staggered clumsily across the café and outside, wishing all this was a dream and that he would wake up the morning earlier with a brand new day.

"Do you think he's okay?" Maureen asked the gang, feeling guilty.

None of them answered, but Mark's shrill scream from outside answered Maureen's question.

"WHY?" Mark's high pitched voice could be heard. "GOD DAMMIT, WHY?"

"Aw, crap," Maureen muttered, running out of the café after Mark.

"MAUREEN!" Joanne called. "Leave the boy be!"

She looked at the table with innocent eyes. "Sorry," she muttered. "Bye."

Then she took off after her new girlfriend, her gray coat flapping against her back.

For a moment, no one spoke, letting the past events sink in their brains first. And when it did, no could seem to get the courage to act about it. What to do?

"He took it better than I expected," Collins spoke up.

The rest muttered agreements.

"I think I should go," Angel stood up, telepathically telling Collins to join her.

"I'll walk you home," Collins offered, getting Angel's message.

Mimi and Roger began to stand up. Half-way up, their friends gave them looks that seemed to say: we-want-to-be-alone. But of course, it was all a plot to get the two alone together. Mimi and Roger retreated back to their seats, being good friends.

"Bye!" the two called.

And with Collins hand on Angel's shoulder, they left the Life in a fit of giggles.

Roger and Mimi sat there for a bit, avoiding each other's eyes. Mimi crossed her ankles and began to bite her nails. Roger bounced his knee up and down. He looked at Mimi, and their eyes met for a few seconds, but Mimi immediately looked away.

"Mimi," Roger spoke. "Are you mad?"

Mimi's eyes went to the side to glance at Roger, but she didn't answer. Roger drummed his fingers on his knee.

"Look," he placed his hand on Mimi's, this time non-accidental. "I'm sorry about a while ago."

Mimi felt Roger's fingers slowly lace into hers, his thumb running up and down her forehand.

"Don't apologize, Roger. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"

"It's okay," they both said at the same time.

Roger laughed, Mimi blushed. They both had the same thing on their minds: let's start over.

"So, how was your first day in New York, Ms. Marquez?" Roger asked, his hand still clasped in hers.

"Scary," Mimi laughed.

"Why? Did anyone hurt you coz I…"

"No, Roger. Everything was fine, Angel helped me," Mimi smiled, glad that Roger was being so protective.

She narrated to him about all the events at the Cat Scratch. His face twisted in fury when I got to the part about the drunken barbaric man.

"You say he was fat and bald?" Roger asked, after I had finished.

"Yeah, why?"

"I think I might know him," Roger crunched his fists.

We both laughed.

"So, what do you do?" Mimi asked.

Clearly, both of them were caught up in a world where only they existed.

"I play the guitar, write songs. You know…" he said.

"Wow! Are you part of a band?" Mimi was amazed.

"Uh, no."

"Oh."

"Well you know, I haven't been out much lately and… What?" Roger laughed, seeing Mimi's foolish grin.

"Nothing. I just love a man with a guitar," Mimi joked, smirking.

"Really?" Roger said seductively.

Mimi just laughed and said, "Really."

"Maybe I'd play a song just for you one day."

They just smiled for a couple of seconds.

"I decided I want to know," Roger said suddenly.

"About what?"

"Why you ran away," Roger's lips drew into a thin line.

"It's a long story," Mimi said, still unsure if she wanted to reveal.

"I have time," Roger shrugged.

"Well… okay," Mimi gave in.

My parents are really rich, they own a vast chain of companies in L.A. And you know, with all that money to squander, I was just a typical spoiled rich girl. Experimented with drugs, got wasted every night, skipped school to go to bars.

Roger gulped.

But one day it went too far and I ended up in juvie for three years. I was 16 then. And well, I really learned my lesson there in juvie. I was ready to start again, like, get back all the years I wasted. I even wanted to study again and finish Med school.

Heck, I knew how to dance, I know how to strip. But when I went to juvie, it's like it didn't feel right to do those things anymore. But actually, a while ago at Cat Scratch, I could've done a pretty good job if I just weren't 'cleansified' already.

Roger sighed in relief.

So when I got home, my parents threw all this shit at me about an arranged marriage and everything. I got really angry at them, especially when I found out that I was only marrying this guy because my parents thought they could use his money. I yelled, screamed and bawled my eyes out about marrying the guy I loved when the time came, but they wouldn't hear a word of it.

So I ran away.

"I mean, I wanted to find real love, you know?" Mimi finished, sighing and shaking her head.

"Yeah," Roger muttered, finding Mimi's story too much to take in after 30 seconds.

"Sorry. I know that's a lot to take," Mimi apologized with a sad frown.

"It's okay. I'm glad you told me," Roger said, brushing his hand against Mimi's.

"Okay, it's your turn, pretty boy. What's your story?" Mimi asked.

"Errr…"

"Rog, I told you mine! That's unfair," Mimi pouted.

"Okay, okay. Don't yell, scream or bawl your eyes out on me," he grinned.

Mimi rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Well?"

"Okay."

Well, my story's quite long.

My dad was the typical drunkard. He would gamble a lot until early morning and when he lost, he took out his anger on me. So, you know, I got beat up a lot. But my mom kept me safe, well; at least she kept me alive.

But I knew he hurt her too. I would see her in the morning with bruises and a black eye. And I once saw striations on her back – assuming he had belted her. I was so angry at my dad. I would have fist fights with him to defend my mom, but I was scrawny and he always ended up winning.

Pretty soon, my mom fell ill with pneumonia and it just got worse and worse because my dad wasted the medicine money on gambling. When she died, things got inferior. And so, I ran away with only my guitar.

Went to New York, where I got kicked out of places I tried to audition in. And it was in one audition, that he was filming, where I met Mark. And well, he helped me. Got me back on my feet. That's how I ended up in the loft.

"You see?" Roger smiled. "Were both runaways."

It was Mimi's turn to place her hand on his.

"I didn't know, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Roger laughed. "Jesus, this is getting too emotional."

Don't tell her about April yet, Roger. Not just yet.

Don't tell her about the HIV yet, Roger. Not just yet.

But fate had other plans in mind.

At that moment, Roger's AZT beeper went off. He shut it off instantly, pretending it was just his watch that had made the beeping sound.

Discreetly, he took an AZT tablet from the bottle in his pocket and popped it in his mouth, using some beer to wash it down.

"Cough medicine," he said, seeing Mimi's confused look.

She nodded.

Thud.

"Crap."

Roger watched his AZT tablets roll all over the floor, trying hard to collect them all before Mimi had seen. But it was too late, since she had already recognized the medicine bottle.

Roger stood up, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"Roger… you?" Mimi's eyes narrowed down on him, as if trying to see his soul.

Roger decided that it was no use and nodded slowly, his head bent.

"Sorry I didn't tell you, I should go," he muttered, closing the cap of his HIV medicine.

"Roger, wait!" Mimi grabbed his arm from behind.

Roger's eyes were disappointed and heartbroken.

Mimi reached in her tight stripping outfit and pulled out her smaller AZT bottle. Roger squinted his eyes at the bottle, as if refusing to believe that he and Mimi were the same.

"You?" he barely breathed.

Mimi nodded slowly, kneading her hands against his chest. She could feel tears brimming in her eyes. Roger wrapped his arms around her and laid her head on his chest.

"Mimi…"

(Mimi's POV)

The cold night air blew against my cheeks, causing me to shiver. Angel had taken her coat with her when she left, so I was left to walk in the freezing December weather in my strip clothes.

Just when I thought my knees would buckle and give away, I felt Roger's arm go around my shoulders. He draped his own brown coat on me and brought me closer. I felt his warmth.

"Thanks," I murmured.

I felt his arm twirl slowly around my arm and his hand clasp my hand. I immediately felt as if I were sitting in front of a newly lit hearth of fire.

"Mmm…" I nuzzled his arm.

We were walking through the deserted alleys of Avenue B, making our way back home from the Life. It had pretty much been a silent trip since we had left the café. All as well, I liked it quiet. I felt like we didn't need words to say what we were both thinking and feeling.

After a few minutes of walking, I was already getting drowsy. It was just then that I remembered that I forgot to take my AZT a few hours before. I could already feel my head swirling and my legs getting weak. I didn't want to ruin anything so I pretended to be fine.

We still hadn't said a word when we reached the building. Roger led me inside, and we climbed the flights of steps in silence. My eyes began to get foggy. The weariness was slowly creeping up to my head.

"Ahhh…"

I stumbled in dizziness and landed hard on the top step of the 2nd floor.

"Mimi! God, Mimi!" Roger bent low to look at me.

I clutched my head in my hands and tried to make the fuzziness in front of my eyes disappear. I couldn't even see Roger anymore.

"Forgot to take AZT," I grumbled.

"How could you forget your AZT?" Roger scolded.

I moaned in pain and that got Roger to replace his anger with intense worry.

"Here, Mimi! Open!"

Roger popped one of his own AZT tablets in my mouth. I tried to grab a part of him, finding my hands touching his cute blonde locks.

"Maybe I'm just tired," I muttered.

After all, I hadn't been able to get a decent night's sleep in 3 days.

"Shit, come on. Let's get you up," Roger said, concern was all that filled his tone.

Before I knew it, he had scooped up in his arms and carried me up the steps. Though I found myself feeling better already (maybe it was Roger's special magic), I gave in and just snuggled into Roger's chest.

"Crap, you lock your door?" Roger said, trying to pull my apartment door open.

"Yeah, don't worry, I think you can put me down now," I laughed a little.

"You sure?" Roger's eyes were full of concern.

"I'm sure, Rog."

He put me down cautiously, as if ready to pick me up again. Wearily, I felt around the upper threshold of my apartment door for the key. I twisted the key in the lock and opened the door.

"Are you sure you don't need me or anything?" Roger asked.

"No, Rog, I'm fine," I smiled.

"Thank you, again," I said to Roger, standing in the doorway.

"Don't mention it, Mimi. Only for you, okay?" he said sweetly, smiling.

I smiled and found myself leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. I saw his face go scarlet red.

"Good night," I said, smiling coyly.

"Good night," Roger replied, his face breaking out in a foolish grin.

Half-way through closing the door, Roger reached in and prevented the door from closing. I heard him curse before I opened the door once more.

"Roger? What…"

"Mimi, about a while ago," he cut me short.

"Yeah?"

"You think we can try that again?" he asked.

"Well…"

Before I could finish my sentence, I felt Roger's lips against mine. At first I backed away in shock, but then I found my arms going around his neck and kissing him back. After we pulled away, Roger smiled and I smiled – the works.

"Good night," he repeated in a rush, and ran up the stairs to the loft.

A/N: Yikes, never really wanted Roger to get that emotional and anything. But well, it's nice to try a new approach, right:) Tell me what you think… I can always change it. XD Again: Review and I will love you. XD