Summary: An extremely short story focusing on MarkRoger angst.
A/N: This came to me one night, and since I'm in a rut for my next idea for 'I'd Die Without You', I figure I'd post this and give you guys something to read.
Disclaimer: I do not own RENT.
The Fall.
Beep, beep.
The steady beeping of the machines surrounding him were enough to drive him insane. He used to dream in film reels, now he had the feeling his dreams were going to be filled with the damned beeping of the life monitor. It was the only thing making a sound in the room, and it left him with an uneasy knot twisting in his stomach. How had it come to this so quickly? The days of bohemia were over. No more dancing on the tops of tables, the soundtrack to hell would never fill the loft again, and he would never have to threaten the fender guitar that Roger held so dear.
He wasn't supposed to go this early, not before the rest of them. It wasn't right. The entire situation wasn't right. Maybe it was because he had built the man up to be super-human that this twist of events bothered him so greatly. He didn't know who to blame.
Could it be himself? He went out during all kinds of weather and god knows what kind of virus or germ he had tracked in with him. Could it have possibly been -- however, his thoughts trailed as he heard a cracked voice speak up before him.
"Hey." The voice sounded tired, strained.
"Hey." Mark replied, icy blue eyes wide behind the black framed glasses as he felt his eyes well with tears at the shape before him. No. Roger wasn't supposed to be the first of them to go, he wasn't. It wasn't -fair-, damn it!
"Marky, what's it like outside?" Mark felt his heart clench as he reached forward and grabbed the cold hand of his best friend, head hanging as the tears that had been welling fell from his eyes. "It's fall, Rog."
" ... I've always hated the fall."
And suddenly, Mark did too.
And he would have paid anything for the steady beep of the life monitor to feel the room once again.