Characters:
Angel: electrakitty 74

Collins: sflynn

Mark: camera2spar

Roger: onedaymorelm

Angel looked at the cute blonde in the glasses and smiled sweetly. She glanced at Collins, widening her eyes and raising her eyebrows, then winked at him. The hot boy with the long hair just stared at her with his eyes wide. She reached over and squeezed his knee.

"This afternoon, I was out on the street, playing my drum over on Avenue A. I was so into it that I didn't hear a huge black limousine stop next to me. Sometimes I get so focused that I'll look up and I've got this huge pile of money in front of me. Anyway, this big car pulls up next to me and this woman leans out. Park Avenue, y'know with the perfect blonde hair and makeup that looks like it's been put on with a very high-class trowel. I could smell her Chanel #5 from the curb. 'Hey, kid, come here' she called out to me. Clearly not as high-class as I'd thought. Once I'd picked up all my stuff and walked to her window, she switched into this long-suffering Joan Rivers accent. . .'Darling, I need your help,' she said. 'Look at my eyes, I've got a full set of Louis Vuittan luggage under here . . . I haven't slept for a year. It's my neighbor, you see. They've got this obnoxious dog, Evita. It's an Akita, how cute is that . . . Evita the Akita. This dog never shuts up.'

'I'm sorry to hear that,' I said. 'How awful that must be for you.' What I don't mention is how I know people who haven't slept in a bed in more than a year, poor things, who would be happy to sleep in a warm dry place, dog or no dog. Anyway, she goes on to tell me that she figures that this dog is so high strung that she's bound to have a stroke someday.

'That's where you come in,' she tells me.

'I'm not following you.' I replied.

'Darling, I need you to do your thing, make as much noise as you can while my neighbors are out shopping and see if you can send that dog into an early grave. I'll pay you.'

I was shocked. I mean, I had nothing against this dog, and I didn't figure I could kill it by playing, but I could definitely use the money and some time in out of the cold, so I agreed and went along.

Once I got into the car, she gave me champagne and wished me a Merry Christmas. I have no tolerance and after two glasses of the stuff, I was flying. The idea with the dog was sounding better and better, and after four glasses I was sure I could kill a dog by drumming. She promised me a thousand dollars for the dog, set me up in her apartment and left, hinting that there would be a bonus in it for me if when she came back in two hours I had killed the dog and decorated her Christmas tree.

So . . ." She laughed, hardly able to control her giggles. ". . . totally wasted, I sat down and started to play. As soon as I started, I heard that damn dog start barking. I got so into the playing that I didn't look up for almost an hour. I don't know what made me look up when I did, but somehow I managed to look out her balcony window just in time to see a ball of fur fall past." Here she paused. "So I got up and looked down into the courtyard of the Gracie Mews and there was that same ball of fur lying there on the grass. I started in on the tree and even had a little time to watch some 'Guiding Light' before she got back. I love that show!"

"She gave me twelve hundred dollars and a sterling silver Christmas tree ornament. I pawned it as soon as I got back to Alphabet City. Got another fifty out of it. I went back to the same spot she found me and played for awhile longer. I heard Collins here," she paused again to touch Collins' hand, making him blush, "calling out in the alleyway. He needed some help and some food and then he wanted to get back here with you. So here we are. I've got plenty of money and I want to spend it making people merry. You all in?" Finishing her story, she lifted her chin and smiled at the three.

-----

Roger stared wide-eyed at the guy in drag throughout most of her act. "Um...yeah?" he offered weakly. That was alot to take in all at once. That person outside his loft was Collins new boyfriend, she was a dog killer, she was rich, and she is a he. That was more than a little for Roger to take in. And, wait, what was that last thing he said? Found Collins? Sharing money with us? Roger found it absolutely hilarious. No one was ever generous towards squatters. Roger began laughing and clapping uncontrollably.

-----

Angel smiled again at the long-haired man applauding her. She tipped him a short curtsy and said:
"You must be Roger. Am I right?" At his stunned nod, she continued. "Well, Roger, we're on our way to a Life Support meeting, it's a group for people coping with life. Wanna come? You don't have to stay too long."

-----

Roger raised an eyebrow. Life support? Wasn't that the AIDS group? Hell no, no way was he going to something like that. Besides, that meant leaving the house. Roger was fine when he was simply impressing Mark in the loft, but to leave...? Roger shook his head. "No, no I couldn't..."
'April wouldn't go...' he thought.

-----

Angel smiled again at him.
He'll catch on
She turned to Mark.
"How about you, cutie, You coming?"

-----

Mark stared at Angel. He was still speechless from her long story. It was really amazing and very nice of him...uh...her, to do that for them. Life Support? The AIDS group...right. Roger hated those. He shot Roger a look. He'd been so angsty and detached lately, just staying coped up in the loft all day. He prayed that Roger would just come. "Roger, be nice." He snapped. He looked back up at Collins and Angel, giving them an apologetic look. He wasn't sick, but...it would be great for that documentary he was planning. "I'd love to." He said sticking out his hand, blushing because she called him cutie. "I'm Mark."

-----

Angel took his hand delicately and shook it. "Nice to meet you, Mark. I'm Angel." She turned to Collins. "We should go, honey. We're going to be late."

-----

Roger watched them. 'Yes, yes leave.' he thought. 'If you go Mark won't press me into leaving anymore.' Roger shoved the money in his pocket and watched the others converse between one another. He had always been a better listener than someone who actually participated in the conversations. Angel? Was that its name? Does that mean it was a girl? Wasn't Angel a girl or guys name? Roger decided to ask, just to settle his own wandering thoughts. "Um, Angel, are you...a woman or a man?" Roger was absolutely horrible with words and he knew it. "Uh, not to sound rude." He added, blushing. 'Nice one, Davis. Real smooth.' he thought. April would have disapproved. Roger hung his head a bit, thinking about how he had worded that. Was there a nicer way? It was an innocent enough question; he didn't want to call Angel it forever. It seemed rude, no matter how fitting.

-----

Collins stopped shaking his head in disappointment at Roger and choked back a laugh instead. His friend was nothing if not utterly tactless sometimes. He just grinned, content to let Angel answer as she pleased.

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Mark stopped talking about his plans for his film and turned to stare at Roger. Did he really just ask...? Damn.

-----

Angel could see that Roger expected to have his head bitten off for his ill-worded question. She'd been asked it so many times that it hardly fazed her anymore, especially when it was asked out of sheer ignorance, as Roger did. She laughed out loud at his sheer lack of tact and grace. Once she stopped laughing she said "Honey, gender's more than a matter of plumbing, don't you know that? Out here, I'm all boy, but in here," she indicated her heart. "I'm every bit a woman." She smiled at him.

-----

Roger nodded. "Okay."
'That still doesn't answer my question though...' he thought. 'Well, "it" it is then.'
"Oh, and uh, I'm Roger Davis." He said, offering his hand to Angel.

-----

"Nice to meet you, Roger," Angel replied, taking the hand and shaking it. "I'm sorry you won't be joining us today. Next time, maybe?" She raised her eyebrows at him and smiled, then turned to Collins and Mark. "Well boys, shall we go?" She asked, reaching out to take Collins' hand.

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Collins took Angel's offered hand and indicated the door with his free one. "After you."

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"Thank you darling. 'Bye Roger" Angel waved at Roger and happily danced out of the room, followed by Mark and Collins.

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"Bye," Roger waved half-heartedly at the door and rested on the couch, grabbing his guitar and struggling to write a song. One great song. 'One song before I go...'