And it's Beginning to Snow
a RENT story
by Daphi
"Roger Davis, you're sick! You should be in bed!" Mark Cohen exclaimed as he slid the door to the loft closed. It had been a long, cold day of filming and all Mark wanted to do was curl up in bed and sleep. Apparently he was going to have to wait a ittle bit longer to fulfill that desire.
"I'm fine, Mark. It's boring just sitting in bed all day," Roger replied his nose twitching in irritation. Quickly he grabbed for a tissue and sneezed very harshly three times. "heh-hehshhhhhhhhush! Shhhhhhhhhumfffff! Hum-heh-heshhhhhhhhumfffffff!"
"Bless you," Mark murmered setting his camera and messenger bag down and approaching Roger who was perched on the windowsill staring out at the city lights. His guitar sat on the floor next to him. Even with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and torso, Roger was still shivering ever so slightly; this detail did not escape Mark. He sat down behind Roger and wrapped his arms around the musician. With a grateful sigh, Roger leaned back into Mark and rested his head against the filmmaker's shoulder. Mark took this opportunity to feel Roger's forehead and cringed at how warm he was.
"You still feel pretty miserable," Mark whispered. It was not a question, but instead a statement and Roger an argument was not worth it; mainly because what Mark said was true. "Did you take your AZT?" Mark asked just as he did every day.
"Yes," Roger answered, rolling his eyes even though Mark couldn't see the gesture. Mark felt Roger stiffen and pull away slightly. With a gasping breath, Roger launched into another fit of sneezes.
"heh-uhshumffff! Ashhhhuuuhhhh! Huhmfffffff! Shumshhhhhhh! Huh-eh- heshoooooooooshhhhhh!" Roger groped for the tissues and blew his nose wetly before leaning back into Mark with a groan.
"Bless you," Mark said unable to hide the worry in his voice. With Roger's HIV status, Mark always worried when Roger was sick, even when it was only a simple head cold. "Do you need anything?"
"No," Roger said lacing his fingers with Mark's. "Tell me about your day." He was trying to change the subject. "Anything you did had to be more exciting then me laying around the loft all day," he mumbled.
Mark chuckled softly and ran his fingers through Roger's long hair. "Well I went to work early. Got ordered around all day. Came home late and-"
"And it's beginning to snow," Roger interrupted a smile noticable in his voice. Mark followed Roger's gaze and saw that fat flakes of snow were falling down on Alphabet City. He shivered glad that the snow had held off until after he had gotten home.
"I think that's our cue to go curl up in bed," Mark said pointedly, stifling a yawn.
"You sh-shuhshhhhhhh! Shumffffffff! Huhhehsssshhhhhhoooo! You sure?" Roger asked any flirtatious meaning behind his words lost un the sneezes.
"Yes." Mark got up and pulled Roger to his feet, too. Roger tugged the smaller man closer to him and kissed him softly.
"I'm glad you're home," Roger managed gruffly once they had broken the kiss. Roger rested his forehead against Mark's and sparkling green eyes met warm blue. Mark smiled knowing that that was as close to an endearment as Roger usually gave.
"Come on, Roger. Let's go to bed." Mark took his hand and led him into the bedroom. The two young men fell asleep fairly quickly, content and warm, in each other's arms.
So this is my response to weekly hatching #135: Include the line: "And it's beginning to snow". This is a new fandom for me to be playing around with but I have fallen in love with Adam Pascal (Roger) and this fic just kind of poured out of me. I tried to keep the boys in character as best as I could, so I hope everyone likes it!