RENT: They're Singing Happy Birthday...
May. 28th, 2007 02:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
find_rightbrainTitle: They're Singing Happy Birthday...
Characters/Pairing: Mark, Roger, Joanne, Maureen, Benny, Alison, Mimi, Collins, Angel, all canon pairings
Word Count: 1087
Rating: PG
Summary: Nine birthdays through the year of Rent...
Notes: Written as a (very late) birthday fic for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
_chibidragon_. I'm sorry I fail, Rizzy-dear! I still love you!
Disclaimer: I do not own Rent or any of its characters.
December 30
"It's my birthday tomorrow, you know. In just a few minutes."
"Maureen," Mark sighed, "I know when your birthday is. I lived with you for three years, and I dated you for two."
"I'm just saying, if you wanted to plan a surprise party..."
"The fact that you're requesting it ruins the surprise," Joanne observed.
"And right now I'm more concerned with not having a place to live than parties."
"You're living with us!"
"I'd really like to live somewhere other than with my ex-girlfriend and her lesbian lover. No offense, Joanne."
"None taken."
"I'm just saying, if you wanted to..."
"Joanne, are you going to help me out at all?"
"Probably not."
"...you're a little late."
"I realized that."
"So there's no party."
"No."
January 15
"Happy birthday," Alison murmured. Benny, already awake, wished she hadn't said anything. He didn't need the reminder.
"Thanks."
"Do you want me to make you coffee? I'd offer breakfast, but..."
"You're a horrible cook."
"Well, yes."
"I'll make breakfast," he said, smiling. "Just... give me a minute to wake up. You do coffee."
He watched as Alison climbed out of bed wearing absolutely nothing, all pale skin and dark hair, and as soon as she'd left the room, rubbed at his face tiredly. He loved Ali, but he couldn't help but think that last time this year, April had bounced on his bed to wake him up, and then his roommates sang "Happy Birthday" despite his yelling to shut up, he wanted to sleep.
March 4
"Look, Mimi... Mimi!" Roger caught her arm before she could stalk out. Already dressed for work, her makeup made her face severe, made her look older than she really was - only twenty today. Roger wanted to wipe it off and make her into his Mimi again.
She whirled to face him, and his voice softened as he continued, "Look, I'm sorry I forgot your birthday. I'm bad with dates, I forget my own birthday."
Mimi pulled her arm out of his grip, smoothed the vinyl-plastic-whatever of her arm warmer. "Roger, I don't have time for this. I have to go to work."
He smiled charmingly and offered, "I'll make it up to you when you get back?" She gave in, as he'd known she would.
May 9
"You never told me what you want for your birthday," Collins said abruptly - at least, abruptly for anyone who hadn't been following the course of his thoughts. He glanced over to Angel, eyebrows raised. "We could take a trip, maybe, to celebrate. Key West's nice this time of year."
"New York's not hot enough for you now?" Angel asked with a smile.
"Alright, not Key West." He ran a hand up Angel's arm to his shoulder, down his back. "We should still do something."
Especially when this might be Angel's last birthday, the only they got together... Collins shook that thought away.
"What do you want?"
Angel smiled, beautiful despite the unhealthy pallor of his skin, the dark shadows under his eyes. "Nothing but you."
July 25
"I'm twenty-five," Roger mumbled, staring at the ceiling. "On the twenty-fifth of July."
Mark barely glanced at him. "Yes, Roger, that's how birthdays work." He didn't have the energy for this, it was too hot to do anything, even talk, but Roger was talking, so he answered.
"I'm halfway to thirty."
"If we're counting from twenty, yes."
"Halfway dead."
Now Mark looked at Roger, frowning. Roger sprawled on his back on the couch, eyes still on the ceiling. "Hey," he said, trying to catch his attention. "You're not half dead."
"No," Roger said calmly. "I won't make it to thirty."
August 23
Angel had been in and out of the hospital the past month, so they didn't want to set any plans for Collins' birthday - plans disrupted always hurt more than those never made. It was just as well - the night before, Collins woke to Angel's rasping breathing. As the clock turned to midnight, he sat in the waiting room, paying no mind to the date.
When they finally let him into the room, Angel smiled weakly at him and said in a whispery voice, "Probably not your best birthday ever, huh?"
It took Collins a moment to remember it was his birthday after all, and then he choked back a sob he masked with a half-hearted chuckle. For once, he couldn't find a single word to say.
September 10
Roger couldn't be in the house today, of all days. It was too crowded, too claustrophobic with old memories clustering close and whispering to him, Remember us. Think of us. Mourn what can never happen again.
But he couldn't go to her grave today either. Not on her birthday.
He ended up wandering the city, block after block passing by barely noticed as if he was trying to lose himself, though in this city, he probably couldn't get lost. It was a warm day for September, a hint of rain in the air. April loved days like this, almost as much as she loved the city itself - she used to drag him out for picnics, or to play Frisbee in the park, or just to wander.
As the sky grew dark and brilliant neon lights flickered on and buzzed in the windows of clubs, he murmured to the lowering clouds, unheard, "Happy birthday, angel."
November 19
Sometimes, Joanne felt guilty, or at least thought she should feel guilty, which led her to feeling guilty after all. It was illogical, it wasn't her fault, but she did it all the same. Her story seemed to have worked out. She had her beautiful, fiery, wild Maureen back, while Angel was dead, Mimi had disappeared, Roger and Collins were alone and Mark still had no one... It wasn't fair.
Sometimes she couldn't bring herself to feel guilty, like now. It was a cold, gray day, she was just barely twenty-seven, and she was warm and tangled happily on the bed with Maureen, both of them gleaming with sweat from sex. Maureen had told her it was her birthday present, and when Joanne protested that she got that anyway, Maureen had grinned and said, "Yes, but really good sex."
December 10
"Happy birthday, baby boy," Roger murmured, wrapping an arm around Mark's shoulders, pressing a quick, friendly kiss to his hair. Mark leaned unthinkingly into the embrace, closing his eyes a little, taking a breath. He used to ask Roger whether he'd ever stop calling him that - now, he's so glad to hear it, after a year, that he doesn't mind at all.
"I didn't think you'd remember."
"Of course I remember. It's your birthday."
"You didn't remember last year," Mark pointed out, lifting his head to look at Roger.
"Last year you weren't turning twenty-five."
"God, I'm getting old. Halfway to thirty..."
"If we're counting from twenty, yeah."
Characters/Pairing: Mark, Roger, Joanne, Maureen, Benny, Alison, Mimi, Collins, Angel, all canon pairings
Word Count: 1087
Rating: PG
Summary: Nine birthdays through the year of Rent...
Notes: Written as a (very late) birthday fic for
_chibidragon_. I'm sorry I fail, Rizzy-dear! I still love you!Disclaimer: I do not own Rent or any of its characters.
December 30
"It's my birthday tomorrow, you know. In just a few minutes."
"Maureen," Mark sighed, "I know when your birthday is. I lived with you for three years, and I dated you for two."
"I'm just saying, if you wanted to plan a surprise party..."
"The fact that you're requesting it ruins the surprise," Joanne observed.
"And right now I'm more concerned with not having a place to live than parties."
"You're living with us!"
"I'd really like to live somewhere other than with my ex-girlfriend and her lesbian lover. No offense, Joanne."
"None taken."
"I'm just saying, if you wanted to..."
"Joanne, are you going to help me out at all?"
"Probably not."
"...you're a little late."
"I realized that."
"So there's no party."
"No."
January 15
"Happy birthday," Alison murmured. Benny, already awake, wished she hadn't said anything. He didn't need the reminder.
"Thanks."
"Do you want me to make you coffee? I'd offer breakfast, but..."
"You're a horrible cook."
"Well, yes."
"I'll make breakfast," he said, smiling. "Just... give me a minute to wake up. You do coffee."
He watched as Alison climbed out of bed wearing absolutely nothing, all pale skin and dark hair, and as soon as she'd left the room, rubbed at his face tiredly. He loved Ali, but he couldn't help but think that last time this year, April had bounced on his bed to wake him up, and then his roommates sang "Happy Birthday" despite his yelling to shut up, he wanted to sleep.
March 4
"Look, Mimi... Mimi!" Roger caught her arm before she could stalk out. Already dressed for work, her makeup made her face severe, made her look older than she really was - only twenty today. Roger wanted to wipe it off and make her into his Mimi again.
She whirled to face him, and his voice softened as he continued, "Look, I'm sorry I forgot your birthday. I'm bad with dates, I forget my own birthday."
Mimi pulled her arm out of his grip, smoothed the vinyl-plastic-whatever of her arm warmer. "Roger, I don't have time for this. I have to go to work."
He smiled charmingly and offered, "I'll make it up to you when you get back?" She gave in, as he'd known she would.
May 9
"You never told me what you want for your birthday," Collins said abruptly - at least, abruptly for anyone who hadn't been following the course of his thoughts. He glanced over to Angel, eyebrows raised. "We could take a trip, maybe, to celebrate. Key West's nice this time of year."
"New York's not hot enough for you now?" Angel asked with a smile.
"Alright, not Key West." He ran a hand up Angel's arm to his shoulder, down his back. "We should still do something."
Especially when this might be Angel's last birthday, the only they got together... Collins shook that thought away.
"What do you want?"
Angel smiled, beautiful despite the unhealthy pallor of his skin, the dark shadows under his eyes. "Nothing but you."
July 25
"I'm twenty-five," Roger mumbled, staring at the ceiling. "On the twenty-fifth of July."
Mark barely glanced at him. "Yes, Roger, that's how birthdays work." He didn't have the energy for this, it was too hot to do anything, even talk, but Roger was talking, so he answered.
"I'm halfway to thirty."
"If we're counting from twenty, yes."
"Halfway dead."
Now Mark looked at Roger, frowning. Roger sprawled on his back on the couch, eyes still on the ceiling. "Hey," he said, trying to catch his attention. "You're not half dead."
"No," Roger said calmly. "I won't make it to thirty."
August 23
Angel had been in and out of the hospital the past month, so they didn't want to set any plans for Collins' birthday - plans disrupted always hurt more than those never made. It was just as well - the night before, Collins woke to Angel's rasping breathing. As the clock turned to midnight, he sat in the waiting room, paying no mind to the date.
When they finally let him into the room, Angel smiled weakly at him and said in a whispery voice, "Probably not your best birthday ever, huh?"
It took Collins a moment to remember it was his birthday after all, and then he choked back a sob he masked with a half-hearted chuckle. For once, he couldn't find a single word to say.
September 10
Roger couldn't be in the house today, of all days. It was too crowded, too claustrophobic with old memories clustering close and whispering to him, Remember us. Think of us. Mourn what can never happen again.
But he couldn't go to her grave today either. Not on her birthday.
He ended up wandering the city, block after block passing by barely noticed as if he was trying to lose himself, though in this city, he probably couldn't get lost. It was a warm day for September, a hint of rain in the air. April loved days like this, almost as much as she loved the city itself - she used to drag him out for picnics, or to play Frisbee in the park, or just to wander.
As the sky grew dark and brilliant neon lights flickered on and buzzed in the windows of clubs, he murmured to the lowering clouds, unheard, "Happy birthday, angel."
November 19
Sometimes, Joanne felt guilty, or at least thought she should feel guilty, which led her to feeling guilty after all. It was illogical, it wasn't her fault, but she did it all the same. Her story seemed to have worked out. She had her beautiful, fiery, wild Maureen back, while Angel was dead, Mimi had disappeared, Roger and Collins were alone and Mark still had no one... It wasn't fair.
Sometimes she couldn't bring herself to feel guilty, like now. It was a cold, gray day, she was just barely twenty-seven, and she was warm and tangled happily on the bed with Maureen, both of them gleaming with sweat from sex. Maureen had told her it was her birthday present, and when Joanne protested that she got that anyway, Maureen had grinned and said, "Yes, but really good sex."
December 10
"Happy birthday, baby boy," Roger murmured, wrapping an arm around Mark's shoulders, pressing a quick, friendly kiss to his hair. Mark leaned unthinkingly into the embrace, closing his eyes a little, taking a breath. He used to ask Roger whether he'd ever stop calling him that - now, he's so glad to hear it, after a year, that he doesn't mind at all.
"I didn't think you'd remember."
"Of course I remember. It's your birthday."
"You didn't remember last year," Mark pointed out, lifting his head to look at Roger.
"Last year you weren't turning twenty-five."
"God, I'm getting old. Halfway to thirty..."
"If we're counting from twenty, yeah."
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-28 08:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-31 01:55 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-28 10:03 pm (UTC)Clearly, you do not fail, because... I mean, just read this! It's amazing! I certainly did not mind the wait, and I'm just happy to receive anything from you at all! And fic is the best kind of present! < 3
The Collins' birthday one made me wibble and so did April's and Benny's... I think those may have been my favorites. ^^ I am too much of an angst whore for my own good. Maureen's made me giggle, and so did Mark's (mostly because baby boy is the cutest nickname for Mark ever).
Angel's birthday kind of made me melt. Collins/Angel is like Romeo/Juliet in my mind. It's just... they can be so romantic with each other and it never seems cheesy, just so sincere and lovely like you showed so perfectly in that birthday.
*hugs* Wonderful fic! I'm totally bookmarking to read it again in the future. ^^ Thank you! You're awesome. < 333
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-31 01:58 am (UTC)Also, I'm trying to write another one for you, since you had to wait so long for this one. ^^ I will get to that... eventually. (Hey, at least it didn't take as long as Tracey's Christmas fic - which I still have not finished.)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-29 01:10 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-31 02:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-29 01:34 am (UTC)And with Mark's b-day. And April's And owwwwwwwwwww.`
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-31 02:03 am (UTC)I'll ignore the fact that you posted this while drunk.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-29 11:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-31 02:03 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-31 11:12 pm (UTC)