Title: A Note

Rating: PG 13 / T for a bit of language

Genre: Humor

Summary: Mark wanders in to find a note on the table and contemplates its contents. (written for Challenge Central, Challenge 7)

A/N:

This is the challenge:

"Has to have both Mark and Roger in it. Fic HAS to start out this way: Mark entered the loft, not at all surprised to find it empty after what had happened. He was however a tad surprised to find a note sitting on the table. Picking it up, he read: 'Mark, I am so sorry---"

This popped into my head just now, so I wrote it. It's kinda sucky in my opinion, but I dislike most of the writing I do after midnight, so… yeah.

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The Story:
Mark sighed as he ascended the stairs to the loft, and he signed again upon sliding open the door. After sliding it shut behind him, he gazed around the dingy place for a few moments, taking in the silence that indicated an empty loft. Not that he expected it to be otherwise at the moment, anyway, not after what had happened last night (Roger had won a bet with Benny and thus was now the proud owner of two hundred dollars cash not to be spent on AZT (because that would renege the bet), so one could hardly expect Roger to be in doors today), but one never knew with this loft. Anyone could drop in at any time, after all.

Anyway, Mark, after that pause, stepped forward, shuffling over to the multipurpose metal table, upon which he set his satchel. At this point, he was struck with surprise at finding a scrap of paper sitting on this table, secured with a fork that apparently served as a paperweight.

Mark picked up the paper and read the message as follows:

"Mark,

I am so sorry to hear that you were fired from the Life Café! Actually, no I'm not, because from what I heard from Collins on the phone, the reasons behind it sound pretty damn hilarious. I expect a detailed account when I get back. Oh! Duh, that's the whole point of this note, isn't it?

Well, anyway… I have gone to select our cat. And yes, I actually did the responsible thing for once, and I acquired a litter box, first. It's in the bathroom. I also got it some food. It's in the corner. Anyway, umm… Make sure you actually eat something, and YES, I took my fucking AZT, and I promise to take the next goddamn dose, too, oh Mother CoHEN.

You know you love me.

- Roger"

Mark rolled his eyes and laughed before setting the note aside. Even if Roger hadn't signed it, the note was so clearly a Roger note. Just the last two lines could've showed that. Only Roger took every opportunity to make the Mother Hen jibe. And only Roger would've so glibly informed Mark that Mark loved him. Ok, so maybe Collins might've if he was feeling particularly jovial and jesting, but it was more a Roger-ism, in Mark's humble opinion.

As for the rest of the note… what the hell did Roger mean by 'our cat'? Were he and Mimi adopting a pet? No… that couldn't be it… Mimi was working today. So what did Roger me – oh yeah! That's right…! Shit.

Roger had been nagging Mark about getting a pet for some time now. The musician had said something about a stupid cat he'd had as a child and how he rather missed it and wouldn't mind having a solitary furred companion for when Mark and Mimi were at work.

When Roger had popped a question about getting a cat a few days ago, Mark had given some vague positive answer, not really thinking Roger was serious, but apparently Roger had taken that to be the 'go ahead.' Ah well… the loft did seem a bit empty with just the two of them living here. (Mimi still technically resided the floor below – she'd declined the offer to completely move in here for the simple reason that she "couldn't take living with two messy boys.") So, Mark figured he might as well make the best of it.

He prayed that the cat wouldn't throw up hairballs much and would stay the hell out of his room. Oh, and he prayed that Roger picked up one that had been neutered (or spayed). Mark didn't need a fucking cat around here.

In the meantime, though, until Roger arrived with the cat and the positive or negative answers to Mark's prayers, Mark probably had an hour at least to figure out some way of distracting Roger from inquiring as to exactly what Mark had done to lose his job this time.


A/N:
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Love, Snarky