Title: TBA
Author: Jessica
Feedback: Is adored
Pairing: Roger/Mimi, Maureen/Joanne, mentioned Benny/Allison, Mark/Roger
Word Count: 4580
Rating: NC 17
Genre: General/Comedy
Summary: All they wanted to do was have a nice get together and play a fun game of Truth or Dare
Notes: Roar. I rushed this on the nonternet computer, and then hopped on a bus to bring it to my friends house to tag it and submit on time, only to see there'd been an extension, which is lovely. This is also written from Challenge #254, wherein somebody had to have the line "I never knew Mark had a…", and in which nobody participated. It was lonely. Here is it's love.
Special Thanks: Big Jess, for letting me steal her computer to post.
Spoilers: Only for the movie.
Warnings: Language, Naked Roger,
Disclaimer: RENT is Jonathan Larson's, not mine.

AN - Originally written for speedrent. Could be a oneshot, or I could develop it. Depends on what you want. If enough people want more, there'll be more eventually.

Maureen called the loft this afternoon. She wanted us all to do something together while Collins and Benny were in town, and there was something about the tone of her voice that let me know what she was getting at. It didn't help that after that she got all nostalgic about our junior high days. We agreed that we'd all meet up here. Joanne offered to order some pizza for us all, and if Collins was in town, then that meant the alcohol was well taken care of. He never came to the loft without some kind of booze. It was kind of like an unwritten rule. In either case, now that we had rough plans made for the evening, the task of making the loft somewhat… clean, lay ahead of us.

"C'mon, Roger… We've gotta at least clean up something, say we made an effort." I knew how Roger would react, and all I could do was grin, as he picked up the mug he'd used for the mornings coffee, and placed it in the sink. I even let out a quick laugh, as he spoke

"There. I made an effort. It's just our friends, Mark. They know how we are. Besides. If we tidy the place up, they'll get high hopes next time they come over. Face it, you'd rather work on your film, and I'd rather work on my song."

It was true. I did have a film that I'd much rather work on than clean the apartment, but I couldn't admit that to Roger. We'd kind of become a bit self absorbed, spending all of our time working on our own projects, that we'd let the place get pretty bad. I didn't want to have people over to a mess. Especially not aristocratic Benny. He'd probably insist on sanitizing anything he touched before he touched it. You couldn't offer him a cup of coffee if there were dishes in the sink. That was just how bad he was now.

"Fine, Roger… I'll do it myse-"

"You do that." Apparently he'd known what I was about to say before I'd even said it, since he managed to cut me off without even seemingly thinking about it. So I set off to it. Firstly, I closed the bedroom doors, nobody needed to go in there. I remembered Cindy once telling me about how to clean the house in thirty minutes if company was coming over. Essentially, you closed the doors people weren't supposed to go in, and then used anything you could as storage. Ovens, bathtubs, pots, pans, anything. With the laundry that had piled up, and axing the oven out of the list, we'd definitely need to come up with a solution. We could throw things in the rooms, but if we were going to be drunk, we'd need a clear path to our beds afterwards. Stuffing things under couches wouldn't work, since there was no under. Well, a week or so ago there would have been, but now, there was none. Roger'd come upstairs with Mimi one night, and really, the next thing I knew, I'd heard this weird sort of crashing noise, and then a bunch of giggling, followed by an 'Oh shit. Mark's gonna fucking explode when he sees this.'

I didn't explode, but I did find it pretty funny to walk out of my room half asleep, and catch them both next to naked on the now broken couch. I guess I just couldn't process it at the time, but the sight of them, with Mimi's legs up in the air, and Roger having fallen face first into her chest was priceless. I wished I still had the Polaroid camera I'd used in seventh grade, because that made for awesome blackmail. It was even funnier when Roger, though easily far less clothed than Mimi moved to cover her up. No matter what happened, I knew then that it would be something that I could laugh about, and even now, the thought of it made me laugh.

"Whats so funny, Mark?" Roger asked, hopping up onto the countertop that I'd just finished clearing (albeit, into the cupboard underneath the sink)

"Well, I was just thinking about how I could've shoved some of the laundry under the couch… But…"

"Yeah, yeah… You can shut up now Mark… You know… It's rude to stare…"

"I did not stare. I was half asleep. I was trying to figure out what the hell was going on. " Trust Roger to try and turn it around on me. I wasn't the one attempting to have sex on an already-broken-enough-as-it-is-second-hand-robbed-from-somebody's-garbage-duct-taped-to-all-hell couch.

"You were blushing, idiot." He laughed, and hopped back down off the counter, and moved back over to the couch where his fender lay. At mention of me blushing, I blushed once more, the images racing back to my mind, and as he picked up the guitar and cast another glance at me, he smirked, "Just like that."

I did the rest of the quick clean up job in silence.

---

An hour and half later, everybody started to turn up. Joanne ordered the pizza, as soon as we came to consensus that the only way we'd all be happy was to order cheese pizza, and use whatever was in the loft to top our own slices. Everybody has a plastic cup filled to the brim with Stoli, and Maureen was trying to pry the bottle from Collins' hands, claiming that we'd be using it later.

Of course, this received protest from everybody else as to the fact that they didn't want to play the game. After all, aside from me, Collins and Benny, we were already partnered up, and nobody wanted Maureen kissing anybody but Joanne.

"You all say you don't want to play now, just wait till the Stoli goes to your heads…" she protested, finally parting Collins from the bottle.

Rather unfortunately, since I'd been the one to stuff the cupboards full of laundry and dirty dishes, heavily avoiding actually cleaning them, I was the one who had to venture into the kitchen to see just what we had to use as a topping for the pizzas. Fortunately, I knew that Roger would eat just about anything that didn't contain some kind of meatless meat, and besides, right now, really all we had was coffee, milk, a half a box of Cap'n Crunch, and thr- ew. Gross. Make that two apples. I set our condiments down on the counter and glanced over at the group formed around the coffee table, guests seated on the couch, and those that were more frequent visitors to the loft on the floor. It really had been a while since we'd done this.

Maureen's voice rang out, and shook me from my thoughts, "C'mon over, Marky… We're gonna play Truth or Dare…"

Truth or Dare. I've always hated that game with a passion, well, maybe not always. I've hated it since I was in seventh grade. Maureen was in my class, and she was really the only one that would talk to me. Maybe it was just because she was a camera hog, and I was the photographer for the yearbook, but it made me a friend, right?

I never really had many friends. I'd always led a sheltered life, and picking up the camera just distanced me from other people all together. You could call it a trust issue, I guess. Trust isn't something to come by easily, and it definitely isn't something I give to just anybody. But I'm starting to get away form the topic. "I don't want to play, Maureen… I'll wait on the fire escape for the pizza guy." It was cold out, but anything beat having to play.

"I'll be back guys…" She let out, and tugged her white leather jacket on, practically dragging me out onto the fire escape. She had to know that me playing this game was a bad idea. She'd asked me a question what… more than ten years ago, and then the game turned sour. "C'mon Mark… You can't possibly say you don't want to play… You remember how much fun we used to have playing truth or dare when we were kids…"

"Yeah, all too well, Maureen. I don't want to play." I didn't care to divulge any personal information to my group of friends that they didn't already know, and quite frankly, I wasn't about to do anything stupid, as no doubt the dares would get. "Truth or dare is a kids game anyways…"

Maureen laughed slightly, "And aside from maybe Benny and Joanne, are any of us really adults? C'mon Mark… If this is about…" She cast a glance back inside and had it all figured out. When she turned back to look at me, the blush on my cheeks had returned.

"Yeah, this is about…"

"I won't ask you that question Mark… But really… How many years has it been… You mean to tell me you still…"

"Yeah Maureen. Still. I'm not playing." I leaned up against the window, and stuffed my hands into the pockets on the front of the zip up sweater I had on. I was set. Truth or Dare was the epitome of evil. It's just then that Roger comes out, and wraps my scarf around my neck.

"You're taking too long, and I can't live with a sick roommate." He offered quickly with a shrug. He'd tugged on his own sweater, and come out to join us, lighting up a cigarette and hopping up to sit on the edge of the railing. Maureen laughed slightly as he did, while inwardly I cringed. He knew I hated it when he did that. I could never help my imagination leaping into charge, and seeing the Roger in my mind fall over the edge. So what, I have an overactive imagination. Even after living here for so long, I don't think I'll get used to it.

"He's all yours Roger… I sure as hell can't convince him to come play. Maybe you can." Oh yeah, thanks a lot Maureen. Bitch. All I could do was watch as she moved back inside through the window. Roger took a drag from the cigarette and blew it towards her, though it disappeared into the air behind her as she closed the window.

Roger glanced over at me, his legs dangling back and forth on the safe edge of the fire escape, and cocked his head to one side, a grin growing on his face. "Awh… Little Marky doesn't want to play Truth or Dare with his friends…"

"Shut up…" I let out, and turned to glance away from him.

"C'mon, Mark. Let loose for a change. I've already gotta answer the door to the pizza guy naked, and Benny's already confessed to having sold nude pictures of himself while he was living here. How gross, huh? Part of the rent was paid by Benny's cock. It's not like I'm gonna dare you to go and get your nipple pierced or something." Roger laughed, and took another drag. I shrugged slightly, not daring to turn and look at him.

"There is no way in hell you're answering the door naked." Was all I could manage. That was something that not everybody in the loft at the time needed to see. Personally, I didn't want to see it, but I had my other reasons too. "Mimi won't let you."

Roger laughed, and stubbed out the remainder of the cigarette, tucking it in his pocket ofr later. "Mimi's the one who dared me… Your Stoli's getting warm… C'mon inside, and play the game Mark. You can't spoil a party at your own house."

"It's not even our party, it's Maureen's. The loft is just more central." I explained. Truth be told, twenty minutes ago, I was all for having a good night with my friends. Even spin the bottle would be alright, I hadn't really had any action whatsoever since Maureen and I split up, and even if I had to kiss Collins, I wouldn't mind much right now. Sexual tension and frustration was a real pain in the ass.

"She's just trying to get us all to lighten up, and everybody's gonna be pissed off at you if all you do is sit back and watch. Even Benny, Mister Benjamin Coffin the fucking Third is relaxing. He hasn't mentioned our rent once." Roger offered, hopping down from the edge, and moving across the short distance between us, draping an arm over my shoulder.

"Dominoes Pizza!" Came an unfamiliar voice from the street, and Roger jumped slightly, tossing the key off the ledge to the kid delivering the pizza.

"I'll be at the front door in a sec, head on up the stairs." Roger called, the grin on his face wider than I'd ever seen it. He was stripping even as he climbed back in the window. I almost didn't want to watch as Roger embarrassed the poor kid, but I couldn't peel my eyes away, watching as the sweater and t-shirt came off in one movement, and he fumbled with the button and zipper on his jeans, tugging them off of his long legs, and then, as he heard the knock at the front door, managed to tug off his boxers. He leaned up against the wall beside the door as he opened it up. The money from Joanne was sitting by the door, on this small kind of table we'd come across somewhere. He argued that it was more like my tripod, but I told him otherwise. I knew what tripods looked like, and that wasn't one. Either way, it was useful for leaving things on.

"Three Ch-" The poor kid began to stumble over his words, and I stepped through the window, now getting a kick out of it. The kid was so red in the face, and it really was a priceless moment.

Too bad my camera was in the other room. Maybe that would make me feel better about the whole thing. I moved behind Roger, who was prompting the kid to 'find the money' as he took the pizzas in one hand. The cash was held tightly in one fist, but the kid didn't know that.

I was quick to get my camera, and return with it, loading a new reel of film. Roger handed the kid a twenty, and told him to keep the change for being such a good sport. I couldn't help but think how nice it was of him to do that, at least, until I heard the kid shout through the now closed loft door that Roger still owed him four dollars and sixty seven cents. At that, the occupants of the loft burst into a chorus of laughter. Finally, the reel of film was loaded properly, and I could start filming. My camera was trained on Roger, who I knew really didn't care whether or not he was caught naked on film. He probably got a kick out of it.

"December 12th. 6:13 Eastern Standard Time. Maureen has decided to throw a party in our loft, and what you're looking at now Is the result of a game of truth or dare. We won't be ordering from Dominoes again any time soon." I narrated, and in a sweeping motion, managed to catch the group getting up to get their pizza while it was still fresh. "Pan left. Maureen, Joanne, Benny, Mimi and Collins rise to get their pizza. It seems as though the second bottle of wine is almost empty. Maureen managed to get the first empty bottle into her hands to play a game of spin the bottle later. We'll see who winds up drunk enough to play. For now, I'm going to get my dinner."

So sue me, I was hungry. I left the camera running on the table, filming us all crowding around the counter, and grabbing our first couple of slices. To my right, I heard Mimi laughing, and a sound of disgust at the same time. "Rog, nobody even dared you to do that, you seriously are not… Oh god! He ate it!" I turned to see just what was going on. Roger had sliced up an apple and put a few pieces of it on his pizza, as well as a handful of Cap'n Crunch.

"Rog, that's disgusting. " I let out, and snorted slightly at him. It really was. You try watching somebody chow down on a slice of cheese pizza with apples and Cap'n Crunch, and then tell me it isn't gross. I was lucky I didn't choke on the piece of pizza I'd just swallowed.

"If its so gross, then I dare you to do it." He responded, and I glared at him.

"Do you honestly think I'm that stupid?" I asked, taking another bite, and shifting slightly to retrieve my cup of room temperature Stoli. It was still alcohol, and definitely wanted. I didn't know how much Collins had brought with him, but it would be a dear friend, as I sat and watched my real friends play their stupid game.

Apparently he'd brought six bottles, since there were seven of us in the loft. Me being a light drinker, it hadn't taken long for me to fall victim to inebriation. I found myself sitting on the couch, giggling like a child as they played their game, my camera trained on it all. I don't know how it had happened, but next thing I know, Maureen's got my camera, and it's pointed at me, I kind of laugh for a second, apparently I've missed something, since Collins has turned to me, and posed his question. "Well? C'mon Mark… You gotta answer…" I pale slightly. What does he mean, I've gotta answer. "Mark… You said truth… Do you have a crush?"

"I did not say truth. You can't make me answer." I was vaguely aware of my cheeks turning bright red, and everybody's eyes trained on me.

Joanne chimes in, "Yeah Mark… You did… You've gotta answer… It's the rules." I pale a bit more as she defends Collins, and glance around. Even Benny is nodding his agreement from where he sits on the floor. Roger, in all his naked glory, is smirking and nodding.

"You weren't paying much attention to what we were saying. Collins turned and said Truth or Dare. You picked Truth. You gotta answer dude…" He explained, and I bit at my tongue.

"Fine. You want an answer? Yes. I do." I offered, and was met with a chorus of cooing and baby sounds. It was kind of disgusting. Time for some more drink. It'd help clear my head, or at least that's what my current state led me to believe.

"Okay… Second part of the question… C'mon Mark. Spill. Who is it?" Mimi interjected, and I shook my head.

"No way. You can't ask two part questions." My gaze darts to Maureen who has an apologetic look on her face, while at the same time having one of sheer innocence. I can see her eyes as they seem to shout at me. 'I didn't ask the question.' Fucking hell. This was just like seventh grade. And still the same answer. Next thing I know, I'm starting to hyperventilate. I can't breathe. I can't do this. It's just like then. This sucks complete and total shit. I can feel myself falling backwards, and there's nothing I can do. I can't breathe. I'm trying like all hell to suck in a breath, but none of it is getting to my lungs. The same thing happened back then too. Except that Maureen managed to get me my inhaler before it got too bad. I hadn't used my inhaler in years, I had no clue where it was.

I'm vaguely aware of the state of panic erupting all around me, my friends jumping to their feet as I fall backwards off the back of the couch, and my eyes closing. I can't breathe. I'm going to suffocate to death in front of all of my friends, and there's not a damn thing anybody can do about it.

"Somebody call an ambulance!"

"Does anybody know CPR?"

"I'm going to look for his inhaler!"

"Oh my god, Mark!"

"One… Two… Three…"

"Somebody help him!"

"Roger's on top of it…"

"Seven… Eight… Nine…"

"C'mon Mark…"

"What the hell just happened?"

"He hasn't done this since seventh grade…"

"Eleven… Twelve… Thirteen…"

"Where the fuck is his inhaler?!"

"Yeah… Eleventh and Avenue A… Mark Cohen…"

"Fifteen…"

There're fingers plugging my nose, and I feel lips press against mine. Somebody's breathing air into my mouth… Into my lungs. I can't do it on my own right now though. My panic attacks have never been quite this bad. I can manage a word from the air I got from whoever it was though. "Roger…"

"Yes… Our friend is performing CPR right now…"

"Yeah Mark… Roger…"

"C'mon Roger… You've gotta save him…"

"Two… Three… Four…"

"Supposedly he's done this before…. A friend is looking for his inhaler right now…"

"Six… Seven… Eight…"

"Joanne! Come help me! I can't find it… Oh god Joanne… This is all my fault…"

"Ten… Eleven… Twelve…"

The worried voices are a bit more distant now. The only one I can still hear is… Rogers, I think… He's counting. Fuck. Roger's the one breaking my ribs to try and get me breathing again. Those are Roger's lips on mine…

I'm sitting in a small closet with Maureen. We're playing this stupid girls game… Truth or Dare. Since I know Maureen's crazy, I'm sticking to truth. "Alright then Marky… Two part question. Have you got a crush? And if you do, who's it on…"There's this gleam in her eyes as she asks, and I shake my head.

"That's not fair. You can't ask a two part question."I protest, but she shakes her head.

"Sounds like you know a lot about this 'girls game' for a big strong man, Marky…"She teases.

I groan, and then answer, pushing my glasses farther up my nose. "Yes, I've got a crush."

She coos for a moment, smiling at me. "Go on then Marky… Who is it?"

My breath catches in my throat as I open my mouth to answer, and suddenly I can't speak. My hands fumble at my pockets for my inhaler, but it's shot out of my right pocket and across the floor of the closet we're in. No! I need it… I can't breathe… And it's getting even darker than it already is. It's the rules, I have to tell Maureen that I've got a crush on that blonde kid that graduated last year, Roger. It's the rules. "Marky…? You okay?"She asks, and I shake my head, as I fall back slightly. My head hits off the wall, and I slide down it slightly. I can't even hold myself up. This is bad. This is really bad.

Thankfully, Maureen's hand lands on my inhaler, and she holds it up to my mouth, pressing down the silver canister. It gets into me, but I'll need another puff, at least before I'm alright. She gives me three more, which is the most they say we can take, and I'm panting, and gasping for air at the same time, but I'm getting it. As soon as I'm able to, I answer her. "Roger…"It's out there now.

She blinks at me for a minute, and then shifts where she's sitting. "Mark, are you okay? What about Roger? Who's Roger?"She asks. God she can be dense.

"My crush… The kid… Plays guitar… Graduated… In June… Roger."It's done. Out there. She knows who it is, and seemingly, my panic attack has ended the game. I'm embarrassed, both by my answer, and the fact that I managed to have a panic attack when it came to admitting it, and putting it out in the open. Saying it to Maureen made it real. She laughs slightly, and helps me to my feet, pushing open the closet door.

Light fills my eyes as they fly open. There's a mass of blonde curls in my eyes, and Roger's mouth is on mine. For a moment, I'm in a bit of shock, leaning upwards into his mouth, and sliding my tongue into his mouth. He tastes of cheap wine. But he hadn't even been there when that had happened in junior high…

Oh shit. Here he is giving me CPR, buck naked, and I'm trying to start a makeout session. I'm the worlds biggest idiot. I swear I am. But he doesn't stop the kiss immediately. He must be in the same hazy state of shock that I am. We're both still drunk, and I know it. I still have to answer the question though. Did they even hear me earlier?

"Roger…" I let out again. My voice is kind of hoarse. I've never gone that far into passing out before, and my chest is really hurting. Roger pulls away, and gives a sigh of relief.

Everybody looks relieved, and I can hear Benny on the phone. He's talking to somebody important, and he's got a worried look on his face. "He's up… Well, His eyes are open, and he's breathing… He's not up…" His eyes travel over me, and I see a trace of a small smile on his lips. He wants to say something, but he bites his tongue. I glance down and see what the problem is. My pants are getting increasingly tighter on myself, and I'm even more embarrassed now than I was in grade seven, if it's entirely possible. This is so ridiculous, and before I can do anything about it, Roger's noticed as well. He does laugh slightly, and seemingly puts two and two together as he speaks.

"Hold still Marky… There's an ambulance coming… Sorry if I broke a rib or anything, but I was worried." He's turned red. I can see the things that have happened in the past few minutes piecing themselves together. Mimi is crying into Collins' shoulder, from what I can tell from where I lay. I assume that it's Maureen and Joanne in my room looking for my inhaler. "You're lucky I know CPR buddy…" Maybe he isn't piecing everything together like I thought. I shake my head slightly. It's the rules. I have to make sure they know the answer.

"Roger." I say once more, my breathing is calming down a bit, and my pants are still pretty tight. I reach down and unbutton them, unzipping my fly. That feels a bit better, even though it hurt to do it. How was it possible that I was laying here, with the ten or eleven year crush on my mind, possibly with broken ribs, and all I could think about was the game I never wanted to play in the first place.

Maureen and Joanne return, with my inhaler. Maureen apparently caught on to what I'd said, because she glanced down at me, turning a bit red for me herself. Out the window, I can hear a siren. I guess Benny's on the phone with a 911 operator. She leaned down next to Roger's ear, and whispered something into it, at which Roger reddened, and I could hear him try to whisper back, "I never knew Mark had a crush on me…"