[Fic] The Next Generation (hc_bingo, RENT)
Title: The Next Generation
Fandom: RENT
Prompt: Severe / life threatening illness
Medium: Fic
Word Count: 1,134
Rating: PGish
Warnings: None
Summary: I don't own RENT or any of its characters. This is set a couple years after the play.
This night was not going the way that it was supposed to. It was just going to be a night out at a favorite restaurant of theirs - his, Roger’s, and Mimi’s - but life had other plans. Even though Mimi was nine months pregnant and ready to give birth at any time, she wanted out of the apartment. So out they went because it was better than trying to argue with the hormonal pregnant lady. “What are we ordering?” Mimi asked.
“Pot stickers,” Roger replied.
“Sesame chicken,” Mark said.
“Ooo - and orange beef. Spicy - lots of spicy,” Mimi said.
Mark laughed. “You used to hate spicy food.”
“Gotta eat what the babe wants me to eat.” Mimi sipped at the water, giving Roger a sideways look before she poked him.
“What?” Roger asked.
“We need to have the talk,” Mimi said, in that voice that sounded like she was reminding him of something.
“What talk?” Mark asked. “Should I get my part of the food to go?”
“No,” Roger said. “So, with everything… I - we - “ he corrected as he saw Mimi’s glare, “thought it would be a good idea if the babe has a godfather. Which we want to be you.”
Mark’s eyes went wide, nearly choking on his drink. “Me? But - I - I’m not in any sort of stable relationship. Or know anything about kids.”
“It’s really just in case things go south,” Roger said. “Which it might do with me before her. Docs keep on worrying that my strain might go full blown sooner rather than later. And we’ll teach you about kids.”
“It really is just in case,” Mimi said. “And you’re like a second father to the babe already, considering how much you’ve been helping with the nursery. And making sure that I wasn’t alone when Roger went on the road for a while. We already know that you’re going to be Uncle Mark, so this is just one - “ she gasped. “One last - “
“Mimi?” Roger asked as he took her hand.
“My water broke.”
That got both Roger and Mark up from their seats. The waiter came over and looked confused.
“I’m sorry - her water broke. How much for the drinks?” Mark asked as Roger was helping Mimi get out of the restaurant.
“Drinks are on the house - congratulations,” the waiter said.
Mark smiled at that and gave the waiter a 50. “Thank you.” He hurried out of the restaurant after Roger and Mimi, helping both get into a cab before he took the spot in front. “Which hospital?”
“St Mary’s,” Roger replied.
The taxi took off and went as quickly as he could to the hospital. They were lucky that traffic was light for whatever reason and it didn’t take too long to get there. Mark was out of the cab the instant it stopped at the hospital entrance, getting a wheelchair and a nurse to come with him. They got Mimi into the hospital and the nurses took all of them up to the birthing suite with Roger reminding them about Mimi’s HIV status.
They got up to the floor with Roger and Mimi going down to the suite. “Mark,” Roger said and gave him a small notebook. “Could you call everyone? They’re in order and just - “
“Go,” Mark said. “I’ll call everyone.”
“Thanks,” Roger said as he turned and ran back.
Mark smiled, going into the waiting room and turning on the lights. It was empty, the television off, but there was a white phone in the room. He went over to there, flipping open the book. He called the parents first, even though he woke them up, but it didn’t matter. They were just happy to be called. The next person on the list started with their friends who heard the news and were on their way. He had to leave a message for Tom Collins, but considering how the restaurant was booming, he wasn’t surprised. Now done with the calls on the first page, he looked to the second page. He quickly closed the notebook, seeing that it was the start of a will and he didn’t want to pry. He got up, pocketing the notebook, and going out into the hallway. He walked up and down a bit before sitting down on a bench. Like everything else that happened around him, there was nothing he could do but wait.
He didn’t have to wait long as Maureen and Joanne showed up. Both gave him a hug and he smiled. “Good to see both of you.”
“You would not believe who we ran into tonight,” Maureen said.
“He’s on his way up,” Joanne said. “He wanted to go into the gift shop.”
“Who?” Mark asked before grinning at seeing Tom holding a teddy bear and a balloon. “I left a voice mail for you.”
“I was here seeing partners when Joanne’s phone rang,” Tom said and hugged him. “Santa Fe is lovely and you all should come visit. At least so I don’t have to keep on coming back here.”
Mark laughed at that. “Maybe for Christmas.”
“That sounds like a good idea - no snow,” Maureen said. “Her parents would freak.”
“My parents freak at every turn,” Joanne replied. “Any news yet?”
“Nope,” Mark said. “Just making phone calls and waiting.” He was about to say more when they all turned to see Roger coming towards them.
Roger was grinning ear to ear when he got to them. “This is perfect - everyone’s here to meet him.” He moved the blanket a bit so they could see the baby. “We’re not sure what to name him yet, other than his middle name being Angel. Probably why you’ve magically appeared, Tom.”
“Yeah,” Tom said with a smile. “He’s adorable, no matter what you name him.”
“He’s going to be a heartbreaker later,” Joanne said. “Congratulations.”
“Yes, congratulations,” Maureen said. “Jo… “
“We’ll talk about it,” Joanne said and kissed Maureen’s cheek.
Roger grinned. “The two of you would be great parents.” He took a breath. “Mimi’s resting comforting. They’re not sure if they can run the tests just yet on him, but Mimi’s not going to be breastfeeding either way. It’s just - it’s going to be tense until we get the results.”
“Either way, he’s adorable,” Mark said. He was surprised when Roger put the baby into his arms, but held him. The group of friends moved down to the room where Mimi was resting, sitting across from it and coming in when she was awake. It was a good reunion for everyone for the night. The next week was long for everyone until the weekend came and the tests came back negative for HIV. That prompted another party, complete with champagne for everyone, as they toasted for a long and illness free life.
Fandom: RENT
Prompt: Severe / life threatening illness
Medium: Fic
Word Count: 1,134
Rating: PGish
Warnings: None
Summary: I don't own RENT or any of its characters. This is set a couple years after the play.
This night was not going the way that it was supposed to. It was just going to be a night out at a favorite restaurant of theirs - his, Roger’s, and Mimi’s - but life had other plans. Even though Mimi was nine months pregnant and ready to give birth at any time, she wanted out of the apartment. So out they went because it was better than trying to argue with the hormonal pregnant lady. “What are we ordering?” Mimi asked.
“Pot stickers,” Roger replied.
“Sesame chicken,” Mark said.
“Ooo - and orange beef. Spicy - lots of spicy,” Mimi said.
Mark laughed. “You used to hate spicy food.”
“Gotta eat what the babe wants me to eat.” Mimi sipped at the water, giving Roger a sideways look before she poked him.
“What?” Roger asked.
“We need to have the talk,” Mimi said, in that voice that sounded like she was reminding him of something.
“What talk?” Mark asked. “Should I get my part of the food to go?”
“No,” Roger said. “So, with everything… I - we - “ he corrected as he saw Mimi’s glare, “thought it would be a good idea if the babe has a godfather. Which we want to be you.”
Mark’s eyes went wide, nearly choking on his drink. “Me? But - I - I’m not in any sort of stable relationship. Or know anything about kids.”
“It’s really just in case things go south,” Roger said. “Which it might do with me before her. Docs keep on worrying that my strain might go full blown sooner rather than later. And we’ll teach you about kids.”
“It really is just in case,” Mimi said. “And you’re like a second father to the babe already, considering how much you’ve been helping with the nursery. And making sure that I wasn’t alone when Roger went on the road for a while. We already know that you’re going to be Uncle Mark, so this is just one - “ she gasped. “One last - “
“Mimi?” Roger asked as he took her hand.
“My water broke.”
That got both Roger and Mark up from their seats. The waiter came over and looked confused.
“I’m sorry - her water broke. How much for the drinks?” Mark asked as Roger was helping Mimi get out of the restaurant.
“Drinks are on the house - congratulations,” the waiter said.
Mark smiled at that and gave the waiter a 50. “Thank you.” He hurried out of the restaurant after Roger and Mimi, helping both get into a cab before he took the spot in front. “Which hospital?”
“St Mary’s,” Roger replied.
The taxi took off and went as quickly as he could to the hospital. They were lucky that traffic was light for whatever reason and it didn’t take too long to get there. Mark was out of the cab the instant it stopped at the hospital entrance, getting a wheelchair and a nurse to come with him. They got Mimi into the hospital and the nurses took all of them up to the birthing suite with Roger reminding them about Mimi’s HIV status.
They got up to the floor with Roger and Mimi going down to the suite. “Mark,” Roger said and gave him a small notebook. “Could you call everyone? They’re in order and just - “
“Go,” Mark said. “I’ll call everyone.”
“Thanks,” Roger said as he turned and ran back.
Mark smiled, going into the waiting room and turning on the lights. It was empty, the television off, but there was a white phone in the room. He went over to there, flipping open the book. He called the parents first, even though he woke them up, but it didn’t matter. They were just happy to be called. The next person on the list started with their friends who heard the news and were on their way. He had to leave a message for Tom Collins, but considering how the restaurant was booming, he wasn’t surprised. Now done with the calls on the first page, he looked to the second page. He quickly closed the notebook, seeing that it was the start of a will and he didn’t want to pry. He got up, pocketing the notebook, and going out into the hallway. He walked up and down a bit before sitting down on a bench. Like everything else that happened around him, there was nothing he could do but wait.
He didn’t have to wait long as Maureen and Joanne showed up. Both gave him a hug and he smiled. “Good to see both of you.”
“You would not believe who we ran into tonight,” Maureen said.
“He’s on his way up,” Joanne said. “He wanted to go into the gift shop.”
“Who?” Mark asked before grinning at seeing Tom holding a teddy bear and a balloon. “I left a voice mail for you.”
“I was here seeing partners when Joanne’s phone rang,” Tom said and hugged him. “Santa Fe is lovely and you all should come visit. At least so I don’t have to keep on coming back here.”
Mark laughed at that. “Maybe for Christmas.”
“That sounds like a good idea - no snow,” Maureen said. “Her parents would freak.”
“My parents freak at every turn,” Joanne replied. “Any news yet?”
“Nope,” Mark said. “Just making phone calls and waiting.” He was about to say more when they all turned to see Roger coming towards them.
Roger was grinning ear to ear when he got to them. “This is perfect - everyone’s here to meet him.” He moved the blanket a bit so they could see the baby. “We’re not sure what to name him yet, other than his middle name being Angel. Probably why you’ve magically appeared, Tom.”
“Yeah,” Tom said with a smile. “He’s adorable, no matter what you name him.”
“He’s going to be a heartbreaker later,” Joanne said. “Congratulations.”
“Yes, congratulations,” Maureen said. “Jo… “
“We’ll talk about it,” Joanne said and kissed Maureen’s cheek.
Roger grinned. “The two of you would be great parents.” He took a breath. “Mimi’s resting comforting. They’re not sure if they can run the tests just yet on him, but Mimi’s not going to be breastfeeding either way. It’s just - it’s going to be tense until we get the results.”
“Either way, he’s adorable,” Mark said. He was surprised when Roger put the baby into his arms, but held him. The group of friends moved down to the room where Mimi was resting, sitting across from it and coming in when she was awake. It was a good reunion for everyone for the night. The next week was long for everyone until the weekend came and the tests came back negative for HIV. That prompted another party, complete with champagne for everyone, as they toasted for a long and illness free life.