(Untitled)

[mm_ali]

When his apartment turns into something like a bar, Angel isn't too surprised.

It's happened before.

But it doesn't take long for him to notice that it's not the same place he'd been going to.

"Well...this is interesting."

Comments

[mm_quinby]

Before long, Mark appears as well, poking his head around the door. "What the hell? When'd I put a bar in the Loft. I must be doing renovations in my sleep now." He runs a hand through his hair.

[mm_ali]

"Strange things have a habit of happening." Angel's always glad to see Mark--it's good that he's pulling himself together after the Maureen debacle. "How're things going at the drama department?"

[mm_quinby]

"The what?" Mark blinks. "Angel, I left college years ago. You know that. Unless there was some meeting I missed... No, I don't think I'm speaking anywhere. Shit, I need a better calendar."

[mm_ali]

".....honey, what year is it for you?"

Fucking Milliways. Even if this isn't Milliways, it still applies.

[mm_quinby]

Mark blinks. "Angel, you can't tell me that between the time we got up this morning, and now you forgot the date." He blinks. "It's 2010."

[mm_ali]

Angel blinks.

Angel tries to wrap his mind around the thought of him and Mark being together.

Angel's brain breaks.

Angel reaches a conclusion. "You're not the Mark I know. I'm not...I'm not your Angel."

[mm_quinby]

Mark blinks, trying to wrap his own mind around the thought of -not- being with Angel. It doesn't work very well. "Oh. Um. I, er, apologise. Er...." Yeah. There's the flail that comes no matter what Mark you have.

[mm_ali]

"Don't worry about it, it's not your fault." Angel isn't flailing--it's not his style. But damn, what else could he say?

"I'm from 1997," he offers, still looking disturbed despite himself. "In school in NYU."

[mm_quinby]

"Huh." Mark fiddles with his shoulder bag. "You, er, well, the Angel I know dropped out of Julliard. And never went back. Almost killed you, er, Angel, too."

[mm_ali]

"...I did drop out of Julliard. But...well, after I met Collins, he encouraged me and Mimi to go back to school if we wanted to. So we are." And when Angel says Collins' name, his face softens and he smiles without thinking about it.

[mm_quinby]

Mark blinks. "Collins? The philosophy prof from NYU? Huh. We live in his Loft. Although, really, it's not his anymore since I bought the building." His voice catches, though. "Mimi? How... how is she?"

[mm_ali]

"He does teach philosophy at NYU, but he doesn't own the Loft. You and Roger do. She's doing well. No longer dancing at the Cat Scratch--she and Roger will be getting married soon." Hearing the catch in Mark's voice, Angel's face shadows. "What happened...to yours?"

[mm_quinby]

Mark's face pales at the mention of Roger. It might be years ago by now, but it still hurts like hell. Taking a breath, he finally finds his voice. "AIDS. Her and Roger. Collins has it too, but he's so damn stubborn he's beating all the odds."

[mm_ali]

"....shit. I'm so sorry," Angel whispers, horrified. And by his reaction, Mark can probably tell that they were lucky enough to miss that bullet in their world.

[mm_quinby]

Mark sighs. "It's, well, it sucked losing them. Still hurts looking back." He pauses. "So, er, they're all clean back home for you?"

[mm_ali]

"...yeah. Mimi got clean from the smack, too. Her dealer tried to kill her...didn't work fortunately."