Little Things
Rent
by SylverIce2

It was the little things that Mark noticed the most. The way Roger would just smile at him, as they sat sipping coffee and ignoring calls from their parents. The way Roger resisted going out, holing up in the loft with no company but Mark's. The way Roger turned from Mimi in the restaurant to hug Mark. The hand on his back to support him when Mrs. Johnson made the comment about Mark and Maureen getting back together.

The hand on his back was what undid Mark. His step had hesitated, his eyes had closed, savouring the feel of Roger's graceful hand sliding across the planes of his back. Roger had been worried, thinking that Mark was considering getting back with Maureen. It had taken time, to convince Roger that he wasn't, that it was the furthest thought from his brain.

Roger was what he was thinking about, and it was so easy to fall into that, to sink into thinking only of Roger.

But then, soon enough, Roger was fleeing to New Mexico, leaving so easily.

Leaving Mark alone in the loft that held too much of both of them, too many memories.

But then Roger came back, was suddenly there, steps hurrying across the rooftop to stand so close, but still out of touch.

He hesitated, and in that moment, Mark realized that Roger was beginning to feel it too. That suddenly, it had become more, become bigger, and neither of them was sure how to cope with that.

But then they were both lunging forward, and hugging, and holding on for seconds too long, listening to the echoed heartbeats and hearing the music of each other's voices, and quietly, both of them knew that space was something that didn't exist between them anymore.

And that was the biggest little thing that Mark was privileged to notice, but it was the one that meant the most to him, as he'd always felt like the one standing aloof and alone, while everyone else was inside a circle without him.

From then on, whenever their eyes met, Mark understood that, for Roger, he was that circle.