Games I'll Play - Falsettos Oneshots

Alive - Cordelia & Marvin

A/N: I feel like this friendship needs more light
Main story line, Whizzer is dead
~~
Cordelia sat bored and tired on her kitchen counter. She was currently waiting for her batch of cookies in the oven to be done. She thought about life while she was waiting. A lot changed after Whizzer died. The spark in Jason's eyes had definitely faded if not gone completely. Trina was very quiet and serious nowadays, she didn't say much like she used to. Mendel always looked guilty, maybe because he was a psychiatrist that couldn't cheer up his family, let alone himself. Charlotte worked day and night, inside and outside the office, desperately trying to find a cure to the disease that had taken their friend and many others. And then there was Marvin. Cordelia hadn't seen him in weeks. The last time she heard from him was at Whizzer's funeral. That was awhile ago.

Cordelia didn't notice the tears running down her face until the oven alarm brought her back to reality. She wiped her tears and sighed, taking the batch of cookies and placing them on the counter. Cordelia didn't have much to do during the day anymore, since she neither had a job nor a Whizzer to hang out with. She just occupied her time with baking, which resulted in her becoming a better cook. She was proud. She hoped Whizzer was proud, too. Wherever he was.

Cordelia looked at the batch of cookies and thought.

"It's Saturday, right? Marvin doesn't have work on the weekends, at least from what I remember...maybe I'll go pay him a visit! Wait...this might be his weekend with Jason...No, he had Jason last weekend, they switch off weekends now...I think. I remember Jason calling me from his house. Poor kid has to deal with that. Well, maybe I can cheer up Marvin."

Cordelia nodded to herself and grabbed a few cookies. She put them in a bag and set out of Marvin's house. She prayed Jason wasn't there, as she really wanted to talk to Marvin alone. Not that she hated the kid or anything, she loved Jason with all her heart. It was just that some things are better left for the adults.

Once Cordelia had pulled up in the driveway, she saw Marvin's car was there. She hopped out of the car and knocked on the door. No answer. She tried again.

"Marvin? It's me, Cordelia!"

Still no answer.

Again.

"Marvin, I know you're here. Open up!"

Still no answer.

"Marvin...?" she whispered to herself in worry. Luckily, she remembered where Whizzer claimed the spare key was. She dug in the "soil" of a fake plant by the door and found the key. She unlocked the door and shakily walked in.

"Marv? It's me Cordelia! I brought you cookies!" she called. She still didn't get a response. She decided that she'd walk up the stairs, and she anxiously opened the door to Marvin's bedroom. That's when she heard the sound that simultaneously made her relieved and worried.

There was faint sobs coming from the bathroom. She was glad Marvin wasn't dead, but she was worried that soon he might be.

"Marvin? It's Cordelia. Can I come in?" she spoke softly. She heard a sound of surprise from Marvin, but he quickly calmed down.

"Oh, hey 'Delia...Um...Gimme a sec."

"Okay..." Cordelia grew suspicious of what he was doing, but ended up saying nothing.

About a minute later he opened the door and quickly threw his hands behind his back.

"So, what's up 'Delia?" Marvin asked, throwing on a fake smile. Cordelia sighed and let the cookies in her hand fall beside her—good thing they were in a bag.

"Alright, Marv, cut the crap."

"Huh?"

"Quit doing that fake smile. And what's with your arm?"

"Nothing!" Marvin yelled defensively, "Look, if you wanted to talk, just say it already."

"I came to check up on you! Do you know how worried everyone is?"

"What? Why? Why are they worried about me when their friend just died!"

"Because, Marvin, it's been weeks! Yeah, we're devastated, but he's gone. And you're still here. We don't want to lose you, too. We—I can't lose you, Marvin," Cordelia cried, "So please, just—just tell me what's going on."

"'Delia, I—" Marvin started, instinctively reaching his hands out towards her. She grabbed his wrist and cut him off.

"Marvin. What is that?"

"I..."

Marvin sighed and fell to the floor. Cordelia sat down next to him. He hid his face in his hands and cried while Cordelia rubbed his back and wiped a few of her own stray tears. Marvin took a deep breath and sat up, and Cordelia lay her head on his shoulder.

"When Whizzer and I got back together, I thought we be with each other forever. I thought I'd grow old with him," Marvin smiled, but it quickly faded.

"Now he's gone, but I'm still here."

"Marvin, I know it's hard," Cordelia sighed, "But you can't do this! You can't cut yourself, you can't give up on yourself. We're all here fighting for you. Please, don't give up. I need you, Marv. You're like my brother. You can't leave me here! Please, stop. Stop! For me, for Jason, for Charlotte, for Trina, for Mendel. We can't lose another."

Marvin chuckled and wiped the tears from Cordelia's cheeks.

"Alright, I'll stop. I'll stay here. It's what Whizzer would've wanted anyway."

Cordelia gave a giggle and hugged Marvin.

"Thank you."

"Thank you, too, sis."

For one day, it was not about death. Rather, it was about hope. And love. And life. As Cordelia patched up Marvin's cuts and Marvin scarfed down Cordelia's cookies, they both realized that their bond would be enough to stay alive for, to cling to life for.

And nothing could change that.