𝙸 𝙲𝚊𝚗'𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚜

𝚂𝟺𝙴𝟷𝟷: 𝙽𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚊𝚕 𝚃𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝

Inspired by Community S6E4: "Queer Studies & Advanced Waxing."

Nico POV

Remind Nico to never try to reserve a study room again.

You'd think that you could just walk into the room you reserved this morning and tell the people pretending to study inside it that you're sorry to interrupt but that you reserved the room and need it to help your boyfriend practice for a play he wants to audition for. That is not the case. When Nico said to his sister's study group, "Hey, sorry, I actually reserved this room for me and Will this afternoon," Hazel felt bad, but then reassured him that he could share the room with them.

To top it all off, Annabeth had to say, "We're always here at this time." Just because it's true doesn't make it okay! Nico and Will reserved the room like you're supposed to if you want to use it.

But Nico isn't about to freak out in front of his sister and all her friends, even if they are sort of terrible people, so he just says, "Alright," and shares the space with them. Will seems comfortable enough reading his lines in front of everyone.

"That was good," Nico says when they finish the scene again.

Will scratches his head and frowns at the script in front of him. "It's missing something. Maybe I should go for something a little more macho. Is Apollo macho?"

Nico shrugs because he's not sure how to answer that question. "I thought it was good. You've certainly got the look."

"That doesn't matter though!" Will says. "Apollo's a god. He could be played by just about anybody and it would make sense. Maybe I shouldn't audition."

"Hey, don't talk like that! You've got this," Nico says. "Besides, you've already signed up for the slot and I'm skipping my psychology class to watch you."

"Is this about that Greek mythology play they're putting on?" Percy asks from the study table.

"Yeah," Will says. "I'm auditioning for Apollo."

"Oh, you've got this in the bag," Annabeth says.

Hazel chimes in too. "I can totally see it! Do the scene for us. Please?"

"Oh, I don't know..." Will trails off.

Seeing that Will is not into performing for the study group, and since Nico would rather not read Hades's lines for Hazel's study group, he asks, "Don't you guys have work to do? I thought this was a study group."

"Wi-Fi's out," says Leo.

No way. On a college campus, having no Wi-Fi is comparable to being in a famine. Although, with the quality of dining that comes with their meal plans, they might as well be in one.

"Yeah," says Piper. "I was working on the wedding guest list and then the whole thing glitched out and now the only thing on my document is don't tell Mom, so if you could do the scene for us, that would be lovely."

"Why don't you guys make your weird theme of the week fixing the Wi-Fi?" Nico asks.

Leo throws his backpack on and turns to his friends. "C'mon, Frank. We're fixing the Wi-Fi."

"Why me?" he whines.

"Because you're the only one who can reach the router. Let's go." He picks up a toolbox Nico hadn't noticed before and leads his morning show cohost outside.

"Good luck with your audition," Frank says to Will on the way out. Okay, maybe not everyone in Hazel's study group is a pretentious asshole. Nico is starting to understand what she sees in that big teddy bear of a man.

Snap!

"Sorry," Will says, holding up his pencil. The tip is broken off. He's usually so gentle with his things.

Nico lowers his voice and says, "It's okay to be a little nervous. That's normal." That's probably normal. He's never auditioned for anything before. He used to do stage crew in high school for volunteer hours. Plus, he sort of lives for that drama you can only get from a high school theater production.

"I know," Will says. "I just heard the director is a little harsh."

"It's just a play at a community college no one's ever heard of," Nico says. "How bad can he possibly be?"

✎✎✎

It is bad, actually. Dean D is directing the play.

At first, he's a little thrown off; since when did Dean D become interested in theater, and how does he have the credentials to direct an actual play? There are actual acting majors here who'll need to reference this show on their resumes for whatever they're auditioning for in the real world.

"Alright, brats," he says from atop the stage. "I am Director D. Auditions for this play are going to go exactly how you think they are. You'll come up to the stage and read with a partner of your choice..."

"Who's your partner?" Nico whispers to Will.

He smiles sheepishly.

"No. Not a chance."

Director D continues, "I'll ask you what character you're auditioning for and maybe I'll make a note of that if I care enough. I might also ask you to read another character, so hopefully, you've printed out all the audition materials. Any questions?"

Valentina Diaz raises her hand. "I thought we only had to prepare one character."

"Yes. Next."

"Do you know the name of the play?" Cecil Markowitz asks.

"No. No more questions." He steps off the raised platform that dares to serve as a stage and takes a seat at a folding table. He pulls out a sheet of paper and puts on his reading glasses, which like most of his outfits, are leopard print. "Veronica Dobbs and Chelsea Barrera?"

"Uh, Valentina Diaz, Director, sir." Valentina smooths her maxi skirt and takes the stage with Chiara Benvenuti, who Nico can only assume is her scene partner.

"Veronica," Director D says. "How many times has your father attempted to transfer you out of New Rome's theater program?"

"How can you remember that but not my name?" Valentina asks.

"Just do the goddamn scene."

Chiara waves to the director because that feels appropriate. "Hi, I'm Chiara Benvenuti and I'm auditioning for the role of Athena."

"I'm Valentina Diaz and I'm auditioning for the role of Aphrodite."

They give the scene, and Nico suddenly understands why Valentina's father does not want her to pursue a career in acting.

Chiara's alright as Athena, although something about it just seems off. It's the MythoMagic nerd in him that tells him this. Maybe he should cast this show. Then again, he's not enough degrees away from Hazel's study group to avoid casting all of them in this show, so it's better this way.

"Could you ladies read the scene on page thirteen?" Director D asks, circling something with a massive red Sharpie pen.

Valentina stammers, "But Aphrodite isn't in that scene."

"I know. I want you to read Medusa."

Nico opens a bag of barbecue chips and holds it out, inviting Will to take some because this is quality entertainment right here.

"No thanks," he whispers. "I wouldn't want to do the scene with barbecue breath."

Personally, that's not something Nico cares about, so he munches on another chip just for fun.

Valentina makes a beeline for the bathroom when the scene is over, and Chiara thanks Director D for his time before chasing after her.

"Next!" he calls. "Bill Summers? Who is your scene partner?"

Will jumps to his feet and stammers, "My boyfriend, sir. Nico di Angelo."

Nico is so taken aback by the fact that people actually respect Dean D in this setting that he almost doesn't realize what his boyfriend committed him to.

"Hey, wait-"

"C'mon, Nico! I need a Hades!" Will grabs his hand and leads him onto the stage. He waves to Director D. "Hi, I'm Will Solace and I'm auditioning for the role of Apollo today."

The director grunts and makes a mark on his paper.

Nico stares at his script, waiting for Will to say the first line.

He does not say the first line. Is he that nervous? He didn't even have to memorize his lines. Maybe Nico should show him where they are-

Will clears his throat and nudges Nico. He gestures to Director D.

Great. "Hey, I'm Nico di Angelo, and I'm... not... auditioning."

"You may begin."

Will reads the first line. "Well, if it isn't my uncle, Hades. I thought I smelled roadkill!"

With little to no emotion in his voice, Nico reads, "Your foolishness will lead to your downfall, foolish boy." That's a really stupid line. He never realized that until now.

"Aha! What are you going to do, kill me?" Will asks. He's perfect for this role. It just feels so natural for him. It's probably because he's an actual ball of sunshine. Nico swears he glows in the dark, he's so bright.

"No," Nico reads, "but your father will surely punish you for your foolishness." This play uses the word 'foolish' way too much. Did nobody in the editing process tell the writer to mix it up? Maybe the gods can call each other idiots or dumbasses.

Will opens his mouth to speak but Director D cuts him off. "Stop! Stop, stop. This isn't right."

"I'm sorry, sir," Will says. "I can do it differently-"

"Hell yeah, you will!" he yells. "Switch parts."

"What?" Will asks.

Nico's surprised too. Sure, they were told that they might be asked to read different roles, but Will as Hades is just messed up. He could get behind Will as Poseidon or maybe even Zeus, but Hades is truly the opposite of everything that he is.

Will is surprisingly agreeable. "Alright, I suppose I can give it a go."

So Nico reads Apollo's line and starts the scene again. "Well, if it isn't my uncle, Hades. I thought I smelled roadkill."

Will deepens his voice to read Hades's lines. "Your foolishness will lead to your downfall, foolish boy!"

They read the scene together, exchanging awkward glances the whole time, knowing full well that Will is probably the closest human being on the planet to the god Apollo and Nico isn't an actor. Nico doesn't want to be here. Had he known ahead of time that Will was desperate for a scene partner, he probably wouldn't have agreed to read this stupid redundant scene in front of an audience.

When they're finished, they stare at Director D like deer in headlights, neither of them sure how to close out this audition. Hopefully, they're done. Nico would rather not read the part of Aphrodite or something stupid.

✎✎✎

Will was flattered when Hazel invited him and Nico to join their study session today. The cast list for the show (name still TBD) is supposed to come out around three today, and she sent Will this long-ass text message about how the study group would love to be there to support him when the list comes out.

Now, at three o'clock pm, they're all huddled around Will's sticker-coated computer hitting refresh on the New Rome Community College Facebook page.

Of course, nobody listened to Nico when he insisted that the list would likely not be out until later, and now he feels guilty for some stupid reason because he can tell that some of these people would rather not be here. Piper keeps reminding everyone when Starbucks closes, and Frank and Leo haven't even shown up.

Will hits refresh again and says to the group, "You'd think that in a sensitive circumstance like this, he'd be sure to have the list out on time. I mean, Valentina was crying when she left the audition. She must be a wreck by now." He laughs that nervous laugh that's adorable, but only makes an appearance when he's feeling uneasy.

"Hey, maybe he's taking the time to spell people's names right for once," Annabeth says.

"Frank and Leo in the moooorning!" Frank and Leo sing upon entering the study room.

"Anything on that Wi-Fi?" Percy asks. "I don't think Will has that much data left on his hotspot."

Leo laughs. "Wouldn't it be funny if the hotspot ran out of data right before the list comes out?"

"Leo!" Jason scolds. "You can't say stuff like that! Now it's going to happen."

"Oh, god," Will groans. "I'm doomed, aren't I?"

"You were better than Valentina," Nico mutters. He was a hell of a lot better than Valentina.

"Leo," Annabeth snaps, bringing everyone back to the question at hand. "Wi-Fi. Do we have it? Yes or no."

Leo purses his lips. "Frank, do you want to tell our audience why there is still no Wi-Fi?"

"Yes, I do," he says firmly. Damn, Frank did not come to play. Nico is really starting to see why Hazel keeps him around. "Today I took a look at the router box since Leo is too short to reach it, and inside, I found the miracle of life."

Piper grimaces. "Ew."

Frank ignores that and continues. "There was a nest, and in it, there were three tiny eggs."

"Oh, that's nice," says Hazel.

Percy gasps. "That's the cutest damn thing! Send me a picture, will ya? My sister will eat that up."

Leo crosses his arms. "Well, I was going to Snapchat you, but there is no Wi-Fi."

"Sorry if this is insensitive," Jason says, "but is there any reason we can't move the bird's nest out of the router?"

Frank's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Because the mother will abandon the eggs and start from scratch! I can't nurse three baby birds; I'm barely ready to be a kindergarten teacher!"

"It's out! It's out!" Will shouts.

And just like that, everyone forgets about the Wi-Fi problem and waits for Will to scroll down.

"I can't look," he admits.

"I've got this," says Piper. She grabs Will's mouse and takes a look at the list. "Looks like poor Valentina got cast as Medusa... Chris Rodriguez is in this thing? That's funny. Chris is playing Hermes. Chiara is playing Athena-"

"Oh good," says Will. "She deserves it. Now can you tell me who they cast as Apollo?"

Piper scrolls down a little more, ready to give everyone the answer they're expecting, but then she chokes on her Pink Drink from Starbucks. "I can't even," she says after recovery.

"Can't even what?" Jason takes the laptop and squints at it so he can read the tiny font. "Oh. Oh."

"What does it say?" Will asks.

"You're... You're playing Hades!" Piper says through the fakest smile Nico's ever seen. "Congratulations, bestie!"

Will's look of confusion drops to one of disappointment. "Who's playing Apollo?"

Annabeth reads the list over Jason's shoulder and then says, "Oh, shit, there must have been a mistake. You guys need to get over to Dean D's office or something before this gets out."

"Annabeth," Percy scolds.

"I'm sorry," she says, "but there's just no way that Nico got cast as Apollo."

No way. "I didn't even audition!" Nico objects.

"Yeah," says Annabeth. "So go talk to the dean. He's the one directing this, right?"

"Oh, I'll talk to him alright," Nico says. "C'mon, Will." Nobody makes his boyfriend feel like this. Will is happiness and sunshine and everything that comes with it. The guy wears Birkenstocks and khaki shorts every single day, for crying out loud! He is Apollo! He was born to play this part at a small obscure community college just outside Berkeley, and he will play this part.

Besides, there's no way it wasn't a mistake. Dean—Director—D probably just had some trouble remembering people's names again.

✎✎✎

It was not a mistake, and until they can find an adequate replacement, Nico will be rehearsing as Apollo alongside the actors who actually want to be in this godforsaken play.

Nico finishes his scene with Will. It's the only scene they've been working on for the whole practice and he just wants to go back to his apartment and take a nap while Hazel and Frank cuddle on the couch and watch Disney movies. To say that he doesn't understand why he's here is the understatement of the century, but more than that, he doesn't understand why everyone else is here.

The practice was scheduled to end about fifteen minutes ago, but according to Director D, time is a social construct, and if they care about the show, they won't leave.

Nico does not care about the show, so he should be allowed to leave, but Will cares about the show, and he will need a ride home. Thus, Nico stays. He is a hostage at play practice. He is a grown-ass adult and he is not allowed to quit a college production of TO BE NAMED. He doesn't need this to get a job! You know who needs this to get a job? Valentina. Let her play Apollo.

"Nicholas," Director D says, pointing his pen. "Don't change a thing."

He grunts a quick "thanks."

"Now Wendell, what are we going to do about this? It's a complete disaster, and don't tell me otherwise."

"I'm sorry," says Will. "You said to go for more dead inside..."

"You're the god of the underworld. You're not the one who's dead!"

"Sorry, sir," he says.

"You'd better be! Run it again."

So they do. Nico starts. "Well, if it isn't my uncle, Hades. I thought I smelled roadkill!" If he were going to be in this play, he'd have all his lines memorized by now.

But something is off, really pissing him off. Director D is trying to use his phone, and everyone knows that he really can't be doing that because the Wi-Fi doesn't work. If Nico were the kind of person who thought the best of people, he might assume that he's writing a text or getting ready to make a call, but who the hell is he going to contact?

So this time, when he yells cut, Nico berates him before he can berate Will. "What the hell, man? Are you using your phone while we're practicing? Maybe that's why you don't know that he's doing a good job as Hades. And isn't the Wi-Fi out?"

Director D sets his phone down on the table. "I was alerting your friends that they may wait to remove the bird's nest from the router until after the eggs have hatched. Now run it again with more energy. Don't change a thing, Nelson."

✎✎✎

"And he just berated Will the whole time. Like, I'm terrible at acting," Nico says to Hazel later that evening. "I can't get behind that."

"Maybe he's being nicer to you because you don't even want to be in the play," Hazel says.  "Woah! Leo, you better be holding onto that ladder! Don't make me come over there!"

"Yes, Ma'am," says Leo.

"Good, 'cause if you drop my Frankie, you'll never hear the end of it!"

Frank, who is standing at the top of the ladder that Leo is holding, drops another hard-boiled egg yolk onto the pavement. "How about my medical bills? Can Leo pay my medical bills if I fall?"

"Yeah, that too," says Hazel. "Sorry, Nico, go on."

"I'm sorry, did I miss something here?"

"The eggs hatched and the mother hasn't returned, so Frank and Leo have to care for them. Now please tell me more about your drama with Dean D and the play. That's way more interesting," she says.

"Oh, uh, well I want to stick it to the man because he's being an asshole to my boyfriend."

"Go you."

"But Will really likes being in this show," Nico says.

Without taking her eyes off her boyfriend, she raises an eyebrow. "And that's a problem because..."

"Because Will is okay with the way Dean D is treating him. He got mad at me for almost losing it at practice today," Nico explains.

"Again, because?"

"Because he thinks that my intervening would like, jeopardize his spot in the show or something." Will didn't explain his reasoning beyond that, but he was mad enough to catch a ride home with Clovis instead of riding on the back of Nico's Vespa. That's why Nico's still on campus with Hazel and the idiots who won't just fix the damn Wi-Fi.

Hazel sighs. "You're kind for caring about Will," she says. "I mean, it's great that you know how much this show means to him."

And Nico thinks that's that, so he takes his keychain from his jacket pocket because he wants to go home.

"But I also know Will," Hazel continues. "I mean, he's at our apartment all the time, so it would be weird if we didn't have a few morning conversations now and then. You really should have given me a heads up the first couple of times he slept over."

"Sorry," Nico says.

"Anyway, I know him. He can be a bit of a doormat, so he's probably prioritizing playing a role in this stupid college show over being treated like a decent human being," Hazel says. "If your boyfriend can't be proud of himself, then you need to be proud of him."

"But I am proud of him."

"Then prove it."

✎✎✎

The next rehearsal is the same. Will and Nico perform that same scene while the rest of the cast sits in the audience making TikToks they'll never get to post because the Wi-Fi is still not functioning. Leo and Frank better nurse those birds back to health fast.

And of course, everything goes the same way as before, with insults ranging from "my grandma could do better than that and she's dead" to "you're making Hades too gay!" It's Greek mythology. Everyone was gay to some extent. It would be weird if any of these characters weren't queer.

But it isn't any of these insults that send Nico over the edge. No, it's the classic, "you're going to disappoint everyone in this cast!" which isn't exactly the worst thing to blow up over because now Nico has the opportunity to stand up for the rest of the people who just want their turn to practice their lines on a shitty stage.

"You know what?" Nico asks the director. "He can't disappoint them because you already have! They come here every day when their classes are finished just to watch you berate Will! I mean, I can't be that much better than him."

Director D raises an eyebrow. "Are you done? Because we need to perfect this scene so we can move on to the next one."

The rest of the cast groans in their seats. Valentina types away on a paper. Chris takes a pill for his cauliflower ear and washes it down with some Sprite. Lacy and Chiara are passing a cat's cradle string back and forth. They have completely given up hope for their chance to rehearse their scenes. There are no other characters in this play. Only Apollo and Hades.

"Are we going on to the next scene?" Nico asks. "We've been at this all week. If you can't cut Will a break, I'll... I'll quit the show!"

And now would be a good time for someone to remind Nico that he was never committed to this play in the first place. He never even auditioned. However, he's been on stage at every single rehearsal since the cast list came out, so nobody remembers this.

"Are you sure?" Will asks. "You don't need to give up your role for me. I swear, I'm fine."

"No you are not," Nico snaps. "What'll it be, Director D? Do you want me in this show or not?"

Wide eyes stare up at him from the audience. Chiara offers him a silent clap and Cecil gives him a thumbs-up. Their approval means a lot, but the only respect he's looking for should come from the director.

Director D stares for a moment and then makes some notes on his script. "See, here's the thing, Niall. You, I can replace. You suck. You're expendable."

"Ouch?" Nico says. "But why have you been telling me I'm doing great?"

"Because I truly believe that's the best you can do. Apollo isn't a hard role to play. Hades, on the other hand, is, and I know your boyfriend has the potential to pull it off. He just hasn't unlocked it yet."

"Aww," says Will. "Thank you!"

"Don't thank me until I have the best Hades in the SoCal area."

"Will, I'm sorry," Nico says. "I should have trusted that everything was fine. You're doing a great job, and I just hated that you were being treated like that."

"It's okay, Neeks. Director D?" he asks. "I'm ready to run it again."

"Sure," he says. "Valentina, get on the stage. You're my new Apollo."

She slams her laptop shut and squeals with joy. "Wait until my dad hears about this!"

"Don't push your luck," the director says.

"What?" Nico asks. "I only threatened to quit, but now that everything's going okay-"

"Yeah, we're going in a different creative direction. Aren't you into computer science? Go work on the Wi-Fi. I don't want to see your emo ass until tech week when I need someone who knows what all the buttons on the soundboard do." He points to Will, and Valentina, who is highlighting Apollo's lines with a glittery highlighter.

"See you around, everyone. Break a leg and all that," Nico says before grabbing his backpack.

Chris gives him a high-five on the way out. "Badass. Just badass."

"Thanks."

"Let me know when the Wi-Fi is back up, dude, and maybe I'll teach ya how to wrestle."

Even though he just got fired from a show that needed him more than he needed it, he does feel like a badass because badasses stand up for their boyfriends.

✎✎✎

Just because Nico doesn't have his supporting role in the play anymore doesn't mean he can't support his boyfriend. After a suspiciously short amount of additional rehearsals, the first show date is upon them and Nico drives Will to the theater to make his call time.

"Make sure you don't sit in the aisle seats," Will shouts over the Vespa's engine. "I know how you hate audience participation."

"Aww, you do love me!" Nico teases. Then, he sees that same step ladder on the side of the building. Frank's lower half is hanging out of a tree while Leo holds the ladder, but doesn't spot his partner. He seems to be playing some kind of game on his phone.

"Hang on just a second," Nico says, pulling the Vespa over for a moment. He cuts the engine in the parking lot and shouts to Hazel, "What's going on?"

She puts a bookmark in her guidebook on baby bird care and says, "The same thing as last time you saw us here."

"It's a little worse, actually," Leo says. "The birds are looking weaker by the hour. I checked on them through the webcam I installed and they're all sort of... sad. You can watch the feed on our Frank and Leo in the Morning Instagram account once the Wi-Fi is back up."

Frank finally emerges from the greenery. "I need more moist dog food, Leo! Casper isn't gonna make it!"

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Will asks. "I mean, I'm just a nursing major, and I've never done anything with animals, but this is..."

"Pathetic?" Hazel supplies.

"Absurd?" Nico suggests.

Will's pained smile drops. "I was going to say it's sad, but those work too."

"Hey, it's not the most helpful thing," Nico says to the bird advocates, "but you guys could come to Will's show today. Maybe it would help take your mind off things."

"If we do that, people will just complain to us about how there's no Wi-Fi," Leo says.

"I don't think I can get through the bird story without crying," Frank adds.

Hazel rolls her eyes. "I'll come and support you, Will. These doofuses are finally getting on my nerves. Meet you over there?"

"I'll save you a seat," Nico says. He hops back on the Vespa and puts the key in the ignition. He's got a show to get his boyfriend to.

✎✎✎

The play is really bad, but not in a so-bad-you-want-to-donate-to-the-theater-department way, or even in a so-bad-it's-laughable way. It's plain bad, except for that one scene Director D made them rehearse a concerning amount of times, and even then, Valentina's acting is mediocre at best.

Hazel took one for the team and sat in the aisle seat, earning praise from her friends, but mildly open-ended audience participation during the naming of Athens. She chose Poseidon as the patron god just to be funny, but the actors had no idea what to do.

Annabeth and Piper are next to her playing some kind of drinking game Nico hasn't quite figured out the rules to. At first, he thought they were drinking every time Chris scratches his cauliflower ear, but they've been taking quite a few sips during this scene where Chiara as Athena is about to turn Director D as Medusa into a hideous monster. They could not find a replacement for Valentina, but fortunately, Director D doesn't have anything against dressing as a beautiful Greek maiden. It does make for an awkward situation for Austin, who is playing Poseidon.

Percy and Jason are seated on either side of Nico. Jason intently watches the play and whispers anytime something is inaccurate to the original myths, annoying their friends in the row in front of them, but really, what did they expect from the classics major?

Percy, on the other hand, came into the theater complaining about a biology lab he pulled an all-nighter working on. Unsurprisingly, he's been sleeping for the majority of the play, drool collecting at the corner of his mouth.

When the cast finally takes their final bows—Director D in the center dressed as Medusa, of course—Nico shakes Percy awake so they can meet Will and like, take photos or whatever it is people do when their boyfriends are in shitty college productions.

"Oh my gosh, Will, amazing job!" Piper slurs, giving the startled guy a hug.

"I like the part where—hic!—where the dean was wearing the wig and... yeah," Annabeth agrees.

Percy gives Will a friendly pat on the back and adds, "Yeah, man, the part where they uh... I mean... I liked the ending! I'd love to stick around, but I should probably take Annabeth back home before she graduates from tipsy to drunk."

"What? You can't!" Piper complains. "We're all going to the Waystation!" She is a very loud tipsy person. If this is what Nico's in for, he will not be joining them at the Waystation, even if they do have a MythoMagic-themed pinball machine.

Will's eyes light up. "Oh, that's the bar where we're having the cast party. Count me in!"

"Me too," Nico says. In an unexpected turn of events, he will now be joining Hazel's study group at the Waystation. Maybe he can get a couple of games of pinball in.

✎✎✎

The Waystation is unusually loud for a Saturday afternoon, but Nico supposes that's because of the swarm of buzzed theater kids singing their favorite songs from Shrek: The Musical. They weren't even in that show. They all suck too much for that.

Nico orders another beer and pretends to laugh at something Lacy just said. What can he say? He's an introvert, so he can't say anything. It's too daunting and much too draining. If anything, he'll sleep fantastically tonight, but not after a long shower that may or may not include some tears.

He takes a long sip from his glass, taking the time to feel the carbonation on his tongue.

"It really is true what they say about acquired tastes," the co-owner of the Waystation, Jo, says to him.

He holds his glass out and then drinks. "I suppose it is."

"And to think when you were still giving me a fake ID, you ordered nothing but mudslides and hard seltzers. Thank God you stopped! Do you realize how hard it is to make a mudslide?" she teases.

Nico rolls his eyes. "Maybe it wouldn't be so hard if you didn't stick an entire ice cream sandwich in it. Totally worth getting my fake confiscated, by the way."

Jo just chuckles and says, "One mudslide coming right up, on the house. For old times' sake." She winks and opens the freezer to find an ice cream sandwich.

Meanwhile, Will throws his arm around Nico and pulls him close for a selfie.

Nico offers a queasy smile for the BeReal and Will kisses his cheek.

He posts the picture and takes a seat on a barstool.

"C'mon, Will, shots!" Chris begs of his castmate.

Will dismisses this suggestion. "You guys go ahead. I need a glass of water or some peanuts before you all find out how much of a lightweight I am—shit, there it is."

And like magic, Jo's co-owner and wife Emmie drops a glass of water in front of him. "Thanks," he says. Then, he turns to Nico. "Thanks so much for supporting me."

Nico takes a sip from his chocolate mudslide and says, "I wouldn't miss it for anything."

"No, I mean this whole time. You've always been there for me. You're like, the best boyfriend ever," he says. "And the way you stood up for me at that last practice was kind of hot."

Nico fakes offense. "Kind of?"

"Fine, you got me. Very hot."

And their bedroom talk comes to a halt when Leo and Frank take seats at the bar.

"Wi-Fi's back up," Leo says tonelessly.

"Oh?" Will asks. "How is... everything?"

Frank orders Jack Daniels on the rocks and reports, "Two of the birds died."

Will gasps. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry-"

"The third one is barely hanging on."

But it's not dead. It's not dead yet.