Leo didn't get the girl's name until the first rehearsal for Hadestown that afternoon.

    All of the cast members, both tech and actors, were required to be there. Leo didn't know why. Like, what was he going to do? Build a whole ass platform for the orchestra with a winding staircase on the side?

    He was good, but he ain't that good.

    Leo was the first to arrive in the auditorium. Surprisingly, the stage had been cleared of all set pieces used during the performances of Theatre 1 students.

    Annabeth was there next. She already had a clunky binder in hand with a pencil at the ready. Leo didn't think there'd be any need for notes on the first rehearsal, but what the hell did he know?

    "The sign-in sheet's over there." Annabeth pointed to the corner between the stage and the wings.

    Leo didn't get a chance to thank her as the next duo entered the room. One guy with tawny skin and green hair, the other pale with blond hair.

    "Dude, you already have a language credit!" green hair said as he threw a pink purse on a chair. "Why the hell are you taking ASL?"

    "Easy A." Kurt Cobain Jr. sat next to the discarded bag. "Hearth is a 'teacher of the Deaf.'"

    "If you're a CODA, then you should at least get a more advanced class."

    "Alex, trust the process."

    "Bitch, what fucking process?" Green hair--Alex-- stood up to sign in. "Point it out to me 'cause that shit sounds fake as fuck."

    "The process of maintaining a high GPA means you sacrifice many things." He paused. "Like, watching people attempt to sign fast butcher everything."

    "Are we that bad?"

    "Not so much you, but..."

    "Sadie," said the Spanish girl from before, "I promise you on my homosexuality that Nora Holleran, June Claremont-Diaz, and Pez Okonjo are in a polyam relationship. In fact, I will make out with a man if I'm wrong."

    "Can you tell her you'd do something reasonable?" Nico says.

    Leo didn't even know that Nico talked to anyone but Reyna.

    "No," says the girl with a laugh.

    "Shelby, you're not going to kiss a guy."

    "Ugh, fine." Shelby bit her lip. "Sades, do you watch Brooklyn 99?"

    "No."

    "Helpful, I was going to say 1,000 pushups, but that won't mean..."

    Within a few more minutes, the auditorium was packed.

    Leo took it upon himself to sit in the back.

    Mr. Apollo sat on the ledge of the stage. "Hello, everyone. Welcome to the first rehearsal of Hadestown. What we're going to do is introduce ourselves and our roles. We'll start with you." He pointed to someone in the far corner of the auditorium.

    "Oh, um, hi. I'm Oak. They/them pronouns, please. I'm assistant choreographer."

    "Lavinia. She/her. I'm head choreographer."

    There was a pause. "Oh, shit, erm, Annabeth. She/her. I'm stage manager."

    "Cecil, he/they pronouns, I'm Hermes."

    "Lou Ellen, she/they. I'm the fate that's like, really low."

    "Calypso. She/her. I'm also a fate. It's the one kind of in the middle? I'm not really sure how to describe it, sorry."

    It went on like that for a bit, each person giving their pronouns and role. Leo forgot all of them within a second.

    "Okay," Mr. A said, taking out his script. "This is just a basic sing-through. If y'all want to warm up, now is the time to do so."

    The auditorium instantly erupted into noise.

    Leo sat closest to Shel and Sadie. Sadie sang through some scales before mixing her way through Someone Like You as Shel jumped into Tears of Gold. It was challenging to do sitting down, but it got into her chest voice, first and second passage, and head voice. After that, she sang 1+1. Somehow, she was able to ace those riffs.

    Leo also heard someone sing Show Me How You Burlesque and Your Guardian Angel and My Limb and This is Gospel.

    He looked around the room, watching people sing, and suddenly realized he wished he knew how to do that.

    Mr. Apollo thankfully ended the warm-ups and told everyone to open their scripts.

    -

    The first act went by smoothly, and Drew was finally able to go home.

    She watched Oak and Lavinia dance on the sidewalk as she waited for Piper and Lacy to arrive.

    "Hey," said a familiar voice.

    Drew turned to see Calypso with her blond hair in a loose braid. Strands of hair continuously fell to her face.

    "Hi," Drew responded. "You were really good."

    "Thanks, so were you." Calypso paused. "I didn't know Shel could belt like that."

    Drew snorted. "No one knew. All the songs she sings are based on emotion rather than her vocals. I thought she was average at singing in her chest voice until I found her on YouTube."

    "Drew!" Lacy called. "Let's go."

    Drew smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow."

-

    Thalia was running late, but it wasn't a surprise to Jason.

    So, he sat on a bench. If his sister didn't arrive in 15 minutes, he'd just take a bus or something.

    Piper was dragged by Lacy across the front of the school. When Piper met his eyes, he quickly looked away.

    The confession was...odd. Jason never tried to hide the fact that he was gay at all, and given the fact that Piper seemed to be friends with Shel (who was supposed to have an excellent gaydar), he was surprised when he was asked out.

    He heard Piper talking to Shel later.

    "I didn't know, Piper!" Shel said. "Trust me if I did I wouldn't have encouraged you to ask him out."

    "But--"

    "Piper." Shel let out a sharp breath and a mother-like glare. "I am helping a lot of people at the moment. Talking to Jason was the last thing on my mind. I didn't know him at all, and I had no proof or feeling that he was gay. I get that you think you embarrassed yourself or some shit, but I don't know why you feel the need to blame your rejection on me." Jason could feel Shel's raised brow and crossed arms.

    He didn't know the girl, but he'd seen it enough with her kids to know the gesture.

    Piper was silent for a minute before sighing. "You're right."

    "I know."

    Jason mentally noted that Shel was petty and snarky when angry.

    "I'm sorry, really. I just...I guess I really liked him. And you're right; I took my embarrassment out on you. I guess I'm just worried that it'll ruin our friendship."

    "Just talk to him," Shel said. "Trust me, it's probably not that big of a deal."

    Shel was right about that; Jason liked talking to Piper about random shit during mythology.

    So, when Piper tapped his shoulder and asked, "Are we still friends?" Jason laughed.

    "Of course."

Hey y'all

Take some exposition to some ships

I'm trying to get some "Theyna" communication going soon, that's just very emotion based. My specialty is dialogue based chapters (that's why you see a lot of them and why none of the ships are cannon yet!)

I'll try to get it done soon though

I think I'll get Percabeth done faster than I originally thought.

They'll be friends first, obviously, but after that it just become a question of who is going to admit their feelings first

Drew and Calypso might also get done fast.

Valgrace is also going to need some development, but I'm excited to possibly learn to understand Jason's character

Nothing against him, I've just never written him well

I've been wanting to go a song prompt for a bit, so suggest a song and couple

If you guys don't I'll just do it myself

Thats all for now

Love y'all!