Rod could describe the bedroom ceiling as well as he could recite any of his favourite Broadway musicals of the forties. He'd spent so much time staring at it every night, every month, every year since he'd moved into the house on Avenue Q. After the lights had been turned off and the world had descended to silence he would lie awake staring at the ceiling. Anything not to look at the person sleeping across the room. Anything not to think about Nicky.

So near and yet so unreachable, this was almost driving him insane. How many years had it been? They'd been roommates all the way through college, then straightaway to flatmates on the Avenue. He'd had to pretend not to hear what Nicky got up to night after night with the countless girls he brought home, all the while wondering what it would be like if it were him.

In the darkness Nicky groaned as he turned over in his sleep. Breaking his code Rod glanced over at his friend. Even though it was dark he could imagine so well the quizzical dreaming expression on his face, and the way his tousled hair fell into his eyes.

"Nicky? Are you awake?"

"Is that a unicorn?" came the mumbled reply. Evidently not awake then. Rod sighed, it sure got lonely at night but he couldn't do anything about it. Everyone thought that he had a girlfriend in Canada, which he didn't, and wouldn't even want if he had. And if he fell asleep he would dream.
"I'll wear the purple shoes! Who painted the kitten?" Obviously Nicky's dreams weren't as graphic as his own. Rod couldn't even enjoy them, waking fitfully, afraid that he had called out his friend's name, or something else inappropriate. Rod sighed. Maybe he should just shake him?

"I love you Rod" Rod's head snapped up. Had Nicky really said what he'd thought he had?
"What did you say?"
"I love your little laugh" scrambling off the bed Rod knelt down by Nicky's side. Touching his cheek he found it to be clammy as though travelling through a nightmare.
"Nicky, are you awake?" looking straight at him through closed eyes, the reply was straight and levelled
"Take off your shirt"

This was a set up, right? Nicky was always trying to get Rod to say he was...a homowhatever. But even though he waited him out, Rod got no reaction. Slowly he crawled back to his own side of the room, curling into a ball at the corner where his bed met the wall. Oh Nicholas, have you been shy all this time? So many years of dreaming, of longing. Have we been hiding from each other?

A smile on his face, Rod closed his eyes, letting the images flood freely into his mind. It was all okay. This was obviously why Nicky was so persistent in trying to get Rod to come out to him: he was obviously scared about being rejected. Poor Nicky.

Suddenly he felt a hand shaking him shoulder
"Hey Rod, buddy, you're talking in your sleep" anxiety, disappointment and desperation seemed to wash over him all at once.
"Um, I thought you were talking in your sleep?" he tried to sound nonchalant
"No, I just came to bed" how could Nicky's voice be so...smiling?
"Oh"
"Goodnight"

Nicky had heard quite a bit of Rod's mutterings before he had woken him up. Alberta from Vancouver indeed! Rod was obviously was never going to be happy until he, Nicky, found him a boyfriend. And that, he resolved, he would begin doing the next day.

Laying there in the darkness, once again staring at the ceiling, Rod felt a solitary tear running down his cheek. He made no movement to wipe it away. Somehow he felt worse now knowing that Nicky had never said all those things, than he had before when he had known that Nicky would never have said them. He waited until his friend's breathing had become slow and regular with sleep, and a little longer before he could trust his voice.

"Goodnight Nicky"

AN: Okay, so I know that this one is more play-based, but this is (in my opinion) the most beautiful song of the whole play so... Oh, I've realised that most of the song options from now on are rather Nicky-centric, which is worrying me slightly as I would prefer them to be the other way round, but I'll try my best. Oh and thanks especially to Fran - I really can't do americanisms so thanks :) Comments and criticisms much appreciated x