#jatp fic

[kkqueergurl]

if yall weren’t sold on the jatp season 2:

I present my evidence

[juneberrie]

BABE FOR THE WEEKEND reggie peters

author's note giggle giggle i loooove reggie peters

word count 0.4k

warnings fem!reader, fake dating, this is set in the 90s giggle giggle

ᥫ᭡ little romantic gestures ; trying to cook their favorite dish + pulling them in the warmest hugs

"reggie is something burning?" you ask. dropping your bag on the couch, you made your way into the shared tiny kitchen in the apartment that you, reggie, alex, and luke shared. seeing that the only pair of shoes on the living room carpet were reggie's, you assumed luke and alex were at work.

"no!! everything's fine," he yells.

"see, when you say 'everything's fine' its not reassuring." reggie stands in the middle of the kitchen holding a smoking pot, a panicked expression on his face.

"heyyyy." he drags out the word. "how are youuuuu?" he quickly tosses the contents of the pot into the sink. immediately making your way over to the sink, you peer in.

reggie picks you up by the waist and lifts you up into the air and away from the sink.

"how the hell do you burn spaghetti?" you laugh. reggie puts you down and smiles awkwardly.

"i was trying to make your favorite," he offers, pointing to the canned sauce on the scratched counter.

"why?" you ask. reggie cannot cook for the life of him. alex literally put up a sign (a sticky note on the fridge) saying he wasn't allowed to do anything more than microwave leftovers.

"i... have a favor to ask you," he starts. you groan and roll your eyes.

"this can't be good."

"no, no i swear it's not as bad as you think. its like super simple, please," he says.

"can't you ask luke or alex?" you say, going to the dishwasher to grab a (probably) clean glass. you fill it u with water as reggie follows you around the small space like a puppy dog.

"no. it has to be you," he deadpans. you turn and lift the now-full glass to your lips, gesturing for him to get on with it. "ineedyoutopretendtobemygirlfriendfortheweekendprettyprettyplease," he blurts out, face turning scarlet.

"hold on. say that all again, slowly." you finish off your glass and put it into the sink, next to the blackened spaghetti strands.

"i need you to.. pretend. to, uh, be my girlfriend?" upon seeing your expression, reggie adds, "just for the weekend! please! bobby's been on my ass about not having one and i really just wanna wipe that smirk off his fake-vegetarian fa—"

you cut him off. "sure."

"sure?" his face splits into the widest grin. he grabs you by the shoulders and pulls you into the warmest hug you've ever received, even surpassing the one alex gave you when he had the flu and a fever higher than everest. "you're seriously the best, y/n."

"hey, hey! only for the weekend!" you laugh into his worn flannel as he lifts you off your feet and spins you around.

"i love you! you're amazing," he says, putting you down and running out of the room, the biggest smile on his adorable face.

you look down at the burnt spaghetti in the sink. "i love you too, reg," you murmur.

[siriusly-rem-writes]

Where Will We End Up? (Headcanons/Context)

In honor of the resurfacing of JATP S2 rumors, here's some context set in the WWWEU? Universe.

Warnings: mentions of absent fathers, relationships with parents, implied hostile home environment, use of Y/N, Alex is Catholic, implied homophobia, female reader (Let me know if I missed something!)

Luke Patterson

Born November 25, 1977 (13 at the start of the story)

The oldest of the group

Born and raised in Canada

Moved to LA when he was 12 for his 8th-grade year

Only child

Lives with both his parents

Has a good relationship with both but struggles to communicate with his mom more

His dad plays guitar and taught him how to play

Has ADHD

Has a slight accent 

And a stutter

Started cutting the sleeves of his shirts because too much fabric bothered him 

Was overstimulated on the first day of school 

He bumped into Alex in the cafeteria causing both of their trays to fall down

It was his last straw and he exploded

“Hey! Watch where you’re going!”

Y/N put him in his place after he yelled at Alex

He looked for them a few days later to apologize

“I uh, brought cookies?”  

He brings cookies every time he messes up

Doesn’t have physical boundaries with his friends 

It took getting smacked on the forehead by Bobby many, many times for him to understand not to hug him unprompted

Emily loves hosting 

The group used to sleep over at Luke’s a lot 

The more serious Luke got about music, the more arguments he had with his mom

It got so bad he eventually ran away from home

He actually wasn’t allowed in Alex’s room alone anymore after they got caught kissing

Every time he went over to Alex's the air was tense

He stopped showing up the way he used to, instead opting to sneak in

He picked up a job as a waiter at a local diner

The group loves to go in just to terrorize him

Firmly believes that you choose your family and he chose his

Isn’t bad at school, he just can’t focus on it for the life of him

Gets detention a lot because he gets caught not paying attention

The reason they have a zero-tolerance after 3 tardies rule 

He takes boxing lessons with Jose Camacho to release his pent-up energy 

Forgets he knows how to fight

Reggie Peters

Born May 06, 1978 (12 at the start of the story)

Third oldest of the group

Born and raised in LA

Lives by the beach 

Likes to sneak out and listen to the waves 

Can surf

Lives with both his parents 

But he doesn’t have a good relationship with either 

He doesn’t hate them nor have they directed anything at him, he just wishes they’d listen and spend more time with him

Only child

But he babysits Diego Miller, the little boy next door who he decided was his little brother

He’s not as dense as he makes himself out to be 

He just doesn’t like to think about things too much because it stirs his feelings 

Really good at Math and Science

He likes that it's logical thinking, not emotional

Doesn’t like English because it requires him to tap into emotions and he really doesn’t want to 

He doesn’t like History either because it leaves him bothered by the shitty and unfair past

Has selective mutism 

It kicked in badly during one of his parents' fights 

The longest he’s gone mute was 2 months

It kicks in every now and then but not for as long and not around everyone 

He learned ASL because of it 

Sometimes he uses it outside of an episode just because it’s easier 

Everyone else tries to pick it up, levels of proficiency vary

He found “Wright’s Domain” a comic book shop one day after he had walked out of his house

He spends most of his Summers there

He sits in the same bean bag

The more time he spent there, the more he found himself doing random things 

He’d reorganize comics, reposition figurines and when someone asked him where they could find a specific section he pointed them to it 

The couple that owns the store started to notice him

They left snacks by his bean bag chair with a note thanking him for fixing up

He wrote back a thank you with a doodle of himself holding two thumbs up and an arrow pointing out his name was Reggie 

The snacks waited for him every visit

His voice did come back, at the shop 

He spoke to the owners, Donna and Michael, quite often, they love hearing about his day 

He eventually got a job there

Ended up bringing everyone one day

He was a little nervous because the shop was his safe space but so was the group

The owners loved the group too

Donna and Michael live in THE house

Alex Mercer

Born August 23, 1978 (12 at the start of the story)

Second to last youngest

Lives with both his parents 

The eldest

He has a younger sister named Sophia 

Had a good relationship with both his parents up until he came out

Always watches out for his sister

He plays tea party and dresses up with her

His dad made a comment about it and Alex stopped doing it so frequently

Grew up Catholic 

He never really thought much of it until he noticed he looked at boys a lot for being a boy himself

He’s not the biggest fan of it anymore

Was already an anxious kid but as he got older; his religious background, his dad's expectations, and being more aware of the world's problems made his anxiety skyrocket

He fidgets by tapping his fingers on a surface or hitting his thighs with his hands 

His parents got him a drum set to help ease it

He met Y/N when they were 7 

He defended her against a bully

He got detention

She walked home with him that day and they realized they lived 3 streets down from each other

Really wants to make his dad proud 

His dad has a lot of traditional views of men which contradict with Alex 95% of the time

His first crush was on Ryan, a boy he went to church with, but he didn’t know it yet 

His stomach dropped when he saw Ryan and another girl share a quick kiss at the park

Developed a crush on Luke  

His first kiss and boyfriend was Luke 

His dad opened the door to Alex’s room and caught them kissing 

His dad stood there, closed the door and walked away

His dad didn’t speak to him at all through dinner

The next day, his dad told him he’d take him to church to repent

Alex said no and came out when he was 15

They got into an argument

His dad didn’t kick him out (to save his image) but told him that until he repented, he wasn’t his son

He was the first to meet Reggie 

They’re in the same Math class and the teacher asked Reggie to tutor him 

They met up after school twice a week

Alex wasn’t looking for a friend but Reggie being the social butterfly he is, didn’t care

The more times they saw each other, the more Alex got used to him and his antics 

He actually understood Math the way Reggie would teach him

One day Luke didn’t want to go home because he had fought with his mom and Y/N was busy, Alex found Reggie to tell him he had to stick to Luke 

Reggie told him Luke was welcome to join their session

Luke sat across from them and wrote in his journal but was still fidgety 

Reggie cut the tutoring session short and invited them out for ice cream

Alex questioned his life choices as Luke and Reggie’s loud personalities mixed

He initiated his and Luke’s first kiss 

And then immediately panicked before Luke laughed and pulled him back in

He was the one who broke up with Luke

There was an awkward air for like 2 minutes before they talked about everything and went back to being best friends

Bobby Shaw

Born March 16, 1978 (13 at the start of the story)

The second oldest of the group

Never knew his dad

Lives with his mom and grandma

Has a good relationship with both

Only child (not really but we'll get into that later)

Keeps to himself mostly

Skates

He paints, though he doesn’t like people looking at his art 

Took an art class during his freshman year 

He never did anything in class

He’d do it at home and sneak in the assignment the next day, nameless

His art teacher caught him one time and told him he’d leave the art room open for him to do his assignments so as long as he starts signing his name

He spends a lot of time in the art room

Close to the art teacher, Mr. Cervantez 

He was the first positive male influence in his life

Befriends Y/N first, she takes an art class with him

He’s actually not sure how to handle social interactions 

He’s pretty awkward 

He helped Luke on their first week of high school

Luke was being picked on and they had taken the beanie off his head 

He stopped Luke from launching himself at the other guys 

“Come on guys, give it back.” 

One of the guys looked at him questioningly 

Bobby stood his ground

The guys tossed the beanie back at Luke and Bobby walked off as soon as they left

Luke approached him weeks later and he internally panicked the whole time

Has problems with authority 

That guy that will touch something after you said not to 

His grandma hates that he does that but he can’t help it

He’s respectful to both his mom and grandma, no one else really

Lacks a filter, has accidentally hurt people’s feelings because of it

Not a big physical touch guy 

He has to be very comfortable with you to initiate touch

All talk 

Like he can’t fight

He’s gotten by on physical appearance alone 

The guys hide behind him all the time and when Y/N needs him, his tall looming presence behind her has people running for the hills

He’s punched one person and one person only

It was Alex’s dad

Y/N Y/L/N

Born September 01, 1978

The youngest of the group

Only child

Lives with her mom

Dad walked out when she was 7

Her mom started drinking, causing the mother-daughter bond to break

Spends the night at Alex’s a lot

The first time, her bed was set up in Sophia’s room 

After everyone had gone to sleep she snuck into Alex’s room 

The next day, his parents found her sleeping at the edge of his bed with his blanket draped over the edge also to cover Alex who slept on the floor

After it happened 3 more times, they stopped trying to separate the two 

She has clothes in the bottom drawer of Alex’s dresser

Alex’s number 1 protector

They made friendship bracelets, purple yarn for her and blue for Alex 

Luke and her = sibling energy 

Likes to wear other people's clothes

Makes her feel like they’re with her and she’s not alone

Literally carrying their love with her

It started with one of the shirts her dad left behind 

She likes Alex’s hoodies, Luke’s beanies and in the Summer she’ll snag one of his sleeveless tees, Reggie’s flannels and in the Winter his leather jacket, Bobby’s t-shirts and vests

The guys knock on her door when they can’t find the item they want to wear because they know she has it

She and Alex remade their friendship bracelets to include Luke (Orange)

She made them remake them later once Bobby (Green) and Reggie (Red) became part of their little group

All 5 of them wear it no matter what

She likes to draw

Was the first to befriend Bobby in art class

She admired him from afar (because look at him) and wondered what he did, given that he always slept in the class

One time while waiting for Alex and Luke to get out of detention, she walked around school and caught Bobby in the art room

His back was to her and he wore headphones as he painted

She loved his piece and wondered why he never did anything in class

Wrote him sticky notes encouraging him to show his work

Eventually, he wrote back saying he’d reveal his work if she revealed who she was

It was a deal and they started talking more afterwards

Luke was upset when he learned she was friends with Bobby 

Mostly because he thought Bobby was a dick (a dick he tried to be friends with first but failed) 

TEASER

[kybee1497]

I’d Tell You I Love You, but Then I’d Have to Kill You by kybee1497

Julie Molina, 3rd generation legacy and senior at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women.

Luke Patterson, prodigy of the Blackthorne Institue for Boys.

The two first met last year during their spring final exam. He flirted. She used him. They both lied. But Luke cheated and Julie hasn’t forgiven it, she definitely hasn’t forgotten, and she can’t quite shake the blow to her confidence the encounter left.

But what was supposed to be a one off, turns out to be a lot more when Blackthorne joins Gallagher Academy for the year and suddenly Luke is everywhere. He’s cocky, charming, and drives her crazy but the look in his eyes when she aces a test or hands him is ass in gym sends butterflies fluttering through her stomach.

Which is stupid because Julie has more important things to worry about. Like passing her classes and getting through her final year. Like why her mothers been acting so weird, stress lining her eyes. Like why exactly the Blackthorne boys are here this year and what exactly happened to Headmaster Covington. Like what she’s going to do after graduation… if they even get there, because the mystery of Blackthorne is far more dangerous than they could have ever guessed.

💜💜💜💜

It’s finally here!!! Tagging anyone I’ve yelled about this au with over the last 2 ish years (also my memory is terrible so I’m so sorry if I leave someone out) @sunsetcurbed @angelofarts @fandomscraziness22 @thatbitchmabel @willexmagic @itsthebooks @williexmercer

[bbreaddog]

willex + rainbow drabble please? :D

Willie looks at him when he takes a shuddering breath, and squeezes his hand twice. You okay?

Alex swallows, blinks away the tears blurring all the colours together, and squeezes back just once. Okay.

Willie smiles softly, and turns back to watch the crowd parading a few floors below them, marching down the streets with an endless rainbow flag held high and proud above their heads.

“I never thought I’d ever see something like this in real life, y’know?” Alex says.

“We could see it up close, if you like?”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, man.”

Alex smiles, and squeezes Willie’s hand. Okay.

Send me a drabble prompt

[missjoolee]

Julie’s driving when the music cuts out and her dad’s face pops up on the dash accompanied by the ringtone she set for him.

“Crap.” She tilts her head towards the backseat. “Guys! Shut up. It’s my dad!”

Loud hushing drifts forward from where her ghosts are hanging out, and she glances nervously over at Flynn in the passenger seat. Pressing the button to accept the call, she opts for a casual tone. “Hey Dad!”

“Julie.” There is a weighty pause. He doesn’t sound happy, but he’s not yet mad either.

“Yes, Papi?”

“It’s 10pm,” he prompts.

Julie doesn’t have a chance to answer before Reggie loudly says in a faux posh voice “Do you know where your children are?”

All three boys devolve into snickers.

“I-- what?”

Irritation tinges his tone now as her dad repeats himself.

“I said, it’s 10pm.”

This time it’s Luke’s voice going into a dry monotone “ Do you know where your children are?”

Their laughter gets louder as both Luke and Reggie go back and forth changing up the voices they use “It’s 10pm. Do you know where your children are?” and Alex was beginning to wheeze, he was laughing so hard.

“This is so weird,” she quietly says to Flynn before trying to focus back on her dad who is definitely going to get more mad the longer she doesn’t answer him.

“Uhh. Yeah... Sorry! We got a bit lost when the gps kept taking us to a closed road. But we got it all fixed! And we are on our way right now.”

She can hear him let out a big breath. “Geez, mija. Call me next time if you know you are going to be late. Don’t make an old man worry.”

“IT”S 10PM. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR CHILDREN ARE?”

Julie winces at the volume from the backseat. “I’m sorry. And you aren’t that old.”

His chuckle is drowned out by the peanut gallery behind her. “I feel like it some days. You’re on your way?”

“20 minutes.”

“Okay. Drive safe. I love you.”

“Love you too, Dad.”

The phone hangs up and the music starts back up. Flynn watches Julie flinch again.

"What is happening??"

Julie hears a hand smacking an arm over and over as Alex's voice, nearly shrieking from his laughter, requests "Do- haha- do Cyndi Lauper now!"

Julie responds to Flynn, "I have no idea. I feel like I'm having a stroke."

A shrill nasaly falsetto rings out, "DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR CHILDREN ARE?"

[myficreccs]

Julie and the Phantoms fic rec masterlist

Updated 9 October 2023

Reggie Peters

Series

dream boy by @hotdogwillex

One Week by @loveelle

will they won’t they by @flannels-and-fannypacks

One shots

Honeysuckle by @hotdogwillex

When I Kissed the Teacher by @shmaptainwrites

[writerownstory]

14 ("Across the room smiles") or 16 ("The “I’m in love with you and can’t stop grinning like an idiot” smile ") for the cute smiles juke prompts, please. :) (Can't decide. Both are too good.)

this was requested way too long ago but I’ve been in a severe writing slump so it took me too long 🥲 anyway, these prompts are from this post by @me-writes-prompts !! I thought I wanted to take requests but I quickly found out I do not have the bandwidth 😅 so here is a cute lil juke fic in the meantime! it is a mess but it is Juke so oh well. I also couldn’t choose one prompt so I did both and that’s why this is so long 😌

~

Julie would never get tired of this.

The sound of different voices overlapping and lots of laughter filled the room. She watched as her dad showed Willie the various features in his newest camera, Willie listening with rapt attention.

In the kitchen, Tía was bustling around and giving Reggie instructions as he tried to keep up with the many years of cooking some of the best meals Julie has ever tasted under her belt.

Flynn and Carlos were setting the table together, chatting about who knows what.

It’s become a tradition to spend their birthdays all together. One they’ve carried since they were kids—lost teenagers just trying to make it big in the music industry. Back when Julie met Luke, Reggie and Alex and they immediately became part of the Molina family which already consisted of her Dad, Carlos, Victoria and Flynn. Flynn introduced Alex to Willie and their family was pretty close to complete.

The warm rush of love that flooded her system was something she never got tired of.

And now as she watched their family get ready for her birthday dinner, Julie couldn’t be happier with the way her life was turning out.

She watched as Luke walked into the dining room, tapped Carlos on his left shoulder as he passed him, and swiped his finger through the frosting on the cake tía made.

Just as Luke successfully licked the frosting off his finger, Carlos caught on to Luke’s antics and it turned into both boys trying to put the other in a headlock.

Flynn rolled her eyes and continued setting the table but Julie could see a small, fond smile grace her face.

Luke ended up overpowering the younger boy, much to Carlos’s dismay but they both laughed as Luke let him get back to his task. It was when he took a step back and Julie could tell he was also surveying the room and the people he loved all in one space, that his eyes finally caught hers.

His smile is bright and soft at the same time, lighting up his features and simultaneously making her insides turn to mush.

“Mija, deja de mirar a tu novio,” Victoria called from the kitchen. “Your father and I need you in the kitchen, por favor.”

Julie felt her cheeks burn. She glanced back at Luke, his smile turning amused and he shot her a wink as she made her way into the kitchen.

But the light and airy feeling she got from Luke quickly dissipated when she saw her dad and aunt bent together talking seriously. It’s eerily reminiscent of a time she was still all too familiar with, the day her parents sat her down to tell her Rose was sick.

“Papí? What’s going on?”

“Julie! Nothing, mija,” Ray startled, waving a hand in the air. “We just wanted to talk with you.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Of course, sobrina,” Victoria assured her. “We’re just so proud of you and the woman you’ve become.”

“You’ve grown up so beautifully, and I know your mom would be so proud of you too,” Ray agreed. “Especially in the way you’ve formed a band with the boys and created a wonderful life for yourself.”

Julie nodded, their words comforting but also making her heart ache at the reminder of the many milestones her mother didn’t get to see. Where were they going with this?

“And we couldn’t be happier for you, that you’ve found such a wonderful partner in Luke,” Victoria said.

She smiled at the mention of Luke. “I’m glad you feel that way.” Julie glanced back and forth between them, still not quite sure what was going on. “Where are you two going with this?” It wasn’t entirely out of character for them to be saying any of this, but it seemed almost out of nowhere.

“Mija it’s your birthday, can’t your old dad get a little emotional?” Ray teased.

“My birthday was a few days ago,” she corrected with a teasing smile before she pulled them both into a hug. “I love you guys…. even when you act weird.”

They both chuckled before Julie pulled back and a hand sliding into place on the small of her back made her jump.

She turned to see Luke waiting for her, eyes sparkling with something she couldn’t decipher. “Hey Jules. Follow me?” He slipped his hand into hers without waiting for an answer (it was always yes and he knew that) and led her through the door to the backyard.

“Luke, what’s going on?”

“Have I told you how insanely talented I think you are?”

“Only when you’re deflecting,” she shot back, and the shit eating grin he sent her should’ve annoyed her, but it only made butterflies swoop in her belly.

“You mean you don’t want to write in the studio the way we used to?”

Julie raised a curious brow at him even as they continued to walk through the yard toward the gate that led to the garage turned studio. “Oh yeah? And what song are you working on?”

“A really special one,” he told her over his shoulder as they walked through the gate and made their way down the stairs. “I want your opinion on it.”

Julie remembered the countless times they made this exact walk as teenagers, when Luke would rush into her room or even up to her locker at school going on excitedly about a song or an idea he had.

Or the many times she snuck out here in high school because she knew Luke was taking refuge in the studio, away from his parents and the constant arguing that plagued their home.

Or any time he met her out there, all the band practices they had, writing sessions like he’d just mentioned, or when she missed her mom so much, Luke would bring her out here to cuddle up and talk or nap together. She always felt closest to her mom in the studio and to share so many wonderful memories of Luke and the boys there meant so much to her.

It truly was a magical, happy place for Julie and for their relationship.

Despite this, when they finally reached the doors and Luke pulled them open, Julie’s jaw still dropped in shock.

Twinkling lights were strung from the ceiling, just barely touching the chairs hanging from the ceiling. White sheets were draped around the studio to cover the walls, with numerous candles and flower petals scattered across every surface creating a warm glow from inside.

It was the most beautiful the studio had ever looked in her memory. She walked further inside, still in awe that Luke did it. It must’ve taken him so long to set it all up and find the time in between their recording schedule to sneak out here and put it together.

Julie turned toward the man in question only to find him down on one knee. “Luke,” she breathed, her hand covering her mouth. She shouldn’t be surprised. They’d both discussed marriage and their future and both agreed they wanted that together. She just didn’t think it was happening now.

He gently took her free hand and squeezed. “Julie, I have loved you since the minute I saw you sitting in the back of Harrison’s class sophomore year. And then you immediately called me out because I didn’t recognize a Paramore song another kid was performing.”

She giggled at the memory, remembering her outrage that Luke couldn’t identify Misery Business. “How can you be in a pop rock band if you don’t know Paramore??”

“I know now!” His eyes sparkled with amusement that matched her own. “Little did I know then that as soon as we became friends, it was over for me. You have made me a better person, a better writer and a better musician and I hope to continue to do the same for you. I can’t imagine living out my dreams with anyone else.” Luke reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box, carefully opening it to reveal a familiar, simple princess cut diamond ring.

It was her mother’s ring, glittering in the light of the studio and as beautiful as Julie remembered.

Her eyes flickered from the ring to Luke’s face. “How did you… where did you get this?” Even as the words left her mouth, she already knew the answer.

“Your dad said you’ve been eyeing this ring since you were old enough to talk,” Luke said as he plucked it from the box and held it up to her. “He knew your mom would want you to have it now.”

Julie felt tears prick the corner of her eyes, her grief attempting to make itself known once again. If only her mom was here, waiting inside the house with the rest of her family to celebrate with them. To plan the wedding, calm her nerves the day off, walk her down the aisle with her dad. But Julie knew her mom would be there with her, just like she always was. “If there’s a will, there’s a way,” Rose would always tell her.

Her dad and tía’s behavior suddenly made sense too. Why hadn’t she realized sooner??? She could be upset with Flynn for not clueing her in sooner…

But how could she feel anything but bone crushing, all consuming love for the man in front of her?

“I know you miss your mom, Jules,” he said, as if to prove the point she hadn’t even voiced out loud. “I know you wish she were here, and I do too. But the best I can do is to bring you here where I know you feel closest to her.”

Luke was her musical partner, her co-writer, her rock, her best friend, her comfort, and her home. She wanted all of him: the good and bad and whatever life threw at them. Julie wanted Luke by her side forever, and she was sure Rose would approve.

“Julie, baby,” Luke addressed her finally. “Will you marry me?”

She nodded as a few tears escaped down her cheek. “Yes! Yes, of course, I will.”

Luke’s grew so big she was sure it had to hurt his face. He slid the ring onto her finger before standing up to cup her face. “These are happy tears, yeah?” His thumb swiped them away.

Julie laughed, albeit shaky and nodded again. “Yes, Luke.”

“Good because otherwise me kissing you in a minute is gonna be a little awkward,” he joked before leaning in to capture her lips with his own.

She pulled back after a beat, pressing her forehead to his. “I love you too, you know.”

Luke’s eyes opened, glancing at her expression before a familiar smile takes over his face once more.

“What?” she asked, a mirroring smile blooming across her face.

“I’m just so in love with you. I can’t believe how lucky I am that I’m the Julie Molina’s fiancé.”

Her responding eye roll is lost in the mess of kisses Luke presses over her face.

—————

s/o to the time Madi came for Charlie’s throat in a live when she was talking about Paramore and he had no idea 😂

“Mija, deja de mirar a tu novio” = Stop looking at your boyfriend

[xxprettylittletimebombxx]

“ but you're here. so stay. “ + “ you know me better than anyone. you always have. “

I could have given you about a hundred more of these because they're so good and the ✨ vibes ✨ but let's go with these two. 🥰

A million years later I am here to (hopefully) deliver the ✨ vibes ✨ 😂

I love these two prompts paired together because there are so many directions one could take them. In the end, I settled for playing around with the idea of Julie and her "boundaries," and came up with a fluffy little missing scene that I envision taking place after The Orpheum. Hope you like it, friend! 💕

A Breach of Boundaries

Pairing: Luke/Julie | Word Count: 1,273 | Rating: G

SUMMARY: “I don’t remember saying I wanted you to leave,” Julie says after a moment.

“I thought it was implied,” Luke replies. “Julie rule number one: ‘boundaries.’ Julie rule number two: ‘stay out of my room.’”

“And here I was thinking you were all about smashing the rules,” she teases.

“I was— I am. But those rules are important to you…and you’re important to me.”

Fic under the cut OR read it on AO3!

Julie knows she should be sleeping. Her bones are practically aching for some much needed rest after one of the longest days she’s ever experienced, and she knows she’ll hate herself a little in the morning if she doesn’t go to bed soon. 

The adrenaline of knowing she’d somehow managed to save Luke, Alex, and Reggie had been enough to carry her through the long talk she’d promised to have with Carlos after they’d gotten back from The Orpheum. But that sudden burst of energy had run out about halfway through her little brother’s list of burning questions about the guys and their ghost status. She’d cut Carlos’ interrogation short after that, and while he’d seemed disappointed, his mood had instantly lifted when Julie had not only promised to answer more questions later, but had also promised she’d come and watch him play at his baseball tournament tomorrow.

Carlos had been all too willing to let her retreat to her own bedroom after that. But neither her current exhaustion nor the promise of an early day ahead seem to be enough to lull her to sleep. Not when what Julie really wants to do is to sneak past her dad in the living room and head back down to the studio so she can spend some more time with her newly solid bandmates. Even as she thinks it, she recognizes the thought for the lie it is. Because the truth of the matter is, there’s really only one person she’d been hoping to spend more time with tonight, and he might just be the reason she risks sneaking back out against her better judgement.

It’s Luke who ends up taking the decision to stay or go right out of her hands when he materializes in her bedroom. Julie doesn’t startle like she normally does whenever he poofs in unannounced— too wonderstruck this time over the way Luke had simply appeared in front of her like she’d willed him there herself.

“Boundaries, I know,” Luke says, getting ahead of her. “I just…”

He sighs, trailing off as though searching for the right words. It doesn’t really matter though because Julie doesn’t need him to elaborate. She already knows. Knows because she knows Luke better than anyone. And also because she needs it too. Had needed him near even before he’d poofed up into her bedroom. Because the feeble few moments they’d spent with their hands exploring the features their eyes had long since memorized just hadn’t felt like enough. 

There was also a small voice in the back of her head that she’d been trying to ignore ever since she’d left the safe and happy bubble of the studio. A voice that had quietly wondered if she’d still be able to feel him in the morning. Or if the magic of whatever had happened after The Orpheum would have worn off by then. It’s a bleak thought to say the least, and being forced to go back to the way things were at this point seems like it would be the cruelest twist of fate. Especially now that Julie knows what it’s like to really feel him. Now that she knows what it’s like for Luke to really feel her. 

The idea of never being able to touch him again is almost too much to bear, so she forces herself to push it aside in an effort to make the most of what she knows to be true in that moment. And what she knows to be true then and there is that they can touch each other now.

“You’re right,” she murmurs. “This…definitely counts as a breach of boundaries…”

Luke’s quick to nod in agreement, the corners of his mouth turned down into a solemn expression of understanding. There’s more Julie wants to say but she doesn’t get the chance. 

“Do you want me to leave?” 

He whispers it when he says it, and despite the fact that Luke doesn’t move from his spot on the floor, Julie knows he would disappear without protest if she asked him to. Fearing he might even poof out before she gives him an answer altogether, she takes a step toward him, and then another until she’s close enough to reach out and touch him. 

She lets out a breath she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding when the pads of her fingers make contact with the back of his hand, the corners of her mouth quirking up into an involuntary smile when Luke instantly flips his hand over so he can slide his palm agains hers. 

Julie’s expecting it this time. For Luke to be solid. But she still marvels over the sight of her skin pressed against his. But that’s nothing in comparison to the way Luke effortlessly slips his fingers between hers, stitching them together like the spaces between her own were made just for him. It’s a perfect fit. Just like she always knew it would be. Just like they’re a perfect fit for each other in every single way that matters. But Julie hardly gets a moment to revel in the reality of that before Luke slowly brings their joint hands up just so he can brush a kiss across her knuckles. 

The barely there feel of his lips is so achingly sweet, Julie’s knees nearly buckle and give out from under her. 

“I mean it Julie,” he says, his breath fanning over the same stretch of skin his lips had just touched. “If you want me to go, I will.”

Distantly, she wonders if Luke can hear her heart beating wildly away beneath her ribs. The thought of the traitorous organ betraying the truth of what she feels for him might have caused her embarrassment once. But now? After knowing what it’s like to nearly lose him forever? It’s hard to remember why she ever felt the need to keep that secret at all.

“I don’t remember saying I wanted you to leave,” she says after a moment.

“I thought it was implied,” Luke replies. “Julie rule number one: ‘boundaries.’ Julie rule number two: ‘stay out of my room.’”

“And here I was thinking you were all about smashing the rules,” she teases.

“I was— I am. But those rules are important to you,” he continues. “And you’re important to me.”

It’s not anything she didn’t already know deep down, but hearing Luke say it steals the air straight out of her lungs all the same. It takes Julie a minute to find her voice again after that, but she makes good use of filling up the silence. Carefully, she reaches her free hand up to cup his cheek, reveling in the way Luke’s eyes flutter shut as he leans into her touch.

“They are,” she agrees. “But so are you. And you’re you’re here. So stay.”

Julie doesn’t say forever like she wants to, but it’s implied in the way her voice cracks on the final word. And in an effort to ensure there’s no more room for inaccurate implications, she rises up onto her toes and presses her lips to his. 

She draws back nearly as quick as she’d swooped in so she can gauge Luke’s reaction, but he doesn’t let her get far. Instead, he simply loops the hand in his grasp over one shoulder before wrapping both arms around her in an effort to draw her closer. His eyes hold her own steady gaze as he grins adoringly down at her.

“Okay,” he breathes out.

And then, there’s nothing left for Luke to do but lower his lips back down to hers and return the favor.

[kkqueergurl]

HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY OMG AHAKSJDJDD

JATP SEASON 2?!?!?!??!

CHARLIE CUT HIS HAIRRRRR

KENNY IS DONE WITH NETFLIX

JEREMY SINGING ON HIS TIKTOK

KENNY ALSO TAGGED JATP ACC IN HIS INSTA BIO OMG OMG OMGKMNANANSNDNS AHHHHHH

[mouse-fantoms]

I need a fic where Luke finds out about Julie's "daydream" during Perfect Harmony 😫😫 like he finds out that she was thinking about him and all I need them together so bad😭😭 f*ck netflix for cancelling it I'm still mad 😾

One fic that came to mind right away, (apologizes for the self promo💀) was my fic I wrote ages ago called Improvise it involves that concept here’s the summary,

Thinking she has a moment to herself, Julie plays a piano piece that's been in her head for ages. Luke would like to hear more but Julie is apprehensive since the piece she played is about him and her. However when the two are alone in her room, Julie knows that Luke is a very persistent boy and decides to show him the song called Perfect Harmony. He now knows the song’s existence. One could call it a confession even. The two cannot keep each other's eyes off of the other's lips. It becomes abundantly clear that something happened between them in her room when, during a rehearsal, Alex and Reggie notice the tension between their friends. Luke asks Reggie for help learning a song on the piano.

It was just the first that came to mind hopefully this was helpful!

[illbeyourreasonwhy]

when the time comes, baby don't run

It's over! It only took three years and months of absence, but I finally completed my post-S1 Willex fic!

Thanks to everyone who stuck around for this, and hey, if you're just now discovering it, feel free to check out this fic for Willex fluff (and a tiiiny bit of angst), friendship feels, and a Caleb takedown!

(Part 1 Part 2 Part 3)

*

Alex is starting to seriously resent this plan.

Not because he is in any danger. No, it’s actually the opposite.

He is starting to resent this plan because he was tasked with staying behind at the studio, and not knowing what is going on is killing him.

“Alex, stop pacing,” Julie says, doing a terrible job at soothing his worries since she is also wringing her hands with a vengeance.

“He pacing again?” Flynn asks. She’s the only one of them who seems a minimum composed, but Alex caught her biting her nails when she thought neither of them was looking. “Alex, you need to chill. It’s not like we can do anything right now.”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m freaking out,” Alex mutters, even though she can’t hear him. “We have no idea what’s going on, Caleb could have already caught them for all we know…”

“Alex,” Julie says tightly. She is still attempting to sound reassuring and failing miserably. “Not helping.”

He looks at her, taking in the tension and worry in her expression, and realises it looks familiar. This isn’t the first time she had to stay behind while her friends went off on a side mission, after all. He suddenly feels a lot more understanding of her frantic barrage of questions after they returned from getting their names on the Orpheum setlist, all those weeks ago.

It’s for her sake that he forces himself to sit, resting his arm next to hers on the table. He isn’t tangible right now, but he hopes the closeness will help comfort her – and him.

She offers him a strained smile, like she can tell what he’s thinking, and he thinks maybe it works.

“It’s going to be okay,” Flynn says, quieter than usual.

“Then what’s taking so long?” Julie asks to no one in particular.

It had been decided that one of the ghosts would stay behind as a precautionary measure.  Willie, currently speaking with Caleb – a thought that does nothing to soothe Alex’s already anxious mind – has been given Julie’s phone, so that he can send a text to Flynn the moment Caleb is done talking to him. Which is why Flynn and Julie are currently sitting in the studio, fully charged phone laying flat on the coffee table in front of them, ready to send Alex to retrieve Luke and Reggie from the club should they not be back by the time the text comes through.

It's a precautionary measure, he reminds himself. Luke and Reggie know they are on a tight schedule and have promised to be as quick as possible, while Willie is doing his best to keep Caleb occupied as long as he can. If all goes well, Caleb will never even know they were there.

But, still. Knowing that doesn’t make the wait any less anxiety inducing.

“It’s going to be okay,” Flynn repeats, like she can read his thoughts. She is probably just looking at Julie’s face.

As if summoned, Luke and Reggie appear in front of them with a brief white flash. Alex sags in relief, not getting the time to gauge their expressions before Julie jumps to her feet to engulf them in a hug with a squeal. Or, well, she tries; neither Luke or Reggie are tangible, either, and Julie slips through them, stumbling a little as Luke uselessly throws out a hand to steady her. She looks too relieved to see them to be bothered, eyes darting furiously between the two of them.

“How did it go?”

Reggie shrugs. “We didn’t really see anything we could use, but we did find this.”

He reaches inside his coat and pulls out something that he precariously sets on the coffee table.

The five of them crowd around it.

“What is that?” Flynn asks slowly, her eyes not leaving the strange object the boys brought back.

“No idea,” Luke answers, his voice hushed.

The object on the table – no, not on the table, Alex realizes, hovering over it – looks like a tiny purple ball, a glowing hue emanating from it and dusting the air with a faint light. Alex has never seen anything quite like it before, but he knows, just looking at it, that it is bursting with magic.

“It seemed important,” Reggie says, and Alex believes it.

Julie’s eyes flicker between the two of them, teeth gnawing at her lower lip.

“None of you actually knows what it is?” she reassesses. When she only gets shakes of heads as an answer, she nods and says, “Okay, then no one touch it.” She narrows her eyes at Reggie especially. “I’m serious. We don’t know what this is or what we’re dealing with, so we’re staying put and waiting for Willie to come back and explain.”

No one argues. They don’t have to wait long; twenty minutes later Willie sends a warning text that he is done with Caleb, and he walks through the doors of the studio another ten minutes later. The sight of him helps Alex breathe a little easier; he lifts himself off the couch and crosses the space between them to pull Willie into a tight hug. Willie’s arms loop around him easily, looking as relieved to see Alex as Alex is to see him.

“Hey, hot dog,” he whispers.

“You okay?” Alex asks as they move apart. He knows Willie is, or he wouldn’t be here, but he thinks he needs to hear him say it.

“I’m okay,” Willie answers. “I think Caleb bought it. It’s always hard to tell with him, but I’m pretty sure he believed me. You’re all okay too?”

“A-okay,” Reggie answers. “We were in and out, no one even saw us.”

Alex desperately hopes that’s true. He leads Willie back to the group; Willie follows easily, only to stop dead when he catches sight of the purple ball.

“Is that what I think it is?” he asks slowly.

“Ah. Well, see, we don’t actually know what it is, so…”

Willie stares at the ball, looking shaken.

“That’s the source of Caleb’s power,” he says. “When ghosts harness other ghosts’ powers like Caleb does, and they start having more power than one ghost should, they have to physically store the excess somewhere so that it doesn’t overwhelm them, and keep it close so that they can still access it. I think Caleb used this ball in his very first trick back when he was alive, so it has sentimental value to him or something. You guys found it?”

“It wasn’t that well hidden!” Reggie says, sounding like he feels he should defend himself. “It was just sitting there in a box inside of another box under a curtain in Caleb’s dressing room! We didn’t know what it was, we just assumed it was important!”

“Well clearly you were right!” Alex exclaims. He realizes he sounds panicky, but sue him, he is panicking. “What if Caleb can trace it back to here? Can he tell where it is?”

A soft touch to his shoulder; it’s Willie, and Alex feels his nerves simmer down. They’re not gone, though.

“I don’t think he can trace it,” Willie says. “If he did, he would be here already.”

That’s not exactly a reassuring thought. Alex doesn’t have time to say that, though, because then Julie steps forward.

“Time-out,” she says. “What’s going on?”

Right. She can’t see Willie or hear his explanations. Flynn is probably even more lost.

When they are done recapping, Flynn’s eyebrows are furrowed and Julie has a determined look in her eyes.

“So this thing is pretty important to Caleb, then?”

“It’s the most important thing in the world to him,” Willie confirms. Reggie repeats it. “Without it under his control, he could lose all his power, all his influence.”

An idea starts to prickle the back of Alex’s mind, but before it can fully form, Julie speaks up.

“Call Caleb here. Tell him we’re willing to trade this thing back to him for the release of Nick and Willie, and the promise that he will leave us alone from now on.”

They all turn to stare at her, stunned.

“Jules, you were the one who was afraid of blackmailing him in the first place,” Flynn reminds her.

“I know,” Julie says, and she does look a little shaken, but the determined look in her eyes doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere. “But things are different now. This –” she gestures to the purple ball, still hovering innocently over the coffee table, “- is one more thing that will draw Caleb’s attention to us. We need to act before he figures out that we have it.” She crosses her arms. “Right now, Caleb doesn’t know it’s missing yet. We need to use that to our advantage. If we confront him with it, catch him off-guard, it might be the first time we have the upper hand since this mess started.”

She looks at them all, as if waiting for an answer, but none of them have one at first. In truth, Alex suspects they all might be a little impressed.

“She’s got a point,” Luke says eventually. Unsurprisingly, too. He’ll always back Julie up.

Willie glances around the group and, upon seeing no argument, steels himself and nods. “Okay,” he says. “I’ll go get him.”

He prepares to leave, and it’s then, when Alex sees the back of his silhouette framed in the doorway, that the fear suddenly jumps to his throat.

“Wait!”

They all look at him, looking surprised at his outburst, but Alex barely sees them. What he does see is Willie about to walk away from him again, away from him and right back into the palm of Caleb’s hand, and Alex can’t handle it. It has always been hard, letting Willie go back to Caleb and wondering if this is the time he won’t come back, but with the added knowledge of what has been going on it has gone from hard to unbearable. How is Alex supposed to watch Willie throw himself back into the deathtrap that is setting up a meeting between Caleb and them and therefore revealing he has been in contact with them and working with them, less than an hour after feeding him what Caleb will inevitably realize are lies? How can they ask Willie to walk into what could very well be the moment Caleb decides he has grown tired of letting Willie get in his way and wipes him out of existence?

Alex is suddenly truly, utterly terrified of letting Willie out of his sight and at Caleb’s mercy, and maybe that’s why the seeds of an idea that were forming a few moments ago jump to the front of his mind, crystal-clear and complete now.

“What if there was another way?”

“Another way?” Reggie repeats.

“You said that without this, Caleb would lose all his power, all his influence,” Alex says haltingly, rushing to get his thoughts out.

Willie nods, looking confused as to where Alex is going with this. Alex goes on, his voice going breathless in his haste to get the words out.

“What if we don’t give it back? What if we keep it for ourselves?”

Reggie is the first to answer, voice hesitant and unsure. “But wouldn’t that just put a target on our backs? If it’s that important, Caleb won’t stop at anything to get it back.”

“But if we use it,” Alex insists, “if we figure out how to control it, we can take him down, for good.”

“I’m with Alex,” Luke says, and Alex feels a thrum of relief go through him amidst the frantic rush of his thoughts. If someone is backing him up, this can’t be that crazy an idea, right?

Julie doesn’t seem to agree. “Let me get this straight. You want to play with magic you don’t understand and try to control something we know is incredibly powerful with no prior knowledge on how do that?”

“I’m sorry, who wants to do what now?” Flynn pipes up, looking alarmed.

Julie glances at her and raises a hand as if to let her know she will translate everything to her in a moment, and Alex opens his mouth to defend himself, but then Willie speaks up.

“That’s way too dangerous, hot dog,” he says, eyes serious and almost scared. “That kind of power in the wrong hands, things could end really, really badly.”

“It’s already in the wrong hands with Caleb!” Alex points out.

“I’m not saying I disagree,” Willie says. “But the reason it’s working for Caleb is that he actually knows what he is doing with it. I mean, say we keep it with us, what’s your plan? We just hold onto it and hope for the best?”

“I – well, I figured I would leave that part to you,” Alex admits, trying to push down the embarrassment he can feel start to well up within him.

“I don’t know the first thing about wielding this kind of power!” Willie says. “It would be a disaster, I can’t even imagine how wrong things could go –”

“Julie,” Alex hears Flynn whisper urgently. “Julie, what’s happening? I can’t hear them, are they being dumb?”

“I just think we should think about it before handing back something this valuable, that’s all. I’m just thinking of an alternative,” Alex says, feeling like he needs to defend himself. He doesn’t like the way he feels like he has been backed into a corner. “Stop acting like I’m being stupid for that.”

“No one said you were being stupid,” Julie says immediately, placating, “but look, we had a plan –”

“We had the beginning of a plan,” Alex corrects, “you said that. The next step was figuring out how to use whatever we found – I’m just offering one option.”

“But we don’t know the first thing about using this thing, and in the time it takes for us to figure it out, Caleb could come looking for us, and –”

“But if we do figure it out, we could defend ourselves –”

“Alex, again, I don’t know how to use this,” Willie starts, and it’s looking like he is going to tell him to give up on this idea, and Alex’s heart seizes with fear –

“If you go back right now, Caleb will know you lied!”

There is a short silence following his outburst, and Alex wants to retreat back into himself. His heart is beating wildly as he eyes his friends’ reactions, feeling exposed as he watches their expressions soften with understanding.

“Hot dog,” Willie says, gently, “I’m going to be fine.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I know what I signed up for. Fact is, if we want Caleb to release me and Nick, we’re going to have to face him at some point.”

“I know, but…” Alex closes his eyes, tries to explain the way his thoughts are rattling inside his brain. “You just went to lie to his face. If you tell him we want to talk to him right now, he’ll know you’ve been in contact with us and that none of what you said was true. And then what will happen to you?”

Willie presses his lips together, looking worried – Alex is willing to bet Willie is more worried about Alex’s reaction than his actual words, though, and he knows it should settle his anxiety to know that Willie, who has more knowledge on all things related to Caleb, seems less afraid of what might happen than he does, but it’s hard to relax when he also knows that Willie has fully decided to commit to their safety over his own.

“He doesn’t have to know.”

Alex tears his eyes away from Willie to Luke, across the table, who looks back at him with half-raised eyebrows.

“What do you mean?”

“Caleb. He doesn’t have to know that Willie was working with us. Willie can just say that we contacted him on our own just now to set a meeting because he’s our closest link to him. That way he’s in the clear, and if the deal works then by the time he realizes Willie is lying it’ll be too late, we’ll be in the process of bargaining for his soul back.”

Alex feels his forehead crease as he takes it in. “You think he’ll buy that?”

“I think he wants us bad enough to be willing to take the meeting even if he suspects something,” Luke answers. “Whether or not he believes Willie, he’ll want to deal with him afterwards, so we just have to make sure he can’t.”

That… is a good point. But Alex isn’t sure he is willing to gamble Willie’s safety on that chance alone.

“Look, this is dangerous,” Julie says slowly. “Caleb already almost took you guys away once, and I’m just worried that if we’re not careful, he might – he might –”

She breaks off, and Alex’s heart breaks, because she’s scared, she’s really scared, and he’s scared too, and if even Willie can’t be sure of what they’re dealing with then what chance do they have, and –

“Okay, timeout, please.”

They all whirl around to look at Flynn, who in turn is switching between looking at Julie and glancing around the room, trying to figure out where they all are, worry in her eyes. She smiles when she sees Julie looking back at her, but it looks strained.

“Hi. Lifer friend here,” she says, raising a hand. “Uh, what’s going on?”

Oh. Alex sees Julie’s face fall guiltily, feels that same guilt curl in his stomach. They’re usually better at keeping her in the loop when the ghosts aren’t visible, but Alex got so caught up in worry for Willie and desperation to get the others to consider his alternative that it slipped his mind this time.

“Sorry,” he says. “Julie, can you tell her I’m sorry?”

She does, and in the time it takes for her to fill Flynn in, Alex can feel his nerves start to settle – and sees it reflected in his friends’ stances. By the time Flynn is caught up, he thinks they’re all thinking about this with a little clearer state of mind.

“Huh,” Flynn says, nodding pensively. “That’s actually not as stupid as I was expecting.”

“Hey!” Alex protests.

“And before your ghost gets offended, keep in mind that I could only hear part of that conversation.”

Alex can’t help but smile at that. He loves Flynn, loves that she knows them well enough to be able to anticipate what they will say even when she can’t hear them.

“So you agree with him then?” Julie asks. “You think we should keep that thing for ourselves?”

Flynn presses her lips together. “I think,” she says eventually, “it should be up to Willie.”

Willie blinks, looking at her in surprise. Alex feels a sharp shard of emotion go through his chest – a little bit of that same surprise, because that hadn’t been what he expected Flynn to say; guilt, feeling inadequate as Willie’s… something, that he wasn’t the one to put Willie’s feelings on this whole thing first; and more significantly, something almost like heartbreak at how stunned Willie looks at the simple prospect of being the one to make the final call on this decision. He wonders how long it has been since Willie has heard someone say the choice should be up to him.

Alex tries to swallow around all these feelings and the way they’re catching in his throat. “Yeah,” he manages, his voice rough. “She’s right. It should be your call.”

He hates this, hates this, because he knows that Willie isn’t going to take into account how badly this could go for him if he thinks it will benefit the group. But he also knows that despite that, this should be Willie’s decision; he is the one more at risk, he is the one who has been living in this world the longest and knows its rules the most, and he is the one who knows Caleb best.

Willie wraps his arms around himself, his thumb circling the inside of his wrist soothingly. Alex resists the urge to grab his hand and do it himself.

“The plan was always to find leverage to free me and Nick,” he says finally. “Not to take on Caleb ourselves.” He glances down at the purple ball. “And this is more than enough leverage.”

He turns his gaze to Alex, apologetic, and Alex forces himself not to look away; he doesn’t want Willie to interpret it the wrong way, to think Alex is angry with him for not going with his plan when really he feels like his heart is shattering at the thought of the danger Willie is about to walk into. So he keeps looking, tries to smile, hopes that the utter devastation he is feeling isn’t reflected in his eyes.

“If we had more time,” Willie continues, “if we could learn how to use this against him, it would be different, but – he’s going to notice it’s missing really quickly, and when he does he’ll come straight here. We need to use the element of surprise while we still can. It’s the best chance we’ve got.”

Alex lets out a slow breath.

“He might not figure out we have it right away,” he tries, a last-ditch effort. “I don’t know, I’m willing to believe he’s pissed off more people than just us.”

Luke makes a considering noise, but Alex doesn’t dwell on it. He knows he’s lost. Willie smiles at him sadly, shaking his head.

“It’s not worth the risk. The plan was always to use what we found as a bargaining chip. I think that’s the plan we should stick with. It’s the safer play for all of us.”

“Including you?” Alex checks.

“Including me. It’s like Luke said. I think there is a pretty big chance that even if Caleb suspects something, he’ll want to see how this plays out before he does anything about it.”

“What if he does find out that you lied to him?”

“If this goes well, by the end of the day he won’t be able to do anything about it.”

Willie’s confidence seems to be enough for the others, but Alex doesn’t trust it – Willie can be very self-sacrificial when it comes to this group.

Willie notices.

“Alex,” he says, “I’ll be fine.”

“You keep saying that,” Alex says, hating the way his voice breaks.

Willie smiles, heartbreakingly sincere. “And I keep coming back, don’t I?”

He does. And every time, Alex is left wondering if this was the last. If Willie’s luck is finally about to run out, if this is when Caleb runs out of patience. But if he is right, if this goes well, after today, he won’t have to worry ever again.

(He will probably worry anyway.)

Alex lets out a breath. It’s the most difficult thing in the world, but he manages to force himself to nod, the movement jerky.

“Okay.” He meets Willie’s gaze, sees the surprise reflected in his eyes at his relenting, and huffs out something that sounds almost like a laugh. “You better go. Before I change my mind.”

Willie smiles, small and nervous but bright as ever, and Alex loves him. The feeling sits in his chest, familiar and warm and just a little heartbreaking. Willie smiles, and Alex loves him.

Alex follows him out of the garage, trying to keep him in his sights as long as possible, and Willie smiles at him again when they make it outside. It’s softer now, less uncertain, and it makes Alex’s heart twinge inside his chest.

“I’ll be right back,” he promises.

He starts to turn, starts to leave, and Alex’s hand shoots out, snagging Willie’s.

“Wait,” he breathes.

He pulls Willie closer with a tug of the hand, then reaches out, cradling his face in both hands. Willie looks at him, his eyes staring into Alex’s, and Alex rests his forehead against his.

His thumb caresses Willie’s cheek, softly. Willie leans into it, and Alex breathes.

“You’re coming back,” he says.

It’s a fact, not a request, but Willie nods anyway, his forehead brushing against Alex’s, and brings his hands to cup the back of Alex’s neck. For a moment, it’s like they are the only two people in the world, holding each other, a breath from each other.

Alex kisses him.

He’s never actually kissed anyone before, so he’s not entirely sure what to expect, but Willie gasps softly into it, and kisses him back, slowly, and Alex’s eyes slip closed of their own accord. He feels one of Willie’s hands move to his hair, the other still resting on the back of his neck, thumb gently smoothing a spot behind his ear, and it’s kind of the best thing Alex has ever felt.

Alex frames Willie’s face in his hands and kisses him, kisses him, kisses him.

They remain close after they pull away, foreheads rested together. Alex breathes out, cupping Willie’s cheek, and opens his eyes. Willie’s open a moment later, and for a moment they just look at each other. Willie smiles. Alex smiles back.

He lets go after a moment, moves back, because he thinks if he keeps holding Willie for much longer he might never be able to let him go.

“Catch you later, skater boy.”

Willie smiles, vulnerable and so, so bright, and Alex loves him.

He brings one of Alex’s hands to his lips, drops a quick kiss there, and lets go.

“Catch you later,” he echoes.

And then he’s gone.

Alex lets out a slow breath, the full weight of what just happened making him stumble as he moves to go back inside the studio. He sits on the couch and Julie joins him a moment later, her hand hovering over his in an attempt to give him some comfort when they can’t touch.

“You okay?”

“I kissed Willie.”

Three heads whip around to look at him. “What?”

“I kissed Willie,” Alex repeats, and then it’s like it hits him for the first time. “Oh my god. I kissed Willie.”

He kissed Willie. And Willie kissed him back. Willie told him he was coming back. To him. Willie kissed his hand –

Alex feels his cheeks heat up, and even after all this time he can still be annoyed by the fact that this shouldn’t be possible, especially when Reggie notices and grins.

“Oh my god, you’re blushing! I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush.”

“Shut up,” Alex mutters.

“Hey, I’m just happy for you, man,” Reggie says, clapping him on the back. “It’s about time.”

“What he said,” Luke grins. “Congrats on finally making it happen.”

Julie just smiles, shaking her head lightly. “Only you, Alex. Only you could manage to convince yourself that the guy you’ve been practically dating for weeks actually isn’t into you, only to make a move and kiss him just as we’re about to face off with a super-powerful ghost who wants to end us all.”

Alex huffs out a laugh. “Thanks.”

“Alex and Willie kissed?” Flynn yelps. “Finally!”

“That’s what I’m saying!” Reggie exclaims, grinning at her.

Alex ignores them, glancing back at the entrance where he last saw Willie and resisting the urge to touch his lips. He does not want to deal with his friends’ reactions if they were to see him do that.

Julie meets his gaze and smiles, small and soft. “I’m really happy for you, Alex,” she says. “You and Willie, you deserve everything you want.”

Alex lets out a slow breath. Because that’s just it, isn’t it? He wants so much with Willie. He wants to kiss him again. He wants to take him out on dates. He wants to hug him in front of all their friends and listen to them tease them relentlessly. He wants to tell him he loves him. He wants Willie, with him, by his side, safe and sound.

All of that is so close, almost within reach. If they are able to deal with Caleb and all goes well, after today Willie won’t have to worry about him ever again. Alex wants that so desperately he is terrified. Being hopeful – being allowed to be hopeful, being given hope – he realizes, might be the scariest thing of all.

He is so scared. He has so much to lose.

They are so close to being rid of Caleb for good. He doesn’t think he will be able to take it if this goes wrong.

He knows the others feel it too. Flynn and Reggie have reconvened to a corner to talk in hushed voices, too quiet for him to hear, but Luke isn’t moving, only twisting the rings on his fingers with an intensity he probably isn’t aware of, jaw set and gaze stuck to the floor. And Julie – Julie is next to him still, her small smile still in place despite the worry clouding her eyes.

“Yeah,” he says, voice rough and a beat too late. “Thanks.”

She nods, lips pressing together, and bumps their shoulders together softly. Actually bumps them, not slipping through him, and Alex feels some of his nerves relax just a fraction. Facing Caleb seems just the little bit more surmountable with the knowledge that Julie truly is by his side.

“Alright,” Julie says after a minute, her voice ringing clearly in the heavy silence. “Band circle.”

Her words seem to rouse them from the tense atmosphere and they all get to their feet, meeting next to the coffee table where Caleb’s sphere is still hovering. Flynn hangs back, hesitating, but Reggie gestures for her to follow and she does.

“Okay,” Julie says, looking between all of them. “We got this.”

She extends her hands; Alex, standing to her left, takes one immediately, seeing Flynn do the same on her other side. They all follow through, the five of them joining hands – Flynn rests her right hand palm down over Luke’s left, palm up – and for a moment they just breathe.

“We got this,” Luke repeats.

There isn’t much else to say. They all know the plan, risky and hastily made as it may be, and Willie left a few minutes ago already so Caleb should be here any moment. Alex feels nervous; he wants to ask if they are nervous too, but he thinks that probably won’t help.

“We’re going to be okay,” Luke adds, so maybe Alex didn’t need to say it after all. “We’re all going to be okay.”

“Including Willie,” Julie says, catching Alex’s eye.

“Yeah,” Reggie says. “We’re not giving up until we’re all safe.”

Alex nods, takes a deep breath. There still isn’t much to say. There isn’t anything left to say, really, except: “I love you guys.”

Reggie’s hand tightens around his. Julie offers him a taut smile. The anticipation hangs heavily in the air around them, like a weight over Alex’s chest, and he takes a deep breath. There is nothing else to do but wait, and he thinks to himself, as he releases his breath, that he is glad these are the people he’s facing this with.

With a final squeeze, Julie lets go of their hands, and everyone follows suit again.

“Flynn,” Luke says then, “if you want to go, you should go now. Caleb won’t be long.”

Flynn’s eyes shoot over to him. She looks stunned.

“Why would I go?”

“You’re the only one Caleb doesn’t know about,” Luke explains, which, shit, he’s right, Alex hadn’t even thought of that. “If you want to keep it that way, if you want to stay safe –”

“I’m staying here,” Flynn interrupts. “With you guys. We’re a team, right?”

Luke smiles, almost despite himself. “We’re a team.”

And then there is a whooshing sound behind them, and when Alex turns around Nick is standing there, in their studio, his gaze cold as he takes in the scene before him.

Alex’s eyes seek out Willie immediately, and to his relief he finds him there, standing behind Nick looking berated; he still manages a strained smile when their eyes meet, though, and Alex feels something like courage thrum through his veins.

The relief doesn’t last long, however, when he turns his gaze back to the primary threat in the room.

Nick stands in the middle of the room, smiling pleasantly at them, but the expression marring his face doesn’t look like his own – because it’s not, obviously. Now that Alex knows the truth, it’s easy to recognize Caleb’s coldness in his eyes as they rove over the group, and the edge of his mouth curls unpleasantly when they land on Julie.

On instinct, Alex moves to stand in front of her, feeling more than seeing Luke and Reggie do the same. Julie lays a placating hand on his arm, though, and raises her head to meet Nick’s gaze head on.

“Hi, Caleb,” she says, her voice only wavering a little.

Caleb’s smile deepens, splitting Nick’s face even more unnaturally than before.

“Hello, Julie. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Alex sees Luke’s grip on Julie’s hand tighten.

“So,” Caleb continues after a moment, and Alex has to stop himself from flinching at that single word, “William here tells me you have something for me.”

With a start Alex’s eyes dart to the coffee table, where the purple orb would be in plain sight, only to find it missing. He has time to panic for a split-second that Caleb somehow found a way to get his hands on it already and that they’re doomed, before Flynn catches his eye and subtly taps her jacket pocket. Alex exhales shakily, the wave of relief he feels almost knocking him a step back.

Once again, though, it’s short-lived.

“Well?” Caleb asks.

Alex watches as Julie swallows, visibly steeling herself before she takes a step forward.

“We’d like to make a deal.”

One of Caleb-Nick’s eyebrows arches up slightly, and he takes a step forward of his own. Watching him get closer to Julie makes Alex want to run for the hills will all his friends in tow, and based on the look on her face Julie feels the same way, but she stands her ground.

“Is that so?”

Julie shoots a glance at Flynn, who nods and puts a hand in her pocket, drawing it back slowly with her fingers curled around the purple little ball. Reggie takes a minute step closer to her, while Caleb-Nick’s expression goes slack, his eyes widening. He starts towards Flynn, but Alex, Luke and Julie move as if one, stepping in front of her and blocking his way, Julie throwing her arms out protectively.

All of this takes place in the space of a second, and Caleb recovers quickly, smoothing Nick’s expression into a blank canvas at odds with the cold fury in his eyes. But that second was enough – it was enough for Caleb’s countenance to falter, for him to give away that this innocuous little purple ball meant something to him, and that with it they just might have enough bargaining power to make it through this unscathed.

“So,” Luke says haltingly, sounding for all accounts and purposes like he is completely sure of himself if not for the flicker of a tremor in his voice, “this is important to you, then.”

“How did you kids get your hands on this?”

Caleb starts to turn to Willie, but Luke speaks up again before he gets around to fully looking at him.

“You know, if you want to keep your things hidden you might want to not leave them out in the open for a couple of ghosts to stumble upon when they’re snooping through your dressing room,” he says, still all bravado, and Julie shoots him a look as if to tell him to thread more carefully.

“Do you kids have any idea what you are holding onto there?”

“We know it’s the source of your power,” Alex says, surprising even himself when he hears the sound of his own voice speaking up. Willie materializes next to Alex, and his hand finds his, latching onto it and holding on for dear life. Caleb’s eyes linger on their hands and his lip curls menacingly, but Willie doesn’t let go. Alex doesn’t either. “We know that all your magic is concentrated in it, and that the longer we hold on to it the weaker you will become. We know that if we were to destroy it, you would lose everything.” They don’t actually know how to destroy it, but Caleb doesn’t need to know that.

Caleb’s expression is unwavering, and he looks almost bored. But he has also gone very, very still, and it occurs to Alex suddenly that a Caleb with something to lose might be a deadlier Caleb than they’ve ever known.

“Listen, now –” he starts.

“We’re not actually planning on doing that,” Alex interrupts.

“We don’t want to fight you,” Julie continues. “We’re not interested in using it in a power play against you. We’re willing to hand it over to you right here, right now.”

Alex knows she is scared – they are all scared – but there is no trace of it right now as she speaks. She sounds certain, grounded. And Caleb is listening. She was right, then, Alex realizes – for the first time since this mess started, they have the upper hand. They have something Caleb wants, and he is willing to hear them out if there is a chance he can get it without a fight.

“All we ask for in return is that you release Nick and that you leave us alone, forever. That includes the five of us here, and Willie.”

Caleb’s eyes settle onto Willie, cold and utterly furious, and Alex tightens his hold on Willie’s hand.

Caleb’s voice is all but pleasant, though, when he speaks, factual and almost unconcerned.

“Well, unfortunately there might be an issue with William’s case. With our current arrangement, ‘leaving him alone’ is quite literally impossible. He signed his soul off to me. Simply put, I own him.”

“So release him,” Flynn says fiercely. It’s the first time she has spoken in Caleb’s presence, and his eyes flash dangerously as they whip to her, his mask of calm slipping when they land on the girl holding the source of his power. Her stares icily at her, and she shudders, but she doesn’t back down. “Give him his soul back. Set him free.”

Caleb shakes his head, a condescending smile on his lips. “It is not that simple. The soul business is tricky. His is currently bound to me, and unbinding it will take effort.”

“Figure it out,” Alex snaps. Willie’s hand tightens around his briefly, like a spasm, and Alex strokes his thumb across the back of his knuckles soothingly.

“No Willie, no strange purple ball for you,” Reggie chimes in.

For a beat, no one says anything, and Alex waits with bated breath for someone to break. The moment feels suspended in time; he doesn’t think anyone is even moving. All he can do is keep a hold on Willie’s hand, eyes on Caleb as he waits for his next move.

“You release Nick,” Julie reiterates after a long pause. “You release Willie. And you stop going after everyone standing in this room, for good.”

“That includes possessing people to get close to us,” Luke adds, and oh, Alex hadn’t even thought of that. “We’re talking friends, families, classmates. They’re all off-limits.”

“You swear to leave all of us alone,” Julie says. “And we hand your strange purple ball back to you right now.”

Alex has his eyes on Caleb’s face, terrified that if he looks away Caleb will choose that moment to strike. But Caleb doesn’t move, his face impassive as he keeps looking at Julie. Alex feels Willie’s fingers tighten around his.

Then Caleb’s stance relaxes, and he smiles.

“You drive a hard bargain, miss Molina.”

“Not that hard,” Julie says haltingly. “You get your power, and in exchange you leave seven people out of your reign of terror.”

A beat, then:

“We have a deal.”

Julie stumbles. “We – we do?”

Caleb’s eyes glint dangerously, and Alex holds no illusions that he is happy with this outcome. But he tips his head forward, a gesture that looks far too formal on Nick’s teenage body, and takes a step back.

“We do.”

Alex feels himself exhale a shaky breath, hit with a wave of relief so strong he feels lightheaded.

It worked. It actually worked.

“Wait,” Willie starts, letting go of Alex’s hand, “aren’t you supposed to –”

Whatever he was going to say, it is lost in the sudden commotion that follows; Caleb-Nick takes a step back, arms ahead of him as if to brace himself, opens his mouth, and with a shudder, seems to exhale some kind of purple smoke. Alex feels himself take a step back. The smoke thickens, obscuring Nick from view, and when it clears, Nick is on the ground, his eyes closed, and Caleb – real-Caleb, the Caleb Alex met at the Hollywood Ghost Club – stands above him, looking so menacing Alex flinches back.

“Nick!” Julie yelps.

She moves as if to go to him, only to be held back by Luke bracing a hand on her shoulder. He jerks his head in Caleb’s direction, and she follows his gaze, her eyes widening and her posture stiffening as she meets the ghost’s gaze head on. Right, Julie and Flynn can see Caleb, then. That’s good. That’ll make things easier, considering Alex’s nerves are already so fried he doesn’t think he would be able to handle helping them navigate this situation blindly on top of everything else.

“What happened to him?” Julie asks, her voice wavering.

“He was possessed,” Caleb says with a dismissive wave of the hand. “It takes a toll on the body. He will be fine.” Julie looks like she wants to argue, but Caleb’s gaze shifts away from her and onto Flynn. “Now, about our exchange.”

“Wait,” Julie says, “how do we know Nick is going to be okay?”

Caleb’s face twists in annoyance, and Alex wants to tell her to be careful, but before he can get a word out Caleb lunges.

He makes a grab for Flynn, who shrieks and backs away, her grip loosening on the ball in her fright. Reggie makes to push her behind him, but his arm goes right through her, and all he does is put himself in Caleb’s path. Alex feels his heart jump to his throat as he jerks towards Reggie, and then it’s chaos.

It all happens fast; one second the room was standing in stilted shock as Caleb made his move, the next everyone is yelling and scrambling for each other. Alex’s mind goes blank with white-hot terror as he tumbles toward Reggie and Flynn, unable to focus on anything beyond getting to them before Caleb does. Someone is yelling his name – he thinks it might be Willie – and he trips over his own feet and everyone is running and his eyes land on Julie, Julie who – his heart drops.

In the midst of the commotion, Julie somehow finds herself right in front of Caleb. She’s all alone, backed into the piano, and Alex distantly feels himself freeze, his body catching up to his terror-addled mind and unable to do anything but process the scene in front of him. Julie stumbles backwards; Flynn is screaming and Luke is running to her and Julie’s face is twisted in fear as her back hits the piano. Caleb looms closer and Luke isn’t going to get to her in time and Alex is just remembering how to unlock his limbs and jerk forwards when Caleb draws an arm out, reaching for her -

-and then, suddenly, falters.

Caleb takes a step back, an uncomfortable look on his face. Luke appears at Julie’s side, looking ready to strike Caleb himself, and Alex barely has time to feel extra terrified for what will happen to both his friends on top of the general terror he already feels for all of them when he feels something grip his arm. It’s Willie, one hand clenching his arm urgently as he bursts out:

“The flowers! Julie, you – the flowers, use the flowers!”

“What are you – what are you talking about?” Alex says, his words jumbled.

“The flowers!” Julie is still staring at Caleb in terror and confusion, and Willie seems to realize she isn’t reacting to his words when his grip on Alex turns painful in its desperation. “Tell her to use the flowers!”

“Julie, use the flowers!” Alex yells, too spurred on by the urgency in Willie’s voice to properly think through his words. “Use the flowers!”

“What?”

“The flowers behind you!” Reggie yelps, pointing to the piano she is crowded against.

Looking bewildered, Julie turns and grabs the bouquet of dahlias sitting innocuously atop the piano. “Now what?” she asks, staring warily at Caleb over Luke’s shoulder, Luke having stepped in front of her when she had her back turned.

Caleb advances on her then, too fast for Luke to react, and Alex can only watch with Flynn’s scream ringing in his ears as he shoves the boy to the side. Julie shrieks as Caleb gets closer to her and she flings the dahlias in his direction. It’s more of a knee-jerk reaction than a thought-out plan, Alex can tell, and predictably the bouquet flies straight through Caleb – but then Caleb falters again, stepping back, and Alex watches in dazed awe as he almost seems to flicker.

Everyone stands frozen, unsure what just happened or how to react, except for Willie who springs into action. One moment he is holding onto Alex, the next he has poofed to pick up the flowers, flashing over to Julie and shoving them back in her hands before anyone has a chance to recover. She takes them, looking dumbfounded.

“Willie?” she calls. “What is this?”

Caleb regains his composure then, standing up straighter and looking thunderous, although he doesn’t attempt to get closer. Julie straightens up herself, brandishing the bouquet of dahlias in his direction in a way Alex might find absurd if not for the wariness in Caleb’s face as he eyes her.

“What is this?” Julie repeats, addressing Caleb this time. “Why is this affecting you?”

Caleb regards her, and for a beat the moment stretches out, all the previous agitation gone into a tension that hangs heavily in the air.

Then Caleb’s entire stance relaxes. Alex and everyone else in the room is very much aware that it’s all for show, but outwardly at least, Caleb leans back, eyeing Julie and her dahlias appraisingly, and nods.

“Very well,” he says. “What were the terms of the deal? I release the Danforth-Evans boy and William here, and in exchange you hand me my power back?”

Julie shifts uncertainly, thrown by the sudden turn of events; Alex moves to stand at her side, and adds: “And you leave us alone from here on out. Those are the terms.”

Caleb glowers at him, but his smile stays in place. “Fine. You have yourselves a deal.”

Luke scoffs, and Julie raises a skeptical eyebrow, not looking impressed. “Do we?” she asks. “Because you just tried to attack us not a minute ago.”

Caleb waves her away impatiently. “The deal hasn’t been set. You can’t blame me for attempting to take back what is mine when I saw a chance.”

Alex thinks that they actually very much can blame him for that, but he doesn’t get the chance to say so. Firstly because he is still very much terrified of Caleb and what would happen if he did, and secondly because Julie gets stuck on another part of what Caleb said.

“What do you mean, the deal hasn’t been set? We agreed on the terms, what else do you need?”

“You’re supposed to shake on it,” Willie calls out, his voice ragged. “That’s what seals the deal.”

Caleb sends him a withering look, and Alex really, really hope Willie will be out of the ghost’s reach by the end of this.

“William is right,” is all Caleb says. “We need to shake hands for the deal to be set.”

Set in what? Alex wonders. But it doesn’t seem to matter, because Caleb approaches Julie – differently than he did before, with a sort of wariness to him; maybe even a hint of respect.

Whatever it is, it seems to be pushing him to take this deal – to take them – seriously, so Alex decides not to question it just yet. He’ll wait for them to be in the clear for it.

Julie seems to be of the same mind, because she steps forward as well, albeit slower. She still doesn’t trust that Caleb isn’t about to pull one over them, which, fair. Alex isn’t convinced of it either.

But she extends a hand nonetheless, and Alex watches, holding his breath, as Caleb reaches out, his hand very much solid as it clasps Julie’s and shakes it slowly.

“It’s a deal,” Caleb says. “You and your friends in this room are free from my reach.”

Julie swallows. “Good.”

She pulls her hand away and steps back, briefly looking around the room as if to check that all of them are still there, still safe. Alex is struck by the weight of this moment. After everything, after all the pain and the terror, the nightmare is over. They’re free.

“Now,” Caleb says, and Julie refocuses on him. “Our exchange?”

Julie glances back at Flynn, who has moved to stand behind her; a nod, and Flynn reaches inside her pocket and retrieves the purple ball, placing it carefully in Julie’s hand. Julie’s fingers claps it tightly and she turns back to Caleb, who extends a hand expectantly.

Julie hesitates.

Caleb clicks his tongue. “We have a deal, miss Molina.”

“How are we supposed to trust that you’re not going to try and break the terms of our deal again the first chance you get?” she points out, her voice wavering.

Alex expects a furious response, but all Caleb does is wave a hand – the hand that isn’t still extended towards Julie – impatiently.

Nothing happens for a beat, then –

Willie gasps.

“Willie?” Alex is by his side in an instant, hands gripping his shoulders anxiously. “Willie, what is it?”

But Willie isn’t looking at him. Instead his hand clutches at his chest, an expression of wonder across his face.

“My – my soul,” he whispers. “It’s mine. It’s mine.”

Alex’s heart skips a beat when his words register. Willie meets his gaze, tears in his eyes, and something settles in Alex’s chest, something heavy and solid that has him clutching onto Willie more tightly than he thinks he ever has. Right now, nothing matters expect for the look on Willie’s face.

“Alex?” It’s Flynn, sounding fearful. “Alex, what’s wrong with Willie?”

“He’s… he’s…” The words get caught in his throat, and Alex can’t speak. He can barely breathe, staring at Willie in wonder. His hand comes to stroke his face, awed. He’s free. Willie is free. After all this time, he is out of Caleb’s grip.

He whips back towards Caleb. “Is this for good? Or is it temporary?”

“It’s for good,” Caleb answers, not looking entirely pleased about it. “William’s soul is no longer tied to the Hollywood Ghost Club.”

All they have is his word, but right now, seeing the look of pure joy in Willie’s eyes, Alex is inclined to believe it. He grips Willie’s hand, and Willie squeezes back just as hard, smiling tearfully at him.

“Willie’s free?” Flynn asks, her voice trembling a little.

“He is,” Caleb confirms. Alex feels so overwhelmed he could collapse, but Caleb’s presence still has him too keyed up to truly give in to the feeling. “Now, miss Molina,” Caleb adds, a sharp edge to his voice.

Julie nods, still a little shaky, but she makes herself stand tall, meeting Caleb’s gaze, and slowly lowers the purple ball in his open palm.

“You leave us alone from now on,” she reiterates.

“Those are the terms,” Caleb agrees.

Julie nods, and lets go.

Immediately Caleb stashes it into an inner pocket of his coat, out of their reach. Alex feels the tension in the room hike up more than a few notches – either the deal will hold now, or, with nothing to lose, Caleb will strike.

Caleb slowly draws his hand out of his jacket.

“I may have underestimated you, miss Molina,” he says levelly.

Julie looks away from him for a moment, taking in the other people in the room. Luke at her side, Flynn and Reggie just a step behind her, Alex and Willie to her left still holding onto each other.

“It was a team effort,” she says.

Caleb nods, looking deep in thought. Then, with a parting tip of his hat, he disappears in a bright flash of light, and he’s gone.

*

It’s like Caleb’s departure took all the stress and tension with it. At once the six of them collapse, the wave of relief hitting them so hard it doesn’t seem real. Alex feels light-headed with it; he never let go of Willie, and he takes the opportunity to pull him in a bone-crushing hug.

“It’s over,” he whispers. “It’s over, you’re free –”

“Alex,” Willie chokes out. He is crying, hands coming up to frame his face. He is the most beautiful person Alex has ever seen.

Alex presses a bruising kiss to his temple. Willie just hugs him tighter.

It takes him a second to be able to look beyond the bubble of him and Willie, and when he does, it’s to find his friends in a similar state.

“Willie,” Flynn says. “Is Willie okay?”

“I’m okay.”

“He’s okay,” Reggie repeats, and Flynn sags in relief, her hold on Julie tightening to the point Alex sees the other girl wince. She doesn’t tell her to let go though, just brings her free hand to clutch at her best friend’s arm and holds on. Her other she keeps in Luke’s, her thumb smoothing the back of his knuckles like she needs to feel him to ground herself.

Alex is much of the same; he holds onto Willie with all that he’s got, his gaze roaming over the room, over his friends.

I love you all, he thinks feverishly. I love you, I love you, I’m so glad you’re all okay, we’re okay, I love you.

None of them moves for a long time, long enough for Julie’s grip to slip through Luke’s hand and for Flynn’s gaze to become unfocused when she searches for them. It’s a low moan that eventually gets them to rise, one coming from outside their little group.

“Julie? Flynn?” Nick groans from across the room, painfully pulling himself up into a sitting position. “… Julie’s band?”

There is a short, stunned silence as they all look at each other, taking in what this means.

“Oh, shit,” Luke finally says, and yeah, that about covers it.

*

“So, I have some questions about what happened earlier,” Julie says that evening.

Flynn snorts. “Just some?”

It’s been an exhausting day. Just the showdown with Caleb would have been enough to knock Alex out for a week – several weeks – but they’ve spent the last couple of hours bringing Nick up to speed, and dredging up their history with Caleb has been draining. And now there is the whole of the possession’s side-effects to wade through. Nick has been a surprisingly good sport about it all, but even Willie isn’t sure whether his seeing of ghosts is permanent or not, and Nick is very visibly shaken about the whole thing.

Nick has just left, though, eager to go back to the familiarity of his home and to see his dads – although Alex will be very surprised if he makes it through the night without taking Julie or Flynn up on their promise to only be one call away should he ever need to talk through this more, whether that be more explanations on ghosts or demons from his ordeal. It’s probably going to take him a long time to recover from this. Alex feels for him.

Now that he is gone, though, they can focus on everything else that happened today.

“What happened, exactly?” Julie asks. “With the flowers? How did you know that would work?”

Willie shifts, only minutely, but he’s so close Alex still feels it. That’s another thing that is taking a toll: what with, well, everything, Alex and Willie haven’t gotten a minute alone to talk yet, and it is slowly but surely chipping away at Alex’s sanity. Willie’s arm tightly pressed against his on the couch right now is helping, though.

“I didn’t know for sure,” Willie says. “I just hoped it would.” He pauses, leans against Alex a little more. Alex does his best to focus on his words and not just the timbre of his voice. “There have been some cases where, in the right hands, specific flowers can act as protection against vengeful spirits.”

“The right hands?”

“You know. People who can wield magic.”

Julie stares, dumbfounded, when she hears. “But I don’t have magic.”

Flynn laughs outright at that. “Uh, hello? Ghost band that becomes visible when you play with them? That you summoned back to you from Caleb’s club?”

Julie shakes her head, still looking floored. “But that wasn’t me. That was the music.”

“The music we were playing with you,” Reggie points out.

“We weren’t playing music when you saved us from the jolts,” Luke adds, meaningfully.

Julie looks between all of them, and it’s then, when he sees the disbelief in her eyes, that it dawns on Alex that she doesn’t know what has become clear to all of them.

“You’re the reason Caleb wasn’t able to hold onto us that night, Julie,” he says softly. “Flynn is right. It was you who pulled us out of the club. You’re the one who saved us.”

Alex watches as the realization sinks in, as Julie’s eyes go misty and she brings a hand to rest heavily against her heart.

“And dahlias – dahlias are some of these flowers that can offer protection?” she asks, her voice rough.

She’s looking at Alex, and it’s with a start that Alex realizes she is asking Willie.

Willie just nods, like he can feel the weight of what this moment means for Julie – Julie, whose lower lip trembles when Alex nods in answer to her question.

“Dahlias were my mom’s favorite.”

Her voice is quiet, hushed, when she says it, and it almost sounds like a question. Alex wishes he had the answer for her, wishes that he knew what the connection is between them and her and her mom, wishes that he were solid right now so that he could give her a hug.

Flynn, thankfully, covers that part, and Julie’s eyes close as she holds onto her tightly.

“Maybe this was meant to be,” she says, still rubbing circles into Julie’s back. “Remember when we found that Sunset Curve t-shirt with your mother’s things? Maybe she’s the one who’s been saving you all along. First by sending you these guys –” she swings her head vaguely around the room then, looking fond, “– then by giving you the tools to fight evil ghosts. You know, should the need ever arise.”

“She must have been quite the visionary, to see this coming,” Julie says, her voice only shaking a little, and Alex sees Flynn hold onto her just that little bit tighter.

There is a lot to unpack there, but Luke seems to have caught another part of Flynn’s statement.

“Wait,” he says, grinning like this is the best news he has heard all week, “your mom had a Sunset Curve t-shirt?”

“Your mom was a fan?” Reggie adds excitedly. “Do you think she came to our shows? Do you think we met her?

Julie pulls away from the hug, her eyes still a little red even as she rolls them playfully at the both of them.

“Ugh, what now?” Flynn says, smiling. “Did they say something dumb again?”

“I resent that,” Reggie grins, and Alex watches them, his chest swelling with affection.

It took dying for them to get here, for him to find this family, and the thing is, overall he would say it was worth it. It still feels unfair in moments like these though, when Flynn can’t hear them and therefore doesn’t get the chance to shoot a comeback he’s sure she would find up her sleeve, and he’s forcibly reminded of how different their situations are. Namely, that she is alive and he is not.

But it really is worth it, though. Because as he looks around the room and sees them, the five people he loves the most in the world, he knows down to the core of himself that this was meant to be. He was meant to know these people, to love them, just like they were meant to know and love him. They were separated by decades, and still not time, distance or even death could stop them from meeting.

So, yeah. Flynn might be onto something.

They do try to get back on track sometime after that and figure out the ins and outs of what happened today, but the thing is, they’ve known from the start that they are dealing with a lot of unknowns.

“I don’t completely know what to make of it,” Willie admits, when they get back to dahlias and flowers and Julie’s potential powers. “I haven’t heard much about it, and Caleb was my go-to person for magic before all this, but…”

“That’s okay,” Alex hastens to say. “There’s no rush to figure this out. We’ve got time, now. That’s what matters.”

He watches as his words blanket the room, all of them reacting as it hits them. Willie reaches over and takes his hand, smiling delicately. They’ve got time.

*

Later, Alex finds Willie sitting atop the studio’s roof.

“Hey,” he says, appearing next to him.

Willie smiles brightly. “Hey,” he answers.

Alex shuffles to make himself comfortable, folding a leg under himself and letting the other dangle loosely over the edge of the roof. Next to him, Willie is swinging his legs absently, eyes lost in the distance. Alex nudges him softly, and he turns his head to look at him, face immediately breaking into a smile again.

“What are you thinking about?”

Willie covers his hand with his, lacing their fingers together, and doesn’t answer right away.

“Everything that happened today, I guess,” he says eventually. He looks at Alex, eyes crinkling slightly. “Hell of a day, hot dog.”

“Hell of a day,” Alex agrees. He squeezes Willie’s hand. “But we’re okay.”

Willie’s smile turns smaller, softer. “We’re okay.”

He looks like he is working himself up to say something, and Alex lets him, running his thumb over the back of Willie’s knuckles as he does. It’s kind of thrilling, being able to touch him like this, to hold his hand and know it means as much to Willie as it does to him, but it’s also just kind of nice. It’s nice to be able to have this after everything they went through to get there.

Finally Willie squeezes his hand back, and, eyes trained on the horizon again, says: “I know I’ve said it already, but I’m really sorry. For everything.”

“And I’ve said, you have nothing to apologize for.”

“I’ve caused you so much trouble.”

“Willie, look at me.” He does, and Alex meets his gaze, does his best to impart just how much he means his next words. “None of that was your fault, okay? None of it. Besides, it’s all in the past. It’s over now, and we’re okay. We’re all okay.”

Willie nods, and his smile is lopsided when he says, “I’m still sorry.”

“And there is still no need to be. We’re okay. You’re okay.” He smiles, bringing his free hand up to brush Willie’s cheek. “That’s all that matters.”

Willie smiles back and he says, softer, “I’m really glad we’re okay.”

Alex grins. “Me too.”

He lets his hand fall away from Willie’s face and leans back, basking in the setting sun and Willie’s presence at his side and the feeling of surviving another day. Willie does the same, and Alex sneaks a look at him. He looks happy, content in a way Alex hasn’t seen on him before. Free. It’s a good look on him.

“So,” Alex says after a few moments, his voice light. “Any great plans for what’s to come now that you have your soul back?”

Willie laughs, loud and inhibited. Alex loves it. He loves him.

“Honestly?” Willie says. “I’m just happy to be here with you.”

Alex’s cheeks flame up, and he groans. “That was so cheesy.” He can’t quite stop himself from smiling, though.

“It’s the truth,” Willie grins. “I feel… I feel like I could do anything. And I can. I don’t remember the last time I felt like this.”

And, well, how is Alex supposed to not grin back at that?

“And yet you’re happy to just sit here with me?” he teases.

“Well, yeah,” Willie says as if it is obvious, and damn it, Alex is blushing even harder now.

“Oh,” he says, quieter than he means to. Willie squeezes his hand.

“I’m not really used to having options,” he says after a moment. “But I think I want to stick around here for a bit.” He tilts his head to look at Alex, smiles. “You want to help me figure the next part out?”

And Alex can only smile back, fond. “Of course I do.”

And with that he leans in, cups Willie’s cheek, and kisses him. They’re both smiling into it, so much so that he isn’t sure it’s that much of a kiss at all, but it’s good nonetheless, because Willie brings a hand to hold his waist, and Willie holds onto their joined hands like they’re anchoring him to this moment, and Willie kisses him slow and soft and steady like they have all the time in the world, and they do, and Alex loves him.

“I love you,” he says – breathes, really – when they break apart.

Willie grins. “And I thought I was the cheesy one.”

“You are,” Alex says. “But I still love you.”

Willie leans in, drops another kiss onto his lips, beams brighter than Alex has ever seen when he pulls away. “I love you too.”

Alex nods, his heart beating wildly inside his chest. “That’s good,” he says, his voice jumping half an octave; he is pretty sure his face is beet red right now.

Willie laughs, fond and so, so in love, and wraps an arm around his shoulders, pulling him into his side. Alex sinks into him easily. “Yeah,” he agrees, his voice light. “It really is.”

[siriusly-rem-writes]

Where will we end up? (TEASER)

A build-up to Sunset Curve and their honorary member. Pls see the bottom for more info!!

Content warnings: Female reader, mentions of anxiety, Alex’s hinted feelings for Luke, parents fighting, lack of father figure, hinted selective mutism and use of Y/N (could change for actual fic)

----------

July 27, 1990

The air was sticky. The Los Angeles sun beat down on three kids who were on the verge of being teenagers as they rode their bikes down to the pier. School was starting soon and all three had different worries that led to the same conclusion; what’s gonna happen to them? 

For Alex Mercer, worrying about everything was his job. If he didn’t worry, how would he be prepared for every possible outcome? He was starting his 8th-grade year. The ‘Kings of Middle School’ as everyone would say, but he felt sick thinking about stepping up to the crown. Of course, he felt like this before every new school year but that wasn’t going to stop him from doing it again. He worried about his classes, and how many he would share with Y/N. He worried about how Y/N was going to handle the classes they didn’t share. He worried about how hot-headed Luke would handle 9th grade. He worried that Luke would make other friends and not want to hang out with 8th graders. He worried that Y/N won’t need him as much this year. And he worried she’d grow tired of him on the days he struggled to leave the house. He worried about the feeling he’d get in his stomach every time Luke smiled at him. Why did his friend make him so anxious? He shook his head and pedaled faster.

For Luke Patterson, worrying about the future wasn’t something he experienced often. Sure he wondered what his life would look like 5 years from now but didn’t everyone? He was starting 9th grade, ‘fresh-meat’ as upper-classmen would call them. He worried it would be too much. Heck, he’d only been living in LA for a year and now he has to leave his only two friends behind. He had tried to flunk 8th grade just so that the three of them could be in the same grade moving forward. Y/N had smacked him upside the head so hard he hissed just remembering it. He worried that if he stayed away too long, Alex and Y/N would realize they didn’t need him. The two were already attached to the hip when he came along and wedged his way in. Maybe they don’t need him as much as he needs them. They have each other and perhaps that’s enough. He worried he’d fall behind without Y/N keeping him in check. He worried about how he won’t be there to help Alex on the days everything was just too much. And he worried about who would be there to calm him down when everything was a little too loud and the clothes he wore were a little too rough that it made him want to peel his skin off. He sighed and pedaled faster.

For Y/N Y/L/N, worrying about the ‘what ifs’ was her favorite pastime. It wasn’t really. But they plagued her mind every free moment she had. What if Alex branched off? What if he didn’t need her anymore? What if Luke made friends? What if he spends more time in high school and won’t hang around them anymore? What if both Luke and Alex split off together? They were both guys and maybe they’ll realize it’s better with just the two of them. She worried they’d become someone she’d walk by and have to pretend the time they spent together didn’t exist. That the secrets they whispered to each other in the night disappeared as the sun came up. That the dreams they shared were snuffed out as time went on. She worried that she’d look into their eyes and instead of being met with the familiar warmth of home, she’d be met the reflection of who they once were and what they once met to each other. She wondered if she’d be able to navigate the 8th grade and life afterward without her two fellow musketeers at her side. She wiped the single tear off her face and pedaled faster.

----------

The comic book shop was cool as the air-conditioner rumbled in the background. Hot gusts of wind accompany the little bell as someone enters the shop. The sign on the door encouraging customers to fully close it so as to keep the cool air from escaping. School was starting soon and as a boy sits on the beanbag that’s become his designated spot, he worries about starting the 8th grade.

For Reggie Peters, worrying about school has never been a big thing unless it involved bringing home classmates for a group project. Which he always managed to avoid. At least, that was his only worry until recently. His parents’ fighting had gotten worse. The words he had heard his parents yell at each other as he sat on the stairs had caused him to gasp. Which happened to be the last sound he made. He wondered how two people who swore to love each other could utter such things. He hadn’t been able to talk in almost two months and now school was right around the corner and he worried about interactions. He worried teachers would get upset with him like his parents had. He worried people would find him rude, thinking he was ignoring them. He wondered how he would make friends in his classes if the mere attempt at speaking caused him physical discomfort. He grabbed the water bottle and granola bar that sat on the napkin with “For Reggie” scribbled on it. He smiled at the gesture. He hoped his voice would come back so he could properly thank the owners of the comic book store that felt more like home than his house ever did.

----------

The sun shone brightly as a boy skated through the park. His eyes squinted as the light hit him directly in the face. Placing a hand over his forehead in an attempt to block the rays, his eyes widened as he realized he was heading straight toward a girl walking her dog. He quickly maneuvered around to avoid hitting her only for his wheel to catch a stone causing him to land on his side. He groaned as he sat up, dusting off his dark jeans and rolling his eyes as he noticed he scraped his elbow yet again. He leaned back on his hands and looked up at the sky peeking through the leaves of the tree he had found himself under.

For Bobby Shaw, worrying about stuff was something he always tried to keep under wraps. His mom worried enough as it was and he didn’t want to add it. As the ‘man of the house’ he had to keep cool under the gaze of both his mom and grandma. He briefly wondered where his dad was. He had recently promoted from the 8th grade without a father in the crowd. The thought immediately went away. Why should he care about the man that walked out on him and his mom? He was starting 9th grade soon and his mom was making a fuss about it. Something about him growing up fast. He was tall for his age and his grandma always nags him about the ridiculous clothes he wears. Asking him how he hoped to make friends if the sight of him was enough to intimidate. He was worried. For what? He wasn’t sure. He didn’t care much for school. He didn’t care much for consistent company. He had skatepark buddies but that was all they were and he didn’t mind. He worried the most about disappointing his grandma. He didn’t hold the same traditional views as she did but he knew that she loved him regardless. And maybe he was lying about how little he actually cared about everything else. But that wasn’t something he was ready to unpack. He stood up, grabbed his board and kicked off.

CONTEXT

----------

A/N: Hi! I finally have motivation AND some free time to actually write something. This story is going to follow the boys and the reader as they navigate through high school, meet each other, start the band, be teenagers, face struggles, and feel feelings. I'm not sure how you all feel about "Y/N" Please let me know, I can totally name her and have it be more of an OC!

The fic will be including my personal headcanons for the boys and there's more backstory to how Y/N, Alex and Luke met if you're interested in like a flashback thing. Or a separate headcanon list/context for each person.

Also, this is probably going to be a Reggie x Reader/Bobby x Reader. I have not decided 100%

Thank you for taking the time to read this little thing, please let me know if you'd like it to be an actual fic!

[riderunlove]

The Light We Find in the Shadows by swdsnygeek

Chapter: 4/ ?

Fandoms: Julie and The Phantoms (TV 2020)  

Mature

No Archive Warnings Apply

F/M

Work in Progress

20 Feb 2024

Ships: Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Background Willex - Relationship

Characters: Julie Molina, Luke Patterson, Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex Mercer (Julie and The Phantoms), Flynn Taylor, Rose Molina,

Tags: Mentions of Violence, things that go bump in the night - Freeform, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, magical elements- of a sort, the characters are adults who swear, Banter, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, it's a bumpy road, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy

Summary:

The rules of life for Julie are pretty simple. 1. Go to work. 2. Be home before sunrise. 3. Make sure other vampires and creatures of the night aren’t causing trouble in her territory. 4. (and most important of all) Avoid hunters at all costs. Everything changes when Julie accidentally saves one from a certain (and painful) death. Suddenly, she and Luke, a hunter who is much more than meets the eye, can't seem to escape each other. Every encounter, every touch, every moment draws them deeper and deeper into a forbidden love that could unravel the fabric of life as they and everyone around them know it.

Read from the beginning here

[bbreaddog]

It’s the morning after a wild New Year’s Eve party and there are quite a few regrets. . . .writer's choice for characters! ^_^

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Thanks for your one-and-a-bit-years’ long patience on this 😩 I’m so excited to finally, FINALLY share this with you!!

(Prompt from this post. Thanks @noworneverphantom and @1mnobodywhoareyou for beta-ing)

AND NOW, THE FIC (M rating, 2.1k words):

Anyone who thinks having your ears assaulted with the incessant blaring of a dawn break alarm is a great way to start the day is a damn liar.

He slaps his hand over the bedside table blindly until he finally hits the offending object. The noise stops. He flops over onto his stomach.

It’s 7am, January 1st. Fantastic information for someone who actually cares. Not him, though.

His body, however, does. Five hours is not nearly enough to… Well, five hours is not enough. Celebratory drinks on New Year’s Eve can be fun! He just forgets about the part where he has to wake up with the consequences.

He yawns, jaw aching with the stretch, and ribs protesting with the expansion of his breath. Something twitches under his palm. It kinda tickles. He sniffs.

A moment passes. There’s another twitch, then a quiet squeak.

Oh, Reggie thinks. He should probably move in case it’s a rat or something. But lifting his arm suddenly feels like lifting a boulder that’s been superglued to the ground. He sighs. It would be so easy to give up right now.

So he does.

It’s not a big deal. He could probably handle having a little rat friend. Besides, rats are cute. And if his parents didn’t let him have a hamster back in high school—well, now he can have–

An annoyed grumble. Reggie screws up his face. That’s a loud fucking rat, probably one that won’t be much fun to take care of, actually.

So Reggie, still half-asleep and hungover to all hell, makes a decision that any other responsible adult in his situation would make:

He’s going to grab the little guy.

Reggie’s fingers slowly draw in. His eyebrows furrow. It’s something smooth, and a little more triangular than the rat-shape he was expecting. Not that he’s one to body shame.

Experimentally, he squishes it.

There’s a splutter, then–

“Ow!” Reggie whines when his hand gets slapped away.

“Dude, what the hell?”

Reggie’s eyes snap open, sunlight stinging before he can smack a hand over them. “What the hell?” he parrots.

“Lemme breathe.”

“Okay,” Reggie croaks, a little hysterically. “Yeah, sure. W-what are you doing in my bed, though?”

From the other side, Luke snorts. “S’my bed, dude.”

No, it’s not, Reggie wants to say. Because that would be stupid. Being in Luke’s bed would be stupid. Reggie knows that, and Luke has to know that. They’re in a band together! A band where they’d all agreed to never shoot their shot within the group.

More specifically, Reggie had promised both Julie and Alex separately that he won’t get caught up in his long-standing crush on Luke, and that he definitely won’t end up in Luke’s bed. It’s too risky.

So this can’t be Luke’s bed, Reggie thinks, because then we would be in big trouble.

There’s some shuffling beside him, followed by a deep sigh. Reggie peeks through the gap between his fingers. Luke’s eyes are closed, the crease of his brow just smoothing out. Reggie watches Luke’s mouth soften, lips parting slightly, his breaths returning to slow waves. He looks so peaceful.

Just as the thought occurs, Reggie huffs out a small laugh. “Thought you were a rat,” he murmurs.

Luke doesn’t reply. Reggie shuts his eyes again.

So maybe he’s thought about this before, waking up next to Luke all soft and rumpled. Maybe it’s a daydream he likes to revisit regularly. So what? Sue him. It’s not like he’d say no given the chance.

Besides, he seems to recall only saying that he won’t end up in Luke’s bed, so… yeah. He just has to verify that he’s in his own bed, and they’ll be fine. Probably.

Reggie rolls over gingerly, cracking open an eyelid to squint through the bright morning haze. It’s hard to tell whose room it is at a glance when the layouts are so similar:

There’s a wooden desk shoved into a corner at the other end of the room, the chair pulled out to accommodate the mountain of clothes dumped on it; an acoustic guitar sits beside the tallboy, occupying the only section of the floor that’s ever seen the light of day. Speaking of light, why is it so fucking bright?

Reggie props himself up with one elbow, then braves a look at the source of light.

Of course, he groans. The blue curtains hanging over the window are, for some godforsaken reason, open—pushed to the sides, allowing the morning sun to flood the room.

Sure! Reggie thinks. That’s not even the worst part about it, so why not? The only thing that could possibly be worse than this is if Julie and Alex were here pointing at the curtains themselves; because the curtains in Reggie's room are red.

“Fuck,” Reggie moans, letting his eyes fall shut.

If there’s one thing Luke’s good at, it’s persuading Reggie to do things. Stupid things that will get them into stupid trouble.

Maybe they could say it was just a sleepover? Nothing had to have happened between them. Just a couple of bros sharing a bed. It’s winter, it’s cold. Saving on heating bills. Something like that. That sounds reasonable enough, yeah?

He looks back at Luke, and yeah, okay. That’s great, actually—Luke’s not wearing a shirt. That’s… fine. Luke’s fine. Like, really fine.

Getting off track. It’s fine! They’ve all seen Luke waltzing around without a shirt before. Hell, even if he was wearing one, half the material would be gone along with the sleeves. So the story could still pass. This is nothing new.

What is new, to Reggie’s horror, is the massive purple bruise blooming on the side of Luke’s neck. Reggie does not squeak. How did he miss that? It’s huge!

Don’t panic, Reggie tells himself, panicking. There could be any number of reasons why there’s a hickey the size of a golf ball on Luke’s neck. Probably just as many as for why they’ve woken up in the same bed.

Reggie can think of exactly one.

Alex is gonna be so mad. Julie is gonna be so mad.

He swallows. It’s fine, he tells himself, like it’ll be real if he keeps saying it. Maybe this could be salvageable somehow. If they’re sticking with the sleepover thing (which he’ll talk to Luke about… probably), then he should check that they’re wearing clothes. That would make it more plausible. Hopefully.

The back of his neck prickles with sweat, and he suddenly wishes the thought never occurred to him. Now he can’t stop thinking about Luke laying beside him, naked. He can’t stop thinking about Luke seeing him naked. Reggie bites his lip. This is a bad idea. Maybe he can just roll over and go back to sleep and he’ll wake up from this dream.

Except, Reggie has never been one to deny his curiosity, even if it does trap the rat, or however the saying goes. He inhales sharply.

Careful not to disturb Luke, Reggie slowly lifts up the edge of the covers. He takes in a quiet breath and, before he can psyche himself out, leans down to take a peek.

He slaps a hand over his mouth.

We’re gonna die, Reggie thinks, heart pounding in his chest. Alex and Julie are gonna kill us, and we’re gonna die.

“Luke,” Reggie says, nudging him with the back of his hand. “Luke. Luke.”

“What?”

Reggie bites his lip. He has to be smart about this. Although he doesn’t know how smart he can be with this headache swooping back in. “Do you, uh, usually sleep naked?”

Luke snorts. Reggie’s face heats up. “Yeah,” Luke says.

Reggie’s pulse quickens. “So this is normal?”

“Yeah,” Luke says again, slower this time, an unreadable look on his face.

“In– in the middle of winter?”

“What are you, my mom?”

Reggie squeaks. “I-I just mean, like– what if– what if someone else is in your bed?”

Luke blinks. His lips curl up into a smirk.

“Well,” he drawls, propping himself up on an elbow. “Seems like you already know the answer to that.”

“I-I mean–” Reggie stammers, cheeks growing hot. “You could’ve at least– put some pants on, or, or… um…” he trails off, watching Luke’s eyes rake down his chest and slowly drag them back up again. When their eyes meet, Luke slips his tongue out to wet his lips. Reggie’s skin prickles.

“Now, why would I want to do that if the clothes are just gonna come right off again?”

Reggie has never claimed to have a strong resolve. They don’t make it out of bed for a while.

———

“What the hell is that?” Alex demands.

Act casual. Be natural.

”Yeah, Reg,” Luke smirks. Reggie’s blood runs cold. “What the hell did you do to me?”

Alex rounds on him. “You did this?”

“Did what?” comes Julie’s voice, and Reggie instinctively scans the studio for cover. Julie stops in the doorway, staring at Luke. “What the hell is that?” she asks, tone measured.

“That’s what I said,” mutters Alex.

Reggie glances at Luke, who’s still proudly parading the massive hickey on his neck like it won’t get them murdered. Reggie resists the urge to put his face in his hands and scream.

Julie looks between Luke’s smug expression and Reggie’s guilty-puppy eyes, and Reggie can pinpoint the exact moment it clicks.

“Oh my god, what did we say about hooking up within the band?!”

“Felt fucking good, though,” Luke says with a sly smile. “Reggie’s mouth–”

“Absolutely not,” Julie cuts in, holding up a hand. “I never, in a billion years, want to hear about what happened between you and Reggie’s mouth. Gross.”

“Yeah,” Alex says, raising a pocketed hand. “Me too.”

Reggie’s face grows hot. Hell could open up a trap door to a thousand spikes underneath him right now and it would suck less.

“I’m gonna need a moment,” Julie announces. “You two–” she points between Luke and Reggie “–behave. I’ll be back.”

Reggie hangs his head, shame creeping up the back of his neck. He hates disappointing people, least of all Julie Molina. Now the fate of his spot in the band, and probably his friendship with Julie, is doomed.

He hazards a glimpse at Luke. He actually looks sorry now that Julie’s out of sight.

Alex sighs and turns to them, lips pressed into a thin line.

“Alright, Alex, go ahead,” Luke grumbles. “We know you’ve got something to say.”

Alex watches them carefully for a beat before opening his mouth. “Okay, I don’t wanna say I told you so–”

“Yes, you do,” Reggie mumbles.

“Yes, I do,” Alex concedes, shutting his eyes for a second. “But I won’t, because I know you know you messed up. Okay, we all agreed this wouldn’t happen. I’ve kept up my end of the deal. Julie’s kept hers…” He trails off, shrugging. He doesn’t need to say it, but Reggie can practically hear it. Why was it so hard for you to do the same?

Reggie looks at Luke, then back to Alex before dropping his gaze. He’s just about to open his mouth to apologise when the door creaks open.

“Okay,” Julie breathes, carefully closing the door behind her and stepping into the space. “Now that I’m over the initial shock of…” She gestures vaguely at Luke and clears her throat. “I’ve given it some thought, and I’ve decided…” She looks between Luke and Reggie, biting her lip nervously. “We can make an exception here,” she says finally.

“Wait, seriously?” Luke and Alex say in unison. They grimace at each other.

Julie stares. “Okay… anyway,” she says. “Yes, I am serious. Just as long as the two of you—Luke and Reggie—can keep it professional when we’re together as a band.”

“Yeah,” Alex agrees. “We don’t want personal stuff to get in the way of how we work, right?”

Reggie could almost cry with relief, wrapping his arms around Julie in a tight hug with an earnest “Thank you!” before releasing her so Luke can do the same.

With the air cleared, they disperse to set up for the day. Luke bumps his hip against Reggie and throws him a wink. Reggie blushes despite himself.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Julie pipes up. “In case it wasn’t clear enough: no hooking up on band time. Got it?”

Reggie straightens up and salutes her. “Yes, ma’am!”

He hears Luke laugh next to him. “You got it, boss,” he says.

Julie rolls her eyes fondly, and returns to setting up her keyboard stand.

Reggie feels a tap on his shoulder. He turns around, and Luke presses a quick kiss to his lips. It happens so swiftly that Reggie is left stunned; he stares wide-eyed after Luke, who’s already making his way toward his mic.

Somewhere behind him, Reggie hears Alex mutter, “Why do I have to be here?”

[missjoolee]

Happy New Year!

I wrote a little somethin' somethin' for the ladies in my group chat. Thanks for always encouraging my tangents ^_^

Do You Smell Something Burning?

Read on AO3

Snippet Below

_____________________

Her professor has given them a rare in-class period to work on their final projects when Julie feels her phone start buzzing with incoming notifications, derailing her train of thought. It won't hurt to check it for just a second. Tapping the screen to wake it up, she sees it's the building group chat again.

The Building 🏠

Bernadette (neighbor) 5:23pm Does it smell like something is burning?

Luke, Pizza Killer 🍕🔪 5:24pm f 5:24pm it's our pizza

Julie chokes down a laugh, trying not to draw the attention of her classmates.

5:24pm again?! 🤣🤣🤣

(310) 555-1442 5:24pm 😭

Luke, Pizza Killer 🍕🔪 5:25pm i'm sorry reggie -_-

Julie's professor clears their throat from the desk they are sitting at. It's a polite reminder that she should be working right now, not on her phone. She throws a grin in their direction as she locks her phone and slips it back into her pocket. Then she picks her pen back up and gets back to working on her project.

When class is over, she quickly checks back into the chat.

(323) 555-9673 5:29pm 5:29pm dude

Flynnigan and again and again 5:30pm

Bernadette (neighbor) 5:33pm How did you do that, Flynn? Will you show me?

Flynnigan and again and again 5:33pm lol 5:33pm sure B

And when Julie arrives home, all of the windows in the bottom right apartment are open yet again, airing the place out.