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undercoveravenger · 4 years ago

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Perfect Harmony

Pairing: Luke Patterson x Male!Reader

Requested: Yes

Original Request: “Hey! I have a JATP request if you're still writing them :) A Luke!xmale reader who's in the band (He can take Bobby's place). Reader and Luke have a good friendship and always stare at each-other to make the other laugh during performances but reader develops feelings for Luke so during Edge of Great he avoids eye-contact which Luke isn't happy about and after the show he confronts the reader and the reader finally confesses? Thank you!”

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Ever since you and your bandmates died, things had been strange and not just strange in a ‘we were killed by some bad hot dogs and woke up twenty-five years later as ghosts’ kind of way. No, that was something you could learn to deal with, but you couldn’t get behind the way what remained of Sunset Curve was beginning to drift apart.

Alex had a new friend, a ghost skateboarder named Willie, and you could tell that he had started developing feelings for him. You were happy for him, as much as it hurt to see one of your friends moving on without you.

And Luke- Luke hadn’t been the same since you woke up.

Reggie had taken it upon himself to find out what had happened to his family in the time that the four of you were gone, which meant that he spent a lot of the time outside of rehearsals snooping through records of house sales in the last couple of decades to see if he could find any clue to help him figure out where they might have moved. You knew that the odds of Reggie leaving the band behind were slim to none, but he’d always been so close to his siblings that you couldn’t be absolutely certain.

You had always known that Luke regretted running away from home, but now he spent hours a day watching over his parents or writing songs with Julie, the only living person that had been able to see the four of you since you’d become ghosts.

Along with Julie herself being able to see you came the staggering realization that other people could also see you when you performed with her. This led to the end of Sunset Curve as you’d known it and gave rise to the creation of your new band, Julie and the Phantoms.

You really couldn’t bring yourself to be too upset about the change though, not when every day that Luke got to play his guitar and write songs with Julie made him seem so much more alive.

So what if you used to be his song-writing partner and tease each other on stage whenever you performed and your chest tightened uncomfortably a little when those big brown puppy-dog eyes held yours for just a little too long? You were willing to put your feelings about the situation aside because Luke was your best friend and you loved him.

No, it was more than that, you realized in a startling moment of clarity. You were in love with him.

Thinking back on it, you were sure that you’d loved him for a long time. It made sense; you were always tempted to play with his hair or throw your arm around his shoulder and tug him close. And the way that he looked at you when you sang together always made you feel a little like you’d just stepped off of a roller coaster - dizzy and just a little off-balance but pumped full of so much adrenaline that you can’t wait to do it again.

The weight of an arm curling over your shoulder and your best friend’s blinding smile was enough to drag you out of your thoughts and back to the present, where you’re mere moments away from appearing on stage and playing your heart out with the other phantoms at a party in Julie’s backyard.

“Let’s give ‘em a show to remember,” Luke murmured, just barely loud enough for you to hear. He shot you one last heart-stopping grin before vanishing and reappearing on stage with Alex and Reggie.

You swore under your breath as you missed your cue, quickly teleporting to take Julie’s place at the piano as she stood and moved to go jam with Reggie. Muscle memory kicked in quickly, allowing your fingers to dance effortlessly over the keys to the harmony of Edge of Great, one of the new songs that Julie had helped Luke write.

Right on cue Luke began to sing, his voice washing over you as smooth and sweet as honey. You could feel the weight of his eyes on you, knowing that this was right about when you’d have turned around to pull a dumb face at him to make him laugh if this had been any normal set.

But this wasn’t just a normal performance; you’d just realized that you were in love with your best friend and if you looked at him now, you knew that he’d know something was wrong. With that in mind, you focused on the ivories under your fingers and chiming in on the choruses when you were meant to.

You could tell that Luke was trying to catch your eye, moving repeatedly to try and get into your field of view only for you to ignore him. You could feel yourself tensing as the end of the song crept closer and you could hear Luke’s voice more and more clearly as he approached you, though you forced yourself to continue playing even as he settled beside you on the piano bench. You couldn’t help but meet his gaze with such a small distance between you, almost startling in its intensity.

Just then Julie trailed off on her last note, which you took as your signal to vanish, teleporting directly up into the loft of the studio. All of your bandmates knew that this was where you went when something was troubling you, so you were confident that you’d be left to your own devices as you parsed through your thoughts.

You were proven wrong when you’d turned around to pace in the other direction only to crash directly into Luke.

He put a hand on your shoulder, both to steady you and keep you from running away again. “What’s up with you, man?” he started, clearly annoyed at how distant you were acting. “You missed a cue and then you were… off the rest of the song!”

You shook your head, shrugging away from his hand and taking a few steps back to give yourself some space to think. “I just have a lot on my mind, alright?”

“A lot on your mind?” he echoed incredulously, brows furrowed over concerned brown eyes, “Dude, we died and you didn’t let that bug you. What the hell could possibly be weighing on you enough to throw you off like that?”

You hesitated, the words you’d been thinking leaving a bitter taste on your tongue. “I think I need to leave the band.”

Reggie and Alex went quiet downstairs. A long moment passed and then you could hear the distinct sound of them teleporting away, leaving to give the two of you some privacy for what would undoubtedly be a very difficult conversation.

Luke looked like he’d have been less hurt if you’d punched him across the face. “W-what?”

Forcing yourself to continue was hard, but you knew that you couldn’t stop now that you’d started. “We’ve all changed a lot since Sunset Curve, Luke. I just don’t think that how I’ve changed is going to be good for Julie and the Phantoms.”

“That can’t be true,” Luke protested, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. “You’re just as much a part of this band as any of us, no matter if you changed or not!”

You sighed, scrambling to find an excuse that Luke would accept. “I’ve realized something about myself that makes it really hard for me to stay-”

Luke cut you off, “Look, if you’re worried about coming out or something like that making it weird, I’m pretty sure that no one in this band is actually straight so-”

“I’m in love with you,” you said, interrupting him before his rambling could pick up any more speed.

You could see the moment that he realized what you had said, his eyes going wide and his mouth dropping open in surprise. He seemed too stunned to say anything.

“This is why I didn’t want to say anything,” you sighed, rolling your eyes and turning away. “Forget it, I’m gonna go.”

“Wait,” Luke said, reaching out and grabbing your wrist to stop you from leaving. He hesitated when you turned to look at him, clearly struggling to come up with what to say. “Did you mean that?”

For a second you considered lying, saying that it had all been a joke, but you knew that you could never lie to your best friend like that, even if it was your heart on the line. “Yeah,” you said finally, unable to look Luke in the eyes.

“Oh,” Luke murmured, a faint grin creeping across his features, “Good.”

Your brows furrowed, confused, and you looked up to ask him what he meant just as he leaned in to kiss you.

The kiss only lasted a moment before Luke pulled away, but it was long enough for you to start comprehending what had just happened.

Luke’s eyes glimmered happily in the dim lighting of the studio, the corners of his mouth quirked up into a smile just wide enough for the dimples you’d always admired to indent his cheeks, “I’ve been wanting to do that for ages.”

“You should’ve,” you teased, grinning back at him before leaning in to kiss him again. He met you halfway, smiling against your lips. There was a distinct warmth in your chest at how well he could read you, but then you knew that it really shouldn’t be too surprising. You and Luke together had always been a perfect harmony.

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clean-bands-dirty-stories · 3 years ago

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Drive By ~ part 4

A/n: Well holy shit this is finally out! I tried so hard to put everything into four parts and end it here but I just couldn’t. Too much history and explaining characters and complicated emotions. Next part should be the last one though! And after all the angst, we will fianlly get fluff. Sorry this took me ages.

Word Count: 5300+

Masterlist

"I just don't understand," she sighed, running a hand through her hair. "How could they just... not want to find Y/n?" She looked at Alex, who wouldn't look back. His eyes seemed to search everything out but her face, and she couldn't tell if it was because he knew something he felt he couldn't tell her, or because he didn't know anything and he felt compelled to answer her pleas but had nothing to offer. Or maybe not knowing scared him just as much as it confused her, and if he looked at her he would have to own up to the fact that he had missed something HUGE in his best friends' lives and didn't know how to catch up.

Flynn wasn't ever one to hide away from things like this though, so she just sighed and shook her head, answering in a strong voice, "They're afraid." Alex and Julie looked at her in shock but Flynn just rolled her eyes. "If you're going to ask a question, you have to be okay with facing the truth the right answer will bring. Let's face it. They did something bad to Y/n. They both ended on bad terms, and they're terrified to face up to it. Probably even more so, they're scared that they'll try and get invested and then it'll still end the way they're afraid it will. Out of all the possibilities and hardships that could and will happen, it's easier to just take solace in each other and pretend to move on than try and fix something that's SUPER broken.

It was in that moment Julie realized why Alex had been avoiding looking at her. His face scrunched up and he leaned forward, moving closer to Flynn. "Hold on, what?" He didn't know what was going on with his friends, as much as Julie didn't. Flynn seemed to though.

Flynn sighed. "Soulmates are scary. You're raised thinking it's some fairytale where everything always goes right. Soulmates are different and they do better and they reach higher heights and do more and work harder. Either that, or you're raised believing that it's some sort of brainwashing. Something forced on you. People think soulmates are the only people you can be happy with, and will force a connection to work even if it doesn't. The thing is- they're both wrong." She sighed, leaned forward so her elbows rested on her knees. "Listen I'm like fifteen, so I'm not going to say I know everything, but from the successful, happy, healthy soulmate relationships I've seen, and the ones I've seen that are NOT good, soulmates are just... the universe giving you a suggestion. There's something from that person you need. Sometimes you get soulmate marks as a warning."

Julie's eyes widened. "I remember that. My mom said she had one of those when she was younger. She liked this guy, and he flirted with her. He was a guitar player, and they almost hit it off, and then they realized they were soulmates... but she explained it like the longer she spent with him, the less color she saw in the world. They started fading until that color was just some shade on the gray scale."

Flynn nodded. "Soulmate stuff is just potential. It can be between friends who need each other, and it can fade easily, for lots of reasons. Most of the time it's because they die, but sometimes... it's just because that person is no longer your soulmate. Soulmates are just as confusing and complicated as any relationship is. The universe - or whoever's in charge, or maybe it's just one soul calling to another - someone decided to give us hints. Maybe it's your subconscious even, screaming out to you in any way it can. No matter what you believe soulmates are, they're only suggestions. Arrows pointing in general directions. Maybe this person will be the love of your life. Maybe you guys will work out. Maybe this will be someone who changes your life for the better. Maybe you shouldn't go near this person."

Alex hums in thought. "You know, that actually makes more sense than anything else I've ever heard. Because I mean, it drives you to do things. To take a chance. But ultimately, it's up to you to fix it and work for it and make sense of it. I mean, meeting Willie ultimately brought us to Caleb - but that also brought us to being closer and having a stronger connection with Julie, and it was a struggle and it was hard but now I have my band back and it's reaching new levels and I have someone I'm crazy about who's crazy for me. So in the end..." He smiled.

"Exactly," Flynn encouraged. It's not as big of a deal as everyone makes it to be. There's no pressure or eternal tie. Anything can go away if you need it to. If it's what's best for you. We just needed an extra push to live a little. To reach higher heights and go further than we might have otherwise. Fear stops that. It cages you and pulls you away from the few good things that we can do. Soulmates are supposed to give you hints and suggestions and direction, but SO many people have twisted them into something ugly. Something terrifying and disappointing and frustrating and toxic. Until they realize that there's more to this soulmate thing than just what they think they have to do, they're going to be stuck between letting go of Y/n or going after him."

"You really think so?"

Three pairs of eyes turned to the loft, where Reggie and Luke were perched. Flynn stood up, suddenly a little self conscious. She was all about telling people how it was and giving it with brutal honesty, but only to the people who asked for it. If she'd known they were there she might have been a little more gentle. "Sorry-" she began.

Luke shook his head, dismissing her guilt. Since Julie had saved the three ghosts from disappearing, everyone could see them now. Which meant that Flynn had finally had a chance to actually be friends with the boys one on one, instead of through Julie. It was moments like this that he appreciated her the most. "No, you're right. And I've never really thought about that before. What do you think we should do?"

Flynn sighed internally, wondering how she always ended up as the therapist friend - even to three dead teenage boys who were from the 90's and were therefore OLDER than her. "I can't tell you that. I don't know what happened between you and Y/n and Reggie, but I do know that Y/n might want to see you guys again. He might want some explanations. You guys have a lot to catch up on. All I know is your mark is still very much there, and Y/n means the world to you guys and it's time to ask yourselves a question." Reggie and Luke moved closer to her as she crossed her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow. "What are you more afraid of: rejection, or losing Y/n forever?"

Suddenly there was new fear in the two guitarists' eyes and they looked at each other with a new realization. When they looked back, their gazes went to Julie. "You said you could find Y/n?"

Julie grinned. She had the best girlfriend EVER.

Y/n should have known how tonight was going to end the second he walked up to Luke that day.

Everyone else was at school, and Luke - who had dropped out - was to be found where he always hid. In the studio. Y/n, who had also dropped out of school due to some severe amounts of bullying, had found himself walking today, and his feet had taken him where he really wanted to go. To Luke. They hadn't gotten in touch or talked or hung out in quite a while and as the distance between them grew, the more Y/n missed Luke. With the whole showdown with Reggie just behind Y/n, he had dropped the initiative he always had when it came to Luke. Now they never saw each other and Y/n tried to ignore that as he approached the lead singer.

What he missed was the unfocused eyes nd the relaxed shoulders and the focused crease of Luke's eyebrows. The tell tale signs that Luke was lost in song writing, far away and nearly impossible to reach for anyone else in the world.

Or maybe Y/n didn't miss it. Maybe he ignored it on purpose. He needed Luke so desperately...

"Hey, Lu," Y/n greeted softly. He felt so worn and exhausted that he barely managed a smile. It felt like a slap in the face when Luke only hummed in greeting, not even moving or responding to Y/n's voice in anyway. Y/n felt hurt rise up and tried to push it down. Tried to not make a problem where there didn't have to be one. He was the peacemaker. He was the level head and the big heart and the strong, comforting arms. He didn't get to lose control. "You busy?"

"Yeah." At least he had responded with words this time. He still however didn't look over, or apologize, or even greet Y/n. He had been dismissed without even an acknowledgement.

Y/n swallowed, taking a few deep breaths to stabilize himself. "Could you... not be busy?"

Luke paused, eyebrows coming together even more as he tried to think through the conversation while also focusing on the song still. "I'm writing right now. Can't we just hang out later? I want to give the fans some new music but I'm stuck on this line. I can't figure out how to..." He sighed, just before his entire face light up and he finally looked at Y/n. For a second, the other boy got excited, thinking the lead singer had finally snapped out of his trance. "Could you help me come up with something? You always inspire me so much."

Something in Y/n broke. Before he met Luke, he had believed so assuredly that people could only ever use him for one thing. That they had sex with him and then ditched him, and that was how people abused relationships with him. But he was quickly realizing there were other ways to take advantage of a person. Other things to use someone for. And this is how it felt with Luke. Luke used Y/n for comfort and joy and direction and inspiration. He used the boy to find home in a confusing, dangerous world he was having problems navigating. Y/n made Luke happy.

What about Y/n though? Because he had been crying for days straight and was unkempt and messy and obviously exhausted but Luke didn't notice.

Or... maybe he just didn't care.

It made Y/n so angry that his face twisted up and his hands balled into fists. He didn't yell like he wanted to - he hated yelling, but even aside from that he didn't want to think about the argument he'd gotten into with Reggie, and if Luke reacted at all like Reggie did it would Y/n feel so much worse - but for the volume control he did have, he lost hold on the poison that seeped into the very core of his tone. "No, I can't help you with your stupid song."

Luke froze, so taken aback by the cruel words that he had to reboot for a second. "It's not stupid-"

"Can you think about literally anything other than your music for five seconds?" Y/n snapped.

At that, Luke's relaxation melted and he snapped to attention. His entire body went rigid and his eyes narrowed. "Okay what is wrong with you? Don't trash my music, you know how that makes me feel."

"And it is always about how you feel, isn't it?" Y/n scoffed, arms crossing over his chest.

Luke shot to his feet. "You don't get to just walk in out of nowhere anytime you want and demand attention from me, Y/n. That's not fair." Even as he stood shorter than Y/n, the other boy flinched just slightly. As if not expecting the quick movement. Luke didn't pick up on it like Reggie had. He was too defensive.

The tension only grew between them and Y/n's chest rose and fell quickly as his breathing picked up. "Except if I don't walk in we'll never see each other. Because you're always with your band, and you're always working on music, and you're always practicing or performing or busy and it doesn't matter if I need you, or-"

"My music is important to me," Luke interrupted. "Of course I work on it as often as I can. I invited you to any of our performances, it's not my fault that you never come."

Y/n's anger blew up and he took a step closer to Luke. "And that's all you know when it comes to our relationship, isn't it? Don't mind me I'll just sit in the back and wait for you to bless me with a split second of your precious, precious time. I'll just go out of my way to make it to you whenever I can and free up my day and I'll sit around and wait for you to remember I even exist."

"That's not-" Luke began.

"Yes it is!" And this time Y/n did yell. "I don't even register to you! You don't make any effort, and if our relationship is falling short or failing then it's all my fault. You don't make a lick of effort and it's all up to me and if we don't hang out or see each other or talk it's our fault because you're a super busy, awesome super star and all your fans can be all over you but if any of my old flings even SEE me and react then you get uber jealous and-"

"Your old flings don't just see you," Luke spat. "They try and seduce you."

"And I would tell them to fuck off if I could, but I can't because you don't want anyone to know you're dating me of all people."

"What is wrong with you today?" Luke stepped closer, and realized that they both had several times and now they were in each other's faces, yelling and motioning with their hands. They were arguing, and he flashed back to every single time he had been in almost exactly the same place with his mom, over almost the exact same things. He wasn't around enough. He didn't care about the things he was supposed to. It set him off in every way and he couldn't think of a single thing to make it make anymore sense.

Y/n stepped back as if he'd been slapped though. Except it wasn't hurt or betrayal on his face - it was rage. He didn't even stop to process the pain, he just bit back, "You. You are what's wrong with me." And he didn't mean it. He meant that their space was hurting him, that the distance and the confusion and the loneliness was killing him. But that's not what he said.

Luke scoffed. "Well if I'm so intolerable then leave. No one's keeping you here."

This time they hurt did twist Y/n's face. Luke didn't know why, but the white hot pain that coursed through Y/n's body was perfectly clear to him. No one was stopping him from going? No one would hate it if he left? If that wasn't Luke telling Y/n that he didn't care about him or their relationship anymore, what was?

"Fine." Y/n turned away and he did leave.

Luke rolled his eyes and went back to his writing. They'd never gotten into an argument and he didn't know how to handle it now that they had, and it had gotten so ugly. So he focused on his music and he didn't think about it anymore. He'd ask Reggie about it later. Reggie knew all about Y/n, and was the best at deciphering how to deal with things like this.

What he didn't know is that as Y/n trekked through the city and beyond to go on a walk through the sparse woods around the city, he would fall to his death. And Luke wouldn't know until many, many years later after he was dead as well and they reunited once again outside of the house of a person they both hated.

Julie hadn't been sure what exactly would happen when she closed her eyes and begged for Y/n to appear, but she hadn't imaged it would work, if she had been honest. Despite that, the second she even thought his name he popped into existence, teleporting in the same way she was learning every ghost could.

He light up when he saw her. "Hey, you."

"Y/n," she greeted.

Immediately his body tensed, his smile turning strained. "Ah. So you've put together who I am."

"With help." Reggie and Luke popped into the downstairs of the studio from the loft where they had been hidden before. Y/n went cold and hard, his face going blank and his hands slipping into his pockets. He didn't look at either of them in the same way he didn't take in the place he was currently standing in. He focused on the fly away strands of Julie's hair. Ignoring everything he didn't want to see purposefully. Alex, still in the loft, held his breath as he watched them.

Flynn, who stood off to the side, sighed before stepping forward. "You're Y/n?"

Y/n looked at her, and immediately they saw each other so clearly and deeply they both relaxed. Flynn and Y/n saw the same exhaustion in each other that they saw when they looked in the mirror. An expression they'd memorized after so many times seeing it in fact. The exhaustion of someone expected to hold everyone around them together, who rarely got help themselves. Flynn's had lessened, easing as she slowly worked things out more and more with Julie, but it still wasn't gone. It was too engrained to be completely gone.

"Yeah, I am," Y/n responded. "You must be Flynn."

Flynn smiled, raising an eyebrow. "And you know me how?"

Y/n smiled a little too, even if it was faint and strained. "You expect me to have helped Julie Molina of all people and not know the people who matter most to her? Please. I didn't just keep track of the Phantoms - their manager is just as important."

"You kept track of us?" Reggie asked, surprised.

Y/n seemed to not want to answer that question. In fact, it seemed he almost didn't. But then, without looking over, he answered, "When I was summoned accidentally by a girl in crisis over the fact that despite all her hard work, no one cared about her or took her seriously while the friends who abandoned her succeeded without even having to try, I got an ear full about Julie Molina and her band. On top of that, I kept being summoned by the same girl - equally as on accident - until I saw that band perform myself. And when I saw three out of four members of an old band I used to know unaged even a day, I knew something was up. So yeah, I kept my eyes and ears open."

Julie's eyes were wide. "Hold on are you talking about Carrie?"

Y/n flinched. "I... wasn't supposed to tell you that." He sighed. "But you really should talk to her. There's been a lot of miscommunication for the last while."

"Well then," Flynn mumbled.

"If that's all you needed..." Y/n began.

"We need to talk too," Luke spoke up finally. Y/n crossed his arms over his chest and Luke stepped forward, reaching out to him slowly. Y/n stepped away and Luke's chest squeezed. "I'm sorry, Y/n. I just- we need to talk. I want to talk."

"Now you want to talk?" Y/n finally looked over at him and Luke's hands curled around the material of his own shirt. Reggie moved closer and touched his arm to soothe him. Under the contact Luke relaxed again. Y/n didn't miss the moment. He scoffed, a twisted smile rising onto his face. "I see." His eyes flickered to the marks peeking out on both of the boys and the new form they each took. "Only took you thirty years or so."

Flynn, Julie and Alex all exchanged looks before the ghost disappeared and the two girls slipped outside, leaving the three boys alone. Their exist was masked by Reggie asking, "What does that mean?"

Y/n stepped away from the pair. "Listen if you want to clear the air so you guys don't feel guilty about dating, it's fine. I'm over it. It's been ages and-"

"It's not like that," Luke interrupted. He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry for interrupting. I just... Listen, I know I handled it really badly when we were first together. I wasn't fair to you. And I'm not saying we should try it again if you don't want to, but I did want to talk to you. To clear the air in the very least. I wanted you to know that it's different now and I wanted you to know that I should have treated you better. That I know it too. And I wanted to say I'm sorry."

Immediately all of the anger melted off of Y/n and it became clear that he had never even been irritated. He was in pain and trying to hide it. Pain that showed loud and clear now, for all to see. "I forgive you, Luke. And Reggie too. We were young and stupid and none of us were handling any of it correctly, especially with all the pressure placed on us. It's whatever."

"We don't just want you to disappear again though," Reggie added. "I get it if you don't want this. If you don't want to be friends with us again. But even if that's all it is, we'd both like you to come back again. We've lost a lot of our life. All of it, in fact. We don't have a lot of friends anymore, and things are hard and confusing and painful. We just..."

Y/n teared up. "Why now? Why, decades later, are you finally doing what I begged and begged and begged you to do AGES ago? When I've finally moved on and let it all go and came to terms with my new life? I've been aching for ten years and now you decide that you're going to do all the things I tried to do?"

Reggie pursed his lips. "I'm sorry Y/n. If you want to leave and it's too late, we get it. We just... had to try. I'm sorry if that's selfish of us. If it only makes things harder for you."

Y/n didn't respond for a very long time. Then he barely managed out, "I have to go." And he was gone, leaving Reggie and Luke alone in the studio.

Luke covered his face with his hands, rubbing his eyes for a few seconds. Then he dropped them, sighing as he looked over at Reggie. "And yet it still went better than I thought it would."

Reggie didn't say anything to that, but to be fair, he didn't really have to.

Getting yanked from the black empty void of nothing into an almost empty street was jarring enough on its own without all the noise. it wasn't overwhelming, like a crowd, but just one voice at high volume. Y/n looked over to see the source, his eyes landing on a familiar face. Bobby. He leaned against the wall, hand covering his face and guitar swinging from around his neck. He looked like he was about to pass out.

Panicked, Y/n rushed forward to help him. He grabbed the guitar and placed it in a more safe position, reaching out to steady Bobby. To his shock, his hands went right through his friends. A moment that was missed by the dark haired boy who only then lowered his hand from his face and looked over. "Y/n?"

Y/n smiled a little, strained even as he tried to make it large and warm and genuine. It was obvious Bobby was totally wrecked and Y/n wanted to help. Everything else could wait. "Hey. You okay?"

"You're here." The words were hoarse and for a second Y/n wondered if him being here had made him feel even worse. That's how it seemed. He looked around to try and avoid his eyes - what had Luke told him? How angry was he? It should have only been an hour or so. Maybe that's why Bobby was upset. All those thoughts were wiped from his head when he realized he was... back stage. Bobby was about to go on stage, and the audience was cheering for him as he waited for his cue. Did he... have stage fright? How had they even gotten here to begin with? Wasn't Y/n just running through the woods? No, he had fallen. He had been hurt... Where had the large hole in the ground come from? It felt like it had fallen, broken. One second it was there and the next it was crumbling underneath him.

He was suddenly very confused.

"Where is here exactly?"

"The Orpheum." He was looking at Y/n with a very bizarre expression. "Am I crazy?"

"Why would you be crazy?" Y/n asked, taken aback by the question more than anything else that was happening. Wasn't Y/n the crazy one? He looked around again, his head spinning. "Wait if you're at the Orpheum where are the others? Alex and... and Reggie? And Luke?" The names hurt him more than he expected, only then did it all sink in that he would probably never see them again. Unless... why was he here? Maybe they'd invited him. Maybe things had been fixed.

Bobby's face twisted with pain. "Y/n, they died. They ate some really bad food and it killed them. That was three years ago. I tried to find you but..." He swallowed and Y/n looked at him, slowly, horror crossing his face. "We were going to perform. But... I mean, I couldn't do it. I couldn't perform. So I left and they told me that if I wanted to perform in the future I could. And now I'm here and..." His breathing hitched and Y/n stepped away. "But now you're here and- and maybe it's a sign that I shouldn't go on tonight. They pressured me... with the songs... I'm..."

He was dumping, ranting, as he had before. As all the boys had turned to Y/n for comfort, Bobby did so now. But Y/n couldn't catch him as he began falling. The boy was falling too fast himself. Luke and Alex and Reggie were dead? Three years? When had they booked a performance at the Orpheum? They were getting big there was nothing crazy like that happening. Not yet. And how had Y/n gotten here?

It was only not registering that Bobby looked quite a bit older. His hair had grown out, and he had the beginning of a beard on his face. He was dressed differently too.

All Y/n could think was, "You can't go on without them." Bobby nodded, agreeing, and Y/n felt a scream echoing in his head. He grabbed it, closing his eyes. He wanted to leave. He wanted out of here. He wanted... he couldn't...

There was a pop and then he felt sun on his skin and a cool breeze replaced the fans and Bobby and the chaos. He felt himself sink to his knees. What was happening?!

"Hey." Luke turned to see Y/n and despite himself, he smiled.

"Hey, you." He shuffled, a little awkward. "Reggie isn't here right now."

"I know." Y/n took a seat on the couch, sinking into the soft seat as he sighed. He looked tired. He probably was. "I'm not here to be a creeper or anything. I just... I just wanted to talk about what happened that day. Why..." He placed his face in his hands.

"You're not here to talk about what happened," Luke realized aloud.

Y/n shook his head. "It sucks so much, Luke. It's suffocating out there by myself. And... it doesn't stop. Someone always needs help, and all I can do is offer a momentary comfort and then I have to leave and I have to move on and I can't ever stop. I never stop."

Luke hesitated a second before sitting next to him. "That day with the little girl. How she called you an angel, when you grabbed her toy that she dropped. And how you were in the alley way with Julie. Do you do that all the time?"

Nodding, Y/n seemed to melt. He seemed to much more broken since the last time they'd talked and Luke felt his heart aching. He wanted to help. Had Y/n always looked like this? Surely not. "I thought it was my purpose. The lonely angel. Always moving, always helping, always by myself. I made this connection with the people I helped, but only while I helped them. Kind of like how Julie could see you guys before. I can feel myself being pulled. And if I let go, I'm summoned to someone who needs help. And they can see me, and hear me, but they can't touch me. I just thought it was a sign. And then I met Carrie, and Julie, and that brought me back here. No matter how long I go, it always brings me back to you and Reggie." He sighed again, longer and heavier. Like he was on the verge of tears. "It's so frustrating. I just want to stop and come home and collapse in your guys' arms. It's not fair."

Luke pursed his lips, hesitating a second. But then he just shook his head and opened his arms, wrapping one around Y/n's shoulders and pulling the boy into his chest. Y/n curled into him, holding onto him as he tried to hold back tears. Little gasps came from him as he tried to keep in control and Luke frowned. "Listen Y/n, I know it's not perfect. In fact it's anything but. I still think... if you need to make it less complicated for a second, you can. If you just need some comfort and a safe place. If you need someone to take care of you. Reggie and I are both more than willing to do that. Even if it's just for a while. We can start there. Just give that to you."

Y/n nodded. "Okay." He seemed to relax and the two men sat there for a very long time, in silence, just trying to hold each other together. It was such a relief for both of them that neither of them pulled away until they had to. The studio doors opened and Alex, Flynn, and Carlos came in. They chatted, laughing, but stopped cold as they took in Y/n and Luke.

Y/n pulled away, getting to his feet. "Sorry." He disappeared again, and Luke closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Alex came to sit next to him. "He's coming around, Kas. Just give him some time okay?"

"Yeah I know." He sighed, lowering his hand. "I need to update Reggie. You know where he is?" They didn't know what they'd do next, but comparing notes for now would be the best idea. If Y/n came to Luke this time, he might come to Reggie next and it would be best to be as prepared as possible. Even if he didn't... Hopefully he would though. Hopefully he would.

#Luke Patterson #Reggie Peters #Ruke #Peterpatter #reggie x luke #Julie and the Phantoms #luke patterson x reader #reggie peters x reader #julie and the phantoms x reader #male reader #julie and the phantoms x male reader #luke patterson x male reader'#reggie peters x male reader #sunset curve #sunset curve x reader #sunset curve x male reader

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jakesullysdreads · 4 years ago

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How would y'all feel if i started writing holiday fics??? like i know it's not even halloween, however... winter

#julie and the phantoms #alex jatp #jatp #reggie jatp #julie molina #julie jatp #luke jatp #xplrreylo #charlie gillespie #jatp x reader #jatp luke x reader #luke patterson x reader #jatp reggie x reader #jatp alex x male!reader

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froggywritesstuff · 2 years ago

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character list

the title is self explanatory. this is a list of the characters i'll write for. it'll probably change over time, and if you see a character you'd like but don't see them on the list, just ask cause i might've forgotten about them

Hamilton

Eliza Schuyler

Angelica Schuyler

Peggy Schuyler

Maria Reynolds

Alexander Hamilton

John Laurens

Philip Hamilton

Lafayette

Hercules Mulligan

James Madison

Thomas Jefferson

Aaron Burr

Umbrella Academy

Viktor Hargreeves

Diego Hargreeves

Klaus Hargreeves

Allison Hargreeves

Luther Hargreeves

Five Hargreeves

Ben Hargreeves (Umbrella or Sparrow)

Sloane Hargreeves

Jayme Hargreeves

Stranger Things

Will Byers (non female readers only)

Mike Wheeler

Lucas Sinclair

Dustin Henderson

Eleven Hopper

Max Mayfield

Robin Buckley (non male readers only)

Nancy Wheeler

Jonathan Byers

Steve Harrington

Eddie Munson

21 Chump Street

Justin Laboy

The Goldfinch

Boris Pavlikovsky

Theodore Decker

Marvel

Peter Parker (any actor)

Steve Rogers

Bucky Barnes

Sam Wilson

Makkari

Sersi

Sprite (platonic only)

Steven Grant

Marc Spector

Layla El-Faouly

America Chavez (non male readers only)

Kate Bishop

Yelena Belova (platonic only)

Shuri

Namor

Riri Williams

X-Men

Mystique

Kitty Pryde

Peter Maximoff

Rogue

Logan Howlette

Wade Wilson/Deadpool

Scott Summers

In The Heights (movie version)

Usnavi de la Vega

Vanessa

Nina Rosario

Benny

Sonny de la Vega

Heathers

Veronica Sawyer

JD (Jason Dean)

Heather Chandler

Heather McNamara

Heather Duke

John Doe

Ride The Cyclone

Noel Gruber (male or nb readers only)

Ocean O'Connel Rosenburg

Mischa Bachinski

Constance Blackwood

Ricky Potts

Hatchetfieldverse

Paul Matthews

Emma Perkins

Ted Spankoffski

Bill Woodard

Ruth Fleming

Pete Spankoffski

Richie Lipschitz

Max Jagerman

Grace Chasity

Lex Foster

Ethan Green

Hannah Foster (platonic only)

Heartstopper

Charlie Spring (non female readers only)

Nick Nelson

Tara Jones (non male readers only)

Darcy Olsson (non male readers readers only)

Elle Argent

Tao Xu (non male readers only(headcanoning him as bi or pan is disrespectful and transphobic))

Tori Spring

Imogen Heaney

Isaac Henderson (platonic only)

Do Revenge

Eleanor Levetan (non male readers only)

Drea Torres

Wednesday

Wednesday Addams

Enid Sinclair

Bianca Barclay

Xavier Thorpe

Ajax Petropolus

Eugene Otinger

(young) Morticia Addams

(young) Gomez Addams

Beetlejuice

Lydia Deetz

Tomorrow When The War Began

Ellie Linton

Lee Takkam

Fiona Maxwell

Homer Yannos

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse/Across the Spider-Verse

Miles Morales

Gwen Stacy

Pavitr Prabhakar

Hobie Brown

Margo Kess

Miles G Morales (earth 42)

Miguel O’Hara

Maze Runner

Thomas

Newt (non female readers only)

The Broken Hearts Gallery

Lucy Gulliver

Nadine (non male readers only)

Nick Danielson

Treasure Planet

Jim Hawkins

Enola Holmes

Lord Tewkesbury

Turning Red

Mei Mei

Miriam

Abby

Priya

Raising Dion

Nicole Warren

Tevin Wakefield

Dion Warren (platonic only)

Julie and the Phantoms

Julie Molina

Luke Patterson

Reggie Peters

Alex Mercer (non female readers only)

Flynn

Carrie

Abbott Elementary

Janine Teagues

Jacob Hill (non female readers only)

Gregory Eddie

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Jake Peralta

Amy Santiago

Rosa Diaz

Love Victor

Victor Salazar (non female readers only)

Benji (non female readers only)

Felix Weston

Pilar Salazar

Lake Meriwether

Lucy

Mia Brooks

Andrew

In Treatment

Eladio

Laila

Spree

Kurt Kunkle

Once Upon a Time

Emma Swan

Regina Mills

Killian Jones

Mary Margaret Blanchard

David Nolan

Henry Mills

Mulan (non male readers only)

Graham

Neal Cassidy

Peter Pan

Jefferson

Dash and Lily

Dash

Lily

Boomer

Juno

Juno MacGuff

Paulie Bleeker

Summer Days Summer Nights

Debbie Espinoza

Frankie Espinoza

Scream (1 through 6)

Sidney Prescott

Billy Loomis

Mickey Altieri

Roman Bridger

Jill Roberts

Charlie Walker

Sam Carpenter

Tara Carpenter

Amber Freeman

Chad Meeks-Martin

Mindy Meeks-Martin

Quinn Bailey

Venom

Eddie Brock

Honest Thief

Ramon Hall

Beth Hall

Wild Child

Poppy Moore

Kate

Drippy

Freddie Kingsley

Monsters and Men

Manny Ortega

Marisol Ortega

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Trevor Spengler

Phoebe Spengler (platonic only)

Error 143

Micah Yujin

Community

Abed Nadir

Troy Barnes

Annie Edison

Jeff Winger

Britta Perry

The Obession

Logan

Delilah

The New Girl

Lia Setiawan

Stacey Hoffman

Mythic Quest

Poppy Li

Brad Bakshi

Adventure Time

Finn

Princess Bubblegum

Marceline

Marshall Lee

Prince Bubblegum

Flame Princess

School Spirits

Madison

Simon

Charley (non female readers only)

Wally

Rhonda

Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves

Simon Aumar

Disventure Camp

Aiden (non fem readers only)

James (non fem readers only)

Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies

Jane Facciano

Olivia Valdovinos

Nancy Nakagawa

Cynthia Zdunowski

Richie Valdovinos

Ted Lasso

Roy Kent

Jamie Tartt

Keeley Jones

Sam Obisanya

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

Noah Diaz

Elena Wallace

Mirage

Helluva Boss

Blitzø

Stolas (non female readers only)

Loona

Millie

Moxxie

Octavia

Verosika Mayday

Fizzarolli

Asmodeus

Hazbin Hotel

Charlie Morningstar

Vaggie (non male readers only)

Angel Dust (non female readers only)

Husk

Alastor (platonic only)

Vox

Lucifer

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (rise + mutant mayhem + tmnt 2007 + tmnt 2012)

Donnie

Mikey

Raph

Leo

April

The After Party

Yasper Lennov

Space Force

Tony Scarapiducci

Renfield

Teddy Lobo

Robert Montague Renfield

Undercovers

Bill Hoyt

Amazing Digital Circus

Jax

Parks and Recreation

Leslie Knope

Ben Wyatt

April Ludgate

Andy Dwyer

Jean-Ralphio Saperstein

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja

Randy Cunningham (18+ people DNI unless requesting platonic stories)

The Earliest Show

Josh Bath

House of Lies

Clyde Oberholt

Mean Girls (movie + musical + movie musical)

Cady Heron

Regina George

Gretchen Wieners

Karen Smith/Shetty

Janis Ian/Sarkisian/Imi'ike (non male readers only)

Damian Hubbard (non female readers only)

Warm Bodies

Peep World

Nathan Meyerwitz

Your Boyfriend

Peter Dunbar

Invincible

Mark Grayson

Shapesmith

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Sabrina Spellman

Harvey Kinkle

Nick Scratch

Rosalind Walker

Theo Putnam

Prudence Blackwood

Ambrose Spellman

High School Musical: the Musical the Series

Gina Porter

EJ Caswell

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supercap2319 · 1 year ago

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"Listen. I understand that the four of us are technically sharing the garage, but can you guys please stop poofing into my shower?" Y/N looks at the three ghost boys in front of him.

"Hold on. I've never poofed in your shower." Alex said.

"Yeah, me either." Luke said.

They all turned to Reggie who tried to look innocent. "Oh, come on. It was one time."

"It was six!" Y/N said.

#x male reader #male reader insert #male x male #reggie peters #luke patterson #alex mercer #julie and the phantoms

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fangirl-writes · 3 years ago

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Who/What I Write & Masterlists

Hi, I’m the writer here at fangirl-writes and this is a little masterpost/list for the fandoms and ships and people I write for. Some of them don’t have any content yet, but if you want to request a fic for said ship or person, feel free.

Requests Are Always Open, how fast I get to your request depends on how inspired I am by it and how much time I have in my personal life.

I write: X Readers, Poly Relationship X Readers, Ship Fics, Ot3 fics, Ot4 fics, etc. Friendship Fics, Fluff, Angst.

I DO NOT TAKE REQUESTS FOR: Smut (can get a little suggestive), Self-Harm, Suicide, Gore, Mental Illnesses (I don’t feel comfortable writing about what I don’t experience), Abuse, Dark Fics, Sexual Assault, Rape, Pedophilia

All X Readers Female Unless Otherwise Stated Or Requested.

I don’t do transgender reader because I do not feel I could do that justice, as I am not trans. Thank you!

If you don’t see a ship or character you want me to write for, shoot me an ask and I’ll let you know if I feel I can write for them or not!

Who/What I Will Write For:

MBAV: Masterlist

- No Longer Writing For This Series

Cloak and Dagger: Masterlist

- No Longer Writing For This Series

Queen/BoRhap: Masterlist

- No Longer Writing For This Series

Descendants: Masterlist

- No Longer Writing For This Series

Outer Banks: Masterlist (not yet)

X Readers -

Boys: John B. Routledge, JJ Maybank, Pope Hayward

Girls: Kiara Carrera, Sarah Cameron, Cleo Anderson

Ships:

Jarah, JJPope, JJB, KieSarah, CleoPope, KieCleo, CleoSarah

Stranger Things: Masterlist (not yet)

X Readers -

Boys: Steve Harrington, Johnathan Byers, Eddie Munson, Argyle

Girls: Nancy Wheeler, Robin Buckley

Ships -

Joncy, Stonathan, Stoncy, Ronance, Steddie, Jargyle, Buckingham, Mileven, Lumax, Byler, Greatwise

Teen Wolf: Masterlist (not yet)

X Readers -

Boys: Scott McCall, Stiles Stilinski, Isaac Lahey, Liam Dunbar, Theo Raken

Girls: Lydia Martin, Allison Argent, Kira Yukimira, Malia Tate

Ships:

Scallison, Stydia, Sciles, Scira, Scisaac, Malira, Allydia, Thiam

Twilight: Masterlist (not yet)

X Readers -

Boys: Edward Cullen, Jacob Black, Jasper Hale, Emmett Cullen, Seth Clearwater, Embry Call, Quil Ateara, Jared Cameron, Paul Lahote

Girls: Bella Swan, Alice Cullen, Rosalie Hale, Leah Clearwater

Ships:

Bedward, Jella, Jalice, Rosemett, Carlesme, Blackwater, Rosella, Jaspella, Balice, Jakeward, Belliciper, Jacobelaward

Dead Poets Society: Masterlist (not yet)

X Readers -

Neil Perry, Todd Anderson, Charlie Dalton, Knox Overstreet, Steven Meeks, Gerard Pitts

Ships:

Anderperry, Cheeks, Knarlie, Mitts, Daltonperry

The Outsiders: Masterlist (not yet)

X Reader -

Darry Curtis, Sodapop Curtis, Keith “Two-Bit” Matthews, Steve Randle, Dallas Winston

Ships:

N/A

The Maze Runner: Masterlist (not yet)

X Readers -

Thomas, Newt, Minho, Frypan, Winston, Gally, Teresa, Brenda, Aris

Ships:

Newtmas, Thominho, Minewt, Thominewt, Brederesa

Merlin: Masterlist (not yet)

X Readers -

Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, Gwaine, Lancelot, Guinevere, Leon, Eleon, Percival, Morgana, Mordred

Ships:

Merthur, Arwen, Mergwen, Gwencelot, Morgwen, Perwaine

Julie and the Phantoms: Masterlist (not yet)

X Readers -

Julie Molina, Luke Patterson (pansexual king 👑), Reggie Peters

Male Reader or Platonic only: Alex Mercer, Willie

Ships:

Juke, Willex, Ruke, Lalex, Julie x Nick

5 Seconds Of Summer: Masterlist (not yet)

X Readers -

Luke Hemmings, Michael Clifford, Calum Hood, Ashton Irwin

Smosh: Masterlist (nope)

X Readers -

Boys: Anthony Padilla, Ian Hecox, Shayne Topp, Damien Haas, Keith Leak Jr., Noah Grossman, Chanse McCrary, Spencer Agnew

Girls: Courtney Miller, Angela Giarratana, Arasha Lalani

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intoanothermind · 4 years ago

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Stand Tall - Reggie

Word Count: 7.8k

- Reggie x reader

Synopsis: your younger sister joins a band of ghosts, but she’s not the only one who can see them. You’ve seen them since you were a child.

Masterlist

Flying Solo - Reggie imagine

Akai Ito - Reggie imagine (soulmate au)

Bright - Luke imagine

—

I took a deep breath and smiled before leaving the taxi. A month with many projects and exams in college made me spend a lot of time away from my family. When that happened, I used to spend time with a friend who lived closer to campus. But now that I didn’t have to worry so much for a few more weeks until the next round of tests, I can finally take a breath and enjoy some family time between classes. I smiled discreetly at the elderly woman who was always across the street, watching her daughter. She flashed a huge smile back at me before disappearing.

“Papa?“ I asked out loud, opening the door.

I heard a noise coming from the kitchen and Dad appeared already coming towards me with a huge smile. “Mi hija! How was the tests? When will there be more?”

“Are you already trying to kick me out again?“ I laughed, accepting his tight hug. “Don’t worry, I have one more month before the final exams for the semester. Where are Carlos and Julie?”

"Carlos is still in school and Julie is rehearsing in the studio.”

My smile widened and a weight lifted from my chest. I was happy that Julie finally got back to connecting with the music after mom died. It wasn’t easy for any of us, but it was especially difficult for her. When Flynn told me on one of the last calls about Julie - two years younger than me - playing again and even joining a band, I was really happy. I could always count on my sister’s best friend to keep me informed in the smallest details.

“So is she really playing again? I will leave my things in my room and go and talk to her. ”

“No, no. Let me take your backpack, go and see your sister.”

“Gracias, papa.” I gave him a kiss on the cheek and went out again through the door to go around the house and get to the studio installed in the garage.

I heard music coming from inside, but I frowned when I heard several instruments and male voices mixed with my sister’s. The song was already over when I opened the door. Julie was talking to three boys that I had never seen in my life before. A tall, blond man had drumsticks in his hand and rolled them in the air. One with brown hair in a cap was talking to my sister with a twinkle in his eye. But the one who caught my attention the most was the pale, black-haired boy who was playing with a bass a little further away. Was that the band? I didn’t even know that Julie could talk to cute boys without stuttering.

“Am I interrupting something? I can come back later.”

The boys opened their eyes wide and looked at Julie as she turned to me a little scared and with a awkward smile on her lips.

“Y/N, hi! I didn’t know you were going to get home today! ”

I looked at her with a frown. She was acting stranger than usual.

"Yes, you did, Julie, I told you last week and called dad yesterday.”

She widened her eyes even more when she noticed my expression.

“Why don’t we go to your room then and you tell me how is college? Have you done many articles? Did you pass the exams?”

Julie walked past me and headed for the gate, ignoring the boys completely.

“Okay, this is getting weird. Jules, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?”

The blonde let the stick fall on his face, the cap choked and the cute guy let the bass out of tune when he let his fingers fall. All of them, including Julie, looked at me with wide eyes.

“Can she see us?" the boy in the cap asked when Julie returned to his side.

"Why wouldn’t I see you?" I looked into the eyes of the three of them and that’s when I noticed the aura around them, a little blurry, an aura that I learned to recognize after a few years. “Sure, Julie and the phantoms. You are ghosts ”

"That was quick." commented the cute bass player.

“First the band’s name makes it kinda obvious. Second, Jules wasn’t the first person in the family to talk to ghosts.”

"Y/N…” Julie looked at me with an emotion in her eyes that I couldn’t figure out. "Does that mean grandma was really at the house when we were younger?“

I smiled a little sadly. Our parents were always understandable and tried to help us with everything, but when I said I talked to grandma, even after a year after her death, they had to take me to therapy. After a while, I simply learned to lie to Dr. Turner and say that I no longer saw the dead, I just made imaginary friends.

“Yes, but I haven’t seen her in years. Ms. Elliot, however, is still in the garden across the street watching over her daughter.”

"This is so cool!" exclaimed the man in the cap, approaching.

“Another lifer seeing us? Yeah!" the blonde smiled, also approaching along with the bassist.

Julie took my arm before I could introduce myself. "Y/N… Mom…?”

The weight on my shoulders returned and I sighed before I smiled at her, holding her hand in mine.

“She stayed here just long enough to ask me to look after you, dad and Carlos and say that she loved us very much.”

For a second I thought Julie would let the tears fall, but then she took a deep breath and passed her hand under her eyes to compose herself.

“Thank you, Y/N.”

“You still need to introduce me to your cute friends. I thought you couldn’t talk to pretty boys without being ashamed.”

The bassist broke into a silly smile and patted the blonde on the shoulder. "She said that we are cute and pretty.“

"Reggie…” The blonde shook his head before turning to me. “Sorry about… him. I’m Alex and these are Reggie and Luke.”

~*~

The past few days have been… a little bit strange. Well, for starters my subjects, despite having relaxed a little, I still have work to do. And while I’m at home, it’s difficult to organize hours of study and free time with taking care of three teenage ghosts. Julie was right - watching three kids who seemed to share the same brain cell is harder than it looks.

“Aren’t you going to give yourself a break?”

I was startled to see dad behind me, almost knocking over the glass that was still in my hand.

“The plan was to come and drink water and take my five-minute break.”

Dad made a face. “Good luck in studies, mi hija, but don’t forget to take a few more breaks. We don’t want you to fry that smart mind, do we? ”

I broke into a faint smile when Dad placed a kiss on my forehead before walking away. I sighed, getting ready for a few more hours of reading before heading up the stairs again to my room. When I got there, however, I stopped at the portal and went in quickly to close the door.

“What are you doing here?" I asked in whispers to the ghosts that were scattered around my room.

Alex was sitting on a purple puff next to the desk where Luke was sitting in the chair that usually sits opposite her. He had his head thrown behind, looking bored. Reggie was lying on the left side of my bed, looking tired.

"Julie kicked us out of her room." explained Luke, getting up and heading for my bookcase.

"Please don’t kick us out either." Reggie said with puppy eyes that he knew I couldn’t resist.

"Luke, stop messing with Y/N’s stuff!" scolded Alex and that’s when I realized that Luke was looking through one of the books he picked up on the shelf.

"It’s alright. Feel free to borrow any book you like.” I assured him, going to sit on the right side of the bed, where most of my stuff was spread out. "And you can stay, just don’t make too much noise, I need to study.”

“What do you study?" asked Alex.

"How long have you been studying?" asked Reggie and I laughed.

"I’m in my first year of journalism.”

“Nice." said Luke, sitting back in his chair and concentrating on the book.

"Well, now I need to concentrate." I said, lifting Reggie’s head that was on top of one of the printed articles I needed to read. I put his head back on the pillow and fluffed some of his black hair, hoping it looked like just a casual movement.

"Wow, what did you just do?!" Alex exclaimed, sitting upright on the puff.

"What did I do?" I asked with wide eyes and a racing heart at the possibility that he noticed.

"You touched him!”

“You really did!" exclaimed Reggie, holding my hand again.

"Oh, that." I sighed, relieved. “I always managed to touch ghosts. That’s why it took me so long to discover that I was the only one who saw them. ”

Luke and Alex remained wide-eyed, but Reggie just lay down again and put my hand back in his hair.

"I liked.”

While I fiddled with Reggie’s black hair with one hand, I used the other to lift the text up to my face to hide my red cheeks from the other boys. Gradually I ended up distracting myself, fiddling with Reggie’s hair as I read the text and made markings and notes. When my eyes started to weigh and my vision was blurred even with the glasses, I decided it was time to sleep. It wouldn’t do any good to try to study tired because my brain wouldn’t absorb it. I looked around when I realized that the boys had been silent for far too long. They were all asleep. Alex was huddled on the puff, Luke was hunched over the open book and Reggie’s head was bent toward my hand.

I smiled. They really looked adorable that way. I set my stuff down on the night-stand and stood up carefully so as not to wake Reggie. I lifted his head slightly to put a pillow under it. I took blankets from the closet and covered all three, remembering to take the book out from under Luke and marking the page he stopped with a piece of paper and left it beside him. I left the room trying to make as little noise as possible. I crossed the hall and sighed with relief when I saw that Julie was still awake.

“Hi sis." I whispered, getting her attention.

Julie looked up from her cell phone and smiled at me. She looked ready to go to sleep.

"Y/N!”

I broke into a smile. "Can I sleep here with you today?“

"Usually I’m the one to go to your room to ask for it." she laughed.

"Well, turns out that today my room is infested with ghosts.”

She snorted. "They are getting too loose.“

"I don’t really care." I said, shrugging my shoulders. "I wouldn’t have minded sleeping there as well, but Reg took up much of the space in the bed and it would be weird.”

Julie giggled and looked at me with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

“Shut up!" I said warningly before she could say anything. "I don’t want to hear a comment about that.”

“Okay, okay." she raised her hands in surrender before moving to one side of the bed and lifting the bedspread inviting me to join her.

As soon as we settled down I watched my younger sister’s serene face.

"I’m glad you met them." I said quietly. "They do you good.”

“They do." she sighed. “And I’m glad you met them, too. They seem to like you. ”

I like them too." I said smiling slightly. “Although I don’t play like you do, I like to know that I also made friends with them. I also like to think that they will be here to take care of you when dad or I aren’t around. ”

"But I will always need my older sister around." she said quickly. "Besides, you made a promise to mom.”

I laughed lightly.

“That I did it and I intend to keep it, Jules.”

I approached her and hugged her. We sleep in that same position.

~*~

I arrived at the band’s presentation site with Julie and went straight to meet Flynn. She looked anxious.

“Am I too late?” Asked Julie, taking the backpack off her back.

“Too early.” Replied Flynn. "Hi, Y/N.”

“Hi, Flynn! Glad we got there early. Distracting tía y Carlos while Julie went down the window was not as easy as it seems.” I commented, laughing to remember how I needed to distract our brother with a little ghost story.

The next performance was announced and the audience applauded as we watched Carrie take the stage in a shiny silver outfit and pink wig. I opened my eyes wide, trying to keep my face from turning into a frown.

“I never thought she was going to take this little group forward." I commented.

"I envy that you finished school before you had to see this." replied Flynn, tossing the braids over his shoulder.

“Hope you all came to have a great time.” Carrie said from the stage and put on reflective glasses, also pink.

“Dirty Candy? How’d she get on the list?” asked Julie.

“Her daddy probably made a call.” replied Flynn, pursing his lips. "I like this! Pretty flower.” she pointed to the vest that Julie wore and I realized I recognized it.

"Thanks. It’s dahlia. My mom’s favourite.”

Carrie started to sing and four other girls also came on stage. I raised my eyebrows, wondering how I got to a Barbie pop show. I felt the air stirring around me and noticed that Luke and Reggie appeared on one side and Alex on the other, all paying attention to Carrie. Alex, however, looked a little uneasy and I held back the smile when I realized why.

“Alex." I whispered, trying not to get too much attention from the people around me. "Go on, I know you want to.”

I didn’t even got an answer. He just disappeared from my side and appeared on stage among the girls. Julie looked at us behind her and Reggie shrugged while I just smiled. Alex looked confused for two seconds before he started dancing behind Carrie. In the chorus, he disappeared from the stage and appeared again beside me, slamming his fist on mine discreetly in greeting.

“You having fun out there?” asked Julie

Alex coughed a little, trying to hide it. "It’s not my fault. It’s my, hm… It’s my feet.”

“Yeah." Julie replied, raising her eyebrow. Reggie and Luke, on my other side, just looked at Alex smiling.

“Put me back in, coach.”He said before disappearing to the stage again.

“Oh, it’s the guys.” Julie explained to Flynn when she turned to us, confused.

"Alex is dancing with the girls and is so much better than Carrie." I detailed it a little more, making her laugh when imagining the scene. "My boy is rocking up there." I commented with a bit of drama, laying my head on Reggie’s shoulder without caring about people watching me interact with the air. "I so wish I could have that on video.”

“You look like a mom." commented Reggie, laughing.

"What can I say, the three of you just make me so proud." I joked, wiping my eyes as if I were drying a tear. But Reggie looked at me with a strange twinkle in his eye, but before I could ask anything, the song ended and we turned to the stage in time to see Alex doing a little jumping around saying something about blushing.

He came up beside me again, trying to hide it. “Hey. I was just… I was just doing that for you guys.”

I patted him on the shoulder in support while Reggie said, playfully. “Yeah, you can stop smiling now.“

“I’m not gonna lie. That was… kind of good.” Julie said and I clicked my tongue.

"Wow, Jules, I thought you were supposed to be the smart one in the band." I ignored the boys’ protests on hearing this. “The good part of the presentation nobody else could see, unfortunately.”

“Yeah. I forgot why I hate her so much.” replied Flynn.

Carrie and the other girls got off the stage and came towards us.

"Hi, girls. Um, isn’t it past your bedtime?”She said to my sister and her friend.

“Now I remember.”

“If you’re looking for Nick, he didn’t come.”Carrie continued on to Julie, who simply stepped forward confidently.

“That’s not why I’m here.“

As if waiting for a cue, the presenter introduced the band. But as Julie and the Fat Ones. I couldn’t help laughing at the face Luke made.

"Really?” asked Alex, with a grimace.

"Yeah, man. My handwriting sucks.” Luke tried to apologize.

"Next time, Alex will sign up." I said, trying to look casual.

Julie passed Carrie’s group straight to the stage. The expression on Carrie’s face was priceless when she walked away from us. Flynn left shortly after to turn on the projector - just for the sake of effect. Julie sat down in front of the keyboard and said the correct name for the band.

"Good luck, boys." I said, holding Reggie’s hand quickly and discreetly before going after Flynn.

The lighting focused on Julie and I felt my heart fill with pride. It was the first time I had seen my sister perform after mom died and I knew it was worth the punishment dad would give me if he found out that I helped her escape from home. When she started to sing, I accompanied the music by whispering softly through my teeth. After watching the rehearsals so much, Finally Free's lyrics stuck to my mind and as the notes went up I felt the music reverberating in my body. When the boys appeared on stage playing and people in the audience stood up, I felt like jumping for joy.

It was great to see people enjoying their work. It didn’t matter if they think they’re holograms - they’ve got a second chance to do what they love and to see them there at ease and full of energy is comforting. All four played with their soul and their stage chemistry was incredible. Especially from Julie and Luke. I didn’t need that Flynn me whispering over there they’re into to each other - the intensity of the look when sharing the microphone was obvious. Alex and Reggie also noticed the exchange of looks they had. What really shocked me, however, was when shortly after Reggie turned to me and winked at me. I choked on the lyrics I whispered to accompany Julie and did my best to keep my cheek from blushing. Flynn obviously noticed and laughed at me. The song ended, the boys disappeared again and the audience gasped.

“Thank you, we are Julie and the Phantoms. Tell your friends.”Julie said goodbye and got off the stage. I couldn’t help laughing when I noticed how she took Reggie’s phrase.

"Let’s meet them at the counter." I called Flynn, who quickly put the projector in his backpack and followed me.

Julie came to find us and quickly hugged Flynn.

“You were incredible!”Flynn said.

I soon hugged Julie too.

“Yeah, we were.”I heard Reggie behind me and turned to see him standing next to Alex and Luke, who were sitting at the counter.

"If it weren’t weird, I would give you a hug now." I said to them, trying to look discreet. "I loved the presentation!”

“I’ll charge you for my hug later." said Alex, making the boys laugh.

"Okay." I assured you.

"Hey!" interrupted Luke, pointing to someone behind us. “Whoever Carrie was trying to impress is coming this way.”

“She looks all business.”Commented Alex when we saw a woman with curly hair and a suit coming towards us.

“Wait, who should do the talking?” asked Reggie.

So cute, but also so dork.

“Okay, Julie. Julie.” he corrected himself.

“You got this.” Encouraged Luke.

"I can help you with it if needed." I whispered to Julie just before the woman arrived and offered Julie a hand.

"Hi, I’m Andi Parker, and I would- ”

“Julie. Y/N. ” a voice behind the woman took our attention.

It was dad.

“Shit." I swore under my breath.

~*~

Whenever I had some free time I went down to the garage to watch the band rehearsal. It was amazing the connection they had and how they gave their soul to the music. Julie and Luke singing together with everything they had, Reggie focused on his bass and Alex moving his head to the beat of his drums. It was an incredible sight, but also one that always squeezed my heart to the point that I needed to go back to my room before they finished a song to prevent the lump in my throat from dissolving into tears. I always wanted to have that connection that mom and Julie had with music, but I was never able to play anything and I certainly didn’t know how to sing. And now not only has she reconnected with mom in a way that I could never do, but she has also found something in common with three amazing boys.

At those times, when the tightness in my heart was too strong, I would lock myself in the bedroom, in the most absolute silence. I took out my notebook with notes. When I was younger, I used to try to at least compose a song, but after a while it became notes for a story. Music and books have always been my passions and if I couldn’t go on with one, why not try the other? Not that I would ever get the courage to publish something, but I liked to imagine that I would have some material for that.

"What are you doing?”

I let out a scream that certainly didn’t make me proud. I turned and realized that Reggie had appeared beside me on the bed - completely thrown on the mattress and with his arms behind his head. I tried to control my heart a little to respond.

“I thought you had a rehearsal.”

“I thought you were there watching us. When we took a break and didn’t see you there, I came to see how you were.” he shrugged, as if it was nothing much. "What are you doing?“

"Just a few thrown ideas." I replied, trying to sneak up on the notebook, but Reggie took it out of my hands before I could do it.

"This is for a book, isn’t it?" he asked, in a serious tone that I never saw him using. I just nodded. “Y/N, this is incredible! It makes me want to read. ”

I laughed softly, before asking. "Are you serious?”

“Yes! Why don’t you try to publish something? ”

I scratched the back of the neck, a little uncomfortable. "Well, I never thought I was going to be talented at anything.”

“How so?" he sat up, tilting his head so that I could look into his blue eyes. I was breathless for a moment.

“I really wanted to know how to make music, but when I realized I couldn’t do it, I tried to create stories where I could. But I never even thought it would be worth publishing. ”

“I think you should try. I would definitely read it. ” he said, opening a beautiful crooked smile. "Why do you do journalism when you could try to be a writer?”

“Because while I don’t have neither the material nor the courage, I can write other people’s real stories." I replied, taking my notebook back from his hands. I turned around to put the notebook and pen in my hand back on the night-stand. "What do you think about watching a movie?" I suggested .

"Yes! There are a lot of things that I still need to catch up to.” Reggie commented, lying back on the bed and making himself comfortable.

I tried not to blush as I got up to get my laptop. “We can see the Star Wars movies that you haven’t seen. We can skip the scene where Han Solo dies, no problem, I’ve seen them a couple times.”

"Would you do that for me?" he had a childlike gleam in his eye that made me laugh a little.

"Move over.”

We settled next to each other on the bed. I put the first movie on the laptop in my lap and we started the marathon. I barely noticed when I fell asleep on Reggie’s shoulder.

~*~

A few days later I was lying on the couch trying to complete a story that I had to deliver in two days. Reggie was sitting next to my dad at the table in the other room and none of them seemed to have noticed me there in the next room. I even thought about getting up to concentrate on the room, but I loved how Reggie tried to interact with dad. It was funny - and very cute. Alex came up and started talking to Reggie too. But when I heard Carlos’ voice, things became really interesting. I remained lying down, but I paid more attention to the conversation when Carlos commented about the house being haunted by ghosts who had a dream, but that dream was interrupted by a tragic accident.

“Our house is being haunted by a very talented… chef. ”I could hear the boys’ sigh of relief, but I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing.

“Looks like someone fell asleep watching Ghosts Hunters and Chopped.“

I had to hold my laughter even more when Carlos started talking about a sauce recipe and Reggie commenting that he was like my dad. I made a face at the thought that I liked a guy who said he looked like my dad. It wasn’t very difficult for my little brother to convince dad to make the French dip - it’s not like he doesn’t like food.

I lifted my head and realized that Dad closed his laptop and left. I prepared to do the same when I heard Alex and Reggie’s conversation.

"I will miss them.”

“I hope you’re not thinking about looking for someone else’s garage." I joked, but feeling tight in my chest.

They both started, looking at me wide-eyed as I approached the table.

"Y/N… hey…” Reggie tried to hide it, but I could see in their eyes that something was bothering them.

But I knew they weren’t going to tell me, so I needed to find out another way. I would have to do an investigation. I’m glad I had some sources between the ghosts.

“Well, I need to go out for an interview with a source." It wasn’t quite a lie. "Don’t do anything stupid, boys.”

I squeezed Alex’s shoulder lightly and leaned down to kiss Reggie’s cheek before leaving. I left the house so quickly that I didn’t have to worry about hiding my burning cheeks. I also didn’t notice their reaction. I was on a mission to find my favourite skater.

~*~

When I returned home, I could almost feel the tears stubbornly leaving. But I swallowed the tears, because I needed to talk to Julie about what to do. I wasn’t even sure if she already knew about the boys’ situation or not, but we couldn’t leave them suffering like that. I couldn’t leave them suffering that way. I looked for it in the garage first. If my sister wasn’t there, at least I would have a chance to talk to them.

“Someone once told me that you don’t ask for permission. You book gigs by doing.”Julie was saying when I showed up at the half-open gate.

The boys were lying on the couch and on the floor, looking depressed, while Julie was standing in front of them, as if giving a lecture. Alex had the drumsticks in his hands and Reggie was hugging his bass.

“That was me.”Reggie said with a little smile on his face.

“No, it wasn’t.” denied Julie and Luke.

“Yes, it was.” Reggie grunted, looking down.

"This isn’t over.” continued Julie, ignoring him. “We were brought together for a reason. To help each other.”

“Yeah, but like Luke said… People don’t just play at the Orpheum because they want to.”Said Alex.

“People don’t.” I said, drawing their attention. “But ghosts do.“

Julie turned a little scared to me. From the look she gave me, I think my expression showed all the sadness I was feeling.

"All you need is to haunt them in a different way." I suggested, taking a deep breath to control my emotions. “In a few days Panic! At The Disco will play with a not very famous band that will arrive here almost at the last minute because they will be doing a show in Las Vegas. You just need to make sure that they don’t arrive on time and that you’re the best option.”

For a few seconds they were processing this and I used it as my cue to get out of there before they saw my tears pooling in my eyes. I couldn’t afford to be selfish. They needed to make the move before the only option left for them is to join Caleb. I heard Reggie’s voice calling me, but I ignored him and continued on my way to the house. But even before I crossed the space between the gate and the stone path to the smaller gate, I felt a hand pulling on my wrist.

"Y/N…” Reggie said quietly looking at me with those blue eyes full of emotion. “I don’t like it when you cry. I’m sorry.“

I laughed softly. I hadn’t realized that some tears had came out.

"No need to apologize. I understand that you need to do this. It’s just…” I took a deep breath, trying not to choke. “It hurts to think that I will have to lose someone else. Especially someone who has become so important to me. I mean, the three of you have become very important to me.”

"You have become very important to us too." Reggie said, still holding my hand. “You have become important to me. I’ll miss you.”

I didn’t think before throwing my arms around his shoulders and hugging him tightly against me. He tensed for a few moments before hugging my waist with the same intensity. And we stayed there, saying nothing, just enjoying what could be our last hug.

“Reggie, we have to think of a plan!" we heard Luke shouting from the garage and Alex scolding him saying something about giving up a little space.

I took a deep breath before letting go of his comforting embrace. I placed a kiss on her pale cheek, this time longer than the one from earlier.

"Go. They need you.”

Reggie opened his mouth to say something, but I quickly turned and went home with tears streaming down my cheeks.

~*~

I was quite nervous as we waited to find out if the plan had worked. But while I just waited sitting on the sofa in the garage, with the occasional twitch in my leg, Julie was in front of me pacing and making my nerves worse.

"Julie, I love you, but stop walking before I need to tie you to the couch!" I exclaimed.

"Sorry, I’m nervous." she said, continuing to pace.

"I know! And it’s making me nervous!”

The boys suddenly appeared in front of us and Julie went into an outbreak, asking so many questions at once that I almost couldn’t keep up.

“That’s a lot of questions!” exclaimed Reggie, interrupting her. “Luke, do you wanna take this one?”

“Take a seat.” instructed Luke.

“Finally." I mumbled, pulling Julie by the arm to sit next to me.

“It’s fine, everything is fine.” continued Luke, approaching the low table in front of us and leaning on it with the other boys.

“Yeah. You should be getting a call right .. now!” said Alex, taking an effect break and pointing the boys at Julie’s cell phone on the table. But the screen remained off. After a few uncomfortable seconds, with me trying to keep from laughing at Alex’s disappointed face, he tried again. “Okay. Right… Now!”

The phone finally rang and Julie screamed.

“Nailed it.” said Alex, holding out his hand for Luke and Reggie to touch.

But Julie didn’t answer. "Answer it, Jules!" I shouted along with the boys.

She put it on speaker.

“Hi, this is Tasha from the Orpheum in Hollywood.”

That’s when one of the best scenes I’ve ever seen started. Julie jumped on the couch, almost stepping on me, while Alex jumped across the table towards the armchair and Reggie and Luke celebrated with a strange dance. Julie opened her arms when the woman spoke again and everyone stopped like statues watching her pick up her cell phone. And while Julie jumped on the table to answer Tasha, Alex jumped into the arms of the boys, who held him in the air.

“I’m swimming!” exclaimed Alex, waving his arms, and that’s when I let out a loud laugh.

The boys put Alex on the floor and Reggie came over to me. I looked at her confused, until he took my hands and pulled me until I was on my feet. A second later, I was in his tight embrace. He even got up and spun me around. I just prayed that he couldn’t hear my heartbeat. When my feet returned to the ground, I noticed that Alex and Luke were watching us. I motioned for them to join us and joined them in a group hug.

“I missed hugs." Alex commented when we parted.

"Own, you can always ask me for hugs, you big baby." I said, hugging him tight again. He hugged me with the same intensity.

I noticed, over Alex’s shoulder, Julie looking at us with a smile on her face. I smiled at her when I pulled myself out of Alex’s arms and went over to her, squeezing her in a hug too.

"I’m so proud of you, Jules." I whispered softly in his ear.

Her only answer was to tighten me more in her embrace.

~*~

I stayed with Julie in the dressing room the entire time. We were both nervous, but we managed to calm down a little when Flynn arrived after preparing some effects on the projector. But nothing came out of my head that the boys could be in trouble to take so long to show up.

"Y/N, you’re starting to make me nervous, too." said Flynn, and only then did I realize I was pacing up and down in front of the couch, just like Julie had done that morning.

"Sorry, it’s just…” I tried to explain, forcing myself to sit on the couch and stay still.

“We understand." said Flynn, holding my hand.

"I just wish that today wasn’t their last night here." I sighed, propping myself up and elbows on my knees and letting all the weight fall on my shoulders.

"Y/N." Julie called me and waited for me to look her in the eye before continuing. "You like Reggie, don’t you?”

I gave a sad smile and nodded, unable to find my voice.

“Called it!" exclaimed Flynn, pointing at me and making us laugh a little. "The Molina family seems to have a thing for ghosts, it’s impressive.”

Julie rolled her eyes, but ignored it. "You should talk to him before they cross over.“

"And are you going to talk to Luke about your feelings?" Flynn muttered and I pointed out to her nodding in agreement.

"I wanted to talk to Reggie about it, so as not to carry that regret the rest of my life, but… I’m afraid of the reaction.”

“He likes you.”

“Totally." agreed Flynn.

I sighed. "I need him to have a little more time then so that I can say something.”

Julie opened her eyes wide and got up from the couch to take my place walking back and forth.

“Now you broke your sister.”

We heard a knock on the door and the technician called Julie, saying it was time for her to enter the stage.

But the boys had not yet appeared.

“Just a second.”Julie shouted at the door and approached us. "Something’s wrong. The boys were getting those jolts pretty bad as I was leaving. And they wouldn’t stand me up again.”

I sniffed, following her thought. I felt paralysed.

“They must have run out of time.“

“I’m so sorry, Jules.” murmured Flynn.

“They didn’t cross over.”Continued Julie, but I felt like everything around me was fading. "They’re gone. And I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

I couldn’t help a sob that escaped my lips. I saw Flynn getting up and hugging Julie, but then the technician shouted at her again and the two of them ran out the door. However, I couldn’t do anything, just stand there, paralysed. My thoughts hammered in my mind, but I could only think that those three boys were gone forever without having the opportunity to make the passage. Those goofs that won me and my sister over and made a huge difference in our lives. And we would never see him again.

“Y/N. Y/N! ” it took me a while to notice Flynn shaking my shoulders. I had to blink a few times to see her through tears. "Julie ran to the alley behind Orpheum, you need to talk to her.“

"I… I…” I took a deep breath. Even though I wanted to just break up there, I couldn’t. My sister needed me. "Okay, okay.“

I got up and followed Flynn’s instructions as to where Julie had run. I opened the side doors and found her crying in the middle of the alley with a flower in her hand. A dahlia. Mom’s favourite.

"Jules." I whispered as I approached. She stood up for me, a little scared, but a second later she threw herself into my arms and hugged me tightly, as if only that hug kept her from collapsing. I held her even tighter against me. “Breathe, sweetie. Julie, I think you should sing.”

She released me a little and looked at me confused. I dried her tears a little - mine - before speaking.

“It would be a beautiful tribute to mom and boys. They lived, died and continued the life of ghosts through music. They would like that. That’s what I would do if I had your talent.”

“Thank you, Y/N. Really." said Julie, smiling a little before hugging again and entering.

But I didn’t go straight in. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself down so that I was emotional enough to hear her singing without the boys. When I went in again and joined Flynn next to the coach near the stage, Julie finished a speech and sat down in front of the keyboard to begin. I already felt my heart squeeze again when she started the first chords. The song approached the first chorus and I took a deep breath, murmuring the words between my lips. It was when Alex’s drums came up that I felt my heart stop. A few seconds later Reggie appeared in a red and black suit playing his bass. I felt a sob tear through my throat and put my hand over my mouth. I felt Flynn holding my free hand and hugging me to the side, as if she knew I needed that support to keep me standing.

Luke started to appear, but he was fading and coming back. I opened my eyes wide, worried, but then he came back singing and he didn’t disappear again and I could only smile and cry, excited. Alex sang a few lines and Reggie followed shortly after. I didn’t take my eyes off him, absorbing him as much as I could before he disappeared again. Our eyes met and he winked at me, opening his smile wider and I smiled back. It didn’t matter if I didn’t have time to tell him everything I needed. He was there, on that stage, together with his friends, his family, fulfilling the dream that he cannot fulfil while he was alive. My heart broke when they finished playing and the boys were gone, but the shadow of a smile remained on my lips knowing that they crossed and could rest in peace.

~*~

Dad, Carlos and Julie were walking home in front of me. They sang the chorus of Stand Tall excitedly, but as much as I wanted to participate in that moment with them, I couldn’t. I wasn’t as strong as Julie and she realized that I wasn’t well, as she always pulled dad’s attention back to them when he tried to get me to join them.

“You and your phantoms were unbelievable tonight.”Dad said when we stopped on the porch.

"I’m going up to my room, I have a headache." I made some excuse when I passed them. However, I made sure to stop in front of Julie and hug her tight. “You were incredible, Jules. I’m so proud.”

“What is it with her?" I could hear Carlos asking as I opened the door.

"Leave her be, Carlos." I hear Julie responding in a light tone of voice as I enter and leave them outside still. "She had a rough day.”

I locked myself in my room and quickly changed my clothes for a sweatshirt set before throwing myself on the bed. I stared at the ceiling, trying to keep the tears that continued to fall, but it seemed impossible. Now that I was alone, it felt like a whirlwind of emotions was falling upon me. I don’t know how much time I spent in that catatonic state before I heard a noise inside the room. It was the same noise as when the boys teleported. I sat up quickly, looking around hopefully. My heart almost stopped when I saw Reggie still in his red suit shyly approaching the bed.

“Reg?" my voice failed, as did my line of reasoning.

I was dreaming. There was no other explanation.

"Hi, Y/N." he waved his hand in that cute way that only he knew how to do. But I was still paralysed, looking at him with wide eyes. He started to speak nervously. “Well, it seems that playing at the Orpheum wasn’t our unfinished business, so the boys and I disappeared into the garage to let you and Julie think we had crossed over, but then she went into the garage and tried to get us to Caleb’s club. But of course we weren’t going, so she managed to hug Luke, he started to shine, we started to shine when we hugged them too and Julie said that you were here alone and practically-”

I hardly understood a word he said. But it helped my brain to understand that it wasn’t just my imagination. I interrupted him before I could finish speaking. I just jumped out of bed, took his face in my hands and kissed him. It was as if all the weight in the world came off my shoulders and I could melt right there. I didn’t care that he was a ghost, I didn’t care that Caleb could go after them, I didn’t care that they would one day have to find out what their unfinished business was and needed to cross over to the other side and I cared even less that my tears were mixed with his. All I cared about at that moment was the feel of his lips against mine and his arms around my waist pulling me closer to him.

I just leaned away when I needed air.

"That was nice." he commented in a thin, choked voice. I realized that he still had his eyes closed and I smiled at the expression he had on his face. "Can we do this again?”

I laughed softly before pulling him back in for another kiss. I was lost in his smell, his taste and his touch. I hardly noticed the teleportation noise in the room again.

“Y/N, we came here to… Wow!”

Reggie and I walked away again and saw Alex and Luke near my closet, both blushing and embarrassed.

“Really, guys?" Reggie asked, not only keeping his arms around my waist but pulling me even closer. "Right now?”

“We came to see how you were doing, but you look busy." said Luke, scratching the back of his neck. I was struggling to keep myself from laughing.

"We’ll be back later." said Alex simply, taking Luke’s arm and making them both disappear quickly.

I looked back at Reggie, who was already looking at me with a silly smile on his face.

"Where were we?" I asked with a mischievous smile on my lips as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and played with a few strands of his hair.

"I think you can remind me." he said, leaning over and kissing me again.

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