#were having a mostly one sided conversation here Julie jules

[grilledkatniss]

what would be your dream job? What’s your favorite part of Halloween? Do you prefer hot drinks or cold drinks?

My dream job would either be a boring 9 to 5 office job that would just provide me with a sense of economic security and a healthy routine... or like something where I get paid to stay fit. Like mountain climbing instructor or something. I would absolutely love to get paid for being in decent shape enough to perform some type of energizing activity idk. Like I'd work out all day with an incentive like that. I don't work out much because I don't like working out where other people can see me and I hate the gym but I do love to exercise. Then also maybe basic level gardening.

Favorite part of Hallowienner is the vibe. Jesty feisty good times vibes. Unlike Christmas time where there's a seriousness behind the festivities, you know what I mean? Halloween is more frat house party and funny decorations, inside jokes and upbeat music, getting dressed up just for the bit and playing with make up and fake blood. Then Christmas and New Years are more festive decorations tidy ass living room with table cloths on every flat surface because everyone will be bringing their own salad dish or a dessert, the fancy cutlery out, expensive champagne and proper dresses. Well also it's October and everything looks greener and smells fresher, but still with some remnants of winter (it's spring here in October)

With drinks it strongly depends on the time of yearrrr! I like hot stuff during winter and ice cold in the summer. Iced coffee during winter? I'd take it but it wouldn't have been my first choice. Hot Cocoa in summer? Gladly, but give me a glass of cold milk with it.

Now, I really like spiced and hot alcoholic beverages. Hot Spiced Wine, Bailey's coffee with some cinnamon in it, spiced rum coffee, hot toddy.. I get more excited with those than with like a daiquiri or an aperol spritz. A bunch of cold cocktails and drinks also tend to have some carbonated base ingredient like coke or soda or just plain old beer. Those do not sit that well with me.

[ashleycatchemm]

1-10: Flying Solo

Part 10 of ??

Pairings: Reggie x Reader, Luke x Julie, Alex x Willie

Summary: (Y/n) (L/n) has been able to see and feel ghosts ever since she was little, which made it hard to tell the ghosts from the humans. Everyone has always thought she was a bit crazy, even her best friends, Julie and Flynn. But when three ghosts with a love for music appear in Julie's garage, suddenly (Y/n) doesn't seem so crazy anymore.

Song: Flying Solo (Julie and The Phantoms Cast)

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Reggie and I walked over to Julie's, side by side. Making conversation as we went, which mostly consisted of Reggie being himself and me actually genuinely being happy for the first time in a long time.

"So, I told them that I'd get you back here pretty quick. How did I do?"

I took out my phone and looked at the time, only for it to show the numbers 6:39. "What time did you head over to get me?" Reggie shrugged while sticking his hands in his ripped jean pockets. "I dunno. Julie doesn't have a clock in the studio, and even then, I struggle reading them." I nodded my head a little as I spoke "Remind me to get you guys a digital clock for the studio." A small smile tugged at the ends of my lips.

Reggie's eyes held a glint of amusement. "Remember to get a digital clock for us" He reminded me, as the two of us reached the doors to the studio. "Not right now, I meant later” I rolled my eyes and opened the door, walking through it, Reggie let out a small chuckle and went through the solid wood next to me. He opened his mouth to respond as the door shut behind me only for a voice to end our conversation completely.

"Finally!"

Reggie and I both looked over in front of us to find Julie standing there with her arms crossed, Luke currently sat on the piano, guitar in hand, while Alex was laid back across the couch, twirling his drumsticks in his hands. Luke and Alex both stopped what they were doing, their attention both being brought over to the two of us. Alex sat up on the couch as Luke hopped off the piano "Reggie left over 30 minutes ago, what took you guys so long?" Luke asked and Reggie shrugged a little, while glancing over at me, a smile tugging on his lips.

"I guess we lost track of time."

He stated, causing a smile to form on my lips, as I shook my head before looking back at Julie and the two ghosts who now stood behind her. "Listen Julie, I'm sorry. I was being stubborn. And I was mad about earlier, but I'm ready to play and prove to Flynn that we both aren't as crazy as we seem." Julie's worried look was quick to fade into a small smile, she walked closer in front of me and brought her arms around me, pulling me into a hug.

I widened my eyes in surprise, but slowly relaxed and wrapped my arms around her, slowly hugging her back. I rested my chin on her shoulder, a smile forming on my lips as I closed my eyes, letting out a sigh in happiness. I haven't been hugged like this since my grandmother passed. It felt nice and reassuring, I've needed a hug from someone for a couple of years now. But I guess it's a good thing I've managed to convince everyone that I'm okay. Hell, I even convinced myself. But deep down, I know I'm not.

"I'm sorry about what Flynn said. I told her to apologize as soon as you left, but she is just as stubborn as you."

The two of us leaned back, breaking the hug as we both let out a small chuckle at what Julie said. "It's okay Jules. I know I have to straighten out. So I'm gonna try to fix my act. Because one day, I just might do something I regret." I glanced back at Reggie, only to see him nodding his head at what I was saying, a smile tugging at the ends of his lips.

Looking back at Julie, her eyes went back and fourth between me and Reggie, her eyes were narrowed, a look sat on her face, telling me that she was thinking. I brought my hands away from her, as she crossed her arms, I shoved my hands in my sweatshirt pockets. Julies eyes finally landed back on me, eyes widening, an open mouth smile formed on her face, as if a lightbulb went off in her head.

Julie went to say something only for the two ghosts behind Julie to disappear, the sound of ghosts appearing could be heard behind me. Julie now looked passed me to the three ghosts behind me, causing me to turn around. "So Reg.." Luke started to say, all while swinging his arm over Reggie's shoulders. Alex stood on the other side of Reggie, arms crossed and a small smirk on his face.

"You said you'd be back here pretty quick, yet it took you awhile. What were you two doing that whole time?"

Reggie rolled his eyes in response to Lukes question "If you must know.." Reggie spoke "We just talked." Alex was quick to speak up "What about?" Reggie sent him an annoyed look and was about to respond, only for me to jump in while clapping my hands. "Okay! Julie!" I turned to the girl behind me, as all eyes sat on me.

"Don't we have a song to practice? What time is Flynn gonna be here?"

Julie took out her phone "She'll be here in..." looking over the numbers on her phone she continued "Just about 15 minutes." Julie's eyes widened, along with the boys. Luke was quick to take action, taking his arms off Reggie "Reggie." Luke stated, placing his hand on Reggie's shoulder, Reggie turned to look over at Luke. "How fast do you think you could teach (Y/n) the cords?" Reggie shrugged his shoulders as he sputtered out a response "Well, I uh... I don't know." I was quick to jump in their conversation.

"Don't worry."

Everyone's eyes were now on me, as mine stayed on Reggie "I'm a fast learner." I sent Reggie a smile, he stood there for a few seconds staring at me, mouth agape. But was quick to narrow his eyes a little in determination, a small smirk making its way to his lips as he nodded his head. Looking back over at Luke, Reggie spoke "As quick as possible."

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Reggie taught me all the cords, and just as I said, I quickly got them down and memorized them. After two quick practice runs (that's all we had time for), we were ready for Flynn. After a minute or two of all of us talking, a knock could be heard on the door. Julie shot up out of her seat, causing the boys to jump as she quickly made her way to the door.

I let out a small chuckle, and shook my head as I stood up and walked over behind her. Julie opened both doors, only to see Flynn standing there, I appeared next to Julie as Flynn sent a small glare my way. "Thanks for coming." Julie stated, quickly grabbing Flynn's attention as she looked back at Julie "We just wanted to rehearse the song so it was perfect, which it's not, but whatever." Julie waved her hands in front of her as she explained.

"No, if I'm gonna hear a song from your imaginary ghost band, I want it to be perfect. So, get back in there." She used her hands as quotation marks as she said 'ghost band' she then started pointing all around the two of us as she stated "All of you. You too." I glance back at the ghost boys, only to see the three of them not paying attention to the conversation what so ever. I looked back at Flynn while stating "They aren't out here." A small smirk on my face as Julie let out a chuckle.

Julie and I stepped off to the side, as I nodded my head inside. Flynn narrowed her eyes at me as she walked passed "I'm still mad at you ya know." I nodded my head and sent a small glare to the back of her head as I followed her inside. Julie let out a sigh before closing the doors. Reggie cleared his throat, grabbing my attention as I walked over to my rhythm guitar that sat next to him, leaned against the wall, he put his bass on. "Remember what we talked about." I rolled my eyes at him, but an overall smile sat on my lips "I know, I know." He nodded his head and sent me a smile.

"Good."

He stated, as I picked up my rhythm guitar and put the strap around me. "All right, guys. You ready?" Julie asked Flynn stood right in front of Reggie causing him to turn to me and ask"Hey, could you ask her to move a bit? I need my space to rock out." I raised a brow at him "Reggie. You're a ghost. You can go right through her." Reggie shrugged "I just feel kinda weird walking through her." He stated, while rubbing the back of his neck and letting out a small chuckle of embarrassment, a small blush coating his cheeks.

I stared at him for a minute before letting out a sigh in defeat. "Fine. I'll do it." Reggie pumped his fist in the air while letting out a small yell "yes!" Along with a little laugh after it. I looked over at Flynn who was now staring at me in confusion "Hey, Flynn. Do you think you could sit over there?" I pointed to a seat next to the couch, out of Reggie's way as I continued "Reggie needs room to rock out, and he feels kinda weird walking through you." I added at the end, only for her to roll her eyes at me.

"And why would I listen to a thing you say?"

I narrowed my eyes at her and was about to respond, only for Julie to jump in "Flynn." She looked over at Julie, an annoyed look on her face, only for Julie to raise her brows at Flynn "What?" She asked only for Julie to cross her arms, responding with "You know what." Flynn rolled her eyes in annoyance and sat down in the chair I pointed to. Flynn crossed her arms across her chest as she brought one leg over the other, in an upset fashion.

Anger started to bubble up inside me as I glared at her 'Why does she always have to act like this? Why can't she just get over it?' I let out a huff in anger as she noticed me glaring and sent one back. I suddenly felt my left hand being gripped by another, causing me to look over to my left hand, only to find Reggie's hand holding onto mine.

"Don't worry about her, okay? She's just upset."

I looked up at Reggie, only to find him watching as Julie explained that there was no electrical wiring  or cameras to make the holograms. Looking over at me, Reggie continued "Just focus on me and the music. Pretend she's not even there." I nodded my head a little as a small smile made its way to my face.

Our attention was brought back to Julie as she exhaled nervously, now standing in front of the electric piano. "The guys took a poem I wrote about you and put it to music." Flynn frowned as she stated "Aww! I wish I didn't have to talk to your dad after this." Julie smiled and chuckled lightly before saying "It's called Flying solo. I hope you like it." Julie then started playing a beat on the electric piano, causing Reggie and I to let go of each other's hand and place them on our instruments.

She then sat down at her actual piano and started playing it, as I strummed my rhythm guitar. "If I leave you on a bad not, leave you on a sad note. Guess that means I'm buying lunch that day." I watched Flynn nod her head to the beat a little as Julie sang. "I know all your secrets you know all my deep dish. Guess that means some things they never, they never change...." I moved my face closer to the mic as me and Julie harmonized together on the word "change" Flynn smiled and nodded her head in slight amusement. "We both know what I, what I, what I, what I mean..." the two of us harmonized again on "mean" Julie was quick to sing the last line of the first verse.

"When I look at you it's like I'm looking at me"

The guys then started playing, causing them to become visible to Flynn as she screamed in surprise and shock. "My life, my life, would be real low, zero, flying solo" the guys and I all sang in the back ground "oh-oh-oh" holding out each note. "My life, my life would be real low, zero, flying solo without you." Again the four of us sang "oh-oh-oh" holding out each note. I watched as Luke and Reggie played their instruments right in front of each other, my eyes mostly trained on Reggie as we all yelled "Hey! Yeah, Yeah" Luke and Reggie yelling "hey" in each others faces, only for Luke to drift off to rock somewhere else in the room.

Reggie was quick to turn around, causing the two of us to make eye contact. A small smirk making its way to his lips as he started approaching me, again we yelled "Hey! Yeah, Yeah" I was quick to close my eyes and focus back in front of me. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.

"My life, my life would be real low, zero, flying solo without you."

Reggie suddenly stood close next to me, grabbing my attention as he nodded his head towards the mic. The two of us sang into the mic together "oh-oh-oh" we all stopped playing as Julie kneeled in front of Flynn. Julie chuckled and Flynn shook her head, a worried look on her face. The guys had smiles on their faces, as I looked at Julie and Flynn, a small smile made its way to my lips, at just seeing my friends together.

I was never close to anyone like they were to each other, but I was okay with it, because at least everyone is safe this way. The guys started playing their instruments again, which grabbed my attention and cause me to come in a bit late. Reggie and Luke both looked over at me in confusion, only for me to ignore both of their looks and just have my eyes focus on Julie and Flynn, who now were gripping each others hands "Yeah, you know who I'm liking, way before I like them. Duh, cause you like them first." Flynn let out a small chuckle as a smile graced my lips.

"And if somebody hurts you, I'm gonna get hurt too. That's just how we work, yeah, that's just how we work. It will never change.."

Reggie and I leaned into the mic and sang together as the five of us harmonized on "change" Julie sang "We both know, what I, what I, mean..." again the five of us harmonized on "Mean" I felt more and more comfortable, singing with Reggie as time went on. My heart always continuously beat out of my chest whenever he's near, but I can't help it.

"When I look at you, it's like I'm looking at me"

Julie brought Flynn up out of the chair as she sang "My life, my life, would be real low, zero, flying solo" Luke now sat at the mic by the couch as Julie brought a reluctant Flynn over to Luke. "Oh-oh" Julie continued to sing as she yanked on Flynn's hand, causing her to move closer to Luke "My life, my life, would be real low, zero, flying solo, without you" Reggie and I both shouted into the mic "Hey!" He then turned to the side and playfully leaned his back against the side of me.

"Yeah, yeah"

This caused me to let out a small giggle as I looked over at him, he smirked down at me in amusement. I then turned my body so our backs were leaning against each other "Hey! Yeah, Yeah" I wasn't paying attention as Julie brought Flynn around. I closed my eyes and focused on the music and the boy that I was currently leaning on.

"My life, my life, would be real low, zero, flying solo, without you"

We stopped playing our instruments I opened my eyes and noticed Flynn and Julie now near Reggie and I. The two of us stood up correctly and stopped leaning on each other, Flynn stuck her hand through Reggie, he sent her a smile while asking "Weird, right?" Flynn took another second to process things before saying "They're ghosts!" I rolled my eyes while looking over at Flynn.

Alex was quick to speak up from his spot at the drums "Oh, we prefer, uh, musician spirits." Reggie pointed a finger at Alex in agreement, as Flynn walked over to me. "(Y/n). Look, I'm sorry about how I acted, I shouldn't have said that stuff. Could you ever forgive me?" I stared angrily at everything else in the room beside her. It was silent for a couple of seconds as she waited for a response but I refused to give one. Reggie cleared his throat, which caused me to glance over at him, only to see his eyebrows raised as if telling me to except her apology.

I let out an annoyed sigh before looking at Flynn. "Fine. I guess I can forgive you. I'm gonna try-" a foot landed on mine causing me to cut myself off "Ow! Hey!" I turned to Reggie sending the dark haired bassist a glare, only to see him whistling and looking in the opposite direction. Turning back to Flynn I fixed my statement "I'm going to do better. I know you just say these things cause you're worried." She nodded her head while saying "I do care, but none of those comments were helping, and I'm sorry for saying them." A small smile graced my lips.

"We good?"

Flynn sent me a smile in response before engulfing me in a hug "We are great." I let out a small chuckle before wrapping my arms around her and hugged her back to the best of my ability, considering the fact that my guitar was in between us.

"Julie and (Y/n)..."

Luke was quick to grab our attention as me and Flynn broke the hug, Flynn grabbed my arm and dragged me over with her to Julie, who now stood in front of Luke. I heard a chuckle from the bassist behind me, causing me to roll my eyes, but an overall smile sat on my face just from the sound of his laugh.

"So does this mean you guys are joining our band?"

I was about to say something, only for Flynn to say "Um... Actually, I thing you're joining their band." Flynn moved her braids off to the side, an amused smile tugging at Luke's lips as Julie leaned on Flynn's shoulder, she stated "I'm gonna go with what she said." I let out a small chuckle and shook my head in amusement.

Suddenly all eyes were on me as Luke asked me "(Y/n)?" I shook my head a little before stating "I don't know guys..." suddenly Reggie spoke up, grabbing my attention "Come on (Y/n/n)..." I was quick to turn to look over at him. Earlier today I would've punched him in the face for even using my nickname, but now, I don't mind the way it sounds coming from him.

"We really need someone like you in the band. At least try it out."

Reggie's green doe eyes were practically begging me to say yes. 'I'm gonna be in so much trouble.' Was the thought that crossed my mind before I let out a small huff in amusement "Fine, you win, I'll join your band" Luke and Reggie both celebrated by saying "Yes!" As Flynn, Julie, Alex and I all laughed a bit at their excitement. Alex suddenly started playing the drums again as the three of us played out instruments, we started singing again.

"My life, my life, would be real low, zero, flying solo"

"Oh-oh"

"My life, my life, would be real low, zero, flying solo without you"

Julie and Flynn danced in the middle as the four of us watched them. "Hey! Yeah, Yeah" eventually Flynn pulled me onto the dance floor with them causing me to let out a laugh "Hey.." Julie sang as the four of us sang "Hey! Yeah, Yeah" I danced a bit with Julie and Flynn, all while playing my rhythm guitar.

"My life, My life, would be real low, zero, flying solo without you.."

Julie sang the last note high pointing to Flynn, she smiled at me and held the mic near my lips, wanting me to sing the last note. "You.." The three of us smiled at each other as the two of them put an arm around me and one around each other, pulling the three of us into a group hug.

I felt a genuine smile form on my lips. Once we broke the hug Julie asked "Still wanna talk to my dad?"  Flynn nodded her head while saying "No, I'm good" the three of us let out small giggles before getting pulled into another group hug.

Prev // Next

[creativeashproductions]

A Discovery of Ghosts // Luke Patterson

Summary: Avoiding the house, the eldest Molina sibling has been unaware of the new chapter in Julie’s life until one fateful night.

Warning: Swearing, angst, fluff and overprotective!reader

Words: 2.1k

Oh look! Another JATP fic. Weird how it appeared? Enjoy! I may have a part two for Lost Time. If you want it, let me know!

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The dirty bag dropped on the ground as you cracked your neck heading straight for the kitchen, for the last year you would find Julie in there. Before the loss of your mother Julie spent all her time in the studio whether it be doing homework or playing the piano. Now, with the grief still striking hot within the Molina family even a year later.

“Jules?” You called out pouring a large glass of water. Dropping the empty water bottle in the sink.

In all honesty you hadn’t been home longer than to grab a bite and sleep before heading straight back to the field. It was a way of keeping away from the sadness permeating the house and the absence of your mom. Along with avoiding the awkward conversations of selling the house when it was really only Julie that okay with it.

“Dad?” You called next grabbing the sticky note off the fridge

Girls,

Carlos had a last-minute practice. Money left in the jar for supper.

- Dad

You hummed heading for the stairs to take a shower taking a guess that Julie was either in her room or at Flynn’s place. Bag in hand along with the softball bat you started up the stairs leading to your room. The faint conversation from her room was odd to say the least, the door was closed, and it sounded like more than one person.

The door opened easily under your hand scaring Julie who was sitting on her bed with a disgruntled expression. Her look of terror and nerves was the most concerning. Dropping the bag, you gripped the softball bat tight as you pushed the door open the rest of the way.

“Jules?” You spoke scanning the room, “Why do you have three boys in your room?”

The room went stock still, each boy scanning your form and the bat in hand. Standing in uniform coated in red soil from the infield you were on the more intimidating side.

“You can see them?”

“Jules, are you okay?” You questioned ignoring her odd question with a look of concern, the bat dropped low.

The last year had been extremely more difficult on Julie than Carlos and you given that Julie was closer with Mom with music. Carlos and you hadn’t inherited the gift that Julie had been born with; yet she hadn’t found interest in sports.

“She looks like she could break us?”

You sent a confused look at the trio giving your attention back to your little sister, “I’m sorry I haven’t been around lately, but you shouldn’t be acting out like this.” Julie’s jaw dropped at your words, “I’m not acting out! Dad can’t see-“

“He can’t see this because it shouldn’t be happening Julie.” You sternly told the younger Molina, “Just let me shower and we’ll hang out. You can pick the movie and the snacks, but they have to go. If you want, we can even dig out the projector.”

You pointedly looked at the three boys before turning your heel to head out of her room to yours down the hall. The door was closed tight as it always was, it was your space so when the door was shut no one went in. Trust was important in your family and with Julie uncharacteristically sneaking boys in that could mean all trust on closed doors would break.

“They’re ghosts.” Julie called out from her open door. The concern for the girl growing at her words, “I know that sounds bad and makes it seem like I need to see Dr. Turner but I’m not lying.”

You sighed at the girl completely in disbelief at the length she would go to lie, “Maybe you should see Dr. Turner Jules. Seeing the doctor doesn’t make you weak.”

Julie was silent as you began to open your door before the blonde boy literally appeared out of thin air in front of you.

“Oh my god!” You screamed stumbling back from the tall male, “Oh God. Scratch that! WE both need Dr. Turner.”

Two more bursts of light happened as the other two boys appeared in front of you with sheepish expressions. You took in a deep breath finally taking into consideration of Julie’s admittance.

“I-“ You choked out, “Does this mean Benny was a ghost?”

Julie blushed at the mention of her childhood imaginary friend that she had had for a number of years. It was also a time that Tía Victoria was not welcome in your home when she went behind your parents to schedule an appointment with Dr. Turner.

“Benny? No, I’m Reggie.” The boy with slicked back black hair spoke shaking his head, “This is Alex and Luke.”

You mutely nodded clenching your fists together, “Good thing you’re a ghost or I would have punched you.”

Luke’s eyes widened at the threat, “Whoa.”

“Now move. I just got home from practice, I’m sweaty and dirty.” You announced side stepping the ghostly trio. You grimaced at the blush appearing on Reggie and Luke, “Dead but still think inappropriately.”

“We’re teenage ghosts.” Alex announced glancing at his best friends. His hands shoved deep in his pockets as you took in his words.

You glanced over your shoulder at your little sister, “Just stay out of Julie’s room. And don’t look under Carlos’ bed.”

With that you opened the bedroom door and slammed in in their dead faces. The room had drastically changed from the previous year mainly the pale pink was painted over by a new colour. It was no longer the little girl’s room your mother had decorated while preparing for your birth. It was a young woman’s room decorated to fit your personality.

Located on a wall was the rack of softball bats with a number of softballs settled in divots on the connected shelf. Your room also had the only other connected bathroom, being the oldest sibling had benefits.

“Ghosts.” You muttered jumping when a thud happened. Turning your heel, you saw that Alex had opened the door and tossed your ball bag in.

“You left this. Sorry for interrupting.” Alex apologized as he left the room again.

“Boundaries!” You called out heading into your bathroom. Alex smiled at how similar he thought you and Julie were to each other.

Half of you had anticipated Julie getting the living room ready instead of using the projector in the garage; it was a part of growing up. The first time you can remember seeing the projector was when you first got your period and it became a thing with your mom. For the length of time for you period you had movie nights in the garage and when Julie got her first period it came a ritual. It helped that as sisters your periods synched together.

“Julie.” You breathed finding that she had surprised you. She had waited in the living room for you, “You didn’t.”

Shyly the younger Molina girl nodded her head and led you to the studio outside where it decorated as if the past year hadn’t happened. The projected was brought out along with countless snacks, fuzzy blankets and soda. It was also barren of anyone else.

“I’m guessing from the amount of time you’re in here that the ghosts live here?” You deduced at the musical instruments placed in an area they wouldn’t get in the way.

“Yeah.” Julie nodded, “I’m not sure where they are.”

“Righ-“

“Reggie!” Alex hissed from the loft with an apologetic expression, “We’re finding something to do while you use the studio. We’re be gone in a moment.”

Reggie and Luke nodded in response while digging through the things that had collected up there since 1995. Your smile turned into a frown at the discontentment they each displayed.

“Jules. Do they have anywhere else to go?” You whispered feeling sad when Julie indicated that this was their only place, “Why don’t we change this?”

“Change what?”

“I know that this feels odd without Mom but maybe we can make this better. Alex, would you guys like to stay?”

The question was barely spoke before the three ghosts flashed down to the ground floor with beaming grins. Each boy nodded happily eyeing up places to sit, Luke having fallen on the couch beside you. Julie shuffled making more room on the couch draping a blanket over her lap.

“So, Julie…comedy, horror, or romance?” You questioned raising one eyebrow up waiting for the reply, “Or we can subject the boys to Twilight. Then again Alex might enjoy Mean Girls.”

After reading the short description of the film Mean Girls was vetoed out along with Horror but the issue came with the move genre. Luke wanted a film with music while Reggie was asking for romance and Alex was just wanting to watch something.

“Pitch Perfect.” Julie and you spoke together nodding frantically, it had a moderately nice balance between music and romance.

“Pitch Perfect.” Alex stated unamused at the title, “How is that romance?”

“You’ll find out.” You smirked at the male dead teenager who would more than likely adore watching films to catch up on everything he missed during his twenty-five years in a dark room.

Every once in a while, Luke would gaze longingly at the food gathered around the only two living people. It was sad given the love he had had with food when he was still alive, he would anything in sight to be honest.

“Oh my god! The Breakfast Club! That came out ten years ago! It’s popular now?” Reggie exclaimed twisting to look to Julie.

“Gentle reminder. It came out thirty-five years ago. It’s a classic John Hughes! Of course, it’s popular.” You chuckled shaking your head by leaning back. You felt the caress of Luke’s gaze on your cheek but when you glanced over, he was staring hard at the screen.

“You good?”

“Yeah.” Luke nodded with a smile painted on his lips getting further into the comedy he found somewhat interesting. It was the song choices that got to him.

The music from your Spotify playlist muted the outside world as you focused on the computer screen open to a document. Eyes shifting between the paper of notes on your desk to the half-written History essay due in a few days. The last week had been mostly adapting to being one of two people able to see the band.

“Y/N.” Luke spoke from the doorway he had poofed into. A frown pulling the corner of his lips down at the lack of attention. In an action of desperation he chucked a pencil on your back; you flinched turning to see him in your room.

“Luke?” You asked removing an earbud from your ear. The joys of 2020 came with Bluetooth earbuds.

“Oh. You were listening to music.” Luke nodded moving to grab the earbud from the desk curiously, “Where are the wires? So small! How do they work?”

Launching into a short history on the change of music technology Luke was enthralled by the passion you carried. What he didn’t know was you were researching the changes between 1995 and 2020 for his benefit. Going as far as to compile a playlist for all three boys to introduce them to modern music.

“This is insane.” Luke mumbled handing the earbud back, “Cell phones are what get me!”

“Hey, doesn’t matter if your seventeen or forty-something…you still don’t understand it.” You smirked flinching when Luke tossed a decorative pillow at you with practiced ease. The squeal fell from your lips as it happened.

“If I was forty-something this would be very wrong.” Luke cheekily retorted tapping a finger on his knee thinking back on everything that happened, “Had everything gone to plan you would have known me only by music.”

“I’m sorry you died but I’m really happy we met.” The nerves evident in your tone, something that you didn’t often show. Softball was important and possibly the only ticket to college if everything went right.

“Me too.” Luke smile at the girl across him eyes so soft he could see what Alex and Reggie were trying to tell him.

Luke had a crush. Luke had feelings for a girl living and unable to feel his touch.

“Hey! I made a playlist for you guys. Let me know when you want to hear them, and I’ll get it playing for you. I have to get back to my essay. Feel free to stay.”

Luke graciously took the earbud from your hand leaning back on the bed as you played the rock he had unfortunately missed out on. Both unaware that his fingers had grazed your hand during the handoff. Luke has a crush and he can touch her too.

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[petals42]

been so long and now...

Alright, not writing the fic but this is the fic I want to read for julie and the phantoms (okay updated note: I wrote it basically). Going to try to keep this quick (LOL it’s 7k). We’re starting after season 1 here.

[7k, Reggie-centric, Julie POV, child abuse mention, Ray is a good dad.]

Alright, the boys can now touch Julie (sometimes) and can still be seen when playing music, but other than that, it’s not super clear how much actually changes. And after that day in the garage, life seems to even out a bit. Which means Alex is off looking for Willie and Luke and Julie are spending a lot more time writing music together (and okay, maybe that’s new but if both of them ignore it, it's fine) and Reggie is back to hanging out with Ray. 

Ray can’t hear him or see him and the conversations are by necessity very one sided. Either Reggie filling Ray in on his day slash his ideas on ghosthood or Ray talking to himself/the computer but somehow it becomes fairly commonplace for Julie to walk downstairs and find her dad talking to (around?) her dead teenage bandmate. And there are times, sure, where she is like is this weird?? Should i say something about this??? But Reggie is kind of being left on his own a lot and she never really wanted to listen to her dad mutter about cameras and if that’s how Reggie wants to fill his days then… well that’s not her business. Neither party seems to mind. Probably because her dad doesn’t actually know.

Of course, the Julie-magic power does eventually start working more and more and then Carlos knows they are ghosts and then her dad hears them talking in Julie’s room when Luke accidentally starts humming and then catches a glimpse of them in garage when there’s no lights on so he doesn’t see how the hologram is working and--

“It’s time to tell him, I think,” Julie says to the boys and Luke nods and looks excited and Alex twists his hands around his drumsticks the way he does when he is a little anxious (but mostly okay) and when Julie glances over at Reggie, she expects that large megawatt smile that he directs at Flynn or Carlos but instead, he looks even more uncertain than Alex.

“I dunno,” he says, one shoulder raised. “I feel like we have an okay system?”

His concerns get drowned out by Luke and Alex and Julie herself pointing out that her dad is in photography, at some point he is going to realize that this hologram technology does not obey the laws of physics and/or light, plus he keeps almost seeing them just around his house and…

They play a song to tell her dad and lately, the boys have been able to be seen longer and longer, especially when they are just in the studio and don’t officially bow so once her dad gets over the initial shock (which, admittedly, takes him a little longer than Flynn or Carlos), there are introductions and--

Julie finds herself glancing at Reggie the whole time. Waiting for him to bound forward and say that actually he knows all about Ray and actually they’ve hung out quite a bit and actually, it was him that’s been slowly doing the puzzle with Ray in the corner room and maybe the other boys do too because there are a lot more awkward pauses that she thought there would be but Luke seems to realize it halfway through so suddenly he is taking the lead (and maybe trying to impress her father like omg what???) and so it kind of gets forgotten. (especially afterwards, in her room, when her dad lowkey tries to grill her about her relationship with these boys and she doesn’t have good answers and ugggggh maybe they should’ve stayed holograms).

Anyway, things are still mostly normal after that. The boys are not often seen or visible (except more and more to Flynn and sometimes Carlos) and so Reggie is often back to hanging around her dad and one time Julie does ask him “Do you let him know that you’re here?” and “Oh no,” Reggie says. “I wouldn’t want to bother him.” And Julie guesses that’s true, Reggie is normally chilling with her dad when he is editing photos so, alright. Again, she has lots of other things going on. There isn’t much point in digging into this.

Except then-- then the boys start being seen more and more around the whole house. It starts in the studio and then sort of spreads and it’s a weird new normal for sure, them still walking through walls whenever they want so you can’t forget they’re ghosts, but you sure can see them around a lot. And if Julie is around and can make them solid, they can eat and so it become a not rare occurrence to have the boys come eat dinner 2ish times a week or at least try to (Julie’s “powers” only work about a fourth of the time, to be honest, but they can be seen so they usually hang around.)

And right around when that becomes common place, suddenly Reggie stops hanging out with Ray.

I mean, it’s not something that Julie notices right away but suddenly Reggie is around the studio a lot more and sometimes she assumes he is in the house only to find out he has been hanging by the beach or with Alex and Willie and there’s no real reason for worry but it sort of… lurks in the back of Julie’s mind. A weird sense that something isn’t quite right there, that Reggie used to love hanging around her dad and giving her dad full reports of their days and, okay, maybe it was weird but still… it bothered her. Now that it was gone. 

And then, her dad asks her about it.

Not directly, but he comes sort of frowning into her room, asking if the boys are okay, and “yeah, why?” Julie says and..

“Oh, I dunno,” her dad answers, looking over his shoulder and drumming his fingers against his thigh. “It just feels… I don’t know, the house feels empty? Like… sometimes I think there should be someone and-- you know what, nevermind. It’s probably in my head.”

“No, no,” Julie says because she’s lied to her dad enough. “You’re right. I mean, Reggie used to hang out in the house all the time.”

“Reggie,” her dad says. “The bassist. He did?”

“Yeah, he was probably… what you were sensing.” and Julie has an awful moment of wondering if her dad thought that presence around him was her mom and if Reggie being more busy with other things was like losing someone all over again and--

“That’s what that was!” her dad sounds happy. And relieved. “Sorry. Who. Who that was. I thought I was going crazy.”

“No,” Julie shakes her head. “He’s real. And he was around a lot.”

“Hm,” Ray says and turns to leave. Then turns. “You know…  he’s still welcome, you know? Unless you guys are practicing more…”

“I’ll tell him,” Julie laughs. And then shoos her dad out because she has got to work on this chemistry homework and sometimes it sucks -- having three ghost bandmates who should be in high school but who never have to do anything and don’t even try to help her and--

*^*^*^

“Hey,” Julie says, plopping down next to Reggie on the couch. It’s a few days later but this is the first time they’ve been alone-- Luke and Alex, realizing they were solid enough to go eat and running for the kitchen, Reggie opting to stay behind.

“Hi, Jules!” Reggie says and he doesn’t seem any different. With her and the band, he talks just as much as always, big bright smile, whining about the need for a country song, laughing at all their mishaps.

“I have a question.”

“What’s up?” He twists to face her, giving her all his attention. He does that, she realizes. Focuses on her. All the boys do, to some extent, but with different energies. Reggie’s is the biggest, she thinks. Honest and open.

“So… I’ve sorta noticed that you haven’t been hanging out with my dad as much anymore?” Julie tries to keep her tone casual. She’s not accusing him. She’s just… curious.

“Oh,” Reggie says and his head tilts as if confused by her confusion. “Well, yeah.”

There’s a beat. Julie thinks Reggie is going to keep talking. Reggie does not. Reggie turns back to where he was tuning his bass. “Uh, why?” she finally asks.

Reggie frowns at her. “Well, he can see and hear us now,” he says, as if this is very obvious. 

“So?”

“So like… I don’t want to bother him,” Reggie says. “He does a lot of work during the day. It was one thing when he couldn’t hear or see me but now you know… I’m annoying.”

It’s Julie’s turn to frown, even though Reggie is already looking down again. There’s something about the way he says it, I’m annoying that bothers her. He says it as if it is an obvious fact. As if everybody knows it. As if it’s true. 

“You’re not annoying,” she says. “I don’t think you’re annoying.”

He blinks at her. “Well, no, you don’t,” he allows. “And Luke and Alex don’t. Most of the time.”

“And Flynn and Carlos,” she adds.

“Most of the time. But still, see, all kids. Teens,” Reggie says. “But old people… parents are different. You have to--”

He cuts himself off and for a moment, his hand grips the neck of his bass tightly and there is a tension in his shoulders and suddenly Julie thinks she maybe is in a little too deep here. She doesn’t want to upset him. 

“You’re dad is really nice but he still… It’s different,” he says and he shoots another smile at her, but it’s tight and fake and he jumps up the moment Alex and Luke burst back into the studio.

“So close,” Alex mutters as they come back in. “I had the sandwich IN MY HANDS.”

“Dumb choice,” Luke says, mouth still clearly full of something. “You gotta just hit the snacks, my friend. Focus on what’s quick and easy.”

The boys all head for their instruments and the moment is passing, Julie knows, and she also knows she now has clues that maybe she should put together but she doesn’t have time and why couldn’t her powers last just a little longer this one time? But-

“You should still go hang out with him again,” she tells Reggie as Luke starts tuning up and Alex gets settled behind his drums. “He misses you.”

There’s no time for Reggie to ask any questions but his frown of confusion as she turns away says it all. 

*^*^*^

It grows, this curiosity and she realizes she doesn’t know much about Reggie’s parents. Luke’s, she obviously knows very well and she knows the story very well and she has heard enough about Alex’s to know that they are not worth seeking out but Reggie’s…

She’s never even heard him mention them. Not even in all their conversations about Luke’s. And this is a sensitive topic for all the boys and she doesn’t know how much to push or even whether to push so--

“What were Reggie’s parents like?” she blurts one day. Luke startles and looks up at her and that’s fair as they had been in the middle of writing a song and there was no reason for her to ask. 

“What?” Luke says and she gets to watch as he tries to switch his brain over from music-mode to conversation-mode.

“Reggie’s parents,” she repeats. “What were they like?”

And she knows she’s hit on something when Luke’s head goes down and his shoulders come up and “I dunno,” he says. “It’s… we didn’t hang out there that much.”

“But you must know something?” Julie presses. “Like… did they ever come to see you guys play?”

“No,” Luke says and he’s leaning further away, eyes cutting to the door. “Look, I--”

“Were they against him playing music?”

“Uh- I don’t… Why are you asking?”

The question forces Julie to pause. And she chews her bottom lips as she tries to figure out the answer. Why is she asking? What does she think? What does she actually need to know?

“I don’t know,” she admits. “I just… he’s never even mentioned them.”

“Well, then… we probably shouldn’t talk about it,” Luke says and that’s fair, she knows it is, but she can’t help if she doesn’t have some information. And going to Luke was at least better than just googling. 

“So there is something to talk about,” she says softly. 

“No, I don’t… look,” Luke says and takes a breath. “Reggie never…. He never said anything about them, really. Not even when we were alive. He just… I don’t know. I told you, we never hung out at his house.”

“So you think they were…?” Julie lets the sentence dangle. Luke glares at her a little. Then takes another breath. Fiddles with something on his pants. Doesn’t speak. “You know I’m just trying to help, right?” Julie asks. “I just--”

“Reggie was really quiet,” Luke interrupts. “When we met him, I mean. He was… he was really shy.”

“Reggie?” Julie asks and she can’t help the disbelieving tone. That doesn’t make any sense.

“Yeah,” Luke says. “He was a great bass player, obviously, and nice enough but… really quiet. He… didn’t even laugh really. He just hung back a lot and… it’s weird to think about. Now that I know him.”

“You think he was that way because of his parents?”

“I mean… I dunno. Maybe?” Luke shrugs. “The few times he met my parents, he was… really weird.”

“Weird?”

“Just… weird.”

Julie opens her mouth to ask more questions, to say that that answer wasn’t specific enough, but Luke finally meets her eyes and suddenly she knows that this conversation is going to end.

“Look, if you want to know more, you can probably ask him,” Luke says. “Or like… don’t. It’s not like it matters anymore now, right?”

And there’s a trace of bitterness in that and a trace of please stop and more than a trace of I am uncomfortable with this conversation and so Julie lets it go. 

“Yeah,” she says, worried she pushed too hard. “Yeah, you’re right.”

*^*^*^

The clues are all there and Julie isn’t sure what they point to, so she tries to listen to Luke’s advice and remember that it doesn’t really matter. Reggie doesn’t have to see his parents again and it doesn’t matter and he continues to seem absolutely fine with the band. Fine and happy and--

“Helloooo?” she hears him call from the front door, just as she’s hitting the top of the stairs. She turns, a bit confused because the boys never bother announcing themselves but she opens her mouth to tell him she has to finish homework before rehearsal today and then closes it when she says that he is not looking at her at all, but towards the kitchen.

She walks down a few steps. Bends over so she can peer down and see what he’s looking at. 

Her dad is sitting at the counter.

“Hello!” Reggie is louder this time, and then waves his arms a little bit for good measure and her dad doesn’t see him, she realizes, doesn’t even flinch at all the noise and the arm flailing and she is about to tell Ray that Reggie is there when suddenly, Reggie’s face bursts into a grin and, seemingly satisfied that he is undetectable, the teenager plops himself down in the stool next to Ray.

Julie watches as her dad continues muttering to himself for a minute and then he pauses, and shifts, and glances, and she doesn’t know if he caught a glimpse of Reggie or if he can just sense it but his mouth quirks into a slight smile and he talks more now, at maybe a higher volume, but still to himself and Reggie doesn’t seem to notice the change, so she leaves them to it.

Reggie is still there when she finally finishes her homework two hours later. 

*^*^*^

It doesn’t really get that much better. Reggie still avoids the house when he is visible and, when she catches him with her dad, she somehow knows that he had made sure he was undetectable before risking it and he doesn’t talk as much now, not when he’s learning from conversations with Flynn and Carlos that sometimes it’s part way through a conversation that they are suddenly audible, but she hopes it’s a little bit nice, at least, that Reggie is there at least part of the time.

*^*^*^

They play a particularly good show and the boys stay visible for 5 straight days. Reggie avoids the house the whole time.

*^*^*^

It’s a Friday night when Julie finally gets her biggest clue. It’s a rare quiet Friday. They don’t have a gig all weekend so there’s no rehearsals and Carlos is home and the boys aren’t visible or audible to anyone but Julie so most of her time is spent laughing at what they say and then having to explain to her dad and brother and she thinks they are going to try to play a game, maybe like Clue? Something all the boys can play, though Luke is pushing for twister even though the boys can literally go through people so that doesn’t seem fair at all and--

Something (a ball) whizzes past her head as she and her dad are bent over trying to remember the Clue rules and then she jumps as there’s the unmistakable sound of breaking glass. 

There’s a moment of stillness and then it makes sense. There’s a vase broken on the ground and a baseball rolling under the kitchen table and she turns to see Carlos, looking shocked, mouth already open to apologize. 

“Carlos!” her dad says, standing and moving, doubtlessly to go get the broom. But there is glass everywhere and his voice comes out angry because this is not the first kitchen object Carlos has broken by a longshot. “How many times have I told you not to play--”

Things move very fast then. 

Her dad is moving towards Carlos because that’s where the broom is and Carlos is standing still and looking down because he already knows he’s going to get in trouble and then just as suddenly, Carlos is sort of stumbling back because he’s been pulled back and Reggie is standing where Carlos just was.

Squarely between her dad and her brother. 

“It was me,” Reggie says. And he sounds sort of breathless but also certain and he’s not moving from where he stands. 

Carlos is still sort of gaping that he was just pulled back by a ghost and Julie can see the other two boys processing that fact, the fact that Reggie just managed to touch another person and Ray jerks to a stop because a full teenage boy has just popped into existence in front of him. So no one says anything.

“I threw the ball,” Reggie repeats. More firmly this time. A lie, Julie knows, because Reggie had been on the couch with Alex. Nowhere near where the ball had come from. “It was my fault.”

His voice is still firm and his eyes stay on Ray’s for a second before looking down and his hands tighten into firsts before going slack and he swallows and--

He’s scared, Julie realizes. Scared, but still.

“It was my fault. So--”

“Reggie!” Her dad exclaims and he’s beaming, she can already see it, and then without a thought to whether Reggie is still solid or not, her dad is throwing her arms around Reggie as if he is a long lost friend

(Which in a way, maybe he is)

Reggie stays solid and his arms are pinned to his side and Julie sees him stiffen, sees his face frown in confusion.

“You’re here!” Ray says, still grinning. He leans back and slaps Reggie on the arm. “And solid, I see. Thank goodness. Come, come help me on this puzzle. You’ve been slacking and I swear this dark spot near the left corner is driving me crazy and-- Oh, Carlos, go get the broom and clean this up. No throwing balls in the house! Honestly, you’d think after the last time-- Reggie, wait, whatever happened with that telenovella you guys were watching, you haven’t updated me in forever.”

And then her dad is dragging Reggie away, who still looks shell-shocked, still looks like he was expecting something different, and Julie hangs back, partly to help Carlos clean up, partly to enjoy hearing Reggie slowly start to stammer out answers to her dad’s many, many questions.

*^*^*^

“Oh shoot,” her dad says an hour later, when family puzzle night is brought to an end because the three boys have abruptly vanished from existence. He looks at where Reggie had been sitting (roughly). “Well, we’ll finish next time.”

*^*^*^

What happens next, Julie calls in her head, the Period of Cautious Testing. 

She sees it play out.

Reggie comes into the house, waves hi to her, but doesn’t say anything and then he goes and sort of… lurks near her dad, watching carefully and if her dad seems to be in a good mood (which he is often, to be honest), Reggie will either say hello or obviously pull out a stool to make it clear he is there and--

“Are you free?” Reggie asks. Or “Do you mind?” or “Hey, can I--?”

He says it when Ray can hear him and writes it if there is pen and paper nearby and even when there’s not, he stays tense and ready to fly if he’s not wanted, but--

“Of course!” her dad says. “Sit down.” “Come look.” “Oh, Reggie, check this out--”

And Reggie stares and listens and there’s this smile he has, not his usual huge grin, but a smaller softer sort of wonderful-filled smile and he pays attention to her dad as if he might be quizzed on the information later, still starts out not talking as much but--

“Okay, well tell me about,” her dad says. “Oh, do you think--?”  And “Wait, I want to hear what it was like to--”

*^*^*^

“Your dad is really nice,” Reggie tells her one day. He says it right as they are starting rehearsal and doesn’t really look at her when he says it, looks more somewhere over her left shoulder and he is basically running away towards his mic stand but still…

It makes her smile.

*^*^*^

“Come play with me,” Carlos asks her, throwing his ball in the air.

“Where’s dad?” Julie responds. This is usually her dad’s territory. Whatever talents she had in singing and music and sort of dancing do not translate into sports.

“With Reggie,” Carlos says, throwing the ball up, tilting his head up to watch as it comes down and catches it. “They are talking about… I don’t know. Something. He said he’d be out but you know how they get.”

Julie does. And it doesn’t bother her but..

“Are you mad?” She asks, just to be certain. Carlos had been the only son. Still is. But also… “That they are hanging out so much?” Her brother is still young. Her brother maybe doesn’t--

“No,” Carlos says. “Not like I want to learn about cameras at all.”

Julie laughs.That’s true. And her dad sure can ramble. 

“Also,” Carlos starts…. And then he is glancing at her and he is young and stupid and her ilttle brother, but when he looks up at her, he looks older and serious.

“Also, I think It’s nice. Reggie hanging out with Dad. I think he…”

He fiddles with his ball, but doesn’t throw it. “I think he probably needs that, you know?”

Julie did know, she just didn’t know that Carlos knew. And understood. And was willing to share Dad like that because he knew. She feels her face start heating up with pride. 

“How did you--” she starts. Then stops. She knows how she figured it out and she had mostly relied on being able to see when Reggie was around and how he tried to stay away for so long and her conversation with Luke.

“Oh. Uh. Well, he started a stash of food in my room,” Carlos says. Julie blinks at him. “I went up there one day and he was shoving granola bars in a box in the back of my closet. That was already filled with other stuff.

“He was acting really weird. I mean, nervous and I dunno. I asked him why and he said it was always a good backup in case you couldn’t go downstairs and then I asked why I wouldn’t be able to go downstairs and I think he was embarrassed but still insisted it was safer and--”

Carlos shrugs. Flushes because he realizes he had been talking a hair too fast.

“I don’t know. It made him feel better so I kept it. And it honestly is sometimes easier than going all the way downstairs.”

“Carlos!”

“He has one in your room too!’ Carlos says, laughing. “Basket tucked under your bed, I think. I’m telling you, once you get used to access to rice krispy treats in the middle of the night…”

“Oh my god,” Julie says and they are laughing about this, because what else is there to do but…

“So it’s really okay,” Carlos says. “Plus I figure now you and me can play catch?” He turns on those big brown eyes for that last part and he is so good that Julie can barely stand it.

“Oh alright,” she makes sure to roll her eyes so he knows that she is not falling for him for a second. “Let me put my bag down.”

*^*^*^

The boys are not supposed to be on her computer (there has actually been talk of getting them their own computer to uphold this rule, but none of them really seem to have much interest in technology (besides TV) given that they can always just poof to whoever they need to talk to and force Julie to do the research for them) so it’s a surprise when Julie walks into her room and finds Reggie, glaring at the screen.

“Reggie!” she says, fully intending to yell at him. She has private things on there! 

And then he looks up at her. He looks dark and serious and--

“Will you help me?” he asks. “I don’t know how-- this thing is so complicated.” And Reggie isn’t the one who will get frustrated-- that’s Alex when his anxiety gets to be too much or Luke when a song isn’t going well or even herself when having three rambunctious boys who can pop in on her literally any time gets to be a little much-- but he’s frustrated now. 

“Okay,” she says, her earlier rant about privacy flying out of her head. “Okay, yes, let me help. What do you need to do?”

With the boys, it could be anything. Alex wants to watch videos of skateboarding so he can pretend he knows something about what Willie talks about, or there was the week he discovered Sense8 and then Luke really just wants to google guitars or also there was that week Julie tried to get him on music producing software and then he just wanted to read articles about how digital music was destroying the industry (like some old grandpa).

“I’m--” Reggie stops and stands. Takes a breath and blows it out. Julie waits. He looks somewhere toward the ceiling. “I’m trying to find my parents.”

Julie stills. 

That is not what she was expecting.

“Oh,” she says and it’s a struggle but she keeps her voice carefully neutral. She also takes the moment to look down and see that Reggie has type “goo-gull” into the windows search bar. 

He doesn’t add anything and so she sets herself to opening the real google and seeing what she can do. Contrary to popular belief, it can be a little hard to find people if they aren’t famous and have fairly common names.

“What are their names?” she asks and instead of answering, Reggie just passes her a piece of paper. It has their names on it. And what she assumes to be his old address. She senses the mood and doesn’t say anything else. At least he comes and sits next to her to see the search results pop up. 

There are a lot of them.

“Don’t worry,” she says when she sees his eyes widen. “Even if I can’t do it today, I can put Flynn or-or my dad on it and I’m sure one of them can--”

“No,” Reggie says. “I don’t want-- not them.”

Julie nods and keeps scrolling. She doesn’t know what Reggie’s parents did for a living so she doesn’t know if some of these websites apply but she scrolls slowly and hopes he’ll tell her if he sees something. 

After two pages, “Let’s switch to images,” she suggests. “Maybe you’ll see them.”

Reggie hesitates but then nods. 

After some more silent scrolling, the silence gets to be too much -- “Why do you--?”

“There.”

Julie stops scrolling and, yes, there-- there’s something slightly familiar about that woman’s nose and the darkness of that man’s hair. She clicks to enlarge it, but it’s still a blurry picture, pulled onto google search from Facebook, if she had to guess and--

And she knows that you can’t really judge someone off of a photograph, especially not one that’s older and blurry but she… 

They don’t look nice, she decides. Even though both of them are smiling. The smiles look tense and forced and they are standing a hair too far away from each other to be called close.

“That’s them,” Reggie tells her needlessly.

“Oh,” Julie says again. He doesn’t sound excited. He sounds… she doesn’t know what he sounds.

She waits, risks glancing at him to find he is still just staring. And the silence drags and then right- right as she knows she’s got to say something, anything--

“I thought it was normal,” Reggie finally says softly. “They. I thought they were normal. I mean… I thought everyone’s parents were that way.”

He’s still not looking at her. Still just staring at the screen.

“I mean… Luke fought all the time with his parents and Alex’s were just… always too religious and a bit off even before they knew and so I just assumed that everyone… you know.”

Julie did not know. Not really. Not at all. 

“I knew they hated me,” he says and he finally glances over at her. He’s not crying, but his voice is tight and the nod he gives her is jerky. He looks away quickly. “For forcing them to get married. And for forcing them to stay together too, I guess, though… it wasn’t just…”

His leg is bouncing now. Jumping up and down even as his fist clenches and presses on top of it. 

“It’s not even just that though,” and his voice rises now, almost desperate. “They hated me. They said I was loud and annoying and stupid and I… I thought that was normal. I thought they were right.”

He shoots up now, solid enough that her little table gets pushed back when his shin hits against it, but he doesn’t seem to notice and he swipes at his eyes, but he’s not crying. Just red and Julie’s almost crying, she realizes, but she’s also tense and her stomach hurts and she doesn’t know what to do.

“They were my parents and they hated me and I thought-- I thought that was normal. That everyone would always hate--” He cuts off and Julie opens her mouth again but she doesn’t know what to say. The boys… the boys are young and happy and they are all an open book, even when they try not to be, but now… Now Reggie clenches his jaw and stops himself. The boys never stop themselves. 

“It wasn’t right though,” Reggie says and he’s angry now. More angry than Julie’s seen anyone. “It wasn’t fair. What they did. Making me feel… yelling at me all the time and-and sending me to bed without dinner so often that I- I fucking thought everyone snuck snacks into their room and shoving me around and even when they were happy, I just knew it could turn so quickly, that even one mistake could just ruin everything and I- I-”

He cuts off, breathing hard.

“Reggie--” Julie starts. She stands but he takes a step away from her so she stills.

“It wasn’t fair,” he says and he’s quieter now but it doesn’t feel calmer. He meets her eyes and his are wet. “I just don’t get how they could-- why they--”

“It wasn’t fair,” Julie agrees and this time when she comes closer, he doesn’t move. So she gets to put a hand on his shoulder and breaths a small sigh of relief that he is solid right now.

“I had to die, Jules,” he says, looking at her again finally. And this is… being dead is something the boys rarely acknowledge in a real way. It’s usually a joke or an offhand comment or their comeback for why they shouldn’t have to help her with calculus. It’s not this. Soft and serious and then followed by a dark chuckle. “I literally had to fucking die to figure out that they were bad parents. And I bet-- I bet they were glad.”

Julie opens her mouth to say that of course they weren’t, that any parent would be heartbroken, that he can’t know that but--

But she doesn’t know them. She doesn’t know if that is true.

“Well,” she starts but Reggie backs away and cuts her off.

“I have to go,” he announces. And then he glances at her and realizes she’s crying and maybe realizes what just happened because he runs his hand through his hair and guilt enters his eyes but “Sorry,” he says. “Sorry about-- You weren’t supposed to-- I gotta go.”

“Wait!” Julie tries, but he’s already gone. 

*^*^*^

Her first instinct is to run and get Luke and Alex, to tell them to poof to all the most likely spots for Reggie to be, to tell them everything that had happened and then maybe run and tell her dad too for good measure and to probably cry a little more but she--

She doesn’t.

She doesn’t know what stops her or why instead of yelling and rushing down the stairs, she takes a breath and falls back onto her couch, but… that’s what she does. 

She falls back and stares at the picture she’d found a little longer and--

I hate you, she thinks. You didn’t deserve him. 

And then she closes the tab without saving it. 

And she doesn’t tell anybody.

*^*^*^

Reggie is a little late to rehearsal that day, but not enough to attract much notice.

He comes in cautious though. Julie sees it, since she knows to look for it.

He poofs up outside the garage and then slowly walks in and he’s waiting, she sees, for someone to say something or act weird or for them to all stop talking at once in an obvious display of “we were just talking about your breakdown earlier.” He’s tense and cautious and--

“Dude, awesome,” Luke says in greeting, waving a hand at him. “You’re here. We can get started. I think I have a killer idea for a harmony echo thing in the chorus of--”

Reggie looks suspicious for a beat longer, eyes flicking between Julie and Luke and then Alex, but Alex is too busy trying out a new spin move with his drumsticks to really be paying much attention and Luke is still droning on about his latest idea and Julie just gives him a smile. And a nod. And hopes that her eyes convey she didn’t actually say anything. 

She knows it was the right call when the tension leaves Reggie’s shoulders.

Reggie gives her a smile and a nod and then they all do what they do best.

They play.

*^*^*^

That night, Julie spots her dad alone (actually alone) on the couch, fiddling with something on his laptop, and when they were playing music together, she didn’t think about it but now it all comes rushing back.

The hurt and the anger in his voice and the fact that she didn’t know what to say or do and it was the right call, not to tell anyone Reggie’s private business, she thinks, but she suddenly feels very sad again and the only thing for it is to plop down next to her dad and curl into his side. 

He hums in greeting and keeps his eyes on his screen and she just enjoys it. His warmth and smell and marvels in the fact that he is always there. That she can always do this. That she has a dad who will always let her sit with him and who has to be coached into being angry and just loves her so damn much. 

“Honey?” he says and he’s closing the laptop to twist and look at her. There is concern in his eyes. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she says, shaking her head and trying to ignore the heat behind her eyes that tells her she might cry. “Nothing’s wrong. I just-- It’s been a long day.”

“Too much practice?” he says.

“No, not that. Just… you know. One of those days.”

“Oh okay,” he says and then he’s lifting his arm so he can wrap it around her and squeeze her more firmly into his side. “Okay.”

They sit for a long moment, just breathing and Reggie should do this, she thinks, just sit and be calm and be held and she hopes one day, he does. That he is solid enough and comfortable enough and maybe he can’t tuck all that way into her dad’s side like she can but he should still… he should still try. One day.

She knows her dad would let him.

“Thank you,” she says. “For being such a good dad.”

Her dad’s soft laugh answers her. “Well, you know that’s my job.” 

“Yeah, but… also for everything else too. With the band and the music program and for-for being so good to Re-- the boys. All the boys.”

She doesn’t know if he hears the name she almost said, but he tilts his head as if he knows. He probably does somehow. 

“They’re great kids,” is what he says instead.

“Still,” she insists. “I know it’s a lot. But they- he- just thank you.”

He looks at her for a long moment and finally nods. 

“Anytime.”

*^*^*^

“Thanks,” Reggie says, the next day, drifting over to where she is resting on the couch while Alex and Luke get into a semi-argument, semi-productive debate on a certain rhythm. “For not saying anything to the guys.”

“No problem,” she says. “But if you want to talk more or--”

“No, no,” he says, waving a hand as if that is going to make her forget the entire thing. “It’s not a big deal. It’s--”

“Reggie.” She says it firmly. She says it and then waits until he actually looks at her. “It is a big deal. Your parents were-- They were wrong and mean and fucking horrible and if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s your right and I won’t say anything. But it is a big deal. Your feelings are a big deal. You are a big deal. So talk to me or to my dad or to no one but don’t tell me it’s not a big deal.”

Reggie blinks at her and Julie flushes. But doesn’t back down. Keeps glaring at him. 

“Uh. Okay,” Reggie says. “I- I will. Or I won’t. Tell you that.”

“Good,” Julie says, nodding once. And then Alex and Luke turn back to them and it seems they have compromised (Or maybe Alex won and Luke is just saying they compromised) and they’re back to it. 

*^*^*^

As far as Julie knows, he doesn’t talk about it. At least, not with her.

But, gradually, he stops hesitating before announcing himself to her dad and he starts buzzing with the same kind of energy that he does in the garage in the house and, then later, she goes downstairs for a late night snack and Carlos is there too, half-heartedly complaining that his stash has run out and he had grown accustomed to a certain style of living and--

“Ray, Ray, Ray, Ray Ray RayRay,” Reggie says, running into the house, tripping over his own feet somehow and skidding into the counter, knocking over the fruit bowl in the process. Her dad idly straightens it with one hand, the other reaching out to collect the apples and oranges that had rolled everywhere but Reggie grabs it and pulls. “You gotta see this, there’s a bird and the light-- bring your camera!”

“A bird?” her dad says, and he sounds a bit doubtful but he is already grabbing his camera. 

“Huge bird,” Reggie says, waving his hands as if to indicate. “Biggest bird ever. I think it’s a condor!”

“A condor! A California condor??” her dad’s eyes go huge and then he’s throwing one camera at Reggie and grabbing another out of a drawer and there are apples and oranges everywhere and her dad almost brains himself stepping on one and flying forward but Reggie catches him and suddenly, Julie is in the kitchen by herself, surrounded by fruit, staring at a pancake her dad was supposed to flip.

She rolls her eyes and smiles to herself and grabs the spatula.

She doesn’t think they’re coming back any time soon.

[wiypt-writes]

Too Loose And You’ll Lose It

Ch8: Same Old, Brand New You Co-Written with @icanfeelastormbrewing​

Summary: Jake and Stella spend a bit of time together at home, rekindling their same old, brand new romance.

 Pairing: Jake Jensen x OFC Stella Stevenson

Warnings: Bad language, Smut (NSFW, 18+) Word Count: 6.5k ish

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. We do not own any characters in this series bar Stella Stevenson and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.

A/N: So enjoy this fluffy smutty chapter as from the next one, shit starts getting real...

TLAYLI Masterlist // Main Masterlist

Chapter 7 Part 3

Jake woke a few hours later, his face buried in Stella’s hair, one arm draped over her waist, the other was beneath her, laying just below the pillow. He shifted slightly, before he sighed a little at the pressure in his bladder telling him he needed to pee. As gently and as quietly as he could, he untangled himself from Stella, who was sleeping soundly and turned, swinging his legs off the side of her bed.

The clock on the dresser was telling him it was only five minutes to midnight, but all things considered they had gone to bed fairly early, both of them wiped out after an emotionally and physically charged few days, or weeks even, since Pooch’s wedding. He cracked his neck, rolling it across his shoulders as he padded into the bathroom, yawning. Once he’d sorted himself out, he washed his hands and ran them through his messed up hair, scratching at his bare chest, before he made his way to the stairs. He headed down, blinking himself awake as he went. He couldn’t see particularly well without his glasses which lay on the bedside table, but it wasn’t like it mattered all things considered. He knew his way around the Stevenson house with his eyes closed. However, as he reached the bottom he immediately noticed the sliver of light coming from the kitchen meaning that someone was in there, and given that Stella was in bed, it could only be her mom.

Unless they’d been broken into. But then, what kind of burglar turns on the lights?

Jake opened the door and peered in. Sure enough, Jules looked up at him from where she had just finished folding some ironing and she smiled.

“Hey, Jake. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just wanted to grab a drink.” He nodded. “That okay?”

“Course it is. In fact, I was just about to make myself a camomile tea before I headed up to bed. Do you want one?”

Jake could have quite happily grabbed a bottle of water, he wasn’t all that bothered about the tea, but something on Jules’ face as she waited for his answer told him to take her up on her offer. So he did with a thanks, and she then nodded to a smaller piles of clothes on the table. Jensen noticed that in true mom form, she had indeed washed and dried their soaking clothes from before.

“Put your T-shirt on.”

“Me being topless in your kitchen making you nervous, Jules?” He grinned as he reached for it and she scoffed, folding away the ironing board.

“The pair of you came back soaked before, I don’t want you catching a chill.”

With a smile Jake pulled it over his head, the familiar smell of Stella’s laundry detergent hitting his senses. It was one she used herself, she’d never changed it, not once, always saying it reminded her of home.

The kitchen fell silent as Jules boiled the kettle and made them the tea, before she returned to the table and placed one down in front of him.

“Thanks.” He smiled at her as she sat in the chair opposite him. He yawned a little before he took a sip of his drink.

“Am I keeping you up, sweetheart?” Jules asked and Jensen shook his head.

“No, it’s just been a long few weeks that’s all.”

“Yeah, I know.” Jules looked at him. “Stella’s been exhausted.” She took a sip of her drink, her eyes not leaving him. “And upset.”

Jake sighed, “I know.”

Jules studied him again for a moment before she leaned back in her chair. “Suppose it doesn’t matter, it’s done with for now but, are you sure the pair of you know what you’re doing?”

Jake frowned a little. “In what way?”

“Well, I mean she was with Evan for six months,” Jules held her hand up to stop Jensen as he was about to cut in, “she might not have loved him, yes, I heard all about that, but she was fond of him. To be honest we all were and I certainly don’t approve of her cheating on him with you in Mexico.” She looked at him, her eyebrows raised and Jake felt his cheeks flushing with heat. “You should know by now, Jacob, there are no secrets between me and my girls, well, not many that is.”

“I’m not sorry about that night.” Jensen shook his head. “I mean, I’m sorry it upset Stella as much as it did and I’m not particularly proud of my behaviour, any of it over the last few twelve months or so if I’m honest but…”

“What’s done is done. I guess I’m just a little worried that she’s finished it with him and barely a fortnight later the pair of you are back together.”

“I know how it looks, Jules. Honestly I do. And I’m not stupid enough to think that things can just go back to how they were. We got a lot to talk about, a lot to work through, but I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t try again. And she’s given me a second…or third…whatever, she’s given me another chance here and I wanna give it the best shot I can.”

“Well, Jake, you never do anything half-cocked that’s for sure.” Jules gave him a soft smile as she sipped her drink. “And I don’t need to ask you if you love her, because I know you do, you always have. But please, show it to her. Don’t take her for granted. Ever again.”

Jensen sighed and looked at Jules. “I know, I fucked up and if I was in your shoes I wouldn’t be happy about her taking me back either…”

“I’m not unhappy about it.”  Jules cut him off. “How can I be? She loves you, and you make her happy. But I just don’t want to see her hurt again. Because if you do, Jake, then we," she pointed between the two of them, "will fall out. Big time.”

The threat might have appeared to anyone else as innocuous, but Jake knew the undercurrent it held. He’d never fallen out with Jules before, even when he and Stella had split up, and for her to threaten that made him uncomfortable. Momma bear was in full on protective mode over her cub, and he couldn’t blame her one single bit.

“I promise you, I don’t ever want to lose her again.” Jake shook his head, giving a little shrug. “She’s my Stel.”

“Good because you’re my little boy, you know this.” Jules smiled. “I watched you grow up as much as I did her, and I didn’t like seeing you both fall apart.”

“I know. And that’s on me.” Jensen hung his head a little, his hands wrapping around the now almost empty mug in front of him on the table as he swallowed and raised his head to look Julie in the eyes. “But if I have to spend the rest of my life making it up to her, I will.”

At that Julie smiled, and nodded before she cleared her throat and made a point of looking at the clock on the wall. “It’s late.”

It was her way of telling him the conversation was over, Jake knew Julie well enough to understand that, so he nodded and stood up as she did the same, collecting his mug. He watched her deposit them in the sink and as she turned back to him he cocked his head slightly to one side.

“Jules?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I hug you?” He grinned, holding his arms out.

The woman chuckled, “there’s always a Julie hug waiting for you, Jacob.”

With a grin Jake stepped towards her and wrapped his arms tight around her as she did the same, her hands softly rubbing at his back in the maternal manner she had off to a tee.

“Now, go on.” She stepped back as he released her. “And take those dry clothes up with you.”

With a smile, Jake collected the items in his arms and looked at Julie. “You know, it’s only since leaving home I actually appreciate how great moms are.”

“Huh,” Julie gave a low huff of a laugh, “you’re growing up my dear Jacob.”

“Had to happen eventually I suppose.” Jensen wrinkled his nose.

“Well, better late than never.” Julie arched her eyebrow, the resemblance between her and Stella in that moment was striking, even though from photos Jake had seen, he’d always thought Stella took after her dad mostly. Same colour eyes, nose shape, hair colour, but now…well, there was no doubting Julie was her mom.

With a smile he patted the jeans on the top of the pile in his arms. “Night Jules.”

“Night Jake, oh, usual for breakfast?” She asked and Jake paused in the doorway, turning to face her.

“You know, I was actually thinking I’d make Stel toast in bed, it’s been a while since I have.”

Julie smiled “Well you know where it all is.”

“I do. Hey, might even make you some, you know I’ve always wanted to get into your bedroom.” He quipped and at that she laughed.

”Get lost before I slap you.”

Chuckling to himself, Jensen headed back upstairs and into Stella’s room, placing the clothing down on the dresser. Stella had turned over whilst he’d been gone, facing the side of the bed he’d occupied half an hour or so previously and with a smile he pulled off his tee-shirt and slid back into the covers, as Stella gave a little murmur and reached out for him. He slid his arms around her, pulling her close, her head tucked under his chin as one of her legs slipped in between his, wrapping herself round him with the manner of a koala bear.

“Where did you go?” She asked, her voice rough with sleep, her eyes not opening.

“I was reconnecting with my future mother in law.” He replied, dropping a kiss to her head.

“What?” she asked, giving a little yawn and Jake chuckled.

“Nothing, go back to sleep.”

Jensen closed his eyes, his hands softly rubbing at Stella’s back over the top of the thin camisole top she had on, and eventually he felt her completely relax in his hold and it wasn’t long before he too drifted back off into a peaceful sleep.

****

When Stella woke up the next morning, the sun had barely started to peek over the horizon. Her face was pressed into Jake’s back, her arms wrapped around him from behind as she curled around him, her leg tangled between his. She pressed a soft kiss on his back before she stirred, stretching a little.

Jake gave a soft sigh as she moved a little behind him, his arm reaching up to hers which was slung over his hips, hand resting on his abs. “Morning, Stelly.” His voice was raspy, thick with sleep as he raised her hand to his mouth, pressing a gentle kiss to the inside of her wrist.

“Morning Jakey. Did I wake you?”

“Not really.” He yawned. With a stretch of his limbs he moved and Stella shuffled back a little to allow him the room to roll onto his side, facing her, that adorable goofy grin spreading across his face.

Stella gave him a shy smile, her cheeks tinged ever so slightly with pink. “Hi.”

“Hi, baby.” He chuckled, instantly understanding why she was feeling that way. Whilst this sure as hell wasn’t the first time they’d woken up together, it felt different, like this was something new that was just starting. And in a way it was, their second shot at something serious. And just the mere thought of that filled his chest with warmth.

“You sleep well?” She continued and Jake smiled softly, reaching up to tuck her sleep mussed hair behind her ears.

“I always do when you’re with me.” He whispered and her eyes sparkled in the early morning light as she looked at him, a soft expression on her face as he felt her react to the intimate touch, her body shivering ever so slightly, her chest hitching. “Did you sleep okay?”

“Sorta, I erm, I was dreaming all this wasn’t real, that you and I had fought really hard and had gone our separate ways and... I was so relieved when I woke up next to you.” Her words were hurried and Jake shook his head, his eyes locked into hers.

“Not a chance, Stel. I told you, I’m not gonna let you go again, I love you.”

At that he leaned in, his lips pressing to hers in a slow, gentle kiss as his strong arms wrapped around her, one sliding under her neck, the other over her waist.

She grinned against his mouth. “Say it again, I like to hear you say it.”

“I-“ kiss, “love-“ another kiss, “you.”

Her body melted into his as his tongue dipped into her mouth. With a soft, yet strong movement he rolled them gently so Stella was on her back, hovering over her, caging her with his legs as his arms continued to hold her close.

“I love you too, Jake.” She whispered as she broke the kiss, her nose bumping his gently and he smiled, his lips gently pecking hers again before he moved down, nipping at her jawline softly.

His lips softly moved down her neck, gentle kisses, like the flutter of a butterfly's wing. Jake wanted to enjoy each and every place on her body, from her cheeks to her sweetest parts, he wanted nothing more than to feel the way her body would cling to him. To feel something more than what he'd been feeling for so long. And he was going to take his sweet time in showing Stella just how much he truly loved her.

His gentle kisses moved back up to that spot where her jaw met her ear and he softly nudged it with his nose in between kisses. "Let me love on you, Stelly."

Stella gave out a squeak at the deep baritone of his words, the hot breath in her ear and she tilted her hips into his as he led over her. Jake pulled away, a slow and soft smile spreading over his lips.

His arms moved from where they had been holding her and his hands gripped at the hem of the oversized tee she was wearing and he tugged it upwards, Stella arching her back, just enough so he could pull it over her head. Caging her in with his arms, he bent his neck down and captured her lips again in a kiss, long and languid, slowly rolling his tongue around with hers. Breaking free, and using his strength to stay over her, Jake continued to kiss down her neck, reaching her collarbone and giving the protrusion a nip, before kissing the sting away.

One hand covered a breast, kneading the flesh with his palm while his mouth took in the opposite nipple. His warm tongue lolled over her hardened peak and he gave a little tug between his teeth, drawing a quiet groan from her mouth. He kissed between the valley of her breasts and up her sternum before his mouth replaced his hand and paid the same attention to her other nipple and breast, his opposite hand now kneading the other.

Stella's breathy, soft moans were music to Jake’s ears. Her noises were soft, delicate because they both knew where they were and how quiet they had to be. As Jake took his time with her, Stella relished on this soft moment. Her skin felt like she was in a bath of fizzy bubbles, tingling and popping with each touch or stroke.

Her hands gently gripped at his spiky, sleep messed hair as she sighed with pleasure, her head tipped back against the pillow as she arched off the mattress into his touch.

Jake continued to make moves downward along Stella's body, her tummy his blank canvas to work her over with. Sporadic kisses over her taught middle, a dip of a tongue in her belly button had her whispering for release but Jake wasn't through with her, no, this was all about Stella and giving her all he could and more.

He was rock hard, his dick visibly straining his sweats and he was grateful he hadn't worn his boxers to bed thanks to them being in the laundry due to them being soaked to the skin the previous night. His body moved along the mattress, as he moved downward over Stella's body, his broad chest now hovering over her hot and wet centre as his lips kissed in a horizontal pattern along the waistband of her panties.

Thick fingers curled around the hips of Stella's underwear and pulled the material away, Stella tilting her hips upward to assist. Jake sat back on his knees as he finished the task, tossing the panties to the floor of her room. It was now, when all he could do was fight back the knot in his belly, the swell of his chest, that his deep blue eyes looked at all of her. And suddenly, he was a little nervous, but desperately needed to feel her.

He toyed with taking his time with her or just going for it, and when Stella spoke to him at just above a whisper he knew his answer.

"Jakey, please."

His sweats were down to his thighs in a snap and he palmed his cock in hand, stroking himself just a little as he lined himself up with her. The feel of her wet outer folds against the velvety head of his cock felt so good and with a brush of pressure to her throbbing clit, Stella gasped and bit her lip.

Jake slipped right inside of her, his arms coming to rest on each side of her head as he pushed deeper in. Both emitting a moan louder than they should have.

"Shhhh," Jake whispered, hovering above her lips. "We gotta be quite, Stelly."

She nodded underneath him, and his hips pulled back and thrust forward, a slow and lazy roll to them. His movements were deep and strong, her body moving with his as his chest slid along her skin with each powerful drive into her he made. 

Stella tilted her hips upward along with her head, capturing Jake's lips so they could swallow each other's calls of desire. With her hip tilt, Jake was able to rub the head of his thick cock against that soft spot inside that made her melt.

There was no hurry but there was a deep intensity to the way they continued to connect. Thrusts and breathy pants, moans swallowed by deep kisses. Stella's walls began to flutter around Jake's shaft as he began to pulse against her insides.

"Oh fuck, Stella," he croaked at her ear. He was close and so was she. 

"So close," she whimpered, as if to affirm what he was already feeling as her hands ran over his spine and back up his neck, her fingers scratching at the base.

They came together with a white hot flash, stars flooding their vision, their cries of love crashing over that cliff swallowed up by a beautiful kiss.

As Jake emptied inside her, he buried his face into the crook of her neck, thankful for the ability to mask the pooled eyes he squinted shut. When he felt he could, he leaned back and saw the two tears that leaked from her own eyes and with the cradle of his palms against her face, his thumbs wiped them away.

Stella saw nothing but tenderness and true love reflected in Jake's eyes. This moment would forever be in her memory bank. Sleeping and being together had been a common occurrence for the two of them, even when they weren’t a couple, but this had felt as intense as it ever had. The way she felt, the way he made her feel, it was her Jakey. The goofy, weird, sarcastic beautiful Jake Jensen she had always loved. The man who made her feel things she could never with anyone else, no matter how hard she'd tried. He was home, he was safety, and his promises for forever had re-stolen her heart.

"I love you." Stella whispered to him.

"I love you, too." he replied softly.

With himself still inside her, he managed to roll the two of them so he was on his back and she led over his body, her knees in either side of his hips. Stella laid her head against his sweat sticky chest, her cheek pressed right against his heart. His fingers ran through her hair as they both fell back asleep for just a little while longer.

****

Later that day, just after lunchtime, Jake walked the short distance back to his parents. He hopped up the steps to the front door and removed his keys from his pocket and let himself in. His timing perfect, as ever, saw him step into the hallway at the exact moment his dad walked down the stairs.

“Oh, you decided to show up then?” John scoffed as he stood looking at his son.

“What?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, you little shit, your sister told me everything.” John replied, his voice carrying a hint of amusement as he folded his arms.

“Define everything.” Jake grimaced a little and his dad snorted.

“I know exactly what happened in Mexico and why you came home.” John shook his head as he walked past Jensen into the lounge. “Don’t worry, we’re not offended in the slightest you didn’t come here first.”

Jake rolled his eyes as his dad sank into the arm chair, reaching for the TV remote. “It wasn’t on purpose Dad. In my defence, I didn’t really have a grand plan. I had like an hour to make the flight, I didn’t even bring a bag.”

“Yeah, well, by the expression on your face I assume it went well.” John looked at him, a smirk flickering across his face and Jensen grinned.

“Yeah, yeah it did.”

“So, when are you heading back?”

Jensen shrugged. “Not sure, probably in a few days or so.”

“Great.” John pressed a button on the remote, waving his hand towards the door of the room. “Now go tell your mother, she’s gonna be over the moon when she finds out.”

“You didn’t tell her why I was here?” Jake frowned, removing his jacket and tossing it over the arm of the sofa.

“Nope.” John shook his head, his eyes fixed on the Sunday Lunchtime show on the TV. “I didn’t want her to be disappointed if you fucked up. Again. I told her you were doing exercises nearby.”

“Nice to see you had so little faith in me, Pops.”

“Yeah, well, you have a history of colossal fuckups.” John mumbled.

“I know.” Jensen scratched at his chest over his T-shirt. “Hey, Is this the part where you give me the big father-son talk. Again?”

At that John laughed. “I will give you the talk as many times as needed, which in your case is a lot.” His eyes flicked up to Jensen’s and Jake sighed a little.

“I know I was a dick, I still am but I don’t wanna fuck this up again, Dad. She means the world to me and she’s given me a second chance. There won’t be a third, not least because she wouldn’t give me one but she’s not gonna need to.

John turned his eyes to Jake and levelled him with a stern look. “I hope so, son. Your mother and I love that girl as if she was our own kid.

“I love her too.” Jake shrugged. “And that’s all I can say.”

“That’s everything, Son. I’m happy for you.” John smiled, before he nodded towards the door. “Now go tell your mother.”

“She’s totally gonna slap me for not coming here first and going straight to the fake exercise, isn’t she?”

“Straight up murder you.” John nodded. “You know,” he rolled his eyes, “mothers.”

Jake grimaced. “Say nice things at my funeral.”

With his dad’s chuckles ringing in his ears, Jake headed into the kitchen and through to the small laundry room where his mom was busy shoving clothes in the dryer.

“Hey Ma.” He said and she gave a little start of surprise before she spun round, pointing at him.

“Jacob Calvin Jensen!” She blazed and Jake recoiled a little, wincing at her tone. “Why on earth you didn’t come see your mother before going to Exercise? And why aren’t you wearing your uniform?”

“What, why would I be wearing my uniform?” He frowned. ”That’s…whatever, that’s not important. Look, Mom, I didn’t come for an exercise.”

“You didn’t?” His mom frowned as she folded her arms. “Then where the hell have you been?”

“With Stel.” He replied simply.

“Stella?” His mom’s frown deepened. “So is all the team in the area?”

“No, just us.”

“Jake, what’s going on?” His mother demanded, her tone laced with frustration and he sighed.

“I err, well something happened when we were in Mexico and I had to make it right so, I did.”

“In Mexico? What did you do this time, Jake? And what is that you had to make it right? Oh my GOD!” She stuttered as she pressed her hand to her mouth. “Tell me you didn’t get a random Mexican girl pregnant, Jake!

“What? No!” Jake exclaimed, shaking his head. “Besides I was there like two weeks ago, how would I even know if I had?”

His mom immediately started rambling on about him being a dirty little shit and Jake let her continue for a while as she railed at him for whatever imaginary sins he had committed, but when she started on some long winded accusation about him sleeping his way around Cancun he groaned.

“Mom, you’re…you know what, the only person I slept with out there was Stella!”

At that his mom stopped dead, her eyebrows shooting up into her hairline. “What? I thought she was dating that guy she brought for New Years?”

“Look, it’s complicated but I made it right.” He shook his head, wanting to avoid that particular line of questioning. “I told you I came to fix something and I did. Stelly and I are back together.”

Instead of the smile he’d been expecting to spread on his mom’s face at that revelation, instead her brow furrowed once more into a frown and she shook her head, holding up her hand.

“Wait, wait. Back up!” She shook her head. “So you went to Mexico. Had sex. And now you’re back together?”

Jake groaned, “Mom!”

“Don’t ‘mom’ me!” She hissed. “You slept with her whilst she was with that other guy?”

“Yes, but they were breaking up, they have broken up!” He implored, dropping his head a little. “I thought you’d be pleased about it.”

“Of course I am, the pair of you belong together but that doesn’t mean I approve of what you did! You broke them up, on purpose?”

“Oh my God, are you even listening to me?” Jake looked at his mom, shaking his head and at that her face softened a little and she laid a hand on his arm.

“I’m sorry, yes, I am listening to you sweetheart, I’m just a little confused.”

Jake wrinkled his nose. “Yeah, it is…it’s complicated but, well, it doesn’t matter how and why, Mom, it just happened and, well, I love her. I love her so damn much and she took me back.” His voice dropped a little as he gave his mom a smile, popping one of his shoulders and to his relief he saw her finally smile back at him.

“You’re a lucky little shit you know that?”

Jake grinned. “Yeah, I do. Jules pretty much told me the same thing.”

“And did Jules tell you that if you fuck this up again she’ll kill you with her own bare hands?” His mom looked at him and he nodded.

“Yup. Dad also made his feelings perfectly clear a moment ago and I suspect you’re gonna join the club too.”

“You guessed right.” Janet raised her eyebrows. “And it won’t be a quick death either. It will be slow, and painful.”

“Gee, thanks.” Jake looked up at the ceiling before his mom scoffed a little.

“Well then for your sake you better heed said warnings then, hadn’t you?” She demanded and Jake dropped his eyes to hers before she smiled, and held her arms open. “Come here.”

******

The next day, Monday, was Jules’ birthday. Both families celebrated together as they always did, this time with a meal at an Italian joint and a chocolate cake Stella had made with Janet’s help. They had all chatted and laughed cheerfully over dinner, everyone trying to convince Jules she wasn’t hard to look at for her age and Gracie giggling every time Jake stole a kiss from Stella. Aubrey, however, spent most of the night shooting daggers at Jake before she collared him again when he emerged from the bathroom to issue one final threat. When he assured her said threat was received and understood she’d merely eyed him for a second before she shrugged and wrapped him up into a hug.

Tuesday was a bright sunny day and Jake suggested to Stella that they head out with Sirius for the afternoon and then caught a movie, just the two of them, later that evening before getting an early night ready for their morning flight back to Virginia. As such, the pair of them made their way to the park not far from Jake’s mom and dad’s, Sirius happily trotting besides them until they reached a less busy area and Jake let him off his leash for a run.

“You finished packing, baby?” Jensen asked, before throwing a stick for the large, black dog to fetch. He watched the dog sprint over the lawn of that side of the park before he turned to look at Stella who had remained silent.

“Yes, I guess I am.” She replied softly once she realized he was waiting for her answer.

“You guess?” Jensen wrapped his arm over Stella’s shoulder, pulling her to him before leaving a gentle kiss on her head. “What’s bothering you? You seem concerned about something.”

When she hesitated, Jake suddenly found himself worrying a little as he saw she was clearly unsure of what to say.

“Are you not ready to go back to base again?” He asked, trying to coax the answer out of her, trying to keep his face passive as he asked her out-loud what he was thinking. “Are you worried about Agent Shit-Name?”

“No, not really.” She answered, not a flinch at the mention of her former boyfriend, nor did she bother to pull Jake up on the use of his shitty nickname for the man. Instead, she took a deep breath. “Does this feel different to you? Like us?”

“Different?” Jensen frowned as he looked down to her. “In what way?”

“I really can’t explain it.” She shrugged, her eyes still fixed on a spot beyond the path ahead of them. “Like… there’s more riding on it maybe. If it doesn’t work out this time, then where do we go from there?”

“Is that what is worrying you?” Jake looked at her and she shrugged again and he sighed. “Hey, look, don’t think it won’t work babe, please. I promise you if it comes to me, it will.”

And it was then that Stella looked at him finally, his arm still curled over her shoulder as they walked round the lake with Sirius prancing and sniffing every tree, rock and creature a few meters ahead.

“I mean it, Stelly.” Jake pressed, desperate to get his point across that he wasn’t going to let her down again, to reassure her. “I love you baby and I wouldn’t do anything that risked what we’ve got.”

“I just don’t want this to go the way it did last time, and I believe you, I really do and I love you too.” Stella paused and swallowed before continuing, her eyes studying Jensen’s features. “It’s just, well the reason me and Evan didn’t work was because of you.”

Jensen then opened his mouth to protest but Stella cut him off with a movement of her hand. “I had no chance of being happy with anyone else not whilst you were there and this, well, if we end up that way again then…”

Jake needed no more words, he understood instantly what she was saying. That that was it. If they ever fell apart again, mind you, if he ever fucked up again, there would be nothing left for them. No friendship, no working partners, nothing. And, if he was being honest, that scared the shit out of him.

“This really is our last chance Jake. And that kinda freaks me out.” Stella continued, her voice bringing Jake back from his own thoughts. “But, we gotta try right?” She shrugged, making it look like a casual comment and trying to appear as collected as possible, but her eyes filled as she spoke that last sentence, telling Jake she was anything but.

Jake then stopped them both, and shook his head as he turned to face her. “Then don’t think about that happening.” At that he took a deep breath and cupped her face in his hands. “Look Stel, if anyone’s gotta be scared that would be me.” He felt his voice beginning to crack so he paused for couple of seconds as he softly rubbed Stella’s cheekbones with the pads of his thumbs. “I fucked up so many times before. I know that much and I also know I am a lucky bastard because you took me back.”

Stella shook her head, making him drop his arms to his sides. “We both did stuff that, well, with hindsight was dumb. But, it’s not even like we can take this slow, is it? Not with everything that’s happened, all the history we’ve got.”

“Why not?” Jake shrugged. “Let’s do exactly that. Let’s go right back to the beginning. We’ll date, do fun stuff, build it back from scratch.”

She chuckled, her features finally softening and her eyes sparkling at Jake’s so familiar giddiness. “Back to when?” She grinned. “To you helping me with my books the day we met?”

“Well... maybe not that far.” He grinned back at her as the memories of that day so many years ago warmed his chest. “But, let’s look at this as new. I kinda feel like it is anyway, I mean the other morning…” he trailed off and Stella watch him swallow hard, his throat bobbing slightly. “Fuck Stel, I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing that was. It just felt so special and that spark was there and…” he then paused to take her hands in his. “I don’t know, let’s work with that.”

“It was special, Jake.” Stella nodded, her eyes boring into his. “It was just us loving on each other, knowing that was where we belonged.”

“Exactly.” Jake breathed in as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and made them start moving again. “So let’s just run with it. We can’t keep dragging over all the shit that’s been before if we wanna make it work.”

“I do, I do wanna make it work.” Stella assured him, looking up at him. Her face split into a smile and she beamed at him, all traces of her trepidation seeping away. “Me and you, Jake. No matter what.”

He nodded as he grinned before leaning down to gently capture her lips on his, thanking his lucky stars that conversation had gone the way it had. “Now, I don’t know about you but I’m starving. Wanna head to the bakery and grab some food? I’d kill for a slice of red velvet cake.”

“You’re obsessed with that stuff.” She chuckled as she rolled her eyes.

Jensen shrugged and gave her his signature cheeky grin. “My two weaknesses in one place babe, you and cake.”

He watch her smirk from the corner of his eye as he called Sirius back and clipped on his leash. They headed out of the park and walked a few blocks down to one of their favourite bakeries in their town. The main lunchtime rush was over so thankfully it wasn’t busy and Stella didn’t have wait long outside with Sirius whilst Jensen headed in and grabbed them a sandwich each and then a large piece of his favourite cake and an eclair for her.

Once they’d got their food, they headed back to the park and found a little spot on one of the lawns and settled down to eat. They made small conversation as they ate their sandwiches, which they split as was usual when they were together the first time, Jensen commenting on how he had called Clay that same morning to tell him they were heading back the following morning and to fill him in with the latest update on the so-called “Operation Petunia”.

Despite their earlier decision to start new, they spent most of the meal reminiscing about the highlights of their relationship beginning with the day they met and ending with one of the most infamous moments they had lived together.

And no, contrary to what anyone who knew them might pinpoint, it wasn’t their first break up or any of the last month’s events.

“You have no idea how embarrassing it was to see photos of my boyfriend all over the fucking Army College campus wearing a whipped cream bikini with a banana up his ass.” Stella groaned at the memory, as she unwrapped their sweet treats.

“Oh, for fucks sake, Stel! How many times do I have to tell you it was a bet?” Jensen protested as he lay back on the grass as he thrust his arms dramatically in the air, making Stella roll her eyes.

“How would you feel about seeing photos of me like that?” She smirked as she leaned to poke her index finger on his chest as he cringed at the thought.

“Stel, just don’t, baby.”

“Yeah, exactly.” Stella grinned.

“You would have looked better than I did though.” Jensen quipped as he raised his head and chest, using his elbows now to rest the weight of his body upon, propping himself up.

“Well that goes without saying.”

“Okay, let’s not talk about my most embarrassing moments anymore.” He sat up, reaching for his cake. He took a large bite and groaned, swallowing, before he shoved more in his mouth. “By the way, this red velvet cake is delicious.”

“Is it?” Stella swallowed her own mouthful of éclair and nodded to the cake in Jake’s hand. “Let me try.”

Jensen broke a piece off for her and held it up as if to put it in her mouth but then before thinking twice he shoved it straight at her, mushing it round her nose.

There was a moment where Stella blinked, before she gave a shriek and grabbed a napking. “I fucking hate you.” She spluttered, wiping at her nose.

Jensen was cackling, but he soon stopped when she rammed what was left of her chocolate éclair into his face.

“You know, Estella,” he began to say as he wiped his face and licked the cream off his finger, smirking a little, “you really shouldn’t play with your food.”

“Oh, fuck off Jacob!” She snorted, using his full name as well.

“Oooh so angry, baby.” He mocked her as he dodged the napkin she threw at him.

“Shut up!”

“All right, all right.” He laughed and then looped his arm round her neck pulling her down with him as he leaned back on the grass again, his lips catching hers in a searing kiss.

“God, I love kissing you Stelly.” Jake sighed once they broke the kiss.

“Yeah?” She smiled. “Kinda like kissing you too.” 

**** Chapter 9

[hologramband]

One Day p1

Alive!Luke x Fem!Reader Modern AU Word Count: 2.6k A/n: hehehe here’s the first part! I have it mostly planned out, there should be 3-4 parts! Lmk what you think! Summary: A shy girl is used to floating under the radar, keeping to herself most of the time, all was well until an opportunity fell into her lap, but what will these new people bring with them?

You were really good at staying right under everyone's radar at Los Feliz. You knew everyone, everyone knew you, but you didn’t have anything more than just a surface relationship with your classmates. You didn’t mind that, it was harder to get hurt this way. You got accepted to the Performing Arts High School with your ability to dance, but have always found your real talent lies within your visual art. Whether you were using paints, pencils, or a pen, you loved the way that your hand flew over the paper and created an image that represented your many different emotions.

In a way it made sense how you loved both dance and drawing, both sharing the flowing of movements to express things that words cannot. It was easier for you to express your emotions and thoughts in these mediums since social connection was hard for you. You had tried it once, really connecting with a person, but it ended up coming back and hurting you, causing you to shut down, so you weren't in a rush to try again any time soon. You floated down the hallways with ease, only having to stop at your locker to grab the remaining textbooks you need for the next few classes. While you were stopped you heard your name called from across the hallway, looking up to see Julie raising her hand in a small wave. “Hey, (y/n)! I like your top!” She came to a stop by your locker smiling. “Thanks! It was my moms, she just found this box of old clothes from when she was in school, this one just really stuck out to me.” You smiled down at yourself and looked back up at the girl to see three boys approaching. You felt heat subtly rise to your cheeks and you tried to focus your eyes on Julie. “Hey Jules, you ready to go to class?” Luke spoke as soon as they reached her side, sending you a nod of acknowledgement when he noticed you standing in front of them. Alex and Reggie both raised their hands with small waves in greeting to you. You smiled in return and turned back to close your locker, swinging your backpack on in the process. “Well, I gotta get to class too, see ya around.” You smiled back at the group and heard Julie call after you. “See you in Art!” You turned slightly and waved in return. Julie and you were pretty decent friends, you talked to her more than anyone else at the school, she had a good balance of how to get to know you without pushing you. You had met the boys a few times in passing, much like the previous occurrence, them not really speaking much more than a ‘hello’ here and there. There was something about Luke though, he never failed to send a storm of butterflies loose in your stomach. He probably didn’t even remember your name, but you could remember all the details of his face, not in a weird way, just in an artistic way, ya know? He had such a coolness about him, like he could totally embarrass himself but brush it off like it was nothing, like he meant to do it even. You thought you were getting better with your anxiety around people, but as soon as that boy was in front of you, it seemed as if your brain forgot how to function. You shook the boy from your thoughts as you continued through your day, classes went by like they typically do, all your general classes like math and english were in the first half of the day, the second half being taken by your dance class and then art. It was simple to say that you much preferred the second half of classes. In dance you went about as normal, running through a few routines and while wrapping up your teacher mentioned something about a new project that would be announced tomorrow. After changing you made your way to your final class where Julie had already arrived and claimed a table for the two of you. “Hi!” she smiled up at you. “Hi! How were your classes today?” You replied, starting a conversation that you hoped would carry throughout the class. You really did like talking with Julie, she was so sweet and really made you feel like she wanted to get to know you. The first day of class she noticed you were sitting alone and she took this as an opportunity to introduce herself, commenting on the particular band tee you had on, being able to strike up a conversation instantly. You admired her for this, the confidence she had when walking in a room was just astounding to you. The two of you went about the class in a way that you similarly would, talking about this and that while sketching away in your respective books, her only pausing to write ideas in her song notebook when an idea would hit. The class you were in didn’t have many actual assignments, just that you needed around 3 small pieces turned in periodically and one larger one for your final at the end of the semester, it made it an easy free flowing environment where there wasn’t too much pressure to stress on any one thing. Before you knew it the ding of the bell was going off overhead and you and Julie started packing up your things, she quickened her pace when she saw the boys waiting at the door for her. “You guys have practice today?” You giggled at her rushed movements. “Yeah,” she laughed as she zipped her bag closed, “Luke and I just finished up a new song too so I’m really excited to get back to the garage to figure out the music behind it.” She smiled up at you and you returned the affection. “Well don’t let me hold you up! Hope it all goes well! See you tomorrow!” You waved to the girl as she ran to the door, only pausing to throw a wave back at you. You laughed and shook your head at the girls' antics and went about your day as usual, starting your walk back home, you didn’t live too far and enjoyed the fresh air and time to recollect after the school day. After getting home you grabbed a quick snack and retreated to your room to finish a sketch that you had been working on in class today. Digging through your bag your heart rate increased when you pulled the red covered book to see the top covered in multiple stickers, this wasn’t your book, it was Julies song book, meaning she was currently in possession of your sketchbook. She must have grabbed yours on mistake when she was packing up quickly. You lightly sighed as you pulled out your phone to text her about the accidental switch-up. She replied instantly just realizing the mistake herself, then invited you over to switch them back and possibly hear some of the songs they were working on, looking for an outsider's opinion. You hesitated in saying yes, did you really need your book back that bad? Sighing, you sent back an okay and asked for an address, as nervous as you were to hang around the guys, more specifically Luke, you remembered how excited Julie was to go over the new song, the one that was probably sitting in the book you were holding in your hands. You threw on a light jacket and grabbed your backpack, for reasons unexplainable to you it just always just felt safer to walk around with a backpack on, and you were on your way to Julies. You could feel your nerves rising with each step you took towards her house, by the time you stood at the end of her driveway you felt like your heart was in your throat. “Calm down, (y/n), it’s just a little hangout to get your book back and hear a few songs, no biggie, nothing to fret about at all.” you whispered to yourself, taking one last deep breath before continuing your walk up her driveway. You had just come into view from the garage when you heard Julie calling out your name. “(Y/n)! How was your walk?” Julie ran out to meet you, now walking beside you into the garage. “It was good! You actually live closer to me than I thought, it was only like a 15 minute walk,” you smiled at her and you continued the small talk until you looked up and met eyes with the brunette guitarist. “(Y/n), these are the guys, Alex, Reggie and Luke,” she introduced them to you and you raised your hand in a wave. “Yeah, i’ve seen you guys perform before, you’re all really good!” you smiled and met each of their gazes. “Thanks! And that was all our old stuff, just wait until you hear what we have coming, um..” Luke stuttered realizing he didn’t know your name. You went to say it but Alex beat you to it. “(Y/n) you idiot,” he hit the back of Luke's head, while rolling his eyes. A blush rose to Luke’s face and he laughed it off. “I-I knew that, I-I just-” “You’re at the school for dance right?” Alex spoke again, interrupting and trying to take the attention off of the stuttering Luke. You smiled and nodded. “Yeah! I’m on a dance scholarship, so that's my main focus but my second is visual art, which reminds me,” You take your backpack off and pull out Julies song book, “here’s this!” She smiles and takes it from you. “Ugh thanks so much, I don’t know what I would have done if I lost this, Reggie can you grab her sketchbook? It’s on the piano!” Julie opened her book and smiled looking at the page. “Oh wow,” you heard Reggie mutter causing everyone to turn to him, “(y/n) this stuff is like, really good.” You blushed and looked down at your feet, you’ve never been good at accepting compliments. “Dude, boundaries!” Julie muttered reaching for the book, but Luke got to it first, taking his own turn looking through the pages. Your heart jumped when he started smiling at the pages he was flipping through, you didn’t have anything in there that you kept hidden, it was just that no one had ever gone through your work before. “You have so many different styles, this one is like a cartoon, but then the next one is like hyper realistic.” Luke looks up to make eye contact and you felt a blush rise to your cheeks. Alex took the second of him being distracted to pull the book away from him and hand it back to you. “I’m sorry for them, they still haven’t figured out what it means to respect someone's privacy.” He narrowed his eyes at his two bandmates. “You know,” you opened the book in your hands to search for a particular page, “I actually have something of each of you individually. I sketched them out the night after I saw one of your guys’ gigs.” You scrunch your face in concentration, you feel everyone rush to stand behind you when you finally find it. You look around at them to take in their reactions, their eyes were all glued to the papers you were displaying in front of you, Reggies mouth falling open. “Oh! Is this why you asked for the pictures my dad took of that night?” Julie looked up at you. “Yeah, I wanted to be able to add the details of everyone's chosen instruments and get some added information on where the highlights were from the lights,” you looked at each of their faces again and made a rash decision to gently tear the pages from your book, handing them to each respective person. Each person held them gently in their hands, then looked up to you in amazement. You just shrugged your shoulders in response, not knowing what else to say. “Well,” you looked out the window and saw the setting sun, “I better start my walk back to my house, it’s getting dark and I wanna get back before that happens. Enjoy the pictures guys!” You smile and turn to walk away, all the band still shocked to silence. “She’s never torn a page from her book before,” you hear Julie tell the boys as you walk further down the driveway, smiling to yourself. It was true, you never pull pages from your sketchbook, not this one at least, it was the better quality of all the other ones you had. You typically just used the less expensive books for class, you go through all the pages so quickly you didn’t want to waste the one’s in your higher quality notebook for the rough sketches, but the pages that you drew the band on were in the higher quality notebook, you had taken the time to really get them right, and they turned out fantastic. Your mother had always told you to spread joy where you can, and after seeing all their faces you knew that it was only right to let them have the pages that they were looking at. You arrived home and couldn’t wipe the smile off your face, there might be something there with them, an opportunity to make new friends, to open up. This idea makes you both nervous and excited, you let these thoughts and ideas later lull you to sleep. --- The next day at school you were walking to your locker when Julie caught your eye, she was waiting in her phone by your locker door. You would usually see her in passing in the mornings, but this is new. “Hey Julie, what’s up?” You greet the curly haired girl at your locker. “Hey (y/n)! Not much really, just watched to catch you this morning and run an idea past you…” She smiles and looks around her before returning her gaze back to you. “Okay? Is everything alright? You seem nervous,” you giggled at her antics and went back to putting the combination into your locker. “Yeah, yeah, I just know you take a while to open up and get close with new people, and I don’t wanna rush you into anything you aren’t ready for, but the boys and I were wondering if-” She gets cut off by a yell from down the hallway. “JULIE! HAVE YOU ASKED HER YET?” You turn to see all three boys running towards you, Julie facepalming at Reggies yell. “Geez Reg, she literally just got here. There's no need to yell,” Julie rolls her eyes at them and looks back to you. “Anyways, we were wondering if you wanted to make more designs and stuff for the band, like for posters and maybe album art one day.” She smiles at you after finishing. “You-you want me to… really?” Your eyes widen in shock. “Yeah! We all really like what you did with those portraits, and you’re pretty chill letting us keep them and all, we want you to be a part of our band, even if it isn’t you on stage with us, you’ll keep things looking cool.” Luke says as he leans against the lockers beside you. “Plus, then you’ll be able to hang out with us more!” Reggie pipes in. They all look at each other then back at you. “So,” Alex smiles at you, “What do ya think?” A million thoughts fly through your mind at once, they really want you to hang out with them more? They liked what you did? You looked at them all, looking back at you, and smiled. “I’d love to.”

tag list ✨

@gia-kerks​ @fangirlangioma​

[ruzek-halstead]

step into my world

pairing: luke patterson x julie molina

written based on the prompt:

"my roommate dragged me out to this off-campus party and then immediately abandons me for the person they’ve been flirting with in class, but you ask if i want to be your partner in beer pong"

university au

masterlist || ao3

"Get up, underachiever! We're going to a party!"

Julie groaned from her place under the covers. It was late and she was already tucked away for the night. In her university experience, she always managed to tinkle with her schedule enough to always have Friday's off. But this semester, she ended up having a full course load, and three of the classes fell on Friday.

She was absolutely exhausted and all she wanted to do was continue sleeping, so she could do literally nothing but watch Netflix for the remainder of her weekend.

But her roommate and (current questionable) best friend was not having any of it.

"Carrie just texted me. There's a party at this frat on campus. We have to go!"

Julie let out another loud groan.

"We don't have to do anything. You can go. You're probably going to hang out with Carrie the entire time anyway."

After a brief moment of silence, the blanket that was tucked tightly under her neck was violently ripped away and she was hit with an instant wave of cool air. “I won’t, I promise!” Flynn implored.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Your lack of confidence in me is truly offensive,” Flynn replied, placing a hand over her heart to emphasize her exaggeration. “Babe, come on. You need a night out!”

Julie sighed but her wall of defence was starting to crumble. “I’m just so tired, Flynn,” she moaned.

“If you come with me tonight, I promise I’ll spend the entire weekend with you doing whatever you want. Even if it’s literally nothing.”

Flynn looked so hopeful, so excited and Julie didn’t have the heart to tell her bestie no. So, she relented and nodded her head. Flynn squealed and jumped on top of her and Julie could only laugh and try to keep her organs from getting pushed on.

“You are the best,” Flynn told her, but Julie already knew that. “But we need to fix this.”

"Uh — that's rude."

Flynn sent her a sweet smile, but the underlying glint in her brown eyes indicated the slight mischief underneath. "I say this with love, Jules. But you look like a mess right now, and we can't have that. What if you meet someone?

"You're just buttering me up because you're going to ditch me as soon as you see Carrie," Julie rolled her eyes and pushed Flynn off of her.

Flynn had the decency to look slightly sheepish. "But I mean, have you seen her?"

"Yeah, yeah," Julie shrugged her off, but deep down, she was unbelievably happy for her best friend. And it was truly the only reason she was accompanying her to this party tonight. Parties weren't really her scene, but Flynn loved them, so every once in a while, she made an effort to attend. And other times, such as today, Flynn either bribed or guilted her to attend.

x

By the time Flynn forced Julie out of bed, it was already on the later side (but university parties started late and ended late anyway). With Flynn rushing her, she didn't have much time to get ready so she quickly chose an outfit and applied a layer of mascara and some lip gloss. Her outfit consisted of a pair of black ripped jeans, a soft white long-sleeve cropped shirt and she paired it with white converse. It was a nice outfit considering she put it together within ten minutes.

Julie recognized the frat house as one she'd been to before. A few of Carrie's friends were members of the frat, so whenever they threw a party, Flynn always dragged her along. When they walked in, the music was blaring, there were people everywhere and Julie did her best to keep her cool.

Flynn grabbed her hand and dragged her along when she spotted her (almost?) girlfriend Carrie. Julie recognized the group she was with; they were all in the same music program, but they ran in different groups. It was only because of Flynn that she was starting to see them more and more often.

If she was completely honest, she'd noticed them before. She knew Carrie's three friends were in a band and she'd checked out a few of their gigs before. She'd see Luke a lot at the coffeeshop she liked to study at, and honestly, she thought he was gorgeous. Every time she saw him, he was always smiling, but what really sucked her in was when she first heard him perform and listened to his voice; she was blown away. From there, she started to notice him around campus more often, but she was shy and he was outgoing and she could never bring herself to actually talk to him.

But now, he was right across the room and she was being dragged in his direction.

"Flynn! I'm so happy you could make it!" Carrie cheered, shooting Flynn a coy smile and wrapping her in a hug. They were so adorable, Julie couldn't help but smile. "Jules! I see she dragged you out again."

Julie returned her playful grin. "She's very convincing when she bargains."

"Well, I'm not sure if you've all met," Carrie continued, referencing to the three boys around her. Reggie was chugging his red solo cup and Alex and Luke were quietly whisper-arguing. "This is Alex, Luke and Reggie. They're in this tiny band no one really likes. I think it's called Sunset Swerve or something."

Alex and Luke instantly snapped out of their argument, and the three of them chorused, "Sunset Curve!" in annoyed and whiny tones.

"Yeah, that's what I said," Carrie waved them off, turning back to Flynn. "Hey, I was wondering if we could talk?"

Julie peeked over at Flynn, who seemed to pale slightly. There were very few times Julie had seen Flynn lose her cool, and this happened to be one of them. When Flynn looked over at Julie for approval (since Julie really hated being left alone at parties), Julie nodded enthusiastically and shot her friend a supportive smile.

"Go ahead!" She encouraged with a nod. "I'll just be around."

"Don't worry!" Reggie interrupted, wrapping an arm around Julie's shoulders. She jumped slightly in surprise but he honestly looked like he wouldn't even hurt a fly, and she felt oddly comfortable. "We'll take good care of her!"

Feeling satisfied, Flynn walked off with Carrie. Julie was already dying to know the details of that conversation, but she'd have to wait. Reggie had already removed himself from her, promising to get them all a round of drinks. But Alex and Luke were still whispering to each other, and Julie felt unbelievably awkward, so she started retreating slowly.

Luke caught her eye and immediately stepped closer. "Hey, where are you going?"

She was sure she looked like a deer caught in headlights because she didn't expect them to notice, much less care. And she definitely didn't expect Luke (the stranger she's had a crush on from a distance for months now) to actually talk to her.

"Yeah! We're supposed to keep you company," Alex added, smiling cheerily. His easy going attitude helped her relax.

"Oh, sorry," she mumbled, blushing. "I just thought —"

Alex shook his head, grabbing her wrist to pull her closer. "Nonsense. We would love to get to know you. Jules, is it?"

"It's Julie, actually," she replied. From her other side, Luke was watching their interaction intently. His hot gaze made her nervous, but she fought to ignore it and not make a fool of herself. "You all are in the music program too, right?"

From the corner of her eye, she noted Luke's surprised and slightly impressed expression.

"Yeah!" Alex smiled. "I'm mostly in instrument classes right now; I play the drums. What about you?"

"Composition, mostly," Julie responded. The fact that Luke had yet to say anything since calling for her attention was still unnerving to her. "I'm starting vocal classes next semester."

Alex glanced at Luke, but when he didn't say anything, he rolled his eyes. Unbeknownst to Julie, Luke was a little starstruck and a whole lot speechless. "So is Luke!" He jabbed him with his elbow and Luke whined in response. "He' s our lead singer. He's okay, I guess."

Luke shot Alex a dirty glare and returned his gaze to Julie, and for the first time since they'd starting talking, she didn't tear her eyes away from his. "Have you uh — have you seen us play at all?"

"Yeah, I have," Julie nodded, fighting off the blush she could feel crawling up her neck. "A few times, actually. You guys are really good, by the way.”

A slow, but breathtaking smile spread onto Luke’s face. Alex watched on in amusement.

“Hey, Patterson!” Luke whirled around when his name was called. Another member from the frat was hollering at him from the beer pong table. “Want to tag in? Grab a partner!”

Before Luke had even turned back to face them properly, Alex was already tagging out. “The answer is no,” he stated defiantly, then leaned in to whisper to Julie, “He yells at me every time I miss.”

“You miss all of them!”

“I’m not good at throwing things!”

“Then why do you even p — You know what? Never mind. Julie, you in?”

At Luke’s invitation, her eyes widened and she nearly choked on her own spit. “Uh — me? Are you sure? I’ve never played, I’m probably not any good.”

“Something tells me he won’t yell at you like he does at me,” Alex commented, smirking wildly.

Luke shut him up with a glare. “It’ll be fun!”

“Yeah, okay,” Julie relented.

She was here anyway, may as well have a good time. Plus, her super attractive crush was the one requesting her assistance so how could she possibly turn that down?

“Have fun, you two!” Alex shouted behind them. When Julie peeked behind her, he was still smirking.

“Just ignore him,” Luke mumbled, and Julie jumped when she realized he was whispering in her ear. He placed a gentle hand on her back to guide her on which end of the table they were supposed to go. “You ready?” He asked with a wolfish smirk.

Julie glanced at Luke, the cups set up on the table, and the two frat boys they were playing against. “No, not at all. Can you explain this to me, please?” She asked quietly in embarrassment.

“Hey,” Luke ducked to meet her eyes. “Don’t be embarrassed, this is just for fun! You just want to throw this ball,” he held a white ping pong ball in the palm of his hand, “into any of those cups.”

Julie looked at the ball and up into Luke’s eyes. He was smiling and she was filled with a surge of confidence. “I’m ready. Let’s do it.”

Luke held his palm closer to her. “You’re up first, Brown Eyes.”

Julie barely even minded the newfound nickname because she was so focused in aiming for the cups. The chances it would go disastrously were pretty high, but Luke was so supportive and chanting positive things in her ear, so she ignored it all.

When she threw the first ball, she missed horribly.

“You’re already doing better than Alex!” Luke laughed, touching her wrist comfortingly.

She was embarrassed but he didn’t seem to mind her failure.

Luke took the next shot, and of course, he nailed it. The opposing team missed both their shots, and it made her feel a tiny bit better.

“You just have to relax,” Luke told her, in a soft and comforting voice. “Just relax your shoulders and focus on one cup.”

She followed his direction, and she could hardly believe her eyes when she actually sunk a cup. The crowd that had formed around them cheered, but all Julie could focus on was Luke’s excited laughter, and she found herself throwing her arms around his neck in excitement. Mortified, she pulled away. “Oh God, I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize,” Luke replied, smiling softly. “You did great!” He managed to sink another cup, but so did their opponents. Luke picked up the cup and offered it to Julie. “Do you want me to drink it?”

But Julie was on a high, so with a confident smirk, she grabbed the red cup and gulped it down as fast as she could. She could feel it dribbling down her chin and she squeezed her eyes closed to help with the unpleasant taste. Luke was more impressed than ever, but also slightly concerned, as her reaction didn’t strike him as the type that drank often.

He placed a hand on her waist and leaned in to catch her eyes. “Hey, you okay? You good?”

“I’m fantastic,” Julie replied, slamming the cup down with a newfound ferocity. She grabbed the ball out of his hand and sank another cup.

In quite possibly one of the quickest rounds of beer pong Luke had ever played, they were nearing the end with two cups left to sink, whereas their opponents still had four. It seemed as if Julie had awakened, and she was having the time of her life; Luke loved watching her so carefree and happy. He didn’t know her too well, but seeing this side of her only made it clearer to him that he wanted to get to know her more.

They had the chance to end the game once and for all, but Julie had missed her previous shot and her confidence was wavering.

“You got this, Jules,” Luke cheered quietly in her ear. They’d each downed quite a few beers, and it was safe to say he was officially a bit tipsy. It didn’t help that she was so beautiful and looking amazing; his mind just wouldn’t stop.

When she made the shot with ease, he realized the pressure was all on him.

He also realized that he might actually be in love with this girl.

“You’re amazing. Will you go out on a date with me?”

Luke ended up blurting out these words to an unsuspecting Julie, and this time, she really did choke on her spit.

But the beer had gone straight to her head, and she was feeling a bit spacey. Her brain wasn’t connecting with her mouth and she wasn’t able to form an answer in an appropriate timely manner.

The crowd was cheering so Luke awkwardly grabbed the ball to make his (possibly) last shot. Julie could see the hesitance in his eyes, and she couldn’t help but feel guilty.

So, she leaned her hands on Luke’s shoulder to lower him to her height and she placed her lips close to his ear. “If you make this shot, I’ll go out with you.” Then she placed a kiss on his cheek before backing off.

He turned to her with wide eyes and a surprised smile.

“That really lessened the pressure,” he teased, and was delighted when she blushed.

The pressure was really on now. If he could make this shot, it would be incredibly impressive. Not only to him and Julie, but to the crowd that had accumulated around them.

Luke took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment and took the shot. It felt like slow motion, and it was only when he heard the crowd cheering that he realized he sunk the ball, and subsequently, won the game.

Julie cheered from his side, and when he turned to face her, he was ready to catch her when she threw her arms around his neck this time. “That was amazing! Thank you for asking me to do this!”

He held her for a moment longer, but eventually parted. As new teams formed for the next round, he grabbed her hand and pulled her off to the side. “Are you okay? You drank quite a lot in such little time. Are you feeling okay?”

Julie’s heart warmed at his concern. “I’m feeling really good right now, Luke.”

“And did you really mean what you said?” He asked shyly. “About the date, I mean.”

Julie’s smile widened. “Yeah, I did. Ever since I saw you perform with your band, I’ve sort of had this thing for you.” Realizing what she said, her eyes went wide. “Wait — I don’t think I was supposed to tell you that.”

“You have?”

And to Julie’s surprise, and slight discomfort, he started laughing.

“Wait, no, I didn’t mean it like that!” He interrupted, realizing what his actions caused. “It’s just — I’ve seen you at the coffeeshop so many times and I just always thought you were really beautiful, and I knew you were Flynn’s friend but I didn’t want to say anything because well, I’m really not good with rejection. So, this is weirdly hilarious to me right now. That what Alex and I were talking about earlier. He knows, obviously, and wouldn't stop teasing me.”

Julie started laughing with him.

“So tonight was what? Fate?”

Luke’s gaze burned into her eyes. “Whatever it was, it was perfect timing.”

“Yeah, I’d agree.”

At the intensity of his gaze, she could feel herself rising up on her tiptoes and leaning forward. His eyes were so captivating, and the way his lips twisted into a soft grin was just too much for her slightly inebriated brain.

Julie just really wanted to kiss him.

Luke met her halfway, pressing his lips softly against hers. As soon as their lips met, Julie’s hand rested on Luke’s chest and a satisfied sigh left her mouth. They were still in public, and Julie was never a fan of PDA, so she pulled away shortly after. But looking into Luke’s eyes again, and his adorable smile, she couldn’t help but lean in to kiss him again.

“I fucking knew it!”

The two of them could faintly hear Alex’s loud voice over the party, but they both ignored it.

“Where’s Flynn? FLYNN! Look at what our children are doing!”

x

hope you enjoyed!

tagging: @grootsgillespie || @jayhalsteadcpd || @moreflowersthanweeds || @well-hes-just-too-cute || @only-trust-fictional-characters​ || @leopard-print-slippers || @jandthephantoms​ || @echocharm17618​ 

[thedeathdeelers]

anyway so i finally finished another Juke drabble (at 12:45am on a Tuesday when I have to be up for work in 5 hours lols) based on the word prompt “Dancing” sent in by @nervousmiracletrash

the word mostly just inspired the idea for this fic - but ya. still counts :) enjoy!

(also this fic refers to a movie about a friendly ghost from 1995, so i hope it still makes sense to you even if you haven’t seen it)

Now also up on my AO3

————

childhood crushes

“So you’re sure it’s in one of these?”

Julie’s eyes remained focused on the notebook balanced on her knee, skimming through the never ending lines of poems and lyrics covering every page as she answered Luke.

“Yes! I swear, I remember working on something similar with my mom a few years before she- A few years ago. If we can find it, we won’t have to start from scratch.”

Feeling a little stiff, Julie leaned back, her eyes never leaving the pages, as she rested against the foot of her bed, stretching her legs out in front of her. They had been sitting on her bedroom floor all morning, surrounded by piles of scattered old notebooks of varying colours.

“I know, but we’ve been up here for ages and we haven’t even taken any breaks yet.” She could almost hear Luke’s pout as he continued, sitting cross legged and leaning against her closet door. “I’m nearly done with my stack. Maybe we should just consider focusing on one of our other songs for now? Come back to this one later?”

Julie shook her head as she looked up, her eyes needing a second to readjust.

“I’m telling you Luke, we’ll find it. I won’t be able to work on anything else unless I get this melody out of my head. I know I can find the lyrics. They’re definitely here. Plus we’ve pretty much gone through the majority of my notebooks - there’s barely a few left. We’ll be done before it’s time to head down for band rehearsal, chill.”

Without waiting for a reply, Julie lowered her gaze back down, quickly finding her spot on the page she was in and resuming her search. Luke shook his head at the stubborn girl sitting across from him, a small smile touching his lips. He knew there was no point in arguing with a Julie that had already set her mind to something. Adjusting his sitting position to avoid cramping (who knew ghosts still had to deal with pins and needles, eh?), he dived back into the book in his lap.

It stayed quiet for a while after that, only sounds of paper crinkling under fingers, and soft whispers of words being spoken disturbing the peace.

That is, until disaster struck.

“Uh, Jules, why does this notebook have “Julie hearts Casper” written all over it?”

Julie was so focused on the poem she was reading, that Luke’s words took a few good seconds to fully sink in. But when they did, her head snapped up while her heart sank, the blood draining from her face. It would have been funny if she wasn’t the one panicking right now. Her eyes, now as wide as saucers, zeroed in on the offending journal, balanced on Luke’s left knee. She had completely forgotten about that.

“It’s nothing! Nothing just a- a- a pet’s name! Yes! We had a dog named uh Casper and I really loved him.”

She scrambled up, the notebook she had been so focused on only a few moments ago hitting the floor with a soft thud. She quickly reached Luke’s side, swiping the journal off his knee and out of his reach.

“I thought you guys never had any pets? What with your dad’s allergies?”

Julie froze on her way back to her spot by her bed, having completely forgotten that her dad, who she’s literally known her whole life, was allergic to dogs. Trust Luke to remember that tiny, throwaway detail, but completely “forget” that her dream box was out of bounds.

She slowly resumed her half hop trek to her spot, avoiding the minefield of papers and journals, making sure Luke couldn’t see her face for as long as possible. Her mind, on the other hand, was busy hastily trying to come up with a plausible excuse.

“Yeah, we uh- we had Casper for a week before we found out Dad was allergic. Had to give him away after that.” Julie held the journal tight against her chest as she turned back around to face Luke now that she was at a safe distance.

Luke’s eyebrows lifted, disappearing under his beanie. The disbelief on his face was palpable. He could always see straight through her.

“So you’re telling me that your dad didn’t know he was allergic to dogs until he was in his thirties?”

“He was still in his late twenties, thank you very much!”

“Jules, you know that’s not my point.”

“The point is we had a dog, I loved him very much and then he was gone. It was a sad time, can we just move on?”

He was still looking at her sceptically, but nodded his head regardless, diverting his attention to the dwindling pile of notebooks yet to be explored, spread out on the floor next to him.

Julie was just glad Luke hadn’t noticed the little ghost doodles decorating the spine of the notebook. She plopped back onto the floor, sneakily pushing the accursed nightmare under her bed.

It was only half an hour later however, just as her heart had finally reached a normal tempo, when Luke spoke up again.

“So, Casper huh? You guys really named a dog after a ghost?”

Trying hard not to groan out loud, Julie forced her features to adapt a natural expression, before lifting her face towards her band mate.

“Yes. Mom had just introduced me to the movie, and the name was still fresh in my mind.” She could see that he was still not buying her story, but there was nothing she could do. She was definitely not about to spill the truth to him.

Luke scratched his head, his beanie shifting with the movement.

“I see. So the little ghost doodles down the side there, have nothing to do with the actual friendly ghost? The one from the Casper movie released in the summer of 1995?” He was pointing in the general direction of where she had thought she had managed to carefully dispose of the journal. Apparently not.

Julie could feel her cheeks getting warmer, and curse it all, Luke had definitely noticed. That damn smirk.

“Not to mention the ghost painted on the back pocket of your favourite pair of jeans.”

She threw her head back, bouncing slightly against her mattress as her hands flew up to hide her warm face. Luke chuckled.

“Fine! This is mortifying, but fine! I had a crush on Casper as a kid, okay? Happy?” Her voice came out muffled, her palms pressing hard against the horrified expression taking centre stage.

But not even a few seconds later, did she feel hands wrapping themselves around her wrists and pulling her fingers away from her face. She hadn’t even heard him move. She kept her eyes closed, scrunching her eyelids together as tightly as she could. Maybe if she thought of it hard enough, her carpeted flooring would eventually swallow her up?

“So, you had a thing for ghosts, huh?”

She could hear the barely suppressed glee in his voice, making her eyes pop open in disbelief.

“Ugh! This is why I don’t tell you everything!” Now that her eyes were open, she didn’t know where to look. Maybe over his left shoulder?

A soft chuckle made its way out of his mouth.

“Aw, come on Julie! This is actually pretty cute. Kinda feels like fate, huh?”

“Really?” She deadpanned. Her eyes diverted to his face of their own accord.

“I mean, he’s a ghost from a movie from the 90s, the girl has the hots for him even though he’s clearly dead...I’m getting similar vibes here.”

“He was just a floating orb!”

He tried to cut her off with a sly “As opposed to cute air?” But she continued speaking over him, wanting to defend her old childhood crush.

“It was an emotional connection. A deep connection, exploring different emotions and representations of love, resulting in some pretty iconic lines and moments in the movie.” She sounded a little hysterical, a little ridiculous. But the whole situation she currently found herself in was ridiculous in and of itself, so there really wasn’t much pride left for her to hold onto anymore.

Luke hummed at her reply, his eyes brimming with humour.

“Thought about it a lot, have you?”

“Ugh! You’re impossible. Fine. You might as well know. It was my favourite movie for a long time. I’d watch it whenever I was having a bad day or whatever.” She shrugged, casting her eyes downwards towards her lap where their hands lay; his fingers still locked around her wrists. She knew she wasn’t fooling anyone.

“Was?”

“Yeah, well...It started hitting too close to home a few years ago so I just.. stopped.”

Understanding dawned on him, as she felt more than saw, the energy leave him in one fell swoop. She chanced another look at his eyes, and saw that the humour previously taken up residence had now shifted to something softer.

“Julie I- I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that, I-“

“No, no Luke really. It’s fine. I’m okay now. I haven’t felt the need to watch any comfort movies or shows lately anyway. Maybe I’ll even revisit it sometime soon, who knows. See it with a fresh set of eyes.” She gave him a small smile as she tilted her head to the side. “Honestly, don’t worry about it.” After a beat of silence, Julie grasped at the chance to steer the conversation away from anymore embarrassing questions.

“Do you think we could stop looking through these for now? I’m getting hungry, and it’s nearly time for practice so...” She gestured towards the mess on her floor.

“Yeah, of course.” Luke looked at her for another second, checking that she really was okay, before letting go of her wrists and jumping up. He then extended his hand down to her, waiting to pull her up with him.

As she got up, she couldn’t help but appreciate how sensitive Luke could be when it came to her feelings. She reached up on her tiptoes, and sneaked a quick peck on his cheek, before pulling him along with her, leaving the mess of notebooks (and hopefully that whole topic of conversation) behind them.

A few days had passed, and Luke hadn’t brought up the movie again. She had assumed he had forgotten, or at least accepted the fact that he wasn’t going to get much more out of her concerning that topic. Or maybe he even felt bad. But then a week later, while Julie was sat in the studio on her own (a rare occurrence), she was proven wrong.

She was sat on one of the armchairs, scribbling away furiously in their songbook, inspiration having finally struck. She was so focused, her hands gliding through the page as she hurried to get every word down, that she barely glanced at Luke when he popped into existence to her right.

She didn’t even notice when he moved to stand in front of her, knees nearly knocking into hers.

“Okay! So I finally figured out the second vers-“ Julie looked up, stopping mid-sentence as she finally took in the sight of the boy standing in front of her.

“Can I have this dance?”

“Luke? Why are you dressed like that?”

“Humour me, Julie. Dance with me?”

The fact that there was no music currently playing was on the tip of her tongue, but Julie held back. She takes a few seconds to reply though, too busy drinking in the sight in front of her. He had his hand outstretched towards her, dressed in black pants and a white dress-shirt. She was hyper aware of the fact that he was dressed in the near exact way she had imagined him during her imaginary Perfect Harmony routine. The only difference was his hair - but she had to concede to the fact that he looked better this way. It was 100% Luke, and she wouldn’t have him any other way.

Putting her notebook with the pencil tucked inside on the coffee table to her right, she reaches over towards Luke, taking his proffered hand.

He pulls her up, just like he did in her bedroom the other day, and guides her to the centre of the studio. They stand there, staring at each other for a few seconds before a song starts playing on the old garage stereo - the same one that had brought them, him , to her in the first place.

every now and then,

we find a special friend,

who never lets us down

who understands it all

reaches out each time we fall

you’re the best friend that i’ve found

I know you can’t stay,

a part of you will never ever go away,

your heart will stay

Luke reaches over to grab her other hand, lifting both up to his shoulders. Once settled, he lets go and finds her waist, pulling her in a little closer. Following his lead, Julie wraps her arms around his neck, her eyes focused solely on his. She listens to the song that is playing, gently swaying from side to side with the boy in her arms.

She cocks her head to the side as she tries to figure out why the melody and words sounded so familiar to her.

“This song sounds so familiar? Like I’ve heard it so many times but I just can’t place...” As her sentence dies on her lips, a small gasp is heard escaping her. Julie’s eyes widen as memories of her younger self listening to this song and swaying along in her mother’s arms flood her mind.

cAll the while, Luke’s eyes are intent on hers, reading her reactions. His hands resting on her hips, slide past her hips towards her lower back, his arms fully wrapping themselves around her, pulling her closer to his chest.

“You didn’t!” Her eyes still wide, still unbelieving.

“I figured of all the things I could actually accomplish as a ghost, any childhood dreams you might have had - this might actually be it.” He shrugged, his shoulders moving under her hands. His grin turned boyish. “Plus I didn’t like the idea of another ghost having a hold on your heart.”

Julie has to try hard to focus on the questions she wanted answered, and not on his sweet confessions.

“But- I assumed you guys never got to watch the movie? It came out around the time you were too focused on the band and the gigs, and then...” She let the rest of her sentence trail off, never too comfortable mentioning their early demise.

“I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.” She felt his shoulders shift up and down again. He shook his head at her as he continued. “I gotta say Jules, you really know how to pick ‘em.” She could see the mirth brimming in his eyes, his lips twitching as he tried to keep his amusement under control.

Julie’s eyes narrowed at him, even as she tried to keep her own smile from forming on her lips.

“Girls are all about that star crossed lovers’ life. Add in a dash of supernatural? Absolute dream.” She moved her hand, gesturing wildly to convey her (ridiculous, but secretly truthful) point.

Luke chuckled at that, the laughter finally spilling out of him.

“Lucky for me then, eh?”

Julie’s eyes softened, her mouth curling into that special smile she only ever reserved for him. She stood on her tiptoes, her lips a hair’s breadth away from his.

“Who said I wasn’t the lucky one?”

They stayed that way for a few seconds, still moving slowly from side to side as they stared at each other. They were so close they were breathing the same air. And just when Julie was about to close the distance, Luke shifted, tracing his lips across her cheek, her jaw, until they hovered by her ear, warm breath sending shivers down her spine.

And then he whispered to her the four words she had been dreaming of hearing ever since she was a little girl.

“Can I keep you?”

FIN

[babydollmarauders]

can you write a Julie and the phantoms fic where Reader is Reggie's twin sibling and years later Reader is a famous author known as a different name whenever they published a new novel and visits back their hometown for inspiration?

See You Again (Reggie x Sister reader)

Requested: Yes

Summary: Reggie’s successful author twin sister, finally gets to see him again after 25 years.

Pairing: Reggie x Sister Reader

Warnings: None

A/N: This one definitely isn’t my best work, but I still like it. 

____________________

You could feel the beat of the music in your feet, literally, the vibrations coming from the extra large amps in the venue were shaking through you. You watched your brother and best friends as they performed their song ‘Now or Never’ for soundcheck. Your eyes glancing to your twin as you walked over to sit at a table being cleaned by a venue worker.

“They’re really good! But I honestly thought you were gonna be in the band when you arrived with them.” The worker spoke, your eyes tore away from the band to look at her. Chuckling at her words, you made a face.

“oh trust me, you don’t wanna hear me perform. They’ve tried teaching me and I STILL sound like a dying cat.” You confessed. “No, I uh, I’m the bassists sister, and I’m more of a writer than a performer so, I help write lyrics occasionally.”

“I’m Rose.” She stuck her hand towards you as the loud music finally came to an end. “What kind of stuff do you write?”

“(Y/N). And mostly fiction books.” You told her, clasping her hand in yours and shaking. The boys made their way over, no doubt to flirt with the pretty worker and you rolled your eyes when your suspicions were proved correct by Bobby when he told Rose some lie about being a vegetarian.

“Didn’t you eat a burger for lunch today?” You laughed, pushing his shoulder as he told you to shut up.

“You guys are really good.” Rose told them. “I see a lot of bands. Been in a couple myself. I was really feeling it.”

“That’s what we do this for.” Luke finally spoke up, clapping a hand on the rhythm guitarists back. “I’m Luke by the way.”

“Hi, I’m Reggie, and it looks like you already met my twin.”

“Alex.”

“Bobby.” You wandered away as the boys, besides Alex, continued to flirt with the girl. Letting yourself check out the stage,  only turning back around when Reggie called out to you.

“Yo! (Y/N), we’re going for street dogs, you coming?” He called as you sat at Alex’s drumset. You know how much this gig means to them, and you’re so proud of how far they’ve come.

“Nah, I’m good tonight. I’ll probably just grab McDonalds on the way home later.” You called back, not knowing that this would be the last time you saw your brother, or your stupid best friends.

 ------------------------------

 It’s been 25 years since that night at the Orpheum, you had stayed friends with Rose ever since, even becoming godmother to her children, but dropped Bobby when he stole the songs you wrote with your late best friend. You had now changed your name after publishing your first book, and were on your way back to your hometown to gain inspiration for the sequel. Although Rose had passed away the previous year, you were still close with her family, and her husband, Ray, had told you that you could stay with them for a few weeks.

Stepping out of the airport, you could feel the L.A sun beating down on your face, surely making it go red. Your eyes wandered the cars parked in the pick-up area before locking with your god-daughter, Julie’s. A smile spread across your face as you picked up your suitcase and made your way over, immediately dropping it again to wrap your arms around the girl, who was now the same height as you.

“Ohmygoodness! You’ve gotten so big.” Your arms began to loosen, pulling back to look at her face. Your hands moved to the sides of her face and you moved it around to get a better look. You heard a snicker next to you and your head snapped over to look at your god-son.

“Oh, don’t you laugh mister. You’re gonna get this too!” You moved over to Carlos, your hands pinching his cheeks.

“It’s good to see you again (Y/N).” Ray spoke up, pulling you away from his son to give you a hug.

“ah, ah, ah. Its not (Y/N) anymore, remember?”

“Right. Sorry.” He laughed, picking your suitcase up from the cement and placing it in the trunk of the car. “Let’s get going, shall we?”

You all piled into the car, you opting to let Carlos sit up front so you could speak with Julie in the back.

“Your dad tells me you started playing again! And with holograms? I can’t wait to see.” You kept your voice quiet, it’s not like its any news to the two boys in the front, but you wanted to have a private conversation.

“Yeah, we’re playing at a coffee shop tonight, you should come.”

“I’ll be there angel.” The car pulled up into the driveway and you all made your way into the house, Carlos showing you to your room for the next few weeks. “Thanks bubba, let your dad know that I’ll be down after I take a shower and then we can order something for dinner. My treat.”

After getting out of your shower and getting into some skinny jeans and a baggy ‘Sunset Curve’ shirt from the collection of many in your wardrobe, you made your way down the stairs, stopping when you heard two very familiar boys voices in the living room. Your eyebrows furrowed, your heart pounding in your chest.

“Oh my gosh. She can’t see us anymore!” You heard as you stepped towards the living room, your body shaking, even though you knew what you thought was in there was impossible. “Oh. Right.”

You peeked into the living room to see Julie on the couch, schoolwork in her lap and two boys in front of her. You could only see their backs, but you knew who it was from a mile away.

“Uh Jules, you wanna introduce me to your friends here?” Her head snapped up, her eyes wide.

“You can see them?” She asked, her voice showing that she was confused.

“Um, yeah?” The two boys turned around to look at you, your eyes finally meeting their faces. Your eyes got wide, tears pricking behind them.

“Reggie? Alex?” Your voice was shaking, barely able to get the words out of your mouth. The boys in front of you had incredulous looks on their faces, almost as surprised as you were.

“(Y/N)?” Reggie’s voice broke through. His voice shaking as well.

“You two know each other?” Julie asked, your eyes snapping towards her.

“(Y/N) is my sister.” Reggie spoke, his words obviously surprising Julie.

“I never thought I would see you again. I mean, you’re dead, obviously I didn’t think I would see you again.” By now tears were streaming down your face, but you didn’t care. Your brother was in front of you again along with one of your best friends. “Alex! Where’s- Where’s Luke? I mean, it’s his birthday after all, I would think he would be with you guys?”

“It’s his birthday?” Julie asked. “Why didn’t I know that?”

“Well, that’s what we were about to tell you. And he’s at his parents house. Let us show you.” Alex spoke up, before they made their way towards the front door. Reggie stopped in his tracks, turning around to look back at you.

“I’m really glad I get to see you again. And now we can hang out all the time! Let’s catch up later, yeah?” Reggie asked, a hopeful look in his eyes.

“Of course. You’re not getting away from me again that easily.”

—————————————-

Taglist: @starkeysgirl @meangirlsx @whyisquill

[the-edge-of-great]

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ friendsgiving ♥

---------- ----------

The silence that immediately follows “How did you spend your holidays?” is brief but deafening. Her heart sinks. She looks to Luke for help, but he’s watching the guys on the couch, eyes jumping between Alex and Reggie; the weight of the conversation seems to rest on their shoulders, and they don’t notice because they’re too busy avoiding everything, especially their bandmates.

So Julie backtracks, quickly. “I’m sorry,” she says, shaking her head. “I shouldn’t—Forget I said anything.” She reaches to fix the sheet music but realizes it’s already perfectly straight, and her hand falls flat, and there’s still an awkward silence, so she begins playing the start of Finally Free, which isn’t at all what they were working on, but this hasn’t happened before. She’s always been careful asking about their past because she doesn’t know how far is too far. And until now, she hasn’t struck out with any questions. They’ve been cool about it, mostly answering anything she wanted to know. If they didn’t want to talk about it, they kindly changed the subject. At some point, she thinks they became open books to her, and she them.

That’s why this question tumbled out so casually.

And that’s why the silence is scaring her.

Luke, finally, saves her. “We’d spend Thanksgiving with my dad’s family,” he tells her with a smile, which she immediately mirrors as her shoulders slump with relief, “and for Christmas, we’d go to my aunt’s place to party with my mom’s side. She actually lives in Pasadena.” He chuckles. It takes her all of five seconds to realize why that’s funny to him, and then she breathes a laugh and rolls her eyes.

“Holidays were always hectic for me,” Reggie says next. Julie’s heart flutters. “Like, three or four days of traveling to make sure we see both sides, both sets of grandparents, and somehow not barf from all the food.” He and Luke share a laugh, and Alex smiles faintly as he jumps to his feet.

“I just remembered,” he says, stepping over Luke, “I’m meeting Willie today.” He looks back at them briefly, his smile weak and probably forced, before vanishing.

Reggie and Luke share a look. Mumbling something about the beach, Reggie disappears too.

As soon as he’s gone, Julie’s face drops to her hands. “That was a disaster,” she groans.

“Family’s just a hard topic for them,” Luke replies quietly.

Chewing on her lip, Julie takes Alex’s spot next to him. “Tell me why?” she asks softly.

“Sure, since they outed all of my shit last month.” He chuckles.

“Whaaat?” Julie shakes her head. “They didn’t—” The look he gives her makes her stumble. Sheepishly, she adds, “They were trying to help.”

“I know.” Shaking his head, he explains, “Reggie’s parents fought a lot. So much that he didn’t like us coming over, like, ever. It was, seriously, all the time.”

“Fighting, like… arguing? Or…?”

“Just arguing,” he reassures. “They’d scream at each other, and sometimes at him if he got in the middle of it, but…” Luke sighs. “Just arguing.”

“And… Alex?”

He pauses, gaze dropping to his lap, and Julie’s stomach turns. She reaches for his hand, half to grab his attention again, half because she feels she’ll need a better alternative to digging her nails into her palm when she hears whatever he has to say. He intertwines their fingers, locking her hand in a grip tighter than she expected. If she wasn’t nervous before, she is now.

“Alex’s parents weren’t cool with him being gay.”

Julie sits up straighter. “What—What does that mean?” She needs better clarification because she knows what that could mean—she’s seen it on the news, on Tumblr and Twitter and Instagram, heard about it through the grapevine of high school—and her heart aches at the idea of Alex—sweet, caring Alex—going through anything of the sort.

“They didn’t kick him out which, I guess, is something, but they just… stopped caring. They stopped acknowledging him.”

Julie shakes her head. “They don’t deserve any praise for not kicking him out,” she says quietly, lip curling at her words. “Not for doing less than the bare minimum of being parents.”

“Getting angry over it is a lost cause.” He smiles sadly at her. “You don’t know how many times we talked about getting him out of his house. Both of ‘em. Bobby and I would spend nights out here, drawing up plans to run away to Vegas or something.”

“I should’ve never brought it up,” she mumbles. “I know holidays are hard for some people.”

“Hey, no, it’s okay.” He shakes his head, turning to her and taking her other hand in his. “It’s okay. You didn’t know. Besides, it was bound to come up eventually. Family’s just… different, you know?”

Julie sighs, shoulders slumping forward. She watches Luke’s thumb rub across her knuckles. Thanksgiving is in a few days; her house is going to be lively with the whole family. When Mom was alive, the studio was a place for the kids to hangout. Obviously, nobody went near it after she died. Dad locked it up before people began arriving. Julie wonders, as she looks around the room, if they’ll open it to the family again. Or maybe it should stay closed for the guys’ sake.

“So… No holidays?” she asks. “At all? ‘Cause… I have an idea…”

Luke raises an eyebrow. “What’re you thinking?”

“It’s this thing called… Friendsgiving.”

~**~**~**~

Star Wars and other movies downloaded to the computer? Check. Computer hooked up to the projector? Check. Two white sheets borrowed from Flynn strung up in front of the instruments? Check.

“Are the lights too much?” Julie asks, waving her phone around the room to show off her decorations. “They feel too much.”

“No, fairy lights are cute!” Flynn exclaims through the phone. “And you went through all the work hanging them up.”

“I know we think they’re cute, but will they think they’re cute?”

“Jules, they’re like puppies; they’ll be excited about anything.”

“Okay.” Julie nods. “Okay.” The lights are weaved around the loft railing and framing the sides of the sheets. She had to improvise with Christmas lights, so when she turns them on, instead of faint white, a soft rainbow glows off the loft and cascades down to the floor.

“Look okay?” she asks Flynn again. She doesn’t know why she’s so nervous. It’s just Luke, Reggie, and Alex… But Reggie and Alex haven’t had a good Thanksgiving in a while. So, okay, maybe there’s a little pressure for things to be perfect. Or a lot. Maybe the lights is overdoing it—

“Dude, what’s up with you?” she hears Alex say outside.

“They’re here!” Julie stage whispers.

“Okay?” Flynn says just as soft. “Go talk to them? And the lights are cute! Keep them on!”

“As Julie would say,” Reggie adds, voice getting louder as he nears the studio, “you’re acting hella sus.”

“Wait, wait,” Luke says, probably trying to stop him. “Just—Wait a second.”

“I’ll text you later,” Julie tells Flynn as she heads for the door.

“Julie!”

“What?!”

Flynn smiles at her. “They’re going to love it, okay?”

Julie stops, hand inches from the door handle. Taking a deep breath, she returns Flynn’s smile. “Thanks, Flynn.”

Feet shuffle out of the way of the door that swings open a few inches. Julie pokes her head out. “Hi there,” she says, grinning.

Alex squints at her. “You’re in on it too, huh?”

“Alex, honey, I planned it.”

Luke, who froze in the middle of holding Reggie back with arms around his chest when Julie stepped out, backs off and joins her by the door.

“And you guys never figured it out!” he says proudly, fist bumping her.

Reggie and Alex share a look that makes her think yeah, no, they totally figured something was going on. She giggles.

“Well, uh…” Julie glances over her shoulder. “You guys want to see what the secret is?” She leans against the door to push it open and waves them past. “Ta-da.”

Along with the Christmas lights is a lamp beside the couch, covered by a blanket to dim the brightness. In place of the coffee table she pushed to the side are pillows and blankets layered over each other. Board games she found in the loft are stacked high in the chair next to the couch. They’re a mixture of generations: some she received as Christmas and birthday gifts, and others that have been around for as long as she can remember—favorites among her family, especially her parents. Maybe the guys will remember them too.

The shelf behind the couch is empty except for the projector. She had to find an extension cord to plug in her computer and leave it safely on the couch (she may have tried to balance it on the shelf with the projector, but one close call was enough to look into alternatives).

After the door is latched behind her, she joins them in the middle of the room, playing with her hands. “I’m sorry about yesterday,” she begins. “I didn’t mean to bring up any bad memories.”

Alex shakes his head. “It’s not your fault, Julie. You didn’t know.”

“But I do now. And… I don’t know how you guys feel about the holidays, but I hope you give this one a chance?” She steps around them, kicking off her shoes as she goes. “It’s not an official holiday, but over the years, it’s become more popular.” She steps onto the couch and looks back at them with a smile. “It’s called Friendsgiving. Families suck sometimes, and you can’t choose them. But, you can choose your friends.” Standing on her tiptoes, she flips the projector on. A light beam shoots past them and shines across the bed sheets. Two was a better decision than one, it seems. The picture has plenty of room to spread out. Perhaps not the best quality, but at least they can watch it full screen.

“I have all of the Star Wars movies downloaded,” she continues, stepping off the couch, “along with a few others if we get sick of the marathon. I don’t know if you like board games, but I found a few in the loft?” She points at the stack.

“You did… all of this for us?” Reggie asks, almost breathlessly.

“Well, yeah. And Luke helped.” Luke smiles when the guys look at him. Julie adds, “I don’t think I could’ve guessed your movie taste without him.”

“There are some good ones on there,” he promises.

Alex huffs a laugh. He spins in a slow circle, taking in everything. “This is awesome, Jules.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but… You’re wrong about one thing.” She freezes. Luke and Reggie look back at him. Alex shoves his hands in his jacket pockets, looking over each of them, the corner of his mouth curved in a smile. “You can choose the family that matters.”

“And it’s us?” Luke teases. “We’re your Chosen Ones?” As he and Reggie share a laugh, Alex walks away from them.

“C’mere,” he says with a laugh, pulling Julie into a hug. Alex gives some of the best hugs. He’s tall enough to tuck her head under his chin, and she can bury her face in his chest.

Luke and Reggie must move in, because Alex walks them near the couch. “No, no, she’s my Chosen One. You two go away.”

“We were here first,” Luke whines.

“But it’s Julie,” Reggie reasons. He shakes his head, a fond smile on his lips.

Luke nods. “Good point.”

“Still, you’re crazy if you think I’m just going to ignore group hug potential,” Reggie says, lunging for them. Alex pretends to try getting away, but he actually opens an arm for him, and now Julie’s squished between them. Not even a second later, Luke’s on her other side. They’re a mess of laughter until someone missteps. They fall in slow motion, it seems. Julie rolls off of Alex’s chest and into the arms of Luke, who hugs her to his chest immediately.

“Good thing Julie has all of the pillows of the universe here,” Alex jokes.

“Oh yeah, I called in every favor. They asked how many I wanted. I said yes.”

Reggie pushes himself up. He squints at the stack of board games. “No way! You have Candyland?”

Luke chuckles in her ear. “Are those Christmas lights?”

“I improvised.”

“I like it.”

Alex is looking at them. “Me too.”

Julie grins. “Thanks, guys.”

“Reg, Candyland or Star Wars?” Alex asks, rolling onto his stomach.

Reggie pauses, board game in his hands. “Can we… We can do both!”

Julie laughs out loud.

After a few minutes of clearing away the pillows (“Oh good, I thought we’d never see that rug again.”), setting up the game, and playing the movie, they’re ready: Candyland and Star Wars. Not how she ever imagined spending the day before Thanksgiving.

“Hey,” Julie says as she draws a card. It’s green. She looks up at them, smiling. “I love you guys, you know?”

They each share looks, grinning at one another. To her left, Luke draws next. “We know, Julie,” he says, moving his character forward. When he meets her eye, he tell her, “We love you, too.”

“Now, keep that in mind when I completely destroy all of you in these games,” Reggie warns.

Julie raises a challenging eyebrow.

“Bring it.”

[notsosmexy]

Heavens Love || Reggie x reader

Chapter one of ‘Heavens Love’

Part 2 // part 3 // part 4 // part 5 

A/N:Holy Shit its almost 1 in the morning. I have been working on this for 4 hours. Hopefully yall enjoy!

Word count: 1.8k 

You knocked on the Molinas door and waited for someone to answer. After waiting for a good 5 minutes, you decided to just walk in. You took your shoes off and climbed up the stairs, as soon as you got to the top you could hear Julie talking to someone. You walked towards her bedroom and opened her door just a bit. As soon as you looked in the room, you could see three, cute, guys in her room. Your eyes almost popped out of your head and you burst through her door. 

‘Julie… who are these people?’ 

As soon as you said that, all four of them stopped their conversation and looked at you , shocked. Julie stepped forward and put her hand on your shoulder.  She looked you dead in the eye and asked, ‘You can see them?’ 

You were confused. Of course you could see them, they were right there, still looking at you like you had gone crazy. You nodded your head and laughed a bit. ‘Yes, I can, now are you gonna introduce me?’ Julie backed away and pointed at the guys, who had snapped out of it and were now just looking at you with smiles on their faces.

‘That’s Luke,’ she pointed at the brown head. He was pretty cute, you had to admit. ‘That's Reggie,’ She pointed to the one in the middle and he smiled and waved. ‘And that's Alex.’ She pointed to the tallest. ‘They're in a band called Sunset… Curve?’ the guys nodded. 

‘Tell your friends’ Reggie smiled. You laughed a bit and then walked up to them.

 ‘Well, im Y/N and it’s nice to meet you’ You stuck your hand out, waiting for Reggie to shake your hand. The boys all looked at each other and then at Julie. Reggie gulped and stuck his hand out as well. Instead of his hand stopping when it hits yours, it goes straight through. You kept looking at your hand, and tried shaking his hand again. You kept doing that until you realised you weren't dreaming. That’s when you screamed. 

‘WHAT IS IT WITH GIRLS AND SCREAMING??!’ Alex screamed over your screams. Julie ran up to you and tried to calm you down. You were a stuttering mess, and Julie was trying to tell that they were ghosts. The guys just stood there and nodded along with everything Julie was saying. 

As soon as you were calm, or as calm as you could get, she re-explained it. ‘Y/N… they're ghosts.’ 

You couldn't help but laugh at this.  You shook your head and smiled at her. ‘Julie, ghosts aren't real’ Alex stepped forward.

‘Well that’s what we thought, but you know,’ he pointed at himself. You just stared at him. NO, ghosts aren't real. They can't be real...or, maybe they are, You thought. You looked back at Julie and she smiled a bit. 

‘Soooo…you believe me now?’ You nodded your head.

‘But.. how?’ Julie told you to sit down and then began to tell you the whole story. As soon as she was done, her dad walked in.

 ‘Jules,I heard you talking to someone-’ he looked at you. ‘Oh! Hey, Y/N. How are you?’ He smiled. 

‘I'm good, and you?’ 

‘Not bad’ he smiled and looked at Julie. ‘Did you do your homework?’ She nodded his head. Ray nodded his head, said goodbye and left. 

‘He couldn't… he couldn't see them?’ Julie shook her head. 

‘We’ve been over this’ She laughed. You smiled and realised it really was true, they were ghosts.

The next day

You and Flynn sat in the band room, blowing trumpets. You could see Julie walking down the hallway towards you both and you waved at her. She walked into the room and looked around.

‘Where is everyone?’ She looked at you and Flynn with raised brows. Flynn shrugged.

‘Spirit assembly.. We were kinda blowing it off, cause we weren't feeling very’ she paused for a moment and thought. ‘Spirity’ Julie sighed and you and Flynn sat up straight.

‘You alright?’ you leaned your head to the side and Julie shook her head.

‘Not really, I had this huge plan to play for MIss. Harrison, hoping that she’d let me back in, but I guess I missed my chance’ She looked at the piano and then back at you and Flynn. You and Flynn smiled and looked at each other and then back at Julie.

‘No, you didn't’ You both said at the same time. You guys got up and swung one arm around Julie's shoulders. You all walked out of the classroom and smiled. You knew this was going to be awesome.

You all walked into the gym only to see ‘Dirty Candy’ performing. Carrie, of course, was the center of attention and you couldn't help but glare at her. All four of you used to be best friends and then the popularity took over Carrie. 

‘Looks like someone spent all her daddy's money on costumes and Katy Perry's choreographer ‘ Flynn crossed her arms and glared at them. 

‘Well it paid off’ You had to agree with Julie. As much as you disliked Carrie, she was a very talented dancer and singer. You watched ‘Dirty Candy’ for almost a minute and then suddenly, you heard a whoosh like noise and looked beside you. You screamed and a few people looked your way, but then looked back at the performance. Flynn looked at you and you nodded, to tell her everything was ok.

‘What’re you guys doing here?!’ Julie whisper yelled. Luke looked at her and smiled.

‘Wanna see you stick it to the man!’ you weren't really paying attention. For some reason you couldn't help but stare at Reggie. He looked at you and waved. You quickly looked away and blushed. You heard Reggie saying something about missing high school and you felt a little jealous.

You all watched Carrie and her ‘friends’ perform. Alex started dancing along and Luke kicked him softly and shook his head.  Carrie started talking about her Youtube video and you rolled your eyes.

‘Now’s your chance’ You said to Julie and she nodded her head. 

You and Flynn sat down on the stairs and waited for Julie to get on stage. You saw her sit at the piano and you smiled and gave her a thumbs up. She played a few notes and started singing. People stopped walking and looked at her. A few seconds later, Reggie, Alex and Luke were on the stage with her, playing their instruments. You clapped and joined the crowd of students. You pushed your way to the front and smiled at Julie and the boys. You could tell Julie felt at home while singing, there was something in her eyes that made you think ‘wow, she’ll be famous one day’ Julie did a super high note and your jaw dropped. You had no idea her vocal range was that far.You looked towards Reggie and he winked at you. You blushed.

As soon as the song was over the boys disappeared off stage and poofed beside the stage. You walked towards them, but people were still wondering what they were. After a few moments of muttering, a girl in ‘Dirty Candy’, whose name you couldn't remember, spoke up.

‘Were those holograms?!’ Julie stared at her and then nodded and gave a nervous but convincing yes. 

You turned towards the boys and started telling them how cool that was. Nobody noticed that you were technically talking to air, because they were still crowded around the stage. You started getting to know them and started falling even more for Reggie, but you couldn't tell anyone.

 ‘You can’t fall in love with a ghost, Y/N’ the guys gave you questioning looks and you realised you said that out loud.

Luke raised his eyebrow and smirked at you. ‘So, Y/N, you've fallen for one of us? It can’t be Alex, cause hes gay… and I don’t think its me, even though I wouldnt blame you if it was I am smoking, which means’ he suppressed a laugh and looked at Reggie and then you ‘It’s Reggie!’ Your smile faded and Reggie started blushing. You blankly stared at Luke and you could tell he was getting uncomfortable.

‘How.. wh- I jus-..’ you looked at behind you and saw people staring at you, probably wondering why you were talking to the air. You took out your phone and pretended to be talking to someone. ‘Can we talk about this later?’ you asked them. Alex and Luke nodded, but Reggie grinned.

‘So you DO like me’ he stated. You looked around the gym for Julie not really paying attention to the guys anymore. You found her talking to Mrs.Harrison and the principal. You wondered what the principal was doing there but knew Julie would tell you later. You looked back at the guys.

‘What were you saying?’ you asked Reggie. He started to speak, before getting interrupted by Julie who hugged the principal and said ‘thank you’ multiple times. You knew whatever it was, it had to be good news. Julie started walking towards you and the guys, until Flynn stopped her. She looked kind of mad, so you told them you’d be in the hall.

You and the guys had this master idea to scare or congratulate, whichever you prefer, Julie. You could hear her coming but you had to go to the washroom. You ran past her and waved. You opened the bathroom door and heard girls gossiping. More precisely, Carrie and a few of her so-called friends. They looked at you as you walked in and you felt a little uncomfortable, but still waved. Carrie glared at you, but you swear you saw a small smile appear on her face.

You walked back to where the guys were and saw Julie heading out the door, towards class. You ran up to her but stopped to talk to the guys for a bit. It was mostly about music and they asked if you played. You said no, which was true. ‘Let's just say, I'm not the most talented human being in the world’ you laughed a bit and so did they. Once the bell rang, you said goodbye and walked towards your class. 

As soon as you walked out the hallway doors, Reggie poofed beside you. ‘So, Y/N, what classes do you have?’ he looked at you with a small smile and put his arms behind his back. 

‘History… It’s a pretty fun subject, but I guess that's because we have a pretty fun teacher’ you smiled and he smiled back. You stood outside the classroom door and you cleared your throat. ‘Well, uh, I gotta go… but i'll talk to you later?’

@gcld-rush​ @spideyspeaches​ @dxestars​ @wukindly​ anyone else im forgetting. i cant remmeeber anymore. Itslate leave me along

[unholyobsessions]

Those who get sick together, stay together

Pairing: Julie x Luke

Description: Luke and Julie are best friends and it takes a delirious love confession for them to finally get together

Requested: Yes

A/N: It may seem kind of rushed? not my best work but at the same time i really like it

Warnings: Sickness, throwing up

Word Count: 2.5k

Masterlist

Here’s the thing, when you’ve known someone all your life you get used to doing everything together. Whether it be going to the arcade, the movies, shopping sprees, or vacations, where one goes, the other follows. That is the case with Julie Molina and Luke Patterson.

Growing up as neighbors in a suburban neighborhood of mostly retired couples made them the only kids within a five mile radius (and the winners of every chocolate selling competition the school hosted.) It was impossible to see the two of them apart and they liked it that way. They took the same classes and same extracurriculars, going as far as getting in trouble on purpose if the other had already gotten detention (when they were given a different schedule their freshmen year of high school, they gave a powerpoint presentation to the principle on the reasons they needed to be together… it worked.)

Considering the fact that they were never apart, it really came as no surprise when they both came down with the stomach flu the same weekend. Whenever they’re sick, they normally FaceTime the entire time, neither strong enough to visit and staying away if the other had miraculously not caught the sickness. This time however, Luke’s parents have to go on a business trip that has been scheduled for over a month that they really could not afford to cancel. Rose, ever the angel, immediately offered to have Luke stay over, saying that she is already going to take care of Julie, might as well nurse Luke back to health as well.

So that is why they both find themselves tucked into Julie’s bed with wet rags on their foreheads and grimaces on their faces. They each have their respective trash cans next to them in case they don’t have the time to run to the bathroom before throwing up.

Rose walks into the room with a bowl of ice in her hand but instead of going straight to the bed, she goes to Julie’s windows and pulls open the the purple blinds with butterfly stickers stuck to them. As a result, Luke and Julie let out loud groans and pull the covers over their heads. Rose rolls her eyes and walks over.

“The two of you are so dramatic I swear.” She pulls down the cover and takes both the rags to put them in the bowl.

“Mom,” they say, dragging out the word. A smile pulls at Rose’s lips, as it always does whenever Luke calls her mom. It’s been happening for years really, just as he calls Ray, Dad and Julie calls Mr. and Mrs. Patterson Ma and Pops respectively.

“Don’t mom me. You should be thankful I’m even here taking care of you.” They all know she’s lying. She would move a mountain for them, for anyone really, that’s just how Rose is.

She grabs the packet of pills from her pocket and gets two giving one to each of them. “Put these under your tongue and let them dissolve.” They both obediently do it but shoot up from the bed a few seconds later. Julie makes a run for the bathroom and Luke opts for the trashcan. Rose rushes after Julie, holding her hair back as she retches into the toilet. She faintly hears the sounds of Luke gagging and she lets out a sigh. So much for the pills.

Julie brushes her teeth and goes back to the bed, Luke getting up to rinse his mouth as well. Rose turn on the TV, hoping a couple of Friends reruns will brighten up their mood, and is about to walk out of the room when she hears a crash from the bathroom. She runs in to see Luke standing over a broken glass. He looks up with tears in his eyes.

“I-it fell. I didn’t mean too. I’m sorry.” Rose has to resist the urge to laugh as she grabs his hand and leads him back to the bed. She gets the now cold rags and places them over their foreheads again before turning off the light and going back to the bathroom to clean the mess.

Julie scoots closer to Luke and lays her head on his shoulder. Luke has the urge to push her away because the room feels much too hot for cuddling but when he opens his mouth to tell her to move she looks up at him with the biggest puppy dog eyes he has ever seen. He sighs and ignores the sweat forming under his clothes, pulling Julie closer against him, both drifting off to sleep after a few episodes.

. . .

The next morning they’re no longer running a fever but they do find out the hard way that they still cannot keep any food down. When Rose tries to give them some plain toast, hoping that they will at least get some food in them, they both got up from the bed, this time Luke going to the bathroom and Julie using the trashcan.

With a heavy sigh, Rose phones the doctor, questioning him on what is the best option for two picky teenagers.

He suggests using syrup medicine instead of pills and tells her a pharmacy where she could pick it up in a couple of minutes. She thanks him profusely before hanging up. When she goes back upstairs she sees Julie and Luke both making their way back to the bed after brushing their teeth.

“Hey guys I’m going to pick up some medicine, I’ll be about forty-five minutes. You going to be okay by yourselves?” She calls from the doorway. Julie groans and tucks herself further into the bed. Luke laughs and looks up at Rose.

“We’ll be okay mom. I’m pretty sure Julie is going back to sleep,” he answers with a smile. He still felt terrible but he wasn’t nauseous anymore and he called that a win. She smiled and said goodbye before leaving.

. . .

A few hours later, Rose goes into the room with the medicine in hand. She hadn’t given it to them when she first arrived because they had both fallen asleep. They had been awake for a few hours but the medicine is supposed to make them drowsy so she preferred to give it to them at night.

Julie’s sitting on the bed, brushing through her wet hair and Luke is changing in the bathroom. Rose sits behind Julie and gently takes the hairbrush from her. She finishes untangling her hair and gives it a final dry through with a towel. Luke comes out of the bathroom and smiles sheepishly.

“I threw up again.”

Rose simply holds out her hand and Luke speed walks to the bed. He lays down and cuddles at her side, with Julie leaning back against her chest. She places kisses on both their heads before telling them to sit up so they can take the medicine.

They each take a tablespoon and take a sip of water. Rose tucks them into bed and turns off the lights, wishing them a goodnight and waiting a beat for them to say it back.

A few minutes later, they’re laying side by side, the darkness of the room providing a sense of comfort. The medicine hits Luke harder than it should, and Julie teases him about being a lightweight as he says nothing but nonsense.

“Jules?” Luke’s voice is groggy, as if it’s fading away.

“Yeah Luke?” Julie however is fully awake, the medicine not hitting her yet.

“I love you.”

She blushes, a foolish smile pulling at her lips. “I love you too.”

“No but like, love you love you.” He’s not quite sure what he’s saying. He feels sort of like that time he got his wisdom teeth out.

Her breath hitches. “You’re delirious,” she whispers, wishing for him to take the words back before she can read too much into them.

“Maybe. But that doesn’t mean it’s not true. I’m in love with you Jules, have been for a while.” He says it as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world, but his eyes are drooping and she’s sure he won’t remember this tomorrow.

“Go to sleep Lu.” her heart clenches and she blinks the tears away, blaming the pain in her stomach and not her feelings.

“Okay. Goodnight.” And just like that he’s out like a light. A few tears slip down her cheeks and after a while, the medicine hits her and her eyes flutter shut.

The next morning she waits for him to say something, anything, and when he doesn’t she decides she won’t either. She pretends it never happened and tries her best to act normal but Luke’s not an idiot. He notices quickly that something’s wrong. She stays as far away from him in the bed as possible, flinching if even his arm brushed against hers which is a large contrast to her cuddly behavior the days prior. She would jump whenever he said her name, more specifically when he said, “Jules.”

When Rose greets them, Julie is thankful for the distraction. She keeps looking at her mom, avoiding turning her head when she gives them another dose of medicine. They’re both feeling much better and are able to hold down the toast. Rose thinks they’ll feel good as new by the next day and personally, Julie doesn’t think it can come quick enough. She stays quiet most of the day, only giving Luke short replies and nods of her head whenever he tries to start conversation. Eventually he gives up, not knowing what he did wrong but deciding to give her some time, hoping that she will approach him when she’s ready.

The next day, Luke’s parents arrive to pick him up. Julie hears them speaking to her parents; they ask for her and how she’s doing but Julie pretends to be asleep in order to avoid any conversation. She hears Luke shuffling around the room as he gets his stuff together. She pretends she doesn’t feel Luke’s lingering touch on her shoulder when he says goodbye and she ignores the tears that fall down her face when she hears the door close downstairs.

. . .

Julie and Luke did not fight. They argued but they made up within the span of a few hours, so to say Luke is worried when Julie does not reply to his texts is an understatement. It has been about two hours since he had gone home and he has sent Julie a text every ten minutes.

Julie knows Luke is not stupid and that her not answering him is suspicious but she can’t help it. She ignores every single message and turns off her phone. She keeps it off the rest of the day and tries to not think about him, because even a single thought of him breaks her heart.

The next day she leaves her phone in her room all day and stays in the living room watching Netflix with her mom. She resists the urge to go upstairs to at least read his texts because that would just make the situation worst. Late in the evening when Rose goes to make dinner Julie makes her way to the studio, itching to play the piano after four days of not doing so. She isn’t expecting to see Luke sitting on the couch with his guitar resting on his leg.

He stands up quickly once he hears her come in. They stare at each other for a couple of seconds.

“What are you doing here?” Julie asks.

“I knew it would only be a matter of time before you came in here. Julie we need to talk.” He puts his guitar down and Julie shakes her head.

“We don’t need to talk? Why would we? I’m okay. We’re okay.” Julie averts her gaze, the words falling out of her lips in rapid succession.

“We’re not okay Julie. What did I do?” He asks desperately.

“Nothing. We’re fine,” Julie assures, trying her best to sound convincing.

“Jules,” Julie flinches and Luke’s face falls. “Why haven’t you been answering my texts?”

“My phone’s been off,” she states in a matter of fact but Luke shakes his head. He’s growing frustrated and her lack of explanation is pissing him off.

“Why are you ignoring me?” His voice is loud and hurt causing Julie to break.

“Because you told me you loved me!” The silence that comes after is deafening.

“What- Jules of course I love you. I’ve said it hundreds of times.” He really hopes his nerves aren’t as evident as he thinks they are.

“Yeah, but you said you were in love with me,” Julie whispers. She looks everywhere but at him and continues to speak. “And I know you didn’t mean it and it hurts so much because I do mean it. I’m in love with you Luke. And hearing you say it while you were barely conscious broke me.”

Luke stares at her, mouth hanging open as he struggles to find the right words to say. He walks closer to her, stopping when the tips of his shoes brushed against hers. “Jules look at me please.” She begrudgingly lifts her gaze to him and his heart clenches at the sight of tears forming in her eyes. He reaches a hand up to cup her cheek, gently wiping away the first stray tear with his thumb. “I am so incredibly in love with you.”

“What?” He wishes she didn’t sound as surprised as she does.

“I’m in love with you Julie Molina. I love every single thing about you. The gap between your teeth when you smile. The way your hair never stays the way you want it to but it still looks beautiful. I love your voice, and hearing you play piano. I love how you draw on the edge of your shoes and will stop whatever you are doing to write down a melody, even if we’re in the middle of a test. I love your little jokes and how you laugh so unapologetically loud no matter where you are. I love you so much and god do I hate myself for telling you while I was high off of flu medicine.” Julie was full on crying now and Luke’s own eyes were starting to fill with tears.

Going off instinct, Julie goes up on her tiptoes and presses her lips against Luke’s, cupping the back of his neck to pull him closer. Luke is taken by surprise at first but once his brain starts working again, he reciprocates the kiss. When they pull away they both have similar grins plastered on their faces.

“Are we good?” Luke asks.

Julie nods her head. “More than good.”

Rose smiles when they both come back into the house at dinner time and exchanges a look with her husband when they make their way up the stairs with Luke placing a hand on Julie’s lower back.

. . .

No one is surprised when they walk into school at the end of summer break holding hands, and if they spot a few teacher exchanging twenty dollar bills, they don’t mention it.

[kariachi]

Some AF fic! Starring Kevin and Julie!!

Life in a big city isn’t cheap, especially when you’ve got as much going on as a Kevin.

~~

“I wanted to ask you something.” Was not the sort’ve topic change Kevin had expected when he and Julie’s talk of sports died down. It was one of the rare occasions they got to hang out alone, Ben and Gwen having both cancelled on them at the last minute for non-emergency family things. So fuck it, just because their dates were busy didn’t mean they couldn’t grab some food and a movie themselves.

“What sort’ve something?” Julie nibbled on a curly fry for a long moment before answering.

“I’ve heard Ben call you greedy,” she said, “and Gwen, and you, but you don’t… seem like it, I guess? I mean I wouldn’t expect a greedy person to cover this.” She threw a smile at him and held up her sandwich in explanation.

“No, that’s stingy,” Kevin said with a laugh, “greedy’ll just pick your pocket while you think you’re safe.” The fact that she didn’t immediately check for her wallet, didn’t give him a Look, just laughed along? That was nice. He appreciated that she was that cool.

“I don’t know, maybe I just don’t know enough greedy people, but you don’t really act like I’d expect them too.”

“I was involved in war profiteering recently.” She paused.

“Okay, maybe that. But mostly you just, have a job. Not a legal one but… I don’t know. I’ve heard Gwen talking about how now you’ve got legal work you should stop but-” Kevin resisted the urge to groan, like he hadn’t had that argument about a million times. “I thought I’d ask you.” He took a breath, ate a bite of his sandwich.

“The Tennysons don’t get money shit,” he explained first off, “it’s easier to roll with it than argue with them, trust me I’ve tried.” A sigh and he leaned forward- it shouldn’t have, but this felt like a private conversation. “They don’t know, I think- I hope because if they’re being paid better than me I’ll pitch a fit- because their paychecks go straight into their college funds and they’ve still got their parents paying for shit, but the Plumbers aren’t exactly giving us a lot. I’m twenty-four grand a year before taxes-” He quickly held up a hand to forestall a response “-which sounds like a lot if you aren’t paying bills. Bellwood ain’t bad for a city, but living here ain’t cheap.”

“So, you’ve got your side jobs to pay your bills,” Julie said with a nod after a brief pause to be sure he was done. Kevin snorted.

“Jules, this is my side job. Even actual licensed Plumbers get shit pay before they’ve got some promotions under their belts because they provide room and board in the bases and use it as an excuse, meanwhile we’re only deputized. We get worse pay and no benefits. It’s the Plumber equivalent of part-time.”

“Seriously?” Her nose crinkled in distaste. Good, it should’ve, the whole mess was shit. “Not even healthcare?”

“Not even healthcare. Need to be licensed for that.”

“You got thrown through a wall last week!”

“I did. Thankfully aside from some stiffness I’m fine now so, don’t need to worry about that.” With a ‘just some stiffness my ass’ glare, Julie took a surprisingly pointed sip of her soda.

“So, you can’t afford to live on your pay.” Taking another bite of his sandwich- it was going to go cold at this rate- Kevin nodded.

“I’m taking home about sixteen-hundred a month,” he explained, glad to have somebody who was actually listening, “that pays for my apartment and my storage unit. It’s half what I pay each month on my mom’s mortgage, and about matches what I pay each for my garages. And that’s without factoring in food, healthcare, constant car repairs-” Heaving another sigh, he leaned back again. “Even if I dropped everything that wasn’t required to live, if I dropped my mom, I’d still not be making ends meet just because of all the money that goes into keeping my car running after it gets wrecked over, and over, and over again.” The fact he hadn’t killed anybody over it yet was astonishing.

Across the table, Julie nodded, and for tonight at least she was his favorite. From her scrunched expression it was clear that she didn’t fully get it either- of course not, she was still living at home, with her family, who she had no painful history with, getting her bills paid for her- but it was clear she was listening. Actually listening, not just pretending so she could try to poke holes in his arguments because crime was bad and only bad and/or greedy people committed it. It was nice, to actually be listened to by someone who wasn’t living it themselves. As much as he loved the Tennysons, the brick stick of reality hadn’t hit them yet and until it did everything would be an excuse.

“Okay,” she said after taking a moment to let the concept sink in, “that makes sense. Just, please don’t go into war profiteering again?” Snorting, Kevin threw her a grin, mind going back to the chest of cash he’d been forced to leave behind.

Every time it looked like he’d be able to pay off that stupid fucking mortgage…

“No worries, Jules. Didn’t get the returns I’d want outta that anyway.”

[note-katha]

Evenfall Chapter Three: Dinner And Show

Chapter Three already? I fear I’m becoming far too like Rajesh Shurv. That’s a tragedy but nonetheless! Chapter Three. I’ve always been partial to odd numbers, they deserve more love, I would say. I’d call this a more peaceful chapter but you never know with these kids. We’ll get through this and then get to the action, that what people are interested in these days, isn’t it?

Let me just get us another cup of tea, it’ll be delightful with some of Tatti’s cookies, they gave me some to share during their last visit.

“You really want to make dinner together?” Kal asked, despite having already gone to the campus store for supplies.

“Of course!” Jules nodded, “My mom always says that making something together is the best way to make friendships.” It was a fair idea, and fortunately, the trio before us were the kind of people to get involved in community cooking. “I asked Mary, but she refused.”

“Mary…she’s kind of weird,” Ardis said, “We’re in class together for Fifth Circle Magic.”

“Oh! How did that go for you guys?” Kal fiddled with a strand of hair. She wasn’t very good at starting conversations. “That whole Guardian ritual was a bit overwhelming. Wasn’t it?”

“I thought it was cool,” Jules laughed, as she grabbed vegetables to start cutting. “I was chosen by Fye? So I feel special.”

You are, Jules. You are.

“To be honest,” Kal started, “I don’t know how to really feel about any of this. How am I supposed to believe in something that I’m just being told is mysterious and mystical?” Well, I can agree it is quite a change. I wasn’t totally a believer myself for quite some time, so I’m on her side.

“I guess it’s easier because I was able to tap into some of it before I even came here,” Ardis thought aloud. “I’ve always been used to going with the flow, so magic was just exciting.” Ardis was watching Jules cut, not sure where or what to do. Kal handed him some lettuce.

“Rip this apart, just enough for a salad,” Kal ordered, “I get where you’re coming from, but it just hasn’t sunk in for me yet.”

“Fair enough,” Jules nodded, “But...can I ask, what’s the Second Circle class like?”

Kal took a moment to find a word for what her first class had been like. “A lot of theory,” she said. “After we got through talking about the Guardians and familiars, it was mostly just concept-wise what it meant to be attuned to creation or destruction.”

“That sounds fun,” Jules hummed, “I like the Fifth Circle though, I find it accurate that I’m a ‘Voice Witch’.” She paused her cutting of vegetables to put air quotes around her title.

“Really?”

“Yeah! I like to sing,” Jules grinned. “It’s fun, though I wonder if the magic has anything to do with it now.” Carefully now, Jules. If you’re keeping your semi-popular internet musician identity a secret, then you shouldn’t give up too much!

“That’s pretty cool though,” Ardis pointed out, “I just dance, not really related to nature or anything.”

“They did mention that Second Circle people tend to be creative,” Kal recalled, “I do art, so I guess it’s accurate.”

“Wow, are we a suite of artists?” Jules laughed, “You think Mary does anything?” No.

“I don’t think so, based off our few interactions,” Kal shrugged, she was in the middle of stirring noodles. It’s quite important to not overcook your noodles. I couldn’t count the number of times I’ve forgotten that I had noodles cooking.

Oh, wait. Oh, dear. I’ll be right back.

Alright, no noodles cooking. Shall we continue?

“Anyways, so, Juli you said your Guardian was Fye?” Kal questioned, trying to return to the topic she had accidentally moved away from.

“Yep!” Jules bounced on her heels, “Exciting! What about you two?”

“Ravere?” Kal recalled with a slight frown.

“Sair,” Ardis answered a moment later.

There was a silence. Rather than an uncomfortable one, it was one made by teenagers that were all awkward in their own right and anxious enough about living together in a very new place. It had only been a few days, but those days were filled by quite a lot of new information. I don’t blame them for being overwhelmed, I was, once upon a long long time ago.

“Are the noodles ready?” Jules suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

“Oh, yeah!” Kal nodded, jumping back into action, “Just need to put them in bowls. Should we make a plate for Mary?”

“That would be considered nice,” Jules said, though it wasn’t really an answer. The trio started placing things on the small, pre-provided table in the little area that could be called a kitchen and dining room.

Quiet chatter was there to finally replace the silence. Talk of majors and classes. Discussion of familiars and wondering when they could appear. None of them knew about magic very deeply, which made it quite stressful.

They all seemed to forget about their wonderful room advisor Tatti, who as a third-year and resident of the Nevermore knew quite a lot about what familiars were.

“Familiars are cool,” Jules said, “Not only cool but helpful! We’re in a whole new world, it’ll be cool to have someone there to be, like, a companion.”

“You have a point,” Kal nodded, “I mean, it wouldn’t be bad. Just when my professor described it, she made it seem a little...scary? The idea of having someone just able to talk to you in your head?”

“Telepathy, I wonder if Mind Witches can do that….” Ardis murmured, looking down as he thought. Ardis was quite interested in learning about more than just his circle. A very good trait to have. However, the moment he realized that he had spoken aloud, he jumped. “Uh, yeah. I don’t know, I guess I just find it all too interesting to be worried?” Poor Ardis, always fretting over what he says.

Kal snickered, a smile on her face. “I like you, Ardis.” She paused before panic overtook her face. “I mean, I mean, I like how you think!” Kal corrected, “I like how you think, not like you, but I mean I like you but not like like you….” she trailed off, seemingly realizing how unnecessarily flustered she had gotten. “Ignore me, really.” Then there’s Kal, fumbling rather than fretting.

Ardis shook his head, “Don’t worry, I like you too!”

“You guys are cool!” Jules said with a level of confidence that while frequent was much more than what she had shown so far. “We’ve only really just met but I think we’re all gonna get along wonderfully!”

“I wonder if we can do that with the fourth musketeer,” Kal mumbled under her breath, eyeing the door to Mary Sue’s room.

“On that note, we should explore the forest outside our dorm!”

“No!” Ardis and Kal both answered at the same time. Oh, I’ve heard that simultaneously answering things is a sure sign of friendship! Or at least, that’s what that friendship-making book that Cavallo bought me. I’m not quite sure if she intended to mock me or thought I’d appreciate it. Regardless, I added it to my collection of “books about people interaction” for later use in my work.

Jules pouted, “Why not?”

“It’s clearly dangerous,” Kal said.

“Tatti told us not to go in there!” Ardis added.

“It’s dark.”

“We definitely aren’t equipped to deal with anything that could be in there!”

“It’s gonna be really dark.”

“Yeah! It’ll be dark!” Ardis nodded fervently. Clearly, the two weren’t interested in what risks and danger could lie in the admittedly mysterious and frequently deadly forest. I often went in there myself. I wonder if my hidden hideaway spot is still there.

I would check if I still could. However, it’s quite an adventure!

“It could be fun…,” Kal said suddenly.

Jules’s eyes lit up. This was her chance!

“Yes! Adventure!” She insisted, “We’re at college. Magical college! What’s the harm in taking a few risks here and there?”

“We haven’t even been here a week and you want to go into the dark and mysterious and scary woods?” Ardis questioned.

“She has a point,” Kal shrugged, “Even if I’m not totally on board when has adventure hurt anyone?” There was a glint in her eyes, one that signaled a sort of flip of a switch. From a more logical rational Kalavathi to the Kal that wanted to do much more than sit in a classroom quietly for another four years. The dark might not be enough to discourage her now.

It was at this point, that Ardis may have given up on any type of peace in his college life. I’m rather surprised he didn’t sense this danger earlier. Maybe he didn’t realize that Kal would join Jules on the side of “reckless adventure”, certainly anyone that didn’t know about her life as Razz would assume that she was a very rational person.

Kal herself knew she was being a touch irrational. She had read enough adventures to know that going into that forest would likely not be a walk in a park, yet she found herself compelled to do it anyways.

It was a small act of rebellion, considering her ‘secret identity; as Razz.

Ardis leaned back in his chair. “Adventure tends to go wrong,” he pointed out, “If we’re going to do something that dangerous, can we at least wait until we know a bit more about magic? Like, when we know some more ‘here’s how to not die’ stuff?”

“Boring, but fine,” Jules grinned. Ardis, you can’t just give in like that! He needs to try a little harder, I would say. Maybe that will be his character development? However, as of now, Ardis just sighed and smiled weakly.

Possibly dangerous adventure just wasn’t his forte. He was much better at low-risk things, like wearing a green hoodie and a face mask with a lime on it to go dance-offs and show off.

Yes, really. Ardis thinks he’s boring. We have quite the interesting cast of people before us. Let’s see how long they last without uncovering themselves as the identities they work so hard to keep hidden.

Moving on, as we often do, the trio finished up, cleaning their dishes before heading off into their own rooms.

You have to have some ‘me time’ after all, especially at college!

Jules was in her Fifth Circle Magic class again that morning, when those odd people in the corner approached her. She had greeted them during the first class, to no response. She had greeted them every one of them before every one of the few classes that they had had together, yet every attempt resulted in no response. Not the type to give up, she had greeted them again before heading to her desk.

Now, shockingly, the four people stood before her. None of them spoke, rather simply handing over folded slips of paper before walking off back to where they sat.

The first one warned her to read them alone, or at least not let others read what they contained. Jules, being less rational than her roommates or friends, quickly planned to read the notes the moment she was out of class.

Before that, those aforementioned friends arrived. Asha Ocean, Melissa Nguyen, and Ásvaldr Lykke. Yes, she made friends that quickly. I’m quite proud.

“Hey, Jules!” Asha waved, “What was that?” She pointed at the group leaving. “Did they talk to you?” Asha was an Energy witch, with eyes bright enough to prove it. She insists the shine is natural, but we all know she uses a spell to do so. Don’t tell her I told you that, however! I quite like her visits and would quite prefer them to continue peacefully.

Jules paused, “Kind of, they just looked at me, I think I’ve gained their approval?”

Ásvaldr snickered, “I feel like that’s probably the most magical thing that could happen here.” Ásvaldr, a good kid, if a bit of a trickster type. He often tells me about his escapades, doing things that he certainly shouldn’t be able to do. “Trust me, I’ve grown up in magic, and mysterious people talking to you is the first sign of danger.”

“You think everything is dangerous,” Melissa scolded, “But you insist on doing it anyways!”

“Danger is fun! It’s adventure!” Ásvaldr argued, “Right Jules?” He waved in the direction he had heard her voice in.

Jules could only grin. “Absolutely! My roommate thinks it’s a bad idea to go explore the woods near our dorm.”

Ásvaldr’s expression dropped, “Wait, you live in the dorm by the West Evenfall forest, don’t you?”

“I think so? Unless there are more forests by dorms,” her light tone contrasted the seriousness of Ásvaldr as he continued to speak.

“Haven’t you heard the story of Dean Ailan Creek?” Ah, yes, Ailan. The ‘k’ in his last name is silent, he used to hate it when people called him “Creek”. He was very particular about it. My name is often said wrong, I never made a big fuss like he did.

“Ásvaldr, she’s a Initus, remember?” Melissa said. I never quite got behind the use of “Initus” to refer to new students of magic but that’s Western Arcane Theory for you. Evenfall has their preferences and I have one as well.

“Right, right,” Ásvaldr nodded, “So, I guess we get to be the ones to tell you the story about the last Dean of Evenfall.”

“This is before Dean Kair, she took over after him,” Asha helpfully supplied.

“It’s a very dramatic story, with mystery and intrigue!” Ásvaldr started, only to be interrupted immediately by Melissa.

“The Dean went after a girl who had gotten lost and he never returned. The girl that was missing did, however. She said she never saw him.”

“Lis! That was my story!” Ásvaldr pouted, “Move so I can punch your shoulder.” The three, if I can remember correctly, are childhood friends, all born into Everless and magic, which makes this class quite easier for all of them, it would seem.

Jules giggled as she watched the two friends bicker. She wasn’t quite fazed by the fact that someone might have passed away or disappeared into the forest.

Or, rather, she was too committed to the idea to give it up just yet. She wasn’t going in alone after all.

“While the Dean did disappear a few years ago, it’s not necessarily dangerous, other than rumors and apparent scandals,” Asha offered reassuringly. “I wouldn’t personally recommend it, though.”

“So, you’re saying I could?” Jules asked.

“Not ex—” “Thanks, Asha!”

Unfortunately, it was at this moment that the professor entered the room.

Jules was not only frequently confident, but also frequently stubborn.

taglist: @falling-rivers @superwaywardangel @immawritethat @arynneva  @likeicarusifall@aschenink, @writing-for-the-batfam, @ekrizdis, @wiccanchester, @spacebrick3

[lickstynine]

Misadventures of Kit: Chapter Twenty

written with @ocsickficsideblog​

The next week or so went by smoother than Alistair had expected. Kit took his meals and his medicine without much argument, and went out with Siofra every couple of nights for drinks and conversation and whatever followed. November quickly became December, and as Kit looked down at his phone to answer a text, the date caught his eye: 6 Dec.

“Oh god… I turn twenty-three tomorrow,” he said, mostly to Oliver since Alistair was in the other room. The hamster stared at him cluelessly, chewing on a pellet of food.

“Are you saying something?” Alistair called.

“Our birthday is tomorrow.” Kit replied, running his thumb thoughtfully over the side of his phone.

“I know. I’ve been keeping track.” He went to sit by the hamster cage with Kit.

“Were you planning to remind me?”

“If you hadn’t noticed, I was going to tell you tomorrow.”

Kit nodded, though he couldn’t help wondering whether Alistair had just hoped he would forget the date. “What should I do?”

“What do you usually do?” Alistair asked. He paused. “What about...have you ever...gone to see her?”

“No.” Kit sighed. “I could never bring myself to do it. I usually just read Alice and drink…”

“I haven’t been either. I got as far as the cemetery gates twice.” He paused. “Maybe we should try it..?”

“You've tried to go?” Kit asked.

Alistair nodded. “I was only young-ish though. I was always in a mess ‘cause it’d be after some big fight when I’d just been punched or cut or burned. I’d get this dumb idea that if I went there, it’d be like hugging her again, like she used to do. But then I’d get there, bleeding and aching and so fucking out of breath because adrenaline had me running the whole way… And I couldn’t face it.”

Kit gave an understanding nod. “I've thought about going, but I could never bring myself to do it.” He sighed.

“We could try,” Alistair said quietly. “Take flowers or a letter or something…”

“I could bring my journal.” Kit mused.

“Maybe read her some bits. I want to draw something,” Alistair said.

Kit nodded. “Promise we’ll go?”

“If you want to, yeah.”

“I do.” Kit decided.

Alistair smiled, putting an arm around him. “I’m proud of you for that.”

Kit forced a smile back, but he was clearly nervous. “Thanks.”

“I know,” Alistair whispered. “I’m scared too.”

“I don’t even know what I’m scared of.” Kit sighed.

“Me neither. Welcome to anxiety.” Alistair smiled wryly.

Kit huffed. “I want a refund.”

“Me bloody too.”

The older boy flopped across Alistair’s lap. “How long is it going to be like this?”

Alistair messed with his hair. “Dunno. Depends on us, really. Apparently.”

“Pity it’s not something I can outsource to a servant.”

“Don’t give it to those poor bleeders. Half of them probably have it anyway.”

“You think so?” Kit asked.

“One in three people have some sort of mental health thing these days,” Alistair said.

“Really?” Kit seemed shocked.

“Yep. It’s a lot, right? Isn’t that fucked up? That the world does that to so many people?”

“It’s certainly troubling.” Kit sighed. He was twisting his ring on his finger, his face furrowed with thought.

“I’m going to draw something for her,” Alistair said decidedly, going to grab his big posh sketchbook he used for commissions.

“We’re not going today, Al.”

“I know, but I want it to be perfect. I want to start it now so I can make sure.”

“Oh. Okay.” There was a long moment of silence before Kit spoke again. “Can I hold Oliver?”

Alistair looked up, shocked. “Yeah, of course. You want to? You’ve never usually liked animals.”

“I know. I don’t know why, I just… I want to.” Kit shrugged.

Alistair nodded, crawling over. “Sure. Do you know how to pick him up, or should I give him to you?”

“Can you hand him to me? I don’t want to upset him…” Kit fussed.

Alistair nodded. Oliver was curled up in a nest of hamster bedding, lifting his little twitchy nose when Alistair reached in. “Hey, Ollie. My cousin wants to hold you,” Alistair whispered, carefully scooping Oliver into his hands.

Kit waited patiently, his own hands cupped to receive the hamster. Alistair lowered Oliver into Kit’s palms. The little hamster sat complacently, sniffing at Kit’s wrists. He tried a tiny chew of the rose ring, but gave up once he established it didn’t taste great. Kit moved his hands close to his chest, gently stroking Oliver’s head with his thumb. Oliver settled happily with the regular strokes, resting with his tiny feet gripping Kit’s finger.

Kit smiled, sitting back on the couch with the hamster in his hands. He seemed quite delighted with himself. Alistair grinned at the pair of them. “I can’t believe you’re sat there with an animal in your hand! You used to shriek the place down when I caught lizards at the island.”

“Lizards are vile. Oliver is soft and friendly.”

“Lizards are sweet. But Oliver’s fur is super soft. I like rubbing my cheek on it, but I can’t do it anymore. I don’t think he likes it,” Alistair said. “He started squeaking really bad.”

“Did you rub the wrong way?” Kit asked.

“Maybe. It’s like he knows us, you know? He sits quietly for you, but he climbs all over me.”

“He does?” Kit hadn’t noticed. He was usually busy reading or napping when Alistair played with Oliver.

“Yep. He goes all up my arm and across my shoulders,” Alistair said, grinning.

“That’s sweet.” Kit smiled. “Do you want to hold him?”

“If you’ve got your fix?” Alistair said, grinning.

Kit paused. He actually found the little warm ball of fur in his hands quite comforting. “Maybe you just pet him for now.”

Alistair laughed. “That’s okay, he seems comfortable with you.” Oliver certainly was, his ink drop eyes closed, his little chin resting on Kit’s finger. Kit smiled, his thumb still rubbing rhythmically down Oliver’s soft back.

“Al? Can you take a picture of us?”

“Oh my god,” Alistair laughed. “Yeah.”

Kit’s cheeks went red. “You take pictures with your animals all the time.”

“I know, it’s just funny. To see you loving animals for once,” Alistair said, grabbing his phone. “Okay, smile.”

Kit nodded, holding Alistair close and smiling for the camera. Alistair pulled a face, but it was one of those faces where he hoped he still looked cute doing it. There was no point going for “hot” when he was next to Kit. “Cute” would have to do.

“Can’t you ever take a picture looking sane?”

“Do you think I am sane?”

“I can dream.” Kit grinned.

“Look, what do you think of the photo?” Alistair said, showing him the phone. Kit smiled.

“I like it.”

“Yeah, it’s good. God, you don’t take a bad picture…”

“It’s called making yourself presentable.” Kit teased.

“Oh ha ha. Do you want me to send it to you?” Alistair asked.

“Yes please.” Kit nodded. Alistair did as he was told, using one finger to stroke Oliver’s head himself. Kit smiled. He wasn’t really sure why he liked the little hamster so much, but he couldn’t help being pleased by the tiny, warm presence in his hand. Oliver was perfectly content there; Kit’s hands were warm and soft and gentle. He curled in a ball as naturally as he did in his own bed in the cage. “Al… I think he likes me.”

“He really does. He’s comfortable with you.”

Kit smiled. “Good. I wasn’t sure he would like me.”

“You’re surprisingly good with him.”

“It’s strange, but I like it.” Kit declared.

“Well, good. You can hold him whenever you like.”

“Is it okay to take him out?” Kit asked.

“What, outside?”

“Out of his cage. If you’re not here.”

“Yeah, of course.”

Kit nodded. “Thank you.” He still wanted to hold Oliver, but he was feeling bad about keeping the hamster all to himself.

Alistair grinned at his face. “You can keep hold of him.”

“I didn’t… I wasn’t going to…” Kit just gave up, happy to continue petting Oliver with his thumb. Oliver looked up, briefly sniffing at Kit’s thumb, his little twitchy nose tickling. Kit giggled. “Hello.”

“I feel like I should have a love song in the background,” Alistair said, grinning.

“Shut up!” Kit whined.

“It’s just funny!”

“He’s mocking us.” Kit said to Oliver. The little hamster gave the tip of Kit’s thumb a soft nibble. Kit pet his nose. “You don’t mock me, do you?”

Oliver settled back against Kit’s fingers, very happy. Alistair rolled his eyes fondly. Kit cozied up on the couch, hamster in hand. “I’m glad I bought you.”

“Kit, how about you just make sweet love to him like you clearly want to.”

“Not my fault he’s better company than you.”

“I hope you don’t want to make sweet love to me.”

Kit gagged, only half-jokingly. “Lord, no.”

“Oh, thanks! I mean, obviously I don’t want you to be into incest, but do I warrant such a vehement reaction?” Alistair cried.

“It’s the way you said it. The idea of having to talk dirty to you in the process is just… eugh.”

“You wouldn’t. When I have sex, me and Jules don’t dirty talk. I think if Jules tried to do that I’d laugh so much we’d have to stop.”

Now Kit snickered. “I can’t imagine Julie dirty-talking.”

“Jesus, the image…” Alistair snorted.

“Julie!” Kit called. “Julie, come here!”

Julius came into the room, looking worried. “What is it? What do you need?”

“If you had to dirty-talk, how would you go about doing so?” Kit asked.

“If I had to…? This is what you wanted?”

“Yes.” Kit nodded.

“Um...okay. Is that like...calling him a bad boy and stuff?” Julius asked uncertainly.

Kit was already snickering. “Sort of.”

“Jules, please…” Alistair groaned. “Don’t. I can already see this isn’t going to work.”

“You could give him an example to get him started.” Kit grinned.

“I don’t dirty talk! He doesn’t respond to that. You’re always trying to dictate our sex! You’ll be in there with a clipboard soon like a driving test examiner.”

Now Kit properly cackled, stroking Oliver like a villain with a cat. “I mean… I could probably give you some pointers. But I wouldn’t show up uninvited.”

“Because it totally doesn’t kill the mood, having my cousin there to tell me what to do,” Alistair said, laughing too. “That’s just dogging!”

Kit couldn’t keep up the joke any longer, busy trying to keep Oliver steady while he guffawed. Oliver was evidently pretty confused, trying to crawl up onto Kit’s wrist. Julius just rolled his eyes at them both, going back to the kitchen. He had cupcakes to ice. Kit squealed when Oliver tickled his arm. “Al! What do I do?”

“Just pick him up gently and get him back in your hands. Make your hand a bowl shape, don’t squeeze him. Just scoop him up,” Alistair said, demonstrating the action, holding his hand like a claw machine arm.

“Oh… okay.” Kit plucked Oliver gently off his arm and cupped him back against his chest. “Hello, friend.”

Oliver settled back down, burrowing for a moment right down in Kit’s cupped hands until his little furry butt was in the air, then coming back up with very disheveled fur on his nose and head. Kit giggled. “I like you.”

“Be careful, Oliver. You’ll get shoved up his arse,” Alistair muttered.

Kit rolled his eyes. “You know no one’s ever actually done that, right?”

“I bet they have. People have shoved everything imaginable up their arse and/or vaginas. If it fits, it’s been up there,” Alistair said, grinning.

Kit just sighed and shook his head. Alistair pulled a face. “What? People are gross.”

“You’re gross.”

“Yeah yeah. You’ve been telling me that since I was a foetus.”

“Well, back then, the grossness was just proximity to your mother.” Kit grinned.

Alistair laughed hard. “True.”

Kit smiled, finally holding out Oliver in his hands. “You can have him now.”

“Have you had your hamster fix?”

“For now.”

Alistair grinned, taking Oliver back. He immediately became more active, running up Alistair’s arm and perching on his shoulder.

“It's really odd how he only runs for you…” Kit mused.

“He knows you just need gentle support.”

“But how does he know? He's a hamster.”

“Who says animals don’t think as deeply as we do?” Alistair argued.

“Scientists. Who have studied their brains.” Kit replied flatly.

“They don’t know everything.”

Kit groaned so hard, he thought he might've pulled a sarcasm muscle. “I can't talk to you.”

“Well, they don’t! I’ve always felt like I was more understood by animals.”

“That would be a measure of empathy, not intelligence. You can be stupid and still empathetic.” Kit argued.

“People aren’t. Look at Trump.”

Kit groaned. “I didn't say all stupid people are empathetic. I said you don't have to be intelligent to be empathetic.”

“Animals are intelligent. Let’s see you find a buried skier in an avalanche,” Alistair said.

Kit sighed, pressing his fingertips to his eyes. “I really don’t know why I talk to you.”

“If I piss you off so much you end the argument, I’m counting that as a win.”

“The only way you ever win our arguments.” Kit mumbled.

“True,” Alistair agreed. “But I’ve won a lot that way.”

“Yes, congratulations.” Kit rolled his eyes.

[principessacapulet-blog]

godhood is just like girlhood: a begging to be believed. -- kristin hang

Basic Information;

Full name | Juliana Rosetta Capulet Pronunciation | jOO-lee-AH-nuh roh-zET-uh kap-yuh-lit Meaning | Juliana; [Latin] Youthful. Rosetta; [Italian] Rose, [Persian] Splendid. Capulet; Caplewood, which is the place-name for the wooded area that stood beside the chapel. Nickname(s) | Jules every so often. Her father calls her Tink when he is feeling affectionate or in a good mood, a habit that started at Juliana’s own request during her childhood and has stuck through her young adulthood. Alice. Birthdate | July 30th Age | 22 Zodiac | Leo Gender | Female Pronouns | She/her Romantic orientation | Panromantic Sexual orientation | Pansexual Nationality | Italian Ethnicity | Anglo-Indian. Maternal side of the family is from Goa, with a little bit of Chinese descent. Fathers side is white. Current location | Verona, Italy Living conditions | She currently lives in the same bedroom she has lived in her entire life and has few intentions of leaving–not that she’d be allowed to if she did. She still lives in her rather large bedroom in her father’s home and lives a quite comfortable lifestyle.

Background;

Birthplace | Verona, Italy Hometown | Verona, Italy Social Class | Upper class Education level | Completed scuola secondaria di secondo grado (Upper Secondary School).  She currently studies part-time at the University of Verona–she originally wished to go to the university in Naples, but was not permitted to go. Father | Cosimo Capulet Mother | Chiara Capulet (neé Conti) – deceased. Sibling(s) | Siena Capulet – deceased. Other Important Relatives | Tiberius Capulet (cousin), Rafaella Capulet (cousin). Birth order | Eldest Pets | They have a gray Pitbull that Juliana named Tino when she was 15, and two black cats–one she named Nero and another named Luna, who has a small patch of white just between her eyes. Previous relationships | She has had very few formal relationships. There were a few here and there during scuola secondaria, both the lower and upper levels, but since she wasn’t allowed out of the house much to hang out with her sophomoric loves, they rarely developed the way her peers might have. There was a single boy that she still thinks about sometimes, one who she thought was worth sneaking into her bedroom, one that she thought about crawling out her window to go and see, but that too did not last. Arrests | None. Prison time | None.

Occupation & Income;

Primary source of income | She lives off of family money first and foremost. Secondary source of income | Being beautiful and having the sort of personality that she does, every so often a brand reaches out to her and asks her to make an instagram post. Most of the time she turns these down, but when she is bored, or particularly enjoys a product or location she’ll take the money. It’s more difficult though since many brands ask her to travel, and her leash is still limited. Content With Their Job (or lack thereof)? | Every so often, she wishes that she had a more standard job, perhaps one working in the Library or teaching or something that did not involve… what her current one does. But then she thinks of the men and women willing to die for her, the ones willing to survive for her, and she thinks maybe she’s in the right place. Past Job(s) | None. Spending habits | She tends to shop frequently, but favors brands like Anthropologie or other boutique brands that feed her favoritism of linens over other more expensive fabrics. She has no qualms about buying clothing that she finds appealing, and even fewer qualms about spending money on food or wine or anything of that nature. If she had more friends, she would constantly take them for nights out and foot the bill without much of a second thought. She loves to treat others, and her bank account usually reflects it.   Most valuable possession | It’s not the most valuable in euro amount, but she has a golden locket that used to belong to her mother and it’s certainly what Juliana would consider her most valuable possession.

Skills & Abilities;

Physical strength | Moderate to weak, she could easily be overpowered. Offense | When she is trailing her father she tends to keep her balisong on her person, which she’s spent a fair number of hours practicing–she likes it for the beauty of the weapon, but that does not make the blades any less sharp. Defense | She possesses basic self-defense, but is in training to improve this. Speed | Above average–she has always enjoyed running, and so while she is not combat oriented she choose to up her running ability soon after she starting standing at her father’s side. Intelligence | She is fairly book-smart, having spent a great deal of time focusing on school and reading, but she’s not overly street smart quite yet. She has a natural inclination to cleverness, but hasn’t learned to apply it yet. Accuracy | Still learning, moderate to poor hand-eye coordination.   Agility | Average. Stamina | Above average. Teamwork | She works very well with others and is a skilled communicator. Enjoyed being in charge during group projects for school, and finds herself enjoying being in charge of the Capulets, much to her frequent dismay. Talents | She has an exceptional memory and a tenacity for learning. Very good balisong skills from hours spent watching videos and practicing the dance in her palms. She is a fast reader and a fairly skilled artist when it comes to painting and drawing. Shortcomings | Cannot cook to save her life. Not skilled in combat of any variety. Possesses a naive and unshakeable desire for peace above all else. Languages spoken | She is fluent in Italian, English, Hindi, though the latter she does not tend to speak very often as it reminds her of her mother, memories of whom make her quite sad. She has also taught herself Spanish, Russian, and French, the latter two of which she is not fluent but can converse in comfortably enough to do business if the need should arise. She knows some Latin, most of which she learned in church. Drive? | No Jump-start a car? | No Change a flat tyre? | No Ride a bicycle? | Yes Swim? | Yes Play an instrument? | Piano Play chess? | Yes, though she doesn’t enjoy it much. Braid hair? | Yes Tie a tie? | Yes Pick a lock? | No, though she desperately wants to learn, thinking it’d be a fun skill.

Physical Appearance & Characteristics

Faceclaim | Zoë Barnard. Eye colour | Hazel--mostly light brown, but with big flecks of green and gold. Hair colour | Very dark brown to black. Hair type/style | Definitely on the longer side, reaching somewhere mid-back. Naturally quite wavy, she often styles it into much looser waves. Glasses/contacts | No. Dominant hand | Right. Height | 5'9’’ (175cm). Build | Slim. Exercise habits |  She runs every morning after she’s had her first cup of espresso. She has combat training with anyone and everyone who will teach her quite often, though she enjoys working with and tends to schedule sessions with Regina most often. Skin tone | Type 4, light brown/olive. Tans quite easily but occasionally burns. Tattoos | She has roman numerals on each of her triceps, one of which is her mother’s birthday and the other being Siena’s. She got them both on her 16th birthday. (ex.) Piercings | Double lobe piercing on both sides. Left nipple piercing. Marks/scars | She has a small collection of small white lines on her palms and the backs of her hands, left over marks from her dancing knife when she hadn’t quite mastered it yet. A scar on her right knee when she’d fallen off her bike while riding to the lake just outside the city and scraped herself on the rocky road. A line on her left elbow when she fell off her horse at age 10 and nearly broke her arm. Notable Features | Very full lips and a large smattering of freckles across her cheeks. Clothing style | She lives her life in linens and denim and cotton, favoring very simple, loose, classic clothing to some of the more intricate and high fashion ensembles of others in her social strata. She loves to wear ribbons and kerchiefs in her hair, tying them around the base of her ponytail or pulling back the front pieces into scarves. If she is going to wear a pattern in her day to day life, it’s often either plaid, polka dots, or florals. When she is dressing up, she favors bold colors and sharp prints. Jewellery | She loves to wear delicate chain necklaces, but hates wearing bracelets and often chooses not to wear rings. She has a very large collection of earrings, though favors a pair of gold hoops her father gave her for her 18th birthday. Her favorite piece is her mother’s locket, which sits on a very long gold chain that she often layers other necklaces over and then tucks into her shirt. Allergies | None. Diet | Vegetarian. She is quite fond of fruits and eats them constantly, though has a sweet tooth and if any are in the vicinity they soon won’t be with her greedy fingers nearby. Physical ailments | None.

Psychology;

Jung Type | ENFP, The Campaigner. Enneagram type | I’m torn between Type 7 wing 6 vs Type 6 wing 7. So.  Moral Alignment | Chaotic Good trying to be a Lawful Good. Temperament | Sanguine. Element | Water. Emotional stability | Juliana can tend towards emotional volatility, her mood highly changeable and easily influenced by her surroundings.  Obsession(s) | Overly concerned about the opinions of others and how other perceive her. Compulsion(s) | Touching others to feel connected, pressing her thumb nail into her pointer finger to divert her attention from something else uncomfortable.  Phobia(s) | Trypophobia (fear of irregular patterns or clusters of small holes), mild fear of horses after falling from one at age 10.  Addiction(s) | None. Drug use | Very, very rarely. Alcohol use | Often drinks wine with her meals.  Prone to violence? | No.

Mannerisms;

Speech style | She has a somewhat formal way of speaking that was coached into her during childhood and has lasted through to young adulthood. She uses clear diction and grace and proper sentence structure without even thinking about it.  Accent | Italian.  Quirks | In her head will often relate modern events to fairy tales or books that she’s read as a way to process and understand. Constantly runs her hands through her hair. Can fall asleep just about anywhere.  Hobbies | Reading and writing, painting and drawing, playing piano.  Nervous ticks | Biting the side of her tongue, fidgeting, running hands through hair.  Drives/motivations | Affection, approval of others.  Fears | Not living up to her family name, disappointing her family, never finding true love.  Positive traits | Compassionate, Warm, Curious, Determined.  Negative traits | Prideful but prone to insecurities based on other’s opinions, Reactive, Dependent, Naive, Innocent.  Sense of humour | Juliana finds herself highly amusing and enjoys all manners of humor.  Do they curse often? | Not frequently. 

Favourites;

Activity | Walking through Twelfth Night with Rafaella while she tells her things about the paintings and other works of art they stroll by.  Animal | Deer. Beverage | Amaretto or Limoncello.  Book | Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Colour | Peach. Designer | Dolce and Gabbana. Food | Tomato with Basil and Mozzarella or Tiramisu.  Flower | Peach Tree Fowers. Gem | Moonstone. Holiday | Summer Solstice, which she has made into a holiday even if it’s not one.  Mode of transportation | Bike, though her father prefers she use a chauffeured car.  Quote/saying | “What are men to rocks and mountains?” Scent | She wears Black Opium by Yves Saint Laurent, which has notes of Black Coffee, White Flowers, and Vanilla. She uses a rose-scented body wash and shampoo.  Weather | She adores dry heat and a blazing sun, but will take any degree of warmth the universe will give her. Vacation destination | Amalfi coast is her current favorite place she’s vacationed, but she’d love to go to South Africa and travel there while doing business with her family’s connections.

Attitudes;

Greatest dream | If anyone asked her she would say that it’s for there to be peace and prosperity, and for the Capulets to have the command they deserve over Verona--to be living without tension. I think in reality her greatest dream would be for the mobs to somehow come together under one ruling so that she might have more souls to commit the highest of crimes in her honor.  Greatest fear | That she will stumble and fall and fail her people, though there’s a number of different ways she fears this will happen; that she will be too fragile, incapable of doing what her soldiers need of her, or too fragile to withstand the darkness and fall prey to it’s addictive nature.  Most at ease when | She is standing near the helm but not in charge.  Least as ease when | She is left alone in the Cathedral to make decisions, not that this happens often quite yet.  Worst possible thing that could happen | Her father being killed and her not being ready to take the helm.