#wille jatp

[mouse-fantoms]

On top of being robbed of so much Juke content we’ll never get, what I think about alot is how Juke would have been approached more if it went further.

One of the (many) reasons I love jatp so much is it makes me believe their characters are real, that they have background, they have their own goals and ambitions to them, they’re fleshed out.

That moment of Flynn going “my girls got a crush and his name is Luke” and Julie going “what no?! Luke’s a ghost😳.” And Flynn saying “a cute ghost” and Julie giving in and saying “��with a perfect smile☺️” and adding that Luke is “cute air” which implies she has indeed given this Luke crush idea some thought.

That moment of just two best friends talking about the others potential crush like that’s such a good moment bc I genuinely believe that I am watching these two genuine besties just have that kind of talk with one another bc that happens!

Like that moment we have with our friends when they’re like “hey I got something to tell you 👀” or they approach you like “so… umm… I’ve been kind of noticing your behavior lately around this person.” It’s the realistic little things like that which is why I appreciate this show so much.

Julie having the line of “what no! Luke’s a ghost!” Means so much that, on top of acknowledging “hey he’s got a cute smile, and he himself is cute” she also acknowledged “…he is a ghost though…” but then our Julie being who she is (we love her for it) went “but he still do be cute though 🥰” like this is a genuine teen girl in high school having a crush

And then later on when Reggie and Alex bring up how Luke and Julie ooze chemistry (and the way that throughout the show when Julie and Luke are being cute and them, the looks that we see Reggie and Alex give like Juke and then each other is so good bc I genuinely believe like “yeah these boys are all friends with one another so of course they’d react that way to their other friend showing an interest in their fellow friend”) Luke’s like “no come on I have chemistry with everyone I sing with” HE DOES THE SAME THING JULIE DID WHEN THE EXACT SAME TOPIC EAS BROUGHT UP TO HER! (Soulmates your honor!)

Him denying it, like Julie did, implies too that he also had the thinking of “…she is alive though and I’m not” (I mean me personally I feel like Luke didn’t truly realize he liked her until later on even if there were signs earlier, just bc he seems like the kind of person where like music was his absolute everything like even if the Sunset Curve fangirls were always like ‘omg Luke is amazing 😍’, I just get the vibe that he would never really notice the advances towards him bc he is just so consumed in music and that is his whole existence, so when Reggie and Alex see that Luke appears to be falling for Julie it’s a big deal bc they’re probably like “Luke has NEVER shown any interest ever so the fact that a girl has replaced music in his life THIS IS A MASSIVE DEAL”)

And then the moment when they’re on Julie’s porch and she tries to hold his hand but ya know CANT (huge what a gut punched) and then she awkwardly looks away and he’s like “…this is an interesting little relationship you and I have” and they’re just there for a moment just looking and smiling at each other (THEY’RE FLIRTING SO MUCH WITHOUT SAYING ANY WORDS UGH TAKE ME 😩)

I am sat there genuinely believing that these are two teenagers who even though they know they’re not *supposed* to feel a way about each other, they still do. Like that scene is their confession to one another and it’s so sweet and genuine bc in that moment where Julie tries to hold his hand, they’re brought back to reality as to what they are and yet, they can’t help but still like one another and appreciate each other bc of what the other person has changed so much in their life.

AND THEN, that scene in the beginning of the last episode how Julie asks to talk to Luke (and Reggie and Alex immediately are like “oop leave them be 👀 they’re having a moment” being the greatest friends that they are) and they’re both standing there, in each others presence, it takes a moment for Julie to say what she wants to but they’re just two kids who ended up in each others lives and they know they like each other but they know they can’t act on those feelings yet they still just have this love for each other is so enduring and charming. The way Luke tells her “anything Julie you know that” MAKES ME MELT like ugh 😩 their dynamic and friendship has grown so much with each other from episode 1 to like now and it’s so just ugh it gets me

When I think how Juke could have been approached if we had gotten a chance, I would have loved to see the new like “glowing touch” development and how that would impact their dynamic. (I just imagine Reggie just hugs Julie all the time bc he can (he just seems like such a hugger and I feel like he’d give good ones🥺) and Alex also will gives her side hugs (they just take advantage of being able to physically touch her bc they don’t know how long they’re able to do it for with their new ghost development)) I feel like Luke and Julie would just be a bit apprehensive since the hand holding thing on the porch, and maybe their hug was just a one time thing.

Would have loved to see Carlos referring to Luke as “Julie’s boyfriend” (he was there for edge of great and stand tall THERES NO WAY he’s thinking anything of than “the sleeveless one is indeed my sisters boyfriend”) would be extra great too with like Luke being in the room and Carlos just says that and Julie quickly trying to make him not talk about it bc it’s embarrassing 💀 her just being like “Carlos, he’s a ghost” and him being like “…hey with you having a boyfriend are you going to have less time with Dad and I bc you’ll be busy kissing him?” And Julie’s face just goes pale as Luke takes the time to take himself out of room meanwhile his face his like bright red

Would have loved to see when Carrie’s redemption is happening and it’s Julie and Carrie and Carrie’s like “sooooo 👀 I’ve seen how you look at your guitarist” and she immediately tries to shut it down but Carrie is like “Jules, we may not have been that close in the past year and some but we’ve known each other for how long? I can see your tells!”

I just think a lot about how this ship, even though they’re not meant to like each other yet they do and still care about each other, would have been approached more if we got the chance

[lvkereggie]

we don’t talk enough abt how excited reggie got when alex said he met a new ghost friend and how whenever alex tells reggie abt something he picked up from willie he always leans forward like he’s only wanting to tell reggie abt it. therefore, i believe alex talks to reggie abt willie and what he teaches him all the time and reggie loves hearing abt it because willie makes alex happy and he loves learning abt what willie taught alex.

[angelwiththeblue-box]

we will fight to shine together, bright forever

.

happy three years to one of my favorite comfort shows ever <3

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taglist: @joshkiszkashusband @thedrowningpoetofdionysus @thedragonemperess @depressedtransguy @someguyiguess @genuine-possum @dramabeansoup @blueskiesandstarrynights (lemme know if you want to be added or removed)

[eepybubble]

angel baby willex lyrics - inspired by this post

I need a lover to keep me sane  Pull me from hell, bring me back again  Play me the classics  Something romantic  Give him my all when I don't even have it

alex has anxiety, it helps to have someone there to calm him down sometimes, someone he can always trust. he also wants someone who will care for him, not just throw him aside, or diminish his emotions. for example how when he cried neither luke or reggie comforted him once, he's affection starved, and wants to be able to give that all back to someone as well

I always dreamed of a solemn face  Someone who feels like a holiday  But now I'm in pieces  Barely believing  Starting to think that I've lost all feeling

willie has been stuck as caleb's puppet for who knows how long, alex gives him a break from all of that, the pressure from caleb and the club just disappears when he's with him. he tried to help alex, he tried to do anything he could for him but bc caleb owns his soul hes stuck for eternity, hes lost all his freedom and because of that alex got hurt too, and now he's falling apart

You came out the blue on a rainy night  No lie  I'll tell you how I almost died  While you're bringing me back to life

willie crashed into alex out of nowhere, alex was freaking out and willie helped him, "brought him back to life" alex came into willies life and gave him something else to live for, he has skateboarding but besides that he was just a slave to caleb, alex makes him happy

I just wanna live in this moment forever  'Cause I'm afraid that living couldn't get any better  Started giving up on the word "forever"  Until you gave up heaven, so we could be together

neither of them ever thought they could have something like this, growing up in the 80's hearing gay used as a slur, they didn't have much hope. now, they met each other in this life, even if it is the afterlife it's the best they've ever been. willie gave up his soul to caleb, then risked his soul for alex. he basically gave up heaven for him. and alex was the most willing to go work for caleb because he wanted to keep willie. he would've done the same just so they could be together

You're my angel  Angel baby, angel  You're my angel, baby  Baby, you're my angel  Angel baby

Soft Boyfriends calling each other angel need i say more?

I fall in love with the little things  Counting the tattoos on your skin  Tell me a secret  And baby, I'll keep it  And maybe we could play house for the weekend

willie definitely has tattoos, alex thinks they're hot. they like to pretend they could settle down and live a perfect life together in their own house, even if they know that's not possible right now

All the sick and twisted nights that I've been waiting for ya  They were worth it all along, yeah

they've been waiting for someone like each other for so long. they never thought it would happen and now they're with each other waiting to hang out any chance they get

[fandomscraziness22]

i’m rereading Daisy Jones and the Six and man alive, i hope when the show comes out someone manages to make a jatp au out of it somehow. i’m really not sure how it would all work, but there are so many quotes in here that are sooooo julie-luke coded, and daisy’s push and pull relationship with billy is so fascinating; what could have been, what should have been, how billy was writing songs for her to sing but she was doing all the things he swore he would stay away from for the sake of his family, how they end up writing songs together and the songs are amazing but the emotional part is too intense. it’s just so interesting and i would love to see something jatp related with it

[nicosniners]

i ask every goddamn day.

[g1rld1ary]

hi baby !! 🧡

im sick rn and ive looked alllllll over and i couldnt find anything could you write a sickfic for luke from jatp where the female!reader gets sick ? reader is his girl 😽

im doing the same prompt on my blog because im so obsessed with the idea of sickfics and im such a luke girl

so you probably wont have much trouble figuring out who sent you this later if you look it up LMFAO 😍😍

pshsshssh thank you !! 🌼🌼

sick days ; luke patterson x fem!reader

➻ synopsis: you're not feeling well, but luke is here to look after you

➻ word count: 1905

➻ content: established relationship, implied aged up to early 20ish, pet names (love, baby, my girl), tooth rotting fluff

➻ obsessed with this request!!! i've never written a sickfic before so hope this is ok!! hope ur feeling better lovey xxxx

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

Your body ached. That was the only thing you could feel. Actually, that was incorrect; you also had a headache and a snotty nose and you were pretty sure your temperature could boil water. In essence, you felt awful. You’d toughed it out for as long as you could, making yourself a steaming hot tea and cozying into the sofa for the night. It wasn’t making you feel any better. So, in a last ditch effort of saving your night, you dialled your boyfriend.

You smiled as his croaky, half-asleep voice came through your phone, murmuring your name.

“I’m sorry, did I wake you?” You asked, brows furrowed as you checked the time, gasping when it read 1:45am. You thought it was still closer to eleven.

“Don’t worry about it, couldn’t sleep anyway,” Luke lied and you frowned, though he couldn’t see it through the screen.

“No, it’s dumb. I’m sorry I woke you up. Night, Luke.” You moved to hang up when Luke interrupted you.

“Baby, wait! Clearly something’s bothering you. What’s up?” You smiled despite your discomfort, your boyfriend always boosting your mood without even trying.

“Nothing,” You pouted in your puddle of blankets, “Just feel sick.” You could feel Luke’s pity without him saying anything and weren’t sure whether to be indignant or grateful.

“Can you stay awake for twenty more minutes, love?”

“I guess so, why?” You asked, turning the TV back on as something to keep you from sleeping.

“I love you,” Was all he said, hanging up on you abruptly. You smiled softly to yourself, willing your eyes to stay open as you tried to focus on the sitcom in front of you.

You were just dozing off when you heard your apartment door unlocking and the brief shuffling of feet in the entryway. Your grin brightened, the familiar butterflies returning to your chest, even after months of being with Luke. The man in questioned approached you quietly, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead as you looked up at him.

“Luke, it’s 2 am, what are you doing here?” You asked despite the obvious answer, opening your shield of blankets for him to crawl onto the sofa with you. He made you wait, tipping out his reusable shopping bag onto the coffee table in front of you. There lay a pint of ice cream, tea bags, painkillers, and your favourite chocolate. Suddenly you weren’t sure if the heat on your face was fever or blush. Silently you held your arms out, and Luke dove into them with all the enthusiasm of a child, peppering your faces with all the kisses he could manage.

“Couldn’t let my girl be sick on her own,” He mumbled, nuzzling himself into the crook of your neck, eliciting a bout of giggles from you.

“My very own Prince Charming,” You grinned, pecking his temple. After a gratuitous moment of cuddling Luke peeled himself off you, taking on the role of concerned caretaker. He was quick to dart into the kitchen, turning the kettle on for your tea and grabbing a spoon for the ice cream he’d bought. Sitting himself in the vacant spot next to you he fixed his focus onto the TV.

“What are we watching?” He asked, pulling the lid off the ice cream tub for you.

“How I Met Your Mother, I’ve just reached season seven.” Luke gasped dramatically, holding his hands over his chest in faux outrage.

“You continued without me? How could you?” You laughed at his accusatory tone, shrugging your shoulders.

“I’m sorry, Lukey. You have to forgive me though, I’m sick,” You punctuated the statement with a pathetic cough, smiling as Luke easily settled down.

You watched in silence for a bit, both giggling at the stupid jokes. After a while you felt Luke looking at you seriously, but chose not to think much of it, continuing to tune in to the show. When he pulled out a thermometer, you raised an eyebrow. Luke wasn’t usually one to be so prepared, but you let him rest it on your tongue nonetheless. When it read a concerningly high number Luke frowned, silently popping the painkillers out of their packaging, feeding you with the insistence of a fed up mother hen.

“Why aren’t you a nurse?” You joked, swallowing the medication with a mouthful of melted ice cream, “Rockstar be damned.”

“Only for you, love.”

“That’s not true, I’ve seen you fretting over Reggie,” You laughed, and Luke couldn’t help but join you.

“That’s fair. You’re my favourite, though.”

“How unexpected.” You craned your neck to press a kiss to his jaw, revelling in the dumb grin that crept onto his face.

You both settled into silence, you leant into Luke’s side, his hands rubbing soft circles into your thigh. You could feel yourself drifting in and out of sleep, never quite able to stay in it for one reason or another. The blanket was too hot, you were cold without it, your head hurt. Nothing was quite right and all you wanted to do was sleep for as long as humanly possible.

“Luke?” You whispered, in case he was already asleep.

“Yes, love?” He replied, shifting his position to look down at you. You faltered for a moment, overwhelmed with the pure adoration in his eyes.

“Will you play for me?” Luke was up in a second, arranging you on the sofa. You giggled as he manhandled you, lying you down and wrapping you tightly in your blanket so you couldn’t escape. You teased him about being his captive audience as he tuned his guitar quickly, never being so grateful for his perfect pitch.

Without anymore holdups Luke began to play, plucking softly at the strings to create a melody that filled the air of your little apartment. His playing was like a siren call, pressing weights on your eyelids until you could barely stand to keep them open. You watched him while you could, admiring the way the faint light from the kitchen lamp made him look like an Adonis, his hair illuminated in gold and his features accentuated by the shadows. You couldn’t believe he was your boyfriend. Luke Patterson, heartthrob of Julie and the Phantoms was your dorky, adoring boyfriend who would make supermarket trips in the middle of the night for you. Who had your favourite ice cream memorised and your key attached to his, so he could come see you whenever he missed you (which was pretty much always).

Despite the various aches and pains that had overtaken your body, the only thing you could feel as you drifted off to sleep was the burning ball of light in your chest, a chemical mixture of joy and love and gratitude, overtaking your senses one by one until you were asleep, dreams filled of beautiful images of your boyfriend.

When you woke up the next morning, you figured out it wasn’t morning at all. Luke had evidently switched off your phone’s alarm after you’d fallen asleep, and it was well into early afternoon when you’d arisen. To his credit though, the sleep had done you some good, and you felt much less like walking death after an intense sleep.

You untangled yourself from the knit blanket, your feet wobbly on the hard wood floors. You had serious post-nap daze, and wandered through your flat looking for your boyfriend. The poorly made sheets on your actual bed told you where Luke slept last night — or this morning, more accurately — you smiled at the way he’d arranged your stuffed animals.

Stuck to the fridge under your New York City magnet was a note from Luke, explaining he had to go to rehearsal but he’d be back later to check on you. You pulled the paper off, travelling back to your room to put the note in your ‘Luke’ box, adding to the collection of notes and drawings he’d given you inconsequentially that you’d held onto.

As the afternoon ticked by you’d gotten onto your computer, figuring that although you were still ill you should try and get something productive done. You were armed with your box of tissues as you got started on an assignment you had due at the end of the week, and slipped your headphones on to get into the headspace.

You screamed as a pair of arms wrapped around you from behind, quickly dissolving into giggles as you realised it was only Luke, back from rehearsal.

“Your voice still sounds scratchy, baby, how are you feeling?” He asked, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

“Better, promise. Tomorrow I’ll probably go to class if I get another good night’s sleep.”

“That’s my girl.” He grinned, and you felt your insides melting all over again. You closed the laptop, knowing you weren’t going to get much more done now that Luke was with you.

You spent the evening together, ordering in pizza from the place around the corner and getting slightly wine drunk as Luke told you all about his earlier rehearsal and the antics of his band. He sang you part of the new song he and Julie had written and you applauded dramatically, only stopping when you broke into a coughing fit.

“Wanna watch something?” He asked when you grew tired again, cuddling up to him like a cat.

“Barbie?” You asked hopefully, looking up at him with wide eyes. Luke sighed dramatically, but you knew he was just pretending not to like the animated movies you’d grown up on.

“Only if it’s Island Princess,” He offered and you nodded enthusiastically.

The two of you settled in for the movie night, Luke getting much more into the movie as it went on, as he always did. By the end you were singing duets — your voice considerably less pleasing than his, especially due to your illness — Luke taking on the role of the prince letting you be Ro.

As the credits rolled you felt your eyes closing again, and you felt eerily like you did as a younger girl, falling asleep on the couch after a Barbie movie. This was better though, because now you had Luke next to you. He’d taken his role as big spoon extremely seriously, and had all but become one with the couch, pressing into the back as he wrapped his arms around you tightly.

You shifted your position to face him, watching his face relax into contentedness as he tried to doze off to sleep. Feeling you watch him he cracked one eye open, mouth producing a dumb grin that made butterflies erupt in your chest.

“What?” He asked, but you got the distinct impression he knew exactly what you were thinking.

“Nothing,” You lied, but gave in easily, “You’re pretty.”

“You’re pretty too. Now go to sleep.” You nodded, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

“Kay, goodnight Lukey. I love you.”

“Love you too, my girl. So much.” His answer was muffled by him pressing his face into your hair to pull you closer, but you couldn’t wipe the smile from your face even as sleep enveloped you.

[mouse-fantoms]

There’s just something wholesome imagining the band making snowmen/snow angels, having snowball fights, going sledding, being cozy in sweaters that Reggie somehow made (he finds a way and all them wear them bc how can you not wear a Reggie gift? He got so excited when presenting them to everyone), snuggling together by a fireplace on a cold winter day, it’s purely for the vibes

it always cracks me up to read jatp fics set in winter cause they're doing all the winter stuff, snow, sweaters and all that and like, that place barely gets below 70°

[breakaway71]

On the Death of a Fandom

I saw a post recently that I haven't been able to stop thinking about. In it, someone mentioned Julie and the Phatoms being a dead or dying fandom. Someone replied rather heatedly denying this phrasing.

Okay. Listen, this fandom has owned my entire heart for four years. I've written hundreds of thousands of words and I see no signs of slowing down anytime soon. And I'm sorry, I really am, but no matter how much I love it, it is a dying fandom. It's impossible to deny. There has been no new content to provide fuel for years. Look at the amount of engagement on fics from three or four years ago, then from two years ago, then now. There has been a massive decline even from a single year ago. I'm admittedly on the fringes, primarily writing crossovers, gen fic, or one of the less popular ships, but you can't deny the facts. Because for all that gen fic is not generally popular, Family Matters - a fic that was written very early on, and definitely not the best or most cohesive work - is still the most kudos'd JATP fic on AO3. Meanwhile, the stories I've written in 2023/2024 - most of which I'd argue are far better - are lucky to still be hitting double digits.

I have literally experienced the entire range of this fandom, most popular to least and every angle in between, and I have witnessed the steep decline, the slow death, the masses of people who moved on to other things and never came back, especially after the cancellation announcement.

And it sucks, obviously it sucks, but that shouldn't stop the people who love it from still loving it. It shouldn't stop people, new to the fandom or old friends, from engaging with it. Because, yeah, the fandom is dying, but it's also still here. There are a lot of us still not willing to let it go. Call it life support.

JATP is not the first dying fandom I've been a part of. It won't be the last. The way we engage with media has changed so radically from what it was ten, twenty, thirty years ago that fandom deaths happen so much more swiftly and brutally now. There isn't a lot of staying power anymore, especially for shows that were streamed from a place like Netflix, shows that never even got multiple seasons. Frankly, it's a miracle there are still any of us here at all, and that does speak to how much this show meant (and still means) to so many people.

But dying or not, that doesn't mean you shouldn't find the joy where you can. it doesn't mean you should feel strange if you got into this fandom late and want to create for it now. My last fic gave me a ton of joy to write, and received all of 13 kudos. And I treasured every damn one of them all the more for knowing how few people are left to have enjoyed it.

Don't be offended that people understand when a fandom is dying. Just do what you can to keep it going as long as possible, for as long as it continues to mean something to you and give you any amount of happiness it can.

[adorethedistance]

Julie and The Phantoms Cast Masterlist

Julie and The Phantoms Characters Masterlist

New masterlist to split up the cast versus character fics that I’ve written because there’s so many oh my gosh.

✮ - personal fave

Charlie Gillespie - sfw

Rose Garden ✧ Charlie is your suitor, and if he gets his way, soon to be your betrothed. However, he won’t be if you have any say in the matter.

Down For the Count ✧ After a hard fall resulting in a bad injury, your boyfriend Charlie comes to the rescue to be your care taker at the same time as he has a Live with Owen.

Lucky Charm ✧ Meeting Charlie at the rink after hockey practice for date night leads him to take you to his favorite pizza spot, and gifts you an honor you can’t refuse.

Costume Department ✧ Your aunt is the JATP costume designer and one day whilst working on set, your talking with the girls of the cast makes you realize just how strong your feelings for Charlie are.

Tough Competition ✧ Savannah simulates a dance competition for you after learning you’ve never been in one, and your secret relationship with Charlie slowly surfaces to your cast mates.

Betrothed ✧ Evading love for so long has its consequences, but the resistance just might have paid off when you meet a certain prince who’s searching for his princess.

✮ Winners and Losers ✧ Charlie’s day off consists of spending time with his favorite girl, and making bets that he’s seemingly destined to lose.

Charlie Gillespie - nsfw

A Helping Hand ✧ Your best friend Charlie is shocked to hear you’ve been deprived of a certain sexual experience, and is more than willing to help fix that. (18+)

All Day Affair ✧ A rough night before leads to a slow morning after, causing you and Charlie to be late to Valentine’s brunch plans. All is forgiven and all is forgotten when he makes it up to you in the best way he can. (18+)

Everlasting Crushes ✧ Charlie has been your best friend since high school, and secret crush for just as long. When a drunken night in the club results in you getting friendly with strangers, Charlie steps in to claim his girl. (18+)

✮ Impressive ✧ Renowned hockey all-star Charlie Gillespie is a pleasant disaster on his own, but once he asks you to tutor him, you learn he might not be so bad after all. (18+)

Tempting ✧ Coming to an agreement on how your friends with benefits arrangement will work, Charlie invites you over for another study session that doesn’t isn’t very productive. (18+ sequel to Impressive.)

✵ - ✵ - ✵ - ✵ - ✵ - ✵

Owen Patrick Joyner - sfw

Dating Owen Joyner Would Include… ✧  Bullet points of boyfriend!Owen headcanons.

✮ Hey Princess ✧ Dating a Netflix star can be tough in the way of getting recognized in public, but being a Disney Princess just may give Owen a run for his money.

Party Hard ✧ Going from tipsy to full on drunk is a terrible idea, but especially when you’ve got a secret to hide that could mean the difference between preserving and ruining your relationship with your best friend.

Reading My Boyfriend’s Fanfiction?? ✧ Being an influencer meant this day was a long time coming: it was time to put Owen on your channel.

A Pretty Good Bad Idea ✧ Touring with the Julie and The Phantoms cast as a dancer has been the best time of your life, and the only thing that could make it better is the reciprocated affections of a cute, blond drummer.

They’re Not You ✧ You’ve been successful in avoiding and ignoring your romantic feelings for your best friend… so far.

Doomsayers ✧ Owen had to practically harass you to get you to relax on your mutual day off, but the quality time together takes an unexpected turn when you exhibit a small sense of self-doubt.

New Neighbors ✧ Whilst your two best friends are helping you move into your new place, you find out that your next door neighbor is a major cutie who is totally into you, too.

✮ Baby Fever ✧ You and Owen spend a day at the zoo babysitting Baby Shada, and her presence sparks conversation about adding a new presence of your very own.

✮ City Slicker, Cowboyfriend ✧ You’re starting to have doubts about moving all the way to Norman until a shopping trip to Ikea turns into the meet-cute you’ve been waiting for.

Mesmerizing ✧ Crashing at your best friend’s place after a shitty date for the third time causes some sexual tension to bubble to the surface.

Chocolate Cake ✧ Owen’s new place is finally mold free, and he’s invited you over to stay the night. Being petite has more disadvantages than advantages, two of which are a teasing boyfriend and large dog breeds.

Only Need Five ✧ Breaking up with your boyfriend proves difficult when he follows you to your after-breakup plans. Owen puts you at ease and performs a less than innocent song he wrote about your chemistry together. (Indirect sequel to Tell Me Your Favorite Song.)

Wrap Party ✧ Unconvinced Owen is crushing on you, you show up to the cast party ready to let loose with the girls. The night takes an unexpected turn the Owen claims to be the expert on date-nights.

✮ Lazy Day, Stupid Question ✧ You and Owen take a well-deserved lazy day nap together, before movie night in the Joyner-Gillespie household. After recalling a certain reddit post, you make a discovery about the ways of men.

Owen Patrick Joyner - nsfw

Pity Prom? ✧ After learning you’ve never attended a prom, Owen takes it upon himself to recreate the most magical dance you’ve ever had. (18+)

Tell Me Your Favorite Song ✧ Your inattentive boyfriend is falling inferior to a certain drummer from your AP Lit class, who gets to know you better inside and out. (18+)

Say No to This + Unbiased Source ✧ Being cast as Mariah Reynolds means you’ve got your work cut out for you, and to add to the pressure, Owen, your Alexander is exuding a sexual tension you’ve never seen before. Hopefully, no one notices.

✵ - ✵ - ✵ - ✵ - ✵ - ✵

Platonic!Cast

✮ Sculpin and White Claws ✧ Your ‘not-quite girlfriend’ has come over to yours, Charlie’s, and Owen’s shared apartment; your evening is disrupted by the energetic antics of two idiot boys in the other room.

The Best-Worst Day ✧ Bad days are manageable when Charlie and Owen are the best roommates a girl could ask for.

[solibrie]

sorry i'm being self indulgent gimme a sec . jatp as rapture (a bff discord server i'm in) quotes

julie: lord the white people you put on this planet are poisoning themselves luke: julie you're such a talented singer you can literally make me like any song reggie: yeah i didn't even know the mona lisa song was by brendon urine. yuri? alex: help. reggie: brenan. what's his name. panic at the disco

flynn: those words don't please my spirit willie: well your spirit can take a hike, pal

reggie: wait wait wait. everyone. i lost my pants. i could've sworn they were on my body julie: ??? reggie: where did my pants go luke: how high are you right now alex: you LOST them? reggie: SOBER. I'M ON DAY 4 NO WEED. THIS IS JUST #ME

willie: you have to experience the lows alex: i'm not already doing that ?

luke: [shakes a magic 8ball] should i lie to my bandmates? 8ball: without a doubt

julie: chris brown's been found murdered in a costco after alex did his little dancey dance

reggie: gonna ask if they're looking for a third but at this point the line's so long i'd be lucky to be a fifth

luke: in some alternate world, "stand tall" brought world peace

flynn: @/everyone if you had to think of an animal that screams socially progressive and fiscally conservative what animal would it be? reggie: girl wait flynn: HUH? reggie: my answer isn't girl

alex: the gang goes to ital y willie: ital luke: y reggie: ital julie: y alex: thanks guys reggie: new call and response just dropped julie: when i say ital you say y

reggie: i haven't seen the matrix either flynn: hand over the bi flag mr peters

willie: we should be able to put actors in gender studies classes against their wills

flynn: what if i gathered a bunch of twigs and sticks and made a giant bird's nest and then tied you to the nest a la looney tunes and then summoned a flock of ravens to peck at you until the mother bird imprints on you and sees you as a surrogate child and then raises you with them until its time for them to kicked out and then she throws you out of the nest but you can't fly because you're a human and so you fall and die julie: flynn you're insane flynn: HOW AM I INSANE

luke: you can't spell wednesday without "he" julie: yes you can? luke: wait fuck

reggie: who are you calling gay alex: yes

reggie: [shaking a magic 8ball] do you like my songs 8ball: very doubtful

willie: i think all straight people should be allowed to cheat in a gay way

luke: i'm giggling can you tell i'm swinging my feet in the air giggling alex: i can tell can you tell i'm exploding you?

reggie: a tank is just like the horse of cars

julie: i don't think i've ever met a clown that spoke? alex: luke speaks.

alex: they hate me for my sparkling water swag flynn: it's not swag.

julie: i think all of sunset curve should go to sleep. except for luke who should stay up and repent

[silent-silver-slip]

20 Questions for AO3 Writers

@librarylexicon Thanks for the tag!

How many fics on ao3 have you posted?

378! Because I am somewhat insane

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

2,070,160

3. What fandoms do you write for?

I actively write for Harry Potter, Naruto, Julie and the Phantoms, and Avatar: The Last Airbender.

I can, apparently, be convinced to write for BNHA, Howl's Moving Castle, Star Wars, Spiritfarer, Percy Jackson, and the Inheritance Cycle. There are probably others I'd be willing to explore too, but I've yet to actively write for them.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Sea Dreams - Probably unsurprising, actually. This is a Naruto fic and is the first one in the series. Complete AU beginning with a Uchiha surviving the massacre, who also turns out to be a reincarnated ninja. Uzushio all the way!

Relight These Embers - ATLA. This is a super fun one I got to write that explores Zuko and Azula in a world slightly to the left of canon.

Never Surrender - HP. What if Regulus was sorted into Gryffindor? (This now has a rewritten version! It's completed and updating weekly at the moment.)

Trust In Your Companions - ATLA. Zuko & various animals.

If you've got life, you've got fight - HP. Regulus Black is reincarnated as Draco Malfoy. Needless to say, this changes a lot. But also not much at all.

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yep! It might take a while, but I always do so. Well, aside from some awful ones that it's better off ignoring...

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Honestly, in terms of fanfiction, I don't really do angsty endings! I like my happy endings too much, or maybe my hopeful endings. The idea that, even if things aren't alright now, they might one day be okay.

I reckon the most angsty is probably 'If I could take us back, if I could just do that' (JATP), because there's no resolution at all there. That said, 'dancing on the tightrope (don't cut the wire)' (Naruto) is a little bit angsty too, because there's an element to hopelessness to it that definitely cuts to the quick. But there's also the idea of just... going on anyway, I guess. Then there's two HP fics that are technically angsty as well - 'there is always what comes after' and 'all you can do (is go on)'.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Happiest ending? God, I don't know. But I've narrowed it down to three that have endings I particularly like.

this band is back & it's been years - JATP. Less so for the ending itself, and more so for what the story means to me. There's something about friendships that kind of broke down, and also fell wayside, and reconnecting and finding some new, finding something better, finding something stronger, that appeals to me so very much. Writing this fic absolutely healed something broken within me, I think. And, sure, it'll break again, but I always have this to fall back to.

For similar reasons, though not the exact same, I must also mention 'Let's get the band back together'. (JATP) I think I really found myself realising how I'd grown as a writer while writing this, which was fun, and this is a much softer fic too. There's something about finding a home and finding your people that is just fucking fantastic.

Lastly - 'and then, suddenly, you hear the ocean' (Naruto). For a fic that is cemented in grief and death, the healing and recovery of this fic soothes something within me.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Got heaps back on ff.net back in the day! And I have gotten a fair few things on ao3 too, which sucks heaps. It's not the easiest thing to deal with, but I'm lucky that when it really hits me, I've got some people I can turn to and ask for a much more objective truth. It works, most of the time.

9. Do you write smut?

Nope

10. Do you write crossovers?

Eh, not really. It doesn't appeal to me that much, to be honest.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Less stolen as such, but definitely appeared on other websites before - you know the ones that access websites via another platform or whatever? They've probably been scraped or whatever before too, I imagine.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, which is super exciting! @dragonsampersanddragons has done two fics ('Cover Your Eyes (The Devil Inside)' and 'The Sea Never Looked Back') into French, and 'on to war' (HP) has been translated into Russian.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not anything that was ever finished or published!

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

Lol, I don't have one. Definitely don't care for romance. Love me a good QPR, found family, or friendship though!

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you will?

Oooh, there's an old story idea I once had called Threads of Magic that I would love to explore. But it also has a lot of hurt associated with it now, so doubt it'll ever happen.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think it's characterisation, probably! If only because I tend to try and always make my characters 3D, and I think that shows up. Sometimes I manage to do some awesome dialogue lines which is always nice, but not always.

(17????)

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I'd do it! Probably comes from the fact I've worked with other languages in the past, and also conlang (god, it's so hard, kudos to anyone who manages it). Occasionally, I might just go 'x said in y' or something. Otherwise (though I've never done it), I'd probably do that thing on ao3 where you can have the formatting so translation shows up when you click/hover over it. It's neat as hell.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I think it was Harry Potter lol. Or maybe Percy Jackson? I wrote original work first, so that's what sticks more I think.

20. Favourite fic you've written?

I've already mentioned a few of them! That said, it tends to be what I've written more recently. Particular shout outs to:

Sea Dreams (and the entire series) (Naruto) - Toru, hope, and found family. Enough said.

this band is back & its been years (JATP) - As mentioned, it healed something in me

Let's get the band back together (JATP) - Friendships grown distant and making them anew

laughter so loud even the stars can hear (Naruto) - The vibes??? are so soft???

with them, i am home (and the love is a choice series) (ATLA) - Honestly, this rarepair was pretty fun to explore

how rare and beautiful it truly is that we exist (series; and more specifically i don't believe that love was made to break) - Urban fantasy!! Strange lake creatures!! fae!!

Trumpets 'verse - JATP. Still one of the funniest things I think I ever wrote

Here's To Us (Here's To Love) - Naruto. Found family/friendship of Team 7. Just them and their softness.

Okay this took way longer than I expected, so no idea who to tag. Anyone can pick it up - and I hope you have fun doing it!

[mac-lilly]

JATP fic ideas that live rent-free in my head

A compilation post to keep track of all the jatp stories that I will never write ...

Stuff I've actually written

Juke:

Juke Kitchen

Alone Together

Strumming the Soul

Beautiful

Heartbeat

Willex:

Hotdog and Cold dog

Cross my heart and hope to die (again)

A night to remember:

Just one more night (Luke)

Tomorrow (Reggie)

Ghostwriter:

Snippet 1

Snippet 2

Snippet 3

Hamster!Luke

Doodle

Canon-Compliant (kinda)

The inevitabilities of (after)life

(Boys coming back to life but without memories - Juke)

After their performance at The Orpheum, the guys suddenly start seeing a magical light, and they figure it's time to cross over. Before they leave, however, Julie and Luke accidentally seal a magical pact with unfathomable consequences. (And they kiss.) And then the boys are gone.

However, a year later, just after coming to terms with the guys' departure, Julie's world is turned upside-down (again) when a very alive Luke suddenly reenters her life. And it's not just him -- Alex and Reggie are back too. But to Julie's horror and agony, all three have lost their memories. (And not just them. With the exception of Bobby, nobody remembers them.)

And so, Julie has to make a decision: Fight to unseal their memories or let them live their new-found lives without her?

It's an easy choice, really. Plus, she has to make her resurrected Phantoms stay alive. Because there's a series of uncanny and nearly fatal accidents that always involve her boys and, weirdly, Nick.

(There are 1.75 chapters of this on my PC.)

Ghost license

(inspired by the movie "Hui Buh" - no focus on romance)

The boys get tasked to obtain a ghost license for the Molina house. Otherwise, they have to leave the place and become wayward ghosts (and have to return to Caleb.) And thus, the Phantoms are forced to attend a school for ghosts -- exams included.

Random character stuff:

Julie's doodling

Luke's room

AUs

Songwriting Journal of Fate

(A Kimi no Na Wa AU - Juke)

Part I

Part II

Part III

Snippet 1

Snippet 2

Show me how to be whole again

An arranged marriage/enemies-to-reluctant-allies-to-friends-to-lovers Juke AU

Plot

BAM! I'm actually writing this one.

AO3 Link

Image Board

Sweet Home Alabama AU

Yet another enemies-to-friends-to-almost-lovers-to-enemies-to-friends&lovers Juke AU.

Teaser

First & Last Scene

"Life with Derek"-inspired AU

Teaser/Prologue

Rivers of London AU

Julie, a witch in training, and Luke, a ghost

Snippet 1

Snippet 2

Snippet 3

Phantom Thieves

(A Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne AU (without the religious stuff) - Juke)

Julie makes a deal with Caleb: She helps him collect/steal possessed artifacts, and in exchange, he'll grant her a chance to talk to her mom again.

At first, it goes pretty well. She steals the objects and hands them over to Caleb. But soon, she gets a rival. Another thief shows up, who is way too cheeky and attractive, and he starts snatching those items Julie is supposed to steal from under her nose. Julie is not amused by his attitude, and Caleb tells her that he probably wants to use these magical items for evil.

At the same time, Julie makes acquaintance with three guys who just transferred to her school, and she may or may not develop a crush on one of them. (And Julie can't help but see certain similarities between Luke and her new-found thievish rival ... but surely that's just a coincidence, right?)

Mind the Gap

(A Neverwhere AU - Willex & (minor) Juke)

Alex lives a pretty normal life. Sure, after he came out to his parents, he's become an outcast. But he's willing to put up with this shit anyway. (What are the alternatives?)

Then he encounters Willie, an extremely weird but also handsome guy who tells him that he is being hunted. Confused, Alex helps him hide. The next day, Willie is gone, and suddenly his life seems to vanish. His parents, his peers -- everyone seems to forget that he exists.

Determined to set things right, Alex sets out to find Willie, hoping that he (or the person he's running away from) has the power to give him his life back. He enters the World Below -- the place where all the people who've all fallen through the cracks stand. However, as he keeps gathering a group of unlikely and way too cheerful acquaintances who quickly become his friends (and more), he starts questioning his desire to return to the normal world.

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

Fandom: JATP - LI: Alex my boy

Callum Walker in TBD (😭)

Callum Walker honestly thought that he was doing a pretty good job with this whole ghost thing. Sure, being forever seventeen was starting to suck, he could have been in college right now, but it wasn't all bad. He had his guitar, he had his skateboard, and he had his friends. Well, a friend. Wille. But he didn't need anything or anyone else, really. But when a new band of ghosts shows up, one that can be seen, one with a cute boy who'd latched onto Willie, Callum's perfect little afterlife is starting to get a lot messier than he'd ever wanted

[thedeathdeelers]

Julie as an exorcist for hire and Luke as her ghost partner au (Bring it On Ghost 😌)

and/or

JATP characters meet working a a pet store au (let’s pretend it’s a super ethical one where all the pets are rescues ok lol)

HOOO BOY OK ok ok ok OK

edit: uh. yeah. good luck reading this it’s so long but then so rushed idk man enjoy……….

edit 2: wait shit i just reread your ask and u specifically said julie exorcist and luke ghost…..I APOLOGISE. STILL WORKS………….

get it on ghost au:

so luke’s always been plagued with the gift of seeing ghosts - he hates it, it’s mostly annoying when they show up unannounced declaring that he has to help them — and worst of all, it’s exhausting having to get rid of the creepy ones in ways other than just guiding them spiritually (ie beating the crap out of them)

it took up too much of his time and he just wanted to focus on his music man

he figures out at one point tho that he can make a business out of it — make some money by advertising his skills (without his parents knowing cause well. they wouldn’t necessarily agree to it) and getting people to pay him to ‘exorcise’ ie beat the crap out of ghosts that refuse to move on and just insist on haunting the living

(alex and reggie know about this of course. esp when they suddenly have nicer practice rooms to chill in. alex isn’t thrilled he’s actually terrified, but reggie just wants to join in on all the client calls luke gets)

AND THIS IS WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING: so one day luke gets a text from a potential client asking him to head over to the abandoned los feliz high school building (that particular building was shut down a couple years ago because of a tragedy and hasn’t really been dealt with yet)

BUT BASICALLY the text asks him to check out the building cause there’s this one notorious ghost that keeps scaring all the high school students in the buildings nearby and they just need it to be dealt with (he’s seen those high school kids running past it like their lives depended on it

luke’s happy to oblige, especially when he finds out how much the client is willing to pay, and heads over — only to get the surprise of a lifetime. he meets a ghost who 1. turns out to be the one who texted him (so he’s not getting paid and that’s not great news) and 2. is a cute girl who looks very much human and not like any of the other ghosts he’s met before

he’s taken aback, especially when she kicks his ass (and helps him kick the resident ghost’s ass)

it’s a whole cat and mouse thing for a while, she keeps following him whenever he’s alone and he keeps telling her to leave him alone (mostly cause she’s hella cute and he seriously can’t afford to catch feelings for a dead girl yknow). he tells her she needs to pay him or move on and she keeps insisting that she just wants to figure out who she is!! how she died!! who her family is!! so that she can move on!!!

so they strike up a deal: he helps her (her name’s julie, by the way) figure out who she is, the mystery revolving her death and why she can’t remember anything, and she, in turn, helps him on the job (she’s got a wicked left kick), slowly paying him back with her skills since she never paid him for that one job (the abandoned high school building, remember that?)

so she tags along wherever he goes (at first to his dismay), even joining in on band practice (the boys know of her existence and try to be as considerate as possible considering they can’t see her)

things start to change between the two the second luke hears julie sing, fingers slipping on metal strings when she follows the melody perfectly and holy shit he’s a goner (the boys are confused af they’ve never seen luke lose focus when it comes to band practice)

THEY SPEND THE NIGHT TALKING AND HE FINDS OUT SHE DIDNT EVEN KNOW SHE COULD SONG- he tries to get her to play various instruments to see maybe she was into that and turns out she can play piano!! and oh?? SHE CAN ALSO WRITE SONGS??? match made in heaven soulmates luke’s fucked and fully in love with a ghost etc etc

ah fuck this is getting long i’m so sorry but let me continue:

so this is where we meet our antagonist: the music teacher at los feliz, the one luke’s seen loitering around the high school (alex goes to that school and whenever luke stopped by for lunch he’d see the somewhat creepy teacher)

and he gets a bad feeling from him every single time

TO MAKE THIS SHORT LMAO: turns out julie’s accident had soemthing to do with the teacher, caleb covington, and turns out she was a student at that school!! 10 years ago!!

ALSO: SHES BOT ACTUALLY DEAD? SHES IN A COMA????? what a plot twist. it’s why she looks so normal so human. it’s why she’s never felt like any other ghost.

anyway stuff happens luke figures out caleb is some weird powerful ghost demon who sucks the life out of students for their talents and that’s what happened to julie except he never managed to finish the job.

luke finds a way to bring her back to life and together they fight caleb and it’s A HAPPY ENDING OH JESUS

do you still want the pet store au??? lmao

julie starts working at a pet store, she meets reggie first, and he takes her round the store introducing her to all the animals and staff members and when they reach the puppies section they find a guy their age on the floor on his back being attacked by several puppies (licking his face) and it’s the cutest thing julie’s seen in a while

that is until reggie shouts “luke! new person coming through” and the boy on the floor sits up and julie sees his face and decides actually. that’s the cutest thing she’s seen in a while

anyway.

coworkers romance and all that jazz 😌

she finds out he sings to the scared puppies and agitated animals at the store, and it melts her heart. he hears her sing along to one of his songs one day, matching the harmony perfectly, and he melts.

they fall in love and live happily ever after the end

AAAAAAH

[invisibleraven]

Phantom Carols

For the @jatp-adventevent prompt: Queer Day

Day Seventeen: Done We Now Our Gay Apparel <-AO3!

Julie comes to him as a teen and tells Ray that she thinks she likes girls and boys. Ray pulls her into a hug, tells her he loves her, is proud of her, and he’ll happy welcome anyone she brings home… when she’s old enough to date. She rolls her eyes and whines, but the small bitten off smile tells him all he needs to know as she skips off, presumably to tell Rose.

Ray breathes out a breath, running his palm down over his face and then grins. He loves that Julie is able to tell him this kind of stuff, and that the world is a kinder, though not perfect place for queer people now. He remembers the hatred from his college years towards his LBGT peers, and the subtle undercurrent of derision when both he and Rose tried a few things out, with her liking everyone, and Ray falling more on the ‘heteroflexible’ side of things, but happy enough to have a bit of fun if the opportunity arose.

When Julie is old enough to date, she and Flynn decide to go together with their dates, which Rose thinks is adorable, and Ray feels like it will make things way less tense for the girls. Julie is going with some guy from the lacrosse team. “Who’s the lucky guy Flynn?” he had asked as the girls got ready.

“Girl, actually,” Flynn replied. “I’m a lesbian.” She finished applying her eyeliner, then turned to look at Ray. “It’s Carrie, by the way.”

“Well then, good job. You’re both lucky girls.”

Flynn scrunched in on herself at that, and then bit her bottom lip. “I… I don’t identify as a girl actually. I’m non-binary, I’m using they/them pronouns now. Is that okay?”

Ray gathers her into a hug at that, assuring her-them-that it is, and promises to try and remember and be respectful. He’s never met anyone who identifies as non-binary, but for Flynn, who is practically a second daughter to him, he’s more than willing to learn.

A year later, Julie brings home her bandmates. Ray likes those boys, they’re sweet and respectful, and the music they make is pretty darn good. Rose has a smile for each of them as they come in the house, and she always has a tray of snacks at the ready for them. Today though, she’s out shopping, so Ray throws something together to bring out. Julie is squat between Luke and Reggie on the couch, the three of them hunched over a notebook.

But Alex is sitting on the armchair, another boy practically in his lap, playing with his hair. “Oh hey Mr. M!” he says with a wave. “This is my boyfriend Willie.”

“Yo!” Willie says with a jaunty wave.

“Very nice to meet you Willie,” Ray replies. “You’re welcome any time.” He turns to Julie then. “Make sure to get your homework done amidst all the song writing please, and dinner tonight is lasagne if anyone wants to stay.”

He leaves the garage then, but just after he clears the door, he hears Julie say. “I told you he wouldn’t care. He’s not like your parents.”

“I know, but he’s still a dad,” Alex replies. “He just… happens to be a good one.”

Ray has to smile at that, and by the time the band meets up again, there’s a Pride flag in the window and Alex beams when he sees it, nodding at Ray when he greets him.

Luke actually comes out to Rose, and Ray just happens to be there. He approaches shyly, asking her if she thinks Julie would say yes to a movie date if he asked. Rose beams and says yes, but he’d be better off asking Julie herself.

“And you don’t mind that I’m…” he trails off, but moves his cut off so the scars are visible.

“No,” Ray says firmly. “If Julie knows and doesn’t care, then why should we?”

“She knows,” Luke says. “And that I’m pan, and she likes me just the same. She’s pretty accepting.”

“Well I’m pansexual too, so she grew up knowing that who you are attracted to doesn’t mean squat as long as you’re a good person,” Rose replied, and Luke offers her a fist bump at that. Ray grins, and thanks whatever force sent these boys to Julie, and to them. He knows not every parent would be as cool with it, and from the whispers he's heard, some of these boys parents are not.

Reggie is the last one to come out, and it’s in a weird, roundabout way. Julie and Luke march into the house, Reggie in tow and tell Ray that they’re all dating now.

“O…kay, you want to give me more details there mija?”

“I’m bisexual,” Reggie says, his eyes downcast. “I… I kind of just figured it out recently.” He lights up though when Ray grips his shoulder, offering him a warm smile. Ray has a fondness for Reggie, and any chance to make his sunshiney self come out, he takes.

“We all like each other, so why not all date?” Luke supplies.

“Love triangles are stupid, especially when polyamory is a easy solution,” Julie finishes.

Ray and Rose exchange glances, but re-assert that they love them all, and whatever they need, all they have to do is ask. There’s a lot of hugging and tears, but Ray can see those boys adore Julie and each other, so what more can he ask? Life will be hard enough on them, he doesn't need to add to it just because he doesn't understand it yet.

He and Rose spend a lot of time researching after that, but they always let their kids... all their kids know that they are loved, accepted, and safe in their home. If the guys spend more and more time there after that, well Rose just starts buying more snacks, and Ray offers as many dad hugs as they need.

That holiday season, Ray puts up a small tree in the garage. The kids all spend most of their time there anyways. And knowing the varying levels of acceptance from their respective families, bedecks the tree in as many queer themed ornaments as possible. It's a rainbow mish-mash of flags and hearts, but it's theirs. Everyone loves it, and when he brings snacks out this time, he catches the conversation as they take it in.

“Man are there any actually straight people close to us?” Alex comments wryly.

“Tia Victoria?” Luke offers.

“She’s aro-ace actually,” Willie replies. “She told me herself when I came out as demi.”

“Carlos?” Luke proposes.

“Carlos is twelve,” Julie says and Ray can almost hear the eye roll. “He's still figuring himself out.”

“You dad,” Reggie replied.

“You rang?” Ray says as he comes in, setting down the tray of hot cocoa and cookies.

“We’re just saying you might be the only straight person we know,” Julie says as she thanks him for the treats.

“Who said I was straight?” Ray replies with a wink, walking out, whistling Jingle Bells, and giggling to himself at the gobsmacked teenagers he left behind.