Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Luke knocked at Julie’s door like she’d asked all of them to do so many times at this point he’d probably knock on her door if it was open.

No answer.

She had to be in there though, where else could she be?

He really wanted to show her the song they had been working on at practice earlier. He thought he’d gotten the next verse fixed but needed her brilliant mind to confirm it really was as good as he thought.

He took a deep breath and he took his afterlife in his hands and walked though her bedroom door.

He stopped, looking around at the seemingly empty room except for the large lump in the middle of the bed. Julie seemed to be buried completely under the covers.

At first he thought maybe she was asleep. He’d just seen her a couple hours ago at band practice just after dinner, but it wasn’t that late yet.

Julie tended to be a bit of a night owl like he was, even on a school night. So he was as little worried if she’d actually already gone to sleep.  

The comforter shifted, and then settled again, as he stood at the foot of her bed like a creep.

“Julie?”

Still no response.

He should really leave, but what if she was sick?

He wasn’t sure how to check without scaring her. She obviously couldn’t hear him for some reason.

Pull the blanket back?

Stick his head through the blanket?

He chewed on his lip and swayed on his heels trying to make a decision.

He knew what he wanted to do…

Fuck it.

He kicked off his shoes and poofed under the bedspread beside her.

“Shit!” Julie jumped and dropped the phone she was holding and pulled out her ear buds. “Luke! You scared me to death, what the hell!?”

“Sorry, sorry! I did all the things! I knocked and I called your name several times.” He bit his lip. “I was just worried when you didn’t respond and I didn’t know what else to do.”

She sighed and nodded taking deep breaths trying to slow her breathing back down. “Ok, ok, your second death has been postponed. What did you want?”

He finally gave her a good look and noticed the tear tracks on her cheeks. She wasn’t crying now but she definitely had been.

“Why are you under here Jules?”

She looked at him a long time. It was weird being under the comforter like this, like they were the only two people in the world.

“Sometimes I can get all in my head and I just need to go away, shut off the rest of the world and I need the illusion that the rest of the world has gone away from me… if that makes any sense?”

He nodded encouraging her to keep talking.

“So I’ll bury myself under the blankets, pull up a movie or some youtube, put in my ear buds and just… check out.”

Oh, that he understood. He generally didn’t need the blankets and the headphones to “checkout” but he could understand how they’d be helpful.

He reached up and swiped his thumb across her cheek. “But why were you crying?”

She turned away from him and tilted her head up blinking rapidly and sniffed.

“Oh shit Jules, I don’t mean to make you cry again.” He awkwardly patted her arm.

She giggled and glanced at him, her eyes shiny with unshed tears. “I know and it’s really stupid anyway.”

He was caught in that onyx gaze, her eyes almost black in the darkness under the comforter. “I’m sure it’s not.”

A tear escaped down her cheek and he couldn’t stop himself from wiping it away with his thumb.

She sighed and closed her eyes as another tear ran down her cheek. “Tonight was a really good practice.”

“It was.” He nodded even though her eyes were still closed.

“Sometimes it just hits me…” she started to get choked up and the tears ran more freely. “It hits me that my mom will never hear us play.” Julie opened her eyes and the pain and sadness shining through her tears was like a knife in his chest. “She would have loved the band.” She sobbed as she reached up to touch his face. “She would have loved you.”

Luke didn’t even think as he pulled her to his chest and held her tight as she started to really sob.

Tears filled his own eyes as she cried and held him just as tight as he was holding her, like she might fall if either of them let go. “I got you Jules. I’ve got you I swear.” He whispered into her curls. 

He wished he could have met Rose too, if only to thank her for sending him to Julie like they suspected she had.

He ran his hand up and down her bare arm and whispered that everything would be ok even though he had no idea if everything would be ok or not.

Most days he tried not to think about it but he had no idea if they’d ever make a name for themselves as a band, what that might mean for him and his own family, or even how long they’d get to play music together… how long he’d get to stay… with her.

But as he whispered those words of assurance to her he tried to believe them himself too.

He hoped and he held her as his own tears slid down his cheeks.

He hoped that even after he was gone he’d still get to remember how she felt in his arms, what her skin felt like under his palm, what her hair smelled like tickling his nose, what her voice sounded like singing their words.

Eventually her tears subsided and Julie lifted her head off his chest and looked at him with red rimmed eyes. She reached up and wiped at his cheeks as he sniffed and turned away.

“No, no,” she pulled his face back to hers. “Don’t you dare hide from me after I just cried my eyes out all over your favorite shirt.”

He chuckled and glanced down at his Rush tee and couldn’t argue. “It’s just,” he sighed, “I was supposed to be comforting you, not the other way around.”

“Luke…” Julie breathed out and he shivered as her breath ghosted across his face. “We can comfort each other.”

“Yeah?”

“Of course,” she pushed his hair back off his face. “Remember,” she grinned at him. “We make each other better.”

“Yeah we do.” He smiled back at her, reaching up to tuck a curl behind her ear. His heart ached as he looked at the beautiful girl in his arms, so close and yet still so far way. She was alive in every way to everyone and he was only alive to her, for her.

“So,” she patted his chest. “Why did you come looking for me in the first place?”

He opened his mouth to tell her about the song and then closed it again. He didn’t want to break this spell they were under. He didn’t want to pull back the blanket yet and rejoin the rest of the world where she was a fifteen year old high school student and he was a seventeen year old ghost who had been dead for twenty five years.

“Could we maybe just stay under here a little while longer?” He bit his lip and nodded at her dropped phone. “Maybe watch something together?”

She looked at him for a long moment searching his eyes before simply nodding and picking up her phone and handing him one of her ear buds.

He placed it in his ear as she laid her head on his shoulder and propped her phone up on his chest. “I’ll start it over. I was only about twenty minutes in anyway and it’s not like I haven’t watched this a dozen times.”

As some old guy started talking about looking at stars and stars looking back at them Luke whispered against Julie’s temple. “What’s this movie about?”

She tilted her head up at him and grinned. “It’s a fairytale. Its got action, humor, magic, true love, a great villain and a happy ending.” Julie snuggled back into his side with a contented sigh. “You’re going to love it.”

And he did.

He loved it.

Almost as much at the girl in his arms and this magical time they got to spend together.

It reminded him of a movie he’d seen as a kid with his mom. It was everything she said and more and when Yvaine was the one to save Tristan in the end he couldn’t help thinking about how Julie had saved him and the guys with her own magical glowing hug just a few weeks before.

Julie threw the comforter off their heads as the credits started to roll and turned to look at him.

“So…”

“Time to get back to reality?” he pouted.

She looked down and traced lazy circles on his sternum. “We can’t hide forever.”

He tilted her chin up to look at him. “But maybe…” he chewed on his lip. “We could do this again another day?”

The smile that broke out on her face was blinding.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” He smiled back at her, “Maybe we could watch The Princess Bride next time?”

“Ok,” She giggled and pushed herself up to sit beside him. “So are you ready to tell me why you came in here in the first place?”

He gaped at her. Only Julie Molina could make him forget about writing a song. “I think I’ve got the second verse of the new song.”

She bounced on the bed. “Oh, show me.”

And he did.

Chapter Text

1^st sentence prompt from Anonymous

“You can’t keep buying her all of these bows..she’s 2 months old she’s just going to keep taking them off.” Julie tried to keep her voice even as she attempted to talk rationally to her tia on speaker phone while watching her daughter yank another oversized bow, as well as several strands of dark curly hair out of her head for the third time in as many minutes.

Luke was holding the baby and trying not to laugh at his wife as their daughter managed to throw the bow hard enough to smack her in the cheek.

Julie glared at him as she tuned back into Victoria. “…it took a few tries before you would keep a bow in your hair when you were a bebita too sobrina.”

“Tia?” Julie frowned at the phone as she glanced at Luke who was bouncing their daughter around the green room now while they waited on the rest of the guys to get back with dinner before the show tonight. “I have never seen a picture of me with a bow in my hair before the age of five.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. “Well, I said it took a while before you were comfortable with wearing them…”

“Tia!” Julie threw up her hands and held the phone out to Luke. She just couldn’t with her anymore. She appreciated all the gifts and her help when they’d gotten home from the hospital but she was going to push Julie to say something she would regret and Luke could see it on her face.

“Hey Victoria, we’re being called to sound check we’ll have to talk to you later.”

“Oh, ok,” she sounded so sad Julie’s anger immediately deflated and tears filled her eyes. Pregnancy hormones were still kicking her ass and if this concert wasn’t for her favorite charity she never would have agreed to it so soon after giving birth. “I miss you all. Send lots of pictures.”

“We will,” Luke said into the phone as he smiled up at his wife. “Pictures with bows.”

Julie shook her head and smiled back at her smartass of a husband. “Talk to you later tia. We love you.”

They could hear the smile in her voice as she said, “Te quiero todo.”

***

1^st sentence prompt from floating-in-the-blue (Yeoyou on AO3)

“So, butterflies and glitter are just for girls, huh?" Julie said with a triumphantly raised eyebrow at the spectacle that was Luke Patterson.

He felt the tiny hands that had been clipping butterfly clips in his hair still at Julie’s words.

He blinked at Julie standing in the doorway with her arms crossed and the biggest shit-eating grin on her face as he tried to resist the urge to touch his eyes as the glitter eye shadow flaked onto his cheeks.

“But daddy,” his little girl scurried around in front of him looking shocked. “Why would you say that? You look so pretty!” Violet turned to her mother. “Doesn’t daddy look pretty?”

Julie came in and sat down on the floor in front of them giving Luke a sly smile. “He looks very pretty.”

Luke took his daughter’s hands in his. “I did tell your mom a long time ago that I thought butterflies and glitter were girly things.”

Violet’s face fell dramatically and she opened her mouth to tell him who knows what as he cupped her glitter covered cheek in his hand and grinned. “But I was wrong.”

She smiled at him and it was like he’d told her they were going to a unicorn farm to pick one out to bring home. “Good.” She bounced on her heels for a moment before giving his face a good look. She turned to her supplies and picked up a bright shade of pink lipstick she may or may not be putting on his lips.

As she pulled the cap off she turned to Julie. “Don’t go anywhere mama, you’re next.”

***

1^st sentence prompt sent by Anonymous

“Luke, aren’t you nervous to see how she’ll handle having to share you with her baby sister?” Julie whispered as she leaned over the back of the couch looking down at her husband with their daughter sound asleep on his chest.

He bit his lip as he gazed up at her looking guilty for letting Violet fall asleep on him for the second time this week. “It was nearly a year before this one wanted much to do with me.” He ran his fingers gently through her light brown curls. “I’m pretty sure I’m the one that’s going to be feeling left out.”

Julie reached down and ran her fingers through Luke’s hair much like he was their daughters’. “You’ll only be a little left out till I’m not a walking slurpee machine again.”

He chuckled.

They both froze as Violet stirred for a moment before burying her head back under Luke’s chin.

Julie shook her head smiling at her little family before standing up and stretching her back, her large pregnant belly protruding over the back of the sofa.

Luke reached up and placed his hand on her stomach as she covered it with her own.

“Violet is just as excited to meet her baby sister as I am.” He looked up at Julie with so much love it brought tears to her eyes. “We’ll still have time for this.” He kissed the top of their daughter’s head. “I’m not worried about it at all.”

The baby in her belly kicked their hands and Julie smiled. “You’re right. I’m worrying about nothing.” She picked his hand up and leaned down to kiss his knuckles. “Go put our daughter to bed and come sleep with me.”

He pulled her hand to his own lips and kissed her ring finger right over where her wedding band usually sat, too tight now for her swollen fingers, “Sure thing boss.”

***

1^st sentence prompt sent by Anonymous

“I think we have won enough Grammys and make more than enough money for me to buy you a new diamond ring.”

“But,” Julie choked out as she sobbed in his arms. “I don’t want a new ring. I want the one you proposed to me with.”

Luke sighed as he held her tighter. “I just don’t know where else to look Jules, we’ve torn this room apart.” He pulled back and wiped the tears off her cheeks as she tried to catch her breath. “It’s been lying on the dresser for over a month since your hands started to swell from the pregnancy.”

She nodded as the tears ran down her cheeks. “I noticed it wasn’t there this morning when I went to put my necklace on.”

He pulled her close again rubbing big circles on her back. “It didn’t just get up and walk…” a thought popped in his head. There was someone else they hadn’t bothered to ask if they’d seen Julie’s ring.

“Violet!” Luke called out toward the hall and their daughter’s room, where she should be playing.

“Yes!” She bellowed back.

“Would you stop yelling for our daughter please?” Julie huffed glaring at him, “This is not going to fly when the baby gets here.”

He grimaced. “Yeah, sorry, daddy is setting a bad example again.”

She chuckled, her tears nearly stopped now which is what he really wanted even more than finding the ring. “You’re a very good example in a lot of ways, unfortunately volume control isn’t one of them.”

Luke grinned at her before they both turned to the door hearing little feet coming down the hall.

Violet appeared with a Barbie in each hand and a big grin on her face. “Come see what I’ve been doing!” She held the Barbies out to them shaking them back and forth in her excitement. Then she jumped up and down a couple times and raced back down the hall before either of them could respond.

“Sure baby we’ll be there in just a minute. Don’t worry about your momma, everything is just fine.” Luke said quietly to the empty doorway.

Julie barked out a laugh and then winced and grabbed her belly. “Ah, ok, Willow didn’t find that quite as funny as I did.”

Luke knelt on the floor at Julie’s feet and kissed her belly. “Be nice to your mama Willow Rose. You can kick me all you want when you get here.” He felt the baby fluttering under his hands as she rolled around inside Julie. He looked up at her in wonder. That would never get old.

Julie grinned. “She definitely heard you.”

Luke stood up and reached down to pull Julie up. “Come on mama. Let’s go see what Violet made and get your ring back.”

She looked up at him puzzled. “You know where it is?”

“I do.” He kissed the top of her head before leading her down the hall to their daughter’s room to retrieve her wedding ring from around the neck of one of her Barbies and to have a talk about taking things that weren’t hers.

Chapter Text

“I’m fine.”

“You most definitely are not fine.”

“What makes you say that?”

“The fact that you’re bleeding all over my kitchen towel for one. The second big clue would be the tip of your fucking finger sitting on the cutting board next to that apple.”

Luke looked closer at the cutting board noticing the not insignificant piece of skin laying there and shrugged as he held the towel tight against the bleeding digit.

“I mean it’s not like they could put that back on.”

“Oh my God would you stop being a guy and go get in the car so I can take you to the hospital.”

He glanced down at the rapidly growing red stain on the towel in his hand and swayed slightly on his feet. “Ok fine.”

Julie took his arm as they headed for the door, “And don’t worry I’m sure it won’t be too long before you can play again.”

“Well shit.”

***

“I’m fine.”

“Then why are you crying?”

Julie gave a little sob and Luke took the last few steps into the kitchen to pull her into a hug.

“Who do I need to kill Jules? I need names.”

She choked on a laugh, “Julie Molina.”

He pulled back enough to frown at her, “Well I’m not killing you, so what happened?”

She sniffed. “I broke my dad’s favorite mug.”

He wiped the tears off her cheeks as they continued to fall, “You afraid to tell him?”

“I already did and he was as understanding as always, hugging me and telling me it was ok.” She choked on another sob. “But mami bought him that mug and now it’s just one more thing she can never buy him again.” Julie buried her face in his chest again and sobbed harder.

Luke stood there and held her as she cried herself out, rubbing her back and whispering it was going to be ok into her curls.

She eventually pushed away and wiped her face giving him a half hearted smile. “Thanks babe. I’m ok now.”

He bit his lip. “Do you still have the pieces?”

Julie frowned but nodded.

Luke shoved his hands in his pockets a little worried he might upset her again with his suggestion but thinking it was a good one. “So, um, I was thinking I could see if I can fix it?”

She gave him a sad smile before opening a drawer near them and pulling out a towel. She opened it on the counter to show him the mug split in four big chunks. Another tear slid down her cheek. “See, even if we fix it he’ll never be able to drink out of it again.”

“Oh, I know that.” He grinned and slid his arm around her waist as they looked down at the broken mug. “Sometimes when you put things back together, they’re not the same but they can still be useful.”

She looked up at him curiously. “What do you mean?”

“Well,” he let go of her and fit the pieces of the mug together checking out its size. “This is a pretty big mug. Maybe once we glue it back together it can be where your dad keeps his keys since he’s always losing them.”   

Julie looked at him for a long moment. Another tear slid down her cheek despite the smile on her lips. “I love that idea.” She popped up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek making him blush. “And I love you.”

Chapter Text

Chaotic writing prompt from Mac-Lilly – posted to tumblr 8/20/2023

“Luke!” Julie called from the living room.

“Yeah Jules!” he called back from the kitchen where he was making some brownies.

She came into the room and stopped with her hands on her hips. “That lamp by my reading nook is out again.”

“Yeah, I’ve changed that bulb three times in the last two weeks.” He nodded as he continued to stir the mix.

“Ok…” he glanced up as her voice trailed off to see her coming closer. She leaned on the island in front of him. “I really didn’t want to get a new lamp so soon but it must have some kind of wiring problem.” She sighed. “I guess we need to get a new one.”

“Well…” he bit his lip and glanced up at her. “I’m not sure getting a new lamp will fix the problem.”

“Why?” she frowned at him.

“I think the apartment is haunted.” He shrugged and went back to his mixing, “or at least the living room is.”

She was quiet so long he looked back up at her to see Julie just gaping at him.

“I’m just saying it could be a ghost.” He grinned at her.

She finally closed her mouth and scoffed. “You think you’re some kind of expert because you used to be one?”

“Well yeah!” he smirked at her. “Reggie used to do stuff like that at your dad’s all the time when we all lived there.”

“He what?!” Julie laughed.

He turned to get the brownie pan and started to pour the batter in. “He used to loosen the light bulbs just enough for them to flicker and sometime that would make them blow.”

“That little shit!” She giggled and leaned across the counter and giving him a poke in the arm. “And what did you do?”

“Nothing!” he scraped the bowl with the spatula and then handed it to her to lick.

“Really?” she said taking the utensil with a grin.

He bit his lip and turned away placing the brownies in the oven and setting the timer before finally turning back to her. “Ok, once I turned the heat on in the summer so you’d stop wearing those oversized sweat shirts in the house.”

“Luke!” she dropped the spatula and ran around the island trying to grab him.

He ran in the opposite direction giggling.

“You were so stinking cute in those sweatshirts but you were also hot as fuck in those little sundresses you wore.” He smirked at her from the other side of the island, both of them breathing hard from running around in circles. “I was a seventeen year old boy Jules my frontal brain hadn’t finished developing!”

She started after him again and they were both laughing as she kept trying to catch him to no avail. 

“You know my dad thought the ac was actually broken and called a repair man who charged him a hundred bucks to turn it on?” she panted out as they went around and around.

Luke stopped and she ran into him with a grunt.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, both of them breathing hard. “I actually didn’t know that.” He pouted. “Now I feel guilty.” 

She took another deep breath and blew it out hard. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. “So maybe you owe my dad a hundred bucks and Reggie owes him a box of light bulbs.” She ran her nails up over his scalp and he closed his eyes leaning into it. “You were still the best ghosts any of us could have wished for.”

He grinned and opened his eyes. “And you are the best lifer that ever could have called us back from purgatory.”

“I did a little more than that.” She raised her eyebrows at him.

He chuckled, “That you did.”

They stood there swaying in the kitchen just looking at each other for a long time.

“You gonna buy me another lamp?”

He nodded, “If it happens again are you going to admit it could be a ghost.”

She snickered and nodded. “What are we gonna do if you’re right?”

“I don’t know,” he looked over her head toward the living room. “leave out a pad of paper and a pen and see if they can tell us why they hate that lamp so much.”

She giggled against his chest. “Maybe I should leave my laptop open to a page with lamps on it and they can just click ‘add to cart’ on the one they like best.”

Luke shook with laugher as they held each other. “Worth a try, might save us some time and money.”

Julie scoffed, “I’m not attached to that specific lamp anyway. One of my cousins got it for us as a wedding gift.” She grinned up at him, “Wasn’t even on our registry.”

He clutched her hand to his heart. “It wasn’t on the LIST… for shame!”

“Hey I wouldn’t mock the wedding list,” she bumped his chest with their hands. “You got two new guitars out of it.”

“And you know what?” He swayed them around in a circle.

“What?”

He leaned his forehead against hers. “I’d give it all back as long as I got to keep you.”

“Sweet talker,” She titled her face up and whispered against his lips. “Shut up and kiss me.”

They kissed and swayed in the kitchen standing between the island and the oven till the timer went off for the brownies and if there was a ghost in the apartment well… they better pick out a nice lamp for his wife. She deserved only the best.

***

Chaotic writing prompt from Anonymous – posted to tumblr 8/20/2023

“Hey Alex,” Luke looked up at him as he sat down.

“Hey, how ya doing buddy?” he gave Luke a pat on the back.

Luke had been dancing pretty hard with everyone else when Alex had stepped out to take a breather from the chaos of the reception about thirty minutes ago.

Now he was slumped over their table looking red faced and sweaty drinking what must be a rum and coke.

“Isn’t Julie pretty?” He sighed into his drink looking toward the dance floor.

Alex followed Luke’s line of sight to see Julie and all their friends still laughing and dancing around Reggie and Carrie, currently leading the cha cha slide.

“Yes Luke,” He gave him another pat on the back before reaching for a bottle of water across the table and taking a long drink. “Julie is, and always has been, very pretty.”

“Yeah,” He nodded. “She’s so pretty it makes me want to punch myself.” Luke declared with a dreamy sigh as he took another long sip from his drink.

Alex grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him up from his hunched over position to look at him. “Are you drunk?”

“Yes… very,” Luke blinked at him a few times. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

Alex open and closed his mouth a few times. “Okay…why would you think punching yourself was in any way a good idea?”

He turned around in his seat to face Alex. “I was thinking about that movie.”

Alex was gonna get whiplash from the apparent subject change but he knew drunk Luke had a point and would get there eventually, “I’m gonna need more than that Luke.”

“That movie with that guy who died,” He nodded at him expectantly.

Alex bit his lip trying to be patient with his best friend. “That narrows it down some but I’m gonna need a little more.”

“With the knights and the long.” He threw his arms out wide and wobbled a little in his chair. Alex grabbed his arm. “sticks… no, poles.”

He frowned racking his brain, movie with knights, poles, actor who died… “A Knight’s Tale?”

“Yes, yes!” Luke grinned and snapped his fingers pointing at him. “You know how he proves his love by loosing and takes all those hits?”

“Yeah…” Alex nodded not exactly the same thing as punching yourself in the face but he could see where drunk Luke might make a parallel. “Where are you going with this?”

“I was wondering if punching myself would prove my love to Julie?” Luke looked at him earnestly.

Alex had so many thoughts. The first was he wasn’t sure if he’d ever seen Luke this drunk, or more likely he’d never seen Luke this drunk when he was this sober.

The second was… what the fuck.

“Why would you think you need to prove your love to Julie?” Alex frowned at him.

This time it was Luke who opened and closed his mouth several times before speaking. “I can’t tell you, it’s a secret.”

Alex hummed, well that was interesting. As drunk as Luke was he could probably get it out of him, but it hardly seemed fair to use his best friend powers for evil. He knew Luke would tell him if he could, so it must be Julie’s secret.

He glanced over at the dance floor where she was and then back at Luke. “Well maybe you should ask your wife if she thinks you should punch yourself in the face.”

Luke narrowed his eyes as he stared at him obviously thinking hard. He could see the gears slowly turning in his mind and if this was a cartoon a literal light bulb would have popped on above his head when he remembered Julie and wife were the same person.

In his defense they’d been together for years but they’d only been husband and wife a few months.

“Yes! Thanks man!” He smacked Alex on the arm and turned to bellow toward the dance floor. “Julie!... Jules… Wife… Love of my life!!!”

Alex slapped his hand over Luke’s mouth. “Shit dude. I meant GO ask her.”

But Julie had heard him and came over to see what all the shouting was about. “Hey baby,” she ran a hand through his hair. “You doing ok?”

He looked up at her like she was an angel come to earth and leaned into her touch. “I love you so much.”

She gave Luke a wiry grin and glanced at Alex before turning back to her husband. “I love you too.”

“You are so amazing and you do so much for us.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and looked up at her with his chin on her stomach. “I was just wondering if I should prove my love to you by punching myself in the face?”

He kissed her belly.

OH!

Alex looked at Julie with wide eyes and she giggled and gave him an almost imperceptible nod before looking back down at her husband and shaking her head. “You know I didn’t realize when I told you to drink for me tonight you’d take it quite so literally.”

“My queen gave me a task.” He grinned up at her and then frowned. “Are you upset with me?”

“No baby,” She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead and Alex watched as Luke’s smile grew back on his face even bigger than before. “And you don’t need to prove your love to me.”

“I don’t?” he furrowed his eyebrows at her and glanced back at him. “That doesn’t seem right.”

“You show me you love me every day Luke.” Julie said pulling his attention back to her. She grabbed his hands from around her waist and stepped back.

“I do?” He stood up slowly and swayed slightly in front of her.

“You do.” She nodded as she pulled his hand up to her lips and kissed his knuckles. “I know what you can do for me right now though.”

“Anything for you Jules you know that.” He looked down at her so intently. 

“Take me to get some water?” she smiled up at him batting her eyelashes.

“I can do that.” He bounced on his heels as he looked around spotting the bar across the room.

Luke straightened up, stuck his elbow out for Julie to take, which she did, and proceeded to escort her across the room.

Alex watched them fondly as they walked away, thinking they were both very lucky to have each other and that the little secret Julie was carrying with them would be very lucky to have them too.

***

Chaotic writing prompt from anonymous - posted to tumblr

Luke and Julie were in the studio minding their own business just making out like two normal teenagers when Alex and Reggie threw open the studio doors.

“Ugh,” Alex groaned and called over his shoulder. “I regret to inform you the straights are at it again.”

“Hey!” He and Julie both protested as Willie came rolling in on his board behind Alex.

“I’m offended,” Julie said sliding off Luke’s lap and handing him one of the pillows next to them without a word. He grinned and casually put it in his lap where she’d been.

“Yeah me too!” he pointed at himself.

Alex rolled his eyes as he sat in the recliner and Willie plopped right down in his lap.

Reggie was already in the other chair grinning like a loon, watching the show.

Alex was distracted by his boyfriend so Willie was the one that asked. “And why are you two offended? You were the ones making out in a public space and I thought we’d decided that was against the rules.”

“Yeah, no,” Luke started, “we definitely owe the rule breaking jar a fiver.”

“We’re offended you called us straight.” Julie nodded at them.

“What?” Alex finally looked up. “You two aren’t straight?”

Luke rolled his eyes. “None of us are straight dude.”

Reggie raised his hand, “I’m straight.”

They all looked at him until he put his hand down.

“Sweetie, we’re not getting into that right now.” Julie reached over and patted Reg on the knee making him blush and jump up. “I thought we had practice today.” He headed over to his bass not making eye contact with anyone.

Everyone ignored Reggie. He’d figure it out when he was ready.

“So you two aren’t straight?” Willie asked.

“When did you figure that out?” Alex leaned forward wrapping his arms around Willie’s waist to hold him steady.

Julie shrugged, “I’ve known I was bi since I was twelve.”

Luke grinned at his girlfriend long enough for Alex to get impatient.

“Luke?”

“Oh, yeah sorry.” He turned back to Alex. “I think everyone is hot so I’ve been thinking I might be pan?” he glanced at Julie again who nodded encouragingly. “At least bi.” He looked back at Alex. “I mean you and I had that thing…”

Alex’s eyes bugged out and he hid his face in Willie’s back who started to howl with laughter, “How have I not heard about THIS!?”

Alex stood up with Willie in his arms and set him down gently on his feet kissing him quickly. “Like Reggie said, we have practice.” He darted off to his kit and started checking his snares for tuning.

Willie plopped back down in the chair. “Well someone is going to tell me that story sometime soon.”

Luke and Julie got up and as Julie headed for her keyboard Luke leaned down and whispered, “I’ll tell you tomorrow if he doesn’t tonight.”

Willie gave him a wink and a pat on the shoulder. “Thanks man.”

Band practice went great for about an hour and then Julie missed her queue to come in on Now or Never and then thirty minutes later she flubbed her piano playing on Edge of Great. When she messed up the words to Wake Up, which they’d modified to make it a whole band piece, Luke knew something was wrong.

“Hey, baby.” He set his guitar down as he looked over at Julie who was looking more tired and sweaty than the rest of them and she’d been sitting the last couple of hours. “Are you ok?”

She sighed and shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.”

They were all frowning at her as Reg reached over and put his hand on her forehead. “Oh no, she’s hot.” He looked over at Luke who was making his way over to her to check himself.

He pressed his lips to her forehead. His mom had always done that saying lips were a better judge of temperature. “Jules you’re burning up.”   

“Oh good,” She leaned against him, “Because I feel like shit.”

He chuckled. “Ok, band practice is over.” He scooped Julie up in his arms. “Everyone go drink like a gallon of orange juice.”

“What about you?” Reggie frowned as Luke turned to carry Julie up to the house.

“Dude,” Alex rolled his eyes. “Do you not remember what they were doing when we got here?”

“Oh…” Reggie nodded. “You’re screwed.”

Willie laughed from over on the sofa. “You need any help?” he asked standing up but keeping his distance.

Luke shook his head then paused. “Maybe text Ray and let him know what’s going on.” He glanced down at Julie who had her eyes closed and was leaning against his chest. “I’ll text my mom that I’m staying over here for a couple of days. I can’t afford to get either of them sick right now.”

The guys all nodded solemnly. They all knew his dad had just finished his first round of chemo for throat cancer a couple of weeks ago. Getting either of his parents sick right now would be… bad.

He got Julie up to her room and in her bed as quickly as possible. She was going downhill fast. Her teeth were chattering by the time he got back with some medicine to bring her fever down and a large glass of water.

He held her up, helped her take the pills and drink some of the water.

She looked up at him with glassy eyes as he laid her back down. “You’d marry me if I asked, right?”

“What?” he chuckled as he went to stand and she grabbed his hand tightly, tears filling her eyes.

“You’d marry me,” her voice broke, “if I asked… right?”

He had no idea where this was coming from and this wasn’t the time to ask. The answer was the same no matter the reason anyway.

Luke leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “Yes, I’d marry you if you asked.”

She grinned. “I thought so.”

He went to stand again and she held his hand tighter. “Stay?”

He’d already agreed to marry her so what would be the harm in staying.

Still, he got in the bed on her other side but stayed on top of the covers so as not to upset Ray when he got home.

Although by the time Ray got home a couple hours later he was shivering and feverish too. Ray got him some meds and reluctantly agreed he might as well stay with Julie who was sound asleep.

She didn’t remember asking him if he’d marry her once they were well but Luke wrote it down and told her the whole story when they were on their honeymoon five years later.

Chaos writing prompt from anonymous – posted to Tumblr 8/31/2023

Luke and Julie were finally alone.

It had been a long day of meetings and they’d had very little alone time in well over a month.

Julie lay back against Luke taking a sip of her wine as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders holding her close. “I think we need a vacation.” She took another sip of her drink and sighed, “Just the two of us.”

He gently took her glass from her and took his own sip of the red liquid before placing it on the table beside them. “I think that sounds like a wonderful idea.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb for a moment just taking in the beautiful women he was lucky enough to have in his life, and in his arms, before leaning forward to kiss her.

Julie ran her hand up his chest to his shoulder and then up behind his neck, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss.

They were really getting into it, making out like a couple of teenagers when there was a loud crash from upstairs and they broke apart with a gasp.

“What the fuck was that?”

They looked at each other for another moment when they finally heard a young voice say, “Mom?”

“Shit,” Julie breathed out under her breath as they both jumped up and rushed to the stairs.

Their twelve year old daughter Violet was standing at the top wringing her hands.

“Violet?”

“Everything’s fine.” She nodded quickly and tried to smile. “Just a slight accident, we’ve got it under control.”

“All of you are supposed to be in your rooms if not asleep.” Luke started up the stairs with Julie coming up behind him.

Violet tried and failed not to roll her eyes. “It’s summer, no one is asleep dad.”

Luke stopped at the top of the stairs and frowned at his daughter, “Even Rocky?”

She snickered and then stopped when she saw her mother’s face. “Um, he’s the one that came to get me and Logan.”

“To do what exactly?” Julie crossed her arms and gave her oldest a hard look.

“Well…” she started and then there was another crash followed by a scream and all three of them ran down the hall to the bathroom.

Luke threw open the door to see one of the makeup mirrors broken on the floor as well as the girl’s makeup caddy dumped over and its contents scattered across the room.

That must have been the most recent crash because both their ten year old Logan and their four year old Rocky were sitting up on the counter staring down at the mess on the floor in horror.

Logan’s arms and face were painted entirely blue and Rocky had so much glitter on his face he practically looked like a disco ball.

“Okay… this looks bad.” Violet said peeking around them into the chaos.

Luke looked down at Julie who was biting her lip trying not to laugh. If she started laughing, he was going to start laughing and they had to be parents right now and not laugh, at least not yet.

He pulled Violet around him and sat her up on the counter with her siblings so she didn’t step in the mess. “Explain.”

Logan and Violet started talking over each other at the same time but he and Julie managed to decipher out the gist of it.

Apparently this had all started when Rocky came in their room unable to sleep because they’d been talking about cosplaying Steven Universe for the last week and he wanted to see if they really could paint Logan blue like Sapphire.

Julie held up a hand to stop their explanation. “Ok, but then why is Rocky covered in glitter?”

Their son grinned at them. “I look all shiny!”

Luke pursed his lips and looked down at his wife whose eyes were sparkling with mirth. She swallowed her smile with a sigh and turned back to their children. “Ok, so here’s what we’re going to do.” She took a careful step in the room and picked up Rocky handing him over to Luke.

Oh goodie now he got to be covered in glitter too.

“You’re going to take your son to our bathroom and get him cleaned up and back to bed.” She nodded at him and he almost said ‘yes boss’ but the kids thought it was funny when he called Julie boss and this was not the time to be making jokes.

He was the dad here after all.

He and Julie would probably laugh about this until they couldn’t breathe later when they finally had time alone to talk again.  

“Violet and I are going to clean this up while Logan jumps in the shower and works on getting that blue off.”

“Ugh mom,” Violet whined.

Julie stopped her whining with a look. “I know you hate being the oldest sometimes but you are and while it’s not your responsibility to police your siblings you could have come and gotten us.” She pointed down at the broken mirror on that floor. “Someone could have gotten cut on that.”

Both girls’ eyes ticked up to their little bother in his arms. As much as he annoyed them sometimes they loved him like little mama bears. 

Julie gave Logan a hard look, “The only reason you’re not helping is because I don’t want you staining your sheets blue.”

Both girls sighed and nodded.  

Julie turned to him and bopped Rocky on the nose. “And your daddy is going to have a talk with you about being up after bed time and roping your sisters into something that could have waited till tomorrow.”

Rocky nodded at Julie wrapping his arms tighter around his neck. “I’m sorry mami.”

“I know,” She smiled at him and both he and his son smiled back at her. “Ok, off with you two.” She turned away from them and shut the door so Logan could get in the shower.

“Ok, buddy,” Luke sighed, “Let’s get cleaned up.”

It took just as long as Luke expected to get the majority of the glitter off his son which was about five times longer than a normal bath. Just when he thought he had him clean he’d see another sparkle.

“Rocky, I am banning all glitter and things with glitter in them from this house.” He growled making his son laugh as he rinsed him off for the fifth time.

Rocky blinked water droplets off his eyelashes and smiled at him. “I like the way the glitter sparkles. It’s cool!”

He couldn’t help smiling at his son’s enthusiasm for shiny things. “Ok, maybe we can find some glittery nail polish or something.”

“Oh yeah! I bet Uncle Alex or Aunt Flynn have some!” Rocky bounced.

“I bet they do.” He laughed and shook his head. Thinking they’d probably gladly take his son shopping for glitter nail polish. “Come on buddy let’s get out I think you’re as clean as you’re going to get tonight.”

“Aw, do I gotta?”

“Yes you gotta,” he laughed again grabbing a towel and draping it over his shoulders and then wrapping it around his body tightly as he pulled him from the water.

“Bad and naughty children get wrapped up in the blanket burrito for their crimes.”

Rocky was abnormally quiet as Luke dried him off.

“Am I really bad daddy?” he asked in a small voice as Luke rubbed at his hair.

He stopped and really looked at Rocky who was tearing up. “No, buddy you’re not bad.” Luke pulled him into a hug. “You just made a bad choice tonight that’s all.” He wiped the few tears that fell as Rocky nodded at him. “Maybe next time you can’t sleep because your head is too full of ideas you come find me or mami?”

“Ok daddy.” He sniffed. “I’m sorry the mirror got broken.”

“It’s ok,” Luke kissed him on the forehead. “I’m glad no one got hurt.”

He stood and scooped Rocky up in his arms. “Maybe you could help your sisters out with their chores tomorrow as a thank you for cleaning up the mess tonight.”

Rocky laid his head on his shoulder finally getting sleepy. “I can do that.”

“I know you can.” He said as he carried him down the hall to his room. “You’re getting so big.”

Rocky yawned, “I know.”

Luke laughed as he sat him on the bed and got him some clean pajamas and quickly helped him dress.

“Ok big guy bed time.”

Rocky didn’t argue as he climbed under the covers.

Another yawn escaped him as he snuggled down between his stuffed bear and turtle.

Luke knelt down beside the bed and ran a hand over his son’s head. “What are we going to do next time we can’t sleep?”

“Come find you or mami.” Rocky mumbled.

“That’s right.” Luke leaned over and gave him another kiss on the forehead. “Good night Rocky, I love you.”

“Night daddy, love you too.”

Luke stepped out into the hall shutting the door quietly behind him. The door to the girls’ bathroom was still shut. It would seem date night with his wife was canceled.

He headed downstairs to clean up the wine and maybe look up some potential vacation destinations.

Chapter Text

The Parents He Deserves - posted to tumblr 9/28/23

Luke rang the doorbell and pulled his collar away from his neck for the third time since he’d gotten out of the car.

To say he was nervous was an understatement.

Rose opened the door looking ready for a quiet evening in with her husband dressed in baggy sweats rolled down at the waist and up at her ankles, probably Ray’s, and an old band t-shirt. She was holding a glass of red wine and she smiled at him, like she always did, when she saw him standing there.

“Luke! What are you doing here?” She waved him in before he could answer.

“Sorry to bother you guys,” he fiddled with the flowers in his hand he was trying not to crush. “Here,” he said pushing them toward her. “These are for you.”

“Thank you Luke,” she laughed as she sat her wine down on the table by the door and took them from him. She buried her nose in the petals taking a long whiff, “Dahlias, my favorite.”  

“Hey Luke,” Ray came around the corner from the kitchen dressed down like his wife in sweats and a plain black tee wiping his hands on a towel and giving him the same easy grin he’d been giving him for years.

He cringed realizing he was probably interrupting their dinner.

“What are you doing here? I thought you and the guys were having a boy’s night, that’s what Julie told us before she headed out with Flynn and Carrie.” He said stopping in front of him and tossing the towel on his shoulder.

That had been the story he told Julie but she was the only one of their friends that thought that’s what he was actually doing tonight.

It’d be a miracle if no one spilled the beans before he got to the real reason he was lying to his girlfriend, but one step at a time.

He bounced on his heels. “I need to talk to the two of you if you have a minute.”

“Ok,” Ray said glancing at Rose who bit back a smile before turning back to him.

“Come on in the living room Luke and tell us how we can help.” she said nodding in that direction.

He nodded in return and followed them down the hall to the family room he’d spent many nights hanging out with Julie and her family watching movies and playing games.

Rose laid the flowers on the coffee table and took a seat on the sofa next to Ray. They both looked up at him as he continued to stand across from them.

He thought he might vibrate out of his skin if he stopped moving.

He just needed to get this out.

“Luke?” Rose was grinning at him again. “You seem to have something important to ask us.”

“He does?” Ray sat up a little straighter and frowned at his wife.

“Ray…” she rolled her eyes. “He’s wearing a shirt with sleeves.”

Luke only peripherally noticed Ray raise his eyebrows at Rose as he started to pace back and forth in front of them pulling at his collar again and giving in to his need to move. This was the first time he truly understood why Alex paced when he was anxious.

Luke had never been more anxious in his life.

“Mijo?” Ray questioned.

He’d had a plan, a speech but he couldn’t recall a word of it now.

“Luke, carino,” Rose called him back from his racing thoughts.

“I’m sorry,” he stopped in front of them and ran a shaky hand through his hair. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous.” Actually he did know. He’d already been by his parent’s house and told them his news and they had not taken it well at all.

He stopped pacing and really looked at Rose and Ray Molina sitting on their sofa, holding hands, calmly waiting for him to tell them why he was here.

He took a deep breath and reminded himself, not for the first time, that they were not Emily and Mitch Patterson.

“I’m planning to ask Julie to marry me and I’d like your blessing.”

Rose screamed and jumped up climbing over the coffee table to pull him into a hug. “Of course mijo!” she leaned back to grin at him. “Of course you have our blessing!” Then she pulled him into an even tighter hug.

Luke was laughing at Rose’s exuberance when he felt Ray’s hand on his shoulder and turned to look up at the big man. He had tears in his eyes.

“Mijo,” he put his arms around both him and his wife. “We’ve known this day was coming since you followed Julie home from her first day of high school.”

“Yeah?” He chuckled.

It was true that he’d been completely smitten with Julie from the very first day she set foot in Los Fez and his music class. He’d been a little in love with her before she’d even opened her mouth. Captivated by her smile, her eyes and the way she looked around the room like she was assessing who she wanted to work with. Like she wasn’t the new kid but had been there all along. He’d never known anyone with that much confidence with their music, besides himself, before that day.

Then she’d sat down at the piano and he was hers if she’d have him.

“Of course Luke,” Ray smiled down at him, his arms still wrapped around him and Rose. “A blind man could see how much you love our ninita.”

Luke nodded his eyes filling up with tears. He did love her. God he loved her, more than anyone but apparently that wasn’t enough for his parents.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. “You don’t think we’re too young?”

“No mijo.” Rose shook her head as she reached up and wiped the tear that has escaped down his cheek. “I was only a year older than Julie when Ray and I got married.” She grinned at Ray over his head. “The only reason I wasn’t younger was because we’d only known each other a year.”

“Luke,” Ray squeezed his shoulder. “You’re both adults and we will support your decisions.”

He bit his lip and nodded.

They were adults no matter what his mother said. He had a place with the guys and a job. The band was booking more gigs every week and Julie would be graduating early from college in just a few months.

All of them worked so hard to make their dreams come true but none more than Julie. He was so proud of her and she inspired him every day to be a better man.

He had no doubt they’d have a recording contract within the year and he wanted her to be his wife when they made it big. Why couldn’t his parents see that?

“Thank you both so much.” He took a deep breath trying to calm back down from the anticipation of telling them about the proposal. He was going to propose no matter what they’d said but having their blessing meant the world to him and he knew it would mean the same to Julie.

“Your support means so much.” He looked back and forth between them and smiled. “It always has.”

Rose kissed him on the cheek, making him laugh, before stepping back. “Of course Luke,” she grabbed his hand and pulled him back toward the kitchen. “No matter what happens, you and Julie will always have a place here.”

“Where are you taking me?” he smiled as she kept pulling him out of the room.

She winked, “To eat.”

He looked back at Ray who was just standing back up from retrieving Rose’s flowers she's knocked off the coffee table in her rush to get to him. “I don’t want to disrupt your evening even more than I already have.”

“Nonsense!” Ray waved away his worry. “Stay and catch us up on what’s been going on with you, Reggie and Alex.”

He chuckled. It had been a while since they’d all been over to visit. Julie’s time was already split between school, him, the band and her parents so even she probably didn’t know everything that was going on with the guys right now.

Rose tugged on his hand pulling his attention back to her as they entered the kitchen, “And maybe tell us how you’re planning to propose?”

He bit back a grin as she left him sitting at the kitchen table while she moved around grabbing the food off the counters and Ray pulled out a vase to put the flowers in.

Maybe his parents hadn’t reacted the way he’d hoped they would when he told them he was going to ask Julie to marry him but Ray and Rose had more than made up for their disapproval with their overwhelming support.

Just like they always did.

He hoped on day his parents would see what he saw in his future.

“So…” Ray passed him a bowl full of rice. “Is Alex going to propose to Willie anytime soon?”

“Oh! Double wedding!” Rose exclaimed as she took the bowl from him.

He laughed.

If his own parents never came around he already had the best parents in the world, who would officially be his parents too one day soon… if Julie said yes.

***

Chopping Wood - posted tumblr 9/5/2023

“Julie?”

“Julie?!”

She was startled when Carrie sat down beside her and quickly tried to hide her phone.

“Nope,” Carrie laughed. “I’ve been calling your name for a solid minute what has got you so engrossed in your phone?”

Julie bit her lip as the slightly muffled sound of chopping still sounded too loud in the quiet room. “Um, so I was just checking the cameras at home to see if Luke had had a chance to clear the snow from the front porch and the back deck.”

Carrie raised her eyebrows in interest. “And…”

She nodded quickly. “He did.” Julie tried to make her face look innocent as the sound of something being cleaved continued to come from her phone.

Carrie frowned just as an auditable grunt issued from her phone and she couldn’t stop herself from glancing down at it.

“Julie… come on share.” Carrie bumped her shoulder against hers. “If you’re worried I’m gonna make fun or something I promise I won’t.” she held up three fingers. “Scouts honor.”

“I know for a fact that you’ve never been a scout.” Julie pursed her lips before giving in, “fine.” She reluctantly pulled her phone out and looked down at the image in the distance of the back yard camera.

Carrie was quiet for a long minute before her shoulders started to shake and she let out a howl of laughter. “Julie Patterson! Are you seriously ogling your husband chopping wood?”

Julie glanced up at Carrie with a frown, “Thought you said you weren’t going to make fun?”

“Apparently I lied.” Carrie laughed harder.

Julie ignored her friend and zoomed in on Luke a little when she noticed him stop and take a drink of something. Water she assumed. He sat it on the ground then took the flannel he’d had on as a jacket off and tied it around his waist leaving him in just a black tank top.

Carrie stopped laughing by the time he started chopping again.

“Ok, fine.” She leaned in a little closer. “Your husband is hot.”

She giggled, “Yes he is.”

They were quiet for several minutes as they watch Luke work.

“You know,” Carrie broke the silence. “I think we can be done for the day.”

“Yeah?” Julie looked over at her.

“Yeah…” Carrie breathed out. “I’ma go home to Reggie and see if we have any wood that needs chopping.”

Julie snickered, “Sounds good.” She reluctantly closed down the security app and pocketed her phone. “We can get back to work tomorrow.”

Carrie nodded quickly packing her bag. “Not too early though.” She looked up smirking at Julie. “I don’t plan on getting a good night’s sleep.”

Julie winked at her as she pulled on her coat and picked up her own bag. “Me neither sister, me neither.”

Chapter Text

Julie threw open the studio doors and froze.

Luke was sprawled across the mattress of the pull out sofa apparently sound asleep and completely naked. The blankets were still wrapped around his lower legs but everything above that was pale and smooth. He was hugging one of the pillows and his slightly overgrown mop of hair was covering his face.

She’d expected him to be here. They were supposed to meet to write today but she hadn’t expected him to still be sleeping… and naked.

A towel appeared in front of her face and she jumped.

“Got a little something on your chin Jules.”

She turned to scowl at Reggie who was snickering at her.

“Shut up,” she grabbed the towel from him and then threw it back in his face giggled and jumped away. “What is he doing sleeping in there?” she hissed.

Reggie shrugged. “He told me he didn’t want to piss you off for being late.”

She growled. “Why is he naked?!”

Reggie rolled his eyes. “Because he’s a walking furnace and always sleeps naked unless we’re sharing a bed.”

“Oh.” Julie frowned. “Where did you and Alex sleep?”

Reggie pointed back to the house. “I slept in the guest room and Alex stayed at Willie’s place. He’ll be here shortly.”

Julie bit her lip as her eyes were drawn back to the sleeping form of her crush.

Nope, nope she did not have a crush on Luke. They were friends and writing partners and band mates and that was all.

“What time did you all get in last night anyway?” The guys had gone out with a band they’d all met last week at their gig. Julie totally wasn’t bitter that she wasn’t twenty one yet and couldn’t go out with them last night or any night they went to a bar or a club unless it was eighteen and up which was rare.

“Luke and I got back around two.”

She’d stayed home, not that she’d had much of a choice and worked on some of her school work for her psychology class so she’d have today free to write and practice with the guys… with Luke.

Julie couldn’t stop staring at him.

The sun was streaming in the bay window making all that pale smooth skin practically glow.

 “I kinda wanna touch it.”

“What?”

Julie whipped her head back at Reggie, “Did I say that out loud?” she hissed.

Reggie shook with suppressed laughter. “Yeah, but...seriously” He took a calming breath. “What if he woke up and saw you?” He raised his eyebrows at her. “Are you ready to tell him you like him?”

She wanted to argue, or deny it but he knew, Alex knew, hell everyone knew except for Luke. She thought she’d been painfully obvious for years. Either Luke was really that oblivious or more likely he wasn’t interested in her like that and was just trying to spare her feelings.

She sighed, “No.”

He rolled his eyes, “You two really need to get your crap together.”

“I…” she started to say when there was movement on the bed and Luke started to shift. Julie squeaked and skittered away from the open door. She was not ready to see more than she already had. She’d already seen more than she should have.

Reggie pushed the open door partway closed and turned to frown at her crossing his arms.

“What?”

“Why won’t you just tell him and put all of us out of our misery?”

She rolled her eyes, “Because he obviously doesn’t think of me like that.”

Reggie scoffed. “You’re as blind as he is.”

“You know he,” she pointed toward the sleeping man on the other side of the door. “…could say something to me!” she pointed at herself.

Reggie sighed. “You’re both impossible.”

“I just think you’re wrong Reg.” Julie crossed her arms huffed. “I know Crystal was with you all last night and she’s been painfully obvious with how much she likes Luke.” Crystal was the bass player for the band the guys went out with last night and she’d been less than subtle with all her arm touching and inane giggling at everything Luke said when they’d all met last week.

“Julie,” Reggie rolled his eyes. “He doesn’t like her. He doesn’t like any of them. He’s in love with you!”

She shook her head and turned away from Reggie’s earnest face. She just couldn’t hear it anymore, it hurt too much. Luke was considerate enough not to parade all the girls who flirted with him in front of her but she was sure he must be getting together with them when he and the guys were out partying without her. 

Julie could feel the tears trying to well up in her eyes as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. It was fine, he deserved to have fun.

She just didn’t understand how Reggie could stand there and say Luke was in love with her when he’d never said anything? They’d been friends for years now. She’d thought when she was younger it was because he was a couple years older than her but she was nineteen now and far from a kid.

Reggie had to be wrong.

A warm hand tugged on her shoulder, turning her back around.

“Reggie…”

It was Luke.

“What are you…?”

He was looking at her so intently she barely registered his hands on her shoulders. “I promise I don’t like Crystal.”

“You don’t?” she breathed out laying her hand on his chest to steady herself. Thank goodness he’d put some clothes on.

He shook his head and leaned a little closer. “How could I possibly want to be with anyone when you’re all I think about?”

“Really?”

He nodded. “I’m not wrong here am I?” he said as he leaned his forehead against hers. “You want…”

She licked her lips and tilted her head up in invitation. “Yes.”

He smiled before closing the distance between them and pressing their lips together in a soft kiss.

It only lasted for a moment, both of them unable to stop smiling, before there was clapping and hollering behind them.

They broke apart, laughing, to see not only Reggie but Alex and Willie high fiving each other.

“It’s about fucking time you two!” Alex laughed.

“Ok, ok, shows over.” Luke grinned as he slid his arm around her waist. “Jules and I have songs to write.”

“Right,” Alex rolled his eyes and glanced at Willie and Reggie. “We’ll go see if Ray needs any help with anything for a couple hours so you two can go write,” Alex said making exaggerated quotation marks.

She couldn’t stop grinning at him as they walked with their arms around each other.

“Just think how much misery we could have spared everyone if we’d just shown Julie Luke’s naked ass ages ago,” Reggie said gleefully as he, Alex and Willie trooped up the stairs.

Julie squeaked and pulled away from Luke completely mortified.

She sprinted the last few feet into the studio as Luke burst out laughing at Reggie’s words.

Chapter Text

Julie dug her hands into the sand again and again as the light slowly faded from the sky.

It had been a shit day of an even crappier week and she just wanted to hide away from the world for a little while. It was why she’d told her dad she was studying at Flynn’s and then told Flynn she was tired and was going to call it an early night.

It’d taken her nearly an hour to ride her bike out to the beach but it had been worth it to let go of her thoughts in the sound of the waves and ground herself in the sand under her feet.

It’s not like she could hide in the studio.

That had been occupied by three ghost himbos for almost six months now.

Don’t get her wrong, she loved the guys and Flynn and her dad and even Carlos, for the most part, but sometimes a girl just needed to wallow in some self-pity by herself.

Her tears had dried a while ago and she was just staring out at the waves and the retreating sun when she heard the unmistakable sound of a ghost poofing in near her.

She didn’t even turn to look at him as he kicked off his vans and plopped down beside her scattering some sand on her own bare feet.

“Hey.”

Julie sighed and started digging in the sand again. “How’d you find me?” She looked down at the sand she was playing in, in case anyone was watching.

“You called me.”

She turned to Luke with a frown, the thought of anyone thinking she was crazy for talking to air flying right out of her head at his words.

“I did not!” She hissed. “I’ve only talked to my dad and Flynn. I certainly didn’t call the band phone. I was actually trying to be alone for a change.”

He shrank a little at her ire before shaking it off and leaning back on his hands. “I don’t know what to tell you Jules.” He shrugged. “I heard you call.”

She looked at him skeptically, “You heard me in your head, calling your name?” That would be new and weird and she wasn’t sure she wanted that ability, especially if she hadn’t meant to do it.

He leaned forward crossing his legs and bit his lip.

He ducked his head and was quiet for a moment before shaking it and looking back up at her through his lashes, “No, not in my head.”

The sun had nearly set and she could barely see his eyes in the fading light but he looked nervous all of a sudden like the answer was something she wouldn’t like.

As annoyed as she’d immediately been on his intrusion to her pity party she couldn’t help sliding her hand closer to his in the sand until their pinkies touched in a silent peace offering.

He wrapped his pinky around hers with a little tug.

The moment they touched Luke’s eyes cleared of their worry and she felt the tightness that had been pressing on her chest all day ease slightly. 

Julie pulled her knees up to her chest and laid her head on them before she whispered. “Explain, please?”

He sighed as he turned to face her a little more directly, careful not to move their hands still touching in the sand. “Ok, I guess heard is the wrong word…”

“Luke,” she sighed and squeezed his pinky. “Just spit it out. Why are you being weird?”

“Cause it is weird Jules.” He reached up to rub the back of his neck with his free hand. “I’ve had this feeling in my chest all day that something was wrong.” He dropped the hand on his neck to press against his chest like he was showing her where it hurt. “I asked the other guys if they felt it and they didn’t and…” He dropped the hand on his chest to lay on top of hers in the sand and fiddled with her rings. “I just knew you were sad or upset or something and I’ve wanted to check on you all day but you’ve told us not to come to the school anymore and then when you didn’t come out to the studio to see us this afternoon I…”

She flipped her hand over slowly and laced their fingers together keeping her head on her knees and her eyes on Luke. He looked up at her as a smile finally started to tug on his lips.

Julie and Luke had always been more in tune with each other than the other guys. She’d thought it had something to do with how they had shared pain about being disconnected from their moms or how they wrote music together like they shared a brain, but maybe it was more than that.

“Ok,” she nodded slightly. “Let’s disregard that you knew I was having a terrible day, we can analyze that later. That still doesn’t explain how you found me.”

He sighed, “I’m not sure explaining how I found you will be less weird. Honestly it was like some wizard shit.”

Julie giggled pressing her mouth to her knee trying to muffle the sound. Her giggles set his off and before long they were both shaking with laughter.

She unfolded herself and laid back on the sand keeping hold of Luke’s hand and he laid down beside her.

“Ok, I still need you to explain the wizard shit even if it is weird.”

“Ok, ok, I said that because you know in Harry Potter, in one of the last movies that part where Ron leaves and then finds his way back to them, back to Hermonie, with the little light in his chest telling him where to go?”

Julie frowned trying to follow his ramble. “You followed a light in your chest?”

“I mean kinda.” He groaned and rubbed his face. “I’d been feeling so off all day and when you didn’t come see us after school I started to get even more worried and then dinner time passed and we still hadn’t seen you. I needed to know you were ok.” He dropped the hand that had been on his head to his side and looked at her with so much concern. “I needed to find you so I just… did.”

He just did. It made a weird sort of sense. “So you just, what, closed your eyes and thought about me and here you are?”

He nodded, his eyes wide, “Yeah, exactly.”

They looked at each other a long time as they lay in the sand side by side holding hands. She briefly wondered what she looked like to anyone glancing in her direction.

“I’m sorry I worried you so much today. I’m ok, really.” She squeezed his hand. “I had no idea you knew how bad my day had gotten or I would have come to see you before I left.”

“Julie,” he rolled on his side to face her. “You didn’t know and really…” He dropped his eyes and stared hard at her shoulder. “It’s not your job to make sure I’m ok.”

She squeezed his hand again and he looked up at her with those sad puppy eyes and she melted like she always did. “Ditto.”

He grinned and shook his head. “I couldn’t help it.”

“You could have texted me.” She let go of his hand and rolled onto her side propping her head up on her hand. “You could have texted me.” She bit her lip. “What if I’d been in a bathroom or something when you came looking for me?”

He gaped at her. “I…I…” he started to laugh. “That would have been mortifying!”

“You think?” Julie giggled. “So text first…please.” She laid her hand on his in the sand. “I promise I’ll reply. Especially now that I know…”

Luke nodded, ducking his head. “Just so you know…” He started fiddling with her rings again. “Sometimes I know when you’re extra happy too.”

“Yeah?” She grinned at him and kicked his leg. “You don’t come find me then do you?”

He shook his head and looked up at her biting his lip. “We’re usually together.”

She laughed, of course they were. Luke wasn’t the only person that made her happy but ever since he fell into her life she couldn’t deny that she had more than friendly feelings for him.

Feelings that made her almost irrationally happy sometimes.

Luke smiled and pressed his hand against his chest. “You’re happy again now.”

“You seem to have that affect on me.” She bit her lip and ducked her head as she felt her cheeks heating up.

“Hey,” Luke tugged on her chin, gently forcing her to look at him. “You make me happy too Jules.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah…” Luke ducked his head and rubbed the back of his neck. It was too dark to know for sure but she thought he might be blushing like she had too. “I don’t know what I’d do without you boss.”

They looked at each other for a long time, neither wanting to say any more than they already had.

It was enough… for now.

Julie took a deep breath and blew it out hard. It was time to head back home, back to reality which luckily included three ghost boys that made amazing music with her and one that she…

“Alright, party’s over,” Julie said pulling herself up from the sand and dusting her jeans off. “It’s gonna take forever for me to bike home.”

Luke stood up with her, keeping her hand in his. It was fully dark now. Anyone would be hard pressed to notice how Julie’s hand might look like it was holding something invisible.

“Mind if I go with you?” He chewed on his lip. “I really don’t like the idea of you being alone in the dark like this all the way home.”

“I’ll have to walk.” She chuckled, “Unless you wanna run beside me?”

He laughed, “I’ll run for a bit and then you can sit on the handlebars and I’ll bike.”

Julie burst out laughing. “That would look crazy!”

“Exactly,” Luke grinned. “Anyone that saw you would think they were nuts.”

She bit her lip and shook her head at him as they headed off the sand toward her bike. There was a stretch of neighborhood they would need to go through where very few people were likely to see them.

“We’ll see.” She winked as she slipped her shoes on after unlocking her bike from the stand.

She glanced over at Luke as they left the beach area. Maybe she would let him bike for a bit. What did it matter if some stranger thought she was crazy, or they were?

She was already feeling pretty reckless… after all…

Julie looked over at Luke again to see him already looking back at her.

She was in love with a ghost.

Chapter Text

Alex came stomping into the living room with Reggie hot on his heels. He stopped in front of the TV blocking it from Julie and Luke who had just started a movie.

“Yes?” Julie paused the tv.

“I refuse to keep calling him...” Alex held up the tiny black cat Reggie had brought home a couple days ago. “The cat.”

Reggie opened his mouth and Alex held up a finger stopping him. “We are not naming him Han, or George, or Mario… NO people names!”

Reggie crossed his arms and pouted.

Alex turned back to Luke and Julie. “The last thing you ate is what we have to name him.”

A smirk ticked up the corner of Luke’s mouth, cutting his eyes over to Julie.

She barked out a laugh as she rolled her eyes before smacking him on the shoulder.

Alex gapped at them. “Oh my God, not that!”

“What?” Reggie frowned.

“Doesn’t matter.” Luke snickered. “Alex already said he didn’t want to keep calling him Cat.”

Julie’s shoulders shook as she muffled her laughter against Luke’s shoulder.

“I live with children.” Alex rolled his eyes and left the room muttering. “I’ma call Willie for suggestions.”

Reggie stood there frowning for another minute as Julie and Luke tried to stop giggling, until...

“OH!!!”

Chapter Text

It was nearing midnight on the tenth anniversary of her mother’s death and Julie was wondering if this would be the year she’d finally get up the courage to ask Luke to kiss her.

Again.

She’d asked him once before, five years ago on this very night.

She tried not to be obvious as she watched him from her side of the sofa, but his presence was more distracting than usual. Maybe because it was just the two of them left watching a movie they’d both seen before, or maybe it was the thought of what had happened last time bouncing around in her head.

She’d been a little tipsy, but not drunk. Luke had gotten them a bottle of her favorite pink wine even though she shouldn’t have had a favorite wine at all yet, being only twenty. But back then the anniversary of her mami’s passing always brought so much pain with it she tried to numb it as best she could. Luke had been the one to make sure she didn’t do anything too stupid ever since he’d rescued her from a party at Carrie’s house two years prior, before she could finish taking her shirt off and jump in the pool.

Flynn had been distracted with Carrie that night and Alex and Reggie seemed more inclined to let her do what she wanted, even if what she wanted was to get so shitfaced she threw up on her keyboard.

That had been another unfortunate anniversary. 

But, five years ago, Luke had been hiding out in her studio garage having run away from home, so they’d been spending a lot of time alone together outside of band practice.

She’d finished her second large glass of wine and then crawled into Luke’s lap and asked him to make out with her. She remembered telling him the wine hadn’t been enough, and she needed him to help her forget, for just a little while.

“Julie, you don’t know what you’re doing.” He’d gripped her hips tight, pushing her back to sit more on his legs than his lap.

“I know exactly what I’m doing.” She remembered leaning forward and how he’d ducked his head.

“You know how I feel about you, but the band need to come first right now.” He’d looked up at her from under his lashes and she’d felt like such a shit. “I need us to make it, and I can’t risk losing you no matter how much…” He’d sighed and dropped his eyes again, shaking his head.

The rejection had stabbed her in the heart, but she’d understood. He couldn’t go home until the band succeeded. She’d already lost her mother, but Luke still had a chance to get his back.

She’d slid out of his lap to the sofa beside him giving him a tight smile. He was right, she’d been impulsive and was risking messing up this amazing thing they had just to ease the pain in her heart for a little while.

But the wine made her both stupid and reckless and she couldn’t seem to stop herself from suggesting something a little more chase, just to see what it’d be like. She’d leaned into him and said, “Aren’t you curious?” Because as practical as she knew in her head it would be not to kiss, her body still very much wanted to know what he tasted like, what those full lips would feel like pressed against hers.

He’d taken her hand and turned sideways so he could look her in the eyes and if the rest of the night was a little blurry, she never forgot what he said next.

“Julie, I’m not sure I could stop kissing you if I ever did.”

Five years later and she could hear those words in her head like he’d just said them.

She wondered if he remembered.

She’d never really stopped wanting to kiss him.

Through boyfriends and girlfriends, the desire had faded to the background for the most part but was never really gone.

Ten years since Rose Molina had died and in ten more Julie would be the age her mami was when she passed. Was she really going to spend whatever time she got left not going after the one thing she’d wanted as much as she’d ever wanted anything?

The band was doing well. Successful even. They weren’t internationally known yet, but they were on the verge of a major break.

Luke had made up with his parents. They’d all grown up, moved out, and made a pretty decent living playing music.

Flynn was at her parent’s helping her mom with her dad who had broken his leg last week doing something fifty-five-year-old men shouldn’t be doing so they wouldn’t be interrupted.

She wasn’t dating anyone.

She was pretty sure Luke wasn’t dating anyone.

The question was, was she willing to risk rejection again just to know what it would be like to kiss him. To finally find out if the chemistry she felt every time they were together was more than just the music that ran through both of their hearts and veins.

~*~

Luke could feel Julie’s eyes on him as he pretended to watch the movie. He really should go. It was getting late and the longer he stayed the more he didn’t actually want to leave.

He wished Flynn or one of the guys had been able to stay. Take some of the tension he could feel in the room away. He wasn’t sure what was going on with her tonight. He’d spent the anniversary of her mother’s death with Julie for the last eight years.

Some years had been loud and chaotic with partying and drinking and a few had been quiet and mostly ended in big puppy piles with their friends. He could handle either version of Julie on this night, as long as she made it through to the other side without hurting herself or others, he’d always felt like the night was a success.

But tonight felt different.

They’d had pizza and chatted about the new album they were working on but didn’t fall into a writing session like they did nine times out of ten.

They’d gossiped about Alex and Willie and when they were going to get married or more importantly who would propose first.

They talked about her dad and the date he’d been on last week that had him back home by eight. They’d tried not to snicker as he got them to delete the app off his phone as he informed them all he definitely wasn’t ready to move on.

Luke had understood. He let his eyes slide over to Julie for a moment. He’d been trying to move on from her for years with little to no success. He tried dating, but it never lasted. He inevitably ended up pushing them away by talking about the band, re: Julie too much. He’d tried casual relationships, but they only fed the body, not his soul, and he didn’t think it was too much to ask the universe for both. Was it?

Five years ago he did one of the stupidest things he’d ever done in his life. Right up there with eating poisoned hotdogs and spending the night in the ER trying not to die.

He’d turned Julie down when she asked him to kiss her. But even more importantly he didn’t talk to her about it the next day when she was for sure sober and ask if she’d been serious, see if she still wanted to kiss him without the half a bottle of wine coursing through her.

Because he wanted to kiss her. He had then and he did now. The only thing that has changed in the last five years was how successful they were now and how much he loved her. He hadn’t thought he could care about her more than he had then, but he’d been wrong. The way he felt about her then felt like standing in the sun until you started to sweat. Now it felt like he might burn alive from the inside out when he stood in the sunshine of her voice, her eyes, her smile.

That little part of his brain that had told her no that night still whispered what if it wasn’t good. What if she didn’t feel the same. What if changing the dynamic of their relationship broke the band up.

What if it was the best thing that ever happened in his whole life.

“Julie?” “Luke?”

He turned to see her biting back a grin. He should have been surprised at the determined look in her eyes, but he wasn’t.

She threw the blanket on her lap up onto the back of the sofa and slid over into his lap, never looking away from him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He placed one hand on her back and one on her knee as he took a deep shuddering breath.

“So.” Julie sighed.

“So.” He nodded.

“Five years ago…”

“You asked me to kiss you, and I said no.”

She nodded. “You said no.”

“Are you asking again?”

“Yes.” She licked her lips, her eyes dropping to his before flicking back up to his eyes. “But this will be the last time.”

He nodded. “I’m not sorry I told you no that night five years ago.”

She started to pull away.

“But!” He held her tight. “I should have brought it up again in the morning.” He reached up and tucked a curl behind her ear. “I should have asked to kiss you at least a couple of years before you asked me that first time.”

“Yeah?” A ghost of a smile quirked at the corner of her lips.

“Five years ago, I was too scared of losing everything, including you, to risk our friendship on the chance that we could be… more.”

“And now?”

He felt her thread fingers into the hairs on the back of his neck as he took another deep breath. “I’m not afraid anymore.”

She nodded before she started to lean closer and whispered inches from his lips. “I think we’ve put this off long enough.”

He put his finger between them and grinned when she pulled back with a frown.

“I told you five years ago I didn’t think I could stop kissing you if we ever did. Just wanna make sure we’ve said everything we need to…” He licked his lips. “For now.”

She snickered as she leaned in again. “You talk too much.”

Their lips met and Luke had been right. He didn’t think anything would make him want to stop kissing Julie Molina.

She seemed to feel the same because neither of them spoke again for a very long time.

Chapter Text

It was a lazy Saturday morning and Julie was cooking herself some bacon and eggs scrolling through the dating app Flynn had talked her into installing last night after her third glass of wine.

When the talk had turned to how long it had been since she’d been laid her best friend had insisted this new app was the way to break her dry spell. It was marketed as a dating app but was more popular for being the hetero version of grindr. On the plus side the men couldn’t message the women till they messaged them first. It was sexist as hell but when it came to a possible hookup Julie appreciated it.

Julie sighed as she swiped left on a guy that listed sky diving as one of his favorite hobbies. “Hell to the no.” She muttered under her breath.

She’d actually forgotten all about the app until her do not disturb turned off at nine and her phone started pinging that there were a few matches within the default radius of two miles.

She paused on a pretty cute guy that seemed to be a little too fond of his admittedly nice arms when the smell of her bacon burning finally pulled her attention back to her breakfast that was about to be ruined.

“Shit!” She dropped her phone on the table and only halfway noticed Dahlia, her cat, jumping up as she moved to save her bacon from crispy hell.

“Dahlia down!” She scolded over her shoulder as she turned the stove off and pulled the bacon out, laying it on a paper towel.

The cat ignored her of course, continuing to sniff at her phone, as she went about making herself a sandwich with her eggs and bacon.

She took a bite and moaned happily as she sat back down pushing Dahlia’s nose away from her still open screen and froze.

Apparently the cat had sent the guy with the arms a message and he had replied.

Several times….

Well shit. If his apartment was anything like hers there wasn’t a universal cut off so he’d have to wait for maintenance to get there and, again, if it was like hers, they could be anywhere from a few minutes to a few days showing up.

She checked his location and saw he was literally on the next block over and sighed. Guess she was going to get her good deed out of the way for the day.

She wolfed down her sandwich as she pulled out her little tool kit her tia had gifted her when she moved in, grabbed an armful of towels and her keys and was out the door in record time jogging down the block in her bare feet.

She was headed up the steps of Mr. Arms, sorry, Luke’s building when her phone pinged twice.

“Of course you live on the third floor.” She grumbled as she started to climb. Realizing halfway up she didn’t have a bra on. At least her tank wasn’t white.

She banged at 3C’s door with her elbow three times as she tried to catch her breath before it was jerked open and she nearly fell in.

Her first thought was maybe he had a right to be proud of those arms because his profile picture hadn’t done them justice.

He also hadn’t been soaking wet in that picture.

Floppy brown hair curling around his forehead and dripping down his face, pajama pants hanging low on narrow hips and a sleeveless t-shirt plastered to an equally impressive torso.

“Oh thank God!” He grabbed the towels and the toolbox out of her hands and rushed down the hall. “Come on in!”

She took a steadying breath as she stepped inside the apartment. It looked much like her own with only a small sofa, books and a decent sized tv in the small living room. But where she had her piano by her balcony door, he had an amp and guitar.

Julie shook her head and moved down the hall to the bathroom curious how bad the situation was.

She tried not to laugh as she peaked around the corner. There were wet towels everywhere and a literal spray of water coming out from under one of the faucets. Luke was on the floor with her screwdriver turning something she couldn’t see.

Whatever he was doing seemed to be working because the deluge of water started to slow and then stop.

He sat up with a sigh, pushing his wet hair off his face and smiled at her. “All better.”

She felt a throb between her legs. Fuck, that smile should come with a warning label.

“Glad I could help.” She smiled back at him as she casually crossed her arms over her chest.

He stood up, that smile never wavering and placed her screwdriver back in the little tool kit. He clicked it closed and passed it to her. “Can I buy you breakfast or something?” He seemed to finally be looking at her, probably noticing her lack of shoes, her flannel shorts and her tank top that she definitely had a bra on under. “Or can I make you breakfast?”

She shrugged. “Do you have a dryer?”

“What?” He laughed.

She waved at the mountain of wet towels all over the floor.

“Ah, no.” He sighed. “I’ll have to take them to the laundromat later.”

She bit her lip. This was probably a bad idea, or a really really good one. “I have a dryer.”

“Yeah?” He took a step toward her, his eyes twinkling in interest. “I already owe you for the screwdriver and now you’re offering the use of your dryer too. I’m gonna have to take you to dinner or something.”

She could swear his eyes dropped to her lips as she licked them. “Or something.”

He took another step toward her, forcing her to tilt her head up to meet his eyes.

She let her arms drop to her sides as he slid a hand around her waist ever so slowly, giving her all the time in the world to back up or say something.

Talking was not on her mind right now. All she could think about was that wet torso pressing against her thin tank top as he pulled her tight against his chest and how she owed Dahlia a saucer of milk for her accidental text.

“Hi.” He breathed across her lips. “I’m Luke.”

“Julie.” She whispered as he closed the distance between them.

Chapter Text

“Mr. Patterson!” The reporter yelled over the crowd.

“Luke.” He grinned as he stepped closer to the mic.

“Luke.” She smiled back at him. “This is the band’s third platinum album. A huge success by any standards.”

He smiled and waved as fans screamed his name from behind the barriers. “Thanks, it was a group effort.”

“Well, that’s just it.” She leaned forward, putting the microphone closer to his face. “You are the lead writer on every song but two on this last album and you’re still listed as a contributor on those.”

Luke nodded.

“What inspires you? How do you write such amazing songs? What’s your thought process?”

"I hate when people ask me to explain my thought process.” He laughed. “Like hell if I know."

The interviewer laughed but stayed leaning toward him. He was going to have to say something. God he hated this part of going to an awards show. Even when he and the band were up for this many awards.

“As far as how it’s like I said. It’s a group effort.” He looked down the reception line spotting Alex with Willie a few reporters away. Reggie and Carrie were already out of sight. He hated that they couldn’t stay together but their manager liked them to talk to as many people as possible and they could cover more ground if they split up.

“As far as what inspires me.” He glanced over at Julie talking to the reporter next to him before turning back to the reporter with his best camera-ready smile. At least Julie stayed close. It was always hard to know what to say when it came to her, because she was the answer. Had been the answer since the beginning.

But that was a secret to everyone but their family.

“Life is inspiring.” He spread his arms wide. “A song can be found anywhere, in anyone. You just have to know where to look.”

“Thank you Mr. Patterson.”

“Luke.” He winked at the reporter. 

He felt a hand on his arm as he turned away. Julie smiled up at him as her hand slid into his. “Ready to go in rockstar?”

He laughed and waved at the reporter and the crowd behind her as she led him down the red carpet. They paused for pictures with the rest of the band, and he couldn’t help leaning in to whisper in her ear. “Next time we have to do this I’m not talking. It’s stressful.”

“It’s because you can’t keep a secret to save your life,” she said through a grin.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It’s not, but we promised Andi we’d make a proper announcement.”

“Fine.” Luke leaned into Julie’s hair practically feeling the blush on her cheeks. “Mrs. Patterson.”

Chapter Text

“Oh my God Luke! Are you ok?”

Victoria heard Julie yell as she spun around from the stove to see what had happened.

Luke was holding a towel in his hand that was slowly turning red as Julie dug under the sink for the first aid kit she assumed.

She quickly turned the burner down and rushed over to them. “What happened mijos?”

“I went to hand Luke the knife I was using to cut the carrots and somehow stabbed him in the palm.” Julie grimaced as she plopped the box of bandages on the counter.

“It’s ok,” Luke said taking a shaky breath. “My wife can stab me a little bit, I don’t care.”

“Well I care!” Julie practically yelled. “It’s Thanksgiving! A day to celebrate not maim my husband!”

“Jules.” Luke laughed. “It was an accident. I’ll be ok.”

Victoria gently unwrapped his hand to see what the damage was and frowned at the puncture. “It’s deep but I don’t think it’s big enough for stiches.”

Julie sighed. “So, pressure and elevation?”

“Very good sobrina.” She grinned. “Glad to see you remember your first aid training.”

Julie rolled her eyes. “You’ve made us take that class every two years since I was twelve. Some of it was bound to stick.”

“Well, aren’t you glad you took them now?” She smirked as she dabbed at Luke’s palm with some antiseptic before placing a bandage on the wound and wrapping it tightly with gauze.   

“I’m glad tia.” Luke smiled at her.

“Suck up.” She heard Julie mutter under her breath.

She bit back a grin. “Ok mija. Take your husband in the living room,” she said raising Luke’s hand up over his head. “Keep your hand up for at least fifteen minutes then check it again. Comprendo?”

“But I was supposed to help you tia.” Julie frowned.

Luke nodded. “I’ll be fine on my own.”

She gave them her sternest look and they both sighed, glancing at each other, and then back at her.

“Si tia.” Julie rolled her eyes. “But I’m texting the other boys to come earlier to help.”

"Fine.” She kept her face impassive till she was back at the stove turning it back up and resuming her stirring. She didn’t see enough of those boys anyway.

Chapter Text

“You used to be shy.” Luke laughed. “Now you’re a whore.”

Julie turned slowly to glare at her husband. “What did you just call me?”

His eyes bugged out comically. “Attention whore! Not a whore, whore!”

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him as the crowd they’d just finished playing to clapped and screamed for an encore.

“You’re one to talk.” She scoffed.

Luke grinned. “Oh I know I’m a whore.” He leaned closer to her so she could hear him over the cacophony. “Tell me you’re not aching to go back out there again.” 

Something pulled low in her belly when he said aching and Julie couldn’t help but reach out and grab his arm. She hated that he was right.

“But if you’re ready to call it a night boss.” He kissed her cheek before pulling away, a know-it-all grin on his lips.

“You are such a little shit sometimes.” She shook her head, biting back a smile. He loved to tease her, and she could never help rising to the bait. It totally wasn’t foreplay.   

“Yeah.” He laughed. “But I’m your little shit.” He held up his wedding ring clad finger, pointing at it. “FOREVER…”

She burst out laughing.

“Would you two quit flirting.” Alex clapped them both on the back making her blush. “Let’s go do this so we can get back to the hotel.”

She looked over to the stage to see Reggie already bouncing on edge, just out of sight of the screaming fans.

“You just want to get back to Willie.” Luke winked at Alex.

“You really wanna go there.” He waved between the two of them before rolling his eyes and moving to join Reggie.

Luke grabbed her hand, pulling it up to his lips and kissing her knuckles. He didn’t say anything, but she could read the question in his eyes. Was she really gonna pretend she didn’t want to go back out there and soak up that energy. That love. It was insanely addicting.

“Come on!” Reggie called before stepping back out on the stage, tired of waiting.

The roar of the crowd drowned out any response she could have shouted back, and she felt the pull of the screaming fans singing through her veins.  

She bit her lip, closing her eyes and swayed on her feet.

Julie felt Luke move and she opened her eyes to see him looking both fond and mischievous as he bounced on his heels, obviously wanting to go, but still waiting for her answer.

She didn’t really have a choice since Reggie and Alex were already out there but she appreciated the gesture.

She nodded and he gave her a quick kiss before whooping and dashing onto the stage. The stadium getting impossibly louder at his appearance.

The steady beat of Alex’s drums and Reggie’s bass pulled her forward and then Luke’s guitar had her skipping into view.

She looked over at him as she moved to center stage, already grinning at her, before he turned to the roaring crowd.

“We’ve got one more for you tonight!” 

Ok, fine, she was a whore.

Chapter Text

“Later ladies!” Julie called over her shoulder as she leaned heavily on her cane and made her way down the hall.

Tonight was poker night. She, Flynn and Carrie had been playing cards every Wednesday for the last year and a half. Ever since they all moved into the new house together.

She paused by Alex and Willie’s suite to wave goodnight. Alex gave her a nod from the chair he was sitting in next to their bed. He was reading to Willie like he did every night.

They’d almost lost Willie to a stroke nearly two years ago. He’d made almost a full recovery now, but it had scared them all into speeding up their plans.

They’d been talking about spending their twilight years together since they used to travel the world on tour making music.

This getting old, being old thing sucked, but it beat the alternative.

She came into her room to find Reggie playing guitar with Luke. The sight never failed to make her smile even with the way things were now.

Her husband didn’t always remember her anymore, but he always remembered Reggie, although he didn’t always recognize him.

Luke had mistaken Reggie’s son, Kenny for Reggie more than once in the last year.   

“Hello boys.” She sat with a sigh. Her hip was killing her tonight. She might have put off that replacement longer than she should have.

“How was poker night?” Reggie asked as he stood and stretched.

She grinned. “I won.”

“Of course you did.” He laughed. It was so good to see a smile on his face again. They’d lost Kayla to cancer over ten years ago.

“You going?”

“It’s getting late.” He glanced down at Luke who was paying more attention to his guitar than the conversation. “I’ll see you tomorrow dude,” he said giving Luke a pat on the shoulder.

Luke grinned, and it was still the same grin he’d had at seventeen on his eighty-two-year-old face.

Reggie turned to give her a hug and whispered in her ear. “You ok?”

“Of course.” She gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Thanks for hanging out with him for me tonight.”

“No place I’d rather be.” He kissed her on the cheek, picked up his guitar, and left without another word. She suspected he’d stop by Alex and Willie’s room for a chat before going to his own.

They had live in staff for all of their needs, cooking, cleaning, even a nurse in case something happened. They’d worked hard for a lot of years to be able to afford the comforts they enjoyed now.

Unfortunately, money couldn’t fix everything.

“Do I know you?” Luke looked up from his guitar at her, puzzled.

She nodded. “You do.”

He hummed and nodded in return. “Are we friends?”

She felt her throat constrict as she nodded again. “The best.” She managed to croak. It was always hard when he didn’t recognize her. She reminded herself every day that at least he was still here.

He was still Luke.

“I’m sorry. I don’t…”

He gazed at her for a long time, his eyes shining. He bit his bottom lip, like he had for over sixty years when he looked at her. She could see the memories trying to push their way forward. Sometimes they succeeded, more and more often they didn’t.

“It’s ok.”

He plucked the guitar in his lap, his fingers seeming to move without thought. Julie was fairly certain he’d forget his name before he forgot how to play.

He shook his head and smiled again. “Will you sing if I play?”

She answered like she did every time her asked her.

“Always.”

Chapter Text

“Are you high?” Flynn asked as she stood in front of Julie with her hands on her hips.

“No.” She scoffed taking another bite of mint chocolate chip.

“Are you drunk?” Carrie frowned.

“Unfortunately not,” She sighed taking a sip of lemonade.

“Then what the fuck is wrong with you Julie Molina Patterson!” Flynn threw her arms up in the air. “You text us 911 and we show up to find you sitting on the floor in your pjs at three in the afternoon eating ice-cream out of the carton?”

“I’m pregnant.” Julie growled before shoving another spoonful of minty goodness in her mouth.

Flynn and Carrie looked at each other with wide eyes.

“We’re going to need more ice cream.” Flynn whispered.

“And spoons,” Carrie nodded and left the room as Flynn slowly lowered herself to the floor.

“Jules…” Flynn placed her hand on her knee and squeezed. “Are you sure? Because Violet is only six months old and I thought you couldn’t get pregnant if you were breastfeeding.”

She rolled her eyes and turned to pull out a bag she had stashed under the sofa and dumped the five pregnancy tests she’d taken out on the floor between them. “Well according to the internet it’s rare but not unheard of.”

“Fuck…” Flynn sighed.

“I take it you haven’t told Luke?” Carrie asked coming back in the room and sat gracefully beside Flynn before handing her a pint of chunky monkey and a spoon.

“Considering he’s not here feeding her that ice cream I assumed not.” Flynn took a bite of her ice cream, humming in approval.

“I told him I needed a break from Violet so he took her to my dad’s for the afternoon.” Julie sighed as she put the tests back in the bag and leaned against the couch. “What the fuck am I gonna do?”

“You’re gonna have another baby.” Carrie shrugged digging into her pint of cookie dough.

“Thank you captain obvious!” Julie scoffed. “We’re supposed to head out on tour in a couple months. I just got my body back.” She sighed and looked down. “Well as back as it’s probably ever going to get.” She dropped the carton of ice cream on the floor and got up to pace. “We’ve signed contracts! There was a plan!”

“Now we’ll just have to make a new plan Jules.” Flynn stood and grabbed her by the shoulders stopping her tirade. “I know you want more kids. I know Luke wants more kids. It’s just going a little faster than you intended and that’s ok.”

“I’m honestly not that surprised,” Carrie said from the floor where she was still eating her ice cream. “It’s a wonder you didn’t get pregnant years ago as much as you two have coitus.”

Julie giggled. “Coitus?”

Carrie grinned. “You asked us all to not swear around the baby.”

“Hey,” Flynn pulled her into a hug. “I know you’re the one that has to go through it but you’ve got all of us at your beck and call to help you as much as we can.”

“I know.” She sighed leaning her head on Flynn’s shoulder. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Flynn kissed her on the forehead.

“Hey!” Luke called banging in the front door. “We’re home mama!”

Carrie stood up giggling. “That one is gonna be just fine with this surprise.”

Luke froze with Violet still buckled in her car-seat fast asleep at the sight of all three of them standing in the living room, his eyes darting to the open cartons of ice cream on the floor. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Flynn shook her head as she went over and took the car seat out of his hand. “Your wife just needs to have a chat with you.”

“We’re going to take our niece up to her room and put her in her crib,” Carrie said patting Luke on the shoulder as she passed. “Try and keep it down.”

Julie watched her best friends disappear down the hall and then turned to her husband who was still looking at her like a deer in headlights.

“Babe?”

~*~

Flynn and Carrie had just gotten Violet out of her car seat when there was a loud WHOOP from the front of the house waking the little girl up.

“Better get used to the noise little one.” Carrie kissed her on the forehead as Flynn bounced the baby to keep her from crying. “It’s not going to be quiet here for long.”

Chapter Text

Carrie leaned over and whispered in Julie’s ear. “You can tell a lot about a man by how he dances.”

She raised an eyebrow at her friend. “Do tell?”

They were in dance class, leaning up against the mirrors watching their male friends learn their part of the dance they all had to perform for their exam at the end of the month.

“Take Alex and Willie.” Carrie continued. “If they weren’t together, they’d have half this class fighting over them.” She nodded toward Julie’s drummer and his boyfriend, who were easily the best dancers.

Julie snickered. “But why?”

“Besides their obvious rhythm and flow?” Carrie scoffed. “They’re barely breaking a sweat and they’re better than everyone out there and half the girls.”

Julie frowned.

“Not you, me or Flynn of course.”

“Ok, what about Nick?” Julie nodded over at Carrie’s ex, who did a spin and fell on the floor. He popped back up with a self-depreciating laugh as he fell back in line.

“He tries really hard.” Carrie bit her lip, stiffing a laugh.

Julie snorted. “That’s not a bad thing.”

“It’s not.” Carrie nodded. “But let’s talk about your boyfriend.”

Julie glanced over at Luke, who seemed to be enjoying swinging his hips around, but his eyes were unfocused, and he was staring off into the distance only halfway paying attention to the teacher.

“He’s got decent rhythm.” Carrie nodded. “But is he that distracted with…you?”

Julie bit back a grin. “He’s probably writing a song in his head.”

“Yeah?”

Julie’s grin nearly split her face. “We write music together.”

Carrie gave her a long look. Julie bit her lip again hoping she’d implied enough. This was not the place to share.

“How about your boyfriend?” Julie nodded back over to the dance floor without looking.

Carrie crossed her arms across her chest and grinned. Julie mirrored her and watched as Reggie tried the steps a few times. Then asked the teacher to show him again. Julie thought he got a little better with each run through.

“My boyfriend asks questions and is teachable.” Carrie whispered close to her ear. “I will take that over tries hard any day.”

Alex and Willie were laughing and trying to one up each other now. Nick was sweating like crazy and trying to keep up, but not really getting any better. Luke was…

Julie laughed. Luke had left and was sitting in the corner scribbling in his notebook.

“I swear the singlemindedness is a good thing sometimes.” She bumped Carrie’s shoulder.

“I’ll take your word for it.” Carrie rolled her eyes and grinned, training her eyes back on Reggie who was smiling at Carrie as he got better and better at the steps.

Julie turned her attention to her own boyfriend who must have felt her eyes on him because he looked up at her and grinned before holding the notebook up and mouthing. “I figured it out!”

And yeah, you could tell a lot about a man by how he danced, but it sure was hard to dance without music.