Chapter Text
The realization struck Reggie in the middle of rehearsal.
They were talking about Alex and Willie’s sort of breakup. It wasn’t really like they had been dating, but it had definitely felt like it was heading that way. Reggie felt bad for Alex, he really did. It must have been hard to have Willie betray him like that. But Reggie had to admit that the fuel this semi-breakup could bring to their next performance had the potential to be legendary.
Reggie glanced at Alex and immediately put that thought away when he saw that Alex was a few moments away from breaking down completely. Shit, Reggie thought. He couldn’t be the tipping point for making Alex cry. He still felt guilty for letting Alex cry for those twenty-five years in limbo. Of course, at the time, he hadn’t known it had been twenty-five years, but it was still a shitty move for a friend to pull either way.
Reggie knew that he had to change the subject quickly. And he knew exactly what he needed to say to do so. He figured that he might rile up Luke with his next comment, but he didn’t really care. He just needed to divert the conversation away from Alex. Besides, sometimes he liked to see Luke all worked up. It was, by all intents and purposes, adorable.
“I don’t know man, sometimes a little fire can make things better on stage. Like you and Julie,” Reggie said, raising his eyebrows suggestively. He looked over at Luke, and Reggie could tell by the flicker in Luke’s eyes that he was about to take the bait. Hook, line, and sinker.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Luke said, obviously trying to play it off.
“Come on,” Reggie said, egging him on further, “everyone can see the way you look at her when you sing. You guys ooze chemistry.”
“You should never say ooze again,” Alex said, standing up, “but, yeah, I agree.”
“Ok no. I have chemistry with everybody that I sing with,” Luke said defensively. Reggie and Alex exchanged glances. “Seriously, watch,” Luke said as he locked his eyes on Reggie and started to sing.
From the moment Luke started that first note, Reggie was captivated. His vision narrowed and the only thing he could focus on was Luke’s intense hazel eyes. Hazel eyes that seemed to be gazing into his very soul. He was entranced. Entranced by the way Luke’s mouth carefully formed around each syllable as he sang. Entranced by the sound of Luke’s voice falling loud and clear over the notes. Entranced by the way his hazel eyes seemed to shift in the light as Luke walked closer and closer. They were so close; they were practically nose to nose. Reggie was vaguely aware that Luke had cupped his hand around Reggie’s face. His eyes locked onto Luke’s lips. It felt like they were just on the edge of—
“Wow, I see chemistry,” Alex interrupted, breaking the spell that Luke had cast over Reggie.
“That,” Reggie replied, his voice cracking, “was pretty hot.” Fuck. Did I say that out loud, he thought.
Luke playfully kissed two of his fingers and then quickly pressed them against Reggie’s lips. Reggie barely had any time to register this before Luke turned and walked away. Reggie took a millisecond to gather his thoughts before clearing his throat and asking, “girls, am I right?”
“Yeah,” Luke responded.
“No,” Alex said as he sat back down to count off the next song.
As they rehearsed, Reggie couldn’t stop thinking of what had just happened. Reggie knew that that was supposed to be the end of their conversation. That he and Luke liked girls and Alex was the only one in the band who liked boys. That was the way that things worked, that was the way things had always worked.
But then his mind started to drift to all the times he had grabbed Alex’s hand for just a second too long. All the times he had stared at Luke’s lips when they shared a mic. That split second where he wished that Luke would just lean a little bit closer and kiss him.
For Reggie, it was definitely a yes to girls, but it was also a yes to boys as well.