Chapter Text
Reggie had never really thought about dudes before. He knew it was possible, but that was only after Alex had come out as gay.
He can still remember it like it wasn't 25 years ago. He had been sitting in the studio, trying to write some country music. He just wanted to write something stupid and fun and happy all at the same time. If it also happened to be a distraction from his home life, then so be it.
When Alex walked in it was a surprise. Sometimes Luke would come through the door after a particularly shitty fight with his mom, but Reggie had yet to see Alex spend the night in the studio. Until today obviously.
"Hey, Alex! what's up? I was just working on some country music"
Alex stopped in his tracks. Reggie knows he can be a little oblivious at times, but there's no way anyone could miss the tear streaks down Alex's face.
"Alex? Hey man, are you ok?" Alex looked stunned - like he had walked here on autopilot.
"Reggie," As dramatic as Alex could be, he was never flippant about the big stuff, and with as serious as he was right now, this had to be big stuff. "My parents kicked me out,"
Reggie didn't question it. Alex had a better relationship with his parents than either him or Luke, so for them to kick him out it had to be bad.
"Do you want to talk about it? - Or do you want me to call Luke?" Reggie was at a loss for words. He wasn't sure that Alex wanted to talk, and he didn't know what to do beyond that.
Alex shifted where he stood, with his duffle bag over his shoulder. "Not really, thanks," He dropped his bag to the ground and kicked it to the side. "I think I'm just going the stay here for - " his voice got noticeably softer "a while,"
That gave Reggie pause. It wouldn't surprise him if Luke or himself left home for a while, even forever - but Alex? What happened?
"Okay then,"
Alex echoed him "Okay then,"
And suddenly they were in desperate need of a distractor. "Wanna hear about the country music I'm writing?"
"I'm Gay"
It was a blurt, Reggie knew a blurt when he heard one, and Alex looked like he regretted it immediately.
"I know not everybody is ok with that, but I am - Gay I mean- and I've known for years. My dad told me to leave, and I understand if you don't want me here either - but .."
So a Blurt and a Ramble then. Reggie had to say something.
"Hey Alex, it's cool. You can stay. I don't care that you're gay - I mean I care that you care, and I care about you, but like ..." Reggie trailed off. "You're still my friend,"
Alex had started crying, and then Reggie was moving to hug him. They had sat on the floor for a while, with Alex crying, and Reggie hugging him. The next day, Alex told Luke too, and they were all crying again.
When Alex went back home, his parents didn't stop him. They didn't welcome him either.
Then not too long after, the three of them died.
----------------
25 years later, a lot had changed.
Alex met Willie and Luke met Julie, even though Luke didn't seem to notice what he had with Julie. Reggie didn't know where that left him though. It wasn't like he was third-wheeling, but he felt left out of the experiences that the other two band members had.
Then Willie and Alex were having a rocky time, and Reggie was suddenly glad that being single meant he couldn't get his heartbroken.
“Yeah, you’re a great guy and a great drummer. I wouldn’t let that get in the way of what you love.” Luke told him.
“I don’t know -" Reggie said, "sometimes a bit of fire can make things better on stage.” He pointed teasingly to Luke. “Like you and Julie.” Maybe now Luke would see that the two of them were so cute together that it was rotting his teeth.
Instead, Luke was just confused “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Come on, everyone can see the way you look at her when you sing together on stage. You ooze chemistry,”
“Okay, you should never say ooze again,” Alex said, gesturing at Reggie with his drumstick. “But it’s true," he said to Luke “You guys are good together"
Luke got all defensive. “Oh come on, that’s not true - I have chemistry with everybody I sing with,” Reggie could feel himself making a face (there's no way Luke still doesn't see it), but the hard set of Luke's eyebrows definitely meant he didn't.
“Just watch,” Luke said, and he started moving towards Reggie while singing.
Reggie didn't feel any chemistry - until Luke got closer, and closer, and grabbed the back of his head. It made his knees want to buckle, and his arms turn to jelly. From all he had heard from Flynn and Carlos - this was definitely an 'are we about to kiss?' moment. He was stunned and flustered, and he kind of wanted Luke to kiss him.
Alex broke the momentary silence “Wow. I feel chemistry.”
“That.” Reggie managed out, his voice cracking. “Was pretty hot.” He faltered and shifted his guitar strap. He felt kind of uncomfortable in his own skin. Something about the way he was feeling wasn't right, he had to say something “Girls? Am I right?”
Luke agreed with him, laughing a little. It was clear he thought he had won the argument, “Yeah, right.”
Alex predictably didn't agree “No,” he said, shaking his head while smiling.
They continued on with their practice, but Reggie was stuck in his own head. What was that? Why was that so hot? He wasn't gay. He knew that for a fact. Girls were more than interesting enough, and he had had plenty of crushes on them in the past. The more he thought about it though the more confused he felt. Was it possible to be a little bit gay? Only a part-time gay man? Part-time straight? Was that even allowed?
He would have to ask Julie. Or maybe steal Carlos' computer.