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Reggie could remember the first time he heard his parents fighting.
He was maybe 7 years old, before then they had tried to keep the yelling to a minimum, but this fight was… extreme. He doesn’t remember what the fight was about, but he remembers the yelling. After that it was like a dam broke. When ever they were in the same room they were fighting, or yelling. That was about the time his mother signed him up for music lessons. It was his escape, an excuse to drown out the yelling.
It worked for a few years. Reggie threw himself into music, into guitar, and life didn’t seem as bad. It was about this time he met Bobby. He was Reggie’s only real friend, even if they just sat next to each other in class.
Reggie was 13 when he met Luke. That boy was made of music. He understood Reggie’s addiction to it. Bobby tried, but it was more of a hobby to him than a lifeline. Reggie liked having that connection to another person. Even at 13 they floated the idea of starting a band, the three of them, but what kind of band only had guitars.
Everything changed when they met Alex. Alex was great. He was nice, cheery, and most importantly, he was a drummer. It didn’t take long for Luke to convince him to join them, and at 14 they had their band. It was a little rough around the edges, but it was theirs.
They were desperate to play anywhere they could: the pier, coffee shops, hell even a book club once. That band was everything to Reggie. It made him feel like he mattered to someone. However, the most important was that it got him out of the house. Sometimes he would ride his bike to the studio and just sit there for hours enjoying the quiet.
His parent’s fights had gotten exponentially worse. They yelled at all hours of the night, which wasn’t unusual, but now the fights were less about their failing marriage, and more about why Reggie was a fuck up. About whose fault it was that Reggie wasn’t making straight A’s, whose fault it was that Reggie might have ADHD, about whose fault it was that Reggie cared more about the band than his future. The worst part was when they acted like nothing happened. They would talk to him like ten minutes ago they didn’t call him a failure.
Reggie never mentioned how bad it got at home to the band. He didn’t tell them that sometimes his parents threw things at each other. He didn’t tell them that sometimes he heard his dad yell that it was a mistake that Reggie had been born. He didn’t tell them that one night he came home late from a gig to his parents yelling in the kitchen, and his dad was so mad he slapped Reggie across the face. He didn’t want to burden his friends with that information.
And its not like he had it the worst out of his friends.
Alex’s parents weren’t okay with him being gay, like really not okay with it. It all came to a head one day where Alex was running late for practice, which wasn’t like him. It was 45 minutes later when Alex stumbled in, it was clear he had been crying, and everyone jumped up.
“Alex, what happened?” Next thing Luke knew Alex had crashed into him, sobbing into his shoulder.
Alex continued to sob but tried to explain at the same time so the only thing the others understood was “conversion camp.” It was heart breaking. Alex was always so calm and cheerful it was hard to see him like this. Alex had come out to them a couple of months ago, but they never thought his parents would react like this.
Luke moved Alex to the couch, Bobby went to get some water, and Reggie sat next to them. He didn’t know what to do to help but he figured he could bring some comfort. Bobby came back and they all just sat there for a while.
Alex stayed at the studio for a few days, letting things cool down before going home. Reggie didn’t know if it was because Alex actually ran away or if Alex’s parents just didn’t care anymore, but his parents didn’t mention sending him away again. At least not that Alex ever told them. Well, not that he told Reggie.
Luke didn’t have it easy either. He was always fighting with his parents, especially his mom. Reggie knew it hurt Luke to fight with his mom, he loved her too much for it not to. Reggie knew Luke never wanted to hurt his parents, but he also knew Luke’s parents didn’t understand Luke’s need to play. The band was everything to him and it would kill him if he had to quit the band.
Reggie only found out Luke had run away when he showed up at the studio in the middle of the night. Reggie was sitting in the loft so Luke didn’t immediately notice him. Reggie was about to say something when Alex came storming through the doors a few seconds later. Alex went straight up to Luke and held him. Anything Reggie was going to say died in his throat.
Reggie really didn’t know what to do when Alex kissed Luke, and it didn’t look like it was the first time that had happened. Reggie couldn’t pinpoint why exactly that stung.
It was then Alex noticed him.
“Reggie?” Luke shot his head up to look at the loft.
“Hey guys.”
“It’s not what it looks like,” Luke tried weakly, but his heart wasn’t in it. Reggie wasn’t surprised, he looked like he’d been crying.
“It doesn’t matter right know; did something happen Luke? Are you ok? Do you want me to leave? Cause I can do that if you need me to.” Reggie trailed off.
“I ran away,” Luke’s voice was so unlike him. It was usually so strong and confident, but now it sounded small.
“What do you need?”
Luke looked at Alex, which seemed awkward considering that he was still in Alex’s arms. Luke looked back at Reggie “Can you stay?”
“Yeah I can do that.”
That was how Bobby found them in the morning, Alex, Luke, and Reggie all asleep on the couch, Luke’s head on Alex’s chest and Reggie’s head on Luke’s shoulder.
So no, Reggie didn’t have it the worst. At least he was still somewhat welcome at his own house. The only problem was Reggie lost the studio as an alone place. Luke lived there now, and where Luke was Alex seemed to follow. Not that Reggie had a problem with them being together, but it would have been nice to be told what was going on. He asked once and got nothing but deflection and noncommittal answers. Reggie didn’t ask again.
That’s how things were from there on. The band kept getting gigs, kept playing bigger places, Luke kept living at the studio, Alex kept kissing Luke when he thought no one would notice. Reggie kept going to the studio only to remember it wasn’t his anymore.
That’s how things were until the day they played the Orpheum. Well the day they were meant to play the Orpheum. That was the day they died.