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—2020—
Reggie had made a joke. That's all he did. Scoffing and making a note on the fact that Luke has chemistry with Julie, it's something he's joked about many times back when they were alive. Whenever Luke had a girlfriend, or even when he was experimenting with Alex for that short time, he would always joke about how it made their songs better. He didn't expect Luke to do what he did at all.
It was like his feet were stuck to the ground and all he could do was stare ahead as the boy got closer. If he wasn't frozen in place, he would have dodged away. He was sure of it. Absolutely sure. He totally would. He didn't know why he needed this much convincing on what he would do if he had control of his limbs as Luke sang to him and grabbed his neck with his right hand. He had been thinking so much that he only really registered Luke singing "on the edge of... great." The first thing to come out of his mouth seemed to make it even worse.
"That was pretty hot!" He squeaked out.
Then Luke kissed his fingers and pressed them to his lips, before walking away leaving him stunned. He cleared his throat awkwardly before speaking. "Girls! Am I right?"
"Yeah."
"No."
—1994—
"Reg?" Luke said, opening his front door to see the boy standing there with tears streaming down his face.
"I-" Reggie's voice trailed off into a sob and Luke pulled him into a forceful hug.
"Come inside Reg." He whispered into his shoulder. "You know you can stay here whenever you want." Reggie just nodded.
Luke closed the door, not once letting go of the other boy.
"Hey Luke, who was at the door?" His mother walked in from the kitchen. Reggie turned away from her and nearly buried his head in Luke's shoulder.
"It's Reggie. We're just gonna go to my room okay?" She seemed to had taken the hint as she nodded and turned back to the kitchen.
"Okay just let him know if he's hungry we have plenty of leftovers."
"Got it!" He turned to Reggie, leading him to his room with a hand on the back of his leather jacket.
"Hey Reg, you want to tell me what's going on?" He said closing his bedroom door and kneeling in front of Reggie as he sat on Luke's bed. "Is it your parents?"
Reggie nodded. "It was really bad this time Luke." He hiccuped through his slowing tears. "I don't want to go back."
Luke sat behind him and let him lean back on his chest. Running a hand through Reggie's hair he spoke softly. "You're always welcome to share my bed." They stayed in silence as Luke combed his hair with his fingers. "Do you want to eat?"
"I'm not hungry."
"Then do you just want to go to sleep?"
"Yeah."
"Okay." Luke said, Reggie hadn't brought anything with him except his bass. "You can wear some of my old clothes. Let's get you comfortable." Luke led him to the bathroom and took out the toothbrush that he always kept in the sink drawer just in case Reggie ever had to come over on short notice. "If you need me I'll be right outside the door Reg."
Minutes later Luke had his arm around Reggie's waist, with his hand entangled with his. Reggie was already breathing slowly, Luke was sure he was asleep already. He ran his other hand through his hair, and nuzzled his face closer to the other boy.
Normally Reggie was angry when his parents fought. Luke thought of the countless times Reggie had ranted about them fighting, the times he's screamed when they were alone in the studio or in some empty parking lot in the middle of the night when they snuck out together. He'd seen him cry, but usually out of frustration. He'd never seen him cry like this. Never seen Reggie so not-Reggie before. Reggie would usually still crack half-hearted jokes, he didn't even attempt today. He just cried. It must have been really bad. He kissed the back of Reggie's neck.
"I'm so sorry Reg." He whispered. "I-" Luke's voice stopped in his throat. "Goodnight Reg." Luke closed his eyes.
—2020—
Reggie had personally dealt with enough emotions in the last 24 hours, and he figured Luke and Alex probably felt the same too. First, they thought playing the Orpheum would be their unfinished business that would let them cross over before they stopped existing. Then after that, they hid from Julie-to no avail- to spare her the pain of watching them flicker out. And somehow, despite it all, she had saved them anyway. They had no idea how or why, but he wasn't about to question it. He could still be with the people he loved for a little while longer, and that now included Julie.
Caleb would no doubt let them get away with it this easily, but that was a problem for another day. Instead his mind kept returning to the one thought he kept having any time their existence was threatened. He didn't know what it would be like when he crossed over, no one knew. But if he wasn't certain he would be with Luke and Alex, that put a pain in his chest he couldn't bear. He knew why too. He'd known since 95.
—1995—
"Okay Reggie. You can do this." He said to himself in the mirror, running a hand through his hair to make it look distressed. "You can do this. All you gotta do is tell Luke..." the words faded from his mouth. He cleared his throat and gripped the bathroom sink, looking in his reflection. "All you have to do is tell Luke that.... you like him." He let out his breath.
He'd finally said it out loud. He never had before. If Alex can do it. So can he. He didn't exactly have a label for himself, but he now knew straight guys didn't think about other guys like this. And really, he was so stupid for thinking otherwise.
"Dude!" Luke barged in the bathroom and Reggie did his best to make it look like he was washing his hands. "We're on for a soundcheck in five minutes."
After a moment of silent smiling, Luke continued. "I can't believe we're here Reg. We're playing the Orpheum. This is our chance."
Luke flung his arms around him suddenly. "We'll finally be able to leave." He said with his head resting on Reggies shoulder. "We can get a place together and get away from our families." He pulled away, his right hand still resting on Reggie's arm. "If that's what you want?"
"That sounds... amazing Luke." He smiled.
Luke's lips widened into a smile that made Reggie want to grab his face and pull him into a kiss immediately, but he resisted. "We should get out there huh?"
"Yeah, let's go change out lives."
—2020—
That was it, they had definitely changed their.... existence that day. But if there was one thing that he liked about that day, it was that he finally came to terms with liking Luke more than a friend. And if he wasn't going to exist with him like this anymore it scared him that he couldn't muster up the courage to tell him before they crossed over or flickered out. But now here they were, in the studio in the early morning light fiddling with their instruments, or in Luke's case, writing in his song book.
"I love you guys, you know that right?" Luke said, looking up from his notebook, guitar laying in his lap.
"That's like, the third time you've said that today Luke." Alex said. "But I love you guys too."
"Yeah, I'll always love you guys." Reggie said, trying to make it seem as casual as possible.
Julie barged into the garage to see them laying all over the space. "Hey guys, all still here?"
"Yeah, what Jules did you wish we weren't? Because then you shouldn't have magically healed us last night." Luke pouted from behind his notebook.
"Don't even joke about that." She said, sitting down next to Reggie on the couch. "Anyway, I just had the weirdest interaction with Nick."
"Ooo that guy that has a crush on you?" Reggie smiled.
Julie gave a look to Luke. "You told him?" Luke raised his hands in defense. "Doesn't matter. Anyway, he gave me flowers this morning."
"That doesn't exactly seem weird." Alex said, setting down his drumsticks and moving to the floor in front of her.
"One, I already turned him down. Two, he saw me and Flynn after the performance."
"Woah, wait. You and Flynn?" Luke asked, sitting up.
"Yeah it just kinda happened I guess." She shrugged. "She asked me out after the show. But the thing is, Nick was there. Now it's like he just forgot about it."
"Ok that is weird."
"Sorry I didn't tell you guys about the Flynn thing, It just didn't seem like the most important thing at the time."
"Yeah I guess it wasn't. But I'm happy for you." Luke said smiling. Reggie gave him a look, but Luke ignored it.
"Ok I just wanted to check in with you guys. Gotta head out with dad for a bit and when I get back we can practice some more." She stood and walked to the door, but paused. "I'm really glad you guys are still here."
She closed the door and before long, Reggie turned to Luke. "Sorry buddy. I know you had chemistry with her. Don't deny it."
"Maybe a little, but I don't know. It's complicated. I'm good with being just friends with her." Luke paused. "Hey Alex, are you going to try to find Willie? I know you really liked him."
"I want to." Alex sighed, laying on his back. "Should I?"
"I think if you have a chance you should take it." Reggie said, thinking to himself how hypocritical it was that he couldn't take his own advice.
"Maybe I will. He probably thinks I've crossed over, I should find him." Alex sat up. "Yeah. I think I'm going to try right now. I'll see you guys later." He blinked out.
"Hey Reg?" Luke turned to him. "Are you good?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Reggie laughed it off and strummed his bass.
"You don't seem like you Reg. It's like you've been on edge for a while now."
"Well, we almost did cross over, and then we almost stopped existing and then Julie saved us."
"I know but, you've been on edge since 95." Luke said, setting down his notebook on the coffee table. "But it only feels like you're on edge around me. Did I do something wrong?"
"God Luke, no. You've done nothing wrong." Reggie buried his face in his hands. "It's- you're right. Something is... different, but Luke none of its your fault."
"Do you want to tell me what it is?" Luke put his hand in Reggie's back, and rubbed it in slow circles.
"I... want to, but not yet." Reggie pulled away much to Luke's dismay. "I have to think about it more."
"Take as long as you need Reg. Just know that I love you." Luke said, clearly wanting to hug him but holding back.
Reggie held back a breath when Luke said those words. "I'm gonna go. Thanks Luke. I.. I'll see you later." He blinked out, leaving Luke on the couch by himself. Reggie had never not said 'I love you' back to him.
—
Reggie didn't go far, in fact, he only went a few feet away, and upstairs. He was in Julie's room, and he knew he promised not to be when she wasn't here, but he had to find something out.
He had used a computer before, it's just, now they're tiny and so much has changed about them. It really seemed like just yesterday when the computers were huge and loud and definitely didn't have cameras on the front.
He opened the laptop—Julie said that's what they're called—and pressed the 'on' button.
The computer started an brought him to a password page and he completely deflated, slumping to the ground. He'd seen her sign in but he didn't know—and didn't ask—what her password was because: boundaries. And he was breaking those boundaries right now. He felt warm tears start to fall down his face, but he didn't wipe them away. He didn't know how long it had been, but after a while her bedroom door opened.
"Reggie I thought I told you to- hey are you okay?" Julie walked into her room, and immediately closed the door upon seeing him.
"I'm sorry." Reggie hugged his knees to his chest.
"No, no, what's wrong Reggie?" She knelt down beside him and placed a hand on his back.
"It's, me."
"What?"
"I.. I like Luke." He choked out.
"Oh." She says down beside him now. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Yeah."
"When did you start liking him?" Julie said, grabbing his hand for support.
"I don't even know. But Luke has cared for me since I've known him. I've spent so many nights with him because of my parents... I've never felt more safe than when he's holding me."
"Reggie, can I hug you?" Reggie nodded and she tackled him in a hug.
He sighed into her embrace, reminding him of her saving them from Calebs mark. And how glad he was to be able to touch someone living, it gave him at least some sense of comfort that he was here, in some way.
"But... I like girls." Reggie says. "I just. I've been confused since I was thirteen and then I realized I liked him at seventeen then... I died."
"You could be like me." Julie said.
"Like you?"
"Bisexual." She explained. "It means I'm attracted to men, women, and nonbinary people. There's also preferences in that too, like I'm mostly into guys but I can still like girls and nonbinary people too."
"Yeah. I think I'm that." He smiled.
"There's also pansexual, which is similar, but means that gender has no bearing on if you fall in love or not."
Reggie hummed. "I think I'm bisexual. Girls are awesome." He chuckled wiping his face.
"Girls are awesome." Julie laughed with him. "Thanks for trusting me to tell me Reggie. It's really cool."
"We can be bi-buddies now." He fingergunned in her direction.
"Okay yeah, you really are bisexual." She said, he made a confused face and she added: "It's just a joke in 2020, I'll explain it later."
He sat on her bed. "So what do I do about Luke?"
"That's up to you Reggie."
"I thought he.... I thought he liked you."
She nodded. "I thought I did too. But I realized that it could never work between us. I'll never be able to have a normal relationship with him. I do have feelings for him, but I have feelings for Flynn too. And well, she's alive, Luke isn't. I can't speak for Luke, but I do know that you have a chance to be happy with Luke, or maybe some ghost you haven't met yet."
"Yeah. I kind of left him alone earlier. I think I should go talk to him." Reggie said.
"Wish me luck."
"I do." She hugged him. "If you need to get away, you're welcome to come back."
Reggie nodded and blinked out.
—1995—
"Reggie you were killing it out there!" Luke exclaimed as they crossed the street to get their street-dogs. "Seriously dude you're gonna have all the ladies over you today."
Reggie chuckled lightly. "Yeah totally."
"Come on man." Luke stood in front of him.
"Ok fine, I was AWESOME!" Reggie yelled as they came upon Sam & Ellas street-dog stand, if you could even call it that.
Luke shook Reggie's shoulders. "That's the Reggie I know." He wrapped a arm around him and Alex. "Our lives are changing tonight boys."
"Yeah." Reggie said. I'll tell him after the show, he thought to himself.
And they gorged on their street-dogs.
—2020—
Reggie blinked into the studio. Luke didn't even notice, he was just scribbling in his terrible handwriting in his beat up notebook on his couch.
Reggie fiddled with his hands, his voice barely a whisper. "Luke...?"
"Reg!" Luke threw his notebook and pen to the side. "Gosh Reg when you didn't come back I got so scared- I went looking for you. I thought you might go to where your house used to be but you weren't there. Then I tried to find your parents because I thought maybe you did but-" Luke stopped. "Sorry I'm rambling but I'm so glad you’re back Reg."
"Can I talk to you?" Reggie said.
Luke's eyes went soft, as they usually do. "Yeah. Yeah man of course. You can tell me anything." He motioned to the spot next to him and Reggie took it.
"This is gonna sound kinda weird, but do you remember the night we were gonna play the Orpheum you came into the bathroom when I was in there?"
Luke searched his thoughts for a second. "Yeah I remember. That's when we pledged to... to live together."
"Yeah but did you hear anything?"
Luke shook his head.
"Gosh, I thought it might be easier if you did." He sighed. "I was hyping myself up to tell you something that day. And I just kept pushing it farther and farther back until I decided to tell you after we played and.. I never got to."
Luke stayed quiet, listening and shifting closer to Reggie.
"When we died I thought that was it, I blew my chance. Then we were in that room and it just wasn't the time. Then Julie." Reggie avoided eye contact and focused on a bracelet Julie had left on the coffee table. "And when everything was going good I was gonna tell you then but... then you started getting close to Julie and I just assumed I blew my chance again. I blew it three times Luke. We died. I didn't say it. And I didn't say it when we were going to cross over or when we thought we'd stop existing and that scared me. I want you to know."
"Reg." Luke said putting his hand on Reggie's. "What are you saying?"
The way Luke said it made Reggie feel like Luke knew exactly what he was going to say, but wanted him to say it himself. He inhaled, exhaled, and said it. "I like you. A lot. And I have for a long time."
Luke inhaled too. "You have feelings for me?"
"Yeah." Reggie sighed, feeling tears roll down his cheeks. "I know it's stupid because you're straight and you like Julie but with what happened with her today I thought maybe this was my chance to tell you. And I'm sorry if this changes things but oh god Luke that's the last thing I want to do, you're the person that got me through so muc-" Luke pulled the crying boy into a hug.
"You're not mad?" Reggie asked.
"Reggie." Luke nearly chuckled, pulling back and wiping the tears off the other boys face. "Reggie I like you too."
"What?"
"Reggie I... why do you think I cared about you so much?" Luke smiled.
"But you'd do the same for Alex, and-"
"I would, but Reg, we've been the closest for the longest. All those nights when I held you after your parents fights. I've never done that with another guy." Luke intertwined their fingers. "It felt so good to have you in my arms. So warm. Its you Reg, its always been you." Reggie nodded at Lukes words.
"Can- can I kiss you?" Luke said, his eyes glancing toward his lips. Reggie nodded and before he could register Luke was on him and their lips connected. It was messy, their noses got in the way and it was wet and salty because of their tears but it was more perfect than either of them could have imagined.
Luke pulled away eventually and let Reggie lay on top of him on the couch.
"I wish we were alive." Reggie said.
"Me too reg. Me too." Luke echoed.
Luke held him, for the first time in what felt like years, which—when it really came down to it—had really been twenty five years. And it felt so right.
—
They heard soft knocks at the door. "Hey guys, is it good to come in?" They both heard Julies voice coming in through the garage door.
Luke instinctivley sat up, forcing Reggie to move off off of his chest.
"Hey, Luke, its okay. I talked to Julie earlier. Thats where I went."
"She knows about you?"
"Yeah, is it okay if she knows about us?" Reggie grabbed his hand.
"Yeah." Luke laid back down, pulling Reggie back on top of him. "Yeah Julie you can come in."
She opened the door, and saw them cuddled on the couch. She smiled. "I see Reggie talked to you Luke."
Luke tightened his arms around Reggie as the boy shifted his head on his chest. "Yeah." Luke chuckled lightly.
"Im happy for you guys." She said. "You deserve something nice."
"Hey guys." Alex called from outside of the studio. "I want you guys to meet Willie for real." He pulled the long haired boy they met only a few times on the streets. He waved at them and they waved back.
Alex finally really looked at Luke and Reggie. "Wait.... did I miss something?"
"Do ya'll guys want to tell Alex something?" Julie smiled.
"Yeah, we're together now." Luke said, feeling his cheeks heat up.
Alex smiled. "About time guys, anyway as I was saying this is my bo-" he looked at Willie.
"Boyfriend." Willie finished, grabbing his hand.
"Julie." She said her name, smiling at the boy. "I think we need to figure out a way to save the rest of the ghosts."
"Yeah me too." Alex said.
"I'm in." Luke said.
"Me too." Reggie replied.
"You're part of our family now Willie." Julie smiled. "Do you guys want to practice now? Flynn's on her way and Willie you are welcome to stay."
Reggie and Luke leapt up. "Let's get started."