Work Text:
Julie smiled at her boys, all four of them buzzing with the energy they could only have before a big show. This wasn’t just any show, though. This was perhaps one of the most important shows to the band, but not in a career way. This was personal.
Reggie was striped in blue, purple and pink face paint, just as Julie was, a matching pair of adopted siblings. His leather jacket had even been switched out for a denim jacket that was covered in bi patches and other patches he’d bought over the past few months that just made him smile.
Luke had pink, yellow, and blue streaks across his cheeks and black, grey, white and purple across his biceps in swooping patterns. He looked ready to take on the world in his torn up tank top that read The Only Choice I Made Was To Be Myself.
Alex looked the most nervous of them all, shifting from foot to foot, glancing around as if he wasn’t in a safe space. Julie didn’t blame him, knowing his past, but she caught his eyes and he smiled. His blonde hair was streaked with rainbow for the day, his shirt a paint-splattered mess with the words “Love Wins” scribbled across his chest.
They all looked ready to march in a Pride Parade, which was the whole goal as they were about to climb on their float and sing for one. This was maybe the most important event of their lives—well, afterlives for three of the four.
This was a reclamation of who they were, an announcement to the fans and to the world, and more importantly a promise to keep fighting for themselves and everyone else.
“You guys ready?” Julie asked, voice nervous.
All three boys nodded, smiles tripping onto all their faces. “Jatp on three?”
“On three.” Luke agreed.
“One.”
“Two.”
“Three.”
“Julie and the Phantoms!” The band screamed in unison and then hopped up to the stage section of the float, their equipment already set up for their performance.
Reggie spoke into the microphone as they began to move down the road, grinning like a fool. “Hey, guys! So, we will be singing some of our hits a little later on, but Julie said I could start today off with a song I find very personal to us all. I hope you guys enjoy Taylor Swift!”
Luke began on the guitar, dancing near the edges of the fence around their staged area, nodding out towards the crowd. Julie smiled as Reggie joined him, her microphone held in her hand, the colors of the bisexual flag bright against her skin.
I said remember this moment
In the back of my mind
The time we stood with our shaking hands
The crowds in stands went wild
Julie looked out, feeling the tears already trying to escape as she saw all the love surrounding her in shades of rainbow. Never once in her life had she felt more like she belonged somewhere. This parade, with her boys by her side, this is where she was always meant to be.
We were the kings and the queens
And they read off our names
The night you danced like you knew our lives
Would never be the same
You held your head like a hero
On a history book page
It was the end of a decade
But the start of an age
Luke sang these lines, voice full of so much more emotion than he could hold. He was by his brothers now, brushing his leg against Reggie’s, throwing a wink at Alex who lit up red like a fire truck.
Everything since coming back from the dark room had led them here. They’d ended Sunset Curve’s careers, but they’d begun a whole new life with Julie.
Long live the walls we crashed through
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming, "Long live all the magic we made"
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered
The whole band sang the chorus, Luke half screaming the words instead of singing.
This band was more than anyone outside of them would ever understand.
This was a place where everyone got to be themselves.
This was a home.
This was a fresh start for four people who had lost everything.
I said remember this feeling
I passed the pictures around
Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines
Wishing for right now
Julie sang these lines, making sure she made eye contact with each of her boys before she continued on.
We are the kings and the queens
You traded your baseball cap for a crown
When they gave us our trophies
And we held them up for our town
And the cynics were outraged
Screaming, "This is absurd"
'Cause for a moment, a band of thieves
In ripped up jeans got to rule the world
On the last lines she made sure Alex was looking right at her, standing beside him now, her hand reaching towards him.
It was a promise.
They were meant to be here. No matter anyone else’s opinions. They were meant to be who they were. He was meant to be who he was.
Long live the walls we crashed through
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming, "Long live all the magic we made"
The four chorused this together along with the crowd, which was bouncing along to the beat and screaming the lyrics back.
And bring on all the pretenders, I'm not afraid
Long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
I was screaming, "Long live the look on your face"
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered
Luke took this chunk, passing by his boys with teary smiles and a quick hair ruffle to each. As he sung about dragons he looked at Julie, voice dipping a bit softer. By the end of his lines he wasn’t singing quite on tempo, softer, fiercer as the emotion leaked out of him like he could no longer contain it.
Hold on to spinning around
Confetti falls to the ground
May these memories break our fall
Julie crooned, looking out at the crowd again before returning her eyes to her hand. The tears were falling now, her hands shaking a little more than before.
Will you take a moment?
Promise me this
That you'll stand by me forever
But if, god forbid, fate should step in
And force us into a goodbye
If you have children someday
When they point to the pictures
Please tell them my name
Tell them how the crowds went wild
Tell them how I hope they shine
All three boys sang these words in unison, staring at Julie like she held the key. In some ways she did. In some ways this whole song was a promise to them all.
A promise to not forget.
A promise to hold on.
A promise to always be together, no matter what happened.
Long live the walls we crashed through
I had the time of my life with you
Long, long live the walls we crashed through
How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
And I was screaming, "Long live all the magic we made"
And bring on all the pretenders, I'm not afraid
Singing long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you
And long, long live the look on your face
And bring on all the pretenders
The drums drifted first, then bass, and then guitar until it was just four voices singing along with the crowd. Until it was just a sea of people, all connected in one singular moment, bursting with love and safety and home.
“One day, we will be remembered.” The fans sang as Julie, Luke, Alex, and Reggie spoke the words, breathing heavy.
The group was huddled together at center stage now, all four of them crying, holding on to each other for dear life.
They’d found each other. In this life and in every other life they would too. They were connected on levels no one would understand.
But in this moment? In this moment they were connected with a whole world worth of people who all felt the same as them.
Proud.