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Julie knows she should be sleeping. Her bones are practically aching for some much needed rest after one of the longest days she’s ever experienced, and she knows she’ll hate herself a little in the morning if she doesn’t go to bed soon.
The adrenaline of knowing she’d somehow managed to save Luke, Alex, and Reggie had been enough to carry her through the long talk she’d promised to have with Carlos after they’d gotten back from The Orpheum. But that sudden burst of energy had run out about halfway through her little brother’s list of burning questions about the guys and their ghost status. She’d cut Carlos’ interrogation short after that, and while he’d seemed disappointed, his mood had instantly lifted when Julie had not only promised to answer more questions later, but had also promised she’d come and watch him play at his baseball tournament tomorrow.
Carlos had been all too willing to let her retreat to her own bedroom after that. But neither her current exhaustion nor the promise of an early day ahead seem to be enough to lull her to sleep. Not when what Julie really wants to do is to sneak past her dad in the living room and head back down to the studio so she can spend some more time with her newly solid bandmates. Even as she thinks it, she recognizes the thought for the lie it is. Because the truth of the matter is, there’s really only one person she’d been hoping to spend more time with tonight, and he might just be the reason she risks sneaking back out against her better judgement.
It’s Luke who ends up taking the decision to stay or go right out of her hands when he materializes in her bedroom. Julie doesn’t startle like she normally does whenever he poofs in unannounced— too wonderstruck this time over the way Luke had simply appeared in front of her like she’d willed him there herself.
“Boundaries, I know,” Luke says, getting ahead of her. “I just…”
He sighs, trailing off as though searching for the right words. It doesn’t really matter though because Julie doesn’t need him to elaborate. She already knows. Knows because she knows Luke better than anyone. And also because she needs it too. Had needed him near even before he’d poofed up into her bedroom. Because the feeble few moments they’d spent with their hands exploring the features their eyes had long since memorized just hadn’t felt like enough.
There was also a small voice in the back of her head that she’d been trying to ignore ever since she’d left the safe and happy bubble of the studio. A voice that had quietly wondered if she’d still be able to feel him in the morning. Or if the magic of whatever had happened after The Orpheum would have worn off by then. It’s a bleak thought to say the least, and being forced to go back to the way things were at this point seems like it would be the cruelest twist of fate. Especially now that Julie knows what it’s like to really feel him. Now that she knows what it’s like for Luke to really feel her.
The idea of never being able to touch him again is almost too much to bear, so she forces herself to push it aside in an effort to make the most of what she knows to be true in that moment. And what she knows to be true then and there is that they can touch each other now.
“You’re right,” she murmurs. “This…definitely counts as a breach of boundaries…”
Luke’s quick to nod in agreement, the corners of his mouth turned down into a solemn expression of understanding. There’s more Julie wants to say but she doesn’t get the chance.
“Do you want me to leave?”
He whispers it when he says it, and despite the fact that Luke doesn’t move from his spot on the floor, Julie knows he would disappear without protest if she asked him to. Fearing he might even poof out before she gives him an answer altogether, she takes a step toward him, and then another until she’s close enough to reach out and touch him.
She lets out a breath she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding when the pads of her fingers make contact with the back of his hand, the corners of her mouth quirking up into an involuntary smile when Luke instantly flips his hand over so he can slide his palm agains hers.
Julie’s expecting it this time. For Luke to be solid. But she still marvels over the sight of her skin pressed against his. But that’s nothing in comparison to the way Luke effortlessly slips his fingers between hers, stitching them together like the spaces between her own were made just for him. It’s a perfect fit. Just like she always knew it would be. Just like they’re a perfect fit for each other in every single way that matters. But Julie hardly gets a moment to revel in the reality of that before Luke slowly brings their joint hands up just so he can brush a kiss across her knuckles.
The barely there feel of his lips is so achingly sweet, Julie’s knees nearly buckle and give out from under her.
“I mean it Julie,” he says, his breath fanning over the same stretch of skin his lips had just touched. “If you want me to go, I will.”
Distantly, she wonders if Luke can hear her heart beating wildly away beneath her ribs. The thought of the traitorous organ betraying the truth of what she feels for him might have caused her embarrassment once. But now? After knowing what it’s like to nearly lose him forever? It’s hard to remember why she ever felt the need to keep that secret at all.
“I don’t remember saying I wanted you to leave,” she says after a moment.
“I thought it was implied,” Luke replies. “Julie rule number one: ‘boundaries.’ Julie rule number two: ‘stay out of my room.’”
“And here I was thinking you were all about smashing the rules,” she teases.
“I was— I am. But those rules are important to you,” he continues. “And you’re important to me.”
It’s not anything she didn’t already know deep down, but hearing Luke say it steals the air straight out of her lungs all the same. It takes Julie a minute to find her voice again after that, but she makes good use of filling up the silence. Carefully, she reaches her free hand up to cup his cheek, reveling in the way Luke’s eyes flutter shut as he leans into her touch.
“They are,” she agrees. “But so are you. And you’re you’re here. So stay.”
Julie doesn’t say forever like she wants to, but it’s implied in the way her voice cracks on the final word. And in an effort to ensure there’s no more room for inaccurate implications, she rises up onto her toes and presses her lips to his.
She draws back nearly as quick as she’d swooped in so she can gauge Luke’s reaction, but he doesn’t let her get far. Instead, he simply loops the hand in his grasp over one shoulder before wrapping both arms around her in an effort to draw her closer. His eyes hold her own steady gaze as he grins adoringly down at her.
“Okay,” he breathes out.
And then, there’s nothing left for Luke to do but lower his lips back down to hers and return the favor.