“Jeez, you’re shivering,” Luke was always quick to worry about her, “Why didn’t you grab a coat?” 

Alex had already taken off his pink sweatshirt and laid it in her lap before she could answer. As she slipped it on, she noted that while it was not warm like a living teen boy’s sweater should be, it was still warmer than she was expecting, and she was glad to have a little bit of extra heat. 

After having taken a couple of moments to recover from being outside (she’d admit, it was colder than she was expecting), she went to answer the boys’ questions, but giggled at the sight of them. Alex and Reggie had sat themselves down right at her feet and Luke was seated on the armchair next to her, all looking like curious puppies waiting for a treat. 

“Well??” They said at the same time, only filling Julie with more mirth. 

“Nothing, I just knew coming in here would make me feel better.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew she should have changed her wording. Luke stood up and was demanding she tell him who hurt her feelings, Reggie had attached himself to her legs, resting his cheek on her bare knees comfortingly, and Alex was halfway out the door, saying he’d figure out how to make a cup of tea. 

A fit of giggles later, Julie explained she just couldn’t sleep and was doing fine emotionally. It was only after the boys had sat back down that Julie asked what they had been doing before. 

“Just a little bit of lyric writing. Can’t play with the melody until everyone leaves for the day tomorrow, but it works for us.” Luke shrugged, looking toward his abandoned notebook on the piano. 

“Ooh, let me help!” 

“Uhh…” Reg and Alex said together, in their usual harmonised way, looking anywhere but at her.

“Look, Julie,” Luke started, and she already knew what he was gonna say, “You got school in the morning. You shouldn’t be writing.”

“No no no, it’s fine! Writing will tire my brain out, you know?” They didn’t look convinced, so she continued, “My thoughts are running a mile a minute, let me get ‘em out on paper. Please?”

All three boys looked away from her then, mumbling about how difficult it was to say no when she pouted. Finally they gave in, and they led her to the piano to pore over the notebook. 

Of course, they only got a few lines down before Reggie was throwing wads of paper at Alex, and Julie played Never Gonna Give You Up as softly as she could while simultaneously keeping her laughter down (the boys were fascinated that she knew the song since it had come out when they were young, which prompted a short lesson on memes and Rick Rolling. Reggie was especially enthralled by this). 

Luke gave up writing and went to the dart board, where Julie had hopped off the piano bench and challenged him. Not being one to back down, he and Julie played while Reg and Alex cheered them on. Alex humored her while Reggie was convinced no one could beat Luke at darts. He was right, but Julie didn’t mind so much, especially after Julie got to over-exaggerate her pity party and receive a nice long hug from her opponent, sharing an amused look with Alex while Luke rocked them back and forth. 

“I could go for some nachos right now.”

“You always want nachos, Reg.”

“Again, Reginald?”

It took Julie a moment to think through his statement (hey, it was past 3am, she had brain fog to wade through). Ever since the night they opened at the Orpheum, the boys found they could do other small things besides touch Julie, like eat, and much to Reggie's delight, take showers. 

She just giggled and grabbed Reggie by the hand, starting the short trek to the house, knowing the other two would follow. For a moment, she had forgotten what she was wearing, but stepping back into the cold night reminded her. She had walked out of the house wearing her pajama shorts and a short-sleeved crop top, and she was drowning in Alex’s hoodie. Her face heated at the thought of all the boys seeing her in nearly nothing but the large pink sweatshirt, playing off the color in her cheeks as windchill.

But she should have known the boys wouldn't have behaved.

Because while nothing the boys said would be able to be heard by her father or brother, the results of their actions were definitely audible. Alex was trying to heat the queso, but he spent too much effort trying not to drop the jar that he forgot about the spoon, which clattered loudly to the ground. All four froze in terror until Luke burst into laughter because some cheese had splattered into Julie’s hair, and she replied by smudging some cheese onto his nose. And after the ensuing cheese-throwing war, the kitchen was not a pretty sight. The mere thought of her dad coming down to see his daughter covered in cheese, alone, in the middle of the night, in their equally messy kitchen brought shivers. She’d surely be back to seeing Dr. Turner three days a week. 

The boys did their best to clean, but mostly entertained Julie while she wiped up the mess and carried the plate of nachos back to the studio (how long does it take a band of three dead teen boys to make a plate of nachos? apparently, 38 minutes) before they flopped on the ground in a big pile. Julie laid with her head on Luke’s chest, who had his head on Alex’s lap. Reggie laid on Julie’s legs and she ran her hands through his surprisingly soft hair as they slowly worked through the plate. 

“Hey Julie? Will you sing me a lullaby?”

“Are you serious?” Julie turned her head slightly to see him more clearly. She almost laughed, but then saw the look in his eyes, and couldn’t tell if he was serious or about to tease her. “Luke, you guys don’t even sleep.”

“Aw, c’mon Jules,” Reg begged, “You have such a nice voice.”

“The voice of an angel.” Luke added. Julie pushed all thoughts of the song she never let herself write down, yet constantly played in her dreams, and hoped that they couldn’t see the flush creeping down her neck.

“Fine. But only because I love y’all.”

Alex wiggled excitedly from under her as she cleared her throat and started to sing A Thousand Years (Julie was sort of glad they had died 25 years ago. She would virtually never run out of new material to impress them with, and Christina Perri was a classic). At some point Alex had laid down too, and Reggie had closed his eyes as Julie kept scratching his scalp as she sang. Luke ran his fingers over her shoulder as if he were strumming his guitar. And everything was alright.

A large yawn took over Julie’s voice just as she finished the song.

“Alright, time for bed, little miss.” Alex joked, poking her tongue as her mouth opened in another yawn. 

She swatted his hand away yet made no effort to get up, instead choosing to nestle further into Luke’s neck. “Sorry, can’t, Reggie fell asleep on me.”

Reggie cracked one eye open. “Nice try. We don’t sleep, remember?” Reggie climbed off her and grabbed her hands, pulling her to a stand. 

The blood rushed from her head down to her toes, causing her vision to turn dark and her balance swayed. Before she could catch herself, Luke had scooped her up into his arms. 

“Come on boys. We got a girl to tuck in.”

“Yes sir.”

“At your service.”

Julie played off her wheeze as a snort of amusement, burying her face into her hands. A few moments passed and they didn’t move, so she peeked out from between her fingers, only to see all three boys looking over her like she was exactly what they asked for for their birthday.

She yelped in surprise which only caused the boys to laugh. Julie huffed and crossed her arms, pursing her lips to keep from smiling.

“Oh, lighten up, boss. We’re going now.”

And then he was smiling that smile that he usually reserved for when they were alone or on stage. She snorted (for real this time, but still in an effort to keep her composure) and poked his cheek. 

For the fourth time that night, the cold night air whipped at her legs and face as Luke and the boys carried her to her bedroom. Reggie made an offhand comment on how absurd it would look if Ray woke up and saw his daughter floating around the house, and Julie had to slap her hand to her mouth to keep from laughing aloud; the boys all laughing loudly without restraint didn’t help.

And finally, once they were in the safety of her bedroom, they did exactly what they said they would. Alex tucked the pink hood inside the sweater so she could lay on it more comfortably (“You look all cozy, you can sleep in it for tonight.”), Reggie pulled back the covers and fluffed the pillows. 

Julie felt like a princess, being pampered by these boys who had crashed into her life and nestled their way into her heart. Luke even laid her down, hand supporting her neck, and all three of them literally tucked her in. 

“Hey guys? Will you sing me a lullaby?”

They groaned, mumbling together about karma, payback, and song recommendations. Eventually they settled themselves on her bed and sang her a song she didn’t recognize, one that must have been vaguely popular in the 90’s. It was soothing, and she felt the tugs of sleep start to take her under.

She must have dozed off, because she awoke to some shuffling, opening her eyes to see the boys tip-toeing out of her room.

“Luke,” 

She hadn’t meant to say it out loud. She had been thinking of him (and the fuzzy lingerings of a dream lined the edges of her mind, one with Luke and a magical dance and that sweet smile of his). But all three boys stopped, before Alex pushed Reggie through the door with a wink.

“You okay? Need anything?”

Her words failed her, heart full and eyes nearly brimming with tears. She scooted over and pulled back the covers, patting the sheets next to her and avoiding his eyes.

Just like she knew he would, he made no comment but slid into the bed and let Julie resume her earlier position on his chest. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled the covers back over them both and wrapped his arms around her back, keeping her close. 

Idly, she noted how much she liked laying on the boys (and especially him) because they were the perfect cuddling temperature. Not too hot, but not cold. Plus, she reasoned with herself, if he was nervous, at least he wouldn’t overheat the bed. 

Wait. Nervousness. She was sure Luke could feel her pounding heart, beating like thunder against his too-quiet chest. He didn’t say anything, just rolled her curls between his fingers as they laid in comfortable silence. 

Her thoughts began to wander, instead of relishing in the moment like she longed to do, but thoughts of all the boys had done for her, not just tonight, but in all the months she had known them. 

And then his thumbs were running over her cheeks, whispering soothing words and lifting her face, locking their eyes. Her cheeks were wet. She must have started crying.

“Happy tears, don’t worry about it.” 

He looked back at her quizzically.

“I was just thinking about how grateful I am that you guys are in my life.” She bit back the ‘especially you’ that fought to escape.

“We’ll always be here, Julie. You’re okay. Just go to sleep. I’ll wake you around 6? You’ll need to take a shower.” Luke took his hands out of her hair to show her a bit of cheese he picked out. 

Julie covered a laugh again, resting her head back on his chest, relishing in his company and willingness to do whatever she asked. And she fell asleep, for real this time, with his fingers in her hair and soft hums pulling her into the best sleep she’d had in a while. 

And never had she felt happier than that morning, Luke softly singing her into consciousness while Reggie brought her a cup of hot coffee and Alex picking her outfit for the day. 

Bonus:

Julie came home from school later that day exhausted but overjoyed. Flynn had teased her endlessly, but she was too happy to care.

Like she did every day, she said hello to her family before going into the studio to do her homework.

But her brain short circuited as she opened the door and found all three boys jumping up from their seats to greet her, Luke wearing Alex’s pink hoodie. It was a little small for him around the arms, not leaving much to be imagined. Julie felt her eyes grow wide, her brows climbing higher, but unable to fix her face or look away.

Alex, never one to miss a cue, nodded his chin towards Luke. “He insisted on wearing it today cause it smelled like you.”

As she finished the final chords, quietly singing the last “wake up,” she closed her eyes, only to reopen them a moment later in shock, hearing Luke’s familiar voice from right in front of her.

“Sounding amazing as always, boss,” he told her with a smirk, his head phasing through the middle of the piano. The nickname made her laugh, and she noticed Luke’s cheeks tinge pink. “It always amazes me how good you are at the piano,” he added, and then it was Julie’s turn to blush. Though she couldn’t help noticing the strain in Luke’s voice.

“You okay?” she asked, suddenly concerned. 

“Yeah, actually,” he replied, putting on his puppy eyes. “I was just thinking, since Alex is on a date with Willie, and Reggie is helping Carlos with homework, and you don’t have to, but I was wondering if you could, well, maybe teach me how to play?” He scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t know, it’s just, you’re really good, um-”

“Of course,” she agreed, biting back a laugh. “Have you ever played?”

“Does Happy Birthday count?” Julie snorted. 

“We’ll start with the basics.” 

...

Julie cringed as Luke hit yet another stray note. They’d chosen Amazing Grace, because it had a simple melody, but wasn’t so simple that Luke would start pouting. For the most part, he’d gotten the scales, notes, and corresponding keys down, which wasn’t surprising, given his aptitude for music. But his hands were trained for guitar, not piano. 

“How the heck am I supposed to do this?” He groaned. “The notes are so far apart compared to guitar! And there’s only one key for each note! On the guitar, you can play the same note on different strings just by placement!” He mumbled something about superiority and Julie cracked up.

“Don’t ask me,” she told him. “You have bigger hands than I do, this should be easy,” she teased. He knew she was teasing, but still rolled his eyes. “To be honest, a huge part of it is muscle memory. You just have to play something over and over and over again to get used to it. Then it’ll feel like second nature.” Luke pouted but nodded, bringing his fingers back to the keys. 

He hit the D, then held G, then B, A, G all perfectly, and he got so excited that when he went for the next note (which should’ve been B), he went all the way up to E, and then his pout was back in full effect. Julie couldn’t stop herself from laughing.

“Who would’ve thought that the piano would be your kryptonite?” 

Julie knew she was in for it when Luke gave her his best puppy-eyed smile. Her suspicions were confirmed when he told her, “the piano isn’t my kryptonite. You are.”

Julie wasn’t sure it was possible to die whilst feeling completely, utterly alive, but there she was, her cheeks aflame, doing her best to digest the unruly butterflies in her stomach. It did help that Luke’s cheeks seemed to be bright red as well. Julie punched his arm, a little harder than she meant to. She’s half forgotten that he could be physical now. 

“Ow!” 

“Sorry, I-”

“Relax, I’m kidding,” he said with a shit-eating grin. That time, Julie did mean to punch his arm, but her fist only hit air. He’d gone metaphysical again. “Perks of being a ghost, I suppose,” he added. 

Julie and Luke had both been dancing around their feelings, she knew that. And while there was no way Luke didn’t know about her feelings for him, she still wasn’t sure whether he felt the same, or if he was just being his normal, dorky self. So, she hadn’t admitted it to him, though it hurt to keep it away. 

“If you keep being that cute, I’m actually going to die.” She thought she’d regret the words as soon as they came out of her mouth, but she didn’t. Her face did its best to catch fire, but she didn’t take them back. 

“Ooh, then I might have to keep being my charming self! Then we could be ghosts together!” 

Julie rolled her eyes, a smile on her face. “Are you coming up with these on the spot, or do you have them written down?” 

“Memorized,” he said proudly. “Flustering you is too much fun to fumble. Plus, if I was actually trying to do it on the spot, I’d probably die all over again,” he admitted, and he looked confused, as if he hadn’t meant to say it. 

“That explains it. The Luke I know isn’t smooth.”

“Oh, so you think I’m smooth?”

“No.”

“That’s fair.” Luke’s face was red once again, and Julie was pretty sure she would spontaneously combust if he kept looking at her with that adorable face, so she changed the subject.

“Do you want to keep trying to learn the song?”

If Julie had thought she would get him to stop being adorable by changing the subject, she was completely wrong, because his adorable grin when he said “yes” made her melt. 

She couldn’t believe it herself, but she somehow found the confidence to place her right hand over his, and guide his fingers to the right keys. She tried to ignore how close they were, tried to ignore the catch in his breath as her hand met his, but she just couldn’t. Her heart was racing, and she met his eyes, searching them for some sort of answer to her unsaid question. 

Part of her wondered if she even had to ask it.

He held her gaze before his eyes closed, and he gently touched his forehead to hers. And before she knew it, her lips were on his. 

At first, their noses bumped, and Julie hesitated, but Luke smiled into it, and Julie knew she was safe. It might not have been a movie-worthy kiss, but it was perfect, and something inside her clicked into place. 

The kiss was sweet and chaste, and Julie couldn’t help but giggle when they pulled apart, her forehead still on Luke’s. 

“Took you long enough!” Reggie shouted from across the garage. Julie jumped back, as did Luke, but Luke had the advantage of being able to poof up before he fell. Julie had no such luck. 

“Dude!” Luke said, his face almost on fire. “How long have you been there?”

“Only a moment,” Reggie told him, and Julie somehow knew he was being honest. That didn’t change it, though. 

“Hey guys, what’s up?” Alex asked, walking into the garage, hand-in-hand with Willie.

“Luke and Julie finally kissed!” Reggie exclaimed before Julie could think of a response. 

“FINALLY!” Alex shouted as Willie cheered. “You’ve only been pining for months!” 

Julie bit back an indignant reply, before she realized- “Wait. Months?” Luke somehow got even redder, which shouldn’t have been possible.

“Oh yeah,” Willie said. “He’s been a simp since day one. You didn’t know that?”

“Jeez, and I thought Alex was oblivious,” Reggie remarked with a grin, dodging Alex jumping at him with mock offense.

Sitting next to her on the couch seemed to be the best idea, so he timidly sat to the left of her, hands in his lap. He was successful in not scaring her, so he ventured out for an arm to pull her into a half hug. Gratefully she took the invitation, letting her sniffles die out as she rested her head on his shoulder.

“You wanna tell me what’s wrong?” Luke tried after a while of her silence.

“Wanted to play a song Mom wrote.” Was all she could say, her tears having left her feeling drained. Luke nodded understandingly. She pointed to the song on the table, so Luke picked up the first page to read it over.

He wasn’t going to offer to help, in case she didn’t want anyone else playing it. He knew that if any of the boys had tried to help him with Unsaid Emily at all, he’d have broken down. But Julie asked him to help her play it, and he was never able to say no to her (and certainly not when she sounded so small and defeated).

And by help, she basically wanted Luke to play it.

Well, he would help in any way he knew how. He’d teach her to play and guide her through the song.

Slowly, he leaned down for the guitar and rested it between their legs, holding her shoulder and finding the first chord on the neck of the instrument. Julie smiled gratefully before strumming the intro, their movements perfectly in sync as Luke shifted from chord to chord in time with her melodic voice.

And finally, Julie was able to hear the song in all its glory, just like she remembered it. Luke even added a low harmony on the last chorus. She thought it would have irked her that he added to her mom’s song, but she found it sounded nice and was sure her mom would have welcomed his addition.

How could she be upset anymore, when he was so willing to help her? When his arms were securely around her? When they were playing together, sharing such an important piece of both of them?

Luke set down the guitar on the coffee table, and they sat there a while longer, just enjoying each other’s presence.