Peterpatter Fest - What if?/AUs ( trigger warning for talks about suicide attempt ) | it’s a dark place without you au WHAT IF: Reggie grabbed his bass
Jess had just parked outside of the Mercer house, just so he could go collect his bass from the studio - garage they used to play in. Reggie still had the key to the place, he is dreading going into there because what if Luke and Alex were in there, he can’t bare the thought of seeing them after the past week of not seeing them. It’ll only cement that yeah, he was a waste of space to them, just someone they put up with.
Opening the door, he spots his bass in the corner and smiles a little at seeing it. It’s his most prized possession, and he -
“Reggie?” A soft voice spoke, he turns to see Alex’s sister. Reggie noted how her eyes brimmed with tears as she pulls out her phone. A quick photo and she is quickly texting. Deciding to ignore it, he walks over to his bass and picks it up.
“You better not be dicking ar-” Alex’s voice says, but stops as soon as his eyes land on Reggie. Then, he was tackled into a hug, but not by Alex.
Arms were tight around his waist and he nearly dropped his bass at the force. He smells Luke’s cologne and maybe Reggie wants to melt into the hug, into Luke’s touch but, he pushes Luke away. Reggie was about to say something but, before he could Luke’s hands were on his face, and Reggie noticed the tears in his eyes, “God, you’re real. You’re here… you’re….” He sees the moment impulse builds in Luke, and how he’s about to act on it, but not able to predict that Luke was going to kiss him…. he couldn’t get away in time. It was a short, quick and fleeting kiss. “I… You’re alive, Reg. I love you.”
“Didn’t no one tell you?” Reggie manages to say after a few moments of silence, Alex had come closer, placing a hand on Reggie’s shoulder, Luke was still holding his face and Reggie noted Luke’s partner, Morgan, next to Alex’s sister before she left. Morgan doesn’t look angry, they have a soft understanding look on their face - Reggie doesn’t understand.
“We were told you died,” Morgan fills in when Alex and Luke don’t say anything, they were still just staring at Reggie as if they’d seen a ghost. Reggie tilted his head as much as he could with Luke still holding it in his hands. “You didn’t show for school, then the next day… the school told us you had took your own life.”
“W-Who said I died? I survived,” Reggie looks between his friends, and it hits him that they thought he died. They’ve been mourning him, and he feels his own set of tears fill his eyes. “I… I thought you guys didn’t care. I…”
“We care, we care so fucking much,” Alex says, giving his shoulder a squeeze. Reggie feels Luke’s thumbs rub light against his cheek.
“It’s been hell without you Reg,” Luke tells him as he brings their foreheads together. “A part of me was missing without you. I love you. Okay, you hear that. I love you.”
“You, have a girlfriend,” Reggie replies, because he can hear the difference in the ways Luke is saying it. Maybe he doesn’t, but Reggie does, “I’m going to Philly with Jess and my father tomorrow. We can keep in touch… all of us,” He looks towards Alex and Morgan.
Feeling his phone vibrate, Reggie pulls himself out of Luke’s touch - it’s Jess asking him how far along is he. Sheepishly, he asks the guys to text him so he has their numbers because… he shyly admits he had deleted them. Happily complying, they did so and Reggie was about to leave when Morgan says, “No goodbye kiss for Luke?” A smirk upon their lips, Reggie couldn’t tell if they were serious or not.
“I…” Reggie’s cheeks go slightly red, and he see’s Luke’s are doing the same.
“Just give him a kiss you dork, we can talk later,” Morgan says, pushing Luke towards Reggie. It was just a simple, quick kiss but it left both boys blushing like mad. They’ll talk about it later, about what had exactly gone on in there, but now he has to go back to his home and pack the rest of his things for Philly.
