Bluebirds Without Wings | Julie and the Phantoms

Letting the Guards Get Down

Luke got to the club past nine after running a few errands and missing a bus. Reggie was already there, standing on a table and telling a story to a small crowd of people. He put his guitar and bag in a corner and started looking around. He smiled when he saw a certain blond with a jean jacket, and he rushed over to jump on his back.

"Luke!" Alex yelled happily, spinning him around before dropping him down. He looked at his face and squished Luke's nose between his thumb and index finger. "You look tired, man."

"Rude," Luke laughed, pulling back. He looked around, seeing as Alex always equaled his boyfriend. "Where's Willie?"

"Not here this week. His parents wanted him to stay this weekend," Alex said. His face got more serious and he lowered his voice. "You know. With everything going on." Alex's mom was one of the King's advisors. Although not one of the main ones, she knew enough to relay information to Alex.

"Yeah," Luke tapped his fingers on his own arm. "The castle is pretty tense right now, too."

"I can imagine," Alex said. "How are you doing?" Luke didn't know. He looked at Alex with a solemn smile and shrugged. "It's okay," Alex assured him. "I'm sure you're doing great."

"I mean the Princess did try to get me fired a few times, but she's cool with me now so I guess it's only getting better."

"Reggie told me," Alex said, pointing at their black-haired friend who was still talking about some random training day at the academy. If someone liked the spotlight more than Luke, it was Reggie who always had ten people at once listening to him.

"Telling my stories for me like always," Luke smiled.

"Oh yeah. He got a couple of laughs out of your bad tan story." Luke touched his shoulder.

"It still hasn't evened out."

"They don't have a pool at the castle?"

"You think I swim all day," Luke chuckled. "It's mostly standing. I'm not allowed to let my phone get below 50% just in case something happens."

"It's just you and your thoughts?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. He looked fearful of the idea of having to stand alone in a hall with nothing but yourself.

"Yes," Luke shrugged. "It's not that bad, honest."

"Seems boring and like the perfect job that Bobby would want to give to you, so you lose your mind." Luke clenched his jaw as he remembered the encounter in the locker rooms.

"Then Reggie didn't deserve this job."

"He doesn't deserve to chase kids around all day?"

"I think he's going to be scared of kids after this."

"You guys should come over to my place on your next day off. Even out your tan."

"Prepare for next Sunday."

"Bring the Princess."

"Want me to get executed?"

"They'd take you to foreign land to do it at least."

"It'd be my first vacation."

"And last." Alex and Luke kept talking and moved over to a couch in the corner of the club, and it took a while before Reggie walked over, excited when he realized Luke was there with Alex.

He squeezed in between them and put his arms around them both. "Look at us three. Back together." He flashed his shark teeth grin, Luke and Alex smiling back.