Jatp one shots 2

Hold me close and never let go

For the first time in a while I present to you a RUKE one shot!!
Tw: fighting and sad Reggie, I'm sorry Reg :(

Third person

Luke knew something was going on with Reggie. He was acting weird. And not the cute, dorky, Reggie weird he fell in love with, just weird. Like he was hiding something.

But what would Reggie have to hide from him? His best friend, his boyfriend? They never hide anything from each other yet he felt Reggie was keeping something from him.

Luke would be right, Reggie is hiding something but it's not what Luke would think. The band already knows about Reggie's parents. The constant fighting, the screaming matches, how his parents hate each other and keep talking about getting a divorce. But Reggie pretended like it didn't bother him. He kept a glowing smile on his face, kept being the goofball his friends love.

It gave Reggie a sense of control. When he was with his band, he could be himself. He didn't have to grow up and try and please his parents with his grades or maturity and responsibility. He didn't have to grow up and keep an ear out to jump in if a fight went too far. He could just be himself. The lovable ray of sunshine with a child spirt and heart of gold. With his friends he didn't have to be broken, or the reason a fight broke out. It was calm it was quite, it was peaceful it was safe. Why would he want to bring up his demons in a space he was finally free from them?

Alex was the only person who knew the fights got to Reggie more than he was letting on. Alex knew Reggie better than anyone, and he knew right away that what was happening at home effected him deeply. And he knew the band was his escape, so he wasn't gonna bring it up and ruin his safe place. But, he made Reggie promise to call him if it gets too bad, or come knocking on his door. He leaves his window unlocked just in case and some nights he stays up, expecting a phone call but the phone never rings.

Luke was in the studio waiting for his bandmates to get there for practice. He was there early because he's been sleeping in the studio lately, fights with his mom about the band becoming more frequent. The studio was his escape. 

He wasn't expecting any of his bandmates to come for another twenty minutes but the doors fly open and Reggie rushes in.

"Luke?" He says. "I-I didn't know you'd be here this early." Reggie came to the studio early to escape the battle field. He thought getting there before everyone else would give him time to calm down, but he wasn't expecting Luke to be here.

"I slept here again last night. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. All good!" Reggie smiles but on the inside he was screaming.

Why are they always fighting!?
Why can't they just get along?
What did I do wrong?
Why can't I fix it?
Why do they have to fight about me?
Why aren't I enough?  I'm trying to be the best son I can but they still fight!
They're always so angry, angry at everything. Angry at each other, angry at themselves, angry at the world, and get at me.

He could still hear his parents screaming words of hate in his his head. Threats of leaving and never coming back. He didn't want his parents to leave.

"You know I really don't like it when you keep things from me." Luke says. "What's up?"

"Nothing." Reggie says. "It's nothing leave me alone."

"I'm your boyfriend, why can't you just tell me? What are you hiding?!" Luke didn't mean to get mad, because he wasn't mad. He was just confused and a little worried. It was written all over Reggie's face that something was wrong.

"I said nothing!" Reggie snaps back, feeling like he has to yell because his thoughts are too loud. "Stop pushing me, I don't have to share anything with you! Just because you're my boyfriend doesn't mean you are entitled to know everything that goes on with me!"

"What so do you want me to stop caring about you!? Or did you stop caring about me now that you have to keep secrets from me?"

"Stop. Stop I don't wanna fight." Reggie backs up, covering his ears. Fighting was what his parents did and when they did it terrified him. He never wants to be like that. The studio, the band, they were is escape. His safe space. The demons aren't supposed to reach him here, he won't let them reach him. "I'm sorry, please let's not fight. Don't be mad, I'm really sorry." He slides down to the floor, eyes filling with tears and Luke's heart shatters as he finally pieces together what's wrong.

He felt horrible for not noticing sooner how much his parents effected him and now, it's lead to this. And Luke can't help but feel it's all his fault. He hurt Reggie. He was a bad boyfriend, he blamed himself.

"No, it's okay hey I got you." Luke sits down next to him and wraps his arms around him. "I got you. It's okay," he rubs his back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get mad. I should have noticed sooner you were hurting. I love you so much, okay? Nothing will ever change that. I love you."

Reggie buried his face into Luke's shoulder, squeezing him back. "I never want to fight with anyone." He says. "I don't wanna be like them."

"You're not them. We are not them." Luke rubs his back. "I'm here for you."

"They always fight and I don't know how to make them stop. What did I do wrong Luke? Why aren't I good enough?" He cries.

"Hey, you are good enough. You are amazing. And you are more than enough for me, for Alex, and for Bobby. You didn't do anything wrong." Luke says. He kisses his shoulder. "Your parents fighting is not on you. It's not your fault."

"But they fight about me. It is my fault. They'd be happy if it weren't for me."

"That's not true. Sometimes you just can't help things. It's not your fault." Luke says. He didn't know what else to say to convince him. He didn't know if he ever could convince him.

"Luke?" Reggie says.

"I'm here."

"Promise me....even if...even if we don't work out..." the words feel wrong coming out. He didn't want to think about breaking up with Luke because he loved him so much. "If we don't work out promise me we'll still be best friends and you'll always be here like this. You'll always hold me close when I need you and never let go."

"Of course, of course I promise. I'm always gonna be here for you no matter what." Luke says kissing him. "And I have a good feeling we'll stay boyfriends for a good long time."

"Thank you." Reggie says pulling away and standing up. Luke stands up too.

"Anytime love." Luke says. "Anytime."

The two snuggle on the couch while they wait for the Alex and Bobby to arrive, and Reggie never felt more safe. He felt like the demons were completely gone when he was in Luke's arms. Nothing else mattered because he knew he'd always have this. He could count on this. He could count on Luke. He could count on the studio, the band, Alex, and Bobby. He knew everything just might be alright. Just as long as Luke was holding him close and not letting go.