Bluebirds Without Wings | Julie and the Phantoms

The End of the Game

"I'll keep that in mind." Too many times in just four days had they been in compromising situations and conversations. It was maddening. Maybe Flynn was right, and they needed to talk about it before he slipped out of her hands again. Because as Julie saw him, she realized she still wanted to be with him.

Luke was different from back then, but it didn't change their chemistry. They both changed and if anything, they were together better now. She couldn't lose that.

She took her feet off him to stand up and said, "Let's go bird watching." She learned that he would never tell her no.

-

They stood at the cliff that overlooked the forest of Willie's kingdom. It was still a gorgeous spot that had only grown greener in the recent months. She was glad Luke was there to see everything in full bloom.

Luke was holding her hand. He had been the one to reach for it, and Julie didn't pull away. Besides the birds, there were no other eyes in the forest. It had always been the place where they could both shrug off the talk of the world.

"It's still as beautiful as I remember," Luke commented. Julie nodded looking up to see him stare out. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes and smiled at her before looking back out. They stood there in the silence of nature's song before he gave her hand a squeeze. "Hey, Julie." He pulled her hand closer, turning her to face him.

Julie looked up at his face, trying to predict what he was going to say. It didn't take long for her to know what was coming.

He said, "I know this might be overdone at this point, but I'm sorry. For everything." His voice was low, like he was feeling shame again. But he held her gaze. "I just had to say it again. After all this time, y'know?" Julie gave him a smile and reached for his other hand, holding them both between them.

"It's been long forgotten but if you need to hear me say this, then I'll tell you." Julie pulled his hands closer to her face and planted a kiss on one of his knuckles. "I forgive you." Luke let out a sigh of relief when she said those words. Feather weight.

Julie reached out one of her hands to hold his face, Luke leaning into it. Any time their skin came in contact, there was an insane amount of sparks. A feeling she knew neither of them could ignore for much longer. He gave into it as much as she did. It was just a matter of words.

She told him, "Remember the first time I held your hand?" Luke smiled and nodded lightly, his face brushing against her palm as he moved.

"I was scared Bobby was going to find out and kill me. Or your dad." Julie let out a hearty laugh, having been very aware of the game she was starting to play with her cute personal knight. He started off by standing as far as way as possible all the time and later on, guarding her seemed to mean having to feel her breath on him. "You knew what you were doing, didn't you?" he asked her. Julie smirked and nodded, Luke smiling as well.

"You never stopped it," Julie told him.

"I thought you were too pretty," Luke said. Julie felt her face blush and rolled her eyes on instinct to try to not seem as soft. But she was. He was everything that could cause her to melt on the inside formed into one soul. Luke put his hand over hers as he told her, "That day. You told me I wasn't a bad guy. And I felt like one. I felt." Luke licked his lip, his voice started to get shaky. "I felt like the worst person on Earth. And still, you made me feel better. I can't forget that feeling. Ever." Julie gazed at him in awe as he spoke. How he could remember his feelings from years ago so clearly. A sentence she spoke that she had forgotten until then.

"I never wanted you to feel horrible." Having context for everything made her almost feel guilty for her words back then. Luke was stronger than what he gave himself credit for. Julie didn't know how she would survive in his position.

"I know. You didn't know." Luke put their hands down away from his face and leaned over to kiss her forehead. Julie took in a deep breath without meaning to. Luke didn't say anything about it as he continued to stare into her eyes. Julie was overwhelmed with a rush of heat in her chest that could make her ribcage boil over. She wrapped her arms around him, her ear pressed on his chest as he hugged her back.

"Please don't leave again Luke." He froze for a minute. She had caught them both off guard with her request. But it was what she wanted. She could not imagine continuing her life without him there. She couldn't have him leave again.

"Princess," he whispered. He always called her Princess when he was at a loss for words. Like if it would make up for it somehow. Julie took a deep breath and pulled away, looking at him.

"Look," she told him using the sudden pump of adrenaline she was feeling. "We're adults now, and I can tell you what I want now without wanting to fling myself off this cliff, so I'm going to tell you. I want you to stay here with us." Luke looked at her, flabbergasted as if he wasn't expecting this. But it was all leading up to this moment. He had to have seen it coming. Maybe not in just four days but it had been four years already. Enough was enough. "You're also an adult," Julie told him. "You can make the choice yourself." She was just talking to talk at this point. Silence would kill her. "But I'm letting you know what I want because I don't want you to think I'm being ambiguous when I'm clearly stating that I want you stay." God she could not stop talking. "Not because I want us to be just friends, either. Because you know. Of all of this. And I know you feel it, too."

Luke placed her face between his hands before he leaned down to kiss her. Julie melted forwards into his skin without hesitation. It was all so familiar. Like a dream she had been trying to recall. She'd write it down this time.

Luke pulled away, both of their faces red. "Sorry," he whispered. "I should've asked." Julie shook her head and pulled him forward by his collar and into another kiss.

-

A/N: Hii! I hope you guys enjoyed this soft chapter hehe. I said the rest of the chapters would be happy, and I planned on delivering that promise. Thank you for reading!!