Bluebirds Without Wings | Julie and the Phantoms

Licorice

TW: Emetophobia (vomit) Nothing detailed

Julie felt Luke's hands go up and cup her face as they kissed, and she rest a hand on top of his. Everything was so warm, from his touch to his breath. She didn't think he'd do it as much as she had wanted him to. Now that he was, she didn't know what to do with her body other than kiss him back. He smelled so much of pine, and it was invigorating. She couldn't think.

He parted from her and gave her a nervous smile, Julie stroking his hand softly with the tips of her fingers. She stared back at him, before he leaned in to kiss her again, Julie welcoming the kiss with a grin. He smiled into the kiss, and Julie could not remember the last time she felt her heart about to burst from absolute joy.

It was surreal to have someone like him kiss her. She had gone from wanting him far away as possible, to wanting to be as close as she could. She pulled away to look at his eyes, and they both smiled. Luke took his hands off her face and put her hair behind her shoulders for her, fingers lingering on a single curl. He gave her another small kiss on the nose before the two of them returned to reading. Julie didn't leave him out of reach, their fingers locking as they read.

Julie pretended to read. She couldn't stop glancing at Luke who was reading, occasionally smiling to himself. She liked to think he was thinking about her, about their kiss when he did. Because every time she did, she forced down a smile that he's surely tease her about. It just made her heart flutter more, so grateful to be able to feel such a sensation.

She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he gave her a small kiss on the top of her head before flipping a page. Her cheeks turned red, wondering when he became the one with the upper hand, the one to turn the other person into a complete puddle. Maybe that was the reward that came with kissing the other person first.

Luke's phone began to ring, and it scared them both, Julie's heart going up to her throat. They took a few deep breaths before he answered. "Hello?" he said. Julie could hear Bobby's voice to clearly next to him.

"Listen, now is not a good time to fuck things up. So don't," Bobby said. Luke's eyes shifted nervously to Julie and he shrugged.

"Got it, Sir," Luke answered. His voice was dry, and Julie could have sworn it trembled. Was Luke intimidated by that man? "Hello?" he said again before checking his screen. Bobby had hung up.

Julie asked him, "What's his deal? Why was he so rude to you?"

"Always has been," Luke said, looking down and putting his phone away.

"Really?" Julie asked. She had never noticed any tension between the two. Luke and Bobby had interacted in places like the meeting rooms, but it seemed to be very formal. She was curious about the nature of their relationship. Why was he calling him all of the sudden? Did he always contact him?

She was about to ask Luke more questions when her phone rang. She checked it and she smiled, answering immediately. "Dad?" she asked.

"Hi, Julie," her dad said from the other line. He sounded upbeat, and she hadn't heard him sound just fine in a long time. She hadn't talked to him since before she got to the cabin, and it was so refreshing to hear his voice. "How are you? What have you been doing?" Julie looked at Luke who was watching her. He gave her a smirk. He could hear her dad.

She rolled her eyes at Luke before scooting further away from her so he wouldn't hear. She said, "Reading. That's all there really is to do." Luke mimicked her silently by moving his lips, and he waved him off with her hand. He laughed to himself, and she smiled too.

"You guys have enough food?"

"More than enough. We got groceries recently."

"That's good," her dad said. "I trust those women. I stayed in that home one summer, and I used to hang out with the Garvor's. Constansa has a twin brother, and he's up here right now."

"Fighting?" Julie asked.

"Yeah," he said much quieter. "He was promoted to general last week." Julie knew that meant another had died. "But anyways, I have strangely good news."

"Why strangely?"

"When there's a war, people are going to die. And that's not a good thing, either way. You know that already, right?" he asked her.

"I do." Julie's dad must have been afraid she was going to grow into a war hungry monarch when she got to the throne. She knows her dad wanted everything but a war, and this was going to mark his entire reign in history.

"Good," he said. He paused for a moment before saying, "King Caleb's side is doing horribly. These last three days, they've attempted bigger, more explosive attacks. They've taken out a quarter of their numbers already on their own."

"A quarter?" Julie asked, surprised. "What are they doing?"

"Explosives. Bombs that go off before they're able to come on our side. I'd rather spare you the details," he said. Julie didn't need to hear more to imagine soldiers blowing their bodies up by accident. It must've been horrendous if a quarter of the army passed away.

Luke locked eyes with her and nodded his head up as if to ask what was going on. Julie motioned him to wait a minute with her hand, and he understood. Julie asked, "So does that mean I might go home soon?"

"Very soon. I didn't think it was going to end this soon, but their army wasn't as prepared as they thought." Her dad was quiet for another moment and he said, "That being said, be extra careful. Anything weird you see out there, call us and we'll relocate you."

"Yeah," Julie said. She began tapping her fingers on her arm, wondering how much in danger she was going to be her entire life.

"I believe Luke's been instructed to keep an even closer eye on you. Somehow." Julie's mind went to Bobby's conversation and then registered her dad's bitter somehow. She giggled, realizing her dad was being a dad. He did have every right to be after what had just happened. She almost felt guilty.

Luke stood up and went to the kitchen to go through the cabinets. He pulled out an unopen bag of licorice as her dad talked to her about finally being able to call Carlos next. Julie faded out her dad's voice as she watched Luke eat like a little kid. Had he always been that attractive, and she just never noticed? Maybe it was his cutoff shirt.

Julie and her dad said goodbyes and I love you's before she clicked hang up. She stood up and walked over to stand in front of Luke who was chewing away happily.

"What happened?" he asked her before taking another bite of candy.

"King Caleb's army lost a quarter of their numbers within the last three days," she said. Luke's mouth stop moving, and he stared at her like she could have been lying. "Something about experimenting with explosives." Julie frowned, feeling bad for those who had to die for selfish reasons.

Luke took her by surprise and ran past her to the restroom, shutting the door loudly behind him. Julie ran over and could him throwing up. "Luke?" she knocked. "Do you need water." He threw up once more before silence filled up between the two.

"No." His voice croaked dry and sour.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I think I ate too much licorice," he said. His voice was so quiet, like a murmur. "I'm fine, though."

"You don't sound fine." Julie rested her head against the bathroom door.

"I'm just not used to sugar anymore. I'll be okay, trust me," he said. Julie wanted to, but there was always this pull. This feeling that she often pushed down for the sake of peace, inner and outer.

"I trust you." 

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A/N: I did not think this chapter was going to end so tension-y, BUT it is me haha. I hope you've all enjoyed these last two chapters. There's more fluff coming up, but it'll be more angsty according to what I have planned.