Still working on Part 2! But wanted to drop a fun excerpt from it for #jatpweek!!! @jatp-week (A bit belated for WIP Wednesday but I legit thought I could crank out a completed part 2 before my camping trip, but I still wanted to share what I have so far!)
This is from my AU where Julie and Luke are tumblr mutuals and met via their favorite show (with Luke being a prolific fic writer and Julie a popular fanartist for said fandom). This was my love letter to fandom and JATP as a whole as I've met so many cool people, some of which are my close friends to this day!
Part 1 is currently on AO3!
Read an excerpt from my WIP for the next installment down below!
After months of being mutuals and a week of back and forth calls, will Julie and Luke finally do a good and proper face reveal?
(Also Happy Juke Jeudi!!!)
dahliagirl0910:
u want to commission me??
fr??
mad-ducks1026:
im a patron of the arts
dahliagirl0910:
luke u dont have to
mad-ducks1026:
i want to
also its not for me
i actually really need a present for him
dahliagirl0910:
you’re not getting a discount btw
girl needs to pay for her new shoes
mad-ducks1026:
jules
i’m willing to pay you above your rate
1)cuz you worth it you talented wrecking ball you
And b)he’s been having a rough time. this would cheer him up
also so u could focus on ur art and performance
dahliagirl0910:
luke
ur so sweet
i’ll do it
So what you thinking?
mad-ducks1026:
he thinks the way you draw rachel is ‘supes adorbs’
nah he don’t talk like that lol
be awesome if you drew him like that
dahliagirl0910:
a portrait
noted
wanna tell me more about him?
so i can get a feel for what to draw
mad-ducks1026:
well he drums
also loves to dance
think britney spears
but if it was a tall skinny dude
also mad sarcastic
you’ll get along
dahliagirl0910:
if we both put up with you on a daily basis
Then yep
we're already besties
tho im gonna need to know what he looks like
mad-ducks1026:
...
i got u
***
“Hey, which one of these pics do you like?” Luke all but shoved his phone into Alex's face.
The drummer stumbled into a stop in the middle of the school hallway. He gave Luke and odd look before swiping through the folder of his own pictures.
“Ugh. I look homeless in this one” Alex scrunched his nose at their group photo before settling on a pic Bobby had taken of him at a past gig, "That one? I guess? I don't look half bad"
“Sick. Thanks”
Luke took his phone back and promptly sent Alex's picture to Julie on discord.
The blond tried peering over his friend's shoulder, “Uh, what are you doing with my picture?”
“Can’t tell you. It’ll ruin your birthday surprise”
“Well, now he know it’s for his birthday” Reggie stage-whispered.
“Luke, it’s my image I have the right to sue you for unauthorized distribution of said image. Now gimme!”
Alex made a grab for Luke's phone but he ducked under the drummer's outstretched arm, shielding it from view.
The two began fighting over the phone until Reggie had to step in before a teacher noticed their roughhousing.
“Guys, guys!" Reggie wedged himself into the middle, pushing Alex back and snatching Luke's phone out of his hand.
"You" Reggie pointed to Alex, "You are gonna stop using your height to your advantage."
Luke gaped at the two of them, while Alex smirked. "Hey!"
"And you" Reggie addressed Luke, "can you please tell us what's going on?"
There was a moment of hesitation.
Then Luke caved.
"Fine” he looked to his shoes, “I may have commissioned a portrait in your honor.”
“You’re commissioned Julie” Alex surmised.
“I never said-”
“Luke” the blonde sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Were you actually gonna send her my picture?”
“I, uh, already did”
“Dude!”
“Don’t you want her to draw you?”
“Er, well, I mean, yeah" Alex stammered, "But, aside from sending a stranger my picture and the boundaries with that, are you sure this is a good idea? Like weird that she’s gonna see what I look like before she finds out what you look like”
Reggie hummed, “Why haven’t you video called yet? You guys have been calling and collabing for a while now"
“I want to” Luke shrugged, “I dunno. It’s just something we haven’t done yet.”
“Scared?” The bassist asked.
“What? No”
“Of what you'll see? Or what she'll see"
Luke's face softened, “I don’t care what she looks like. We’re doin’ alright, okay?”
Reggie turned to Alex, "It's definitely of what she sees."
Ok, maybe, maybe, Luke was a little bit self-conscious of what Julie may think of him. His life, despite how fun it was playing music with his boys and writing fics, was pretty much a mess.
He looked homeless half the time and barely remembered to brush his hair before going anywhere.
Meanwhile, Julie was an LA girl. Though he knew better than to assume she was the judgemental type (She wasn't. She was the sweetest internet friend he's ever had, despite her friendly snarking), Luke still couldn't help but be nervous.
"Luke, I'll say this once because you know this, the school knows this, and you already have a big head when it comes to music" Alex braced his hands on Luke's shoulders, "You're tragically handsome"
"Hot. He means" Reggie clarified.
Alex relented, "Ok, tragically hot"
Luke didn't know how to take that, "Like it's sad?"
"It's sad how hot you are" Alex said.
Reggie nodded in agreement, "Like, kind of unfair."
"Thanks, boys" Luke rolled his eyes, opting to give both of them a surprise hair ruffling, "You're not so bad looking yourselves."
"Aww shucks" Reggie waved a flattered hand, batting his eyelashes "You really know how to charm a guy, Lukey."
Luke snorted and poked the bassist's sides, earning a laugh out of the both of them.
"Gay"
The two turned to Alex.
He shrugged, "What? I can say that."
Reggie shot him finger guns, "Hell yeah you can, buddy."
The bell rang, prompting the trio to make their way to their classes.
"So," Alex couldn't help but grin, "I'm gonna get a Dahlia original?"
Luke shook his shoulders, excited, "Yeah, bro!"
"Wait" Reggie stilled, remembering he had Luke's phone in his hand. He unlocked it, and stared at the picture Alex had chosen.
"What?" Luke asked, "What is it, Reg?"
"You sent her a picture of Alex"
"That's how a portrait commission works, yes"
"This picture?" Reggie showed him the screen, "The same one from our Instagram?"
"...yeah?"
Reggie's eyes widened, "And what if she google image searches it?"
Then it would lead Julie right to their page. Where there were many, many pictures of not only the boys but of Luke as well.
It dawned on Luke what he just did.
"Oh no"
"And tragically stupid" Alex patted him on the shoulder before walking ahead, "Don't forget. Also tragically stupid..."
