Dean Forester stared down at the invitation in his hand.
"Are you trying to set something on fire with your mind?" came a smiling voice behind him.
Dean turned to see Priestly standing there, the grin on his pierced face matching the one in his tone. "'Cause if you can, I'm totally going to exploit you for the money. My car needs new parts."
Startled into laughing, Dean handed over the wedding invitation to the older man.
Priestly read it through and raised an eyebrow. "You going?"
"Yeah," Dean said, more confident than he felt, "but could you…you know…come with me?"
"Free fancy food and an open bar?" Priestly pumped a fist into the air. "Try and stop me."
Dean was scanning the reception for Priestly, who cooed something about shrimp cocktail and beelined for the buffet. A distracted smile covered his face as he watched the bride and groom dancing amidst the other couples.
"Dean?" asked a small, shaky voice.
Steeling himself, Dean turned and smiled. "Hi, Rory."
"What are you-" stopping herself, Rory began again, "Dumb question. It's her wedding, Paris invited you." There was the slightest question in her voice.
"Yeah, she did," he confirmed. "I don't know how she found me, but the invitation appeared nonetheless. I think she has a secret spy network."
Rory nodded. "She didn't want to have an empty reception hall, so she invited everyone she's ever met." The young woman nodded as if remembering something. "That's right, you're in California now."
Dean raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of secret spy networks."
"Clara told me," the young woman confessed. "I saw her at Doose's and we started chatting. She said you were out in Santa Cruz."
"Yeah, I am," Dean swallowed as he wondered if Clara had told Rory anything else.
A pause settled between them before the next sentence came. "She also said you were seeing someone."
"Yeah, I am," was the response. "It's pretty serious," followed and he seemed to recognise the truth of the words as soon as they spilled from his lips.
Rory nodded. "I'm happy for you. I really am."
Dean smiled genuinely. "You're not doing so bad yourself. Following the future president's campaign trail. You must have loved it."
"I did!" Rory enthused, the conversation now on comfortable ground.
They chatted about her work in Washington and his classes in California for a while before a cheerful voice called out, "There you are!"
Dean turned and grinned as he watched Priestly trying to balance two plates piled high with food and a couple glasses of champagne. For the occasion, Priestly had put a blazer on over his 'Surf Naked' shirt and was wearing the khakis he'd unearthed from the back of his closet. His hair was even un-spiked and un-dyed. "Should I even ask if any of that is for me?"
Priestly chuckled. "Nope, you're on your own, man. And, dude, you've got the seat numbers. I walked past like twelve tables trying to find our names. Nada."
Dean pointed down at the chair on his left. "You're there, I'm in this one." Noticing Rory shifting on her feet, she gestured for Priestly to put down his load. Turning to his ex, Dean said, "Rory, this is Priestly, my plus one. Priestly, I'd like you to meet Rory Gilmore."
Priestly paused once he got a good look at the young woman in front of him. His eyes flicked between her and Dean before settling on her. "Nice to meet you."
Dean decided to kill two birds with one stone. He reached out and took Priestly's hand in his own, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
The other man turned a radiant smile on him and Dean returned it before facing Rory again. "Priestly is my boyfriend."
"Boyfriend?" Rory stuttered out. "Oh…well, that's unexpected. Not that you're…well…it's just you were…and we were…and…ho boy," she exhaled. "That's a lot of new information to take in."
Dean smiled. "Yeah, well it's been five years. You're getting all this at once, I got to figure it out step-by-step."
"And it took you long enough to realise I was undercharging you for your sandwiches," Priestly added.
"Took you long enough to realise I was coming in every single day you were working," Dean fired back with a grin.
Priestly laughed and leaned his head against Dean's shoulder. "Which is why we love Jen for repaying my matchmaking meddling."
Dean nodded, feeling his cheek brush against the strangely soft blond hair of his lover. Focusing back on Rory, Dean said, "So, I think I have to go find my own food. You'll be glad to know that all my experience with the bottomless pit that is you and your mother prepared me well for him."
Priestly scoffed, but with a final smile at Rory, he sat down to give the exes a moment to themselves.
"I should go find Lane anyway," Rory answered. "She was my plus one this time."
"Tell her I say hi. And give Lorelai my best and tell her congratulations on the twins. Tell Luke too if he hasn't banned my name from being spoken." Dean winced.
The young woman nodded several times. "Will do," and then she was gone in a flick of dark brown hair.
"So that was Rory," Priestly said carefully as Dean sat beside him and pulled his own plate close to study.
"That was Rory," Dean confirmed. He lifted his eyes to his boyfriend's. "You okay?"
Priestly nodded. "Yeah, I mean, you like me best, right?"
Dean leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to Priestly full lips. "Love you best," he replied, giving his lover's thigh a gentle squeeze.