TBH there are only mentions of Rory. Warning: I wrote this on the fly and didn't really make multiple drafts, but I think it is pretty adequate work.
He leans against the front porch gazing out at the stereotypical suburban homes that fill Stars Hollow. With a leather jacket, hair combed back, and a cigarette between his fingers, he lets his pride dictate his actions. Too stubborn to return to the warmth that abides in his bedroom and anger rising with every passing moment.
"Cigarettes? I would have never depicted you to be the kind of person to smoke." He looks over his shoulder with a passive expression, knowing full well whose voice it belonged to.
"Not exactly smoking it." He shrugs. "Haven't decided if I want to compromise my health for a stress-free moment yet."
"Trust me, it's not worth it, Mark." Luke leans back against the whitewashed pillar. He grabs the cigarette from the kid and drops it on the ground before snuffing it out with his boot. Mark simply watches the act, then returns his gaze skyward. Both men stare at nothing in particular and remain in silence. No one tries to coax the other into a conversation. The town falls into a deep slumber, as it usually does past 10:30.
Suddenly, they hear a clatter coming from the house next door and within moments Babette comes out the front door shouting at Morey something about peach cobbler and Frank Sinatra. This causes Mark to break is tough guy façade for a moment, as he lips stretch into a smirk.
"She's crazy." Mark states with a chuckle.
"Yeah well, that's Babette for you." Luke laughs. The silence continues.
"Pulling a Menendez." Mark mutters, breaking the silence.
"What?" Luke raises an eyebrow.
"The Menendez brothers were only 21 and 18 when they murdered their parents in an attempt to inherit their money. That happened in Beverly Hills, California." Mark says. Luke knits his eyebrows, trying to follow.
"Yes?" Luke says warily. "What brought about the Menendez brothers?"
"My mom made a comment tonight about Rory being civil during dinner before pulling a Menendez." Mark explains, watching his feet as he kicks a rock around.
"Oh yeah, you had dinner with your grandparents. I thought that went well?" Mark gives him an incredulous look.
"Yeah, right and I'm running for Connecticut's state senator."
"Alright, well what's buggin' you?" Luke tries.
"My dad's in California." Mark says. "My mom is busting her butt trying to find ways to pay for Rory and me to go to Chilton. She even went to my grandparents. She sat through a dinner where they looked down on her with their condescending gazes and endured their patronizing comments. She went back to her own personal hell so that we can further our education. My sister is head-over-heels for this new kid named Dean. She was even willing to give Chilton up to be with him. She and my mom got into one of those cliché mother/daughter spats that you see in those coming-of-age movies, and that never happens in our house. All this happened, and my dad's in California." Mark purses his lips and shakes his head. "Bastard."
Luke claps his hand on his shoulder and gives it a firm squeeze. "Yeah well, life happens and sometimes life can be an ass." Mark nods. "You know, I'm sure your dad tries though. Doesn't he call every other morning?"
"Oh yeah!" Mark shouts sarcastically. "Ten minutes talking about school, work, the new movie that came out, and insincere promises to come up and see us more often. He's a real Super Dad."
Luke says nothing, there really isn't anything he can say. "I'd offer you a beer if you were old enough." Mark laughs.
"I appreciate the offer." He smiles. Luke gives him a look that is a cross between concern and passivity. "Don't worry, I'm not going to become Andrew Clark with my middle fingers up, hating the world."
"Jeez, hope not." Luke comments. "We don't need you turning into another melodramatic teen who causes mayhem in this town."
Mark opens his mouth to say something, when the porch light turns on and the front door swings open.
"Hey, what's going on?" His mother asks. Her hair in a ponytail, wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt that says "Can't Touch This."
"Just talking." Luke crosses his arms, suddenly aware of the lack of heat his body is providing him. Lorelai smiles knowingly.
"Well come inside, Rory is making coffee with hot chocolate." Lorelai brushes a fly hair behind her ear.
"Really?" Luke scoffs. "Diabetes in a mug."
"You know what old man…" Lorelai begins as her eyes travel down to the ground, noticing the crushed cigarette. She says nothing, walking over to them and picking the remains. Holding her palm out them, she looks at them expectantly. "You want to explain this?"
Mark's eyes widen, never anticipating his mother to catch him with the offending object. He opens his mouth and stutters, trying to find the words.
"I've got this." Luke interjects, gesturing to the boy. "Mark, why don't you go help your sister in the kitchen."
"But I…"
"Go." Luke uses his head to gesture towards the front door. Mark looks from his mother's accusatory face to Luke's calm expression, before cautiously disappearing into the house.
With Mark gone, Lorelai dusts off her hands and crosses her arms to conserve heat, and clears her throat signalling that Luke had better begin explaining.
"I didn't give it to him, okay." Luke begins. "I came over to pick up the tool box I left here earlier, and found him standing on the porch contemplating whether or not he should smoke it. I took it from him and discouraged him from doing it. Then, we got to talking."
"About?" Lorelai's face morphs from contempt to concern. "Is he okay?"
Luke shrugs. "He is having a hard time adjusting to all the changes. He's going to a new school, your parents have come back into his life, and..." He pauses. "He misses his dad." Lorelai sighs.
"Yeah I've noticed it more and more as he gets older." She says and bites her bottom lip. "I just don't know what to do about that. I've never kept them from their father, he just…"
"It's okay, you don't have to explain it to me." He places his hand on her shoulder and looks into her eyes. "You're not to blame here. You're doing the best you can."
"Yeah." She mutters.
"Hey, how about next Sunday I take Mark out to a hockey game?" Luke offers with a smile.
"Oh Luke, you don't have to do that just because…" Lorelai starts.
"No I want to." Luke interrupts. "I mean a guy can only take so much when living in a house filled with Estrogen." Lorelai laughs. "He and I can have guy's night. We can go to the game and maybe get some food afterwards. That will give you and Rory time for mother/daughter bonding."
"Luke…"
"No I'm serious. I love that kid." Luke nods towards the house. "He is one of the two kids in this whole town who doesn't aggravate me."
"One of the two?"
"Rory." Luke deadpans. "I don't mind, plus I need to get out too." Lorelai smiles and softly punches him in the arm.
"You're a real Andy Hardy, Luke Danes." She tells him.
"Andy Hardy?" Luke lifts an eyebrow. "A pubescent boy with false charm and ulterior motives?"
"You know what I meant." Lorelai rolls her eyes. Luke laughs. "Well, you want to come inside? We are going to drink some Mocha and watch Charade. It'll be fun."
"Thanks," Luke says, "but I have work at five. Rain check?" Lorelai nods. He smiles, sticking his hands in his pockets, while awkwardly making his way down the steps of the porch.
"Definitely." Lorelai smiles. He nods. Lorelai waves in his direction, before turning the nob of the front door and entering the house.
She leans against the door, composing herself. Her endorphin all over the place, grateful that she has a friend like Luke Danes who always goes the extra mile for her little family.
"You idiot!" A shriek pulls her from her thoughts.
"You're the one the dropped it!"
"Please, butterfingers."
"Get it together, Moe."
"Shut up, Curly." She shakes her head, laughing to herself as she emerges into the living room.
"Hey!" She calls to the twins, plopping on the couch. "Larry wants to watch some TV. Now, stop bickering and get your little butts over here!"