Disclaimer: I disclaim it. Leave it in the able hands of ASP and Dorothy Parker Drank Here.
Post 6.05 After the recital, Luke heads back into the woods. This time, he's got company. Luke does stuff he likes, as long as he's with Lorelai.
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In Sookie's car on the way home, Lorelai shakes glitter out of her hair. "I was frightened. Frightened and disturbed."
"By Kirk's mime face?"
"No! The kids in the aisle! They were just so…close to us."
"And with all that glitter," Sookie adds, dusting some off her jacket as she stops the car in front of Lorelai's house.
"Tell me about it. But I'm glad we went. And thanks for the ride, Sookie."
"Of course. Hey, will you just hand me the ear plugs out of the glove compartment?" Lorelai rummages around until she finds a pair of foam ear plugs in a plastic baggie.
"Sure, um, what are these for? Is Davey still resisting volume control?"
"Well, yeah, but I've adjusted to that. Now it's Jackson driving me buggy, he's like a broken record, 'Turn it down, son, turn the volume down!' These dull the senses," Sookie says with a cunning arch of one eyebrow. She pops the ear plugs into her ears and waves as she pulls away. Lorelai waves back, shaking her head and smiling as she swings her purse over her shoulder and turns to head up to the front door. On the first step, her smile becomes a look of puzzled surprise when she looks up to see Luke leaning beside the front door, smiling at her like he knows something that she doesn't.
"Have fun?" he asks, reaching out to scoop up her hand in his.
"It was everything I ever could have imagined." She lets him draw her into his embrace, but tilts her head back to ask, "Luke? What are you doing here?" He wraps both arms around her and laces his fingers through her hair to cradle the back of her head, drawing her forward and bringing his lips to her ear.
"Wanted to see you," he murmurs in a timbre that sends shivers down her spine. "I didn't want to go camping by myself. Or fishing. Not really all that much fun without you there." Lorelai smiles into his shoulder and slips her hands underneath his vest, gliding her fingers up along his chest, hooking them into the openings between the buttons on his flannel shirt. Luke continues, stroking a lock of hair between his fingers as he whispers into her ear, "Nothing to do out there in the woods but think about you. Miss you." She trembles a little and sighs, nestling her petal cheek against his rough one. He parts his lips against her cheek and kisses her tenderly, his breath warm on her cool face. He speaks so softly she can barely hear him, "I don't want to be doing a 'me' thing when we could be doing an 'us' thing." her knees actually give out a little, but his palm spreads open her back, supporting her firmly against his body.
"But I thought…" she begins, breathlessly, "I thought you were going back out, 'might even do a little fishing'?" Lorelai's warm and weak in his arms, hoping he's changed his mind again and is about to take her inside. But it's just good manners to at least feign a protest first.
"I might, at that," Luke answers, steadying her on her own two feet, keeping one hand open on her back as he stoops down to pick up something that's been hidden in his shadow. "Not a bad idea, if you do say so yourself." That knowing smile is back and his voice has taken on a secretive warmth. She still clings to his shirtfront, now a bit puzzled at his change in gears. His fingers had been wound in her curls a moment ago and now he is holding something up to display to her with a sneaky sort of pride.
"What's that?" she asks, the desire that he has elicited still clouding her voice and her vision.
"Your stuff."
"What stuff?"
"Your camping stuff."
"My campi – I'm sorry, my what?" she cries weakly. Lorelai's vision clouds with entirely different emotions now. Panic brings visions of herself using a tree stump for a pillow. She can almost hear the bugs buzzing in her ears, feel her legs prickle as if it's been days in the woods without a shower or a razor.
"Don't worry, I packed pants for you this time." Luke's hand guides her down the porch steps.
"Oh, yeah…pants. Pants are…good. Camping?" she squeaks again.
"And, everything's set up already, it'll take a second to light the fire again and then we can just relax. 'Hang.'" Luke tosses her small duffle into the back of the truck, then leads her blindly up to the cab and opens the passenger door. "It's low-impact camping, I promise. One night. Think of it as…cozy," he offers. He ducks level with her face and notes that her eyes are still glazed over and her skin looks a little pallid. "Stars, a campfire, some marshmallows. Flask of whiskey. You and me, sharing a sleeping bag?" That brings a little color into her cheeks. She finally meets his gaze, her eyes focusing on his and then dropping to his lips.
"Cozy."
"Cozy," he affirms, handing her up into the truck now that she seems to have regained some dexterity. She settles back into the seat but stares straight forward, her expression rigid and unreadable. He caresses his hand along her thigh, looking up at her until he catches her attention. "Lorelai?" he says timidly when she finally turns her head. "Are you freaking out?" Her features soften a little and she pats his hand.
"Just give me another minute," she says, "or ten." She pushes him away from the door and pulls it closed, gesturing for him to come around the driver's side and get in. He starts the truck and reaches for the stick, but glances at her before he puts in gear.
"You don't have to do this…I just thought it might be…" with a strange smile on her face, Lorelai shakes her head and nudges the clutch toward 'D' herself. He grins, a little satisfied with himself. As he pulls to the corner, Luke reaches into the pocket on the inside of his vest and produces a brushed silver flask. "Here, maybe you want to get started on this," he suggests, handing it over to her. She chuckles, takes a quick sip and settles back into the seat again with a deep sigh, smiling.
"Hey, Luke?" she says, reaching out and squeezing his arm. He glances over at her. "You said, 'you and me sharing a sleeping bag'?" He nods, grinning at the hint of a smile on her lips. "That sounds fun," she admits, and takes another sip from the flask.