This is a one shot set a year after the series finale. Rory and Jess found each other when the Obama campaign trail stopped in Philadelphia. She and Jess met for drinks and then ended up together when her assignment was done. Hope you enjoy this. :)
Rating: T- for some suggestive content.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea.
Title: Imperfection
"And this just in, Paris Hilton…"
Rory huffed and turned off the TV. "Paris Hilton is a two-bit whore who deserves jail and not this much press."
"Such language," Jess chided. "And to think you're the good one of the two of us."
"I said whore, Jess," Rory replied, standing up and turning to look at him. "Whore is not a bad word."
"Is it worse than slut?" he asked, getting a glass out of the cupboard.
Rory shrugged and walked out to the kitchen. She smiled as he reached up, the muscles in his back flexing just a bit.
Sometimes she couldn't believe she'd ended up here. In this two bedroom apartment in the heart of Philadelphia. With the boy who she'd sworn she would never, ever date again.
"Quit it," Jess said, filling his glass with water.
She was broken from her thoughts by his voice. "Quit what?"
He took a sip of water and smirked. "Undressing me with your eyes."
She rolled her eyes at his accusation. "What makes you think I wasn't planning the best way to kill you?"
"Because you're the good one," he responded, setting his glass on the counter and walking over to her. "You don't think about stuff like that."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled at him. "I think about other stuff, though."
"Oh really?" he asked. "Like what?"
"Let's just say Paris Hilton had a few good ideas," she responded, kissing his neck.
He picked her up, and began carrying her to the bedroom. "Care to share with the class, Ms. Gilmore?"
Jess smirked and lay on his stomach. "Okay, besides the whole… getting in and out and back in jail this week, I'd say Paris is pretty cool."
Rory giggled. "I guess. Turn on the TV?"
Jess grabbed the remote from the nightstand and turned on the TV.
"Paris Hilton…"
He changed the channel.
"According to Ms. Hilton's rep—"
Rory grabbed the remote from him and turned off the TV.
"I hate Paris Hilton," Jess huffed.
Rory smiled, and began tracing circles on his back. "I know, baby."
He turned and looked at her. "I love you, though, Rory."
Rory smiled. "Yeah, you have your perks."
He rolled over and crawled up the bed beside her. "Like what?"
She smiled, kissing his chest as he lay back on the headboard. "You're incredibly sexy. And you give me good loving."
He chuckled. "Well, that's always a plus."
Rory rested her head on his chest and sighed contentedly. "I'm really glad we saw each other that day."
"I'm more happy about getting to have drinks with you that night," Jess replied.
Rory playfully slapped his chest. "So you were just trying to take advantage of me."
"Weren't you the one who told me that you wanted my body?" he asked.
She smiled, and began tracing circles on his stomach. She closed her eyes, breathing in his scent. Jess had one hand around her waist, and the other was opening a drawer in the nightstand.
"So I was thinking," Jess began.
"That's never a very good thing," Rory interjected.
"Thanks for ruining the moment," he stated. "But I was thinking that, you know, you live here, right?"
"I was wondering precisely why I slept here every night," she deadpanned.
"And you have already staked out my oven for your shoes," he continued.
"Well, where else would I put them?" she asked.
"And you already have the Chinese place down the street programmed in the house phone," he added.
"It's not my fault you refuse to let me cook," she said.
He single-handedly opened a velvet box in his hand and rested it on his stomach, right in front of her eyes. "I think we should get—"
"Yes," she said.
"Okay, not how I planned to do that," he said. "Can we get a do-over?"
"You don't do-over a proposal, Jess," Rory said. "What was wrong with it?"
"You interrupted me," Jess said. "In fact, you can't help but interrupt me anytime I propose anything, much less marriage."
"I resent that remark," she huffed indignantly.
"You practically moved yourself in here when I suggested you put a few of your things here," he began.
"Like you complained," she retorted.
"You put your shoes in the oven – without my permission, mind you – and I almost cooked them," he continued.
"Oh, please, you only use the stove top," she commented.
"And if I recall, you don't even ask what I want for dinner," he said. "You just order Chinese and make me eat it."
"And if I recall," she replied. "You don't even leave enough for leftovers."
He sighed and picked up the ring box. "I don't think I should even ask you."
"Ask me what?" she inquired, feigning innocence.
"If you'll marry me," he said.
They were silent for a moment, the only sound was the rain outside and the breathing. And the growl of Rory's stomach.
"I'm hungry," she stated.
"I noticed," he replied.
Silence followed again. Rory raised herself off of Jess and looked at him, then at the box.
"Want a do-over?" she asked. "I'll go out to the kitchen and make some food, and you can come out there and pretend that I didn't interrupt you when you were proposing, okay?"
She hopped out of bed without even waiting for an answer. Jess chuckled and soon joined her out in the kitchen.
She grabbed a box of cereal out of a cupboard, and then turned around and saw him looking at her. "What?"
"I want you to finish my thoughts for me," he said.
She eyed him curiously, a smile playing on her lips. "Okay."
"And I want you to keep your shoes in the stove indefinitely," he added.
She smiled, walking over to him and hugging his waist. "Sounds like a good plan."
"And I never, ever want you to cook for me," he finished.
She smirked at him. "I think I can promise you that, too."
He opened the box again. "Will you marry me?"
She smiled. "Sounds good to me."
He shook his head and took the ring out of the box. "I love you, Rory Gilmore."
"Softie," she said as he put the ring on her finger.
He kissed her softly and hugged her tightly, both basking in the imperfect moment.
She let go and jumped excitedly. "I have to call mom!"
"Okay, we really have to work on all these imperfections of marriage proposals," he called out as she walked into the bedroom to get her phone. "Can you at least promise that the actual wedding night will end in sex?"
She smiled, holding the phone to her ear. "I make no promises… Mom? Oh my gosh! Jess proposed! Well, we were laying in bed talking and… No, mom… Well…"
He listened to her conversation with Lorelai and smiled. He expected a phone call from Luke as soon as that conversation was done. He saw her take a seat on the couch and he made his way over to her.
He sat down on the couch and she leaned into him. And he basked in this imperfect moment with the girl who would always be perfect in his eyes.