Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They are the property of ASP, the WB, and affiliates. I'm only borrowing them for the mere purpose of writing. The lines at the very bottom are from the song 'Rainy Day Man'.
A/N: So I was really bored, and this idea kind of popped in my head. I'm trying to get back in the writing swing again. I hope you enjoy this, grammar mistakes and all. Italics mean the past.
Priya
Rainy Day Man
He had come there, seeking comfort, but mostly to get away from his life. The park had always put him at ease, and sometimes he got the warmth and affection there that he lacked in his life, and so desperately wanted. Sitting cross-legged on the familiar bench, he pulled his feet in closer into him, and ever so slightly began to sway.
The past two months had been the hardest battle in his life. Closing his tired eyes he evoked those painful memories. He didn't remember much; it was a blur how it happened. Although, he did remember his grandfather's wan, glittering eyes looking at him lovingly, but buried deeper was something that only he could see. Sadness. He knew that his grandfather was only sad because of Tristan. He didn't care about leaving this world, but he cared about leaving Tristan…all alone.
He was supposed to be at the funeral of Richard Gilmore, but it was too painful for him because the memories of his own grandfather came flooding back. Although, his parents were there, but only for their own intentions. His father just wanted to buy the blooming business that was once Richard Gilmore's, and his mother just there to show off the latest fashions in black. He was disgusted with his parents. He didn't even know why he called them his 'parents'; they were anything but that.
He also knew that if he went to the funeral she would be there, and he couldn't bear to see her cry. Besides she hated him, so he would just cause her more pain by being there. At once he remembered the bitter events that had occurred on the last day of school.
"Your boyfriend's waiting,"he heard Dean spit those words out. Tristan gave his usual smirk feeling good that Dean thought of him as Rory's boyfriend; it gave him such pleasure to see Dean hurting.
"He's not my boyfriend. I hate him!" her words had injured him deeply. All of them stung, and his heart burned for days out of jealousy.
And then he remember the words that had changed him,"Because I love you, you idiot," she said to Dean. That's when reality hit him that Rory couldn't be his. It hurt like hell, but he knew he had to stop wishing for something that couldn't have. It was better to live with the brutal truth than live a lie that would haunt him.
He opened his hollow eyes, which had become more somber, and uncrossed his legs, lying down carefully. He took a gulp of fresh air, and sighed contentedly to himself. He began to run his hands along bench, which was no longer rough and edgy, but smoothed down over the years. This was the same park he came to whenever he needed warmth. He came here when his grandfather died, when he found his mother in bed with another man at the age of nine, and when he ran away from home because his dog, Bailey, died.
He came here when his dad had gotten into a car crash and his mother was too drunk to care; he came and spent the night on this very same bench. From that day on he knew that the only place he could ever get the love he needed was the park.
He would try to come every Sunday morning and play with all the kids. When he would arrive at the park he would become another Tristan DuGrey that few had ever met before. He would drop his cocky attitude and become carefree little boy. All his smiles there would be genuine, all the things he would say would be true, and love he would share would be priceless. When the children saw him coming, they would run towards him calling out his name in their sweet voices. They would tell him the local gossip like who had the cooties, which threw spit balls, and who got the coolest toys. He also heard all the complaints that the mothers had about their children, and sometimes he wished that he were one of those mothers' children. The amazing thing was that Tristan listened to them, and understood. Not any girl, not any car, but the park would be the highlight of his week.
He turned his head so the was facing the back of the bench and immediately the heavy, overpowering smell of smoke filled his nostrils, he got slightly alarmed, then realized it was only the hickory wood bench. Lightly chuckling to himself, he looked at the tall trees, which were adorned with mostly emerald colored leaves, but traces of ruby and topaz were appearing. The trees were careening in a dangerous manner, and Tristan suspected rain. He looked up at the veil of thick gray, which already had begun enveloping and rapidly covering the expanse of the lively azure. The sky was becoming as gloomy as the day was. He thought about leaving, but on a whim decided to say, and enjoy a rainy day. Just then he heard a twig snap, followed by footsteps heavy footsteps. And he peered closer to listen.
"So you wanted to talk to me," he heard the familiar soft feminine voice.
He heard a groan, "Yeah, I did. I wanted to…I wanted to…damn this is so hard."
Panic seized the girl's eyes,"Dean, what happened? Is everything all right?"
"Well no…it's not," he reached over and began tracing cheek lightly. "Rory, you mean so much to me, and I don't want to loose what we have but…. I have had the best of time with you, and we really had a deep connection, but now…I feel like I'm loosing you, Rory. I just can't kiss you, laugh with you, or even talk to you without feeling that you're drifting farther and farther away from me. I don't know what happened, but it did happen, and now I think…that I need to break the thing that we have, so you can go freely to where you want to go," he sighed.
Wanting to protest she opened her mouth, "Dean…I-"
He quieted her by placing a slim finger over her soft lips,"Rory…no. Please don't make this harder than it already is. Rory, I don't want to hurt you, I really don't."
She was shocked, but even more stunned that she was even able to speak,"Well, you know what Dean? You just did hurt me, and it kills. Someone who I loved so deeply, my grandfather, just died two days ago, and just when I need you the most you're leaving me?" her voice began falter, but her anger did not. "I don't think I'm drifting away from you…I think it's the other way around," she hissed her resolve made.
"Rory," he coaxed,"it's not like that."
Afraid that she couldn't hold her tears in any longer she managed to say a few last words, "I think it is like that Dean. Please…please go. I need to be alone right now."
With all her heart she didn't want to say that, but she needed to. She watched his departing figure, and just then it hit her. She was all alone. Grandpa was gone and so was Dean. Her world began to spin, and as if she had been blinded she searched desperately for something to steady herself upon.
That's where Tristan came in. He had silently witnessed the whole scenario, and more than ever wanted to run by her side, but he knew that was something that she had to do by herself. As soon as he had left he knew that Rory needed someone, even if it was someone she despised.
Her flailing arms hit a hard form; she quickly grabbed the material of his shirt, and turned her face up to look at him. She hesitated for a brief second, and she did something that he never expected her to do. She threw her arms around his neck, and hugged him like there was no tomorrow. And he did the only thing he could do, he hugged her back. Not even the Jaws of Life could pry them apart.
After what seemed like an eternity he pulled away from her, sitting down. For a few minutes she sat with her head on her knees, her face stained with tears looking at him. He could tell she was thinking about her grandfather, because of the way she wrinkling her eyebrows, and biting her bottom lip so she wouldn't bursts out into tears. He reached out and took her in his arms again, rocking her back and forth.
She had come to the park with Dean to get away from all the things that reminded her of Grandpa. They had shared a few sweet kisses and laughs along the way, and she knew that he would always be there for her, but she was wrong. The person who she least likely thought would ever support her was there. Life is a funny thing.
When she had enough courage she spoke,"You weren't there today."
Slowly he answered,"I'm sorry. I just couldn't go. It reminded me too much of my-"
She quickly cut him off seeing the painful look on his face,"It's fine, I understand."
"Thank you."
"I missed you, though,"she whispered absent-mindedly.
"I missed you too," he replied naturally, placing a feather light kiss on her forehead, smoothing out her hair.
"Tristan."
"Hmm…"he asked enjoying the moment, and not thinking of sad thoughts.
"I don't hate you,"whisepred, barely audible. There was a slight pause. "I never did, you just really annoyed me. I'm really sorry. I-"
This time he cut her off, pulling her closer to him, "Rory…it's ok."
"Is it really?" she queried her blue eyes wide.
"No, but you're sad," he pointed out trying to lighten the mood a bit. At that they both gave a little chuckle, and a picture of her grandfather came to mind. His laughter reminded her of grandpa's and her chin began to quaver. Her joyous laughter grew into silent sobs, and painful moans. He took her shaking body, and placed her head in his lap. He whispered soothing words to her, while pretending to untangle her hair. She managed to control herself for a while,"I want him to come back."
"I know you do, but it can't be like that."
"Do you want your grandpa to come back?" she asked quietly.
His eyes became glossy with tears at the mention of his grandfather,"In some ways I do… but in some ways I don't. I miss him a lot, but I'm glad that he's found happiness wherever he is."
"Yeah," she agreed,"he's happy, and that's all that matters." They shared another moment of silence," I can't believe he left me like that…When I needed him the most."
At that moment he hated Dean more than ever. Not because he had Rory for a while, but because he had cause her so much pain. He had broken her twice, just when she needed someone to be there for her.
"Rory, let's not talk about him. He was so blind that he didn't even see a treasure when he had one." He sweeped down and kissed her forehead again.
For the first time Rory realized that what he said came from his heart. Instead of an egotistical jerk, she saw a little boy, who was lost in his own problems but was helping her get through her own. Suddenly she wanted to feel his problems and help him too. She needed him, like he needed her. "Tristan," she said, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks. "Kiss me. Please?"her eyes silently begged his to do so.
He looked at the fair colored beauty in his lap, and more than ever wanted to make her feel like she never felt. He crushed his lips onto hers. It was the union of two troubled souls becoming one. They were searching for something inside one another, and the kiss was the way to find it. They were kissing because they had to, and it just felt so right. Her soft, warm lips tasted so sweet. They were sucking the life out of each other… to live. He came up for a breath and touched her swollen red lips ever so gently.
He was just about to sweep down into another kiss, but heard Rory let out a whimper, and she broke. The tears came gushing out. Something about her whimper or the way she looked reminded him of his troubles, and then he felt as if he needed to cry as well. There they were, huddled together, sobbing, because they needed to. He needed to because he hadn't cried. Her body was shaking feverishly, her wails were becoming louder, and her fingers were gripping onto his arm so hard that they would leave livid marks. But he didn't care. Just then the heavens opened up and the rain came pouring down. It was if the sky was crying for them. By now the water beads were mixing with the tears and washing them away. The water cool water felt glorious against their flesh, which was burning with misery. The longing, the pain, the sorrow, and the suffering was washed away. All that they were left with now was a feeling of peace.
It stopped raining after a while, and the softly glowing moon illuminated black, velvet sky. All that he could hear now was the stillness of the night, the chirping of the crickets, and the hum of fireflies. They sat there on the soft, wet grass, only having a feeling of calmness. Rory had fallen asleep on his shoulder, and was snoring lightly. He decided that they had been in the park long enough and it was time to leave.
****
The warm, radiant sunshine broke through the window. The glass acted like a prism creating rich rainbows in the light. The brightness of the room hit her eyes, and she took refuge even deeper in her covers. She faced the other side satisfied to escape the light, but it was only a matter of time when the light covered that part of the room as well. Groaning inwardly she poked her head out of her covers and her eyes began to flutter open.
Around that time Lorelai crept into the room, and joining Rory in her bed, "Hey sweetie, how did you sleep?" she asked softly.
"Okay, I guess,"mummbeld Rory nonchalantly. It took her a second to realize that she was in her bed," Wait…I thought I was at the park, how…how did I get here?"stammered Rory confused.
"Well a blonde boy brought you here, and when I asked for his name, he just told me 'a friend'. And refused to tell me his name."
Rory's mind flew towards Tristan she let out a sigh at remembering what had happened last night,"Rainy day man,"she whispered to herself, a slow smile creeping on her face.
**Rainy day man on you shoulder I cried when my first brush with love and loss left me shaking inside,
You were there for me when I needed you so strong, and true, which is very unlike you.**
The End