To my surprise
Before my eyes
You arrive.
"No one ever understands the importance of ketchup." Kirk announced the following morning as Lorelai and Rory sat in Luke's for a late morning brunch.
Lorelai turned to Rory and smiled wickedly, causing Rory to narrow her eyes in warning but Lorelai just wiggled her eyebrows before turning to Kirk.
"I know Kirk, I agree with you completely. No one ever understands that ketchup is the leading condiment." Lorelai said in a mock sincere voice and Rory smiled as Kirk's eyes brightened.
"Exactly!" he exclaimed as if he had just won the lottery. "It is what makes food food. What's a hotdog without a little ketchup? It's nothing! The ketchup is what makes it actuallysomething," Kirk said, holding up the ketchup bottle. "And it just doesn't get enough appreciation for all it does."
Lorelai held back a grin and turned to see Luke walk from the back room, writing on a piece of paper and then turned back to Kirk.
"You know Kirk," Lorelai continued in a lower voice so Luke wouldn't hear her. "I don't think Luke really shows enough appreciation for our little red wonder, I suggest you tell him and try and persuade him to. I mean, what kind of loyal ketchup lover would you be if you didn't try to spread the love?" Lorelai asked seriously and Kirk nodded, grabbing the ketchup bottle and stood up as if he were going into battle.
"You're right Lorelai, thank you for showing me the light." He stated before marching up to the counter where Luke was standing refilling coffees.
"What have you done?" Rory asked with a whimsical voice, a smile coming to her face as they watched Kirk hold the ketchup bottle up to Luke.
"What are you doing Kirk?" Luke asked irritably, glancing at the ketchup bottle before looking back down at his paper. "I just refilled those bottles this morning, if you used so much that it's already gone, then deal with it."
"No Luke, I am here on behalf of the ketchup lovers alike." he announced and Luke slowly looked up from his writing and stared at Kirk like he was crazy, making Rory and Lorelai both try and hold back giggles.
"What?" Luke asked slowly.
Kirk cleared his throat while setting the ketchup bottle on the counter and pointing to it as he continued. "What is it saying when you put such a beloved and adored condiment, such as ketchup, in a plain red bottle with no label and no identity? Ketchup deserves an identity." Luke shook his head, blinked a few times as if to make sure Kirk was seriously real, and then turned to Lorelai and Rory who were laughing uncontrollably now.
Luke glared at their table momentarily before turning back to Kirk and taking a deep breath. "Listen Kirk, ketchup is ketchup. A bunch of squashed tomatoes and unnatural preservatives that you put on your food. It's not a living and breathing thing, therefore it does not need an identity." Luke said slowly. "And the fact that you think it does is disturbing, but then again… I don't think there's many things about you that don't disturb me."
Kirk cleared his throat again. "It deserves respect Luke. Put a label on the container, write where it originated from. Ketchup is not just a condiment, it's the king of all condiments."
Luke's face turned red and Rory and Lorelai sat watching, amused, knowing the simplest things irritated Luke and loving every second of it.
"Kirk," Luke gritted out, "Eat your food or leave." He stated and looked back down at his paper, trying to ignore the man in front of him.
"Jess!" Kirk called as Jess walked down the stairs. Jess stopped abruptly, staring at Kirk with surprise and dread.
Kirk smiled at Luke and then walked over to Jess and poked at his hair.
Jess ducked back and took a few steps away from him, staring at him with disgust, "What the hell are you doing?"
"I am trying to prove a matter to your uncle." Kirk explained and Jess narrowed his eyes incredulously.
"And that has something to do with my hair?" he asked sarcastically as he walked over to Lorelai and Rory's table with a coffeepot.
"Yes. Jess, does your hair gel have a label on it?"
"My god," Luke groaned and Kirk continued.
"Is or is not your hair gel important to you? Do you not hold it dear to your heart and respect it?" Kirk asked. Jess snorted and then put a fake smile on and glanced at Luke.
"Yeah Kirk, that little bottle of hair gel means the world to me." he said sarcastically but Kirk just smiled brightly and turned to Luke as Jess sat at Rory's table and watched as Kirk walked back up to Luke.
Luke glared at Jess before turning his glare to Kirk who was now trying to convince Luke that he was right again.
"Let me guess… that was you?" Jess asked, staring at Lorelai. She just grinned and took a long sip of her coffee. He rolled his eyes and turned to Rory. "What time do you leave?"
"I have to be at the airport by two so I'm dropping Rory off at Louise's house on my way there." Lorelai answered, taking the coffeepot and refilling her cup. "I'll be back Sunday night."
Jess raised an eyebrow and nodded while looking at Rory, who immediately averted her gaze to her coffee cup.
"So you're staying at Louise's?" Jess asked and Rory looked up and nodded. "Huh," he said airily, looking at her pointedly but Rory just shrugged and looked away guiltily.
"Probably going to stay up all night doing God knows what." Lorelai smiled. "I told her she should stay home and make you come over and watch a James Dean marathon but she would rather paint her nails obviously."
"Yeah, painting nails." Jess repeated and Rory glared at him.
"I know, I mean… passing up an opportunity to make you watch those movies, I thought it was lack of coffee but apparently not. Just some other time then, Jesse." Lorelai patted his back sympathetically.
"Uh, don't call me that." Jess cringed at Lorelai's nickname for him.
"Aww, Jesse… it's the new Jess! If there ever was a Jess?" Lorelai added as an afterthought. "Actually no. I believe you're the first Jess that I've come across that wasn't short for Jessica." Lorelai stated, nodding. "Unless that's your name?" She added with a grin. "Is it really Jessica? If your mother really was all loopy like you said and... you were born with so much hair, maybe she automatically assumed you were a girl?" Lorelai teased, mimicking Kirk's earlier move, poking at Jess's hair, causing him to duck again.
Jess rolled his eyes, "No, Lorelai. If you didn't know, girls have certain parts and boys have different ones, I think they could have told." Jess talked slowly as if talking to a child.
Lorelai just rolled her eyes and smirked. "There are so many ways I can respond to that, but I will save you the humiliation." She wiggled her eyebrows and Rory groaned in disgust.
"Can we please talk about something else?" she asked, cringing at the conversation taking place before her.
Lorelai just grinned at Jess who once again rolled his eyes, knowing her thoughts.
"It's not normal, Luke!" Kirk whined in a desperate voice, obviously not getting anywhere with Luke. "It's not normal to treat it with no respect." He pushed the ketchup bottle across the counter towards Luke as Jess, Lorelai and Rory all turned to watch.
Luke pushed the ketchup container back towards Kirk, clenching his fists, his face red. "You're not normal, Kirk." Kirk shook his head and held up the bottle, opening his mouth to say something else but Luke cut him off. "Kirk… you either shut up and eat or you will regret it."
Kirk blinked and took a step back, "Is that a threat?" he asked surprised.
Luke forced a smile. "You eat here three meals a day… who serves your food?" Luke asked simply but his look spoke a million more words and Kirk gulped while Jess, Rory and Lorelai looked on amused.
"Maybe you'll change your mind." Kirk said, taking a few more steps back towards his table.
"I doubt it." Luke answered, picking up his wash cloth and looking satisfied as Kirk sat back down at his table, defeated.
Luke then turned towards their table with a glare, his red face finally starting to return to it's normal color. "Lorelai." His voice was menacing.
"It was Rory." Lorelai blamed quickly, guiltily, pointing to Rory who just glared at her mother.
Luke just scowled.
"Wow, threatening the customers." Jess tasked. "I think I'm rubbing off on you Uncle Luke."
Luke just scoffed and threw the washcloth down. "Get back to work." He grumbled and Jess just smiled and started pouring coffees again.
"Have fun." He told Lorelai, "You too," He said, turning to Rory who nodded and weakly smiled at him. "Call if you… wanna come home early or whatever." He sent her a meaningful look before walking away.
"You would think he was your brother." Lorelai mused, smiling at Rory, not knowing the underlying meaning behind Jess's words.
"Yeah." Rory murmured and then put a smile on her face. "So mom, are you excited?" she asked, biting at her lip nervously.
"Yeah, I guess. It's gonna be nice to get to relax for a few days you know. Not have to worry about anything. Work, you, my parents, Luke not giving me coffee..." she smiled at Luke who rolled his eyes while taking someone's order.
Rory nodded in understanding and then shifted nervously. "Why would you have to worry about me though?" she asked, sounding as if it were crazy but inside her stomach was churning, the guilty feeling filling her again.
"You're my kid. It's like a curse. No matter where you are or what you're doing, I'll worry." Lorelai said. "I've worried about you since that strip turned pink, hun, and I think I will till the day all of Al's Pancake World's food catches up to me."
Rory smiled and then looked down at her cup, taking deep breaths to control her nerves and guilt. It was amazing how much being with Tristan was costing her. The feelings she experienced with him, the happiness she felt when she was around him and then it all disappeared when she had to lie to her mother and feel guilty. Ashamed.
"You've been gone before though and I was fine. Except for Jess and Dean fighting." Rory said as an afterthought, smiling at her mother reassuringly and then feeling scared that she would see through her smile.
"Yeah, that was too good." Lorelai laughed, remembering the story. "But now you're a year older, and your rebellious streak which is long over do might kick in and then next thing I know you'll be sneaking guys in."
Rorys stomach lurched. "Well, seeing as though I won't be home, I don't think you have to worry about me sneaking guys in." Rory said, smiling at her mother. At least that was one thing she was truthful about. The only time that Tristan ever came was a surprise to her and she didn't intentionally sneak him in. And she was pretty sure that he would have come in either way, if she wanted him to or not.
Lorelai smiled, "Yeah, but even if you did stay home and decide to throw a unbelievably crazy party that even Paris Hilton wouldn't attend, I have my watchdog." Lorelai said smugly, grinning from ear to ear.
Rory raised and amused eyebrow and sent her mother a questioning look. "And who would that be?"
Lorelai smiled, "I call him Jesse," she answered, saying the name a bit louder so the boy would hear.
"Geeze!" Jess said as he poured someone a cup of coffee while Lorelai and Rory laughed.
"You know, I like Jesse, it has a ring to it. I think I might keep it." Lorelai said thoughtfully and Jess groaned as Rory and Lorelai both started laughing again.
"Yeah, I will." Rory promised, kissing her mother on the cheek as she climbed out of the jeep, packed with her bags and her mothers suitcases as Lorelai dropped her off at Louise's later that afternoon.
She walked to the back of the jeep and pulled out the small duffel bag she had packed and hugged her mom goodbye before watching her pull away and head towards the Hartford airport.
"It's exactly the same, Michael." Rory heard Louise say as she opened her front door with a roll of her eyes and smiled at Rory, motioning for her to come in.
"It's not the same, Louisa." Mike said in an irritated voice, obviously not liking to be called by his full name. "I don't want you dating my friends."
"I'm not dating him, we… hooked up." Louise corrected with a sigh and Rory just stood back and watched the argument in front of her, setting her bags on the floor. "And anyways, you're dating Paris. You don't see me saying anything about you dating my friends."
Mike sighed and made a fist in frustration before glaring at Louise. "But you don't have to worry about my safety. But yet I have to worry about you running around with a guy who carries at least three different weapons on him at all times." Mike stated. "With Paris, you don't have to worry about my life, that's the difference here."
Louise let out a sarcastic scoff, "You obviously don't know Paris that well then. Trust me, she doesn't need bullets to hurt you, she has a way of creating weapons out of the things around her." Louise said knowingly, cringing. "But usually her words are worse than any physical harm she can do to you." She added as an afterthought.
Mike sighed out of frustration and looked at Louise with a hard look. "I don't want you dating my friends… excuse me hooking up with my friends. God Louise, that's even worse." He looked disgusted at the thought.
"Whatever Mike, sorry if we all don't like little cute relationships." The blonde glared daggers at him. "And while we're on this subject, how about you wait till I get a tape recorder so next time Paris denies anything to do with you, I can have proof."
Mike's look turned from angry to surprised in a matter of moments. "What are you talking about? She denies what?" he asked, looking at Louise with disbelief.
Louise grinned, "Paris says that there is no… you and her."
"I can't believe this!" Mike grabbed his coat and walking towards the door. "Why would she do that?" he asked himself as he opened the door and then turned back around and looked at Louise seriously, "This isn't over." He warned before closing the door behind him.
Louise sighed in relief, "Thank god he's finally gone." Louise said, rolling her eyes, "You would think he was my father."
"What was that about?" Rory asked, picking up her bags and following Louise to her room.
"Mike has this friend, Jay, and we hooked up last night after your party. He's picking me up to go to the party tonight and Mike is throwing a fit." Louise sighed in irritation. "He makes no sense. He's been in this gang since he was fifteen, I've been around it since I was eleven. It's nothing new."
"He's just worried about you." Rory said, sitting across from Louise as they climbed onto her bed.
"Whatever. It's ridiculous." Louise muttered, picking up a file and starting to do her nails.
Rory looked out the window, thinking about her party the night before again. So many questions swimming through her mind. It seemed that every time she found out something about Tristan, there were even more questions. Every time she opened a door, a million more waited behind that one.
She always knew everything about a situation before going into it. But this one… Tristan… she knew nothing. Everything was a mystery, a surprise.
"I was wondering…" She said, catching Louise's attention, hoping she could answer some of her questions. "Tristan said he used to go to Chilton and I met his grandfather last night… I mean, he was just like my grandparents. His families high class and everything, I don't understand…" Rory trailed off, not knowing how to put her question.
"How did he get to how he is now?" Louise asked with a raised eyebrow and Rory nodded. "I have no clue. I don't think anyone knows exactly. He used to be just like every other kid at Chilton. Rich, driving the best cars, gonna take their fathers places. But he barely made it to high school before he left it all." Louise shrugged.
"He said he was sixteen." Rory commented, thinking about how he could have just left everything. Why?
"Yeah, he was only in high school for like a year, and then he emancipated himself, turned everything back over to his parents… didn't even keep his car or most of his clothes. I heard he just packed enough to get by and left everything else. Not wanting anything." Louise said with a look of disbelief on her face, shaking her head. "I have no idea why though. No one does. Except probably Finn and his family."
Rory looked at her for a long moment, a million reasons going through her head but none being right enough. He left everything.
"It's funny though isn't it? I mean, he has everything now. That's why people look up to him so much. He's proven himself." Louise explained. "That's what Mike always says."
"I just don't know why he would leave it all, or what made him."
Louise shrugged. "Ask him, he seems to tell you things." She suggested with an amused look.
Rory smiled a bit, "Yeah, but he's always quiet and closed when it comes to those things." Rory said knowing how Tristan became cold and serious again when he didn't want to answer her questions. And he wouldn't, no matter how many times she asked. He changed the subject or quieted her with a mind-blowing kiss.
"Mike always looked up to him though. Being what he wanted. He always thinks about that when our dad comes down on him hard." Louise commented, staring at the window in deep thought. "Sometimes I think he's gonna do the same thing."
Rory knew Louise cared more about her brother than she expressed. She knew that she was scared for him, just as Rory was for Tristan, knowing what he was, what he did.
"Don't take offense to this but… I mean, Tristan was rich. Mike's rich. Didn't you ever see in movies or in books, they're always pictured as street people, people who grew up having hard lives." Rory said knowing that her entire image of gangs was ruined since she met Tristan. So different than what she ever expected.
Louise laughed and nodded. "It is crazy. But you've met some of the people that Tristan hangs with. Some are like that. They've grown up on the streets. Jay did. But Tristan is powerful. It was like he was born to be and it didn't matter where he came from, they accepted him. Just like Mike. You wouldn't believe how many of the guys you have met have rich parents. But a lot don't." Louise said, taking a drink of her water and then looking at Rory as a look of remembrance came across her face. "Oh, and Mike said that the party doesn't have a time but everyone starts getting there around ten. And Tristan told him he'd be around by five. He's taking you somewhere?" Louise asked with questioning eyes.
Rory nodded, "Yeah, he said he's taking me someplace before the party. He didn't say where though." She was starting to feel nervous now as the time got closer.
"No ideas?" Louise grinned.
Rory shook her head, "I never know anything with Tristan." She said truthfully. Thinking about the numerous times he had surprised her, from their first kiss to the night before.
Louise just grinned, "I guess I'll see you at the party then, Jay's picking me up around eight." she said grabbing a magazine from her bedside table. "You wanna grab something to eat? I'm starving," she asked on second thought, putting the magazine down and sliding off the bed. "We might as well eat dinner now."
"Yeah." Rory agreed, not knowing if she could eat since she was so nervous. No matter how many times she was with him, kissed him, touched him, saw him, she was still nervous. In fact, each time seemed like she was even more nervous then the pervious time, knowing that things were changing. She was changing. He was changing.
"You know, Mike will probably get Paris on his side and then you'll have her on your case too." Rory commented, trying to think of something else.
Louise sighed and let out a whine. "I know, but I just want to enjoy myself tonight and deal with them tomorrow." Louise said, more to herself than Rory. "You know, you're lucky. You have no idea what it's like to have Paris and Mike lecturing you 24/7." Louise pouted as they made their way downstairs.
"But I do know what Paris is like." Rory said, "And Jess. So kinda the same thing."
Louise nodded. "Why can't they understand it how we do?" Louise questioned. "Paris obviously knows how these badboys have this thing that draws us to them, come on… we're only doing what's expected."
Rory laughed and then nodded, "They definitely have something that draws us to them." She said more to herself as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "Something."
"Blue is so your color." Louise told Rory as she stepped from the bathroom where she was changing and out into Louise's bedroom, where Louise was pulling clothes from her closet trying to find her own outfit.
Rory looked down at her outfit and grinned, this time actually not feeling self-conscience seeing as though she had brought the outfit from home. It was her, just a little Louise, or at least that's what Louise had said. A pair of her own jeans and instead of a too revealing, too-tight top like last time, she had brought a blue fitted tank top, something her mother had bought for her, but she had never found a time to wear it before now. Her black and white converses were hidden below her jeans, only the toes showing and a hint of the dark blue shoelaces. The fact that Rory wouldn't have to walk around all night in heels or wedges was a relief.
"Well, it's not my choice but I guess it is… you." Louise gave in.
Rory glanced at herself in the mirror, she pulled her hair up into a high ponytail and looked over the make up Louise had done for her. Tonight everything was blue, from her eyeliner to her eye-shadow making her eyes stand out, her lip-gloss clear and her earrings a simple pair of silver studs.
"Yeah, it's me." Rory said satisfied with the way she looked, shifting nervously from foot to foot as she glanced at the clock.
Louise laughed behind her. "Aww, you're nervous." She grinned and Rory just rolled her eyes and glared playfully, allowing a smile onto her face as she realized how ridiculous she must seem. Still nervous. But she couldn't help it.
"He should be here anytime huh?" Louise asked, glancing at the clock and Rory nodded realizing that it was just a few minutes till five. "I still have to shower and get ready, I hope I'm done in time…" Louise threw a few more skirts down as options.
Rory raised an incredulous eyebrow, "You have until eight."
"Exactly. Like no time."
Rory just shook her head amused. "Is your brother going tonight, too?" She asked, sitting down on Louise's bed and crossing her arms over her stomach, talking to pass the time. The clock handle passed the five mark, but it didn't surprise her that he wasn't exactly on time.
Louise turned from where she was rummaging through her closet and shrugged at Rory before turning back around. "I don't know. But don't expect Paris to be there. I think she'd rather fail a test purposely than go to one of those parties."
She had no idea what it would be like. It definitely wasn't a Chilton party that was for sure. She didn't know what to expect, but thinking back to when she had gone to the house before, there were people drinking and smoking and that had been just a normal day, so she was ready for anything but she hoped that Tristan wouldn't leave her alone.
"What I wouldn't give to see Paris go though," Louise said with an amused voice. "I would give it two minutes before someone pulled out their gun, maybe even to kill themselves."
"You're crazy." Rory laughed at the image of Paris chewing out some big bad guy but then her head immediately shot up when a loud ringing was heard through the house. She could feel her heart beat quicken inside of her chest as she glanced at Louise who was looking at her, smiling.
"5:26, only 26 minutes late. You got yourself a keeper Gilmore." Louise winked at Rory as she stood up and grabbed her coat, clutching it close to her body.
"Are you going to get that?" Rory asked, glancing at Louise's bedroom door and then back at her nervously.
Louise raised an eyebrow and shot her an incredulous look. "Why would I get it?"
Rory sent her a frantic look. "What if it isn't him. It's your house!" Rory pointed out as the bell rang again impatiently, only to be followed by two more loud ringing noises.
Louise rolled her eyes and opened her bedroom door. "You should get down there or he might just leave without you… or break down my door and my parents really won't wanna come home and find that."
Rory sighed and walked to the door as the bell rang again.
"Have fun, be safe, use protection and remember to always return the favors." Louise called and Rory stared at her gaping before Louise pushed her out of her room and shut the door, yelling one more goodbye.
Rory took a deep breath before breaking from her thoughts as another ring sounded through the house, she quickly walked down the stairs and to the front door. With one more calming breath she opened it to find Tristan propping himself up with one arm against the door, a serious look on his face. She didn't even get to say anything because in an instant, he had grabbed her arm and pulled her outside, pushing her back against the side of the house, crushing his lips to hers in a bruising kiss.
She gasped as he pushed her harder against the side of the house and deepened the kiss quickly, not giving her any other choice than to kiss back, losing every ounce of air she had in her. She slowly raised her arms but he stopped them midway, grabbing each one and pinning them against the side of the house along with her as he kissed her fiercely, making her head spin.
"What the hell took you so long?" he asked as he pulled back slightly and played with her lips, his voice a growl.
Rory gasped for air and was about to respond but he kissed her again, cutting off anything she was going to say.
"I don't wait for anyone, alright?" He told her as he pulled back again and stared into her i eyes, still holding her arms as she nodded, trying to catch her breath. His eyes were dark and serious but a bit of amusement glittered in the depths of them. He smirked and licked his lips as he removed his hands and placed them on her hips, kissing her once more before grabbing her hand to walk towards his bike which was parked a little ways away from them.
"How did you even know I would answer the door?" Rory asked, remembering how quickly he had grabbed her as he let go of her hand and grabbed her helmet from the back of the bike. She was trying desperately to catch her breath as he removed his hand from hers, letting the heat fade and the chilly air replace it.
Tristan turned to her and shrugged. "Who else would answer the door?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
Rory raised her own eyebrow, "Um… Louise?" She replied, sending him an obvious look. "Would you have kissed her, too?" she asked, trying to hold back a grin as he cringed and then glared at her.
"Why would you say something like that?" he asked in a voice of disgust as he walked over to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. Rory took a sharp intake of breath as he brought his face down to hers and then let his eyes travel down her body. "Mmmm, you look good." He said as he met her eyes again and then brought his lips to hers, initiating a slow delicate kiss. He played with her bottom lip a bit, making her knees weak. The total opposite of how he had just kissed her on Louise's porch.
"Thanks." Rory whispered, her heart feeling as if it would break out of her chest as he continued his slow torture to her lips.
"I knew it was you." he breathed as he wrapped his other arm around her waist, her arm instinctively coming up to wrap around his shoulder as her other hand held the helmet at her side.
"Okay." She said, not able to say anything else as he moved back and then rested his forehead to hers, looking down and then meeting her eyes.
"Hey, Mary." he smirked and Rory couldn't fight the grin that threatened and let it spread across her face, causing his smirk to form into a small grin also. "We better get going, It might take a while." He kissed her quickly again and then moved back, almost reluctantly. He moved towards his bike, leaving her standing on wobbly legs.
"Take a while?" Rory asked, quirking an eyebrow, her nervousness and excitement coming back again. "Where are we going?"
Tristan turned to her and smirked as he climbed onto his bike and held out a hand for her to get on the back. "It's a surprise, just trust me." he said, his eyes serious and Rory bit her lip and nodded before getting on the back of his bike and wrapping her arms around his waist. She had missed the feeling as she rested her head against his back and smiled as he started the bike and sped down to the end of the driveway.
She was surprised that something as simple as holding and resting against him could make her smile but she had found herself missing it when he was out of town.
She didn't care where he took her, because at that moment she knew she did trust him. The excitement and nervousness seemed to fade away though as she snuggled up to his hard body as they raced through Hartford, keeping her eyes closed and enjoying the heat from his body, smiling when his muscles would flex beneath her hands as she would grip tighter when they came to a stop.
About twenty minutes later they came to a stop and Tristan kicked the stand to the bike, causing Rory to open her eyes and look around.
It was November in Hartford and the sun had already set, the moon out and the sky already dark as it usually was at this time of the evening but the parking lot where they were parked was lit up and surrounded by stores in a mini mall that she didn't recognize.
She noticed a Chinese food restaurant, a laundry mat and a movie rental and stepped off the bike after Tristan, taking off her helmet and sending him a confused look as he set the helmet on the back of his bike and tossed his keys into his jacket pocket.
"We're going to eat dinner and then go rent some movies?" Rory guessed and Tristan laughed and walked over to her and grabbed her hand, pulling her close to his side.
"Not quite, Mary." He smirked as he turned her around, her heart stopped and her smile dropped instantly, an uneasy feeling awakening in the pit of her stomach.
"You're kidding." The words were barely audible from her lips as she stared at the store in front of her. The neon green and blue lights of the sign above the door lit up the parking lot and the large windows were painted black, not revealing what was inside. 'Dobsons' the sign read in strange pointy letters and below it smaller words were written and glowing in orange letters, 'Tattoo's and Piercings.'
"Surprise." Tristan said, his voice sounding amused but his face serious as he pulled on her hand and walked forward towards the store but Rory didn't allow her feet to move. Tristan turned around and stared at her, dropping her hand since she had lost her grip on his.
"You're getting another tattoo?" Rory asked, her voice quiet as she raised her eyes to his, a hopeful note in her voice.
Tristan rolled his eyes and sent her a serious look. " No. You are." He motioned for her to come as he started walking again but turned around when he didn't hear her footsteps behind him.
"I can't." Rory said, her voice serious and scared as she glanced back at the store and then to Tristan.
Tristan scoffed and sent her an incredulous but serious look. "You can do whatever you want." He stated, his voice low as he stared at her.
"But I can't do that." Rorys voice became panicked.
"You cannot be fucking serious. You told me that you would get one if you could. That you wanted one. Did you not?" he asked in a patronizing tone, his voice taking on impatience and anger as he stared at her knowingly.
Rory swallowed and sighed, knowing she had said that when she had seen his tattoos. "Yeah. I did. But I didn't think that you would seriously bring me to get one."
"Why wouldn't I?" he asked, raising his hands from his sides in question. "You can't be scared all of your fucking life, Rory." He looked at her as if she had let him down and she felt the effect of his words and wrapped her arms around her body. "Do something you want for once. Just once. One fucking time." He stared straight at her, his eyes never blinking. The intensity of his stare and the blue of his eyes gleaming in the night, making her heart race.
Rory looked back at the dark windows of the store and then back at Tristan who was still staring directly at her. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. He was right. He probably didn't know how right he was. She had never done anything for herself. She never took risks. She always held back. And she knew it. But it wasn't the fact of getting a tattoo that was scaring her.
It was how much she wanted to.
Tristan sighed and ran a hand through his hair, messing it up even more than it already was from the bike ride. "Listen, maybe I was wrong, alright?" H voice coming out painful, showing it was a rare confession. "I thought that maybe you were serious." He continued, looking at her and then behind her, not meeting her gaze. "Come in anyways, look at some shit. You don't wanna get something, you don't have to. I need to talk to Dax anyways." His voice was now hard and protected, his eyes dark as he looked just above her head, not meeting her eyes.
"You weren't wrong." Rory whispered, looking behind his shoulder at the door and then back at him, only to find his eyes now directly on hers. "I… I'm just surprised."
He walked towards her and grabbed her hand again, and she instantly interlaced her fingers with his, noticing that he didn't hold his hand out in an offering but rather grabbed it unnoticeably, as if not wanting anyone to see.
They walked to the doors in silence, Rory feeling both anxious and scared as he traced his thumb across her knuckles and stopped at the door, his hand on the handle as he turned to her.
"Don't get scared by Dax. He's a big baby and he's not as scary as he looks." Tristans face was still cold, but there was a hint of a smirk at the corner of his lips as he opened the door and pulled them both inside.
It was a small room. A counter to one side with a small cash register and a few waiting chairs to the other side with a bunch of tattoo and piercing magazine subscriptions. The furniture wasn't nothing spectacular because she realized no one would be looking at it anyways because their eyes would be on the drawings. She looked up at the black walls and ceiling in awe. The lighting was white and bright and highlighted the pictures that plastered the walls like wallpaper. Drawings and designs that ranged from simple hearts and words to drastic and carefully detailed pictures of people and original designs of crosses and angels. It seemed to have a gothic influence but absolutely beautiful none the less.
"Tristan, nice to see you." A woman walked out from behind the counter wearing a black dress that fell to her knees but still showed her considerably overgrown pregnant stomach. Her hair was dyed purple and she had several tattoos covering her arms and neck, mostly hearts and angel designs.
Tristan nodded in acknowledgment and pulled Rory further into the store where she saw a large leather chair that had handles to make it flat and a reclining footstool. Her eyes glanced at the three doors that led away from the room that were hidden by large black beaded curtains.
"Who's this?" the woman asked and Rory glanced at her again as Tristan squeezed her hand gently.
"My girlfriend." Tristan stated simply and the woman's eyes widened considerably. She looked Rory over and then let a huge smile come across her face.
"Well well well." She grinned as she walked over to her. "You got a name? Tristan don't talk much and only says what he has to," the woman said, glancing at Tristan and rolling her eyes in a playful way as Tristan just looked away.
Rory grinned, immediately liking her. "Yeah I know. You would think he was mute if you didn't know better." She sent him a smirk and he just glared at her. "I'm Rory." Rory told her, feeling more at ease than she previously had. She ignored Tristan's glare at her earlier remark as the woman in front of her smiled more.
"Not a common name, I like it. I'm still looking for a name for this one," she rubbed a hand over her stomach and sighed.
Tristan made a low impatient noise, and the lady looked up at him and then pointed to the back. "He's in the back." she said and Tristan spared a quick glance at her before turning to Rory. He pressed his lips to hers quickly before letting go of her hand and walking back towards the curtain and disappearing without another word.
Rory turned back to see the woman staring at her in disbelief, her smile slowly growing.
"Well this is definitely something new. Last girl he brought in here was… well, it was Catharine but she wasn't his girlfriend. Just another one of those skanks that hang all over him. She never stopped whining, got on my nerves that one. That was forever ago though and I thought him never talking had scared away all the girls." She mused. "Oh, sorry, I'm Heather." She introduced with a grin, taking Rory's hand and Rory smiled as she shook it.
"Nice to meet you. Are they a boy or a girl?" she asked, not being able to pull her eyes from the woman's very revealing stomach.
"Don't know. My husband, Dax, this is his place… well, he didn't want to know so we're just waiting."
Rory smiled and looked around. "He's the artist?"
"Yeah, isn't he good?" Heather breathed, looking around and then walking behind the counter and grabbing a large portfolio from it. "Here, take a look at these." She set the book down on the counter and Rory opened it to see even more drawings.
"Wow." She was in awe as she flipped through the pages, stopping on one that had an assortment of stars, shooting stars, bladed stars, simple stars and religious ones. "He draws all of these?" Rory asked, glancing up at Heather who was looking at the pictures with a smile and she nodded.
"Yup. Every single one." She stated, rubbing her stomach.
Rory bit her lip as her eyes fell across a single small star in the corner, something she had always pictured she would want if she ever did get a tattoo. Her mind went crazy. Should she get one? Where would it go? Would her mother freak? How bad would it hurt? What if they messed up? Or worse, what if she caught something? The rational side of her brain kicked in as a million questions floated into her head.
"You want one?" Heather asked and Rory looked up to see a grin across her face.
"That's my favorite, too." she said, setting her finger on the star that Rory was looking at. It was a simple five point star but it had curving lines coming out from all the corners, shooting out the sides till it formed a circular pattern, small lines of mini stars every two or three lines. The center star wasn't any bigger than a quarter and the whole tattoo all together was only about the size of a 50-cent piece. Not too big and not so small that you couldn't see it but the design was original and it was simple and one of the things she always thought she would get if someday she ever decided to get a tattoo.
"Yeah, it is pretty." Rory said, her eyes transfixed on the design.
"Then get it." a voice whispered into her ear as two hands set themselves on her hips, hands caressing her exposed skin. She turned to see Tristan standing behind her and caught his eye. His eyes serious as he stared straight back at her.
"You looking at that one?" a deep voice said from in front of her and she turned back around and her eyes widened as she stared at the man in front of her. Having to look up to meet his eyes. He was at least 6'5'', not an inch shorter. His head was bald and reflecting the neon bright lights of the store. Tattoos littered across his bare scalp. Peircing's in his nose, eyebrows and lips and his arms and neck also covered with various tattoos. His clothes were black also. A simple black shirt with a mini pad of paper and a pen in it, obviously for quick sketches.
Heather laughed and Rory broke her gaze to stare at her, standing beside her husband she looked like a dwarf.
"Don't worry hunny, he has that effect on people." She grinned at Rory's reaction to the man in front of her and Rory blushed crimson from staring.
A throaty chuckle was heard and she turned back to the man in front of her. "This is her? A pretty little thing." He said smiling, glancing at Tristan and Rory felt his hands tighten on her hips even though she knew Tristan was obviously friendly with this guy. "I'm Dax." He greeted. "You gonna get one?"
"She was looking at that one in the corner." Heather told him, putting a hand on her back for support while the other rested on her stomach still.
Dax looked down at the paper and then back up at Rory. "Only take about an hour at the most if that's what you want?" He said, looking back up but only meeting her eyes for a minute before looking behind her to Tristan who was standing so close. The heat of his body was driving her crazy as his thumbs rubbed patterns just above her jeans.
"You wanna get one?" Tristan asked and Rory took a quick intake of breath as his tickled her ear, covering her skin in goosebumps.
"Where would I get it? If my mom saw before I could tell her… or my grandparents…" Rory started rambling out all the possibilities but Tristan just moved his hand down and rested it over the top of her jeans.
"Right here." He said, pressing on the front of her hip.
Rory looked down at his hand and didn't know what was sending the chills through her, his hand touching her or the fact that she was nervous.
"Well, they wouldn't see it there… I hope." Dax said and then laughed and Heather grinned.
"So?" Tristan breathed by her ear.
Rory's heart raced as she stared down at the tattoo again and then turned to Tristan.
"It will hurt." She stated and she knew Dax and Heather were grinning, amused, behind her but Tristan's eyes remained serious, his face inches from hers.
"Just a little bit." He promised and Rory bit her lip.
She took a deep breath before nodding. "Okay."
"You sure?" Tristan asked, his voice not sounding surprised, as if he had expected her to say yes all along.
Rory contemplated it for a minute before nodding. "Yeah, I'm sure." She said again, this time more confident as her blood raced with excitement rather than fear.
"Okay." Heather said grinning as she pulled some papers from the desk and looked through them. "You just have to sign some things, but nothing major since we know Tristan." She explained and Rory nodded.
Tristan let go of her and walked over to the leather chair and reclined in it as she signed the papers, stating that she was over 18 by a whole day and that she was 100 positive that she wanted a tattoo and if in the future she changed her mind than the store or Dax would not be held accountable.
After signing the papers she saw Dax walk out of the back room carrying some equipment and sterile cleaning swabs and needles. She looked over to where Tristan was sitting only to find his eyes on her, like they usually were. He was always watching her and she wondered what he was thinking about. A hint of a smirk appeared on his face and his eyes glittered as he waved for her to come over to where he was.
Rory couldn't help but smile as she walked over, her arms wrapped closely around her as Dax set up what he was going to be using.
"I think you're in my spot." Rory teased, fighting her nerves as she walked up to him.
Tristan raised an eyebrow and then looked down and then back up at her with a smirk, grabbing her arm and pulling her onto his lap, causing her to gasp with surprise. He wrapped one arm firmly around her waist and pulled her back to lean against him.
"Nah, I don't think so." He mumbled it against her neck and Rory turned her body to face him, his face inches from hers as their eyes met.
"I'm scared." She whispered, her eyes showing it.
"You don't have to be scared with me, Mary." Tristan said quietly, seriously, looking her straight in the eyes before bringing his lips to hers and letting his free hand find hers and interlace their fingers as she slowly kissed him back. His lips were soft against hers as they took turns playing with the others before his tongue darted out to meet hers.
A clearing of a throat was heard and they broke apart to see Dax and Heather staring at them with grins. Rory blushed and Tristan just smirked as Dax walked forward, sitting on a small stool beside the chair.
"Okay, you might wanna take off your coat." Dax offered and Rory sat up and removed her coat. Tristan's arm was across her hips, keeping her in place and she felt safer for some reason. She handed her coat to Heather's outstretched hand with a smile and then looked back at Dax who was getting out the cleaning equipment.
"Usually I have the people take their pants off for these kind of tattoos cause they usually can't hold their pants down and forget sometimes during the process and let go and ends up knocking into my hand when I'm trying to work." Dax said and Rory stiffened and he smiled. "But you think you can do it without forgetting?" he asked and Rory quickly nodded, not wanting to take anything off, her face heating up just at the thought.
Heather grinned, "Stop teasing the girl Dax. Don't listen to him hunny, you can keep 'em on." She smiled at Rory reassuringly. Rory let out a breath she didn't know to be holding and felt Tristan vibrate with laughter underneath her.
"Okay then. Unzip 'em." Dax said as he opened the sterilized items he would be using. Tristan grabbed Rory's hand again, interlacing their fingers as she looked down, her face heating. She undid her pants just enough to push them down on one side, pushing her panties out of the way too and showing the bare skin of her hip where the tattoo would go.
"You holding it incase she gets shocked and accidentally let's go?" Dax asked, meeting Tristan's eyes and Tristan nodded, bringing his other hand forward and slipping his thumb by Rory's and holding her pants in place, causing her breathing to hitch again as little flames danced over her skin. She felt his body tense beneath her. He brought their locked hands forward and wrapped that arm around her waist, holding onto her securely as Dax cleaned the area and then clicked on his instrument.
Rory's heart raced faster than it had in her life between the fact that she was about to get a tattoo and the fact that Tristan was touching her in such sensitive areas. They were so close to what he had done the previous night, bringing back memories and that made her blush. Her head was spinning, her heart racing.
"You ready?" Dax asked and she hesitantly nodded before he let the instrument touch her skin and in a quick second, pain shot onto her skin like a piercing pin and then disappeared. He brought up a washcloth and wiped away a droplet of blood that appeared.
"You okay?" Tristan asked, his mouth against the skin of her shoulder and with a shaky breath she nodded. Now that it had started her nerves had calmed and she rested back against Tristan as Dax continued, wincing at moments from the pain but staying strong, closing her eyes she gripped Tristan's hand tightly at times only for him to give her a reassuring squeeze back.
Forty-five minutes later Dax clicked the switch off and set the instrument down on the table with a satisfied sigh as he tapped her stomach, just above the tattoo. Rory opened her eyes and looked down at the perfectly drawn tattoo now on her skin. A red circle still formed around it but the black of the ink visible so she could tell that it was perfectly drawn. Not one mistake.
A spiraling shooting star.
"Wow." She breathed, not quite realizing that it was done. She took a minute to absorb the information as she stared at it with awe.
"It's nice." Tristan breath tickled her ear as he moved his head to look at it also.
Dax took a quick picture for his wall before bringing out some gauze and wrapping it up, securing it on tightly with medical tape as he told her how to treat it but she wasn't listening. She still felt the prickling of her skin, a smile coming across her face. A feeling of daring, rebelling, risk taking came through her and she felt… relieved. Happy.
"I know." Tristan told Dax as he gripped her hips and Rory redid her pants, standing up off Tristan's lap slowly.
"I didn't hear any of that," she told him, realizing she had zoned out and sent Tristan a worried look but he just smirked.
"Don't worry about it. I know what to do." He winked at her, his eyes dancing with mischief.
"What?" Rory asked, crossing her arms in front of her and raising an eyebrow at his amused smirk.
Tristan moved forward and set a hand on her hip, bringing her closer to him as he lowered his lips to her ear.
"Black?" he asked in a whisper, his hot breath dancing across her neck and down her spine as she raised a questioning eyebrow and then felt her cheeks heat up instantly and stiffened. She suddenly realized he was talking about her undergarments, causing Tristan to laugh. "I love black." Tristan said and she could hear the smirk in his voice, moving his lips to her neck he started to trail soft kisses from below her ear to her throat. "You happy you got it?" he asked, breaking from his torture as he rested his forehead against hers. He looked down as he moved his hand and rubbed it against the part of her jeans that was hiding her tattoo.
Rory smiled, "Yeah, I am." She said honestly and Tristan quirked an eyebrow and grinned before licking his lips and moving back, taking her hand and walking up towards the counter.
"Well, you two set?" Heather asked from her chair behind the desk.
"Yeah, we are." Tristan said, not meeting her eyes and looking towards the back. Rory sent her a sympathetic look but Heather just smirked and rolled her eyes and Rory smiled at her. "I'll see you later man." Tristan told Dax and the bigger guy nodded.
"Yeah, Thanks." Rory smiled at him too as they walked towards the door. "It was nice meeting you."
"Nice meeting you too hun, come by some time." Heather called and Rory nodded and let Tristan drag her out the doors into the chilly night. They walked across the dark parking lot to his bike and Tristan lit a cigarette and leaned up against a pole that was nearby and exhaled the smoke into the night.
"You ate?" Tristan asked, letting his eyes fall on Rory who kept her hand over her new tattoo consiously with a smile on her face.
"Yeah, I did."
Tristan nodded as he took another drag of his cigarette, letting the stick become smaller and smaller as the tip flamed brighter at every drag.
When he was finished he threw it to the ground, letting the small lit end light up the section of the dark black pavement before he walked over to his bike and Rory followed getting behind him as he revved it up.
She had noticed before they left the tattoo parlor that it was already almost nine. The ride to the parlor, the time that Tristan was in the back and the time it took to even do the tattoo didn't seem like long but time had flown by.
They raced through Hartford until she finally recognized the streets and noticed that they were going towards the house. Towards the party. Tristan pulled down the street and Rory saw the house up ahead. Many bikes parked outside it, on the lawn, the driveway and in the street.
They pulled up in front of the house and Tristan drove slowly by some already parked bikes, up through the driveway where a path was left clear and to a spot right at the top of the driveway, cleared for him to park his bike.
Rory noticed that the house looked different now. Very different. The day she had come here for the first time it had been dead and abandoned looking. Devoid of all life. But now music blasted through the walls, the bass nearly vibrating the ground she walked on as she stepped from the bike. Lights were on now and you could see them break out from the edges of the curtain-covered windows. You could faintly see shadows of people inside and a few guys were standing by the old garage talking with beers in their hands, their outfits the same as Tristan's and their faces intimidating even though they were laughing.
Tristan tossed his keys in his pocket before turning to Rory.
"No one calls the cops?" Rory asked surprised, looking at the surrounding houses and wondering how they tolerated the motorcycle engines and the loud music. She glanced up at Tristan just to see him staring at her smirking, a chuckle escaping his lips and she took that as a no. Not surprised.
"Come on." Tristan slipped an arm around her waist as he pulled her to him possessively and walked up towards the doors.
"Hey Dugrey." One of the guys called as they finally noticed them and Tristan nodded in acknowledgement and continued towards the side of the house where the door was.
"Tristan." Rory whispered as they walked up to the door and he turned to face her. Her heart was beating rapidly as the music grew louder and she didn't know what to expect beyond the doors. Who to expect. It wasn't a place she would fit in at, that was a given. And going into places that she didn't know, that she was uncomfortable in, was something she tried to avoid. She sent him a scared look, knowing that he could see the fear in her eyes, the discomfort, and he just licked his lips before letting a small smile come to his face as he removed his arm and grabbed her hand. Rory kept her gaze on his as he held it and parted her lips as he descended his mouth to hers, a hot searing kiss left by his lips as he squeezed her hand and pulled her closer.
"You shouldn't worry about anything when you're with me." was all he told her, his voice deep and serious as he played with her lips and allowed her to do the same to him, unable to help it. She felt she needed his touch at times.
Rory nodded into the kiss and Tristan just smirked and deepened the kiss quickly, letting their tongues meet and battle as he pushed her against the doorway as she kissed him back, matching his intensity.
After a moment, he pulled back, breathing hard, leaving her trying to catch her breath, her lips swollen and her cheeks flushed.
Tristan smirked as he ran his thumb along her bottom lip and then pulled her to his side again, still holding her hand. He walked the few feet to the inside door and opened it up.
The music suddenly blasted to their ears and light shined onto them. People crowded around the table in a large circle. Guys and barely dressed girls watching a poker game go down. This time Rory wasn't surprised at the large black bags in the center and wads of twenties. She let her eyes fall on the guns they each had rested by their hands for a moment before looking away, settling the nerves in her stomach.
"Dugrey!" people greeted and Tristan squeezed Rory's hand and pulled her by them and through the dining room. A greeting handshake between some guys and just a nod at others Rory noticed. Some guys she recognized from the club nodded at her but others gave her careful glances before just turning away. The girls were the same though and Rory noticed a few look up from the guys they were hanging on and glare at her with incredulous eyes.
A guy by the fridge handed Tristan a beer and then glanced at Rory quickly and held one out for her too but Tristan just pushed it away forcefully and sent the guy a glare. The guy just held up his hands and walked away.
"Here," Tristan said, turning to Rory, handing her a water he grabbed from the fridge that Rory saw was only full with bottle after bottle of Corona and very few water bottles.
"Thanks." Rory took it as Tristan downed a beer quickly before exiting the kitchen, throwing the bottle into the sink and moving to the living room where the music seemed to quiet down a bit, but not much.
A room leading from the living room had the door open and strobe lights inside the black of it, Rory could see the outlines of peoples bodies dancing. Some of the couches were taken but some were empty and Rory noticed Finn sitting on one with a girl by him, the coffee table in front of him was cleared and now several assorted bottles of hard liquor and shot glasses covered it.
"Finn's stash." Tristan said with a slightly amused voice and Rory bit her lip and grinned. Finn was sitting as if holding guard, a gun, obviously his, on the table along with the drinks and ashtrays.
"It was the first bloody movie, I saw it!" Finn exclaimed to a guy sitting across from him and the guy just shook his head as Tristan pulled Rory to the couch and sat down, pulling her to his lap quickly, getting a few more glances. Finn hadn't noticed them yet as he reached forward and flicked his cigarette into a black glass tray.
Tristan removed his coat and Rory's and threw them across the back of the couch and then took the gun he had hidden and threw it on the table next to Finn's, startling Rory slightly.
"It was the second movie, man. You're crazy." The guy across Finn said and Rory watched on in amusement as Finn growled.
"You're fucking right, I am crazy." Finn agreed. "But I know it was the first movie. The second movie had the fucking big fight, the first movie had the sexy white elf lady." Finn stated forcefully and Rory almost laughed aloud. They were talking about 'The Lord of the Rings' and Finn was right. She didn't expect these tough looking gang members to be arguing over something like that.
"No man." The guy across Finn said again, taking a shot.
"Actually he is right." Rory spoke before she knew it and her face instantly turned a dark crimson as every one turned to her. She felt Tristan laugh beneath her and turned and glared at him as she tried to disappear into his lap but he kept laughing.
"Ha!" Finn shouted triumphantly. "I knew I was fucking right, Carson." He said, gloating to the man across him who glared at Rory before looking behind her and then getting up and leaving the room.
"What the fuck were you talking about?" Tristan asked. "That stupid fucking movie again?" he continued, lighting a cigarette as he took Rory's hips and positioned her on one side of his lap, wrapping an arm around her.
"No, that just came up. It started with Carson thinking he actually knew more about liquor than I did and then it led to other things he thought he knew." Finn explained, sitting back and grinning at Rory as Tristan chuckled and shook his head, taking a drag.
"'Ello love." Finn greeted and Rory smiled. "You want something to drink?"
"No." Tristan said quickly and firmly and Finn chuckled before wiggling his eyebrows and taking two shots he had just poured and downing them both, shaking his head after and grinning.
"Gabe is back in town." Finn said offhandedly but in an eerie calm as he sat back and glanced at the girl to his left before setting his eyes on Tristan again.
"Really." Tristan said as a statement rather than a question. His voice deep and guarded.
"Yup," Finn replied, lighting a joint and closing his eyes as he inhaled. "With Marsters." Tristan only nodded and Rory could feel him tense below her and hold onto her tighter. Rory turned and met his eyes but he wasn't revealing anything and just stared back at her. She found herself unable to look away as he traced circles on her hip where his hand lay.
"Tristan." Someone called in a high pitch voice and Rory saw Tristan cringe with disgust before she looked away from his eyes and up to see a girl walking towards them. A short skirt and tube top covering her body with tall boots on her legs. Her long blonde hair behind her shoulders and a scrutinizing look on her face as her gaze fell upon Rory.
Tristan looked straight ahead and didn't even spare her a glance as the girl walked closer.
Finn groaned beside them and the girl just sent him a brief look before turning back to Rory. She looked down at how she was sitting on Tristan's lap and then pursed her lips.
"Who's this?" she asked, her voice matching her look as her eyes remained on Rory.
"None of your business, Catharine. How are you done already? I just saw you go upstairs with Vince. I know he can't be that quick." Finn said, ending on an amused note as he laughed while sucking in another lungful of smoke from his joint and then letting it out slowly.
Catharine. The name rang in Rory's head and she remembered it as the girl Heather had mentioned at the tattoo parlor. A feeling emitted its way to her stomach as she looked back at the girl who was glaring at Finn. Her gaze turned back to Rory as she held a cup of gold liquid in her hand and looked Rory over again.
"Rory." Rory told her and felt Tristan tighten his grip on her hip.
"Rory?" Catharine mocked. "Okay?" she said sarcastically and Rory narrowed her eyes at her. "Who are you?"
"She's my girlfriend." Tristan spoke up, his voice deep and threatening, startling both Rory and Catherine as Finn smirked. "You got a reason for being here?"
Catharine looked shocked briefly before letting out a small laugh. "Girlfriend?" she asked, laughing more. Forced laughter as she glared at Rory. "Really? Well that's a word I never heard uttered from your mouth before," she said, glancing at Tristan. Rory could actually feel his anger, his blood coursing through his veins.
"Fuck off Cat, go find someone to screw. Boyfriend is a word you never hear from anyone's mouth cause you're just a fuck-buddy. No one can put up with your mouth long enough for anything else." Finn said simply and Catharine fumed.
"Leave." Tristan ordered from behind Rory and Rory watched in surprise as the girl glared and then walked off. Actually listening to him, she gave Rory one more death glare before disappearing to the kitchen.
Finn laughed and smiled widely at Rory, "You sure are loved, Doll." He said and then laughed again and Rory blushed as Tristan held her closer. Knowing Finn was referring to how every girl seemed to glare at her with hatred.
Finn then sat up and set the burned out joint in the ashtray and turned to Rory. "Now doll," Finns expression turned serious. "What exactly are your intentions with Tristan?"
"Fuck off Finn." Tristan chuckled and Finn pouted.
"But I've always wanted to do that." He whined. "I'll probably never have bloody kids and if I do there's no way in hell I'm letting my girls date anyone. I'll kill any bastard that goes near them and if my sons are anything like me they wont have girlfriends." Tristan chuckled again. "You're the next best thing Dugrey."
"Go interrogate Simmons."
Finn looked horrified. "Have you seen his girl? She's more butch than even you are, wears leather from head to toe and carried a whip. I'm afraid to know what her intentions are with him."
"Rory!" Louise called as she stepped out of the dark dancing room. Rory looked up to see her and a tall guy she recognized from her first trip to the house walk over to them.
"Hey." Rory greeted smiling, relieved to see someone she knew.
"When did you get here?" Louise asked, sending a cautious glance at Tristan as the guy she was with, whom Rory assumed to be Jay, sat down on the couch and Finn poured him a shot.
"Not long ago." Rory answered, glancing back at Tristan who was just staring at her, his eyes portraying nothing. "Dancing?" Rory asked, glancing back at the dark room.
"Yeah," Louise grinned as Jay winked at her. "You gotta come."
"I guess." Rory looked back at Tristan as she scooted from his lap. She caught his eye and smiled as he nodded and she walked away with Louise and towards the dark room. When she got to the door she turned back around to find Tristan eyes still on her and blushed a bit and then bit her lip before disappearing into the dark.
"It's so dark." Rory yelled above the music as her and Louise pushed through bodies that were grinding against each other.
"I know!" Louise yelled back and then they came to stop in the middle of the dance floor and Louise turned to Rory and started dancing crazily, causing Rory to laugh and Louise to join her.
The music raced and Rory never felt so much adrenaline. The bass quaked off the walls of the room and everything was pitch black except for the random strobe light and the heat was almost unbearable.
She danced with Louise for a few minutes, hearing the songs switch and then felt two strong arms around her waist and turned to find Tristan behind her, moving to the music with her, his eyes instantly connecting with hers. His hands gripped her hips and pulled them to his as the music played and they grinded against each other and ignored everyone else.
After the song ended, Tristan grabbed her hand and pulled her through the crowd and out of the room and down a nearly empty hallway.
"What time does your mom get back?" Tristan asked, pushing Rory against a wall and letting his lips hover above hers as his eyes stared at her intensely.
"Tomorrow. She's picking me up at Louise's around five." Rory replied breathlessly, still trying to catch her breath from dancing.
Tristan grinned. "So you can stay at my place tonight." Rory's heart stared to race. "Just call and tell her I'll drop you off." He said as he let his hands rest on her hips, his breath dancing across her face.
Rory's eyes widened as she looked up at him quickly. "She doesn't…" she started but Tristan's look cut her off, telling her he already knew what she was about to say.
He pulled back, surprising her and walked to the other side of the hall and hit his fist against the wall, leaving a large indentation in it before turning back to look at her.
His eyes were dark and burning, his face angry. "What the fuck are you doing here Rory?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Rory blinked and tried to catch her breath before furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. "It's the party…"
Tristan scoffed and then turned his eyes on her again, seriousness in their depths. "Do you even want to be here?" he asked, his voice not changing from before.
Rorys face dropped. "Yes." She whispered, resting her palms against the wall behind her.
Tristan smirked, not amused but dangerous and angry. "You embarrassed? That it? Don't want her knowing?"
Rory shook her head. "No." she said desperately, taking a step forwards but Tristan didn't move from his spot on the opposite wall. "She was all worried about her trip and me so I was going to tell her when she got back. I promise." Rory said, her voice desperate for him to understand as he looked away and ran a hand through his hair. She felt guilt. Not only for not telling her mother but also because of how she had obviously made Tristan feel. Like she was ashamed of him.
If she were in his shoes she would feel the same. She'd be incredibly hurt.
She walked up to him boldly as he looked back at her and pressed her lips to his quickly and for once, initiated the kiss. "I want to be with you." she whispered before she could even think and Tristan took a deep breath before crushing his lips to hers.
His hands found her hips instantly and he spun her around, her back meeting the wall again as he quickly deepened the kiss. Fierce, fast, hot. He melded his mouth to hers, a kiss saying a million words. Letting the desperation from her and the anger from him flood through each other.
"You're mine." Tristan breathed against her lips as he broke his lips from hers and started his way down her neck. Leaving her skin to catch on fire with every kiss and stroke of his tongue. Rory moaned quietly as his hands made their way under her shirt and he nuzzled his face into her neck, biting lightly and then kissing her sensitive skin.
"Tristan." Rory whispered and he looked back up, breathing heavily. His eyes were intense and she could see his want for her matched hers for him. They stayed like that for a moment, their gaze never breaking, never blinking. The tension almost unbearable. He removed his hands from her shirt and interlaced her fingers with his and pulled her with him as he walked back down the hall.
She followed him into the living room where Finn was now relaxed, lying back as a girl moved around on his lap, entertaining him.
"You two leaving?" Finn asked, looking up and meeting Tristan's eyes.
"Yeah." Tristan said, his voice deep and his breathing still heavy.
"And if…" Finn started, trailing off as he glanced at Rory and then back at Tristan.
"If they show up, let me know." Tristan said simply and Rory had a feeling they were talking about the two guys they were referring to earlier.
Finn just nodded and then smiled at Rory and winked. "Have fun. Later, doll." He grinned and Rory grabbed her jacket from Tristan as he grabbed his and tossed it on, putting his gun away again.
"Bye." Rory said to Finn and then looked around the room for Louise and found her sitting on Jay's lap, passing a cigarette back and forth.
"She'll pick up her stuff tomorrow." Tristan told her and Louise looked up at him and then caught Rory's eyes. A smirk coming to her face before she nodded and waved at Rory.
Rory's heart raced even more as Tristan grabbed her hand again and pulled her out through the dining room and to the outdoors. Both their breathing still rapid as they walked over to his bike.
Not a word was spoken as they got on the bike and started racing through Hartford. Within minutes they were pulling up to Tristan apartment and getting off the bike again. They walked to the elevator, letting the doors slide shut behind them.
By the time they reached Tristan's floor and he was putting the key in the lock, Rory's adrenaline was pumping like it never had before and her insides were going crazy.
Tristan opened his door and threw the keys down as Rory followed him in. Not bothering to turn on a light he turned and shut the door, capturing Rory's lips with his. Her back quickly met the now closed door. She was flooded with warmth once again as she moved her lips with his.
Tristan pulled her away from the door and took her coat from her shoulders, his lips never left hers as he threw it on the couch as they passed it and Rory slid his off him also. He pulled back slightly and kept his eyes on hers. She could still see the darkened blue in the dark as he reached behind him and threw his gun on the coffee table and then kissed her again, slowly walking forward, causing her to step back as he reached behind her and turned a handle. The next thing Rory knew she was in his room and the kiss seemed to become even more heated. She happily accepted it and kissed him back with equal intensity. Moving at a slow pace, but never breaking contact.
"Rory," Tristan growled as she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck and pushed herself closer to him. A moment later, the back of her legs hit something and she fell backwards onto a bed, Tristan falling right on top of her, propping himself up with one knee as his hands slid up her shirt again, this time moving all the way up and pulling it straight up off her head without hesitating and she laid like that for a minute still kissing him before he broke back and looked down at her, his eyes running down her body slowly and then back up before meeting her eyes again.
She knew what would happen. She was scared and nervous, her heart pounded fiercely. Embarrassment held within her as his eyes looked her over but she was too full of want to care; she just needed to see him too. She raised her arms to the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up, lifting herself up a bit to be able to remove it from his body. Tristan kept his eyes on her as she did so, never looking anywhere else.
He laid back down and brought his lips to hers again, this time more softer but the need still showing as he deepened the kiss quickly. "Beautiful." He mumbled as his hands roamed her body.
A moan escaped her lips as his hands danced along the top of her jeans, letting flames lick their way across her skin, making her whole body catch on fire.
A ringing was faintly heard but she kept kissing him, not caring for anything else. When it rang again Tristan was the one to break the kiss and look up.
"Fuck." He cursed angrily. He glanced back down at her, her chest rising and falling as quickly as his and then regrettably climbed off the bed and walked back out the door.
"What?" she heard his voice say, followed by a few more curses. She sat up, looking around the room. The walls white and the furniture black, just like the other parts of his apartment. The colors were easy to make out, even in the dark. His bed was huge and sat in the middle of the room. She glanced down, seeing her discarded shirt laying on the floor and flushed as Tristan walked back in, a frustrated look on his face.
He looked at her a moment before walking over to her and kissing her again, pulling back and cursing under his breath regrettably.
"Finn's on his way over. I'm gonna be talking to him for a minute." He told her and then muttered something under his breath again. He opened his mouth to say something but a knock came from the apartment door and he glanced back at Rory. "I'll be right back." he said regretfully and walked back out, shutting the door behind him.
Rory wrapped her arms around herself, trying to calm her heart as she sat on the end of his bed in only her bra and jeans and looked around the dark room. A clock laid by his bed revealing it was way after midnight. Hushed voices came from behind the doors but she couldn't hear a word. A shiver raced through her as a chill came over her from her lack of clothing and she stood from the bed.
She walked over and picked up her shirt and went to put it back on but saw Tristan's shirt laying discarded on the floor and waked over to that instead. Without a second thought she threw it over her head and snuggled into it. The large shirt providing warmth hers wouldn't have.
She looked around the room again, her eyes adjusting to the dark but she didn't see any pictures or paintings. Just a bare room. A cold room. Not revealing anything. Just like Tristan. She glanced at the clock. Ten minutes. The voices were still whispering.
She crawled up to the end of the bed and laid down, her heart still pounding and a smile making its way to her lips as the scent of Tristan came over here. Warming her. A feeling of exhaustion washed over her as she set her hand over the spot of her tattoo and closed her eyes, still hearing the sounds of the voices from behind the door.
She became lost in her thoughts. The memories still fresh in her mind of the entire night. Everything, every detail and her face heated up. She was in his bed. Her shirt had been off. She had actually been willing to have sex with him and she found herself not caring.
She wanted it more than anything.
She glanced at the clock, thirty minutes and they were still talking, getting slightly louder at times but she barely heard them. She began to drift and couldn't help it. Her whole body was begging to rest. She had never felt so comfortable.
The door opened a few minutes later, a light shining into the room but she tiredly kept her eyes closed as she felt a presence come up beside her and immediately knew it was Tristan. She heard a sigh and then felt her shoes being removed gently but didn't have enough strength to open her eyes, or aid in any way. She was shifted as blankets were carefully pulled from beneath her and placed over her, covering her to her shoulders. She sighed a Thanks, murmuring his name as a hand came to her hair and lips were met with hers. A soft, delicate kiss.
"'Night, baby." She faintly heard his voice as he caught her bottom lip in between his before pulling away and pulling the covers up and around her body tighter. She felt his hand come to caress her cheek before letting go and his footsteps leaving the room, the voices being heard again faintly. A term of endearment used that she knew he would never utter during the day and only said because he thought she was sleeping. It made her heart race.
A small smile crept to her face as the exhaustion settled in. She snuggled deeper into his covers, letting sleep take her.
Can you sleep as the sound hits your ears?
One at a time… An unspoken balance here.
Abridged for so many years..
That I should stare at receivers
To receiver her
Isn't fair.
Don't worry; I'll catch you
Don't worry; I'll catch you
Don't ever worry
Your arms in mine, anytime…
Wouldn't trade anything;
You're still my everything