Luke woke up a lot later than his usual quarter to five, disoriented and distracted by warm breath on his cheek.
He froze, and resisted the urge to move. Where was he?
Someone— a woman— was laying in his chest, one leg curled over his thighs, her hand flat against his side. His hand was tangled up in her dark, gauzy curls.
Then he remembered. Lorelai.
She had fallen asleep watching the movie, and he had let her snuggle into him to sleep. A slow smile spread across his face.
So this is what it felt like to wake up with Lorelai Gilmore.
Luke felt light as a feather, despite her body slung over his chest, making it hard for him to breath. There was no real way to describe the emotion swirling deep in his being. The only thing that came to him were abstract words that sounded idiotic, had he not been emmersed in the best moment he had ever experienced.
She felt like sunbeams. She felt like sunbeams and sweaters and banana pancakes on a Tuesday morning. She smelled like peaches and thick cream and something raw and delicate that he couldn't quite place.
Rays of mid-morning sunshine wormed their way through cracks in the curtains, the warmth washing over the two people on the couch, still wrapped up in each other's arms.
Luke was floating up through a haze of complete and total euphoria, his hand lazily tracing circles into the soft skin of her arm.
Lorelai stirred slightly, and he froze, terrified that when she woke up, everything would be different. She mumbled something, her face pressed up against his neck. The warm breath tickled his cheek and he shivered. He could only make out a few coherent words. Words like "snow," "porch," and "coffee," the last one making him grin just a little.
And then she breathed out one final word into him, and the tone of pure adoration made his heart stop. "Luke…"
She repeated his name over and over again, quiet and sleepy. Her lips moved against his neck, and Luke could almost pretend she was kissing the underside of his jaw. It felt like she was, in a way. Then she sighed happily, and nuzzled farther into his neck, burying her face in his shoulder.
Luke couldn't stop smiling.
This might just be one of the best moments of his life.
And of course, he had to try and ruin it for himself by overthinking everything.
What if she thought everything was different when she woke up? What if it WAS different? Did Lorelai.. did this mean she thought of him as more than a friend? Or was this some kind of super friend-zone, where she was so comfortable with him as a friend, that she didn't mind snuggling up to him on the couch?
Luke wanted things to be different, but only if she felt the same way. He wasn't the kind of guy to push a relationship on someone who didn't want it. Especially Lorelai.
He stroked her hair absentmindedly. It was silky, perfect and soft under his touch. Then the reality of the situation started to sink in.
Lorelai was asleep on top of him, on a very narrow couch. It was morning, so she had probably been like that all night. It was morning, so Rory was home. The diner was open. He needed to get to work. Oh god, what about Jess?!
Jess had known he was going out, but not all the details. Was he okay? Did he even come home at night? Luke didn't know, but worry was starting to gnaw at his gut.
The kid was his responsibility, and, as much as he wanted to stay, he needed to check up on him. Plus, Luke's legs were asleep under Lorleai's weight, and the tingles were starting to become annoyingly painful.
He rolled her off of his, gently shifting his weight so Lorelai fell back on the cushions. His arms were still under her, and, one hand having drifted up the hem of her shirt, Luke could feel the warmth radiating off her smooth skin. He filed the sensation away in the back of his mind before sliding his arms out from under her.
She moaned in discomfort and her eyebrows curved downwards, scrunching up her nose.
"Mnnnnmmmmhhgghh," she murmured unhappily, hands trying to locate his body in the empty air.
He chuckled, and brushed some stray hair from her face. She was a mess; dark brown curls bunched at odd angles around her face, makeup smeared lightly around the edges, clothes wrinkled beyond the magic of an iron. She was disheveled and rumpled and Luke thought he had never seen her more beautiful.
She looked lovely, lying there on the couch, her arms twisted about her head, her hair splayed out in every direction. Her perfectly-shaped lips moved against each other, like she was pouting that he wasn't there. Luke had the sudden urge to kiss her, right then and there.
But he didn't. That wasn't his way. That wasn't the RIGHT way to do this. He had to wait until she woke up to do anything; otherwise he'd feel like a creep. But he also couldn't stay there— he had Jess and the diner to think about!
Suddenly, a metaphorical lightbulb switched on in Luke's mind. He could leave a note! That would work!
Grabbing a pen from the entryway desk (because, contrary to Lorleai's obstinate belief, he did NOT always carry a pen on him) and a pad of Hello Kitty sticky notes.
He needed to be brief, but also mean something. After a moment's deliberation, Luke scribbled down a note.
'Thanks for inviting me. It was nice. Maybe we can do something a little different next time. — Luke'
He smiled at it proudly. "Something a little different" was vague enough so that she would ask him about it, then he would have the perfect opener to ask her to dinner.
Luke hoped she would wake up and come by the diner soon. He had been waiting and thinking and biding his time to ask her out for so long, it was a relief to finally make progress.
And, based on what happened last night, Luke was certain there was a chance she would say yes.
After putting the sticky note on the couch so Lorelai would see it when she woke up, Luke walked to the door as quietly as he could manage, then made his way over to the diner. He didn't even try to hide the huge, goofy grin on his face.
After waking up with Lorelai Gilmore practically kissing his neck, Luke felt like he was on top of the world. And nothing was going to ruin this for him.