A huge thank you, to every one who reviewed, favourite or followed! A bigger thank you to the amazing Kelly who keeps me in check!I need to put a disclaimer before this chapter. This WILL be a Finn/Rory. I've written it and there is a HEA. I promise.
Fairs, Fights and Fun
"Tristan! Wow! Hi, what are you doing here!?" Rory asked, a smile working its way to her face.
"Playing fair games apparently." Tristan said, gesturing around them. "You look good Mary, haven't changed a bit."
"You haven't either Bible Boy, and I thought that Military School might have done you some favours." Rory quipped. "This is my friend Lane."
"I remember, from the party at Madeline's, right? Good to see you again." Tristian said, pleasantly
"Yeah, you too." Lane said with a small smile. "I'm surprised you remember though."
"That nights seared in my brain." Tristian said and winked at Rory; she just rolled her eyes. It had been a good kiss, but it had just been a kiss, years ago, that honestly, she'd forgot about.
"So, you're going through all your old boyfriends then? First Jess, then me, now him? Sorry. I was first, right?" Dean's voice rang out from behind Rory and she winced, her hand automatically going to her wrist where the bruise had mostly faded now.
"Farm boy." Tristian said, that smirk firmly back in place and not as friendly.
"Dean, get out of here." Rory said loudly, there were plenty of people about. She wasn't scared.
"Yeah, sure. Don't want to cause a scene. Before I go though, does he know? I mean he's probably here to do the same thing I did right?" Dean asked a smirk in his voice, with no small amount of satisfaction Rory saw he had a healing black eye.
"How's your leg Dean? I heard you were limping for a bit." Lane asked with a fake smile.
"How's the wrist, Rory?" Dean replied.
"You know what, you stay if you want, we're leaving." Rory said hooking her arm through Lane's.
"You never answered my question, does he know?" Dean grinned and Rory started pulling Lane away, Tristan could stay and talk to Dean if he wanted, Rory however wasn't sticking around.
"I'll take that as a no." Dean said raising his voice as they left. "You're getting sloppy seconds! She's already been fucked!"
Rory winced as people looked over. The whole town knew her business. Knew what had happened between Dean and her. And she hated it. Hated that she was the one being gossiped about, discussing if she really was all those things Dean was saying.
"She's not that great though man, fair warning." Dean called and something in Rory snapped.
She spun on her heel and marched back towards Dean, letting go of Lane's hand. Fury reeling through her she pulled her hand back and then forward as hard as she could. She slapped Dean with all her might, stinging her hand. She looked him in the eye as he raised a hand where his cheek was turning bright red. Without a word she turned back to Lane, linked their arms again and started walking towards the High School.
"Well, perhaps you don't always need a Knight love." Finn said, part of a group that had, of course been watching the whole exchange near the ring toss game.
"I did tell you I didn't always need rescuing." Rory said with an attempt at a smile. Her heart was racing with anger and at what she had just done.
"Can we join you lovely ladies?" Finn asked.
"Give us one second?" Lane said before dragging Rory, who was feeling a little dazed away from the group.
"Oh my god! That was awesome! I mean seriously, you looked so bad ass! Does your hand hurt?" Lane gushed.
"Yup." Rory said, feeling better with Lane.
"Are you okay?" Lane asked quietly, her face dropping a little.
"Yeah." Rory took a deep breath. "He isn't going to ruin our time."
"Who's that guy?" Lane asked quietly nodding back towards Finn.
"That is Finn." Rory said.
" That's Finn? Wow. Okay, now I know why you were so excited about him. He is so hot. So do you want to join them?" Lane asked.
"Only if it's alright with you." Rory said feeling a lot calmer now with Lane and away from the crowd.
"Erm, four very handsome men going round Stars Hollow summer festival with us? Yes. I suppose that might be alright." Lane giggled.
"Come on." Rory rolled her eyes and took her friend back over to the waiting men.
/\\\/\\\
Finn, Colin and Logan were walking round the town, taking in the sights. Tristan had peeled off from them almost instantly when they got into town.
"So, who's winning me a stuffed... is that a smurf?" Finn asked his two best friends, looking at a toy on the ring toss game.
"I think it's supposed to be a dog." Colin said looking at the stuffed... thing, with a frown and a tilt of the head.
"This is, really something." Logan said with wide eyes taking in the festival.
"Just think about how much your parents would hate it, that's what I'm doing." Colin said with a grin.
Finn ignored the pang in his chest the words caused. His dad and mum would have loved it here. Just like Josh they hadn't given a damn about society. They had cared more about fun and living life, going on adventures. It had been six years almost seven and he missed them every day.
"Looks like Tristan found the best bit of this place." Logan said pointing out Colin's cousin who was chatting to two girls, one of which was recognisably Rory. She looked good today in a skirt and black strappy top thing. Finn didn't really take notice of woman's fashion other than how women looked in it.
Finn stood watching for a moment. Rory smiled seeing Tristan, and he remembered Colin telling him about his cousins crush on 'Mary' when they were in High School. He also remembered Rory saying Tristan had tortured her, he couldn't see her going for him. Much too preppy, and he didn't care for music beyond dance music. Not her type at all. He hoped. Only because Tristan was a jerk though, there was no other reason.
Finn tensed on seeing who else had approached the blue-eyed beauty.
"Hey, give the guy a chance." Colin said snagging Finn's arm as he went to save the damsel.
"I'm not going to ruin Tristan's chances, I'm going to knock that other guy out. Excuse me." Finn said, his voice gruff and angry.
"Whoa, whoa. What? At least tell us why we're fighting first." Logan frowned taking hold of Finn's other arm.
Finn relaxed a bit seeing Rory walk away. But Dean raised his voice and it carried.
"You're getting sloppy seconds! She's already been fucked!"
Logan and Colin dropped their grips on Finn's arms at the words.
"Hey isn't that...?" Colin asked as Finn started walking away to Dean.
"Yes, it is." Logan said.
"She's not that great though man, fair warning!" Dean yelled at Rory's retreating back, her arm was through her friends and Tristan was right behind them. Finn didn't know why he didn't do something.
Finn stopped, surprised when Rory turned on her heel and walked back to her ex-boyfriend. There was a loud clap, the sound seeming to echo as her hand connected with his face.
"Ouch." Colin said near Finn's shoulder, he hadn't realised his friends were right behind him, he should have though.
"She's not nearly as meek as she seems. I like it." Logan said, his voice holding humour.
Rory came marching towards them, but Finn didn't think she had registered them at all. Something confirmed when she looked surprised as he spoke with her.
"You didn't say you were living in the same place as Mary." Colin said as Rory and her friend went to speak.
"Her mum is Josh's girlfriend." Finn said.
"Sorry about that man." Logan clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Why?" Finn frowned at Logan, Lorelai wasn't bad. In fact, she was pretty funny and quippy, Finn certainly saw where Rory got it from.
"Well if Josh is with her mom it means you can't taste the forbidden fruits." Logan chuckled.
"No, it's not like that, she's a mate." Finn waved his friend off.
"So it's cool if I ask her on a date then?" Tristan asked with a smirk.
"Not a chance Du Grey. She's been through enough shit without having you chasing her." Finn frowned.
"Yeah, what the hell was that about anyway?" Tristan frowned at the spot Dean had previously been.
"Guys a dick." Finn growled.
"Got that, it's old news, but the stuff he was saying about Mary...? She not such a Mary after all, do I need to add Magdalene to it?" Tristan smirked.
"If you want her to slap you next go ahead, this place could use livening up." Finn sniggered.
"No thanks, that looked like it hurt." Tristan murmured as Rory and her friend came back, Rory looked better, less like she was in shock.
"Alright love?" Finn asked.
"Yeah. This is Lane, Lane this is Finn, Colin and Logan?" Rory said looking to Finn, he nodded.
"You're the one who could give me a run for my money?" Colin asked bluntly, looking Lane up and down. Finn had to admit Lane didn't quite fit the audiophile picture, she was wearing a plain t-shirt with a sweater vest over the top, patterned, plaid pants and some plain black flat shoes.
"Says the guy in a sweater vest." Rory grinned, correctly pointing out that Colin was almost identically dressed.
"I think I'm missing something." Lane said, looking between Colin and Rory.
"I, am an expert on music." Colin declared pompously. "Rory here thinks you would be a match for me."
"Right...? So, when you say expert, you mean you have heard of Sick Puppies?" Lane asked.
"Pft. That the best you got? How about Claudine Longet?" Colin asked with raised eyebrows.
"Happy talk. Clout?" Lane shot back, with a small smile.
"Let's dance." Colin said a twinkle in his eye.
"They're going to be here all day, aren't they?" Tristan groaned.
"Oh yeah." Rory replied with a smile. "Come on, let's go to the school, Lane will follow, I think, or catch us up."
"Lead the way killer." Logan said.
/\\\/\\\
They all sat at the diner hours later waiting for Lorelai and Josh. Lane and Colin were still discussing bands, singers, groups, acoustic versions of songs, mash-ups and anything else musical. Rory had mostly tuned out hours ago.
"So, what is it? A smurf or a sad looking dog?" Finn asked her over coffee, pointing at the stuffed animal she had won at the ring toss game.
"I thought it was supposed to be a rabbit." Rory said frowning at it, whatever it was it was going to Goodwill, it would give her nightmares.
"Now, she is hot." Logan said looking at someone out of the window.
Rory looked to see who the blonde man was staring at. She groaned. Of course.
"That's my mother." Rory said.
"Well, she is hot." Logan shrugged with a smirk.
"Unfortunately, mate, she is taken." Finn laughed as they watched Josh greet her mom with a kiss that had Rory blushing. "Now be a good boy when the adults join us hey?"
"Yes Finn, I have been around people before. I do know how to behave. You on the other hand?" Logan said with a snigger.
"You make a valid point." Finn smirked. Rory giggled and rolled her eyes.
"You're late!" Rory declared to her mom as she stepped in the diner door.
"Hey, it's not my fault. Blame Axl." Her mom said jabbing her finger behind her at Josh.
"Oh no, this one is on Finley. We were supposed to be meeting back home." Josh said raising his eyebrows at Finn and taking a seat next to Lorelai. "I had to make sure he hadn't burned down the school or something."
"Uncle Josh, I'm hurt, I have never started a fire." Finn said with a grin, Rory ignored her heart that skipped a beat at the sight.
"What about that time at the beach?" Josh asked.
"That was a bonfire, it was supposed to be on fire." Finn replied.
"And the chairs next to it?" Josh said.
"I have set no fires today. Happy?" Finn grinned.
"Ecstatic." Josh said.
"What's going on there?" Her mom asked nodding her head at Lane and Colin, who were talking quietly but passionately if the hand gestures were anything to go by.
"Lane has found her equal in all things musical." Rory said.
They ordered with a very grumpy Luke, who was doing little more than grunting. Rory felt sorry for him, he'd had a thing for her mom as long as she'd known him, but Josh was perfect for her mom, even if the pro con list said differently.
"Lane." Rory said after they finished eating. "We've got to go."
"Go, we only just got here." Her mom pouted.
"Well, you were late." Rory shrugged. "And we have to go get ready."
"Where are you going killer?" Logan asked.
"Killer?" Her mom asked.
"Long story I haven't got time for right now. I have to go make myself look pretty." Rory said standing up and pulling Lane with her, who still hadn't stopped talking to Colin.
"Okay, make sure you have your phone and your keys. You have enough money, right?" Her mom asked pulling out her purse.
"I'll be fine." Rory said grabbing her jacket.
"Here, take this anyway, just in case. Don't take drinks off anyone you don't know. Don't drink alcohol, and then make sure you drink water after you're done not drinking alcohol. If you get stuck and need a lift, call me. Doesn't matter what time." Her mom said passing her a couple of bills.
"I will." Rory promised. "But we have to go or we'll be late. Bye."
"Where are you going?" Colin asked Lane.
"I've got a gig tonight at the Inferno in Litchfeild." Lane said.
"Can we go?" Colin asked the guys.
"Take a cab if you go." Josh said to them.
"Come on. Or you won't have time to get changed and you'll be on stage in Mrs Kim approved apparel." Rory said trying to push Lane towards the door.
"Yeah, and that would be a tragedy. Bye." Lane said directly to Colin.
/\\\/\\\
"I think Colin's in love." Logan shouted to Finn over the music from Hep Alien, Lane's band. Tristan had begged off; he'd had a date that night.
Colin hadn't taken his eyes off Lane since she'd appeared on stage two songs ago. Finn had to admit the makeover on the small woman was drastic. Gone was the sweater vest, instead Lane was wearing a short skirt, fishnet tights, a ripped top, had blue streaks in her hair and looked the epitome of rock n roll.
Finn sought out Rory, she'd been backstage with the band until they came out and had gone straight to the dance floor. All he had seen was the back of her head. He wondered if she had gone through a makeover too.
"Wait till she hears he can play guitar; the feeling might be mutual." Finn said. "Drink?"
"I got this one." Logan shouted back turning for the bar.
"Get one for Rory too." Finn yelled in his ear.
Logan nodded and left for the bar.
Finn looked for Rory again. She was still dancing to the music, an original song that Finn thought was pretty good.
Finn frowned as he saw a guy dancing a little too close for comfort, Rory moved away but the guy followed. Finn stood up, Logan would find him.
Finn made his way onto the dance floor and moved up to Rory.
"Need a Knight?" He asked into her ear. Rory looked up at him and nodded gratefully.
She looked amazing, dressed in ripped jeans and a top that wrapped around her body tightly, her hair was down and she had makeup on that made her eyes pop. Finn happily started dancing with her, taking her hand and twirling her, watching as she laughed.
Logan found them on the next song, a Ramones cover they were dancing too. Possibly a bit too enthusiastically as they kept bumping into people. Finn didn't really care, she looked free, happy, her hips were shaking sinfully. And he really needed that drink Logan was passing him.
Finn took the two beer bottles off Logan with a shouted thanks and passed one to Rory. She eyed the bottle warily.
"I can get you a soda if you want." Finn shouted to her.
Rory got a steely look in her eye and looked straight at him as she took a drink of the beer. Finn laughed at the face she made as she swallowed it. They carried on dancing, joined now by Logan for the rest of Hep Aliens set.
/\\\/\\\
"Good morning sunshine. Did you have a good night?" Lorelai asked her daughter the next morning as she came out of her room looking fresh as a daisy. Oh, to be nineteen again. "By the way, you are in trouble missy."
"What? Why?" Rory asked her nose crinkling up in annoyance. Kid had no idea how cute she was.
"You didn't tell mommy all about the encounter with Dean. Mommy had to hear about it on the grapevine. Not from her darling daughter, her little clone, her mini me." Lorelai said, only slightly bummed Rory hadn't told her.
"Sorry." Rory said dutifully, getting herself a cup of coffee.
"So have a good time last night?" Lorelai asked drinking her own coffee.
"Yeah, it was fun." Rory replied with a smile and a blush. Oooh. Blushing meant more than just Rory watched Lane and had a dance. Blushing was good. Blushing was news.
"So, tell me about it." Lorelai leant forward on her chair, her eyes trained on her daughter, a smile on her face, her eyebrows raised in suspense.
"It was fun, the band were good. We danced, laughed. A merry time was had by all." Rory said.
"We danced?" Lorelai prodded with a grin, now they were getting to the juicy stuff.
"Yes, we danced." Rory refused to give in, but Lorelai was relentless. After all what good was having a daughter if you couldn't get all the juicy details out of her while simultaneously embarrassing her?
"And who is the we? You and Lane?"
"Erm, no. Finn and me. And Logan." Rory said staring intently at her coffee.
"Oh. You and Finn hey?" She saw her daughters crush on the tall Australian, only slightly unnerved by how similar their tastes were in men.
"And Logan." Rory added.
"So did you get really drunk and embarrass yourself?" Lorelai asked, knowing the answer from her daughter's fresh appearance.
"I didn't get drunk. But I did have two drinks." Rory admitted. Finally, her daughter was letting loose. A bit.
"Well, I hope it was champagne straight from a shoe." Lorelai smiled.
"It was beer from a bottle." Rory said with a smile.
"How disappointing." Lorelai sighed. "Next time, only the fanciest of drinks for you."
A knock came from the door, interrupting the picture of domesticity, and her teasing of her child. Rude much?
Lorelai answered the door, a smile on her face, widening as she saw just who it was.
"Good morning. I come baring coffee and pastries." Josh said with a grin on his face and Finn behind him, looking like he'd had more than two drinks the night before.
"You certainly know the way to a woman's heart, come on in." Lorelai said her heart beating happily as she led the two Morgan men into the kitchen where Rory was. "Look honey, coffee, pastry goods and men."
Lorelai smiled as she saw her daughter blush, her and Finn making googly eyes at each other before Finn smirked and sat down. It was too cute.
"Good morning." Josh said to Rory and Finn repeated the sentiment.
"Thank you." Rory said happily taking the offered coffee after finishing the cup of Joe in front of her. She had taught her daughter well.
"This is a nice surprise, what brings you two here this fine morning?" Lorelai asked taking the coffee Josh passed her with a smile, loving the way his hand lingered on hers for a moment. It had been a long week since Rory had returned and Finn had arrived, since her and Josh had last had an overnight stay.
"We wanted to know if you girls fancied joining us for a barbie tonight?" Josh said his eyes looking her up and down.
"Yeah, sure, we're free. We were only going to do a movie night." Lorelai said, returning the favour. Josh looked very good today in slacks and a t-shirt, she knew he was going to look at an office today, so he was work casual and totally gorgeous.
"Great." Josh replied. "You have a good night last night you two?"
"Yeah, it was good, thanks." Rory said pulling out a Danish of the bag Josh had placed on the table.
"Yes, but next time, please make sure that my darling only drinks the best, Finely. None of this beer muck, we only drink the finest of champagne." Lorelai joked.
"From shoes." Rory added with a smile.
"Glass slippers are preferable." Lorelai said.
"I apologise profusely for the offering of lowly beer and next time will endeavour to secure only the finest sparkling nectar for the damsel." Finn grinned.
"You were buying Rory beer?" Josh asked, with a deep frown.
"Technically, I only bought her one. Logan got the other." Finn said with a smile and a shrug.
"Finley, she's only nineteen." Josh frowned again.
"Okay, McHypocrite, it's fine. Rory's rebelling remember. With two beers. Not shots, not Tequila. Like some people plied underage girls with. And I hate to break it to you, but that wasn't Rory's first drink. If I remember correctly there was Spring Break in Florida, when you watched Myth of Power and kissed Paris right hon?" Lorelai said, flinching when Rory shot her the look.
"Wait what? You watched Myth of Power? On Spring Break?" Josh said incredulously.
"You are such a Girl Guide." Finn shook his head with a smile.
"New subject please." Rory said with an eye roll and a small blush.
"Okay, who's Paris?" Finn asked.
Rory groaned.
"Paris cannot be explained, only experienced and studied." Lorelai said truthfully.
/\\\/\\\
Rory started getting her things ready for school, she was heading back in two days' time.
Last night had been Friday night dinner and after she'd gone out with Finn, Colin and Logan, as she had been doing a lot that summer. A lot of the time Lane and Stephanie joined them as well. Stephanie lived in Hartford so was around a fair bit and Lane was now Colin's girlfriend Lane, they'd got together not long after the Summer Festival three weeks ago and she had never seen her best friend happier, even with Dave. Colin hadn't met Mrs Kim yet though.
Last night had started out pretty much the same as the other times they'd gone out. She missed the games, or movies, or dinner that they normally did beforehand though and just met them at a bar in Hartford. They'd laughed, joked, the boys had drank and Rory had club sodas.
This time though Finn had seemed different. He was normally outgoing, the life of the party, she always thought, but that night he'd been extravagant, it hadn't seemed natural, it came across as forced. He'd drank more than usual, doing shots with beers and then moved onto Vodka. Logan and Colin just left him to it.
Rory had tried to talk to him, ask him if he was okay, but he'd kept brushing her off.
"I'm fine love. No worries. Nothing special about tonight." He slurred and Rory saw that his eyes were red rimmed. "Now Colin, want a bet?"
"What bet?" Colin had asked, drunk enough himself, though nothing like Finn.
"I bet you, I can get her number." Finn had said pointing at a blonde at the bar.
Colin looked the girl over. "Yeah, go on then. I bet you forty. She's out of your league man."
"Let's just see shall we gentlemen." Finn slurred, apparently forgetting she was there. Rory tried to ignore the hurt that was going through her. They were just friends. Mates as he'd say.
Finn had indeed got the blondes number and then proceeded to leave with her.
"You alright Killer?" Logan asked.
"Huh, yeah, sure, why wouldn't I be?" Rory asked missing the looks Colin and Logan traded with each other.
"Don't take it personally, it's the anniversary of his parents' deaths. He always gets way too drunk. Normally a lot more drunk than this to be honest. And usually, he ends up in the ER or the police station." Logan said quietly and sombrely.
"Oh, I didn't know." Rory said sadly but still the sting radiated through her. "Are you guys okay getting a cab? I'm tired."
"Yeah, sure Ror. We'll see you back at school." Colin said quietly a small smile on his face.
Rory had left, came home and cried. She told herself she was crying for Finn, for losing his parents. And she partly had been.
That morning packing her belongings into bags and boxes she still didn't feel any better though.
She spent the majority of the day wondering if Finn had made it home yet or if he was still at the blondes. She had looked trampy, Rory thought uncharitably. Short skirt, low cut top. Trampy.
Rory sighed and put some music on trying to drown out her thoughts, most of which she didn't want to acknowledge.
Packing her things, she came across a top of Stephanie's that she'd borrowed last week and put it aside. She pulled out her phone and called her newest friend.
"Hello." Stephanie answered.
Rory liked Stephanie. At first, she'd thought the blonde was an air head. But she had turned out to be at least as into literature as Rory, funny and friendly. Rory really liked Stef and soon they rang each other every few days. A new friendship had been born.
"Hey, I've got your pink top here, the one you lent me last week, do you want me to drop it off to you or bring it to school with me?" Rory asked.
"Eh, bring it to school, one last thing for me to pack. I hate packing. I tried talking my brother into doing it for me, but no such luck." Stephanie sighed down the phone. "I have got a cute blue dress here that I think would look great on you by the way."
"Uh huh?" Rory grinned.
"Yes. Really cute." Stephanie carried on.
"What do you want?" Rory asked.
"Please, please can I borrow your black boots for the back-to-school party?" Stephanie asked. Stephanie was very into clothes; Rory had been shopping with her once and had said she would never do it again. For one, she was then broke until she'd managed to get a couple of shifts at the Inn from her mom, for two the woman just didn't stop, her black card must have cried in relief when they finally left the mall. Rory thought her feet were going to fall off.
"Yeah, you can borrow the boots." Rory smiled. Her world had started feeling a little less insular as it had felt at the beginning of the summer.
"Thank you! You are amazing and I promise this dress really will look amazing." Stef said.
"Rory, come on we're going to be late!" Her mom called through her door.
"I've got to go Stef, but I'll see you soon."
"Alright, bye."
Rory came out of her room to see her mom looking stunning in a pretty pink dress and killer heels.
"You look nice." Rory told her mom. "Where are we going?"
"You're going to get changed. Very, very quickly. We're going to the movies and having dinner with Josh and Finn, remember?" Her mom said with a frown.
"Oh, I'd forgot." Rory said with a sinking heart. She was going to be seeing Finn. Maybe he was still with the blonde and she wouldn't actually see him, maybe he'd bail?
Rory got changed quickly into a Friday night dinner black dress. It was nice but not too dressy. Fine for a movie and dinner. She quickly put on some mascara and some heels. She was making her mom late as it was and Rory felt despondent enough that she didn't really care much how she looked.
"Come on, we're verging past fashionably late and entering obnoxiously late." Her mom said shooing her towards the door.
"I'm going already." Rory said feeling annoyed.
"You're crabby, what's up?" Her mom asked, locking the door.
"Nothing." Rory lied.
"You're a little late on the moody teenager thing hon." Her mom said taking long strides.
"I'm fine." Rory insisted.
"Okay." Her mom shrugged.
They walked to the Black, White and Read movie theatre as fast as they could in heels. Which did nothing to improve Rory's mood as she started getting a blister.
"Hey, sorry we're late." Her mom said to Josh and Finn who were stood outside.
"No worries darling. You look spectacular tonight. I'm a very lucky man." Josh said with a lazy smile for her mom.
"And don't you forget it mister." Her mom winked awkwardly at Josh who did a great job of not laughing at least.
"And you look wonderful too love." Finn said to her easily, the same as he would do any day. Strangely enough it made her feel better.
"You shine up alright I guess." Rory smirked, trying not to blush. Finn did look particularly good that night. He had eyeliner on which on any other guy ever she would have hated. But on Finn... it made his eyes pop the green seeming brighter than ever and gave him an edge that made him more handsome. He was wearing black slacks and a white shirt, beads around his neck and on his wrist, his nails were painted black. And he was just her friend. She was just another mate. Another guy.
Once they were in the movies, sitting on old red, Finn slung his arm around her shoulder and she fought not to tense up, to relax into him like she normally did. Finn was a very tactile person, always with his arm around one of his friends, or a hand on them, hugging them. He did it with them all, she wasn't special.
She sighed as the movie started. It was going to be a long night until she got herself under control, until she could beat it into her brain, Finn was always going to be just a friend.