Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own the show or any of the characters in it.
A/N: I've tweaked the Yale dorm to include a bathroom. This takes place two months after the last chapter.
Chapter Two: Satisfying Repetition
"Mmm… shove over Ace. You're not even big enough to take up half the bed."
Rory blearily opens her eyes to Logan clumsily trying to fit himself onto her twin sized bed. "Logan? How did you get in here?"
"Paris let me in."
That wakes her up. "You woke up Paris?"
He's still trying to get comfortable and keeps grabbing at the covers from under her. "The light was still on when I knocked. Don't worry. I'll protect you tomorrow if Paris is standing over the bed holding a knife."
She rolls her eyes. "You have a perfectly nice queen sized bed in your own room. Why am I always sharing my tiny little twin?"
He's finally settled and completely exhausted (a whole night of vodka shots tends to do that) but manages to offer an explanation. "You know the drill. Party close by your dorm. I don't seem to have the equilibrium to make it to my own."
She's now teetering on the edge of anger and images of him doing body shots off statuesque girls sear into her brain. Yet he always comes back to her; safe, reliable Rory who can always be counted on to share her bed.
Turning over to challenge him, she ends up staring instead; wrinkling her nose when she realizes the smell is coming from him. It never ceases to amaze how much alcohol clings onto a person's clothes, skin, breath. She unsuccessfully tries to turn him onto his side but he stirs and lays a kiss on her forehead, instructing her to sleep. He casually lays another sloppy kiss on her neck before turning over, blissfully dead to the world. Quickly grabbing the majority of the covers before the four o'clock ritual blanket fight ensues, Rory makes the best of her miniscule space and tries to fall asleep.
The next morning is unpleasant. She wakes up with a stiff neck and Logan's body weight dwarfing her own. Awkwardly trying to focus on her alarm clock, Rory abruptly heaves him off the bed; 10:00 lit brightly in red.
A petulant look sets on his face. "What was that for?" He doesn't bother waiting for her answer before pulling down a pillow and blanket to form a makeshift bed on the floor.
"My mom's visiting in half an hour so you need to be out in five minutes."
He sits up, suddenly bright eyed and grinning mischievously.
"Actually," Logan says drawing out the word. "I have, let's say twenty-five minutes, and that includes making coffee. In fact, I should get started on that now." He swiftly removes the cover and practically runs for her bathroom.
"Logan!" She races after him. "This isn't some frat house. It's mydorm. I should at least get the bathroom first." After a couple minutes, she pounds on the door again to no avail. "Logan!"
"Keep your relationship in the bedroom! Some people are trying to study!" Reluctantly accepting Logan as part of Rory's life doesn't actually qualify as Paris' approval.
She's quickly taken aback as the bathroom door opens. "She's right you know, don't you ever think about others?"
Rory merely levels him with a stare.
"Alright, alright. Don't look at me like that. It's not like I ate the last of your pop tarts." Leaving the bathroom, Logan gestures her in. "I'll make the coffee."
"See? It's only been fifteen minutes. We're swimming in time." He gulps down half the cup in one swallow while reaching into his back pocket.
"Yeah, yeah. You've made the coffee. Now get out."
"Wait, give me a sec. I think I left my wallet on your desk." A knock diverts her attention as he makes his way into her room.
"Mom, you're early!"
"Why?" Lorelai sticks her head in and peers around. "Is Paris having another session?"
"I'm not going to a shrink! Terrence is a life coach!"
"I was just kidding Paris!" She proceeds to mouth, "Good ears."
"She says it makes up for her lousy eyesight." Rory's waffling between her options but doesn't see a way out (she could suggest they go for coffee but she's still wearing pajamas) and reluctantly widens the door. "Anyway, come in."
"So I have this crazy story about Michel trying to teach Sookie, of all people, how to improve her beef-"
"I finally found it. Your room has gotten quite out of hand for such a perfectionist as…" Logan trails off, collecting himself at the sight of Lorelai. Grinning, he adopts his company tone. "Lorelai, how are things at the inn?"
"Fine." Lorelai gives a false smile as curiosity takes hold. She wants to know how permanent he is in her daughter's life and has the sudden urge to barter her arm for a chance to scrutinize their interaction. Before she's able to extend an invitation for him to join them, Logan heads straight to the door.
"Well, I'll leave you two ladies to talk. Call you later Ace."
As the door slams shut, she turns to Rory who's staring intently at her shoes. "So, I guess your night was crazier than mine."
Slightly bristling at the comment, she walks to the counter and pours more coffee into her mug. "It was nothing, mom."
"Having boys come out of your bedroom the morning after is nothing?"
"You make it sound as if I slept with him."
"Didn't you?"
Rory hardly flinches at the implication. Trust doesn't ebb quite as well between them as it used to. "No mom, I didn't. We're just friends."
Lorelai silently sighs in relief when Rory confirms what she already knew… deep, deep down. "I know that I'm being neurotic and letting my inner Emily run free. It's just, I'm never going to be comfortable watching boys waltz in and out of my daughter's bedroom." She sees Rory give a small acknowledging nod-still studiously avoiding Lorelai's gaze. "So are you sure you're okay with being friends? You don't have urges to jump his bones in the middle of the night do you?"
Rory lets out a sheepish smile as she rolls her eyes, defusing some of the tension in the room. "No, we're just friends. He's too flaky for anything else. I mean he's got a hundred girls on speed dial and do you know that he keeps an overnight robe for guests? I would be really, really stupid to get involved with him like that. So, we're just friends. And I'm fine. I'm totally fine with being friends."
She can see the glimmers of denial lurking behind Rory's words, but decides not to push the matter. "Well, you sound fine."
"Yep." She changes the subject. "Now tell me about Michel. Did Sookie whop him with a frying pan?"
"No, but she was very close to stabbing him with her favorite steak knife… which could be taken as a compliment when you think about it."
A couple hours later she's knocking impatiently on his door, trying to ignore the onslaught of bewildering emotions that's cropped up since the conversation with her mom this morning.
He opens the door to find a very agitated Rory and motions her in. "You're looking particularly bright and chipper today. Tell me, did you finally convince the baristas that it was okay for them to just shoot coffee straight into your veins?"
She ignores him and makes a bee line for his cd racks. "Thanks for letting me borrow this." She puts the cd back in its proper place and scans through the rest of his collection.
"So, I bet the conversation this morning with your mom was awkward." Rory tenses up at the mention of this. "What did she say?"
A sarcastic smile forms on her face as she faces him. "No worries, she's used to all types of men leaving my room by now. It's when they come out naked that she has a problem with. I think that's a little harder to get out of her mind."
"And a little harder to get out of mine. Thanks for the visual." He flops down on the couch. "So it really wasn't a big deal?"
She turns back to continue perusing the racks. "No, not really. She was understandably confused at first but I told her we're friends. It's just, I just hate when she gets that tone you know? As if she knows something about me that I don't. As if she knows more about my own feelings than I do. I completely meant it when I said it would be crazy for me to want more."
Used to her aimless babbling, Logan closes his eyes in the middle of her rant. He woke up too early (or rather, was rudely woken up) this morning. "Sorry Ace. I have no idea what you're talking about."
She moves to the couch to gather her wits, suddenly steeling herself against the surge of emotions that could no longer be disregarded. Yet her tone is deceptively breezy when she speaks. "Nothing, it's nothing." Making the mistake of looking down at his sleeping form, her fondness for him starts to cloud her confidence. She purses her lips and tries to think of anything else; tries to erase any amorous thoughts about Logan until she doubts their existence. "It doesn't matter anyway." Rory shakes her head to emphasize her point and quickly gets up. "I have to get to the library. I'll see you later."
"Hey." Squinting, he looks up as she's putting on her coat. "I'm picking you up in an hour and a half. No jeans."
Rory suddenly perks up. "Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise. Just no jeans."
"Surprise, surprise, we're going to your parents' house, again. I've been here half a dozen times since I've met you." She knows this amount exactly thanks to her grandmother's need to rub it in Lorelai's face every time she sees Rory at these gatherings.
"And has there been a moment in one of those six times that hasn't been fun?"
Rory dawdles on the first step of the walkway. "The time Finn had the brilliant idea of following up a bottle of Jack Daniels with a plate of hor'derves and I spent the night alternately running to the kitchen for aspirin or dragging the three of you to the bathroom."
He shrugs his shoulders. "Okay, so there have been a few mishaps. But how about the event after that where you spent the night alternately dancing on my feet or stuffing your face with overly priced desserts? And there's no Finn or Colin tonight."
She grins at the recollection, remembering the conversation about worst memories-particularly one exchange referring to Logan's inability to be potty-trained until seventh grade.
"Besides Ace, you're the only one I actually enjoy attending these forced engagements with."
Rory lightheartedly passes him on the steps and rings the doorbell. "You don't need to butter me up if I'm already here. And don't get upset. I wouldn't want you to have a scary dreamtonight."
"It was one time! And it wouldn't have been half as embarrassing if the maid hadn't walked in with—Hello Alice."
The maid stammers a hello, unwilling to glance up from the hardwood floor.
"Hi Alice!" She meticulously disregards Logan's warranted glare as they walk through the foyer.
"She's never looked me in the face again after that." He grabs two flutes of champagne from a passing waiter and downs one.
Rory quickly grabs the other. "Not tonight. I'm wearing heels Logan. They're hard enough to walk in without hauling your dead weight around." She mentally straightens her spine, standing a little taller than usual and promptly hates herself for trying to impress these people. However, it's developed into a practiced habit.
He turns to smile innocently at her. "Noproblem, we'll just have to make our own fun tonight."
Almost immediately reconsidering her decision, she tries to hand back the glass knowing full well his suggestion has the potential to be much worse.
"Logan. Why, I haven't seen you in years." An older man suddenly appears by Rory's side.
"And who is this little beauty? Is this your girlfriend Logan?"
"Actually"-Rory waits for the inevitable introduction of 'friend'-"it's getting to be a little more serious than that. We're heading towards engagement," he whispers the last word.
She merely stares at him in disbelief. "What did you just say?"
Logan gently leans closer to the older man and lowers his voice even more. "She doesn't like to be tied down with labels so I'm easing her slowly into making a full commitment."
The man grins earnestly and peeks at Rory. "Yes, a girl like her, no wonder you've finally settled down boy." With a final pat on Logan's shoulder, the man walks away to a nearby group of people.
"Logan!" She grabs onto his arm. "Now everyone else here is going to think we're engaged in the next five minutes."
"Who cares? Half of these people think we're on the brink of elopement from that lovely husband party your grandparents threw you and you used the same reason when you scared the shit out of me with Richard."
She makes a noise to signal her disgruntled admission and drags him after that same old man. Joining the conversation, Rory smiles brightly. "You all know Logan I presume. Isn't he just the greatest?" She happily laces her fingers through his and raises their hands. "We've been together for a year and a half now"-a pout forms with her lips-"Why are you taking so long to propose honey? I want to be Mrs. Huntzberger as soon as possible."
Logan promptly slips into his role. He kisses their interwoven hands and carefully concentrates on Rory, taking no notice of the delighted (and one slightly confused) adults surrounding them. "Soon, I promise. I'm just having a horrible time picking out the ring."
"Oh men." She waves off the excuse and looks knowingly at the woman next to her. "They're helpless without us."
The woman grabs Rory's wrist and beams. "Don't I know it dear."
"Well I'm quite parched." She leans in close, and straightens his tie. "Care to accompany me to the bar?"
"Love to, Rory." Logan glances around at everyone else. "Ladies, gentlemen," he says, nodding after each word. "I hope you all have a wonderful evening."
Making a hasty detour before hitting the bar, Rory stops in front of another cluster of adults. "I assume you all know Logan…"
"I have to hand it to you Ace." Logan shakes his head in disbelief as he starts up the car. "I didn't know you had it in you."
She's waving through the window at Honor and is almost amazed as he is by her own audacity. "Yeah… me either." She smirks at the notion.