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"Yo, toss me that cloth."

Jess is in the restaurant. It's a Tuesday night and the week of washing dishes is yawning in front of him. He's just finished unloading a crate and now has moved onto washing an endless pile of plates with Brad, whom Jess has the luck of being partnered with. Brad likes to talk which is fine by Jess - means less smalltalk. He can just throw in a grunt here and there between monologues. Of course, Jess would prefer if they worked in total silence but you can't have everything. Wordlessly, he throws the cleaning rag over to Brad and winces. The crate was heavy and Jess suspects he pulled something picking it up. Jess waits for the twinge to pass as Brad rambles on and his thoughts begin meandering. It was fun seeing Paris, if only briefly. Jess likes that she doesn't take shit from anyone. Rory remarked that Dean found her too intense and, aside the fact that Jess suspects anyone with a mind is too intense for Dean, Jess thinks he couldn't handle Paris's nature. People write her off because they don't want to be challenged. Jess had been annoyed when his plan to have a meal alone with Rory that time was scuppered by Paris being there, but it had turned out to be one of the best dinners he'd ever had. Not just because he'd met someone else in town who knew books, but because Paris gave him a run for his money. If things hadn't got screwed up, Jess wouldn't have been opposed to more evenings like that, the three of them talking literature and eating way too much. Jess wonders if Paris knows what he was doing when he dropped the care package off. He thought he was making it obvious to Rory, but she insisted nothing was happening. That's what she wanted to believe, anyway. She kissed him and then spent a whole summer in Washington with no word, acting like nothing had happened when she came home. He's not interested in her that way, but Jess appreciates that Paris would be more straightforward than that. Paris definitely knew what was going on. Jess smiles a little at that and then blinks as he realises Brad asked him something.

"Huh?"

"I said, there's a kegger at Drew's place tonight. You know Drew?"

Jess isn't sure but truthfully doesn't care enough to ask. He doesn't plan on going.

"I'm good, but thanks."

Brad almost seems to take offence at that. He stops, his hands sudsy in the sink, and demands, "You got something better to do?"

"It's not my scene," Jess says truthfully. He doesn't drink much. Jess isn't opposed to having a rare beer here or there, but nights where people just show up to get wasted bring back the unpleasant aftertaste of living with Liz. Drinking was her preferred pasttime. If Jess was lucky, she'd fall asleep. If he wasn't, she'd go off on a tirade, talking about how her life had tanked, especially since he'd been born. She wasn't blaming him - Liz always remembered to tell him that between slurs - but having a kid made everything harder. Along with the list of everything else. Why'd you have me, Jess wanted to ask. He made the mistake of asking once and got to hear a whole other rant. The best thing to do was just to let her talk until she tired herself out. If Jess was really unlucky, a boyfriend would be drunk too and rile her up, or tell him he was a waste of space after Liz had passed out. Or take a swing at him. Rooms of people getting slatheringly drunk isn't a reminder Jess needs, but he doesn't bother telling Brad all that. He starts to wash another plate and Brad snorts.

"Dude, what do you even do outside here? On your breaks you just read that book you always have shoved in your pocket."

"I like books."

"Wow, I never would've guessed," Brad says with a sarcasm Jess didn't know he was capable of. "Seriously, though. You like the mystery guy here. Do you, like, live in a library or something?"

Jess bites back the quip of Brad knowing what a library is being colours him stunned, and against his usual judgement says, "I have a girlfriend."

"You have a girlfriend?" Brad echoes, laughing, and Jess wishes he'd made the quip after all.

"I live with her."

"Huh. And people were saying you were celibate or into guys."

Jess shrugs at that. He doesn't care if they thought so. He washes another dish and Brad says, "How'd you even meet her?"

"I used to live in this place called Stars Hollow," Jess says, after a pause. "She's from there."

"Don't know it."

"Don't need to. Like living in Norman Rockwell painting."

Brad laughs and Jess goes on, "We met there."

"She moved here with you?"

"She's moved for the summer," Jess tells him, deciding on the edited version of their relationship. "She goes to Yale."

"To Yale?" Brad exclaims and Jess grits his teeth. Why is now the moment Brad has decided to stop focusing on himself?

"Yes, she goes to Yale," Jess says evenly, getting the implication. Brad, never shying from bluntness, asks, "So why's she with you?"

"We like a lot of the same stuff," Jess says vaguely and Brad says, "So she's a bookworm too, huh? What, you guys sit in your room together and read to each other? That's so damn quaint!"

"Depends on what we're reading."

"What?"

"Forget it."

They wash plates in merciful silence for a moment and then Brad says, "You know, I bet you're as smart as she is."

Jess snorts and Brad says, "I mean it, man. Maybe not Yale smart but you've always got your nose buried in a book - a real book, not some dirty magazine. Every single second you're not working, you're reading. You even walk out reading, and that's not the safest thing to do in this city."

Jess laughs at that and Brad says, "Why are you here?"

"What?"

"Someone who reads as much as you do could get a better job."

"I doubt office guys see it that way," Jess says but he feels a little uncomfortable. The conversation has turned without him expecting it, and he almost hears Luke's voice as Brad insists, "I'm serious. I bet you could go to college."

"I don't want to go to college," Jess retorts and Brad says, "So you're going to work here and read books they ask assignments on?"

This is getting spooky. Jess is almost tempted to ask if Brad is some kind of conduit for his uncle's voice, like maybe someone brought a ouija board to the diner.

"They don't assign the books I choose," he jokes and Brad says, "You get what I mean."

Jess nods and stiffens as Brad comments, "What does your girlfriend think?"

"What?"

"She goes to Yale, Jess. I'm guessing she's got a pretty sweet life there and she's moved in with you..."

"What's your point?"

"I mean, what does she do - outside of doing you?"

Ignoring the crudeness, Jess says, "She works as a waitress."

"Wow. You must be good in bed for her to stick around."

"Look, what's your problem?" Jess demands, losing his temper. "You don't know anything about us, and now you're turning into Doctor Phil?"

"I'm just curious how a guy like you is here," Brad says, turning to face Jess in the dim light. "You're smarter than this place but it's where you want to stay, and you're staying here with your girlfriend from Yale?"

"It's money. Even you can figure that out."

"Yeah, and you should know it's shitty wages. If this chick goes to Yale why don't you try aiming for something too?"

"You think it's bad that she's in college and I'm not?"

"Not that. Dude, I'm happy for you, or whatever. I just can't see Miss Yale wanting to stick it out as a waitress, and I don't get why you, Mr Booksmarts, are working jobs like these. She's heading back to Yale in the fall, right? So you're staying in this hole and visiting her on weekends?"

Jess shrugs angrily and Brad sighs. "I'm not trying to be a jerk."

"You're making an excellent impression of one."

"I'm just saying, everyone here knows you're smart. You could probably write one of those damn novels you keep toting around."

Jess snorts and Brad shrugs, sending suds flying onto Jess's shirt.

"I don't usually give advice - lesson learned. Hope it works out for you and Yale girl. What's her name?"

"Rory."

"Well. Hope you and Rory are happy together.

Jess feels a little bad at that. If he wasn't so pissed off maybe he'd attempt some conversation - tell Brad stuff about Rory as a person, not just Yale girl. It wouldn't be some weird bonding session, but maybe Jess would tell him a little about what he does outside here. But he already feels uncertain and uneven, like someone has pulled open a curtain on Jess's life, so instead he reaches for another plate. And even though Jess longed for him and Brad to work silently, the quiet now feels kind of sad.

Jess reads on the way home but can't concentrate. He keeps thinking about what Brad said and Luke, last year, and Lorelai, dismissing him and Rory, saying he could do more. Her words circle Jess endlessly, her disappointment when he left and didn't say anything, didn't tell her he was struggling with school. Damn, Jess regrets that. At the time he didn't see the point - he was never going to college, so why bother with high school? But he knew he was smart enough to pass it all so figured when the end of the year came, he'd pass all their tests anyway. Fuck, he screwed that up. Jess wishes he'd gone to their inane classes, done the work and shown his teachers and pathetic principal that he was actually capable of something other than pulling pranks. Not that Jess isn't proud of those pranks - a smirk crosses his lips when he remembers their reaction to the tennis balls to play baseball with. But his humour is shortlived. Last year has been a real mess but Jess felt that he'd gotten past it, and now everything feels shaken up. By Brad of all people. And even though Rory went with him and they're happy, he thinks, Jess can't help hearing her encouragement to do more and feeling like he's let her down all over again.

Rory is in bed when Jess gets back but she stirs as he comes in. Jess hopes she'll go back to sleep but she sits up as he silently gets into bed.

"Hey," she says sleepily. "How was work?"

"Fine," Jess says sullenly. He doesn't want to talk about it, and sighs when Rory asks, "Was it a bad shift?"

"Same old," Jess says. "How about you?"

"Oh, it was okay," Rory says, sounding unconvincing. She hugs her knees to her chest and Jess thinks about saying I had a shitty day and I know you did too. But he doesn't want to get into why either of them are pretending, and instead puts a lot of attention into punching his pillow into shape. It helps a little. Rory watches and when he's done she leans over and kisses his shoulder.

"Hey," she says. It's not like her to make the first move and Jess smiles, kissing her mouth. "Hi."

Rory kisses him some more and, weirdly, Jess doesn't want to carry on. The twinge from lifting the crate has returned, killing his back, and Jess is unsure if it's that or his mood that's giving him the headache. He pulls away and Rory leans onto her elbow.

"My period finished."

"Okay," Jess says and then figures what she's getting at. "I'm tired...can we just go to sleep?"

"Sure," Rory says, sounding surprised. "I'm sorry, I -"

"No, it's not you." Damn, he's sounding like a guy in a romance novel. It's not you, it's me! Jess can't seem to get the jumbled thoughts out of his head. Usually, sex isn't a bad way to rid them but tonight it feels different. Jess just knows it would make them worse, afterwards, and his head really is killing him. He just wants to be asleep - alone, preferably, but just being asleep will do. He doesn't want to talk to Rory about it, he doesn't want to talk to anyone. He gives her a kiss goodnight and she snuggles back down, but being asleep doesn't help too much. The mood is backlighting his dreams. In the morning, however, Jess is brighter. He can almost pretend the conversation with Brad was a bad dream too. He sits up, looking at Rory who is almost awake, and kisses her arm.

"Hey," he whispers. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Rory yawns and Jess says, "Being a jerk last night."

"You weren't a jerk," Rory says but she smiles, mollified. "It's okay."

"Just a bad night."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know." Jess refrains from asking why she never tells him how she hates waitressing. "Sorry."

"It's okay. Let's just forget it."

Jess agrees to that by giving her a big, deep kiss. Any aversion to sex has disappeared with his dream and Rory kisses him back enthusiastically, pulling off her night things and wrapping her legs around his. Jess forces himself to hold off, kissing Rory slowly all over until neither of them can bear it and he slides into her with a groan. Rory gasps as he moves slowly and then shifts her hips so Jess can move faster, deeper, and they both sigh after coming, her before after him and then again. Jess slowly slips off and lies beside her and they giggle a little.

"I highly recommend that to start the day," Rory remarks. "Way better than breakfast."

"Better than coffee?"

"Almost," Rory says, scrunching her face up and making Jess laugh. "A very close second."

"I'm offended."

"It is coffee, Jess."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

They kiss some more and Rory says, "I wish we could just stay here all day."

"Who says we can't?"

"I've got work."

"Work," Jess echoes sarcastically but wishes she hadn't mentioned it, it nearly brings back last night again. He concentrates on kissing her arm and Rory weakly protests, "I've got to shower."

"Shh."

"I've got to shower but you know...there's room for two."

"Why, Rory Gilmore," Jess says, caught between shock and admiration and Rory sits up with a sparkle in her eye.

"I'll race you."

There isn't a lot of room in the shower but that makes it more fun. After some laughter and near slips they find a position that works and Jess balances his hand on the wall, her leg hooked around his hip and his other hand cupped around her breast. They breathe heavily as he pushes into her, her blue eyes locked on his. Last night feels like a very long time ago. They are having sex in a shower on a Wednesday morning while the rest of the world is going to offices or school. Who is luckier than them? Jess almost slips and Rory squeals, clenching against him as they regain balance. God, she feels incredible. Jess is close to breaking point. He tries to hold off and keep moving but Rory tucks her leg tighter around him, pulling him closer, and when she kisses his neck Jess comes hard, groaning. Rory comes too, closing her eyes, and after they've disentangled themselves she remarks, "So much for getting clean."

"This was better," Jess says and Rory grins, not arguing. The weak water is still sputtering over them and Jess wonders how much longer it'll hold out. They rinse quickly and then his question is answered as the shower gives a threatening gurgle. Icy water explodes over both of them and Rory screams slightly, laughing as she gets out.

"Paris said you'd make me a barnraiser but I didn't think in that way."

"What?" Jess asks, genuinely lost and Rory reaches for a towel.

"Forget it - just a joke."

Jess picks up his own towel and follows Rory out of the bathroom, where she's tied the towel around herself and is pawing through her clothes.

"I can't find anything that doesn't smell of fried food."

"You're going to come back smelling of it anyway," Jess points out and Rory snaps, "Gee, thanks."

"What?" Jess asks, genuinely not knowing what he's said wrong and Rory ignores him. It's almost as if they didn't just have sex. She picks out a skirt and shirt that's slightly crumpled, shaking it out. Jess decides that if she asks anything about the outfit he'll keep his opinion to himself, but she stalks back into the bathroom with it, shutting the door. Slowly, Jess dries himself, tugging on some jeans and a black shirt and nods when Rory emerges, telling him she'll see him later. Once Rory leaves Jess makes the toaster waffle he was going to eat with her, before they got distracted with the shower, and feels his good mood ebb. The apartment feels empty now that he's alone in it, emptier than it usually does. Jess can't seem to shake it but at least the morning was off to an awesome start. His legs still feel weak. Jess goes to the table by the bed, picks up his book and settles down to read the hours away until Rory comes home.