disclaimer: I guess it's about time I had one of these. I own nothing. Really. Well, not really. I'm just an obsessive fan of the show who is shamelessly using the characters I love (but who belong to someone else) for my own purposes. And the title of this fic comes from Cold Play and their great CD Parachutes. Go buy it.
A/N: To everyone who took the time to review this, my heartfelt thanks. I'd never had the courage to actually post anything I'd written before, so your supportive reviews encouraged me to no end. Thanks again!
Rory and Lane walked into Luke's talking a mile a minute. They were so absorbed in conversation that they didn't notice that it was Tristin, not Luke, standing behind the counter. Tristin, who had noticed them as soon as the door opened, hid a smile. It was time to have some fun with Rory.
"Hey Mary, what can I get you this fine morning?" Tristin asked smirking.
Rory rolled her eyes, not taking offense to the playful insult. "Do you even have to ask? Fill 'er up, Burger Boy."
"Sorry, no can do. I have strict orders from Flannel Man."
"I heard that!" yelled Luke from the kitchen.
The three teens swallowed their laughter and continued with the charade.
"Maybe if you give me coffee, I'll forgive the 'Mary' slip up and let you live another day."
"I think you're forgetting something," Tristin replied smugly.
"And what's that?"
"I have the coffee. You need the coffee. I hold all the power." He lowered his voice to a whisper and leaned forward. "Maybe for a price, I could arrange something."
He leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, showing off his toned arms. Rory took no notice. Lane, who had been looking back and forth between the two with great interest, stored the entire encounter in her extremely reliable memory for future speculation.
Rory contemplated the last comment for a second before sighing, conceding her defeat. "I'm really going to regret asking this, but what do I have to do?"
Tristin considered his options, frowning thoughtfully. Nothing too flirtatious...they were in the beginning stages of a tentative friendship. He didn't want to jeopardize that. On the other hand, this was a golden opportunity...how could he pass this up?
"Okay, I've got it."
"What?" asked Rory suspiciously.
"You and your friend..." he looked at Lane questioningly.
"Lane," Lane supplied helpfully.
Tristin flashed her a devastating smile in greeting. "You and Lane have to show me around town. Be my official tour guides. I want the attractions, the fast food, the good, the bad, anything. Scratch that. Everything."
Rory considered for a minute. The idea of hanging with Tristin wasn't entirely unappetizing. It actually sounded like fun. She looked at Lane for her consent before nodding. "Okay, but I want the largest cup of coffee possible. You know what, just hand over the whole pot."
Tristin willingly surrendered the prize. "What can I get you?" he asked Lane.
"That's alright, I'm good," said Lane cheerily.
"Well, it was nice meeting you," Tristin replied sincerely. "I'll see you two later." He gave them a small wave as they sought out a table by a window.
Once they were settled, Lane stared at Rory thoughtfully. "Okay, spill."
Rory looked up, startled. "What?"
Lane sighed impatiently. "Okay, since when are you and Tristin so buddy buddy?"
Rory briefly considered the question. "We've reached a mutual agreement...an understanding if you will."
Lane nodded, waiting to hear more.
"We both felt bad about the way things ended up at school. So we've..."
"Wiped the slate clean?"
"More of a forgive and forget type deal."
"What's the difference?"
"Well, 'wipe the slate clean' implies a complete starting over type thing, whereas with 'forgive and forget', the history is still there, just not acknowledged."
"And how is the second more appealing than the first?"
"Because not all of the history between us is bad...just most of it."
"And the good..."
"Is something that will not be mentioned. Ever. Again."
"That's okay," Lane replied knowledgeably. "I already know anyway."
Rory sighed. "I hate that you know me so well."
"More like know your history so well." Lane smiled comfortingly at her best friend. "So why didn't you ever mention that he was so hot?"
"Because, Miss I Know Your History So Well, his looks weren't the most prominent of his characteristics when we first met. I was too busy trying to avoid him to really look at him."
"Hmmmm..." said Lane suggestively.
"What?"
"Notice how you didn't disagree with me."
"I was just getting to that part."
"I'm sure you were."
"I really was."
"So let's hear it."
Rory paused. "Alright, I got nothing. He's hot."
Lane gave her an interested look. "So..."
"So nothing. We're friends."
"Mmmhmmm"
"What do you mean 'mmmhmmm'?"
"I mean, do you usually get so flushed and tingly when you fight with your friends?"
"I was not flushed and tingly!"
"I know tingles when I see tingles. You had tingles!"
"Lane, are you high?"
Lane laughed. Rory was in denial. Well fine. Her feelings for Tristin would creep up out of nowhere and smack her in the face. And Lane would have a front row seat. She stood up. "Well, I have to get home. My mother is on one of her 'rock music means the devil' kicks and I have to go make sure my stash is safe."
"Alright, I'll call you later. Bye!"
"See you later!"
Tristin wiped the counter, sneaking surreptitious glances at the girl seated alone by the window. He had overheard snatches of the conversation and was thoroughly amused by both Lane's gleeful accusations and Rory's vehement denials. Who needs Must See TV with the town's twenty four hours of entertainment? She was so innocent and naive. That was part of her charm. The world hadn't hardened her. She believed in fairy tales and the goodness of man. Tristin sighed. Too bad he had discovered the truth a long time ago...the world sucks. But Stars Hollow...maybe it was a world of its own.
From the kitchen, Luke watched Tristin absently wipe the counter and stare at Rory. If anyone understood the allure of the Gilmore girls, it was him. Maybe that's why he hadn't really objected to giving the kid a break. He knew where the kid was coming from. Boy did he know.
A/N: To everyone who took the time to review this, my heartfelt thanks. I'd never had the courage to actually post anything I'd written before, so your supportive reviews encouraged me to no end. Thanks again!
Rory and Lane walked into Luke's talking a mile a minute. They were so absorbed in conversation that they didn't notice that it was Tristin, not Luke, standing behind the counter. Tristin, who had noticed them as soon as the door opened, hid a smile. It was time to have some fun with Rory.
"Hey Mary, what can I get you this fine morning?" Tristin asked smirking.
Rory rolled her eyes, not taking offense to the playful insult. "Do you even have to ask? Fill 'er up, Burger Boy."
"Sorry, no can do. I have strict orders from Flannel Man."
"I heard that!" yelled Luke from the kitchen.
The three teens swallowed their laughter and continued with the charade.
"Maybe if you give me coffee, I'll forgive the 'Mary' slip up and let you live another day."
"I think you're forgetting something," Tristin replied smugly.
"And what's that?"
"I have the coffee. You need the coffee. I hold all the power." He lowered his voice to a whisper and leaned forward. "Maybe for a price, I could arrange something."
He leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, showing off his toned arms. Rory took no notice. Lane, who had been looking back and forth between the two with great interest, stored the entire encounter in her extremely reliable memory for future speculation.
Rory contemplated the last comment for a second before sighing, conceding her defeat. "I'm really going to regret asking this, but what do I have to do?"
Tristin considered his options, frowning thoughtfully. Nothing too flirtatious...they were in the beginning stages of a tentative friendship. He didn't want to jeopardize that. On the other hand, this was a golden opportunity...how could he pass this up?
"Okay, I've got it."
"What?" asked Rory suspiciously.
"You and your friend..." he looked at Lane questioningly.
"Lane," Lane supplied helpfully.
Tristin flashed her a devastating smile in greeting. "You and Lane have to show me around town. Be my official tour guides. I want the attractions, the fast food, the good, the bad, anything. Scratch that. Everything."
Rory considered for a minute. The idea of hanging with Tristin wasn't entirely unappetizing. It actually sounded like fun. She looked at Lane for her consent before nodding. "Okay, but I want the largest cup of coffee possible. You know what, just hand over the whole pot."
Tristin willingly surrendered the prize. "What can I get you?" he asked Lane.
"That's alright, I'm good," said Lane cheerily.
"Well, it was nice meeting you," Tristin replied sincerely. "I'll see you two later." He gave them a small wave as they sought out a table by a window.
Once they were settled, Lane stared at Rory thoughtfully. "Okay, spill."
Rory looked up, startled. "What?"
Lane sighed impatiently. "Okay, since when are you and Tristin so buddy buddy?"
Rory briefly considered the question. "We've reached a mutual agreement...an understanding if you will."
Lane nodded, waiting to hear more.
"We both felt bad about the way things ended up at school. So we've..."
"Wiped the slate clean?"
"More of a forgive and forget type deal."
"What's the difference?"
"Well, 'wipe the slate clean' implies a complete starting over type thing, whereas with 'forgive and forget', the history is still there, just not acknowledged."
"And how is the second more appealing than the first?"
"Because not all of the history between us is bad...just most of it."
"And the good..."
"Is something that will not be mentioned. Ever. Again."
"That's okay," Lane replied knowledgeably. "I already know anyway."
Rory sighed. "I hate that you know me so well."
"More like know your history so well." Lane smiled comfortingly at her best friend. "So why didn't you ever mention that he was so hot?"
"Because, Miss I Know Your History So Well, his looks weren't the most prominent of his characteristics when we first met. I was too busy trying to avoid him to really look at him."
"Hmmmm..." said Lane suggestively.
"What?"
"Notice how you didn't disagree with me."
"I was just getting to that part."
"I'm sure you were."
"I really was."
"So let's hear it."
Rory paused. "Alright, I got nothing. He's hot."
Lane gave her an interested look. "So..."
"So nothing. We're friends."
"Mmmhmmm"
"What do you mean 'mmmhmmm'?"
"I mean, do you usually get so flushed and tingly when you fight with your friends?"
"I was not flushed and tingly!"
"I know tingles when I see tingles. You had tingles!"
"Lane, are you high?"
Lane laughed. Rory was in denial. Well fine. Her feelings for Tristin would creep up out of nowhere and smack her in the face. And Lane would have a front row seat. She stood up. "Well, I have to get home. My mother is on one of her 'rock music means the devil' kicks and I have to go make sure my stash is safe."
"Alright, I'll call you later. Bye!"
"See you later!"
Tristin wiped the counter, sneaking surreptitious glances at the girl seated alone by the window. He had overheard snatches of the conversation and was thoroughly amused by both Lane's gleeful accusations and Rory's vehement denials. Who needs Must See TV with the town's twenty four hours of entertainment? She was so innocent and naive. That was part of her charm. The world hadn't hardened her. She believed in fairy tales and the goodness of man. Tristin sighed. Too bad he had discovered the truth a long time ago...the world sucks. But Stars Hollow...maybe it was a world of its own.
From the kitchen, Luke watched Tristin absently wipe the counter and stare at Rory. If anyone understood the allure of the Gilmore girls, it was him. Maybe that's why he hadn't really objected to giving the kid a break. He knew where the kid was coming from. Boy did he know.