Someone asked for a summary of what has happened before this part so here
goes: After high school Tristan got married, had three children (Damien,
Gwen and Vivien), but then got divorced. He is still friends with his ex-
wife (Cookie). Rory had dated Jess, but they had broken up and were still
friends if only because it would be awkward after Luke and Lorelai had
gotten married. Paris had hooked Rory and Tristan up again and they are
flirting with each other but nothing has happened. Jess is coming to visit,
and the two of them are going to a picnic with Tristan and his friends.
Anywho, thanks again to reviewers: Kou Shun'u, I didn't have to skip work/school, I'm on holidays right now, so I could write this - thanks for your cool review. ON WITH THE STORY!
***Tristan's POV***
Tristan walked into the park he had gotten to know so well surrounded by his three children and ex-wife, and usually when he came to these picnics he was all smiles but this time something was different.
He had thought that Rory was single, he had asked about Dean and she had said they weren't dating, and she had acted single. He even thought that she had been flirting with him a few times, but now she was bringing a guy to his picnic. What was he meant to say when she asked if she could bring a 'friend' who was staying with her? Take back the invitation? Say that it was only for her? That would have been too obvious. He was just going to have to deal.
"You really just assumed that she was single?" Cookie asked him.
"Well, you said she was flirting, and neither she or Paris mentioned it."
Cookie smiled, "are you sure she's dating him? He could just be a friend."
"Who's staying with her? I don't think so."
Cookie raised an eyebrow, mumbled a 'whatever' and then turned around to Vivien, who was currently sitting in the mud, "sweetie, take your shoes and socks off before you sit in the mud, at least make some effort not to drive Mommy crazy. Come on, I'll go put you in a change of clothes."
As Cookie and his youngest walked off to the toilets he started grabbing baskets out of the car. This picnic had become tradition with all his friends, and he and Cookie still came together, if only because it made things easier on them. He wasn't kidding when he told Rory that they were still friends. It had taken a bit of time after the divorce, trying to let things simmer down, but they were now back to the place they were before embarking on the disaster that was their marriage; really good friends. In fact, right now, he would call her his best friend.
"Tristan!"
He turned around and saw Rory walking towards him, and of course, she had the light shining behind her in a way that made her seem like an angel. The man beside her, in contrast, was walking in the shade making him seem very dark beside Rory.
"This is Jess Mariano, a friend of mine from home, Jess, this is Tristan DuGrey."
With a "hi" Tristan stuck his hand out and Jess shook it with a grunt, that, although friendly, was still a grunt. Tristan raised his eyebrow at him.
"I'm going to go get our stuff from the car," Rory said.
"I'll go," Jess said, speaking for the first time, "you wanna help me Tristan?"
Tristan idly wondered where that had come from before answering "sure."
When they got to the car Jess turned to him and spoke, "we aren't dating, she is single."
"You- I never asked if you were."
"But you were wondering, and we aren't. Just don't hurt her."
They stood looking at each other for a while before Jess smiled at him, "let's get going."
Tristan nearly skipped back to his friends, all his stressing was about nothing, Rory was single, and this Jess guy was just a friend.
When they got to the picnic blankets that had been det up Rory was already in a conversation with Cookie and Tina. Tristan was glad that Cookie was including Rory, and making her feel welcome.
"Hi Tristan!" he heard from several of his friends.
"Hey guys. I think most of you have been introduced to an old school friend of mine, Rory Gilmore, and this is her friend Jess Mariano."
With warm hellos space was cleared on the blankets as people started setting out food to be eaten.
*3 hours later*
Everyone sat quietly talking to each other, even the children. Gwen sat snuggled on Tristan's lap, already tired from the running and swimming and whatever else she had been doing, and Viv sat on Rory's lap quite comfortably. Cookie and Jess had started getting along quite well and were sitting apart from them playing poker, although Jess had already expressed that he was used to playing poker with Rory and her mother, and that he was unused to playing with someone who played by the rules.
Earlier, Tristan had come very close to kissing Rory, but it had been ruined by Damien falling over and taking half the drinks with him. They had been talking together, talking about everything, and the way she was looking at him made him think that she wouldn't object to the kiss. She was laughing at his jokes and the fact that they had just been sitting and talking for almost an hour, to the point of ignoring everyone else, surely meant something.
She had just said how much she liked him now that he was away from their High School, and that he had changed for the better before he realised that they were sitting very close to each other. So close, in fact, that if he leaned forward just a small bit, they would be kissing, he had just started to move forward, ignoring the fact that his children could be watching, when Damien had fallen.
They had both been flustered afterwards, and both Cookie and Jess were smiling at them, but nothing was said.
*Author's Note* I will love you if you review. Tell me anything; constructive criticism, if you like the story, what you think should happen = that last one would be very handy cos I want the story to go where you want it to go, so tell me!
Anywho, thanks again to reviewers: Kou Shun'u, I didn't have to skip work/school, I'm on holidays right now, so I could write this - thanks for your cool review. ON WITH THE STORY!
***Tristan's POV***
Tristan walked into the park he had gotten to know so well surrounded by his three children and ex-wife, and usually when he came to these picnics he was all smiles but this time something was different.
He had thought that Rory was single, he had asked about Dean and she had said they weren't dating, and she had acted single. He even thought that she had been flirting with him a few times, but now she was bringing a guy to his picnic. What was he meant to say when she asked if she could bring a 'friend' who was staying with her? Take back the invitation? Say that it was only for her? That would have been too obvious. He was just going to have to deal.
"You really just assumed that she was single?" Cookie asked him.
"Well, you said she was flirting, and neither she or Paris mentioned it."
Cookie smiled, "are you sure she's dating him? He could just be a friend."
"Who's staying with her? I don't think so."
Cookie raised an eyebrow, mumbled a 'whatever' and then turned around to Vivien, who was currently sitting in the mud, "sweetie, take your shoes and socks off before you sit in the mud, at least make some effort not to drive Mommy crazy. Come on, I'll go put you in a change of clothes."
As Cookie and his youngest walked off to the toilets he started grabbing baskets out of the car. This picnic had become tradition with all his friends, and he and Cookie still came together, if only because it made things easier on them. He wasn't kidding when he told Rory that they were still friends. It had taken a bit of time after the divorce, trying to let things simmer down, but they were now back to the place they were before embarking on the disaster that was their marriage; really good friends. In fact, right now, he would call her his best friend.
"Tristan!"
He turned around and saw Rory walking towards him, and of course, she had the light shining behind her in a way that made her seem like an angel. The man beside her, in contrast, was walking in the shade making him seem very dark beside Rory.
"This is Jess Mariano, a friend of mine from home, Jess, this is Tristan DuGrey."
With a "hi" Tristan stuck his hand out and Jess shook it with a grunt, that, although friendly, was still a grunt. Tristan raised his eyebrow at him.
"I'm going to go get our stuff from the car," Rory said.
"I'll go," Jess said, speaking for the first time, "you wanna help me Tristan?"
Tristan idly wondered where that had come from before answering "sure."
When they got to the car Jess turned to him and spoke, "we aren't dating, she is single."
"You- I never asked if you were."
"But you were wondering, and we aren't. Just don't hurt her."
They stood looking at each other for a while before Jess smiled at him, "let's get going."
Tristan nearly skipped back to his friends, all his stressing was about nothing, Rory was single, and this Jess guy was just a friend.
When they got to the picnic blankets that had been det up Rory was already in a conversation with Cookie and Tina. Tristan was glad that Cookie was including Rory, and making her feel welcome.
"Hi Tristan!" he heard from several of his friends.
"Hey guys. I think most of you have been introduced to an old school friend of mine, Rory Gilmore, and this is her friend Jess Mariano."
With warm hellos space was cleared on the blankets as people started setting out food to be eaten.
*3 hours later*
Everyone sat quietly talking to each other, even the children. Gwen sat snuggled on Tristan's lap, already tired from the running and swimming and whatever else she had been doing, and Viv sat on Rory's lap quite comfortably. Cookie and Jess had started getting along quite well and were sitting apart from them playing poker, although Jess had already expressed that he was used to playing poker with Rory and her mother, and that he was unused to playing with someone who played by the rules.
Earlier, Tristan had come very close to kissing Rory, but it had been ruined by Damien falling over and taking half the drinks with him. They had been talking together, talking about everything, and the way she was looking at him made him think that she wouldn't object to the kiss. She was laughing at his jokes and the fact that they had just been sitting and talking for almost an hour, to the point of ignoring everyone else, surely meant something.
She had just said how much she liked him now that he was away from their High School, and that he had changed for the better before he realised that they were sitting very close to each other. So close, in fact, that if he leaned forward just a small bit, they would be kissing, he had just started to move forward, ignoring the fact that his children could be watching, when Damien had fallen.
They had both been flustered afterwards, and both Cookie and Jess were smiling at them, but nothing was said.
*Author's Note* I will love you if you review. Tell me anything; constructive criticism, if you like the story, what you think should happen = that last one would be very handy cos I want the story to go where you want it to go, so tell me!