"Coffee?"
"Why the hell would you need coffee this late at night."
"Because, if I dont feed the addiction, withdrawal will eat at me and deprive me of sleep. My body demands caffeine."
"You realize how skewed your logic is, right?"
She merely smiled.
"I'm fine, Luke, and how are you?"
He rolled his eyes. "You come in here late at night just because you know it'll be empty and you can bug me full time, right."
"Well, Mr. Danes, I need food for my lovely offspring."
"I offer to give you food but you always refuse in favour of grease."
He walked over to an old couple who'd just walked in for dinner.
"Luke! You forgot to take my order!" She cried out, laughing, as she snuck behind the counter and grabbed the coffee pot.
"Hey!" He cried, walking back a moment later as she finished pouring a cup. She scurried back to her seat. "That's what you get when you don't serve your customers, Luke."
"whaddya want?" He muttered, moving the coffee pot further away from Lorelai.
"Two burgers, to go. And coffee. Four coffees."
"Just you and Rory?"
"Well ..."
"No coffee."
"Fine. Just two coffees. Both for Rory, Luke."
"Knowing you you'll drink them both before you get home and tell her I refused to send any."
He walked away, and she sipped her coffee, looking out the window at the night's stragglers and the soft glow of the streetlight. Luke brought food to the other customers, and went back into the kitchen, returning a moment later.
"Lorelai -" He wanted to ask her how she was, after the fears of the other night, but didn't quite know how.
"How's Rory? Haven't seen her much today."
"Oh, she's fine. Studying like a maniac as usual. Doubts about Dean."
He grunted, approvingly, but refrained from stating his Dean dispproval.
"Luke - Have you ever ..." She paused, not knowing where the words came from but the night was so silent and dark, and he was right there in front of her, she wanted to talk to him.
"What?"
"Nothing," she smiled, and gazed out the window, sighing."
"Have I ever what?" He insisted, suspicious and wondering if she was upset about something. He refilled her coffee cup, not thinking.
"Well, I mean, we've known each other a long time and ... Have you ever thought about ... us ... dating? I mean just thought about it, not wanted to ... or ... anything."
He turned around to put the coffee pot back in place, keeping his voice a monotone. "Have you?"
"Sure," she said, surprised, "We've known each other a long time, it's natural. Not that I - I mean just a few times, it'd be the same with anyone, right?"
"Yeah." His confusion and fear contained, he kept his face expressionless.
"So ... have you?"
"Yeah. It's normal."
She wanted to bang her head on the counter, and couldn't quite remember why or how she'd started this conversation but his face had suddenly shut her out completely, and he went back into the kitchen. Oh shit.
He brought out her burgers. "How much coffee will Rory want?"
"Two cups." He raised his eyebrows.
"All for Rory?"
"If you only give me one it might not make it all the way to her."
"Fine."
She lingered as he poured the coffee, trying to think of a way to get things back to normal instead of this fluttering nervousness and fear surrounding them.
Luke watched the coffee falling into the cup, very deliberately not looking in Lorelais direction. She'd made it clear any thought of dating him was fleeting, frivolous. She was probably asking because she was afraid he had feelings for him, and if she detected any would avoid him for awhile to let him get over them. As much as he told himself the feelings would go away, another part of him knew for certain that they wouldn't. He kept a straight face, thinking to change the subject.
Lorelai took another gulp from her mug, hiding her confused face. He didn't want to talk about it, he was embarassed. Because she was making a fool of herself and he didn't feel the same way. Okay. God, this was stupid. New subject.
"Luke? More coffee?"
"Jesus, Lorelai" he scowled "I just poured some into a to go cup. Satisfy yourself with that. Are you planning on sleeping at all tonight?"
"Well, I need enough energy to tear Rory away from her studying and make her entertain me."
"Poor kid."
"Well, she can't kick me out like you can."
"Small miracles."
A moment's pause.
"How are you? I mean - last night you ..."
She smiled. "I'm fine. Although if you keep reminding me ..." She wagged her finger at him. "And, yes, I'm still trying to like Jess. He reminds me of when I was the 'bad kid', though. I guess I still am, in my parents' eyes." She sighed. "I'm glad you're giving him a chance, really. He needs someone to show him support."
"Well it's not easy. I don't think he's as terrible as everyone thinks he is, but he's so damned secretive it's hard to know."
"And you're setting such a great example of communication and openness for him to follow, Luke."
"I didn't say he had to talk about every damn thing in his life. Just the things that seem suspicious."
"Oh, come on, if you were in his position I bet you'd be the same way ... hey, what *were* you like in high school?"
"Lorelai -"
"Butch -"
"Shut up." He'd walked around the counter and placed the coffees in front of her, so Lorelai stood up to leave.
"C'mon, Butch ..."
"No."
"Have a lot of girlfriends."
"We're closed. Get out."
"It's only nine!"
"Out."
"Give me more coffee."
"No."
"I'll tell you about my high school days."
"That wouldn't take much prompting."
She grinned at him, at his flashing eyes, annoyed yet humoured. A trace of a smile on his lips, he stood there staring at her. She paused, nearly spoke, and before she knew what she was doing, leaned at him hard and kissed him fully. She felt his hand tentative at her waist as he leaned into the kiss. Suddenly, she pulled away, her face twisted in horror. "Oh, God - Luke, I'm sorry. I didn't me-" She backed up, looking at his shocked face, grabbed the food and coffee and stalked out the door. Shit, she thought. Shit damn fuck.
She was right. It was only nine. Earlier than the diner usually closed. He stared after her. Flipped the sign to closed. Turned out the lights, and went to sit on the floor, head against the wall. The street light threw its glare into the diner. Lorelai would be back the next day, she might be nervous and taciturn. Would avoid looking into his eyes for a few weeks. Or she'd bring it up right away. Apologize and say it was just an impulse. Probably fear of being alone after Rory left. And then she'd leave. He'd pretend that was fine. He wished she'd never kissed him. Now he was past denial and would just have to pretend. He closed his eyes, rubbed his head and took his hat off. He loved her. How would he be able to agree that it was a mistake?
Starts now. He stood up, flipped the sign back, put his hat on and turned the lights on again. It never happened, and anyway he wouldn't have to see her again at least until tomorrow. That wasn't a good thing, but in this case it was better.
"Why the hell would you need coffee this late at night."
"Because, if I dont feed the addiction, withdrawal will eat at me and deprive me of sleep. My body demands caffeine."
"You realize how skewed your logic is, right?"
She merely smiled.
"I'm fine, Luke, and how are you?"
He rolled his eyes. "You come in here late at night just because you know it'll be empty and you can bug me full time, right."
"Well, Mr. Danes, I need food for my lovely offspring."
"I offer to give you food but you always refuse in favour of grease."
He walked over to an old couple who'd just walked in for dinner.
"Luke! You forgot to take my order!" She cried out, laughing, as she snuck behind the counter and grabbed the coffee pot.
"Hey!" He cried, walking back a moment later as she finished pouring a cup. She scurried back to her seat. "That's what you get when you don't serve your customers, Luke."
"whaddya want?" He muttered, moving the coffee pot further away from Lorelai.
"Two burgers, to go. And coffee. Four coffees."
"Just you and Rory?"
"Well ..."
"No coffee."
"Fine. Just two coffees. Both for Rory, Luke."
"Knowing you you'll drink them both before you get home and tell her I refused to send any."
He walked away, and she sipped her coffee, looking out the window at the night's stragglers and the soft glow of the streetlight. Luke brought food to the other customers, and went back into the kitchen, returning a moment later.
"Lorelai -" He wanted to ask her how she was, after the fears of the other night, but didn't quite know how.
"How's Rory? Haven't seen her much today."
"Oh, she's fine. Studying like a maniac as usual. Doubts about Dean."
He grunted, approvingly, but refrained from stating his Dean dispproval.
"Luke - Have you ever ..." She paused, not knowing where the words came from but the night was so silent and dark, and he was right there in front of her, she wanted to talk to him.
"What?"
"Nothing," she smiled, and gazed out the window, sighing."
"Have I ever what?" He insisted, suspicious and wondering if she was upset about something. He refilled her coffee cup, not thinking.
"Well, I mean, we've known each other a long time and ... Have you ever thought about ... us ... dating? I mean just thought about it, not wanted to ... or ... anything."
He turned around to put the coffee pot back in place, keeping his voice a monotone. "Have you?"
"Sure," she said, surprised, "We've known each other a long time, it's natural. Not that I - I mean just a few times, it'd be the same with anyone, right?"
"Yeah." His confusion and fear contained, he kept his face expressionless.
"So ... have you?"
"Yeah. It's normal."
She wanted to bang her head on the counter, and couldn't quite remember why or how she'd started this conversation but his face had suddenly shut her out completely, and he went back into the kitchen. Oh shit.
He brought out her burgers. "How much coffee will Rory want?"
"Two cups." He raised his eyebrows.
"All for Rory?"
"If you only give me one it might not make it all the way to her."
"Fine."
She lingered as he poured the coffee, trying to think of a way to get things back to normal instead of this fluttering nervousness and fear surrounding them.
Luke watched the coffee falling into the cup, very deliberately not looking in Lorelais direction. She'd made it clear any thought of dating him was fleeting, frivolous. She was probably asking because she was afraid he had feelings for him, and if she detected any would avoid him for awhile to let him get over them. As much as he told himself the feelings would go away, another part of him knew for certain that they wouldn't. He kept a straight face, thinking to change the subject.
Lorelai took another gulp from her mug, hiding her confused face. He didn't want to talk about it, he was embarassed. Because she was making a fool of herself and he didn't feel the same way. Okay. God, this was stupid. New subject.
"Luke? More coffee?"
"Jesus, Lorelai" he scowled "I just poured some into a to go cup. Satisfy yourself with that. Are you planning on sleeping at all tonight?"
"Well, I need enough energy to tear Rory away from her studying and make her entertain me."
"Poor kid."
"Well, she can't kick me out like you can."
"Small miracles."
A moment's pause.
"How are you? I mean - last night you ..."
She smiled. "I'm fine. Although if you keep reminding me ..." She wagged her finger at him. "And, yes, I'm still trying to like Jess. He reminds me of when I was the 'bad kid', though. I guess I still am, in my parents' eyes." She sighed. "I'm glad you're giving him a chance, really. He needs someone to show him support."
"Well it's not easy. I don't think he's as terrible as everyone thinks he is, but he's so damned secretive it's hard to know."
"And you're setting such a great example of communication and openness for him to follow, Luke."
"I didn't say he had to talk about every damn thing in his life. Just the things that seem suspicious."
"Oh, come on, if you were in his position I bet you'd be the same way ... hey, what *were* you like in high school?"
"Lorelai -"
"Butch -"
"Shut up." He'd walked around the counter and placed the coffees in front of her, so Lorelai stood up to leave.
"C'mon, Butch ..."
"No."
"Have a lot of girlfriends."
"We're closed. Get out."
"It's only nine!"
"Out."
"Give me more coffee."
"No."
"I'll tell you about my high school days."
"That wouldn't take much prompting."
She grinned at him, at his flashing eyes, annoyed yet humoured. A trace of a smile on his lips, he stood there staring at her. She paused, nearly spoke, and before she knew what she was doing, leaned at him hard and kissed him fully. She felt his hand tentative at her waist as he leaned into the kiss. Suddenly, she pulled away, her face twisted in horror. "Oh, God - Luke, I'm sorry. I didn't me-" She backed up, looking at his shocked face, grabbed the food and coffee and stalked out the door. Shit, she thought. Shit damn fuck.
She was right. It was only nine. Earlier than the diner usually closed. He stared after her. Flipped the sign to closed. Turned out the lights, and went to sit on the floor, head against the wall. The street light threw its glare into the diner. Lorelai would be back the next day, she might be nervous and taciturn. Would avoid looking into his eyes for a few weeks. Or she'd bring it up right away. Apologize and say it was just an impulse. Probably fear of being alone after Rory left. And then she'd leave. He'd pretend that was fine. He wished she'd never kissed him. Now he was past denial and would just have to pretend. He closed his eyes, rubbed his head and took his hat off. He loved her. How would he be able to agree that it was a mistake?
Starts now. He stood up, flipped the sign back, put his hat on and turned the lights on again. It never happened, and anyway he wouldn't have to see her again at least until tomorrow. That wasn't a good thing, but in this case it was better.