Disclaimer: It's not mine. Consider it disclaimed.
A/N: Okay, so I was really against everything but Trory and JavaJunkie fics, but then I saw this one episode of GG. It was a rerun and all, but it was the one where Rory meets Logan. I started doing a little happy dance, cause Logan is like Tristan all over again. Yay! The whole "Master and Commander" exchange was great. I'm also taking artistic license here. In my world, Tristan was big on giving jewelry and other expensive stuff to his girlfriends at Chilton. He also hasn't told quite everyone about his Mary, just most people. Anyhow, here's the fourth chapter in my It Was All For Nothing story. Let's go to the story to see what Tristan's gonna do to fix his screw up…
Chapter Four: Her Coffee, His Towel
When Rory woke up the next morning, she couldn't recall what had put her in such a bad mood. Then she remembered. Tristan. Tristan, who had been so nice and… un-Tristan like lately. Tristan, who had told her she hadn't been a friend, just a conquest. Rory sat on the edge of her bed to ponder this. First of all, why did she care so much? She'd always known he was just trying to get her to go out with him because she wouldn't. Why did that knowledge suddenly make her unhappy? Secondly, why had he spontaneously reverted to Evil Tristan? She liked nice Tristan; Rory was slightly surprised to realize. She'd thought they were friends. But then he'd said that… and he'd smirked while he said it…
"Rory, there's something here for you." Paris sounded amused, calling from the living room.
It had to be something interesting if Paris were amused, Rory figured, so she dragged herself out of bed. "What?"
"Umm…" Paris pointed. Sitting on the kitchen table was a brand new coffee maker and a bunch of exotic coffees. There was also a note. Rory picked it up to read.
Rory,
I'd like to explain to you what I meant. Call me: 555-3032
Spawn of SatanRory glared down at the piece of paper in her hand, then looked at the coffee maker. Her gaze flicked between the two for a few minutes. Finally she picked up the phone and dialed the number.
"Hello?"
"…" Rory didn't say anything.
"Hello?"
"I'm waiting. Explain."
"Rory?"
"Who else?"
"Oh. Ok." Tristan sounded slightly exasperated. Not that she blamed him, of course. She was being deliberately annoying. Why, she didn't know. Her musing on that topic came to a halt as Tristan launched into something he'd obviously practiced a few times.
"Ok. First of all, at the beginning, you were just a conquest. Then, I realized you weren't interested, so I tried harder. And then I realized I'd rather have you as a friend than have you hate me. So yes, I nicknamed you because you were a girl I was trying to date, but that's not what you are anymore. And secondly, I didn't mean for it to come out that way. I'm really sorry that it sounded like that."
"You do realize that if you ever say anything like that again I'm going to be forced to do something drastic. Like lock you in a room with Paris." Rory's voice was very matter-of-fact.
"So I'm forgiven?"
"It's a start. Thanks for the coffee." She hung up.
Paris stuck her head out of her room. "That wasn't very nice of you. And I'm not even talking about threatening him with me. I mean, he was really sorry. Come on, he bought you a coffee maker. And you weren't very polite to him."
"And you are suddenly an expert on relationships because…?"
"I can tell, ok? I've known Tristan since we were in diapers. You knew him too. Think about it. Would Tristan have given you anything if he weren't sorry?"
"Yes," Rory said shortly. Paris had a moment of realization. Rory must have seen Tristan giving gifts to girls at Chilton. Girls he dumped, all of them. That would explain why she had been so hesitant to take the PJ Harvey tickets and why she was being all weird now.
"Ah. Well, it's not jewelry. It's not something disgustingly expensive or hard to get. It's something he knew you'd like. THAT is not normal for him. Think about it." Paris sent one more glare in Rory's direction and went back to her book.
Rory made herself a cup of coffee with the new coffee maker (and she had to admit, it made good coffee). She curled up on the couch with The Phantom of the Opera, the original book, but she couldn't focus on the beautiful story. She sipped slowly at the elixir of life she held in her hands, and thought about how out of character this was for Tristan. Well, out of the character she used to know. It was in character for the person she'd thought he'd become. Which is what confused her. He kept having moments where he slipped back into ET, but he seemed to make an effort not to. Ack. It was too much to think about. She forced her gaze back down to the mystery in front of her. She'd figure it all out later. Much, much later.
Tristan, meanwhile, was glaring at his phone as though it was the source of all evil. It wasn't Rory he was mad at, it was himself. He leaned back in his desk chair and closed his eyes. One hand came up to run through his already messy hair. If only he hadn't been such a stupid idiot. While he couldn't think of anything else he could have said instead, he was mentally kicking himself for letting himself get into that situation in the first place. He could have come up with another explanation for the nickname.
He stood up, pushing his girl troubles out of his head, and headed for the shower. When he was through, he wrapped a towel around his waist and proceeded back to his room for clothing. However, his progress was impeded by a knock at the door. Not really caring that all he was wearing was a towel, he went over to answer it.
"Hey, can we… oh, god." Tristan found himself looking down at a very shocked, blushing Rory.
"Like what you see, Mary?" Tristan wanted to slap himself. That sentence had jumped out without thinking.
Rory, on the other hand, was sort of frozen. She'd resolved that she was going to be less touchy about things like that. However, her resolve was being tested sooner than expected. So, she did the only thing that made sense to her fogged brain. She flirted back. "Yeah, looks like military school did do you some good." She poked Tristan in the abs and walked past him to sit on his couch. She could see his jaw drop and she inwardly grinned. That had been totally unlike her and yet, oddly satisfying. She'd made HIM uncomfortable, instead of the other way around.
Tristan pulled his brain back together and asked, "Did you actually have a purpose in coming over here?"
"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you. In person. And it was ridiculous to use the phone when you're on the floor."
"Okay… I'm gonna go put some clothes on, I'll be right back out."
He made his way into his room and started pulling clothes out of the drawers automatically. Rory had flirted back. AND she'd poked him in the stomach. And now she wanted to talk. Tristan couldn't figure her out. One minute she's saying she hasn't forgiven him yet and the next she's in his apartment acting like… well, sort of like a feminine version of him. The world was getting way too complicated. He finished dressing and headed back out to the living room.
"You said you wanted to talk?" He sat down on a chair and looked expectantly at Rory.
"Yeah. Umm... I wanted to say I understood what you meant by 'the girl I wanted to get', and I'm not sure why I flew off the handle like that. Also, I wanted to ask you why you gave me a coffee maker? I mean, most people just say sorry."
"Well, I said I was sorry, and you got in a cab." Tristan was glad she was having a civil conversation with him. Knowing Rory and how she could be when she was mad (Mr. Medina, 'nuff said), he was surprised that she was letting him off so easily.
"Well, yeah, it's just…" Rory couldn't find the words to describe it. "Why? I mean, you aren't my boyfriend. I'm also pretty sure you don't think I'm the type of girl who will do anything for presents."
Tristan decided to be perfectly honest. "Look, if I thought you'd forgive me for a present, it would have been something like jewelry, something expensive." Chalk one up to Paris, Rory thought. "But I know you aren't that type of girl, so I bought you something you'd like to show I was serious when I said I was sorry. It wasn't a pointless fight, you had every right to be mad at me and I felt guilty. That's why."
Rory smiled tentatively. This whole situation had unnerved her. "Well, ok, then, we're good?"
"Yeah, we're good." Tristan couldn't help smirking.
"Ok. See you later." Rory got up and headed for the door. She opened it and narrowly missed getting hit in the face by the young man who was about to knock. "Sorry. Did know you were there." He stepped aside and she left to walk down the hall. He turned to look at Tristan.
"Who was that?"
"Rory Gilmore."
"Really? She your flavor of the week? She certainly fits the profile."
"Sam, we're just friends."
Sam grinned. "Oh, really?"
A/N: Ok, the significance of Sam will be explained next chapter. I've got a definite plan for this story, it's all written down. My other stuff will be put on hold for the most part until this story is finished. I'm going to finish my fics one at a time, but I might post the odd other chapter here and there. Also: I'm still going to post one shots if the plot eagles attack. See? I'm going to be responsible and finish a major fanfiction. It'll be another nine, maybe ten chapters after this one. Review!