Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything up to Jews and Chinese Food is fair game. Past that, it's just where my mind takes over.
Teaser: When Rory and Logan's arrangement goes prematurely sour, his friends take it upon themselves to intervene. Sequel to Keeping it Casual
Story Title: Nothing A Good Friend Wouldn't Do
Chapter Title: How's It Gonna Be
Logan walked into Rory's room and flopped onto her bed, listening as the clicking of keys never even slowed during his entrance. She continued as he let out a sigh and rolled up onto his side to look at her.
"Hi."
"Hey," she said, looking down at her notes briefly as she continued her typing.
"You know, generally when someone comes to see someone, the person receiving the visitor stops what they're doing to find out why their guest has come."
"I am trying to get caught up on all the work I missed last week. I'm almost done. Besides, you never actually need anything when you come to see me."
"That's not true. I always need something when I see you," he not so subtly informed her.
"Well, if your reason can't be relayed in verbal form, you should come back tomorrow—I'm busy," she spoke stoically, not to be swayed.
"I'm getting a frightening glimpse of what it might be like to be married to you."
Rory stopped typing and turned to look at him with a smile on her face. "Fine. What can I do for you, Logan?"
"Should I be as terrified as I am right now?"
"Yes. Now, speak," she laughed.
"I was just wondering why I'm getting interrupted every time I try to study by people RSVPing to our little shindig."
"Well, your number was on the invitation."
"You're so going to pay for this. Do you know the conversation I just had with your grandmother?"
Rory giggled and walked over to him. She slid onto the bed, causing him to have to move over to accommodate her as well. "What did she say?"
"It wasn't her comments, it was more the endless questioning."
"You have to cut her off at the pass. Tell her you were studying and you'd see her Saturday, then hang up as quickly as possible."
"I tried that!"
She patted his arm. "It takes practice. You'll get better at it."
"Well, I just hope you never catch on to my tactics," he raised his eyebrows at her as he rolled her over onto her back and settled himself down on top of her, barely resting his weight into her.
"How did you get in here, anyway?"
He kissed her briefly before answering. "Paris is home. She has been remarkably happy to see me lately."
"Her opinion of you is on the rise. She used to think you were a self-serving rich frat boy with no morals."
"Ouch."
"Now she thinks of you more as the charming mischievous frat boy whose deviant ways can be straightened out a bit by my influence."
"Does she now?"
"Yep," she smiled before kissing him, not really wanting to talk about Paris.
"She's coming, by the way."
"Well, I had to invite her. All who would be affected by our plans, we decided."
"Your father called, as well," he brushed her hair back off her neck.
"Oh."
"He's coming. He referred to me as the 'creep who was feeling up his daughter in the coat room.' He said to tell you he can't wait to see you."
Rory nodded, and turned her head to look at her computer. She hadn't really expected her father to be able to come at such short notice, since he'd have to find a babysitter and all of that.
"You okay with that?"
"Yeah, I am. I just hope he keeps his behavior in check around Mom. And vice versa."
"I'm sure it will all be fine. Hey, what about Friday?"
She looked back up at him. "What about Friday?"
"We should start looking for places. Leases will be up soon, and we need to find a place."
"Oh right. Finding a place. I guess that will make living together easier."
"Sort of. I don't think you want to live with me and the guys. And I certainly never want to share a roof with Paris. In fact, I'm glad I don't even share a building with her."
"She's not that bad. And your friends love me."
"That is the first in a list of reasons I wouldn't want all of us to live together."
"Where's your sense of adventure?"
"Far away from Finn's ability to walk in on you in the shower."
She shook her head as she laughed at him. Her expression turned serious yet again after another kiss from him, and she bit her lip in efforts to get him to notice her pensive state of mind.
"Whatever it is, don't worry about it," he said, moving further down to pay affection to her neck.
"It's just, shouldn't we at least tell our friends what's going on, so someone will be able to back us up?"
"They'll back us up on the spur of the moment. Trust me, it won't be a first time occasion. We've gotten into a lot of trouble, not to mention out of trouble together, many, many times."
"As comforting as that is, this isn't trouble," she defended.
"Let me rephrase. We've made more than one authority figure upset with us, and still talked our way out of it, with much less information on the situation. Our friends know us, and they know the situation."
"I know, but," she sighed, wishing they had a better game plan than to just announce their plans to a room full of family and friends who would run the gamut of emotional reactions upon hearing said plans.
"It's going to be fine. It's not like we're going to have a press conference to answer questions after the announcement. We're having a celebratory party to share our good news with the people we love."
"That's our story and we're sticking to it?"
"You're starting to catch on, Ace."
"But what if," she began, but was quickly silenced by his lips on hers, not willing to let her worry about this anymore. The plans were set, it was going to happen. She needed to just live in the moment, and it was his pleasure to get her to learn to do that as often as was possible.
XXXX
"You're going to get a cramp."
"Shush, or I'll lose my train of thought."
"God forbid," he mocked, as she furiously scribbled her thoughts onto the legal pad. They'd seen four different apartments, and she'd taken detailed notes on each one. Her pro and con lists for each were staggering, enough to make him dizzy. And he'd seen each and every detail with his own eyes.
"So, the one on Main has better closets, but the one of Elm, it had an amazing kitchen."
"You don't cook."
"True, but given a good kitchen, I could learn."
"But where would your shoes live?" he teased, having seen the inside of the Gilmore stove on his visit a few weeks ago. He'd never contemplated a stove as a shoe storage device before.
"You need to take this a smidge more seriously," she rolled her eyes at him.
He took the list from her hands, under the pretense of studying it, but held it behind his back instead. She opened her mouth to protest, but he shook his head.
"Ah, ah, ah. Now, just hang on. Let me try something, and if it doesn't work, we can use your lists."
She crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her right leg, making her left hip stick out, completing her stance of defiance. "Fine."
He smiled at her and nodded. "Good. Now, close your eyes."
She complied, but didn't change her stance. She wasn't going to give him complete satisfaction after having pooh-poohed her lists. No one mocked the lists without being punished.
"Now, picture yourself after a long day of class, ready to come home and take care of your man."
Now her faint smile turned to a frown, which caused him to laugh. "I'm kidding. You're all ready to settle down and study for hours on end. Don't know what got into me there," he teased.
She raised her eyebrows, as if threatening to open her eyes.
"Now, where do you see yourself doing all this at?"
She was quiet for a moment, and he studied her reaction. She gave a true smile, then opened her eyes. "I like the one on Main."
"Excellent."
"Do you like it?"
"I like anywhere you're going to be," he answered honestly, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders to give him a hug. He kissed her cheek, and stepped back as she could feel her arms drop and go for her lists.
"Let's get rid of these, shall we? They are obsolete now, after all," he tested.
"It can't hurt to just give them one more go over, can it? Back up our decision with cold, hard facts? Huh?" she gave her sweetest smile.
"You're hopeless," he gave up, handing the lists back over to her, as she gleefully flipped through the pages as he pulled out his cell phone to call the leasing agent.
XXXX
She came into the back room, which had been set up for a large group. It was by no means anything fancy, just a gathering room at the back of the local pub. They didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea and jump to conclusions—they figured there would be enough of that going on as it was. Logan came in right behind her and stopped beside her.
"Finn and the gang just pulled up outside."
She nodded. "I'm glad they're the first ones here. What was the final head count?"
"Sixteen, including us."
"Everyone's coming?"
"Why does that sound like a problem?"
"No, no problem. Probably best, huh?"
"It's going to be fine."
She nodded as he kissed the side of her head. She slipped an arm aournd his waist, and he turned them both toward the main doorway as they heard a voice greeting them.
"Dear Lord, you aren't going to start all that so soon are you? Wait til we get some drinks down our palate first, won't you?"
"No alcohol tonight, Finn," Rory said, her face remaining completely straight.
"What? Logan, tell me she's kidding," he looked to his friend in desperation.
Logan smiled and gave Rory a soft pinch on her hip. "She's kidding. Though it was funny."
"There is no humor in sobriety," Finn informed them, before turning to find a waiter.
"Ah, yet another Finnism," Colin said, sitting down next to Jill. "So, give it up kids. Gilmore pregnant or something?"
"Excuse me, young man," came Emily Gilmore's voice from the doorway, sounding none too pleased.
Colin sat up straighter in his chair and Jill pinched him hard on the leg as Rory blushed furiously and made her way to greet her grandmother.
"Ignore him, Grandma," she hugged and kissed her grandmother. "Where's Grandpa?"
"Parking the car. Quite a charming place you've chosen," she said stiffly.
"It's a Yale hang out, and we knew everyone would be able to find it," Logan stepped in and shook Emily's hand.
"Well, that's true, I suppose. So, tell me Rory, what are we all gathered here for?"
"We're going to make our announcement when everyone's here, Grandma," Rory assured her. Emily's face lit up at the words 'our announcement,' but Rory held her tongue.
Slowly people trickled in, Rory feeling comfortable when Lane came walking in with her mother and Luke. Everyone had come indeed, with Christopher even toting GiGi along. Everyone was chatting quite animatedly, though the air was mixed with excitement and paranoia. Once everyone had ordered food, Logan stood up in his place next to Rory and clinked his half empty glass with a knife.
A silence fell over the crowd, as everyone's attention except Finn's was directed toward Logan.
"Finn, leave Lane alone," he instructed, causing the girl to blush harder while Finn extracted his arm from around her shoulders. Shaking his head and sighing, Logan looked up to Lorelai before looking to his father.
"So, I'm sure you're all anxious for us to tell you why you've been summoned here today. We appreciate everyone coming on such short notice."
"Cut to the chase, Logan," his father instructed, sitting back in his seat, still holding onto his scotch.
He felt Rory's hand at the back of his leg, as if lending her support. Her own eyes were locked on her mother's, who already knew what this was about of course, but like Mitchum feared there was more behind the moving in together scenario.
"Rory and I have decided to live together, starting after finals. We found an apartment yesterday, and we wanted everyone here to know and to celebrate the good news."
A stunned silence kept the crowd quiet. Rory and Logan both looked over their friends and family, as if to check for vital signs.
It was, of course, Paris who found it impossible to remain quiet a second later.
"Are you two insane?"
