Summary: Post-BNACAP. Rory and Logan are only friends, right? At least they think so. It's safer and simpler this way. But not for long once Rory listens to those pesky inner denials and Logan doesn't listen to those pesky rich guys he calls his best friends.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Gilmore Girls; they are property of the WB, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Hofflund-Polone and Dorothy Drank Here Productions.

A/N: I am all about the Rory/Logan pairing and this is my first effort at a fic for them. I started this on a whim and have a vague idea of where it's going. I'd appreciate any feedback. The story title's from a song of the same name from The Perishers.

Nothing Like You and I

Chapter 1: The Safety of Friendship

They had fallen into a comfortable pattern of friendship; well, it was more like an acquaintanceship combined with a teasing banter that, to the untrained eye, appeared to be a very odd mating dance. They knew better however or thought they did. Logan had discovered Rory wasn't nearly as high-strung as he had previously assumed and she found out he could be taken down a few notches with the proper administration of her sharp and witty barbs.

Both thought any romantic intentions were out of the question, it would just be too complicated. Logan knew her type. She was the commitment, 'you boyfriend - me girlfriend' kind of girl. He knew if he started anything with her, he would have to be all in. While she certainly was an appealing girl, he was just not the 'all in' kind of guy. This Rory knew. She also knew he was not like previous guys she had dated. He was a suave womanizer who had a line of willing girls the size of the Tri-County Area waiting on him. So clearly, he wasn't her type and vice versa. Besides, Rory certainly wasn't ready to jump into any relationship so soon after the mess with Dean. Friendship was the name of the game now.

That's why when Logan saw Rory waiting patiently in line for her morning caffeine fix, he didn't hesitate to sidle up to her with a friendly greeting. "Morning, Ace."

"Geez, Logan! You scared me." Rory chided as she slapped her former irritant/prank adversary on the arm. He was always finding idiotic ways to get under her skin, despite their newfound civility. And while she was still half-asleep, he was annoyingly chipper. And smiley, which revealed his adorable dimples. No, that too, was annoying she concluded. It was a crime that he was so awake at the bright hour of nine in the morning.

"I figured that since you jumped about three feet in the air." He grinned and slid the barista a crisp ten after they placed their orders. He met her protestations with a debonair wink and steered her away from the kiosk. "Don't worry about it, it's my treat."

"Thank you. At least you're good for something."

"Glad to be of service." He watched in amusement as she reverently took her first sip in a manner that seemed dangerously sensual. The way she licked her lips and moaned softly in appreciation. Definitely hazardous, he decided. He adjusted his collar and observed her from the corner of his eye, inwardly chuckling. He doubted she knew how enticing she was at that moment. And he doubted she would like it if he was ogling her during her morning coffee ritual, so he opted to move the conversation along. "So where are you headed?" He had a few guesses considering she was ultra-studious and dedicated. Her coffee fix had been sated, so that was out of the running.

Rory opened her eyes and loosened her death grip on her cup. "Where do you think? Tomorrow's deadline and until the final copy's on the way to the printer, we are all helpless to Doyle's despotic dictatorship."

"Aren't we especially dramatic and alliterative this morning?"

"I'm naturally that way. It's a gift." She smiled as they stopped in front of the Yale Daily newsroom. "Are you coming in?"

"Please, my presence in that room would only cause Doyle to have an aneurysm. He doesn't need any added pressure, wouldn't you agree?" He reasoned with a lopsided grin that was known to weaken even the most unsympathetic female's knees.

Rory rolled her eyes and shooed him away. "Such a cop out. Fine, Huntzberger, run away before Doyle catches sight of you."

"That was the plan. Hey, some of us are having a pub night, are you in?"

She considered the offer. After his prank in her Philosophy class and her retaliatory engagement prank, they had come to a truce of sorts. Hanging out with Logan and his group had become more and more frequent, leading Paris to dub her as 'another one of Huntzberger's groupies.' Although she bristled at that description and had initially written Logan's group off as elitist snobs, she was realizing that they weren't half bad. They were even strangely entertaining at times. She shrugged and took a sip of her drink. "Maybe…it depends."

He raised an eyebrow. "On what? Knowing you, you're probably on top of all your studies, ahead actually. And I'm sure sniffing the entire works of Dickens' can wait another night…"

She shot him a harsh glare, which he ignored with an obnoxiously baiting smirk. "Bite me."

"Just tell me where. I do have a few creative suggestions if you're open to it."

"Eww, go ooze that smarm on someone else, I'm immune."

"So, what's the verdict, Ace? A night of drunken debauchery or bookish boredom? Note the intentional use of alliteration, that's got to be worth something with you…" He cajoled in a wickedly persuasive voice.

"Ehhh, what time?" Rory surrendered, albeit grudgingly. She knew he was grinning triumphantly without even looking at him.

His brown eyes gleamed, obviously satisfied with his ability to ultimately convince her. "Nine. We'll stop by your dorm and pick you up."

"Gilmore, I can see you! Get your ass in here! We have an urgent deadline, you know!" Doyle's voice loudly interrupted their farewells.

"Guess that's my cue to leave. Nine tonight, Ace." He gave a small wave and then disappeared into the throng of bustling students.

"Where are we going, Logan? The pub's that way." Finn whined. Loudly. He had no grasp on appropriate voice levels.

"I have to agree with Finn on this one, he could lead us there blindfolded." Colin chimed in.

"I did once."

"I don't remember that."

"That's because you were so hammered you couldn't even walk, mate. Seth was practically carrying you. Don't you remember? That was the night Stephanie brought along her boyfriend at the time…what was his name?"

"Rick Andrews." Logan supplied helpfully as he led them into the Branford dorm.

"Yes, that was the fellow. Terribly beady eyes." Finn remarked.

"That was the least of his problems."

"Now Colin, no need to be so bitter."

"Shut up Finn. You were the moron who introduced him to Stephanie in the first place."

Logan just shook his head and knocked on Rory's door, hoping Paris wouldn't be the one to answer.

"This door looks familiar."

"It should. You've met the girl who lives here several times." Logan sarcastically reminded, glancing at his taller Australian friend.

"Have I slept with her?"

"No, Finn, you haven't. Though you've offered every single time we've been out with her. She hasn't said yes once." Logan responded. If Rory did ever sleep with Finn…well, that was one development he didn't want to think about.

"You have slept with the girl who across the hall over there." Colin gestured. "And her roommate."

Finn grinned proudly. "Why I've been a busy, busy boy. Naughty, but busy."

The door swung open and Rory exited quickly, shoving them out of the way. "Hey guys."

"Awfully pushy for a little thing."

"Hello to you too, Finn. Paris is on the warpath tonight…Doyle did something or the other. I was just making my escape before she decided to practice her 'I hate you, Doyle' speech on me."

"Excellent self-preservational instincts, Ace." Logan stated, appraising her appearance. She looked particularly alluring this night in tight jeans and a formfitting red top.

"Thanks, Huntzberger. I guess I did learn something from you this morning when you ran at the first sight of our esteemed editor."

"I'll have you know Huntzbergers do not run away." Logan retorted, invading her personal space with his leering posture.

Her senses were overwhelmed by his sudden closeness, the faint scent of his cologne and the feel of his arm up against her own. She stepped back slightly, managing to remain unaffected. "Didn't look that way this morning."

Finn's voice calling to them interrupted the verbal battle that was shaping up between them. "Save the flirting for later, you two. Alcohol waits for no man, come along."

Logan cleared his throat and began walking. "Come on, Ace. You don't want to get in the way of Finn and his beer."

Preview of Next Chapter:

"Just checking. Are you jealous?" He studied her reaction closely, not really sure why he was so interested.

Rory swallowed her drink quickly. "What! No!"