Rudy Can't Fail #6

"Stop laughing!"

Jess held back a grin. "Who's laughing?"

"You are," Luke snapped as he carried a box into the apartment.

Jess shook his head, and smirked. "I'm not. I'm not laughing."

"Stop, Jess."

Jess cracked into a full smile. "A hotdog costume?"

Luke rolled his eyes and looked around the small, empty apartment. "Where do you want this?"

Jess shrugged. "Just set it down. I'll find a place for it later."

Luke nodded and set the box on the wooden floor. "I'm really proud of you. This place is nice."

Jess gave another shrug and looked around. "Small."

"But sanitary. With plumbing. And some different rooms."

Jess nodded. "I guess so."

"Where'd you come up with the money for this?" Luke asked.

"Worked," Jess muttered.

At that moment, Lorelai stumbled into the apartment, carrying another box. "My god! How many flights of stairs was that?!"

"A bunch," Luke replied. "It's good for you."

"No," Lorelai argued. "Back massages are good for you. Chocolate is good for your complexion. Climbing flight upon flight of stairs, carrying heavy boxes is not good for you!"

Jess took the box from her and blinked. "This isn't heavy."

"Says you, Mr... Big Strong Man... Man!"

"You didn't have to do this, you know," Luke told her.

Lorelai sighed heavily. "You've helped move Rory into school two years in a row... I figured I could repay you by helping you move Jess into his new place... but I didn't know there were so many stairs!"

Jess smirked and shook his head. "I'm gonna go check out the kitchen."

"Oh!" Lorelai cried. "Let Luke come with!"

Jess blinked back at her.

"When he hits his head on the inside of the stove, he makes funny noises," She explained.

Luke glared at his girlfriend.

Jess gave another smirk. "He does, doesn't he?"

"I do not!" Luke protested.

"You remember when the oven was busted in your apartment?" Jess asked.

"I didn't make funny noises."

"Did."

"Shut up."

The door opened again, and Nadia zoomed in, carrying a couple of boxes. "Chinese food and beer!"

Luke blinked. "Since when are you old enough to buy beer?"

Nadia shrugged. "They didn't card. I think it's the cleavage."

Lorelai snickered. "That'a girl."

"Since when do you condone underage drinking?" Luke asked.

"She's twenty and living on her own," Lorelai pointed out. "I'm not saying it's right, but it's normal."

Nadia smiled brightly and set the food down on the floor on her way over to kiss Jess hello. "Love the place."

"Thanks," Jess nodded. "I like it, too... beats the hell out of the mattress on the floor."

"What did you do with that thing?" Luke asked.

"Left it," Jess replied. "Todd wanted it."

"Ew," Lorelai and Nadia voiced.

"Come on, let's eat," Jess said. "I'm starving."

"You look it," Lorelai commented. "You look like a cross between a child from a third world country and a heroin addict."

"Thank you," Jess replied.

At that moment, Lorelai's phone rang, and she pulled it out of her purse. "Scuse me, kids." She flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Mom!" Rory's voice replied. "You would not believe-"

"Oh, honey, I'm in the middle of something," Lorelai told her. "Can we talk later?"

Jess rolled his eyes, and Luke smacked him upside the head, the resounding slapping sound was quite loud.

"What was that?" Rory asked.

"Nothing," Lorelai replied quickly.

"No... I know that sound... I remember that sound... that's the sound of someone smacking... That was Luke's hand smacking Jess upside the head!"

"What... what makes you say that?" Lorelai asked nervously.

"Because Luke always smacked Jess upside the head. What is Jess doing in Stars Hollow?"

"I'm not in Stars Hollow, Rory," Lorelai replied, trying to stay pleasant. "Luke and I are in New York, with Jess and his girlfriend, helping him move into a new place."

"What?"

"Rory..."

"Since when does Jess have a new girlfriend?" Rory asked.

"Why does it matter?" Lorelai asked. She walked out of the apartment, and stood in the hallway. "Honey, Jess is Luke's family. They've been talking a lot..."

"So that means you have to talk to him, too?" Rory asked, obviously upset.

Lorelai sighed. "It's no big deal, Rory..."

"You know how I feel about Jess!"

"But this isn't about you, Rory, this is about my supporting Luke, who really cares about Jess!"

"So, what? You're choosing Luke over me, now?"

"Of course not! What does this have anything to do with you?"

They stayed on the phone in silence.

"It has nothing to do with me," Rory said quickly. "I don't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry."

"Okay..."

"I have to go."

"Rory..."

"Bye, Mom. I love you."

"Love you, too," Lorelai replied, and hung up.

"Don't start, Jess," Luke warned.

Jess shrugged. "You don't get the feeling that Rory's just dragging Lorelai around?"

"Jess..."

"I don't drag you around like that," Jess told his uncle.

"That's because I don't let you," Luke snapped.

Nadia sighed and sat back on the floor. "It seems weird that she would get upset over this..."

"If it's not about her, she gets upset," Jess said. "That's the way she's always been. I knew that even when I was dating her."

"You didn't seem to mind then," Luke pointed out.

"I was a stupid, enamored kid," Jess replied, scooting closer to Nadia.

Luke nodded. "And last year?"

"An emotional wreck," Jess shot.

Luke sighed. "Just... keep it to yourself when Lorelai comes back in."

Jess nodded.

Lorelai rushed back in and sat down next to Luke. "Sorry about that."

"Sokay," Luke smiled. He handed her a carton of Chinese food. "She okay?"

"Mm," Lorelai replied, picking up a pair of chopsticks. "She's fine."

Luke nodded and dug into his tofu and vegetables.