Chapter 5- Timing the Chase
"Why?" Colin says staring at Finn from the couch, confused.
"Yeah why? I just got off the phone with All-Commanding Huntzberger, I can't stay sober." Logan replies as he walks out of his room towards the alcohol. Why do I even bother? Damn privileged upbringing and dependence.
"When have I ever left us sober, honestly mate, you don't even make us question how you got into Yale." Finn states as he plops himself on the recliner.
"Like you're any better." It's not my fault my father decided my major and my actual performance means nothing as long as it's not openly displayed. I would work if I needed to.
"I'll have you know I got a 1560 on my SATs." Finn says proudly, chin in the air.
"Who'd you cheat off of?" Colin accuses half-heartedly.
"Some adorable redhead, screamer, but that is beside the point." Finn nonchalantly provides, waving the matter away.
"Okay, what were the plans and why do we have to change them?" Logan says as he joins the two in front of the television, drink in hand, grabbing the remote from Colin.
Finn turns to Logan pointedly. "For you to finally commit to the lovely Miss Reporter Girl. And she has a date, not with you."
"Date?" Date?
Finn and Colin decide to take on the response together. Colin begins: "Yes, a common practice around these parts,"
Finn seamlessly continues: "a sort of mating ritual"
"Involving food,"
"Movies,"
"Forced conversation,"
"And with luck snogging and a rendezvous in the bedroom. Surely you've heard of it?" Finn closes while snagging the remote away form Logan.
"Rory has a date? Who had the audacity to ask her out? Everyone knows we're together." Would she really do that? Why? It must be a pity thing; she's too nice sometimes. Maybe the bartender is back in town. Yeah, that's it, a pity date with the bartender.
"Ah, but you are not." Colin points out.
Finn accentuates this point and his with a jab of the remote. "This is true; she insists that you two are casual, although anyone can see you're both madly in love with each other."
"I do not love Ace." Logan says finishing his drink, getting up for a new one. She just invades my brain, that's not love.
"Sure you don't. Just keep telling yourself that." Colin says while rolling his eyes and condescendingly patting Logan on the back.
Finn follows suit and rises off the chair, turning off the TV. "Anyways, we must now go off and interrupt the duo and set everything, as it should be. Gentlemen, let's move." With that he grabs both Colin's and Logan's arms and leads them out the door, placing Logan's glass on the table as they pass.
"But drinks, me, lose memory." Logan resists while longingly reaching for the scotch. Good time for a moonshine.
"All in due time, do not worry. Although we cannot waste time at the Pub, Rory knows we're going to look for her so she wouldn't go to our usual." Finn says, mostly to himself.
"But my beloved Pub." Colin pouts.
"We may not be going to the Pub, but that does not mean any other bar is off limits, and we know how she eats so we have time to find them." Finn reassured them.
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Back at Rory's Rory is dressed and ready, no outward stress, at 7:58 when there is a knock at the door.
"Oh, Tristan, right on time." She says while opening the door to let him in. Good boy Finn, at least let me get to the date.
"Yes, and Mare may I say you look ravishing tonight." Tristan comments while openly checking her out and kissing her hand. I cannot tell a lie. And Huntz gets her whenever he wants but refuses to commit, idiot. If I had the chance…
"Thank you Mr. DuGrey, you don't look so bad either." Rory looks down, inconspicuously eyeing Tristan in return, and blushes slightly. Blue, how special. He's practically in his Chilton uniform; let's just hope he won't act like it.
"That's all I get a 'not so bad'? I was thinking sexy, at the least."
"You're close; I'll give you that." Oh so very close.
"Oh, be still my heart, the kindest thing you have ever said to me." Tristan dramatically brings their entwined hands to his heart.
Rory hastily retracts her hand and grabs her coat. "Chill with the theatrics, I'm hungry, let's go."
"As the lady wishes. My car is this way." Tristan bows and follows her through the door.
"Oh, good, a car. We'd be in danger if we went somewhere in walking distance." Rory casually comments.
"And why is that?" Tristan inquires.
"Finn just left with this look of planning in his eyes, which cannot bode well for any being in the near vicinity." Let the games begin. I give you fifty minutes Finny; let's see what you've got.
"I understand, now let's go." Tristan nods.
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Rory daintily wipes the corner of her smiling mouth, looking at the table covered in empty platters. "That was delicious."
"And that's only the appetizer; wait until you try the manicotti, truly amazing." Tristan responds, amused by her actions. Missed a spot.
"How did you find this place?"
"Oh, just something I came across one day. Actually, Paris's cousin owns it."
"The one she took to the formal?" Why do I even remember that? Am I trying to say, hey remember when I thought you were a total jerk and you decided to pick a fight with Dean? Ugh, why am I so bad at this dating thing?
"Yeah, he would be the one." Tristan nods. I'm not that jerk anymore, don't even bring it up.
"Why does he own a restaurant?" Thank you.
"Why else? To piss off his folks." Thank you.
Rory nods. I should have known. Didn't Logan say his dad hadn't called in a while? That can't bode well. "Of course. Now you what were you saying earlier about military school?"
Tristan leans back in his seat. "Hmm, I believe I was telling you about the early runs. Yes, every morning at five I had to wake up and run four miles."
"There's one of those in the morning too?" Rory says wide-eyed in mock shock.
"Yes, but that's not the story. Anyway, after initiating a food fight in the mess hall one day, childish I know, but it had to be done, I and a few others were punished by being put on the four am run for a month. This was in conjunction with the five am run, true torture. The second day into the run we decided to change up the route to go by the girls' bunks. To our surprise and good fortune there were several who tended to forget to close the curtains while changing." Oh, Melissa, why were you forced into uniform everyday?
"Ugh, Tristan, you perv." What a shock, anything for a peek.
"Quiet Mary, I'm not done. After the month was up I decided it was only right to repay the lovely ladies for what they gave me and went to roll call the next day wearing only my dog tags. My plan was to stay that way all week, for who wouldn't appreciate looking at the fine specimen of man that I am, but the sergeant threatened to get rid of the most regal part and I dared not risk what it could restrict me from doing with you later on." That was terrifying, but completely worth it.
"Tristan!" Rory blushes profusely. Do you have to be so blunt?
Tristan shrugs. "What? It's the truth." It's only a matter of time.
"So nice to know I impacted your life so deeply." Rory responds sarcastically.
Tristan mumbles as the waiter brings their food. "You have no idea."
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Finn approaches the bar after scouring another restaurant. "Okay, one more, this chase is getting ridiculous."
"That it is." Colin agrees. "Why am I even here?"
"Because we're your only friends, you love us, and Logan needs to get Rory away from DuGrey."
"Wait, she's on a date with DuGrey? I thought Tristan was in California."
"Nope, he's here." Finn says signaling the bartender for a refill.
Colin shakes his head. "This isn't going to be pretty."
Finn takes a sip. "That's why I'm going with the band-aid approach, no reason to prolong the inevitable. Where's Logan?"
"Chatting up the waitress to give him a stronger drink." Colin points towards the other end of the counter.
Finn gets off of his stool and goes to Logan. "Ugh. Come on mate. Logan?"
"Drink." Logan says waving his glass around.
Finn takes it while nodding as if to pacify a moody toddler. "Yes, I know. But right now we have to move on mate. I promise we'll get you a good pint there."
Logan crosses his arms. "Fine. Just don't talk about Alaska. Or toast. I don't like toast today. Too boring for Rory. Hey where's Ace? I thought we were getting together tonight." I could get her some pop tarts. She loves pop tarts. And I love her. Wait, no I don't.
Finn turns to Colin as they lead Logan out the door. "How is he more drunk than I am?"
"Could be because you've barely had more than one glass a stop or because he's still denying his love for Rory."
Logan gets free of their grasp and starts running around wildly looking behind, around, and under everything around. "Ace. Ace? Where are you? Peek-a-boo. No, hide and seek. You hide. Five-four-three-two-one, here I come."
Colin sighs in defeat. "Let's get him."
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Tristan takes a minute to lift his chin off the ground and stop laughing. "No! I can't believe it."
"Oh yeah, and then she decided that we weren't experiencing Spring Break correctly and we had to follow Madeline and Louise's example and kissed me. She didn't even do it for a drink or to get in, which is what they did it for." Rory explains.
"Oh, to have been there…"
Rory swats at his arm on the table. "Stop with that. Anyway, I was completely disgusted and then this guy I'd been flirting with came up and asked if I wanted to join him and bring my 'girlfriend'."
Tristan nods. "I would have done the same thing. Your cheeks must have been so red from blushing." It must have been a beautiful blush; all the way to your feet.
Shaking her head Rory comments, "Pigs. All men are pigs. It must be the Y chromosome."
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After a bit of difficulty Finn and Colin are able to guide Logan into the Italian restaurant. "Okay, here we are. Keep Logan quiet." Finn says, moving away to look around.
"Why do I? You're the one who initiated this chase."
"Therefore I am in charge and command all subordinates, namely you." Finn replies, taking on a royal air.
"Damn your logic."
"Oh, you love it."
"Sadly. Hey, I think part one is now complete."
"You see Rory? Where?"
"Yes, and since I spotted the target first, you have relinquished control to me. You must baby-sit Logan."
"You suck." Finn pouts.
Colin smiles at him. "You love it."
"Sadly, let's go."
"Oh, no. Only I get to say that." Colin says, putting his hand out to stop Finn. After a second, "Now, let's go."
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Rory looks down at her watch as Tristan walks off to the restroom. When she looks up Finn and Colin are sliding in across from her. "Finn, you're losing touch, I was expecting you twenty minutes ago. Getting old?" At least you can't scare Tristan away now, if I haven't yet it can't happen.
Finn takes offense. "Never! Plus blame the two-year-old over there; we're lucky he hasn't gotten us arrested tonight."
Rory glances over to Logan who ended up by the bar. "Why is Logan so drunk?"
"Mitchum." Colin deadpans.
Rory shakes her head and looks at Logan with curiosity. "That's worse than a Mitchum drunk, there's something else in it." I've never seen him this bad. Close, those times Jess came to visit and I had to cancel on him, but never this bad.
Colin and Finn decide to answer together, Finn waiting in his subordinate position. "Denial."
"Of his love for you." Finn concludes, looking at her.
Rory rolls her eyes. "Ugh, stop that. Anyway, here comes Tristan, now shoo."
Tristan approaches the table with a smirk firmly in place, briefly glancing at the guys. "Well, Mare aren't we the popular one. McCrea. Aussie." Tristan nods to each in turn.
"DuGrey." Colin replies with a nod.
"Yankee." Finn says plainly while reaching for Rory's soda.
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A/N:
The real one! I hope it wasn't disappointing. Did anyone notice that I rhymed? And I'm aware that I made Logan a bit too infantile, but please at least find it entertaining.
The next chapter will have troganness, I promise.
Hit that little button, I know you want to.
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Shout-outs:
LoVe23, Jersey Jae, Emily, frackandbonechick, TristenLover, riotgirllina, FairyGirl07, thshali, finnlover, brown-eyed-beauty87, princetongirl, rscpqx, Sea4Shoes, Danger1Zone1988, maxmouse23, rockrose, softly-descending, fireXglory, paulanka1, IcEaNgEl998
Thank you all so much. Any ideas, send 'em in.