Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls, Lord of The Rings and Hildago don't belong to me.
New Neighbours
Chapter Sixteen: A
Testosterone Match
Rory was nervous. She felt like some sort of basket case, with her heart pounding, her hands shaking and starting to feel very clammy. She tried to reason with herself, telling herself that this wasn't a big thing, not at all. But her treacherous body was not listening.
It was Friday night, a whole 30 minutes before Tristin was supposed to show up at Tank. Rory had been here for almost an hour, setting things up and making sure everything would be perfect for when Nikki got here. And everything had been going perfectly until she got time to sit down and think; because instantly her thoughts went straight to the fact that Tristin would be there soon. It'd hit her like a cold shower and made her whole night tilt to the side, everything going askew. But it wasn't even like Tristin coming to Nikki's party was something she'd been unaware of, she'd invited him personally. She just hadn't realized how very important tonight would be. This could be after all their first date…
Rory growled almost at how annoyingly frustrating this whole thing was. She couldn't believe she could really be having her first date with Tristin and not even realize it until minutes before he shows up. They'd been hanging out together, being 'cute and couple-ly' as Lilly had put it, since the day she'd asked Tristin about Nikki's party but still Rory and Tristin hadn't had the talk. The subject had definitely come up but with Rory's amazing topic changing skills, she'd managed to get away unscathed without answering any questions. But it wasn't like she didn't want to talk about it because she did. Talking about Tristin and her relationship with him was something that always put a smile on her face and made her really happy. But ever since that day it had started to slowly bring along different feelings, like the not so pleasant gnawing in her stomach and complete nervousness. She was really happy with her and Tristin's relationship and she just didn't want to ruin it by outright demanding if she could call Tristin her boyfriend or not.
"What's up with you?" Lilly asked Rory after watching her stare at the same spot on the wall for ten minutes straight.
Rory jumped at her question and pressed her hand to her chest. "Jeeze Lilly!" she exclaimed turning around to face her sister, who looked very amused. "You do know what they say about sneaking up on people like that, right?"
Lilly shrugged and folded her arms in front of her. "No, what do they say?" she asked, curiously.
Rory frowned and rubbed at her neck with her hand. "That you…shouldn't," she said, distractedly.
"Clever," Lilly said, nodding her head and breaking out into a huge smile. "So, how excited are you about your date with Tristin?" she asked eagerly, looking like she was about to start jumping up and down.
Rory frowned and jumped up off the chair she'd been sitting in. "You knew this was a date?" she asked, kicking herself for her naivety.
Lilly looked at her blankly for a moment. "Uh, yeah," she said pointedly.
"Well you could have told me!" Rory exclaimed, starting to freak out.
"Tell you?" Lilly repeated, her tone questioning. "Rory I thought you knew! I mean you asked him."
"I know that!" she exclaimed stopping her foot like a little girl throwing a temper tantrum. Slowly she calmed herself down and sat back on the chair, resting her chin in her palm. "This isn't fair. How come everyone realized this was a date before I did?" Rory complained, pouting.
"Do you want me to answer that?" Lilly asked, completely amused.
"No…Oh my God!" Rory exclaimed, bringing a hand to her mouth to cover it.
"What?"
"Do you think Tristin knows?" she asked quietly, like she didn't really want to voice that question.
Lilly looked at her sister for a second before placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Do you want the truth?"
"No…" Rory pleaded.
"Then no, he's just as oblivious as you are!" Lilly cried happily.
Rory laughed at her exuberance and narrowed her eyes on lily playfully. "Liar," she accused, sending them both erupting into a tirade of laughter even though neither understood what was so funny.
---
The party had been in full swing for about twenty minutes when Rory finally saw Tristin's familiar blonde head appear in the front door. She quickly signalled to Lilly and they made their way through the crowd to meet Tristin and Blake.
"Hey guys! Glad you could make it!" Lilly yelled as she sidled up close to Blake and threaded her fingers through his free hand, his other one grasping a small present.
"Hey Blake," Rory greeted him, smiling sweetly. "You can put the present on the back table."
"Thanks," he said and motioned his arm out. "I'll be right back."
Lilly was quick to step in front of him, her hand on his chest and holding him steady. "Hey wait a minute you were late, mister. Time to repay me for those twenty minutes," she told him happily.
"Well what do you have in mind?"
Lilly grinned evilly and started walking backwards, bringing him with her. "A dance," she said before pulling him into the crowd.
Rory had been watching her sister from over her shoulder and she couldn't help but let a wide smile grace her face when she turned back to see Tristin. She couldn't remember them both ever being this happy. "So, you were late also bucko."
Tristin smirked and stepped closer. "Are you going to punish me Mary?" he asked sultrily.
Rory didn't let onto how much he was affecting her and stared him straight in the eyes. "If I do to you what you're thinking," she breathed and moved just an inch closer to him. "I don't think I'd be a Mary anymore."
Tristin laughed. "True, very true," he commented.
"So, what did you get her?" Rory asked, almost bubbling over with excitement.
Tristin cocked his head to the side, raising an eyebrow in the process. "And you're not going to tell her?" he asked suspiciously.
Rory gasped and placed her hand over her mouth. "And ruin her birthday surprise?" she questioned, like it was unheard of. "I can't believe you think so low of me."
"Wouldn't matter anyway, she told me what to get her," Tristin said off handily.
"And you listened?" Rory asked, starting to walk with him towards the tables off to the side.
Tristin pulled his hands up into a surrendering position. "Hey! She told me there would be dire consequences if I didn't get it for her!" he defended himself, sitting down across from Rory.
"Well what'd you get her?" Rory asked.
"Lord of the Rings trilogy," he told her, making Rory almost choke she was laughing so hard. "What's wrong with that?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said, giving him an apologizing look. "It's just, those movies were the reason I went to see Hidalgo."
"Why?" Tristin asked, confused.
"Viggo Mortensen," Rory told him simply, as if it explained everything. "Peter Jackson so owes me seven dollars!"
Tristin laughed at her reasoning for a moment and the two of them continued talking. They were both shocked at how comfortable they were around each other, no fumbling for words or awkward silences. Rory couldn't help but thinking how right it felt to be with Tristin, no matter how corny that sounded. She didn't understand how the second she saw Tristin it was like all her doubts melted away and all that was left was this happiness she didn't think she'd ever felt before. She'd been so completely worried about being alone with him, having to talk to him and all that but it seemed that his mere presence calmed her.
"Uh, hey, do you want to dance?" Tristin asked, kneading his fingers into his thigh as he waited for her answer.
Rory looked up at him, shocked at first by his timid request but then let a smile spread across her face and nodded her head. "Sure," she said and placed her hand in his outstretched one and let him lead her out onto the dance floor. Lilly, Rory and Maddy had all put down money so they could rent Tank for the night, for Nikki's party.
As Tristin and Rory stopped in the middle of the dance floor, Rory caught sight of her sister dancing with Blake just a few feet away and they smiled secretly at each other before returning their gazes to their respective dates. Rory willingly went into Tristin's arms, waiting as the song ended and slower ballad boomed out through the speakers. Rory smiled into his eyes before letting her head drop down to his shoulder and closed her eyes, thinking nothing could be better then swaying to the soft chords of this romantic love song in Tristin's arms.
The two of them stayed on the dance floor for the next couple of songs but were going to get something to drink when they ran into Nikki who was dancing with Alex.
"Hey Rory!" Nikki exclaimed happily, instantly going to hug her and thank her for the party for the hundredth time that night. "Hi Tristin," she greeted him when she pulled away and went back to Alex.
"Happy birthday Nikki," Tristin told her, watching as her whole face lit up at those words.
"Thanks! God, you know I love my birthday!" she exclaimed. "Another whole year of me!"
Rory laughed at her friend's antics and had to wonder if she wasn't just a little drunk already. "So Nik, I know you're not here with Alex. Who's the lucky guy?" she asked, looking around as if trying to spot him.
Nikki waved her off. "There is no guy," she told her. "I'm flying solo tonight and am going to entertain myself with many other single guys!" she cried very hyper and then wagged her finger at Rory. "Not all of us can be as lucky as you!"
"What do you mean?" Rory asked, even though she would understand if Nikki had no clue what she was talking about.
"Well we don't all have beautiful, blonde boyfriends!" she explained, pointing at Tristin who swelled up with manly pride at that.
Rory, who felt her cheeks redden at her assessment, poked Nikki in her shoulder. "Nikki!" she scolded but her friend said nothing as she fell into a fit of laughter.
Alex, who had so far resigned himself to stay silent, was now trying to hold Nikki up as she started laughing even harder. "My sincerest apologies," he told Rory and Tristin. "She's just a little…hyper."
Rory raised an eyebrow. "Hyper?" she questioned, not believing him. "Cause it looks to me like she's drunk."
Nikki suddenly stopped laughing and stood upright. "I am not drunk!" she cried indignantly, even as she shuffled on her feet, swaying to the side.
Tristin, who was watching Nikki with peculiar fascination, turned to Rory and snaked his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "So, rumour has if that I'm your beautiful, blond boyfriend," he told her, puffing his chest out.
Rory groaned and pushed him away from her and turned to Nikki. "Great, look what you've done now!" she exclaimed in mock anger, doing nothing to refute Tristin's statement. "As if his head wasn't already big enough!"
Nikki gasped and brought her hand up to her mouth as she hiccupped. "Sorry," she mumbled through small giggles.
Rory shook her head. "How am going to survive this night now?" she asked no one in particular but a voice answered her from behind.
"I'd recommend a plate of French fries dipped in mayonnaise…but maybe you've moved on from that already?"
Rory turned around, coming face to face with a smirking Joel. She felt her shoulders tense and anger start to boil in her veins at his sudden reappearance into her life, especially when everything seemed to be going perfect. "What are you doing?" she asked bitterly.
Joel held up his hands in a surrendering position. "Hey put down your guns officer!" he said sarcastically. "I'm only here for the party."
"Funny, I don't remember inviting you," Rory mused, tapping her finger against her chin in mock thought.
"It's not your party," Joel pointed out.
Rory laughed out loud and looked from Joel to a now serious Nikki. "Wow you must think I'm really stupid, saying that Nikki invited you."
"Well if the shoe fits," he exclaimed, pushing his hands into the pockets of his coat and rocking back and forth on his heels.
Tristin who had been watching the interaction in silence now leant into Nikki. "Who's the guy?" he asked, suspiciously.
Nikki tugged Tristin down closer to her and whispered into his ear quietly so no one would hear. "That's Joel, her ex-boyfriend."
Tristin nodded his head and straightened up again. He looked over the guy who was still talking to Rory, trying to see what Rory had seen in him. To Tristin he looked, well actually a little creepy but that was something he would never admit to out loud. Other then that he seemed like a total jerk and Tristin had an instant dislike to him. Of course the fact that he was Rory's ex had nothing to do with that…
"So, Ror what's with the ken doll?" Joel asked, finally nodding over towards Tristin who glared at him.
Rory looked over her shoulder at Tristin and smiled reassuringly, noticing the expression he had on. She reached over and grabbed his hand, pulling him to her side. "This is Tristin, my…" she trailed off not really knowing what he was.
Tristin squeezed her hand in his and levelled his eyes with Joel. "Her boyfriend," he finished the sentence for her, wanting to let the guy know that she wasn't single anymore.
Rory smiled happily when he said that and she pulled on his arm, bringing him a little closer to her. Rory then turned to look over at Joel and let her expression turn a little sour. "Listen Joel, why don't you just leave? I really don't want to get into anything," she told him evenly.
Joel shrugged her off. "Why would I do that?" he asked. Walking over to Tristin, he kept his strong gaze before walking over to a table where he picked up a bottle of beer. "Not when the gangs all here."
Rory rolled her eyes at his statement and turned around to watch him pop the top of the bottle off with the corner of the table. "No offence or anything Joel but you're not part of the gang anymore."
"Never really were, actually," Nikki told him, loving being able to let out her real feelings for him without Rory glaring at her like she used to when they were dating.
"Aww thanks Nikki, you really know how to make a guy feel welcome," he said sardonically. "By the way, happy birthday."
Nikki rolled her eyes. "Thanks," she said dryly.
Rory coughed to grab Joel's attention. "Listen Joel you've had your fun, why don't you just leave?" she asked, motioning over at the door.
"Oh I've had my fun?" he questioned, setting down his halfway empty bottle and walked closer to Rory, letting his eyes skim over her body, ignoring the glares Tristin kept sending him. "I don't think I have," he told her.
"Really? Well then what do you want?" she asked him, her patience starting to wear thin.
"Nothing really," he told her, leaning down and grabbing her free hand. "Just a dance."
Rory's eyes went wide and she yanked her hand back like he'd burned her or something. "You're off your rocker, Joel," she told him bitingly.
"Maybe," he agree but grabbed her hand again. "But you dance with me and then I'll leave."
Tristin quickly stepped in and pulled Rory's hand away from Joel's, jealously and anger spreading through his body. "Listen buddy why don't you just go," he told him, pushing him back just a bit.
"Ooh!" Joel called, his brown eyes lighting up. "Looks like Rory's got herself a big strong protector!"
Rory had been shocked to see Tristin come to her defence. She'd known he was mad, could see it in his eyes but now she knew he was probably jealous to. "Joel just leave!" she yelled at him but not to loudly, not wanting to make a scene.
He looked at her and nodded. "Fine! Fine!" he exclaimed. "I'll see you around, Rory," he said.
"Yeah right you will," Tristin scoffed, watching Joel turn around and walk to the door and then disappear.
The group of four stood around together in an awkward silence before Nikki took action and grabbed Alex's hand. "Let's go get something to eat," she said and dragged him off.
Rory sighed and brought her hand up to massage her temples before turning around to see Tristin who hand his hands nervously stuck in his pockets and looked a little guilty. "Hey, so you done now?" she asked, her voice half serious and half amused.
"Done what?" he asked, faking innocence.
"With the testosterone match?" she questioned.
Tristin looked at Rory and sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair and messing it up even more. He dropped his innocent act and came closer to her, grabbing her hands in his. "Hey, listen…" he started but was cut off when the room was suddenly filled with the pounding beat of some heavy metal song.
Rory laughed at the situation a bit and motioned over at the back door. The two of them pushed through the crowd of people and finally made their way to the parking lot behind Tank, which was mostly deserted of people except for a few hanging out by their cars. Rory leaned back against the building, listening to the now faint music before she turned to face Tristin.
"Question?" she asked and Tristin nodded his head in response. "Did we revert back to caveman times and I just didn't notice?" she asked, clearly finding the situation more amusing then serious.
Tristin, who had fully expected her to start in on him for acting all jealous, let confusion mar his features. "What?" he asked.
"Tristin, you almost threatened Joel," she told him, pointing at the club. "I think you're…"
"I'm not jealous!" Tristin interrupted her, lying in his defence.
"Oh you're not jealous?" Rory pondered. "I don't think I would really want to be around you when you are."
Tristin sighed and let himself fall back against the brick wall behind him. "I'm sorry, Rory," he apologized, knowing that there would have been no way for him to win whatever battle of wits they would have gotten into.
Rory stood beside him smiling happily. "Well I guess I can let this slide," she told him, pretending to think about it a lot. "I do like the fact that you are jealous. I've never made a guy jealous before," she said, starting to get a little bit more excited.
"I find that hard to believe," Tristin scoffed as he looked over her.
"Just don't make a habit out of it!"
"I won't, I promise."
"Good," Rory concluded.
"Fight over?" he asked.
Rory looked at him for a moment before she shrugged him off. "What fight? Cause I wouldn't call this a fight, merely a…disagreement of sorts."
"No fight?" He looked at her for confirmation and she nodded her head. "Wow! How lucky am I!"
Rory shook her head. "It wasn't really a fight anyway because...well there was no yelling at all. But if I don't call this a fight then when people ask when our first fight was, I don't have to say 'Our first date,' and they don't have to be all 'And you made it this far?'"
"This far? How far are you picturing us going?" he asked, amused by her rambling.
Rory was silent for a moment, staring at something out in the parking lot before she turned to face Tristin again and had a smirk painted on her face. "Sorry, I can't share that information with you. I don't tell secrets to guys I have disagreements with on first dates."
Tristin laughed. "How convenient!" he exclaimed before he pushed himself off the wall and moved closer to her, invading her personal space, not that Rory cared at all. "You know Mary, you've got me thinking."
"Oh boy," Rory mumbled, rolling her eyes.
"I think you want to go out with me again," Tristin stated, smirking evilly.
Rory raised an eyebrow and blinked up at him a few times. "Oh you do? And how confident are you in that assumption?"
"Oh I'm pretty confident. I'd have to go with 50/50," he said, stepping just a couple inches closer to her.
"50/50?" Rory repeated and then scoffed. "Well, so much for this epic romance."
Tristin's smirk grew and he let his hand trail up her arm, staring into her eyes. "I think you like me Mary," he accused.
"I do," Rory told him, nodding along but with a grave expression on her face. "But don't worry. I'm already being studied and doctors are trying to find a possible cure!"
Tristin laughed at her wit, another thing he loved about her. He slowly let his laugh die down until they were both silent, inches apart from each other and both with smiles on their faces. Tristin slowly brought his hand that was still trailing along her arm, up to her jaw cupping it and pulling her closer. He watched as her gaze drifted down to his lips before floating back up his eyes and in return Tristin dipped his head closer to hers. The moment before their lips connected, Tristin watched Rory's eyelids flutter closed and he copied her action.
The kiss was soft and sweet, barely there. Their lips brushed across each others in gentle caresses, leaving them both yearning for more. Tristin let his lips linger on hers longer than ever before as everything else seemed to drift away until it was only Rory and him, and nothing else. Soon the kiss turned more intense, as Rory wound her arms around his neck and pulled his body closer to hers so they were now touching. Rory could feel the warmth of his body seeping into hers; she was so close to him she could feel the rise and fall of his chest against her own.
As the two of them slowly broke apart from each other, Rory let hers eyes open and met his piercing blue ones. She didn't know what was happening between the two of them, she had never expected it at all. But, right at that moment, looking straight into his eyes she felt her heart constrict with a flurry of emotions she'd never felt before. And buried under all those feelings was a love she wanted to let run its course.
---
I want to thank everyone for the reviews, you guys are so amazing! I wanted to answer a question that I have been getting a lot lately, which is why I'm reposting this story chapter by chapter. The reason is because I'm reading through each chapter and making a little bit of changes because I made them older, so I had to make sure all the little things balanced out.
Anyway this chapter was actually inspired by a review so I really want to thank Jeez for her inspiration!
Please send feedback for this chapter…I live off of it!
Hugs
and Kisses,
-Ella
