(For disclaimer, etc. - see 1.)

22. Mistletoe and Wine
Characters/Pairings: Luke/Lorelai|
'Verse/Timeline: canon - Season 3
Date: December 2002

"Here," said Lorelai, pushing a glass into Luke's hand, only for him to stare at it like an unexploded bomb. "It's for drinking," she told him, as if he were slow.

"I know that," he told her, rolling his eyes. "I don't usually drink real champagne."

"Well, you're in luck, this is knock-off champagne." Lorelai grinned at him. "Now, wish me a Merry Christmas and drink already," she said, holding out her glass.

"Merry Christmas, Lorelai," he dutifully intoned, even managing to find her a smile as she repeated the sentiment back to him and the glasses clinked as they met.

"Mm, good stuff," she said happily.

"Yeah, just great," Luke replied, though the look on his face told a different story.

"Wow, you really hated that," she said, giggling as she removed the now-empty glass from his hand. "Here, let me get you a beer."

"It's fine, really," he told her, waving away the offer. "I'm not gonna be here long. It was just... well, Jess wanted to see Rory, that much was pretty obvious."

"And he needed an escort?" Lorelai checked, trying not to be as amused by that as she actually was. "Seriously, I thought he was tougher than that."

She didn't even mention she was pretty sure Jess had already snuck over once today.

"Come on." Luke rolled his eyes. "He knows you're not his biggest fan," he said, looking around, presumably to check Jess and Rory were still safely in the living room and not listening in. "I think he thought if he just showed up here there'd be... I don't know, a confrontation."

"It's Christmas, Luke," she said, shaking her head. "I'd be a little nicer than that, today of all days."

"I know, but... well, he didn't say it, but it was pretty clear he wanted to come over. I said I needed to talk to you and maybe he could come with. Problem solved."

"And now he and my daughter are smooching on my couch. Not exactly the way Jesus intended for us to spend Christmas."

"And you think wine, cookies, and a movie marathon was what God intended? 'Cause I think I missed that part in Sunday school."

"You went to Sunday school?" Lorelai checked, wondering if her eyes were as wide as they felt in that moment.

"Only while my mom was alive," said Luke defensively. "Now, I'm gonna go remove my nephew from your daughter and get out of your hair before-"

"Huh," said Jess as he and Rory appeared from the living room. "We interrupt something?" he asked, looking between Luke and Lorelai.

"What would you be interrupting?" his uncle asked crossly.

Rory giggled. "You guys do know where you're standing, right?"

Lorelai opened her mouth to deny it, but she had already noticed her daughter's eyes travelling upward and belatedly remembered where the mistletoe had ended up this year - right over the heads of herself and a certain diner guy. Luke looked up too, then turned to face Lorelai, an unreadable expression on his face. She tried for a smile, pretty sure she failed at it, and then began to say it didn't matter, when suddenly Luke was that much closer and planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Lorelai," he told her, the moment over before it had hardly begun as he yelled at Jess to get his butt in the truck already.

"Yeah," said Lorelai, a little overwhelmed, but smiling anyway. "Merry Christmas."