`*~ These Are Days ~*`

Author: Genevah

Rating: R

Pairing: Rory/Jess

Disclaimer: I claim to own nothing.

Summary: Tweaked 'Teach Me Tonight' to my own likings. *Warning. Insane amounts of fluff o'nutters in this story… please read with caution* Oh… and it's definitely a Literati, anything else would be uncivilized!

A/N: I've revised some chapters… just makes me feel better. They're subtle changes, mostly in the writing, not necessarily the storyline.

Rory walked in on Jess in the process of putting his shirt on with his back towards her. She felt her cheeks grow a little hot and quickly thought about running back downstairs.

"Rory," he greeted her after turning down the music.

Damn.

He wondered how long she had been standing there. "Have you been here long?" He asked pointing to her frozen position in the doorway.

"Oh… no. No. I just walked in. Just now." She babbled.

He liked when she got all flustered. Her pale cheeks color with a beautiful shade of pink and her eyes seem to get bluer.

He smiled at her, easing her embarrassment. He assumed she caught him shirtless. Was Rory that innocent? Or maybe that was just Rory being Rory. She was cute nonetheless.

He must have just gotten out of the shower because his hair was damp and he smelled clean. She watched as he put his socks on, and then walk towards the fridge. He took something out.

He turned to her to and saw that she was still standing in the doorway. He smiled at her silliness.

"Coming in?"

"Oh…" She would've hit herself upside the head if she could.

"You want one?" He offered her a can of Red bull.

"Yeah, I've never tried it before." Her mouth grew little dry from the sight of seeing Jess without a shirt. Even though it was just his back… but what a back it was.

"It'll probably do nothing for you since you're already a caffeine freak." He teased.

"Thank you, I appreciate that." She smiled sweetly as they both took a seat at either end of the table.

He liked that about her… how she can be so proud of her own crazy addictions.

He shook his head at her. "It'd be like drinking water. You drink like what… a total of ten cups of coffee a day?" He joked.

"No… only six." She said matter-of-factly.

His smile suddenly turned into a frown, remembering seeing her and Dean together downstairs, being friendly.

"So, you and Dean back together?" He asked casually. Cursing himself inside, he couldn't believe that just came out of his mouth.

"What?" She was a little surprised. That question came from nowhere.

"You and Dean. Are you back together?" He managed to ask evenly. He couldn't help himself, he had to know.

"No, why would you think that?"

"No reason." He replied. He stood up and walked over to his dresser. His face remained unreadable as he put his Nixon watch on.

"Jess…," she walked up to him, "tell me." For some freakish reason she wanted him to give her some kind of indication that he didn't like seeing her with Dean. Any indication to prove that what Lane said earlier was true.

"It's nothing'… I just wasn't aware that you and Dean were chummy again."

"We haven't been chummy… we aren't chummy." She felt the need to explain. "He just came in the diner to get something to eat on his break and he saw me sitting at the counter and the next thing I know he's sitting, having lunch with me."

He smiled. "Rory you don't have to explain-"

"I'm not explaining." She quickly disagreed. "I was just letting you know… if you cared to know… that we… that Dean and I aren't chums."

"Okay." He nodded.

"We were just having a simple 'hi, how are you' type of conversation."

"Okay." He nodded again. It was music to his ears. He needed that clarification.

They were silent for a while, neither knowing what to say next. Both found it difficult to look at the other. Rory awkwardly gazed down at the floor and anything else before meeting his eyes again.

The feelings of wanting to kiss Rory seeped into his veins. It was something that had happened quite frequently as of late. He would never act upon it… yet anyway. She had this aura about her that was so angelic and innocent. He didn't want to taint her. Plus, there was that little known fact that she had recently broke it off with her boyfriend of two years. She probably didn't want to jump into another relationship so soon. Much less with him.

She caught herself looking at his lips, loving the way he smiled that crooked smile.

"So… were you going somewhere?" Rory questioned, hating the uncomfortable silence and hoping he didn't notice her staring at his lips for too long.

"Yeah."

Rory couldn't help but look disappointed and when she caught herself, she played it off with a smile. But Jess saw it.

"You wanna come with?" He asked, putting his sneakers on.

"Oh... um, yeah okay. Where were you going?" She asked, following him out the door to the apartment.

"Down to that new music store they just opened up."

"Oh, I've heard about it, from Lane actually. She said they've got some pretty cool stuff in there."

"Really?"

"Yeah… she went on about these drums she saw. She was completely enamored by them. She had one of those revelations where she saw the drums and they were surrounded by this bright heavenly bright and you hear those angelic voices singing "Ahhh". And that's when she knew she was destined to be a drummer.

"Huh. What about her mom?"

"That was my first thought too, but we're talking about Lane here. When she sets her mind on something, she can certainly find ways to get what she wants. She even went so far as to strike a deal with Sophie, the owner of the music store. She's letting Lane secretly practice the drums there on Wednesday and Friday nights and in turn Lane will be at Sophie's beck and call. Kind of earning her keep. Her mom would never allow, much less buy Lane drums. She thinks that all music, with the exception of Christian music of course, is the root of all evil."

"Huh. I thought your mom said I was." He half-joked.

Rory shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Give her time Jess." She said in all seriousness.

Her mom did need time. She needed time to lessen the hate for Jess breaking her daughter.

He saw the sincerity in her eyes. She had ways of making him feel good with the simplest gestures. It was nice. "Think I should turn on the charm?"

"Ha. I don't think so. Not yet anyway. Your charm is… one of a kind. Not for the light-hearted."

"Hey what's that supposed to mean?" He said, mocking an offended look.

They stopped short by the counter.

"I'm out." He told Luke.

"Wait Jess."

"What?" Jess never failed to use his annoyed tone when talking to Luke.

"I need you to work the dinner crowd tonight-"

"It's Sunday Luke… my only day of rest." He mocked.

"Jess."

"I have plans."

"Doing what? Taking the balls out of the computer mouses at school."

Jess' eyes opened wide, seriously contemplating that idea.

"Jess." Luke warned, pointing to Jess with a deadly finger.

"Plural… computer mice." He corrected.

"What?" Luke had little patience for this kid.

"Mouse singular form. Mice plural form. Therefore, not computer mouses, but computer mice."

Luke ignored him. "Be back by five. Caesar has to leave early."

"Fine." He called out. He and Rory already out of the diner.

They had an unspoken agreement to take the long route to the music store.

"Why do you talk to Luke like that? I mean… you're so sarcastic towards him."

"Look Rory. Luke and I have a completely different relationship from what you and your mom have. It's how we operate." He smiled at her. "This is how we show our love." He mocked.

She smiled doubtfully.

"Deep down, he loves my sarcastic wit…," he leaned in closer to her, "just like you." His smile was evil. He was teasing her.

She rolled her eyes at him and shoved him away from her.

He fell back in to step with her again.

'**~// Back at the diner later that day \\~**'

Rory was sitting at a table in the corner reading, waiting for Lorelai to get off work so they could have dinner together. Jess decided to take a short break and pulled up a chair across from her.

"So… how's the book."

"It's reeally, reeally good."

"That good huh." He enjoyed watching her read, she always looked so content.

"Yup, I'll let you borrow it when I'm finished." She said, not needing to look up from her book.

The diner bells jingled and they both looked up to see Lorelai walking in.

"Well, this was fun.... " They both smiled at each other as he got up and Lorelai sat down. "Good evening Lorelai, can I get you some coffee?" He said in a smart ass way.

"Do you even have to ask?" Lorelai glared.

She stared at her creation sitting next to her. "So… I didn't get to talk to you this morning." She looked closely at Rory. "Is there anything you want to tell me?" She questioned warily.

"No."

"Huh… are you sure? I mean think reeally hard."

"Um… no, I'm sure."

"Okay."

Jess brought their usual orders over. They ate in silence, with Lorelai looking at her daughter skeptically. She put her fork down.

"So Joanie, what time did Chachi leave last night?" She asked abruptly using her stern voice.

"What?" She said guiltily, she knew the jig was up.

"I fell asleep on the couch last night and I wasn't able to boot Jess out. What time did he leave, and don't fib me missy, I know all and see all."

"Okay, okay… we fell asleep when he was reading to me."

"Uh-huh… " She pressed, still waiting to hear what she didn't want to hear.

"He left around three thirty."

"Rory! You cannot have the resident bad boy sleeping in your bed at three o'clock in the morning."

"I know… it was an accident. I'm sorry."

There were a few minutes of contemplative silence.

"Are you having sex with Jess?"

"Mom!"

"Hey. It's a valid question."

"I'm not even dating him. How can you ask that?"

"Okay… I admit that was a little uncalled for. But Rory, I have the right to ask. You two slept together in the same bed. Jess was in your bed… with you in it."

"I told you, we fell asleep reading. We didn't plan it."

"Alright."

"You know I wouldn't-"

"I know."

"Then how could you ask that?"

"I was going on motherly instinct. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

"Okay."

"Okay… so we're good."

"We're good." Lorelai confirmed. She petted Rory on the top of her head. "Just don't let it happen again."

"Promise. So how'd it go with Sookie and the risotto?"

"Sookie's in the hospital."

"What?! Is she alright?" She said fearfully.

"Yeah babe, she's gonna be fine, just some minor burns on her hand."

"Oh my god, what happened?"

"Somehow her hand got stuck in a pot of risotto…" They shared the same confused look. "Yeah, I'll never figure that one out."

They talked about the usual stuff until they fell into a comfortable silence.

"So… Jess was reading to you?" Lorelai said sweetly slightly tilting her head a little.

"Mom," she groaned.

"What… that's so cute. I didn't know Jess had it in him."

"Wow... deja vu."

"Huh?"

"Oh nothing... it's just that apparently Jess has this hidden 'sweet guy' mentality that's slowly leaking out. I'm not so sure he's gonna like that."

"Ooo, oo, can I be the first to break it to him." She said jumping in her seat like a four year old.

"Mom."

"I promise I'll be gentle." Rory gave her a withering stare. "Okay, nixing the telling Jess idea." She said with her hands in mid surrender stance. "So daughter, what's going on between you two?"

"Nothing." She said guardedly.

"Uh-huh."

"What… we're just friends… good friends." She added, happy at the thought.

"Not the 'good friends with benefits' I hope." She narrowed her eyes playfully at Rory.

"Mom." She said defensively.

"Ok, ok… I'm done picking on you… for today anyway." Lorelai ragged.