Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.
Tristan trudged the last few steps to his apartment. He had been away for two weeks and he wanted nothing more than to curl up in his own bed next to Rory and sleep. It was two in the morning, but even on jet lag, Tristan was exhausted. He quietly unlocked the door, careful not to wake Rory, but was surprised to see the TV still on. He set his bag just inside the door and threw his keys on the table as he walked over to see the sleeping form on his couch. Smiling at the sight, he picked up the remote and turned off the TV. The blanket around her legs was brought to the rightful place around her shoulders as he kissed her forehead. With this, Rory stirred awake.
"Hey." She said, rubbing her eyes. "What time is it?" She asked, searching for her cell phone on the table.
"Late" was his only reply.
"Are you hungry? I ordered Chinese, it's in the fridge." She said as she stood up in front of him. He stuck his arm out to block her from moving.
"How about a hello first?" There was a hint of laughter in his tired voice as he motioned towards himself. He kissed her softly, but it seemingly lasted for a lifetime as he ran his fingers through her hair. She smiled as she curled up in his arms. It was always a little awkward when he came back from trips. She usually settled into a routine without him and even though she missed him, neither one really knew how to act around the other for a couple of hours. She sighed as he pulled away.
"I missed you." She said honestly.
"I missed you more." He said as Rory read his face. He looked tired and tense.
"How did everything go?" She asked, but he shook his head.
"No more business. Please?" She nodded and smiled, as he kissed her temple. "Right now I just want to take a shower and sleep." He took off his suit coat, suddenly aware that his tie was missing. He chuckled.
"What is it?" She asked.
"I left my tie on the plane." He shook his head. Rory could tell that he was obviously frazzled by his trip so she took his hand.
"Come on, I'll run you a bath." Tristan followed. Turning on the light in the bathroom, she headed for the tub. She started running the hot water, checking it with her fingers to make sure it was the appropriate temperature. Tristan leaned against the doorway and watched her work, once again amazed by her generosity, and in this case, extremely grateful. When she was satisfied, she turned around to face him. "Now honey, I know that you are tired, but you have to take your clothes off before getting in the tub." She said, mocking him. He left his leaning post and he grabbed her hips, pulling her in.
"Gonna join me?" He asked her, a familiar glint sparkling in his formerly dead eyes. She smiled.
"Like you would let me say no after two weeks away?" He shook his head. "Didn't think so. Hop in." She nodded towards the tub. He began getting undressed, but he never took his eyes off of Rory. It was like he was making up for lost time by storing memories away. She didn't mind though, she was just happy he was back. He sank into the warm water, letting his muscles finally relax for the first time in weeks. He closed his eyes and sighed. Within seconds he felt Rory's small hands on his neck, working out the tension.
"God, that's nice." He groaned, his head slumping forward to give her more access. She knew exactly where to go and what to do. "I don't know how I am ever able to leave you for two weeks." He opened up, lack of sleep letting his mouth communicate without a filter.
"Necessity." She shrugged.
"Well I've got a new necessity that says you should get naked." He said with a smirk. She ran her hands through his hair as his hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her around to face him.
"Alright." She laughed. "Be careful, before you pull me into the tub." Tristan got a look in his eye and Rory shook her head. "Oh no. Absolutely no…" With a splash and a scream, Rory joined Tristan in the tub, her pajama pants and white tank soaked through. Despite Tristan's laughter, Rory looked at him shocked. "Oh, you are so going to regret doing that." She said as she shivered. Tristan stopped laughing long enough to pull her towards him. He removed the now see-through top and kissed the tops of her shoulders. He threw the shirt into the sink. Pulling her bottoms off he was shocked to find that she wasn't wearing any underwear. He locked eyes with her.
"Laundry day." Was her innocent excuse. He lobbed the drenched clothes up onto the counter with the rest of her former outfit. After landing with a satisfying splat, he grinned.
"I have been away for far too long." He said.
"What about the phone sex?" She asked with a wicked smile. "I seem to remember you liking the phone sex." He shook his head.
"Torture." She scoffed, clearly insulted. "Two weeks without being able to touch you, taste you, smell you," he said, his face hiding behind the curtain of brunette hair, leaving small kisses in the crook of her neck. "It made me miss you even more than before we talked. It was torture." He concluded again. "No, you, Miss Gilmore, can only be truly experienced in person."
"Just when I think you're not going to get any…" she said, obviously touched by the statement. "You go and say something sweet like that and it makes me want to give you anything you'd like."
"Anything?" He raised his eyebrow.
"Pretty much anything." She said, knowing that he would ask for something she wouldn't want to give. "What can I say? I can't resist you." She whispered as she stood up and got out of the tub. Tristan never took his eyes off her body as she walked into the bedroom, water dripping down her the entire way. Pulling the plug, he hopped out of the bath and followed her into the next room. She was stretched out on the bed, elbows propping her torso up. Tristan moved slowly towards her and covered her body with his own. He kissed her softly before pushing her down on the bed. He placed his hands on either side of her head and continued kissing her as he nudged her legs open with his knee. She did him one better and wrapped her legs around his waist, teasing him with her wet center.
"Tristan," she asked as she looked up at him with the bluest eyes Tristan had ever seen. "Go slow." He rested his forehead against hers and brushed noses with her, teasing her with his mouth ready and open for a kiss. Her lips finally found his and she sighed into his mouth.
"I love you." He whispered into her ear, his lips faintly touching her cheek. She could feel his hand testing her before slowly slipping into her slick folds. He was reeling from the sensation of being inside her once again. Trying to gather his senses, he began to heed her request, going slowly and taking her in. Every movement was recorded in Tristan's memory as she ran her hands around his neck and whispered how much she needed him. He had heard Rory beg before, but it was usually because he was teasing her. Tonight she was pleading, not for release, but for him. Her soft voice suddenly moved Tristan to become protective of the girl underneath him. He was her rock, something solid to cling to when she felt like she was being thrown around by the world and that faith in him, in return, gave him the strength to be that for her. As Tristan and Rory came in unison, they both knew that something had changed. For better or worse, their relationship would never be the same.
OOOOO
"I hate when you go away." Rory admitted quietly as he held her later that night. Tristan felt his heart wrench at the simple phrase.
"I hate it too."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Anything."
"You're not going to like it." Tristan pulled away to read her expression.
"Try me."
"Do you like working for your dad?" Tristan sighed. She was right.
"I like my job, but my father was never really my father. I know him as my boss and not as my dad. He's a good boss."
"But besides the traveling, you like your job?" He nodded.
"Yeah, I do. Why do you ask?"
"Because. I want you to be happy." She said as she ran her hand over his chest. "And when you came home tonight, you didn't look happy." He kissed the top of her head. She could hear his words before they left his mouth. Don't worry about me, I love your concern but I know what I'm doing, etc. "I worry about you." She said before he even got a chance to speak. He smiled into her hair.
"I know you do and I love you for it. You take good care of me."
"I try."
"You succeed. A day doesn't go by that I don't think about how much you've done for me. I don't deserve you."
"You'd be surprised at what you deserve." She said, not listening to his praise.
"Rory?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you ever think about the future?"
"Yeah, sometimes."
"What do you think about?"
"Jobs, a family, the usual stuff. What do you think about?"
"You." He looked down to see her eyes were closed.
"What about me?" She muttered, obviously falling asleep.
"You know, just you. Being a mom, being a wife. Taking care of a family."
"Mm, sounds nice." She managed to get out before succumbing to sleep.
"Yeah, it does." He said to himself before letting her slow and even breathing sing him to sleep.