AN: Thanks for the reviews! Warning there is some Trory action in here! I haven't decided where the story will end up; but I know there will be Trory, Rogan, and Trogan!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"Good to have you back Hayden!" Matt exclaimed as Rory came barreling into their apartment with a smile on her face, Tristan and Finn both following with matching expressions.
Rory eagerly jumped into Matt's open arms as he lifted her up and kissed her head. "Good to be back Matt," she replied as he put her back down.
It was just last night that Rory and completely soaked Tristan's shirt crying her eyes out before she had calmed down and she and Tristan had talked about everything . Soon after she fell asleep, and Tristan carried her to his bed before letting Finn know the progress they had made.
"Tell me what happened to you Rory, why did you do it?" he asked. "I never really understood why you broke up with Logan… and you didn't even hint you were going to do it. And after that, there wasn't getting anything out of you."
Rory hiccupped, recovering from her sobbing. "I was so overwhelmed: with school, at the paper, with our parents changing, with everything changing. It scared me how much less and less I would talk to him until I finally realized that I was neglecting him. He didn't deserve that and I needed to get things back into order so I asked for a break. I guess I couldn't expect to keep him through it, I guess it was just wishful thinking."
Tristan immediately became angry. "He fucked up Rory, don't blame this on yourself. Logan screwed up. He owed it to you to wait for you and he didn't," his words coming out harsher than intended.
Rory's tears started again. "I'm sorry that came out wrong," Tristan apologized hugging her tightly.
"No you're right… he didn't wait…" Rory said. After a moment of silence Rory started again. "I don't know what led to me pushing everyone else away. I just didn't want to deal with it all, with hearing the same thing over and over again. I figured if I ignored the problem, it would make it easier to pretend it never happened."
"Pinky, I wouldn't have forced you to talk about it if you didn't want to," Tristan assured.
"I know, but I just couldn't Tristan…" Rory replied looking him in the eyes. Despite her puffy swollen, glistening orbs and mused up hair, he couldn't but help that think she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen in the world.
Instead of saying anything, Tristan took her head in his hands and kissed her eye lids closed, stroking her cheeks with his hands. Rory sighed in bliss despite her sadness, and kissed his cheek before bringing her lips to his ear. "I missed you so much Tristan," she whispered her hot breath sending tingles to his body.
"I missed you too Rory," he responded unable to stop his eyes from darkening with lust as she nuzzled her face into his neck.
They failed to notice each other shiver, because they were too distracted by their own tremors.
This could be a problem.
"I was always here," Rory argued lamely. She knew that was a straight lie.
"But not as Rory," Austin said coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist while kissing her cheek.
Tristan averted his eyes which Austin noticed.
Austin smirked. When Rory had started pushing them away Austin's attraction towards her started increasing. The more guys she seemed to hook up with, the more he wanted her. He wasn't sure if they were genuine feelings or if they were more 'you always want what you can't have', but either way he felt like it was always constant competition for her heart, and that fueled him.
Matt frowned. He didn't like this cutthroat turn that their friendship was taking. Things with Rory and Logan made things easier. He didn't have to break up a verbal argument every ten minutes with Tristan and Austin that way, and he didn't have to worry about his friends wanting to nail their child hood friend.
Finn grinned; it was a nice cloudy rainy day. No sun sun, no complaints.
Rory turned her body and stroked Austin on his cheek, admiring his jaw line. It felt so good to be hugged meaningfully again. "Thanks for waiting around then Austin," she said hugging him tightly around the neck.
"Always, Hayden," he replied kissing the top of her head and inhaling her sweet scent.
"We should do something!" Matt exclaimed breaking everyone out of their mental soliloquies. He couldn't deal with this right now; he needed something to break the tension.
"Like what?" Rory asked pulling away from Austin only to have Finn's arm perched across her shoulders.
"I don't know, this is your welcome back party!" Matt exclaimed all too excited, trying to mask his paranoia with anticipation.
"Finny's too, mate!" he exclaimed. Matt nodded eagerly. "Yeah, yeah Finny's too!" he repeated. "Let's go, do something!"
Rory frowned confused and not too excited. "Finn can pick…" she said uneasily.
Finn's eyes lit up. "Sea lions!" he exclaimed.
"Wha-?" Everyone questioned.
"Finny wants to see the sea lions!" he repeated pulling a brochure out from the New England Aquarium out of his back pocket. Matt noticed Tristan and Austin ready to protest but he cut in quickly.
"Sounds perfect, let's all get ready!" Matt exclaimed pushing Finn and Rory towards the door. "Gotta get there quick, don't want the sharks to er… fall asleep," he excused.
"Actually sharks can't sleep or else they'll…" Rory started to say but Matt just nodded profusely and pushed her out the door slamming it on her and Finn.
"That was weird…" Rory said staring at the door shut in front of her. Finn only shrugged. "Let's go love! The sea lions await!" he exclaimed running off, dragging her with him. Rory giggled, it was nice to be back.
"What's with you?" Tristan said in a disbelieving tone.
"Yeah dude, I had no clue how passionate you felt about… sea lions," Austin agreed. Matt glared at them.
"You can thank yourselves for our trip to the fucking aquarium we're taking," Matt glared. Austin and Tristan shot each other a confused look, it wasn't often Matt got pissed, but from his look they could tell he was furious.
"Seriously?!" he asked, "There's no way you two could possibly be that oblivious!" he yelled.
Tristan and Austin started at him blankly, Matt's frown deepened. "I'm so goddamn tired of watching you two quite literally fight each other for Rory's attention!" Matt yelled.
Both Austin's and Tristan's faces turned from confusion to a glare but Matt stuck a hand up telling them to stop. "Don't even try and fucking fool yourselves into thinking that you haven't been competing, because I've seen it over and over again. You guys are practically necking with her trying to get the other jealous. And for what?" Matt yelled.
Tristan and Austin didn't say a word, because sadly they knew how right he was and felt disgusting for inadvertently playing their sick games.
"You guys better figure out what the fuck you want," Matt warned, "You know Rory's been through enough and we're supposed to be there for her, not take advantage of her when she's vulnerable."
Matt sighed as the guys looked on dismayed, they had never been scolded by him before and it was a strange, embarrassing feeling. Matt sighed.
"Listen if you guys really have genuine feelings for Rory… and this isn't just a macho trip thing then go for it," Matt explained, "But if even just an ounce of you think you're going to hurt her, then know I'll kill you before one of you touches her," he warned before leaving the two to their thoughts.
"I'm gonna go get ready…" Austin said rubbing the back of his neck nervously and not willing to look at Tristan. He was ashamed, and as much as he hated to admit it to himself, he was beginning to think Tristan's feelings were far more genuine than his but then he remembered what it felt like to have Rory smiling in his arms again…and he wasn't so sure.
"Yeah…" Tristan replied before sitting down on the couch defeated. When did this happen? When did I become the one being warned and Matt became the only one protecting her? As much as I hate to admit, I've been letting this whole Austin thing get me so pissed that I was turning it into a competition. But that doesn't change the fact that I care more about Rory than I care about anything else in this world. Damnit, I just want her to be happy. I just want her to smile and laugh like she used to before this whole mess…I just want her to…
Tristan was broken out of his trance upon Rory's reentrance. She approached him laughing, her blue eyes shining with a happiness he had missed for quite some time. She was dressed in a tight black sweater that had a low neckline with a pair of fitted skinny jeans and leather boots. "Finn's been reenacting Happy Feet down there for me," she giggled, "It's great."
Tristan smiled up at her standing before him. "Good old Finn, I'm happy he came here… he helped to get you back," Tristan admitted.
Rory grinned shyly, "I'm really happy he came. I know I'm going to cry when he leaves tomorrow."
Tristan chuckled before pulling her onto his lap intrinsically. "That makes two of us Pinky… except mine may be tears of joy," he joked.
Rory laughed and slapped jokingly as Tristan started at her smiling. I just want her.
"Love look at the baby penguins!" Finn exclaimed dragging Rory along with his fingers interlaced in hers. Rory laughed and complied. "They're like wearing little tuxes," Rory said tapping the glass.
Matt shook his head at their antics. It was pretty much like babysitting, but it was better than having to deal with Austin and Tristan bickering. Instead they followed quietly, looking every now and then at displays that Rory or Finn got particularly excited about.
"You guys are quiet," Matt pointed out as Finn and Rory went to look at the walrus tank.
"Yeah well, not much to say after your bitch fit this morning," Austin grumbled.
"Why? Because you hate admitting I'm right?" Matt shot back.
"Yeah, pretty much," Tristan replied gaining a surprised looked from his two best friends. Tristan shrugged, "Come on Austin we both know things were getting out of hand. We were letting weird unexplainable feelings get in the way."
Austin paused for a little before answering. "Yeah… I don't know what got into me man… It was some weird caveman shit or something."
"So there weren't any real feelings involved?" Matt asked the two of them. Tristan looked at his feet and Austin gave him a scrutinizing glance.
"Well T-Man?" Austin asked him.
"That question was for you too you know."
"Don't avoid my question!" Austin spat back.
"Shut the fuck up!" Matt said in a hushed yell. "That answers my question for both of you. But can you guys kinda just lay off each other and Rory… I mean she's broken and she needs time to be fixed."
Tristan sighed. "Don't act like I haven't been trying to."
Austin scoffed, "Says the guy who sleeps with her." Tristan glared back.
"Enough!" Matt said rubbing his head. "She doesn't want either of you. Let's remember who she's been hurting over for the past two years. Logan, not Tristan, not Austin! So let's try and be the good friends that she deserves and put our feelings aside, like the feelings of absolute annoyance I have towards you guys, and just help her. Then you guys can fucking hash it out in a mud pit for all I care."
"He's right…" Tristan admitted looking up at Austin. "We have bigger fish to fry."
"Don't freaking say that in an aquarium!" Austin said looking around panicked. Tristan chuckled.
"Truce Hayes?" Tristan said sticking his hand out. Austin extended it and shook it. "The things we go through for this girl," Austin said shaking his head.
Tristan nodded, "I can't agree with you anymore man."
"Finally," Matt said as the three began their search for Rory and Finn again.
"Ha! Look at those three walruses fighting over that girl walrus!" Rory laughed pointing. "They look so ridiculous."
Finns eyebrows rose. Ironic "Quite familiar love, ay?" he asked her nudging her playfully in the ribs.
Rorys eyebrows furrowed together in response. "What are you talking about Finn?"
Just as he opened his mouth to answer, Finn was interrupted by their three friends approaching with more ease in their steps than before. "There you guys are!" Austin exclaimed throwing an arm around Rory.
"Oh nothing love," Finn said grinning towards Rory who was already distracted by her three guy friends.
AN: It may seem like a filler, but it's not! It's trying to tell who's phony with their feelings & who's fake, and basically what the two years have done to the group.
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