AN: Thanks for reading!
3.09b A Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving
They met at their table. All day, he'd been stewing
With nerves, sharp and irksome, so painfully brewing.
So then, as he saw her, he felt a malaise
And barely towards her, his eyes, could he raise.
And Rory, still bearing her threads pristine white,
Felt shied by the knowledge that, out in plain sight,
The two would soon kiss. They'd barely begun
Yet so soon must broadcast to all 'neath the sun!
It's true that, with Dean, the girl had oft shared
A kiss out in public, while they had been paired.
Experience dating, should past have prepared her,
Yet now it was new, and that kind of scared her.
While, often, onlookers he'd swiftly dismiss,
Today their shrewd eyes did dampen his kiss.
And Rory, while knowing that they would be watched,
Felt nerves of her own. Their kiss she then botched.
And though, to hide love, it riled him and festered,
No ease of a love had either then gestured.
Their peck felt so prudish: A right loathsome kiss.
Discomfort between them could no one there miss.
But then was, to table, delivered a feast.
And both, from the focus, were sort of released.
The four would sit down. At last time to eat!
And Jess was so hungry he couldn't retreat.
Discussion progressed to holiday's state.
Did Rory, the Danes, succinctly update:
They'd eaten two meals, at Lane's and at Sookie's,
With one yet, in Hartford, to round out their duties.
So gracious was Luke, and quite humble too.
Perhaps just a drink would they want, in lieu
Of dinner that Luke did now, them, present.
Decline did her mother, "You're the main event!"
Now when, in the course of being a host,
Was need of more marshmallows quite diagnosed,
Did Luke run to get some, himself such a softie,
Demanding as well, though, that Jess refill coffee.
And once did the Danes, from table, disperse
To leave the Gilmores in their own universe,
Must Fates remind Rory to be ill-at-ease
And turn up the feeling by several degrees.
The Fates bade her mother to call upon this:
To point out the nature of their lame-o kiss,
And just to drive home the meaning of it,
They called on Babette to rib her a bit.
"The whole town is watching," did Rory lament,
Now knowing the feeling to greatest extent.
Her mother denied it, while knowing it true.
And Rory turned inward, did boldness subdue.
Once Danes had returned, discussion was shushed
But Fates remained smug: oh how the girl blushed!
Now Rory, abashed, did keep her eyes low
And barely made contact with eyes of her beau.
Discomfort would breed, good feelings, to smother—
With Rory's low eyes and barbs from her mother—
'Til Jess almost felt a kind of relief
Their Thanksgiving dinner was kept rather brief.
Did Jess later hide, with novel, well-worn.
But, deep in his side, did Jess feel a thorn.
He just couldn't read it. The Fates made him blind
To all, but the doubts, that rolled through his mind.
Then Luke did deliver a long monologue,
With gist that poor Jess was a bump on a log.
To put him to work, did Luke underscore
'Til Jess felt that, little, was he thankful for.
With all his deep thoughts and certain denials,
This day had become a gauntlet of trials.
He stepped from the diner, reflections to flash,
While dragging his feet and a bundle of trash.
And there, through the night, he witnessed the one
For whom his heart beat, for whom his head spun.
She carried herself, alongside her mother,
To cross street towards him, one after the other.
But strode she right past him, right up to the door!
No greeting she offered—most surely no more!
He felt, in this scene, that he shouldn't lag
So, ere he walked off, he hoisted the bag.
Impatient was Rory. She waited for mother
To enter the diner and not be Big Brother.
She urgently wanted to give Jess a kiss
But, under such gaze, no kiss could find bliss!
Right there on the stoop, her mother insisted
On talking to Luke. So Rory resisted.
As moments dragged on, with her staying put,
She barely refrained from tapping her foot.
Then, finally sprung, was Rory released!
Her mother, the lingering, finally ceased!
She caught up to Jess where he'd ventured south.
She kissed all the words right out of his mouth.
His kiss felt so good, a heat to convey,
That snow in her thread kind of melted away.
She'd used up the white. In need of no more.
Her kiss did, forgiveness from Jess, now implore.
Then, "Hi," the girl said, to which he replied,
His mind and his body completely cockeyed.
He swam in her eyes and yearned for encore.
Her kiss, so intense, left him begging for more!
Thought maybe, did Jess, that all would be right
The goal that he sought, was there in his sight:
Perhaps her regard for him had grown greater!
He thought about this, until she said, "Later!"
She left the boy there, again, so confused.
Without understanding, he kind of felt used.
At least she was kissing him. Smirked he instead.
He picked up the bag while shaking his head.
He turned on his way to carry the trash
'Til sidewalk, before him, led straight to a clash:
Did Dean, down the block, so sullenly loom.
A stubborn black thread, in other, brought doom.
Jess hadn't the time to wonder forsooth
If Dean, of the kiss, bore witness, in truth.
One look at the other did speak of a grudge.
Their paths would soon cross, with neither to budge.
Then Clotho remembered to lighten Dean's black
But arm of Lachesis did hold Clotho back.
"Let's see where this goes. Let's see what they do.
It may be enough to push our plans through."
So, "Nothing to say?" did menace the taller,
Quite clearly, for trouble's sake, being a trawler.
"That's funny," he added, "You usually do.
When someone has spoken, it's usually you."
"Guess not," grumbled Jess. "I guess I'm talked out."
Thus, deluge of Dean, would meet Jess's drought.
Dean followed the other, as predators prey.
"Hey Jess, what's the matter? Why walk away?"
Jess couldn't believe it! This guy had left Rory!
"Look, Dean, this is getting a bit West Side Story.
In warning, my dancing skills aren't up to snuff."
Did Jess just keep walking, her ex to rebuff.
"But now is your chance! There's no one around!"
Incentives to trigger did Dean then expound:
"Just call me a Boy Scout, or good Farmer John.
Perhaps Doose's apron you'll have me put on!"
Though groundwork was laid, did Jess never utter
A single incentive to instigate other,
Nor words could Dean say to make Jess attack!
Dean found, with surprise, a tough nut to crack!
"What happened to you? We suddenly friends?"
"Oh yeah. We're the best!" Sarcasm pretends.
"I'm not gonna fight you," Jess came back instead.
"But why?" did Dean sneer, still seeing a red.
"'Cause Rory will think that I was the one
Who started the fight and, in the long run,
I'd just rather not. Forget it, okay?
Go home and cool off." Then Jess walked away.
"A nice little hold she's got on you now."
As though, to her mastery, Jess did kowtow,
As if, to respect her, were quite a disgrace,
As though it weren't worth it for Rory's embrace.
"So how does it feel?" Dean tempted with spite,
Still trying his hardest, a war, to incite,
'Til, under the collar, was Jess growing hot.
"Like I am with Rory and you, Dean, are not."
Dean followed good Jess, though other would dodge.
This Dean, from his space, Jess couldn't dislodge!
But ceasing to follow, Dean got in his path,
A monologue springing to outline his wrath,
"You know, when this happened, I thought I'd stay out.
I figured that that'd be the easiest route.
But now here I am. I'm looking at you.
And, now I can tell you, that's not what I'll do.
"I'm not gonna run. I'm not gonna hide."
Did Dean then continue in manner so snide,
Injustice laid out, to show Jess no mercy.
Said, "This is my town and you are unworthy.
"Around you I no longer have to be calm."
He hinted, his power—like ticking time bomb—
Could raze all the reasons that Jess had for living,
"I like that a lot. Happy Thanksgiving."
AN: I wonder if people appreciate this story even thought it so closely follows canon... I like to think I'm bringing something extra to the table. Hope so.