Hey guys,
Wow it has been a longgggggggggg time since I wrote an L/L fic. I spend any time I can writing 'Back to Reality' ( but to be honest I was just tired of writing Lauren and Scott fiction. Luke and Lorelai are soo much easier and less complicated and I missed those kids so here is the first instalment of a two part fic (I think but we'll see). Hope you enjoy as it was a spur of the moment idea! Continues AU from the conversation between Luke and Lorelai in the kitchen in the Inn in episode #420 'Luke can see her face'...
PART ONE
"Get your hand off my stomach" Lorelai said quickly once Shel had disappeared from View.
"You put it there"
"She's trying to set me up with Shel, the poultry guy? Why would she do that? I just broke up with someone." Lorelai said in disbelief, wondering if she was suddenly cloaked with some invisible light-up billboard saying she was now single and desperate.
"Yeah"
"We'd been dating for a few months now." Lorelai explained.
"I figured there was someone in the picture."
"You did? How?"
"Just clues. You know, you never dressed weather-appropriate, that kind of thing." Luke said in his usual gruff tone.
"Well I can bundle on up now."
"I'm sorry."
"Cats came to my house today."
"Really."
"Because they know I'm a loser and I'm destined to be alone." Lorelai replied dramatically, a voice in her head asking her if Jason had really meant that much to her. She knew he hadn't been 'it' but he was definitely something. Something, actually someone, someone to fill up some of her lonely nights, someone to dress up for, someone to talk about stupid things that didn't matter, someone to take her out…but definitely not someone she saw herself growing old with.
"You're not destined to be alone. You have Shel."
"Why is it so hard?"
"What, relationships? Look who you're asking." Luke almost scoffed, thinking back to Nicole…he wasn't sure which part was the worst, the getting drunk and getting married or catching her cheating and realising his pride was hurt…and not much else.
The two of them walked around the kitchen a bit, Luke looking at the tiles, thinking maybe just examining them really closely would tell him whether they were original without him having to ask Tom. Honestly he was doing all he could to keep his mind off the conversation he and Lorelai had just had, well at least while she was still in the room. When she has put his hand on his stomach he was sure she could feel his heart beating through his chest…obviously not.
"Hey I have an idea" Lorelai said loudly interrupting his thoughts.
"That does not sound good" Luke grunted.
"Hey Mr.Optimistic over there, how about you and I hit a bar tonight?"
"What?" Luke asked, suddenly feeling lost with where the conversation was going.
"We're single desirable people Luke; it's better than sitting home alone"
"No"
"C'mon Luke it'll be fun"
"It will not be fun, sitting in some smoke-filled bar with a bunch of women…"
"…And men" Lorelai interrupted.
"Whatever, it's pointless. I don't pick up women from bars, never have, and never will. It's just not me"
"See maybe that's why you're single, the right women could be going to that bar every week just waiting for her fishing flannel man to show his face so they could run off into the Sunset"
"No" Luke said trying to be adamant although Lorelai always had some way of getting past him, no matter how hard he tried to resist her charms…it was all in those blue eyes and pout.
"Please Luke, at least come with me. I need to get out of the house. Rory's not home to protect me against the cats, there were three this morning. I'm sure they're gathering troops as we speak!" Lorelai said touching his arm.
"I'll think about it" Luke said looking down and seeing her hand still on his arm. 'At least it will be a night out of the diner' he thought, he if he didn't go he would sit in his apartment with a beer watching some crap on television. Well that or go to bed early…which when he considered it both sounded reasonable in comparison with bar-hopping or whatever Lorelai had in mind.
"Thanks Luke" Lorelai smiled knowing that was his way of giving in.
"I'm not going to pick up anyone" Luke replied obstinately.
"Well actually you are, you're going to pick up me at 9pm" Lorelai winked and he rolled his eyes before leaving the kitchen although not before Lorelai shouted "Leave the flannel at home" after him. Lorelai stood there, wondering what exactly she was doing… it's not like she picked up men at bars either. The whole concept seemed tacky and all she thought about were the trucker guys with the handlebar moustaches and cowboy hats. 'Ahh there's my future' she thought.
9.10pm later that night…
Lorelai ran down the stairs putting on her shoe and nearly falling on the way as she went to answer the door. She was breathing hard when she opened the door to find Luke standing on her doorstop, minus the flannel like she had said. 'Will wonders never cease?' she thought. However she had to admit he was looking great in the tight black sweater and leather jacket, she tried to put it out of her mind that he had once wore the same outfit on a date with Nicole.
"Hey"
"Hi" Luke replied taking in the black dress Lorelai was wearing, it hugged all the right places and he liked how her hair was curled and fell over her shoulders gracefully. 'Stop it - this is not a date!' he told himself…yet again.
"You look nice" she smiled.
"Yeah you too" he replied shooting her a small but shy smile in return.
"So we should go, there's a cool place about twenty minutes away"
"Great" Luke added sarcastically.
"C'mon you may find your dream woman" Lorelai said smacking him lightly in the arm as if trying to promote some sort of team spirit.
"I doubt that" he grumbled as he opened his truck door for her. "…Because I already have" he thought as his eyes lingered on her long smooth legs as they climbed into the truck.
"A beer please and a…" Luke said turning to Lorelai who ordered a long island iced tea when they were both standing at the bar, it was pretty quiet at that stage as it was still reasonably early.
"See anyone you like?" Lorelai asked once they were seated at a small table near the bar.
"I told you I'm not looking"
"Fine"
"How about you?" he asked unsurely, glancing around to see the men around the bar who were clearly checking Lorelai out, he'd seen them ogling her since the two of them had walked in… not that he could blame them.
"Haven't seen any yet" Lorelai shrugged.
Nearly an hour later the bar had gotten pretty busy, Luke and Lorelai remained at the table together deep in conversation and both laughing at something Lorelai had just said. Both having seemingly forgot what they had originally come for the evening, as neither were checking out anyone but each other. 'This is better than I thought it would be' Lorelai admitted. She had never heard Luke laugh or seen him smile as much as he was tonight, it was good, he made her laugh and he had funny anecdotes…who knew?
"You want another?" Luke asked a little while later when he saw Lorelai's drink was done.
"Uh yeah, a martini please" Lorelai said with a smile.
"I'll be right back" he said with a grin as he got up and manoeuvred himself through people in the direction of the bar. Lorelai sat tapping her newly manicured fingernails off the side of her empty glass as she waited for him to return, 'Oh my god, is this a date?' she thought as it suddenly hit her as to what exactly was going on. 'No, no, just two friends having a drink' she argued but she knew deep down she thought it was. When Luke smiled at her in that way he did she felt herself shiver slightly from the intensity in his eyes, at one stage in the evening he had even touched her leg…she had never experienced electricity like it before and she was scared. Plus the whole evening she had spent looking at him rather than looking around for other men, which was the original point of the night out.
"Hey" a deep voice said interrupting her thoughts causing her to look up in the direction of the mysterious voice.
"Hi" she replied to the thirty-something male standing above her.
"Can I sit down?"
"Actually there's someone sitting here"
"Well how about I keep the seat warm until they return" the man said sitting down in the seat. Once sitting Lorelai took in his features, brown eyes and back short hair that he looked like he'd spent at least half an hour styling.
"I'm Steve" the man said reaching his hand across the table.
"Lorelai" she replied shaking his hand.
"So what do you do?" he asked.
"I own an Inn actually" Lorelai said, a hint of pride in her tone as she said it. Whenever she thought of it she literally sometimes felt like it was all a dream that she would wake up from any minute now. 'Sure it isn't open yet but give it a few weeks' she thought to herself.
"Cool, is it near here?"
"It's in Stars Hollow, about 20 minutes west of here."
"I'll have to check it out sometime" Steve replied with a toothy grin.
"So what do you do?" Lorelai said, subtly looking over towards the bar to see if Luke was on the way back with their drinks. What she found was Luke talking to another woman at the bar, a blonde… great. 'Those must be his type' she figured remembering how Nicole had been blonde. However she felt an unfamiliar pang in her chest when she saw him smile at the mysterious blonde, she would never admit it was jealousy but as she kept glancing over at them every minute or so the feeling got stronger – and more annoying.
"…yeah so that's what I'm doing now" Steve rambled as Lorelai pretended to be paying attention.
"Hey" Luke said when he returned with two drinks.
"Hi Luke, this is Steve. Steve this is Luke" Lorelai said, feeling only right that she introduce the two of them.
"The boyfriend?" Steve asked.
"No" Lorelai answered a little too quickly, missing the look of disappointment wash over Luke's face before he disguised it quickly. It was a trick he had learned to master well over the years of being Lorelai's 'friend'.
"Good well then, Lorelai can I get your number?"
"Sure" Lorelai said taking out her business card and handing it to him. Luke watched the interaction, tightening his grip on both glasses and almost breaking his. 'What do I have to do to make her see me?' Luke thought. Five minutes ago he'd felt on top of the world and now he felt defeated as he watched Lorelai pass the man her card.
'This was my idea, Luke can't find someone and leave me looking like an undesirable loser' she told herself as she passed her card, knowing even if he did call that she wouldn't call him back anyway. Part of her knew she was only doing this because of the jealousy she felt when she saw Luke and the blonde woman at the bar…Lorelai decided that yes indeed ignorance was bliss and decided to disregard that part of her conscience that was telling her it was wrong to do this out of jealousy.
Read and Review ). If you do I promise an update by Monday!