A/N: Hello my darlings! So I was being depressed about the big break up, as per usual, then I was listening to a song and one thought led to another and BANG! Inspiration!
Have any of you ever seen the show Gilmore Girls? It's one of my favorites ever! Probably my favorite ever. (If you haven't don't feel bad, I'm just really old.) Anywho, there's an episode that served as the inspiration for this called "Luke Can See Her Face". I would explain now, but most of you might not be reading this, so I'll let the story explain it. Enjoy!
…
Duncan Can See Her Face
Duncan P.O.V.
"Oy Duncan, you awake?" a British voice asked, interrupting my nightly staring session with the ceiling.
"Yeah dude, I'm up."
I'd spent a month and a half in prison and was talking to my cell mate, Spike. Dude was tall with bleached hair. Apparently he was a big Billy Idol fan. He was in for arson so the correction officer thought we'd be a good fit. He was a pretty cool guy. Before he got locked up, he would dress in all black and his leather jacket and ride around on a motorcycle he stole. He was a snarky son of a bitch too. We got along just fine.
"You want to talk about it, mate?"
He was talking about Gwen. And Courtney. See, in here the prisoners got to vote on their favorite show and were allowed to watch the new episodes when they aired. Turns out there are a lot of Total Drama fans in prison. And tonight they premiered the episode where Gwen dumped my ass. Some of the prisoners were fans of hers and weren't exactly happy with that or the way I'd acted on the show. Good thing we had supervision otherwise my head might've been ripped off. Even some of the guys who liked me were pissed. Some of these dudes are bigger fan girls than fucking Sierra.
"No," I said plain and simple. And I didn't. I'd been trying to avoid thinking about the whole damn thing since I got arrested on the island.
"C'mon Duncan!" he urged from the bottom bunk. "You gotta deal with this!"
"No Spike, I really don't. Now shut up and go to sleep."
He was quiet for a second. "Do you still have feelings for Courtney?"
I heaved a deep breath. (Because Duncans don't sigh. Sighing is for chicks and sissy guys.) "No. Well maybe. I didn't think I did but then I acted like that on the island."
"Did you ever think that maybe you're just an egotistical git who wanted Courtney to keep wanting you even if you didn't want her? Maybe it's not feelings for her, but feelings for yourself."
"No, I hadn't considered that. And what the fuck is a 'git'?"
"Basically it's an annoying brat."
"Why the hell didn't you just say that?"
"Because I'm a Brit and we say things like 'git' and 'bollocks'."
I exhaled and ran a hand through my mohawk. "Whatever bro, no I hadn't considered that I was just being a git."
"Well I'm going to help you figure it out!"
He liked Gwen and thought Courtney was a "whiny bint" so I wondered if he was going to explain why Gwen was the better girl.
"You ever heard of a show called Gilmore Girls?"
It sounded vaguely familiar. It might've been the show Ma made me watch with her because I was around and I didn't have a sister she could watch it with.
"That the American show about the mother and daughter? And they live in a small town or something?"
"Yes. So anyway there's this one episode-"
"Wait, you actually watched it?"
"Ay, it's very well written with a great cast! And I think it may be the answer to your girl problem, so shut up and listen!"
I chuckled but kept my mouth shut.
"In this one episode this guy buys a self-help book that comes with a cassette tape that will help him figure out his love life."
"What a pansy," I comment.
"Duncan, shut your trap and let me finish, will you? And Luke is not a pansy, he just thinks he deserves love and is willing to work to get it!"
"Okay man! Shutting up now."
"About bloody time. Anyway, the cassette comes up with a little test to try to get him to figure out who his perfect woman is. I'm going to ask you the same question, all right? Then whoever you come up with is who you really want."
"Shoot away."
"Okay. First question: whose phone calls or visits are never unwanted or too long? Do you see her face?"
I woke up with a groan to banging on my door. I trudged down the stairs to open the door. If it was fucking Courtney, I was going to kill her. It was nine on a fucking Saturday morning and she knew I'd still be sleeping. We may have gotten together after TDA but that didn't give her a right to deprive me of sleep.
"Morning stud," I heard as a pulled open the door. "I brought coffee and donuts." Without needing an invitation, Gwen stepped into the house and headed toward my kitchen.
I followed and she already had a chocolate and custard donut sitting on a napkin for me. She set my cup of coffee next to it and walked around my counter to pull out a pan and bacon from the fridge.
"Sorry for waking you up before noon on a Saturday. I just need a Duncan Day and I'll make you breakfast to make up for it."
"You're lucky I didn't kill you, Pasty. You know I get dangerous when I don't get my sleep," I joked as I sipped my coffee. It was a caramel macchiato she'd got me hooked on.
"Oh you'd miss me too much."
That was a good day.
"All right, next question: who would you most like to have in your life to ward off moments of loneliness? Do you see her face?"
"Hey Juvie! Mind if I join you?"
I turned around to see Gwen heading my way and tossing her alien egg without a care.
"Don't mind at all, sweetheart." I patted the spot next to me and she sat."So where's Elvis?"
She shrugged. "Sleeping probably. I'm more of the night walker. Big fan of the stars." She stared up, admiring them. Then she looked back at me. "Dude, you kicked butt at the alien challenge today! Sorry you lost."
I shrugged and laughed. "Who knows, maybe we'll get roped into another season of this stupid show and I'll get to kick your ass on another alien challenge."
She shoved me and laughed. "Dream on, Juvie! I'm the queen of alien ass-kicking. You wouldn't be able to beat me."
"Wanna bet?"
"Twenty bucks."
We shook on it and were quiet for a bit.
"It's funny, we've only finished the second challenge but that lonely feeling is already kicking in. I didn't even feel like I was home for long."
"You're not alone. You have your sissy boyfriend and all the other people who got sucked in again."
"I know I'm not alone. It just… it gets lonely, you know?"
I nodded. "Yeah Sunshine, I know."
"When you travel, who would make your travels more enjoyable?"
"Ugghhh! How much longer?" I groaned as I banged my head against the steering wheel.
"Duncan, we haven't even hit the highway yet. We are two minutes away from your house at a stoplight that just turned red."
I groaned again, "This is going to take forever!"
"Stop complaining, this is your aunt we're going to go see."
"Just because she's family doesn't mean I want to see her."
"Well look on the bright side, it's only a two hour drive and we don't have to ride with your dad!"
I scoffed, "Yeah, sure glad you and Ma convinced him to let us drive on our own." The light turned green and I hit the gas. "Thanks for coming with me. Dear old Aunt Suzy has been dying to meet my 'future wife' as she calls you."
Gwen giggled, "Yeah well, I've met everyone else so why should she be deprived of getting to know your better half?" She reached into the back seat and pulled her backpack. "I was planning to save these, but you're already acting like a baby so…" She opened her backpack and I saw she'd packed brownies, candy, sandwiches and beef jerky. She pulled out a brownie and put it into my waiting mouth.
"I love you," I said through a mouthful of brownie.
"I'm sure the brownie loves you too, Duncan."
She kissed my cheek and started searching for a rock station on the radio.
I wasn't talking to the brownie. And she knew it.
"When you're in pain, who would you most like to comfort you? Do you see her face?"
"Hey."
I walked through my door and saw Gwen sitting on the couch. She had a blanket sitting on her lap and was reading Misery by Stephen King. So like her.
"Hey," I greeted back and joined her on the couch.
"I wasn't even sure if you'd come home. How's Tristan?"
My youngest brother Tristan had been in a car accident. He was with his friend and his dad and a car ran a red light and slammed into Tristan's side of the car. He was in critical condition and wasn't being responsive.
"He's… not looking so good." I dropped my head and started rubbing my neck.
Gwen moved my hand and started rubbing my back. There was something about her touch that always made me feel better. She brushed her lips against my neck and nuzzled a bit.
I'd gotten the call while Gwen was out with her mom and Dylan. After I hung up with Ma, I called Gwen. Gwen wanted to meet me at the hospital but they'd only let family see him. Still, it took a good fifteen minutes of arguing to get her to agree to just wait at home.
"He'll be okay, Duncan. Tristan's a strong little trooper. Tougher than you were when you were thirteen, I'm sure," she tried to tease. "Hey, look at me." And I did. "I promise you, Tristan will be okay. Soon he'll be climbing all over you and beating you up like the sissy man you are."
And I found myself believing her. "I just want to sleep."
She pulled away and then patted her lap, ordering me to lay down. I obeyed and she hummed and played with my mohawk until I fell asleep.
The next day I woke up and realized she hadn't slept.
Gwen got dressed and we went back to the hospital. Tristan finally regained consciousness and the doctor's promised to have him home by the following week.
"When something wonderful happens in your life, who do you want to share the news with? Do you see her face?"
"The season two Total Drama winner is… Duncan!"
"Ahaha! Yeeeah!" Confetti started everywhere and I leapt out of my seat. I was beyond stoked.
Next thing I know, I'm being glomped by a C.I.T. "We're rich!"
"Whoa! Not so fast sister, who said I'd share anything with you?"
Courtney's lips were on mine and after so long, they felt good. "Every king needs a queen."
"King huh? That doesn't sound so terrible." She kissed me again and we made out until Chris signed off the show.
I pulled away and made my way through the crowd to Gwen.
"Hey Pasty! How ya like me now?" I asked as I held my arms open for a hug.
She welcomed it and laughed, "You're forgetting I'm like the only person who liked you before!"
"Very true!"
"So I see you finally got the girl," she pulled away jerked her chin in Courtney's direction.
I rubbed my neck and gave her a cheesy smile, "Yeah, I guess I did."
"Congrats, I'm proud of you, Duncan," she smiled sincerely.
"Thanks, Gwen." She started to turn away and I caught her arm. "Hey, you wanna go celebrate later?"
She cocked an eyebrow and smirked like she does. "Won't you be busy with your girlfriend? She doesn't exactly like me, ya know."
I waved my hand to say "whatever". "I'll take her out right now. Besides, I'm sure Princess has a bedtime she wants to keep. You're the night walker."
"All right, text me later." She pulled out a pen and wrote her number on my hand.
Courtney had come up next to me and was staring Gwen down, so she threw a wink at me before turning to walk away. As soon as she was out of earshot, Courtney banned me from seeing her. That didn't work out so well.
Spike's voice drew me out of my memory. "Whose face do you see, my friend? Whose?"
I blinked. "Whoa."