This ridiculous bit of fluff is dedicated to my best friend, PrincessAndula. The Lane to my Rory, or perhaps more accurately, the completely platonic Rory to my Jess: with her love of traditions and color-coordinated office supplies, and my cynical disdain for the commonplace and grumblings about the System... I would say this is a valentine to all my fellow Literati, but Jess insists that this has NOTHING to do with Valentine's Day. So... Enjoy! ;-)

February 14th, 2003:
"Here," Jess Mariano mumbles nonchalantly, sliding a battered paperback across the counter to Rory, along with her morning coffee.
"What's this?" Rory asks, furrowing her brow as she picks up the book, flipping through the yellowed pages to see his familiar, neat scribbles lining the margins of every page. "Poetry?" she remarks incredulously, slyly looking up at him through her long eyelashes.

Jess refuses to meet her eyes, shrugging and scratching the back of his head uncomfortably. "Thought I'd give it a go. Branch out a little. And you like it, right?"

Rory stares at him, a mischievous little smile growing on her face. "Jess... Is this a Valentine's Day gift?"

Jess scoffs. "Please! That trumped up, artificial, manufactured 'holiday?' You think I'm going to let Hallmark Greetings, Incorporated tell me when I have to tell my girlfriend I care about her?"

Rory was all out grinning now. "Aww, Jess, you DO care about me?" she asked teasingly.

Jess still wouldn't look her in the eye, but a little smile was tugging at one corner of his lips. "Eh, you're ok," he shrugged.

Rory rolled her eyes affectionately. "You sure do know how to make a girl feel special. But flattery will get you nowhere, mister!"

"No?" he asked huskily, leaning across the counter towards her, his gaze heavy-lidded and intense.

"NO where," Rory whispered, kissing his nose briefly and then pulling back. "So. You giving me a book of love poems has NOTHING to do with the fact that it's February 14th, huh?"

Jess straightened again with a scowl of annoyance. "Jeez. I just thought you might like it. I can't get my girlfriend a gift when I feel like it? If I'd have known you were going to give me the third degree about it, I'd have given it to you tomorrow instead," he grumbled.

"Oh, stop sulking. I LOVE it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. C'm'ere," Rory leaned across the counter, and Jess (still sulking) begrudgingly "came here."

Rory gave him a sweet and lingering kiss, and then pulled back to look into his eyes smilingly.

He smiled softly back.

"See you later," Rory whispered.

"Ok," Jess whispered back, still drunk on the feeling of her lips on his.

Rory slid off her stool and headed towards the door, Jess following her with his eyes.

"Oh, and Jess?" she called back, pausing as she opened the door.

"Yeah?" he answered, blinking and shaking himself out of his stupor.

"Happy Valentine's Day."