#gilmore girls fic

[a-aexotic]

i can see you, 𝒈𝒊𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒔.

✫ 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 . . . y/n cromwell was nothing if not a sophisticated, pampered, and ambitious socialite. she had lived in manhattan for about five years with her workaholic mother since her divorce with from her father. in the five years she had lived in the upper-east side, she had conquered the elites and made them her minions. she was living her best life until she heard the worst news she could ever fathom...

tristan dugray was nothing like y/n, in any sense other than maybe the fact they were both rich, spoiled and rather confident - okay, maybe they had more in common than what meets the eye. they hadn't seen each other since she had moved away with her mother five years ago and they were happy that way.

until of course, her mother decided it would be best for y/n to spend the next few months with her father back in connecticut after y/n got in trouble with her friend group. what y/n didn't know until she eventually got to connecticut was that her father was engaged to none other than tristan dugray's mother. how could her year get any worse?

✫ 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 ;; tristan dugray x fem!reader, platonic!paris geller x reader, platonic!rory gilmore x reader

✫ 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 ;; not canon gilmore girls timeline (for the most part), rom-com energy, adult humor, asshole!tristan, family issues, the rest is to be determined...

✫ 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 ;; i am rewatching gilmore girls and of course, i've been inspired to write a fanfic because there are not enough tristan fanfics on tumblr. i hope y'all enjoy, this is very self-indulgent lmao. i love tristan sm and i think a rom-com esk fanfic would bring me (and everyone) so much joy. thank you so much for reading! let me know if i should make a taglist for this series.

dedicated to my beautiful best friend, @autumntales 🩷

main masterlist. gilmore girls masterlist. playlist.

0 of 15 chapters published. started: july 31, 2023 deadline: october 1, 2023

prologue

chapter one

chapter two

chapter three

chapter four

chapter five

. . .

[ilyasorokinn]

“HOLDING HANDS UNDER THE TABLE” prompt with jess mariano please and thank u 🫶

SPOIL

this is the first thing i've ever written for jess, so i you enjoy besties <3 also, i am a lorelei and rory stan, so if you aren't or want to say anything mean, say it to a wall.

"holding hands under the table." (from this prompt list)

when you and jess got together, you wanted to keep it on the dl. well, he wanted to keep it on the dl. although you weren’t best friends with rory gilmore, you were kind of friends and he didn’t want to create any animosity between you, so you decided to not tell anyone about it.

before school, you would meet in the back parking lot where no one ever was. jess brought a surprise pastry to share and a cup of hot chocolate while you brought a new book.

"on the menu today, vanilla scones with lemon icing."

"ooh, luke's getting fancy." you teased.

"i'm pretty sure he bought them."

"then disregard what i said."

"and what book did you bring today?"

"kirk told me i had amazing taste when i bought the book."

"kirk told you that? why would kirk be working at the bookstore?"

"who knows? i've learned to stop questioning kirk." you handed it over to him.

"really?" you shrugged, "i am not reading this."

"oh, you're boring. come on, it's a good book." you insisted. he opened his mouth to argue when the bell rang, "are you actually going to come to class today?"

"i don't know, i kind of like hearing you recite everything back to me." you playfully shoved his head and grabbed your stuff, "i'm kidding. we'll see. i have some stuff to do before."

"what could you possibly be doing right now?"

"stuff." he responded, "i'll see you later. promise i'll be there."

"you better." he leaned down and kissed your forehead before he was on his way, "i'm holding you to it, mariano." he gave you a thumbs up.

true to his word, jess walked into class as if he hadn't missed the majority if the day, "you know, when you said you had some stuff to do, i didn't think it would take all day."

"you'll be happy to know i got you something." he produced a flower he had definitely picked from the garden on the way to school.

"awh, that's sweet." you cooed, "how much do we owe taylor for it?"

"he won't even know it's missing." jess rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair then grabbing your hand and holding it in his lap under the table, "i got you something else too, but that'll have to wait till later."

"ooh."

"not like that." he rolled his eyes, "a cd."

"cd? jess mariano, you are spoiling me." you smiled.

"anything to see you smile." he gave you a sarcastic smile.

taylor's 2.5k celly!

[redbelles]

“So how’s Columbia?”

“Screw you,” says Rory thinly, passing him the half of the scone that’s left. It’s cherry, anyway, his favorite. (What else is she supposed to do with her hands? Where should she put them now so she doesn’t slip up and reach for him?)

“Yeah.” Jess brushes her fingers with his cold ones as he takes the paper bag, purposeful and spiteful, proving nothing she doesn’t already know. “Right back at you.”

in the baggage room at greyhound ↳ a season four au by @oceanblvdmp3

[loonylupinblack3]

Jess Mariano x Reader

Pairing: Jess Mariano x reader

Warnings: none

Summary: it's cold outside and Jess helps you out

Word count: 1.1k

You’d been walking around town for a while now, the chilly night air starting to get to you. You rubbed your arms to get some semblance of warmth as you tried to think of what to do. You didn't want to go home, not with your mother bound to be there. After the vicious fight you two had, you had no longing to be anywhere near her, which unfortunately left you with no place to sleep tonight. You knew you should go back, you knew it would be the smart, reasonable thing to do, but you just couldn't bring yourself to do it as you remembered the words your mother had spat at you as she stared at you with revulsion.

Of course you’d had fights with your mother before, but when she wanted she could be particularly cruel, and tonight she had certainly wanted to be cruel. She was pissed at you because you’d failed an important test at school, a failure she said had to do with a certain raven-haired boy currently residing above Luke’s diner. She believed that Jess was a bad influence on you and since you'd refused to stop hanging out with him, your mother sought other ways to convince you he was bad, namely blaming every single failure you had onto him. You were sick of defending him to your mother whenever you made a mistake, and so you had said some things you shouldn’t have, which caused the massive fight to implode, and here you were. Walking around Stars Hollow late on a Tuesday night with nowhere to sleep.

You were about to relent and go home, wondering if you’d be able to sneak into your second story window, when you heard someone call your name.

“Y/n.”

You looked up and found Jess leaning out of his window, staring at you with a slight smirk and smug expression.

“Jess?” you asked in disbelief.

His smirk widened “Y/n. Enjoy your walk?”

Your brows furrowed in confusion. “What?”

“Seen you walking around for a while. Cold night for a stroll, don’t you think?”

You let out a huff, crossing your arms as you stared at the boy you were so reluctantly fond of.

“Shut up,” you muttered, though you made sure you were loud enough for him to hear you.

“I’m guessing that means you don’t want to come in for a hot chocolate.”

Your head perked up as you stared at him. “Are you offering?”

Jess rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t very well say it if I wasn’t offering, would I?”

You grinned and walked up to the diner, crossing your arms to savour any warmth you might have while you waited for Jess to come downstairs. How slow could he be? Eventually you saw the diner light up and Jess walk towards the door, his stride leisurely despite the fact you were contracting hypothermia right that second.

Jess did open the door though, and as soon as he did you were inside, as far from the door as possible as you felt your whole body shiver in delight at the change of temperature. Maybe you wouldn’t contract hypothermia after all.

Jess snorted at your reaction and started making the hot chocolate while you trailed behind him, unused to being in the diner when everyone else was gone.

“Where’s Luke?” you asked, eyes darting around the place as if Luke would spawn there any moment.

Jess shrugged, his back to you as he stirred the hot chocolates. “Out at something. Can’t quite remember. He’s not gonna be back till later.”

You raised your eyebrows, checking your watch which said 11:45pm. “When exactly is later?”

Jess shrugged again. “I dunno. Later.”

You rolled your eyes but gratefully accepted the warm cup of hot chocolate he placed into your hands. You took a sip, burning your tongue slightly but you didn’t care. It was nice and warm and you were still so cold after spending most of the night outside with the snow in just a flimsy cardigan.

“You look cold,” Jess observed over his hot chocolate.

“You don’t say?”

Jess placed his mug on the counter. “I’m serious. How long were you out there?”

You checked your watch again. “I don’t know. A few hours? I left just after dinner so…”

Jess didn’t need to ask why. You’d complained enough about your mother that Jess knew when you had a fight it tended to be big, and staying outside while it snowed for hours was a pretty clear sign that whatever happened had been big.

Jess sighed. “You’re an idiot, you know that? Come on, I’ve got blankets upstairs.”

Jess took your hand and you complied, though you brought your hot chocolate with you. When you arrived in Luke and Jess’s tiny apartment, Jess led you to his bed where there were clothes, books, and most importantly, blankets scattered across the area.

You carefully placed you cup on a table and found one of Jess’s jumpers to put on, as well as not one, not two, but three blankets that you wrapped tightly around you. Still, you couldn’t stop the chills racking your body from all your time outside. Jess had sat next to you on his bed and was quietly watching you while you froze away, until he let out a frustrated sigh and tugged you towards him.

“What are you doing-“

You didn’t get to finish before Jess ripped you of every layer you had just wrapped yourself in – minus the jumper – and you squawked in outrage. Jess ignored you, rewrapping both of you in the cocoon of blankets and pulling you closer until your head rested against his chest.

“There,” he said. “Body heat.”

You rolled your eyes but nestled further into his embrace, feeling the delicious heat surround you. The two of you stayed there like that, holding on to one another, until you tilted your head to look up at him.

“Thank you,” you said. “For doing this.”

Jess raised an eyebrow. “Doing what, exactly?”

You shrugged. “Letting me stay over, keeping me warm, the hot chocolate.”

Jess looked at you silently before carefully brushing some hair away from your face. His hand stopped on your face, before a slow smile crept across his face.

“You’re all good,” he said quietly, tugging you closer to him.

You placed your head into the crook of his neck so he couldn’t see you smiling, and slowly, as you listened to the steady beat of Jess’s heart and felt some feeling come back to your fingers and toes, you drifted to sleep, wrapped up in Jess’s embrace.

[scarlet4rose]

Dating Jess Mariano headcanons

-Jess can’t believe his luck, he thinks he’s living in some sort of dream. You’ve always been his dream girl and now you’re actually his

-He likes to show you off, at school, in Stars Hollow, at work and whatnot, he makes sure to pull you beside him and likes to put his arm around your waist.

-When you refuse and pull away, he’s gonna accept that and act as if it wasn’t bothering him although it sure as hell is. He likes to play it cool and he gets on with his day but he’s thinking about you rejecting his touch until midnight.

-He won’t show you but he DOES get insecure at times. Sometimes he can’t bear being around you cause he thinks he knows you’re way too good for him and it hurts him to realize it more and more day after day. He’s scared you will realize it too and leave him

-On good days though (when he misses you too much) he will invite you over or he simply shows up right outside your window to ask you to come with him/ to sneak out with him

-Likes to kiss you as if it would be the last time, most of the time behind some shabby cabin where no one can see you two

- when you two are walking around town, he likes to kiss your neck and teases you about giggling or laughing about it

- he works extra shifts to be able to afford taking you to a fancy restaurant. When you two finally wind up there, Jess usually complains about all the “snotty, snobby and super spoiled ol' rich people” in that place which makes you wonder why he even wanted to go there with you. He says he did it because that’s what a good boyfriend does and he’s a damn good boyfriend after all. He’s rather sarcastic while saying it and you two share a laugh.

- he’s convinced to stay with you until forever, provided that you don’t leave him of course. He even thought about marrying you one day although that thought kinda freaked him out a bit. No one in his family ever managed to stay happily married for more than a year and he doesn’t know if he will be able to work it out. He’s not the luckiest guy after all

- Still, once he got with you, he knew luck had been on his side for the very first time in his life.

-You’re an angel to him. Sometimes he says stuff like “hold on, my angel is coming over in a minute” or “wait, my angel is on the phone right now” when he’s around Luke and isn’t thinking too much about what he’s saying so it kind of slips out of his mouth. Luke restrains himself from mocking him because of it cause he genuinely likes to see Jess happy

- Jess buys you flowers whenever he’s got the money to do so but downplays it every time when he gives them to you. He acts as if it was “no big deal” but secretly he loooves when you get all excited about flowers and thank him over and over again.

- On Friday nights he loves to cuddle up with you on the couch but he doesn’t admit it. He says he usually isn’t into all that mushy stuff but he’s gonna act as if he was into it because of you. You know he’s lying.  

-he actually loves you, damn it ;-)

[cauliflowertree]

jess mariano—it hurts to say, but i want you to stay.

summary: the breaks are the best parts of studying.

word count: 1.4k

fanfiction no. 004

the principal of stars hollow high approached you one unsuspecting morning, asking you to follow him to his office for he had an important question to ask you. sure you were not in trouble, you followed him with eager curiosity, despite the worried looks on your friends' faces—they always worried for nothing.

"you know jess mariano, correct? asked your principal as he sat in his office chair and gestured for you to take a seat opposite him.

"yes?"

"I'm sure you've noticed jess has been skipping classes," he waited for you to acknowledge this, and only continued when you nodded vigorously in response. "in order for him to graduate this year, he needs to improve his grades."

he stopped there, waiting for another response, but this time it seemed he desired for it to be verbal.

"okay," you replied with a hint of confusion.

"it is perhaps...unconventional for me to propose this of another student," he prefaced, "but i would be remiss if i didn’t ask—would you be willing to tutor mr. mariano? now, of course," he continued before you could interject, "there would be benefits for you. extra credit."

extra credit? you knew yourself well enough to know you would have accepted this offer with or without these proposed benefits, but to save your silly little heart, you pretended to think over the offer and ask a question or two about the details.

｡+ﾟ☆ﾟ+｡★｡+ﾟ☆ﾟ+｡★｡+ﾟ☆ﾟ+｡★｡+ﾟ☆ﾟ+｡

jess trudged down the steps to the diner, peeking out from behind the curtain to see where y/n was sitting. scanning the room, he found them at a table close to the window, not far from the door, their nose buried in a textbook the size of his torso and thicker than drywall. he fiddled with the cd in his hand before finally shoving it down his back pocket and walking out into the nearly empty diner.

"hey," he announced himself.

you looked up from your history text book and turned to the voice's origin. jess mariano looked at you with a lopsided smirk while he pulled out a chair, turned it around, and rested his elbows on the back of it as he sat down.

"hey," you glanced at your watch, "you're right on time, i half expected you to at least be late."

jess shrugged, "i don't want to waste your time."

"that's considerate of you," you thanked him, "are you ready to get started?"

"on the reunification of italy during the eighteenth century? not really," he sucked in a breath through his teeth.

"well, when i don't want to study, i schedule out my breaks so i'm not working for too long at a time and i have something to look forward to," you suggested, "why don't we do that before we start?"

"okay," he nodded, "what do you do on your breaks?"

"anything. listen to music, get a snack, take a walk, read."

jess took this in and decided he knew exactly what he'd like to do for his first break. in fact, he was looking forward to it so much already, he found himself less inclined to do the work than he was before. but he settled himself down, looked over to you and your encouraging smile, and asked for a pen.

the next forty-five minutes clung to the clock's hands, dripping away slowly like honey from a spoon. jess's leg was bouncing impatiently, he tapped his pen against his notebook rhythmically until you told him to focus and stop distracting both himself and you.

"so, what was garibaldi's significance to reunification?" you asked jess, eyeing his notes and wondering whether he'd written down anything of importance, or just scribbled something down when he thought he was supposed to.

"it doesn't matter, because it's break time," he smiled mischievously.

you looked at the clock on the wall, and though he was right, you were eager to learn whether he had been paying attention, or whether your time had been somewhat ill-spent, for it was not all ill-spent if it was time spent with jess.

"can't you answer the question before we start the break?" you asked almost pleadingly.

"nah."

you looked at him with disbelief as he stood from his chair and headed over to the stairs that led to his shared apartment with luke. shaking your head, you went back to your own studying as he walked away, writing away almost immediately, which took jess by surprise when he turned around.

"aren't you coming?" he asked, forcing your attention away from work and over towards him.

"oh, sure," you replied awkwardly, rushing to catch up with him.

you'd never been in jess' apartment before, well, luke's apartment. but since jess was living there, it was much as you had expected—messy. clothes were strewn across the floor and bed, boxes lined every surface and every wall, music albums were scattered around his cd player, and there must have been at least a few dozen books littered across the entire space.

"it's very you," you broke the silence.

"uh, thanks. i got this new album today," he informed you, flashing the cover too fast for you to read the band's name. "they're called 'the strokes'."

you hadn't heard of them, but kept an open mind as jess put the cd on and skipped past some of the tracks until it landed on an upbeat song with light drums and a catchy guitar riff. immediately, jess began bobbing his head to the beat, subconsciously biting his lip as he watched the cd spin. he waited a moment before he turned to gauge your reaction.

it was hard not to move to the beat in some way, it was one of those songs. the man singing through the speaker had a unique voice that both you and jess seemed to enjoy.

"you like it?" he asked.

"yeah," you laughed, "i think it's awesome. can i see?" you pointed to the cd case.

jess raised his eyebrows, offering it to you. daring to walk across the room and further into his apartment, you took the cd from his hand, acutely aware of the way your fingers brushed over his, and turned it over to see the track list.

"we're listening to track five," he said.

"'someday'" you read the title aloud.

"yeah, my other favourite is 'last nite'" he added, noticing the first song was fading.

"put it on, i wanna hear," you demanded gently.

jess didn't get flustered, but if he did, he kew this would be one of those times where he'd be tripping over his own feet and fumbling with the buttons on his cd player. instead, he was collected as he changed it to track seven and tapped his foot to the beat.

"i think i’ll have to get myself this cd," you smiled excitedly, tapping the plastic case against your palm.

jess didn't say anything at all, he just watched you put the cd back on his dresser and stare at the music spinning in his player, your eyes going bright when the instrumental part sounded through the upstairs apartment, your head gently nodding to the beat. he thought you were perfect. and when the principal dragged him into his office to express the idea he had for him, he was sure he'd decline swiftly, certain anything he had to suggest would be stupid and not worthy of his time. but he had never been so wrong. he knew the moment he heard your name in that odious man's office that his life would become infinitely better seeing you twice a week in luke's diner.

but here you were, in his apartment, validating his music taste and enjoying it almost as much as him, being the most wonderful person he had ever known or read about. if he were a poet, he would create poems for the ages, poems that would one day be discussed in dingy classrooms, analysed to the heavens, and they would wonder who the person was that had him so enraptured beyond anything or anyone else. he would make the whole world desperate to get to know you.

you felt his staring, his unwavering gaze upon you. could you bare to look at him?

"this one's called 'hard to explain', i like this one too," jess whispered as the next song came on, and you found yourself involuntarily turning to look at him as he spoke—he was closer than before.

"yeah?"

"yeah," he breathed against your lips, rushing into a quick kiss before he could talk himself out of it.

you reciprocated his advances rather quickly, and once he felt this, the kiss became slower and more purposeful. his hands reached for your waist, trailing up your back to grip your hair.

"i- um, i don't usually do this on my breaks," you laughed breathily, "just in case you thought this was just something i got up to."

jess sniggered, "is it something you want to get up to more often?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"only if it's with you," you confessed, cheeks heating from the bold confession.

"i only like to share music and literature," he winked, leaning back in.

[perseephoneee]

congrats on 1k!!! <3

could i have a pomegranate black tea w jess mariano and the prompt ‘I’ll love enough for the both of us, even when you can’t love yourself’ 🤭🤭

hells yeah!! i love jess

↳ masterlist  ↳ ship exchange ↳ taglist ↳ 1k celebration

"I'm a mess up, alright? You shouldn't even be with me," Jess seethed, his voice trembling, running a hand through his hair. You watched him pace back and forth, his movements erratic. Each step sends a shot of pain through your heart. 

"Jess--"

"No!" he raised his hands, softening at your gaze. "You're...good. I'm damaged." You took a soft step closer, your hand reaching out to grab his, your fingers intertwining. You understood self-loathing; you saw it now in his face, in the way that his eyes didn't want to stay open, in how his muscles tensed. It didn't stop you from caring. It never would. 

"Damaged isn't broken," you murmured, voice gentle. "I'll love enough for the both of us, even when you can't love yourself, alright?"

Jess softened, his brown eyes almost doe-like as he regarded you. He leaned forward, kissing your forehead in nearly silent recognition that he believed you, that he would stay. 

[population9973]

colour me blue - luke danes

luke danes x fem!reader

warnings: drinking, age gap maybe (no ages given but luke is around 35 in season 1)

summary: you help luke paint the diner after he gets stood up

word count: 1.9k

you were in a particularly good mood this evening as you walked through town, even with the chill in the air nipping at you through your jacket. you had the day off work since luke, your boss, had closed the diner to do some work inside. despite his gruff exterior, you and luke had been friends for almost as long as you’d lived in stars hollow. you moved to the small town a year ago after a bad breakup and it took some time, but you had become quite close with luke. when you needed a job, he offered to let you help out at the diner for a few hours a week, and after a while he just got used to having you around.

as you approached the diner on your way through town, you were surprised to see luke standing outside the door, looking just about as cold as you were; or worse.

“luke?” you asked as you walked up to him.

“hey,” he replied, his hands in the pockets of his faded jeans, and a vest overtop of one of his many flannel shirts.

“what are you doing out here? shouldn’t you be painting?” you asked, peering inside at the cans of paint he’d brought in earlier.

“uh, yeah just - getting some fresh air, you know…. the fumes and all,” he gestured to the air in front of his face, and you gave him a look.

“luke, you haven’t started - all the paint is exactly where it was this morning and all the walls are the same colour,” you pointed out, not sure why he was being dishonest.

“i started!” he argued. “i took everything off the walls.”

“you did that earlier,” you reminded him.

“i didn’t say when i started,” he shrugged, looking at his shoes.

“luke, what’s going on? i thought you said lorelai was coming to help you paint tonight.”

“she is. was. she’s uh… not feeling good.”

“luke, you don’t have to lie to me. i thought you guys had a date?,” you said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“she ditched me, there, happy?” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. “and it wasn’t a date,” he insisted.

“no, i wouldn’t say happy,” you replied. something big must have come up for lorelai to stand him up. they were best friends, and you were pretty convinced they might be into eachother. you could see why she’d like him; despite the grumpy personality. he was tall, handsome, and kind. you’d kill to have someone look at you they way he looked at her. “come on, let’s go inside, it’s cold.”

“nah, just go home. it’s okay,” he tried to brush it off, but i was obvious that he was hurt by her not showing up. you couldn’t imagine standing up a guy like him, whether it had been a date or not.

“luke come on. hey, i’ll help you paint,” you offered, pushing his tall frame towards the door.

“no, you don’t want to -“

“i do, now come on, before i lose my toes please?” you pleaded, giving him your best puppy dog eyes. he caved instantly; everytime.

“alright fine, let’s go,” he put his hand on your lower back, ushering you inside and away from the frigid air.

•

“okay, now i think the fumes are actually getting to me, let’s take a break,” luke suggested, pinching the bridge of his nose. it had been about two hours of painting, and you were indeed ready to rest for a minute or two.

“my arms are tired,” you sighed, and sat down on the floor, your back against the front of the bar counter; all the chairs had been stacked to make room for painting. luke took a seat on the floor next to you, and you bumped his shoulder with yours.

“what?” he asked, trying to sound annoyed but failing.

“it’s gonna look really nice when it’s done luke.”

“you think so?” he asked, and you nodded, turning your head to face him.

“if you want i can help you put all the stuff back on the walls after.”

“you’ve done enough to help me, you don’t have to-“

“luke, i know i don’t have to. i want to,” you assured him, and he smiled. “why are too looking at me like that?”

“you have-“ he reached his hand towards you, brushing his thumb across your cheekbone softly. “-paint on you face.”

“really? well-“ you reached over to the paint tray on the floor near you and swiped your finger through the green paint, before wiping it on luke’s nose. “now so do you,” you smiled.

luke shook his head, but a soft grin remained plastered on his face, his gaze soft as he looked at you.

forget the way he looked at lorelai, the way he looked at you sure was something special; not that you’d noticed.

“you’re in for it now,” he reached for his paintbrush on the table, giving you time to stand up to attempt and escape, but he was faster than you, wrapping his arms around you from behind.

“luke, wait i’m sorry!” you laughed, but it was too late. he swiped the paintbrush across the front of your t shirt; it was one of his his he’d given you to wear so you didn’t get paint on your clothes, coincidentally.

“okay, now we’re even,” he smiled. “told ya you shouldn’t wear that nice shirt of yours. it’s your favourite i would hate for something to happen to it.”

“how did you know it’s my favourite?” you asked, and he flushed slightly, a panicked look crossing his face.

“i don’t know, you wear it a lot and it looks nice on you, so i figured it must be your favourite.”

“it looks nice on me?” you teased, and his cheeks turned a darker shade of pink.

“yeah - nice.”

“thanks,” you said genuinely. it was your favourite shirt, you just hadn’t expected him to know that.

“you’re welcome,” he replied.

“here, hang on,” you giggled softly, and his eyes watched you as you weaved through the plastic sheets and furniture until you were behind the counter. you rummaged around until you found a paper towel and gestured for luke to lean over the countertop.

“what are you-“ he asked, as you grabbed his chin in her hand, before wiping the paint on his nose. “thanks,” he mumbled, missing your touch on his face as soon as it was gone.

“we better get back to work. we’ll be here forever at this rate,” you sighed.

“yeah,” he said softly. “hey careful,” he said in a worried tone as you stood on a chair to reach the top of the wall. his large hands landed on your hips, holding you steady, and you realized you liked his hands being there.

“thanks,” you breathed, the chair leg wobbling slightly under you.

“yeah well, if you fall and break your neck it’ll be an insurance nightmare-“

“luke?”

“what?”

“thanks,” you repeated, and he stopped rambling. “help me down?” you asked, and he held you steady as you stepped down onto the floor. when both feet were firmly planted on solid ground, you expected him to let go, but his fingertips lingered on your waist.

“you can let go now,” you smiled, but he didn’t, he took a step closer to you instead, leaving only a few inches between your bodies. “luke..”

“thank you, for… helping me,” he said softly, like he found it difficult to say the words.

“you’re welcome,” you smiled. “besides, you never know, maybe it was all just an elaborate plan to get you to hang out with me,” you teased.

“you could’ve asked,” he replied.

“asked what?”

“asked me to hang out with you. if that’s what you wanted.”

“yeah?” you asked nervously, reaching up to fiddle with one of the buttons on his shirt.

“yeah,” he said, barely above a whisper as he stared down at you with that look in his eyes again. a look that said i’m crazy about you.

“what would you have said?” you asked, and he smiled.

“you know i can’t say no to you,” luke replied.

“are you sure? because i swear you’ve-“ he interrupted you with a soft kiss, his lips brushing against yours gently before he pulled back. there was a brief silence after, both of you just looking at eachother.

“you should do that again,” you whispered, and he did, deeper this time as he held you close, his arms around your back as you held the front of his shirt. you separated again, and luke rested his forehead on yours, a smile on both of your faces.

“we really should get back to painting…”

“you’re probably right,” he agreed, letting you go reluctantly. “you know when i’ve thought about asking you on a date, painting this place was not what i had in mind.”

“you’ve thought about asking me on a date?” you asked, your cheeks beginning to hurt from smiling so much.

“every damn day.”

•

the two of you painted for nearly three more hours before you realized the time, and luke insisted you call it a night.

“alright, i think i’ll actually go crazy if i smell paint for another minute. do you want a drink?” he asked, and you nodded, throwing in the metaphorical towel as well.

luke returned with two beers, popping the cap of one before handing it to you and then opening his.

“thanks,” you tapped the bottle against his with a clink, and he smiled. you walked outside to sit on the front step, and luke noticed you shivering almost immediately.

“come here,” he mumbled, putting his arm out for you to lean into his side. you rested your head on his shoulder, warmer already with his body against yours.

“thanks. i had a lot of fun tonight.”

“yeah? well we’ve probably got a few more days of painting left if you want to come back tomorrow…” he offered. “only if you want to though.”

“i’d like that,” you smiled. “what about lorelai? i thought she wanted to help?” you asked, still not sure exactly how the other woman felt about him.

“what about her?” he asked innocently. “it doesn’t seem like it was all that important to her considering she never showed up.”

“luke…” you could tell he was still a bit upset about her ditching their plans.

“i’m sure something important came up or she would’ve came,” he said genuinely.

“yeah you’re right. and you two are…”

“just friends,” he finished your sentence, a slight smile on his face.

“okay. i believe you,” you said, and you did. luke kissed the side of your head reassuringly, and you leaned closer to him.

“so i’ll see you here at seven am then? bright and early so we can get more work done?” he said, and for a second you thought he was serious. the smile on his face told you otherwise.

“can we push it to nine? my boss works me like a dog so i never get to sleep in-“ you teased him.

“hey,” he warned playfully. “it’s weird to think of me as your boss if we’re…. well,” he trailed off.

“you don’t have to be my boss - we could just work together but you’re in charge?” you suggested teasingly.

“so like a boss?”

“yeah,” you smiled, kissing his lips softly. “so nine am?” you asked, and he smiled, his eyes admiring your face again.

“it’s a date.”

[doverstar]

#me writing gilmore girls fanfiction

[teddypickerry]

𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐘𝐎𝐔 !

pairings! jess mariano x female reader

word count! 1.4k

warnings! swearing

a/n! it’s been a minute. hope everyone had a decent holiday and didn’t have to be stuck in a room with their sucky family too long lmao. don’t forget requests are open, and i’m aliveeee. this was actually a request from a few months ago but i accidentally deleted it or something so idk i can’t find it now. so i’m sorry person who requested!!

THE WIND WHISTLED throughout the chilly morning, entering the wooden apartment building with ease. As if it had been waiting all morning to do so. An escape indoors when a purple coated man with funky boots opened the bright red door, holding it with his mittens. The girl stepped in behind him a soft 'thank you' with a warm smile releasing from her mouth.

The building was inevitably cold. The winter months didn't allow any other way. So the few who mingled throughout the lobby, sprawled out on the mismatched couches, were bundled. You recognized them as the Williams family. A pair of older adults with their one son. Their heater had broken individually in their apartment leaving them stuck to the lobby for warmth. The mother was sure to greet you with a smile, one you mirrored with a quick 'hello.' You had already offered your company to them the evening before. When your boyfriend and you had come home from the bookstore.

The couple had politely awarded your generosity with a hug but declined the offer. You had gifted them a blanket or two along with one of the books for the son, who seemed bored out of his mind. So it warmed your heart to catch the teenager sat on the floor with the novel in his hands. This was one of the moments that Jess Mariano; the love of your life, had fallen even more deeply in love with you. It was only a few weeks ago you had moved to the city. The past nineteen years of your life had been spent in the small town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. The town where you so luckily met your boyfriend two and a half years ago.

You hardly knew the people in the lobby who seemed fairly upset but you offered your kindness to them. Something most wouldn't do. You trusted people and you trusted your heart. Which is something Jess Mariano never had the taste for. He had spent his whole life searching for warmth. Being raised by a mother who didn't know him from the next and preferred the men she met on the streets over him — left him with no real resemblance of what a true kind person in your life meant. When he was seventeen he was shipped from his mother's home (which lacked any home truly) to the small town.

Living with his Uncle Luke he rebelled immensely. That's what he knew how to do. Stars Hollow was also where he met Rory Gilmore. The girl whom he assumed would change all in his mind. She was pretty and incredibly bright. They had similar book tastes and both trashed the same musicians. But they were never on the same step. Always one step forward, and three steps back. So the short lived relationship was ended quicker than it had arrived. And that's when his love for you blossomed.

You made your way up the flight of stairs that you had made so familiar with these past few weeks. Fumbling with your keys, and your schoolbooks to unlock the door down the hall. The tiring day of academics that started far too early for your liking was finally coming to an end. There was nothing more you preferred to do than run inside and fall asleep in your warm bed. New York University was harder than you had imagined. But delightful in more ways than one.

When you had been accepted just a year ago, right after you started dating the dark haired boy who had won over your heart, you didn't have the money to move your life (and your love) to the city. So after yet another year with your boyfriend in Stars Hollow — and saving up as much as you could, the two of you could comfortably afford an apartment in Brooklyn. One that was the perfect little home for the both of you.

The door opened, the keys jingling in the process. The sound of a Billy Squier record engulfed your ears immediately. Your boyfriend's adequate yet varying taste in music was always something to adore. You could hear the record stop, and footsteps make their way over towards the machine. It was only seconds later another song sounded. The classic rock filling the home.

Dropping your books and bag on the kitchen counter, you took off your shoes and made your way quietly into the small living room. Where the sight of records, CDs, and books sprawled out all over the ugly green carpet surprised you. Hardly any walking space anywhere. But spotted directly infront of the built-ins was the man who had your heart. His messy dark hair sprawled all over his head as it faced the wall, his back the only part you could see. He sported a jean jacket over his blue t-shirt and black sweats. Which you could only assume was because of the weather. A stack of books held in one of his hands while the other attempted to place them on the shelves.

"Woah was there a tornado? I didn't feel it." You had joked, a small smile appearing on your lips as you watched your boyfriend's head spin around. Attempting to not drop the pile of books in the process. A goofy grin was quick to appear on his face, turning his head back to face the shelves. "Hey, how was it?"

"Um... I mean," You paused with the shrug of your shoulders despite knowing the curly haired boy wouldn't be able to see. Making your way towards the boy, making sure to not knock over each pile or box of things. "It was hard that's for sure. But worth it. I'm glad I'm here and thank you for coming with me."

"Hey, cmon no need for that shit. I'd never leave my girlfriend in a city by herself. Plus what's Stars Hollow without Y/N Y/L/N? It's just bullshit," Jess simply spoke as you made your way up behind him, your hand approaching the small of his back. "So what are you trying to do?"

"Trying to go for a Martha Stewart vibe," He humored placing the last book on the shelf before wrapping one of his arms around you. "Books on this side and I'll get another shelf for our bedroom. Then your records here, mine here, and our CDs there. And a worship lair for Kathy Griffin right here."

"Hm," you hummed as your smile poked out at his last sentence. "Why can't our records be together?"

"Megadeth and Carly Simon clash, babe." Jess teased lightly before turning down the record player a few tones. So hopefully it wouldn't burst a journalist in the making's eardrums. How else would you hear all the political bullshit? "You didn't have to do all this right now. I know you're probably tired from working."

"I'm fine. C'mon, it's gotta be perfect for you. And if my sleep deprivation means that you'll get that New York apartment we've always talked about, then fuck sleep." The nineteen year old explained before removing you from his embrace and reaching down for more books. "That was cheesy, Mariano. Rom-com cheesy. You love me so much."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Y/L/N." The boy's once rebellious demeanor took over as he dropped his warm face. Trying his best to appear vile. "Well definitely not you, Mariano. You tend to keep me wide awake." Your words revealed a smirk on the boys face as you pressed your hand to his shoulder. "Okay well, I'm gonna order some dinner. Let's see if I can get through this without tripping."

"Hey, wait." He called out anxiously making you turn to face him once more. "Where's my kiss?"

"I think I left it at school." You pouted making the boy give you an annoyed look before you pressed his lips against yours. A sweet sensation taking over your body in the process. You felt the boy ross the books onto the chair in the corner of the room, his hands pulling your body into yours as he deepened the kiss. There was nothing like the feeling of kissing the love of your life in your shared apartment. Not just an apartment, but a home.

[a-aexotic]

✫𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆, i can see you.

✫ 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 cursing, mention of partying, lecturting, sarcasm ✫ 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 hey guys! i hope you enjoyed the prologue. please show your love by liking and/or reblonging, they are very much appreciated. i am so beyond excited for this series and hopefully i meet my deadline lol. everything will be complete as of october 1st, 2023! ✫ 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 (send an ask or comment to be added!) main masterlist. gilmore girls masterlist. playlist.

Manhattan was the type of city where you either love it, or hate. There is no in-between and depending on if you love or hate it, describes who you are as a person.

Y/N Cromwell loved Manhattan. She was as classy and sophisticated as they come, she doesn't own anything that wasn't designer or specially made for her. I mean, if you lived like that, you would sure as hell love it as well.

Y/N lived her life to the fullest, taking YOLO a little too seriously. Her mother, Nancy Cromwell, is a world-renowned fashion designer and she is never home. And when she is home, she is usually tucked in her office, away from the world and her daughter. But, she learned to adapt without her mother and she was slightly okay with her not being around as much as she used to.

Filling her closet with expensive purses and even more expensive perfumes, she lived like royalty. Her mother never set financial boundaries for her, so she spent as much as she wanted. She usually got away with everything. Key-word being, usually.

Y/N sat at the edge of her huge bed, tuning out the lecture she was getting from her mother. She tried to listen and nod but it wasn't an easy task to do for more than 5 minutes.

"—an irresponsible girl! I am tired of it, Y/N. Always going out with those girls, not playing attention in class or-"

That was where she stopped and corrected her. "I do play attention mom, how else would I have a 4.0?"

Her mom stopped her lecture and sighed, rubbing her temple frustratedly. "Is that the only thing you got from my whole talk?"

She sat up with a bright grin. "Well I'm not gonna let you sit here and lecture me about something that I hadn't done. I do pay attention."

"This isn't about school-"

"Then don't bring it up." Y/N said simply, smiling at her mother's vexed expression.

"Listen, Y/N, one more mess-up and you're done I'll send you to live with your father in Connecticut."

Y/N had no reaction whatsoever to the meaningless threat. Her mother always throwing that threat left and right, there was no way she'd actually go through with it.

Y/N feigned understanding and her mother sighed with a nod. "Got it, young lady?"

"Got it, ma'am." She mocked slightly before her mom finally gave up, walking out of her room. That was when Y/N finally let out an agitated groan, before taking out her flip-phone and clicked her friend's contact.

It rang before it finally picked up. "Hey, honey!"

"Are we going to Daniel's party or what?"

"I thought you were grounded, Y/N/N."

Y/N rolled her eyes. "That's not stopping me, Lindsay. We going or what?"

The black Prada glasses and sour expression sitting on Y/N's expression was very telling. She was either hungover or high right now—but unfortunately for her, she was neither at the moment. She was sitting in Hartford Airport waiting for her father's, now late, arrival.

Her mother's words kept replaying in her head. "One mistake in Connecticut and I'm sending you the Netherlands. And no, not the cities—the countryside." That alone sent shivers down her spine, having to live without electricity and texting. How can anything be worse than that?

Y/N had to get her act up. If she didn't, she would have to live among cows and pigs. She decided she was going to try her best to sell the 'good girl' act to everyone, whether they believed it or not.

She finally sees a familar face walking up to her. She let out one last annoyed groan silently before getting up and putting on her best smile. "Daddy!"

Her father immediately grinned, opening up his arms to give his finest bear hugs. "Sweetheart, how've you been?" He immediately paused. "That's, uh not a good question. Nevermind. How are you dealing with everything?"

He knew how dramatic his daughter could be. She loved New York and getting sent away would surely spark some anger in her and he did not want to be on the receiving end of it.

Y/N slid up her sunglasses to face her father. "I'm doing well. I think this is good." God, this sounded unnatural and wrong. She wasn't happy and she sure has hell doesn't think this will be any good for her. "To be away from the City will some good for me, being around my old... friends will surely make me feel better."

Her father looked surprised at her somewhat mature response. "Wow, well I'm glad that's how you're viewing this experience. Good for you, Y/N. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, dad. I really am trying, I'm glad you see that." Another lie. She almost felt bad for deceiving her father.

Well, that was until she got home. As they pulled in the house—it was exactly how they left it. Her father usually spends the summers with her in Manhattan so she hasn't seen this house in almost two years. It brought back so many memories. But she couldn't sit on the nostalgia because it quickly flooded away as she was struck with confusion. There was a slightly familiar woman standing outside the home, waiting for their arrival.

"Who's that?" Y/N sat up a little straighter in the passenger seat, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Well, uh honey I've been waiting for a right time to tell you this..." Her father swiftly put the car parked in driveway, turning face to face with Y/N. "I'm—well, we... we're engaged."

"Who’s we?" I asked I look outside the window to the mysterious woman standing on the porch.

Her father paused as his expression changed from excited to slightly agitated. "Your mom hadn't mentioned me dating Kristian?"

"You hadn't mentioned it either." You swallowed nervously. Her father was dating (and now engaged) to someone she'd never heard about from neither of them. She felt a little dread because she suddenly felt out of the loop.

Her father sighed. "Let's talk inside, honey."

Her father got her luggage and the lady greeted her politely and she did the same. At this point the only facts she knew was A. her name was Kristan, B. she looks a little familiar, and C. she's blonde.

As her father put her stuff back up in her old bedroom, they both sat in the living room awkwardly waiting for her father's arrival. He finally walked down the stairs and sat next to Kristan, putting an arm over her shoulder. Wow, he's really serious about her.

"So..." Y/N started the conversation. "You're engaged."

He cleared his throat. "Me and Kristan have been engaged about two months now and we've been dating a year and a half." And he somehow failed to mention anyone when he called or visited.

Y/N kept her slight disappointment to a minimum as she nodded politely. He seemed genuine about her and she knew she'd be an even more terrible daughter if she started a fit. He was happy and that's all that matters... at least that was what she was trying to convince herself.

Y/N got up from the couch and cleared her throat, putting on her pageant queen smile. "I'm, uh Y/N Cromwell."

Kristan laughed softly before doing the same while extending a hand. "I know that, sweetie. I'm Kristan Dugray, pleased to meet you."

Dugray... Dugray... Where had she heard that name before? Y/N furrowed her eyebrows as she thought until her question was finally answered.

The front door opened suddenly and she whipped her head to make eye contact with... Tristan Dugray? Oh, so that's where she's heard that name!

Y/N couldn't control as her mouth flew open. She also couldn't control the words that came out of her mouth as she saw him. "Oh, you've gotta be shitting me."

[starstruckunknown-princess]

Left Me On Read

Pairing: Jess Mariano x F!Reader

Warnings: Snowballs, other than that, fluff!

Word Count: 813

Summary: You own Stars Hollow Books and have been trying to get home-grown writer Jess Mariano to do a signing for his new book. When you see him in town after weeks of silence, you do the only logical thing. However, logic has never been your strong suit when Jess is around. 

A/N: Again, not sure how much traction Jess has on this site but I’m posting this anyway cuz it’s cute af and I just wanna live in Stars Hollow in winter!

Fluffcember Masterlist

Stars Hollow was magical in the wintertime. The town square all lit up with warm string lights, Kirk selling hot cocoa by the steps of the gazebo. It had been the same since you and your mom moved here when you were five. You couldn’t stay away, even when you’d left for college (Columbia, not that it mattered here). After college, you moved back and eventually took over the bookstore from Andrew. 

You were walking home through the square when you spotted him talking to his uncle outside of Doose’s Market and you stopped in your tracks. Ever since you’d read his latest book, Stars That Fade, you’d been dying to talk to him about it face-to-face, even inviting him to do a signing at the bookshop you two had so often frequented as teenagers. You hadn’t heard back from him at all in the last six weeks since his book was released, and then he just waltzes into your town and doesn’t expect you to take your childish revenge?

Jess Mariano had another thing coming.

He’d grown up in the last few years, but then again so had you. And he had grown up good. No longer did his hair stick straight up like he’d stuck a fork in an outlet. It lay in thick, glossy layers and was getting long, you were willing to bet he’d be able to pull most of it into a small ponytail. He’d also gotten, for lack of a better word, broad. When you’d met he’d been muscly but thin, almost as waifish as Rory had been. 

Obviously, you hadn’t matured as much as you thought, because a few seconds after seeing him you buried your hands in the snow and started shaping it into a tight ball. The broad back of his leather jacket made too tempting a target for you to just ignore, especially since he’d been ignoring you for weeks.

A car passed by and you took aim. Jess was across the street, still talking to Luke with his back toward you. He hadn’t noticed you yet, but Luke had. Luke saw exactly what you were doing and made no move to stop you or warn his nephew — he even tapped Jess’s shoulder to move him a bit to the right and further from the telephone pole to make your shot easier. What a guy, that Luke Danes.

You threw the snowball, hitting Jess squarely between his shoulder blades, sending snow down the back of his leather jacket. He jumped around like a madman trying to get it out and you couldn’t help the loud laugh that echoed across the street. Luke was trying not to double over in hysterics, his hand over his mouth.

“What the hell? Oh,” Jess said, catching sight of you. Your eyes connected and you smiled at him, waving cheekily. “You’re dead!”

He dashed across the street and you took off across the square, scooping more snow as you did. You stood on one side of the gazebo and Jess stuttered to a stop on the other side, his own snowball ready to throw. He moved to the right, you dodged to your left to maintain your distance. This continued until you both stood in the gazebo, each with one foot on the top step below, ready to flee if necessary.

“Come on, you owe me one good shot!” he negotiated.

“You deserved that and you know it,” you said back, trying to hide the smile in your voice. “Consider it my last ditch effort to get a response from you.”

“Well you’ve got my attention, sweetheart. Now, would you act like an adult and let me pelt you with this snowball?” Jess’s eyes sparkled and he shook the hand that held the snowball. How could you deny him when he was so damn irresistible? He always had been.

“Fine, go ahead.” You raise your arms to the side and tilt your head back, allowing him to take aim. The snowball hits the gazebo floor, shattering over the toes of your boots and you raise an eyebrow at him. 

“I’m sorry I left you on read,” He approached you and traced his hands down the arms of your coat. “Truncheon has been insane, holidays you know. And then one of our presses went down and that was a whole debacle. How’ve you been?” He asked.

“I’m good. Store’s keeping me busy, but overall I’m good.”

“Yeah? You look good.”

You blushed and glanced away from him. “You look good too, Mariano.”

“Hey, are you busy right now? I was gonna head over to Al’s and grab a bite.”

“I am the opposite of busy right now.” 

“Cool.” His dark eyes glinted in the fairy lights above your heads as he glanced at your lips, then back to your eyes. You couldn’t help the fluttering in your chest. 

“Cool.” 

Fluffcember Masterlist

[redbelles]

“I just can’t do it anymore, I can’t handle everything all on my own. I was supposed to have people, wasn’t I? And where are they? Why aren’t they helping me, why didn’t they want me? Why didn’t anyone love me enough to keep me? Why am I killing myself just to prove a point to the universe that I’m—I’m worthy of something, that I’m not bothered by it when I’m so bothered, and I don’t get it, I don’t get how anyone can just give their kid up like they don’t matter. What did I do wrong, y’know? What’s wrong with me?”

Jess pulls her back into him, and he says, “Nothing,” with so much conviction it almost knocks the wind out of her. “Nothing is wrong with you.”

“Something has to be,” Rory sniffles. “I’m defective and they could smell it on me.”

“You’re not defective.”

“Then why didn’t they want me?”

reckless abandon ↳ an adoption au by @pheebebuffy

[allthisheaven2]

news additions to the rory jess cinematic universe xx

this is also a callout. everyone should write cozy roryjess so i can have something to read. thank you

[scarlet4rose]

the ex-boyfriend, pt.2

Jess Mariano x reader

story: you’re dating Jess. when you two happen to meet your ex-boyfriend, Jess gets jealous (requested)

note: make sure to read part 1 first

(pt.1 => https://at.tumblr.com/scarlet4rose/the-ex-boyfriend/8kfcu3d4rj0t )

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Jess stares at him in shock, "We?" he repeats. "We gotta go watch the movie??!" "Yeah, that's what I said" Tyler replies harshly, "Do you have some kind of hearing problem?" Jess frowns, "Do you have some kind of consciousness problem?"

Tyler shifts back a bit "no clue what you' re talking about" he says with a snide smile. 

Jess draws you a little closer, "Y/N and I were going to watch a movie today, just the two of us, all romantic and sappy and stuff. This wasn't supposed to be one of those double date affairs. What exactly don't you understand about that?”

 "Oh, I understand just fine," Tyler blurts out, "but you don't seem to understand that my girlfriend and I were gonna do the exact same thing. That's not against the law, is it? Are you trying to tell me what I can and can’t do or what? You would never have been at the movies just the two of you anyway, unless you rented out the whole place for yourselves, have you? No? Did you, Jesse?” 

"It' s Jess," Jess says between clenched teeth. 

"Whatever," Tyler comments, "Either way, I'm right and everyone knows it." 

"Oh yeah?" Jess counters again, his gaze unwavering "And what about Miss Girlfriend over here? Why doesn't she say anything anymore? and wasn't the only thing she said that she didn't even want to go to the movies?"

you snap out of your trance "Jess," you say in a slightly admonishing tone and look at your boyfriend reprovingly. Immediately his expression softens and he lowers his head the moment you address him, "Leave Chelsea out of this. She hasn't done anything wrong." 

"What?" Tyler shoots out, "But I didn't do anything wrong either, Y/N" Tyler looks at you intensely and you can' t think of anything to say, as startled as Tyler seems to be. His gaze makes you feel uneasy. What on earth does he want from you anyway? You lean against Jess' side and his arm tightens around you. "Hey, don't look at her like that," Jess demands as he gives him a scowl again. 

Tyler groans and turns to Jess "Oh great, you really are trying to tell me what I can and can't do, I see". 

"Only if you act like a real ass, Tyler. After all, someone has to stop that if apparently you are unable to do so yourself..."

You can see that Tyler is on the verge of losing his temper. But he seems to catch himself and squints his eyes instead "Well, I'd rather be an ass than the goddamn wisenheimer you are."

"You would?" Jess seems a bit amused, not believing a word of what your former boyfriend is saying. The hint of a triumphant smile plays on his lips. Then Chelsea suddenly speaks up again 

"So... are we gonna go to the movie theater or not? I guess I didn't really understand the whole thing...”

"No, you got it all right. We should really get going," Tyler throws a provocative look at Jess, "to the movie theater” 

You feel Jess tense up again. So, you quickly interject "Alright, we're running a little late anyway" 

"By now" Jess adds, looking down snidely. "Come on now, let's go" you mutter, pulling Jess along with you "We were perfectly on time till we got held up, you know that don't you?" Jess whispers in your ear as you walk down the street. Tyler and Chelsea follow close behind, embracing.

"Yeah...I know. But don't harp on it" you whisper back. Jess sighs "Well, if it makes you feel better… " 

You smile to yourself "It does. Thanks, Jess " 

You tilt your head and kiss him on the cheek. Jess can barely hide his grin and glances at you out of the corner of his eye as he smirks. Everything could have been so great, but...

"Wow, I'm so excited to see this movie!" Tyler announces, walking a little faster and appearing right by your side, "I've heard so many cool things about it. They say it's crazy awesome, right? And... uh, so touching and emotional". 

Jess can't hold on to himself and lets out a short, contemptuous laugh. 

"Oh, who would have thought! You got a problem again? Ya don't like the fact that Y/N and I have the same taste in movies?" Tyler raises his eyebrow. 

"Oh, no, it’s not like that at all," Jess says in a gushing, sarcastic tone, "I just think it's kind of funny that you'd describe a movie about a future where people aren't allowed to feel emotions as particularly emotional. And by the way: I chose the movie". 

Tyler gives you a puzzled look "you guys watch a movie like that on a date?"

you smile apologetically "Well, a movie where no one shows their feelings, that's just the right thing for Jess." 

"That's not true" Jess mumbles a little hurt "I'm not like that anymore" He pulls you towards him and gives you a quick kiss on the lips.

You feel the butterflies in your stomach going crazy, but you try to stay collected. "I guess you're right" you agree before you then bust out laughing "But you can't deny you really wanted to go see the movie with me" 

"Yeah maybe, but the important part is I wouldn’t wanna go see it with anyone else" he replies gooey as he can't take his eyes off you. 

"A movie about numb and emotionless pseudo human mutants, very sweet of you Jess," you reply jokingly, still grinning. 

"Well, that’s just the way I am," he agrees with sarcastic pride and a smile that makes your heart beat faster.

"Real sweet" Tyler mimics you and shakes his head "I for one would have picked an actually sweet movie" 

"oh yeah?" Jess' expression darkens "And what movie are you headed to right now? Same one we are, aren't you? And who are you taking there? Your girlfriend, right. Kind of like I am taking mine. So, do me a favor and shut the hell up."

"not gonna argue with you again" Tyler claims  

"not gonna argue with you either" Jess shrugs "man.... I'm just telling it like it is. Sorry if you can’t take that" 

“The truth I can take! But I won’t take your bullshit, Jesse!” 

You roll your eyes. Tyler being right beside you grows more and more annoying as he obviously doesn’t know what he’s talking about and can’t respect a thing of what anyone is saying. You still don't understand what exactly he intends to achieve with all this. Then, all of a sudden, you finally see the lights of the movie theater in the distance.

"Oh, there’s the movie theater already," you call out to change the subject. Immediately you double your steps and pull Jess along with you. 

At the box office, you ask for two tickets to Equilibrium. You thought you were going to pay for your ticket yourself, but then Jess takes out his wallet in a hurry.

 "Jess, you don't have to do that" you mumble, but Jess gives you a determined look 

"Well, I want to, Y/N. After all, what else did I work my way up to employee of the month at Walmart for??" 

You can't help but laugh brightly and lean your head against Jess' side. He tugs you closer and gives you a heartfelt kiss before he has to pull away from you again in order to hand the money to the girl at the register. After the two of you, it's Tyler and Chelsea's turn at the box office.

"Two tickets to the same movie," Tyler says, rummaging in the pockets of his jacket. The girl at the cash register frowns, "which movie?"

Tyler looks at her with wide eyes "Well, …the same movie that the two who were just here bought tickets to.” 

Jess leans over and whispers in your ear "we might have some luck coming our way after all" You giggle and Jess looks at you, he seems entirely enamored.

At the box office, the girl is still looking at Tyler in confusion "which movie?" she repeats. Tyler stammers something until Chelsea appears to blow her stack. "That damn Equi something movie I never heard of before!" 

"Equilibrium?" asks the girl at the box office. 

Tyler's face brightens, "Yeah, that's the one!" 

"Damn it," Jess curses under his breath right next to you, “I got no luck whatsoever. Who would have guessed…”

"Hey, but you've got me," you remark, tilting your head. 

Jess sighs, "Who knows for how long..." he mumbles and looks to the ground. "What did you say?" you ask, caught off guard. You aren't too sure if you heard Jess correctly. And in case you did... he can't be serious, can he? 

"Oh, nothing," Jess replies, kissing you softly before putting his arm around you again and taking you towards the auditorium. You glance up at him with concern, "Are you all right, Jess?"

He avoids your gaze: "Yeah, everything's fine" But you don't believe him. 

You suspect he's worried about Tyler, even though you know that's complete nonsense. You couldn't care less about Tyler, you know you never loved him anyway. You had only been with him out of convenience and had broken up with him as soon as you realized it. Tyler hadn't seemed hurt at the time, in fact, it used to feel like he could barely remember your name. But now that someone else was taking you out, he deluded himself into thinking he had the right to be jealous. You were actually pretty good at tuning Tyler out, but Jess didn't seem to be as good at it.

Jess and you find your seats and then sit down next to each other. You notice that Jess has become rather quiet, probably out of worry and insecurity, so you put your head on his shoulder to ease his mind a bit. 

And indeed, it takes mere seconds and you hear him breathe a sigh of relief, "Y/N," Jess begins, turning his head to you, "I know I was foolish enough to choose a movie about people who don't feel anything and so on.... but I do have feelings, feelings for you, you know?"

"I know," you whisper, lifting your head to look at Jess' face. Hesitantly, Jess leans in and begins to kiss you. You close your eyes and return the kiss, more and more, for longer and longer. Jess deepens his kiss feeling like he never wants to have to be without you, there's something longing about it. You start to lose yourself in your emotions, only thinking about how much you love Jess beyond measure. And then-

"Hey, Y/N," Tyler's voice comes from behind you. It sounds like a shrill alarm bell to you. Hastily albeit reluctantly, you end the kiss and face your ex-boyfriend, increasingly annoyed. 

"I brought you some of your favorite popcorn. I know just how much you love it" Tyler shoves a large bucket of popcorn into your arms. You look up at him in surprise. 

"Well," Tyler flashes a satisfied grin before adding in a provocative tone, "it’s really no problem, ya know? I'm sure if your current boyfriend knew you as well as I do, he would have done the same." 

Suddenly Jess jumps up from his seat, visibly upset. "All right, that's it!" he shoots out. Jess scowls at Tyler, but Tyler glares back sternly, "Huh? What's the matter, pal?"

You try to reach for Jess' hand to pull him back down to you, but his hands are clenched into fists and he firmly shakes off your touch. He’s infuriated.

"Let's settle this outside the door," Jess then announces, gesturing toward the exit with a barely perceptible nod, never taking his eyes off Tyler.

"Yes, please do it already!" some male voice shouts a few rows behind you, "The movie's about to start and I paid way too much for the tickets!" God, the entire situation is more than embarrassing to you, but neither Tyler nor Jess seem to notice how ridiculous they are acting. 

"Gladly" Tyler eventually says addressing Jess, his death stare still lingering "I know how to handle those kinds of things like a real man".

"That would be news to me!" Jess claims and tenses his shoulder muscles. He's about to take a step forward but you quickly and out of reflex jump up out of your seat, "Stop it! Now! Your behavior does not resemble that of two ‘real men’, but rather that of two real toddlers!"

"Oh, you shut up, Y/N! You've never understood a thing about stuff like this," Tyler throws at you. 

You look at him aghast: "Excuse me?!" 

"Hey, leave my girlfriend out of this!" Jess sternly demands.

"But she’s what this is all about, isn't she? Am I right? And by the way; that used to be my girlfriend!" Tyler states through clenched teeth 

"Yeah, I guess she was," Jess replies, angrier than ever. "But the emphasis is on used to be. This also used to be a nice evening! And this used to be a free country too, where you could invite your girlfriend to the movies on a Friday night without being terrorized and stalked by her fucking insignificant ex-boyfriend!"

You suck in your breath and tense up. Tyler tilts his head. But then he solely chuckles and teases,

"Do I scare you, Jesse?"

“Jess, don’t” you manage to bring out, but before you know it, Jess shoots out and lunges at Tyler. Then all the lights in the auditorium go out and the film begins to flicker across the screen.

"What the-" you utter as your eyes adjust to the darkness while you hear Jess and Tyler's suppressed curses coming from the floor. 

You listen as Jess - or maybe Tyler - throws a punch and the other one of the boys groans with pain. 

"Guys, stop it," you scream out hysterically. You don’t want Jess to get hurt, he’s been through enough. God, if only he would have contained himself for just a little longer, everything would have been fine and you could have averted your attention away from Tyler’s mean remarks to instead focus on the movie on screen. 

"Guys, please," you beg, but all you can make out are their wrestling outlines on the ground, "Jess, please listen to me," but he doesn't respond to you. 

"I thought you were going to settle this outside the door!" the man's voice a few rows behind you chimes in again, " Seemed like a smart idea to me! So why don't you put it into practice, huh!?"

Then other voices in the theater start to barge in "Hey, what's going on over there?" shouts one. "Are those two idiots fighting?" another. And "don't those jerks realize the movie's already started?" Yeah, that' s what you're wondering, too, you think to yourself.

"You scumbag, if you look at Y/N one more time..." Jess threatens, still on the ground.

"... then she for sure will run into my arms, yeah I know that!" retorts Tyler short of breath, lashing out at Jess, "And you know it, too! And that’s what drives you crazy!" 

More punches and fists are thrown. 

"Jess, don't listen to him," you yell into the fray. You feel completely powerless and utterly miserable, what could you possibly do to stop all this? The entire evening has been ruined long ago anyway, but the fight between Jess and Tyler makes things even worse. 

A sudden ray of light illuminates the dark movie theater, as the door to the auditorium is promptly pushed open. A muscle-bound man followed by a woman, who must have left the auditorium earlier to bring the aforementioned man, appear in the doorway, their silhouettes standing out starkly against the glistening background. 

"All right boys, break it up!" shouts the man in black uniform " security service here! I want both of you to stand up! Did you hear me?!" 

And indeed- Tyler and Jess stop punching each other and get up off the ground. In the dim light of the movie screen, you recognize Jess’ hunched over body, his face filled with shame. 

"Both of you out of here, now!" the security guard demands, as he points to the door. Staring down at their feet, Tyler and Jess leave the theater. You can't help feeling saddened by the sight of your boyfriend walking away. He doesn't even turn around to meet your gaze. 

Then the security guard’s eyes and attention land on Chelsea and you, "That also goes for the two of you! I suppose it's your fault, anyway..." 

"I didn't do anything," Chelsea quickly interjects, looking innocently up at the man in uniform standing right in front of you. 

Indignantly you take a sharp breath, "I actually didn't do anything either!” 

"I couldn't care less about who didn't do anything ever or today or not or maybe or who will never do it again. I’ve heard it all before!" the broad-built man declares, gesturing once again at the still-open door, "Now both of you get out!"

"Alright, alright..." mumbles Chelsea, walking past the guard. 

You step as carefully as you can over the large amount of spilled popcorn to your feet and follow her meekly, not daring to lift your gaze and look the angered guard in the eye. 

Once you too have left your row of seats, the security guard joins you and closes the door to the movie theater behind you. Inside the hall, you begin to look around for Jess, but you can't find him anywhere. 

The security guard catches your glimpse. "My co-worker took the boys outside the building." You nod nervously and bite your lower lip. After all, you do feel a little guilty. 

The guard clears his throat, "And just so we're clear, not only the boys, but also you two have been banned from the movie theater for the time being." 

"What?!" Chelsea and you simultaneously shout out in bewilderment. You can hardly believe it. Yes, maybe you said you felt a little guilty, not that guilty. 

"But we weren’t the ones to get into a fight" Chelsea clarifies, tossing her hair over her shoulder. 

"Right, we would never engage in such violent activity," you agree, but the security guard remains merciless. 

"I've had it with you kids," he says in a stern voice, "just leave the theater right now," the security guy then sighs, "arguing with me won't change the head of the theater's decision anyway." 

you tilt your head pensively. yeah, he's probably right, you figure. Besides, bickering around in here while wasting your time won't get you any closer to Jess.

You look over at Chelsea and she returns your expression. She nods at you, and you turn back to the broad-shouldered man. "All right, we understand. Have a good evening, sir”. 

"We won't cause you any more trouble," Chelsea adds, and the two of you force a polite smile. 

The security guard doesn't bat an eye. Instead, he blurts out, "I sure hope so!"

"Jeez, let's go," you whisper into Chelsea's ear, and the two of you turn on your heels and run for the exit. 

Just before you leave the entrance hall, you once again look over at Chelsea. "Hey, Chelsea..." you begin hesitantly, "I'm really sorry about how the evening went. Especially for you. I mean, Tyler couldn't have been more of a bad boyfriend to you..." 

Chelsea sighs heavily "Well, I guess I should have known. He had only asked me out yesterday, you know? and I was dumb enough to say yes," she smiles slightly, but it appears to be one of sadness, "I've had a crush on Tyler for a while, I guess he knew that. He must have also known you guys were going out tonight. I'm sure he heard you talking about it yesterday at school" 

"Yeah, that figures" you agree looking down a little embarrassed. 

"Well, there's nothing to be done about it," Chelsea says, sounding less than optimistic, "I should have walked right off when Tyler was running around the streets like a maniac. When he was dragging me along and not wanting to tell me what he was looking for. Or who. Cause he, of course, was looking for you guys. And yeah, unfortunately he ended up finding you" 

"Oh Chelsea, I'm so sorry" is all you can think of to say, but at least it's the truth.

"Don't be. Be happy that you have such a great boyfriend" she says and you feel yourself blushing "Yeah, I guess I am a very lucky girl..."

Chelsea sighs once again, "I think he's really in love with you. I can tell by the look in his eyes. He looks at you all gentle and soft, which is really not like him at all. But apparently, he allows himself to be that way when he's with you"

Suddenly you feel your throat tightening, and you are unable to utter a single word. You desperately want to see Jess, you really need to talk to him. 

"All right," Chelsea smiles mildly and raises her hand as a goodbye gesture as soon as you've reached the exit. "I guess this is where we part ways" 

"Yeah, take care" you mutter and give her a genuine smile "See you at school on Monday" you call after her before she turns and walks away, disappearing into the darkness of the evening.

You hastily avert your gaze and look around for Jess. "Jess?" you call out into obscurity. A shadow stirs on the outside wall of the movie theater. "Jess?" you repeat.

And there he is. 

Out of the darkness and into the light of the movie billboards steps your boyfriend, Jess. He looks bleakly into your face, "Y/N, I'm sorry about what happened today and that I-" you rush into his arms and kiss him passionately on the lips. 

As you end the kiss, you look into Jess' eyes, showing off your widest grin. Jess however seems to remain unsettled and furrows his brow, as he looks down at you lying in his arms, "So you're not mad at me?" 

you can’t help but laugh “Well, yes I am a little mad” Jess tenses up and you can feel his heart skip a beat. “Oh, Jess, calm down” you rush to tell him, smiling in assurance, “I’m mad at Tyler, Jess. I’m not mad at you” 

Jess can’t believe his ears and hugs you to him “God, I’m so relieved! I thought you were thinking about breaking up with me or something…” Jess mumbles into your hair while he has you pulled close. Gently you break away from his embrace. “You didn’t let me finish”, you add. 

Jess’ smile dies down in a heartbeat. Quickly you put your hand to his cheek reassuringly “Oh God, Jess, you really don’t need to worry, I’m not gonna leave you, I never could”

“Well, I guess then you’ll have to deal with me for the rest of your life, cause I’m not letting go of you either, Y/N” Jess blurts out and looks at you, almost as in a trance. 

With an impish grin, you tilt your head "The whole thing sure has scared you quite a bit, hm? You don't usually say things like that to me” 

Jess swallows hard "Maybe I need to tell you more often. So that you don't run away from me. Or so you don't think I don't want you and would give you away to someone like Tyler" His gaze hardens, "Because I would never … I could never do that, you know?" 

You sigh and see the flicker in his dark eyes "What makes you think I would want to be with Tyler anyway?" 

Jess turns his eyes to the ground "Well, you used to be with him," he grits his teeth and clenches his jaw, "Even though it's pretty tough for me to admit that, I gotta say."

"Jess, I only dated him for such a short amount of time," you try to catch his gaze, "I don't even remember what made me do it. And besides... I always knew I never loved him" 

Jess immediately lifts his head and looks into your eyes "Does that mean you..?" he begins but then breaks off and bites his lip instead. "Yeah, Jess," you get out, "I've been thinking about it all evening. On the way to the movies. At the movies..."

"Even during that fight?" Jess inquires cautiously. 

You can't help smiling, "Nah, probably not then" You chuckle briefly, before your voice turns serious again. "But aside from that, always. I always thought about it. And I don't just think about it, I actually know that I…" you take a deep breath, "I love you, Jess."

Jess blinks twice before your words reach his ears, his head, his heart. He pulls you to him as hard as he can, wraps his arms around your waist and kisses you with all the love he otherwise tries to hide from you. He thinks it would make him seem weak, but he knows your love makes him feel incredibly strong. He kisses you as if he had never done it before but waited a lifetime for the chance. 

You carefully break away from him and look him in the eyes, happily yet a little shyly. "So you believe me?" you ask in a low voice. 

"I want to so much" Jess is almost whispering and nods. 

"And don't you want to tell me something too?" you ask, a wry smile on your face. 

Finally, Jess's expression begins to loosen a bit. "Not necessarily, no. I think you already know that I..." Jess pauses for a moment and briskly looks down, before turning his eyes back to yours, "that I love you a lot, Y/N. Maybe even too much"

You laugh and have a big smile on your face "Jess, I can't believe you're saying this to me! I'm so incredibly happy" You lean against him and rest your head on his chest. 

He smirks a little confused. "Don't you think it’s a little embarrassing? Am I not kind of … well, embarrassing myself?" 

You frown "What would you need to be embarrassed about?" 

"Hm" Jess takes a deep breath and exhales "I mean the whole love declaration thing. Don't I sort of embarrass myself with that? I kinda feel like I do, you know"

 You raise your head and look at him with serious eyes "Jess, how does it feel to hear that I love you?" 

He leans in and kisses you on the cheek "I wanna hear it again and again. And I wish I could tell everyone" 

"See?" You smile at him "I feel the same way. The last thing I'm thinking about is you embarrassing yourself" You start to grin "And besides, shouldn't you be more concerned about having embarrassed yourself in your fight with Tyler. Because that I did find embarrassing" 

"Come on, now don't remind of that," Jess rolls his eyes and pulls away from you. He then raises his eyebrows provocatively and smirks, "Although I technically won the fight" 

"Oh yeah?" you look up at him amused. 

"Absolutely" he pulls you back towards him, "After all, I'm the one who' s with you" 

You wrap your arms around his neck and lean in for another kiss. Time stands still once again, and you feel Jess' touch make you forget everything. the movie theater behind you, the events of the evening, everything, except that you love Jess and he loves you. 

You move away from him a little, "let's go home," you say softly

Jess nods "All right. We can go see the movie some other time anyway.”

You begin to laugh inevitably, "But not in this theater." 

Jess looks at you a bit questioningly. Wide-eyed, you look back at him "Jess, we're banned from this place for the time being. You "won" that too with your stupid fight."

"Oh, that's right," Jess scratches the back of his head sheepishly, "I guess I kind of forgot about that."

"well, it’s fine" you lean against his side, "I wasn't that keen on the movie anyway" 

"you're not keen on watching a movie about callous human mutants who kill each other with no remorse whatsoever with your boyfriend on your Friday night date?" Jess voice drips with irony and you chuckle softly "well, when you put it that way..."

You both laugh slightly before Jess puts his arm around you and eventually says "I think it's really time to go now. Loitering outside a movie theater we are banned from is probably not the best idea."

Slowly, the two of you begin to walk off in the direction of Luke's Diner, pondering your thoughts. The evening may not have gone as planned, but at least this way you got to hear Jess say those three words. Who would have thought that an evening full of arguments, ex-boyfriends, bickering, accusations and movie theater bans would somehow still come to such a happy ending?

_____the end______

note 2: I’m sorry for the wait, I hope you guys were still able to enjoy the story 

*:·. ༶•┈┈୨♡୧┈┈•༶

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[cauliflowertree]

for a blurb u should do first date w jess mariano

:)

love me sweet—jess mariano.

summary: your first date with jess mariano.

word count: 0.6k

fanfic no. 009

the sun was beginning to set below the horizon as you walked through the quaint town of stars hollow, nervously fixing your hair and pulling down your jacket every few seconds. you stretched your neck out to see if jess had arrived yet, but could see nothing but faint shadows around the back of the poorly lit gazebo. but jess mariano watched you from a short distance, cowering where the light couldn’t touch, smiling softly, and wondering why you might be nervous to see him. he was nothing. you were everything.

he shook his head in disbelief as a small chuckle escaped his lips, slipping a book into his back pocket and pushing himself off the gazebo and into the light.

“hey there,” he greeted.

“hey,” you grinned, eyes brightening.

jess’ eyes raked over your figure, taking in the clothes you’d spent a long while choosing above all others. he didn’t say much, he never did, just a simple ‘you look good’ under his breath before he headed off. it was both endearing and satisfying.

“where are we going?” you asked, feet still planted into the damp grass below as you watched him march forward.

“you’ll see. come on, don’t you trust me?” he tilted his head with a mischievous smirk.

you hardly knew him, truth be told, but there was an inexplicable sense of safety you felt in his presence—an inclination you possessed that he would never lead you astray. but despite this, there was still a small part of you that felt as if you were free-falling with no access to a safe landing. but you were generally a good judge of character.

“i haven’t decided yet,” you hesitated. “trust is earned.”

“how am i supposed to earn it if you don’t take a leap of faith and trust me a little?” he cocked an eyebrow.

you suppressed a smile. “alright.”

as it so happens, jess had no plans at all as to where he was going to take you. he walked you through town, to the small bridge over the lake, past luke’s diner and then finally into the bookshop which was always open late of fridays. he simply valued your company and conversation.

neither of you bought anything, only browsed the shelves of limited titles the small store offered and pointed out which books you had read, which you desired to read, your favourites and the ones you hated beyond anything. jess laughed at your distaste for ‘the great gatsby’, how your face scrunched up in disgust.

on the way home, for jess insisted to walk you back, you exchanged book recommendations, music suggestions and talked of the films you should watch together in the little theatre in town. and when you reached the door to your house, jess tucked his chin into his chest as he looked down at your hands, cautiously reaching out to touch them.

“i had a nice time tonight,” you told him, wrapping your fingers around his.

“me too,” he nodded, still keeping his eyes away from yours.

you didn’t want to go inside, and jess didn’t want you to either, but you were both too anxious to make the first move. but after a moment, jess could feel the warmth leaving your fingertips, and he knew you couldn’t stay out there forever. he slipped his hands delicately up your arm until he reached your neck, which he caressed gently.

in spite of his feather light touches, the sting of his cool hands nipped at the warmth of your skin, but you hadn’t the heart to care. your heart was preoccupied, perhaps indefinitely.

his lips reached yours tentatively, sweetly, flowing into open-mouthed kisses after a few seconds to find your shared rhythm. he was perfection.