Post by Stella on Mar 10, 2003 13:42:37 GMT -5
Summary: What if Christopher hadn't returned at the end of That Damn Donna Reed and Lorelai had actually shown up to help Luke paint the diner?
Pairing: Luke/Lorelai
Disclaimer: I don't own them, Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB do. I just borrowed them to play with.
Luke Danes lifts the phone receiver. The voice on the other end comes rushing out at him before he can even get out a simple hello.
“You aren’t starting without me, are you? I know I’m running late, but trying to get away from my mother is only slightly more difficult than escaping from Alcatraz... and she was particularly determined tonight.”
Luke takes advantage of the pause when she stops for breath.
“Lorelai.”
“Yes?”
“I haven’t started without you.”
“Promise?”
“Not unless you count the tarps.”
A shocked gasp emanates from the phone.
“The tarps? You spread the tarps without me? Luke... how could you?”
Luke sighs and rolls his eyes.
“You said you were in love with painting. You didn’t say anything about tarps.”
“Tarps, my friend, are an integral part of the entire painting experience.”
Another sigh, weary and resigned.
“Would you like me to take up the tarps?”
There’s a pause while Lorelai considers.
“No, the tarps can stay - but don’t you dare stir any paint until I get there!”
“Hey...” Luke finds himself almost grinning. “...if you don’t show up soon, I make no promises.”
“I mean it!” Lorelai barks as she hangs up.
She walks through the door of the diner just under half an hour later, dressed in old jeans and t-shirt and carrying a six-pack of beer.
“Let the painting begin!” she calls.
Luke appears from the back, standing behind the counter and staring at her as though he’s afraid she might turn violent at any second.
“Let the painting begin? You are way too happy about this.”
“I told you, I love to paint. What part of this is confusing to you?”
“The part where anyone loves to paint. It’s unnatural.”
Loralai scowls at him, then shrugs and picks up two bottles and hands them out for him to take.
“Open, please.”
He takes them from her and produces a bottle opener from under the counter.
“So, Martha, where would you like to start?”
She scowls at him again, wagging a finger in his direction as she speaks.
“There will be no mocking.”
“I thought mocking was one of your favorite past times,” Luke answers, coming around the counter and handing her one of the bottles.
“It is... only not when it’s directed at me.”
“Sounds like a double standard to me.”
“There is nothing wrong with double standards. They are a proud American tradition, and I’m all for them...” Lorelai pauses to take a drink. “... as long as they work in my favor.” A smile brightens her face. “So, let’s get started, Burger Boy.”
Luke frowns.
“I thought I told you not to call me that.”
She nods.
“You did.” She nods some more, and then smiles again. “I’m ignoring you.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“I don’t know. Why?”
He turns away from her and bends down to rummage through one of the boxes from the paint store.
“Here, have a brush.”
“Thank you.”
Several Hours Later
“So, you still love painting?”
“Yes.” A defiant gleam in Lorelai’s eye. “In fact, I love it so much, I wish this place was even bigger.”
Luke gives her a weary sigh and rolls his eyes, turning his attention back to the wall. Just a little more here and they can start to work on the trim.
“You’re going to have some serious paint left over,” she says. “I tried to tell you we didn’t need this much.”
“You told...” Luke trails off and shakes his head.
“What is with you men?” she goes on. “Everything always has to be more, or bigger, or...”
Luke heaves an exasperated sigh and drops the paint roller back into the pan. He turns around to find Lorelai right behind him, smirking.
“You’re baiting me,” he says. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Can’t fool you,” she grins.
“What?”
“Hmmm?”
“You obviously want something. So, why not save us alotta time and just tell me what it is?”
Lorelai pouts.
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“Nowhere... but I won’t get as cranky.” A pause, eyebrows raised. “What?”
“Coffee.”
“No.”
“Luke, I’ve just painted a large portion of your diner. Is coffee so much to ask in return for a favor of this magnitude?”
“I’m the one doing you the favor. You love to paint, remember?”
“Yes, but not without coffee.”
“No coffee.”
“But, see...”
“Do you know what time it is? If I make you coffee now, you’ll be up all night.”
“Well, the last time I looked, we still had to do the counters and all the trim, so sleep isn’t looking like a good bet any time soon.”
“I guess I can’t argue with you there.”
“Great! So, this means that you’ll make coffee while I take over here, right?”
“Wrong.”
“Wrong? OK, Help me here...”
“I want to finish this wall, then maybe I’ll consider making you coffee.”
“I’ll do it! See, that leaves you free to make coffee.”
“No thanks, I got it.”
“Really, I don’t mind.”
They both bend to pick up the paint roller and find themselves almost nose to nose. They stare at one another for a long moment, obviously distracted from any discussions of coffee.
Before Luke can think about what he is doing, he closes the distance, his mouth covering hers. Lorelai hesitates for only an instant before returning his kiss. Her arms go around Luke’s neck and he pulls her closer as the kiss deepens.
When they pull apart, Lorelai smiles and whispers, “Hi.”
“Hi,” he whispers back.
“Mmmm... You’d better be careful, Mister. I’m easily distracted. I wouldn’t do that again if you want this place finished tonight.” She leans in with the last few words, her lips brushing his as she speaks.
“I think I’ll take my chances.”
He leans in for another long kiss, this one more insistent than the first, and pulls her closer against him. Both are smiling when their lips part.
Lorelai looks at Luke mischievously.
“Hey, is that a roller in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
Luke rolls his eyes and moves forward, pinning her against the edge of a table. His hips press into her.
“What do you think?”
“I think you’re very happy to see me.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah...” Her arms behind his neck, puling him down to her. She snatches his baseball cap off and tosses it aside. “Show me, Burger Boy.”
Luke produces no verbal response, but the sound he makes is somewhere between a moan and a playful growl.
His lips come down over hers once again. With no sign of his usual uncertainty, he takes Lorelai by the waist and lifts her onto the table. She wraps her legs around his waist, pulling him closer. Luke’s hands slide under her t-shirt to caress smooth skin.
“Luke,” she breathes against his lips.
“Mmm.”
Lorelai gasps as his hands firmly cup her backside, pulling her hard against him. Not once does his mouth leave hers. He pulls her closer still, lips moving hungrily over her own, and she moans into his mouth.
When they finally break apart, she pulls back from him just enough to reach for the buttons on his ever-present flannel shirt, but his hands grasp her wrists.
“Wait.”
“I don’t...” She shakes her head, obviously confused
“Are you sure you wanna do this? I mean, this is moving pretty fast, and I need to be sure this is what you want.” He searches her eyes as he speaks.
She seems uncertain for a moment, looks at him as though this is a test of some kind.
“Yes...” She allows her legs to drop from around his waist. “I mean, I thought... do you...?”
“Yes,” he answers quickly. “I just...”
“You just what?”
Luke is obviously uncomfortable. His gaze wanders upward. Finally, he takes a deep breath and meets her questioning stare.
“I just... I need you to be sure, Lorelai.” His voice grows quiet. “ I don’t wanna be one of your mistakes.”
“My what?” She pushes him away and slides down from the table, pacing angrily as she speaks. “I cannot believe that you would...”
“Lorelai,” he interrupts.
“What!?” She takes a deep breath and turns to face him. “What?”
“Look, for as long as I’ve known you, I’ve watched you get close to something and then either decide it’s a mistake and run, or get scared and run, or...”
“OK, I get the point,” she mutters sullenly. She shifts from one foot to the other, arms folded across her chest, gaze determinedly fixed on the floor in front of her.
Luke moves over to her and takes her by the shoulders.
“I need to know you aren’t gonna bolt for the door the minute you realize what we just did,”
he says gently. A pause. “Look at me, will ya? You’re makin’ me nervous.”
She looks up, eyes moist with threatening tears, and Luke’s expression changes as though she’d just slapped him.
“Lorelai, I didn’t mean...”
“No. Forget it.” She makes an effort at a tiny smile and nods her head. “It’s OK.” She takes a step back from him and looks around. “We should get back to work.”
“Lorelai...”
“Luke... please.” She sighs and looks up at him. “You’re right. This is too fast. Let’s just get back to work. OK?”
“Yeah, OK.” He hangs his head and turns away from her, moving to the pan and bending to pick up the roller.
She doesn’t move, just stands behind him, tapping her foot, and waits for him to look up.
“What?”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“I don’t... Ah, jeeze! That stuff will kill you.”
She says nothing, just holds out her hand for the roller. He sighs and hands it over, moving past her to start the coffee.
Pairing: Luke/Lorelai
Disclaimer: I don't own them, Amy Sherman-Palladino and the WB do. I just borrowed them to play with.
Luke Danes lifts the phone receiver. The voice on the other end comes rushing out at him before he can even get out a simple hello.
“You aren’t starting without me, are you? I know I’m running late, but trying to get away from my mother is only slightly more difficult than escaping from Alcatraz... and she was particularly determined tonight.”
Luke takes advantage of the pause when she stops for breath.
“Lorelai.”
“Yes?”
“I haven’t started without you.”
“Promise?”
“Not unless you count the tarps.”
A shocked gasp emanates from the phone.
“The tarps? You spread the tarps without me? Luke... how could you?”
Luke sighs and rolls his eyes.
“You said you were in love with painting. You didn’t say anything about tarps.”
“Tarps, my friend, are an integral part of the entire painting experience.”
Another sigh, weary and resigned.
“Would you like me to take up the tarps?”
There’s a pause while Lorelai considers.
“No, the tarps can stay - but don’t you dare stir any paint until I get there!”
“Hey...” Luke finds himself almost grinning. “...if you don’t show up soon, I make no promises.”
“I mean it!” Lorelai barks as she hangs up.
She walks through the door of the diner just under half an hour later, dressed in old jeans and t-shirt and carrying a six-pack of beer.
“Let the painting begin!” she calls.
Luke appears from the back, standing behind the counter and staring at her as though he’s afraid she might turn violent at any second.
“Let the painting begin? You are way too happy about this.”
“I told you, I love to paint. What part of this is confusing to you?”
“The part where anyone loves to paint. It’s unnatural.”
Loralai scowls at him, then shrugs and picks up two bottles and hands them out for him to take.
“Open, please.”
He takes them from her and produces a bottle opener from under the counter.
“So, Martha, where would you like to start?”
She scowls at him again, wagging a finger in his direction as she speaks.
“There will be no mocking.”
“I thought mocking was one of your favorite past times,” Luke answers, coming around the counter and handing her one of the bottles.
“It is... only not when it’s directed at me.”
“Sounds like a double standard to me.”
“There is nothing wrong with double standards. They are a proud American tradition, and I’m all for them...” Lorelai pauses to take a drink. “... as long as they work in my favor.” A smile brightens her face. “So, let’s get started, Burger Boy.”
Luke frowns.
“I thought I told you not to call me that.”
She nods.
“You did.” She nods some more, and then smiles again. “I’m ignoring you.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?”
“I don’t know. Why?”
He turns away from her and bends down to rummage through one of the boxes from the paint store.
“Here, have a brush.”
“Thank you.”
Several Hours Later
“So, you still love painting?”
“Yes.” A defiant gleam in Lorelai’s eye. “In fact, I love it so much, I wish this place was even bigger.”
Luke gives her a weary sigh and rolls his eyes, turning his attention back to the wall. Just a little more here and they can start to work on the trim.
“You’re going to have some serious paint left over,” she says. “I tried to tell you we didn’t need this much.”
“You told...” Luke trails off and shakes his head.
“What is with you men?” she goes on. “Everything always has to be more, or bigger, or...”
Luke heaves an exasperated sigh and drops the paint roller back into the pan. He turns around to find Lorelai right behind him, smirking.
“You’re baiting me,” he says. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Can’t fool you,” she grins.
“What?”
“Hmmm?”
“You obviously want something. So, why not save us alotta time and just tell me what it is?”
Lorelai pouts.
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“Nowhere... but I won’t get as cranky.” A pause, eyebrows raised. “What?”
“Coffee.”
“No.”
“Luke, I’ve just painted a large portion of your diner. Is coffee so much to ask in return for a favor of this magnitude?”
“I’m the one doing you the favor. You love to paint, remember?”
“Yes, but not without coffee.”
“No coffee.”
“But, see...”
“Do you know what time it is? If I make you coffee now, you’ll be up all night.”
“Well, the last time I looked, we still had to do the counters and all the trim, so sleep isn’t looking like a good bet any time soon.”
“I guess I can’t argue with you there.”
“Great! So, this means that you’ll make coffee while I take over here, right?”
“Wrong.”
“Wrong? OK, Help me here...”
“I want to finish this wall, then maybe I’ll consider making you coffee.”
“I’ll do it! See, that leaves you free to make coffee.”
“No thanks, I got it.”
“Really, I don’t mind.”
They both bend to pick up the paint roller and find themselves almost nose to nose. They stare at one another for a long moment, obviously distracted from any discussions of coffee.
Before Luke can think about what he is doing, he closes the distance, his mouth covering hers. Lorelai hesitates for only an instant before returning his kiss. Her arms go around Luke’s neck and he pulls her closer as the kiss deepens.
When they pull apart, Lorelai smiles and whispers, “Hi.”
“Hi,” he whispers back.
“Mmmm... You’d better be careful, Mister. I’m easily distracted. I wouldn’t do that again if you want this place finished tonight.” She leans in with the last few words, her lips brushing his as she speaks.
“I think I’ll take my chances.”
He leans in for another long kiss, this one more insistent than the first, and pulls her closer against him. Both are smiling when their lips part.
Lorelai looks at Luke mischievously.
“Hey, is that a roller in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
Luke rolls his eyes and moves forward, pinning her against the edge of a table. His hips press into her.
“What do you think?”
“I think you’re very happy to see me.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah...” Her arms behind his neck, puling him down to her. She snatches his baseball cap off and tosses it aside. “Show me, Burger Boy.”
Luke produces no verbal response, but the sound he makes is somewhere between a moan and a playful growl.
His lips come down over hers once again. With no sign of his usual uncertainty, he takes Lorelai by the waist and lifts her onto the table. She wraps her legs around his waist, pulling him closer. Luke’s hands slide under her t-shirt to caress smooth skin.
“Luke,” she breathes against his lips.
“Mmm.”
Lorelai gasps as his hands firmly cup her backside, pulling her hard against him. Not once does his mouth leave hers. He pulls her closer still, lips moving hungrily over her own, and she moans into his mouth.
When they finally break apart, she pulls back from him just enough to reach for the buttons on his ever-present flannel shirt, but his hands grasp her wrists.
“Wait.”
“I don’t...” She shakes her head, obviously confused
“Are you sure you wanna do this? I mean, this is moving pretty fast, and I need to be sure this is what you want.” He searches her eyes as he speaks.
She seems uncertain for a moment, looks at him as though this is a test of some kind.
“Yes...” She allows her legs to drop from around his waist. “I mean, I thought... do you...?”
“Yes,” he answers quickly. “I just...”
“You just what?”
Luke is obviously uncomfortable. His gaze wanders upward. Finally, he takes a deep breath and meets her questioning stare.
“I just... I need you to be sure, Lorelai.” His voice grows quiet. “ I don’t wanna be one of your mistakes.”
“My what?” She pushes him away and slides down from the table, pacing angrily as she speaks. “I cannot believe that you would...”
“Lorelai,” he interrupts.
“What!?” She takes a deep breath and turns to face him. “What?”
“Look, for as long as I’ve known you, I’ve watched you get close to something and then either decide it’s a mistake and run, or get scared and run, or...”
“OK, I get the point,” she mutters sullenly. She shifts from one foot to the other, arms folded across her chest, gaze determinedly fixed on the floor in front of her.
Luke moves over to her and takes her by the shoulders.
“I need to know you aren’t gonna bolt for the door the minute you realize what we just did,”
he says gently. A pause. “Look at me, will ya? You’re makin’ me nervous.”
She looks up, eyes moist with threatening tears, and Luke’s expression changes as though she’d just slapped him.
“Lorelai, I didn’t mean...”
“No. Forget it.” She makes an effort at a tiny smile and nods her head. “It’s OK.” She takes a step back from him and looks around. “We should get back to work.”
“Lorelai...”
“Luke... please.” She sighs and looks up at him. “You’re right. This is too fast. Let’s just get back to work. OK?”
“Yeah, OK.” He hangs his head and turns away from her, moving to the pan and bending to pick up the roller.
She doesn’t move, just stands behind him, tapping her foot, and waits for him to look up.
“What?”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“I don’t... Ah, jeeze! That stuff will kill you.”
She says nothing, just holds out her hand for the roller. He sighs and hands it over, moving past her to start the coffee.
