Work Text:
December 1995
“Hey, you’re open,” said Lorelai happily, shoving Rory ahead of her through the diner door. “I didn’t think anywhere would be open Christmas Day, but we hoped.”
“Grab a table, I’ll be right over,” said Luke, barely looking at them before he disappeared behind the curtain.
“This is so weird!” Rory hissed across the table. “Christmas lunch in a diner? This is the strangest thing ever.”
“Honey, you’re eleven. Live a few more years, and I promise you, you’ll know weirder and stranger,” Lorelai promised her, patting her hand.
Both Gilmore girls looked up as they heard Luke yelling on his way back downstairs.
“I’m not going to fight with you about this, Jess! Now get your butt down here!”
Luke picked up his order pad and pen from the counter as he passed and came over to the table, not looking happy as he asked the girls what they wanted to eat.
“Um, just the standard Christmas meal, please,” said Rory politely, having glanced quickly at the menu.
“Same for me please, with coffee, obviously.” Lorelai grinned. “Um, are you okay?” she asked then. “You look a little... frazzled.”
“I’m fine,” Luke snapped, noting down their order. “It’s just not the greatest Christmas for me.”
“Huh, do I ever know about that?” Lorelai rolled her eyes. “I don’t really cook as a rule, but between us, me and Rory thought maybe we could at least manage a couple of Christmas-style TV dinners. Big mistake, huge.”
“They exploded in the oven,” Rory explained. “The kitchen looks like a war zone.”
“With added gravy,” Lorelai noted. “So, we came here, for the food, and for the hospitality, obviously,” she said with a grin.
Luke couldn’t help but crack a smile too.
“So, what’s wrong with your Christmas?! she asked curiously.
“Oh, it’s just... my sister,” Luke explained, rolling his eyes. “She’s having some problems, so Jess, that’s her son, my nephew, he’s here for Christmas... maybe longer, I don’t know.”
“Oh, okay,” said Lorelai, still cheerful despite the sorry tale. “Um, so your nephew, he’s how old?”
“Eleven,” said a voice that definitely didn’t come out of Luke. “Hi,” said the owner, peering at the Gilmore girls.
“Hey!” Lorelai greeted him. “Jess, right?”
He nodded, without a word, staring rather more intently at Rory than anyone else. She blushed terribly, but was smiling all the same.
“So, we just put in our order with your Uncle Luke here,” Lorelai continued, “and we were wondering if maybe you want to come join us to eat, since he’s so busy and everything.”
Jess blinked once then looked at Luke, who nodded in blind agreement. Then Jess’ eyes went back to Rory, who continued to smile brightly.
“Okay,” he said, pulling up a chair between Lorelai and Rory.
“Thank you,” Luke mouthed to Lorelai, who waved it away with her hand.
Ten seconds later, Rory and Jess were talking books, and Lorelai was watching the exchange with amusement. Maybe not such a bad Christmas after all.