Work Text:
December 2019
“Daddy, look! Daddy!”
“I know, I saw,” said Jess, crouching down to the little girl’s level. “Pretty amazing, huh?”
“’Mazing,” she intoned, nodding her head. “Look! ‘Mazing!” she repeated more loudly to the woman stood in front of her in the line.“Oh, me? Oh, yes,” said Rory, shaking her head. “It really is amazing,” she agreed. “We’re really excited to meet Santa, aren’t we, bubba?” she said, bouncing the baby boy in her arms.
“Santa!” the little girl cried happily. “He’s ‘mazing”
Jess sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, as if a headache was imminent.
“Don’t tell me, it’s the new word of the week?”
“Word of the month,” he told her, shaking his head, “and it’s my fault. I started it, I know, I just... She’s obsessed!” he said in a whisper that would have been yelling if he could’ve got away with it.
Rory laughed prettily. “Well, we don’t have too many words yet, do we, kiddo?” she said to the baby in her arms - he buried his face in her shoulder. “Will’s a little shy.”
“Something that Talia definitely isn’t,” said Jess, literally reigning his daughter in before she ran off without a thought. “She’s just like her mom used to be.”
“I’m ‘mazing,” she said, tipping her head back to look at Jess.
“You certainly have a beautiful name,” said Rory. “The original Sleeping Beauty, if I’m not mistaken.”
“Someone’s well-read,” said Jess, clearly impressed by her knowledge.
Rory blushed terribly, but was prevented from saying more as the line moved a little closer to Santa, sitting in his winter wonderland.
“What’s your name?” asked Talia then, pulling on Rory’s coat.
“Oh, I’m Rory,” she said, watching confusion come over Talia’s face. “Actually, officially, I am Lorelai Gilmore, the second, thanks to my mom.”
“Wow. Like royalty, huh, Tal?” said Jess, making her giggle. “Jess Mariano,” he introduced himself, feeling as if he should in the circumstances.
Rory nodded, then looked to Will as he made noise and pointed in obvious excitement into the scene at the head of the line.
“I know,” she said, kissing his hair. “Santa’s right there. He’s pretty amazing,” she said, smirking terribly as she glanced back at Jess.
He smirked right back at her, unable to help being amused as Talia started repeating her favourite word over and over.
“Wow. Somebody doesn’t care if they end up on the naughty list.”
“She’s so adorable. I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist.” Rory giggled like a kid herself.
“Well, maybe you could make it up to me,” said Jess, immediately regretting his wording when he saw her eyes go wide. “I meant maybe we could go for a coffee after this. There’s a cart right by the kids play area, so I thought-,”
“Yes,” said Rory. “You had me at ‘coffee’,” she assured him.
Jess smiled at that, and then the line moved forward a little more.
“Daddy!” Talia yelled until he looked down at her. “I know what I want for Christmas,” she announced happily.
“Oh yeah?” said Jess, glancing back to Rory. “Me too, kid. Me too.”