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i.
He hears the bells jingling and he doesn’t even need to look up from his task to know who his new customer is, already knows that in less than 5 seconds his peaceful afternoon lull will be interrupted by his newest regular: the annoying and loud and infuriating mother, bringing her daughter from school for an afternoon snack.
(Annoying, loud, infuriating, irritating and he can’t stop thinking about her - not that he’ll ever admit it.)
He keeps waiting for some sort of idiotic nickname, some joke, something, but he’s rewarded by a stool scraping the floor. He looks up, frowning.
“Did you walk here alone?”
“Hi to you too, Luke,” Rory rolls her eyes, the humorous glint in her eyes betraying the stern sound of her voice.
“Hi. Where is your mom?”
“We ran into Miss Patty, they’re talking about the next festival. I think mom’s gonna make the costumes for the ballerinas again.”
Luke nods, and can’t help looking through the windows with a pang of disappointment surging through him. (Relief, he tells himself. It's relief.)
“Hey, Luke?” Rory’s voice interrupts his thoughts. “I was going to wait for mom to order, but can you bring me a Coke now? I’m really thirsty.”
“Sure,” he says. “Oh, uh, if you girls will have the usual, I can start making it and I’ll bring it when your mom comes. You know, that way you won’t wait so much.”
She looks a little confused for a second but brightens up quickly. “Oh, cool! I thought you would, I don’t know, keep me company but that’s much better actually.”
“Oh,” he ducks his head, unconsciously fixing his hat, looking a little abashed. “I thought you were going to read like you always do when you’re here, so I didn’t want to be in your way, you know. But I can stay here if you--”
The bells jingle once again, cutting him off, and now he hears what he was expecting minutes before.
“Duke. Starving. Food. Now,” the brunette says in a rush, dropping herself on the stool next to her daughter’s with an exaggerated sigh. “I thought Miss Patty wouldn’t stop talking ever. I know I talk a lot but boy did she give me a run for my money. I was about to pass out out there. And the worst? I literally talked to her about everything days ago. So I was basically having a mean deja vu moment with an added hunger bonus."
He's looking at her the whole time, doing his best to keep the uninterested look on his face, when he actually wants to laugh at her. He sympathizes, though; he's seen how Miss Patty can be when organizing performances.
"Sad story," he replies, looking back and forth to the mother and daughter duo. "So, the usual?"
"Wow, Duke, that's mean. Here I am, sharing my suffering and--"
"If you keep talking I'll give you decaf," he says simply, turning back to the coffee pot to give her a cup. She shuts up, and in that rare moment of quiet, he hears Rory.
"Mom, stop calling him Duke," she whispers and it would work if the place wasn't so quiet. "He doesn't like it. It's rude."
"Oh sweets, I'm just messing with him."
“It’s only fun when both parties are enjoying it. He’s not enjoying it,” she frowns, and Lorelai considers how upset her kid is. Before she has a chance to reply, Luke turns back, giving her the cup.
"Thanks, Du--," Lorelai stops herself, glancing at Rory who groans softly.
"I'll go start with your food," he turns to the kitchen, stays there for a few minutes, lost in thought until a few knocks break him out of his reverie.
“Hey um, can I talk to you?” Lorelai looks at him uncertain and it unnerves him. He hasn’t known her long and so far it’s not a look he’s seen in her. He nods, glances at her before looking at the plate he’s fixing. “Do you really hate that I call you Duke?”
“I’m not a fan,” he gives her a look that shows his displeasure. “But hate is a strong word.”
“I just-- I hope you don’t really get mad when I call you that. We’re friends, I’m just messing with a friend, you know?”
“I mess with you too-- I mean I do wish you’d eat healthier and have less coffee, if anything just to give Rory a good example, but do I think you’ll actually follow through with it?” He snorts. “But you don’t seem annoyed by any of it.”
She smiles and for a second he thinks he might let her do anything she wanted as long as she smiled like that, always.
“Tell Rory not to worry about it. She’s a really good kid by the way,” he finishes the conversation by giving her their plates, Lorelai’s soft smile growing into a grin when she hears the compliment directed at her daughter.
“Thanks, Duke,” and she’s off, leaving him smiling as he hears her talking to Rory unintelligible words both for the distance between them and the speed she’s going.
ii.
She’s walking in the direction of Lane’s house for a sleepover, by herself after a town meeting. Feeling all but grown up at the moment, or as much of a grown-up as she can be when she knows her mom is watching from afar. A movement to the side of the diner catches her eye and she stops, frowning. The diner was closed the entire day, and it was weird because it’s never closed. From the time she and her mom go to the townsquare in the morning to the time they go back home in the evening, it’s open. But there’s finally movement and she notices the shadow wears a backwards baseball cap. She all but sprints in its direction, the backpack with her change of clothes a mere hindrance to her speed.
“Luke!” She exclaims, her voice carrying in the evening. He stops walking, shoulders slumping and she feels a little cautious. Still, that doesn’t deter her. “Hi! Where have you been?”
“Umm…” His voice a little hoarse, he coughs. “I had to go away. Why? Needed anything?”
“Oh no, I just missed you today.” She gives him her trademark angelical Rory smile and he frowns for a moment, but before he can say anything she continues. “You feeling okay?”
Rory can tell he’s not. There’s something about him today that is making him even grumpier than usual and he looks tired and sad but he’s not saying anything - even less than usual - and it unnerves her.
“Yeah. Sure. Uh Rory, is there anything you or your mom want because if not I’d rather be alone right now.” Her smile fades a little, and she notices his eyebrows going up subtly, his mouth opening and closing. “Look-- I’m tired, I’d rather take a shower and go to bed right now, but how about you guys come for breakfast tomorrow, huh? I’ll promise I’ll feel much better.”
There’s a brief relief on his face when she smiles and he nods. “Tomorrow is Saturday Luke,” Rory smirks.
“Right,” and there’s a slight upward quirk of his lips. “Brunch then?”
Rory nods enthusiastically, “Cool! I gotta go, Mrs. Kim is waiting for me. I hope you feel better tomorrow, Luke.”
“Thank you, Rory. Goodnight.”
---
They arrived at the diner at lunchtime, the diner thankfully open this time, as Luke told her. As soon as they arrive, he calls her over to the counter. Lorelai looks confused for a moment, but apparently all it takes is Luke glaring at her and showing her the coffee pot to shut her up before she even considers speaking.
“Yes, Luke?”
“Hey… I wanted to apologize. You were being nice yesterday, and I shouldn’t have treated you like that.”
The young girl blushes, “oh Luke, no need to--”
“Yes, I do. You didn’t deserve it," he sighs. She sees him fidgeting. "There's something that I don't feel comfortable talking about-- it happened on this day, and I don't like being around people. I get angry and sad and no one, least of all you, deserve it. So I have to go away for the day."
"Luke, it's okay. I get it. And I forgive you for whatever you think you did."
"Ok. Good."
"Good," she smiles. She turns to go back to the table, and he calls her again.
"Just--," he signals for her to wait and goes quickly into the kitchen, coming back after a few seconds with two large cookies wrapped on napkins in his hands. "For you. Fresh out of the oven. As an apology." Luke shrugs, feeling a little uncomfortable under the girl's gaze.
Rory smiles excitedly, holding her cookies close to her. "Wow, if you weren't totally forgiven then you totally are now." She laughs, and glances back at her mom's table. "Ok, mom's been too quiet, I gotta get back to the table." She leaves him standing and for the first time in that day he breathes a little easier.
He turns to grab a mug and the coffee pot, and heads for their table.
iii.
He hates admitting it, but Lorelai is already part of his system.
In a good way, he feels the need to clarify to his subconscious. Because she got on his nerves the very first time she stepped into his diner.
She still annoys the hell out of him - it seemed like this small fact wouldn’t change anytime soon. She still calls him Duke (she occasionally throws in some Lukes, and he can’t help but think they’re somewhat special), she still behaves like she’s younger than her daughter at times-- most times, his brain supplied. She still is a walking bag of coffee beans.
But she’s changing around him, he’s noticed. He catching her more and more in quiet moments, watching the town through his windows though not paying any attention, and when he asks if she’s alright, she doesn’t brush him off. She’s little by little talking more about her past. She’s not hiding her discomfort in situations where people are so shocked over the fact that she’s the mother of a 12-year-old and she’s not even 30.
She’s letting him in.
So this is how he knows she’s not feeling well when she opens the door to his diner one particular morning. She sits at the counter and sighs, smiling gratefully when he picks up the coffee pot before she asks.
As he slides the full coffee cup in her direction, and he can’t resist. “You okay?”
“Thanks,” Lorelai replies. “Yeah, why?”
He shrugs, “you didn’t come in disturbing the peace and demanding coffee.”
She gives him a small smile in return and says nothing. And this is how he knows she’s going to crack soon instead of brushing it off.
Sure enough, a few minutes later he hears her quiet voice. “Rory wants to learn how to ride a bike. A little late, I guess but it's still great and even though I’m all for being a couch potato, who knows? Maybe she’ll find out she’s an excellent biker woman and will eventually win competitions and make tons of money to support me in my old age.” She stops and sighs. “I can ride a bike, but I can’t teach her. I’m an awful teacher. I’m awful at all things exercise. I’m gonna break my baby. And I can’t even afford a bike right now-- hell, I can’t even afford clothes. I just got promoted, I can’t go ask Mia for an advance on my salary… And I don’t want to disappoint Rory. I don’t want to disappoint her, but I feel like I’m going to.”
She stops, looking down at her own fingers. He says nothing, sensing she still has more to say.
“This is going to sound very selfish, but I’m so used to the two of us that I’m somehow glad her father is not around. I like having my daughter to myself, but this is one of the few times I wish he really was more involved because then I could just call him and get him to come here to teach her. You know I’m not what you call old-fashioned, but this is one thing I think it’s kind of a father/daughter bonding time, you know? Anyway." She sips her coffee and scoffs. "He’s barely seen Rory the past few years, I can even guess which excuse he’ll give me if I call.” She finishes her rant by rolling her eyes, finally looking up at him.
Luke's been quiet the whole time, watching the woman babble away, noticing the way she visibly relaxed. It usually annoys him when she got into this mood - she never says anything that makes sense and she just doesn’t stop. This time, though, it was different -- she was really upset. He kind of wishes Rory’s father would show up just so he could give him a piece of his mind for letting her down.
He really feels the urge to comfort her. He almost caresses her hand but stops just in time - they don’t do this. Well, he doesn’t. She’s always giving him a pat on his arms, but she’s touchy with everyone so he doesn’t think he’s special. Still, he doesn’t like to see her disappointed in herself, for something that isn’t even her fault.
“Hey, um--,” he coughs, fixes his neatly placed cap. He’s probably never admitting it out loud, but he likes the kid, probably more than he does her mother - and he doesn’t even dislike Lorelai, which weirds him out a little. He doesn’t care for kids, but the thought of seeing Rory sad... “I could, you know-- I could teach her.”
“Oh?”
“I haven’t ridden a bike in ages but you know what they say, you never forget.” He shrugs. “I don’t have one, but I think Gypsy does have some-- she could lend us one.”
“You would do that?”
He grabs whatever is in front of him to distract himself from her gaze, which he can’t figure out. “Sure, why not?”
“Yeah.” He looks up at the sound of her choked voice, her eyes shining. She shakes her head a little, takes a deep breath and smiles. “I’ll talk to Gypsy.”
He nods, “if she’s free next Saturday, just call me and we can do it.” He sees a customer signaling behind her. “Duty calls.”
She just nods, still smiling. “Hey, Luke?” Halfway to the table, he looks at her again. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. It’s for Rory.” He gives her a small smile, sees her eyes shining again as she gives her a little nod.
iv.
Rory steps into the diner in the morning of her birthday, feeling refreshed and completely changed-- after all, she's 13 now. She's less of a little girl, more of a teen, and even the air feels different around her.
She considers the counter for half a second before turning to a table. She didn't go to the diner a little earlier than usual to have a quick breakfast at a cramped space. She sets her backpack at the chair beside her and drums her fingers on the table, glancing outside. She starts getting lost on her own mind when a gruff voice startles her.
"Where's your mom?"
"Geez, you scared me!" She points at the direction of Doose's Market. "At Doose's. She had some things to pick up."
"Sorry," he blushes and looks down, then glances at the counter, and she thinks he’s avoiding looking at her. "Uh, Rory. I-- I'll be right back."
Eyebrows furrowed, she watches him go into the kitchen and until she decides to open the menu. Does she really want chocolate chip pancakes this morning? Or maybe waffles. Maybe she could get her mother to get waffles so she could eat some - it is her birthday, after all, and Lorelai would have to share.
She hears Luke coming back and looks up to see him holding a little plate with and a slightly too big cupcake with a single candle on top with one hand, and a bag on the other.
"Luke..."
"Don't worry, last year was the first and last time I forgot your birthday," he says gruffly, and they both know he didn’t. He had just met them, and they weren’t as close as they were now (well, as close as Luke Danes let them), so he didn’t find out until it was too late. She remembers he did way too much - for a guy that doesn’t like kids and doesn’t like her mom - to apologize. Or, at least, just gave them free food.
He places the plate in front of her. "Happy birthday. This is for you." He hands her the bag, and she's so astonished she almost doesn't grab it.
Rory bites her lips, doesn't really know what to say. Sure, she already knows he tolerates her more than he does her mother - it’s been a year and the woman still calls him Duke, for god’s sake - but she’s never seen him acting so nice and shy towards anyone.
Her lips break into a grin and she gets up, but pauses. They don't do this. Their relationship is just based on her taking up tables at his diner when she studies and him grumbling when she orders coffee. Her grin fades and she hesitates, looking at him.
Luke rolls his eyes and sighs, opening his arms. She grins again and crashes into him, hugging his midsection tightly, feeling his arms awkwardly closing around her.
It's weird. He's as strong as he looks, and yet there's a gentleness on the way he hugs her. And he smells of man's cologne, bacon, and familiarity. It's weirdly nice.
They part and she gives him a soft smile. And she's sure the corners of his mouth are tugging upwards too. He pats her shoulder in return.
"Thank you, Luke. I love everything."
He rolls his eyes again. "You haven't even opened your present."
"It's a present and it's from you so I know I'll love it."
He tries to look annoyed, but it's clear it's impossible. He coughs, trying to holding in the smile and shakes his head at her.
"Well, good then." He gives her a sympathetic look and adds, "so, I'll leave you to your stuff. Have a great day."
She nods and he starts to turn but pauses. "Oh, and anything you want-- on the house. For you. Your mother pays.”
Rory smirks, and he smirks back as he leaves.
She opens the bag and it’s a sparkly purple and pink unicorn sweatshirt, a little “R.G” above the obnoxious unicorn logo. The kind that she’d love if she was 6 and into unicorns. She wrinkles her nose, but the thought of Luke going into a store and choosing something for her makes her almost love the gift.
Almost.
She’s too old to love unicorn sweatshirts.
v.
It’s the time of the day Luke takes out his trash and it’s a quiet, empty time at the square; not unwelcome, but he’s still weirded out enough to look around. It wasn’t that late for such a thing.
When he does look though, confusing thoughts enter his mind. Rory is sitting by herself, so still, that one could guess she had fallen asleep. It wasn’t late, but it was late enough for a 14-year-old to stay out by herself, no matter how safe everyone seems to think Stars Hollow is.
After getting rid of his trash, he goes in her direction, and she’s so lost in thought she doesn’t even acknowledge his presence until he talks to her.
She looks up, startled. A soft “hey Luke” falling from her lips.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine,” and he sits down next to her. Rory gives him an annoyed look, gone as quickly as it arrived. “But if you don’t want to talk about it, I can keep you company, at least.” He doesn’t really want to hang out with a teenager when he could be getting ready for bed, but it’s late and he’s worried. He can't help it.
She looks like she doesn’t want to say anything for a moment, but the words coming out of her mouth surprises both of them. “Just a bit of family drama.”
Luke immediately thinks of Lorelai, and is it why Rory isn’t home? Is Lorelai mad at her? What could’ve Rory - of all kids - done? “Did you and your mom fight?”
She chuckles, shakes her head, “mom and my grandparents.”
“Oh right, the dinner.” It makes him frown a little that he can remember their schedules so easily. It’s a thought for another day, though. “Was it really bad?”
"I don't think it was all that different from the usual fights, but it still sucks, you know?" She sighs, "I wish they could go one evening without getting on each other's throats." Rory looks down at the dinner dress she was still wearing, picking at a loose thread of fabric. "But it's like nothing Mom does is right enough or good enough or just enough, and then she gets really defensive, and I think they're all too much alike to try to go through things in a different way…"
That earns her a snort. "Don't let her hear you say she's like your grandparents." She laughs a little, turns to at him. He laughs too, very obviously relieved whatever it is he’s doing to make her feel better is working.
"I don't know what she expects. She's their daughter. Of course she's gonna be like them."
His laugh fades away. "But something must have happened to make you this upset, though. I don't think I've ever seen you here alone after dinner with them."
Rory takes a deep breath, looking away from him again. "We went there today because of me. I told her I wanted to see them more often. I like them, despite… And I wish I had more opportunities to be with them, get to know them better, but then nights like tonight happen and I don't want to make mom go through this more often. And I feel really bad about it.”
"You're a nice kid." She looks up at him, surprised; that is definitely not what she expected to hear; and if he’s not with himself, that’s not what he thought he’d say. He keeps going, though. "It's not a crime to wish to be closer to your relatives, Rory. And it's not on your shoulders if they can't be in the same room in peace," he sighs, considers his words. "Talk to your mom. They're your family as much as she is, and she knows that. If I know her, she won't keep you from seeing them. Tell her it hurts you to see them fighting so much, too."
"But she--"
"I know your mom gets defensive when it comes to her parents, but I think this is something she should hear. From what you tell me the fight isn't only up to her, but it'd make a difference if she reined it in a little. And I'm sure she'd try, for you."
Luke half expects her to make a joke about him talking so much and even giving advice - she is Lorelai’s daughter after all -, but he thinks she’s too lost in her own thoughts to notice.
“You’re right. I’ll talk to her,” she smiles and leans on his shoulder for a second. “Thank you, Luke.”
He pats her hair, sighs. “So, you want pie? There’s still some left from earlier. It’s chocolate.” He smiles, knowing she won’t say no. And he’s right when he sees the sparkle in her eyes. “Come with me, I’ll fix some for you and your mom, ‘cause I’m sure she needs it too and then I’ll take you home.”
“Oh Luke, no need-- I’ll walk.”
Luke rolls his eyes, getting up. “You really don’t think I’ll let you walk around at this hour by yourself, right. Come on.”
Rory shakes her head, trying to keep in the smile threatening to come out.
“So, all it takes for me to get free pie is being sad? I gotta get sad more often.”
He knows she’s joking, but that doesn’t sit well with him. “I’d rather see you happy and bugging me all the time with your mom. You’re smart, you can figure out some other way to win free food.”
She grins. “Wait, you like it when mom and I bother you?”
“Keep that up and the offer for pie expires.”
She makes a gesture of locking up her mouth and throwing away the key, walking beside him back to the diner.
He tries not to smile, keeping the charade up. He can't remember when making Rory Gilmore happy became a very serious matter to him.