Work Text:
December 2001
The whole Bracebridge Dinner event was not a thing Jess would usually choose to attend. When Luke said they were going and that was that, he still could’ve refused, but he didn’t, and there was one simple reason why. Said reason was currently wearing a brown dress, checking names off a list as the various guests arrived at the inn.
When she looked over at him, Jess smiled and Rory smiled back, but was quick to turn her face away. He still saw the blush rising in her cheeks before she quite managed to hide it.
He bided his time after that, waiting as she greeted person after person, welcoming them to the Independence Inn and the special event they were laying on for half of Stars Hollow to attend. Eventually, she was done with her duties and headed towards the reception desk to put away her list. Jess knew she had to pass by him to get there and again on the way back. It was on the second half of the trip that he turned around and stepped deliberately into her path.
“Aren’t we just the perfect hostess?” he teased her.
“That would be my mom,” she corrected. “I’m just helping.”
“You’re doing it well,” he told her genuinely. “This whole thing must have taken some real organising.”
“Not as much as you’d think.” Rory shook her head, shifting nervously in place. “Um, the whole thing was already set up for these other people, some company from Chicago, but they got snowed in. All we had to do was invite a bunch of people and assign them rooms, that’s all,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.
The very next second she was on the move, hurrying to get away. Jess moved fast to keep pace with her as they crossed the inn’s main foyer towards the kitchens.
“You’re cooking the food for this too?” he checked, wondering at the direction she had chosen. “I thought you had a chef for that.”
“Of course, we have a chef for that. Sookie is amazing. You’ll be blown away.”
“I’m sure I will,” he agreed, following still as she pressed on into the kitchen itself.
“You can’t be in here, Jess. You’re not staff.”
“Neither are you,” he reminded her.
Rory growled in the back of her throat. “Why are you doing this to me?”
“I’m not doing anything,” he said, arms spread wide in a ‘What did I do?’ gesture. “I’m just talking to you. That’s not a crime, is it?”
“No, it’s not a crime, it’s just...” she said, looking flustered.
He knew what she was going to say before she ever found the words. Something about the big dumb boyfriend being around someplace and her worries over him seeing them within five feet of each other.
“Oh, look at the two of you!”
Rory and Jess turned as one to see Sookie grinning widely at them, pointing to a spot above their heads. That was where their gazes went next and there it was, mistletoe.
“Huh,” said Jess, smirking hard as he looked at Rory again.
To her credit she didn’t look like she was going to bolt, which was cool. Jess inched forward, chancing his arm as far as he dare, only for the kitchen door to swing open and Lorelai to walk in, calling loudly for Rory.
Two seconds later she was gone, leaving Jess just standing there, staring.