❝FOR THE LOVE OF BASKETS❞
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⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ chapter thirty-nine,
Gilmore Girls — Season Two

January 16th, 2002

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[ LUCY'S POV ]

     ❝GO AND ENJOY YOUR HOT DATE.❞

     Today is the Stars Hollow charity picnic basket auction, and I made a basket because this year I have somebody who can actually bid on mine, and he's one beautiful human being with a wallet full of cash and the most dazzling smile on his face. I want to draw him, pin him on the wall, and stare at him all freaking day. With the sun shining, and lighting his face, he looks almost unreal to me. I need to stop gushing over him, but I just can't help it. I'm in love.

     While Tristan bid on my basket and won, Addy's basket was snatched up by her boyfriend, but she didn't seem... pleased about it. I make a mental note to speak to her later about it, but for now, I want to dedicate all my attention to my boyfriend. Hell, I even ignore the drama that my dear cousin is starting between Dean and Rory. Jess, being the rascal that he is, bid on Rory's basket against Dean and now the two of them are going on a lunch date. Cute, right? I'm not sure what his goal is, but I'm not getting involved.

I have a hot date, as Addy said.

     I have a hot date with my boyfriend who is also joining Dad and I for dinner at Sniffy's. It's Buddy's birthday tonight, and he insisted that I invite Tristan, and of course, he said yes.

I wasn't sure where I should take Tristan to have our picnic as I didn't want to drag him to a place where everybody already was, so I opted for driving away. Dad let me borrow the truck, and I drove us to the familiar lake in between Hartford and Stars Hollow that we've only ever explored in the night.

     We place down the picnic blanket before placing down my basket. I packed the basket with specific food items that I know Tristan loves because I knew he'd be the one bidding on it. The basket contains food from the diner — obviously, because free food — and then there's an assortment of snacks I know he likes as well as my favourite snacks, duh.

     Tristan pulls out my favourite. "Red Vines?" He throws them onto my lap. "You packed stuff for yourself?"

     "Of course I did," I argue. "I provide the food, you provide the company, so I obviously bought myself snacks."

     "Actually, I provided the money."

     "It was only forty dollars."

     "Yeah, I didn't expect to get into a bidding war with Kirk of all people." Kirk being Kirk decided to place a bid on my basket, as he had done with the previous baskets, and he only backed out when Tristan verbally threatened him... Don't worry, Kirk's fine. He won Sookie's basket. "Seriously, he wanted everyone's baskets."

     "He doesn't even want the date, he just wants the food." I tear open the Red Vines, pleased that I brought my own food. "He only bid on mine because then he'd get free diner food."

     "So there are cons to being a diner owner's daughter," Tristan grasps, and I chuckle, taking a bite out of the candy. "Oh, I don't know how you eat them."

     I roll my eyes because he says this every single time I eat Red Vines. "You gotta get over this. You like freaking Candy Corn which..." I pulled out the packet of Candy Corn I struggled to find all morning, and I throw it onto his lap. "Enjoy, you psycho."

     "These are not as bad as liquorice, Blue. Just try one," he begs, tearing the bag open, and I know he's already going to hand feed me it.

     I shake my head. "Try one of these and maybe I'll try it," I counter, but Tristan just glares at me. Yeah, two can play at that game.

     "Okay, fine. I won't make you eat one." When he places on in his mouth, I feel physically sick. "But I'm not kissing you."

     My mouth gapes, but then I just grin and shrug my shoulders. "That's a shame. After I went through all this effort to make us a nice picnic..." I sigh, looking away, and I hear Tristan scoff next to me.

     "Manipulator," he mutters.

     He will kiss me later, I know he will.

"Hey, is everything okay with Addy and Nate?" Tristan asks surprisingly. "She just seemed a little off earlier. I don't know." He and Addy get along really well, especially since his sister attends her classes every Friday, and he's only shared a handful of conversations with Nathan. I hadn't told him much about Addy's doubts with Nathan, just that she was a little fed up with everything, but it's nice he's concerned.

I shrug my shoulders. "Honestly, I don't know. She hasn't told me much. At school, they seem happy, you know? But maybe it's all an act. She just seems down lately, I just want to help but I don't know if she'll talk to me."

"She will," Tristan assures, but he doesn't actually know. "You're her best friend. She'll talk to you when she's ready, I'm sure."

"She's close with Jess." I say his name like it's a curse word, but in all honesty, Jess and I have been living together amicably for the past month or so. Sure, we have the occasional disagreement because his music is too loud or he's stolen one of my prized books again, but most days, we work in the diner and have polite conversation.

The funniest argument occurred between him and my dad when Jess came down to work wearing a Metallica T-shirt. Obviously, Dad wasn't pleased with his clothing choices and later that night, Jess retaliated by wearing exactly what Dad wears everyday: a flannel shirt, blue jeans and a backwards cap. I couldn't stop laughing despite my dad's head shakes.

"You know, I still haven't met him."

"Every time you come over, he just disappears. God knows where he goes, but he's never around. One day, I'm sure you'll meet him." Honestly, I don't know if they'll ever meet, and I'm not sure if I actually want them to. I don't see them being friends, but maybe I'm wrong. Right now, the only people Jess will talk to outside of me and Dad is Addy and Rory— both girls who have boyfriends, but whatever.

"So living with him isn't all that bad?"

"Yeah, it's kinda fun, I guess. He's not that bad in school either," I say, actually complimenting my own cousin for the first time. "He's smart, but he doesn't let anyone else know that, and we've started getting along a little better recently."

"That's good," Tristan replies, taking a bite out of his burger. "You'll be living with this guy for a while, it's better to get along now."

"Yeah." I'm not sure how long Jess will be living with us, especially when he turns eighteen in a few months. Once he turns eighteen, he has the freedom to do whatever he wants. "Whatever, enough talk about me. What's going on with you?"

"I actually do have something to tell you." I turn my body to face him, and I arch a brow, intrigued.

"Oh, do tell, Dugray."

He clears his throat, and he shifts closer to me. "So, you know how I want to write?" I nod, lips clasped shut. "Well, I've been working on a couple chapters of a book, and I wanted you to be the first one to know because without you, I never would've even considered writing."

My eyes widen, surprised but proud. "That's amazing, Tristan." I reach out, taking his hand in mine. "Can I read it?"

"No." Well, that hurt. "What I mean is, you can't read it because you're in it."

"I'm in it?" I ask, my voice squeaking.

"Not just in it, you're basically the main character," he replies casually, and I stare at him completely stunned. I'm in his book... Me? "It's not just about you, obviously. I'm in the book. I kinda wrote myself into it— changing the names, of course— but once I started talking about my life and meeting you and just everything, it all came together."

Well, I definitely hadn't expected that. I didn't think I would be his inspiration let alone a character in a book. I don't even know what to say. I find it sweet, but I also find it strange that he'd want to write about me and my life. I expected him to write an adventure or drama about something, but never did I think he'd write about me.

"It's a love story, I guess, but it's also lays out my life and how I came to here." He chuckles softly, and I offer him a smile, still entirely lost for words. "If you read it, I don't know you'd feel, especially given that you're such a big part in it, but you're a big part of my life, Blue, I can't write you out of it."

"I'd like to read it," is what I say after minutes of sitting and contemplating what to do. "I know you said you weren't sure if I should, but it would really mean a lot to me if you let me read it. Maybe even just a chapter."

"Okay," he replies without hesitation. "Are you okay with it?"

"Yeah," I chuckle softly. "I mean, unless you wrote horrible things about me, but other than that, I'm really proud of you and thankful that I inspired you in a way. But, you've gotta know that, all that writing wouldn't have been done without you, Tristan. I hope you give yourself enough credit."

He squeezes my hand. "Thanks, Blue."

     "So, can I please read it?"

     He blows out an exaggerated breath. "Hmm. I might need a little persuading," he drawls, staring over at me with a desperate look in his eye. I bite down on my bottom lip, my eyes blaring into his and then I move forward.

The second my mouth takes his, he falls silent and compliant. His previous amusement is erased the second I move my lips against his, and is instead overtaken by sheer desperation and want. I hold one hand against his face, pushing him back slightly and against the blanket. Tristan reaches out and holds onto my throat softly to pull me even closer. The kisses are rough yet thoughtful, rushed but excited.

Unsurprisingly, Tristan takes all the control, and I'm the one that ends up underneath him with my hands in his hair and my leg curling around his. A whimper crawls up my throat when his tongue tentatively brushes my bottom lip, asking for permission and I give it to him.

Tristan pulls back for a second to catch his breath, his forehead falling against mine. "I don't know if I ever want to stop doing that."

I touch his cheek delicately. "I don't want you to."

He looks up for a second, taking in our surroundings. We're secluded — as far as I know — and the only way people will see us is if they actually take this path down here, but nobody has walked by since we arrived so... perhaps nobody ever will, right?

He looks back down at me, and I stare at him with yearning eyes. "Just a little while longer..." I whisper. "Please."

In less than a second, his lips are right back where they belong. His body falls upon mine entirely, holding me down, and his hand leaves the spot on my throat to hold my hand. He kisses me desperately, longingly, and I feel as if I might die if he ever removes his mouth from mine.

The kissing turns needy, and I feel as if my entire body is on fire. I want him. I fear I will only ever want him. When he moves his kissing south, his lips finding comfort in my jaw, throat and neck, I feel myself feeling suddenly lightheaded. I feel a similar way to that night in his house when we had Christmas dinner, and if we don't stop, I'll beg for something we definitely shouldn't do out here in the wilderness.

He lifts his head, his breathing ragged, and I offer him a half smile. "We should stop."

"Yeah," he breathes out. "We should."

Before either of us can say another word and address this, his cellphone rings and I hear him groan as he discovers who is calling.

After a thirteen second phone call that involved a lot of, "Are you serious?" and "I can't believe you," Tristan hung up and turned to me with sorrowful eyes.

I sigh. "You have to go, don't you?"

"Gotta pick up Lisa. Parents are off to New York right now, and can't get ahold of the nanny, so I have to go get her." He takes my hand, pushing his lips against my knuckles. "I won't be able to make dinner, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I assure him. "Take the basket. I'm sure she'll be hungry."

He pushes his lips against mine quickly. "Thank you, Blue. I'm sorry again, but tell Buddy I said happy birthday."

"I will."

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     REGARDLESS OF TRISTAN NOT BEING HERE, Dad and I still make the evening special for Buddy. Maisie goes all out for her husband's birthday which I find sickeningly sweet. I hope when I'm old, I'm just as in love with my husband as Maisie is with hers. Seriously, they've been married for decades, and their love for one another doesn't falter.

I wish Tristan could be here, but he called earlier and apologised profusely, promising to join us another week for dinner when things aren't so hectic at home. His sister needed him, and he was there, and I'm not surprised because he's a great brother.

Besides, I feel like I haven't spent much time alone with my dad in a long time even though we live together. Since Jess moved in, we haven't been able to breathe never mind talk about anything, so it's nice to actually be here with just him tonight.

     After the birthday celebrations, and singing six different versions of the happy birthday song, Dad and I finally sit at our booth and relax for a minute with our usual drinks and food.

     "Did you have any plans today?" I ask, my eyebrow raised because I know he was up to something today with a certain someone.

     Dad chuckles, shaking his head. "What did you hear?"

     "Oh, just that you bid on Lorelai's basket and had a nice date under the gazebo," I recall, my tone teasing and annoying, and Dad doesn't deny anything. He just takes another sip of his beer. "So, it is true. Hmm."

     "It wasn't a date," he argues, but he doesn't sound so sure about that. "She needed someone to bid on her basket because Patty was trying to set her up with all these guys."

     "Right," I drawl. "Not a date."

     "Not a date," he confirms.

     "Seriously, when are you going to tell her that you're mad, crazy, insanely in love with her?" I rest my head in my hands. staring straight ahead as my Dad looks away, embarrassed but amused. He's not denying his feelings like he normally does, so perhaps they've made progress. Perhaps he will tell her soon. "It's been, like, six years. You keep that horoscope in your wallet next to a freaking picture of me. You, my wonderful father, are in love."

     He scoffs. "Okay, kid. I get it."

     I take a sip of my cherry coke. "Just sayin'." I shrug. "Being in love is pretty great, you know?"

     "Wouldn't know, kid." I frown, knowing that my dad has never properly been in love. While I'm sure he loved Anna and Rachel, he's never been "in love" in the way that I'm in love with Tristan, or the way that he's in love with Lorelai. I hope, for his sake, that he freaking tells her sooner rather than later. He deserves that great love story. "Okay, enough about me. Did you have a good day?"

     "Yeah. We went to that lake near here," I tell him, and he nods in recognition. "Had some food, talked, and then he had to go and pick up his sister because his parents are away again."

     "That sucks," Dad responds. "They go away a lot. Must be hard for them."

     "Yeah, but they have each other at least. I just feel sorry that their parents won't ever get to know just how great they are." I sigh, reaching forward to snatch a fry from my plate. "I couldn't imagine not having you around all the time."

     "You've grown pretty attached, kid." I chuckle, but he's right. When I go to college, I know I'm going to cry like a baby because I haven't been separated from my dad since I was born. I can't imagine being anywhere but here with him in the diner. "It's fine, I can't imagine not having you around all the time."

     "Gonna be hard when I go to college." It's a topic we talk about a lot, but college is inching dangerously closer, and soon I'll be applying to Yale and I'll be growing up all on my own.

     Dad smiles at me. "We'll work it out."

     "Yeah."

     "I mean, you won't just be away from me. You'll be away from Addy, from Tristan— unless he goes to Yale. You'll be away from this town, Luce, so it'll be hard but you can always come home, you know that, right?"

     Some kids go to college to escape their hometowns. I love this town and the people in it, and I will absolutely be coming back home every weekend just to see my dad. Hell, if I hate living there so much, I'll come home every evening just so I can stay here in the comfort of my own town. I can't imagine being anywhere but here.

     Worst of all, I will be leaving Addy. She'll be in New York, and Tristan will be God knows where. He could end up in Princeton, even if he doesn't want to go, or he could end up at another great school— away from me.

     God, I don't want to get emotional at dinner.

     "It'll be difficult," I say, agreeing with Dad. "But I know I can come home whenever I want, and believe me, I will be."

     "You say that now, but you'll get busy, kid."

     "I'll never be too busy to see you, Dad."

     He smiles knowingly, patting a hand against mine. "I'll come see you too, don't worry."

     "Hey, Jess might still be here, you never know." Honestly, I think Jess will leave the second he graduates high school, but maybe he'll end up in college or anywhere else. I have a weird feeling that Jess Mariano will go on to do great things in the future, I don't know why.

     Dad grimaces. "I highly doubt that. He'll go back to New York or something."

     "I don't know. New York's pretty expensive." The only way Addy will be affording to live in New York and attend college there is through the trust fund her parents set up for her when she was born. Her brother had one, and he used it to go to college and buy his own apartment, so Addy will do the same.

     Dad shrugs. "He's staying till he graduates. After that, he can do whatever he wants."

     "You know, I think Jess will do great things." Again, I don't know why. "He's pretty smart, and if he just applies himself, he can be anything."

     "Feel like we should make a bet on that."

     "Hundred bucks says Jess Mariano will be more successful than most in the future." Dad shakes his head, laughing but if I'm right, I'll be claiming my money in the future.

     Dad clears his throat, taking a sip of his drink, and I peer behind me to see Buddy and Maisie laughing behind the bar. They're a sweet couple, I've always thought that, and I tell them repeatedly that I want what they have. Maybe I've already found it.

     Dad catches me looking at them. "Wondering if you have that already?" I turn back to him, surprised that he can read my freaking mind.

     "How the hell do you do that?" I ask. "Read my mind?"

     "You forget I know you, Luce. You're my kid."

     "Right. How can I forget?" I hit my hand against my head, grinning in amusement. "But, yeah. I was just thinking about them and how they're a great couple, you know? They're so in love with each other and have been for decades. Just trying to figure out if I could have that."

Dad sighs, his eyes relaxing. "You know, part of me thinks you have that," he tells me, and my eyes widen. "Another part of me is a little too afraid of that being true, so just stay in the present, please."

I laugh because I can always count on Dad to be sweet and then panic whenever I bring up Tristan, which reminds me that I have to talk to him about something pretty serious— something he will definitely be panicked about.

I shift in my seat and I plant my hands over my Dad's, telling him that I have something to discuss. "Okay, you're about to get serious, aren't you? Is this about Tristan? Did he ask to marry you because the answer's no, he can't—"

"Dad," I interrupt, my voice stern, and he falls silent, realising I really need to talk.

"Okay... What's going on?"

"You know how Tristan and I have been together for, like, over a year?" Dad nods, staying silent which I appreciate. "Well, we've been getting more serious, and as you know... we didn't do anything on our anniversary because I freaked out but now, I think..."

"You're ready," Dad adds on, and I confirm with a nod. I instantly scrunch up my face, wishing I hadn't chosen this moment to talk with Dad about this, but I also knew I had to bring it up at some point. To be honest, there's no good time to have this conversation.

"Nothing has happened yet. Just... I think it will happen soon," I say, my eyes staring down at the table rather than at my dad. "I know you wanted me to talk to you about it, and I know this is kind of a bad time but..." I pause, and I look up from the table to look at Dad.

"Thanks for telling me," he says, catching me off guard, and I immediately relax.

"Really?"

"I mean, I'm freaking out on the inside, but I knew this would happen one day." He takes a deep breath, squeezing my hand for his own reassurance and mine. "You've been together a year, and for two seventeen-year-olds, that's big, and if you trust him and love him then..."

"I do," I interrupt.

Dad smiles, clasping my hands tightly. "Just, whatever happens, be safe. Seriously, you need to be safe because you're too young to have a kid, and I'm way too young to be a grandfather."

I laugh regardless of the conversation. "Don't worry, Dad. When it happens, I'll be safe, I swear to you."

"All I do is worry about you, kid. You're still my little girl, you know?" He chuckles, and I smile sympathetically. "But I'm happy for you, I am. You deserve to be that in love, and I really do have a good feeling about Tristan. Really."

"Good," I reply. "And I'm still your kid, Dad. I'm still your little girl, I promise. I need you for a lot of things, don't forget that."

"Just remember, I loved you first."

"I'll never forget, Dad."

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authors note:

i feel like i haven't wrote a luke & lucy scene in a long ass time so here ya go

and this episode is one of my favs bcos i love the bid on a basket thing they do, it's amazing

also, tristan has wrote CHAPTERS like me ha! anyone got any ideas what his book could be called, haven't got a freaking clue and i don't rlly know how to talk about his book ngl but hey whatever

anyway, hope you enjoyed :)