❝TO BE A CHILD AGAIN❞
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⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ chapter forty-six,
Gilmore Girls — Season Three

July 18th, 2002

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[ TRISTAN'S POV ]

IT'S NO SECRET THAT I LOVE MY GIRLFRIEND. I love her more than she knows, and I think I could genuinely love her for the rest of my life. I know I'm only seventeen, but the girl that stands in front of me is wife material, and I swear I will put a ring on that finger one day.

I'd be a damn fool not to love her.

She's the kindest person I know, always caring about others before herself. She has the biggest heart, one that she shares with me, and one that I will hold onto for as long as she'll let me. She has the sweetest smile, one that I catch myself staring at now. She's the most ethereal person I know, and I'm seriously the luckiest guy in the world. For the past year, loving Luciana Danes has made me a better person.

I didn't think it was possible to love her more than I already do, but then she goes and laughs with my sister and paints a heart on my sister's cheek for her birthday. Watching her care for my sister in the same way that I do warms my heart, she has no idea how much.

"She isn't going to disappear, T."

I roll my eyes over to my cousin— a guy who invited himself to my sister's twelfth birthday party as he's starved for entertainment these days. He starts Yale in the fall, meaning I won't see much of him once he becomes Mr. College, but I may end up in Yale, who knows?

"It's nice that you're here, but why are you here?" I ask, and Logan grins.

"What? I can't celebrate my little cousin's birthday?" His eyes move towards Lucy's best friend who stands with a group of Lisa's friends. They're standing in a circle, twirling around and giggling.

I scoff which catches Logan's attention. "No."

"What?"

"That's Lucy's best friend," I tell him, not that it'll do any good. "Stay away from her."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're always cruising for a hookup, dude. It's my little sister's birthday, can you not?" I sigh, shaking my head in disappointment.

Don't get me wrong, I love my cousin like a freaking brother, but Logan Huntzberger is the biggest jackass in the world. He's not a relationship guy, so it's no surprise he's taken one look at Addy and picked his next hookup, but Addy is a relationship girl, I know that much, so Logan needs to stay away.

"Also, she's my girlfriend's best friend, and if I don't push you away, Lucy will," I add on, and Logan just chuckles in response. "Stay away from her, okay?"

   "Whatever you say, cousin."

   Does Logan stay away from Addy? No. In fact, shortly after our conversation, he walks up to her and they've been in conversation for the past ten minutes. I have no idea what they're talking about, and I don't bother asking because I have somebody I need to give my full attention to.

And that's my little sister, Lisa Dugray.

I, being a stupid brother, decided to host a birthday party for her as she wanted to invite all her friends. I couldn't say no, and now we're here. Surprisingly, twelve-year-old girls are the messiest group one can deal with.

There's paint all over the table. Glitter all over the floor. Food on the walls— I don't even want to know how that happened. I step on crayons, food and paint as I walk into the dining room to find her laughing with Lucy. I stand by the door for a moment, just watching two of my favourite people interact, and then I get caught when Lucy senses me lingering nearby.

"What are you doing?" she asks, and Lisa peers around Lucy to look at me.

"You're creepy." Lisa giggles, slapping a hand over her mouth, and I shake my head.

"What you two doing?" I ask as I move into the living room, pulling up a chair to sit in between them.

"Lucy is showing me how to do my own makeup. Can I practise on you?" Lucy grins wickedly over her shoulder at me, and because it's my little sister's birthday, I can't say no to her— that would just be cruel.

   So I spend the next forty minutes sitting in between my girlfriend and my baby sister. Lucy navigates Lisa, showing her how to hold makeup brushes and which makeup products to use on which areas of my face. Basically, I allow my sister and girlfriend to humiliate me for forty minutes, but it's worth seeing the smiles on their faces.

I have no idea about makeup, only knowing that Lisa got quite a lot for her birthday. It's not like she needs it, she's just a kid. She's got a baby face, and there isn't a single flaw on her face, but she still likes the idea of having makeup. More importantly, she loves putting it on my face by the looks of it.

When she finishes, I walk over to the nearest mirror and stare at my face for a long moment before I turn to Lisa and say, "Wow." Honestly, it's not the worst I've seen, and I look quite cool with the weird blue eyeshadow I'm rocking. "Thanks, Lis." I ruffle her hair. "Hey, go ask Logan if you can do his."

The second she says that, she bounces away, calling for our cousin. Lucy chuckles, and she steps towards me. "You're cruel."

"My cousin is hitting on your best friend," I tell her, closing my arms around her waist. "I'm doing her a favour."

"I don't think Addy's interested, don't worry." Lucy told me that Addy broke up with Nathan as she had some sort of crush on Jess, but she's working on getting over that which I'm relieved to her. Lucy hates that she's hung up on a guy— a guy who apparently has feelings for somebody else, but Lucy won't tell me. "Besides, when I asked her about Logan, she said, "What? That jerk? As if". So I don't think you have anything to worry about, pretty boy."

I forget about everything she just said that had anything to do with Addy and Logan, and I grin. "Pretty boy, huh?" She places her hands on my cheeks. "You think I look good?"

"Your sister did a great job," she claims, her finger brushing over my eyebrow. "Seriously, she made you look hot."

I frown. "Am I not already?"

She rolls her eyes. "Oh, don't give me that look. That's not what I meant." She frees herself from my arms, and I groan at the loss. "You're always hot, you just look especially... hotter like this."

"Like what?" I step towards her, caging her between the table and my body.

She toys with the collar of my shirt. "You know, this person you are whenever you're around your sister. You're the nicest guy in the world, you know that, right?" I can feel my cheeks warming, and Lucy smiles warmly. "You're just really sweet, that's all."

I lean forward, my lips brushing hers as I say, "We could go upstairs and I can show you just how nice I can be."

Lucy's head falls against my chest, her face flushed in embarrassment. "Tristan, it's your sister's birthday."

I pinch her waist. "Yes, but all I can think about is kissing you." I push a kiss against the side of her head. "Loving you." Another kiss touches her hair. "Touching you." I move a hand up her hip, and she shivers.

She pulls her face back, her giant blue eyes finding mine. "Tristan—"

"Whoa!" We turn our heads to the sudden voice. "Kid's birthday party, guys. So not cool."

"Hey, Addy." I offer her a tight-lipped smile.

"Could you, uh, get off my best friend?" she asks, but I really don't want to. "Lisa wants to cut her cake, and she's asking for Luce."

Lucy pats a hand against my chest. "Looks like I'm somebody's favourite," she whispers.

You're my favourite is what I want to say but I let her walk off, knowing that my sister gets anything she wants as it's her birthday. Besides, I have the rest of the evening with my girl before she and Addy head back home.

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[ LUCY'S POV ]

   SOME OF MY HAPPIEST MEMORIES HAVE BEEN WHEN I WAS A CHILD. I still remember all the silly parties Dad would host me as a kid, which would without a doubt, turn into a night of junk food and movies with just him. Dad always made everyday special, especially when I was a kid. I miss those days, and as I sit and watch Lisa interact with her friends, I think back to those childhood days.

   However, while it'd be nice to be a kid for just one day, I can't exactly complain about the life I have right now.

   I have the most perfect boyfriend who has spent the last hour making sure every kid under this roof is fed and watered. He and Logan set up a mattress downstairs, threw enough cushions and blankets onto the floor, and allowed the girls to lay back and watch a film I got to pick.

   I select "Adventures in Babysitting" because it's one of mine and Addy's all-time favourites, and the girls love it, I can already tell.

   Tristan and I sit behind the girls on the sofa, watching from afar while Addy and Logan share the other sofa. They seem to be talking which is good considering that she didn't seem too fond of him earlier. I would like it if my best friend and boyfriend's cousin got along because I imagine they'll see each other on a few occasions.

   I snuggle against Tristan, a blanket thrown over us, and I'm trying to watch the film but Tristan is insistent on dragging me upstairs. He's like some kind of animal, I swear to God.

   "You have to leave after the film," he groans, his head falling to rest against my shoulder. "Can't you just stay?"

   I laugh quietly, not wanting to disturb the girls. "And give my dad a heart attack? No, thank you."

   "Was Luke never young and in love?"

   "Yes, and look what he got out of the deal." I give him a pointed look, and he chuckles, realising that my dad ended up with me after being you and in love. "Now, I love you, but I have to go home."

   "I know." Tristan squeezes my waist. "But I'll miss you."

"You're extremely clingy," I taunt.

"I'm just in love, sweetheart, leave me be." I rest my head against his chest, and Tristan leans back to rest against the pillows on the sofa. I tell him to focus on the film rather than on me, but I'm a fool to think he'll watch the film.

My eyes dart over to Logan and Addy, and while he laughs, Addy scowls at him. I grin, finding their interacting to be amusing even from a distance. In a strange way, I think they're getting along, I can't explain it.

Tristan leans down, his lips brushing my ear. "What do you think they're talking about?"

"I don't know, but Addy looks like she might kill him," I whisper back, and Tristan grins.

"Well, Logan is annoying like that."

   I take my eyes off them and I look up at Tristan. "I think it's really sweet what you did for your sister — planning this party," I tell him, and his face softens. "She seems so happy, so happy that it makes me jealous that I'll never have a kiddy birthday party again."

   "Hey, you can have all the kiddy birthday parties you want, Blue." Tristan pushes a strand of hair behind my ear. "You're never too old to act like a kid, trust me."

   "You think?"

   He nods. "Oh, yeah."

   "One of my earliest memories is when I was four, and my dad made the living room of my old house look like space." I smile at the memory. "My grandpa was sick so he couldn't leave the house, so we sat in the space-themed living room with all kinds of snacks and binged movies. That was my favourite birthday, I think."

Tristan sighs, his lips against my head. "That sounds nice," he mumbles.

"What about you?"

"I've never really had a birthday party," he admits, and my eyes widen. "It's a surprise if we actually celebrate them in this house."

"But—" I look over at Lisa who is giggling with her friend next to her. "You did all this for Lisa, and you've never had a party like this?"

He shakes his head. "No. Not really."

"That's awful, Tristan."

"I mean, every year, I get presents— usually money— and Logan and I always hang out, but I've never really done the big birthday bash thing, you know?" He shrugs it off like it means nothing, but this boy is nearly eighteen-years-old and he's never experienced a childish birthday party. "Don't look so sad for me, Blue. It's okay."

"It's not." I pout, and Tristan grins. "You deserve a kid birthday party, Tristan, especially when you host the greatest ones."

"Well, thanks, but it's okay, Luce." He pushes a kiss against the side of my head. "I like giving my sister stuff that I didn't get. She deserves it. She didn't ask to be born to parents who hardly pay her any attention."

"You didn't ask for this life either," I voice. "You deserve just as much as Lisa, I hope you know that."

"You give me hope everyday, Blue."

   I push my lips to his for a brief second, letting him know that I think he deserves the whole world. He deserves more than this, and I hope he can realise that he can have more than what's expected of him. He's the most selfless, most loving person I know, and I'm eternally grateful to have him love me everyday.

   Tristan's palm rests against my hair when I lay my head against his chest again, and I feel my eyes closing as he drags his fingers through my hair slowly. "I love you," he whispers.

   "I love you too," I tell him, but he already knows that I do. "You're the sweetest guy in the world, Tristan Dugray, don't ever forget that."

   "I don't think you'll let me forget that."

   No, I won't let him forget.

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authors note:

short but sweet chapter . . . writing is so hard :( I DON'T KNOW WHY

anyway, we're so close to 100k so i wanna thank you all for reading, commenting and loving this story as much as i do.

i promise ill try and update a little more regularly but i'm also trying to write my other fics . . . it's a hard little life lol

thank you!!