#lorelais graduation day

[saltygilmores]

Thoughts While Watching Gilmore Girls, Season 2, Episode 21- Lorelai’s Graduation Day, Aka Lovesick Stepcousins In The Big City, Part 3

I'm cheering Rory on as she leaves school grounds, leaving these 35 year old classmates in the dust, and as she manages to pull it off under the eyes of two teachers or administrators. Yes yes yes! Well from here on out it's going to be pure Literati appreciation with only minimal anger and rage, you know, my usual shtick. That being said, when that happens I start to sound a little disjointed, like, this episode is so pure and precious and enjoyable that I really don't have much snarky commentary on it and I can just watch it. What am I without my snark powers?

Destiny awaits. In one of many examples of what I call "Gilmore Girls Poor"*, which is a term I coined myself for how AmyShermanPalladino views lower/middle class/urban/city life, Rory manages to end up in the Port Authority Bus Terminal in another dimension. The Alternate Dimension, 100% white, Spotlessly Clean, Nearly People-Free New York City Bus Terminal where she stared down a scary dude without being stabbed and she was offered a locker to store her book bag. (*More examples of GGP: In season 4, Jess is 19 years old, a high school dropout, and is living in a clean, rat and roach free, enormous New York City apartment with working utiltiies and large windows that in today's housing crisis people would murder him to get, he just needed a bed frame and to pick his shit up off the floor but we are supposed to believe its a crack den; Rory and Lorelai live in a beautiful home and eat take out and restaurant food every day on nothing more than an innkeeper's slary)

This was cute. Rory the little mouse getting ignored by city folk. I love it so much.

I think AmyShermanPalladino inserted this smoking guy to make it look like Rory was in a rough part of town. Someone finally gives our little mouse an abrupt answer on how to get to Washington Square Park where she can meet her stepcousin and her destiny.

The little smirk before he turns around! And then, and then...and then...the big grin when he sees her!

I am STARVING for stepcousins!!!!!! ..And the Emmy Award for the whitest words ever spoken on teleivison goes to Alexis Bledel, as Rory Gilmore in Gilmore Girls:

Baring his naked forearms like a saucy strumpet. Book sticking awkwardly out of his back pocket. He either finds the smallest books or has the roomiest ass pockets that he keeps pulling that off. How does he do that?

This is all so precious and pure I could die.

He is RAPT with attention listening to her silly stories. Show me where Dean or Logan ever paid this much attention to her telling one of these stories.

We know, Bubs. We know :(

Red alert! Red alert! Our first display of physical contact!

Jess says he eats from this hot dog cart every day. Let's unpack this: 1) Holy child neglect, Batman! I mean, Liz Danes. You can't even make your kid a peanut butter and jelly sandwich once in a while? This boy is feral. These are survival hot dogs. This may be all he can afford to eat on his own. 2) How are you still as skinny as a rail? 3) How's your blood pressure? 4) Where are you getting the money?

This sweet bubba unquestionably paid for Rory's lunch like a true gentleman.

I refuse to acknolwedge any sort of Behind the Scenes Hollywood mumbo jumbo like "Milo wasn't ACTUALLY eating the hot dog" or “umm, it’s a prop hot dog”. i am firmly committed to a scenario where everyone on the set for this episode was like "Milo our precious vegetarian baby boy we will get you a tofu hot dog to eat"

Ending this chapter with this adorable face.

[anggiazs]

I really don't know if I'm the minority for saying this or if this means I'm a bad fan or person etc, but Rory missing Lorelai's graduation? Neither of Jess or Rory's fault.

It was an impulsive decision by her to hop on to that bus that day, so no, she couldn't have planned it. What she did plan though, is to get to the bus in time to get back home to her mother's graduation. And she did, and Jess went with her decision and didn't hold her back. Everything was going according to plan and Rory could have the day with the boy she is not so secretly smitten with while also making her mother happy by being there for her and giving he Belinda.

Then traffic happened, something that is totally out of anyone's control. People hate Rory in that ep as if she intentionally missed her mom's graduation. She didn't! She was miserable when she found out she did. She confesses her mistakes and regrets when Lorelai confronts her then.

So please, if you want to hate that ep, sure do your thing, but just hate the fact that traffic happened and fate was cruel to her, not because Rory is some sort of an evil spawn and will intentionally hurt her mother.

[not-with-you-but-of-you]

Shall I stay? Would it be a sin If I can’t help Falling in love with you?

Happy 22nd Anniversary to Lorelai’s Graduation Day (aired on May 14th, 2002)!

[deadpoets]

GILMORE GIRLS 02.21 | Lorelai's Graduation Day

[basketcasemp3]

GILMORE GIRLS 2.21 • “Lorelai's Graduation Day"

[jessmmariano]

A list of reasons why Rory Gilmore is a good person and not the shallow, manipulative person people make her out to be:

Took full responsibility for breaking Paris’s project and offered to help her fix it despite Paris being only rude to her at this point

Didn’t tell anyone that Paris had to take her cousin to the Chilton formal despite Paris taunting Rory/saying Rory couldn’t get a date

Told Paris that she could talk to her if she ever needed anyone to talk to despite the fact that Paris had just exposed Lorelai and Max kissing to the whole school

Encouraged Tristan to ask out Paris because she knew Paris had feelings for him

Helped Paris get ready for her date with Tristan and allowed her to borrow her mother’s clothes

Reassured her mother several times about her relationship with Max

Agreed to a coming out party because it made her grandmother happy

Helped Paris study numerous times despite Paris almost always antagonizing her

Gave Jess a chance and was nice to him when the rest of the town despised him. She even vouched for him/defended him often.

Took partial responsibility for the car accident with Jess instead of letting him take the entire blame, which the entire town was doing (and she reassured Luke as well).

Dyed Lane’s hair and then also then dyed it again after Lane freaked out (and she even left the Kim house through the window so that Mrs. Kim wouldn’t see her)

Agreed to go with her grandfather to visit Yale to make him happy even though she didn’t really want to and was only interested in Harvard

Apologized to Dean after their break up and took full responsibility for the problems in their relationship (even though it wasn’t all her fault).

Took time out of her busy end of the year schedule (when she was dealing with finals and being valedictorian) to help her grandmother pick out an outfit for her graduation

Went back to Kyle’s house the day after the disastrous party to get Lane’s heavily stained backpack and deliver it to her

Was always super supportive to her friends (Lane with her band, Paris with academics, Lorelai with the Inn, all of them about their relationships, etc.)

Helped her mother throw a baby shower for Sookie (albeit they never got to have said shower).

Took care of Logan when he in the hospital and after even though he hadn’t been the best boyfriend at this point.

Always encouraged Dean to pursue his dreams/passions and told him he could do what he put his mind to.

Anyways this is all I can think of off the top of my head but stop saying Rory Gilmore is a terrible person. Yes, she made mistakes, but everyone does lol

[jessmalia]

Mal's Gilmore Girls rewatch: Lorelai's Graduation Day 2.21

[thefirst3chapters]

Unpopular opinion (maybe): Luke's ultimatum at the end of Season 3 inadvertently reinforced Jess's choices that stopped him from finishing high school in the first place.

Disclaimer: The intent here isn't to attack Luke for how he handled things. The overall effect of Luke's presence in Jess's life is undoubtedly positive and instrumental to where Jess ended up. Luke was put in an unfair position that he wasn't prepared for, he genuinely cared and tried his best with the knowledge he had, and it would have been well within his rights to say no to Liz to begin with or to Jess when he came back after the car accident.

From what Jess tells Rory in "Teach Me Tonight," it sounds like he never had much academic support from adults, which is of course why Rory's belief in him will end up meaning so much. Details about Jess's childhood that are revealed once Liz is around suggest that Jess didn't have trustworthy adults in his life and had to learn how to be self-sufficient early. Even though we as the audience can see that Luke is responsible and trustworthy through his own actions and his relationships with people who have known him for many years, Jess doesn't have the same history with him, and it can take a long, long time to unlearn those survival instincts. Additionally, Jess's Walmart manager, as gregarious and pro-corporate as he seems to be, doesn't appear to engage in the practice of pressuring introverts to socialize (which happened to Rory at Chilton) and allows Jess to do something constructive and work toward a tangible reward. Some people get these benefits from going to school, but Jess didn't. Then there's a layer of youthful hubris here because Jess really did seem to think that he could manage all of this and go to school just enough to graduate based on what he tells Rory in S3 E17, Luke in S3 E18, and the principal in S3 E19. With of all this information in mind, it's really not surprising that Jess would prioritize work above school. His logic is self-destructive but understandable, and his fatal flaw ends up being that he committed to more responsibilities than a person could reasonably handle. This isn't the standard media portrayal of ditching school.

Luke's approach to being Jess's guardian is fairly hands-off. After Luke's "laying down the law" talk in the first episode Jess is in, the only requirement we see enforced is that Jess has to work at the diner, which Jess complies with. Luke didn't know Jess was working at Walmart at all until Jess bought his car, he didn't know Jess was eventually working more than full-time hours, and he didn't know Jess was missing as much school as he was. (This last one suggests a significant oversight at the school, which is another story.) When the extent of Jess's work hours is brought to his attention and Lorelai speculates about what is going on, he tells Lorelai that there is no way Jess would skip school and doesn't investigate further. When he realizes Jess is working some days instead of going to school, he offers to pay Jess more at the diner (and later steals his car) to prevent him from working at Walmart (the place he worked before he had a car to earn the money to buy it???) but doesn't press him about what is really going on.

So after all of that, it turns out Jess didn't go to school enough to graduate. Luke does give Jess the option to stay in Stars Hollow and keep going to school, but I could never blame someone for not being able to have a rational conversation immediately after a stranger randomly shows up, claims paternity, and runs out. The emotional damage of that incident really can't be divorced from what happens here. Luke is of course also in crisis mode. Jess didn't graduate because he worked too much, so now he's in a position where his consequence is to keep doing what got him into trouble, only this time he doesn't have anyone looking after him. This isn't what Luke is intending, but his ultimatum basically reinforces Jess's mindset of prioritizing work (i.e. short-term financial security) above school and his reluctance to trust other people, and it reinforces Jess's family history (ironically not including Luke) of abandoning difficult situations (in this case, the aftermath of the fight with Dean) and relationships (in this case, Rory) instead of facing them. Jess ends up on his own with the money he had from work that he was saving for a different car, so he probably thinks it's a good thing he worked as much as he did, and he ends up without adult guidance or restrictions to help him sort all this out and repair the harm he caused. This could have turned out much more darkly than it did, and it's really a miracle that Jess got to where he was by the time he was 21.

When Jess is with Jimmy in California, he acknowledges that he's failed and doesn't know where to go from there. It probably isn't outlandish to think that Jess was earning more as a full-time forklift driver than what he is earning during Season 4. Factoring in the lower cost of living in Stars Hollow or somewhere nearby compared to New York, he probably could have been able earn a decent living if he stayed at Walmart (even if he wouldn't have been better off in the long run). That's probably why Luke's "I'm sorry I didn't think driving a forklift for the rest of your life was good enough for you" stung. It was likely a much better situation than whatever Jess is in mid-Season 4.

In late Season 4, Jess seems resigned to where he is. He doesn't complain or blame anyone else for his circumstances, even when Luke repeatedly mocks him in New York. (Even mid-Season 4, Jess doesn't express anger toward Luke about anything other than Luke stealing his car until Luke provokes him multiple times.) Maybe Jess was already thinking about writing a book or studying for a GED during Season 4, but his posture and mannerisms seem to suggest defeat more than anything else. At this point, Jess might not be envisioning anything other than what he has. It is only after Luke accepts Jess for who he is, and stops seeing him as a failed project, ("You are who you are. I cannot change that, and I'm going to stop trying.") that Jess really starts to move forward. Although Luke isn't even very positive in how he says this, it's still the sort of affirmation Jess always needed and maybe never received from a family member before. Then, he's honest with Luke about his emotions, he's receptive to Luke's advice, he expresses appreciation for what Luke did for him, he offers Luke a way to stay in contact, and he makes a commitment to pay him back even though Luke says he doesn't have to do so. He tries (and fails, for the time being) to make amends with Rory, and after all of these things happen, he progresses into the version of himself that returns in Season 6. Jess pursues a path that Luke doesn't quite understand but has accepted and is proud of (it's also a path that Rory does understand and is proud of, and both forms of support are so important).

[the-overreactress]

What are some of the insights you gained about Rory (and her relationships with other characters) from watching Seasons 5-7? You mentioned that recently, and I am SOOOO curious to know!

Thank you for this ask!!

Something I’ve always wondered about Rory Gilmore’s evolution is just how much her entire identity appears to be built on the praise (seasons 1-3) and critiques (seasons 4-7) from everyone else around her. When Rory is doing well and riding the high associated with her success in Seasons 1-3, we only see the cracks in her facade a few times (i.e. when she’s briefly questioned/prodded by Headmaster Charleston, Jess, Straub, etc.) Season 4 shows Rory in a severely vulnerable light, with her struggling romantically, socially, academically, and emotionally for the first time. Seasons 5 feels like an even more intense build up to the Huntzbergers rejecting her (the dinner with Logan & Mitchum not so kindly telling her the harsh words she’d likely never heard from an authority figure in her life: “You just don’t have it.”)

Or, how Rory might have interpreted it: “You’ll never be good enough for this job you’ve been wanting and working towards your entire life.” That’s a massive blow to the ego. This may not have been what Mitchum intended, but that’s absolutely how it landed with her. The proof is in the stolen yacht.

Her entire external life (I say external, because I am of the belief her internal life is a lot more nuanced) is built on living up to the expectations placed upon her by her mother, her grandmother, her grandfather, her teachers, her friends, her boyfriends, and the citizens of Stars Hollow. The second that world starts to crumble, either from external pressures or Rory’s own mistakes, her entire worldview is thrown into question.

Anytime she is prodded, she is forced to confront her lack of decisiveness, her lack of impulse control, and her lack of real self-worth. The first time I think we really see this is her first day at Chilton, but she eventually rises to the occasion. The second time is probably “teach me tonight” when Jess questions whether she’s actually ready and prepared for the career she wants. Then, she’s quickly defensive in the required therapy sessions at Yale, before devolving into a break down at a few simple questions from the counselor. She breaks down again and dyes her hair when faced with the notion she may not have a plan after graduation (And girl, same.)

Each and every time, you see the same shift in her expression: she’s unsure, she’s questioning, she’s weighing whatever the person or situation is telling her against her own understanding of who she is. Instead of finding the strength to challenge herself and outright reject those expectations, she finds herself utterly lost in them. And yes, so much of this stems from the “gifted kid” narrative, but I also think it’s a lesson in allowing your children to be who they really are, not who you think they are (or want them to be). I think Lorelai mostly did this unintentionally, but it still crops up whenever the conversation of “Rory is our golden child/Savior of the Gilmore Family Name” arises.

Do I really think Rory has what it takes to be a journalist? That’s debatable, but I’d argue yes. Technically and creatively, she’d excel. But her grit and tenacity come and go. They wane even in the face of genuine success/getting what she wants. I rewatched the last Friday night dinner scene in season 7. Lorelai says “You’ve worked so hard for this (the campaign job)” And Rory says “Yeah…I guess so…” like she’s trying to convince herself it’s what she wants (she does this a lot!) I tend to think she WAS excited by the opportunity, but considering how challenging a job like that could be, her trepidation makes sense.

I also want to briefly mention the parallel between Jess and Rory’s behavior after they are both told they aren’t good enough. Both say something to the effect of “I don’t want to be here, I don’t want to be around other people right now,” before making impulsive choices. Talk about going on the same journey!

This has all likely been pointed out before, but I am continually fascinated by how Rory in particular has become villainized for so much of her Season 4-6 behavior. While I think some of that criticism is valid (the pattern of cheating, for example), some of it also feels a little sexist. I also think we have to take Rory’s entire arc into account when considering why she makes the choices she makes. Her core identity is built on not only the expectations of everyone around her, but also her OWN expectations of herself, which we have to believe in some cases (maybe not the relationship stuff lol) are fairly high. So when she fails to live up to her own high school valediction version of herself, she simply…crumbles.

Okay, this was too LONG, but at some point, I would really love to do a deep dive into Rory’s thought process when it comes to Logan cheating on her and how she distinguishes her own cheating behavior from his. I also want to go into the revival more. I have many thoughts about that. 😝

[mystic-writings]

almost perfect | jess mariano

PAIRING — jess mariano x fem!gilmore!reader

REQUEST — Anon - Where Emily and Richard have a kid a year older than Rory (they had her before Lorelai got pregnant with her) and she’s sent to love with Lorelai around the same the same time jess moves to town? And they meet all cutesy and shit 🤭

SUMMARY — you move to stars hollow to live with your sister, lorelai, and end up falling for the one person who understands you - and the one person your sister doesn't like

WARNINGS — angst, familiy arguments, odd family dynamics, confessions, fluff

WORD COUNT — 3,461

NOTES — this idea has had me in a chokehold fr thank you anon

masterlist | navigation

Moving to a new town and starting your life at a new high school with only two years left before graduation was difficult. But moving into your sister’s town, and going to a school where her daughter was a former student, and everyone already knows who you are, is infinitely worse. 

You supposed that being semi-close to Rory as kids was a good thing, because if it weren’t for knowing her and, by extension, knowing Lane, you’d be wandering these halls completely alone, and doubly more confused. 

Dean and Lane were angels, helping you with every piece of much needed information on what teachers were good or bad, who to avoid at every chance, and where to not sit during lunch. They promised to do their best to help, but Lane’s mother was as strict as a dictator, and Dean often worked after school, so beyond sitting with them in the classes you happened to share, there wasn’t much they could do. 

Still, Rory walked you to the doors before heading off to catch the bus to Chilton, taking extra care to make sure you were okay before leaving. It was nice, the relationship you had with her despite everything. 

Lorelai wasn’t too happy that you were staying at theirs, but she understood why you had to leave your parents behind. Or, more realistically, why you were forced to walk out. It’s why she left them 17 years ago. 

Despite the age gap between you and your sister, Lorelai was all too aware of why you were born. Of how your parents treated the both of you, and the fact that no child should’ve been raised under the Gilmore name. She was never really close with you, considering you were only a few months older than Rory, but you understood. No 16 year old should be raising a kid while her parents are raising a baby themselves. 

But, she was kind enough to open her arms, and redecorate her spare bedroom, to fit you in. She got you a place at Stars Hollow High, settled you in with the townspeople, and did anything in her power to help. 

However, there was no helping the bundle of anxiety in your chest as you headed from your locker to homeroom. The school was small, of course. Not small enough to have a graduating class size of under 70 kids, but small enough that people knew who was attached to your last name. Small enough for people to start asking questions. 

Homeroom itself was fine. Lane and Dean had different homeroom classes, and people whispered when your name was called during attendance, but everything else was fine. The boy you sat next to seemed entirely unbothered by the environment around him, clutching a pen as he wrote in the margins of the book he carried - On The Road, by Jack Kerouac. Rory had lent the book to you not even two weeks ago, and you mentally appraised him for his literary taste. 

Of course, you should’ve known that trouble would’ve found you not long after your first day. 

Between second and third period, you’d been standing at your locker, supposedly the one Rory used to inhabit - and one you’d already decorated with stickers of bands and movie references - switching out your books when three girls approached you. You were already not prepared for any unexpected interactions, but these girls spelled trouble, just from the way they were all blonde, pretty and primped at 9am, in a small town high school. You expected it from the Chilton girls, sure, but not here. 

“You’re Y/n Gilmore, right?” The one in the middle said, her mouth upturned in something like a grimace. 

“Yeah, why?”

“Well we saw you during homeroom and we were wondering,” the girl on the left spoke, her gum popping annoyingly as she chewed on it. “If you’re, like, a Gilmore, does that make you Rory’s sister?”

“Yeah, we didn’t know Rory had a sister.” 

“How come we’ve never seen you before? I mean, you both should’ve gone to the same school, right?”

“Oh, my God, are you not her sister? Or were you just like, in rehab or something?”

“Oh my God, are you a drug addict?”

The girls continued to chirp at you, and among themselves, endlessly thinking up possibilities of how you could be Rory’s sister and still not go to Stars Hollow High until now. You didn’t even know they had that much brain power, let alone that they could jump to that far of a conclusion so fast. 

Suddenly, from behind you, someone spoke. “Why don’t you girls leave her alone, huh?” 

They stopped, almost freakishly in sync, and grimaced at the person behind you. 

“Seriously, Barbie, why don’t you go fix your makeup or something.” He scoffed, stepping up to stand beside you. “And honestly, if she was a tweaker, do you really think she’d even be allowed in the school?”

“I-”

“Just go away,” he complained, and the girl in the middle scoffed. 

“Whatever, Jess. Just trying to get to know the new girl.” She rolled her eyes.

You didn’t stop yourself from looking at the trio in disbelief. “You sure have a funny way of doing it, then. Why don’t you make up rumours about someone else and leave me the hell out of it. Or have you gotten bored of doing it to everyone else?”

It was amusing, watching the shock make their jaws drop before they managed to saunter away. When you turned to look at the boy who helped save you from that awful experience, you found the person who sat next to you in homeroom. 

“Thanks.”

“No problem,” he shrugged, a slight smirk playing on his lips, and you noticed that his hands were shoved in his front pockets. “Trust me, those girls do that to everyone. Y/n, right?”

“That’s me. And you’re Jess.” 

“Yep.” 

You stood silently for a few moments, staring awkwardly at one another. Just as you opened your mouth to speak, the warning bell rang, and the noise level around you picked up as students rushed to their next classes. 

“See you around, Y/n.” And just like that, Jess disappeared into the crowd of students, leaving you to gather your things and head to calculus, one of the few classes you shared with Lane. 

It’s been almost two months since you moved to Stars Hollow, and you found that adjusting was a lot easier than you first thought it would be. Despite having Lane and Dean at your side, you also seemed to be one of the lucky few to catch and retain Jess Mariano’s attention. He was, to everyone else, the loner who barely came to class and had no interest in being in the town in the first place; but he seemed to take a liking to you, the reason for which was still unknown to everyone but him. 

He was quick to become your best friend, and the only person in town who you gave a detailed description of your family background to. Somehow, the rumours that the girls who forced you into conversation never made it outside of their circle, but at some point the truth about your relationship with the Gilmore girls was spread around town, as you assumed would happen at some point. 

Still, no one minded that much, and found that your closeness to Rory and Lorelai meant that you were close to everyone in Stars Hollow. The welcoming warmth and sense of community was something that you had never felt in Hartford. 

Jess, of course, found it annoying, but you liked to tease him about it, and you knew he meant well. No one else seemed to want to care about him like you did, like Luke did. Including Lorelai, who was less than pleased that you chose to befriend him out of all the other supposedly stand-up kids in town. 

It wasn’t uncommon for you to have Jess over while Lorelai and Rory went to Hartford for Friday night dinners. In fact, it was what you had in mind for your plans as you watched the mother-daughter duo scramble around the house to get ready. 

Rory was, as usual, ready to leave exceptionally early, and had bid you a cheerful goodbye as she headed out to the car to wait for her mom, who was marching her way down the stairs while struggling to put in earrings. 

Lorelai caught sight of you on the couch, curled up and channel surfing, and smiled. “So, what are your plans for tonight? Partying hard, I hope. Remember my rule, no bikers and no drugs past 8pm.”

“Funny, Lorelai,” you smiled, craning your neck to look at her as she shoved items from the side table into her purse. “I’ll probably just order in and call Jess. He’s never doing anything on Fridays, and it’s better than being alone all night.” 

Your sister paused in the hallway, fidgeting movements indicating that she was contemplating something. 

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, what’s up?”

Lorelai turned fully, and took a few tentative steps toward you. Her iconic awkwardly polite smile stretched across her features, and you looked her up and down. “Why do you hang out with Jess so much? Sweetie, I mean, you’ve gotta see how bad of an influence he is.” 

“He’s not a bad influence, Lor. If anything, I’m being a good influence on him.” You said, sitting up straighter, leaning on the arm of the couch to properly face your sister. “Besides, he’s nice. He just doesn’t like a lot of other people in town.” 

“So you’re trying to tell me that he’s nice to everyone but you?”

“Yes, and I don’t exactly see what’s wrong with that.” 

“Well, hon, I mean, don’t you think that maybe that’s a little, I dunno, odd?” Lorelai suggested, her fluster clearly underlining her tone. 

You shrugged. “I don’t think so, no. He’s my best friend.” 

“Yes, I know that, but-” Lorelai tapped her foot, trying to find the right words to say. “I think you’re spending too much time with him, Y/n, and I just think it’s gonna end up with you getting hurt somehow.” 

“Hurt?” You scoffed. “Lorelai, how in the world would Jess be able to hurt me?”

Lorelai sighed, stepping closer to you. “I think you like him, Y/n. I think you have a crush on him, and I don’t think he likes you back. I just don’t want you to do anything and then end up being heartbroken and losing Jess as a friend.” 

You? Having feelings for Jess? It was something you could barely wrap your mind around. Lorelai’s accusations, even if out of some sort of motherly-type concern, were out of line. There was no way you liked Jess like that, right? And besides, even if you did, she didn’t have the right to try to stop you from doing or not doing anything about it. 

“Why are you so concerned about this all of a sudden?” You asked, furrowing your brow. “I mean, I’ve been hanging out with Jess one on one for a while, it’s not like all of a sudden I’ll catch feelings for him or something.”

“I understand that, but I’m saying that it seems like you caught feelings a while ago, Y/n.” Lorelai said, exasperation clear in the speed at which she was talking. 

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes. Why won’t she just drop it? “I’ve got it handled, Lorelai, please, just leave it be and go to dinner. You’re gonna be late, and you know how much mom hates that. Especially when you’re late.”

Lorelai scoffed. “I have plenty of time before we have to go. Now will you please tell me why you have such an attitude about this? I’m just trying to look out for you. Jess isn’t good for you, and I just want to-” 

“I get that Lorelai but I don’t need you to.” You snapped, swiftly getting to your feet. “I don’t need you to protect me, or look out for my best interest, or be motherly toward me. I get that you’re trying to make up for the fact that you couldn’t protect me as a kid and I ended up getting kicked out or whatever, but you’re not my mother.” Your blood was boiling. You didn’t know why, but it seemed that something within you just… snapped. “I don’t need you, Lorelai.” Your words pierced Lorelai’s heart with every bit of enunciation you placed on them. 

“And it doesn’t matter what kind of influence Jess is on me, because our mother made sure to ruin me beforehand. You of all people should understand that.” 

Lorelai stood, shocked at your outburst. She’d never seen more of herself in someone before, and still, she was heartbroken. Tears brimmed her eyes as she realized that, despite what you just said was more than likely teenage hormones kicking into gear, it was the truth. She tried, as hard as she could, to protect you as a kid. Harder than she tried to get herself out of that house. But she failed, because Rory came first, always. You didn’t need her anymore, not to raise or protect you. 

“You’re right,” Lorelai nodded, clearing her throat before blinking away her tears. “You’re too grown up to need me anymore. I just… wanted to make sure you knew I cared. That I was worried. But you don’t need me, so go ahead and make whatever decisions you want to. It’s not on me.” 

You watched Lorelai turn and walk out of the house, the door rattling the house as it swung shut. And suddenly, the silence pressed in on you, weighted with the realization of what you’d just done. Months of trying desperately to repair your relationship with Lorelai, of further building your relationship with Rory, only to have it torn down in seconds by your stupid teenage denial and anger. 

The weight of your actions came crashing down, and soon you were sitting back on the couch, sobbing into your hands. 

You don’t know how long you spent stuck in that spot until the house rattled again, and Jess was calling out to you, telling you what he forced Luke to make for the both of you to eat during your hangout tonight. 

Jess barely heard you crying on the couch until the food was on the table and he turned to find you there, back to him, curled into yourself as you sobbed. His voice faded instantly, his legs making long, quick strides in order to reach you as fast as he could. Jess’ mind was a flurry of confusion and worry - you sounded fine when he called you an hour ago. 

As soon as you were within reach, Jess’ hand gripped your shoulder, refusing to let himself lose the grasp he had on you even after he manoeuvred himself to sit next to you. He shuffled as close as he could get, and it was those movements that forced your head up from where it rested on your knees, enclosed by your arms wrapping around your legs. 

“Hey,” he said, trying his best to soothe you, but Jess wasn’t one to do that sort of thing often. “What’s wrong?”

“I am,” you croaked, followed by a sniffle and a shaking breath. “I’m so stupid, Jess.” 

Jess’ hand moved down your shoulder, until it squeezed your forearm comfortingly. “No, you’re not. And you’re obviously not okay. Tell me what happened.” 

As soon as the words left his mouth, you shook your head. Telling Jess that you argued with Lorelai over him would just make things worse with her, and telling him it was about your feelings for him would ruin things altogether.

“I can’t.” You said quietly. “It’s nothing you need to worry about, okay, Jess? I was just stupid and it’s my fault, I don’t wanna drag you into this.”

“No, I do have to worry about it, Y/n.” Jess said, his words firm. You could see his brows furrowing, eyes darkening. His emotions were brewing, and you knew you wouldn’t be able to stop it. “You’re my best friend. Hell, you’re my only friend, and I don’t know how you managed to do it, but I care about you. I actually care about someone for once in my life, and it’s you. So tell me what happened, drag me into it, because I… I care.” 

You couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit. Sniffling once again, you moved yourself to wipe some tears from your cheeks and put your hand on top of the hand Jess laid on your forearm. You stared at your hands and soaked in his warmth as you spoke. “It was Lorelai, we fought and-”

“Of course it was,” Jess scoffed.

You rolled your eyes. “Jess, just let me-” 

“No, she always has something to say about- about everything.” He said.

“Let me finish, please.” When Jess didn’t speak again, you continued. “I told her you and I were gonna hang out for the night and she sort of… well, she mentioned a few things and I got angry and we fought. I was an idiot and I yelled at her for trying to be my mother because she didn’t protect me as a kid and it just… it was a disaster.” 

Jess scoffed again, pulling his hand back and scrubbing his face, leaning into the couch. “Of course, she had to say something about you being with me. What, does she think we’re gonna rob a bank as a fun casual activity? I mean, seriously, she’s had it out for me since day one.”

You leaned forward, re-initiating the touch by resting your arm on his shoulder, your hand just barely grazing the back of his neck. “She doesn’t think we’re good for each other. At all. But she’s wrong, I know she is.” 

“Me too,” Jess sighed, looking over at you. 

The silence that filled the space between you, and your stomach was churning. Lorelai’s words came back to you, and as much as you didn’t want her in your head right now, you knew, deep down, that what she’d said about your feelings for Jess were true. 

Before you could stop yourself, you pulled away and the words came tumbling out, awkward and choppy and full of anxiety. “She was right about one thing, though.” 

Again, Jess scoffed an almost playful smirk lifting the corners of his lips. “Oh yeah, and what was that?”

“That I… have feelings for you.” You said, following it with an awkward and bashful smile. It was now or never, you supposed. “I mean, I didn’t even realize it until just now so don’t yell at me for keeping it a secret or something but she is right. You’re the only other person besides her and Rory and Luke that I care about and even then I care more about you than them and all I almost ever think or talk about is you and it sucks and I don’t want to keep it to myself. If you don’t want to be friends anymore I understand because it’s weird to have a friend who has feelings for you, trust me, so you can just leave now if you want-”

Jess’ lips crashing onto your own cut off the breathless ramble you had found yourself in. Your brain nearly completely shut down, complete peace silencing all the anxious thoughts in your head as you closed your eyes. By the time you registered that you needed to kiss back, Jess was pulling away, but you refused to let the moment end. He barely made it inches away before you were chasing his lips, placing a hand on his jaw to guide him back to you. 

The kiss was simple, but it was as if it sparked something within you, and every nerve in your body felt the emotion within you. You never imagined you’d be kissing a guy like Jess. Hell, you never imagined you’d find someone like him, someone so damn near perfect for you, in your lifetime. But you did, and he was kissing you, and you couldn’t give a damn about what anyone else would think when they found out. Because right now, it was just you and Jess, and no one else knew, and things were almost perfect, and that was what was important. 

You’d fix things with Lorelai tomorrow, and you weren’t sure you’d ever truly fix things with your parents; one day you’d try, just not yet. But for right now, all that mattered was yourself and Jess.

forever taglist: @just-here-to-escape-from-reality @mazerunnerrose @theboldandthebootyful @miraclesoflove @queen-asteria04 @heliads

jess mariano taglist: open!

taglist form

[saltygilmores]

Thoughts While Watching Gilmore Girls, Season 2, Episode 21- Lorelai’s Graduation Day, Aka Lovesick Stepcousins In The Big City, Part 4

In my previous post, I stated this was the first time Rory and Jess had ever touched each other, but my friend @kimberly-stocks pointed out that was technically not true.

However, in the two previous instances, Rory shoved him out the door in There's The Rub, and then dragged him home by his sleeve in Dead Uncles and Vegetables, so I stand by this being the first display of real affectionate touch shared between our stepcousins. We know why Rory isn't in school, but the same can't be said for Jess. Look, it's something of a tossup between him flat out skipping school like Rory did (coincidentally, on the same day she decided to surprise him) or Liz just flat out didn't re-enroll him and so he's wandering the streets like a feral cat, poaching hot dogs and records and wandering stepcousins.

I was expecting an Okuh but I'll take a Whatever.

I really wanted to know if this shirt was based on a real band or musical tour. So I googled "Hardkore Kidd" and found this amazing bit of trivia.

Thank you Women in Revolt for that bit of interest. I googled it a bit further and indeed, Hardcore Kidd was the stage name of a wrestler. I thought it was the name of a band, and I'm sure 98% of you reading this thought the same... As far as him wearing something other than a band tshirt being "out of character" for Jess, we must agree to disagree. The "he actually watches wrestling sometimes" and "he only wore it ironically" are both plausible angles in my opinion. But he's also our thrift store king, and he probably just thought it looked rad. And it is. It's a rad shirt.

"From (someplace) to (Sudan?) to (someplace) to Baltimore"

Mmm, good tofu dogs. Rory is weirdly over the top delighted by the taste of this street wiener like she's never eaten a hot dog before in her gosh dang life. I will not sully this wholesome thing they've got going on here with tasteless wiener jokes. I will not make wiener jokes...I will not make wiener jokes.. Ladies and gentleman of the Jury, I will now present my findings as to whether or not Milo Ventimiglia Actually Ate A Wiener. In Exhibit A, It looks as if Mr. Ventimiglia actually partially consumed the wiener, as you can observe there is some definite mouth-to-wiener contact. In Exhibit B, Mr. Ventimiglia's wiener appears to have at least one nibble mark; while on the other hand , Ms. Bledel only pretended to be eating the wiener Mr. Ventimiglia had so generously procured for her, and there is no chunk missing from her wiener until several moments later.

Damn it, I'm weak.

Milo's wiener still only has one bite taken out of it, but he's been chewing for about a solid minute. If I didn't already know Rory was going to respond "do they allow hot dogs on the subway", I'd have scripted her to respond "But I already have a hot dog, I don't want a sandwich" when Jess said he was going to Subway. Come on, admit Rory would say something like that and that I'm hella funny. ADMIT IT. (Subway is the name of a chain of sandwich restaurants). He is adorably patient with her cluelessness, god bless him.

(The above is supposed to be a video; I apologize, since it's likely that by the time you read this, Tumblr will have borked it and made it unwatchable. If you can see it, be sure to click to watch it. You’ve been blessed).

There's my Okuh! A high pitched one, so you know he's happy. It was perfect. Sigh. Bless. If this episode were a human person, I'd marry it. I'm freaky like that.

[berryflavouredkoolaid]

Clarissa Gilmore - Gilmore Girls OC

~ General ~

Full Name: Clarissa Emily Gilmore

Nicknames: Clary (By most)

Birthdate: June 21st, 1985

Residence: Hartford, Connecticut | New York City, New York | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

~ Physical Appearance ~

Hair Colour: Brown

Eye Colour: Blue

Skin Tone: Pale

Height: 5’7

Body Type: Ectomorph

Misc: she has freckles, high cheekbones, and a defined jawline

Faceclaim: Michelle Tractenberg

~ Background ~

Hometown: Hartford, Connecticut

As the youngest daughter of Emily and Richard Gilmore, Clarissa was raised with her sister looming over her. Her parents were always rather overbearing and protective over her. Clarissa was expected to fulfill many of their expectations for Lorelai. However, she was quite different from her sister.

~ Family ~

Mother: Emily Gilmore

Growing up, Emily placed many expectations on Clarissa. She was expected to fulfill the hole left by Lorelai’s unceremonious escape. However, Emily often encourages Clarissa’s interests and aspirations. Emily can be a bit strict to Clarissa, anxious not to let her end up like her sister.

Father: Richard Gilmore

Richard and Clarissa are very different people. This often shows in their near-opposite views on life. While Clarissa is much more prone to imagination and creativity, Richard prides himself on his realism and practicality. This causes arguments between them, particularly on the subject of Clarissa’s aspirations in the artistic world. Nonetheless, at the end of the day, Richard can normally be persuaded to see Clarissa’s vision and is proud of her regardless.

Sister: Lorelai Gilmore

Lorelai and Clarissa have a simultaneously united yet awkward relationship. With Lorelai often talking their parents down from their more deranged plans for herself and Clary. However, as Lorelai was largely not part of Clary’s life, their relationship is closer to distant relatives rather than sisters.

Niece: Lorelai “Rory” Gilmore

Rory and Clarissa’s relationship is often charged with resentment. To Clary, Rory is everything she isn’t. Booksmart, with respectable and realistic plans for her future, and without Clary’s rebellious streak. Clary was often subject to comparison by her parents to Rory and their relationship has suffered from her jealousy.

~ Schooling & Career ~

School: Chilton Preparatory Academy

Best Class: English Literature/Art

Worst Class: Biology

Clubs:

The Franklin - Staff Member

Clarissa wrote the Arts & Culture section for the Chilton school paper, The Franklin. She concentrated on local artists and activities around Hartford and wrote reviews of gallery shows and performances.

Chilton Preparatory Society for the Arts - Founder & President

Clarissa formed the Chilton Preparatory Society for the Arts in her freshman year. The society regularly holds charity shows to raise money for various causes, both philanthropic and academic.

Sports:

Basketball - Team Manager

Clarissa played basketball in primary school. Unfortunately, she sucked at it. In secondary, she became team manager for the boys team as there was no girls team.

University: Columbia University/Barnard College

Major: Fine Arts

Minors: World Literature, Art History

Career: Artist

Following her graduation, Clary, anxious to leave New York after her breakup with Charles, received an offer to be an Artist-in-Residence in Philadelphia from a friend. She accepted immediately and moved there.

~ Personality & Traits ~

Personality: Since she was a child, Clarissa has always been a creative person. Ever curious, some of her fondest memories include visiting museums in Hartford with her parents. Clarissa is quite friendly and sweet. She enjoys learning about people and is an extrovert. A lover of all things artistic, Clarissa is never as happy as when she is in her room, painting or sketching with a good playlist on her stereo. Clarissa has a rather dry sense of humour, much like her sister.

Likes: Art, poetry, golfing, travelling, basketball, soap operas, thai food, pretty things, music, theatre, spicy food

Dislikes: Sculpture, boredom, blandness, dull colours, hiking, math

Hobbies: Painting, drawing, writing poetry, reading

Favourite Place: Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

~ Relationships ~

Best Friend:

Avonlea Carter

Avonlea and Clarissa have been best friends since they were in diapers. Avonlea, the star of the Drama and Music department, complimented Clarissa’s fine arts-based talents perfectly. The pair have never had a fight and lived together in New York until Clarissa moved to Philadelphia.

Friends:

Louise Grant

Madeline Lynn

Nola March

Julia Kenting

Love Interests:

Theodore “Teddy” Carter

Clary’s first love, Teddy Carter, was her best friend’s older brother. They had known each other since they were children and Clary had had feelings for him for years. Teddy asked Clary to the Chilton Dance and she obviously accepted. Clary initially assumed he asked her because she was his little sister’s friend and didn’t have a date but he tells her he has feelings for her. They dated for about a year until his graduation. He was going to university across the country.

Jack Seymour

Jack Seymour and Clary had known each other for years. A member of the Chilton basketball team, Jack had joined up his freshmen year because he thought Clary was pretty. He made a habit of flirting with Clary, which she dismissed as just teasing. One evening at a party, Jack and Clary kissed. Clary quickly came to the realization that she had feelings for Jack. She asked him out a few days later and he said yes. They dated until a few weeks into college, when Jack broke up with her.

Patrick Nguyen

Patrick Nguyen deserved a lot better than what Clary gave him. Fresh off her breakup with Jack, Clary met Patrick at a college bar. They hooked up and she gave him her number. For the next year, Clary and Patrick entered a casual relationship. One evening, Clary told Patrick she loved him. She was drunk, and regretted it immediately. But, Patrick responded in kind. Clary couldn’t find it in herself to tell him she didn’t mean it. They started dating. For 3 months, Clary couldn’t get up the courage to tell him. Until, one night, it just slipped out. “I don’t love you.” And that was that, they broke up.

Charles Wendler

Charles Wendler was Clary’s first devestating heartbreak. She met him in her Art History class. He was an exchange student from England completing his graduate program and, to Clary, completely fascinating. Charles strung her along for a while, sometimes seeming head-over-heels and other times completely uninterested. On Clary’s 22st birthday, Charles’s girlfriend came to his apartment to surprise him while they were in a… compromising position. She didn’t see Charles for a week after that and heard nothing from him. She learned from her art history professor that he had gone back to England.

Jess Mariano

Clarissa remains convinced her and Jess’s meeting was an act of destiny. She wasn’t planning on staying in Philadelphia beyond her six month contract. But, Clarissa came into Truncheon Books one day, and he was working. She recognized him and they started talking. They met for coffee, as she didn’t really know anyone in Philly. They became fast friends, and as her contracted period came to a close, their feelings for each other became more apparent. They both knew about their mutual feelings but refused to confront them. When Clary told him she would be leaving in a few days, Jess was angry. They argued and she stormed out. They didn’t speak until the day of her flight out. Jess came to her apartment and she kissed him spontaneously. She bailed on her flight and ended up staying in Philadelphia with Jess.

Rivals:

Rory Gilmore

~ Misc & Notes ~

She loves Billy Joel with her entire heart.

Her favourite thing to paint is portraits, but she doesn’t do them very often because they’re very time-consuming and it’s hard to find models.

She and her dad used to go golfing every Sunday and she got to be really good at it. She still is.

She spent the summer between her graduation and first year of university in italy, painting.

Went on one hiking trip in 8th grade and swore on her life she would never do it again. She got her period for the first time on the trip and had to use toilet paper as a pad for the entire trip.

Whenever she is upset or stressed she goes to the Museum of Art and looks at all the paintings.

Sucks at sculpture, she’s just never been able to do it.

[opulentsims]

meet the hobbs family 🍂

! tw mention of alcohol abuse

florence & elliot have sworn to each other that they will make a peaceful life for themselves.

not long after graduating from highschool, florence hobbs left henford under the advice of her father to 'lead a successful life'. turns out, the success most people find in san myshuno is an expensive, mouldy apartment, a toxic relationship and a draining office job. returning to henford after only a year was the hardest thing she had ever done - the fear of disappointing her father ran deep and she soon started spending her days at the village bar.

there, working the bar, was elliot goodwin - her old middle school classmate. it was no secret in henford that elliot completely cut ties with his wealthy and influential family. stuck as the often overlooked middle child, elliot felt suffocated on all sides: strict parents who demanded he pursue an economy degree (which he did not want), an overly egotistical older brother who was set to inherit the family's wine company, and a competitive younger brother who tried his hardest to steal it away.

they found each other on opposite sides of that bar, with very different backgrounds and struggles, but struggling nonetheless. months later, they started spending their days in the bramblewood instead.

falling in love, softly, quietly, as you do, with no hesitation.

after what seemed like the most transformative year of her life, florence learns she is pregnant with their son finley. soon elliot proposes, and they exchange vows in the bramblewood.

there were only peaceful days ahead: finn's birth, building their farmhouse, colourful vegetable patches, cricket - the puppy finn begged for on his 4th birthday, taking care of quirky geese, and most recently, the birth of their twin girls lacey and lorelai.

"if i am worth anything later

i am worth something now

for wheat is wheat

even if people think it is a grass in the beginning."

[not-with-you-but-of-you]

Why did you come here? I mean, you ditched school and everything. That’s so not you. Why’d you do it? Because you didn’t say goodbye.

GILMORE GIRLS | 2.21 “Lorelai’s Graduation Day”

[deadpoets]

GILMORE GIRLS 02.21 | Lorelai's Graduation Day 06.08 | Let Me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out

[paingoes]

Destroyer - Graduation

(Masterlist)

fyi the noncon element here is pretty blink and you’ll miss it, but i added a warning just in case !

(Content: parental death mention, alcohol, drug use, brief noncon mention, dehumanization)

================

The sun was out, but the air smelled metallic, like it might rain any second. It mixed in with the scent of the grass and fabric softener. Paris adjusted the saber on his hip. The dean’s voice droned on in the background, but all he could focus on was his own body, the way the uniform felt against his skin. It was Paris’s graduation day.

He was one of the hundred on the stage, over half of them graduating as officers on the accelerated track. For Paris, it was all just formality; the work he was doing already far exceeded his official title as officer. Still, it was a rite of passage. He liked the dress blues and the ceremonial blade. He liked that they were all going to get wasted after this. But when his name was called, he did not look out into the crowd. He looked over their heads, staring straight at the woods that bordered the clearing. Their applause was rapturous, but it was impersonal. Both of Paris’s parents were dead now. He had no other family. He knew there was no one in attendance for him.

The only people he would ever consider his friends were on the stage beside him — and they only qualified as such with some heavy reservations. The boys were all highborn kinsmen, and egregious social climbers at that. But they knew how to party, which was about the only thing he could focus on right now. 

The girls were cute, but cutthroat in their way. He kept them at arm’s length. They thought they could get away with anything.

Well, not Lorelai. His eyes flitted over to her. She was one of the few not in the officer’s garb, instead wearing a frilly dress that went down past her knees. Her skin literally glowed. The sun reflected in the little diamonds that were nestled in the skin around her eyes. She caught him looking and smiled back cheerfully. Paris looked away, pink rising to his cheeks. 

He bought her drinks at the afterparty. It was all going straight back into his pocket, anyway. The graduates milled about, already too far gone for so early in the night. The sun was just setting and small bright bugs were descending onto the party. Paris swatted them dead, which Lorelai scolded him for. 

“They’re harmless,” She slapped his wrist lightly, “Stop bullying them.”

Paris shrugged, wiping the guts off on his pants. He was getting there, yeah. Lorelai noticed the anxious way his eyes flitted around, the building irritation. She leaned on the table, tilting her head at him.

She traced her finger over the rim of her drink, “I’m surprised they let you graduate. I can hardly remember the last time I’ve seen you in person.”

“Oh, well,” Paris took another swig, “I was taking night classes.”

“Right,” She said, “I was worried about you.”

“Why? Did you hear something?” Paris looked around wildly. Lorelai laughed, leaning into him. Music was floating in softly over the field. She played with the pinned emblem of his jacket, a soft kind of sadness entered her eyes as she studied the design. She looked away, back up to Paris’s face. 

“Come on,” she tugged at his sleeve, “I need to get out of here.”

===========

There was the start of a marsh just a few yards away from the school’s gates. It wasn’t hard to get to if you knew it was there. Indeed, they passed by many students who had had the same idea. But Lorelai had a special spot by the willow tree. It had been ages since she’d gotten Paris down to it, but he had muscle memory on the causeway. He hopped down the path, carrying the bottles inside of his jacket. Lorelai trudged on in front of him, kicking up dirt on her white dress, not caring about it.

They could get pretty far out over the lake on the branch of the giant tree. Lorelai’s boots just grazed the surface of the water. She had her papers in her lap, trying to roll up without the dried leaves falling away. She licked at the blunt delicately, looking sidelong at Paris. Her face scrunched up as she spit out a crumb, ruining the effect.

“You better slow down,” She cautioned him as she turned her attention back to the bottles, “Remember we have to walk back.”

Paris nodded, but kept the flask in his hand. Lorelai offered him the blunt. They traded.

“What are you gonna do now that you’re graduated?” Paris took a deep inhale, tilted his head up to release the smoke in a clean plume.

“I was thinking about social work,” She pulled her knees up to her chest, “But I’ll probably take a gap year before anything else. I’m scared. I need more time.”

“You should,” Paris agreed, “Don’t rush into anything you’re not ready for. You’ve got nothing but time at this age.”

“You really believe that?”

Paris smiled. “No.”

==========

actually thats a common misconception. there was never any recognized committee put forth to specifically address the astronomical phenomenon of black holes. “black hole” was just an expression that was popular at the time and it got into a lot of the marketing notes. iirc it was mostly built to address the financial crisis.

Delta was deep in the middle of a forum argument when the knock came. He’d had his chair wedged up under the door and the blanket pulled up over his head. The flesh of his lip was raw from the way he was biting at it. It took him a minute to realize that the knocking was even knocking, let alone that it was for him. He’s been expecting a quiet night.

“Yo, Delta!” Paris shouted from the hall. That worked. Delta jumped up, flinging the laptop back into its hiding place. He got tangled up in the blanket, falling onto the floor. He kicked it off and hurried to remove the chair from its spot at the door. He could hear it was starting to give. He kicked it off into the corner, far enough that it would not be immediately obvious that he’d been using it as a doorstop. 

As soon as it was gone, Paris burst into the room. Delta stumbled back. The prince was in his dress blues, with a long and heavy blade attatched to his side. He had someone with him, some girl that Delta had never seen before. She wore a very expensive looking dress and curly, bronze hair tumbled down her back. Delta noticed the gemstones clustered at the center of her face, gleaming brightly with the same intensity as her eyes. She had to be aristocracy.

“What the hell? Did you lock your door?” Paris asked him, pushing the door back and forth a bit as if to test it.

“No, sir,” Delta lied, looking at him with a clueless expression. 

They were both drunk. Paris was grinning too stupidly, looking happier than he ever did sober. The girl was having a hard time walking straight, the same invincible expression on her face. Smiling like sharks. Delta sensed their eagerness and their flirtation. He began to feel very, very concerned about what they might want at this hour.

“Hi,” The girl smiled brightly, leaning in to speak to Delta. She reeked of liquor, “So where is it?”

“Lorry, this is it,” Paris grinned, moving his hands to his hips, “C’mon, we’ll go out. He’ll show you.”

“What?” Lorelai’s face fell, “What do you mean?”

Delta blushed. He was still standing before them, not kneeling. He wondered how long it would take drunk Paris to notice, if he noticed at all. It was hard to tell with him. Delta really wanted them both out of his room.

Paris titled his head, “Where did I lose you?”

Lorelai looked over Delta, making out the bright color of his sclera and the mechanical shape of the golden collar around his neck. Realization dawned on her. She turned back to Paris.

“Could you give us a moment, please?” She said to Delta, but without taking her eyes off the prince. The both of them walked back out the door. Lorelai shut it gingerly behind her. Delta immediately moved forward to eavesdrop better. Their voices were low, but animated.

“He was my dad’s. It’s not like that.” 

“So that makes it okay? You can’t just keep a person hostage like that. You didn’t tell me you had slaves.”

On the other side of the door, Delta smirked. Smooth move, Your Highness. Had Paris seriously thought she would be into that?

“Listen, Princess Highground, you’re the one who wanted to see the fucking superweapon. What do you think a superweapon is? Did you think it was going to be nice?” 

“I was just curious! You know I don’t actually-” 

“Don’t actually what? Seriously, Lorry, what do you think an empire does?”

She was walking away. If she responded, Delta didn’t hear it. He backed away, but they didn’t come back into his room. Their footsteps disappeared down the hall until they were fully inaudible. Delta moved his chair back in front of the door. Just in case.