I don't post often for personal reasons. However, I recently received some pretty concerning messages and comments, and there’s a lot going on that I am still processing.
(I'm admittedly a little rattled right now, tbh.)
To keep it simple: Please be kind to one another. Life is already hard, don't make it harder on others.
if you or someone you know is struggling, here are some resources:
#This an interesting pattern of Rory talking to Christopher at a wedding right before she kisses Jess and Logan for the first time#In S2 she’s confident Christopher is staying and finally gives in to her long-held feelings for Jess after he’s committed to stay too#In S5 she’s settled for any scraps of attention Christopher will give her and decides that’s also all she wants from Logan –@thefirst3chapters
I feel like people don’t give Jess and luke enough credit for reading that self help book though
Like oh Jess was a better guy in the later seasons. Of course he was but it didn’t like magically happen. He wasn’t ‘fixed’ from dating Rory and like the cozy love of stars hollow didn’t change him into a wide eyed optimist. He literally made an effort to learn how have open communication and be emotionally vulnerable, he self reflected and tried to foster healthy relationships ON PURPOSE he recognised his faults and tried to do better and like you never really see that in guys on tv especially not In the archetype of character he was and like especially not in the early 2000’s. And it wasn’t really played for laughs either Lorelai made a comment and Luke called her out on it said that it’s good what he was trying to do and then we see his and Luke’s relationship heal a bit, we see the positive ramifications.
there is no bad variation of the 'let's get together to trick everyone for shits and giggles' (queer edition bc straight fake dating has had it's glory already, and i don't even mean fake dating for a reason other than to dupe people, i literally mean shits and giggles)
like at least not any that I can think of i mean
there's the ansgty pining edition: where A pitches the idea to B in a wacky fun way and just literally wants to get closer (and maybe it's to get over B, maybe it's to satisfy their curiosity before closure, maybe it's because they are an actual fucking moron) and B is like, okay bet (but internally is like 'so this is all a joke to you huh') and they are going along and they aren't saying 'hey, this feels real' but they aren't initiating anything and they are just quietly miserable that the only way they could have this experience with A is if they are faking it. obv ends with like some kind of angsty as fuck confession.
there's the soft pining edition: where they literally just want to get closer together and they both claim it's for the prank for the reveal but like you know, i've alwasy wondered what it would be like to hold your hand and oh, are they not convinced? i think we should kiss obvsioulsy, it's really the only way and they go on like this and everyone either suspects that they've been dating forever and just came out adn that's why they're so shy or that they're totally faking it but at least they aren't pining in silence you know. and at the end there's like a timid lil 'what if it was real?' and then they're smiling and it's grossly cavity-inducing cuteness.
then there's the crack oh we're just bros obv edition: where they are both 'straight' but like codependent and people think they are in love (they are for these purposes) and they're like, we'll mess with them, yea? and they act like it's a big game of gay chicken except they're not afraid and their friends are really supportive and they are starting to feel guilty for tricking them but also you know it's crack so they are doing wacky shit that needs a 'no homo' disclaimer excpet neither feel like saying it and it's like full homo. and at the end the confession is lame but they're in love and that's beautiful.
(then there the crack crack crack crack one: where one is like i'll seduce you and the other is like, huh, this is kind of neat? wish it was real lol and like nobody is falling for any of it but whatever)
if you guys see any fics with this flavor hit me up please!!
like, just so you know the flavor i'm gonna give a brief snippet of each, yeah, for funsies and also bc it's my life mission to get your obsessed with the concept so more fics like this can exist and so if you know them you can send them my way so i can have crack-induced brain rot
(the examples are gonna feature WOMEN bc i've already went crazy over men and i ahve to keep myself fresh)
there's the angsty induced pining pining edition: catradora
bc they are peak pining and dumbass and angst and love, for reasons Adora pitches the idea, 'you know, just to get them off our backs, like we're dating? what! and then we're like, ofc we're not' and Catra grasps it and doesn't let it go.
("We should kiss," Catra says decisively.
Adora's gut reaction was finally, what came out of her mouth was,
"No."
It came out strangled, guttural, tortured--- and Catra, always in tune, notices and is hurt. And Adora doesn't know how to say that I want it more than anything but I want it to mean something with you so she doesn't.
"Oh, well okay," Catra says, and she had already looked a little tense when she pitched the idea but now she looked stiff as a board. She looked like she was about to shatter. And Adora knows that Catra never handled rejection quite well, even if it was about something she didn't really care about, but she just can't.
"I- I would, but it would be my first kiss," she says, as an apology. "i want it to mean something."
Catra stares at her before nodding jerkily, something fire bright in her eyes. Her voice had a bitter, abrasive quality that stirs the familar urge to soothe in Adora. "Right, no yeah, obviously. Don't want to waste your first kiss on me."
"I--," Adora explained, voice catching, "I want it to mean something to you, if I kissed you. I don't want it to be for anyone else. For a prank.")
there's the soft pining edition: lumity
(any setting really, just the premise that luz is like ppl would go crazy if they realized we were friends, you know what woudl drive them crazier?? if we we're dating--- and amity is like, oh yeah totally crazy, we should do it, and luz is interanlly like i don't think it;s crazy i think other ppl would think it's crazy but you know if she thinks it's crazy then i should play along, adn out loud she's like 'let's do it' and amity is just internaklly thinking 'omg omgomgomgomg we're gonna hold hands??? wtfffff??? akdgaydzfbkafbc???)
("Well," Amity says, smiling weakly, "We did say it was a crazy idea."
"They don't believe us," Luz murmurs, gradually becoming more indignant. "They laughed in our faces!"
"I mean, we are messing with them!"
"They totally brushed us off! We cann;t let this slide! We have to convince them."
Amity never really learned how to say no to Luz, so she said, "How?"
And that is how Amity learned an expansive vocabulary of Spanish pet names. She also learned that it was very possibel to blush so hard you stop breathing. She learned both of those valuable life-long lessons, the hard way.)
then there's the crack oh we're just bros obv edition: raris
Where Paris and Rory are just (gay but in denial but she doesn't realize she's gay or in denial?) and Star's hollow is like 'oh, those lesbians!' and Pairs is like, 'let's date and mess with your town' and Rory is like 'that's stupid' but they end up doing it anyways for no other reason than Paris' research paper and Lorelai's amusement.
("I don't think we convinced Luke."
"He's convinced," Rory reassures, as she highlights a particularly good line. "He's just giving you the cold shoulder for my virtue or whatever."
"Hmm."
"But," Rory says, not sure why she is saying this other than that she kind of wants to. "I mean, we should be thorough. I've only seen Taylor print one Raris Valentines Poster."
"That is freakish on it's own."
"Yeah, but not to Taylor's standards. I think we can do better."
"Should I propose?"
"Oh my god.")
then there the crack crack crack crack one: nevermore
("Maybe you should kiss me," Anabel Lee suggests, eagerness shining through.
Lenore pretends to contemplate it, "I guess it's the only way..."
Two feet away, Duke turns to Pluto and whispers, "They do know we can hear them right? Like, we are all sitting at the same table?")
Part 1, but i need a title - any ideas? @starshollowsoul
Summary: Rory and Paris go to the Lunar New Year festival together and encounter her ex.
Rory adjusted the strap of her crossbody bag, her fingers fidgeting with the worn leather as she and Paris walked through the bustling Lunar New Year festival in Hartford’s Chinatown. Red lanterns swayed above them, glowing warmly against the early evening sky. The air was thick with the scent of dumplings, fried takoyaki, chicken satay on skewers. The rhythmic beating of drums echoed down the crowded street.
"Okay, we have two missions," Paris declared, pushing through the crowd brusquely. "One, consume an ungodly amount of dim sum. Two, ensure that you don’t spend the entire night wallowing over Logan’s latest stint as an international playboy."
"I’m not wallowing," Rory muttered, though she knew Paris wasn’t entirely wrong.
"Of course not," Paris said, rolling her eyes. "Which is why this is the first time you’ve left our apartment in, oh, I don’t know—three weeks."
"I’ve been busy," Rory protested.
"Yeah. Busy wallowing," Paris shot back.
Rory snapped her mouth shut. She couldn’t exactly deny it.
After her breakup with Logan, she had thrown herself into schoolwork, burying herself under textbooks and assignments. Catching up after missing a semester wasn’t easy, but with Paris’ relentless—if slightly terrifying—support, she was back on track.
Paris marched ahead, scanning the rows of vibrant festival stalls like a commander plotting a battle strategy. "Alright, where do you want to start? Japanese, Chinese, Thai?" She glanced at a newspaper clipping she’d stuffed into her coat pocket. "According to The Hartford Times, the pho here won an award, so we should probably save that for last."
Rory paused, contemplating. There were too many choices. The smell of sizzling scallion pancakes mixed with the rich aroma of grilled yakitori skewers, and somewhere in the distance, she caught a whiff of sweet red bean pastries.
Paris straightened with purpose. "We’ve got exactly twenty minutes before the lion dance starts, so I suggest we divide and conquer. You take the dumpling stall at Golden Wok, I’ll grab takoyaki from Hanamura, and we’ll regroup at Seoul Bites for tteokbokki and hotteok - what’s so funny?"
Rory, trying and failing to suppress her laughter, shook her head. "Nothing, just… I feel like your lieutenant, and we’re about to conquer the entire Asian continent together."
Paris smiled back, her face soft in the glow of the red lantern light. For a brief moment, she looked almost… gentle. Rory’s stomach flipped—a strange, fluttery feeling .
Rory froze. She knew that voice. Turning slowly, she saw him—Jess Mariano, leaning casually against a food stall, arms crossed. He still looked the same—dark eyes, sharp jawline, that smirk that had once made her knees turn to jelly. But now, all it did was make her heart clench.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to sound indifferent.
Jess shrugged. "Came to see the festival." His gaze flickered to Paris, then back to Rory. "Didn’t expect to see you here."
Rory straightened, pushing down the swirl of emotions rising in her chest. "Yeah, well, surprise."
Paris stepped forward, placing herself between them like a bodyguard. "Move along, Mariano." She barked. "We’re here to enjoy the festivities, not relive the tragic saga of Rory Gilmore and her poor taste in men."
Jess snorted. "Nice to see you’re still your usual charming self, Paris."
"Nice to see you’re still an emotionally unavailable mess," Paris shot back.
Rory exhaled sharply. "Paris—"
"No, Rory, I will not stand idly by while this walking bad decision tries to ruin your night," Paris snapped. She turned back to Jess. "You have a lot of nerve showing up here after the way you treated her."
Jess’ smirk faltered. "I didn’t—"
"You broke up with her, disappeared, and then waltzed back into her life and screamed I love you! And then, surprise surprise, you ran away again," Paris continued, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "She deserves better than that."
The drumming from the lion dance performance grew louder, but the tension between them was louder still. Rory felt heat rise to her face—not just from embarrassment, but from the frustration still lingering from all those years ago.
"I don’t need you to fight my battles, Paris," she muttered.
"Someone has to," Paris huffed.
Jess shifted uncomfortably. "Look, I didn’t mean to—"
"You never mean to," Rory interrupted. She swallowed hard, meeting his gaze. "But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt."
For a moment, Jess didn’t say anything. The distant pop of firecrackers punctuated the silence between them. Finally, he nodded, looking down. "Yeah. I get it."
Paris scoffed. "Doubtful."
She folded her arms, eyes sharp. "Look, we could stand here all night rehashing this until the next new year, or you could do what you do best—just walk away."
Rory froze. Paris' eyes were like twin flames of rage, reflecting the red lights of the lanterns around them. For one long, tense, moment, she stared Jess down.
Jess exhaled, shaking his head. For a second, something flickered across his face—understanding, regret, maybe both. "You know what? You two enjoy the festival. I’ll get out of your way."
To Rory, he muttered a barely audible, "Sorry."
Rory couldn't find it in herself to respond.
Without another word, he turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Paris watched him go, arms still crossed. "Good riddance."
Rory let out a shaky breath, staring at the space Jess had just occupied. She wasn’t sure how she felt—relieved, angry, sad? Maybe all three.
Paris placed a hand on her shoulder. Despite the chilly night, it felt warm. Solid. An anchor in the turbulent seas that was Jess Mariano.
"Come on. Let’s go find something deep-fried and smothered in sugar. It’s the least you deserve after that emotional ambush."
Rory smiled, small but genuine. "Thanks, Paris."
"Anytime, Gilmore. Anytime."
Paris' eyes sparkled under the lantern's glow, bright and protective and fierce all at once. Rory found herself reaching up, lacing their fingers together.
And with that, she let Paris gently take her by the hand to their destination of heart clogging deep fried temptations.
