i love coffee cake!

“I’m always hilarious,” She argues. “I’m kind of a snob in that I like the book more than the show. But the show’s fun,” she chimes, finding some glasses, opening the cabinet under the counter. “Of course, sweetheart,” she retorts with a grin, collecting some glasses, perusing her liquor collection. “What d’you want? I can actually make cocktails that don’t come from instant packets now.”

“No, no, I get what you mean. My brother is obsessed and so I know everything from the books and how they’ve sort of changed some things since season four? I don’t know, but, books are normally always better than their adaptations.  I don’t think Game of Thrones is an exception to this.” Rory discussed, passion in her eyes, as Carmen fussed around the kitchen with glasses and liquor. “Hmm. Do you know how to make a Sex on the Beach? Or?” Rory suggested with a giggle, almost childishly.

The question caught Brendon slightly off-guard. Honestly, he hadn’t thought of it all that much. He flew over to visit family every now and again, yet he hadn’t once considered moving back over there. “Maybe one day…” he responded with a casual shrug of his shoulders. He couldn’t offer much more than that, because he honestly didn’t know. When Rory spoke again, he checked she was okay as she slid down the wall, and then told her he was going to get her some water before disappearing back inside. Upon returning, he passed over a bottle after unscrewing the lid. “Don’t worry, dealt with worse.”

Rory hummed a ‘thank you’ as Brendon returned with a bottle of water. She brought it to her lips, sipping carefully, hardly even opening her mouth. “Why... oh why did I think this was a good idea?” She moaned, brushing hair out of her face. “I mean. Meeting you was the best part of my night... otherwise I should have just stayed home... watched some Downton Abbey reruns... oh God.” Rory stretched her legs out, glancing up at Brendon with wet eyes. “I’m... I’m still sorry. This is so embarrassing.” The water made her feel a little better. She took a deep breath, tried focusing on one thing -- Brendon, stoic but kind against the wall. He wasn’t moving, wasn’t even swaying. It was working well on calming down her nausea. “So... why Cloverbrook?” She swallowed down whatever was trying to crawl its way out of her throat.

“They exist! They’re weird but they definitely exist,” he replies, grinning widely at her noises of complaint. “Karma,” he chimes, before his head cocks to the side as he considers her question. “One of those tiny little ones they serve in fancy restaurants,” he decides after a moment. “Like a… Fancy mini cheesecake or something. In the middle of a big white plate with like, one of those fruit sauce stripes. A coulis?” He sways as she shoves him, just sticking his tongue out childishly. 

“Karma would be getting squashed by a cow, would it not?” Rory teased, combing her wet hair with her fingers. “I want to see one of these little cheese soufflés... I want to see what they taste like, hmm.” It was such a weird concept to her -- but then again, so was being killed by a cow. God, they were weird. “A cheesecake, huh? I think I’d be an Oreo cheesecake. Have you ever had one of those before? Gosh, they’re delicious.” She scrunched her nose up in response to Leon sticking out his tongue.

“Not a fucking clue. Just gotta be something that you walk in and you think “yep. This is the right place.” Skyla chuckled. “I just want it to scream “Skyla” y’know?”

“Wow, that really narrows it down.” Rory teased, hand on her hip. She ran through a few ideas in her head. “It’s okay, I’ll figure something out. Surprise you.”

Brooklyn’s eyes widened at Rory’s compliments, her cheeks immediately warming. “Oh god no, that’s… no, that’s definitely not true. I would end up ruining the whole thing, believe me.” She laughed at herself, knowing she was right. If she didn’t just turn into a red tomato, she would probably knock over the entire set or accidentally set something on fire. “Not at all, not compared to you! I’ll leave modeling up to the professionals.” She made a face, scrunching up her nose in amusement before covering her face for a second to stop blushing. She was so nice - just as Jackson had said. And Brooklyn was happy that she’d run into her. California was alive with a lot of celebrities and whatnot, but none of them were rarely as sweet as they looked. Rory was definitely an exception— kind and genuine, Brooklyn liked her immediately. “We’d love to teach you! I work at the surf shop occasionally, but otherwise I’m sure Jackson wouldn’t mind taking you out and teaching you. Yeah, he did! He likes you.”

“I don’t know,” Rory said with an encouraging smile, “I think if I showed your photo to my agent she’d want to snatch you up on the spot. Probably become really persistent.” Even with the extra colour in her cheeks Brooklyn was beautiful. Rory ducked her head -- it was her turn to blush now. “I’m no professional, trust me. But thank you,” Rory smiled. “You’re too nice.” Rory had never thought about taking surfing lessons before, had hardly even thought about surfing at all, but it was a nice thought. She loved the water, but she wasn’t sure how she’d handle it on a board. Maybe she’d try it, try something new. “Your family is too sweet, I swear,” she grinned. Brooklyn was gorgeous and so, so, nice. Cody was one of her best friends. And Jackson was one of the kindest people she’d ever met before. “What else do you do, I mean, when you’re not at the surf shop?”

“Do you want me to be bored? You’re such radiating company”, he shrugs. “What, I’m tall enough.”

“I am radiating company, thank you, hon,” Rory gave a little curtsy and a smile. “Hmm, that’s about the only thing you’ve got going for you, though. Your height.” She teased.

“What’s been going on, hon?” Rory asked with concern written all over her face. She felt a bit more at ease once Samantha gave her hand a squeeze and a smile. “Do I need to castrate anyone?” She said lightly, trying to lighten the mood a little before taking a swig out her glass.

“That’s so bizarre.” Sally noted. “Well then I suppose we will have to put a weekend aside.”

“Are you trying to tell me that you don’t feel any semblance of emotional turmoil watching that scene, Sally?” Rory cocked an eyebrow, trying not to laugh. “Agreed.” The taxi arrived out the front of the club, and Rory reached over to grab Sally’s hand and lead her inside.

“Exactly, so let’s go,” said Jace with a bright grin. That was the kind of behaviour he couldn’t stand, when you were out with a group of friends, and then the group of friends decided to single one person out who would end up getting ignored. For some reason they’d decide that one person didn’t need to be talked to or be involved with what was going on, and it was a horrible, horrible thing. She was definitely better off without them if that was the case. When she admitted she was cold, he wasted no time in shrugging off his jacket and draping it over her shoulders. “Better?” He offered another smile, pushing his hands casually into his pockets as they continued their walk.

So, it looks like chivalry wasn’t dead, huh? Jace wrapped his jacket around her shoulders and Rory glanced up at him with a grateful smile. “Thank you.” She shoved her hands in the pocket of the jacket, finally feeling some semblance of warmth. “Yes, much better,” Rory agreed, lightly laughing. “Just tell me if you end up getting cold and I’ll give it right back, okay?”

“Nice try, but I really have no time to watch Disney movies with anyone at the moment. And I never even mentioned the word depressing. I just said it doesn’t seem suitable for me to do that, if I have time for it or not.” He pointed out, one corner of his lips curled up into a smile as he kept sipping on his coffee. Once his tongue was burnt, there was no use anyway. “More effective, yes, but not necessarily as delicious. I think people go in for the fancy stuff because of the taste.”

Rory laughed, trying to hid her slight disappointment. “I had to try, didn’t I?” She sipped at her coffee. “Oh, Koda, I’m pretty sure you said-- and I quote ‘it’s sort of depressing to watch them on your own when you’re 24 years old’.” She teased. “What do you do, anyway? I mean, what is your job? You seem like a really busy person.” Too busy to watch Disney movies in your down time, anyway. Rory offered him a kind smile. “Who cares about the taste when caffeine?”

“The ending of Gossip Girl was so stupid and so not planned, let’s not even discuss, please,” Rory waved a hand. She’d had this discussion one too many times, and every time she still got angry about that stupid damn TV show. “It’s probably some hermit blogging in their underwear in their little shoebox caravan, if you ask me.” Rory linked her arm with Kitty’s, smiling over at her. “Hmm, not really. I’ve been having sex -- is that gossip? I don’t know. What about you, hmm? Tell me everything.”

Okay. Okay, this–this was, what’s the word, palpable. She had long fingers, and they fit evenly between his knuckles, his thumb over her thumb, her teeth on her lip. It was the first time that want factored into it at all (no, that’s naive, there’d been want here the whole time), and he flexed his feet in his shoes so he didn’t step forward. He’d keep this light. He’d keep it wanting-but-not-quite, and maybe his skin wouldn’t feel so hot. 

Terribly handsome, maybe, Rory thought. They slowed to a brisk walk and Rory struggled to catch her breath, staring at Noah’s profile out of the corner of her eye. She matched his pace, smiled to herself when their shoulders were still brushing together -- creating a friction. Winslow was padding along beside them now, sniffing at the pavement and wagging his tail. Rory let go of their intwined hands, but still kept her fingers close to his. Knuckles on knuckles. It felt so intimate and strange at the same time -- but Rory didn’t want to let go of the embrace entirely. 

“If I wanted your critique, I would’ve asked for it. But, alas, I didn’t.” He shrugged, tucking his hands into his pockets. “By the way, it’s Nic. You’re nobody in my life to call me Nicky. Actually, you’re nobody at all. So I suggest you stop being so incredibly condescending and rude in my own home, or I’ll happily show you out.”

“Nobody, huh?” Rory held back a laugh, running a hand over the drapes and turning on her heel. “I’m condescending? Do you even hear yourself right now? I’ve never met somebody so imperious in my life, Nic.” Rory was at the door before she turned again to give him one last look. “Why did you even invite me over here, anyway? God, you’re an asshole.”

“I am. A very delicious dessert, too… Though soufflés can be savoury, right? Cheese soufflés are a thing. I think I’d be a chocolate one, though,” he muses, grinning now. He flinches at the splash, letting out an affronted noise before splashing her right back, a much larger one this time. “Well if you do happen to spot a rouge cow, don’t approach. Let it squish someone else.”

“I’ve never had a cheese soufflé before, I’m like... 99% sure that you’re making this up.” Rory let out a low little whine as Leon’s came back at her twice as hard, the water hitting her face. Once recovered, she let out a laugh. “Okay, if you’re chocolate soufflé then what am I, huh? What type of dessert would I be?” She asked, tone light and playful. Rory shoved his shoulder this time instead of sending a little splash in his direction: this seemed more effective. “If I spot a rouge cow, I’m running the other way. I don’t want to be squished! I have too much to live for!”

There was a full second or two where Noah just stood in wait, hand over his eyes, shoulders flat against the brick where it pressed warm through his shirt. This wasn’t all bad, he thought. Rory’d had that light in her eyes, at the crosswalk – maybe I’ll love the inside of your apartment like it was already settled – so he wasn’t embarrassed, not really, not in the way that mattered. There were worse things than a quick-spreading blush. It was just, you know, his chest felt heavier now. And he knew that would stick ‘til he got home tonight, where he could lie in his bed with all his white noise humming, and he could wonder how much more of the father he’d buried was still waiting to show up in him. It had been happening like this, lately: little flashes of recognition, like that week he hadn’t bothered to shave, or that night he bought the wrong cigarettes and found he liked them better. Parliaments. He’d smoked three back-to-back and then tossed the rest. That wasn’t who he–

Rory threw her head back, giggles finding their way past her lips. She wondered if he knew how funny he really was -- or if he even really meant to be funny. Maybe it was just something about him, some little part of Noah, that she found contagious. There was some type of familiarity in the feeling of being with him. What was it? Was it comfort? She felt bright, felt like being twirled around the street and dancing. She didn’t know what it was, but she didn’t want the feeling to end. Oddly, she wasn’t even scared by this idea of his parents -- it was as if she’d known them her whole life. Like her and Noah had been the best of friends ever since kindergarten.