THE BEST OF IT – Gilmore Girls; Rory/Paris; the one where Rory and Paris pretend to be girlfriends for JUSTICE!, and a documentary crew.
Chapter 18: In which Rory goes after her woman, gosh darnit.
Read it: [AO3]
It’s the first time that Rory’s ever accepted a proposal in her life.
Granted, it was a fake proposal (it has to have been a fake proposal, but why fake propose? Why not tell Rory about it? Paris, what are you doing?), so she’s not so sure what she just agreed to. But it felt like the right move. Like something true, underneath the many layers of deception and confusion and exhaustion eating their lives.
She had just known in that moment—in spite of all the madness, in spite of Kirk juggling eggs—that there was something real in the question. And so she told the truth.
And now, she’s watching Paris Geller sprint away from her with the kind of formidable speed that you usually reserve for zombie apocalypses. Paris shoves her way through the crowd of confused Stars Hollow folks, showing no mercy. The camera crew hastens after her.
Well. There’s only one thing to do now.
No way is that girl getting out of here without giving Rory any answers.
“Paris!” Rory shouts, and runs after her. She’s not a great runner during the best of times. Her mom admitted once, after being sworn to honesty, that when Rory runs, she looks like a newborn ruminant mammal who’s inexplicably also drunk.
And this? This definitely isn’t the best of times. Everybody is watching, including cameras, and she’s wearing heels (albeit dance-friendly ones). But what other option does she have? Watch Paris run off and try to drown herself in the lake? No way.
fic: the best of it (rory/paris; chapter 17)
THE BEST OF IT – Gilmore Girls; Rory/Paris; the one where Rory and Paris pretend to be girlfriends for JUSTICE!, and a documentary crew.
Chapter 17: In which the Firelight Festival is finally upon us.
Read it: [AO3]
Paris has wanted to believe a lot of stupid things throughout her life. That her parents loved her deep down and just sucked at showing it. That Tristan really did want to go out with her. That she would never get tired of being with Jamie. That not getting into Harvard didn’t mean something unfixable was broken inside of her. That she would never get tired of being with Doyle. That the do more do better do more do better what’s wrong with you voice in her brain would finally lay off and let her rest once she made her first million.
So she’s ready for this. The ultimate test. She’s been preparing her whole life.
When she was a freshman in college, sleeping with a professor and finally shedding that Paris Geller: The Miss Havisham of Chilton skin just a little, she kissed Rory during spring break. It was purely pragmatic. A total ‘so this is what the kids do these days’ faux pas. She had been too determined to do spring break right to focus on the things she should have cherished: being close to Rory, the feel of her hair and her face and her lips. Later, giggling and idiotically tipsy with Madeline and Louise, Rory had said that she could never date Paris because Paris was way too high maintenance.
Paris has always remembered that. It’s not really a surprise—Paris has an exceptionally good memory. You have to, to make it as a woman in this dumpster fire of a world.
fic: the best of it (rory/paris; chapter 17)
THE BEST OF IT – Gilmore Girls; Rory/Paris; the one where Rory and Paris pretend to be girlfriends for JUSTICE!, and a documentary crew.
Chapter 17: In which the Firelight Festival is finally upon us.
Read it: [AO3]
Paris has wanted to believe a lot of stupid things throughout her life. That her parents loved her deep down and just sucked at showing it. That Tristan really did want to go out with her. That she would never get tired of being with Jamie. That not getting into Harvard didn’t mean something unfixable was broken inside of her. That she would never get tired of being with Doyle. That the do more do better do more do better what’s wrong with you voice in her brain would finally lay off and let her rest once she made her first million.
So she’s ready for this. The ultimate test. She’s been preparing her whole life.
When she was a freshman in college, sleeping with a professor and finally shedding that Paris Geller: The Miss Havisham of Chilton skin just a little, she kissed Rory during spring break. It was purely pragmatic. A total ‘so this is what the kids do these days’ faux pas. She had been too determined to do spring break right to focus on the things she should have cherished: being close to Rory, the feel of her hair and her face and her lips. Later, giggling and idiotically tipsy with Madeline and Louise, Rory had said that she could never date Paris because Paris was way too high maintenance.
Paris has always remembered that. It’s not really a surprise—Paris has an exceptionally good memory. You have to, to make it as a woman in this dumpster fire of a world.
The Great Gilmore Bake Off – yeahitshowed – Gilmore Girls [Archive of Our Own]
The Great Gilmore Bake Off – yeahitshowed – Gilmore Girls [Archive of Our Own]
a while back @dollsome-does-tumblr made a post about Great British Bake Off AUs and the idea’s haunted me ever since, so please have a Rory/Paris Great British Bake Off AU.
Paul approached Rory’s table, giving her handiwork his signature piercing stare. “Tell us about your bake, Rory,” he said with the confidence of a man that had already pinpointed ten mistakes in Rory’s technique.
As Rory explained her pie recipe, she was acutely aware of Paris’s eyes on her back. “It’s hard not to get lost in those baby blues, isn’t it?” she heard Mel say to Paris.
“Her eyes aren’t that blue,” Paris replied immediately.
“…I was talking about Paul, love,” Mel said awkwardly.
Rory fumbled through the rest of her explanation, trying very hard not to analyze what she’d just overheard.
The Great Gilmore Bake Off – yeahitshowed – Gilmore Girls [Archive of Our Own]
The Great Gilmore Bake Off – yeahitshowed – Gilmore Girls [Archive of Our Own]
a while back @dollsome-does-tumblr made a post about Great British Bake Off AUs and the idea’s haunted me ever since, so please have a Rory/Paris Great British Bake Off AU.
Paul approached Rory’s table, giving her handiwork his signature piercing stare. “Tell us about your bake, Rory,” he said with the confidence of a man that had already pinpointed ten mistakes in Rory’s technique.
As Rory explained her pie recipe, she was acutely aware of Paris’s eyes on her back. “It’s hard not to get lost in those baby blues, isn’t it?” she heard Mel say to Paris.
“Her eyes aren’t that blue,” Paris replied immediately.
“…I was talking about Paul, love,” Mel said awkwardly.
Rory fumbled through the rest of her explanation, trying very hard not to analyze what she’d just overheard.
FIC: the best of it (ch. 11 – rory/paris)
THE BEST OF IT – Gilmore Girls ; Rory/Paris ; the one where Rory and Paris pretend to be girlfriends for JUSTICE!, and a documentary crew.
Chapter 11: In which Rory has strange dreams and an even stranger time being awake.
“So, Rory,” says Leslie Knope, who is also – Rory somehow knows beyond a doubt – Katie Couric. “How does it feel to be a big Lying McLiarpants?”
“Um,” Rory says, squinting into the blinding lights of the studio. Paris is supposed to be here. “Could you repeat the question?”
“Oh, you know. Liar liar pants on fire. The worst person ever, basically. How does it feel to know you have the integrity and the peacoat collection of Eagletonian scum?”
“It’s not that simple,” Rory protests. “I’m not lying, not exactly. I mean, yes, it started as a lie, but we had the best intentions. We really wanted to do something good for the world, and – and you try living in New England and not amassing a giant peacoat collection! That doesn’t make me an Eagletonian!”
“Aren’t your grandparents Richard and Emily Gilmore, a.k.a. the notorious founders of Eagleton?”
Rory glances off to the side of the room. Her grandparents are sitting there. In thrones. Wearing big, sparkly crowns. Richard is sleeping, while Emily regally waves at no one in particular. Lorelai sits in between them tossing popcorn into her mouth, tiara lopsided. She waves giddily at Rory.
“No one was supposed to know about that,” Rory mutters.
“Speaking of things no one’s supposed to know about,” Leslie Couric says, leaning in, “Rory, why haven’t you told Paris how you really feel?”
FIC: the best of it (ch. 11 – rory/paris)
THE BEST OF IT – Gilmore Girls ; Rory/Paris ; the one where Rory and Paris pretend to be girlfriends for JUSTICE!, and a documentary crew.
Chapter 11: In which Rory has strange dreams and an even stranger time being awake.
“So, Rory,” says Leslie Knope, who is also – Rory somehow knows beyond a doubt – Katie Couric. “How does it feel to be a big Lying McLiarpants?”
“Um,” Rory says, squinting into the blinding lights of the studio. Paris is supposed to be here. “Could you repeat the question?”
“Oh, you know. Liar liar pants on fire. The worst person ever, basically. How does it feel to know you have the integrity and the peacoat collection of Eagletonian scum?”
“It’s not that simple,” Rory protests. “I’m not lying, not exactly. I mean, yes, it started as a lie, but we had the best intentions. We really wanted to do something good for the world, and – and you try living in New England and not amassing a giant peacoat collection! That doesn’t make me an Eagletonian!”
“Aren’t your grandparents Richard and Emily Gilmore, a.k.a. the notorious founders of Eagleton?”
Rory glances off to the side of the room. Her grandparents are sitting there. In thrones. Wearing big, sparkly crowns. Richard is sleeping, while Emily regally waves at no one in particular. Lorelai sits in between them tossing popcorn into her mouth, tiara lopsided. She waves giddily at Rory.
“No one was supposed to know about that,” Rory mutters.
“Speaking of things no one’s supposed to know about,” Leslie Couric says, leaning in, “Rory, why haven’t you told Paris how you really feel?”
FIC: the best of it (ch. 10 – rory/paris)
THE BEST OF IT – Gilmore Girls ; Rory/Paris ; the one where Rory and Paris pretend to be girlfriends for JUSTICE!, and a documentary crew.
Chapter 10: In which Rory spends some time with real Jess, and Paris spends some time with fake Jess.
“Rory! Rory!” Kirk calls after her, in true paparazzi fashion. “Will you still love Paris once she’s got blood on her hands?”
“Oh, jeez,” Luke says, in true Luke fashion. “No interrogation in the diner, Kirk.”
“But we all agree that Paris is going to dominate,” Kirk says.
“I dunno!” Babette says. “I wouldn’t count out girl Jess! She’s scrappy!”
“They’re not going to physically fight each other,” Rory reminds everyone. “They’re just going on a walk. So really, this is all being very blown out of proportion—”
“But will you still love Paris once she’s got blood on her hands?” Kirk asks solemnly.
“Okay,” Rory says, “bye now.”
FIC: the best of it (ch. 10 – rory/paris)
THE BEST OF IT – Gilmore Girls ; Rory/Paris ; the one where Rory and Paris pretend to be girlfriends for JUSTICE!, and a documentary crew.
Chapter 10: In which Rory spends some time with real Jess, and Paris spends some time with fake Jess.
“Rory! Rory!” Kirk calls after her, in true paparazzi fashion. “Will you still love Paris once she’s got blood on her hands?”
“Oh, jeez,” Luke says, in true Luke fashion. “No interrogation in the diner, Kirk.”
“But we all agree that Paris is going to dominate,” Kirk says.
“I dunno!” Babette says. “I wouldn’t count out girl Jess! She’s scrappy!”
“They’re not going to physically fight each other,” Rory reminds everyone. “They’re just going on a walk. So really, this is all being very blown out of proportion—”
“But will you still love Paris once she’s got blood on her hands?” Kirk asks solemnly.
“Okay,” Rory says, “bye now.”
fic: the best of it – ch. 6 (rory/paris)
THE BEST OF IT – Gilmore Girls ; Rory/Paris ; the one where Rory and Paris pretend to be girlfriends for JUSTICE!, and a documentary crew.
Chapter 6: In which we pick up where we left off in 2013 (oops; I am not the best at updating). Rory, Paris, and the repercussions of some serious smooching.
They’ve been kissing for just long enough that all the strangeness has dwindled away. No more Wow, we’ve been friends who don’t kiss for over a decade and that makes this super awkward. No more But weren’t we just pretending to be gay in the great ceaseless battle against bigotry and Bachmanns? Not even any We probably shouldn’t be doing this in a random high school classroom. Heck, not even any But really, what is the likelihood that this carpet has been steam-cleaned in the last year? Or ever?
Well, maybe a little bit of that last one.
But mostly, it’s just Paris, here and now, her mouth against Rory’s, her hands strong and sure but more gentle than Rory expected. (Not that Rory expected anything. She definitely never expected this. At least not in any conscious area of her brain.) Paris usually gives really aggressive and surprising hugs. The idea of her being gentle – being gentle for Rory’s sake – well, God, it’s hard not to like that.
And then there’s the sound of a key in the lock.
“Someone’s coming!” Rory gasps, yanking Paris’s hand out from under her shirt and sitting up.
Paris frowns. “Do you refer to yourself in the lofty third person when you climax? Because I don’t know if I can handle that.”
“What? I – no!” Rory runs her hands furiously through her hair, trying to make it look less like it has known the tussling of passion. “Someone’s at the door.”
“Oh,” Paris says, “that,” and scrambles up.