fandomhighdorms | Room with a view...

Current Mood: discontent
Current Music: Bjork - An Echo, A Stain.

Room with a view...

Jess side-steps a group of students in the hall, juggling a duffel bag and a stereo in his hands.

Finally. As much as I loved being a hall fixture, I don't much like crowds, he thinks to himself as he pushes open door 121.

At least I got a single. No asshats to shuffle around.

He throws the contents of his duffel bag into random drawers. He doesn't bother closing them; he's just going to open them again tomorrow morning.

He goes about setting up his stereo, making sure that his Bjork cd survived the move. Ignoring the commotion in the hallway, he kicks the door shut and blasts the music.

"I'm a loner Dottie, a rebel... That should send a clear enough message," he mumbles as he throws himself on his matress and grabs On The Road from the floor and starts to read.

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As soon as Rory had heard that Jess had transferred to

fandomhigh, she was...confused.

On the one hand, it was someone she knew, so she was thrilled.

On the other...it was Jess, and there was all that history. She just hoped it wouldn't be too awkward.

After muh internal deliberation, Rory checked around, and found herself standing in front of room #201. She tentatively knoked on the door.

[ooc: I am an idiot. Either that or REALLY tired, but unwilling to go to bed because FH = crack. I meant #121]

At first, he wasn't sure it was a knock. It was light. Hesitant. He figured someone would be pounding on the door by now telling him to turn the music down.

"Fine," he muttered, "looks like I've got myself a visitor. And here I thought the loud music would be a cue to leave me the hell al-"

He did not expect to see the petite brunette standing outside his door, looking slightly scared.

"....Hey."

That was about all he could manage right about then. His mind refused to process those eyes or the shy smile. His mind was trained to pretty much stop processing anything related to her since they broke up.

Fuck. What the hell do I say to her?

Rory smiles at Jess, ignoring the thousand thoughts rushing through her head. It was funny, really, how even though they'd broken up and she'd moved on, he could still make her forget how to articulate everything she had planned to say.

"Hi. Um...how are you? The move in go okay?"

"Considering I'm just now reaching my dorm room, my journalism professor already finds me irritable, and Stars Hollows very own Rory Gilmore just knocked on my door, I'd consider this day material for an episode of Dawson's Creek..."

He winces just a little at the snark in his voice. He doesn't mean for it to come out as sharp as does, but she always manges to put him on edge.

"I'm fine. By the way. Yourself? How's bag boy treating you?"

He can't help asking. He doesn't even want to know. He just has to.

I am a glutton for punishment. And a moron. Come on Mariano, she's just another pretty face...

Rory ignores the sharpness of Jess's speech - she knows him well enough to tell he doesn't mean it. She does, however, blush slightly at the last question.

"Um...Dean and I broke up awhile ago. But I'm fine - about the breakup, since it happened so long ago, and...you know...fine in general. But yeah, I mean, we haven't technically been together since...well...since before you and I...so, um that whole situation really...isn't a situation at all."

Smooth, Rory. Real smooth.

Wow.

He wasn't expecting that. He thought she'd pick up right where she left off after they broke up.

Shit. I'm an asshole.

"Sorry. I just thought- nevermind. How long have you been here? I mean, I thought you were going to that prep school your granparents always talked about."

Pleasantries. Stick to pleasantries and she can't hurt you.

"I...uh...I got here last week. And as for Chilton...well...my mom and grandparents found out about this place. Apparently they turn out WAY more Ivy Leaguers."

She laughs nervously, and looks past Jess into his room.

A single. How typically...him.

"Didn't want a roommate?" she asked, knowing the answer.

If you just stick to small talk, it won't be weird.

[OOC: I am so sorry, my college's internet was down until about 5 minutes ago.. I'll continue this as soon as I get back from class]

[ooc: No worries - I'm at work and really shouldn't be playing anyway. :)]

He catches her glancing into his dorm room and vaguely wonders if she wants to be invited in.

No. She's not that type. She wouldn't cue like that. But then again, years have gone by, she might have- nope. Not her.

He smirks. He knows she's using the small talk as a defense mechanism.

"What can I say, I'm misanthropic. The idea of sharing anything of mine, leaves a bad taste in my mouth... What about you? You got yourself a busom buddy? Paint each others nails and have pillow fights?"

I'm not ready to draw her out. Small talk, it is.

Rory smiles, the first one that hasn't been out of nervousness since she had knocked on Jess's door.

"I've made a few friends, and I have a roommate...she's very much the nail-painting, pillow-fighting type. And supposedly her boyfriend lives with us, but I have yet to actually see him."

She likes where the conversation is going. They're on safe, sturdy ground.

No need to be nervous. It's just Jess, after all.

A real smile. Jess forgets what they were talking about for a second.

He clears his throat, "Ahh.. the phantom boyfriend. Never bodes well. Does she talk to herself a lot? I mean, the nail painting and pillow fighting are clues enough of her mental stability so you might wanna keep your eye on that. And if she invites you to a threesome, I'd strongly suggest finding a new roommate. In fact, you should take interviews."

He almost adds that she's welcome to crash with him anytime, but stops himself. All they ever seem to do is crash.

He shifts positions, hoping that the conversation won't last much longer. If it does, his determination to not let her get to him will be shot.

Rory notes Jess's discomfort, and all her nervousness rushes back to her.

What's his problem? We're just talking. I mean...we're just talking.

"Well, she talks to a plastic pony she brought with her from California...Princess Shiny or something...but she's nice other than that. Oh, and she mentioned something about about rage blackouts...but don't worry about me," she says, meeting his eye. "I can take care of myself, you know."

Rory checks her watch and realizes she needs to be leaving fairly soon for the yearbook meeting. For some reason, though, she's unwilling to end the conversation.

Why am I such an asshole?

"A plastic pony? As much as I'd love to, I'm going to refrain from commenting. On the pony at least, but the pony's name? Lacking. Severely lacking."

Her hair is shorter. When did she cut it? Still the same shampoo though.

Jess realizes he's gotten a little distracted.

"Yeah, you've got the whole independent woman thing covered. Inspired a crappy pop song and everything. But for my sake, let's go over this one more time: your roommmate paints her nails and has pillow fights, possibly with her pet plastic pony that she talks to, Princess cornyname, she's got an imaginary boyfriend, which technically she should have grown out of about the time she should have ditched the dolls, and she has rage blackouts. Personally, I'd pray for the blackouts. Maybe that'll give you a break from her conscious self."

He notices that she's checking her watch.

"Hot date? Or do you find my verbal sparring skills lacking as of late?"

Rory laughs outright, because Jess has finally named all the things that she herself finds strange or irritating about her roommate. She sobers quickly at the phrase 'a hot date,' thinking of how she'll be spending her Friday night, and prays he won't ask if she's seeing anyone.

"No, not at all - you're exactly as I remembered," she says, fighting to keep her tone neutral. "But I have a yearbook meeting in a little bit...and since I'm the editor-in-chief, it really would be bad for me to be late."

She smiles, and a sudden thought occurs to her.

"Hey, you should come. We could use your commentary," she says. Without thinking about it, she gently lays a hand on his arm while saying this.

Why did I do that? Why? And why haven't I moved it yet?

Jess wishes that he hadn't made her laugh. This is getting too much like old times. He sees a small shadow scurry behind her eyes and wonders what he said that caused it.

"Glad to see I haven't deteriorated in my old age," he grins- almost too wide, "well, it would certainly set an example if you were. Perhaps not the best one, but a memorable one at least."

He's unprepared for her touch. It's light on his arm and suddenly she's closer and talking to him.

"Commentary. Mine. Right. Well, you know me and the verbal thing. It comes and goes. And then there's my whole grunting issue. And the whole joiner thing, so passe."

He's saying anything that comes to mind because he's afraid he'll give away what's really on it.

"I'll check it out. Just, ah. Lemme grab plan B in case it gets too boring. Deadlines cramp my style; a warning for the control freak."

He slowly moves his arm out from under her hand a few seconds later than he should have and steps back into his room to retrieve On The Road from the floor where he threw it.

You know that they say, he thinks to himself, when opportunity knocks...

But it's a lot softer than he remembered her ever knocking before.

He waits to follow her lead.

Rory smiles, and leans against the doorframe, crossing her arms across her chest - not to prevent herself from touching him again, of course.

"Come on. We really could use you - you're actually funny on top of being smart enough to write coherent captions. And, hey, if you arrive with me, Professor Jerusalem - yeah, he's the advisor - will probably like you more for it."

She scans his face, and grins. "You know you want to," she says. She means it to come out as mocking, but it ends up sounding lower and more inviting in an entirely different way than she had intended.

Definitely don't remember those sultry notes in her voice.

Jess takes a step closer.

"You might wanna be careful how much you flatter me, I might begin to get the wrong impression," he lowers his voice by an octave and trails off.

This is a game he knows. This is a game he can play. And this is a game he doesn't lose at.

"You've convinced me though. But I'm counting on you to keep me entertained." He intends it to convey a double meaning and offers a lopsided grin.

"Let's go fearless leader. Don't want to set a bad example now, do you?"

He steps back to close the door and motions in front of him for her to lead the way.

Rory gulps.

He's not flirting. Or maybe he is. It's Jess, though. This is...this is what he does, that's all.

She starts down the hall, and notices he's walking a bit behind her. She glances back over her shoulder at him, and smiles.

"Come on, it's no fun walking by myself. And I feel like you have the unfair advantage of being able to watch me from back there."

She blushes as she realizes the implications of that statement, and resists the urge to grab his hand and pull him up to walk beside her.

Jess stops dead in his tracks, struggling not chuckle.

He tilts his head to the side for a better view.

"I agree on both parts. It is unfair. And it's definitely an advantage. I've even got the perfect caption: Rory Gilmore, editor of the yearbook, all smartness and sass with a very nice... personality," he finishes.

He couldn't help himself. Cocky was what he did best.

He took gaining strides to end up next to her and brush his shoulder up against hers in a playful manner.

"Come on boss. You practically invited that one in."

He sticks by her side for the remainder of the walk, careful only to let his hand brush hers once. Just enough to make her nervous.

Rory rolls her eyes and laughs a lot as they walk, mostly to cover the fact that she is acutely aware of him walking next to her.

Finally, they arrive at the meeting.

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Room with a view...

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