Jess's Eighteenth

Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I affiliated with Gilmore Girls in any way

Jess slowly blinked awake, wondering what the hell had woken him so early. Music, that was it. He could hear music. But not good music, it was the kind his Uncle Luke listened to.

He sat up, rubbing at bleary eyes as he climbed out of bed and stumbled over to the kitchen.

"Morning sunshine!" Luke said sarcastically when he spotted his disgruntled nephew.

"What are you doing?" Jess asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm making breakfast," Luke said as he placed several pancakes on a plate and put it on the table.

Jess stared at the table in shock. Not because of the pancakes, but because of the cake and gift sitting next to it.

"What is that?" Jess asked, turning to face his uncle who was watching him nervously.

"Happy birthday Jess," Luke said.

Jess stared at him blankly. He knew it was his birthday, but he hadn't expected this. He hadn't expected Luke to remember at all. But apparently he had and now there were pancakes and a cake and a gift. For Jess.

"It's chocolate," Luke finally said, breaking the silence.

"What?"

"The cake, it's chocolate," Luke explained.

"I'm surprised, I thought this was a chocolate-free zone," Jess said.

"Well, today's a special occasion so I figured an exception could be made."

"It's not special," Jess mumbled.

"What was that?"

"I gotta go," Jess said, turning and going to his dresser, grabbing the first things he saw. He changed in record speed and was out the door with his jacket and book before Luke could say a word.

"Alright," Luke said, "Well, I'll put this in the fridge until later."

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Jess had avoided everyone all day. Well, almost everyone. Rory had refused to leave him alone to sulk and had said if he wanted to be miserable then fine, but she was going to join him. So they spent the day sitting on the bridge reading.

Jess sighed as he closed his book. He wished he'd thought to bring another one with him, but there was no way he could go home and grab another, not with Luke there.

"You finish it?" Rory asked and Jess nodded. "Well, then now I can give you this."

He watched as she pulled a neatly wrapped package out of her bag.

"Aw jeez, not you too," Jess said in frustration.

"What?" Rory asked, confused as to why her getting him a gift would upset him so much. Jess didn't say anything, just stared down at his hands.

"Look," Rory started, "I know you're not a big celebrations person, but it's your birthday and I wanted to get you something, so tough."

Jess still didn't respond.

"I can take the ribbon off if you want. Make it a little less festive," Rory said with a smile, nudging Jess's shoulder with her own. She was thrilled when she saw him smile slightly and hold out his hand with a sigh.

She watched as he tore the wrapping paper off and laugh when he held up the copy of Oliver Twist.

"I know you've already read it, but-" she started, but was cut off when Jess kissed her.

"It's great," he assured her, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," she said breathlessly.

Jess was still smiling as he flipped through the book.

"You want to tell me what's been bothering you all day?" Rory asked after a few moments and Jess stilled. "It's something to do with your birthday right?"

"Luke made breakfast," Jess finally said.

"What? The scandal! A man who owns a diner made breakfast? How dare he!"

Jess gave her a look. "He made breakfast and there was a cake a gift."

"What kind of cake?" Rory asked.

"What?"

"What kind of cake?" Rory repeated.

"Does it matter?"

"I'm curious!"
"Chocolate, it was chocolate cake," Jess told her, exasperated.

"Huh, I thought Luke's was a chocolate free zone," Rory said.

Jess didn't reply, just continued to sit there looking frustrated.

"Jess come on, what's the big deal? It's a cake and a gift. On your birthday. From your uncle. Why are you so upset?"

"I didn't think he'd remember," Jess told her.

"Of course he'd remember, he's your uncle," Rory said.

"My birthday's never mattered to people in the past, what's so different now? For seventeen years, my birthday hasn't been some special occasion, so why does it suddenly matter?"

Rory looked down sadly. She knew Jess didn't have a great relationship with his mom, but the thought had never even crossed her mind that Liz might not have remembered Jess's birthday.

"Jess, does Luke know?" Rory asked. Jess shook his head.

"Tell him," Rory urged.

"No way."

"Yes, tell him!" Rory insisted. "You need to!"

"Why do I need to?" Jess questioned.

"So he can show you how different things are now! Your birthdays might've sucked in the past, but they won't anymore! Now you've got Luke and me and my mom, Lane, Sookie, and Jackson-"

"I'm pretty certain you and Luke are the only ones in that list who might like me," Jess said.

"Not true," Rory shook her head, "Lane likes you, and my mom and Sookie are adjusting, and Jackson doesn't have an issue with you."

Jess just sighed.

"Jess, come on," Rory pleaded, "It's your birthday and I don't want you to be miserable on your birthday. You're supposed to be happy on your birthday. Especially your eighteenth."

Jess sighed again. "Fine," he relented.

"Good, now go home and eat your cake, open your gift, and smile," Rory said.

"Jeez, you're bossy today," Jess said, getting to his feet. "It's my birthday, shouldn't I be bossing you around?"

Rory rolled her eyes as they began walking. "I'll see you later," she said, kissing him before they went their separate ways.

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Jess could see Luke wiping down the tables as he got closer and closer to the diner. He walked in, the bell over his head jingling nosily, and Luke looked over.

"Hey," Luke said.

"Hey."

"So-" they both started.

"Go ahead," Luke said, but Jess gestured for him to speak.

"I'm sorry about this morning," Luke told him. "If it made you uncomfortable or something."

"It's cool," Jess shrugged.

"No Jess, it's not 'cool'," Luke protested, "I don't want you to be uncomfortable here. I just figured... you know, it's your eighteenth birthday, it's a big deal. But I know you're not a birthday party kind of kid, so I figured this morning would've been okay, but-"

"It was okay," Jess interrupted.

"Jess, it obviously wasn't and you don't have to pretend-"

"My mom forgot my birthday!" Jess said loudly before he could lose his nerve. He wasn't good with this whole 'talking about feelings' thing.

"What d'you mean she "forgot your birthday"?" Luke asked.

"She was always too drunk or high, or her boyfriend was too drunk or high," Jess explained. "And she just didn't remember."

"Any of them?" Luke asked in shock, "For seventeen years Liz hasn't celebrated your birthday?"

"Liz was always celebrating, but it wasn't my birthday," Jess replied darkly, "And yes, as far as I know it's been all seventeen years. I don't really remember the first few. Sometimes she would talk about stuff we were going to do, but by the time the day actually rolled around she had forgotten."

Luke stood there for a moment, nodding, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Come on," he said finally, grabbing his nephew's arm and dragging him upstairs. "Sit."

Jess sat at the kitchen table as Luke went to the fridge. He pulled out the cake and set it in front of the now eighteen year old and then grabbed the gift, thrusting it into the boy's hands.

"All that stuff with your mom? Forget it, it's not important anymore. You live here now. You've got me and Rory and, if you stop stealing baseballs and gnomes, you'll have the rest of the crazy little town as well, which I know you'll love. Your birthday is not just another day Jess. It's special, it matters. You matter."

Jess just sat there for a minute, unsure of what to say. Finally, he nodded.

"Good," Luke said, clearly feeling as awkward and unsure as Jess about the heart-to-heart they'd just had. It wasn't something typically encoded in Danes-Mariano men to share feelings like that.

"Alright," Luke nodded, "I'll get a knife and cut the cake. Want me to put some in a container and you can give it to Rory tomorrow?"

"Sure, you might want to throw some in for Lorelai as well," Jess mumbled.

"Good idea, that woman's like a bloodhound when it comes to cake," Luke replied. "Open that." He pointed at the package Jess was holding.

As Luke cut the cake, Jess slowly tore the paper off to find two books: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and A Riot of Our Own by Johnny Green.

"I don't think you have those, do you? If you do we can take 'em back," Luke said quickly.

"Nah, they're great," Jess said, skimming the backs. "Thanks Uncle Luke."

Luke nodded, smiling, clearly happy that Jess liked the books.

"Well good, glad you like 'em."

"Thanks," Jess said again and this time Luke knew it was for more than the books.

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The next day Jess was sitting at the counter reading A Riot of Our Own as he waited for a customer. Currently, the diner was empty. He heard the bell ring and looked up to see Rory entering with what appeared to be a really heavy box.

"Hey," he said, "Coffee?"

"Please," she nodded, "So, how'd yesterday go?"

"Fine," Jess shrugged, "We laughed, we cried, we sang Kumbayah."

"Jess!"

"It was fine," he said seriously this time, "We talked a bit, ate cake - we put some aside for you and your mom by the way - and he gave me this." He handed her the book.

"Cool," Rory nodded.

"Frankenstein too," Jess informed her and she smiled.

"So it was good? You had a good eighteenth birthday?" she checked.

"It didn't suck the life out of me so I'd say it was fine," Jess replied.

"Well good, then it was a success," Rory smiled.

"So, what's in the box?" Jess asked.

"Why don't you open it and find out?" Rory asked just as Luke came down the stairs. "Hey Luke."

"Hey Rory, got some cake for you and your mom upstairs."

"Yeah, Jess told me, thanks," she smiled at him.

"What is this?" Jess questioned, staring at the contents of the box.

"Books," Rory replied.

"I can see that, what are they for?"

"They're for you," Rory said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Jess stared at her questioningly as he held up The Cat in the Hat and The Great Gatsby.

"You said you didn't do much for your other birthdays and even though I didn't know you then I wanted to celebrate the last seventeen years. So, I got you one book for each year."

Jess looked through the various titles which ranged from first readers to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

"Is it weird? I can take them back if it's too weird," Rory said.

"No, I mean, yeah it's weird, but..." he shrugged, "It's kind of cool."

Rory smiled happily as Luke walked over and picked up The Cat in the Hat.

"Want me to read this to you tonight?" he asked.

"Shut up," Jess rolled his eyes.

"Aw come on, I can tuck you in and everything," Luke teased.

"Let's go get your cake," Jess said, grabbing Rory's hand with the one that wasn't holding the box.

The couple went upstairs, leaving Luke alone to be secretly pleased with just how well Jess's birthday seemed to have gone.

This is my first Gilmore Girls fanfic!

Also, I hadn't originally planned on Rory being in this fic, it was just going to be a one-shot between Luke and Jess. But then Rory appeared and I actually like this a lot better.

I absolutely loved Gilmore Girls and have been wanting to write something for it for ages. I got all the way to the end of season six the first time I watched it and then watched the first two episodes of season seven, but I never finished! So, I've been binging the seasons for several days now and am nearing the end of season six.

I totally forgot how amazing Jess was. I actually started watching it again because I've been watching The Whispers (amazing show, fanfics to come) and Milo Ventimiglia is an awesome actor so I decided to watch Gilmore Girls from start to finish.

It's funny because I love Rory with Jess, but now in season six I also really love her with Logan. However, I think I'm leaning more towards Rory and Jess.

This is just the first of many fanfics to come, especially about Jess as I have about a million ideas for both one-shots (including one kind of similar to this, but at Christmas) and for mutli-chapter stories. Thanks so much for reading and let me know what you think!