Mariano Twins

Tiny TV & More Chaos

Jo's POV 

The diner is closed and Luke and I are sitting here. He's watching the baseball game and I'm reading. 

Lorelai tries to open the door and knocks when she realizes it's locked. He gets up and unlocks it, letting her in.

"Hey."

"Hey. what are you doing?" he asks.

"Oh, Rory and I just hit the video store, now we're on our way home to eat a large amount of something you wouldn't approve of."

"Sounds good."

"What are you doing? Hi, Jo."

"Hi."

"Watching TV," Luke replies.

"Wow, that's cute. Is it the first time it's been away from its mother?" she asks.

"It's a very good TV," he replies.

"Hum, black and white, coat-hanger antenna, really bad reception."

"It's fine."

"Don't you have a fully-grown tv upstairs?"

"Yes, but we have a Jess upstairs," I tell her.

"So?"

"So when Jess is upstairs that means the stereo's blaring and the place is a mess. I just needed a little privacy," Luke tells her.

"So you came downstairs."

"Yes.

"To sit on an uncomfortable chair, in an empty diner that smells like onion rings."

"Yes."

"And I followed," I add.

"Calgon, take me away."

"It was very peaceful until two minutes ago."

"Hey, Luke did you ever think that you should get a bigger apartment?"

"I don't need a bigger apartment."

"Yes, you do," I reply.

"That place upstairs was your father's office. You turned it into an apartment. It was never meant to be lived in."

"It's fine."

"It's too small for three people, it's too small for one person if they have any kind of life."

"We'll make do. We just to organ-"

"No, you don't need to organize. You need to move."

"I like my apartment."

"Uncle Luke, it's not just your apartment anymore. Jess and I are stuck up there too," I tell him.

"You and Jess are fine."

"Are you sure? He could be pinned down under a box for a year in that place, and you wouldn't know it until the neighbors started to complain about the smell," Lorelai tells him.

"And take it from someone who had shared nothing but tiny bedrooms with him their whole life, he is an awful roommate. And if you weren't close to killing him, you will be now."

"Hey, Luke," Rory says, coming in.

"Rory, perfect. Get her out of here," Luke tells her.

"Wa-uh, okay, fine. I'm leaving. Think about what I said."

"Oh, hey. Did you ever hire anybody to do that work for you?" he asks.

"What?"

"The rain gutters."

"Oh, no, not yet. Are you offering?"

"Nah, actually, I was thinking about Jess."

"Uh, Jess."

"Yeah, he's always looking for a little extra cash. He doesn't make that much here, and you know I'd hate to think of where else he might try to get it, so-"

"Huh."

I mean you don't have to pay him the same as you would someone else. You save a little, he keeps busy."

"Yeah, well, maybe, um, I actually have to check with a couple of people I'm supposed to hear form, but if they can't, then, sure," she replies.

"Great. Just let me know."

"I will."

"Bye," Rory says as they leave.

We sit downstairs until the game is over. When we open the door Jess' music is still playing and he's asleep.

"Jess?" Luke calls.

Luke goes over and digs through stuff until he finds the stereo and turns it off.

"How can anyone sleep through that? It's like the huns are attacking, and you're just- Well, you're oblivious. That's why you can just lie there while the rest of the world is going deaf," Luke says, as he moves his arms around.

His arm ends up knocking his tiny TV onto the floor. I stand there, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, great," he grumbles.

"Dammit," starts moving stuff

"Dammit. Dammit! Dammit!" he yells, as he starts grabbing clothes and tossing them, waking Jess up.

"Whoa! Jeez! What the hell!" Jess yells.

"I can't stand it. I'm going crazy. This place is awful. I can't live like this anymore."

"Just relax," Jess says, rubbing his eyes.

"I can't relax. I can't sleep. I'm having nightmares about being chased around by boxes with arms, and they tackle me and pile clothing on top of my face, and secure it around my head with packing tape, and I'm just lying there choking while Jo has already been smothered to death, and you're sitting in the corner laughing, putting gel in you hair with a switchblade!"

"Should I be putting a tongue depressor in your mouth right about now?" Jess asks.

"We're moving."

"What?" "Yay!" Jess and I reply. 

"Tomorrow."

"What are you talking about?" Jess asks.

"I'm talking about you and me, and Jo going out, getting a paper, and finding a new place to live!"

"But, I-" Luke cuts Jess off.

"No buts! 10:00 tomorrow morning, I want you up, washed, moussed, and ready to leave, end of story. Now go back to bed."

Jess just sits there for a minute.

"What?" Luke asks.

"I need the music on to sleep."

Luke turns the music back on and then slowly trudges off.

\\ AN // -- All grammar, punctuation, and spelling corrections are helpful, encouraged, and greatly appreciated. 

Thank you 

-- Izzy