fandomhigh | Glitter [Thursday, third period]

Out by the main campfire, there were a few tables set up, and a slim, nervous-looking brunette standing in front of them.

"Morning!" she said cheerfully. "If you want coffee, there's a ton, and I brought doughnuts? I hope that's okay with you guys. If you want me to bring different stuff next week, let me know."

She gripped her own coffee cup, and smiled. "Um, so hi. I'm Rory, and I know...most of you. And welcome to the workshop that has the really long name because I was in a creative mood when I submitted it, so we're just going to call it Glitter, okay? And this workshop is just going to be about making ordinary things more sparkly. Because sparkles are never a bad thing, right? Unless you get glitter in your hair. That stuff makes friends with your scalp or something and just never washes out, so be careful. "

She cleared her throat. "Um, so this is going to be pretty easy today. I want everyone to introduce yourselves, say your age and the grade you'll be in the fall, favorite color, and...favorite pizza topping. And then after that, I've got some shirts for you guys," she pointed to a table laden with glitter of all colors, glitter glue pens, puff paint, feathers, hot glue ~~and all kinds of moddable goodies~~ and a neat stack of white T-shirts. "You can do whatever you want to them, okay? Just be creative, and they're yours to keep."

"Right! So, introductions." She waved. "My name's Rory Gilmore, I'm eighteen and just graduated, so I'll be a freshman at Yale in the fall. Well, technically freshman with sophomore credits, but that's irrelevant. My favorite color is blue, and I like just about anything on my pizza, but pepperoni is my favorite."

She looked around, smiling. "Who wants to go next?"

[OCD ~~coming~~ up! Play away!]

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Rory's lower lip trembled slightly and she dropped her head against his shoulder.

It felt so much more real, hearing him say it.

Luke wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug. "It'll get better," he promised.

"Can't get worse," she murmured.

Luke held on a little more tightly. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do?"

"Unless you know how to fix something like this," she murmured. "I'm not really sure I want it fixed, anyway."

"You deserve so much more than this," Luke murmured, rubbing her back.

"You're telling me," she snorted.

"I'm going to make sure he knows what an idiot he is for doing this, too," Luke said, his jaw setting in a very familiar way.

"I already did," Rory said, smiling a little.

Luke pulled back a little to give her a proud smile. "Good for you."

And then because he couldn't help himself, he added, "how'd he take it?"

"The slap?" she asked.

Luke tilted his head towards the basket. "He's not the sort who admits he's made a mistake normally."

"He's been apologizing," she said, shrugging.

Luke watched her reaction closely, then nodded. "Some things can't be forgiven," he said sadly, looking into her eyes, "and only you can decide what those things are."