Categories > TV > Gilmore Girls > Grumpy Luke
I don't own Gilmore Girls!
Stick with me, this chapter is kinda slow, but it will get going.
Spoiler: Tracks Luke's childhood, and will hit on Luke's dad's death, Luke and Bud opening the Diner, Rachel and a certain someone moving to town. 
Chapter 1
1975
A 10 year old Luke Danes, with his Star Trek t-shirt, long uncombed hair, and ripped, muddy jeans walked home from school one Friday afternoon. As he sauntered through town, because to get home from Stars Hollow Elementary, you had to walk right through town, he took in all of the sights that he had seen a million times before while growing up in Stars Hollow, Connecticut. His 5 year old sister Lizzie was yelling his name from their front yard, Kirk and his mother were sitting in the grass in the middle of town just playing around- yes, Kirk, even at 3 was a strange child. His sister Lizzie loved to hear about everything that he learned about in 4th grade. She also just liked to be around her older brother. And Luke, while he cared about his sister, just liked to be with his father in his hardware store. As Luke got nearer the store, he could tell that his father's friend Buddy was there. Luke loved Buddy, who was like an uncle to him, but most of all he liked Buddy because he treated Luke like a man. And when they were all together, they were "his mother's men". That made Luke's heart soar. He started to run towards the store.
"Bud!" Luke cried, honestly glad to see Buddy.
"Hey Lucas, coming to help me and your dad out at the store?" he loved having the boy around to help.
"I thought I would" Luke said, not wanting to give away how excited he was to see and work with Bud. Luke knew all there was to know about in his father's store. He even helped his father with paperwork in his upstairs office sometimes.
But around six-o-clock he could hear his mother calling him home for dinner and to work on his homework. So he headed home. Home to where the women were cooking up a storm. Luke knew that being Maisey was there, dinner would be special. His mother and Maisey would make a huge dinner, and Lizzie would "help" out. Her clumsy 5 year old hands would try to break eggs into the bowl, but the egg would get all over the floor and table, and his mother would spend more time cleaning up her messes then actually cooking.
On his walk home, he could see that Patty Burnet and her third husband had just gotten home from their trip to wherever they had gone- Luke's childish brain couldn't really keep up with all the trips or all the husbands that Patty had. Now they were standing by the piano singing their hearts out with the windows open. Luke didn't know too much about Patty Burnet. All he knew was that she was kicked out of Broadway a about ten years back. She had also had about 3 husbands already. Soon the other neighbors would be complaining. A lot of the town was out and about, either heading out to dinner, or just taking walks. Kirk's mother was now chasing after a screaming, hysterical Kirk. He must have bean stung by a bee again, in which case, there would be a trip to the emergency room, and he would swell up to the size of a beach ball. Luke thought that it was quite funny actually. Gypsy and Carrie were chasing all the boys around, making kissing noises, trying to hug them. They didn't realize that the boys were not playing; they were honestly running for their lives. After the "men" came home from work, they sat down to a big, boisterous family dinner, with their friends, Buddy and Maisey.
The next day was Saturday, and Luke and his family would be spending the day together. Hopefully Luke would get to spend time in his father's hardware store. His father loved that store- it was his life! He loved helping people out with their problems, and selling them stuff at the same time. He also loved having his son help him out; it meant everything to him that Luke wanted to be with him. But first, Luke and Lizzie needed to walk to the store for some groceries. They had to walk right through town square once again. Kirk and his mother were there again, playing catch. Luke didn't have too much time for Kirk, for one this, he was 3, and another is that he was already showing signs of weirdness. Luke had no room in his life for things that he didn't deem important. Kids in Kirk's preschool class teased him and ignored his presence. But for the most part, he seemed like a pretty happy child. He and his mother were very close.
At Doosey's Market Luke saw Taylor working. Taylor. No one quite knew why Luke didn't like Taylor, it's not like they really knew each other- Luke was 10 and Taylor was 26. Maybe Luke could already sense Taylor's almost snooty, controlling ways. Oh, Taylor wasn't really a bad person. He liked things his way for sure, and had a very distinct opinion about how things should be. Luke had a way of knowing people, and what they were all about. In his young opinion, Taylor Doosey was good at lording over other people, and Luke didn't want anything to do with it. He could already see tendencies in this small town he called home- that people were absolute nuts. And most of all, he didn't want any part of it.
"Why Luke, Lizzie! What are you looking for on this lovely Saturday morning" see?! He talks likes he's 40!
"Some eggs Taylor." Lizzie piped in. She had no problem with Taylor, well, she was 5.
"Okay, well there are the eggs over there, and there is a great sale on milk today" Taylor said importantly.
There he goes, it's not like we come in here everyday and know where everything is or anything thought Luke. But all he said was "Okay Taylor". They walked through the store, grabbing what they needed so that they could get home to their breakfast. Henry (Taylor's father, and owner of Doosey's for the moment) handed the children some candy and hid it in their coat pockets. On their way home, they saw Mia in the distance.
"Mia!" Luke and Lizzie yelled at the same time and started running. Seeing Mia was a wonderful treat, she was like an aunt, and loved the children dearly. They felt safe with her around. Mia loved to help the kids with their homework, and just to sit and talk with them- not at them. They spent some time talking, but the kids really needed to get home and Mia really needed to get to the Independence Inn which she owned and ran.
As they walked into the house, his mother was on the phone. Luke dropped off the groceries and ran into the other room with his sister. Luke and Lizzie had something to take care of. They ran upstairs and closed the door behind them in Luke's room. He pulled open a drawer in his clothes chest, and pulled out a huge plastic bag of candy. He and his sister had a contest going. They had been collecting candy from the town for weeks. Whoever could get the most candy from town's folk for being a "cute kid" won. Today was the end of it. Last night Luke had snuck the meat scale out of his mother's kitchen. It was time. Luke added the candy he had just gotten from Henry. It wouldn't add much, but it was worth a shot. His sister had a little better chance of winning, she was younger- therefore cuter- and a girl. All girls had to do was dress up in little frilly dresses and bat their eyes and people were theirs. His bag of candy weighed 18.446 pounds. Lizzie brought out her bag, hoping that it was bigger. She placed it on the scale, and gasped. 19.342! Her's was more! Her's was more!
"Kids! Time for Breakfast." Yelled their mother.
"We will take care of this later" Luke whispered to Lizzie.
Lizzie looked down at her shoes worried. Her brother normally was on her side and they were normally pretty close. But she was a little in awe of him; he could really hurt her if he wanted to. She ran down the stairs, thinking maybe she would just stick by her mother today. He would be going to his dad's store later anyways, and do......whatever they did there.
After breakfast Luke couldn't get to the Hardware store fast enough. He felt important when he was there, needed. He felt like a man. When he got there his father had a job for him. He was handed a knife and some boxes to open. He watched his dad, and hiked up his pants just like him. People there knew Luke, and knew that he knew at least as much about hardware as his father. When his dad was busy, people came to Luke with questions. He kept himself busy for hours, opening boxes and putting product out on the floor, helping people out with their questions, and doing anything else that his father asked of him.
All too soon Lizzie came to tell him to head home. The whole family was going out that night, and they needed to get ready. Luke and Lizzie were always forced to go to town events. All they were to the children were grown-ups getting drunk together "celebrating" whatever they there was to celebrate as an excuse to get drunk. There was really no place for it in Luke's life. His mother already had a pretty little dress ready for his sister and a suit for him. Luke hated suits. Why can't people just be themselves? Suits and dressing that did not show off the person for who they are, also bothered Luke. It probably bothered him because guys in general don't like to dress up- especially little boys. The family left the house all together. These things were all the same, the grown-ups all got drunk, and the kids ran around and acted crazy until the grown-ups were drunk and sick enough to decide to head home.
On Monday morning, Luke grabbed his backpack and lunch and ran out the door. Every school day Luke walked his sister to her kindergarten class and then he went to his own 4th grade. Luke was a good student, and loved learning. If that made him a nerd, he didn't care. Luke never did really care what other people thought, he did what he wanted. He didn't have tons of friends, but the ones he did have meant a lot to him. Family, and the store meant everything to him, and he loved helping in his father's store. Family was important; it was all you really had. And at 10, Luke felt very strongly about it.
In this crazy town, that secretly Luke loved and knew would never leave, everyone's kids were everyone's to raise. They were a giant, annoying at times, family. He felt like he had 20 brothers and sisters instead of 1 sister. Everyone was in everyone else's business and knew everything about each other. It made Luke feel important, and cared about. He knew that no matter what life threw at him, he would always be safe. Even if it did annoy him at times that he couldn't keep anything to himself.
In the 4th grade, Luke sat right next to Carrie. She was biggest flirt in Stars Hollow, maybe the world. And it was only the 4th grade! Luke didn't want to think about what she would be like in 10 years. Perish the thought. He had no interest in girls, but apparently they liked him. Oh, well. Life was a little wacky, but good. Very good. And without a little wackiness, life would get boring.
Stick with me, this chapter is kinda slow, but it will get going.
Spoiler: Tracks Luke's childhood, and will hit on Luke's dad's death, Luke and Bud opening the Diner, Rachel and a certain someone moving to town. 
Chapter 1
1975
A 10 year old Luke Danes, with his Star Trek t-shirt, long uncombed hair, and ripped, muddy jeans walked home from school one Friday afternoon. As he sauntered through town, because to get home from Stars Hollow Elementary, you had to walk right through town, he took in all of the sights that he had seen a million times before while growing up in Stars Hollow, Connecticut. His 5 year old sister Lizzie was yelling his name from their front yard, Kirk and his mother were sitting in the grass in the middle of town just playing around- yes, Kirk, even at 3 was a strange child. His sister Lizzie loved to hear about everything that he learned about in 4th grade. She also just liked to be around her older brother. And Luke, while he cared about his sister, just liked to be with his father in his hardware store. As Luke got nearer the store, he could tell that his father's friend Buddy was there. Luke loved Buddy, who was like an uncle to him, but most of all he liked Buddy because he treated Luke like a man. And when they were all together, they were "his mother's men". That made Luke's heart soar. He started to run towards the store.
"Bud!" Luke cried, honestly glad to see Buddy.
"Hey Lucas, coming to help me and your dad out at the store?" he loved having the boy around to help.
"I thought I would" Luke said, not wanting to give away how excited he was to see and work with Bud. Luke knew all there was to know about in his father's store. He even helped his father with paperwork in his upstairs office sometimes.
But around six-o-clock he could hear his mother calling him home for dinner and to work on his homework. So he headed home. Home to where the women were cooking up a storm. Luke knew that being Maisey was there, dinner would be special. His mother and Maisey would make a huge dinner, and Lizzie would "help" out. Her clumsy 5 year old hands would try to break eggs into the bowl, but the egg would get all over the floor and table, and his mother would spend more time cleaning up her messes then actually cooking.
On his walk home, he could see that Patty Burnet and her third husband had just gotten home from their trip to wherever they had gone- Luke's childish brain couldn't really keep up with all the trips or all the husbands that Patty had. Now they were standing by the piano singing their hearts out with the windows open. Luke didn't know too much about Patty Burnet. All he knew was that she was kicked out of Broadway a about ten years back. She had also had about 3 husbands already. Soon the other neighbors would be complaining. A lot of the town was out and about, either heading out to dinner, or just taking walks. Kirk's mother was now chasing after a screaming, hysterical Kirk. He must have bean stung by a bee again, in which case, there would be a trip to the emergency room, and he would swell up to the size of a beach ball. Luke thought that it was quite funny actually. Gypsy and Carrie were chasing all the boys around, making kissing noises, trying to hug them. They didn't realize that the boys were not playing; they were honestly running for their lives. After the "men" came home from work, they sat down to a big, boisterous family dinner, with their friends, Buddy and Maisey.
The next day was Saturday, and Luke and his family would be spending the day together. Hopefully Luke would get to spend time in his father's hardware store. His father loved that store- it was his life! He loved helping people out with their problems, and selling them stuff at the same time. He also loved having his son help him out; it meant everything to him that Luke wanted to be with him. But first, Luke and Lizzie needed to walk to the store for some groceries. They had to walk right through town square once again. Kirk and his mother were there again, playing catch. Luke didn't have too much time for Kirk, for one this, he was 3, and another is that he was already showing signs of weirdness. Luke had no room in his life for things that he didn't deem important. Kids in Kirk's preschool class teased him and ignored his presence. But for the most part, he seemed like a pretty happy child. He and his mother were very close.
At Doosey's Market Luke saw Taylor working. Taylor. No one quite knew why Luke didn't like Taylor, it's not like they really knew each other- Luke was 10 and Taylor was 26. Maybe Luke could already sense Taylor's almost snooty, controlling ways. Oh, Taylor wasn't really a bad person. He liked things his way for sure, and had a very distinct opinion about how things should be. Luke had a way of knowing people, and what they were all about. In his young opinion, Taylor Doosey was good at lording over other people, and Luke didn't want anything to do with it. He could already see tendencies in this small town he called home- that people were absolute nuts. And most of all, he didn't want any part of it.
"Why Luke, Lizzie! What are you looking for on this lovely Saturday morning" see?! He talks likes he's 40!
"Some eggs Taylor." Lizzie piped in. She had no problem with Taylor, well, she was 5.
"Okay, well there are the eggs over there, and there is a great sale on milk today" Taylor said importantly.
There he goes, it's not like we come in here everyday and know where everything is or anything thought Luke. But all he said was "Okay Taylor". They walked through the store, grabbing what they needed so that they could get home to their breakfast. Henry (Taylor's father, and owner of Doosey's for the moment) handed the children some candy and hid it in their coat pockets. On their way home, they saw Mia in the distance.
"Mia!" Luke and Lizzie yelled at the same time and started running. Seeing Mia was a wonderful treat, she was like an aunt, and loved the children dearly. They felt safe with her around. Mia loved to help the kids with their homework, and just to sit and talk with them- not at them. They spent some time talking, but the kids really needed to get home and Mia really needed to get to the Independence Inn which she owned and ran.
As they walked into the house, his mother was on the phone. Luke dropped off the groceries and ran into the other room with his sister. Luke and Lizzie had something to take care of. They ran upstairs and closed the door behind them in Luke's room. He pulled open a drawer in his clothes chest, and pulled out a huge plastic bag of candy. He and his sister had a contest going. They had been collecting candy from the town for weeks. Whoever could get the most candy from town's folk for being a "cute kid" won. Today was the end of it. Last night Luke had snuck the meat scale out of his mother's kitchen. It was time. Luke added the candy he had just gotten from Henry. It wouldn't add much, but it was worth a shot. His sister had a little better chance of winning, she was younger- therefore cuter- and a girl. All girls had to do was dress up in little frilly dresses and bat their eyes and people were theirs. His bag of candy weighed 18.446 pounds. Lizzie brought out her bag, hoping that it was bigger. She placed it on the scale, and gasped. 19.342! Her's was more! Her's was more!
"Kids! Time for Breakfast." Yelled their mother.
"We will take care of this later" Luke whispered to Lizzie.
Lizzie looked down at her shoes worried. Her brother normally was on her side and they were normally pretty close. But she was a little in awe of him; he could really hurt her if he wanted to. She ran down the stairs, thinking maybe she would just stick by her mother today. He would be going to his dad's store later anyways, and do......whatever they did there.
After breakfast Luke couldn't get to the Hardware store fast enough. He felt important when he was there, needed. He felt like a man. When he got there his father had a job for him. He was handed a knife and some boxes to open. He watched his dad, and hiked up his pants just like him. People there knew Luke, and knew that he knew at least as much about hardware as his father. When his dad was busy, people came to Luke with questions. He kept himself busy for hours, opening boxes and putting product out on the floor, helping people out with their questions, and doing anything else that his father asked of him.
All too soon Lizzie came to tell him to head home. The whole family was going out that night, and they needed to get ready. Luke and Lizzie were always forced to go to town events. All they were to the children were grown-ups getting drunk together "celebrating" whatever they there was to celebrate as an excuse to get drunk. There was really no place for it in Luke's life. His mother already had a pretty little dress ready for his sister and a suit for him. Luke hated suits. Why can't people just be themselves? Suits and dressing that did not show off the person for who they are, also bothered Luke. It probably bothered him because guys in general don't like to dress up- especially little boys. The family left the house all together. These things were all the same, the grown-ups all got drunk, and the kids ran around and acted crazy until the grown-ups were drunk and sick enough to decide to head home.
On Monday morning, Luke grabbed his backpack and lunch and ran out the door. Every school day Luke walked his sister to her kindergarten class and then he went to his own 4th grade. Luke was a good student, and loved learning. If that made him a nerd, he didn't care. Luke never did really care what other people thought, he did what he wanted. He didn't have tons of friends, but the ones he did have meant a lot to him. Family, and the store meant everything to him, and he loved helping in his father's store. Family was important; it was all you really had. And at 10, Luke felt very strongly about it.
In this crazy town, that secretly Luke loved and knew would never leave, everyone's kids were everyone's to raise. They were a giant, annoying at times, family. He felt like he had 20 brothers and sisters instead of 1 sister. Everyone was in everyone else's business and knew everything about each other. It made Luke feel important, and cared about. He knew that no matter what life threw at him, he would always be safe. Even if it did annoy him at times that he couldn't keep anything to himself.
In the 4th grade, Luke sat right next to Carrie. She was biggest flirt in Stars Hollow, maybe the world. And it was only the 4th grade! Luke didn't want to think about what she would be like in 10 years. Perish the thought. He had no interest in girls, but apparently they liked him. Oh, well. Life was a little wacky, but good. Very good. And without a little wackiness, life would get boring.
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