Better Life (1/?)
Better Life (1/?)
Chapter title: Prologue/Better than cheese
Rating: R, mostly for subject matter and language
Summary: It's been 4 years since he almost died and in that time he's rebuilt a friendship with her that's even stronger than it was before he turned on her, but he wants more. He doesn't know if she feels the same way and she's not single but he knows he's the one for her and their friends agree.
Characters/Pairing: Lamb, Wallace, Veronica (Eventual Veronica/Lamb, mentions Veronica/OFC)
Spoilers: entire series but AU from 3X14
Word Count: 1754
Disclaimer: I don't own Veronica Mars or the Lakers
"So when are you gonna man up and make a move on V?"
It's comments like that, that make me go back over the previous 4 years and wonder how, but most importantly why, I'm in a bar with Wallace Fennel and not smacking him upside the head for suggesting such ridiculous things.
Ok, well maybe not completely ridiculous, but that's beside the point, we're men and we don't talk about that kind of stuff.
"I have no idea what you're talking about Fennel. Blondie and I are friends. There are, nor will there ever be, any benefits or perks involved, just friendly friendship, of the friendship variety. No 'moves' need to be made."
He's not buying it and just smirks over the rim of his glass.
"Sure Lamb, just friends. And that's why every time she's around you can't take your eyes off of her or talk right and you look like you might slit Colby's throat just for holding her hand."
I choke on my beer and nearly cover the table with it. It's not that obvious, is it? "In case you've forgotten I have brain damage, it's amazing I can form full words at all, let alone say them right. Not exactly my fault that I get tongue tied at times. And I want to slit his throat all the time, not just when he's next to her. And for that matter, you're not his biggest fan either I might remind you." Fuck, when the hell did he get to know me so well? Regardless of the friendship we've built over the past few years I still guard my thoughts like fucking Backup guards Veronica. Fennel needs to get out of my head, he's getting almost as bad as she is. I swear she can take one look at me and see everything, well almost everything, she still hasn't picked up on what Fennel obviously has and fuck I wish she would, it would make my disabled life a lot fucking easier.
Ok, so maybe disabled is the wrong word, prematurely retired might work better since it's not like I have a hard time getting around. But a disability package is exactly what I got when I woke up after taking that Louisville Slugger to the back of the head. The state gave me benefits for life, and good ones, full health, pension and a huge settlement. We're talking in the millions, apparently there had been a lawsuit, or three, on my behalf and I was officially set for life, hell my children's, children's, children would be set for life. I was able to move out of my crumby one bedroom and into a house in the 09er district with no mortgage because I paid in full. On top of my settlement, I get enough from the state each month that I have acquired more money just in my extra savings account over the last 4 years than I made working for the department for 9 years. I'm as cushy as Logan Echolls 'trust fund baby.' But that's not common knowledge of course, only a few really know that. Keith, Sacks, Veronica, Wallace and Mac are the only ones to be exact, the people who, believe it or not, I call my friends now.
When I first woke up I didn't remember anything. I lost about 6 years of memory and let me tell you it's a serious fucking shock when the cute little pigtailed blonde that you used to babysit walks into your hospital room as a, still little, but now 19 year old knock out blonde.
If I could have gotten my hand around my dick when she was gone I could have spent a fucking month jerking off just to the sight of her ass as she walked away. And that was a traumatic thought considering the fact that I'd know her since she was 10. Of course she was legal by that point and even though I didn't plan on doing anything about it, at least my daydreams weren't quite so unacceptable anymore. 10 years difference isn't as big of a deal when they aren't jail bait.
Veronica was quick to help with the memory reload and so were Keith and Sacks. And of course since the last thing I really remembered was having Sunday dinners over at the Mars' house every week and spending family holidays with them I didn't find it strange. But as the memory began to unhaze I was beyond shocked that they were there for me. Now its 4 years later and I still don't remember everything, but I remember enough and still haven't stopped apologizing. Veronica threatens me with her tazer every time I do, but smiles regardless, I know that my remorse for my dastardly deeds means a lot to her and she's apologized for a few things of her own doing as well.
After I was released they helped me move into my new house and Veronica and I rebuilt the friendship we'd had before everything went to hell. Mac warmed up to me pretty fast, it didn't take much coercing on Veronica's part to get her on board, but Wallace was another story and it was understandable. He'd been front row center for most of the clash between me and the Mars', but once he realized that I wasn't leaving her space anytime soon, he warmed up. He's actually become one of the best friends I've ever had and it's no longer strange for me to think that I'm sitting in a bar drinking beer and watching the Lakers with him by choice.
"Dude, wake the fuck up, I'm talking here."
"Huh?" I look over and he's waving his hand in front of my face trying to get me to pay attention.
"No daydreaming while the Lakers are on the screen, they deserve better."
I laugh and hold up my hands in surrender. "Sorry man. Guess I got distracted."
He laughs in return and downs the rest of his drink. "Distracted my ass, you were fucking fantasizing about your favorite petite blonde and I don't appreciate you having dirty thoughts about my best friend while sitting next to me. Save it for the shower Donnie boy."
I just roll my eyes and refocus on the screen. The Lakers are losing, and bad, which is just depressing since they had high hopes going into the season. So much for a championship this year.
I don't bother correcting him on his incorrect assumption about my so called dirty thoughts. But of course now that he's got me thinking about Veronica in the dirty sense that's all I'm thinking about. I don't know when it happened but at some point about 3 years ago I realized that the friendly feelings I had toward the Mini-Mars were anything but friendly, and not just in the 'I want to fuck her till she forgets her name' sense, no I'd figured that part out a long time before that, but in the 'I want to fuck her until she agrees to take my name and be the mother of my children' sense.
But I kept it to myself. She wasn't interested, I was positive and I wasn't willing to endanger the friendship we'd built. So I just tried to ignore it in public and live vicariously through my dreams.
Of course this was always a lot easier when she was single and not being pawed and molested by her latest boyfriend. She'd been through 5 in the last few years, none of them lasted long. They never measured up to her standards and even if they did, something always went wrong. One of them actually tried to get her to walk away from her friends who he found 'unsuitable' for her and that was the end of that.
But this current one, Colby, I knew he was trouble from the minute I met him. I just knew he was gonna be a pain in my ass, and ok, so maybe I'm jealous, but Wallace isn't too keen on him either and Mac, hasn't weighed in but she's made more than a few drunken jabs at his character. He's all hands and its drives us all crazy.
"What kind of a fucking name is Colby Jackson anyways? Last time I checked it was a type of cheese. Sounds like a washout wannabe from a 90's boy band if you ask me."
I hear a snicker and look over to see Wallace with a raised eyebrow and the patented Veronica head tilt. Fuck. Had I said that out loud? "A type of cheese?" Fuck, I sure had. "You know Lamb, you say you aren't jealous but if that's not jealousy, you have an interesting way of showing that you approve of him."
"I'm not jealous. I just think she could do better."
He laughs again and gets off his stool to head for the bar. "So do something about it. He's out of town for a week after Mac's party tomorrow and you've got plans with her on Friday. Stake your fucking claim already, Mac and I are tired of waiting. Plus, if you do it before June 15th I win a $1000 bucks and I'll remind you that I'm still a starving student." My jaw drops and I just stare at him as he continues. "What? You really think that nobody else knows? Please, we all do, we've all got money on it."
I don't need to ask to know who he means by 'all.' That would be him, Mac, Keith, Sacks and Alicia. I'm just dumbfounded and he rolls his eyes before retreating to the bar.
When he gets back I'm still sitting there shocked as hell and when he hands me another beer I practically down half of it. "Let's say that you're right." He smirks and I cringe, fuck, not helping my case at all. "I'm not saying that you are, but let's pretend. Why should I do something about it when we all know that she doesn't feel the same way?"
He doesn't say anything for a moment and then shrugs. "I don't know, if she had to choose between the two of you; I don't think that a 'block of cheese' has any chance of winning over a 'rack of Lamb'."
I laugh harder than I have in weeks and he just smiles.
And there you have it folks, proof that the Mars wit isn't just genetic, it's airborne.
Thanks for reading! Comment Please!
A/N: I mean no offense to anyone named Colby, with or without the last name of Jackson. It was just a named that i picked at random that fit with the joke.