La Douleur Exquise! (Logan/Veronica, Duncan/Veronica) R
Title: La Douleur Exquise! (10/?)
Author: Me
Pairing/Character: Logan, Veronica, Logan/Veronica, Duncan/Veronica
Word Count: 4645
Rating: R
Summary: "I’m kind of disappointed that this isn’t a love letter, but beggars can’t be choosers."
Spoilers/Warnings: Only up to "One Angry Veronica" (spoiler-wise). However, this story takes place after "Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner"
Part One || Part Two || Part Three || Part Four || Part Five || Part Six || Part Seven || Part Eight || Part Nine || Part Ten || Part Eleven || Part Twelve || Part Thirteen || Part Fourteen || Part Fifteen
In case anyone is wondering what "MASH" is, look here.
Now...
“This is karma. I’m convinced now. Veronica’s non-behavior...karma. Duncan....karma. It’s ultimate karma. I was a dick and a liar and an asshole and a cheater- it’s my karma. My karma’s biting me in the ass.”
“Say karma one more time and this is gonna end badly.”
“Seriously. This is, like, payback, right? For me being a complete asshole. What goes around- I treated Mars like shit, made her cry, lied to Duncan, etcetera, and now, Veronica’s treating me like shit, making me all crazy, and Duncan hates me.” Logan threw his hands in the air, his gaze panning toward the heavens. “Isn’t making my dad a murderer and my mom dead enough?”
Weevil stared at Logan blankly, shaking his head. “Bro, you’re annoying the crap out of me. All this shit happened because you brought it on yourself. Get over it.” He held up the roll of electric tape, raising his eyebrows.
Logan nodded, glancing over his shoulder at the sun rising slowly. “Yeah, fine. Let’s make this quick- we got, like, an hour before people start showing up.”
“You don’t think I know what I’m doin’?”
Catching his eye, Logan raised his eyebrows, sticking his chest out defiantly. “I think you’re taking too damn long.”
“Fine.” Weevil readied a punch, and Logan held his hands up. “What?”
Logan jabbed a warning finger in his direction. “Break my nose, and I’m going to kick your ass. These marks are only for show.”
Weevil lowered his fist. “Man, you’re really prissy, you know that?”
“Never worked against me.” Logan said with a grin, cocking his head. “Are you just going to stand there flirting with me, or are you going to do it?”
Weevil landed a swift punch across Logan’s cheek and he flew into the flagpole, breathing hard. Weevil smirked, flexing his fingers. “It hurts, I know. Not as much as when you did it to Lilly, but...”
Logan glared at Weevil, frowning. “Huh? What the hell are you-”
Another hit cut Logan off, and he doubled over in pain. “That was for Lilly.” Weevil sent a knee into Logan’s stomach, getting a strangled cry of pain out of him. “That was for Veronica.” He waited until Logan had shakily straightened up, a scowl on his face, before delivering another punch across his face. “And that’s just for being you.”
Suddenly, Logan struck, his hit hard enough to knock Weevil to the ground. “And that one was for me. No wonder Lilly kept coming back to me- you hit like a girl.” He panted, blowing him a mock kiss. Weevil slowly stood, glaring as he wiped at his now bloody mouth. Logan grinned, beckoning him with one hand. “Bring it, papi.”
With a roar, Weevil rushed at Logan, knocking them both to the ground.
* * * * *
“I’m awful, right?”
Thinking of Veronica’s summary of events during his absence, Wallace nodded firmly. “Yes.”
Veronica frowned, shifting her car into park in front of Neptune High. “I wasn’t expecting that from my best friend in the whole world.”
“You are. Really, really awful.” He glanced at her, quickly continuing as a glare grew on her face. “But that’s okay, ‘cause he was an asshole to you, too. Duncan can’t be that upset- he knew you two were assholes. Now you two can be two assholes in love or something.”
“Assholes: A Love Story.” Veronica leaned over, grabbing her bag from the backseat. “Do you think I was wrong asking for time?”
“Nah. You felt guilty like you should’ve- you needed time, he shouldn’t have been a big baby about it. Did you talk to him?”
“Kinda- we talked the day after you got back. He started with the insults and screaming, so I hung up on him. I don’t like talking to him when he’s angry and drunk.” She shrugged. “I wasn’t going to let it get in the way of our catch-up time.”
He grinned at her, climbing out of the car. “I’m so happy you said that, V.” He sighed, staring at the passing students as Veronica walked to his side. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he nodded. “After my mom ripped me a new one, I’m glad we talked all about you and not the year of not having my car. Really.”
“No problem, buddy-o-mine. I was glad to share.” She nodded to herself as they began walking towards the school. “I’m going to make this work, dammit. I didn’t give up everything to have nothing.”
“That does not make sense.”
“Well, it does if you’re me.” She nudged him hard. “And hey, just because you’re back in town doesn’t mean I’m going to kiss your ass- make with the sidekick stuff.”
He pulled away from her jabs, grinning. “Why, Veronica Mars! Look at your hair!”
She batted her eyelashes at him, patting her hair playfully. “Do you like it?”
“You know I do, V!” He seemed to forget their game for a moment, groaning and looking to the sky. “Damn. Is it too early for me to say that I hate school? Like, really hate it? With a passion?”
“You just wanna kick something!” Veronica added through gritted teeth, jabbing a fist in the air. “If I could make it all go poof, I would, Wallace Fennel.” She suddenly gasped, dropping to her knees and opening her bag. “My report!”
“Good job, Veronica, good job. We haven’t even started the day and you’ve already failed-” Wallace stopped in his tracks, his mouth dropping open. “Oh, my God...” He laughed, nudging Veronica with his knee. “V.”
“Stop, Wallace, I have to find this report- I’m going to die today, I can feel it.”
“Veronica, you have to see this.”
“Just give me a-”
“Veronica!”
Veronica’s head jolted up at Wallace’s exclamation, for the first time noticing the pandemonium going on near the flagpole. She slowly stood, taking a couple of steps closer as Wallace continued to laugh. Her bag slid to the floor, her mouth dropping. “Oh, my God.”
Then...
Veronica held on to the bathroom doorknob weakly, leaning her head against the door. The beating had stopped long ago, but she wasn’t about to storm out there with no guns blazing. Her other hand drifted to her waist, wincing as her fingers pressed against the welt swelling on her hip.
The night definitely wasn’t supposed to end like this. She hadn’t planned on it ending with her and Logan in bed together either, but this was above and beyond what she had expected. Logan was eventually going to get his from messing with the wrong people, but she hadn’t expected it to happen so soon, and with her in the room.
“Veronica...”
Veronica’s head lifted, her stomach clenching at the sound of Logan’s strangled voice. She opened the door slowly, sticking her head out. The front door was open wide, a broken lamp scattered on the floor. And there was Logan’s bloodied hand, poking out from behind the bed, and she fought back the rage coursing through her system.
“Logan?” She said quietly, inching towards him. His fingers lifted and she moved faster, unable to stifle the gasp that escaped her as she saw exactly what the PCHers did to him. Lip swollen, bruises and welts decorating his face, arms, and what she could see of his chest. Blood was dripping from his nose and mouth, and there was spots of blood on his abdomen.
Logan’s head lifted ever so slightly, and he gave Veronica the best smile he could mange. “You...you should see the other guys.”
She dropped to her knees, gently cradling his head on her lap. “Oh my God.” Pulling her sleeve over her hand, she wiped the blood off his chin, cringing when he winced in pain. “Sorry...”
“Are you okay?” He whispered, his fingers touching the back of her hand.
Her eyes stayed on his fingers, the skin on his knuckles nearly gone, the blood glistening against his pale skin. “I’ll live.” She glanced over her shoulder at the open door, inhaling deeply. Gently placing her hands under Logan, she attempted to pick him up. “Come on, Logan, we have to go, we have to walk now, please...”
He groaned in pain, trying to lift himself up. “Where are we going?” He mumbled, spitting out the blood in his mouth.
“To the hospital, come on.”
He managed to pull himself onto the bed, resting on it wearily. “Veronica, hold on-”
“No,” She dug into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out his car keys. “Wait right here, I’ll be right back, I’m going to get your car.”
His hand on her wrist stopped her in her tracks, and she stared down at him, waiting. “Veronica, wait.” His tongue darted out, wetting his bottom lip. “I...I never meant-”
“I have to go get the car.” She interrupted sharply, pulling her hand out from his grasp and rushing out the door.
Now...
Logan’s jaw was clenched defiantly, staring past the parking lot as the PCHers continued to jeer and yell insults at him. He managed a laugh as a crowd began to form, several girls- and some guys- whistling. Veronica’s eyes widened as she got closer, realizing that Logan was not just standing there- he was trapped. Duct-taped to the flagpole, stripped down to his boxers.
Madison climbed up the stand, uncapping a black magic marker and scribbling “ASSHOLE” on his bare chest. Logan nodded, pressing his lips together. Her eyes met his, and he blew her a kiss. Madison smirked, pinching his cheek in what should’ve been a playful gesture, but the red mark left on his face told otherwise.
Wallace appeared beside Veronica, pulling out his phone. “Veronica, I know this is against everything you stand for, but I need a pic of this...”
Veronica ignored him, pushing through the crowd. Logan was busy trying to look as nonchalant as possible, smiling wryly as the shouting and insults got louder. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Weevil standing off on the side, watching the chaos blankly, his arms crossed over his chest.
Approaching the flagpole, she squinted as the sun caught in her eye, focusing her eyes on Logan. He didn’t see her, continue to stare straight ahead. She whipped out her knife, opening it and climbing the stand. She began to cut Logan down, ignoring the boos coming from the crowd.
“What the hell happened?” She hissed as Logan began to laugh. Her eyes fell to the ground right below the flagpole, where Logan’s clothes and book bag oh-so-conveniently rested.
“Would you believe I agreed to this?” He murmured through his giggles, looking up at the sky as she cut through the tape. She shook her head, cutting faster.
“WHAT is going on here?!” Mrs. Hauser’s voice suddenly boomed from below, and Logan’s laughter abruptly stopped as students began to scatter.
Veronica looked down at Mrs. Hauser, giving her a smile. “Senior prank?” She quickly pocketed her knife, waving her hands like a magician. “Surprise!”
A couple of minutes later, Logan was fully dressed in the nurse’s office, sitting on the nurse’s hard cot as she tended to the cut above his eyebrow. Veronica held on to his book bag loosely, staring off into space as Clemmons questioned Logan as he had for the last ten minutes.
“Are you telling the truth, Mr. Echolls?” Clemmons said with a sigh, rubbing his eyes.
“I swear, sir, I don’t know what happened. I was attacked from behind as I was going inside the building. I am shocked and appalled that this happened- I just might call my lawyer.”
“What were you doing at school so early, Logan?”
Logan blinked, giving him an innocent look. “I happen to like getting to homeroom early, thank you, Mr. Clemmons.”
Clemmons faced Veronica, the look on his face clearly warning her to answer him seriously. “And you?”
“Um, I was going to class?” Veronica said, giving Clemmons a quick smile. “This is a good thing, sir...”
“Thank you, Veronica.” Clemmons nodded quickly, facing Logan again. “Logan, I will be overwhelmed with joy when you graduate.”
Logan smiled brightly, giving him a salute as he walked out of the office. He flinched as the nurse dabbed his cut, swatting her hands away from his face. “Veronica Mars, Veronica Mars, Veronica Mars...” He intoned as the nurse went for his cut yet again.
She blinked, finally looking at him. “You know, this isn’t exactly how I wanted to see you after break.”
Unable to keep the annoyance from his face, he rolled his eyes, turning away from her, much to the nurse’s distress. “Yeah, well, I didn’t want to see you. Period.”
“I know you’re mad...”
“Did you use your sleuth powers to get to that conclusion?” Logan watched the nurse leave the office to get more bandages, his eyes finally falling on Veronica, who continued to stare at him. “Yes?”
Veronica licked her lips, hitting his bookbag with her knee absently. “I think you know we need to talk.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Are you ready to apologize?”
“Are you ready to apologize for the last two years?” She shot back, just as quick.
“Hey, I felt really bad about that, okay?” A pause. “Not now. Now, I’m glad I picked on you.”
She sighed loudly, slouching down deep in her seat. It was, in her opinion, her best choice to ignore his pressure for a fight. After doing enough fighting to last them at least the summer, she just wanted to move on. “Still living in the suite?”
This question seemed to hit a nerve with Logan, his eyes clouding over as he shifted his gaze to his lap. “No. With Dick and Beav.”
Veronica stiffened slightly, rubbing her palms against her knees. “And Kendall?”
A slight smile fell on Logan’s face, although he continued to avoid Veronica’s stare. “Ancient history, Mars.”
She quickly nodded, straightening up in her seat. “Naked flagpole humping aside, I find it hard to believe you taped yourself up there, and I’m especially unwilling to believe that the PCHers were nice enough to leave your clothes and books right within your reach.” She gave him a hard, unwavering look. “What’s going on?”
Logan slid off the cot, adjusting his red sweater as he walked towards her. “Weevs and I are going to figure out which of his boys is a rogue, and we decided the best way to start it all off was to make sure they thought we were still enemies.”
“A wonderfully stupid plan.”
“Well, you were a bit busy thinking, so...” He stood in front of her, holding out his hand.
She stared for a moment, unsure of whether to take his hand or not, before realizing with slight embarrassment that he was waiting for his bookbag. She handed it over, standing up as he threw it over his shoulder. “We need to talk.” She said, the two just inches apart.
Logan swayed just a fraction of an inch toward Veronica, then back, stepping around her. “I heard you the first time.”
“You’ve been all about the talking since this whole mess started, and now you don’t want to?”
He shrugged, heading for the door. “All this thinking that’s going on...I’m going to try it now. I’m going to think long and hard.” He drew out the last word, giving her a slightly wicked grin.
She smiled slightly, nodding. Accolades were definitely earned for his willingness to keep up a fight. Clearly, Logan Echolls was nobody’s fool...twice. “What do you have to think about?”
He looked up at the ceiling, grimacing playfully in thought. “Oh, I don’t know- world peace, this Crime and Punishment paper I have to do, little capuchin monkeys that play drums...” He winked at her before exiting the office and disappearing into the crowd.
Veronica’s grin grew as she shook her head before following him out of the office.
Then...
Veronica drove Logan’s XTerra awkwardly, both hands firmly on the wheel. One long, excruciating hospital visit later, and they were back in Logan’s car, heading for her apartment. The entire trip had been dead silent, and she was almost certain that he had chosen to fall asleep on her until he shifted in his seat uncomfortably, letting out a slight groan of pain.
She glanced at Logan, waiting for him to say something, anything, about what had happened.
With his eyes still closed, he let out a sigh. “What?”
She blinked, giving him a quick look before returning her eyes to the road. “What?”
“What do you want to say? I can feel your eyes.”
Veronica stared at the road in front of her hard, inhaling deeply. The million dollar question that had been eating at her since their confrontation with Weevil’s gang. “Did you kill Felix, Logan? Tell me the truth.”
“I don’t know, Veronica.” He paused. “It wasn’t my knife, I’ll tell you that.” He patted his pocket lightly. “It was in my book bag the whole time- if I did stab Felix, it was with someone else’s weapon.”
“Are you sure?”
“No, Veronica, I’m not sure.” He sighed again, wanting nothing more than to lie down in his bed and go to sleep. “Yes, I killed Felix. I killed Felix and I killed every other murdered person in Neptune,” He intoned dully. “And now I’m gonna kill you, broken ribs and all if you continue to interrogate me while I’m medicated.” He paused, eyes opening. “Why would you ask me this now, after all these months?”
“I want to know the truth.”
“Yeah, well, so do I.”
Veronica shook her head, pulling up on her block. She glanced at the rows of apartments, grateful her father was away. “We’re here, Logan. I have to get out, now.” He said nothing, giving her a simple nod. “Good night.”
“Night, Veronica.” He painfully climbed out of the passenger seat, slowly walking over to Veronica’s side. He leaned against the open door as Veronica stepped out, staring at the ground. She opened her mouth, then seemed to reconsider, but continued to stand there, waiting. “What.”
“Thank you,” She whispered.
“For what? For calling you a bitch? Ugly? A liar?”
Still not looking at him, she pressed her lips together, gathering up the nerve to continue. “For making sure those guys didn’t hurt me.”
Logan nodded quickly, unable to stop his stomach from churning in that way he dreaded. Anxiety, tension, whatever it was, he didn’t like it. Finally, he settled on a simple and neutral answer. “I never would’ve let them hurt you.”
“I know that now.” Impulsively, she hopped on her toes, closing her eyes and giving him a small kiss.
After she pulled away, he grinned dryly, shaking his head. “Come on, you can do better than that- I got the crap beaten out of me for you.”
Veronica inhaled sharply, her hand cupping his face as carefully as she could. Eyes still closed, her lips met his firmly, her tongue slowly working its way until Logan’s mouth opened, welcoming her in. The kiss was short but intense, their bodies not touching, the only contact being their mouths and her hand on the side of his face.
When they pulled away, Logan let out a huff, his eyes wide. “Damn, I was joking.” He was quiet for a moment, licking his lips. “What the hell was that?”
She wiped at her mouth, a sudden feeling of guilt surging through her. “Take care of yourself, Logan.” She said quietly before moving around him and running to her apartment.
Now....
“Yes, Wallace, you can go hang out with your basketball buddies even though I haven’t seen you in months and we only have homeroom together...” Veronica sang as she ran her pen in circles on a piece of notebook paper. Easy enough- five boys, houses, cars, wealth amounts, and number of kids; and the circles would do the rest. She hadn’t played this game since before Lilly had died.
“Best friends for-ever, but they’re your BOYS- I’ll just talk to my imaginary friends and eat my stale lunch...” She glanced up, catching a bunch of 09ers staring at her. Madison sneered, making a snip-snip gesture toward her long, blonde locks. Veronica offered her a tight smile, rolling her eyes and returning to her task. “Just me and my affordable yet stylish leather jacket...” She silently counted the swirls on her paper, her free hand reaching for her strawberry-flavored lemonade.
Logan approached Veronica slowly, taking a bite of his apple. Five classes after the flagpole incident, he was sure he had done enough thinking. Hell, he had done enough during the break. The one thing he had repeatedly acknowledged was the determination to not take Veronica’s indecisiveness any longer, to make her decide what she wanted, once and for all. He knew any sort of ultimatum would likely cause her to become angry and possibly scary, but that was Veronica, take her or leave her.
Right now, he was able to happily take Veronica eating lunch by herself, but his smile faded as he faintly heard her mumbling. Her eating lunch alone wasn’t a shocking occurrence, talking to herself, however, was.
Glancing over her shoulder, he reached over without disrupting her, nudging the pink juice bottle closer to her fingers. He swallowed the bit of apple in his mouth, squinting to get a better look at the paper she was doodling on. “Veronica Mars, are you playing MASH?”
She gasped at the sound of his voice, quickly covering her work. “Logan!” She snapped, giving him a glare over her shoulder.
He slid next to her on the bench, snatching the paper out of her hands and quickly scanning it. “Connor Larkin,” His mouth puckered up in displeasure, getting a grin out of her. “Leo, Casey, Johnny Depp- I’m on here...I’m touched.” He eyed her ever-so-slightly, just a bit annoyed that she had thought this game to be more appealing than having that talk that she had wanted so desperately earlier. “I’m kind of disappointed that this isn’t a love letter, but beggars can’t be choosers.”
Veronica frowned as he flipped the paper around, smoothing it out over the table. “Hey-”
He took another bite of his apple, setting it down and grabbing her pen. “Shut up, I want to play.” He mumbled, writing furiously. “Waited all morning for you to find me so we could talk...”
“I was going to get to it, I was just busy.”
“Uh huh.” She peered over his arm at the paper, making out Madison Sinclair, no one/alone, and then Lindsey Lohan as he continued to scribble. She laughed and he defensively pulled the paper away. “I’m allowed to dream- YOU had Johnny-freaking-Depp.”
He returned his attention to the paper and Veronica watched silently, her smile fading at the sight of Veronica Mars in capital, bold letters, then, right below it, messy and rushed, Lilly Kane. Her eyes drifted to his face, blank and emotionless. “Logan...”
“I’m allowed to dream.” He repeated firmly. She quickly nodded, looking down at her lap. He nodded in return before beginning the spiral, eyes closing as the circles got messier and messier. Finally, he opened his eyes, stopping, and turned to Veronica. “Count it,” He ordered.
Veronica silently counted, glancing up at Logan. “Thirteen.”
“Figures.” He muttered, beginning to count and cross off quickly. She watched as he kept to the rules, nodding to himself as he crossed off Madison’s name, then his XTerra, then the number three... “Fuck it.”
Logan crossed off every name but Veronica’s, sliding the paper towards her. “I’ve determined my future, Mars.” He said in a hushed but steady tone, his eyes on hers firmly. “The ball’s in your court. I’m not going to wait for an answer forever.”
With that, he got up and walked away, leaving Veronica alone once again.
Veronica picked up the piece of paper, staring at her name circled repeatedly, the black bold of it a stark contrast to the white of the looseleaf paper. Every other name was written and crossed-out in his messy, rushed way, but her name stood out clearly. Pressing her lips together, Veronica crumbled the paper, clutching it in her hands just as the bell rang for next period.
* * * * *
Veronica rushed behind the counter of the Hut, hastily pulling napkins out from the box underneath the cash register. “Cathy- you were supposed to fill these up before you started your shift,” She called to the brunette pouring water into two glasses. “We got, like, six tables without napkins out there.”
“Sorry, Veronica!”
“Excuse meeeee!”
Veronica froze at the sound of the vaguely familiar, slightly impish giggle, tilting her head and trying to get a better look at the person above her. “Cora?”
“Yes! Get up here- I want some service, girl!”
With a grin, Veronica climbed to her feet, the smile almost completely fading as she saw Logan standing next to Cora, his leather jacket too big around her thin body. “Can I help you?” She managed, forcing a polite smile.
“This is why I told you to bring a jacket,” Logan muttered in Cora’s ear, securing the coat over her shoulders. He glanced at Veronica, pulling Cora’s braids out from under the coat collar. “Three cappuccinos to go when you got a minute.”
She grabbed three Styrofoam cups from the counter, walking over to the cappuccino machine and beginning to fix the first drink. “Where are you guys going?” She called, looking over her shoulder at the two.
“We’re heading over to Jackie’s for a movie night,” Cora said with an excited grin as Veronica placed the first cup on the counter. “All Tarantino...Pulp, Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs, and Jackie Brown.”
Veronica raised her eyebrows gamely, fixing the second drink. “The whole collection!”
Cora nodded, taking a sip of the hot coffee. Veronica smiled past her at Logan, who smirked in appreciation of her willingness to engage Cora in conversation. “We’re a bit late.” Logan finally spoke up, holding out a twenty as Veronica approached them with the other two drinks.
Veronica took the cash, quickly giving him his change. “Well, then, you’re lucky I’m a quick server.”
“Sure am.” Cora grabbed a cup, heading for the door. Logan nodded, picking up his coffee and giving Veronica a slight smile. “See you around, Veronica.”
Veronica watched Logan turn and walk towards the door, not giving her a second look. She thought for a moment about his words earlier, and about Jackie’s just days before. He wanted her, she knew that- she had always known that. But as she stood there, watching him walk away from her, she couldn’t help but feel like it would be the last time. Nothing was predictable with Logan Echolls, but she was certain that after all this, it was all going to be okay- it had to be.
She ran around the counter and towards him, dodging customers getting in her way.
“Logan!”
Logan spun around and there she was, lips pressed against his, arms wrapped around his neck. He returned the kiss without hesitation, his free hand embracing her while the other held his coffee out of the way. She tasted coffee and just a hint of mint and definitely love and all was right with her world again, she could feel it.
Veronica pulled away slowly, her eyes opening and settling on Logan’s. “Have fun.” She whispered, running her hands down his shoulders.
Logan was silent for a long moment, a smile finally stretching across his face. “I’ll call you.”
“You better.”
With a dip of his imaginary hat, Logan backed away, nearly running into a customer before spinning around and walking out the door. Veronica couldn’t hide the grin on her face as she rushed behind the counter, quickly getting back to work.
Wallace himself would’ve been proud of her slam dunk.
Author: Me
Pairing/Character: Logan, Veronica, Logan/Veronica, Duncan/Veronica
Word Count: 4645
Rating: R
Summary: "I’m kind of disappointed that this isn’t a love letter, but beggars can’t be choosers."
Spoilers/Warnings: Only up to "One Angry Veronica" (spoiler-wise). However, this story takes place after "Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner"
Part One || Part Two || Part Three || Part Four || Part Five || Part Six || Part Seven || Part Eight || Part Nine || Part Ten || Part Eleven || Part Twelve || Part Thirteen || Part Fourteen || Part Fifteen
In case anyone is wondering what "MASH" is, look here.
Now...
“This is karma. I’m convinced now. Veronica’s non-behavior...karma. Duncan....karma. It’s ultimate karma. I was a dick and a liar and an asshole and a cheater- it’s my karma. My karma’s biting me in the ass.”
“Say karma one more time and this is gonna end badly.”
“Seriously. This is, like, payback, right? For me being a complete asshole. What goes around- I treated Mars like shit, made her cry, lied to Duncan, etcetera, and now, Veronica’s treating me like shit, making me all crazy, and Duncan hates me.” Logan threw his hands in the air, his gaze panning toward the heavens. “Isn’t making my dad a murderer and my mom dead enough?”
Weevil stared at Logan blankly, shaking his head. “Bro, you’re annoying the crap out of me. All this shit happened because you brought it on yourself. Get over it.” He held up the roll of electric tape, raising his eyebrows.
Logan nodded, glancing over his shoulder at the sun rising slowly. “Yeah, fine. Let’s make this quick- we got, like, an hour before people start showing up.”
“You don’t think I know what I’m doin’?”
Catching his eye, Logan raised his eyebrows, sticking his chest out defiantly. “I think you’re taking too damn long.”
“Fine.” Weevil readied a punch, and Logan held his hands up. “What?”
Logan jabbed a warning finger in his direction. “Break my nose, and I’m going to kick your ass. These marks are only for show.”
Weevil lowered his fist. “Man, you’re really prissy, you know that?”
“Never worked against me.” Logan said with a grin, cocking his head. “Are you just going to stand there flirting with me, or are you going to do it?”
Weevil landed a swift punch across Logan’s cheek and he flew into the flagpole, breathing hard. Weevil smirked, flexing his fingers. “It hurts, I know. Not as much as when you did it to Lilly, but...”
Logan glared at Weevil, frowning. “Huh? What the hell are you-”
Another hit cut Logan off, and he doubled over in pain. “That was for Lilly.” Weevil sent a knee into Logan’s stomach, getting a strangled cry of pain out of him. “That was for Veronica.” He waited until Logan had shakily straightened up, a scowl on his face, before delivering another punch across his face. “And that’s just for being you.”
Suddenly, Logan struck, his hit hard enough to knock Weevil to the ground. “And that one was for me. No wonder Lilly kept coming back to me- you hit like a girl.” He panted, blowing him a mock kiss. Weevil slowly stood, glaring as he wiped at his now bloody mouth. Logan grinned, beckoning him with one hand. “Bring it, papi.”
With a roar, Weevil rushed at Logan, knocking them both to the ground.
* * * * *
“I’m awful, right?”
Thinking of Veronica’s summary of events during his absence, Wallace nodded firmly. “Yes.”
Veronica frowned, shifting her car into park in front of Neptune High. “I wasn’t expecting that from my best friend in the whole world.”
“You are. Really, really awful.” He glanced at her, quickly continuing as a glare grew on her face. “But that’s okay, ‘cause he was an asshole to you, too. Duncan can’t be that upset- he knew you two were assholes. Now you two can be two assholes in love or something.”
“Assholes: A Love Story.” Veronica leaned over, grabbing her bag from the backseat. “Do you think I was wrong asking for time?”
“Nah. You felt guilty like you should’ve- you needed time, he shouldn’t have been a big baby about it. Did you talk to him?”
“Kinda- we talked the day after you got back. He started with the insults and screaming, so I hung up on him. I don’t like talking to him when he’s angry and drunk.” She shrugged. “I wasn’t going to let it get in the way of our catch-up time.”
He grinned at her, climbing out of the car. “I’m so happy you said that, V.” He sighed, staring at the passing students as Veronica walked to his side. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he nodded. “After my mom ripped me a new one, I’m glad we talked all about you and not the year of not having my car. Really.”
“No problem, buddy-o-mine. I was glad to share.” She nodded to herself as they began walking towards the school. “I’m going to make this work, dammit. I didn’t give up everything to have nothing.”
“That does not make sense.”
“Well, it does if you’re me.” She nudged him hard. “And hey, just because you’re back in town doesn’t mean I’m going to kiss your ass- make with the sidekick stuff.”
He pulled away from her jabs, grinning. “Why, Veronica Mars! Look at your hair!”
She batted her eyelashes at him, patting her hair playfully. “Do you like it?”
“You know I do, V!” He seemed to forget their game for a moment, groaning and looking to the sky. “Damn. Is it too early for me to say that I hate school? Like, really hate it? With a passion?”
“You just wanna kick something!” Veronica added through gritted teeth, jabbing a fist in the air. “If I could make it all go poof, I would, Wallace Fennel.” She suddenly gasped, dropping to her knees and opening her bag. “My report!”
“Good job, Veronica, good job. We haven’t even started the day and you’ve already failed-” Wallace stopped in his tracks, his mouth dropping open. “Oh, my God...” He laughed, nudging Veronica with his knee. “V.”
“Stop, Wallace, I have to find this report- I’m going to die today, I can feel it.”
“Veronica, you have to see this.”
“Just give me a-”
“Veronica!”
Veronica’s head jolted up at Wallace’s exclamation, for the first time noticing the pandemonium going on near the flagpole. She slowly stood, taking a couple of steps closer as Wallace continued to laugh. Her bag slid to the floor, her mouth dropping. “Oh, my God.”
Then...
Veronica held on to the bathroom doorknob weakly, leaning her head against the door. The beating had stopped long ago, but she wasn’t about to storm out there with no guns blazing. Her other hand drifted to her waist, wincing as her fingers pressed against the welt swelling on her hip.
The night definitely wasn’t supposed to end like this. She hadn’t planned on it ending with her and Logan in bed together either, but this was above and beyond what she had expected. Logan was eventually going to get his from messing with the wrong people, but she hadn’t expected it to happen so soon, and with her in the room.
“Veronica...”
Veronica’s head lifted, her stomach clenching at the sound of Logan’s strangled voice. She opened the door slowly, sticking her head out. The front door was open wide, a broken lamp scattered on the floor. And there was Logan’s bloodied hand, poking out from behind the bed, and she fought back the rage coursing through her system.
“Logan?” She said quietly, inching towards him. His fingers lifted and she moved faster, unable to stifle the gasp that escaped her as she saw exactly what the PCHers did to him. Lip swollen, bruises and welts decorating his face, arms, and what she could see of his chest. Blood was dripping from his nose and mouth, and there was spots of blood on his abdomen.
Logan’s head lifted ever so slightly, and he gave Veronica the best smile he could mange. “You...you should see the other guys.”
She dropped to her knees, gently cradling his head on her lap. “Oh my God.” Pulling her sleeve over her hand, she wiped the blood off his chin, cringing when he winced in pain. “Sorry...”
“Are you okay?” He whispered, his fingers touching the back of her hand.
Her eyes stayed on his fingers, the skin on his knuckles nearly gone, the blood glistening against his pale skin. “I’ll live.” She glanced over her shoulder at the open door, inhaling deeply. Gently placing her hands under Logan, she attempted to pick him up. “Come on, Logan, we have to go, we have to walk now, please...”
He groaned in pain, trying to lift himself up. “Where are we going?” He mumbled, spitting out the blood in his mouth.
“To the hospital, come on.”
He managed to pull himself onto the bed, resting on it wearily. “Veronica, hold on-”
“No,” She dug into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out his car keys. “Wait right here, I’ll be right back, I’m going to get your car.”
His hand on her wrist stopped her in her tracks, and she stared down at him, waiting. “Veronica, wait.” His tongue darted out, wetting his bottom lip. “I...I never meant-”
“I have to go get the car.” She interrupted sharply, pulling her hand out from his grasp and rushing out the door.
Now...
Logan’s jaw was clenched defiantly, staring past the parking lot as the PCHers continued to jeer and yell insults at him. He managed a laugh as a crowd began to form, several girls- and some guys- whistling. Veronica’s eyes widened as she got closer, realizing that Logan was not just standing there- he was trapped. Duct-taped to the flagpole, stripped down to his boxers.
Madison climbed up the stand, uncapping a black magic marker and scribbling “ASSHOLE” on his bare chest. Logan nodded, pressing his lips together. Her eyes met his, and he blew her a kiss. Madison smirked, pinching his cheek in what should’ve been a playful gesture, but the red mark left on his face told otherwise.
Wallace appeared beside Veronica, pulling out his phone. “Veronica, I know this is against everything you stand for, but I need a pic of this...”
Veronica ignored him, pushing through the crowd. Logan was busy trying to look as nonchalant as possible, smiling wryly as the shouting and insults got louder. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Weevil standing off on the side, watching the chaos blankly, his arms crossed over his chest.
Approaching the flagpole, she squinted as the sun caught in her eye, focusing her eyes on Logan. He didn’t see her, continue to stare straight ahead. She whipped out her knife, opening it and climbing the stand. She began to cut Logan down, ignoring the boos coming from the crowd.
“What the hell happened?” She hissed as Logan began to laugh. Her eyes fell to the ground right below the flagpole, where Logan’s clothes and book bag oh-so-conveniently rested.
“Would you believe I agreed to this?” He murmured through his giggles, looking up at the sky as she cut through the tape. She shook her head, cutting faster.
“WHAT is going on here?!” Mrs. Hauser’s voice suddenly boomed from below, and Logan’s laughter abruptly stopped as students began to scatter.
Veronica looked down at Mrs. Hauser, giving her a smile. “Senior prank?” She quickly pocketed her knife, waving her hands like a magician. “Surprise!”
A couple of minutes later, Logan was fully dressed in the nurse’s office, sitting on the nurse’s hard cot as she tended to the cut above his eyebrow. Veronica held on to his book bag loosely, staring off into space as Clemmons questioned Logan as he had for the last ten minutes.
“Are you telling the truth, Mr. Echolls?” Clemmons said with a sigh, rubbing his eyes.
“I swear, sir, I don’t know what happened. I was attacked from behind as I was going inside the building. I am shocked and appalled that this happened- I just might call my lawyer.”
“What were you doing at school so early, Logan?”
Logan blinked, giving him an innocent look. “I happen to like getting to homeroom early, thank you, Mr. Clemmons.”
Clemmons faced Veronica, the look on his face clearly warning her to answer him seriously. “And you?”
“Um, I was going to class?” Veronica said, giving Clemmons a quick smile. “This is a good thing, sir...”
“Thank you, Veronica.” Clemmons nodded quickly, facing Logan again. “Logan, I will be overwhelmed with joy when you graduate.”
Logan smiled brightly, giving him a salute as he walked out of the office. He flinched as the nurse dabbed his cut, swatting her hands away from his face. “Veronica Mars, Veronica Mars, Veronica Mars...” He intoned as the nurse went for his cut yet again.
She blinked, finally looking at him. “You know, this isn’t exactly how I wanted to see you after break.”
Unable to keep the annoyance from his face, he rolled his eyes, turning away from her, much to the nurse’s distress. “Yeah, well, I didn’t want to see you. Period.”
“I know you’re mad...”
“Did you use your sleuth powers to get to that conclusion?” Logan watched the nurse leave the office to get more bandages, his eyes finally falling on Veronica, who continued to stare at him. “Yes?”
Veronica licked her lips, hitting his bookbag with her knee absently. “I think you know we need to talk.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Are you ready to apologize?”
“Are you ready to apologize for the last two years?” She shot back, just as quick.
“Hey, I felt really bad about that, okay?” A pause. “Not now. Now, I’m glad I picked on you.”
She sighed loudly, slouching down deep in her seat. It was, in her opinion, her best choice to ignore his pressure for a fight. After doing enough fighting to last them at least the summer, she just wanted to move on. “Still living in the suite?”
This question seemed to hit a nerve with Logan, his eyes clouding over as he shifted his gaze to his lap. “No. With Dick and Beav.”
Veronica stiffened slightly, rubbing her palms against her knees. “And Kendall?”
A slight smile fell on Logan’s face, although he continued to avoid Veronica’s stare. “Ancient history, Mars.”
She quickly nodded, straightening up in her seat. “Naked flagpole humping aside, I find it hard to believe you taped yourself up there, and I’m especially unwilling to believe that the PCHers were nice enough to leave your clothes and books right within your reach.” She gave him a hard, unwavering look. “What’s going on?”
Logan slid off the cot, adjusting his red sweater as he walked towards her. “Weevs and I are going to figure out which of his boys is a rogue, and we decided the best way to start it all off was to make sure they thought we were still enemies.”
“A wonderfully stupid plan.”
“Well, you were a bit busy thinking, so...” He stood in front of her, holding out his hand.
She stared for a moment, unsure of whether to take his hand or not, before realizing with slight embarrassment that he was waiting for his bookbag. She handed it over, standing up as he threw it over his shoulder. “We need to talk.” She said, the two just inches apart.
Logan swayed just a fraction of an inch toward Veronica, then back, stepping around her. “I heard you the first time.”
“You’ve been all about the talking since this whole mess started, and now you don’t want to?”
He shrugged, heading for the door. “All this thinking that’s going on...I’m going to try it now. I’m going to think long and hard.” He drew out the last word, giving her a slightly wicked grin.
She smiled slightly, nodding. Accolades were definitely earned for his willingness to keep up a fight. Clearly, Logan Echolls was nobody’s fool...twice. “What do you have to think about?”
He looked up at the ceiling, grimacing playfully in thought. “Oh, I don’t know- world peace, this Crime and Punishment paper I have to do, little capuchin monkeys that play drums...” He winked at her before exiting the office and disappearing into the crowd.
Veronica’s grin grew as she shook her head before following him out of the office.
Then...
Veronica drove Logan’s XTerra awkwardly, both hands firmly on the wheel. One long, excruciating hospital visit later, and they were back in Logan’s car, heading for her apartment. The entire trip had been dead silent, and she was almost certain that he had chosen to fall asleep on her until he shifted in his seat uncomfortably, letting out a slight groan of pain.
She glanced at Logan, waiting for him to say something, anything, about what had happened.
With his eyes still closed, he let out a sigh. “What?”
She blinked, giving him a quick look before returning her eyes to the road. “What?”
“What do you want to say? I can feel your eyes.”
Veronica stared at the road in front of her hard, inhaling deeply. The million dollar question that had been eating at her since their confrontation with Weevil’s gang. “Did you kill Felix, Logan? Tell me the truth.”
“I don’t know, Veronica.” He paused. “It wasn’t my knife, I’ll tell you that.” He patted his pocket lightly. “It was in my book bag the whole time- if I did stab Felix, it was with someone else’s weapon.”
“Are you sure?”
“No, Veronica, I’m not sure.” He sighed again, wanting nothing more than to lie down in his bed and go to sleep. “Yes, I killed Felix. I killed Felix and I killed every other murdered person in Neptune,” He intoned dully. “And now I’m gonna kill you, broken ribs and all if you continue to interrogate me while I’m medicated.” He paused, eyes opening. “Why would you ask me this now, after all these months?”
“I want to know the truth.”
“Yeah, well, so do I.”
Veronica shook her head, pulling up on her block. She glanced at the rows of apartments, grateful her father was away. “We’re here, Logan. I have to get out, now.” He said nothing, giving her a simple nod. “Good night.”
“Night, Veronica.” He painfully climbed out of the passenger seat, slowly walking over to Veronica’s side. He leaned against the open door as Veronica stepped out, staring at the ground. She opened her mouth, then seemed to reconsider, but continued to stand there, waiting. “What.”
“Thank you,” She whispered.
“For what? For calling you a bitch? Ugly? A liar?”
Still not looking at him, she pressed her lips together, gathering up the nerve to continue. “For making sure those guys didn’t hurt me.”
Logan nodded quickly, unable to stop his stomach from churning in that way he dreaded. Anxiety, tension, whatever it was, he didn’t like it. Finally, he settled on a simple and neutral answer. “I never would’ve let them hurt you.”
“I know that now.” Impulsively, she hopped on her toes, closing her eyes and giving him a small kiss.
After she pulled away, he grinned dryly, shaking his head. “Come on, you can do better than that- I got the crap beaten out of me for you.”
Veronica inhaled sharply, her hand cupping his face as carefully as she could. Eyes still closed, her lips met his firmly, her tongue slowly working its way until Logan’s mouth opened, welcoming her in. The kiss was short but intense, their bodies not touching, the only contact being their mouths and her hand on the side of his face.
When they pulled away, Logan let out a huff, his eyes wide. “Damn, I was joking.” He was quiet for a moment, licking his lips. “What the hell was that?”
She wiped at her mouth, a sudden feeling of guilt surging through her. “Take care of yourself, Logan.” She said quietly before moving around him and running to her apartment.
Now....
“Yes, Wallace, you can go hang out with your basketball buddies even though I haven’t seen you in months and we only have homeroom together...” Veronica sang as she ran her pen in circles on a piece of notebook paper. Easy enough- five boys, houses, cars, wealth amounts, and number of kids; and the circles would do the rest. She hadn’t played this game since before Lilly had died.
“Best friends for-ever, but they’re your BOYS- I’ll just talk to my imaginary friends and eat my stale lunch...” She glanced up, catching a bunch of 09ers staring at her. Madison sneered, making a snip-snip gesture toward her long, blonde locks. Veronica offered her a tight smile, rolling her eyes and returning to her task. “Just me and my affordable yet stylish leather jacket...” She silently counted the swirls on her paper, her free hand reaching for her strawberry-flavored lemonade.
Logan approached Veronica slowly, taking a bite of his apple. Five classes after the flagpole incident, he was sure he had done enough thinking. Hell, he had done enough during the break. The one thing he had repeatedly acknowledged was the determination to not take Veronica’s indecisiveness any longer, to make her decide what she wanted, once and for all. He knew any sort of ultimatum would likely cause her to become angry and possibly scary, but that was Veronica, take her or leave her.
Right now, he was able to happily take Veronica eating lunch by herself, but his smile faded as he faintly heard her mumbling. Her eating lunch alone wasn’t a shocking occurrence, talking to herself, however, was.
Glancing over her shoulder, he reached over without disrupting her, nudging the pink juice bottle closer to her fingers. He swallowed the bit of apple in his mouth, squinting to get a better look at the paper she was doodling on. “Veronica Mars, are you playing MASH?”
She gasped at the sound of his voice, quickly covering her work. “Logan!” She snapped, giving him a glare over her shoulder.
He slid next to her on the bench, snatching the paper out of her hands and quickly scanning it. “Connor Larkin,” His mouth puckered up in displeasure, getting a grin out of her. “Leo, Casey, Johnny Depp- I’m on here...I’m touched.” He eyed her ever-so-slightly, just a bit annoyed that she had thought this game to be more appealing than having that talk that she had wanted so desperately earlier. “I’m kind of disappointed that this isn’t a love letter, but beggars can’t be choosers.”
Veronica frowned as he flipped the paper around, smoothing it out over the table. “Hey-”
He took another bite of his apple, setting it down and grabbing her pen. “Shut up, I want to play.” He mumbled, writing furiously. “Waited all morning for you to find me so we could talk...”
“I was going to get to it, I was just busy.”
“Uh huh.” She peered over his arm at the paper, making out Madison Sinclair, no one/alone, and then Lindsey Lohan as he continued to scribble. She laughed and he defensively pulled the paper away. “I’m allowed to dream- YOU had Johnny-freaking-Depp.”
He returned his attention to the paper and Veronica watched silently, her smile fading at the sight of Veronica Mars in capital, bold letters, then, right below it, messy and rushed, Lilly Kane. Her eyes drifted to his face, blank and emotionless. “Logan...”
“I’m allowed to dream.” He repeated firmly. She quickly nodded, looking down at her lap. He nodded in return before beginning the spiral, eyes closing as the circles got messier and messier. Finally, he opened his eyes, stopping, and turned to Veronica. “Count it,” He ordered.
Veronica silently counted, glancing up at Logan. “Thirteen.”
“Figures.” He muttered, beginning to count and cross off quickly. She watched as he kept to the rules, nodding to himself as he crossed off Madison’s name, then his XTerra, then the number three... “Fuck it.”
Logan crossed off every name but Veronica’s, sliding the paper towards her. “I’ve determined my future, Mars.” He said in a hushed but steady tone, his eyes on hers firmly. “The ball’s in your court. I’m not going to wait for an answer forever.”
With that, he got up and walked away, leaving Veronica alone once again.
Veronica picked up the piece of paper, staring at her name circled repeatedly, the black bold of it a stark contrast to the white of the looseleaf paper. Every other name was written and crossed-out in his messy, rushed way, but her name stood out clearly. Pressing her lips together, Veronica crumbled the paper, clutching it in her hands just as the bell rang for next period.
* * * * *
Veronica rushed behind the counter of the Hut, hastily pulling napkins out from the box underneath the cash register. “Cathy- you were supposed to fill these up before you started your shift,” She called to the brunette pouring water into two glasses. “We got, like, six tables without napkins out there.”
“Sorry, Veronica!”
“Excuse meeeee!”
Veronica froze at the sound of the vaguely familiar, slightly impish giggle, tilting her head and trying to get a better look at the person above her. “Cora?”
“Yes! Get up here- I want some service, girl!”
With a grin, Veronica climbed to her feet, the smile almost completely fading as she saw Logan standing next to Cora, his leather jacket too big around her thin body. “Can I help you?” She managed, forcing a polite smile.
“This is why I told you to bring a jacket,” Logan muttered in Cora’s ear, securing the coat over her shoulders. He glanced at Veronica, pulling Cora’s braids out from under the coat collar. “Three cappuccinos to go when you got a minute.”
She grabbed three Styrofoam cups from the counter, walking over to the cappuccino machine and beginning to fix the first drink. “Where are you guys going?” She called, looking over her shoulder at the two.
“We’re heading over to Jackie’s for a movie night,” Cora said with an excited grin as Veronica placed the first cup on the counter. “All Tarantino...Pulp, Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs, and Jackie Brown.”
Veronica raised her eyebrows gamely, fixing the second drink. “The whole collection!”
Cora nodded, taking a sip of the hot coffee. Veronica smiled past her at Logan, who smirked in appreciation of her willingness to engage Cora in conversation. “We’re a bit late.” Logan finally spoke up, holding out a twenty as Veronica approached them with the other two drinks.
Veronica took the cash, quickly giving him his change. “Well, then, you’re lucky I’m a quick server.”
“Sure am.” Cora grabbed a cup, heading for the door. Logan nodded, picking up his coffee and giving Veronica a slight smile. “See you around, Veronica.”
Veronica watched Logan turn and walk towards the door, not giving her a second look. She thought for a moment about his words earlier, and about Jackie’s just days before. He wanted her, she knew that- she had always known that. But as she stood there, watching him walk away from her, she couldn’t help but feel like it would be the last time. Nothing was predictable with Logan Echolls, but she was certain that after all this, it was all going to be okay- it had to be.
She ran around the counter and towards him, dodging customers getting in her way.
“Logan!”
Logan spun around and there she was, lips pressed against his, arms wrapped around his neck. He returned the kiss without hesitation, his free hand embracing her while the other held his coffee out of the way. She tasted coffee and just a hint of mint and definitely love and all was right with her world again, she could feel it.
Veronica pulled away slowly, her eyes opening and settling on Logan’s. “Have fun.” She whispered, running her hands down his shoulders.
Logan was silent for a long moment, a smile finally stretching across his face. “I’ll call you.”
“You better.”
With a dip of his imaginary hat, Logan backed away, nearly running into a customer before spinning around and walking out the door. Veronica couldn’t hide the grin on her face as she rushed behind the counter, quickly getting back to work.
Wallace himself would’ve been proud of her slam dunk.