Title: Double Date
Disclaimer: No one belongs to me!
Summary: Sequel to Hesitancy. Three months into Dick and Mac's relationship when someone suggests a double date with Logan and Veronica. As usual, chaos ensues.
Author's Note: So, I haven't written creatively in about a year or so...sadness I know. I stare at a computer all day at work and I write for a digital marketing company, so coming home and writing has become an anomaly. Also, this story alone took me 3 times longer than it used to, to write because my creativity has decreased so much and I'm rusty.
However, since it was Bondopoulos's birthday 2 weeks ago (I'm late I know) I owed her a story. This is her birthday present it's the sequel to Hesitancy. It took me awhile to write and I'm a little hesitant on how good it is because of the aforementioned break from creativity, but we'll see how it goes. I hope you guys like it! Let me know if you do or don't with reviews!
For those who are wondering the story order it's: One Night, Truth Or False, and Hesitancy.
"I have a great idea!" Mac exclaimed one evening while she played video games with her boyfriend. She was winning, of course, while he cursed loudly and moved so violently with the controller she was slightly worried she'd have to purchase a new one because he was close to whipping it out of the game system.
Boyfriend.
Such a weird way to describe Dick.
It wasn't like it was anything new though. They had been dating for three entire months and everything seemed…perfect. Weirdly perfect. Perfect in the way that didn't seem to coincide with her life. Perfect like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. But nothing seemed to falter in their relationship. If anything it seemed to become stronger and they became more…unified or something.
He let out a curse in response and then there were rapid sounds of explosions and then—
"Yes! I won!" she yelled hopping off the couch and doing a little jig.
He glared up at her and pouted.
"We should have a re-match." He replied to her gloating.
She smiled slightly, "you say that every time."
He huffed and opened his mouth.
"Listen, I have a great idea." She said again before he could go off on a tangent about how they should play another game so he could beat her.
She already knew this winning dance by heart. He pouted and complained about not winning, she continuously won, he secretly enjoyed it, but would never admit defeat to a girl. Initially, when they began to play videogames she disliked that he would get so pouty and whiney about winning against a girl. Every time they played together, he'd complain about how she won.
Finally, when they were in bed and it was late one night after they'd enjoyed each others bodies she asked him point blank why he got that way. She'd learned early on that if she ever wanted an honest response from Dick, you had to ask it right as he was falling asleep.
So she asked, "why do you get so crabby when I beat you?" And he responded, "because you're good at everything. And I love it…I don't really mind that you beat me at videogames. It's actually pretty sexy. I'm good at nothing, though except surfing. Why would you want to be with someone who can't keep up with you? Dude, I need something to show off with."
For whatever reason, his response resonated with her and showed her a much more vulnerable side of Dick than she actually thought existed. She pinpointed that as a Significant Moment In Their Relationship.
"What's this great idea?" he asked leaning back into the couch as she stretched across it.
"We should get dinner with Logan and Veronica." She stated.
He glanced at her confused, "why? Don't you see Veronica every day? I see Logan every day."
She smiled slightly, "yes, but they're our friends and we're both couples, so we should go on a double date."
"Where'd this come from?" Dick asked looking wary.
She bit her lip and thought back to the conversation she'd had with Logan early that week. He'd stopped into Mars Investigation to bring Veronica lunch – something Mac thought was adorable – and they got to talking about one of the new DC movies that had come out when she suggested that they all go out together.
It seemed only natural.
Dick and Logan were best friends and she and Veronica were as well. It didn't seem so out of the ordinary.
What was bizarre to her was the fact that they'd never done this before.
It was true, they'd gone out together once when it was supposed to be her and Veronica, but Mac didn't necessarily count that. They'd all known each other forever, but they never hung out together. Well, they never hung out together in an official setting. Sure, they hung out at each other's houses, had dinner or lunch, or they went to events together around Neptune, but going out for an official double date was something that never really occurred.
When she suggested it, Logan smirked and shrugged. "I guess, I mean it depends on Veronica. You know how…busy she is." He'd said. Mac didn't think that Logan was going for 'busy' though when he'd said that. She had the sneaking suspicion that he wanted to go with another comment something like, "Veronica is whole heartedly against double dates."
A long time ago, Mac had tried to get Veronica to go out with her then boyfriend, Daren, and his friend, Kevin. Needless to say, it was a disaster. She refused to go and she had to scramble for a last minute date for Kevin, a girl named Desiree who showed them how she could tie a cherry stem with her tongue for the better part of an hour because mid-way through the 'trick' she forgot.
"Well, we've never really gone out with them before."
Dick snorted, "and there's a reason for that. Veronica will probably drag us all over Neptune on some case she's working or they'll get into some huge fight about something that happened ages ago. Or they'll end up having sex in the bathroom because they have some strange connection to each other and they just can't behave like adults."
Mac blinked not sure what she wanted to dive further into about the information he'd just spewed out. Instead she settled with, "What do you mean?"
"Dude, Logan and Veronica are just…well they're in their own world. Going on a double date with them will end up like that night we ran into you when all of this started again. Veronica and Logan are not double date people." Dick explained.
"Yes, they are! Come on! It'll be fun! Logan is your best friend."
"True! But…"
"Come on, Dick! It'll be an awesome time."
Dick frowned, sighed, and then leaned his head back on her leg and looked up at her with his beautiful blue eyes.
She knew he's won before he even opened his mouth. She'd noticed that he had a certain process for giving in to something. He would think he was being coy and begrudgingly agree, but just like when she tried to get him to go out to a vegetarian restaurant, he'd pout and go through the motions of looking like the whole ordeal was such a struggle when he'd already agreed to it because she simple asked him.
"Whatever." He grumbled finally.
She grinned, leaned over to kiss him on the lips before moving her legs from the couch and getting up.
"Where are you going?" he called after her.
She tossed him a coquettish look and started toward the stairs. She felt his eyes on her; slowly gathered the hem of her shirt in her hands to move the clothing item upwards and over her head. She continued making her way toward his bedroom hearing his foot steps behind her.
"Double date? With Dick and Mac?" Veronica asked rubbing lotions on her legs as she got ready for bed. It had been a long day. She was in the midst of a case, which seemed to be leading her to dead ends every time she came close to finding out who the culprit was. It should be a usual case, but it was making her feel out of the loop.
A woman named Rachel had come to her with concerns about her brother who had been acting strangely. Veronica had been trying to follow him, but she'd lose him either when they arrived at the destination or when she was following him through a crowd. Veronica could count on one hand how many people she'd lost while tailing them and it was beginning to make her feel self-conscious on whether she'd chosen the right career path.
Logan watched her from his spot in their bed.
Their bed.
He still couldn't get over that they lived together.
It was still strange to think about and they'd been living together for several months. It was even stranger to think that they'd actually fallen into routines together and were doing normal stuff.
They got up together in the mornings and worked out before making breakfast. They ate outside in their backyard which looked out over the beach. Once it rolled around to 8, Veronica would get ready to go to work. He'd head over to the base and they'd go about their day each taking turns to stop home and walk Pony, or sometimes in Veronica's case take him with her. They would both make sure to be home by 6 to take care of dinner and spend time together.
They rarely went out.
They enjoyed staying in.
And Logan could confidently say they loved the life they led together.
"What's so weird about a double date with Mac and Dick?" Logan asked looking over at Pony.
Pony sat in his little doggie bed at the end of their California King watching Logan tentatively. Logan knew that Pony was waiting for the opportune moment to jump into bed with them. Veronica hated it, she said it was because Pony tried to cuddle with him while she was. She'd complain about Pony hogging him, which Logan was okay with. Veronica's whines just showed him how much she wanted him around and he was just happy to actually know that instead of wondering, like when they sixteen.
"Because…I don't know. It's just…Haven't we tried the whole double dating thing? I recall it didn't go very well." Veronica said.
Logan leaned against the headboard of the bed and watched Veronica put lotion on her face now.
"That wasn't supposed to be a double date."
Veronica frowned at him in the mirror.
"It wasn't!" Logan protested.
"It basically was."
"Just like it was basically a bad idea. Piz wanted…" Logan cut himself off feeling slightly guilty. It was something that had happened ten years ago.
And look how everything turned out.
"This is Mac and Dick. We're friends with them and I don't have to worry about Dick stealing you away or anything." Logan continued.
Veronica's frown deepened, "why are you so interested in doing this anyway?
"Because it's kinda bizarre we haven't already. Look, we all hung out together. What's so weird about us grabbing dinner and talking to each other? We do it all the time anyway. We could even grab a movie, but deciding on one would be World War III."
Veronica sighed and stared at her reflection in the mirror trying to make sure she had rubbed in all the lotion. "Maybe it is kinda weird that we haven't gone out with them, but I like spending time with you alone and I liked spending time with Mac alone." She paused and smirked slightly, "and I dislike spending time with Dick at all."
Logan raised an eyebrow at her and she scowled in response knowing without him having to say anything that she was being stubborn.
"You know, Mac asked me if we wanted to double date with them. This isn't the first time someone's wanted to double date with us. A bunch of guys in my squadron have asked several times when I told them we were dating."
"Why?" she asked confused.
Logan sighed and got off the bed to come over to her. He stood behind her making sure to make eye contact with her in the mirror. He waited for her to look away, but she steadily held his gaze. "Because people who like you want to be a part of your life. Double dates are a part of someone's life. It shows you want to share your life. I want to show you off to my coworkers. I want you to want to show me off to your friends."
Veronica smiled slightly, "you don't want to meet my coworkers? The seedy side of Neptune doesn't appeal to your tastes?"
Logan smirked, "only if we can meet the girls at the Seventh Vail."
"I only know the bouncer. But – hey! I can always call him up. Invite him around for wine and crackers." Veronica said snarkly.
"Sounds like we'll have a full social calendar. A double date with Dick and Mac and one with Bob and Bambi."
Veronica smiled slightly at him in the mirror. She leaned her head back into his stomach and tilted her head up so she could look him in the eye.
"You really want to spend a night we could be doing a million other things on a double date with two people we see at least once a day?"
"Yep."
"Alright. Fine. Let's do this."
Logan smiled widely and leaned down to give her a peck on the forehead taking in the fragrant smell of her lotion and the simple knowledge that he'd convinced a stubborn Veronica to go out for a double date.
The restaurant was crowded with people that Friday night. It was the only day they could all decide to get together. It was ironic that four people who spent so much time together were so unwilling to plan out a section of time to eat – something they all did – on a double date. They had agreed to meet at the restaurant at seven o'clock and Logan had made a reservation to ensure they could get in.
It was a nice looking fusion place. The fusion was Mexican and Korean food and seem to be all the rage in Neptune at the moment. The walls were lined with funky artwork and there was a hodge-podge of cultural representations on both the Mexican and Korean side. With an aquarium in the front and a mariachi band playing loudly in the back of the restaurant, Mac knew it was going to be a weird kind of night.
"Who picked this restaurant?" Veronica voiced probably having similar thoughts to Mac as she looked between the three of them.
"Yeah, dude, Mexican and Korean food both have meat in it. What is Mac going to be able to eat?" Dick added looking at Mac.
"I picked it. I thought it would be different." Mac said shrugging.
Logan smirked glancing over at Veronica who was looking around the room distractedly. Before he could open his mouth, the hostess called out their party's name and guided them to their table. She gave them a polite smile her eyes lingering on Logan a little too long before telling them to have a nice dinner.
"She seemed friendly." Veronica said pointedly glancing at Logan.
He smirked, "nothing gets by you, bobcat."
She smiled slightly in return and started looking over the menu.
"How does someone think up Mexican and Korean fusion?" Dick asked looking at his own menu.
Mac shrugged, "maybe they wanted to be different."
"Nope, L.A. has a ton of these places." Logan responded.
The table fell into silence as they looked over the menu. It was only interrupted by the waiter coming to take their drink order. Once the waiter left the table continued to look over their menu.
"So…" Mac stated after several more minutes of silence had gone by.
"So…" Veronica responded.
"Anything new?" Mac asked.
The blonde shrugged, "Pony learned a new trick and I'm working on this new case, but you already know that."
"Wow, Ronnie, that's earth shattering." Dick said exaggeratedly.
Veronica glared, "I'm sorry. My beach house partying days are over, Dick. There are no new stories about guys who have done salt licks off me or— "She stopped and winced looking over at Logan who had paled.
"I'm sorry," she stated softly. "I didn't mean…Dick was making fun of…this is why I hate double dates."
"Why? It's not like we don't all know each other already. We have history." Mac said quietly.
The table lapsed in silence.
Logan cleared his throat loudly, "I know you didn't mean anything by it."
Veronica nodded and looked over at Dick who seemed uncomfortable. He brightened suddenly and made an open armed gesture toward her as if to tell her to go on.
"Why don't you tell us why you hate double dates?" He stated happy that he seemed to find a conversation topic.
Veronica scowled, "I just…don't like them. Every double date I've gone on has ended…badly."
"How many double dates have you gone on?" Logan asked pointedly.
"Three." Veronica said dryly.
"Well— "
"In high school, I went out with Duncan, Wallace, and Jackie. Then, in college Logan and I went out with Piz and Parker— "
"That wasn't really a double date!" Logan interrupted.
"And then when I moved to New York a few of my classmates and I went out. I didn't realize until after that it was a double date." Veronica explained.
"What is so bad about them?" Dick asked as the waiter came back with their drinks.
They paused the conversation to give the waiter their order and then they all looked expectantly at Veronica.
"They were all bad. I just…feel like when you go on a double date you're tying to show off to the other couple. Like, this is us aren't we great kind of thing. And you have to make sure to be on your best behavior so the other couple doesn't see you fight or you can't really be yourself because the other couple might think you're not as normal as them. And honestly, I think it's a little…weird for us to be doing this. We hang out all the time. We've technically had double dates already."
"We've seen you and Logan fight Ronnie. For over ten years." Dick said taking a sip of his drink.
"Yeah, and when we hang out, it's not together. Either we're in your kitchen and the guys are playing video games or I'm dropping Dick off before we head to work." Mac chimed in.
Veronica shrugged and looked over at Logan who was being uncharacteristically quiet.
"I understand what you're saying Ronnie. I didn't really want to come tonight, dude. I just want to enjoy being alone with Mac. It's kinda the best part of my day. I just wanted to stay home and play nake—" Dick started.
"Let's talk about— "
"I figured— "
"Exactly!" Veronica agreed, "no offense, Mac, but sometimes after a long day I just want to come home and be with Logan. I don't get a lot of time to spend with him and I just...want to take advantage of that when I can and value it."
"That was uncharacteristically sweet, sugarpuss." Logan said smirking as she reddened.
"We figured it would be a fun way to spend time together and just hang out." Mac said looking over at Logan who was smirking even more.
"It's some time out of the office, away from investigating, and—" Logan began but was shushed by a hand from Veronica.
Everyone turned to stare at her for varying reasons: Logan was annoyed that she'd cut him off, Dick was confused as to why she was frozen, and Mac wasn't sure what had just caused her to become so rigid.
And then their eyes followed her gaze across the room to where a single solitary man sat eating a steak.
"What…?" Logan said being the first to break the silence.
Veronica looked at him with wide, gleaming eyes, and he knew immediately that she'd just seen someone from the case she was working on. Her face said it all: bingo.
"Veronica…" he mumbled giving her a don't even think about it look.
"That guy is a part of this case I'm working on. Every time I follow him, he always disappears. This is perfect." She mumbled gleefully missing the exchange of looks around her.
"Veronica, this is supposed to be our date night. We're not going to do whatever it is you're thinking." Mac stated.
"Yes and date night was going so well, but this would be a true double date. Two couples on the hunt for answers. And it's a perfect cover." She said gleefully trying to gage at what part in the meal he was in, so she could figure out what she needed to do and how to coerce the people around her to trail him.
"Nuh-uh, no way. I knew this would happen if we went out with Veronica and Logan! They'd drag us on some never ending adventure where you get stuck in some sketchy situation or in jail or something worse, dude. I didn't sign up for this. We're not helping with whatever case you're working on." Dick said crossing his arms and leaning back into his chair.
"Veronica, they're right. This is supposed to be our time—" Logan said his own annoyance building.
"He's getting ready to pay. I'm going to go head to the car. Come meet me once you've paid." Veronica said dismissively. She got up before any of them could argue, grabbed her purse from the table, and rushed out sneakily toward her and Logan's car.
The rest of them stared at each other not knowing what to do.
"So, if we don't follow her do you think she'll—"
"She'll follow him alone." Logan said dryly rubbing a hand over his face.
Mac and Dick exchanged looks. In all seriousness, it wasn't really their problem. It was Logan's. The night at this point could go one of two ways: Either they follow her and see where the night leads them with the man she's tailing for this case or they could go home, order in, and have sex the rest of the night.
Mac wanted to go with the latter, but she knew she should go with the former.
Dick wanted to go with the latter and would opt for the option to go home to have sex, since he didn't not fully care about this case.
Or any case, really.
"I…don't really want to follow her…" Dick said bluntly.
"And we do? We were supposed to go out for a nice normal night, eat some food, and then go home by 10, like the almost 30 year olds we are," Logan said downing his drink and standing up. "However, this is Veronica and simple nights out aren't in her world, she doesn't actually understand them. You know, when I came back from leave we went to San Francisco for a vacation, but all she wanted to do was work, work, or go do things that catered to her work. Veronica doesn't do relaxing or vacations, so I don't know why we could do a date night like normal people." He paused, sighed, and grabbed his jacket looking a mix between annoyed, amused, and tired, "so I guess I'll go join my daring damsel and see you guys tomorrow."
He turned to walk out leaving Mac and Dick staring at each other.
"Dude, did they just stiff us with the bill?" Dick asked suddenly.
Logan walked up to the car and slide in just as the man Veronica was supposed to follow for the case came out. He heard her take in a breath and tighten her hold on the key in the ignition, waiting for the right moment to start the car.
"This is ridiculous; you know this, right?" He said leaning his head back against the seat, one hand still on the open door.
"Sometimes, I feel like I'm dating James Bond." he added rolling his eyes.
"Miss Moneypenny, can you close the door, so we can follow this sucker?" Veronica asked smirking at him and trying her best British accent.
Logan sighed, "Veronica…"
"Logan…" she said matching his serious tone.
He shot her a look and sighed knowing what he was going to say before he said it.
"Can we not do this now?" she asked pouting slightly.
"I don't want the night to end like this." He said.
"It won't. I just need to—"
"No, Veronica you don't need to. I wanted tonight to be a nice, normal night out with Dick and Mac and all you've done is complain about not wanting to go out with them and then you ditched us right before we even ordered. Why can't we enjoy one night out with another couple doing normal adult things?" he asked quietly.
She sat back in the seat and watched from across the parking lot as the man unlocked his car.
"Double dates are so normal and we're not." She said finally.
"What?"
"I pretended to be normal for such a long time. When I left Neptune, it was all I did. I was supposed to be a normal, Californian girl. Everywhere I went. No one knew me as Veronica Mars Teen Detective they knew me as Veronica Mars Just Veronica. And for a little while I liked the normalcy, but…I realized that I wanted something more. When I went to Columbia, I continued to be someone who just wasn't me. I've never been normal and I don't want to continue living a life that's so…not for me.
I moved back to Neptune to do what I love, to be me, and be around people I love, and I promised when I moved back that I would follow my instincts and do what I do best. And yes, lately I've felt lost and inadequate, but I know the choices I've made are 100 percent what I want.
The double date stuff just through me off. It's such a normal thing to do with three other people who just aren't. I wanted to have a good time, but if I've learned anything in the nine years I've been away is that sometimes you just shouldn't force it. I love you, Logan and I know how much you wanted tonight to go well, but we're not people who like normalcy. It's boring."
"It was just a double date." Logan said quietly.
"But we're not double date people. None of us are. Hell, the whole set up was weird. There's a reason we never did this before or at least labeled it. We have too much history. You and Dick hated people like me and Mac through high school. Dick's brother dated Mac, raped me, and killed himself in front of us. Logan, you've been accused of murder more times than anybody I know. And I…I'm obsessed with finding the truth. We can hang out, but once you put a label on it there are expectations. Besides, I meant what I said in there. I like just spending time with you. I want to share our life together, but I have a hard time sharing you with other people."
"I want us to do normal things, though."
"I know, but we need to do our own normal. I like our life together and I like hanging out with Mac and - I guess - Dick, but going to dinner and being expected to talk about things in our life that we all already know isn't something I see myself doing. I'm pretty sure, when they were at our house last weekend they saw Pony do his new trick. Hanging out at our house, like we've done in the past is something I've enjoyed." Veronica said starting the car as the man began to pull out of us spot.
"Now, are we doing this or not?" she asked.
"Wait up! We're here." Dick announced pulling open the back door.
"Let's do this thing." Mac exclaimed climbing in.
"What are you guys doing?" Logan asked surprised.
"We're coming with you. If this is what we do for the end of the date, then so be it. We planned this night and if you want to follow some random guy, then let's blow this popsicle stand." Mac said.
"But I want to stop and grab food as we trail this dude. I'm starved." Dick grumbled rubbing his stomach.
"Also, you guys owe us for the bill." Mac chimed in.
Veronica and Logan glanced at each other with smirks dancing on their faces.
"Listen, we figured you guys would either drag us on some stakeout or you'd end up fighting." Dick said shrugging.
"We hoped it would be neither, but you guys really aren't date people." Mac mumbled as Veronica started the car.
"No, I guess we're not, but you guys aren't either." Logan said tossing them a look.
Mac and Dick looked at each other smiles playing on their faces.
"Which is, dude, why it's probably a good thing that we're double dating with each other. All of our history and everything."
"That's true." Veronica said as they began trailing the mystery guy.
"Wait! We just passed Fatburger! Stop there!" Dick yelled pointing a finger out the window.
Veronica groaned, "Dick, we can grab something when he stops. We can't stop there now or else we'll lose him and I'm not losing him again."
"But I haven't had Fatburger in forever, dude!" Dick whined.
Mac rolled her eyes, sighed, and knew that it was going to be a long night. She was actually surprised they hadn't started bickering earlier at the restaurant. She caught Logan's eye in the mirror and shook her head slightly. He grinned back and gave her a little shrug as if to say 'what else do you expect?'
After all, when they had decided to plan a double date with Dick and Veronica, they should've expected chaos, bickering, and stakeouts.
And honestly, even though she was starving and really did want to try the fusion restaurant, this type of double date was much more their style.
THE END!
(A/n: please review!)