Title: Gratitude
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Logan/Veronica
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 695
Summary: Soulmate!AU. Veronica is filled with gratitude.
Caesar's Palace: Contest - Soulmate!AU - Set in Stone - Each person has only one soulmate, any engagements or marriage contracts are rendered null and void if the people involved turn out to not be each others' soulmates, once you find your soulmate you are incapable of falling in love with anyone else other than them.
Caesar's Palace: Monthly One-Shot Contest - November 2017 - Gratitude
Gringotts Prompt Bank: Soulmate!AU - When Character A sees their soulmate for the first time, Character A sees a montage of their soulmate's entire life up to this point.
Veronica was filled with so much gratitude when Lilly first introduced herself when they were kids. Veronica was the new girl, and she had been so scared she wouldn't make any friends. Especially with her dad being the sheriff. After all, who wanted to be friends with the sheriff's kid, right?
But Lilly, in all of her popular glory, waltzed right up to Veronica. She tilted her head and looked Veronica up and down.
Veronica swallowed nervously as those clear blue eyes appraised her. Would she pass inspection? Was she worthy?
Finally, Lilly said, "Veronica Mars, there's something about you. Something special. And I'm going to find out what that is."
And ever since that day, Lilly and Veronica became LillyAndVeronica. They were inseparable. Many of the 09'ers didn't understand what Lilly saw in Veronica, but they were careful to never question Lilly to her face.
Veronica dealt with the odd looks because she was Lilly Kane's best friend. Life couldn't get any better than that.
They got older and while their friendship kept strong, there were some things that changed. The way Duncan—Lilly's brother—acted around Veronica changed quite a bit. He seemed shyer than he used to be, and Veronica didn't understand why. Another thing that changed was Lilly got more wild, got boy-crazy. She always talked about the boys she wanted to have sex with, and it was in very descriptive language. One name that continuously came out of Lilly's mouth was Logan Echolls.
Veronica hadn't met him, but with the way Lilly went on and on, she was sure she would meet him soon, and it would be on Lilly's arm. And yes, she understood that was backwards, but that was how Lilly Kane worked. She didn't stroll on a boy's arm; they strolled on hers.
And she did meet him. When she was twelve. And the experience didn't turn out the way Veronica expected it would.
Their eyes met across the soccer field, and she gasped at what she saw. Images. Many of them.
A young boy hiding in the closet. The same boy being dragged out by an older man. His father maybe? And that boy being hit. Whipped with a belt.
She saw the boy crying in his bedroom. Saw him talking to another boy. Was that Duncan?
Saw the boy talking to Lilly. Flirting.
she saw many more images, and by the time the silent movie was over in her head, she had fallen to her knees, gasping for breath.
"Veronica, what's wrong?" Lilly asked worriedly.
She stared across the field, her eyes locked on Logan. He was on his knees too, his eyes focused on her. She knew he saw her life in his mind's eye as well. And she knew what had happened. She had heard stories about it of course, but she never expected it to actually happen to her. After all, she saw her parents' marriage and what a disaster that was.
She managed to tear her eyes away from Logan and looked up at Lilly, and she knew she was about to hurt Lilly in an unimaginable way. "Lilly, about Logan, I don't think you two will ever be more than what you are."
"Why do you say..." She trailed off, her eyes widening as she caught onto what Veronica didn't explicitly state. "Oh."
"I'm sorry," Veronica whispered, wondering if after all these years, their friendship was finally over.
Lily pasted a brave smile onto her face. "It's okay. It's not your fault. It's not Logan's either. It's fate, and you can't fight that. Go. You should actually meet him."
Veronica nodded and stood up on wobbly legs. She slowly walked across the field and smiled when she saw that Logan was doing the same.
They met in the middle.
"Hi, I'm Logan."
Veronica bit her bottom lip. "Veronica."
He took her hand and warmth spread throughout her body.
Veronica was grateful to Lilly for many things. Most importantly, it was because of Lilly that Veronica met her soulmate, the one person she would always be able to depend on. And that was something she would never be able to forget.