Hole in One
Logan/Veronica AU Pre-series/2.22 Dreamverse PG
Summary: Logan wasn't sure why suddenly she was looking to him for the answers, but he did know he wished he had them.
Complete: Yes
"Lilly, why are we even here?"
"Because, Veronica Mars, we are two single girls who need to have some fun." Lilly tugged on Veronica's arm as she spoke, pulling her towards the front stoop of Shelley Pomroy's house. "You need to stop mooning over Duncan and I need to find someone new to fill the slot Logan left in my harem."
Veronica shuffled behind Lilly and sighed. Lilly might be her best friend, but that didn't mean she thought the way Lilly had treated Logan in the past few weeks was okay. After months – years, really – of on-again, off-again, she'd dumped him for good when he got back from his yearly jaunt to Mexico with Dick and Beaver, claiming that since her senior year was approaching, she didn't want to be tied to a younger man. "Does the term harem apply when you're talking about men, or is there a male version of the word?"
Lilly laughed carelessly and playfully shoved Veronica sideways. "Don't act so stuffy, Veronica! We're teenagers, we need to live. Why should I tie myself down to one guy?" She stopped in front of the door and took Veronica by the shoulders. "I shouldn't! And neither should you. So forget about the Donut and have some fun tonight!"
"Won't Duncan be here?"
"Of course he will." Lilly grasped the doorknob and smiled. "You'll hook up with some hot guy Shelley invited from one of those boarding schools her father's diplomat friends go to and make him burn with jealousy."
"Lilly, I don't want…" But Veronica's words went ignored as Lilly pushed open the door.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the party is here!" Lilly shouted above the pulsing music. Veronica sighed again, and followed her in.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Veronica sat by the pool, trying to ignore the spectacle being made in the Jacuzzi. She hadn't thought Carmen was that kind of girl. Of course, she thought as she idly sipped the rum-laced Coke she'd gotten herself after Lilly picked her prey for the evening and left Veronica to her own devices, alcohol did funny things to a person. Right now, she was busy convincing herself that having more than the single alcoholic beverage she'd planned to have – despite Lilly's insistence on drunkenness – wouldn't help erase the picture of Duncan making out with some random senior on Shelley's couch.
The sound of giggles from the hot tub made her sigh for what must have been the millionth time that night, and she stood up to go back inside and find Lilly, maybe convince her it was time to go home.
"Of all the dumb parties in all the dumb towns…" Veronica jumped a little and looked to her left, where the voice had come from.
"Logan! I didn't know you were here." Lame, she thought, but what else could she say? Sorry Lilly's in there trolling for boyfriends, want some of my rum and coke?
"Duncan wanted to come," he replied, then cursed himself for mentioning him when Veronica's face fell.
"Well, I'm only here for Lilly. Looks like we're both too nice to our friends," she added ruefully.
Logan laughed bitterly, downed the rest of whatever he'd been drinking, and tried not to think the words pathetic exes. They stood silently for a moment, just watching each other. Then he tossed his empty cup onto a growing pile of cups and plates on a chair nearby. "What do you say we blow this popsicle stand?" He raised an eyebrow in the direction of the hot tub, and Veronica wasn't sure whether she should laugh or blush and tell him to shush.
"Logan…"
"What? We used to be friends, Veronica. Before…the Great Break-up or whatever." He smiled that wry grin Veronica had always suspected meant he wasn't really amused at all.
She glanced back toward the house where their exes were probably removing other peoples' clothing as they spoke, then smiled at Logan.
"Sure. Let's get out of here."
- - - - - - - - - - -
Veronica stared incredulously out the windshield of Logan's obnoxiously yellow vehicle. "Seriously?" she asked, the surprise in her voice undisguised.
"Seriously," Logan said with a nod. He switched off the engine and engaged the parking brake.
"You want to go miniature golfing? At…" she checked her watch. "Ten o'clock at night? Are they even open?"
"Yes, yes, and yes," he affirmed, opening his door. He jumped out. "Come on, Veronica. Let's do something simple."
Veronica shook her head and opened her door. By the time she was out and had her door shut, Logan was at her side. "I haven't been miniature golfing since I was, like, twelve," she protested.
"Exactly," he replied. "Life was easier when we were twelve, wasn't it?"
Veronica touched Logan's shoulder softly. "You're taking this thing with Lilly just as hard as I'm taking this thing with Duncan, aren't you?"
Logan stopped walking and looked down into Veronica's eyes. "Look, I don't want to get all chick-flicky here. I just want to hang out like we used to, before things got complicated."
"Before things got complicated, Lilly and Duncan would have been here, too."
Logan jabbed Veronica in the shoulder. "Don't be so literal, Ronnie."
Veronica jabbed him back. "Don't call me Ronnie." She turned to head toward the mini-golf clubhouse. "Now come on, let's get this over with. I can beat your ass and still be home by curfew."
"Mars! You said 'ass!' I'm shocked!" But he laughed and followed her, slinging a friendly arm around her shoulders. "But you should know, you're not going to beat me."
"I seem to recall that the last time we played, when we were twelve, I was the champion, and you were in a distant second place."
He squeezed her shoulders lightly. "I let you win because you were wearing these cute little shorts and I thought you looked hot."
Laughing, she pulled away from him. "God, you're such a pervert, Logan."
"But I'm charming. It balances out."
- - - - - - - - - - -
"We're at the last hole in the Neptune Mini-Golf Emporium Open and the score is neck and neck. Mars and Echolls are tied at two under par, but Mars is showing signs of tiring."
Veronica looked up from the shot she was setting up. "Logan, that golf-announcer voice is really annoying."
"Shh, Veronica. You're supposed to be quiet on the green."
"Ha ha. Now let me take my turn in peace so I can wrap this thing up."
"Fine. But you'll have to behave during my turn, then. None of that tickling crap, okay?" His tone was comically stern, so Veronica smiled.
"Deal. Now watch me show you how it's done." Logan said nothing, but made a grand gesture with his hand as though to say be my guest.
She came in neatly at par, and grinned at him. "Beat that, buddy."
He handed her the scorecard and tossed his bright blue golf ball in the air, catching it with a flourish when it came down. "Watch me," he said with a grin. It was the first time all night Veronica actually thought his smile reached his eyes.
"Logan," she said suddenly, putting a hand on his elbow. He looked down at her quizzically, recognizing the tone as a serious one. "Do you think things will get better? I mean, the four of us. Will it get better?"
He tightened his hand on his golf ball, but mustered a smile for her. "Yes, it will."
"Are you sure?" Her voice was oddly wistful. Logan fixed a grin on his face.
"As sure as I am that I'll get a hole in one and win this thing with points to spare."
"Logan."
"Seriously, Veronica. Just step back and watch the master."
"I'm serious, Logan."
He didn't like the plaintive look in her eyes. He never had liked it when Veronica was unhappy. "So am I," he said softly. Then he turned and set up his shot quickly. Veronica gasped when the ball went straight to the hole.
"You did it!" she exclaimed, smiling brightly.
"Told you I always get my balls in the right place."
Her eyes widened slightly and she punched him in the arm. "Logan!" she exclaimed, her voice comically scandalized.
They returned their clubs and headed back to the X-Terra, walking close to each other so that their shoulders bumped companionably as they moved.
"You really think things will work out?" Veronica asked again. Logan wasn't sure why suddenly she was looking to him for the answers, but he did know he wished he had them.
"You'll always be friends with Lilly. And I'll always be friends with Duncan. And you and I, we'll always be friends, too, right?"
"Of course," she said, nodding.
"So eventually, we'll hang out again with the four of us. And it'll be awkward at first and it might make you sad because of Duncan or me because of Lilly. But we're the four of us, and we'll always be friends. Because that's just the way things are, Veronica."
She nodded, hoping he was right. They got into the X-Terra in silence and buckled up.
"And hey," Logan said as he started the engine. "If things go south, V, we'll always have mini-golf."