A/N: New chapter! It's a little angsty-but nothing too bad. Hope you enjoy!
Different, But The Same
It's as if nothing has changed. Veronica nearly has to pinch herself, provide a reminder that she really had gone to his apartment and made the best subtle-grand gesture she could, because Logan is acting as if nothing had happened. No, actually, he talks to her more. That is the only difference. He talks to her more, but he never actually says anything. It's all jokes and innuendo, which in general suits her just fine, but she wants more. She had gone to him. She had stayed. She wanted more.
If she craves a change, though, she finds it in Piz. He hardly looks at her now, barely mumbles three words her way before stealing away to whatever corner he sulks in.
After Piz's latest escape, Veronica remarks, "I thought we could still be friends."
Wallace is beside her in the cafeteria and he shakes his head, dragging a fry through some ketchup and dropping it in his mouth. "That ain't how it works, Veronica," he says, mouth full. "You dumped the guy."
She laughs in surprise, a bit indignant at his response, and says, "I didn't break up with him."
"Fine," he relents. "But you were in love with your ex. Same difference, V."
"I didn't mean to hurt him," she says in a low voice. "He was good to me."
"How's Logan?" Wallce asks, shifting the conversation slightly. "You guys seem to be getting along."
"We are," she agrees. "We're-I don't know-friends?" She frowns and grabs a fry off his plate, pushing it in her mouth morosely.
"You sound happy," Wallace mumbles, pushing his plate toward her. "Here, you need them more than I do."
"I'm fine," Veronica says in a rather unconvincing tone. "Really, I mean, I didn't expect anything. I can't, not really, not with him."
"Have you talked to him?"
She rolls her eyes and answers, "Yes Wallace, I have talked with him."
"No, I mean actually have a talk. Not dance around stuff like you guys usually did."
And here she was thinking that her and Logan's communication problem was only apparent to her. "You're too insightful for your own good, Wallace."
"Verrrronica," Logan trills, falling in step beside her as she walks to her next class. She looks up at him and asks, "Yes?"
"How are you?"
She shrugs. "Still kickin'."
"You should drop by my place today," he says casually. A chill runs down her spine and she forces nonchalance in her voice when she asks, "Why?"
She figures this won't segue way directly into a declaration of love, but she hardly anticipated Logan's response of, "Dick wants a Mario Kart rematch."
"Oh," she breathes out. "Um, yeah, I'll drop by."
Her voice sounds strange and he looks at her oddly. "You okay?"
"Yeah, perfect," she chirps. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm perfectly fine. Tip top shape, in fact."
"Veronica-"
"And here is my class," she says, turning toward him briefly. "I will be by later to see Dick." The emphasis on that last name is not lost on Logan and he stares after her as she slips into the classroom, wondering just what it is he did wrong this time.
She didn't want to go, but knowing Dick he would badger Logan to badger her until she finally dragged herself over to her place. And that would involve Logan inviting her over to his place again for reasons not including him. And he would think, again, that this is fine.
So, she really goes for her own sanity.
"Ronnie!" Dick says jovially when he finds her in the doorway. He pulls her in and says, "I see you got my message."
"Uh, yeah, I did."
"Alright, prepare to be trounced," he says, pointing to the couch. "Sit down. There is domination that needs to go down."
Veronica finds it hard to hold on to her irate mood with Dick being so-well, Dick-like-and pads over to the couch, reaching for the controller. Dick makes some noise and plucks it from her as he says, "Not happening, Ronnie, that's my lucky controller."
"Your lucky controller?" she asks with a small grin. "You do realize that luck doesn't exist. It's just a manmade convention to make us feel better that so much is out of our control."
"Nah, this is totally in my control," he says easily. "I've been practicing. Hours, Ronnie."
"It's a wonder you get anything else done," she says with mock sincerity. "Wait, I remember, you don't do anything else."
"Laugh all you want," he says. "But this game is going to be epic. My newly acquired skills are just that. Epic."
"Eighteen years old and Mario Kart extraordinaire," she says slowly with feigned reverence. "The job offers are just going to pour in."
She rolls her eyes, picking up the other controller. She really doesn't care if she beats him, but his blowhard exclamations of his gaming proweress brings out her competitive side. She is entirely focused, bringing in high scores while Dick lags behind, until the door opens.
"Shit," she mumbles, driving her car into a wall and careening into a trap. Dick laughs jovially and yells, "Distract her more, Logan!"
"Do that you meet my taser," she bites out, shooting Logan a glare. If he has to upset her by clearly ignoring what had passed between them, fine, she could handle that. But he has no right to undermine her Mario Kart skills.
Somewhere, Veronica registers that her logic is faulty.
I am mad at him, therefore I don't give a damn, she thinks.
Logan takes the seat beside her and she glances over at him, telepathically trying to tell him to get the hell away. This comes to no avail. He only shakes his head and says, "Damn Veronica, this is not your game."
"It was before you got here," she says sourly.
"Bitter much?"
She whips her head to his and angrily shoots back, "Jack ass much? Look, if you can't play nice then how about you just leave?"
He's taken aback by the vehemence in her voice and sputters, "I live here."
"I don't care. You're being a jack ass."
He knows something is off and thinks of what she had said to him earlier in the day, before she slipped into that class of hers. She is clearly still pissed over that. Whatever that is, he has no clue.
"Dick," Logan says quickly, "we're out of beer. Go get some."
"Dude, middle of the game," Dick spells out.
Mirroring his tone Logan says, "Dude, no beer." Dick sighs and looks over at his friend. Logan shifts his eyes obviously over toward Veronica and after a moment Dick's eyes widen and he nods his head in understanding. "Yeah," he says. "Beer."
Veronica shakes her head in irritation. "You two are ridiculous." She turns to Logan. "If you want to talk to me then just talk to me!"
"And that is my cue to leave," Dick says, tossing the controller on the couch. "Discussions make me anxious."
Both are silent as Dick makes his way out of the penthouse. Veronica is fuming, crossing her arms tightly over her chest, while Logan is trying to gauge how angry Veronica will become when he finally speaks.
"I don't get why you're mad at me," Logan says.
"Oh, I don't know," she answers hotly. "Maybe because I came here after I broke up with Piz and I thought we had a-I don't know-a moment? And then you act as if nothing happened!"
He stares at her as she continues to rail, and thinks that somehow he has managed to mess everything up. Of course he had realized that something had happened between them. He had felt it, the energy passing between them. The glances, too. He thought she would need time, though. He knew she cared about Piz and figured she would need some distance before he attempted to mend their constantly on the fritz relationship.
She is done talking and is staring at him, waiting for some response. He's grasping at straws, really. He has no idea what to say. He doesn't know how to make this right. He never had.
"Come with me to South America," he says suddenly.
"What? Your-your trip with Dick?"
"He's not-"
"Your trip with Parker?" He sees the error of his ways and swears under his breath. "You invite me to the trip you were going to take with your ex-girlfriend? Wow, good job Logan. Make me feel even shittier."
"Hey, I'm trying here," he shoots back. "I'm-I'm really trying."
"Well, try harder."
He reaches forward impulsively and grabs onto her waist, pulling her toward him. He expects her to fight back, but is surprised when her hands lay lightly on his arms. His fingers trace the curve of her cheek and she sighs, "I didn't mean like this, Logan."
He ignores her and presses his forehead to hers. "I don't know what you want."
"I want you to talk to me."
"Isn't that what I've been doing? I've been trying to be your friend. Trying to act like nothing-"
"Nothing happened," she finishes. "Yeah, I know."
"Tell me what you want and I will do it." He needs to hear it from her because part of him still thinks that she needs time but if she says the word, he'll do it. If she gives a little he will give her everything he has.
"I don't want to be your friend." Her words would have stung if her hands hadn't slid behind his neck. He deftly slips his hand just under the hem of her shirt and murmurs, "I don't want to be your friend, either."
"So, what do we do?"
"We'll take it one day at a time," he says.
"And then?"
He smiles softly and kisses the tip of her nose lightly. "And then we just keep going. You need to stop over-thinking this, Veronica."
"No, this is something that deserves over-thinking." She leans into him. "We're not exactly easy."
"We wouldn't be us if we were."
He leans in to kiss her, but is interrupted by a loud knocking at the door. He shakes his head in irritation, but can't help but smile slightly when he hears Dick yell, "Dude, can I come in with the beer yet?"
"He can come in," she says, moving away from his embrace. "And I should go. Dad'll expect me home for dinner soon. You know, the woman has to make the Hamburger Helper."
He nods, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "So, um, are we alright?"
They made progress, that much she is sure of. Past that, she doesn't have a clue. "I'll see you later, Logan."
"I'm calling you tonight," he says to her retreating back. She looks back at him and smiles slightly before replying, "Well, then I will be expecting a call."
She opens the door and Dick's wide smile dims as he looks at both her and Logan. "Clothes intact," he notes, shaking his head. "I went on that beer run for nothing."
Veronica chuckles. "See you later, Dick."
When she leaves, Dick looks at Logan and asks, "So, what happened?"
Logan is wondering much the same thing, but murmurs, "I think we're dating."
A/N: So.. thoughts? Next chapter will delve further into Veronica and Logan trying to sort through their tricky relationship. And their might be some South America action thrown in there. And Dick, of course. And possibly some Mac. So...let me know what you thought! New chapter will be on its way soon!
