Disclaimer: I don't own this fabulous, wonderful show cause if I did, Weevil would be on a lot more. The chapter titles are from the song Hurt as sung by the irrepressible, amazing Johnny Cash, who I believe to have been one of the true remaining artists in the music industry, surpassing boundaries in music and life. I adore you, man in black.
Pairing/Character: Weevil, ensemble with some WeeVer (of course).
Rating: R/M for language, some sexual content, and racial slurs.
Summary: After all, what is he but the character he has played for eighteen years?
Spoilers: This chapter takes place after Ain't No Magic Mountain.
Author's Note: Thanks to PMD, who is always giving me kind words of encouragement, and thanks to all the other people out there who enjoy my work. I aim to please and hopefully this newest work will please all of you.
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Chapter Two: My Empire of Dirt
"Hey bean eater," a familiar voice said and Weevil stiffened up from where he stood, hands deep in his car's engine. He straightened, turning to narrow his eyes at Dick Casablancas, who stood smirking beside his own car. The blonde surfer grinned nastily and said, "What, did I hurt your feelings?"
Weevil smiled slowly, tapping his wrench against the palm of his hand. "You know," he said conversationally. "Dick, I just don't get it."
"Get what?" the blonde replied cocking an eyebrow. "Get that you're more pathetic than anyone else in Neptune High?"
"Aw, Dick," Weevil drawled as he leaned against his car. "I'm not the one who made out with a tranny, am I?"
A red flush stained Dick's cheeks and he blanched as Weevil said mockingly, "Aw, did I piss you off Casablancas?"
"You know something-"
"No, you know something?" Weevil snapped, his temper flaring as he stepped forward until he was nose to nose with the blonde surfer. "You come near me again and I swear to God, no one will save you from the beating I'll give you, Dick. You think being Echolls bitch saves you? Nah, it don't, man. It just makes you a pitiful excuse." He sneered, dark eyes snapping. "At least, I'm no one's bitch, Casablancas."
"Oh, I don't know," Logan said dryly as he approached the pair. "One could say otherwise."
Weevil snorted and said, "Get your boy away from me, man."
"Asshole," Dick blustered and Logan rolled his eyes heavenward as he muttered, "Great comeback Dick. Dude, come on." He turned on his heel and walked away, Dick following but first flipping Weevil off. The Chicano youth rolled his eyes and turned back to his car, muttering under his breath.
Finishing up his work, he wiped his hands on the rag in his back pocket and slammed the hood down. Picking up his bag and locking the car, he ambled across the parking lot towards the school, ignoring the glances assorted students gave him. The back of his neck tingled and Weevil stiffened, turning on the steps to see Thumper and the others watching him from across the lot.
Thumper sneered at him and Weevil tipped his chin up in challenge before turning on his heel, walking inside. He stopped, his brown eyes narrowing at the paper taped to his locker, the word Cunt scrawled across it in large letters. Growling deep in his throat, Weevil tore the paper off his locker and threw it open, gathering his books.
"Bad morning?"
Closing his eyes, Weevil banged his forehead against the locker and said gruffly, "As much as I enjoy talking with you, chica, I'm not in the mood."
"Pardon?" Veronica Mars asked innocently and Weevil sighed deeply, slamming his locker door shut. He turned, leaning against it and eyed the blonde girl who met his gaze evenly. Rubbing his hand over his stubble, he said wearily, "What do you want, V?"
"You're a ray of sunshine this morning," she replied flippantly and Weevil grunted in retort. Veronica grinned at him and said as she cocked her head to the side, "Okay, so I need a favor-"
"V," he interrupted. "I'm fresh of out of favors, all right? I just want to come to school, graduate, and leave this goddamn town behind."
"In your pretty new car?" she said dryly and he rubbed his eyes tiredly. Sympathy flickered across Veronica's features but it was gone when Weevil opened his eyes. "Look," the former biker said. "If you haven't noticed, I'm tired. I've been running on coffee and Red Bull for the past week, trying to help my grandma pay the bills. My niece Ophelia? She had to be sent to L.A. to live with our cousins 'cause we couldn't keep her. So, any favors you need are gonna have to wait, Veronica."
He then pushed off from the locker and down the hall, leaving Veronica staring after him surprised. He rounded the corner and Veronica sighed as she turned to leave, pausing as Thumper said, "Ain't he sweet?" as he appeared before her, flanked by two other PCH members.
"Like sugar," Veronica quipped but eyed the bald youth warily. "What do you want?"
"Just some advice, Veronica Mars," Thumper said with a sneer. "Stay away from him. You might get hurt."
"Gee," Veronica said as she placed a finger against her lips. "I'm just grateful that you're looking out for me." Her smiled turned icy and Thumper tipped his chin up as she said lowly, "And you know, as soon as I figure out what you're holding over Weevil, I'll come after you."
Thumper laughed. "I'm not scared of you, little girl."
Veronica smiled tightly. "You should be," she drawled. "You should be very scared Thumper. Because I'm not like the other girls in this school. I don't let naughty boys get away with anything." She beamed at him, hazel eyes bright with determination. "And I don't let anyone get away with threatening me, either."
Then, she turned and walked away.
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Weevil grimaced as he finished writing down his notes for history. Rubbing a hand over his stubble, he slammed his notebook shut and loped out of the classroom, ignoring the whispers that surrounded him from a few of the students mingling in the hallway. Seeing Thumper and another PCH-er by the name of Pedro coming down the hallway, he turned in the opposite direction and walked down the hall quickly.
Glancing back, he looked around and ducked into the nearest men's bathroom, going directly to the nearest empty stall. Slamming the door shut, he leaned against the door heavily and rubbed the palm of his hands against his eyes tiredly. The confrontation with Veronica wasn't as difficult as he had thought it would be but goddamn, he was exhausted. He hadn't lied when he told her about Ophelia or the fact he was running on pure caffeine.
He screwed his eyes shut tighter as he remembered Ophelia's tear-stained cheeks and large, dark eyes as he left her in the arms of his cousin Elena. God, he adored that little girl; she was all he had left of his sister, Teresa, who had died a few years ago due to cancer. Scrubbing roughly at his eyes, Weevil opened the stall door and made a beeline for the sink. Splashing water on his face, he wiped himself off with the hem of his shirt and straightened up. Meeting the gaze of Veronica's boy in the mirror, he said gruffly, "Something you wanted, Fennel?"
Wallace Fennel shrugged and said mildly, "Just here to do my business..." before going to the sink beside the one Weevil had claimed. The black youth washed his hands and dried them on some of the paper towels before picking up his bag from the floor. He went to the door and paused, turning to look at the other male.
"You know," Wallace said after a moment. "If you don't got nobody to sit with at lunch..." he trailed off and shrugged again before opening the door. Weevil watched it swing shut and then shook his head before gathering his things. He walked down the hall to his next class and sunk into one of the seats in the back. He stared blankly at the tabletop as the teacher began the class, his eyes blurring with exhaustion.
He felt like crap; there was no other description for it. He'd worked overtime at the garage for weeks now, partly on his actual jobs and partly on the car that was now parked out in the school lot. He shut his eyes tightly and placed his arms on the desk, burrowing his head deep into them.
And he slept.
Next, Chapter Three: Full of Broken Thoughts...