FIC- Veronica Mars (Veronica, Vinnie, Mac, Dick) 1/1
Title: Words Of Wisdom
Author: ashleigh (leobrat)
Pairing/Characters: Veronica/Vinnie, Mac/Dick
Word Count: 2286
Rating: pg-13/r-ish...no graphic language, but there are adult situations
Summary: How else would Veronica end up in Vinnie Vanlowe’s Shaggin’ Wagon?
Spoilers: Through Mars, Bars, but mostly AU
Disclaimer: I own nothing, and am not affiliated with the CW in any way.
A/N: I wrote this for the VM Library Someone’s Watching Smutathon, but I ended up getting too silly with myself and not smutty enough. taken_with_you is a doll and said I could post it anyway. This is very loosely tied with a previous fic of mine, What Goes Around.... It’s absolutely not necessary to read that first, but there is a fic in the works that ties these two pieces together a bit more clearly. Okay, on with the show. Very kindly beta-ed by shealynn88.
The PI world was a sordid and complicated network of gritty undergrounders who were so private, but all somehow knew each other's ins and outs (sometimes more info than they really wanted to know). And the lot of them were positively abuzz with the news: Big Dick Casablancas was back in town. Once again, no one knew by word-of-mouth (Heaven forbid they tip one another off) or even actually seeing him. A hunch was like a cold, once it caught in the air, it would go around town in a matter of hours. And the Balboa County Sherriff's Department had been sorely lacking ‘hunches’ for the past few years. But of course, things were different now that Keith Mars was sheriff again, and could actually solve crimes with a degree of competency.
And he had absolutey and unequivocally, positively and with 100% certainty forbidden his daughter to go anywhere near the case. Mars Investigations was officially closed for business- though their lease wasn't up until September- and there was no need to be taking cases on the side with the salary Keith was making as sherriff. "It's time for you to act like a kid again, child of mine," he had said, tenderly brushing a wisp of hair out of her eyes.
It was a dream of his, Veronica knew, for them to be 'normal' again. Her father belonged in law enforcement, he was an old-fasioned hero in this modern day saloon town. But as for Veronica, being a normal kid working at the Hut a few times a week for pocket money, and nothing more…that time had come and gone. Ages ago.
And the bounty on Dick Casablancas, Senior- well, that was just too good to pass up. She would be able to pay off her student loans before they even started to kick in, and she knew her dad had his eye on a cute little ranch a little further in town, closer to the 09er neighborhoods and not so close to the PCH. This bounty could certainly put them closer to that. Of course there was the small matter of Veronica not actually having a PI license…
And that was how she found herself perched on a beanbag chair in Vinnie Vanlowe's Shaggin' Wagon. The deal was her idea, so she couldn't exactly complain. She had somehow convinced him to split the cash 60-40 in her favor, too, and all she had to do was sit there and wait. While she was taking her finals, Vinnie was breaking and entering into the Casablancas mansion. He'd gotten an economy sized pack of hidden cameras made to look like useless objects, and he was just jazzed to try them out. Veronica felt a little guilty about letting him do most of the legwork and still taking more of the prize money, but she simply had too much schoolwork to do. And a deal was a deal.
Vinnie had six miniature tv's in the back of his van, with a state-of-the-art sound stystem and even a transcriptor- it almost looked like he took his job seriously, but Veronica knew that Vinnie was just one of those boys who never quite grew out of his toys. He was still fiddling around with the tv controllers and the sound. "Allllll right, Veronica Mars," he said, as he adjusted one last plug and sat back next to her on his own beanbag. "We. Are. In. Business." All of the screens flashed on. "Okay, here we have the kitchen, the living room, the pool, the master bedroom, the master bath, and here we have Sports Network." Vinnie pumped his fist at his side as he pointed to the World Candlepin Tournament airing.
"Ooh, can't miss bowling," Veronica said, rubbing her hands in faux excitement.
"Hey, you amuse yourself your way, I'll amuse myself my way,” he leered. “I’ll try to keep it pg," Vinnie grinned, stretching out his long legs. "You should know by now that we're going to be here for a looooong night."
Veronica inwardly groaned. She hadn't had nearly enough coffee earlier, and wasn't so sure that she could be catching forty winks next to Mr. Vanlowe.
"Sleepy, Veronica? You want some coffee?" Vinnie offered, as if he'd read her mind. Veronica raised her eyebrows when she saw a perculator next to all his video equipment. It seemed he thought of everything, no comfort to be spared.
"Um, sure, thanks," Veronica accepted the cup he offered.
"Cream or sugar?"
"Black's fine. Thanks, Vinnie," she answered, taking a tentative sip. It actually wasn't half-bad.
He opened another drawer beneath the video station. "Cupcake?"
"Excuse me?"
"You want a cupcake?" He asked, holding out a package of store-bought, frothy little pink cakes.
"Ah," Veronica said. "No, that's okay."
He rummaged through a little further. "Corn nuts?"
Veronica rolled her eyes. "No thanks."
"Beer nuts?"
"No."
Vinnie shrugged. "Suit yourself." And he settled back next to her with a fully prepared hot dog with all the fixings. She didn't even want to know where he pulled that from.
Vinnie enjoyed his hot dog, cheering for the bowling on the tv, while Veronica tried to read up on a little anthropology. Vinnie's cries of encouragement were more than a little distracting. When he finished his dog, he also produced an electric tooth brush and dissolving toothpaste.
"Where do you get this stuff?" Veronica asked, as he pulled out floss.
"Didn't you know I was a boyscout?" Vinnie answered, flashing his pearly whites. He glanced at the living room screen, and then pointed excitedly. "Look, we've got movement!"
Veronica looked over, her heart racing (it had been way too long since she'd had a good catch), but then shrugged in disappointment. "That's not him. That's Dick, Jr.- the son.."
"Dick Junior? Now that's a tough break," Vinnie said, sympathetically.
Dick was setting out drinks on the coffee table, and he seemed to call out to someone in another room. "Did you get an audio feed?" Veronica asked. "Maybe his dad is with him."
"Audio feed?" Vinnie scoffed. "Hey, I've only got two hands!" He stretched his big hands in front of him. "Even if they are magic hands."
Veronica groaned. ""Yes, yes, that's wonderful, Vinnie, now, wait there's got to be someone else here with him. There’s no reason for him to just be hanging around the house alone. And, wait a minute, why is he here at all? He's been living with Logan since September."
"Your guess is as good as mine, Lamb Chop," Vinnie shrugged. They continued watching, and soon a female figure joined Dick in the living room. She was small and brunette, though they couldn't quite make out her face, dressed in fairly non-descript jeans and a short-sleeved shirt. "Ha, looks like Junior has a lady friend over."
"Ugh," Veronica groaned again. "It's probably Bonnie. Poor girl doesn't know when to quit." She put her hands over her eyes. If Dick Casablancas was going to be getting laid, she did not want to see it. Especially when she hadn't gotten so much as a decent kiss in months. God, after all that time, even Vinnie didn't look half-bad to her.
"Who-ho-hoa, go Junior!" Vinnie said, holding out his hand for a High 5.
"What?" Veronica made the mistake of looking back at the screen to see Bonnie stripping off Dick's tee shirt. “Ew! Change this, Vinnie!”
“What do you mean change this, Vinnie,” he mimicked, raising his voice a few octaves. “This isn’t tv, this is a job, we have to keep an eye on the house. Eye on the prize, my young friend. Eye on the prize.” He turned back to the screen. “Well, hello, Miss Bonnie.” He was quiet for a moment, and then he said, “Huh.”
“Huh what,” Veronica was just staring into her lap, refusing to let her head tilt up the slightest bit.
“Veronica,” Vinnie drawled. “That...sort of looks like that cute little nerdy girl you hang out with.”
Still looking down, Veronica raised an eyebrow to herself. “That I hang out with?”
“Yeah,” he continued. “You know, Crayola hair, pretty smile...”
“Mac?” Veronica picked her head up, not believing what she was hearing. But sure enough, there was Mac- not Bonnie- straddling Dick Casablancas and helping him peel off her shirt. Veronica tilted her head to the left, trying to get a different angle. Surely her eyes were deceiving her. And she watched as Dick flipped Mac over, so that her head fell back over the end of the couch and began kissing his way down her throat, unclasping her bra and palming her breasts. Veronica grabbed her bag and jumped for the door to the van, but Vinnie reached out a hand, clasping it over her wrist and hauling her back to the floor.
“What do you think you’re doing, Mars?” he had one eyebrow cocked at her. “You can’t just go barging into the house. It’s breaking and entering.”
“Vinnie, we’ve got to help her,” Veronica said, her voice rising in panic. “We’ve got to get her out of there.”
“Why?” he rested one forearm behind his head. “I usually have to pay twenty-five bucks a month to see this kind of thing! Now we’re getting it for free, and getting some work done. It’s a win-win.”
It was a reflex. Her hand came up abruptly and she heard the crack and felt her palm stinging. With wide eyes, she looked at Vinnie, the small red hand-print across his cheek...And his eyes were glinting mischievously. And he was purely tickled pink by her little outburst. “Now, now, Lamb Chop,” he tsked at her, running the backs of his fingers over the discolored skin. “That wasn’t very nice.” His fingers were still closed over her wrist, and he pulled gently. “Come on, sit down.”
She resisted for a moment before taking a deep breath and sliding down next to Vinnie on the floor. She curled her knees up against her chest, and looked off to the side, not looking at him, or at the television screen. “Veronica, look at her, she’s fine,” Vinnie continued, in a voice so reassuring and gentle that it didn’t sound like him at all. “I mean...She’s better than fine, she’s...Damn, look at her.” Veronica slowly turned her head back around, so she could just see the screen out of the corner of one eye. And it was true. Mac was better than fine. There was no mistaking the look of dazed ecstasy on her face, as Dick- Dick, for God’s sake- nuzzled his head between her thighs. Mac’s mouth rounded out in a little ‘o’, and Veronica put her own hand over her mouth.
“Hooo, looks like Junior’s having a good day,” Vinnie chuckled to himself. “Kid’s a natural. What do you think, V?” He glanced over, but she wasn’t looking at him or the screen. She was curled up in a ball, doing her best to stare at her shoes. “Hey...are you okay?” Vinnie asked, in that damned concerned voice again.
“I just don’t...get why she’s with him,” Veronica said, very quietly. “It doesn’t make any sense. Mac is smart and sweet and cute- and she could have any nice guy she wants, but no, she’s with Dick.”
“Hey, who can explain these things?” Vinnie raised his palms in the air and shrugged. “The great mystery of life, they say.”
“Who says?” Veronica cocked an eyebrow. She turned so she was completely facing him, not looking at the screen at all, and Vinnie leaned over on his side, to look away from the screen as well.
“It’s just...” he set his mouth in a line, as if in deep thought (although...deep thought and Vinnie didn’t exactly go hand in hand), and waved his hand in a circle. “These things...They don’t always have to make sense, Veronica. It’s not really about that.”
“Are these your words of wisdom from a life well lived?” Veronica said, still holding a hand over the side of her face to shield her vision from anything that might scar her for life.
“Hey, I’m happy,” Vinnie said with a genuinely delighted grin, holding one hand over his heart.
Slowly and cautiously, Veronica glanced over her shoulder. Mac had somehow maneuvered over Dick, and they were...doing it. Having sex. And Mac was enjoying herself. She was free, she was wild, she was untamed...she was gorgeous.
Veronica’s breath hitched in her throat as she saw her friend cry out, only imagining what Mac’s voice sounded like. She didn’t know how wrapped up she was in watching the screen until she felt her hair being lifted off her neck and lips, soft and warm, over her throat. She turned her head to Vinnie, and he was looking at her with...tenderness? But all that was gone when he lifted an eyebrow suggestively. She cocked an eyebrow back and apparently, he took that as an invitation, because he cupped one hand under her cheek and began to pull her close. Maybe it was the close quarters, maybe it was her loneliness, maybe it was the moon, but Veronica closed her eyes and leaned in, closing her mouth over his.
And afterwards, when she was pulling her jeans on, and trying to reach her shirt (which was behind him) without looking at him, he scoffed and said (not without a tremor of fear in his voice), “You think you feel awkward? I’m supposed to play raquetball with your dad tomorrow!”
Author: ashleigh (leobrat)
Pairing/Characters: Veronica/Vinnie, Mac/Dick
Word Count: 2286
Rating: pg-13/r-ish...no graphic language, but there are adult situations
Summary: How else would Veronica end up in Vinnie Vanlowe’s Shaggin’ Wagon?
Spoilers: Through Mars, Bars, but mostly AU
Disclaimer: I own nothing, and am not affiliated with the CW in any way.
A/N: I wrote this for the VM Library Someone’s Watching Smutathon, but I ended up getting too silly with myself and not smutty enough. taken_with_you is a doll and said I could post it anyway. This is very loosely tied with a previous fic of mine, What Goes Around.... It’s absolutely not necessary to read that first, but there is a fic in the works that ties these two pieces together a bit more clearly. Okay, on with the show. Very kindly beta-ed by shealynn88.
The PI world was a sordid and complicated network of gritty undergrounders who were so private, but all somehow knew each other's ins and outs (sometimes more info than they really wanted to know). And the lot of them were positively abuzz with the news: Big Dick Casablancas was back in town. Once again, no one knew by word-of-mouth (Heaven forbid they tip one another off) or even actually seeing him. A hunch was like a cold, once it caught in the air, it would go around town in a matter of hours. And the Balboa County Sherriff's Department had been sorely lacking ‘hunches’ for the past few years. But of course, things were different now that Keith Mars was sheriff again, and could actually solve crimes with a degree of competency.
And he had absolutey and unequivocally, positively and with 100% certainty forbidden his daughter to go anywhere near the case. Mars Investigations was officially closed for business- though their lease wasn't up until September- and there was no need to be taking cases on the side with the salary Keith was making as sherriff. "It's time for you to act like a kid again, child of mine," he had said, tenderly brushing a wisp of hair out of her eyes.
It was a dream of his, Veronica knew, for them to be 'normal' again. Her father belonged in law enforcement, he was an old-fasioned hero in this modern day saloon town. But as for Veronica, being a normal kid working at the Hut a few times a week for pocket money, and nothing more…that time had come and gone. Ages ago.
And the bounty on Dick Casablancas, Senior- well, that was just too good to pass up. She would be able to pay off her student loans before they even started to kick in, and she knew her dad had his eye on a cute little ranch a little further in town, closer to the 09er neighborhoods and not so close to the PCH. This bounty could certainly put them closer to that. Of course there was the small matter of Veronica not actually having a PI license…
And that was how she found herself perched on a beanbag chair in Vinnie Vanlowe's Shaggin' Wagon. The deal was her idea, so she couldn't exactly complain. She had somehow convinced him to split the cash 60-40 in her favor, too, and all she had to do was sit there and wait. While she was taking her finals, Vinnie was breaking and entering into the Casablancas mansion. He'd gotten an economy sized pack of hidden cameras made to look like useless objects, and he was just jazzed to try them out. Veronica felt a little guilty about letting him do most of the legwork and still taking more of the prize money, but she simply had too much schoolwork to do. And a deal was a deal.
Vinnie had six miniature tv's in the back of his van, with a state-of-the-art sound stystem and even a transcriptor- it almost looked like he took his job seriously, but Veronica knew that Vinnie was just one of those boys who never quite grew out of his toys. He was still fiddling around with the tv controllers and the sound. "Allllll right, Veronica Mars," he said, as he adjusted one last plug and sat back next to her on his own beanbag. "We. Are. In. Business." All of the screens flashed on. "Okay, here we have the kitchen, the living room, the pool, the master bedroom, the master bath, and here we have Sports Network." Vinnie pumped his fist at his side as he pointed to the World Candlepin Tournament airing.
"Ooh, can't miss bowling," Veronica said, rubbing her hands in faux excitement.
"Hey, you amuse yourself your way, I'll amuse myself my way,” he leered. “I’ll try to keep it pg," Vinnie grinned, stretching out his long legs. "You should know by now that we're going to be here for a looooong night."
Veronica inwardly groaned. She hadn't had nearly enough coffee earlier, and wasn't so sure that she could be catching forty winks next to Mr. Vanlowe.
"Sleepy, Veronica? You want some coffee?" Vinnie offered, as if he'd read her mind. Veronica raised her eyebrows when she saw a perculator next to all his video equipment. It seemed he thought of everything, no comfort to be spared.
"Um, sure, thanks," Veronica accepted the cup he offered.
"Cream or sugar?"
"Black's fine. Thanks, Vinnie," she answered, taking a tentative sip. It actually wasn't half-bad.
He opened another drawer beneath the video station. "Cupcake?"
"Excuse me?"
"You want a cupcake?" He asked, holding out a package of store-bought, frothy little pink cakes.
"Ah," Veronica said. "No, that's okay."
He rummaged through a little further. "Corn nuts?"
Veronica rolled her eyes. "No thanks."
"Beer nuts?"
"No."
Vinnie shrugged. "Suit yourself." And he settled back next to her with a fully prepared hot dog with all the fixings. She didn't even want to know where he pulled that from.
Vinnie enjoyed his hot dog, cheering for the bowling on the tv, while Veronica tried to read up on a little anthropology. Vinnie's cries of encouragement were more than a little distracting. When he finished his dog, he also produced an electric tooth brush and dissolving toothpaste.
"Where do you get this stuff?" Veronica asked, as he pulled out floss.
"Didn't you know I was a boyscout?" Vinnie answered, flashing his pearly whites. He glanced at the living room screen, and then pointed excitedly. "Look, we've got movement!"
Veronica looked over, her heart racing (it had been way too long since she'd had a good catch), but then shrugged in disappointment. "That's not him. That's Dick, Jr.- the son.."
"Dick Junior? Now that's a tough break," Vinnie said, sympathetically.
Dick was setting out drinks on the coffee table, and he seemed to call out to someone in another room. "Did you get an audio feed?" Veronica asked. "Maybe his dad is with him."
"Audio feed?" Vinnie scoffed. "Hey, I've only got two hands!" He stretched his big hands in front of him. "Even if they are magic hands."
Veronica groaned. ""Yes, yes, that's wonderful, Vinnie, now, wait there's got to be someone else here with him. There’s no reason for him to just be hanging around the house alone. And, wait a minute, why is he here at all? He's been living with Logan since September."
"Your guess is as good as mine, Lamb Chop," Vinnie shrugged. They continued watching, and soon a female figure joined Dick in the living room. She was small and brunette, though they couldn't quite make out her face, dressed in fairly non-descript jeans and a short-sleeved shirt. "Ha, looks like Junior has a lady friend over."
"Ugh," Veronica groaned again. "It's probably Bonnie. Poor girl doesn't know when to quit." She put her hands over her eyes. If Dick Casablancas was going to be getting laid, she did not want to see it. Especially when she hadn't gotten so much as a decent kiss in months. God, after all that time, even Vinnie didn't look half-bad to her.
"Who-ho-hoa, go Junior!" Vinnie said, holding out his hand for a High 5.
"What?" Veronica made the mistake of looking back at the screen to see Bonnie stripping off Dick's tee shirt. “Ew! Change this, Vinnie!”
“What do you mean change this, Vinnie,” he mimicked, raising his voice a few octaves. “This isn’t tv, this is a job, we have to keep an eye on the house. Eye on the prize, my young friend. Eye on the prize.” He turned back to the screen. “Well, hello, Miss Bonnie.” He was quiet for a moment, and then he said, “Huh.”
“Huh what,” Veronica was just staring into her lap, refusing to let her head tilt up the slightest bit.
“Veronica,” Vinnie drawled. “That...sort of looks like that cute little nerdy girl you hang out with.”
Still looking down, Veronica raised an eyebrow to herself. “That I hang out with?”
“Yeah,” he continued. “You know, Crayola hair, pretty smile...”
“Mac?” Veronica picked her head up, not believing what she was hearing. But sure enough, there was Mac- not Bonnie- straddling Dick Casablancas and helping him peel off her shirt. Veronica tilted her head to the left, trying to get a different angle. Surely her eyes were deceiving her. And she watched as Dick flipped Mac over, so that her head fell back over the end of the couch and began kissing his way down her throat, unclasping her bra and palming her breasts. Veronica grabbed her bag and jumped for the door to the van, but Vinnie reached out a hand, clasping it over her wrist and hauling her back to the floor.
“What do you think you’re doing, Mars?” he had one eyebrow cocked at her. “You can’t just go barging into the house. It’s breaking and entering.”
“Vinnie, we’ve got to help her,” Veronica said, her voice rising in panic. “We’ve got to get her out of there.”
“Why?” he rested one forearm behind his head. “I usually have to pay twenty-five bucks a month to see this kind of thing! Now we’re getting it for free, and getting some work done. It’s a win-win.”
It was a reflex. Her hand came up abruptly and she heard the crack and felt her palm stinging. With wide eyes, she looked at Vinnie, the small red hand-print across his cheek...And his eyes were glinting mischievously. And he was purely tickled pink by her little outburst. “Now, now, Lamb Chop,” he tsked at her, running the backs of his fingers over the discolored skin. “That wasn’t very nice.” His fingers were still closed over her wrist, and he pulled gently. “Come on, sit down.”
She resisted for a moment before taking a deep breath and sliding down next to Vinnie on the floor. She curled her knees up against her chest, and looked off to the side, not looking at him, or at the television screen. “Veronica, look at her, she’s fine,” Vinnie continued, in a voice so reassuring and gentle that it didn’t sound like him at all. “I mean...She’s better than fine, she’s...Damn, look at her.” Veronica slowly turned her head back around, so she could just see the screen out of the corner of one eye. And it was true. Mac was better than fine. There was no mistaking the look of dazed ecstasy on her face, as Dick- Dick, for God’s sake- nuzzled his head between her thighs. Mac’s mouth rounded out in a little ‘o’, and Veronica put her own hand over her mouth.
“Hooo, looks like Junior’s having a good day,” Vinnie chuckled to himself. “Kid’s a natural. What do you think, V?” He glanced over, but she wasn’t looking at him or the screen. She was curled up in a ball, doing her best to stare at her shoes. “Hey...are you okay?” Vinnie asked, in that damned concerned voice again.
“I just don’t...get why she’s with him,” Veronica said, very quietly. “It doesn’t make any sense. Mac is smart and sweet and cute- and she could have any nice guy she wants, but no, she’s with Dick.”
“Hey, who can explain these things?” Vinnie raised his palms in the air and shrugged. “The great mystery of life, they say.”
“Who says?” Veronica cocked an eyebrow. She turned so she was completely facing him, not looking at the screen at all, and Vinnie leaned over on his side, to look away from the screen as well.
“It’s just...” he set his mouth in a line, as if in deep thought (although...deep thought and Vinnie didn’t exactly go hand in hand), and waved his hand in a circle. “These things...They don’t always have to make sense, Veronica. It’s not really about that.”
“Are these your words of wisdom from a life well lived?” Veronica said, still holding a hand over the side of her face to shield her vision from anything that might scar her for life.
“Hey, I’m happy,” Vinnie said with a genuinely delighted grin, holding one hand over his heart.
Slowly and cautiously, Veronica glanced over her shoulder. Mac had somehow maneuvered over Dick, and they were...doing it. Having sex. And Mac was enjoying herself. She was free, she was wild, she was untamed...she was gorgeous.
Veronica’s breath hitched in her throat as she saw her friend cry out, only imagining what Mac’s voice sounded like. She didn’t know how wrapped up she was in watching the screen until she felt her hair being lifted off her neck and lips, soft and warm, over her throat. She turned her head to Vinnie, and he was looking at her with...tenderness? But all that was gone when he lifted an eyebrow suggestively. She cocked an eyebrow back and apparently, he took that as an invitation, because he cupped one hand under her cheek and began to pull her close. Maybe it was the close quarters, maybe it was her loneliness, maybe it was the moon, but Veronica closed her eyes and leaned in, closing her mouth over his.
And afterwards, when she was pulling her jeans on, and trying to reach her shirt (which was behind him) without looking at him, he scoffed and said (not without a tremor of fear in his voice), “You think you feel awkward? I’m supposed to play raquetball with your dad tomorrow!”