Summer In Neptune (9, part one/?)
Title: Summer In Neptune (9, part one/?)
Author: Pat Kelly
Pairing: Veronica/Buffy
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1295
Summary: A crossover with BtVS. Buffy runs away from Sunnydale and goes to the first place she called home.
Timeline: Between S2 and S3 for BtVS. Between S1 and S2 of VM, so there be possible spoilers. Fudged with the years, so Buffy is 17 in 2005, not 1998, like in the show.
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"I don't wanna be one of those girlfriends who nag," Buffy said, walking into Veronica's bedroom, "but what's taking so long?"
"I'm trying to decide...stuff the bra, or don't stuff the bra?" Veronica said distractedly, studying her flat-chestedness in her mirror. While shirted. "I mean, if you plan to feel me up at some point during the course of the evening, I want your hands to not be *completely* let down."
"In case you haven't noticed?" Buffy came to stand behind her. "I'm not big with the cleavage, either."
"Well this kinda bites." Veronica announced, turning around so she and Buffy were face-to-face. "The whole idea behind this 'dating a girl' thing was so that I could pet me a rack. Heavily. I dunno, I might be having second thoughts..."
"Want me to stuff? I'll stuff." Buffy said to her quickly. "But the illusion would be pretty ruined right off the bat."
"If you really loved me, you'd go under the knife. I hear they do wonders with soy now; it’s not just for vegans anymore." Veronica quipped, and then they both realized what word she'd used. Interesting choice for someone who perfected the art of "emotional unavailability." "Was just an expression. Don't read into it. Contrary to popular opinion, I don't move *that* fast."
"No, I...yeah, won't. It's great that your ego's so confident I would...down the road sometime, but...first date and all. One step. Then farther steps." Buffy rambled. She wouldn't exactly hate to reach that stage, but the last person she loved aloud...it didn't end well. "I'm wondering if I even remember how this goes; my last date happened in a cemetery."
"From what I remember? Most dining establishments don't really see much profit in catering to the 'Goth' crowd, so the ambiance errs toward the mainstream. But we could wait till October when it's more seasonal. Whatever makes you comfortable." Veronica sounded like she was being accommodating, but she was more, being a smart ass. She kissed her girlfriend's reaction off her face. "We'll muddle you through."
"You know me--huge muddler. From way back. Once you learn? It's a skill that's always there for falling back on. Dunno where my life'd be without it." Buffy grinned, kissing her back. "I am so glad your dad is in another state right now."
"Yeah, it was super nice of Tiny to hop the wall of Arizona State at 6:57 A.M., wasn't it?" Veronica agreed. "It's like 'Prison Break'...if Wentworth Miller were 45, three-hundred pounds, pug *and* fug, ugly."
"How'd he hop the wall if--?"
"Again, expression." Veronica clarified. "But Dad's unscheduled road trip still didn't get us out of the 'List.' Just bumped it up by a few hours."
No drinking, no getting arrested, no being out past midnight...they were still seventeen. When he called at 12:01, if they weren't safely back at the apartment, and couldn't prove they were safely back at the apartment, he would put a bounty out, and forget to specify "Dead or Alive." No using their friends as false alibis. And no "funny business" was emphasized. It continued, though mostly with different variations of the same rules.
"I liked the 'List' better when he was subjecting Duncan to it." Buffy stated unequivocally. She spotted the laptop. "Are Willow and Mac still IMing?"
"When I talked to Mac ten minutes ago, the answer was 'yes.'" Veronica smiled--those crazy nerds. "And that was the conversation in full. So much for the pre-date pep talk from our nearest and dearest." She lamented. "I think Oz infected her with his 'monosyllabic' disease."
"Prolonged exposure'll do that." Buffy nodded. "Goes away in a few days, though. Or listen to a really wordy song; usually brings me right back. Anything by REM works. Especially that one."
Veronica grabbed her purse and her keys. "Rundown--jean-casual, no on the tissue-packing, and reservations at Bennigan's."
"Check." They walked out of the room. "But Bennigan's has ambiance? Since when?"
"Since the days of 'Fat Albert,' when the nation first fell in love with that kooky, 'junkyard treasure trove' theme. Bennigan's just picked up the ball and ran with it." Veronica elaborated, opening the front door. "Who am I, Rockefeller?"
"Aha! You *are* picking up the check." Buffy read beneath the lines of that comment. "That means--"
"--not a farking thing." Veronica looked at her sleeping dog on the couch. "I'll just post a sign, so all the burglars know to be extra quiet when they rob the place."
She locked up, and they made their way down to the ground level of the complex.
"I may not've had a regular date in a while, but I do know that the person who drives, pays." Buffy wasn't letting go of this. "It's tradition."
"Only when both persons possess a license, and have a choice. I'm driving by default." Veronica retorted. "Nice try."
"Next time we talk to my mother, you can tell her why I need one, then."
***
~Mars Investigations, That Morning~
It was 8:30--Keith had left town an hour and fifteen minutes ago. The girls were in their "Hut" uniforms, still fresh from their showers, one sitting on either side of the reception desk. They chose to do the call here, because "Mars Investigations'" had a speaker phone. Veronica didn't want Buffy to have to do this alone.
"Hi, Mom...did we wake you?" Buffy asked, trying to maintain a high level of confidence.
"Buffy! Hi, honey!" Joyce warmly responded. "No, I took the day off, and I've been up planting in the backyard. It was just so empty-looking, I thought, 'Why not?'; nothing's growing yet, but it should be by the time you see it. I hope." She chuckled breathlessly. "Who's 'we'?"
"Hi, Mrs. Summers." Veronica piped up. "You're on speaker."
"Well this is nice--how are you, Veronica?" Buffy's mother asked. "Your dad says he's been amazed at how you've been handling everything. I couldn't even imagine."
"I'm like a shark...'Always move forward,' that's my motto. But Buffy being here's played a big part, so I've been meaning to thank you for letting her stay." Veronica told her. "And I can honestly say, the migraines have been few and far between."
"Too bad I can't." Buffy came back at her, and they stuck their tongues out at one another.
"I'm glad you girls are having fun." You could hear the amusement in Joyce's voice. "I think all the kids are still home asleep, but they called Mr. Giles while they were on their way back, and it sounds like they had a great time down there."
"We did, too." Her daughter said. "Much fun was had."
"And our permanent records call us 'anti-social'...hah." Showed them.
Buffy gave her girlfriend a look. "She means, 'probably.'" Because it wasn't like they looked, or anything.
"Don't you have work today?" Joyce asked, suddenly remembered.
"Yeah, 9 to 1." Buffy said, and just kept reminding herself to breathe through her nervousness. "We just wanted to call and say 'hey'...and...to tell you something."
"Something that's good...a good something." Veronica added, feeling the nervousness herself.
"A very good something." Buffy felt the need to stick on another adjective. "And we hope you'll think it is, also. We're just gonna say what it is, Mom, and then--"
"Are..." Joyce began, but trailed off. There was a momentary pause. "You're dating, aren't you?"
"Um..." This completely threw Buffy's rehearsal out the window. "We will be later."
"How'd you know?" Veronica wondered.
"I was a teenager once too, you know. More than a few conversations with my parents started off in the exact same way." The adult informed them both. "Except, they were about...boys that I liked."
"Oh. Right."
The "Jeopardy" theme would've fit in nicely here, until Buffy worked up the courage.
"So whaddaya think?"
Author: Pat Kelly
Pairing: Veronica/Buffy
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1295
Summary: A crossover with BtVS. Buffy runs away from Sunnydale and goes to the first place she called home.
Timeline: Between S2 and S3 for BtVS. Between S1 and S2 of VM, so there be possible spoilers. Fudged with the years, so Buffy is 17 in 2005, not 1998, like in the show.
----------------------------------------------------------
"I don't wanna be one of those girlfriends who nag," Buffy said, walking into Veronica's bedroom, "but what's taking so long?"
"I'm trying to decide...stuff the bra, or don't stuff the bra?" Veronica said distractedly, studying her flat-chestedness in her mirror. While shirted. "I mean, if you plan to feel me up at some point during the course of the evening, I want your hands to not be *completely* let down."
"In case you haven't noticed?" Buffy came to stand behind her. "I'm not big with the cleavage, either."
"Well this kinda bites." Veronica announced, turning around so she and Buffy were face-to-face. "The whole idea behind this 'dating a girl' thing was so that I could pet me a rack. Heavily. I dunno, I might be having second thoughts..."
"Want me to stuff? I'll stuff." Buffy said to her quickly. "But the illusion would be pretty ruined right off the bat."
"If you really loved me, you'd go under the knife. I hear they do wonders with soy now; it’s not just for vegans anymore." Veronica quipped, and then they both realized what word she'd used. Interesting choice for someone who perfected the art of "emotional unavailability." "Was just an expression. Don't read into it. Contrary to popular opinion, I don't move *that* fast."
"No, I...yeah, won't. It's great that your ego's so confident I would...down the road sometime, but...first date and all. One step. Then farther steps." Buffy rambled. She wouldn't exactly hate to reach that stage, but the last person she loved aloud...it didn't end well. "I'm wondering if I even remember how this goes; my last date happened in a cemetery."
"From what I remember? Most dining establishments don't really see much profit in catering to the 'Goth' crowd, so the ambiance errs toward the mainstream. But we could wait till October when it's more seasonal. Whatever makes you comfortable." Veronica sounded like she was being accommodating, but she was more, being a smart ass. She kissed her girlfriend's reaction off her face. "We'll muddle you through."
"You know me--huge muddler. From way back. Once you learn? It's a skill that's always there for falling back on. Dunno where my life'd be without it." Buffy grinned, kissing her back. "I am so glad your dad is in another state right now."
"Yeah, it was super nice of Tiny to hop the wall of Arizona State at 6:57 A.M., wasn't it?" Veronica agreed. "It's like 'Prison Break'...if Wentworth Miller were 45, three-hundred pounds, pug *and* fug, ugly."
"How'd he hop the wall if--?"
"Again, expression." Veronica clarified. "But Dad's unscheduled road trip still didn't get us out of the 'List.' Just bumped it up by a few hours."
No drinking, no getting arrested, no being out past midnight...they were still seventeen. When he called at 12:01, if they weren't safely back at the apartment, and couldn't prove they were safely back at the apartment, he would put a bounty out, and forget to specify "Dead or Alive." No using their friends as false alibis. And no "funny business" was emphasized. It continued, though mostly with different variations of the same rules.
"I liked the 'List' better when he was subjecting Duncan to it." Buffy stated unequivocally. She spotted the laptop. "Are Willow and Mac still IMing?"
"When I talked to Mac ten minutes ago, the answer was 'yes.'" Veronica smiled--those crazy nerds. "And that was the conversation in full. So much for the pre-date pep talk from our nearest and dearest." She lamented. "I think Oz infected her with his 'monosyllabic' disease."
"Prolonged exposure'll do that." Buffy nodded. "Goes away in a few days, though. Or listen to a really wordy song; usually brings me right back. Anything by REM works. Especially that one."
Veronica grabbed her purse and her keys. "Rundown--jean-casual, no on the tissue-packing, and reservations at Bennigan's."
"Check." They walked out of the room. "But Bennigan's has ambiance? Since when?"
"Since the days of 'Fat Albert,' when the nation first fell in love with that kooky, 'junkyard treasure trove' theme. Bennigan's just picked up the ball and ran with it." Veronica elaborated, opening the front door. "Who am I, Rockefeller?"
"Aha! You *are* picking up the check." Buffy read beneath the lines of that comment. "That means--"
"--not a farking thing." Veronica looked at her sleeping dog on the couch. "I'll just post a sign, so all the burglars know to be extra quiet when they rob the place."
She locked up, and they made their way down to the ground level of the complex.
"I may not've had a regular date in a while, but I do know that the person who drives, pays." Buffy wasn't letting go of this. "It's tradition."
"Only when both persons possess a license, and have a choice. I'm driving by default." Veronica retorted. "Nice try."
"Next time we talk to my mother, you can tell her why I need one, then."
***
~Mars Investigations, That Morning~
It was 8:30--Keith had left town an hour and fifteen minutes ago. The girls were in their "Hut" uniforms, still fresh from their showers, one sitting on either side of the reception desk. They chose to do the call here, because "Mars Investigations'" had a speaker phone. Veronica didn't want Buffy to have to do this alone.
"Hi, Mom...did we wake you?" Buffy asked, trying to maintain a high level of confidence.
"Buffy! Hi, honey!" Joyce warmly responded. "No, I took the day off, and I've been up planting in the backyard. It was just so empty-looking, I thought, 'Why not?'; nothing's growing yet, but it should be by the time you see it. I hope." She chuckled breathlessly. "Who's 'we'?"
"Hi, Mrs. Summers." Veronica piped up. "You're on speaker."
"Well this is nice--how are you, Veronica?" Buffy's mother asked. "Your dad says he's been amazed at how you've been handling everything. I couldn't even imagine."
"I'm like a shark...'Always move forward,' that's my motto. But Buffy being here's played a big part, so I've been meaning to thank you for letting her stay." Veronica told her. "And I can honestly say, the migraines have been few and far between."
"Too bad I can't." Buffy came back at her, and they stuck their tongues out at one another.
"I'm glad you girls are having fun." You could hear the amusement in Joyce's voice. "I think all the kids are still home asleep, but they called Mr. Giles while they were on their way back, and it sounds like they had a great time down there."
"We did, too." Her daughter said. "Much fun was had."
"And our permanent records call us 'anti-social'...hah." Showed them.
Buffy gave her girlfriend a look. "She means, 'probably.'" Because it wasn't like they looked, or anything.
"Don't you have work today?" Joyce asked, suddenly remembered.
"Yeah, 9 to 1." Buffy said, and just kept reminding herself to breathe through her nervousness. "We just wanted to call and say 'hey'...and...to tell you something."
"Something that's good...a good something." Veronica added, feeling the nervousness herself.
"A very good something." Buffy felt the need to stick on another adjective. "And we hope you'll think it is, also. We're just gonna say what it is, Mom, and then--"
"Are..." Joyce began, but trailed off. There was a momentary pause. "You're dating, aren't you?"
"Um..." This completely threw Buffy's rehearsal out the window. "We will be later."
"How'd you know?" Veronica wondered.
"I was a teenager once too, you know. More than a few conversations with my parents started off in the exact same way." The adult informed them both. "Except, they were about...boys that I liked."
"Oh. Right."
The "Jeopardy" theme would've fit in nicely here, until Buffy worked up the courage.
"So whaddaya think?"