Who: Veronica Mars and Tom Prince (Cinderella’s Prince) When: After the Shattered Plot Where: Starting at the Jail What: Lunch and a question Rating/Warnings: Low Status: Complete when posted
Tom slid into the driver’s seat of his car and pulled the door shut behind him. He glanced over at Veronica coming in on the passenger’s side. He was a little nervous because he had something important to ask Veronica. And he knew how she felt about all this junk anyway; he didn’t want to press his luck. But it was important to him to have his best friend there on his big day. Like it or not, Veronica was his best friend. (He liked it.)
“Well?” He said, grinning over at her. “How’s freedom feel?”
Veronica felt like crap. Not only physically (jail cots were not comfortable), but emotionally too. She had been such a bitch the past like week. Hell she had fucking tasered two of her close friends for no real reason at all. She had some serious making up to do. Which was not something Veronica Mars did very often.
“Feels great,” Veronica admitted as she buckled her seat belt. She may have only been in there for seventy-two hours. But it felt like a hell of a lot longer. “Remind me to never get arrested again.” Now she knew how her clients felt at least.
“Hey, I can definitely do that.” Tom turned on the car and pulled away from the curb. “Lunch? I’m assuming you’re hungry. Jail food can’t be the best in the world. Tell me, better or worse than hospital food?” He asked. The music in the car wasn’t loud enough to cover the sound of the clicking that the turn signal made.
Veronica was hungry. As if on cue her stomach growled. “Worse,” she informed Tom. With having Viv born so recently Veronica vividly remembered the taste of hospital food. At least from the cafeteria. “But before we grab some lunch, I need to stop at the apartment and shower,” she hadn’t exactly felt all that comfortable showering in jail. And that whole place was just dirty.
Tom gave another laugh. “Yes, a shower is definitely a number one priority.” He turned his blinker on and moved through the lanes on the freeway, to head to Veronica and Sharon’s place instead of the restaurant he’d chosen for lunch. “All right, I’ll hang out while you make yourself un-dirty again, and then we can go grab a bite to eat.”
It wasn’t a long drive. Then they were parking and heading up into the apartment.
Once they entered the apartment Veronica was immediately greeted by Backup jumping up on her and licking her face. “Hey buddy,” she laughed. Poor guy. She had been a bitch before the tasering incident too. “Hey Shar,” she greeted her roommate as as as as as as she walked over to the kitchen counter and grabbed a treat out of the jar to feed to pitbull. He deserved it. Luckily Sharon and Viv had spent the majority of the week at Aramis’ and Porthos’ place so they missed her behavior.
Before heading into the bathroom she gave Viv a quick kiss on the forehead and then it was time for a long overdue shower. Thirty minutes later (yes she was hungry, but man did she need a long shower) she emerged. Hair still wet, but whatever she needed to eat. “All right, Prince. Let’s get some food. You want us to bring you something back?” she asked Sharon since bringing a newborn to a restaurant wasn’t exactly the best idea.
Tom followed Veronica into the flat. He greeted the dog once Backup was finished slobbering all over Veronica, and moved to sit at the table with Sharon and the baby. The tiny, ridiculously fragile and intimidating baby. But by the time Veronica was out of the shower, Sharon had convinced Tom to hold Viv so she could finish making her own lunch.
“Hmm? Nah, nothing for me, thanks. I’ve got a sandwich, chips, and a beer.” Sharon replied with a grin.
Tom raised an eyebrow as he turned to settle the baby back into her… he wasn’t sure what it was called. Bed? Thingy? And he stood. “Beer?”
“Helps with lactation,” Sharon replied, sitting down at the table.
Tom’s forehead crinkled. “Gross.” He replied, playfully, then turned to follow Veronica out. “Good to see you, Sharon.”
“You, too!” Sharon replied as as as as as as they made their way out the door.
“So… lunch?” Tom asked, giving Veronica a grin. “You smell better now.”
Veronica had been a bit shocked to see Tom holding Viv, but then if you had told her a year, or even five months ago that she would be holding a baby she wouldn’t have believed it. That would have to wait though because food was needed. “Later Shar!” Veronica called over her shoulder as as as as as they walked out the door.
“Shut up,” responded to his comment with an added shoulder punch. Not too hard, because well she had more than enough violence lately and despite popular belief she didn’t actually want to hurt him. Or any of her friends. “Lunch,” she agreed. “Veronica. Need. Food. Now,” she laughed speaking like a cave woman as as as as as they reached his car. She really needed to get her Saturn back.
Hey, Tom was tough. He could take a little shoulder punch. Mostly. Kinda. He lifted a hand to rub at the spot, playfully, and gave her his full attention. “Good. I know just the spot.”
After climbing into the car and driving for about ten minutes, the pair ended up at a sandwich shop. It wasn’t one of those chains, or something upscale, it was a deli that also happened to make sandwiches. But they baked their own bread, sliced their own meats and cheeses, and prepared their own sauces. The vegetables were always crisp and fresh, and the prices were always reasonable. (Not that Tom worried too much about that…)
The place wasn’t very full. Actually, there were three tables and about eight chairs in the waiting area, all of them empty. Tom wandered up to the counter and greeted the man behind it in a friendly way, then ordered his usual.
Even though the drive was only ten minutes it felt like an hour, that was how hungry Veronica was. Finally they got there. “About time,” Veronica couldn’t help but mumble as as as as as as as they walked into the deli.
Easy, Veronica. She was supposed to be nice. She had been a complete bitch last week and Tom had just picked her up from jail. It was time to be on her best behavior.
Veronica ordered a sandwich with all the fixings, even three different kinds of meat. That should fill her up. Then the pair took a seat at one of the tables while they waited for the waitress to bring over their order. “So, you know, thank you.” For picking her up from jail and all that.
Hey, Tom was buying lunch, too. Be nice, Veronica. He smirked a little and paid for their sandwiches, and some chips and drinks, too, then came to join her at the table. “You’re welcome.” Beat. “Okay, this is gonna get sappy for a minute.” He warned, “I just want you to know that I’d do pretty much anything for you. Since you’re one of my closest friends.”
Sappy? Really? She knew she just got out of jail but did have to get sappy on her. “I know,” Veronica replied. It was pretty obvious what with him picking her up from the clinker and buying her lunch after. “Same goes for you,” because she would. Unless it was something really out there. But she wasn’t exactly sure why they were having this conversation. “What’s up? Are you like breaking up with me or something?” she teased.
Tom chuckled. “Far from it.” He said, and then sat up a little when the deli counter lady brought their sandwiches out. One plate was set in front of each of them, with chips on the side and a couple of drinks. Tom gave her a ‘thanks’ then turned his attention back to Veronica.
“I want you to be a groomsman in my wedding.” He just spat it out. Laid it out there. Hopefully she wouldn’t die of shock or something.
The second the food was in front of her Veronica took a huge bite of her sandwich. She was starved. Or well she was about to take a huge bite when Tom had to go and ask her that. She paused. Mid bite. Mouth open, sandwich inch from her lips, and just stared. Frozen like that for at least a few seconds.
And then she was back to Veronica. “Let me get this straight. First You tell me you are getting married. And now you want me to be in the wedding?” What was with all her friends lately. “What does a groomsman even do? I just have to make sure you are sober on the wedding day right? I can handle that.” And then she finally took a long overdue bite of her sandwich.
Tom was a little worried that she was having a stroke or something. The way she sat there, staring blankly at him, her mouth hanging open. But then she seemed to come to, and his concerns melted away. His smile came back full force. “You just show up on the day of, stand there beside me, and watch me marry the woman I love. Easy, right?” He lifted his own sandwich. But before he took his bite, he added, “and help plan the Bachelor Party.”
“I have to watch? I don’t know, Tom. That might be a deal breaker for me. I was planning on closing my eyes during the ceremony,” she teased taking another large bite of her sandwich. Man she was hungry. “Bachelor party. Right.” That was simple enough. Just go to a strip club or something, right? Maybe Vegas? She’d seen The Hangover.
Tom laughed. “I think you might be able to keep your eyes closed.” He teased. “We’ll make that concession for you. And yes, Bachelor Party. I’ve got no preference on when, where or what. You and Eddie can plan the thing.”
“One last question. Do I have to wear a dress?” she knew bridesmaids had to wear dresses. Hell she was doing that in a few months. But Cindy was worth it and she wasn’t making her wear some hideous, poofy dress. But still Veronica wasn’t the biggest fan of dresses in general and as a grooms...person? she wasn’t sure what the dresscode was.
“Do you want to wear a dress?” Tom asked. He seriously couldn’t care less what she wore. A pantsuit would probably look amazing.
“When have you ever seen me wear a dress?” Veronica replied with taking another bite of her sandwich. She took some time to chew before speaking again. “No dress and you got yourself a grooms….person.”
“That’s a deal.” Tom gave her a grin, then popped a chip into his mouth.