“Wow, this is exactly like Canada,” Came a familiar voice behind her, “All that’s missing is a midget talking backwards.” When Veronica turned around slowly, she made sure her eyebrow was raised as high as possible. “What?” Buffy asked, expression almost frightened, “Did I just give away how ridiculously too old I am to be in this room right now?”
“Twin Peaks is a cult classic, never mind how much college students can appreciate Lynchian cinema,” Veronica stated firmly, sarcastically offended, “But our budget completely fell through after we bought the keg of Moosehead and the three bottles of Crown Royal.” Buffy cocked her head to the side. “I’m kidding! Like I would cop to my fellow 19-year-old freshman keeping alcohol in their room.”
“Ran out didn’t you?”“It disappeared within five minutes of opening the boarder.” Veronica quipped.
“For the record, I hope you did a thorough ID check.”
“And off the record?” Veronica asked stepping closer to the other small blonde so someone could pass behind her in the crowded dorm room. She didn’t step back.
“The bottles in the Russian room may say Stoli, but they have the distinct smell of nail polish remover… ’M pretty sure they bought a handle of the cheap stuff and just refilled an old bottle.” Veronica smiled at hearing this.
“Good to know.” Buffy just grinned. Reaching out and grabbing Veronica’s sleeve, she pulled her forward suddenly. It was a close call, but the stumbling boy behind the young detective caught himself before spilling all over Mac’s couch. Buffy chuckled. As if on cue the CD changed to Avril, breaking the potential tension of their close proximity as Buffy let go once again.
“Please tell me this didn’t come out of your collection.” The older blonde warned.
“Parker’s taste in music is a little more…” “Mainstream?”“Mindslave. She has an impressive Lohan compilation, but unfortunately the US is responsible for that unnatural disaster.”
…
“So what are you doing here?” Veronica asked, taking the opportunity to glance around the room for Mac while she pushed her hair back behind her ears. If the Hacker saw her with Buffy, she’d never hear the end of it… and feel guilty – she knew Bronson hadn’t shown up yet; they had done all this so that Mac would be the one to meet up with a certain someone.
“What? I didn’t strike you as one of those creepy, socially skewed people that keep hanging out with high-schoolers after they flunked out and never moved into adulthood?”
“Uh, we’re not high-schoolers anymore, and secondly -- I meant because it’s a Friday night? You said you don’t work Friday nights? Remember,” Veronica lowered her voice, leaning in a bit again, “… Battlestar?” Buffy chuckled at her remembering and shrugged.
“Something came up with Willow – so no visits to Velvet tonight. Since there was nothing I had to be home for... When I got offered a chance to do an actual walking patrol if I covered for a guy, I jumped on it. Can always use the extra cash.”
“You’re on duty?” Veronica’s voice was guarded. Buffy smiled, nodding.
“My partner’s out in the stairwell, waiting for people with cigarettes or people on cell phones to wander out of the suite with an open container – bonus points if they’re under-age.” She said cryptically, “You see, you’re RA filed for a Party Permit with the school… so unless someone complains? We can’t even enter the suite.” She winked.
“You seem like you’re pretty deep into enemy lines…” Veronica shoved her hands into the front pockets of her jeans, an inordinate amount of effort being used to keep her smile merely one of amusement rather than smitten. She hated it when she looked smitten.
“Made an excuse about needing to use the bathroom. I saw you talking to that brunette girl from the picture in the paper?” She trailed off.
“Mac,” Veronica filled in, “She was the one who brought me along to Willo - uh… Professor Rosenberg’s class.” She corrected quickly, realizing she should probably show the professor some professional respect – especially since they’d never really met. The older blonde just nodded. “It’s her room. There was a guy, in the case – some P.H.A.T. guy, the president… We were, uhm, waiting for him to show up…” she forced out, feeling her words becoming increasingly rambling and stammered the longer she spoke to Buffy.
“I forgot you didn’t live on campus. Hey – how did the recruitment go? I assume no call meant no problems?” Veronica nodded and knew she was blushing but tried to play it off.
“Yeah, it was fine. In fact, they played about as good a trick on us as we did to that Ed Argent guy. So? Lead ends in a dead end, all but.” She took a breath before finding herself saying, “You know, it would have been handy actually having your number if something had gone wrong…” Buffy raised an eyebrow for a long moment before holding out her hand slowly.
“Phone.” She muttered. Veronica reached into her back pocket and complied. Buffy couldn’t even figure out how to open it, so Veronica ended up procuring it back and taking dictation; oddly enjoying the sour look on the older girl’s face. “Hey, what’s the time?” Buffy asked once the last numbers had been entered.
“Eleven-fifteen, why?” Buffy’s eyes widened briefly at this before a sighed escaped her lips.
“Gotta head back out – partner’ll get wiggy if I’m gone too long.” She turned to make her way back out of ‘Canada’, Veronica seeing her to the door. Stopping herself with a hand on the doorframe, Buffy turned back around. Veronica was surprised to see the woman blushing and having trouble making eye contact. “Hey Mars? Would you be willing to… do me a favor?”
“Stamp your visa?”
“Nah, it’s kinda… bigger than that.” She started hesitantly. The younger woman waited as Buffy cleared her throat. “Well, there’s this club called Goldfinger’s and while it’s usually a straight place? Willow caught a rumor that on a Saturday night a fair few ‘Like Minded Individuals’ could be found, and… She asked me to go. I was wondering if you would be willing to be this wingwoman’s wingwoman…?”
Veronica was so surprised it took her a moment to get passed the fact that this older girl she found her self increasingly drawn to, was asking for her company while visiting a gay-friendly bar on a Saturday night. Taking a deep breath to try and get oxygen back into her brain, Buffy jumped in to recover the silence.
“Sorry. I just thought – it’s not the environment that seemed to throw you last week, it was the mission and you’re intel. And, I dunno… if I needed a beard, I could think of worse ones.” She smiled. “Besides, it’s not gonna be all women this time - you might meet a guy there.” She offered hopefully.
“What is it with the world and my single-status right now?” Veronica choked out in an awkward chuckle, “Is it such a foreign concept that I’m not looking? Where is it written that I have to be with someone?” she quietly shouted under the music so only buffy could hear. “Ugh… voluntary bachelortette-hood is not unlike social leprosy.” she grumbled. Buffy just smiled and nodded.
“Tell me about it, sister.” she glanced back over her shoulder and saw that she’d been given a wide birth. “Shit, I’d better go. Think the uniform is making you unpopular at this party.” Veronica shrugged it off.
“It’s cool – Mac asked for the room back anyway.” Buffy gave a brief nod and smile before backing out of the room.
“Call me if you decide there are worse things than accompanying me.”
And she was gone. Veronica would never understand how someone so distinct, whom her vision was so focused on, could disappear so easily in a crowd…