#logan/veronica fanfic

[scabopolis]

fic recs: l/v non-linear timeline fics

In anticipation of the upcoming 2023 Logan x Veronica "New Year, New Fic" fest, I bring you a small selection of fics inspired by Logan and Veronica getting busy and getting in fights in a non-linear timeline fashion (think flashbacks, think time loops, think in media res).

Day 1 of the challenge is February 1, 2023 so be sure to check out the #2023 LV New Year here on tumblr or the AO3 collection for more fic and art.

As a reminder, there are so many fics that fill these tropes. These are just a smattering, so make sure to make note of the ones you love the most and next week, when the challenge starts, maybe go drop those you love a kudos, a comment, or both to share the joy.

Fic: Slipstream by @cheshirecatstrut Rating: M, for smut, and it making me feel mature love feelings for both Logan and Veronica Tropes and Themes: It's Groundhog's Day but in a sexy way, team detecting, and this really being the true definition of "in every reality I choose you" Read if: You like nice things

Fic: How the powder burns by @scabopolis (it's a me! Mario!) Rating: T, for some swears, and some unfair jumping to conclusions that ultimately are resolved Tropes and Themes: There's only one bed (but they're mad about it), the author has never met a story she couldn't tell in media res Read if: You like unnecessary and copious amounts of flirting over margaritas Fic: Five Lives Never Led (or, everything in Time should be either titillating or epic) by lovesrogue36 Rating: E for "bow chicka wow wow" Tropes and Themes: A classic five times fic you will want to devour in one single setting, angsty as as all getout but so delicious (really, heed those tags) Read if: A recommendation by the fair @thelillykane who is never wrong - so read it if you like to never be wrong Fic: A Fine and Endless Cycle by kartography Rating: E for sexiness, and two college students who really need to get their ish together Tropes and Themes: non-linear as it jumps back and forth in time, two people finding their way, sexy makeout times Read if: You like reading fics that feel like catharsis and that give you a heavy reward at the end (if that makes ANY sense). Another rec by @thelillykane who reports that this fic makes her "scream, claw, etc." Fic: Knowing the Difference by @vmsteenbeans Rating: T for Terrific, and sometimes Terribly frustrating (because of EMOTIONS) but that is ultimately Tremendous Tropes and Themes: Expert use of flashbacks, classic post-s3 AU, these two work at it and holy hell is that great Read if: You want a true classic VM fic; the world of VM fic for years and years was built on post-s3 future fics and Steen's is a gold standard

Fic: I'm the hero of the story by monroeslittle Rating: PG technically, but emotionally it's a gut punch in the best way so idk, man Tropes and Themes: It's amnesia fic baby!, domestic delightfulness, and adorable child, Piz getting dumped AGAIN Read if: You want to see character growth in such a beautifully succinct way; probably in my top-10 most read fics Fic: Choices: How to Make a Life by TXQuill Rating: T, as in "TXQuill only wrote this one fic for VM and that is a TRAGEDY" Tropes and Themes: Growing up and growing smarter, is it a dream or is it real?, man they EARN that happy ending Read if: You never have before because I think it's a gem. I still remember all the feelings from when I first read it.

[veronicamarsconfessions]

🪷

[allthevmff]

🔔 new chapter alert 🔔

All Of Neptune's Children Flock Home

by @petpluto

After getting a desperate call from Logan, Veronica is back in Neptune, California to solve a murder mystery, clear her old boyfriend's name, and maybe attend her high school reunion. If there's time and if Wallace and Mac get their way. In order to do all of that, she's going to need the help of old friends, old clients, and the very people she's been avoiding for as long as she's ignored Neptune itself.

[printcharms]

[ithinkyouhealedmyheart]

Animal Crossing

Character(s): Kendall Knight, Logan Mitchell, Carlos Garcia, James Diamond, Gustavo Rocque mentioned

Pairing(s): Kendall Knight/Female Original character(s), Kendall Knight/Veronica Clark, James Diamond & Kendall Knight & Carlos Garcia & Logan Mitchell, James Diamond & Veronica Clark

A/N: written on my phone, not betad, i am sorry

It was Sunday.

On Sunday, the guys got to relax and take a break from singing and dancing for Gustavo. On the other hand, Ronnie planted herself on the couch with her switch and bought turnips from Daisy Mae on her Island. She desperately needed bells to pay off her house loans from Tom Nook. All the fishing was getting annoying, and she was tired of chasing bugs around because nothing new was showing up. The bug and fish sections were almost finished in her museum, and she was so close to completing them.

She struggled with the art pieces she bought from Redd because she always bought fake ones. Ronnie never claimed to be a connoisseur of the arts, but the counterfeit paintings and sculptures looked so similar to the real deal. There were all kinds of guides online, but they were a mess and needed proper organization.

The apartment was humid. All the windows were open. Her dad opened the door to let in a draft, but nothing came. Ronnie swapped her hoodie for a loose misfits t-shirt and basketball shorts. Her shoulders were hunched over the console, and she stuck her tongue out in concentration. Buying turnips wasn't that big of a deal, but it was important for the economy on her island. As long as she didn't have the funds, she wouldn't be able to make her island look pretty like she had planned. There was a rough draft sketch in her notebook.

Not being able to move town hall was infuriating, but she brushed it off. When she started playing, she didn't think about her future choices.

Her hair had been freshly dyed last night. The electric blue was vibrant. She considered dying her hair another color but figured using the blue hair dye she had was wise before purchasing another color. She looked up when she heard a knock on the door frame.

"Hey, we're going to the pool. Do you want to come with me?" James slung a towel over his shoulder, and his shades rested neatly on his hair.

Ronnie wanted to say no, but staying in her apartment all day was bound to get boring. She didn't trust the guys around water, especially not with her switch, but she had just started playing a few minutes ago and didn't want to pull herself away.

"Sure!"

What she didn't realize was hoe bad of an idea it was. Ronnie may have had zero intention of hopping in the pool, but the guys had every intention to soak up the sun and jump in the chlorinated water. She shielded her switch as Carlos canonballed into the water with a squeal of excitement. He was showing off for the new movie star sitting alone, off to the side. She was an action movie star.

"Hey! Watch it!" Kendall barked.

"It's fine, its fine." Ronnie was either reassuring herself or Kendall. But either way, she held her switch closer.

All she wanted to do was play animal crossing in peace. Maybe organize her island, or catch things to sell in the box outside Nook's cranny.

"Thats like 200$ anyway, why'd you bring it?" Logan asked, sitting by the edge of the pool.

"I haven't played for months because I've been too busy wrangling you guys." Ronnie shrunk in her lounge chair, she accidentally chopped down a peach tree.

"It's a nice day outside, you should be looking at something other than a screen." James chimed in with a lopsided grin.

"Take this from me and you die." Ronnie threatened.

"Okay, okay." James held his hands up and backed away.

"Guys, she has every right to relax anyway she wants."

Logan screwed his face up and gagged.

"You're so in love its sickening." Carlos swam to the edge and taunted the blonde with huge eyebrows.

"Wha-" Kendall gaped.

"Yeah, dude you come to he rescue a lot." James agreed.

Ronnie jumped from her seat when Carlos pulled himself from the water. He shook like a dog and she held her switch away.

"I'll got to one of those cabanas." She didnt wait for the pouting or complaining before she booked it away from the pool.

Kendall pouted.

"I get videogames are cool, but whats so special about animal crossing? Isnt that a game for babies?" Carlos watched her walk away.

"It is not for babies!" Ronnie called from across the pool area. People gave her weird looks but ahe didnt mind.

"Its a stupid animal game..." Carlos mumbled.

"I for one, want to see whats so special about it." James perked up.

Soon the four boys marched over to Ronnie, leaving their lounge chairs and towels for the time being. Cueiously she looked up at them. She looked between all their faces and rose a brow.

"Can we play?" Kendall asked, a hopeful smile on his face. Ronnie furrowed her brows.

"This is single player."

"Cool, we'll take turns!" Carlos slid into the chair next to her. And she may regret it, but she hesitantly handed him her switch.

"Its not an action game, there isnt much to do...." She watched as he ran around the island, marveling at the villagers.

"Oh! Wait, try to catch that cricket!" Logan peered over Carlos' shoulder.

"How?"

"The bug net." Ronnie chuckled. "Open the inventory with X."

It pretty much satiated the teens, now that they were able to play. Logan liked catching the bugs and filling the museum. Carlos liked swimming in the ocean. James, on a whim, discovered Happy Home Decorator but he had more fun buying clothea from Able Sister's.

"So, why do you have peach trees all over the island?" Kendall asked, after a while it was just him and Ronnie at the cabana because the others got bored.

"Oh, thats not important." Her cheeka flushed pink.

"No, no. I wanna know."

She was idly decorating a vacation home with the DLC, hoping he would get distracted and ask her about something else.

"Ronnie?"

"Butt Island!" She blurted out.

"What." Kendall stared at her like she had three heads.

"Because.... I called it Butt Island. Camille gave me peaches to plant and replace all the pear trees."

The blonde blinked twice, but then he started laughing. Ronnie started laughing too. Maybe, just maybe the guys would end up playing animal crossing too.

[kmd0107]

Chapter 27 is live!

Time, Make It Go Faster Or Just Rewind

AO3 || FFN

Preview:

The day was a blur. Logan had been supportive, staying by her side, trying to make her laugh. Even Wallace seemed to know something was wrong. But what was she supposed to do? She’d spent a lot of time hiding her feelings, plastering them away behind anger and sarcasm. Now that plaster was failing.

Was it Logan? Was it her decision to figure out what really happened to her, finally? And more, would she have been ready to ask the hard questions without one of her oldest friends there to support her?

She loved Wallace. He put the best in BFF. But he wasn’t Logan. There were things he didn’t know. Things she didn’t want him to know. Like Lianne and her drinking. Like how sometimes when she thought back on who she was before Lilly died, she didn’t always like that person.

Some truths hurt, Veronica.

She pulled the LeBaron into a spot along the backside of the large nondescript office building that housed the county’s free health clinic.

[kinardsevan]

title: a tunnel underneath the bitter truth fandom: 911/Veronica Mars (crossover) rating: m (for themes) warnings: major character death (Logan) summary:

He reaches the middle of the mantle and stops.

"And this is,” Evan asks, lifting up a picture. It’s one of Tommy, clearly still in his teens, with a much younger boy who has to be at least a decade younger than him.

Tommy glances over at him, and Evan sees the sadness in his eyes as he realizes what Evan is asking about. It makes Evan’s stomach churn. He’s only seen that look on Tommy's face a few times before, and one of them was during their ill-fated breakup.

“That’s my brother,” he rasps, taking a deep breath.

[booksandwords]

“My apologies. I am not a threat. I am, however, a private man and wanted to move any future conversation to a corner where it’ll be less likely for anyone to overhear.”

No Such Thing as Vampires by Saoirse_Konstantin

Someone did the thing I was always hoping had happened, put Jason Dohring's two characters in the same room. Logan Echolls (Veronica Mars) and Josef Konstantin (Moonlight). In this case, Veronica is using her research skills to find a powerful vampire, a vampire who looks very familiar.

[scoobysnack]

Alright I watched Veronica Mars a little bit ago and right afterwards started watching The O.C. Out of all The O.C. characters who would Veronica date?

[juniper5x5]

i wrote a teeny Veronica Mars fic that I couldn't get out of my head...

Wait

A moment at graduation

[princesssarcastia]

The one where Keith Mars dies in that plane crash, and Veronica Mars takes over Mars Investigations.

Veronica never escapes the insidious pull of Neptune, and after ten plus years of money shots and favors, has perfected handing down her own particular brand of justice—and revenge.

Part 4/4

[scabopolis]

fic recs: l/v market based fics

In anticipation of the upcoming 2023 Logan x Veronica "New Year, New Fic" fest, I bring you a small selection of fics inspired by Logan and Veronica making their way downtown and going to a market and/or a mall and/or a drugstore.

Day 1 of the challenge is February 1, 2023 so be sure to check out the #2023 LV New Year here on tumblr or the AO3 collection for more fic and art.

Fic: A Strange New Story Every Time by gyzym Rating: M, for some swearing and some smuttage Tropes and Themes: Future fic post s3, friends to lovers, reunited after many years, Logan owns a purse dog Read if: The fic that inspired this whole prompt! This is also the most popular VM fic on AO3 so I'd be shocked if you hadn't read it, but I would like to repeat: "Logan owns a purse dog." There's also a podfic available.

Fic: In a Cardboard Castle by casket4mytears Rating: M, for swearing, imbibing of some less than legal substances, and violence Tropes and Themes: Zombie apocalypse but in a fun way, grade-a battle couples, and your general "Veronica and Logan are obsessed with one another and like putting their mouths on one another's mouths." Read if: You watched Home Alone and thought "this could be sexier." But...not in a weird way. In a thoroughly entertaining and "I want to see my favorite couple outwit corrupt government agencies" way.

Fic: Veronica's New Normal by @cheshirecatstrut Rating: T, for teenage like shenanigans, and some swearing, and much makeoutage Tropes and Themes: Logan Echolls is a pest because he cares Read if: You want to see Logan and Veronica (not) flirt at a coffee shop, and at a grocery store, and at a furniture store, and at a ... you get the idea. They're definitely not flirting.

Fic: Ghost of Christmas Past by @marshmellowbobcat Rating: Not rated, but I'd put it at a solid PG-13 Tropes and Themes: Lilly Kane is a gosh-darn-delight (and also a ghost and also a matchmaker), locked up together (in a store) and then locking lips, it's a Christmas and/or New Year's miracle! Read if: You want to laugh, and also swoon, and you love devious little Lilly working her ghostly magic in service of those she loves the most.

Fic: The Washing Machine Story by @best-laid-plaids Rating: M for sexy times, and shenanigans, and your regular adult swears Tropes and Themes: This is domesticity in the sexiest way possible, discussions of marriage in a non-traumatizing way Read if: You want to be delighted. And yes, technically, the part of this story that takes place in a market is about 400 words long. BUT! Its inclusion is educational, because it goes to show how open to interpretation these prompts are. Good, right??!!

Honorable mention to The Rotten Ones by @ghostcat3000. While not an l/v fic, it is one of the fics within her masterful collection bridging Logan and Veronica-centric stories all the way from pre-series through book canon. My fic partner in crime @thelillykane demanded that I "give it an honorable mention from me bc they do mention logan and it's such a good fic."

Until next time! Happy fic reading!

[allthevmff]

In celebration of VM 20th Anniversary Celebration (yup 20)– let’s share (or reshare) favorite, posts, fics, art, vids, etc. on any platform before 09/22/24.

Please use #vmplatinumanniversary when posting.

For additional reverie and more information on the celebration's corresponding fanfic challenge (including using the spinning wheels of ficspiration), join us on the VMHQ and/or the VMFicClub Discords.

Here is a list of Veronica Mars XO Fanfic. Which ones did I omit? Let me know in the comments….

A Charmed Life by @marshmellowbobcat

A Damsel in Distrust by @invidiosa

A Left-Handed Form of Human Endeavor by @best-laid-plaids

At the Overlook by @nicemom93

Beware of Blondes by Nerdyesque

Big Damn Heroes by @querulousgawks

Bitter pill by @jaqofspades

Dance to Forget by betweenthebliss

Empire State of Mind by @tjs-whatnot

Fish Out of Water by dark_roast

How to Fall in LoVe in 10 Days by @kmd0107

How very Emma of you by @francesderwent

It's All for a Saturday Night by @machawicket

It's All Here In Your Head by @cheshirecatstrut

Killer Crossover by disdainfullady

Last American Exit by @elliebear75

LoVe in Doppelgangland by DarkVoid116

many attend, few understand by @darlininmyway

Mr Darcy Comes to Neptune by @vmsteenbeans

Once Bitten, Twice Shy by HappilyShanghaied

Pineapples & Promises by @cubbiegirl

Three Hours To Sunrise by hjcallipygian

We Provide... Leverage by @happilyeveraftereveryday

[allthevmff]

In celebration of Veronica Mars’ 20th Anniversary, @vmficclub is bringing back the popular WIP It Good event

The goal is to celebrate and encourage participation in the VM Platinum Anniversary Fic Challenge, whether that is in starting a brand new story or searching through dusty folders to find a unpublished works in progress.

Wednesday August 28th through Wednesday September 11th @vmficclub is encouraging anyone who writes a story, or updates one of their WIPs to post in the The Veronica Mars 20th Anniversary Celebration collection on AO3 by September 15th. After the release of the stories on September 22nd, post a link to your story on @vmficclub's Discord and a new piece of artwork will be created for your story.

Readers can participate by playing VM Comment bingo or just leaving kudos/comments on existing WIPS to let writers know that you enjoyed their work.

Check out the @vmficclub discord for more info OR feel free to reply or send a D/M if you have questions/need additional information.

Here are links to the Fanfic Friday Favorites (#FFFF) WIPY roundups:

Active WIPS (originally posted 04.15.19)

WIP You Were Here (originally posted 09.19.19)

WIP IT GOOD Fics from 2023 Challenge

Please respond to this post, by sharing a favorite Veronica Mars Fanfic WIP and/or join @allthevmff on Friday, August 30th (on Tumblr, Discord, Twitter or Instagram) to share one, some, or all of your favorite #VMFanFic WIPs.

Tagging:

@5mallestviolin @absolutelyiris @alilamba @amypc1 @argyledpenguin @asexual-juliet @astreetcarnamedwynn @ayy-ohh @bels2214 @best-laid-plaids @bewitchingredhead36 @biffbang @bisexualsatan @bondopoulos @brittany4824 @bryrosea @captaine-carter @carla545 @caro-shea shea @cattyk8fic @chandramas @chaosandrecover @cheshirecatstrut @chichuri @chikabiddy @crimsonclad @crossingoutthegoodyrs @cubbiegirl @darlininmyway @dbsavmlvr @elliebear75 @emtifahp @everlarkeologist @flying-carpet @francesderwent @ghostcat3000 @gyzym @hanitjemars @hannasus @happilyeveraftereveryday @happilyshanghaied @heavenli24 @his-beautiful-girl @igrockspock @iimdestinyfreereally @invidiosa @jagwriter78 @jeanie205 @joyfulnerd @kayte76 @kerstae @kimikochan9 @kmd0107 @lavellenchanted @lisawolfe80 @literalital @livinginsunnyhell @locitarose @lodessa @loveandprose @lovedyouless @LoVeObsessed2 @machawicket @maipigen @maladyofthequotidian @mariasharp @marshmallowatheart @marshmallowmore @marshmallowtasha @marshmellowbobcat @marsinvestigaytions @meghanoharamurray @mindylahiris @missjaybirdstree @mrsmess @ms-maj @mysilverylining @nicemom93 @oakave @oliveksmoked @passiveaggressiveturkeys @petpluto @pressdbtwnpages @proofinyou @purpleproselady @queen-haq @querulousgawks @robotmango @ghostmaggie @rozf @saoirsekonstantin @scabopolis @scandalpantsstuff @scribblilenore @sophiabee @starlightafterastorm @stillbeatingheart @stillhidden @sunflowers-and-iced-tea @susanmichelin @tacosandflowers @the-girl-in-the-band-tshirt @the-og-mkt @theawkwardterrier @thelillykane @therealcactusbetty @theshortywrites @tjs-whatnot @toolonghere @troublescout @truemyth @tvfanatic @veronicaloganmars @violetobsession @vixleonard @vmarstrek @vmsteenbeans @wily-one24 @witheyecontact @yellowcrayonwillowsstuff @youmustbestrongernow

[printcharms]

Celebrate your love for the iconic TV show Veronica Mars with this stylish Bella Canvas Tank Top!

Featuring the unforgettable quote, "A Long Time Ago We Used to Be Friends" this tank is a must-have for any true Marshmallow.

Whether you're reminiscing about the mystery-solving days at Neptune High or showing off your love for Logan Echolls, this top is perfect for every Veronica Mars fan.

More details HERE

[ithinkyouhealedmyheart]

Ghostwriter Ch 4

Unbetad Unedited Unhinged || AO3

Characters: Kendall Knight, James Diamond, Logan Mitchell, Carlos Garcia, Gustavo Rocque, Kelly Wainwright, Arthur Griffin, Veronica Clark oc

Pairings: Kendall Knight/Female Original Character, Female Original Character/Female Original Character in the background, Logan Mitchell/Camille Roberts in the background, James Diamond/Lucy Stone in the background

Word Count: 5292

It was freakishly hot in California, but Ronnie wore her yellow pullover hoodie like a security blanket. The air conditioning didn’t exactly help because she was wearing a sweatshirt, but it wasn’t like she would complain about it. The lights in Rocque Records were bright. The red and black furniture clashed with the white walls, and she felt oddly claustrophobic. Kelly was with her, sporting her signature smile, and although she was somewhat of a reassuring presence, Ronnie couldn’t help but grind her teeth. An ache in her chest told her to get out of there, to run away, and never look back. It made her feel sick. 

“This is what you get me!” She flinched. The man’s voice was loud enough to bounce off the walls. He wore red-tinted sunglasses and a tracksuit of the same color. He looked like someone she would find in an 80s movie. 

Kelly held her breath, half expecting to be yelled at and scolded by her boss, but with the twinkle in his eye, she could only assume that he was satisfied. 

“She’s perfect! She’s weak-willed and moldable.” 

Ronnie may have just met Gustavo Rocque, but she did not like him. 

“Excuse you! I am not weak-willed or moldable!” 

“Zip it!” Gustavo held his hand up, blocking her face from his view. “Less, yapping, where’s the music?” 

Ronnie shoved her hands in her pockets and balled them into fists. She didn’t know why Kelly had to put up with the producer's attitude. Gold records don’t make him a prick. He was probably an asshole before the fame. Kelly had her notebook and handed it over to Gustavo, her smile no longer welcoming and kind but tense and anxious. One person shouldn’t have this much power over her. 

The doors opened behind them, and the three turned around to see four boys enter the room. Ronnie semi-recognized three of them from her brief encounter in the hallway when the one with the helmet crashed into all those boxes, but the blonde was unrecognizable. He was attractive and had big eyebrows, but they fit the proportions of his face. His hair was styled like Justin Beiber’s, and his eyebrows looked big enough to carry groceries. There was this far-off look in his eyes, and they were red as if he had been crying all night. Part of her felt bad for him but didn’t even know who he was. But he looked at her like she had broken an expensive collector's item. 

“Dawgs, this is– What’s your name?” Gustavo asked her, not even trying to cover up that they barely met a few seconds ago. 

“...Veronica– Ronnie, you can call me Ronnie.” She tensed up and looked down, her eyes glued to the floor. The boys in the room were staring at her, and she felt like there was a spotlight on her. In a way, the lights were technically bright enough to be a spotlight. 

“These are the dawgs, Big Time Rush.” Gustavo introduced them proudly. “You can work with them closely as their new songwriter.” 

“What?” The boys exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at Gustavo. They were uninformed and kept in the dark for almost two weeks. 

“Now, Griffin wants a new song in three days, so let’s see what we’re working on.” Gustavo turned his back as he flipped through Ronnie’s notebook. 

Every turn of the page made her stomach do flips. Ronnie felt like she was going to vomit again. She hugged her sweatshirt closer to her in an attempt to hold her body together, afraid it would fall apart as though she was an amalgamation of different body parts. The boys gawked at her. They didn’t know what was wrong but wanted to help, minus the blonde. It was as if her presence was a massive inconvenience for him. 

“Hey, I’m Logan. We met yesterday when Carlos ran into all the boxes outside your apartment. Don’t let what Gustavo says get to you. He can be… extreme, but he means well.” He spoke softly and ducked his head, partly concerned that she was crying. 

Ronnie nodded softly. There was a buzzing in her head, and her heart was racing. At least Kelly was here. She knew Kelly well enough not to feel abandoned in a room with strangers metaphorically circling her like vultures. 

“Back up, dude. Give her some space.” 

“Don’t you think I know that? She’s probably having a panic attack.” 

Ronnie was shaking like a leaf from head to toe. If these boys started fighting with each other, she would run off to look for a bathroom to hide in for the remainder of the day. 

“Hey, I know it seems crazy to be standing here with Big Time Rush, and I can’t promise everything will be okay.” His voice was kind, and he handed her a fidget cube. She glanced at him and recognized the eyeliner pretty quickly. Hesitantly, she took the fidget cube from him.

Her fingers shook as she pushed buttons and flicked switches. It was something to ground her, to pull her out of the recesses of her mind. The guy with eyeliner reminded her a lot of TJ the other day, who helped calm her down and make a decision with a clear mind. Ronnie’s shoulders relaxed, but she still shook. Her chest felt like it was going to explode like a pressurized bottle of cola that had been shaken. The four boys stood around her, marveling at her like the Mona Lisa, and her personal space was relatively being invaded.  

“I’m James,” the brunette with eyeliner added. There was a hopeful look in his eyes that contrasted poorly with the weird look on his face. Was he trying to copy Flynn Rider? 

“And the guy with the helmet is Carlos,” Ronnie noted quietly. She shuffled away from James. It was funny; he had the same first name as her dad. 

“And that’s Kendall!” She could only assume James was referring to the blonde, who hunched his shoulders and looked away. From the looks of it, he was unhappy, and she was very curious about what upset him. 

She refrained from asking. The curiosity would eat away at her, but she would have time to get to know them personally, whether during lunch or after work. Gustavo still had her notebook, but her nimble fingers worked at the fidget cube, and it somehow distracted her enough from the dread that settled in the pit of her stomach. It was in the back of her mind, but she wasn’t paying attention. 

“Okay!” Gustavo turned back around. He finished flipping through her notebook. 

The boys weren’t as startled as Ronnie was. Her eyes were wide like saucers. 

“Mostly, your writing is good, but it’s too emotional for a boyband.” The tips of her ears tinted pink, and her breath caught in her throat. She wasn’t expecting Gustavo to call her the best of the best, but she felt her heart and soul were being ripped out of her. 

“But we can work on that for the next three days. I’ll take your music from good to great.” Gustavo handed her the notebook, and she hugged it to her chest. “First, let’s practice the song I wrote.” 

Ronnie saw a metaphorical switch flip within Kendall, and the objective quickly replaced the sadness in his eyes. He straightened up and followed his friends into the recording booth. Whatever happened to him had to have been pretty bad for him to look like the happiness in his being had been sucked clean from his soul. He had to have been suffering for quite a long time. The music was loud, and it buzzed in her bones. She sat on the couch in the back and pulled her knees to her chest. It was too much to handle. The lighting in the room was impossibly bright, and the noise was deafening. It reminded her of Trent’s house party, and she wished TJ was there more than anything. Kelly swiveled in her chair and stared uncertainly at her before rifling through her purse for something. She had an informative conversation with Ronnie’s dad, who gave her the idea to buy earplugs. The chair rolled over to where Ronnie sat, and in her outstretched hand was the unopened package. The teen curiously looked at the unopened earplugs package and hesitantly took them. She couldn’t hear what Kelly said because of the ringing in her ears, but she smiled and muttered a small thank you. 

The earplugs were a miracle. They didn’t stop her bones from buzzing with the bass beat, but everything was quieter. She could still hear the music, but it wasn’t echoing around her skull, making her brain feel like a pong ball. Gustavo gave Kelly a weird look but shrugged it off and focused on the boys in the recording booth. They looked comfortable like they were born to be there. Whatever song Gustavo wrote was an upbeat rock ballad instead of a poppy, autotuned, girl-themed love song. It was a welcome surprise. She half-expected a love song because most boybands only ever did love songs. That was like some type of unwritten rule. 

Ronnie watched Gustavo flip the switches or turn the dials. She was less focused on the guy's singing than on the buttons, dials, switches, and levers he would slide. And she could only assume that eventually, Gustavo would want her to take over once in a while. The music faded away as she honed in on the console. Her brain made the connection that it was similar to the fidget cube in her hands, and suddenly, she wanted to touch it and mess around with it, but she didn’t get up. Ronnie was firmly planted on the half-couch in the back, and she unwound her feet firmly planted on the ground. Her notebook was open to one of her unfinished songs. The notes in the margins pointed at it being a slow ballad. The chorus was circled, and an arrow pointed to the title as if to replace it. 

“Ronnie,” Gustavo called her over, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Do you think you could write something similar?” 

“Similar to what?” Her legs felt like jelly as she stood up. 

“The song!” He barked, causing her to fumble with the fidget cube and almost drop it. 

“Yeah, I think I could…” Her voice was quiet. 

“I’m sorry, what was that?” Gustavo cupped a hand around his ear. 

“I could write a similar song.” She repeated. 

“Good.” Gustavo clapped his hands together. “But, all I need is a title.” 

“Well, the song feels out of place when you have them describing… a pair of eyes? The concept feels too strange to me.” 

“Oh, oh! So you think you can do better?” Gustavo’s eyebrows shot up, and he turned to the chair to face her. 

“It’s not that I think–” 

“So, you can do better?” 

She sucked in a breath and squeezed her eyes shut. Was Gustavo asking her to write him a new song from scratch? Or was he demanding that she write him a new song? Ronnie wished she had been paying attention instead of trying to memorize all the movements on the console. Her brain felt frazzled, and she tried to conjure up the melody in her short-term memory. 

“I don’t…” Ronnie chewed on the skin around her thumbnail and asked hesitantly. “So, the concept is that they’ve gotten lost in someone’s eyes and can’t speak?” 

Gustavo stared at her blankly. His chubby face turned red quickly, and Kelly jumped from her seat. She stood before the blue-haired teen to protect her from whatever would happen. Gustavo shot up with a force that sent his chair crashing into the console. It idly rolled across the floor. 

“How dare you. How dare you come into my recording studio with this arrogance. You must think you’re hot shit, huh? But you’re nothing. You’re nobody from some small town in Vermont. I have all those gold records, not you.” 

Ronnie hid behind Kelly and hugged the notebook tighter against her chest. Kelly gave Gustavo a look that a disappointed mother would provide. 

“Take five!” Gustavo snapped and stomped out of the room. The door frame shook as he slammed it shut behind him. 

As soon as she could, Ronnie hid in the bathroom. She pulled at her hair and her clothes, hot, salty tears already spilling down her cheeks. It was the first day, and she already fucked up. Her boss was angry with her, and she would most likely be shipped back to Vermont with her dad. Gustavo wasn’t necessarily the nicest person on the planet, but maybe Kelly could vouch for her. She didn’t get to say much to him; perhaps his assistant could calm him down a little. 

But she was horrible. She wasn’t good enough. Ronnie should be honored enough that her music made it onto the local radio, but there was no way her songs would be up to par with what Gustavo was used to. She was falling apart, and it felt like the world had been pulled from beneath her feet. 

A knock on the door echoed, and Ronnie hiccuped, holding a hand over her mouth. Kelly didn’t need to know she was crying. Kelly didn’t need to know that she was wallowing in self-pity. 

“Veronica?” Kelly was at the door; she didn’t assume that the woman had come out to find her. “Ronnie, are you okay?” She asked. The air was still. 

The door opened, and the teen pulled her feet up. Ronnie didn’t want to be discovered. She wanted to be left alone. Why couldn’t everyone leave her alone? She would be okay eventually, but other people kept interrupting. She pulled her hood over her head and buried her face in her arms. Sitting on a toilet and crying wasn’t what she thought she would be doing today, but life had other plans. 

“Gustavo isn’t mad at you.” Kelly’s voice echoed off the tiled walls and floors. “He’s just stressed, but that doesn’t justify how he yelled at you. I promise you, you aren’t going to be sent home.” 

Ronnie let out a pitiful whimper. She held her breath, hoping it would stop the tears from falling, but it was useless and hurt her lungs. 

“It’s okay. Everyone has had creative differences with him, including Big Time Rush.” Kelly kept calm. It was evident in her voice. In a way, it soothed Ronnie. 

“When they first came here, they were a bundle of nerves. Logan couldn’t dance, and he still can’t, but they frequently made Gustavo angry. They still do.” 

Ronnie’s muscles relaxed, and her shoulders unhunched. She lowered her feet to the floor and wiped her face with the sleeves of her sweatshirt. But she didn’t want to show her face. Ronnie didn’t want Kelly to see how red her face was or how puffy her eyes were. It was unprofessional. 

“Ronnie? Are you going to come out?” 

“I’m a mess.” The girl mumbled against her sweater, furiously rubbing at her eyes to dry them. 

“It’s okay. I’m not going to judge you.” She watched Kelly’s feet back up from the gap under the stall. 

Ronnie sighed heavily and got up, but she ducked her head. The stall door unlocked with a click and swung open on its own. Ronnie shuffled against the tiled floor, her face blocked from Kelly’s view. The faucet handle squeaked, and the water hissed softly. 

“Gustavo isn’t going to fire you, I promise,” Kelly reassured her. “He may be tough around the edges, but I’m certain he’ll like having you around.” 

“Thanks,” Ronnie sniffled and splashed cold water on her face. “I’m just overreacting, it’s okay.” 

“You’re not overreacting. The only one who’s overreacting is Gustavo.” 

“Yeah, but–” 

“If Gustavo talked to me like that, I would cry too.” 

Ronnie sighed and ran a hand down her face. She was tired and numb, and work wouldn’t end any sooner. Glancing at Kelly in the mirror, she turned toward the black woman. 

“Does it look like I’ve been crying?” 

“No– No, you look fine!” Kelly was caught off guard. 

Ronnie took a deep breath. She pushed her shoulders back and walked out of the bathroom with her head held high. She couldn’t guarantee Gustavo wouldn’t make her cry again, but she needed to grow a thicker skin to deal with him. The boys stood outside the recording studio, huddled together and talking in hushed voices. Ronnie slowed and fidgeted with the drawstrings of her hoodie. James picked his head up when he noticed her out of the corner of his eye. 

Suddenly, the boys broke apart, and Ronnie jumped. James had this twinkle in his eyes. 

“Can you write us a new song?” 

I guess he isn’t the type to beat around the bush. Ronnie thought to herself. It was a simple yes or no question, but the way her brain was processing words was slower. 

“But Gustavo already has you working on a song.” 

“Okay?” Logan piped up. “It’s kind of lame, and it would be nice to hear what you have.” 

“I don’t… I’ll be completely honest, I hadn’t expected to be writing songs on day one. I thought I would get to know the equipment or learn something from Gustavo.” Ronnie held her hands up. “And you can’t just put me on the spot like this. I don’t even know you.” 

“Please,” Carlos pleaded. “It’s a good way to get to know us.” 

“My stuffs in the recording studio…” 

“Gustavo locked it.” Carlos pouted. 

“I don’t have a pen or a piece of paper–” Ronnie’s eyes widened when Logan pulled a pen and paper out of nowhere. “Okay, I don’t get why you don’t want to sing his song.” She narrowed her eyes. 

“It doesn’t rock,” Kendall answered. He leaned against the wall, scrolling through his phone. “That’s what Lucy said. We need a song that rocks.” 

“Who’s Lucy?” Ronnie’s question went unanswered as Logan handed her the pen and paper. 

She stared at the four of them blankly. They didn’t acknowledge that they put her on the spot and certainly didn’t account for how frazzled she was. Part of her hoped that Gustavo or Kelly could rescue her, but neither was seen anywhere. The only way she would get out of this would be to write something down to satiate the four teenage boys. 

“You need a song that rocks? Since when do boybands rock?” She laughed at the notion. It sounded pretty strange to her. Boybands sang pop music and love songs and didn’t smash guitars on the stage. 

“Since we don’t want to seem cute.” Kendall bit back. Okay, he had a bit of a temper. It would benefit her to be cautious around him. 

“Kendall, relax,” James muttered, putting a hand on his shoulder. “It’s not her fault Lucy called our music cute, and besides, I thought you didn’t like her.” 

Once again, Ronnie asked who Lucy was, and she was promptly ignored. Growing she sat down in one of the chairs against the wall and tapped the pen against her chin. How would she even start writing a rock song? Granted, she listened to a lot of her father’s music so that it wouldn’t be that hard, but at the same time, it was impossible without inspiration. Pretty soon, Kendall and James started arguing, prompting Carlos and Logan to pull them apart. Ronnie, for the most part, tried to ignore them. Whatever their problem was, it wasn’t something she had to worry about. 

Then, the recording studio doors opened, causing all five teens to freeze. Gustavo took up the space in the doorway, looking dejected. Taking off his glasses, he rubbed his temples. 

“Okay, we’re changing the song.” 

Like a switch was flipped, the boys started cheering. 

“You,” Gustavo pointed at Ronnie. “You better be prepared to work your butt off because Griffin still needs a song in three days, and this is setting us way back.” 

“I– I’ll try.” Ronnie stood at attention. 

“Good, now follow me.” 

The blue-haired girl brushed past the four boys in the hallway. She followed Gustavo into the recording studio and hesitantly took Kelly’s seat. Her notebook was open on a nearby music stand. 

“Before we start, you must understand that this console isn’t a toy.” Gustavo gestured to the console in front of them, which had switches, dials, and flashing lights. “You treat it with respect.” 

Ronnie didn’t verbally respond. She only nodded. 

“The most important thing is that everything is hooked up properly. Like headphones and microphones or speakers. You can’t record anything if none of it is plugged in.” 

Ronnie nodded again. 

“I was looking through your notebook, and your stuff is sh—” The producer glanced at Kelly, who frowned. “It needs some work, but we can take pieces of certain songs to create a fresh one. I like your paralyzed idea from earlier, so we’ll go with that.” 

The way he was treating her now was jarring. Ronnie didn’t know if he would yell at her for making any sort of sound. She was practically petrified of pissing him off again. How kind he was was unnerving, making her feel she had already done something wrong. 

“I try to speak, but I’m tongue-tied. I try to breathe, but it’s frozen.” Gustavo read aloud, used a red pen, and circled the chorus of one of her songs. “Let’s start here with the melody.” 

Ronnie’s face turned beet red. No one had ever read her lyrics aloud in such a monotone voice. She started fidgeting with the cube that James gave her. 

“How about we turn this into a love song?” He gave her a look, a brow raised, waiting for an answer. Ronnie’s eyes widened, and she pointed to herself. 

“Yes, I’m asking you!” Gustavo raised his voice, but Kelly gave him another look, and he took a deep breath to calm himself. 

“Well, I wasn’t exactly thinking of a love song. I figured it would be more representative of how it feels when everything gets overwhelming.“ She glanced at Gustavo, who looked almost bored. “Yeah, let’s make it a love song.” She huffed and leaned back in the chair. It creaked under her weight. 

“Great!” Gustavo grinned and started adding words to the lyrics in her notebook. It wasn’t like she told him he couldn’t do that. 

Ronnie had an idea of what it would be like to work with Gustavo. Walking on eggshells didn’t seem all that appealing, but she wanted to stay in L.A., make music, and possibly become famous. If she had to stifle herself to make the producer happy, she might as well consider herself a puppet. Hunching in on herself, she sighed. This wasn’t what she expected, but she had no idea what to expect. 

After the crash course, Gustavo brought the boys in to familiarize them with the lyrics. That was all they could do without instrumentals to back what they were singing, but it was a step forward, considering they were relatively starting from scratch. However, some of Gustavo’s tracks from the first song could be reused for the new music. That way, they wouldn’t be starting from scratch completely. Things were going relatively smoothly, and they might have a new song to appease Griffin before the deadline. 

Of course, by the end of the day, Ronnie was exhausted. She only wanted to crawl into bed and sleep but also needed food. They all did. Gustavo worked them through their lunch, claiming he graciously gave him a break beforehand. She blew hair out of her face as she waited for the elevator. She didn’t want to eat but would regret not eating the following morning. There was no doubt in her mind that her father prepared something for the two of them. His cooking was the best. He managed to make simple meals look fancy and gourmet. 

The boys shuffled into the elevator with her, and Ronnie squished herself into a back corner, shoving her hands in her pocket and fiddling with the fidget cube. Oh, right. James had given her a fidget cube. She wasn’t going to steal it. That wouldn’t make for an excellent first impression. Kendall was in the opposite corner, his shoulders hunched up. He was staring at his feet. Part of him wanted to know his deal, but she was too tired to worry. 

“Hey,” Ronnie tugged gently on James’ sleeve. “Thanks for letting me borrow it.” She flashed him a small smile. 

“No problem. I could tell you were getting anxious back there.” James pocketed the small cube. 

The elevator stopped on the second floor, but before the boys could get out, a woman with red hair falling in loose curls was holding a tray covered with tin foil. It smelled delicious, and heat wafted off of it. With her was a brunette young girl. 

“Mom, what are you doing?” Kendall asked. Logan and Carlos moved to squish beside him, making room for the woman and the girl. 

“I’m bringing lasagna to the new people who moved in.” She smiled brightly. 

Logan and Carlos turned to look at Ronnie, who sank into her hoodie. She played with the drawstrings, her eyes downcast. 

“You live here too?” Carlos asked with starry eyes. 

“Of course she does. Why else is she in the elevator?” Kendall rolled his eyes. 

“Oh! I almost couldn’t see you standing behind James!” The woman beamed at her. 

“Hi…” Ronnie waved awkwardly. 

“She’s our new songwriter,” James informed the woman. 

“Oh, songwriter? That’s wonderful!” Her eyes were so green and inviting. Ronnie tensed up. 

For a moment, she thought about her mother, her kind smile and inviting hugs. The blue-haired girl closed in on herself, looking down. 

“I’m Ms. Knight, and this is Katie.” The woman introduced herself and the little girl. 

Katie peered up at Ronnie and quirked a brow. 

“Mom, you’re making her uncomfortable.” 

All of a sudden, Ronnie felt like she couldn’t breathe. It was a tight fit in the elevator with all these people, like the walls were closing in. As soon as the elevator stopped and the doors opened, she pushed herself through the people in the elevator as politely as possible. She wasn’t trying to escape them but needed to get to an open space. Ms. Knight furrowed her brows and looked to the boys for an explanation. All four of them shrugged and shook their heads. Katie sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. 

“You invited her over for dinner?” Ronnie gaped at her father as she set the dining room table with eight place settings. 

“It was the polite thing to do, kiddo. She suggested it.” Her father smiled at her. “If you’re worried about plates and chairs, I believe we’ll have enough–” 

Ronnie shook her head frantically. “No, no. That’s not what I’m worried about.” 

“Then, what is it?” 

“I just met these guys. I work with them. They are chaotic.” 

“Ronnie, nothing is going to happen. To be polite, we’re having dinner with Ms. Knight and those boys.” He gave her a look. 

Ronnie frowned. 

“Let me help,” Katie gestured for the silverware, which said the teen was white-knuckling. 

She stared at the little girl like she had three heads. 

“You can show me how you place it,” Katie suggested with a hopeful smile. 

Ronnie blinked twice. She had a specific arrangement for the silverware; if it were wrong, the meal would most likely leave a horrible taste in her mouth. Hesitantly, she handed the silverware over to the brunette. Katie watched closely as Ronnie placed the knife, fork, and spoon by her dad's plate. Kendall watched their interaction intently. He didn’t want Ronnie to freak out on his sister. She seemed pretty wound up as it is, or maybe she had a few screws loose. Either way, Kendall didn’t like it. He didn’t like how she showed up out of nowhere and didn’t like that she was the band's new songwriter. 

But that was probably because he wished Jo was their songwriter. Then she wouldn’t have left, and he wouldn’t be so heartbroken. Maybe Gustavo was considering Jo, but Ronnie just so happened to spark his interest for some reason. Regardless, Kendall didn’t like her. She was too closed off, too awkward, too jumpy. 

Her father caught Kendall staring and narrowed his eyes. He could figure out what the boy was thinking about, and the last thing he wanted was for some blonde punk to insult his family. Ronnie was oblivious to what was going on, thankfully. He was occupied with observing the way Katie placed the silverware. The little girl was irked by how her brother stared, though, and she stuck her tongue out at him. 

Eventually, they all sat down. Ronnie’s dad and Ms. Knight are at either end of the table. Ronnie sat between Logan and Carlos, and James sat between Katie and Kendall. Ms. Knight's lasagna looked delicious, and all the kids were practically drooling. 

“How was work?” Ms. Knight asked as she stood up to serve the kids. 

Everyone was looking at Ronnie. The guys expected her to start. She swallowed thickly and tucked hair behind her ear. Her eyes moved around the room. The sudden eye contact was strange. 

“Uh… Gustavo scrapped the– the song he was working on.” Ronnie stammered, not used to being put on the spot like this. It also was reminiscent of whenever her mom asked her about school when she was younger. 

“The new song is called Paralyzed.” Kendall butted in. 

“Oh! Paralyzed, that sounds nice.” Ms. Knight smiled. 

“It’s totally going to rock! Ronnie’s lyrics are pretty cool!” Carlos grinned from ear to ear. 

“I like Pair of Eyes…” Logan mumbled. “It was sweeter, kind of live a love ballad.” 

“Ugh, we sing too many love ballads.” Kendall pouted. 

“It’s not like we’re going to sing a black heart ballad.” James rolled his eyes. “There is no way I would sing some stupid emo song.” 

“Emo is not stupid.” Kendall elbowed him. 

“I have to hear it coming from your headphones every night. It’s sad music about heartbreak and death.” James huffed. 

“Okay?” Kendall narrowed his eyes. “Sorry that I’m so heartbroken over Jo. She was my girlfriend.” 

“You made her leave…” Logan stated quietly. 

Ronnie sipped on her water, trying to drown out Kendall and James arguing. This wasn’t the best way to spend their night after work, but at least she got some insight into their lives and personalities. But their personalities were too much. Everything was clashing together. James and Kendall arguing made her teeth ache. 

“Boys.” Ms. Knight chided. “That is not appropriate. Stop fighting.” 

James and Kendall closed their mouths and hunched over in their seats with arms crossed. 

“You’re making a fool of yourselves in front of your writer.” Katie giggled. 

“At least I’m not embarrassing myself!” Carlos laughed. 

Ronnie flinched. Was he always so loud? Logan glanced worriedly at her. She did not look like she was having fun, maybe even uncomfortable with this ordeal. Ronnie’s dad cleared his throat, and everyone turned to look at him. 

“Thank you, Ms. Knight, for the lasagna.” 

“Oh, it was nothing. I wanted to make the two of you feel welcome!” She chirped. 

Her father was most certainly welcome, but Ronnie didn’t feel welcomed, especially not by the boys. Kendall kept giving her a weird look. Carlos was loud, and Logan was… too quiet. At least James was nice enough. At least one of them was happy to have her around. 

There was that.