Change Of The Guard
By Missy

Title: Change of the Guard
Parts: 1 of 1
Author: Missy AKA rise_your_dead
Fandom: Laverne & Shirley
Pairing/Characters: Laverne, Lenny; pre Laverne/Lenny
Rating/Category: G; humor
Spoilers: California setting; no spoilers
Summary: Laverne sets out to party away her New Year's Night, but Shirley invites her in for the cold...and there she finds a not-really-changed Lenny.
Notes/Warnings: Written for Emily for the Laverne & Shirley Holiday Fanfic exchange!

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Laverne's been excited about this party for weeks. It's a chance to get away from the drabness of Bardwells for the day, really kick up her heels and have a few laughs.

She's wearing red shoes tonight, her hair freshly gilt with henna and her dress midnight black. Her date dumped her for an orthodontist with a Cadillac, so she's been circling Shirley's house party in those fuck-me pumps, looking for the right guy and the right time with the right amount of booze. It was Friday and she'd earned every single second of this.

"Laverne!" Shirley stage-whispers from across the room. Carmine's had his hands on her all evening, all over her, keeping an eye on her behavior, aware of the new Hollywood sharks they swam among. Keeping the girls on two separate sides of the party. She points over Carmine's shoulder at a guy who was - Laverne realized as she turned around to glance at him - staring at her.

Immediately, she primped her hair and spun around, a bottle of beer in her hand, bouncing up to him. "Hi saiiill-" She frowns. Those eyes...that face. EVERYTHING was the same except for that hair! "Lenny?!"

He chortles. "Hi Laverne! D'you like my new style?"

She frowns and plays with it. "It's all flat!"

Lenny gently bats her hand away. "Yeah, I combed it. What's the matter, you don't like it?" There was that Lenny-frown, the glower that signaled his fear that he couldn't possibly please her.

"Aww, it's not bad, Len - just different," she says. "Shirl didn't even recognize ya!"

"Nah? Yeah?!" She nods her head. "Wow," he shrugs. "I didn't mean to fool nobody, I just got this rash on my head here, see? And I wanted to cover it."

Laverne's nose wrinkles. "That's great, Len. Wanna dance?"

"Sure!" He draws her in for a slow-dance.

Then plants his head on her shoulder.

Laverne winces. There went another five bucks out to the cleaners for steam cleaning. But it was kinda nice, so she didn't complain too loudly while he moved her around the floor.

At least until he nuzzles her neck.

"Len!"

"Sorry, Laverne! You just look so beautiful like this," he yelps.

"Aww, Len!"

"I'm tellin' you the truth. I'm glad you girls invited me to the party," he declares. "Considering Squig couldn't go 'cause his worms've got colic."

Laverne sighs. "Len, please...."

"I'm serious, Laverne!" He hugs her. "I like you like a worm likes dirt."

She groaned and wrinkled her nose. "Lenny."

"Sorry," he pushed away from her. "I like you too, Len?"

"Really?"

"Reallly."

He grinned. "Then that's it then!"

"Yep!" The music switched to an upbeat tune. "I'll see you next week."

"For what?"

"Our date!"

"Sure...wait a minute!" But Lenny has already rushed away, hooting his delight.

At that point, Shirley came up, her cup filled with punch. "Have a good time, Laverne?"

The cup of punch Laverne poured over her head was the only answer.