[Veronica, Stacy & Webster - Opposite Plot]

[plantfood]

There is something different.

Mathias isn't quite aware of it, although he feels it on some level, he feels brighter and better and just different. He can't name it, can't place it and, most importantly, he doesn't want to. Whatever is different, it isn't bad.

He's headed down the boardwalk with a bounce in his step and a grin on his face, feeling lighter than he has in some time. Nothing can bother him these days, nothing can so much as touch him and he thinks, if he has time, he'll go visit Webster. Maybe they can talk about Veronica, like Webster always wants to. There are stories to tell now, certainly, and Mathias feels like he's in the mood to do some real talking.

Walking along, heading nowhere in particular, he breathes in deeply, enjoying the scent of the jungle around him. Every time someone passes him, he smiles brightly and waves, calling a loud, cheerful, "Hello!" Some people look startled, although he can't begin to understand why, and others greet him in return, looking just as happy as he feels.

Just ahead, he spots a familiar face and he hurries, almost running. "Hey!" he shouts happily. "Hey, hi! It's so good to see you!"

Comments

[plantfood]

"Thank you," Mathias says sincerely, misunderstanding the tone of Webster's voice. "I hope to avoid being shot at altogether, but if it does end up happening somehow, it's good to know that." He thinks maybe he already knows that, but he doesn't want to make Webster feel bad by saying such a thing.

[saved-the-knees.livejournal.com]

She turned to look at him with a curious frown and asked, "Are you sure you're ready for that?" He'd gotten so much better about the jungle, but he still had problems.

She would've had to have been blind not to notice.

[thewordofweb.livejournal.com]

"It was sarcasm." I blink wearily at him, hoping that it's not going to be this bad the whole time. "I need a lot of drinks right now," I groan, rubbing my hands over my face. "I can't take all this...niceness."

[plantfood]

"I don't want to stay in the Compound forever," Mathias answers, frowning a little as he thinks about it. "The jungle is still... it's not what it once was for me, that much is certain, but the room in the Compound is too small for all three of us. I think he hates us."

[plantfood]

"We should go get some drinks," Mathias decides, wondering why it's so bad that people are being nice. He doesn't think he's being any different than he normally is, anyway. "Where can we get some? I don't drink all that often anymore."

[thewordofweb.livejournal.com]

"Strip club," I announce with a broad grin on my face, mostly in disbelief at how absolutely screwed up this all is. "We'll go to the strip club, you and me. Have some drinks before you go back to pleading niceties with Veronica."

[plantfood]

Mathias isn't sure Veronica is going to like it if he goes to a strip club and so he shakes his head frantically. "I would get into trouble if I went there," he says, which he desperately doesn't want. "Because of the stripping. Can we not get drinks somewhere else?"

[thewordofweb.livejournal.com]

"My place? I'm sure I could try and bribe something away from Nixon's hands," I admit, considering if he's in a strange state, he might have gone sober or something. God help me, that might be the strangest thing of all.

[plantfood]

"Alright," Mathias agrees with a nod, his frown almost immediately replaced with a bright smile. "That sounds like it would be nice. We could talk. Or... not talk, of course, if that's what you want."

He's never been quite so eager to please people before as he is today and he only hopes that Webster doesn't get angry at him.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

The only thing that feels right in that moment is to slide her arms around him and step in close, hiding her shy smile against his chest. "I guess there's something good about this place after all," she said, soft, wondering. "It brought me to you."

[plantfood]

Sliding his arms around her in return, Mathias presses a kiss to the top of Veronica's head and rests his cheek there, against her hair, for just a moment. Whatever is wrong -- and there are many things wrong, no matter how hard he's been trying to forget them -- being with her does feel strangely right.

"I can't help but love the island for that," he agrees, lifting his head again. "It seemed to know just what I needed."

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"We've been very lucky," she murmurs. With her eyes closed, the warmth of him against her and the sun on her skin is one more pleasant thing atop all the others, and she can't recall the last time she felt so much at home.

[saved-the-knees.livejournal.com]

"I think he hates everyone, it's not just us," she laughed, taking a moment to consider, then finally she jerked her head in a decisive nod and said, "Okay. Let's do it. Let's build a hut."

[plantfood]

A wide grin spread over Mathias's face at Stacy's words and he nodded. "We have to submit some sort of request, I believe, but I can take care of all of that. Near the beach? I think I would like to live near the beach."

[saved-the-knees.livejournal.com]

"The beach sounds... good," she decided after a moment of thought, a wider smile stretching her face as she looked up at him. "Maybe we can even have our own beds this time."