plantfood | [For Veronica]

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veronica

[For Veronica]

There are many things about Henrich that drove Mathias crazy before Mexico and the ruins, things that now and then resulted in physical altercations or shouting matches which left them both feeling sheepish and hurt, but there is one thing Henrich was so good at. One thing Mathias wishes he could have learned from his brother, something he still can't quite seem to grasp no matter how hard he tries or doesn't try, as Henrich used to advise.

He's terrible with women.

It's been a month and a half since New Year's Eve and Mathias has done almost nothing to impress Veronica or further what relationship they might be developing. In fact, with the exception of assuring her there is nothing going on with Stacy, he's barely made any indication that he's interested in her, which he realizes is incredibly stupid. He's very interested and absolutely terrified. Coming to her while stuck as a woman hardly counts as making an attempt at getting another date, so earlier in the week, he'd gathered up all his courage and asked.

Which is why he finds himself heading down the path toward her hut, a bag with some food slung over one shoulder and his towel folded over the other. In a fit of panic, unsure what people do for dates on the island, he'd suggested dinner and swimming at the waterfall, hoping it isn't too forward to include swimming. Already he's starting to doubt himself, but he schools his face to blankness and then raps his knuckles gently against her door.

He can do this. It's a date, after all, he's been on dates before.

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"I've always been awful at reading clues anyway," he answers, feeling a little pleased with himself for being able to come up with such a quick response. No one has ever described Mathias as clever. He's smart, he's been told that much, but he isn't quick and he isn't witty. Things are always most difficult to say to women he's attracted to.

The clues are here now, he thinks, but even when he ducks his head to kiss her -- really kiss her, not like New Year's Eve -- he's still second guessing himself. The first brush of his mouth over hers is tentative, questioning.

Veronica hesitated, but not for long. A second too long, she knew, and she would pull away, run off, even now. There was no question in her mind, though, that she wanted this, the twist of nerves in her stomach a reminder of that, even if wanting was only another reason to pull a disappearing act. Instead she tipped her head up a little more, eyes closing as she returned the kiss, more certain now than when it had begun, moving nearer.

That she isn't pulling back is a good sign, Mathias thinks, a clue he can most certainly read and he lifts his other hand from the water, fingers splayed gently over her back. When she moves closer, so does he, fitting himself against her in a way he would have thought impossible, given his height.

He isn't about to push his luck, though. Not yet. Pressing the kiss deeper for just a moment, a soft breath escapes from between his lips and then he pulls back enough to look at her.

"Well, I'd say you do just fine with clues," Veronica offered, smiling a little despite the slight flutter in her voice and the faint nerves, stronger after the fact than during. With both hands on his arms, his body against his, the urge to drop her hold and bolt flared up again, but she ignored it, held her ground. She wouldn't get anywhere with that tired routine.

"Not very often," he admits softly, smiling in return. In his stomach, there's a nervous, twisting feeling, but beyond that he can feel the elation of the moment pulsing through him. "I think I am just lucky this time around. Somehow."

He doesn't think he's lucky; he knows it. Girls like Veronica don't exactly come around every day.

"Somehow," Veronica echoed, shaking her head, "I wouldn't be so sure. You keep doing things like that, you might have a hard time getting rid of me." Light as it was, an invitation, even she wasn't so sure how true that was. It was a truth about herself she knew, was aware of, but tried to avoid. She wanted to be able to say she was loyal to the end. The trouble was only ever how quickly the end came about. Later, though - there would be time for doubts later. Right then, uncertain though it was, she smiled.

"I don't find that such a terrible prospect," Mathias admits and although he's a little afraid of pushing his luck, he leans in to kiss her again. There's no hesitation this time and although he would never push too hard, he lets himself slide one arm around Veronica in the water.

He's never been good with women, this much is the truth, not in the way he wants to be. Before Veronica and after Ilyse there were tourists, nights he doesn't really remember except for the press of a stranger's mouth to his own, but he'd never pursued them. Not like this.

It was simpler this time, easier to push away doubts and focus on the wanting. Slipping her arms up over his shoulders, Veronica leaned into him and the kiss. It had been a long time, too long, since she'd had something like this. For a while, she'd been just fine with it, ready to be alone some time. That had passed, though, long before she'd been prepared to admit to the fact. Fitting herself against him, she smiled and reached up tentatively to brush wet fingers over his cheek.

It's a cliche, he knows this even as he thinks it, but this is the type of moment that would be easy to get lost in if he lets himself. These situations are rare, the kinds that can unwind Mathias completely, but he reels himself in and keeps a tight hold on any urges he's having.

Breaking the kiss a little breathlessly, he grins down at Veronica, reaching up to touch the fingers brushing over his cheek.

Kissing was simple - the act, at least, if not the whole complicated mental dance involved - and liking was natural, and when he touched her hand, when he smiled like that, a smile of her own didn't take any effort. It just came naturally, unbidden. And talking, well, that was usually her strong point. Feelings, though, were messy, troubling, and she'd never been any good at talking about him. And yet, in this moment right here, this gap, it seemed like the thing she needed to do.

"Yeah, so," she said, ducking her head a little, turning her hand against his, "I don't know if you got the memo, but... I kinda like you. A little."

"If the kiss was the memo, I think I received it," Mathias answers, a little surprised that his voice sounds much steadier than he feels. He can feel his heart knocking around behind his breastbone and he's sure that Veronica must feel it, too. "I don't think it would surprise you much to find that I like you."

More than a little. He doesn't say that, though, he just doesn't qualify how much at all. It's been some time since he's liked anyone in this way and that in itself is scary enough.

"I was wondering," she said, nodding. Right then, though, she couldn't seem to hold a straight face, a bit of a grin breaking through after mere moments. "Good to know." And it was. She was nearly lightheaded with it. It wasn't that she was allowing herself to get swept away by the moment; it was that she couldn't seem to stop herself.

And why not? Things had been going well. Her dad was back on top where he belonged. She'd been elected and was doing good work. The island wasn't without its problems, but they were few and increasingly far between. For once, it seemed like everything was going her way. Why not this? Why not let herself believe, just for a little while, that it could work out? Letting go, giving in, was overwhelming, and still she wanted to try.

"Out of curiosity, nothing more," Mathias continues in an overly innocent tone, "Would you still like me were I to do something like dunk you under the water?"

Normally, he isn't the sort of person who's prone to teasing or playfulness, but he feels so good right now that he isn't sure he can stop himself. There's always something enjoyable in finding any excuse to touch a girl, and here he is, doing exactly that.

"You know, it is fascinating that you should ask ," Veronica replied, wide-eyed, "because I was just about to ask exactly the same thing. But no, no, I'm afraid I would not." As she finished answering, she slid her hands to his shoulders, pushing as if to get him underwater, more playful than aggressive, laughing a little.

Mathias grunts, more in surprise than anything else and when he lets his knees unlock, it's only because it means he can take Veronica under the water with him. It's still cool, but not such a shock now that he's been in the small pool for some time, and he closes his eyes as he goes under.

He can feel the curve of her waist under his hands and he tugs, yanking her with him, then comes up again, blinking water out of his eyes. His bright grin is rare, but it doesn't immediately disappear this time.

Veronica laughed when she was free of the water, shaking her head, splattering droplets a little like a dog. Releasing her hold on him, she brushed the hair from her eyes. It was all too seldom that she really felt as young as she was, and rarer still that she enjoyed the sensation, that she could let herself be happy enough to live in it. Her own grin now was bright and clear, no trace of sarcasm or smugness in it. "Okay," she said, "I think we can call that one even."

"You think so?" Mathias asks, running a hand over his head, spraying water all over the place and making his hair stand on end. Tipping his head from side to side, he looks as if he's considering it, then nods. "I think you're right. We're about even for now."

The way he says for now, however, makes it clear that if she gives him the opportunity, it will be happening again.

"Oh, for now," Veronica echoed, brow arching, all that smugness flooding back. "You may have a slight height advantage, but wouldn't that make getting beat by a girl that much more embarrassing?" In play or otherwise, she was sure she could take him - take nearly anyone, if she had the advantage of surprise. She tried not to be too cocky about it, mainly because Arya had made it clear that was an obvious disadvantage, but sometimes she couldn't help it. She'd learned well.

Pretending to think about it, Mathias splashes his hands thoughtfully through the water. When he splatters Veronica a little bit, it's just a perk, of course, and he manages to stifle his grin.

"I suppose you're right," he agrees, splashing her again. "I am not much of a fighter, anyway. The only time I managed to get the best of Henrich was when I took him by surprise."

"And I'm a lean, mean fighting machine," Veronica declared cheerfully. "Very difficult to surprise." She'd never been able to catch Lilly off guard, though, and back then, she'd never had reason to want to either, never thought to. Even having had Lilly with her, even having played in this same pool with Lilly, it seems so long ago, something belonging to another life.

"So I suppose we should just agree that you can take me and not ever test this fact. Because I do not think I want to be beat up by a girl," Mathias decides, even though he's smiling as he says it. He hopes to never give Veronica a reason to want to beat him up.

"Boy, are you on the wrong island," she deadpanned. "There are some scary ladies around here." Splashing him as she moved back in closer again, she grinned. "I'm pretty sure we've already established I'll protect you, though."

"From all the scary ladies?" Mathias asks, one arm sliding around Veronica's waist under the water. He feels good; light and happy and, maybe most importantly, like nothing has ever been wrong on this island. It isn't fair to use Veronica as an escape, but being able to forget everything around him is certainly an added bonus.

"All of 'em but me. You're on your own there, pal." It was something like instinct, prompting her to lean in, to rest her hands against his shoulders, to stay close. She liked the proximity, the warmth of him even in the cool water. It all seemed fresh and new and possible, and such sensations were all too rare.

"But if I'm on my best behavior, then you won't have any reason to be scary, yes?" he asks, his smile growing. He hasn't smile this often or this easily in years, and it's a little scary if he lets himself consider it for too long.

"Or does my behavior not factor in? Do you just choose to be a scary lady sometimes?" As he speaks, Mathias backs them through the water slowly, using his arm around Veronica's waist to tug her with him.

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