[For Veronica]

[plantfood]

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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[plantfood]

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.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

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."

[plantfood]

"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.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"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.

[plantfood]

"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.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"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.

[plantfood]

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.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

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."

[plantfood]

"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.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"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.

[plantfood]

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."

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"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.

[plantfood]

"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.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"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."

[plantfood]

"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.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"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.

[plantfood]

"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.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"Ooh, my very own flotation device," Veronica said, voice dropping to a murmur, and then she shrugged. "A little of column A, a little of column B? It's all very Jekyll and Hyde." It seemed unlikely he would ever give her reason to be at her worst. It always started that way. She'd thought Troy was one of the good ones, after all. Of course, at this beginning stage, it always seemed ludicrous to think back to that. "I guess you'll just have to find out."

[plantfood]

Pretending to consider this, Mathias drifts toward the waterfall, not to push Veronica under or anything childish like that, but only because he's curious about what's behind it.

"I guess I'll just have to find out," he agrees, making it fairly clear he has no problem sticking around to do just that.

Stopping, he looks down at Veronica and then nods at the tumbling water. "Do you know what's behind there?"

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

For once thinking better of jokes about death and destruction - hadn't they both already seen enough of that? - Veronica lifted a shoulder, a weak attempt at a shrug. "A cave," she said. "One of the many around here." It was hardly the most interesting one either, not as she remembered it. It had been quite a while, she realized, since she'd bothered to go back there.

[plantfood]

"Not very exciting, then?" Mathias asks with a small smile, looking at the water once more before he turns his gaze back to Veronica. "I expect if there was hidden pirate treasure, someone would have found it already, ja?"

He knows the caves under the Compound lead out somewhere, but he doesn't think it's to the waterfall. There's a map, he'd glanced at it briefly, but he's fairly sure they don't come this way.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"Unless it hadn't appeared until recently," Veronica said wryly. In this place, it was all too possible. Disengaging herself from his hold, she started toward it, grinning back over her shoulder. "Come on, you wanna see?" It wasn't exciting, necessarily, but it was quiet, private. That struck her as worthwhile for the moment.

[plantfood]

There is no way he can resist that invitation and so he nods, cutting through the water slowly toward Veronica. "Of course I do," he answers, smiling. "Especially if I get to have you as my tour guide."

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"And on my left, we have... water," Veronica said, gesturing to the falls. Pausing to look his way and smirk, she took a deep breath and dove under. There were probably safer, smarter ways to go, but she didn't stop to think of them, swimming under the heavy fall of the water, thrumming against her even under the surface. Rising up on the other side, she caught her breath and pushed her hair from her face, laughing a little.

[plantfood]

Because she's done it, he has to as well. For the most part, Mathias isn't competitive, but he has a feeling Veronica might appreciate someone who can hold his own under a simple waterfall, even if he'll never be able to hold his own against her.

Diving under, he cuts through the water cleanly, long strokes that pull him through to the other side. He remembers swimming under a waterfall for the first time when he was fifteen, being surprised by how heavy the water felt. Popping to the surface, he runs his hands over his head and grins at Veronica.