[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.

Comments

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"I think she wanted to strangle me more," she admitted, laughing a little. "Hard as it may be to imagine, I kinda cramped her style back then. Dead weight." Back then, she'd idolized Lilly. Much as she loved her still, there were things she'd had to learn about Lilly Kane the hard way, things she didn't always like.

[plantfood]

"Were you horribly uncool?" Mathias asks, his grin turning up further at the corners, teasing her gently. "I suppose some of us just can't help that, can we?" He was never considered unpopular back home and he'd always had friends, but he couldn't deny that people had always thought there was something strange enough him.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"Oh, like you weren't one of the cool kids," Veronica teased. She didn't know if it worked the same in German schools as in American ones, but she was pretty sure kids were kids everywhere. "I was popular, but only by default and only until the default setting got broken."

[plantfood]

"I was popular by default, too," Mathias admits, although his default setting had never been broken. Until coming to the island, he's always been rich and, in high school, that had been enough. "But people thought I was strange, too. I was too quiet, especially when they found out who my brother was. He was one of the cool kids."

And, surprisingly, it had never made Henrich difficult to be around.

"How did your default setting break?" he asks.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

It had been the same way with Lilly, Veronica thought, but then, she imagined Lilly and Henrich might have gotten along. Lips crooking up into a mirthless smile, she shrugged. "My boyfriend dumped me, my best friend was murdered and my dad lost his job," she said. "It was a busy week."

[plantfood]

"Busy feels like something of an understatement for such a week," Mathias observes, then runs his knuckles against Veronica's arm lightly. He's never been one for empty platitudes and he doubts she needs them now, after so long, but the touch is meant to be a comfort anyway.

"When I went to university, it seemed to matter less somehow," he says. "The money, I mean. We were all there to learn finally."

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"Tall and well-to-do," Veronica deadpanned. "So I do have a type." In point of fact, it was a relief, the lack of reassurance or pretense at sympathy; she'd dealt with it all a long time ago, and if it lingered still, that didn't mean she wanted false comfort for someone who couldn't possibly know what it was like. Too many of her boyfriends had known the situation firsthand, and a little distance helped. "I wanted to go to Stanford, but... I wound up here. And the Ghosts of Christmas Future told me I went up somewhere else anyway."

[plantfood]

Mathias laughs a little at her first remark, trying not to think of his own type. Veronica doesn't entirely fit it, but he thinks maybe that is why he likes her so much.

"Where did you end up going?" he asks, then pauses to rephrase what he's said. "Where did the you who is not here end up going?"

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"Hearst." Veronica shook her head, shrugging. "It was the university in town, so I guess I never actually leave Neptune." That idea alone made being stuck on the island, unable to travel, easier. It turned out she'd've been stuck even at home. "And now I attend the island school. A very fine establishment."

[plantfood]

"Very fine, indeed," he agrees, then takes her hand, leading her back toward the waterfall. If they spend too much time under here, he suspects her father might eventually come track him down and although he's an adult, there's still a part of Mathias that is afraid of dealing with fathers.

"I didn't finish my schooling," he admits. "I started later, while I was in the army."

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

Allowing herself to be led along, Veronica watched him as she walked, the shifting angles of his profile. There was clear curiosity in her own expression. "Can I ask why the army?" Not that that wasn't, in itself, sort of just asking right out, but it seemed a better alternative.

[plantfood]

"The German Army still employs a draft," Mathias answers, pausing near the mouth of the cave again. He has to raise his voice a little to be heard over the pounding water, his hand still hold Veronica's. "I didn't know what I wanted to do, so rather than wait to be drafted, I joined voluntarily. It's almost an expectation of all young men and most young women in Germany now. I never saw any fighting, I spent most of my time in school."

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"Works out pretty well that way," Veronica observed. She tipped her head to the side, considering, then drew her hand from his. Darting a smile his way, that was all she gave before heading off through the water to the other side. He was bound to follow one way or another, but all the same, there was a hint of a challenge to it. It was like starting a chase somehow.

[plantfood]

With a soft laugh, Mathias follows her through the water, swimming under the pounding waves and surfacing on the other side. As he pushes wet hair out of his eyes, he looks for Veronica, half-expecting to be pounced on or pushed under, considering the smile she's just given him. Not that he minds all that much. He's had far worse dates than this and not many that can rank as much fun.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

Slipping up from behind him, Veronica pounced, arms sliding over his shoulders. "Gotcha," she crowed, laughing a little, pretty sure she was expected. It didn't matter one way or another. The whole afternoon had contrived to put her in a better mood than she'd been in for ages.

[plantfood]

"I give up," Mathias answers, raising both his hands as high as he can, considering Veronica's arms are around him. He turns around in the water, although he only succeeds in spinning them both in a circle. "I surrender. I don't want to die on this date," he begs, though it's impossible not to grin and he's sure his smile can be heard in his voice.

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

Veronica laughed, closing her eyes as they turned. Sliding free, she waded in front of him. "I guess I could be persuaded to spare you," she sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sure you have uses."

[plantfood]

Mathias considers what he might be good at, his lips pursed for a moment. "I could translate German for you," he says finally, gesturing to himself even as he speaks. "I would be very good at that and you never know when you make need a translation, ja?"

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"Ja," Veronica echoed, apparently deadpan, trying not to laugh at herself now. It was true, though. This island brought people from all over time and space, and her own language skills were both limited and rusty. "There's that. Very good point. You may live."

[plantfood]

"Thank you very much," Mathias answers sincerely, still grinning down at her. "I don't think I can think of a better compliment than being deemed useful and worthy of living," he teases. "It's quite the honour."

[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

"You are very welcome," Veronica assured him, mock-serious. It faded into something more real, head tipping to the side as she added, "And thank you. For this. I'm... not very good at..." She waved a hand and shrugged. "Dating. But I'm having a lot of fun."

[plantfood]

"I'm not very good at it either," Mathias admits, nodding his understanding. "Maybe it's some combination of us both being not good that makes this fun." It's probably a stretch, but he's having a great time as well, and he knows that is mostly due to Veronica.