[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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[neptune-sleuth.livejournal.com]

There was this much to be said for having a place of her own: privacy was in no small supply. There was no one, therefore, whether roommate or nosy neighbor, to look in on Veronica Mars as she considered more outfits than she'd actually realized she had to her name. On the downside, the lack of a mirror meant that second-guessing became triple-guessing. Logan had said she looked good in black, so anything black was out of the question. Dating wasn't something she'd done in a long time, what seemed like forever, not since Sam. Before they'd even so much as got a foot off the ground for the second go round, Jess had come back into the picture, and that, she was sure, was for the best. Trying with him had been a fool's errand, a moment of weakness. This wasn't that. At least, she was, for the moment, hoping it wasn't.

In the end, it was as simple as jeans and a blouse over a swimsuit, and she reached for a towel as she moved for the door, waiting a moment, trying to force her expression into calmness before she opened it. "Hey," she said. "Oh, wait, was that tonight?" There was a flicker of uncertainty before she broke into a grin. "I'm ready."