[For Veronica]

[plntfood]

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

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[neptune_sleuth]

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

[plntfood]

It says something for just how much he really likes her that there's a moment of disappointment, the feeling of his stomach pulling tight before Mathias realizes that she's teasing him and he relaxes.

"I'm not sure myself, I think I got the dates mixed up, but decided to give it a shot anyway," he replies, but he's melted into a smile more genuine and easier than the expression he'd been wearing before. It's not hard to remember that Veronica has seen him at his worst, crying over Henrich's body, but it's also difficult to forget how good she was during that. It makes him a little uncomfortable, knowing she's seen that from him, but it could be worse, he imagines.

Offering a hand, he says, "I'm ready, too." There's a pause and then he grins sheepishly. "Obviously."

[neptune_sleuth]

"I would hope so," Veronica replied airily, "unless, I mean, you're showing up to cancel." And while that wasn't out of the realm of possibility, she was already stepping outside, closing the door behind her before she reached out tentatively to lay a hand in his.

This should have been the easy part, she figured. He'd made it clear, in a roundabout way while female, that he liked her company, and there couldn't be much harder than the vulnerability of sitting guard over his brother's body. Attraction - and mutual attraction at that - should have been simple, an equation already solved. It never was. Still, he smiled like that and she couldn't help smiling, too, trying to dredge up her usual certainty.

[plntfood]

"I brought some food," Mathias says as he lets himself take Veronica's hand without panicking. She's already shown him that the scars don't bother her much and though there are fresh burns now, they're rapidly healing and don't hurt him anymore.

"I'm not much of a cook, I must admit, but there was a man in the kitchen who lent a hand and I managed to get together something of a meal." Sandwiches, a salad, some snacks and drinks, but not the sort of picnic he would have been able to pack back home. Everyone here has to make do, though, and he's sure Veronica won't think less of him because of the sandwiches.