[Veronica]

[plntfood]

It's a little early, he knows this, but there's something a little awkward about trying to celebrate an anniversary so close to Valentine's Day. Mathias can be romantic when he wants to, but he isn't one for traditional gestures and so, rather than wait for the anniversary of their first date to approach, he's prepared something now. There's a part

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[neptune_sleuth]

Whatever Mathias has in mind, Veronica can't figure it out. Her birthday's months away, Christmas is past and their anniversary, though fast-approaching, is perilously close to Valentine's Day, a day that has, in previous years, gone on to live in infamy. Whatever it is, he's kept it secret, and if that makes her a little nervous, then the look on his face when she opens the door dispels that, at least for a moment. It can't be bad. It could be, actually, it always could be, but this, she's pretty sure, is a good surprise.

But then, they've had their share of problems, but at the end of the day, the fact is, they're still here, and that gives her more hope than she wants to admit or knows what to do with. It shouldn't be strange to think this could be good, too.

"Okay," she says, laughing when the door is open and she's reaching to take him by the hand, "I'm here, I'm ready. Now tell me what this is about."

[plntfood]

Shaking his head, Mathias smiles as Veronica's hand slides into his own and he says, "Not yet." He has to admit, trying to keep this a secret has been more fun than he thought it might. Thus far, he's played it up enough that he knows she can't possibly think it's something bad and that's really all that matters.

"It's still supposed to be a surprise, you know," he continues, turning back down the path that leads to his hut. "And if I tell you, that would ruin the surprise, would it not?"

He's never been very good at surprises, never liked them much, but if this is the way they happen from now on, he thinks he could get used to it.

[neptune_sleuth]

"No, it would be giving me the surprise," Veronica says hopefully. It can't be far off, though, and a few more moments of waiting aren't going to kill her. Going back to his place is so much more comfortable now that she knows Stacy won't be there, and despite her protests that he didn't have to make her go, Veronica doesn't regret his decision. "Just tell me one thing: is it a pony?"

[plntfood]

"I fear I'm just going to be the latest in a long line of people who have disappointed you," Mathias says with a sigh, almost bordering on teasing for a moment. "It is not a pony."

Now that she's mentioned it, though, it probably can't hurt to see what the box might give him in terms of ponies on clothes. Maybe it isn't quite what she wants, but he'd still like to see her face if he manages to find something.

"Besides, a pony would not fit inside my hut," he adds as they near the path that leads to his door.

[neptune_sleuth]

"You underestimate how small they can be," Veronica counters, wide-eyed and plaintive. "No one seems to understand, I don't need a very big one." At this point, she's reconciled herself to the notion that the best she'll ever do in that arena is the few times she went riding with Lilly on a horse borrowed from the Kanes. If nothing else, though, saying this provides a semi-decent distraction from the flutter of curiosity that comes with being nearly there.

[plntfood]

"Would a My Little Pony be an acceptable substitute?" he asks with a smile, expecting he can probably find one of those somewhere on the island.

It's a little lonely out here now, living alone, not knowing any of his neighbours particularly well, but Mathias handles it well enough. He's not interested in moving back up to the Compound and he isn't so lonely that he's sought out the people around him in an attempt to be friends. Even so, he likes having Veronica there. It makes the hut seem less empty.

"Close your eyes," he instructs as he leads her up the small set of steps that lead to his front door. "That's part of the surprise, too."

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica shoots him a quick look, brow raising, head tipping sideways, and gives a put-upon sigh as she closes her eyes, barely concealing that she's let him get her all worked up and excited anyway.

"Have you ever seen Beauty and the Beast?" she asks, holding onto his hand, following along, a wisp of a smile on her lips. "I hope you know I'm expecting a giant library right about now. Can I open them?"

[plntfood]

"My dying rose is housed out back," Mathias quips with a smile that she can't see, making sure he doesn't let her trip or walk into a wall while her eyes are closed. The door creaks when he opens it and he gives the little setup a quick once over before he squeezes Veronica's hand lightly.

"You can open your eyes," he says, suddenly nervous, knowing it doesn't show and thankful for that. His palms don't sweat and instead of staring at the floor with a faintly sheepish expression, he watches Veronica's face, waits for her reaction. Nervous or not, he wants to see.

[neptune_sleuth]

There are flowers, but none of them are dying or roses when Veronica opens her eyes and takes in the set up. Eyes widening, she smiles, then laughs, soft, looking back incredulously at him. "How did you know I wanted to be first one through the doors when you opened your own restaurant?" she asks. "Mathias, this is..."

She waves her hands, momentarily at a loss. Pleased as she clearly is, somewhere under the surface, she's racking her brain to try and remember what she missed and what this could be for.

[plntfood]

"I know it's not... a real anniversary," he explains slowly, picking his words carefully. In the past, he's made the mistake of saying too much and he has no intention of ruining this evening. "Our first date was the day before Valentine's Day, I wasn't sure how..."

And yet he's still sure he's not saying it right. Falling silent, he considers the spread and then closes the door of the hut behind them. "It's for you," he settles on saying. "For us both."

[neptune_sleuth]

At least she hasn't missed something, forgotten or misremembered what she should have known. It's just early, and given how close the real thing is to Valentine's, she can't be sorry about that. Veronica grins, stepping forward to put her hands on his shoulders, tugging him towards her for a kiss.

"It's great," she says. Even if part of her is wondering what might still happen before the year's actually up and if she could really get that far with so few incidents. It seems too lucky to be true. "I love it."

[plntfood]

Mathias grins, leaning into the kiss, one hand slipping around to brace himself lightly against the small of her back. Although he keeps much of what he's feeling to himself, he can be a romantic when he wants to, and this is a time when he definitely wants to. It's been too long and he misses the opportunity to play this role.

"I even had some help with the food," he says, stepping back and taking Veronica's hand so he can lead her over to the little indoor picnic. By 'help', he means that he'd taken the leftovers that looked the most delicious and played them up a little, but it's probably best this way. His cooking isn't exactly perfect. "So you know it's edible."

[neptune_sleuth]

"Good," Veronica says, settling down on the floor. "I'd hate you to think you were trying to kill me this soon into our relationship. I mean, that's like, a fifth anniversary."

The longer she's with him, the easier it is to make cracks about their longevity, to assume there will be a tomorrow, to push all the freaking out back until she's alone. Being in the moment again takes getting used to it, but she just might have the time. Looking up at him with a smile, she reaches for the drinks to pour something for each of them. He's gone all out, no matter who cooked it, and she can't remember the last time anyone else did.

[plntfood]

"At least," Mathias agrees with a nod, sitting down across from her, long legs crossed as he leans his elbows on his knees. As Veronica pours the drinks, he carefully begins to serve the little meal he's managed to put together, feeling a little less self conscious about it now that they're both here and she seems to be enjoying it.

"I didn't think having dinner in the Compound would be very private," he explains about his chosen location. "And the beach is always crawling with people as well."

[neptune_sleuth]

"And sand in your food tends to put a damper on things," Veronica agrees, reaching for her plate once she's set a glass down in front of him. If she's going to do this -- the quiet, settled girlfriend thing -- then she'll do it in private. She's better at this in private. Not to mention, there are aspects of it she can't do in the Compound kitchen. "I mean it, I like it. It's just... you and me. It's nice. I don't -- I didn't have anything planned yet."

[plntfood]

"And here I was, expecting my own pony," Mathias says, grinning before he takes a sip from his drink. He isn't sure that's what she even means, but he doesn't want her to think that he was expecting anything. In all honesty, he isn't one for anniversaries, not because he forgets, but because he doesn't worry about the time so much.

"I'm a little disappointed," he says. "I wanted my pony."