closed + backdated | this is not what it looks like

[stillplaying]

She's had her own key to Matt's apartment for a while now and she still feels a sort of thrill whenever she uses it. There's a level of trust that comes with giving someone access to where you live. That Matt's willing to trust her that much means the world to someone who still considers herself unlikable at times. It feels good; a reminder that her boyfriend thinks so highly of her. That he cares for her enough that he wants her to feel as comfortable in his apartment as she is in the one that she shares with Prim.

It's taken a while but Katniss has finally gotten to the point where she doesn't always ask before going to his apartment. She doesn't even knock. Surprising him every now and then has become a fun kind of game that she has yet to get tired of. A much better game than the ones she played back in Panem.

This morning is one of those days where she's feeling impish enough to want to surprise Matt. Although she hadn't necessarily gotten the name of the man on the network (someday, Katniss will learn how to make proper introductions), the fact that he's a lawyer is exciting news. She wants Matt to be happy here and Katniss has finally started to realize that friends tend to play a big role in settling in. A shared career is a place to start, isn't it? If Matt hadn't seen the network post himself, she wants to be the first to tell him about it. Along with breakfast: a rich bread, jam, and some of her sister's homemade goat cheese. And, of course, coffee for him. Katniss still prefers tea.

She doesn't knock. Instead she slips her key into the slot and walks inside. She glances at the couch, knowing Matt tends to sleep there when she doesn't stay the night. It's empty but the sound of a shower going in the bathroom seems to explain it. She deposits the food and drink on the coffee table and quietly makes her way towards the bedroom. A part of this game of hers is to try and sneak up on him, even if it seems like a futile goal. Katniss is good at being quiet but his senses are even better at detecting her. Catching him while he's in the shower seems like an opportunity to finally succeed.

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[thuggishlife]

This isn't the first time he's woken up in Matt's apartment. When he wakes up, still wearing the clothes he had on the day before he assumes last night's dream was the result of one too many drinks after work. Maybe he actually acted on that empty feeling he's been dealing with and came to Matt's to talk things out. The beer would probably explain the crazy dream he'd had about walking into another world through his office door and all of the people he'd met.

He's still feeling a little groggy though and even if he needs to head home in the clothes from yesterday, he guesses he could take a shower first. He doubts that Matt will have anything that will fit him, but he wishes for it anyway and by some miracle he finds a tshirt and pair of sweats that will work. He spends a long time in the shower before he realizes that he should probably leave some not water for his friend. Foggy shuts off the water just in time to hear the door open. He doesn't think twice about pulling back the curtain, after all, it's not like Matt can actually see anything.

"I think I left you a little hot wa...haaaaaat?" He freezes when he realizes that he's not looking at Matt but a girl. A girl who is very much not blind. He scrambles to reach for the towel, only succeeding in knocking it off the rack to the ground. He opts for the curtain instead, stepping behind it and wrapping it around himself. There's an awkward pause. "You're not Matt."

Maybe when he should become a super hero. Captain Obvious.

[preemptiveforgiveness]

Matt had actually stepped out to get breakfast. Yes, he can make a decent cup of coffee and toast a bagel, but he prefers to go out to get it the same way he had back home. Besides, the coffee shop here does a great bagel and cup of coffee. He's got the little cardboard tray with two cups of coffee and the paper bag with two everything bagels and cream cheese balanced in one hand, key in the other hand when he hears Foggy's 'wahaaaat'. He knows Katniss is there, but hadn't realized she was walking in on Foggy in the bathroom until that moment. He hurriedly opens the door and steps inside.

"I've got coffee and bagels," he says loudly as he steps inside and goes to put everything on the bar top. He's trying to figure out exactly how he can make this less awkward, and unfortunately there's really no way.

"Katniss, why don't you come eat," he says as he goes to get a couple of plates and a knife for the cream cheese. He also gets a coffee cup out of the cabinet so he can split one of the coffees with her.

[stillplaying]

The shower is still running when she walks into the bathroom. For a few seconds, she lets herself be caught up in imagining Matt in the shower and stripping down to join him. It's a nice fantasy and she stands there in the doorway with a smile on her face. That's when the water is shut off. In retrospect, she's grateful for the timing. It keeps her from actually taking off her shirt or doing anything that might make the moment more embarrassing. Unfortunately, it also does little to keep the ensuing seconds from being some of the most awkward in Katniss' life.

She stands in the bathroom frozen to the spot as reality sinks in and her face flushes bright red in embarrassment. The man standing in the shower isn't Matt. She isn't blind; the explosion that had scarred most of her body had sparred her eyes. In the short-sleeved shirt that she wears, some of those scars can be seen on her arms. Her hair (worn down) covers most of the scars on her neck but some can be seen when she shakes her head to knock herself out of her daze.

No, she's not Matt. And to point out the obvious as well: "You're not Matt either."

He's the other lawyer from the network, the one she wanted to tell Matt about. Apparently, Matt's beat her to this discovery but-- Look away, she tells herself. Even with the curtain now wrapped around him, she's seeing too much. It's not that she hasn't seen men other than Matt naked before. The Hunger Games had forced her to put aside some of her modesty to help Peeta and Finnick. But--

"That's Matt," she says quickly, as soon as she hears the door to the apartment close again and Matt shout something about coffee and bagels and Katniss coming to eat. Finally, she forces herself to turn around, back to Foggy. "That's Matt and I'm going now."

Really, she can't get out of that room fast enough.

Guess who forgot to track this thread... Sorry!

[thuggishlife]

"No." Foggy says, shaking his head. There have been times that he's wanted to be Matt in his life. Particularly around the ladies, but now is not one of those times. He is, however, almost envious about just how normal Matt sounds in the other room. In the other room where he's not naked and staring at the woman he talked to over the network. It occurs to Foggy that Matt is the other lawyer she'd mentioned.

Of course he is.

"Okay. Great." Foggy says in response to Katniss again stating that's Matt in the other room. Matt fully clothed and not trying to disappear behind a shower curtain. To his credit, his voice only raises in pitch the tiniest bit. "I'll... get dressed."

He waits until she leaves before letting out a deep breath and climbing out of the shower. As far as first introductions go, he's had better. He's not entirely looking forward to walking out of the bathroom and so he takes his time getting dressed. Eventually, however, curiosity will get the better of him. He already knows Matt seems happier here than he was in New York. And the fact that he has a woman walking into his bathroom without knocking has to be part of it. He just hopes he hasn't just ruined the chance to get to know her better.

Re: Guess who forgot to track this thread... Sorry!

[preemptiveforgiveness]

Oh, Foggy. Really, he's better off just being himself. This is where mothers (and a slightly drunk Matt) would tell Foggy that if the girls don't realize how amazing he is, that's their problem. Matt may sound normal from the other room, but his heart is pounding about 600 times a minute (give or take a few) and he's cursing himself for not mentioning Katniss to Foggy earlier, or not texting Katniss to tell her that his friend would be staying over in his apartment for a while. Anything that might have made this less awkward.

When Katniss flees into the main room of the apartment, Matt holds out a paper plate with a chocolate croissant on it in her direction. He's learned by now that Katniss always copes with anything better if there's food. "I can make some tea or I'll share my coffee with you, whichever you prefer," he starts off with. "You've met Foggy. He arrived last night." They'd come back here after a few beers at the Houndstooth. "I would have texted you later today and let you know he was here." After he'd had a chance to tell Foggy about her.

He'd spent much of last night trying to rebuild that bridge he was afraid he'd burned back home and trying to make Foggy at least a little comfortable with being here.

it happens! <3

[stillplaying]

Her own heart is racing in her chest as she stumbles out of the bathroom, practically running to the living room as soon as she's out of Foggy's range of sight. It's not Foggy's fault. As embarrassed as she's feeling right now, she doesn't blame him. Katniss might not be the best at reading others but she's certain that his surprise had been as genuine as her own. The man hadn't expected her to walk in there. Besides, it's always easier to blame herself. Always.

Her panic begins to subside when Matt comes into view. No matter what happened, at least this means that she has the right apartment. Despite herself, she has to smile when he holds out a chocolate croissant. Katniss will always love simpler foods like the bread, cheese, and jam she had brought over but chocolate? Chocolate still seems like a luxury even if it's common here. She takes it from him and lets her fingers linger against his, smiling gratefully as she mutters, "Thank you."

"I have tea," she tells him, eyeing the two mugs from her apartment for a second before turning her attention back to Matt. The food is better though and she takes a large bite before continuing. "I also have coffee for you. And breakfast but I guess you don't need it. I wanted to tell you about..." She trails off and takes a deep breath. "I didn't know he was your Foggy."

That makes her nervous. This isn't a good first impression and Katniss isn't all that likable to begin with. He's supposed to be Matt's best friend and she already doubts that she made a good impression on Claire. Katniss looks down at the croissant, frowning. "I can leave if you want."

[thuggishlife]

"I'm not his Foggy," he says, stepping out of the bedroom. "At least, I mean, not like that. I'm a Foggy, that he's known since college and we're... okay, I'm his Foggy, but I'm not his Foggy." Is he making this worse? He thinks he's probably making this worse.

He glances over at Matt and the muffins on the counter. "You must be his girl. Woman. Wait, that's worse isn't it?" He nods towards one of the muffins as he steps up to them. "Can I have one of those to shove in my mouth so I can stop talking?"

He doesn't wait to be handed one, instead grabbing one. Though he's temporarily reminded of manners. "Sorry, it's nice to meet you. Fully clothed."

[preemptiveforgiveness]

Matt can't help but grin at the awkward exchange. "Definitely not my Foggy," he says with a hint of teasing in his voice. "I've told Katniss a little about you," he explains to Foggy. Obviously, he hadn't gotten the chance to tell Foggy about Katniss yet.

"Katniss is my girlfriend," he finally clarifies. Maybe it's a juvenile description for their relationship, but it's less awkward than 'woman' or 'lover' or any of the other things he could have said. At Foggy's question, Matt nods. He rubs his hand over the back of his neck. "Katniss, this is Foggy--" his eyes dart to Foggy then back to Katniss. "my best friend." Because he thinks they're okay and maybe they've still got some things to fix, but they're okay.