Atlas POV
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The morning was quiet. Yawning sleepily, I rose my arms above my head as I looked around the room. Everyone was still sleeping, and I could hear the occasional movement in the sheets.
Moving the blankets off of me, I got up, glancing down at Riftyns body. Before I remembered last night. I hurried out of the room with a deep blush on my face, deciding I wasn’t going to think of that much longer.
Humming a little to myself, I busied myself with making crepes. I didn’t think I’d eat many of them, but when Niko made them everyone seemed happy. Mhm. Happy.
Maybe- maybe I’ll get to be happy too. Now that I’m with them, I mean. I can already tell they’re to take it slow. But I think that’s how I would want it. I don’t think I want to speed things up yet. I think- I think I just want to be content.
Sure, all the thoughts and memories were still running through my head but- they seemed to be slowing down a little.
Giving me time. Time to catch up.
Yawning again, I finished off the crepes, setting them down on the table, before I felt cool fingers around my waist. “hi,”
Arlo. Wrapping me up in his arms, he yawned sleepily. “This isn’t moving to fast is it?” He murmured, and I could already feel the blush about to dust me face. “N- no its okay”. He nodded slowly, before tucking his head into my neck.
“Still tired.” He whispered, before dragging me over to the couch, and sitting down. “You’re so beautiful, you know that?”
Hearing others come down the stairs, I forced down the blush, looking away from Arlo. He tilted his head to gaze up at me. “Don’t look away from me,” he huffed, and I forced down another blush.
His dark hair was all fluffed up, and his lips were a smooth pink as he hummed to himself. I sighed a little. Part of me wished we could stay like this. But the other part was stuck on how I might react- and that the others would see.
I still- it didn’t matter how hard I tried. The beatings from my father when he saw me express emotion wouldn’t leave my mind. And as much as I didn’t like it, I could help the nagging feeling in my head that the others would do the same.
Ever must have seen my gloomy eyes, because he came over to us both, tilting my head to watch him.
“Don’t hide from us.”
I suppose Magnus was going to give me some kind of talk- to explain how all this would work. The way he glanced at me as Ever told me that only confirmed it. I shrugged off Ever’s concern, before shifting Arlo off of me.
“Ahaha- he has to deal with the sleepy bear this morning,” Milo’s small remark made me glance down at a now frowning Arlo. “Sleepy bear?” I asked, eyes raised in amusement. Arlo grumbled to himself, before pointing to Colten.
“Well he’s grumpy bear-“
It was true. Colten didn’t look very happy to have to wake up at the time he did. I rolled my eyes, before dragging Arlo over to the table with me.
“Come on sleepy bear” I murmured, and Arlo glanced away. As we sat down at the table, Riftyn cleared his throat a little. “So- Atlas- how was last ni-“
I sent him a glare, making him shut up, reaching for a crepe, not daring to meet my eyes. But his own were sparkling with amusement, and looking around the table, everybody else’s were, too.
“I’d like to talk with you for a little after breakfast.” Magnus’s soft voice called, and I glanced over to him, before nodding slightly. “Alright.”
It was almost silent as we ate. Well- the others. I ate a little but, I couldn’t bring myself to eat anymore that two. It made my stomach hurt. “You’re not going to eat anymore?” I sent a look in Niko’s direction.
“I- I’m not hungry.” Magnus muttered something to himself, before looking to Arlo and Cyrus. “Good job boys.” He praised, and I kept my own cheeks from warming, before understanding what he was talking about.
Arlo and Cyrus were both gripping each other’s hands tightly, sending small looks of encouragement to each other. Colten coughed a little from the other side of the table, giving me a smirk.
I narrowed my eyes at him, watching as he mouthed ‘good boy’, with a glint in his eye. I choked on my drink. “S- sorry-“. Glancing up again, I watched Magnus, Arlo, Colten and Riftyn share a look. Shit.
Colten looked overly pleased with himself, and I kicked his foot beneath the table. Colten stared at me, before turning to look at Magnus. He began before I could stop him. “Magnus~ Atlas kicked me.” Magnus sent a cool look my way. I swallowed.
“Atlas?”
“Sorry,” I mumbled, but not before kicking Colten under the table again. This time, he just smirked. “Good boy.” Magnus smirked.
I sighed as I saw the look from Arlo this time. It was a suggestive glance, and I glared at him as he mouthed the words Magnus had just said. I was never going to live this down. Shifting my legs a little, I looked up again to see now Niko, Milo, Ever and Cyrus glancing at me too.
With a smug look on their faces. I kicked Colten again. “So, Atlas,” I turned to look at Cyrus, who was looking at me with a cheeky grin. “Did you want to tell us anything?” Another kick to Colten.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I told him smoothly, and Arlo raised his eyebrows.
“Don’t you, little kitten?”
Glaring at the wall, I muttered a small no, and Milo laughed a little.
“Aw its okay little one, Niko and the others have a praising ki-“
This time, both Niko and I kicked Colten. “Oh? Maybe degraga-“
I kicked Riftyn, and he covered up his wince by plastering a smile on his face. “Mhm,” Arlo rumbled, “Would you like it too if we called you our little slu-”
Magnus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Sorry- about this I mean.”
I kicked Arlo, ignoring Magnus’s words, and Mag’s eyes flickered with amusement.
“Shut. Up” I hissed, and the number of smug faces around me increased. I turned away from them, trying to force down the blush that had almost overtook me three times now. “Hm, maybe he would want to be called our dirty little whore? How would you like that little kitten?”
I narrowed my eyes at Riftyn, before pushing back my chair, and moving to sit on the couch. Ignoring the small tent in my pants. “Alright, that’s enough,” Magnus said, and snickers went round the table.
“They’re just teasing you,” he whispered, coming over to sit beside me. I rolled my eyes. “I know.” I sighed, pushing down a smile. Magnus glanced away as the others began to clean up, before the familiar clap of his hands rang out.
“Alright- if you could all stay down here?” They all nodded, and the clatter of the kitchen slowly increased. “Now, can we talk?” Magnus’s eyes were kind and welcoming, and I couldn’t stop myself from nodding as he led me into his office.
I tensed a little as we sat, Magnus hadn’t moved his eyes from me as we walked up the stairs. “So- I know you might not want to move too fast,” I nodded slowly wondering where he would choose to start.
“But I want to help you- forget, heal, I guess.” My head tilted a little in confusion, and he noticed. “I want you to stop trying to hide emotions- or blushes-” I forced down one as he mentioned that, and his eyes narrowed.
“Yes, see? Just like that. You shouldn’t want to hide from us. We aren’t going to hurt you. You’re safe here. And we care for you. We want to see the real you.”
“I- okay. I can- I can try. Maybe” I mumbled, and he leant down to catch my words. He nodded approvingly when he heard. Still facing towards me, he rested his hands on his large wooden desk, and my eyes swept across the room.
I had been in here before, but I had never really gotten a good look. It was a large room, but the slanted roof, and the large window that covered the furthest wall made it seem so. It had been raining today, and I could see the slight drizzle of rain outside the room.
A warm, lit candle was providing us with light, and towering Victorian bookshelf laced the wall behind the desk, book placed haphazardly over it, a couple of plants here and there. It was like dark academia all in a room. I loved it.
I had made my room similar, with warm tones, and shadows, almost ever corner filled with books, art, and the music I listened to so regularly.
It was probably one of the reasons why I spent so much time in it. And why I also found myself gazing at the Magnus’s office.
He coughed a little, drawing my attention back to him. Him. His dark hair that swept over his eyes, and the black button up shirt that was rolled up to his elbows, tucked into black slacks. He was fucking beautiful.
Magnus smiled a little. “This reminds me a little of when we first met.” He mumbled, and I nodded, a small smile of my own. We were silent for a bit.
Just listening to the rain outside, and the quiet tapping of the papers on his desk as they flapped up and down. I relaxed into the big chair I was sitting in.
My facial features must have been calm now, and I pretended not to notice Magnus’s eyes flickering up and down my form.
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