"For you? I'd hold the skies on my shoulders, if it came down to it."
*****
He didn't think she'd ever look his way. Let alone, stumble into him- and into his life. But all things happen for a reason, and sometimes- when you love someone from afar...
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"YOU'RE OKAY, AREN'T you?"
"Me?" I give him a confused look, "Yeah. I am, why?"
"What were you doing at the hospital?" Atlas tilts his head at me, his gaze inquisitive.
"Oh," I only hesitate for a moment before going with a half-lie, "I accompanied Mr. Rossi here, he's just getting a normal check-up done."
"Mhmm," is all I get in response. The tips of his fingers are fiddling with a strand of hair framing my face- occasionally just brushing against my hairline absent-mindedly.
I'm certain that I can feel his heavy-lidded gaze on me as I sort through a packet of skittles, and every time I glance up to confirm my suspicions- he's already looking at me.
"Red's your favorite color?" I hold out a red skittle to him.
Instead of taking it from my hand like I had expected him to, he cranes his neck forward and takes it between his teeth, his lips brushing against my fingers for the briefest moment. Then he pulls back- his eyes never once leaving mine.
Oh. Okay.
I was going to disintegrate. Don't mind me.
There's the tiniest hint of mirth in his eyes as he chews, tilting his head to the side and observing me. I try not to show any signs of being flustered but I can't help the way my eyes widen and I stare at the spot his teeth had been at two seconds ago.
"Well, green's mine," I feel the need to say, as a desperate way to tell myself I'm not all hot and bothered, "not mine- because I don't own the color, but it's my fav-"
"I know."
"Right," I nod, kissing my teeth as I hold out a green skittle for myself, "I think it's obvious I don't own green-"
"I know it's your favorite color."
I pause, with a blink. "Oh."
He takes in the surprise on my face slowly- his eyes flickering across every feature like he was trying to memorize it.
"Didn't think I'd remember?"
I shrug, trying to dismiss it, "I only mentioned it once in passing."
There's a pause as I put the candy into my mouth, the sound of the packet rustling filling the air.
"Your favorite flowers are roses," he says softly, and I look up at him startled, "You like dandelions too because they remind you of little fairies, but they make you sneeze. You're allergic to mushrooms. You like watching the rain, and you really like puddles because it makes you feel like a kid. And you like-"
He stops abruptly as if he realized what he had been saying.
I can only stare at him wide-eyed, as a lump builds in my throat.
