icarus

vi. expensive cologne and cuban cigars

No. "Of course." Yara avoids Tanner's hand, and he leads her back to the hall under everyone's scrutinizing eyes. He takes her to the corner they'd been occupying, the darkest one of them all. Her back is against the wall, and he leans into her, his lips lifted sensually. He's as beautiful as Atlas but Atlas doesn't make the hair at the back of her neck rise in fear.

"Yara, you look absolutely ravishing tonight." He whispers, his hand brushing her cheek. He smells like expensive cologne, and cuban cigars, a dreadful combination. Yara wrinkles her nose, goosebumps forming on her arms. The smug smile on his lips reminds her of a predator cornering his prey. She smiles coyly, her hands pressing against his chest and the knowing grin on his face grows.

He leans in closer, and Yara whispers in his ear. "Tell me something I don't know." The gloss on her lips sticking on the shell of his ear. Her nails presses into his chest and he groans. "And what I don't know is, what exactly you want from me, Tanner? We aren't exactly this close." She says, her fingers bends and wiggles between them as if to remind him of the space between them, which isn't much to be honest. His smile dies down, and instead grows a knowing smirk. There's a darkness in his eyes, maddening ambition but he clenches his jaw, blinking, before his smirk turns sultry.

"There's no going around that pretty mind of yours, is there?" Yara shakes her head. "Don't worry about it for now, darling." He smiles, the twitch in his eyebrow almost seemingly imagined. "Enjoy the party, okay and say hi to Atlas for me when next you decide to have a rendezvous on the roof." Tanner spying on her seems unlikely, however Tanner spying on Atlas and finding out that they had a meet seems more plausible. Yara knows his position is shaking with the presence of Atlas and he is desperate.

Yara rolls her eyes. "Jealous?" Her finger grazing over the hickey on his neck, and his Adam's apple.

"Of course not, darling." He mumbles shocked, no one probably ever questions him.

She walks out and under his arms. "Good, considering there's no reason for you to be." Zane is staring at them, his brows furrowing and Olivia smirks, blowing on her crimson nails before walking to Isabella, pulling her as they walk off, primped hair bouncing as they strut away. Children. She groans. Zane's brows are still furrowed, and Yara pats his cheek when she got to him.

"You look grumpy when you make that face." Yara comments, the sip of champagne she's taken larger than anyone would know.

Zane sets his glass down, annoyance in his dark eyes. "I am grumpy."

"Because I talked to Tanner?"

His eyes flits over to Kira and Thomas who are furiously arguing between themselves. The annoyance grows. "Yes."

She pushes her empty glass down and flexes her fingers to rid them of cramps. "Calm down dearest brother. He's not talking to me for the reasons you think he is. He's only trying to warn me because his lapdog caught Atlas and I talking." She waves a hand dismissively.

"Atlas?" He turns to her, disbelief and teasing coating his words.

Yara nods. "He somehow, somehow, knows I'm Z." Her brother stares at her, shock diminishing from his eyes to normal steeliness.

"How much exactly did I miss within the last hour?" Zane asks, picking up his glass again.

She shrugs, brushing the tablecloth away from her thighs, and ignoring the way her heart skips a beat when Atlas walks in, under the close scrutiny of Tanner. "You more or less know as much as I do." Xavier walks to the makeshift stage where the celebrity DJ has been occupying. He whispers in the ear of the man and he nods furiously.

The music turns slower, and more sensual. The lights are dimmed even more, and everyone has turned to groups of two to dance with. Zane groans, rolls his eyes and walks out, not before patting her head though. It is his usual way of saying bye. Yara drums her hand on the table, her eyes watching the scene before her and when Tanner turns to her with a smile, she smiles back at him and that's the beacon he needs, his eyes curve and she counts in her head, the seconds it takes him to walk to her. Six. Yara can easily maneuver away from him but his game is easy to predict and play along with.

"Dance with me." He asks. It's not a request, she stares at him for a good five seconds and his crown slips even more.

Yara cocks her head. "I think I'm all danced out." He clenches his jaw in response. Too easy.

"You've barely danced all night." Tanner argues, his hand pushing into his pockets. Behind him, Atlas makes a face when she looks over at him and the writing on her palm burns, amongst the other reminders for the day. She just knows where it is. Tanner clears his throat, and she turns to him, annoyed.

Yara crosses her hands across her chest. "Need a cough drop?"

"Let's dance." He repeats.

She narrows her eyes. Tanner's a little too persistent. it's unnatural, his feet shuffle and his eyes are shifty. "I remember saying I'm all danced out."

"But you haven't danced yet."

Yara's bracelets dangle in the lights, and she pushes a braid out of her face. "Yes, but rendezvousing will take all your energy away, I thought you'd know that." Tanner smiles but it's forced and he nods, leaving the hall, Xavier following behind him. The ever loyal lapdog. She muses.

"Did you piss in his cereal?" A voice asks behind her, and her fingers push into her skin. It's Atlas.

Yara shrugs. "He must not get rejected often."

"Ooh." He murmurs as she turns to look at him. "What did he ask you to do?"

She watches him intently, and he stands still, staring at her with the same intensity that she gives. "He wanted to dance, said no and he asked why and I told him that rendezvousing with you tired me out."

He throws his head back and laughs, resting his elbows on the table behind him. Yara's cheeks heat slightly. "I didn't know I tired you. I apologize. Next time, I'll pick out a spot that'll be easier, or is it me that tires you? I'm afraid there isn't a solution for that particular situation, unless I make my company more enjoyable for you."

"What if I just don't meet with you? Then I won't get tired again." She calmly replies.

He places a hand on his chest, and groans. "You wound me." Yara curls her lips, rolling her eyes.

"Considering how beat I am, I think I'm going to leave now."

Atlas cocks his head. "Should I be expecting a call back?" He asks.

"Bye Atlas."