icarus

ix. terrible at flirting

"You are absolutely terrible at flirting." Yara comments. Atlas laughs and hangs up. He's wearing a white sweater and same coloured sweatpants.

She walks closer to him, and he pushes his hands in his pockets. "Would you look at that? I'm white and you're black." Atlas says, his lips curled in an almost sultry smile. He's standing beside Tanner's door, leaning against the wall. She knows Tanner won't let them in for a while, it's his tactic to keep them waiting for him as a power play. Utterly childish.

"Pretty sure we're both black." Yara replies, exaggeratedly looking over his figure, not that she'd admit that she's ogling him. Atlas seems to know, judging by the look he gives her when her dark eyes flit over his face.

He chuckles, and shakes his head. "You know that's not what I mean." Yara walks to the door and knocks, and Tanner's voice is heard behind the door telling her to wait. "It's sad." Atlas whispers from beside her. She raises an eyebrow. "That he thinks that this door is an indication of status between us. I have no desire for the pitiful throne he holds in Westwood."

He is close to her, and she can smell his cologne. Yara blinks, turns to him fully. His eyes are bright under the almost harsh lighting. She shuffles a bit closer to him, and his eyes soften. She presses a hand to his chest and leans in closely. Atlas is watching her silently, and her eyes threaten to fall on his lips. She inches even closer, and her smile almost breaks through when he tenses.

"You smell really nice, Atlas." She murmurs. He looks dazed, and his eyes widen a tad. "And that's how you flirt." Yara pats his chest and steps back with a giggle.

He glances at her, and clears his throat. When he speaks, his voice is a little low. "You cheated."

"You're just salty." Yara retorts, even though her senses are reeling from being that close to him. Her fingers are shaky and grip the strap of her bag close.

Atlas cocks his head to the side, looking at her carefully. "And you're just a little devil."

"I'd say something super badass-y but I feel that would be cringe."

He snorts. "What would you have said?"

"I don't know. Something along the lines of, damn right." Yara shrugs, and leans against the wall beside him. "And then I'd wink. I may also call you baby, so my full sentence would be damn right baby."

His laugh is low, and Atlas shakes his head in amusement. "I would've died of second hand embarrassment on your behalf."

"Dying for me, and there isn't a ring on my finger yet?" She whispers, just as Zane and Arlo walk out of the elevator.

"Do you want one?" Zane glances at the door and raises an eyebrow at Yara, she shakes her head and Zane grins. He knocks on the door and Tanner's exasperated voice is heard from the other side.

"Yara, give me five minutes. We'll be through soon."

The aforementioned girl raises her head. "That wasn't me. You know I am not going to knock on that door again."

"It's Zane. I won't wait longer than two minutes."

Yara snorts. "That's usually all he needs."

"I don't understand." Atlas says. Zane and Arlo laugh, and Atlas looks between them, confused.

Tanner opens the door finally, annoyed and flushed. Olivia's face is also red. Atlas seems to choke on air, snickering. Xavier and Isabella walk out of the elevator at that exact time. "Come on in everyone. It's time for Atlas's initiation." Atlas is still chuckling silently, when Tanner turns to him, perplexed.