23

~Darlina's POV~

The weekend rolled around before I even knew it, which I was glad for being that I usually had the weekends off. As much as I enjoyed working at Diya's, I also enjoyed having my time off like everyone else.

A happy sigh left me as I sank into the tub that afternoon, having woken up a little bit later than I usually did, and I lowered into the hot water until my head was the only bit of me above the bubbly surface of the water. I lingered in the tub until my fingertips began to prune before I decided I should probably get out, reluctantly leaning over to unplug the drain. I got out and dried off, wrapping myself in a towel before I blow dried my hair. Normally I'd leave it to air dry, but I didn't feel like it today.

I pulled on a pair of undergarments after my hair was dry, entering my closet to pull on a pair of comfy black pants with a grey bandeau and a sheer white shrug that had cute frill on its edges. After slipping on a pair of white socks I happily strolled out of my room, making my way towards the kitchen in hopes of finding something to eat. To my dismay, though, I opened the fridge and saw we had next to nothing left in terms of groceries.

Groaning, I shut the fridge and thumped my hand against my forehead. How on earth had I completely managed to forget to buy groceries at all this week? I was usually really good about keeping on top of that sort of thing.

"Everything okay?" Emmett asked, suddenly entering the kitchen. I glanced over my shoulder at him, frowning. "We've got no groceries." I pouted, leaning against the island counter. He glanced up at the clock and then down at me again. "How about I order us something all to eat while you and Atlas go shopping for groceries? That way you have someone to help you and food will be here for you by the time you get back." He suggested.

Although I knew that I needed to go grocery shopping, the mention of bringing Atlas along made me hesitate. "Is Atlas even awake...?" I wondered, cocking my head to the side. Emmy just shrugged, already scrolling through his phone. "Most likely. Hell, I think he gets up even earlier than you do. I'd be surprised if he was still asleep now." He responded, glancing up at me with a reassuring smile. "Just go check. If he decides to be an ass, tell him I'm the one making him go with you."

Nodding reluctantly, I left the kitchen and wandered to the end of the hallway to Atlas' bedroom, stopping in front of the closed door. I bit my lip as I raised my hand, knocking on the door lightly until I heard a heavy sigh from inside the room. "Come in." Atlas called in his deep voice, the sound slightly muffled.

I carefully opened the door and slipped in, letting the weight of it swing itself shut behind me. My eyes scanned the surroundings of the familiar room, slightly surprised at the changes he had made to it. It had always been a dark themed room, as per Emmett's preferred decor style, but it seemed Atlas had changed a few things to make it more to his liking. There were warm toned lights along the borders of the ceiling and behind the frame of the bed, casting a yellowish glow.

To my surprise, I didn't see Atlas anywhere, which I was obviously expecting to.

"Atlas?" I called, confused. I heard shuffling from the closet and curiously poked my head around the doorframe, peering inside. I'd poked my head around just in time to see him pulling a tee shirt over his head, causing my eyes to widen as I quickly turned away. "S-Sorry!" I exclaimed, a flush creeping into my cheeks.

"What are you apologizing for, exactly?" Atlas muttered, sounding genuinely confused. I tilted my head back and stared up at the dark ceiling, rocking back and forth on my sock covered feet. "I didn't know you were getting dressed, or I wouldn't have looked." I told him, not wanting him to think that I had purposely creeped on him or something.

However, he just snorted as if amused. "I was hardly getting dressed, smalls. You're fine." He said, startling me when he suddenly brushed past me, so close that I felt his chest brush against my back. I jolted out of his way immediately, causing him to shoot me a weird look before he shook his head. "So what'd you need, huh?" He asked, sitting down on the edge of his bed. Embarrassed by my own reaction, I cleared my throat and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Right, um, we need to get groceries." I told him.

He just stared at me, cocking up a dark eyebrow as he ran a tattooed hand through his dark hair. "We?" He echoed. "Why would you think I want to go with you?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Emmy said you have to, actually." I responded, watching the way his full lips tugged up slightly. "Of course he did." He muttered, almost exasperated. I bit the inside of my cheek, unsure what to say to that, so I just stayed quiet. "Okay, then. Just gimme a minute and we'll go." He sighed, rising from his bed again.

I smiled, glad that he hadn't given me a hard time about the matter. "Alright! I'll wait in the living room!" I chirped, quickly running out of his room and over to mine to find a pair of shoes. After slipping on a pair of white converse, I slid my phone and wallet into my pockets before making my way to the living room, as I said I would.

When he noticed me waiting idly in the living room, Emmett glanced over at me. "Guessing he didn't give you a hard time?" He assumed, to which I smiled and shook my head. "Nope, not this time." I said happily. "Did you find somewhere to order food from?" I asked, the idea of food making my stomach rumble. He nodded. "I figured we could order from Brewhouse. You like that place, right?" He suggested, earning a nod.

"You want the usual? Chicken buffalo sandwich and fries, yeah?" He checked, and I nodded eagerly. "Yeah, exactly." I reaffirmed with a grin, watching as Emmett chuckled, likely knowing that I was starving. "Okay, got it. You guys get going and I'll order." He said, at which time I finally realized that Atlas was already waiting just behind me to leave.

The two of us left the apartment and made the fifteen minute drive to the grocery store in silence, Atlas being the first out of the car once I parked in a spot in the lot. I quickly got out and made sure the car chirped as I locked it before I hurried to catch up with him, huffing at the fact that he had immediately left me behind. "Slow down!" I exclaimed, struggling to keep up with his long strides.

Atlas glanced down at me, his deep blue eyes piercing through my brown ones. Caught off guard by the intensity of his gaze, I stumbled over my own feet and almost face planted onto the concrete before me. His large hand gripped at my arm before I could fall, however, yanking me back onto my feet as I squeaked in surprise. "You should really watch your step." He sighed, rolling his eyes as if I was a nuisance to him. My face burned with the embarrassment and I stepped away. "It's not my fault. You walk too fast." I mumbled.

He chuckled, a genuine one, and it made me peer up at him as that dimple popped into his cheek again, drawing my attention. I looked away quickly, fiddling with the long sleeves of my shirt. "Maybe your legs are just too short, hm?" He teased, letting out a mocking chuckle as he turned and continued walking. This time, though, he walked slow enough for me to keep up.

I quietly followed him into the store and grabbed a shopping cart, glancing up at him. "You can get anything you want, by the way." I told him as we made our way through the store, adding a few items every couple aisles. At least, I added items, but Atlas still hadn't put anything in the cart even after going through several aisles of food.

Still, I didn't push him at first, but eventually I reached out and tugged on his shirt to stop him. He stopped, glancing down at my hand as if my hand was the worst thing to come into contact with him in his life. I let go.

"Are you not going to get anything at all?" I asked, frowning up at him with a furrow between my brows. "Surely there's something you want." I said. He just sighed, rolling his eyes as he turned his head and stared down the empty aisle. "Can't we just finish this up? I want to go home." He responded, grumpy as ever.

My eyes narrowed at him but I began to push the cart again, deciding that I would drop it. For now, anyway. I would make him get something even if I had to force him.

I set a couple bags of chips in the cart and we moved onto the next aisle, my eyes scanning the shelves as we walked side by side. His arm brushed against mine and I glanced up at him in what I hoped was a discreet manner, only to see that he was glaring at something, causing me to curiously follow his gaze. He was glaring at a man at the end of the aisle, causing me to gently nudge him with my elbow. "It's not nice to glare at people like that, you know." I stated, pushing up on my tiptoes to grab a loaf of bread.

He grunted in annoyance. "Motherfucker keeps lookin' at me." He grumbled, rolling his eyes. I giggled softly and set the loaf of bread in the cart. "Just ignore him." I responded, continuing down the aisle with him. If anything, he just seemed to glare at the man even harder.

We moved onto the next aisle and I shook my head slightly, secretly a little amused by his grumpiness. Of course it wasn't good to be so annoyed at all times, but sometimes I found his irritation over little things amusing if it wasn't directed at me.

As we continued shopping, I noticed that Atlas would occasionally glance at specific items, staring at them yet not putting anything in the cart still. I knew he wanted them, so I couldn't really understand why he refused to admit it. I bumped him again. "Why won't you get anything for yourself?" I asked with a sigh, finally coming to a stop in the middle of the aisle as I turned to him with a frown.

His eyes flicked over to me and he shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. "You and Em already bought me clothes. I feel like I'm just leeching off you guys, I guess." He grunted, looking away.

I paused, staring up at him with a frown. He seemed to feel guilty that we were treating him with hospitality, which I suppose I could understand when I thought about it from his point of view. A hum left me as I glanced at the item he had been eyeing before, pushing up onto my tip toes to grab it and toss it into the cart. That caught his attention, causing him to look down at me with a furrow between his brows. "What are you doing?" He huffed, trying to grab it out of the cart. I smacked his hand away lightly, cocking up an eyebrow.

"Shopping." I responded simply, continuing to push on down the aisle.

Atlas rolled his eyes and grabbed my elbow to stop me, stepping closer to me as he spun me around to face him. I leaned away, my back pressing into the handle of the shopping cart. "You don't have to buy shit for me, Darlina." He said, staring down at me.

My heart skipped at his proximity and I pushed the cart backwards with me a little, putting some distance between us. "I want to." I insisted. "You and I might not exactly be friends, but I have no reason to act like you can't have things you want when Emmett and I are both willing to pay for them. Both of us want to help you, not just one of us." I said, looking away as an embarrassed blush flooded my face.

For a minute, he merely stared at me before he stepped away, clearing his throat. "Fine." He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Let's just keep shopping, then."