50*

~Darlina's POV~

I looked up at Atlas as he and I laid in my bed later that night, his arms around me while he held me to his chest. Once again, he had come crawling into my bed right when I was getting ready to go to sleep, wanting to sleep with me in my bed. He seemed to prefer it, since the night we'd spent together at the cabin.

"Can I ask you something?" I spoke quietly, breaking the comfortable silence that the two of us had been lying in. He nodded and continued to run his fingers through the ends of my hair. "Yeah, sure." He murmured.

Though I had just asked if I could ask him something, I nervously bit the inside of my cheek, hesitating out of slight fear. Would it upset him for me to ask the question that had been lingering in the back of my mind?

"Well, I just...." My voice shook slightly and I cleared my throat, hesitating once more as I tried to calm myself down. "You don't have to answer and I'm not asking to put pressure on you or anything but, i mean, what are we?" I asked softly, flicking my gaze away when he shifted to look down at me with a slight frown on his lips. Though he seemed a bit unsure, he didn't seem upset or angry with my question.

"What are we?" He echoed, slowing the strokes of his fingers through my hair. I gave a soft nod of my head, staring down at his chest. "What brought this on, Darlina?" He asked in response, almost making me cringe away. If he was answering like that, what did that mean? Did he not want us to be anything?

"Oh, um," My cheeks burned as I traced my fingertips over his firm chest, right over one of his tattoos. "I just...was kind of thinking about it earlier. I mean, we kiss and you've touched me, even Emmy seems to notice that something is going on between us, you know?" I said quietly. "And I figured we'll probably have to have this sort of talk at some point, right? I just wanted to get it out of the way."

His fingers brushed the underside of my chin, tilting my head back so I was forced to look up at him, our gazes meeting. Even in the dark, his eyes were still intense on mine.

"Is this your way of asking me out, smalls?" He teased, a smirk flirting at the edges of his lips. I rolled my eyes and huffed, tapping my nails against his bare chest. "You're an idiot." I mumbled, but I began to seriously consider his question, biting on my bottom lip thoughtfully. Then, I spoke. "But if it was," I began, pressing a little closer. "What would you say?"

Atlas' smile faded slightly, seeming to realize that I wasn't exactly joking. "Darlina," He rubbed the back of his head, messing up his hair a bit. "Trust me, you don't want me to be your boyfriend." He said, causing a hard frown to form on my lips at his words. "I like you, Atlas..." I responded, but he didn't look convinced and that admittedly upset me. "Do you not believe me?" I asked, pulling away reluctantly.

He let out a heavy sigh and tightened his arms around my waist, not letting me go very far. "Look, it's just that I know you're new to all this. Besides, you could very well just be attracted to me sexually and not emotionally, too." He responded, causing my eyebrows to raise in disbelief. Sure, I was new to the entirety of dating, but I wasn't an idiot and I knew my feelings. "I think I can tell the difference between feelings between my legs and in my chest, Atlas, thanks." I grumbled.

"And anyways, I thought you already knew I liked you. You said you like me, too, so I don't know why you seem so opposed to the idea of us dating." I said, frowning up at him. He sighed, pulling his arm from around my waist to reach over and turn on the light on my nightstand table, illuminating the room enough for us to see each-other.

"I'm not saying you can't tell the difference, Lina." He sighed, looking up at me when I sat up, peering down at him. "All I'm saying is it's a little fast. We're still getting to know each other. I don't want to jump into a relationship with you." He stated, causing me to go quiet. I diverted my gaze, peering down at the sheets as I felt my eyes prick with tears. Perhaps I should've expected the conversation to go like this. Maybe I should've listened to my gut when I felt like I shouldn't bring this topic up, but it was too late now.

This was embarrassing. He knew I liked him and now I had been turned down, but I couldn't be mad at him for it because a part of me understood. A part of me understood completely, so I just quietly nodded and laid back down, turning my back to him. "Okay." I said, quickly dabbing at my eyes to get rid of the tears threatening to drip down. I didn't want to cry, and I didn't want to make him feel bad, so I stayed with my back facing him so he couldn't see. "You're right." I told him softly.

A silence settled, heavy and awkward and filled with uncomfortable tension. He didn't seem to expect me to say that, probably.

Then, he let out a heavy sigh and the light turned off again, his fingers reluctantly brushing against my arm a few moments after the lights went out. I didn't move away or push his hand off of me, but I shut my eyes. "I'm sorry, Lina." He said quietly, pressing against me as his arm wound around my waist from behind.

I smiled softly. "You don't have to apologize, Atlas. I'm not mad." I assured, smoothing my hand over his tattooed arm. He didn't respond at first, but I could practically feel the stunned energy radiating off of him. "No?" He murmured, earning a light shake of my head. "Nope." I whispered. Atlas' lips pressed against the side of my neck and my flesh rose with goosebumps at the feeling of his mouth on my skin.

Yet even so, the truth didn't make the tension or the awkwardness go away, nor the tears that dampened my cheeks. "I do like you, smalls." He said after a moment, and I almost wished he hadn't because my heart fluttered at his words. Blushing, I wiped my face and turned in his arms, clinging to him tightly. "I-I know." I responded quietly, leaning my forehead against his chest. "But tell me again." I told him, earning a husky chuckle from him that I knew would bring out that dimple of his I loved.

"Now you're just being greedy." He hummed, gripping the back of my thigh to pull my leg over his hips, bringing our bodies closer. I sulked silently at the evident refusal to say it again, my fingertips trailing up and down his waist.

He squeezed my thigh and I flushed at his handsy tendencies, my breathing faltering as his teeth tugged at the shell of my ear. "I'd much rather show you." He muttered, already slipping his hand higher to squeeze a handful of my backside. I squeezed my thighs together, embarrassed at the strong throbbing I could already feel between them.

"W-Who's being greedy now?" I gasped as his fingers pulled my shorts to the side, grasping at his wrist in attempt to stop him. I turned my cheek, clenching my thighs together tight enough to prohibit him from slipping his hand between them. He had practically just rejected me and I was here, wet for him not even ten minutes later. Oh, god, it was embarrassing.

Atlas chuckled and smacked my butt softly, squeezing another handful afterwards. "You seem to be in a sassy mood." He remarked, clinging to my waist with one hand while the other slid down again, prying my thighs apart. Tingles shot down my spine and I grabbed his wrist again, glancing up at him. "Wait," I whimpered as his fingers grazed against my panties, earning a curious hum to vibrate through his chest. "I don't want it." I told him, practically having to force the lie out. His fingers halted and I could see puzzled look in his eye, his touch withdrawing reluctantly. "I--" He went to speak but I cut him off before he could.

"I want to touch you tonight." I whispered, catching him off guard. It was easy to tell because he took a moment to respond, but, eventually, he cleared his throat. "You don't know what you want, Lina." He muttered. To be honest, I found myself a little frustrated at that because he'd basically just said the same thing to me a few minutes ago.

Wanting to prove him wrong, I slid my hand down the front of his chest, feeling his chiseled abs beneath my fingertips. I heard the slight hitch in his breath as my nails dragged along the defined v-line on his hips, right above the exposed band of his boxers, and it was the first time I'd ever heard him react that way. He had a moment where I hesitated to allow him to stop me, but he didn't. He just seemed to wait, breath bated as he stared down at me, like he was daring me to do it.

So I did.

My hand slid into his sweatpants and he clenched his jaw as I gently cupped the bulge that I located beneath his boxers, eyes hooded with want. I curiously palmed him through the fabric, curling my leg around his as I felt his hand grasp my backside and squeeze harshly like he was trying to distract himself. I smacked his touch away with my free hand and he scowled at me, only causing me to giggle softly.

I switched between palming his bulge and gently tracing my fingertips over the outline of it over his boxers, curious about the shape and size. I hadn't ever been this close to touching a man like this and my curiosity was getting the better of me, though part of me was a little too nervous to go farther than touching him through his underwear just yet.

Upon the switches, Atlas groaned and canted his hips into my touch, his chest beginning to heave. It was the noise that left him that caused me to halt, a strong pulse starting between my thighs at how husky and deep it was, filled with desire. I'd never heard a hotter sound in my life, and doubted I would.

Wanting to hear it again, I brushed my fingers up and down until I felt a slight dampness that wasn't there before, causing me to curiously circle my fingers there. His hips jerked and I flushed as I felt him hardening further under my touch, straining against the fabric of his boxers. He seemed big.

I squeezed around the head gently and he growled lowly, lulling his head back as he panted. "Darlina, quit fuckin' teasin' me." He hissed, his voice much more rugged. However, I ignored him and continued to palm him slowly, which caused his length to jerk beneath my hand. I bit my lip, squeezing my thighs together as I circled my fingertips over the wet spot that seemed to be from the tip of him, over and over until he groaned in an almost pained manner. "This is a hell of a way to get payback, Lina." He muttered, reaching a hand down to press my palm against his cock.

"It hurts?" I wondered, brushing his hand away as I kissed his chest. He grunted, nodding. "Yes, you're givin' me blue balls right now, you know. So fuckin' cruel." He scowled, causing me to hide an amused smile.

Gently, I slid my hand into his boxers and finally grasped him in my grasp, surprised at how big he felt. He felt thick and long yet surprisingly the skin was smooth for how hard he was. Part of me was curious to see what it'd look like but I opted not to find out, just from pure nerves. Instead, I began to stroke him, slowly at first to see how he'd respond.

Atlas groaned softly, reaching down to squeeze at my butt again. "Harder, Lina." He instructed huskily, and this time I listened to his wants, tightening my grip around him a little as I stroked up and down his length. "Like that?" I asked softly, glancing up at him. His chest heaved and he groaned, ducking down to bite at my lip without responding. My core throbbed as he groaned against my mouth, slipping his pierced tongue past my lips. "Fuck," He cursed breathlessly when I focused my attention on the tip of his length, lulling his head into the crook of my neck.

Very quickly I was learning that he was very much a vocal man when being touched, and it only seemed to increase as the pleasure grew. Before I knew it, his low, husky moans were poorly disguised as he kissed my neck, groaning against my skin. He leaned into me, thrusting into my hand harshly.

It was sudden when he came after a few more minutes, the cant of his hips causing his abs to flex with the movements. He moaned deeply and I felt something warm coat my hand, causing me to gasp softly as I stroked him through it slowly. Only when he relaxed and I felt him softening did I pull away, hesitating before I curiously licked the wetness off my fingers, surprised to find that it wasn't very bad. It was just a little bit salty. I licked the rest off my hand and Atlas groaned, kissing my neck.

"Fuck," He muttered breathlessly. "Now I've gotta change my damn boxers 'cause of you." He murmured, brushing his fingers through my long hair. I smiled, looking up at him as he rose from my bed. "You'll come back?" I asked hopefully, laying on my side. He nodded, tugging his sweatpants up a little higher. "Of course." He hummed, taking a glance at me before he left my room to change.

While he was gone, I skittered into my bathroom and quickly freshened up, embarrassed at the bout of wetness I found between my thighs. I knew I could've easily had Atlas touch me, as I highly doubted he'd say no, but I truly didn't want it tonight. So I finished cleaning myself up before I hurried back to my room, jumping into bed just as Atlas came entering my room once again, running a hand through his hair.

He joined me in my bed again, tugging me into his chest before he kissed my jawline. "Goodnight, smalls." He hummed, his voice a low whisper. I smiled, leaning into him. "Goodnight, Atlas."