Atlas wore a dark purple shirt that had its sleeves rolled up to past his elbows, a dark pair of black jeans and a pair of old boots. It was one of his more common outfits, less over the top like one of his suits or gender-blurring as one of his skirts of dresses. Unlike other species he’d worn no overcoat, the weather doing little to bother him. His hair was pushed back off his face and his skin free of makeup except for the little black liner he’d smudged on his waterline before he exited his apartment.
He shared a small grin as she was forced to move his legs by the young wolf, amused at his timing and how she simply moved him rather than ask him to move. It was a delight the other was on board with a party given it would mean more work than their standard night at the club. Whatever they came up with he’d need to decorate for and get people invited. Atlas’ eyes turned from delight to suspicion as Bernie openly stared at him. Was there something on his face? When she spoke again his mouth opened with an offended gasp as he reached out to lightly slap her arm “excuse me! I wasn’t even 30 before I died!” he dramatically cried back before laughing, shaking his head as he settled into a smile.
Sitting across from her he thought of how he had missed her company in the past few weeks where they seemed to be ships passing in the open ocean rather than partners that keep the roof on top of this club. He hadn’t meant to check out but it’d also been needed for him to do some soul searching, especially after the new year. “I’m thinking less college student costume parties more the style people can get fancy. So no toga party or saints and sinners. Plus… not everyone is as willing to get scandalously dressed. I want everyone to feel welcomed. Except children… Love them but not when I want the drinks flowing and the adults forgetting their worries at the door.” He paused to look around “no door charge of course. I’ll pay for supplies so open bar. Clear some of the tables make more space to dance… I just need to think of a theme.”
There was something tired about Bernie, a weight that she allowed nobody else to know about. But, every so often, she let her guard down just a little bit. Not many people managed to catch the dullness of the light in her eyes, the struggle her smile took, the long-practiced expertise it took to always redirect a conversation from her own issues. She’d spent so long falling into this comfort that Atlas refused to stop providing, and to say that it resonated with her was an understatement. It was clear in the ways she didn’t perform; she allowed herself to just feel heavy sometimes and let him see it. But, more often than not, that wasn’t the case around him. It wasn’t that it was something she hid from Atlas, but moreso along the way he’d started to help her carry it whether he realized it or not. Because of that, even these little moments where they were doing nothing felt.. cathartic. Like a release. No performance, just genuine joy when it was there, and.. not, when it wasn’t. Even with her hair in the messiest bun and looking as if she’d had to literally drag herself out of bed to be there (... at 2 pm), she still felt a sense of peace that couldn’t be bought.
It was clear in the way she threw her head back with a hearty laugh when he feigned hurt, shifting so that she could put her feet up on the edge of the bar on either side of him before leaning back against the wall behind her. Bernie knew she swore she wouldn’t dig into what was going on with Atlas, but that didn’t stop the way her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she watched him, as if he would somehow give in and let something slip at some point. Bernie blinked a couple times though when his voice filled her ears, dragging her gaze from where she’d been investigating him and back up to his eyes before nodding slowly. “Thank god. I do not want to play babysitter to a bunch of little crotch goblins when I’m trying to have fun.. and work, obviously.” She smirked, tipping her head back against the wall and shutting her eyes as she considered the options. “So, mature costume theme, hm? Well, there’s masquerade, of course but I think that’s a little fancy even for here,” Bernie chuckled, humming softly. “Decades are always good and easy enough to do. Saw someone do a Tarantino theme night once, but honestly that dude’s trash. Disappointing.” She scrunched her nose, looking back at him.
The conversation had been keeping her mind occupied enough, she thought that she was safe. But then, the words were out of her mouth before Bernie realized she’d ever even thought them. It was probably bad how often that happens. “So where were you?” It sounded like an attack, and she realized it as soon as they left her lips. Bernie had something of a naturally aggressive disposition, and sometimes she struggled to reign it in even when she didn’t feel it. Bernie cleared her throat, reaching to her left and grabbing a bottle of bourbon and a glass. “Not - sorry, that sounded more - I’m not like.. upset. I don’t mind running this place, it’s my home at this point more than the apartment is. I just -” She paused, swallowing thickly and busying herself with opening the bottle and pouring some into the glass before taking a long sip. “I just missed you. Shut up.” She muttered preemptively, before he could possibly tease her for it. Bernie wasn’t normally so quick to show her feelings, but burying them for so long only meant they usually bubbled up over the edge at some point. Bernie kept her gaze on her glass, swirling it absently in an attempt to not meet Atlas’ eyes before taking another long sip and setting the glass down beside her. “All I’m saying is like.. I don’t know. God, I hate this shit. Just - you know I’m here, yeah? Like. I would be if you weren’t paying me. And not just for the alcohol.” There it was; that weak smile. The one bogged down with weight she wouldn’t acknowledge, the one not many people saw. Bernie looked up at him hesitantly after a moment, shrugging her shoulders. “I was born with pretty good hearing. If you ever wanna take advantage. Believe it or not, I actually can listen without sarcastic remarks sometimes.”
