He looks at her, then us. “I got a tattoo,” he states proudly, as if he’s twenty and can do that shit on his own. Pulling his arm from behind his back, he shows her the black skull that sits over his forearm. “Isn’t it cool?” he asks excitedly.
“It’s… something,” Cora says finally.
“Are you mad at me?” he asks, looking panicked.
“Nope. Not mad atyou,” she says, standing to her full height. Taking a deep breath, she grabs her abandoned bag from the floor. “I’m going to change real quick. Please refrain from tattooing him anymore. He has a game tomorrow.”
I follow her retreating form and see everyone else in the shop watching her walk back down the hall. “Hey! Eyes off, fuckers,” I snap. Noah looks at me wide-eyed and shocked. “It’s… um, rude of them to stare.”
“Pretty sure your use of such appalling language is rude, Atty.” Kash snickers.
Glaring at him, I turn to catch up with Cora. I doubt she’ll ever leave me alone with him again now. The office door is still open, so I trythe break area. The door is shut, but luck is on my side because it’s unlocked.
Opening the door, I expect to find Cora unpacking her things, but what greets me instead breaks my heart. Cora is sitting at one of our tables, head in her hands, crying.
“Firefly, don’t cry. It’s not really permanent. I promise we can wash it off,” I assure her quickly, pulling her close.
She grabs my hoodie and burrows into my chest, sniffling. “It’s not that. Although that doesn’t really help.”
Pulling back, I wipe away a stray tear. “Shhh,” I croon. “What happened and who do I have to kill?”
She huffs out a small laugh as if she thinks I’m joking. If only she knew how serious I am.
“She’s not worth the jail time.”
“If it involves getting rid of someone who made you cry, think again. I’ll rock that orange shit, and you can come visit me for conjugals.”
Shaking her head, she stands and walks to the fridge. Grabbing a bottle of water, she turns and studies me. I don’t know what she sees when she looks at me, but I know when I look at her, I see my future.
“I really don’t want to talk about it. I just want to get changed and get to work.”
“Why won’t you talk to me? Let me help you, Cora.”
“It’s not a big deal, Atlas. Just drop it.” She sets her water down on the countertop. I watch her movements as she gathers her change of clothes. I like this side of her. I like all her sides, but this one appeals to me. I don’t often get to see “Librarian Cora,” and I like her a lot.
“Cora, I can’t?—”
“Just stop!” she shouts, whirling around to face me. “You can’t just come in and expect me to tell you everything, Atlas. It’s my life, and we barely know each other. I know nothing about you, and yet I just keep spilling my guts to you. No, I’m done with this.” She walks past me, but I snake out my arm, stopping her.
“You want to try that again, Firefly?” Gently grabbing the back of her neck, I hold her in place as I lean down. “What is it that you’re done with? Because I know you’re not talking about us.” Giving her neck a small squeeze, I release it and walk her backward.
Her back hits the counter in just a few steps. Lifting her, I place her on it so we’re eye to eye.
Why does she do this? I know she’s hurting, but I’ll be damned if she says that she’s done with me. Cora and I will never be done. I’ll be dead and come back reincarnated as a firefly so I can find her in every lifetime I live. Even death won’t be able to stop me from loving her.
“Atlas—”
“No, you’ve had your say, Cora. Now it’s my turn.” I step between her legs and make myself comfortable. Craving her touch, I pull her hips close to mine, enjoying the way her breath hitches. I know she’s affected by me, by us.
“I don’t know what happened today, but I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t care. If you don’t tell me, I can’t fix it for you. I can’t end whoever decided it was okay to make you cry.” I lift her chin to meet my gaze. “I know we’re still in the getting to know you phase but tell me what you want to know.” I lower my lips to her face and gently kiss one cheek, and then the other.
“Do you want to know what I think about when I kiss you?” I graze her lips lightly. “I think about what part of you I get to kiss next.” I move my lips down her neck. “You already know I call you Firefly because you’re the light of my existence. In any field, in any world or time, I would have found you because I was meant to. You were meant to be mine, Cora.”
“Atlas,” she whispers my name like a prayer, her hands on my waist, pulling me closer to her.
“Do you want to know how I think about whether or not you’re wet for me, because I’m always hard for you? Or do you want to know simpler things about me? Like how my favorite color is blue because it’s the color of your eyes, and that I love cranberry orange muffinsbecause it’s one of the first things Emma made me when I came to live with her, after my foster dad put me in the hospital?”
Her head whips back to find my eyes, concern marring her features. “Atlas, no,” she begins.
