Atlas's antennae twitched toward me, sensing my distress. "Your muscles are tight as bowstrings," he murmured, one claw gently tracing my shoulder. "If anyone understands the weight of worry, it's me. Share your thoughts?"
I rolled my lips together. “I’m not sure if I want to talk about it. I don’t want you to think bad of me.”
Atlas cupped my chin, tilting my face toward those glowing red eyes of his. "Nothing you could say would make me think less of you," he whispered, his thumb brushing my lower lip. "You faced your fears to be with me—a monster—when others would have run. If anyone should worry, it's me." His antennae drooped forward, nearly touching my forehead. "I'm the one who flooded you with pheromones then disappeared when you needed me most."
I snickered. “At the time, it sucked, but itwasan experience. I think any normal human would be mad, but I actually kindof liked it.” My cheeks flushed, and I felt Atlas’s tongue lick my cheek.
“See, you are not bad. You see good in everything, even me. Tell me what is wrong, and we will figure it out together.”
My jaw clenched as I swallowed back the words. How could I admit I was terrified of loving him… of disappearing into that love until nothing of me remained? The irony wasn't lost on me: this gentle creature, who I had to chase and get to date me, was the one I feared would crush me.
Atlas's fingers slipped through my hair, gently but firmly drawing it back until our eyes met. "My soul," he whispered, his voice vibrating with concern, "share your troubles with me. Was I too rough? Have I failed you somehow?"
His antennae were shaking, cocked in weird angles.
No, my Atlas wouldn’t do such things.
I stroked the side of his face, feeling the soft fuzz beneath my fingertips. "I'm sorry. Before I say anything, I need you to promise me something. What I'm about to tell you—it's all my baggage, my fears. None of it is because of anything you've done. Can you promise not to take it personally?"
Atlas tilted his head to the side. “Yes, I’ll try my best. You know I still worry.”
I snorted. “Of course. I will word it in a way that won’t upset you but give the whole picture, okay?”
He nodded, then encircled me with all four of his lower limbs, creating a living cage of gentle pressure against my skin.
“I’m worried, that since I said I love you, it means I have to give up certain things.”
Atlas tilted his head, his wings drooping.
“For instance, need to quit my job, take care of the house, make moth babies…”
He stared at me, completely stiff.
My voice shook. "I couldn't bear to disappear like that. I watched my mother fade away after she abandoned her career for love. One day, she was this vibrant, ambitious woman with dreams, and then... she just became an extension of my dad. When she tried to reclaim herself, he..." I swallowed hard, my fingers twisting in Atlas's fur. "I need to know I can still be me, even when I'm us."
My words kept spilling out until Atlas' wings spread wide, then folded around us like a living cocoon. Inside our private darkness, only the crimson glow of his eyes illuminated our faces. "Shh," he whispered, his cheek brushing against my hair as he nuzzled the top of my head. "And here I thought I was the anxious one between us."
I slapped my hand on my face. “I think everyone has anxiety, it’s just a matter of how much you wanna show it.”
Atlas hummed, a gentle vibration I could feel through his fur. His upper hands cupped my face, thumbs brushing my cheekbones as he tilted my gaze to meet his glowing eyes. "Your career matters to me," he said softly. "I've seen how alive you become when streaming, how your whole being brightens when connecting with your friends and subscribers. Though I'd happily keep you in my bed until neither of us could move, I want more for us than that."
I pressed my thighs together, feeling a flutter of heat between them. Atlas's antennae quivered as he drew in a long breath. "You test my restraint," he murmured, his voice dropping to a lower register. "Your body wrapped in my garments, carrying my scent… it makes something primal stir in me."
I pinched the clothing with two fingers. “Oh, this thing?”
Atlas huffed, his wings rustling softly. "Your career matters to me as much as mine does. All of us here, even monsters, contribute to the community. I spend my days felling timberwith Lucien for our lumber business. It's how we survive, how we build our lives together."
I laughed softly, reaching out to squeeze one of his powerful arms. "Someone has to keep these impressive muscles in shape." His crimson eyes flared with intensity at my touch, and I felt my breath catch. "You're quite the specimen, aren't you?"
Atlas cleared his throat. “Um… right. And about moth babies, my soul… as much as I enjoy thinking about making your belly round,” —he lifted my shirt, his palm circling my stomach with reverent tenderness—“filling you with seed, having the honor of shoving myself deep into your tight pussy until I have no seed left to give…”
I gasped. “Atlas.”
“I will never force you to have a youngling with me. I will never beg. If you wish to never have one, I will respect it. It is your body and your choice. We can always watch other Mothmen’s young ones when their parents need a break, or we can get a pet if you’re up for that. All I need is you. Your love is all I crave… all I have ever hoped for.”
Fresh tears rolled down my face.
“Why are you still leaking? I was telling you this to ease your mind, to let you know of my intentions. Is it not good enough?”
