DINNER
They sat around the new table.
Pasta with vegetables. Garlic bread. Wine in mismatched glasses Noah had grabbed from a random store.
Lydia was talking. As she'd been doing nonstop for the past hour.
"—and then Selana said that Emily said that I said something about her dress, which I absolutely did not, and even if I did it was a compliment because the dress was actually really cute, you know? But Selana took it the wrong way and—" She paused. Fork halfway to her mouth. "Am I talking too much? I'm talking too much. Mom says I talk too much."
"You're fine," Noah said.
"Atlas?" She looked at him. Genuinely asking. "Be honest."
Atlas took a sip of wine. "You're entertaining."
Her face lit up. "That's the nicest way anyone's ever told me I talk too much!"
Noah laughed. "That's not what he—"
"No, I get it." Lydia grinned. "I know I'm a lot. It's fine. I'm fun to be around."
"You are," Atlas said. And meant it.
She beamed.
They ate. Lydia continued her story about Selana and Emily and the dress drama. Noah interjected occasionally. Corrected details.
Atlas just listened. Watched them.
The way Noah's face softened when he looked at his sister. The way Lydia leaned into him when she laughed. Easy affection. No walls.
"Are you close, Evelyn?"
Atlas paused. Considered. "Yes. But we're different. Quieter."
"Than us?" Lydia gestured between herself and Noah. "Because yeah, we're pretty loud."
"I meant quieter in general. But yes. You're..." He searched for the word. "Vibrant."
Lydia's eyes went huge. "Did you just call me vibrant?"
"Is that not the right word?"
"No it's perfect! Noah, he called me vibrant!" She turned back to Atlas. "Okay new question. Does she know about Noah?"
Atlas's mouth curved. "She knows about Noah."
Lydia looked at Noah. "I like him. He's good with words."
"He is," Noah agreed softly. His hand found Atlas's under the table. Squeezed.
Atlas squeezed back.
She took a drink of her water. "But seriously. I wanna know everything about you. Like, what do you do for fun? Do you have hobbies? What's your favorite movie? Are you a dog person or a cat person?"
"Lydia." Noah's voice was gentle. "Let him eat."
"I'm just asking questions!"
"You're interrogating him."
"Same thing."
Atlas shook his head. Amused. "It's fine. To answer your questions: I like running. Classical music. I don't watch many movies. And I don't have pets."
Lydia's eyes narrowed. "But if you had to choose. Dog or cat?"
"Dog."
She nodded. Satisfied. "Good answer. Cats are cute but they're too independent. Dogs are loyal."
"Like someone else I know," Atlas murmured. His eyes cut to Noah.
Noah's face went red.
Lydia caught it. Grinned. "Was that a declaration? That was totally a declaration. You just called Noah loyal like a dog."
"That's not—" Noah covered his face.
"I meant it as a compliment," Atlas said.
"Oh I know. And it was smooth as hell." Lydia pointed her fork at him. "You're good at this."
"At what?"
"Making my brother melt into a puddle."
Noah stood up. "I'm getting more wine."
"You haven't finished that glass!"
"I need more."
He walked to the kitchen. Face burning. Ears bright red.
Lydia watched him go. Then turned to Atlas. Voice lower now. More serious.
"He really likes you. Like, really really."
Atlas's expression softened. "I know."
"And you like him?"
"Yes."
"Like, for real? Not just because he's cute or whatever?"
"For real."
Lydia studied him. Eighteen years old but her eyes were sharp. Assessing.
"Good. Because if you hurt him, I'll find a way to make your life miserable. I don't know how yet. But I will."
Atlas's mouth curved. "Understood."
"And I mean really miserable. Like, I'll sign you up for spam emails. I'll leave Yelp reviews on your company. I'll—"
"Lydia." He held her gaze. "I'm not going to hurt him."
Something in his voice made her pause. Made her believe.
"Okay." She smiled. "Okay good. Because he's been through enough."
Noah came back. New glass of wine. "What are you two talking about?"
"Nothing!" Lydia's grin was back. "Just getting to know Atlas. He's cool."
"Cool?" Noah raised an eyebrow at Atlas.
"Apparently."
"High praise," Noah said dryly.
"The highest." Lydia speared a piece of pasta. "Oh! New topic. Tell me about work. Is it weird being together at the office? Do people know? Do you have to sneak around?"
And she was off again. Rapid-fire questions. Stories about her own school drama. Asking about their apartment hunt. Whether they'd thought about getting a dog.
Atlas answered when asked. Smiled when appropriate. But mostly just watched her talk.
This energy. This brightness. So different from his own family dinners. The quiet. The careful words. Everyone performing.
This was real. Messy. Loud. Beautiful.
"You're staring," Noah murmured.
"Am I?"
"Yeah." Noah's eyes were soft. Warm. "You okay?"
Atlas nodded. His hand tightened on Noah's. "Yeah. I'm good."
Better than good.
For the first time in a long time, he felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
* * *
LATER - LIVING ROOM
Lydia had claimed the entire couch. Sprawled across it like a starfish. Scrolling through her phone.
"I'm not moving," she announced. "This couch is perfect. I'm sleeping here."
"You have a guest room," Noah pointed out.
"But this couch is better." She looked up. Grinned. "Unless you two need privacy. Then I can be convinced to leave."
Noah threw a pillow at her.
She caught it. Laughing. "I'm kidding! Kind of."
Atlas was in the kitchen. Cleaning up. Noah had offered to help but Atlas had waved him off.
"Sit. Talk to your sister."
So Noah sat. On the floor next to the couch. Back against it.
Lydia's hand came down. Ruffled his hair. "You happy?"
"Yeah."
"Really happy? Not just 'things are okay' happy?"
Noah thought about it. About the last few days. The fight. The hotel room. The fear that he'd lost everything.
And then tonight. Atlas showing up. The tears. The words.
"I love you."
"Really happy," he said softly.
Lydia's hand stilled in his hair. "Good. You deserve it."
"So do you."
"I know. That's why I'm stealing your couch."
Noah laughed. "You're impossible."
"And you love me anyway."
"Unfortunately."
She flicked his ear. Gentle. Affectionate.
Atlas came back. Saw them sitting there. Paused.
"Am I interrupting?"
"Yes," Lydia said.
"No," Noah said at the same time.
Atlas's mouth curved. He sat in the armchair. Across from them.
Lydia sat up. Made room on the couch. Patted the cushion next to her. "Sit here. The armchair is too far away."
Atlas looked at Noah. Question in his eyes.
Noah nodded.
Atlas moved to the couch. Sat. Lydia immediately leaned against him.
"You're comfortable," she announced.
"Thank you?"
"That's a compliment. Noah's too bony. You're better for leaning."
Noah rolled his eyes. "Glad to know where I stand."
"You stand in second place. After Atlas." She looked up at him. "Do you like board games?"
"I haven't played in years."
"Well we're playing tomorrow. I brought like five. Including Monopoly. Which means we'll probably all hate each other by the end but it'll be fun."
Atlas looked at Noah. Help me.
Noah grinned. Shook his head. You're on your own.
"Sure," Atlas said. "Board games sound good."
Lydia beamed. "Perfect. Oh! And we should go out. See the city. Noah can show us around. Or we can just walk. I don't care. I just wanna explore."
"We can do that," Noah said.
"And I wanna try that place—you know the one with the weird name? The breakfast place?"
"Clinton Street Baking Company?"
"Yes! That one! Is it actually good or just Instagram hype?"
"It's actually good."
"Then we're going. Tomorrow morning. Early. I want pancakes."
She settled more comfortably against Atlas. Her phone out. Showing him something.
"This is Selena. The one from the story. And this is Emily. See the dress? I really did compliment it. I don't know why—"
And she was off again. Story continuing. Details about people Atlas had never met. Drama he had no context for.
But he listened. Nodded when appropriate. Asked questions.
Because this was Noah's sister. And she mattered to Noah. Which meant she mattered to him.
Noah watched them. His sister chattering away. Atlas actually engaging. Not performing. Not putting on the cold mask.
Just... present.
His chest felt full. Warm. Almost too much.
Lydia glanced at him. "You're staring again."
"Maybe I am."
She smiled. "Atlas, is he always this sappy?"
"With me? Yes."
"Good." She stood. Stretched. "Okay. I'm actually tired now. All that traveling. I'm gonna go pass out."
She hugged Noah. Tight. "Love you."
"Love you too."
Then she turned to Atlas. Hesitated.
"Can I hug you?"
Atlas stood. "Yeah."
She hugged him. Quick but genuine.
"Thanks for tonight," she said. "For being nice. And listening to me ramble. "
"Thank you for being here."
She pulled back. Looked up at him. "You're really good for him. I can tell."
"He's good for me too."
"Yeah." She smiled. "Yeah I can see that too."
She headed down the hall. Turned back once. "Oh! And you're staying right? You're not leaving?"
Atlas glanced at Noah. Back to Lydia. "I'm staying."
"Good. See you tomorrow. We're getting pancakes!"
Her door closed.
Silence settled.
Noah and Atlas looked at each other.
"She's—"
"A force of nature," Atlas finished. "You warned me."
"I did."
"I like her."
Noah's smile was soft. Genuine. "She likes you too. She doesn't usually warm up that fast."
Atlas crossed the space. Pulled Noah up. Into his arms.
"Thank you," he murmured against Noah's hair.
"For what?"
"For sharing this with me. Your family. Your life."
Noah pulled back. Looked up at him. "You're part of my life now."
They kissed. Slow. Easy. No urgency. Just connection.
"Come on," Noah said finally. "Let's go to bed."
* * *
BEDROOM
They changed. Got under the covers.
The new sheets were still stiff. The mattress still unfamiliar.
But Atlas pulled Noah against him and everything felt right.
"She's going to ask a million more questions tomorrow," Noah warned.
"I know."
"And want to know everything about us."
"I know."
"And probably try to embarrass me in public."
"Looking forward to it."
Noah turned in his arms. Looked at him in the darkness. "You're really okay with this? With her being here?"
Atlas's hand came up. Cupped his face. "I'm more than okay with it."
"Even though she's loud and asks too many questions and—"
"Noah." Atlas's thumb brushed his cheekbone. "She's your sister. She makes you happy. That's all that matters to me."
Noah's throat tightened. "I love you."
"I love you too."
They kissed. Gentle. Sweet.
Then settled back together. Noah's head on Atlas's chest. Atlas's hand in his hair.
Outside, the city hummed. Inside, they were quiet.
"Atlas?"
"Mm?"
"Thank you. For tonight. For trying with her."
"I wasn't trying." Atlas's voice was quiet. Honest. "I liked spending time with her. She's easy to be around."
Noah smiled against his chest. "She'd be thrilled to hear that."
"Don't tell her. She'll never let me hear the end of it."
Noah laughed softly.
They drifted. Comfortable. Safe.
"Noah?"
"Yeah?"
"Tomorrow. Pancakes." Atlas sounded almost amused. "She's really serious about that."
"Oh she is. She'll wake us up at six."
"Looking forward to it."
And he meant it.
For the first time in years, Atlas was looking forward to breakfast with family.
Not duty. Not obligation.
Just... being there. With them.
With Noah.
Noah's breathing evened out. Sleep taking him.
Atlas stayed awake a little longer. Listening to the sound. Feeling the weight of him.
Two days ago he'd thought he'd lost this.
Now Lydia was down the hall. Noah was in his arms. And tomorrow they'd get pancakes.
Life was strange. Beautiful. Unexpected.
Atlas closed his eyes.
Smiled into the darkness.
And let himself fall asleep.
Safe. Content. Home.