Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"oh my... Girl don't look right now"

Jenna ignored the advice and turned to look over her shoulder at who was just walking in. Her first thought was "oh, a white tiger"

"That's Atlas May. He owns the place" continued Mitzi "quite the catch, mh?"

"I swear, Mitz. You and older men"

Mitzi chuckled "the other day when we were playing he wouldn't take his eyes of me"
"Goodie. If you break his heart the whole band will be playing for the fish"

Mitzi giggled, then she composed herself and struted over to Atlas. Jenna couldnt believe it.

"I give them 3 days" said Zib
"I give them 3 minutes" said Jenna

They both felt very stupid months later, while atending the wedding

Chapter Text

One year later they weren't living together anymore. Atlas and Mitzi both had agreed it was best to take a little break, get some distance between them. Maybe try for a fresh start later...

Atlas busied himself with work, as usual. He had breakfast at the café, just toast and a black coffe while he read the newspaper. Then she walked in.
He didn't remember the name but he knew she had been frequenting the bar for a long time, allways adressing him with a quiet gesture as if they knew each other well.

He pretended not to notice as she walked up to him, looking ready to go downstairs, with a nicely fitted dress, some subtle jewlery and a nice coat held around her shoulders.

"Atlas" she saluted him "may I sit here?"

He noded, folding the newspaper without a word

"Do you remember me? Im Jenna"
"Yes, Mitzi's friend"
"Yes" she sighed and signaled the waiter for an ice cream with cola.

Atlas waited. After a moment she spoke again "Mitzi told me... You guys arent together anymore. Or at least, I mean, not in the same place?"

He hummed, pretending like the topic didn't face him.

"...these things are complicated. She mentioned... The reason why you guys argued"
"We had many arguments"
"...you want kids, and she doesent"
"Oh, that"

Atlas was good at poker, but this time the twitching of his tail gave him away "she said that, didn't she?"

"Well its not like she's going around telling everyone" she thanked the waiter for her drink and took a sip "It just... Came up in the conversation becouse I have a similar issue"

He gave her an inquisitive look.

"I want to have kids but... Well, my situation wont allow it. Bedsides, I haven't found the right man. And Im not sure I want to get married"

There were a few moments of silence

"Having children is... Such a big thing. Such an important part of a person's life. You have to fight for the things you want, specially something big like that, life is too short not to"

Atlas sighed, his eyes lost in the dark reflection of his coffee. He never planed to marry nor form a family, he had allways been invested in his bushiness, his success. Only after he married Mitzi, feeling at the top of the world, not much left to conquer... Had he started to think about it. And he wasn't geting any younger.

Jenna was looking at him with a similar forlorn look.

"If you havent given up on that... I may have an idea to fix both our problemes"

That snapped him out of it "how?"
"We could fix one problem with another"
He waited for her to elaborate.
She fidheted with the drink "maybe you could use a broodmare"

He nearly spit his coffee. He had to clear his throat "pardon?"

She shlightly shrugged a shoulder, a subtle gesture combined with the twirl of her thick fluffy tail

"We both want the same thing. Im sure we could figure something out"

It took him a moment to respond "Im married. To your friend"
"Yes, I talked to her. She seemed to understand"

Atlas' eyes widened, his expresion barely holding the deadpan look. "Excuse me if Im geting this right: you are ofering to concive a child with me, and she- my wife, your friend- she's okay with it?"
"Mhm" she noded, siping her drink
"You cant be serious"
"I am. I've given it plenty of thought and Im not beating around the bush anymore. I know what I want"
"...and you're just telling me, like it was a date in the park"

"I like to go straight to the point. We have that in common, you and I"
he didn't respond. He usually kept a deadpan expresión but right now he was very ovbiously glaring at her like she was a lemon he just licked.
She rolled her eyes "Atlas, since when do you care for the rules? Look" she stood up and searched in her purse to pay for the drink "I know it is an unconventional offer..."
"To say the least"
"Yes, and I knew it was a long shot. But I would be thankfull if you would just- " she shrugged" Talk to Mitzi about it"
"Maybe I will"

She smiled at him like that pleased her, as if he had promised her something.
"Thank you" she said, and turned arround and left; her long, thick, fluffy tail waving behind her.

Atlas shook his head. He wouldn't admit he was intrigued. He allways had a weakness for risky proporsals and determined women.
Specially with long, fluffy tails.

Chapter Text

He left his breakfast half eaten and the newspaper abandoned, thoughts regarding the strange meeting ringing in his ear like an annoying song.

He had a feeling he knew where he would find his wife: upstairs in the apartment avobe the stablishment. In his office
Sitting on his desk looking over his papers, as usual.

"Morning, dear" she greeted without looking up.
"Mitzi" he tilted his head "I just met your friend, Jenna"
"Mh, how did that go?"
"She made me the most ridiculous proporsal"
"The broodmare thing? Yes, I know"

He was still. "You do?"
"Mhm" she noded, looking up from his papers as if they were disscussing the weather
"...so it was true. You spoke to her about it"
"Yes, we kinda had the idea together"

He fumbled for words, that didn't happen often "oh, so not only you're ok with it, you encouraged her?"
"I did" she said.

He walked to the minibar, shaking his head.
She sat at his desk still, like a mermaid on a rock trying to entice him with her pretty face as usual

"Why are you upset?"
"Why aren't you upset!?" He poured himself a scotch and only kept talking after it had started burning his throat "aren't you supposed to be jeallows? Instead you invite your friend to sleep with your husband!"

"Dear, please calm down"

He pointed a finger at her, glass still in hand "don't you tell me to calm down" then he took a deep breath and tried to compose himself and pour another dose

"why am I surprised? Of course. Of course such an outrageous idea had to somehow come from you"
"Oh, please-"
"Don't you dare"
"What?"
"What?"

He looked around, summoning patience. He just couldn't for the life of him understand women "how could you even think such a thing? Is this a twisted test of loyalty?"
"Oh don't you come at me with that, that's your thing"
"Oh, I am the manipulator?"
"We have a lot in common you and I"
"Don't you start!"

Those last few words sounded so dry and stern Mitzi had to look away, frustrated.

"How? Mitzi, why? Why would you consider such a thing?"
"Atlas you and I are no longer together. We're not even living under the same roof. But we don't want a divorce. This could be a way around it"
"A way around it? Mitzi do you realice what you're saying? You really wouldn't mind if I had a child with another woman?"
"whatever you do is none of my bushiness "
"YOU ARE MY WIFE!"

It was rare to see him loose it like that. The silence that followed was heavy. Warm and cold at once.

"Atlas, you and I are no longer a pair. And I can not give you what you want"
"You won't"
"That's right, I wont. But she will"
"She's crazy!"

Mitzi laughted. He knew her well by now, it was a fake ass laught, the kind she used to manipulate men

"What's funny?"
"You are one to talk! Why is she crazy? Becouse she's unconventional? Becouse she wants to be a mother? Becouse she's willing to take risks?"

He glared at her. She gave a tiny shrug, stating "you two are very alike. I thought it'd be a good match" as if it was ovbious. As it should be easy. Simple, really.

"You are mad" he shook his head slowly, and took a sip from his glass "completly mental. Both of you"

"Atlas please, I- I just..." She shook her head, looking more honest, just a tad sad. Just part of her act.
"I don't want you to resent me. I don't want you to give up a chance like this, your last chance, and years later when it's trully too late, blame me for it. Nobody has to know. What have you got to loose?"

"And what have you got to earn in all this? I thought all you cared about was the bushiness"
"Honey" she pouted in that fake ass way, like she pitied him "that's all that's left for us"

The silence after she said that felt like a block of iron. Cold, heavy, tasting of metal.

"We're not a couple anymore. Not really... I don't mind what you do with other girls. I just want you to be happy"

There it was. The confusing tangle of thoughts and emotions he hated so. Making him think she may have a point even thought he felt like it wasn't quite right- he hated it.

He placed the glass down "So be it" he spat, turning away and slaming the door on his way out.

How could he be so stupid? How could he be so stupid? How could he have been so stupid??

He married this manipulative bitch on their honeymoon fase and then when it didn't work out he just hadn't realiced it was final.
They were never geting back together. There was no way they could reconcilie after this. Mitzi had acepted this long ago and he didn't see it becouse, as good as he was with bushiness he was a damn fool when it came to fucking women!

The only reason they hadn't gotten a divorce was becouse she was a gold digger and he wanted to keep the band. And they both wanted to keep apearences.
He had half a mind to just throw them all out to the street in a fit of rage and send Viktor to chase them off like street dogs.

He took a deep breath. He wouldn't do that, of course. He was a reasonable man, despite it all. He was very conscient of his own temper, and he was good at keeping it in check but damm it she was an expert on pushing him to the fucking edge.

He needed to clear his mind.

He shook his head and went downstairs to the bar to get a real drink. The echo of the music alone sooting his nerves already as he walked downstairs.

He stepped into the principal cavern; loud music, familiar smells, the warmth of it all like a blanket being thrown over him, and for just a second he forgot all his worries.
He looked around at the state of the room and caught a sight that gave him pause:

Jenna, sitting at the bar between Zib and Wick. Giggling.

Chapter Text

Zibowski had been Mitzi's partner in many ways long before they met. Wick had been close to her since he first laid eyes on her, after they were already married.

What was with those two and the women he had an interest in? Wait-

He did not have an interest in Jenna. Right?
No. He was not about to consider her absurd proporsal.
He wouldn't even humor it.

Jenna shook her head, and took a gulp of her drink. Zib said something and she nearly started laughting again, swallowing in a rush to laught again.
Wick patted her on the back, as if he was worried she would choke.

Her flapper dress was silver, contrasting nicely with her dark fur, and backless, showing some of the small irregular orange spots on her back, wich meant Wick was touching her directly.

The swing of her fluffy tail distracted Atlas and reminded him that he was staring.
He often did that. Don't worry about it. Came with being the quiet type.
He walked to his usual spot, in the VIP área, a drink of his preference already being set there.

He sat down confortably and closed his eyes while he tasted it. Then he oversaw the party in silence.
His eyes kept tending to that spot, where Jenna was saying something to Wick with a bit of a smirk.

Would she try to entangle him after Atlas' resfusal?
The man was very rich and of a mellow nature. He also loved his poison... Making him a perfect target for baby trapping.

Would Jenna do that to him? Atlas wouldn't put it past her. He didn't know her that well but he knew the world they moved in.

Wick didn't want children, did he? His family encouraged him to marry but he went against their wishes to become 'self made' whatever that meant.
He did like women tho. There was no denying that, judging by the way he looked at Mitzi... Or how he was looking at Jenna right now.

He shook his head and took another sip.
Perhaps it was just him, and his bad luck with matters of the heart.

He was terrible with such things but he recogniced the slow creeping feeling crawling towards him from behind, like rats stalking their prey.
Loneliness. He would never recognice it. He hated it, not being in charge. Working so hard, achieving so much and yet... Feeling like a fool.

His eyes turned to the trío at the bar again. Now it was Zib talking with a half smirk and Jenna making a playfull interested expression. The way she reclined on the bar drew atención to her shoulder, clavicle and the curve of her hips.

She kinda sounded like a tease, but not in a bad way. He was good at judging people, he thought, and she did not strike him as Mitzi did.
Mitzi would bat her big eyes and pose like a lost lamb, then steal you blind. This girl came up to him and just declared her outlandish intencions.

He grunted. God he was bad with women. Specially the hambitious ones with fluffy tails. He hated recognicing his weaknesses.

"Jenna" the three turned to see him when he came up to her "a word, please?"

She noded and excused herself to follow him to the tunnels.

The echo of their steps mixed with the distant music as they walked side by side. Atlas led the way. He knew the tunnels. There were plenty of corners couples used to be alone, spaces that had been turned into storage rooms, and tunnels that led to other places, like this one, that would take them to the garage.

"I talked to her" he broke the silence
"That was fast"
"..."
"So?"

What was he doing? Oh, to hell with it!
"Are you really serious about this?"
"I am. Are you?"

He sighed "I cant believe we're having this conversation. How would we even go about this?"
"Well... I do have some terms"

He looked at her

"I don't think this is the right place to discuss it, tho"
"Give me a hint. Why on earth would you do this? What do you want?"
"Safety, mostly" she responded plainly "and a confortable life. Im simply tired of scrambling for scraps, I want kids and I want to enjoy a good life with them. It's simple as that"

She looked up, green eyes meeting golden "if I were to have your baby, it's only to be expected that you provide for us, right?"

Atlas blinked "that sounds... Fair enough"

After a few more steps walked in silence she asked "how many kids would you like?"
He stopped in his tracks "I havent thought of that"

When he first presented the idea of having kids to Mitzi and she refused he thought that was that.

"I was thinking two or three... Thought maybe I would like to have more down the line. I would love to have a pair, you know? Boy and girl. But of course I would love them all the same"

She said all of this with a forlorn smile. Then she looked at him "I would like for one of them to look like you"

His eyes focused on her.

"Sorry, too soon?"

He looked away in a denying gesture and stayed quiet a little longer, the idea of a kid looking like him floating around his head suddenly evolved into an image of her holding said kid-

"...if you do want that, I mean. If you agree to my terms, we could start trying this week"

It sounded outlandish, it couldnt be so simple...

He gave her a side glance. What about Mitzi-?
He shook his head. Angry for thinking of her
She had made it very clear that they were not a couple anymore, hadn't been for a while and he had-

He didn't want to think of her

"Atlas?" Jenna sounded genually concerned "Is everything allright?"

No. Nothing ever was but then, why bother?

He turned fully to her, taking in her image up and down. She was looking at him with forlorn expresion, silently begging.

He came closer to her and she rose her hands to his chest. They both leaned in at once.

The kiss started tentative, but it grew fast into something hungry and pasional.
Her mouth tasted sweet. She had a sugary drink. His was sour, and they made wonderful mix.

Their bodies pressed closer eagerly of their own Accord. Jenna bit his lower lip and he groaned.
Suddenly he was tasting her neck, hand tangled in her hair-

"Wait- stop!"
"Mh- what?"
"... Someone's coming"

They pulled away and hurried to fix their clotes. She tried to tame the wet, messy spot of fur on her neck, he adjusted his pants to hide a raging boner and they started walking side by side in silence, like nothing had happened.

Under the neutral façade his heart raced and he had to concentrate to calm his breath. He hadn't felt like this since- in a while.
He shot her a glance. She was smiling to herself.

One of Atlas' employees walked past them in the oposite direction, bringing something from one of the storage rooms to the bar. No one said a word.

The two reached the stairs that led to the garage. Atlas picked one of his more fancy looking cars and opened the door for her. She didn't question it and he took the wheel.

"Where to?"
"Mh... You tell me"
"Your place"
"I rather not- I would much prefer go to yours"
"Im just droping you off, we're not doing anything"
"Oh"

She gave him indications, then the rest of the ride went by in silence, with her looking out the window as the streets passed by, her tail lying on his like a tentative blanket.

The car stopped in front of her block. She looked at him "Atlas- if you need me, just call" she handed him a piece of paper with a number. He took it.
She wanted to kiss him goodbye, and so did he. But she got out of the car and just hoped he would call her.

Chapter Text

Did last night really happen?
Of course it did. He barely got any sleep becouse of it. And he tended to work up 'till late, he needed his rest!

The persistent erection didn't help either. It all resulted in a bad mood that morning.

"where's Mitzi?" He asked Ivy when he went downstairs for breakfast
"Um... I dunno" she shrugged. Atlas could tell she was probably lying. He rolled his eyes (just a little) and opened the newspaper

'we could start trying this week'

Dammit. After reading a pagraph three times, failing to catch it's meaning he put the paper aside.
Took one sip of coffee, his eyes closed as he tasted it.

Tried to let his mind blank, see what was on it.

'I would like one of them to look like you'

The image of Jenna holding a faceless baby who's fur resembled his own.
Mitzi telling him she couldn't care less what he did with Jenna, Jenna's green eyes begging him to agree to her absurd proposition. The kiss.
Her fluffy tail atop his. Wick's hand touching her back-

He grunted and took another sip of coffee.

"Ivy, when you do see Mitzi, tell her to call me"
"Um- sure!" She proped herself up on the bar "rough night?" He gave her a deadpan look "you work too much"

He refused to dignify that with an answer. He suspected her of being alied with Mitzi and he had no intencion of changing his modus operandi to let her take over some of his duties.

He had a big house but the apartment atop the café was practical. That's where he would usually stay working up 'til late. Mitzi really liked a more confortable home so she was staying at the house these days but she would still come into the apartment unanounced whenever she pleased and rummage through his papers.

They argued over it many times but now that their separation was final, maybe he should put his foot down about it.

"Mitzi?" He hung his coat and hat on the perch at the entrance. There was no response. He walked into his office to find it empty, but before he could reach the desk the phone started ringing.

"Hello?"
"Hi, Atlas, dear. Ivy told me you wanted a call?"

So much for not knowing exactly where Mitzi was

"Yes. It's about the conversation we had yesterday"
"Mhm what about it?"
"...are you sure you're ok with it?"
"I want whats best for you, honey. You know, if you really love something, you must set it free, and if-"
"Spare me the poetry" he rolled his eyes
"I thought you liked my poetry"

He was not going to argue anymore with her, specially not through the phone "I got a lot of work to do"

A silence hung between them for a moment. A well known, familiar, uncomfortable silence.

"I'll leave you to it" she said, ending the call.

He stood there and sighed. Loneliness creeping in on him from behind as he sat on his office chair and looked at all the papers on his desk, many of them no doubt out of place after Mitzi last saw through them.

He felt tired all of the sudden, witch was unbecoming of him. He had just had his breakfast...
He did stay up late and wake up late but this was normal for him. What wasn't normal was feeling so... Distracted.

The way Jenna's tail swinged was very distracting, after all.

He sighed, defeated. He took the phone once again and retrieved the note from his breast pocket.
The phone ranged for a few moments, then an old woman's voice answered the call.

"Do you know what time it is?"

He blinked. In the world he lived in, it didn't feel that late. "Pardon" he said, regardless "Im looking for Jenna"
"Ah, of course. I'll go get her" said the woman, and left the phone. Atlas waited. After a few moments, Jenna's voice came through "hello?"
"Jenna, it's Atlas"
"Yes, what can I do for you?"
"...if your offer' is still up, I'd like to talk bushiness with you"
"I will be right there"

He hunged up, and sat there for a moment. He couldnt believe he was doing this but... Well.
This may be his one last chance at geting something he wanted, and he had nothing to loose.
He served himself a glass of scotch and tried to put the papers on his desk in order while he waited for her to arrive.

He didn't have to wait much. It felt like just a few minutes later when Jenna knocked on his door, but she had ovbiously dolled herself up for the ocasion.

"Please, take a seat" he said and she obligued "are you sure about your proposal?"
"Yes, I still am"
"With all that it implies?"
"We still have to make that clear"

He made a gesture for her to elaborate

"Well, you know some of my conditions: I want to be provided for. After all, that's the principal reason I cant have kids as it is. I don't want to bring them into a life of struggle and debt. Im tired of that. If I have a child with you I expect you to provide for both of us. And I don't mean the bare minimum, I want at least some comfort"
"Fair enough" he noded
"...and I want to know that I will still have some freedom and a say in how to raise the child"

The child. For one moment it seemed more real to Atlas. He ignored that thought, they were just talking, nothing set in stone yet "anything else?"

"Well, what would be your conditions? And what if something goes wrong? I think we should write a contract or something with all the conditions we agree to..."
"Right. It may not be legaly binding but it would leave things clear"
"Exactly" She noded.

He proped himself forward and took pen and paper from a blank pile. This was something that felt more natural to him. He had some experiences in less than legal contracts.

He handed another paper and pen to her
"Write down all the conditions you'd like to be taken into consideration. We will then compare them"

She noded and for a moment the two wrote in silence, the scraping of pen on paper their only companion.

"Are you done?"
"I cant think of what else to add..."

He stood up and walked behind her, bringing his paper with him. She had written the word 'complications' with a question mark

"What's that about?"
"Just trying to take into account all possible outcomes, the ugly ones too. What if I fail to concieve? Or if I die in childbirdth? Or if the baby comes with a defect?"
"Uh. I suppose that's good to keep in mind"

He too had included some things to consider in his paper: things more related to logístics, like whether she would like an allowence and how much, how discrete they would be, questions regarding education and his work...

Writing a contract felt more natural to him, but it was also making this whole baby business feel more real.

They went back and forth, discusing scenarios and the like, writing both their lists into a single one and revising it.
It didn't take too long to arrive at something they both agreed on.

One of the things she demanded was ownership of a house, to secure herself some form of guarantied stability even in case anything else didn't go as planned, but she was still willing to start trying right away if he agreed to that condition.
One of the conditions he had was exclusivity: she wouldn't be involved with any other man to ensure the baby would be his.

They wrote a second copy and signed both. He left his resting on the desk, she blew on hers to dry the ink, folded it, and put it in her purse.

Now it was time to put her money where her mouth was, so to say.

"You said we could start trying right away. Are you sure of that?"
"Yes, just- could I have a drink?"

He noded "what's your poison?"
"I like them sweet, but... For the ocasion, maybe something stronger first"
"Allright then"

He prepared her a martiny, and then watched as she just gulped It down in one go.

"Um... Some more? To cheer for the ocasion"

He noded, a tiny smile on his lips. This time he poured her some scotch and lifted his own glass in a silent dare.
"Cheers" she said "to the future"
"To the future" he agreed, and they both threw it back.

She just made a bit of a face "I think I'll take that sweet drink now"
"Of course" we went and put together something that he thought she would like "gotta enjoy while you can" he mentioned as he handed it to her.

The contract also indicated she would try to carry on a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy and while trying to concieve, but this was their first night after all.

"Mmh! Oh that's good!" She said between sips "oh, what is that?"
"A chocolate orange cocktail. With a dash of baeilish"
"I have no idea what all that means, but I love it!"

She hummed as she finished it

"You did say you have a sweet tooth"
"Mh, so I did"

She steped next to him to place the empty glass on the table, then she turned her head and placed a tentative kiss on his cheek.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. Another peck was placed on his snout.
He then turned his head a little bit to kiss her on the lips.

She tasted the kiss tentatively and he answered in kind, the sourness in his lips mixing with chocolate and orange sweetness on hers.
Her hands carasses up his torso, exploring carefully, as if to not mess his suit. His hands came to hold her arms and slowly slipped from there.

He would never recognice how hungry for touch he had been. How sweet and intoxicating she felt, so wellcoming, hungry herself.

Kisses, bites and carasses turned more frantic. Soon, he had her sitting on his desk, legs arround his hips, their bodies pressing tight, creating some sweet friction.

She pulled at his shirt and with a grunt he grabbed her and took it all to the bedroom.

He stumbled onto the bed with her tangled in his arms, mouths clashing for one messy moment. She huffed happily and he wanted to bite her
So he did. He bit her lips, her neck, her ear. She tilted her head to grant him access and her hands pawed at his back through his shirt

He growled, hands grasping at all of her, shaking with need, not knowing where to start.
Then she took her hands off him for a moment to just pull her skirt a little up and her panties down. Just as far as her hands could reach.
This gesture had him fumbling violently to just open and pull his pants low enough to free his hardness and just get between her legs.

She moaned, all wet and open for him already. He started moving right away, slow and firm at first, her eyes closed for a moment, just feeling him, feeling all of this, alcohol making her dizzy and horny and the taste of the drinks still delicious in her mouth.
It combined perfectly with the pleasure of his body pressed over her, their messy clotes rumpled in between, and him pushing into her over and over again.

She ghasped and grabbed at his back "aah- mh- Atlas"
"Hmm mh- yes?"
"Atlas-"

He looked into her eyes and just saw need. Hunger. Pleasure.
He adjusted himself a little, grabing her hips and thrusted faster. Her moans and little ghasp flooding his ears, her claws digging in his back through his shirt- oh he loved it- he loved it he loved it-

"Aah- ah- mmh Atlas!" One of her hands let go of him and slipped between her legs but he wouldn't allow it.
He grabbed both her hands and held them above her head, then used one of his own to find that little nerve bundle of hers and flick it while he fucked her

"Aaaah!" Her body arched and tensed beneath him. She moaned and wimpered his name untill she came undone, shaking with electric pleasure.
But he wasn't done. He grabbed her hips and thrusted into her untill he spilled over with a grunt, and laid like that, panting, both of them spent.

He was still recovering from the aftershocks when Jenna's mouth found his to share a sloppy kiss.
He hummed into it, lost in sensation.

Chapter Text

At some point between the afterglow and the bliss of sleep they took off their clotes to be more confortable.

When Atlas woke up it was later than usual, but he would allow himself to sleep in given the circunstances. He sat up in bed and looked at her.

She had burrowed under the blankets, pretty much awake but not ready to act like it.

"How about coffee?" He asked.
She made a humming noise and emerged, hair messy and eyes sleepy to look him up and down.
Atlas waited.
Did she regret her choices? Did she find him atractive at all, specially now that he was bare and in the daylight?

She murmured, after a moment "You look like a white tiger"
His ears twitched to atencion "is that so?"
"Mhm" she noded, her face still pressed to the pillow "when I first saw you I thought 'oh, a white tiger' "

He hummed half a laught.
She sighed dreamly.

"Will you give me a little tiger?"

Atlas felt a warm feeling starting to take over "a little tiger?"
"Mhm" she noded "give me a little tiger, Atlas"

He tilted closer, grabbed the bedsheet and pulled it off her, revealing her naked form. She shivered, but didn't complain.

We often talk about a person's birdth marks in a romantic way, as you have to know someone intimatedly to get to know the marks on their body.
In a wold where people were born with fur, they wouldn't be less about their fur patterns.

Atlas contempled every one of the irregular orange patches on Jenna's fur, a hand absentmimdedly carassing the one Wick had touched through her backless dress.
Now Atlas' hand roamed all over her, down her back, her hips, her thighs.
Her beautifull thick tail.

"You want a little tiger, mh?"
"Yes, Atlas, please... Wont you give me a kitten? Put it inside me"

He grunted and grabbed her leg to pull it apart from the other. He pressed down to her, to kiss her shoulder

"Oh, you want that?"
"I want you deep inside me, Atlas May, taking root"

Atlas growled, taking position, manhandling her slowly

"I'll give you a kitten, Jenna" he grinded against her, bringing himself to full hardness "a whole littler"
"Mmh yes please, Atlas- give it to me"

He wasn't gonna last. He pushed into her slowly but deep, making her moan

"Say that again"
"Ah- Atlas! Ah! Atlas- Atlas May!"
"Mhhh" he growled next to her ear "my sweet Jenna... With a belly empty of kittens" and he bit her shoulder.
She whimpered, her body moving, trying to get more of him

"I'll give you a kitten, Jenna... And it will come from these lovely hips of yours"
"Aaah ah yes Atlas! Please give it to me"
"Take it" he grunted as he trusted, harder, the sound of their bodies in movement filling the room "take it. You're gonna be full of me- mhh Im gonna give you a whole littler"
"Aaah!!"
"Yes take it- take it- you wanted this. Take it"
"Yes- yes- harder- ah ahh!"

He finished with a grunt, biting her shoulder, leaving a mark there. She laid under him, humming happily, enjoying the feeling of his weight on her.
He waited untill the afterglow faded before he rolled on his back, pulling out of her and catching his breath.

She came to rest her head on his shoulder, a hand absentmimdedly carassing the fur on his chest, purring. The soft vibrations traveled through him, soothing something in his body and mind that he couldn't name.

He passed a hand through his face "I got work to do. You need to go"

She full on whined, nuzzling into him.

"You can stay a little longer, fix yourself up and have breakfast but when I come back I want you gone"
"Why? Where are you going?"
"I allways have breakfast at the café. And I can't have you here while I work"
"Why not?" She nuzzled him like a sleepy, whiny child
"I will not have you distracting me from work. And we have to be discret, remember?"
That had been one of his conditions stated in the contract.
"Hmp. Yes..." She kissed his chest, and his chin. Then his lips. Then she suddenly transformed into a cacoon of blankets and left him lying there completly bare.

Atlas held back a shiver at the sudden loss of her warmth and went to take a shower. After he was dry and dressed up he grabbed a cigar before heading downstairs.

"Someone's in a good mood" Ivy smirked at him when she brought him breakfast "slept well last night?"
He wouldn't tell
"oh come ooon something happened, didn't it?"
He ignored her
"Fine, keep your secrets, and I'll keep mine" she said, pretending she wasn't dying to know.

He had no problem focusing in the newspaper now. He had to find a nice house for Jenna.
She said it didn't have to be anything too fancy, just spacious for the kids, but Atlas had insisted on finding something nice for them to raise his brood, that he could also use as a retirement when he was away from work, and after a little proding she had admited she would love to have a garden.

Atlas was a very wealthy man. Not as much as Wick, by far, or his friend Asha Sweet, but still, he could afford luxury and he wouldn't repair in costs when it came to his children.
...his children. Imagine that.

If they got lucky and Jenna got pregnant right away it would still be nine months before the baby arrived.
Nine months felt just shy of a whole year. But this also meant that by this time next year they could have a kid of his crawling around.

His eyes viered towards Ivy. It felt like just yesterday she was a little girl. What harm could it be, they thought, leting her trot around the café and the garage? Just a few years later she was looking for a boyfriend and going against her father's wishes, choosing an university nearby just so she could hang around the speakeasy.

Maybe soon Lackadaisy would have a new baby princess or prince. Would this kid go against his wishes too, and test his patience like Ivy tasted Ruby's?

It still felt like a long way to go before he had to worry about that. Right now he had to find Jenna a house. And a car, so she could come and go easily.

Jenna did not believe it, when the car stoped in front of a manor and she got down.

"This is not it, is it?" She asked a deadpan Atlas, thought she was starting to get good at reading him, and she could swear he had an amused expresion.
"Would the lady like something bigger?" Asked the sales man with a tense smile

"No, definetly not bigger. This is plenty big!"
"You havent even seen the interior" said Atlas
"Fine, we can go inside but I was hoping for a little more garden and a little less labirynth"

The salesman laughted it off "we have plenty more options to see if this one doesent convince you, maam"
"Well, since we're already here..."
"There's no use in seeing it if she doesen't like it. Let's go" stated Atlas, and opened the car for her.

"Atlas, I mean it, don't you think this is a little much?"
"I told you I can afford it. And I wont be raising my kids in an apartment"
"Yeah, but a whole manor..."
"You will have plenty of space for your personal interests, when you're not runing after the kids"
"Of course" she grunted
"We can hire help too"

She gave up. If he wanted to buy her a damn palace, so be it! It had been, after all, her first demand.

Speaking of wich, the next house they viewed did kinda look like a small castle.
It had torrets, and a porch going around it, with big wooden double doors, and another door in the back.
It was sourranded by a nice piece of land covered in overgrown grass and it even had an Ivy plant going up one of the sides.

She didn't want to admit it outloud so soon after complaining, but Atlas could see in her face that she loved it.

The salesman too could sense it since she hadn't uttered a word to complain.
"Shall we go inside?"

Some would say the interiors were a little dark, but she could imagine a child having so much fun exploring this place or playing hide and seek.
She looked out a window. The space around the house was full of potencial.

Atlas stood behind her, hands resting around her hips "if you dont like it, we can keep looking"
"No, I know we should look into more options before choosing... But I really like this one"
"Mh. Too big?" He mocked. That was rare.
"How do you like it?" She countered "You would be using the place to rest from work"
"It's your house. It will be to your name"

She rested for a moment in his arms. It felt too good to be true but she wanted to enjoy this moment.
"So!" The salesman interrupted the moment "shall I get the papers?"

Signing those papers felt strange. Like a pivotal moment in her life that would change everything. All of the sudden she was the sole owner of a manor with a piece of land around it, a place that she was supposed to raise children in.
Her's and Atlas' children.

Once that was done Atlas made a stop on the way back.

"Atlas, where are we now?" Someone else spoke before he could respond.
"THERE HE IS!" a thin, dark chocolate cat came up to them, arms open and a wide smile. Jenna recogniced him inmediatly as yet another salesman, thought this one looked familiar.
"And his lady friend...?"

Jenna allowed him to kiss her hand "Jenna. We've seen' each other around the bar"
"Ah, yes! You're Mitzi's friend, right? Im Ruby Pepper"
"Yes, you're Ivy's father, right?"
"The one and only!" He made a gesture, grabing the lapels of his jacket "I've been told you're looking for a car"

Jenna gave Atlas an acusatory look to wich he didn't react. "I did not!"
"You will need a car simply to come and go from the new place. I rather get it right away than wait untill you can save enough from the allowence"
"I do have some savings..."

"Ah, but I have some wonderful offers ready for you!" Said Ruby "if you don't mind Atlas here help you with the car"
She rolled her eyes "very well, I won't look a gift horse in the mouth"

It was true that house was at a distance from the city, not too far from Defiance, so that it would be distant from work but near a refence spot in case of emergency. Jenna also had hoped for something amid nature. She had worried about transportation but she originally thought she could get a cheap, second had car if she needed it... The cars waiting for them behind Ruby did not fit said description.

"That's the spirit!" Ruby gestured excitedly as he led them towards the first option "and funny you should mention horses..."

Jenna had never thought of what kind of car she would like. Thinking of it now all of the sudden she supposed something practical would do.
Something with plenty of space, maybe? That wouldn't need much maintainence, maybe pretty to look at if that were a possibility

After listening to Ruby go on and on about stuff that sounded alien to her, like the speed and litter capacity of each car, he seemed to catch on and adapted his way of speech a little.
She ended up settling for a dark blue Cadillac model V-63. It had seats front and back, a ramp, an extra wheel atached to the side and a comvertible roof.

When she heared the price, however, she nearly paniked.
"Three thousand, to make it a round number" said Ruby. And aded "it's a friend price"

"Atlas that is way too much for- Im sorry, but I could just manage with a second hand-"
"Nonesense!" Ruby said like he was disscussing about baseball players with a friend "you won't get anything so fine on second hand! This is a car we're talking about" he slapped the hood "this good boy will be your loyal steeed for many years to come! You want something you can trust when going on adventures"
"We'll take it" sentenced Atlas
"That's a deal then!"

Ruby pulled out more papers. Jenna closed her eyes, defeated. This is what she wanted, wasn't it?
"I've never even driven before. I fear I will crash it on the first try"

"Oh, it's so easy a kid can do it, you'll learn in no time!"
Said Ruby while Atlas signed him a check. Then he handed the keys to her.
"Fine. Thank, you, Atlas. I don't want to seem ungrateful, I do love it..."

She opened the door and sat inside without waiting for instructions, trying to get a feel of it. It was all so new, so fancy looking. "Im gonna name it Lucky, in hopes that we don't crash"
Ruby laughted "you have a wonderful taste, miss"
"Thanks, Ruby" she said then she adressed Atlas "how about I drive us to the city? You can teach me the basics"
"great idea!" Said Ruby "I can busy myself with returning the other cars, you two have fun!"

Jenna waited until he was out of earshot
"What if he... Suspects something?"
"Don't worry about that" he responded.

She sighed and went about turning the car on. After all, it was Atlas' interest being discrete, and Ruby was a good friend of his.

At the time you didn't need a license to drive.
Atlas watched in silent amusement as Jenna made faces, trying to figure out how to do it.
"You are not teacher material" she grunted while Atlas just watched, as the car bounced in and out of a dirt road, forming an s.

His eyebrows tilted slightly upwards
"Yes, I saw that too. You are having fun, aren't you?"
"Whatever makes you say that?"
"Don't"
"...?"
"Just don't. ...or do. Do say something. It's all the same, isn't it?"
he repressed a chuckle, and somehow she knew

"How about dinner?"
"Oooh nonono" she tried gesturing while holding the wheel "I am not gonna drive this thing up to a restaurant, not today. Bedsides, I gotta do the moving and you- you allways got work"

Now he was holding back on a full on laught. It showed on his face in the form of a rare, tense smile.

"That's it! You know what? ...wich one was the breaks?"

The car, or, Lucky came to an abrupt stop at the side of the dirt road. Jenna fumbled within the confined space to sit stradling Atlas, who watched in silence, his expresión turning a little more serious and questioning.

"You still have to get me pregnant, and we haven't done it today. We couldnt try out the new house, but we can try out the new car"

"Someone may pass by" he said, hands cradling her thighs
"Oh, now you care about discrection!" She smirked, sliping her dress up, pressing herself closer to him, right before kissing him.

Chapter Text

Viktor could tell something was up. But he couldnt put his finger on it.
He sensed it as soon as Atlas walked into the garage, so it had to be something about his looks, right? Maybe a new suit? He couldnt tell what, but something was diferent.

"Viktor, help Jenna with moving, will you? She's waiting outside"

He noded and obligued.
Viktor didn't know Jenna but he had seen her on ocasion around the bar. She was sitting on a brand new fancy car.
That reminded him, Atlas had left on a diferent car, but that one wasn't back in the garage yet.
Maybe that was it.

...no. He knew the moment he sat in the new car next to her. The smell gave it away. That and the messy state of her hair and the fur on her neck.

Viktor growled under his breath and hung an arm out the window, looking away to get some air. The car and the girl next to him felt so small in comparison.

"Um, Viktor?"
"Mh."
"It is the first time I drive, I was hoping you could give me pointers?"
"...don't crash"
"Sorry I asked" she huffed "I hope you werent too busy, thank you for giving me a hand"
"Boss' orders"
"Yes, but still. Your presence helps"

This was the part Jenna dreaded and was most excited for, so to say.
She stopped the car in front of an old building in a dark part of town and took a deep breath before geting out.

Viktor followed her up some stairs, way too narrow for him, and too tilted for his bad knee. They were not half way up when a hight pitched, old voice echoed.
"There she comes, and she's not alone, is she?"

Jenna didn't answer. Even when they reached the second floor, where an older woman wearing a bathrobe stared in disaproval "where have you been? And who's that? He's gonna break the stairs"
A tiny, fluffy white dog yaped at Viktor excitedly as they passed.

Jenna still didn't answer "what, you haven't heared me? Im talking to you, eh?"

The woman followed them up the stairs, muttering something untill Jenna unlocked the door, let Viktor in and full on closed the door on her face, like she hadn't seen her.

Viktor could hear the woman muttering violently from the other side.
"I can't believe I wont have to put up with them anymore" she wishpered at him. Then she walked into the house "sorry for the mess, a lot has happened in very short notice"

The place was tiny, and full of things. There were pictures on the walls, papers atached on every corner and books, lots of books.
Despite how cramped it was, there was a short of order to it.

"Would you like a drink?" She ofered.
Viktor shook his head.

"Ok, so..." She looked around herself "just start stacking books and taking them to the car"

There was no bedroom. Her bed was buildt atop a loft ovbiously crafted by hand, wich left space for a desk beneath it, where a writing machine rested amidst notes and writing utensils.

Jenna pulled a travel bag from the tiny closet on the corner and easily filled it with the few clotes she owned, and a few things from the bathroom.
Then she took a box and filled that with all of the writing equipament and papers that she had on her desk, plus the ones that she colected from around the house.
She placed her little radio on top of all that, caring not for wrunpling the papers and fitted the writing machine into its case, wich had a handle.

She turned to Viktor, holding the travel bag, the writing machine and the box with the radio and papers "Ready for the first trip?" She asked him, arms already full of books.

As they went back downstairs Viktor caught a familiar smell, but he couldnt place it right away. It was something very common and very nasty, but he didn't know where it came from and he didnt stop to think about it.
As they went back down past the second floor he heared clearly the woman's voice coming from her own locked door, seemingly on a yelling match with someone else.

They put Jenna's things in the back and she locked the door before going back up for the second batch. This told Viktor all he needed to know: she wouldn't put it past her neighbors to go rummaging through her things in the time that it would take them to come back down.

The nosy woman was waiting for them on the second floor again. This time she was in the company of a young boy with broad shoulders.
He was taller than the two women, but he didn't hold a candle to Viktor.

"What are you doing, coming up and down, eh? Say something, why are you so quiet? See? Boy! say something to them. Maybe she's mad at us for some reason"
"Hi!" The boy tried to talk to them, his voice friendly and his eyes soft "Im Nuño, I can see you're busy..."

Viktor glared at him like he glared at everyone on the way up. The woman spat something about lacking manners. "You're making a lot of noise!"

As one who didn't like noise, Viktor could swear Jenna was not half as noisy as that woman. He was reminded of his own old neighbor, Mrs Bapka, who would often ask him for help around the house, and who's mind seemed to falter sometimes and he silently felt thankfull that she was his neighbor. He couldn't imagine having this other lady instead, yapping at him everytime he came or went, both her and the dog.

When Jenna opened the apartment door again Viktor recogniced the smell from before: It was dog piss, and it was coming from Jenna's doorstep.
She saw the way he was looking at her now: wrinkled nose, more surprise than glare beam.

"Yes, Im so sorry you have to witness all of this. But man, am I glad you're here!"

She got another box and filled it with some things from the kitchen. Now the only thing left was a few more books. Maybe one more trip.

Just as expected, they were checking out the car. Even the little dog was sniffing at it.

"What is that!?" Asked the woman as Jenna unlocked the door to put more things in the back.
"Hey, Im talking to you!"
While Viktor left his armfulls in the back, the woman stood in Jenna's way "I said what is that!?"

"What?" Jenna looked back and forth "that's a car"
"Ha! A car she says! At least you're talking now! Hey, if you have something to say you can say it to my face, eh?" She spoke so fast, her voice such a high pitch, Viktor couldnt wait to be done.
"Where are you going? Are you moving? With what money, uh?"

Viktor growled at the woman as he stood behind Jenna, a hand on her shoulder to walk past the old nosy neighbor.

"Hey! Don't growl at me! You big oaf. Is this your boyfriend? How did you get that car? Did he steal it?"

They ignored her again as they walked up again. Her undignified screams echoing up the stairs.
Jenna and Viktor managed to balance all the remainig books on their arms and got downstairs as soon as possible.

Now the boy stood on their way.
"This you're doing is not ok, eh? I hope you know that. We've been very good to you" his tone had gone from sweet to condescendent, and soon escalated to acusatory "you can't go like that, you tramp! You gotta give us the keys, and tell us in advance, and-!"

Viktor practically shielded her while she got in the car and turned it on. When he got in, she shook the apartment keys out the car window.

"Look, see this? here" She threw them to the street "It has NOT been a pleasure. Good riddance!"

She drove off while flipping them the bird. Even as she did, they could still hear the woman yelling and the little dog yapping as it chased after the car.
Then, blessed silence.

Jenna sighed "I know that wasn't very lady like but you have no idea how long I've had to put up with their bullshit! I kinda want to go back and... Whatever"

Viktor grunted. Jenna droped him off at the garage.

"Thank you for everything, Viktor. I can handle the rest myself" she told him. Viktor only responded with a nod and a grunt.

She use to berate herself for having so many things, turning her tiny space into such a mess, while at the same time feeling frustrated becouse she couldn't afford any better.

Now, with all of her belongings fitted in the back of the car, parked in front of the huge house that was now hers, it felt like too little to fit within too much.
In just a few trips she had all of it placed on a table in the middle of a big sitting room, and she realiced her new home would feel too empty for a while.

She tried to shake off these feelings. She had a fun task ahead of her: nesting! Wich would be preceded by cleaning. That was less fun but she had her trusty little radio to aid her in the task.
The viewing and purchase of the house had felt a little overwellming. Now she got plenty of time to explore the place on her own.
This way it was easy to imagine herself as a child once again, relieving the fantasies she had never really let go. As she choose a bedroom for herself and got to work fixing it up, she could pretend to be a farytale character like Cinderella who would later become the queen of this castle-like place.

This made it even easier to imagine her own kids playing within these rooms someday soon.

It was two days later in the afternoon when Atlas next saw her.
He hadn't expected it. He had been focused in paperwork when the doorbell rang. That was odd.

He couldnt remember last time anyone used the doorbell. Anyone who frecuented his apartment had a copy of the keys and would just come in and knock on his office door or simply call on the phone.
When he saw Jenna come in it made sense. She didn't have a copy of the keys. Maybe he ought to fix that.

"What can I help you with?"
She gave him a look "you know what you can help me with"
"...Im working right now"
"I know. You're allways busy. But if we want to concieve, we have to try on a regular basis, and it has been two days since last time"
He sighed "right" after a moment of consideration he placed a hand on the small of her back and led her towards the bedroom "Next time, you can just give me a phone call. Im usually here at this hour"

"I don't have a phone" she said, taking off her coat. She was wearing a short dress, teal green, fiting nicely with her eyes. Atlas' eyes roamed her figure. He came up to place his hands on her waist "If you prefer, I can call you from the café and wait for you there"
"No" he responded. He closed his eyes for a moment, the scent of her perfume distracting him from the current conversation "I'll get you a phone, so you can call me from the house"

She turned to look him face to face "you don't have to, I can use the allowance..."
"Im supposed to provide for you. If there's anything lacking in the house just tell me"
She made a hesitant gesture, meaning a phone was not the only thing it was missing.

Why was she hesitating? This fell within the terms of the contract.
"What else do you need?"
"Ugh, fine. I have a list. Nothing urgent, I was planing on fixing it up myself"

He chuckled "yourself"
"With the allowance"
"Right"
"You should see the place, it's already looking a lot better"
"I'll be sure to drop by soon. How about tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow?" He noded. She noded "uh, yeah, sure. But- "

He tilted his head. She took a deep breath "I just don't want to go on a spending spree. I don't want to be wastefull just becouse I can afford it now"
He huffed "how about a shopping date? To get everything we need for the house?"
"That would be nice... Are you sure you're not too busy?"

The corners of his mouth turned up as he gently pushed her back towards the bed "I'll make time"

After all, that was one of her demands stated in the contract.

Chapter Text

Atlas drove to the new house to pick up Jenna for lunch. As soon as he stepped out of the car he could already tell a diference: the grass had been cut. A dirt path had been dug up leading to the front door.
The windows and the door had been dusted and cleared of cobwebs.

Atlas did have a copy of the house keys. As he walked in, he called for Jenna. There was no response.
He looked around: the whole place had been cleaned up. It still looked kind of empty and dark, but that would be easily fixed.

"Jenna?" Still no response. He walked across the sitting room and found the back doors open. As he stepped out to the back he finally spoted her.

She was wearing a shirt with the sleeves folded up, denim overalls and working boots, and she was using a shovel to dig a hole the size of a cráter.

Atlas didn't say a word. He stepped up to the edge of the hole and waited for her to notice him. When she kept going without doing so for a few minutes he checked his pocket watch and cleared his throat.

She startled "Atlas! Jesus, put on a belled collar!" She stepped out of the hole, coming up to him "aren't you a little early?"
"No"
"... you're not?"
"We have a reservation for lunch within twenty minutes"

She paled and let the shovel fall "Im so sorry Atlas I swear I thought this would take less- I'll be ready in five!" She ran towards the house.

She left the boots outside and hurried upstairs, dropped her clotes on the floor and used a wet towel to scrub the bulk of the sweat and dirt off. Then she threw on a casual dress, tied her hair on a simple bun and grabbed her purse and shoes.

Atlas checked his pocket watch again, amused to find that she had taken indeed just five minutes to get to the car. This would never happen with Mitzi!
Jenna put on just a touch of makeup while he drove.

"What were you doing with the shovel?"
"Im building a swimmingpool!"
He wasn't expecting that "a swimmingpool? I thought you wanted a garden"
"Both is good! We have so much space, and we're gonna have kids! They're gonna love it"
"Mh. And you're building it yourself?"
"That I am!"
"You know you're not supposed to over excert yourself"
"Oh no, Im not! I mean, I don't think so. Well, some excercise is good too, isn't it?"
Atlas chuckled "diging up a swimmingpool, all by yourself, that's propper excercise?"
"Well... Yes, just like any other thing that needs doing out in the garden"
He shook his head "if you want a swimmingpool..."
"No, there's no need for that, I can just-"
"Jenna you are not going to build a swimmingpool all on your own, if we're going to have a swimmingpool it will be properly buildt and it will be installed with the rest of the new apliances and that's final"

She went quiet, looking down at her fidgeting hands.

"Sorry"
"Don't apologice. But how did you even get the idea?"
"I like swimming"
"I mean, why do you want to build it yourself?"

When she spoke, she did so in almost a shy wishper "... sometimes I get anxious. And I need to do things. Sometimes I just need to go for a run, or write something and get it all out... and sometimes I just feel like building something. ...and there was so much space... And I do love swimming"

Atlas understood. He was good at picking strays, and he had seen many diferent cases. Some people were just buildt a little diferent, and if you only knew where to place them they could be the best for a particular job or another.
It was just his luck that the women he atracted were part of that bunch.

"You're going to love being a mother"
She laughted "yes, I can hardly wait"
"But please, do let me know when you have a new project. ...or a new mania"
She went a little quiet "Im sorry. I will"

They arrived in a perfectly timely manner and were led to the nicely placed table that had been reserved for them.
Atlas was glad he got a glimpse of that other side of Jenna: the anxious one with too much energy that needed a project not to burst.
Looking at her now, biting her lip as she read the menu he was reminded that he barely knew her.
He hoped having kids with him wasn't just another rushed project planned in a moment of excitement.
She had said she thought about it for a long time before coming to him, but still.

"Im gonna need your advice, Atlas, what should I get?"
"Whatever you like"
"Yes but... I've never been to a place like this..."

He took a look at the menu "what do you usually like?"
"Um, I like trying new things... And I am hungry. But no fish"
"Mh" he made a gesture and the maitre appeared next to them "what would you suggest for her?"

"If it is the lady's first time with us, may I suggest the coc au vine?"
He noded. She mutered a "thank you" and then "you traitor" at Atlas.

He found himself liking this other side of her, the more playfull one that seemed to show when she was in high spirits. The good food aparently brought it up.

Mitzi was playfull too, but in a completly diferent way. She would tease you through dialogue in a way you didn't take serious, then do something you're not expecting when you're not looking.
Jenna was giving him a mischeavus look from across the table, her fluffy tail swinging playfully behind her as if she wanted him to guess what she was planing next

Did she want him to have his way with her in the bathroom? He could pull it off, being who he was, even if someone caught them they wouldn't dare say anything but-
No. He would just let her enjoy the food. He could tell when the next plate was served, thought she tried to hide it that she was still hungry.

"So what else is in that list of yours?"
"Oh, nothing we can just pick up on the way. Nothing urgent, either. I just..."
"Jenna. Please, what was it?"
She rolled her eyes "a new stove, a fridge, a washing machine..." She shrugged "I dunno, the electric work is outdated, maybe the house could use more light... I also wanted a couple new radios"
"Two new radios?"
"Yes, the old one is in the kitchen, I like to hear it while I coock and do the dishes... But it would be nice to have another one in the sitting room and another for the studio. You know, so I don't have to move around the only radio I have"

She gave him a look "too much?"
He shook his head "sounds reasonable. It's all basic updates for the house, plus a couple radios to have them at hand"
"And a swimmingpool"
"Yes, that. We can pass by an apliance store and probably have them delivered and installed within the day"
"Oh"

He looked at her

"Here I was, planing to save money for months 'till I could afford all that... Are you sure you want to just buy them all right away?"
"Stop worrying about the cost, Jenna. Isn't that the whole point of this?"
"Only part of it"
"Yes, well. What's next?"
"Mh?"
"What was next in that list of yours?"
"...just... Nesting"

He tilted his head. She smiled "just making the house feel more comfortable"
"Decorations?"
"Yeah? A few tools for my artistic projects too. And some new books. I didn't have much space in my old place, but the new house has plenty of rooms. You don't mind I use one as a study, right?"
"It is your house, after all"

She stopped still. He followed her line of sight. They were standing in front of a beautifull toy shop, the kind that has a wide front decorated with things that make kids gather to look

"There's also that"

They walked in. Atlas didn't remember ever being in a toy shop. Jenna looked around herself with childlish wonder in her eyes. She walked by a bookcase, reading some of the tytles, her fingers graced a few toys as she passed them by.
Atlas watched her take a stuffed bunny with big floppy ears and a bowtie, carassing its soft fabric.

"Anything you like?"
She laughted "too many things I like"
"So you already have ideas..."
"You don't?"
He shrugged "I wouldn't know where to start"
"Well that's easy: books!" She stated with a quick shrug "we should have a little reading corner by the bed, and a desk... Oh, look"

She walked by a big dollhouse, the kind that would be taller than the kid playing with it "I allways wanted one of these. I would make do with paper figures"
"Really?"
"Mhm. Oh, look!" She then walked up to a little rocking horse. It was very detailed, grey with white spots and a leather saddle. It even had a mane and tail made of black rope strings.

"I had one of these when I was little... Well, it wasn't as pretty by far, but I loved it! I remember being so upset when it broke"

She gave the little horse a soft push and watched it rock with a smile.

"What toys did you have as a kid?"
Atlas was caught off guard.
He remembered a little wooden duck on wheels that he would drag everywhere he went. He did remember wondering if he was too old to play with it at some point, and hiding it under his bed...
But it wasn't the only toy he had played a lot with, by far.

"A bb gun. It may be a bit too early to buy such a thing for our kid, thought"
She chuckled "cant you think of anything you would have liked?"

He looked around. The shop was full of toys that any kid would like... he finally saw something that drew his atencion: a model train.

"I bet they would love it" she said, looking at it.
"...how long untill they could use it, thought?"
"I don't know. Kids grow fast... Maybe we could start with the basics: toy blocks, baby blankets... This"

She gestured with the little plush bunny.

"Thought maybe you're right, and it is too soon to start preparing the nursery"

Atlas smiled. Then he proceded to buy basically everything that had drawn Jenna's atencion, pluss the model teain, despite her protests.
"You're going to spoil the kids rotten" she huffed, when she acepted defeat.
She was probably right, he liked spoiling her.

Just for good measure he decided to spoil her even further. Everything they got so far didn't count, he decided, since it all fell within the contract: none of it was just for her. It had all been stuff for the house or for the kids they would share.
He wanted to get her something of hers, something to drive home the point that she didn't have to worry anymore, she was his to care for.

So, once they exited the toy shop, having scheluded for the whole batch to be delivered later that day, he sneakily led her towards a jewel shop.
By the time she noticed they were already at the door she just rolled her eyes.

"Go on. Take a look" he encouraged her, and stayed back while she proceded, with insecure gesture.

Jewlery is not just for show. It is literally treasury that looks pretty so you have an excuse to show it off.
It is the one thing that a woman can own and sell if needed, no matter the circunstances.
This is why diamonds are a girl's best friends. They are not just pretty and a sign of status: they also form a safety net.

Jenna took a look around the shop. Pearls and diamonds were precious but she was more atracted to colorful things and interesting designs.
After feeling silly for a little while, walking around she finally found something that caught her eye: a little watch with a geometrical, black and silver design, meant to wear like a fancy pendant.

He gestured at the seller, who got it out so she could see it up close. He took the piece as if he already owned it and fastened it around her neck. She looked so happy.
"Beautifull. Now pick something else"
"Atlas..."
"A watch is something funcional. I want you to have something nice"
"I like funcional" she said, already fidgeting with the watch as if it had allways been there, on her neck but she still went looking for something else that may draw her eye.

Atlas had a slight feeling of deja bu from when he got Mitzi her pearl neckace with that big stone the color of her eyes. The look on her face had changed for ever and to this day she still often fidgeted with it.
He tried not to think of her now.

"Oh, not those" mutered the lady lady behind the counter.
"Pardon?" Asked Jenna
"Nothing"
"No, I really didn't hear you, what was it?"

"These are engagement rings" the woman clarified, giving her a look. It still took Jenna a moment to realice what she meant. But before she could think of a response, Atlas was behind her
"If she wants them, she'll have them"
His icy tone got Jenna's fur standing on end.
"I- I didn't mean... It's just-" the woman behind the counter fumbled for a response under Atlas' dangerous glare untill the other seller came to the rescue
"Im terribly sorry, Sir, it was just a misunderstanding, don't listen to her, she can have them, on the house"

He placed the entire batch of fancy engagement rings on the counter for Jenna to just take whatever she wanted. She felt overwellmed by the expectant silence.

"I don't want them"
"By all means, miss..."
"No, I don't even like them" she doubled down "I was just looking" then she turned to Atlas "let's go elsewhere"

She held onto his arm and they walked out without playing for the pendant.

"Im sorry" she said
"You shouldn't be. You handed that fine"
"I didn't even realice what she was implying untill she made it glaringly ovbious" she grunted.
"She had no right to make asumptions. Nor judge"

They walked in silence for a few moments

"Atlas, you do remember we were supposed to be discrete... Aren't you worried?"
He huffed "that's for me to worry about"

It was true, he had originaly planned to be discrete about this whole ordeal but he couldnt find it in himself to refrain from taking a pleasant walk with Jenna and help her choose things for the new house and the nursery. That was supposed to be one of the fun parts of preparing for parenthood.

He felt a slight pull on his arm. Jenna was leading them towards the park. As they walked among the trees he noticed she seemed more at ease.
"I love nature" she said "whenever Im out and about, if I see trees or something like that I'll allways go that way. Even if I have to take a longer rout"

That checked. She had mentioned she hoped for a place that felt in nature back when they were looking for a house.
They reached the lake and she stopped to look at it. Some rowboats floated through the surface, led by couples on a romantic date.

"You'd like to join them?"

Her expresion turned to one of excitement, practically giddy to get on a rowboat. The corners of Atlas' muzzle turned up at the sight.

"I take it you like water" he said, as he took the rows
"Is it that ovbious?" She was practically gleaming, looking at the ripples the wáter formed arround them.
"You did mention you like swimming"
"Ah, yes. That too!"

She smiled at him, looking so happy. It was contagious.

"Just let me know if you wanna take turns"
"You want to row?" He ofered, and she gladly took over

Once he seated down she grinned at him. And he knew she was planing something.
Jenna started rowing with intent, actually picking velocity, clearly having done this before.
The other couples on the lake turned to look as they passed them, waves forming in their wake.

"Where are we going in such a rush?" He asked
"Look behind you!"

He did and his fur stood on end as he realiced they were speeding towards a boulder that peaked out of the surface

"JENNA-!!"

At the last second she put the rows in a specific position, causing the boat to glide in a perfect curve around the boulder, fully turning arround before it naturaly came to a stop.

Atlas realiced his nails were embeded in the wood. He sheated them with a crack as he tried to calm his heart.
Jenna was cackling. Full on belly laughting

"Your face! Oh, please don't be mad, I haven't done that in years, I couldn't help it!"

He refused to dignify that with a response, but he also struggled to keep a straight face.

Chapter Text

"Hello, dear" said Mitzi, from where she sat on his desk as he came into his office. He was in a good mood and wouldn't allow her to ruin it.

"Mitzi" he greeted, walking up to her "I need you to give me the keys"
"What keys?" She looked at him, genually confused
"The keys to the apartment"
"This apartment?"
"Yes, Mitzi. I need you to give me the keys to this apartament, please"

She huffed "what for?"
"You don't need them anymore and somebody else does so give them here"
"Are you talking about Jenna? What does she need the keys for?"
"I don't need to explain that to you"
"Ah, right. You want to be discrete about what you're doing with her that you're not doing with your wife"

Atlas gave her a look that would instill fear in anyone else but for some reason only caused her to get visibly annoyed.

"The keys, Mitzi"
"Fine" she huffed, geting off the desk to rummage through her purse. When she found them, she pretty much slammed them on said desk, then stormed off.
"Let me know when you're exausted and overwellmed and you finally realice you need a hand"

He took a deep breath. He got what he needed.

Next time he drove by the house he found Jenna inmersed in a new project, something a lot less worrisome than last time: painting.
He came to stand behind her to admire her work and found himself impressed:

The painting wasn't a perfect copy of the house's front view, but it was a perfect representation in a... pseudo or pre-impresionist style? with random brush strikes and color combinations that gave the impresion of a perfect picture from a distance, but looked very imperfect from up close.

"You're a natural"
"Do you really like it? If not, please, be honest"
He shook his head "it's good"
"It's practically finished already. I'll probably leave it for a while and come back later to see if I notice anything I'd like to change before hanging it"

She cleaned the brush and put it down, then turned to him with a smile "Im so happy I get to experiment with a big canvass!"
"You hadn't done this before?"
"I had, but only in small pieces. Now that I have space, and some extra cash I get to try big pieces like this"
"Mh"
"I think I will remake it when we have the garden. Or maybe just add it. ...and I'd love to paint a portrait of you one day"

The garden, that reminded him "I came to give you these" he lifted the keys in the air for her to grab "Next time you come by the apartment just knock on my office"
"Oh, thank you"
"Also you should hire some help"
"Help?"

He noded

"What for?"
"Cooking, cleaning, gardening..."
"I don't really need-" she stopped herself. He gave her a moment "you're right, of course. The house is too big for me to maintain alone while raising kids. But I don't need any help yet, as in, right now"
"You may as well get used to it now, and use your free time for other things" he gestured to the painting.

"I know..." She stood up and pulled him towards the house "come, you have to see something"

She led him upstairs to a room that had previously been unocupied. He stood at the door, taking it in.

There was a reading corner, with a bookcase, a rocking chair and a tiny desk. Next to it had been placed the cradle, and on the other side was a closet and a case already holding some of the things needed for a nursery. The dollhouse, the model train and a chest for toys were placed on the oposite corner.

"It's not quite finished yet, but we have time. What do you think?"

Atlas almost felt misplaced walking in. There was a comfy looking carpet, the little desk held a crayon set and the bookcase already had some kids' books on it.
The cradle was empty, save for the little plush bunny Jenna picked from the toy store.

It felt so real. But Jenna wasn't pregnant yet, not that they knew. He tried to imagine a little kid here... But it was dificult without puting a face to them.

"Do you like it?"
"I do" he said "Better than the swimmingpool you were digging on your own"
"You will never let me live that down, will you?"

Said swimmingpool was almost finished now that an actual profesional was working on it, unlike the new apliances, wich had been installed the same day they bought them.
Jenna gave Atlas a little tour of the house: the nursery had been placed in one of the torret rooms, the art study to one side and Jenna's own bedroom to the other, as if to make sure she would allways be near if the baby cried.

"The other rooms are ready to be used as guest rooms for now. So..."
He rose an eyebrow
"Well, you can use a guest room when you come here or you can share my bed"

He hadn't given that any thought.
"I don't mind sharing" she elavorated "but this is supposed to also be a rest place for you. Maybe you would like to have your own space?"
"Maybe" he said

He was aware work took most of his time, and he had promised he would try to find a better balance to be there for the kids... that still felt distant, but he knew he ought to start geting used to making time for the family he was creating with Jenna.

Maybe that's one of the reasons it didn't work with Mitzi: they were both work oriented, leaving very little time to just-
He didn't want to think of Mitzi right now.

"Atlas? Are you here right now?"

He looked at her. She gave him a soft look and kissed him. He threw his arms around her and breathed in her scent. They stood like that for a moment.
She was purring. After a moment he realiced he was purring too.

"Do you think-?"
"Mh?"

She shook her head "do you think maybe it's a bit too early for this?"
He tilted back to look at her. What did she mean?

"Im not pregnant yet and the nursery is already set"

Oh
How long would it take? No one knows.

"You're eager, thats all. We're both eager"
She smiled and leaned back into him "Im gonna take that as a good sign"

She nuzzled him. Then she pepered little kisses on his chin, his jaw, down his neck...
She reached his collarbone and pulled at his shirt.
He responded in kind.

He had never had sex so often as now. It made sense, while trying for a baby. Jenna had a way of making it not feel like a task, odd as it sounds. She was good with words. And kisses. And with her hands-

Atlas turned on the car and went back to work.

One more night burning the oíl.
It was nice not having Mitzi rummaging through his papers everytime he tried to get something done but even if she had no access to his office anymore, he still had to make sense of the papers after she had been messing with them for so long. Maybe he ought to ask Mordecai wich documents had already been dealt with and wich were still waiting.

Watching over the speakeasy also counted as work.
It was the more pleasant, relaxing part of his job, but still.
He owned the place, he had to be present, see that it all worked smoothly, chat with the investors that frecuented it... It was also a chance to relax despite feeling like he was still doing something.

Asha wasn't here today, instead Wick Sable waved at him and Atlas noded in silent response. He wasn't as close with the younger cat as he was with Asha but Wick had a lot of money and a deep love for drinks so he was a valuable asset.
Aparently, the fact that he loved rocks and this speakeasy was underground played another factor but Atlas was not in the mood to put up with Wick's rock based verborrea.

Being the quiet tipe and having an old friend who loved to chat he was used to just following a conversation in silence. The background noise of music, partying and someone talking helped him forget the constat calculus going on in his head.

It felt strange, not seeing Mitzi here. She was probably sulking at home now that she couldn't go in his office.
Maybe she would find herself something else to do, at last... Music? Atlas missed hearing her sing but she hadn't done anything music related since the wedding.
Jenna was also missing but that was to be expected according to the contract.

The days seemed to blurr together sometimes, like they went by faster than he could keep count.
Was that a sign of age? Or just the fact that he was adapting to the new routine?

That's what it felt like, kind of. Driving to Jenna's place, so far away from everything else, trying to concieve on a regular basis and then driving back to keep up with paperwork, and the speakeasy, and deliveries... And those damned highjackers-

Had he done that yet? And where was that damned document?

He sat back, took off his reading glasses and closed his eyes for a moment. Then he got up, served himself another glass of scotch and braced for the task at hand: finding that one damned paper.
Hopefully, all of them.

He separated all of the documents in piles, re-revising them one by one to make sense of where each one was and in what state-
This made no sense. He took the phone and dialed downstairs

"This is the Little Dasy Café, how may I help you?"
"It's Atlas"
"Oh good afternoon, should I send you some food?"
"No, thank you. Just tell Mordecai I need to ask him something"
"Right away!"

Not ten minutes later Mordecai was knocking on his office
"Come in"
"Did you call for me?"
"Yes, did you file this paper?"

Mordecai adjusted his pinznez and took a look at it
"No"
"Did anyone else come into my office?"
"Maybe Mitzi did?"
"Mitzi is not supposed to have the keys anymore"

The look of astonishment Mordecai gave him made his ear twitch.

"What is it?"
"She said-" Mordecai's eyes were wide "she asked me for a new copy"
"She did, didn't she?"

Atlas pretty much slammed them document on the desk

"Im sorry" Mordecai continúed "she made it sound like..."
"Of course she did"

Atlas colapsed on his chair, way too tired to deal with this shit.
Of course. Of course she went straight to Mordecai to ask for a new copy of the keys as soon as Atlas demanded she hand it over. Of course she had still been messing with his paperwork without him knowing

"Should I...?"
"No. I'll talk to her. Just go back to work"

Mordecai noded and left.
Atlas passed a hand through his face. He really didn't feel like geting to the task of reorganicing his paperwork, again, now that he knew she had kept messing with it even when he thought-

He took a sip of scotch. Maybe he should go to bed, but he couldn't possibly sleep now.
He could visit Jenna... It was late, but she wouldn't mind, right?
No. He wasn't going to take car now to go see her. If he did he would surely spend the night there, and he hadn't made his mind yet regarding wich room he would ocupy...

'I don't mind sharing' she had said. But no.
He could just go downstairs for a propper drink and some jazz music

"Mr May? It's for you"
"Mh?"
"A phone call, for you"
"From whom?"
"Miss Whitemoon? The voice sounds familiar"

That was Jenna's surname. He put aside the newspaper and the half eaten breakfast and went to pick up the phone.

"This is Mr May"
"Oh, hello Mr May, are you busy today?"
"Im allways busy"
"Well, if you have time anytime soon, would you like to drop by?"

Her tone made it clear she was planing something.
"What for?"
"I just want to show you something. You may or may not like it, Mr May"

He rolled his eyes.

"It's nothing urgent but I would apreciate if you come before it gets dark"

Fine. He could use a break anyways

Jenna wouldn't answer the door. That was odd after she called for him... but he had the keys so he just let himself in. Last time this happened she had been in the back so he went straight there.

The swimmingpool was finished and filled up, no sight of Jenna, thought. He stood near the edge to take a good look: It was wide, with a round shape. This side had steps, the other was deeper.

"GOTCHA!"

He nearly jumped as a hand lunched out of the wáter to grab his foot. Jenna had been hiding right under his nose.
He made a very unimpressed face, tail twitching.

"Aw what's the problem, Mr May? You don't like the new asset?" She submerged herself and swam a few paces away. Through the transparent water he could see her body suspended in movement, completly naked, fluffy tail flowing behind her.
She came out for breath where the wáter formed ripples by her breasts.

"Are you going to join in or just watch?"

His tail swished in annoyment. She giggled and dived head first, like a marine creature, emerging once again by his feet.
"You do swim, do you not?
"Oh I swim pretty- quite fine"
"Then jump in the water and kiss me!"
She gestured, like a siren trying to entice him.

He huffed, she smirked "are you afraid of the wáter? Or of geting your fancy suit wet?"
She squished her hand, squirting his way making a funny sound. He stepped aside, holding back and angry trill.

"Aw come on, please? Just humor me! We still have to make a baby~"

He sighed, failing to find one good excuse not to get in the wáter now that he was here; so he started undoing his buttons, placing each piece of clothing on a chair by the pool.
It felt strange to be nude out in the open, specially with her oogling him from the edge, but it was his- their private property, after all.

"Wanna know a trick?" She asked as he came closer.
He just gave her a look.

"Most people just struggle with the transition. So take it like a challenge! Just jump in head first and swim across three times as fast as you can! That way you'll be too busy to think of how cold it is, and you'll be all warmed up by the time you're done"

That made some sense, so he tried her advice.
After just swimming once back and forth he had to stop to catch his breath. He didn't excercise very often.
Jenna had been swimming by him like a shadow. When he stopped, she stood up to place her hands on his chest. They were surprisingly warm compared to the water.

"Aaw you poor thing, all cold and breathless" she kissed him. He kissed back, hands going to rest on her sides, unable to repress a shiver.

"You really like water, uh?"
"Mhm" she noded "my mother was convinced I was a changeling of the aquatic bariety"
"...a what?"
"A nimph! A water faery in disguise"
"Of course"
"In another life, I would be a pirate!"

She said while lowering down untill she was giving him the eyes from just the surface.
With the way she was rowing the other day, he had no doubt.
Her hands went to his sides now, threatening to tickle him

"Jenna-" he held her hands still "aren't we a little too old to play these games?"

She responded by spiting water on his face, making him hiss. She jumped away, giggling "come catch me, Mr May! We still have to make a baby"
"You little-!" He growled
"Please, don't be a sourpuss~ show me who's boss"
"I will do no such thing"

Truth is he didn't think he could catch her if he tried. He was still a bit out of breath just from trying to keep up with her.

"Catch me or else"
"Don't you dare"

She submerged. He tried to keep his eyes on her as she moved forming ripples: she swam in a circle, slowly coming closer... But she didn't come back up for air.

After a few moments, he took a breath and went under, opening his eyes to see where she was:
She was right there, grining, waiting for him to loose his patience.

His air ran out first. He stood up, and then he felt her hand reaching for his groin

"That's it you little bitch!" He grabbed her, pulled her out of the water and pressed her against the wall.
She laughted, happy to be manhandled despite him growling.
"Will you stop it!"
"Im sorry Atlas, please, don't be mad at me, I just wanted to have a little fun with you-" she said with a playfull tone. His breath came out in growls, he couldnt hold back his body from shaking "I just want you to have your way with me right here, right now, please, Atlas"

When she obtained no response but an angry trill she leaned in to kiss him and he was defeated
His anger and frustration and the cold and the exaustion, all of it blended together in a heated dance of tounges and limbs that contrasted with the chill of the wáter.

"Its a little cold, isn't it?" She wishpered next to his ear "come with me" she led him to another area of the swimmingpool, right by the steps, where the way out of the water was in the shape of a little ramp.

"I insisted to have this made" she said, laying down, half her body submerged "It feels more natural"

He crawled over her. His skin couldnt decide if it was colder inside or out but her body was warm and so was the sun on his back

"You little minx" he growled, setling between her legs "you fiend" he mouthed at her breasts. She purred and moaned and grinded up against him, caring not for the cold hard surface she laid on, wellcoming him.

Soon the chill of the water didn't matter anymore, it's surface distubed by constant little waves and shplashes, the peacefull open air full of moans, groans and whimpers.

They held to each other tightly as they came down from their high, chasing the warmth as cold reclaimed them.
Atlas felt too old for this but Jenna's kisses were sweet, hungry, satisfied... And contagious

When she finally felt cold enough to get up it was Atlas' turn to stare. She shook her fur, sending droplets everywhere, then squished her long hair and her tail, and she gave him a look; proud, satisfied, seductive. Like she was in no rush to get the towel and dry up. As if she enjoyed the cold.

"I see you thought of everything" he mutered, when she handed him another towel and a bathrobe to put on while his fur was still damp.
She just threw on the dress she had left lying somewhere over her still damp fur and led him inside.

Atlas stopped on the way upstairs.

"Atlas?" she called, then she noticed him looking at the painting she had been working on, now hanging on the wall.
"It's not my best piece. What do you think?"
"It looks good. I can't tell the diference from before it was finished, tho I am no expert"
"Come" she gestured invitingly and he followed

She noded towards the nursery "can you tell the diference on that one?"
He walked in and took a look. Curtains had been aded, a cute colorful blanket hanged over the side of the cradle, there was a couple books on a little table by the rocking chair...

Then he noticed the bigger diference:
The rocking horse was placed on the same spot, by the wall, looking towards the window. But a little mural had been painted on the wall by it.
Atlas came closer, it represented a pack of horses runing through a wide view, as if the rocking horse was runing by them.
The style was more realistic, like a picture on an adventure book.

"I drew that after the house portrait. It got me in an artistic mood"
"Any kid's gonna love that" he mutered.

He realiced he phrased that oddly. He could have said 'Im sure our kid will love it' but why didn't he?

Jenna came up to him "I can't wait"
He stood up and held her close. Her fur and hair were still damp, and he was still only wearing a bathrobe. It felt strange, domestical.

Chapter Text

Atlas did give her the keys to the apartment, and asked that she just knock on his door when she needed him. But the first time she actually did, she wore a somber expresion.

"What is the matter?" He asked, puting down the papers. She sighed and came to sit on the chair in front of him.

Did she regret her choices? Did something happen? Did she need money? Did-?

"Atlas, do you know how the female body works?"
She asked. His ears went on airplain mode.
"I think I know the basics"

She sighed, again "Im on my period"
He rose a brow "ok?"
"Atlas, you know what that means?"
"...that you're spoting?"
"It means I failed to concieve, and I wont be fertile for a week"

Oh. "I see"

"...Im sorry" she leaned back on the chair, looking tired. Wich felt odd coming from her.
"Jenna, you don't need to apologice becouse we couldn't get it on the first try. Some people try for years"
"I know but..." She fidgeted with her pendant watch "I just thought I'd give you a heads up. We'll have to keep trying after a week or so"

He hummed.

"...also, may I...?" He gave her a look, waited for her to elavorate "We agreed I wouldn't be drinking while Im trying to concieve, but maybe we could make an exception for these days?"

He stood up and went to prepare her a cosmopolitan, wich she seemed to like last time.
"Thank you" she mutered. She took one sip, then looked into the glass as if it was telling her a sad story.

"Is everything allright, Jenna?" He asked. She downed the entire thing in one go and asked "may I have some more?"

He got her something with a little more kick in it, understanding the need for a drink. Her mood didn't seem to improve.

"Atlas I... I think I need to tell you something" He sat back down and waited "...It may not be a big deal... But it could be. I don't know, these things- you know?"

He didn't know. She sighed again "my period is very irregular" he kept waiting "Most women can track down their period simply by noting it on a calendar, but I have tried many times and I can't. My cycle is so irregular that I can never know when it's coming... And that extends to my fertile days"

It suddenly landed on him. "You're saying it's going to be dificult geting you pregnant"
"I don't know, maybe? Yes? Im sorry!"
"Have you talked to a doctor about it?"
"Yes, he said I didn't have to worry, that it was actually very common and it didn't really mean nothing but- "
"...but?"
"But that's bullshit, ok? The doctor was acting like I was exagerating and it was all fine and he- ogh"

She suddenly looked angry "he was so condescending, like I was stupid or something!"

Atlas stood up to prepare her another drink while she kept fuming "I swear he didn't give a shit becouse I wasn't married or whatever! I bet if you- thank you"

She took a gulp of the glass he gave her

"...if you went to him with the exact same worries and the exact same description he would have something else to say than 'Im sure it's nothing, just calm down and don't stress yourself' -she aded this in a mock voice- 'have you tried a healthy diet? How is your sleep schelude?' as if fat women don't get pregnant!"

He barked a laught and shook his head.

"Well, now that Im here maybe we can try again with a diferent doctor"
"Ugh. There really is no use, I talked to a friend of mine who kinda knows this stuff and she said there isn't really anything modern medicine can do about it. I can just keep trying..."

She looked back down at the remains in his glass. Then she gulped them down.

"Im sorry Atlas. Maybe I should have told you earlier about this"
"It doesent matter" he decided "It doesent alter the terms of the contract, and you couldnt know if it really is a problem"
She gave him a defeated look "thank you for being patient with me"
He huffed "go downstairs. Have fun, on the house"
She smiled "Will you join too?"
"Maybe later"
"Ok" before she left she said over her shoulders "goodnight, Atlas"

After she left he served himself another glass of scotch. He needed to put his work asíde and think about this for a moment, get his conflicting feelings in order.

How much would it take before he could be a father? Years? Was there some kind of treatment that could help? Would he ever manage to get there?

He remembered how hesitant he was to make this deal, how angry and ofended he had been. That felt so long ago... After the agreement, the reality of fatherhood had seemed inminent, and now it felt once again like maybe it couldn't be.
All this after everything that happened with Mitzi.
In a way he was glad Jenna didn't tell him at first: if she did, maybe he wouldn't have taken the deal, and this could be his last chance to try.

He decided to join the party downstairs.

"Atlas" Mordecai came up to him as soon as he came through the double doors. The tuxedo wasn't often very expressive but Atlas knew him well.

"What is it?"
"Im not quite sure. Perhaps you should check on..." He struggled to find the right Word while keeping a profesional stance "...your wife and the other lady"

Atlas had never heared anyone refer to them like that. He hated it. Right away.
It must have showed on his face. Mordecai too could read his deadpan expresion like an open book.

"What about them?"
"Um... I think something may have happened down in the tunnels? Its probably nothing"
"Where are they now?"
"I don't know..."

He noded "ah, Mordecai"
"Yes?"
"Don't ever call them that. Just use their names"
"Yes, Sir" he seid in a subdued tone.

Atlas headed to the tunnels. A distant ruckus drew his atencion backstage, where the band would still be geting ready to play.
It went silent as soon as he stepped in.
There was Jenna, sitting in front of Zib, who was aplying something to her face, trying very hard to ignore Atlas' presence.

He came up to them "may I speak to Miss Whitemoon for a moment?"
"Yes, in a moment" she said "Zib is helping me fix my makeup"

Atlas stood there in silence. The rest of the band pretended to be very busy, geting ready to play.

There was a hesitance to Zib. He was too quiet, tense, and trying to hide it. But Atlas was good at reading people, and he knew it.
Atlas thought he caught a glimpse of a concerned look the band leader gave Jenna. She tapped his wrist.

"Are you done? The others are waiting"
He sighed "I guess that'll have to do. Try not to smudge it even more than it already is... Im not so good at this"
"That's ok. Thanks all the same"

She smiled at him, then stood up and said over her shoulder "Atlas?" And went into the tunnels.

Atlas ignored Zib's sidelook as he followed her.

"Well, what did you need to tell me?" She said once they were in the tunnels.
Atlas tilted his head "that's my line"
"What do you mean?"

Then he noticed something. She turned her face to look away "I thought you said you'd come down later..."

He grabbed her chin, gently and made her turn to him.
Her lip was swollen. The skin there was broken. He placed a gentle finger next to it and she hissed. She had tried to hide it with make up.

A familiar sensation floded him starting from the spine "Who did this?" He growled.
"No one. I just-"
"Jenna" his warning tone made her fur stand on end. She pulled away "It's nothing Atlas, really-"
"Who?" He growled.

She averted her eyes like a stubborn girl
Atlas waited, tail swinging behind him
You could feel the tensión growing, the start of a growl coming from the back of his throat

"...Mitzi"
"what?"
"Mitzi. I just got in a scuffle with her, it was nothing, really. Just a stupid, childlish slapping fight"

It took him a moment to absorb the information
"what happened?"
"I don't know, we both had some drinks. Im telling you, it's nothing"

"Jenna." She stopped and looked in his eyes. He took a moment to choose his words carefully
"don't you ever let anyone treat you like that again"
Her stubborn look turned sadder "ok. Im sorry"
He huffed "tell Viktor to take you home. Get some rest"
She noded "I will"

Atlas found Mitzi fixing herself up in the bathroom.
"You know this is the ladies' room, right, Atlas?"

She hadn't turned to him, but he could already see in her reflection she wouldn't be able to hide that with makeup.
Clawing a person, drawing blood with your claws was seen as a childlish thing. A low hit only done by someone desperate, kinda like coming from behind at someone.
No propper lady walks around with clawmarks across her nose. Not to mention how much that had to itch, how easily it would be to get infected... And what if it left a scar? She would hate that.

"What happened?"
"Nothing, Why do you ask?" She said, aplying more poder that did nothing
"Mitzi" his tone was icy
"Ugh. Isn't it ovbious?"

She finally turned to him "that wild little plaything of yours made a number on my face"
"And you did the same to her"
"Isn't that right?"
"Why?"
"Just a silly scuffle taken too far. We've both been drinking"
"How did it start?"
"I don't even remember, hun, I told you, it was nothing"

She gave him a side look, tilting her head in that way she knew that was so sweet "I was surprised to see her. She hadn't been here in a while"

He ignored the implication "are you jeallows?"
She scoffed, turning to him as if aghast, as if that was a ridículous question "me? Of the broodmare? I am your wife!"
"That was your idea"
"Oh please, I didn't- uuuugh!"

He took a deep breath through his nose

"If you are having second thoughts..."
"Me? HAHAHA!" She laughted, thought it didn't feel genuine "I have nothing to regret" she turned back to the mirror "scept perhaps, ruining my makeup. ...how about you, Atlas?"

"...I will talk to you when you're sober"
"If you wanna tell me something, Im good enough to listen" he turned arround, but she insisted "come on, dear. Out with it"

He stopped still with his hand already on the door
"She's the future mother of my children. Don't ever lay a finger on her"

She said nothing else.

She hoped the makeup was enough to hide the marks from a distance, but just in case she hurried to find Viktor.
He was standing next to Mordecai on the VIP area.

"Goodnight" she said to the two, and then to Viktor "Atlas said you have to drive me home" The big cat uncrossed his arms with a grunt "Tho the truth is..." She continued "I drove here"

"Then there's no need to drive you, is there?" Said Mordecai
"Is ok" said Viktor "I go"
"And how do you plan to come back?"
"I vak" Viktor shrugged
"There really is no need-" she started but Viktor insisted "Boss orders"

Mordecai made a face, his tail twitching.

That was the first time Viktor saw the new house. He didn't know about his boss' personal matters nor did he intend to question them. But the mannor where Jenna was living now would be quite the investment, even for a man like Atlas.

Knowing Jenna was infertile right now would make a visit fútile, right? But he had been seeing her nearly everyday, radio silence all of the sudden would feel strange.
Maybe he could pass by just to check on her. She had seemed kinda blue and that was before the fight with Mitzi...
Bedsides, he could allways use a break.

There was no visible developement on the garden. The rest of the house did look more lived in with the new lights, another painting here, a rug over there...

"Jenna? Are you home?"
"Up here!" She responded from upstairs.

He found her all bundled up under a weighted blanket, a bowl of snacks on the bedside table and a small collection of books and a Notebook around the bed.

"Is something the matter?" He asked
"Mh- just girly shit"

He tilted his head and came closer "how much did you drink last night?"
"Not much. How much do you think I could drink between leaving your office and geting into a fight?"
"Are you hangover?"
"No, Im not even dizzy"
"are you sick?"
"No? Oh. Im just on my period, I told you"

He came to sit on the edge of the bed "let me see"

Her face emerged from under the covers like a rabbit carefully peeking it's nose out of the burrow. He carefully passed a hand through her cheek, noticing the swelling had gone down, thought there was still a mark on her lips.

She closed her eyes, one hand coming to hold his against her cheek.

"Would you stay a little longer?"
"What for?"
"Just... Cuddling"

One would think he wasn't a very afectionate person, but it wasn't rare seeing him holding Mitzi, her sitting on his lap or them kissing back when they were together.
He didn't feel like geting in the bed thought, but he hadn't felt like swimming the other day either.
So he took off his shoes and his waistcoat and carefully slipped under the covers, where Jenna purred, burrowing into his chest.

One of his hands came to rest on her head, a finger gently carassing her messy hair back and forth.
This was... Odd. He had so much to get done, but his paperwork was far away in his office, and he just got here. So they stayed like that for a little while.

"So you're not feeling sick?"
"Just tired. ...and It hurts a little"
"Mh."
"...also I don't feel like doing anything. It sucks"
"You still haven't hired help"
"Mhm..."
"It would come in handy right now"
"..."

He started wondering if she had fallen asleep when she wishpered "I will, I promise"
He wasn't one to judge, he supposed. He still hadn't come around to confront Mitzi for continuosly sneaking into his office.

For the next few days Lackadaisy felt empty depite the croud, both Jenna and Mitzi missing, probably licking their wounds at home.
Atlas ignored the odd looks he got, not even wondering what would be the cause. Until Mitzi came back one night.

Her nose was still not fully healed, and she didn't come say hi to him. Instead she went straight to flirting with goddamned Sedgewick Sable.
The two were chating at the bar, him fawning all over her when Sable saw Atlas coming and pretty much ran off with his tail between his legs

"What do you think you're doing?"
"Excuse me?"
He stilled himself "I can be very patient but this is a new low"

She gave him a petulant, distant look "lets talk in private" he followed her to the tunnels, to one of the rooms where boxes of bottles were kept. As soon as they got there, before he closed the door behind them she spun around

"You do not get to be jeallows while you're fucking someone else"

He had to think of a respond for a moment "that has nothing to do-"
"Oh, no it doesent. You're building a family with another woman. The house, the jewels, the restaurant and kids. But I can't see other men"
"Everyone is watching out there"
"You never cared about that!"
"I thought you -"
"What?? You thought I would be happy to be alone in an unhappy marriage for the rest of my life while you build your new life with your new misstress?"

He held back his words, feeling like his jaw would crack, his blood boil, his chest spand with contained anger untill it exploded

"If you don't like me being with other men them divorce me. Im not going to sit still, pretending to be perfectly happy while you're with Jenna"

He walked out slaming the door before she finished the sentence. It was either that or doing something that would add to the scratch on her nose and he did not want to stood so low.
He felt like sending Viktor after Sable to give him a scare... But the guy was one of his favourite customers! It was as if Mitzi choose him specifically so Atlas couldn't do a damn thing about it

"Is everything allright, Atlas?" Asked Mordecai when he got back.
His expresion was perfectly neutral, but Atlas could thell there was an understanding beneath it. He knew that he could just say the word, make one single gesture and no one would ever know what happened with Mr Sable. But he wouldn't. He wouldn't do that.
He was a man with class, he would have people killed for much less when related to his bushiness but-
This was diferent.

No. He shook his head. Stepped away and finished his drink. He just needed some space to think.