Mildly overused AU in which Atlas comes to stay with the Ryan family for student exchange programs and Jack is salty and Atlas is way too charming.
Walking home was never easy, too quiet for my tastes and I was always on the watch for someone to grab me. Being the son of Andrew Ryan had no benefits if you weren't the captain of the football team I suppose, but that wasn't too bad. I'm not sure I'd even want the company.
Every other time I'd come home it would be quiet, maybe my mother would be in a great mood and would be cooking something, we'd have the fire department on speed dial, or my father would have a colleague or Sander Cohen over; but it was never as loud as it had been that day. There was a lot of talking that I could hear from the other side of the door, mainly from my mom. That was one of the more endearing things about her.
I walked in, put my bag down and almost disappeared into my room before I noticed our 'guest'. I could've picked him out of a line up of 30 different men he was so uniquely...pretty. It's really the only right way to describe him. He was tall, taller than me with messy black hair and impossibly blue eyes. He must've caught me looking because he smiled over at me. Real casually, like "oh yeah, I know I'm hot. People stare at me all the time no big." Oh my god, Jack stop being weird. I screamed at myself, unconsciously fiddling with my sweater.
"What's going on? Who's he?" I asked pointing at him; all talking stopped, everyone in the room stared at me and I flushed.
"Jack, this is uh..." my father started, I rolled my eyes he probably forgot his name already.
"Atlas! M'names Atlas." Said the ridiculously handsome one, seemingly not bothered by having his name forgotten and I'm guessing he felt as awkward right now as I do. "Ah'm here for a student exchange program. I plan to be here until graduation." plan to? How freaking polite and some kind of European accent that I really like. English? Irish? Fucking Scottish?
He held out his hand and I shook it.
"I'll um, I'll show you to your room, which is probably my room. He's bunking with me right, uh Father?" and I cringed saying it. I always hate calling him dad, or father or papa. I know I shouldn't, it's just an incredibly weird situation.
Then we were left alone and it was awkward. Really awkward. We walked down the hall to where he'd be staying for the next 3 years if we're the same age.
"So Boy-o-" He began, even more awkwardly. Oh god, this is so tense."What's a boy-o?" I joked, trying to make it less weird. Thankfully he laughed.
"Term for a friend. I figured its best we get acquainted, yeah?"
"Yeah...Where are you from?" Time to play twenty questions, Jackie.
"Ireland, I lived in Belfast prob'ly won't mean much to ya but that's where I was. By the way, where'd your parents go?"
I shrugged, "Out and about, having fun on the town." before the whole Ireland think processed.
"Ireland, really? Shit, what's it like? Up there I mean, I've never been topside before at all and-Sorry I'm rambling...And oh here we are!" thank god. "This is where you'll stay, and where I stay. I mean of course it is, you'll like it here I'm sure. The schools pretty great. The teachers, and a lot the students too now that I think about it, are kind of full of themselves and rude but hey that's Rapture for you!" I spread my arms out in a you-get-a-brand-new-car gesture.
We walked into my (our?) room and almost immediately flopped down on my bed. "You fuckin' serious?" he said, almost doubling over laughing. I sat up in mock-offense and grinned, knowing exactly what he was thinking "Yeah, what's wrong? It'll be fun, like a sleepover! Yeah, we can talk about boys and braid each others hair!" and then added seriously, fast and low like a secret. "Well, my father has serious trust issues. I mean, we have guest rooms but...he wouldn't let any gross teenagers, like you and me in them. Those are for show, it sounds ridiculous but it's true."
"You're cute." It was sudden and completely out of place. I wasn't prepared with my usual go-to if someone says something nice, and I choked on air a little bit. Out of shock, mainly.
"C-cute?" I spluttered.
"Yes, cute." and then he was inching closer, "What, no ones ever chatted you up before? I find that hard to believe." feeling completely overwhelmed because, no I haven't been flirted with and I'm so inexperienced, that I had no idea he even was flirting.
"Well...You're-you're not so bad yourself." I mumbled nervously, my voice muffled with my face in my hands and blushing down to my shoulders. "I'm sorry. I just, um I don't really-I don't have any-I'm not good with people." he took my hands away from me, probably so he could see my face lifted my chin.
Then he kissed me, probably to shut me up, and added "As I was saying-I find you very cute and sweet. You're also quite funny, and my point is that I'd like to take you out somewhere. As a date. My treat, I have some cash my lovely parents gave me for spendin'."He pulled out a wad of rumpled of bills as proof. I rolled my eyes but I was still smiling, I've actually never felt so flattered.
"Really, is this what you meant by 'Getting Acquainted'? This is ridiculous. Where would you even take me? You've never even been here before." I deadpanned.
"Pick somewhere." He gave me a smile and a gesture, "Oh c'mon, boy-o s'just an amazing opportunity for two 'ncredibly attractive charming people to get to know each other." I had to forcibly stifle a laugh. well someone thinks highly of himself, I thought. "Please, don't make me beg, 'cause I will." he added sounding completely serious. I finally gave in.
I gave a completely defeated sigh "Fine. Alright, its free food if nothing else, I guess." I muttered, "Take me out, whatever. It's not like I ever do anything with my time." Atlas settled himself into a lot of self-congratulating. "You're a literal insane person." and that was the last thing I'd said to him for the night. Physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted I lay back down and immediately slept like the dead.