STALEMATE [MAFIA] [MXM] ✓

36: GETTING READY

Whole chap is basically smut tbh. If u wanna skip it just stop reading when it starts ig ??💀

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Atlas is discharged from the hospital pretty quickly after he wakes up, surprisingly. Salem is happy about this, because the nurses kept calling Salem Mr. Di Angelo and it was getting stressful. Thankfully Atlas never heard them do it, but Salem was still growing paranoid.

Of course, he's also happy about it because it means that Atlas is doing much better. They did give him directions on what to do if he feels randomly fatigued or if he suddenly becomes really pale, or if his wounds reopen. Things of that nature. However, they said that none of those things are very likely to happen, as long as he takes care of himself. Even if he doesn't, though, Salem will.

Ruby is practically living with Natalia, now. She spends almost all of her time there, and Natalia doesn't mind in the slightest. Ruby does stay over at Atlas' every once in a while, but it's gotten more and more rare. Salem is fine with it. As long as Ruby's happy, he is too.

Rocky and Mars miss her a lot. They seem happiest around Atlas, and he's been home practically since he got home from the hospital, so they make due. Salem spends the next week or so spending time with him and getting back into a routine, a permanent one this time. However, he eventually has to go back to work.

He's not looking forward to it. He has no idea what will be waiting for him, all he knows is that he needs to have a conversation with his sergeant. Donny needs his job back. Salem is going to ensure that it happens.

Salem wakes up late, only about an hour before he has to go in. He didn't get any of his things ready the night before, so he's immediately jumping out of bed and getting started on all his morning tasks. He takes note that Atlas isn't in the bed, and wonders where he went. Salem's been the one taking care of him during this recovery period, so it's strange for him to lose track of the guy's location.

Atlas won't be working for awhile, though Maeve does come around sometimes. So, he's probably not left the house. When Salem is feeding the animals and hears Atlas' exercise playlist, he realizes that the guy is in the gym.

This is surprising, because he's still healing. Is he actually working out right now? He was shot like, three times. It's only been a week!

Salem just feeds the animals and eats something really quick, deciding to address Atlas overextending himself another time. He then goes back upstairs and walks to the closet. He starts preparing all his things, which takes at least twenty minutes or so. Afterwards, he gets dressed in all his police stuff, belt and everything. Once he is completely ready for work, he decides to go finish up his hygiene stuff.

Atlas must've been awake for a while, because when Salem enters the bathroom, he finds that Atlas is in the shower. Oh.

He shrugs it off, knowing he needs to focus on getting things done if he wants to make it to work on time. So, he makes the decision to ignore the fact that Atlas is definitely naked and wet and he's going to smell so good—

Salem sighs, irritated at his own thoughts. He just said he wasn't going to pay Atlas any mind. He does not need to be thinking about that right now.

So, Salem does his best to block it out, and grabs his toothbrush. He runs it under water and puts some toothpaste on it, before beginning to brush his teeth. Right as he does so, he hears the shower shut off.

It takes all of Salem's strength not to look at Atlas as he steps out of the shower, before beginning to dry himself off. Salem is making strict eye contact with himself in the mirror, continuing to hyper focus on brushing his teeth.