Demitra's room was dimly lit, the warm glow of fairy lights casting a cozy, golden hue across her walls. Atlas took it all in as she lounged against Demitra's bed, sprawled across the neatly folded blankets with a mischievous grin. Her gaze drifted from the bookshelves to the art prints and over to the photos scattered across the walls. But her eyes sparkled most when they settled back on Demitra.

"Damn, I'm not gonna lie," Atlas said, her voice low, "this house is massive, Dee. 'Rich rich' doesn't even begin to cover it." She shot Demitra a teasing smirk, one eyebrow raised in playful disbelief. "You've been holding out on me."

Demitra rolled her eyes, though she couldn't hide the slight blush creeping up her cheeks. "Shut up. It's not even that big."

"Oh really?" Atlas replied, stretching out her arms as if measuring the space. "Girl, I almost got lost coming up to your room. I was afraid I'd end up in, like, a secret chamber or something."

"Very funny," Demitra muttered, but a reluctant smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She sat beside Atlas, tucking her legs underneath herself and fiddling with her phone. Her nerves were humming with an energy she couldn't quite place, a blend of excitement and mild anxiety. Having Atlas in her room, in her space-it felt intimate, more than she'd anticipated.

Atlas seemed to sense this, and she leaned closer, her gaze softening as she watched Demitra's fidgeting fingers. "So... what are we doing tonight, rich girl?"

Demitra gave her a mock scowl, but it quickly turned into a grin. "You up for some scares? I wanna do a haunted house crawl with my sisters and Noah. We're hitting four of them tonight, and I'll be honest..." She bit her lip, looking a little sheepish. "I'm probably going to scream my head off at every single one. But we're filming it, so it'll be fun."

Atlas laughed, her voice rich and warm. "Wait, hold up. Aren't you the same girl who got scared when we watched Coraline last week? You, in haunted houses? I need to see this." She leaned back, folding her arms over her chest with a grin that was equal parts challenging and amused.

"Hey!" Demitra shoved her lightly, a playful glint in her eyes. "I can handle it... kinda. It's for a video, so I have to. We're doing something special for spooky season, and I just thought..." Her voice trailed off for a moment as she shrugged, glancing away. "It might be fun if you came too. If you're okay being on camera, that is."

Atlas didn't hesitate. "Nah, that's cool. I'm down. I'll be your personal bodyguard." She mimed throwing a punch, earning a laugh from Demitra. "We can make it a competition. See who lasts the longest without screaming. Spoiler: it's gonna be me."

"Oh, you think so?" Demitra arched an eyebrow, clearly amused. "We'll see about that. Anyway, I'm glad you're coming." She smiled, a hint of relief showing through her bravado.

Then, as if remembering something, she reached over to her dresser, grabbing a sleek black bottle labeled Unmute by Noyz. She gave it a few sprays around her neck, the scent filling the room with a vanilla, almost seductive aroma. "By the way, we're doing promo for this perfume. How does it smell?" She leaned in, angling her neck toward Atlas, inviting her to get a closer whiff.

Atlas leaned in, closing the gap between them as she inhaled the scent. Her eyes flicked to Demitra's, her gaze both playful and intent. "Damn," she murmured, her voice dropping a notch, "that smells good. Like, really good."

For a moment, the air between them thickened, the playful atmosphere giving way to something a little more charged. Demitra held her breath, caught in the intensity of Atlas's gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. But just as quickly, Atlas leaned back, flashing a mischievous grin that made Demitra both relieved and slightly disappointed.

"Alright," Atlas said, breaking the spell, "let's get outta here before you change your mind about these haunted houses."

An hour later, they arrived at the first haunted house. The evening air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of autumn leaves and distant bonfires. Sunday, Eliana, and Noah were already waiting for them, standing under a flickering neon sign that read House of Horrors.

"About time!" Eliana called, her voice light and teasing as she waved them over. She was dressed in her usual mix of quirky, edgy pieces, and Noah stood beside her, casually slinging an arm around her shoulders. He nodded at Demitra and Atlas, flashing them an easy grin.

Demitra felt a swell of gratitude for her sisters and Noah-this weird little family who accepted her exactly as she was. She noticed Atlas looking at them with a small smile, as if taking it all in, and the thought filled her with an unexpected warmth.

"So, who's ready to be traumatized?" Sunday asked, rubbing her hands together with a gleam in her eye.

Demitra shot her a skeptical look. "Kailea, please don't scare me before we even get inside. I'm already regretting this."

Sunday just laughed, draping an arm around her younger sister's shoulders. "You got this, Mia. And hey, if you need someone to hold your hand..." She winked at Atlas, who grinned, clearly catching the implication.

"Oh, I think I've got that covered," Atlas said smoothly, sliding a comforting arm around Demitra's waist. She gave Demitra a reassuring squeeze, and for a moment, Demitra forgot all about her nerves.