Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!

They weren't even that close. Hell, this was literally the second time they were having a real conversation since they met. Sure, they had each other's numbers, but not one damn text, not a single call had been exchanged. Maybe she had tried, but since Parker had no phone on him this time, those calls probably went straight into the void.

Parker leaned back in his seat, watching Atalanta sip her drink like they had been best friends for years. Which was wild because—

"Crazy how we've only talked twice," he muttered.

Atalanta tilted her head. "Huh?"

"I mean, we barely know each other," Parker said. "But here we are. Chilling like we've been through three seasons of a buddy cop show."

Atalanta laughed. "Yeah, it's weird, right?" She swirled her drink. "We even have each other's numbers, but someone never texted back."

Parker smirked. "I didn't even own a phone in the last days."

Atalanta blinked. "Wait—seriously?"

"Yeah." He shrugged. "I've been basically living like it's the 1800s. Just without the cholera and weird hats."

Atalanta squinted. "I thought you just didn't want to text me."

Parker grinned. "Misunderstanding cleared."

Not that she brought it up. Instead, Atalanta leaned back, giving him a side glance before asking, "So… you usually take Tessa on shopping sprees, or is this, like, a one-time rich-boy guilt trip?"

Parker narrowed his eyes. "Icarus, huh?"

She grinned and nodded. "Yup. Did his thing. Found out about the guy you murked. Where, when, why—you know, the usual."

Parker exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Damn. And here I thought I had some privacy." He huffed a laugh. "Guess I underestimated you guys."

Atalanta waved a lazy hand. "Eh, thanks to Icarus, Perseus and Chione didn't come at you like rabid dogs, so maybe underestimating us wasn't that bad this time."

Parker chuckled. "Seems like it, maybe underestimating you guys wasn't the worst move, indeed." The last thing he needed back then was fighting Chione again if she showed up.

Atalanta grinned at that, sipping her drink. "I'll give you that one."

He shot her a look. "Still betting those two aren't over me, though."

She snorted. "Chione doesn't take defeats or humiliations lightly, and Perseus? He never lets grudges go unanswered."

Parker raised an eyebrow. "Haha~ I know," Parker chuckled with melancholy and reminiscing tone in his voice like it stepped far out of him. He let out a sigh, "I get why Chione would be on my ass. But Perseus?"

Atalanta raised an eyebrow. "You seriously don't remember?"

Parker shrugged. "What, did I forget to compliment his Olympian skincare routine?"

Atalanta turned fully to him now, her expression somewhere between amusement and disbelief. "Bro. That car fight? A some time back? You turned his ass into a Fast & Furious villain origin story."

Parker blinked.

Oh.

Oh.

Right.

"Yeah, well, congratulations, you made a new lifelong nemesis."

Parker shook his head, leaning back in his chair. "Nah. I only did that to Chione."

Atalanta, sipping from her drink, paused mid-sip. "Wait—what?"

She frowned, a beat passed like she was running through a mental checklist of who fought who. Parker just watched, waiting. He smirked, watching the realization slowly dawn on her face.

Then her eyes widened.

Parker smirked. There it is.

Atalanta let out a sharp laugh. "Oh, fuck. No wonder Perseus won't talk much about that fight details no matter how much we ask him." She grinned like she just found out the juiciest gossip. "He didn't wanna admit that a mundane girl wiped the floor with him."

Parker chuckled, sipping his drink. "Yep. Sounds about right."

Ere, snickering from his lap, flicked her tail. "Damn shame I missed that. Watching Tessa hand an Olympian Champion his own ass? That would've been a good-ass day." By that time, she hadn't come into existence. In fact it was that day that Parker got her as a reward. His success to get Ere was possible partly thanks to Tessa.

Parker nodded. "That's Tessa for you. She never disappoints."

Atalanta's gaze lingered on his face, watching how casually proud he sounded. Like he was talking about some unstoppable menace he just happened to know personally.

"You must be proud of her, huh?" she asked, resting her chin on her hand.

"Huh?" Parker blinked.

She smirked. "I mean, it must be nice having someone who matches your energy. Tessa's as crazy as you. Couldn't ask for a better match."

Parker laughed, shaking his head. "She's definitely something."

Ere, stretching lazily, yawned. "Tessa isn't just crazy," she said. "She's batshit insane. Reckless. Daring. Nothing like the subtle, calculative Parker."

Parker rolled his eyes. "Alright, traitor."

Atalanta burst out laughing.

Parker took another sip of his drink, then glanced at her. "Wait. You still haven't told me—what are you doing here?"

Atalanta blinked. Then she smiled. Then she laughed. And not just a little chuckle. A full, amused laugh, like he just walked into a joke he wasn't in on.

Parker squinted. "Okay, that reaction is suspicious as hell."

She smirked, didn't say a word—just casually lifted a hand and pointed at her shirt.

Parker's gaze flicked down at her swell—the logo. The same logo as the girl who'd served him and Ere. The girl in uniform. The employee uniform.

His face went blank. "Wait. You work here?"

Atalanta grinned like she just pulled the ultimate Uno reverse card. "That's why I'm sitting here." She leaned back, arms spread out. "Saw you being served, figured I'd come say hi to my only normal male friend." Then she paused.

Her smirk widened, head tilting. "Or—right." She gave him a slow once-over. "You're not normal either."

Ere, curled up on Parker's lap, flicked her tail like this was the best entertainment she'd had all day. "More abnormal than even your gods can fathom." She purred smugly. "Be careful, girl. You're sitting with a walking anomaly."

Atalanta let out a dramatic sigh, dragging a hand through her hair. "Right. Artemis did warn me." She said to herself.

Parker grinned, finishing off his drink with one last lazy sip. His eyes flicked to Ere, who was just about done devouring her meat, and then back to Atalanta. He smirked.

"Don't take Ere too seriously," he said, setting his cup down. "She's got that dark sense of humor."

Atalanta just waved him off, laughing. "Nah, I like Ere. She's cute as hell."

Ere stopped mid-lick, slowly turning her head to give Atalanta the most unimpressed 'excuse me, bitch?' cat look ever.

Parker burst out laughing. "Yeah, she doesn't like that."

Atalanta just grinned wider. "Well, tough. You're adorable, Ere."

Ere flicked her tail, muttering something that definitely sounded like a very low "Disrespectful."

Parker coughed, suddenly clearing his throat. Then—casual as hell, but also somehow not at all casual—he stuttered, "Uh—so… you wanna go shopping?"

Atalanta blinked. Once. Twice.

Her eyes widened. "Wait—really? I can join?"

Parker shrugged, trying way too hard to sound chill. "Yeah, unless you don't wanna go or your boss won't let you. Then, y'know—whatever."

Atalanta nodded so hard he thought she might give herself whiplash. "Nah, it's fine! I'd love to join. I can kill an hour, my manager won't mind."

Parker nodded, then shook his head with a small smirk.

Atalanta immediately narrowed her eyes. "What?"

He leaned back. "Your manager. He's a dude, right?"

Atalanta's eyes widened again. She pointed straight at him. "Okay, rude. I didn't lead him on!"

Parker held up his hands. "I never said you did." Then he smirked. "But c'mon, it's pretty common. Guys got that softness for women, and for an Olympian Champion? Yeah, I get it."

Ere stretched, yawning dramatically. "Olympian or not, mundane or supernatural—some women's traits never change."