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Kin (blood_noir) wrote in halcyon_halls,
@ 2008-11-07 21:46:00

Entry tags:

kin, sasha

Week 21: Tuesday
Who: Kin and Sasha
When: After classes
Where: A studio in the art room
What: Trying to get the hang of drawing portraits

Ah, nervousness.

No. No. No. Being nervous would cause a lot of things to go wrong. And what was he nervous about? Oh, right, doing this whole portrait thing. Or maybe it could be because of whatever Sasha wanted. Yeah, blame it on that! No. That would be rude, blaming the problem on something that wasn't really bothering him right now. She said she could sit still, so, that wasn't what was making his body shake every so often. Maybe it was screwing the image up and having to face a frown once he peeked around the canvas.

Yeah, that was it. He nailed it on the head with perfect timing.

Kin let out a soft little sigh as the light was switched on. Thankfully there even was an open studio, he'd feel worse doing this in the own privacy of his room! Plus the fumes. Can't forget about the fumes. He looked up toward the nearest clock, letting out another sigh in the pause of his setting up. Good thing he came a little early before she appeared. Though, it wouldn't surprise him much if she was here earlier than him. Sasha striked him as an early bird, arrive early, and get things done that needed to be done. But then again, he always had a thing for judging people before really getting to know them. Bad habit, but it really couldn't be helped; even if he said to himself he never does it.

Everything was set up before he glanced at the clock again. She should be here soon, he thought to himself. The butterflies of nervousness floating about his stomach made him groan, patting at it through his shirt as he plopped down upon the stool in front of the big canvas. Why did he go for the biggest one again? Oh, right, he wanted to make this perfect and beautiful. Kin was slowly developing doubt about himself. Don't worry, it always happens on his part.

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vintage_fraud
2008-11-11 08:41 am UTC (link)

Ah, arrogance.

How else would one describe a cat willingly entering a lion’s den? God help her, but curiosity just didn’t cut it. Her godfather, she was fairly sure, would call it ambition. Then again, Sasha reflected cynically, Josiah considered fear and failure S.T.H.O.P.— Something That Happened to Other People. Sasha liked to believe she was more honest than that.

Sometimes she actually was.

Agreeing to sit for a vampire was not a very clever thing to do, true. Still, Sasha thought this particular specimen a sensible enough choice. Whatever the reason, Kin didn’t ring the alarms in her head too badly. Something about the guy—vampire—was infuriatingly tolerable; he’d probably be adorable without the fangs, just the sort to poke and tease.

Maybe it was the G-damn fidgeting. It was hard to fear someone who practically vibrated with every nervous emotion in progress. Sasha chewed the idea over as she headed to the art room, Dreizen obediently trailing behind. Tolerable wasn’t quite harmless, and just because Sasha was willing to sit for the vamp didn’t mean she’d sit alone. As a concession to what happened when the dog first met Kin, however, she had the dobe on a leash.

(Besides people were always panicking if they saw Dizzy “loose”, even at Halcyon. Especially at Halcyon, actually. Sasha didn’t waste energy reassuring them. If the day ever came when her voice and touch wouldn’t be enough to control the dog—well, let them think what they pleased.)

She paused briefly outside the classroom door to run a quick check. Clothes? Casual. Hair? Neat. Nails? Clean. Nerves? Still. Smile firmly in place, Sasha pushed open the door and stepped inside.

“Konnichiwa!” she chirped. “*Okurete gomen ne, Kin-san. Ogenki desu ka?**”

[tr:* I’m sorry I’m late.
**Are you well?]

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blood_noir
2008-11-13 04:47 pm UTC (link)

Even though he was well prepared and waiting for Sasha's grand entrance, Kin kept looking over every brush, every paint, and even the sketching pencils he brought with him. Always use those first before placing a permanent solid upon the canvas. He kept glancing at the clock as well.

She was late.

This actually surprised him. Best to not judge others so quickly. Shaking his head at himself before hearing the faint falls of several feet. Well, two pairs of feet and four paws. A light frown came to his lips, grimacing at the thought of that dog coming in her - not that he didn't like dogs, it was the other way around. If only he could actually have one that didn't decide to rip his face off during the night. Hopefully tonight Dizzy... Dizzy was the dog's name, right? He was having a little brain fart. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, concentrating on names he knew. But none of them seemed to really fit the dog. So maybe it was Dizzy. Should he ask? No. That would make him feel awkward and not would be ruined.

Wait. Didn't he feel awkward from the beginning?

Another sigh left the vampires lips. Even a hunch was given to his perfect posture, but as quickly as it happened, Kin straightened himself out, taking the deepest breath he ever could.

"Tonight will be great!" he exclaimed, holding a paintbrush a little in the air.

That was when Sasha came in.

His whole expression changed as the paintbrush came down toward his lap. He was smiling of course, but it was tight. A little embarrassed that he even did something so dorky. Did she even see it? Hope not.

"Konbanwa!" he replied, once he got himself collected. A little shake to his head when she said she was late, it even brought the smile up an octave. "You gave me plenty of time to prepare, Sasha-chan. And I'm doing pretty well. How have you been?"

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vintage_fraud
2008-11-14 09:07 am UTC (link)

Sasha did pause, eyebrow pointedly arched, at Kin’s proclamation, but otherwise didn’t comment. Like the Cat had said, we’re all mad here.

“Fine and dandy, thank you,” she said, switching back into English. It was a seamless transition, complete with a subtle change of accent. “I lost track of time fencing.”

The more honest explanation would be that she lost her temper, but Kin didn’t need to know that. Nobody did. Thank the saints the clubroom had been empty, allowing Sasha’s practice to be private disappointment.

There is something wrong with me, Sasha acknowledged, anger and fear colliding out of sight. But hell if I’m going to advertise it.

She ran a quick, razor eye over Kin’s setup. Surprisingly Dreizen reflected his keeper’s interest, padding closer to nose at the paints and pencils before Sasha’s hand on his head pushed his aside.

“Sei brav,*” she warned the dog. The admonition, however, had no heat in it. Sasha’s own paw was careful not to touch any of the paints or brushes directly. The two most notable things about Sasha in art class were:

1) She never bothered to look long at her subject. In fact, after the first couple of minutes she seemed to ignore it entirely.

2) The gloves. They were thin and typically latex, the cornstarch ever-so slightly scented. Those that asked were told they were for “manicure protection” or a “cuticle security” or whatever other slice of nonsense Sasha felt like using that day.

No gloves today, though. Today, she had a different style of forensics in mind…

“Well then, shall we start?” She smiled prettily, hand posed at her collar. “Pardon, I didn’t ask your costume preference beforehand; am I dressed suitably? Hair up, down? Angle?” She sounded as if ticking off a list. “Fair warning: I can take whatever posture you need, but anything too complicated will require stretching breaks.” Her brown eyes met Kin’s squarely; there was a subtle challenge in the girl’s look. “I can replicate whatever pose I take, but some don’t take kindly to the disruption; they don’t trust the...copying.”

The don’t trust me went unsaid.

[tr:* Be good./Behave yourself.]

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blood_noir
2008-11-20 02:08 pm UTC (link)

It was always so simple to switch back and forth between languages, but with him, his accent was always so strong as he switched to English. Bothered him a little, unless someone understood what he was saying.

He smiled softly toward Sasha, nodding a little at what she said, though his eyes instantly dropped down toward the dog. Slowly watching him, glancing at his paints, and then shifting those amber eyes up toward Sasha. He wasn’t scared or anything… Okay, maybe a tiny bit. A fight show between that big dog and Kin wouldn’t be much fun to watch. The dog would win instantly. The vampire wasn’t a big fan of hurting animals that were basically put here to protect us. And yes, cats were protecters too, even if some would disagree.

It took him a bit to realize she said something…

Going off into his own little world about a stupid fight was wrong. Shaking his head a little, he smiled stupidly at her, before looking to the canvas as if it had all the answers in the world. “Ah, yes, we can start.” Kin grabbed what was necessary to start, but soon stopping, and finally looking back to Sasha.

His eyebrows furrowed, trying to picture what he wanted. Should she have her hair up or down? How should she sit? Ah, yeah, should have thought of these things before hand.

Holding one hand up, chuckling nervously as well, he got up and grabbed the nearby stool. But stopping a foot or two away from her, and sliding the stool toward her. He’d do the whole sitting for her, but the dog, can’t forget about the dog. Yeah, deep down, he knew she could easily tame him, but it was the nerves that attacked him more than his logic. “Just sit on there and sit straight.” He moved back onto his own stool, looking back to her and still trying to think of what she should do with her hair. The pencil in his hand was already against the canvas, as if whatever he decided it, he was ready to start. “What you wore is fine,” he finally commented. “And if you want to keep your hair down, that’s fine.” A gentle smile came to those cupid-bow shaped lips, as he glanced at the canvas and waited for her to settle before he started to sketch.

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vintage_fraud
2008-11-23 04:57 pm UTC (link)

Clearly, the Doberman’s presence was…problematic. Hmm. Sasha evaluated the situation, weighted the pros and cons in her head, tallied up the sum of her (recent) luck, and made a decision.

Brusquely, she beckoned the dog to her and leaned down to whisper something in one pert ear. Reluctantly, the animal padded away from its owner to the door, where he took up a quasi-informal guarding pose.

“Better?” Sasha asked, running a hand through her hair and sat down. Don’t make me regret it, her expression said.

And then she smiled. A bright, fulsome smile that crinkled her eyes and seemed to open her whole face. Adroitly, she tilted her head to look at Kin askance, knowing full well the angle was flattering all the more because of its ambiguity. She held her body forward just enough to preserve the angle.

The entire thing was artificial as paper gold, of course, but sometimes illusion was all.

“Would you like to set down the preliminary outline of the painting undisturbed, or can you handle a little conversation?” The happiness on her face didn’t waver. “Because, please recall, Kin-san, this is an exchange…”

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blood_noir
2008-12-10 11:06 am UTC (link)

A sketching pencil was picked up, as if he was about to start sketching, but his eyes were on her and her companion. Watching how the dog came over to by a simple command. That amazed him, and it showed in his eyes. If only he had an animal that was loyal and listened to everything that he said.

Kin was about to reply before watching her whole expression change. His parted, the words lingering there, before a sudden snort of a laugh escaped, and he smiled in return. But he knew, deep down, she was posing for his painting. "I guess. You really didn't have to do that." He was too nice for his own good.

The pencil in his hand was looked at again, moving it about while he thought of what she said. A little conversation shouldn't disturb him all that much. When he got to her lips, that was when he'd polity ask her to sit still. It wouldn't really take him that long to set the sketch in sight.

Shifting his eyes up to Sasha then, a soft smile came to those bow-shaped lips of his. "Yes, I remember the exchange," he started to reply, the pencil coming up and setting against the canvas lightly. "You're allowed to speak. But, when I get to your lips, you'll have to pause. I'll tell you when I'm there." Kin glanced at the canvas before him, setting where he wanted his starting point, and looked to her for a brief moment before starting to sketch out what he saw.

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