Imagine Person A of your OTP is a ballet dancer and Person B is an art student observing A's rehearsals to sketch the dancers for an assignment. One day, Person B leaves their sketchbook in the studio, and Person A looks through it before returning it, and notices that B has drawn A almost exclusively/in a beautifully flattering style.
Prompt by otpprompts on tumblr.
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Naruto was in a slump. There. He'd said it. He hated to admit it, but it was true.
Naruto had no idea what to do. He had an oil painting due next Friday, a huge project for his painting class worth 30% of his grade.
He dropped his forehead onto the metal table, swearing loudly. Sakura, his best friend, only sighed.
"Ok, " she said. "Naruto, spill. Or my pumpkin spice latte will be pumpkin spicing down your shirt. "
Naruto groaned, and picked up his face from the table to bury his face into his hands.
"I have art block. " he said.
"Mmm... " Sakura sipped from her cup, thinking. "Why don't you go sketch the ballet dancers in the dance hall?"
"We have one of those? " Naruto picked up his head in interest.
"Yeah, down at the college of Dance and Theater. There aren't a lot of ballet majors here, since they're all getting cast in companies before a college can snatch them up, these days. "
Naruto thought about it: smooth, graceful lines of the dancers' bodies as they moved, rising on their toes to a slow piece on the piano.
He grinned, feeling inspiration strike him.
"Thanks, Sakura! " he hugged her tightly. It barely fazed the girl, being so used to it. "You're the best! "
"I know I am. " she said, grinning.
Naruto entered the ballet studio, sketchbook and pencils in hand.
The dancers barely glanced at him, obviously not caring as he sat down and flipped his sketchbook open. Naruto looked around, eyeing the mirrored walls and the wooden floorboards. A woman, who Naruto assumed to be the instructor, slammed her staff down on the floor a few times while barking something at the ballet students in a heavy french accent. The dancers spread into neat, uniform lines on the wooden bar attached to the walls and began to stretch. One of the dancers caught his eye.
The dancer was a guy, who moved more gracefully than all of his classmates combined. He had pale skin, dark hair, and distinctive Asian features. He was leanly muscled, with an ass that could kill.
What really caught Naruto's attention though, was his eyes. Dark and smoldering as they took in their owner's from in the mirror, intense as they compared the other dancers ' figures to his own.
Naruto took out his pencil and began to sketch.
After a few hours, they were done. Naruto had by then filled almost ten pages with the pale ballet dancer's form.
He'd drawn sketches of the man's eyes, filling an entire page with their slanted forms, framed by their slim eyebrows. His feet were their too, in their toe shoes.
Other pages took up his entire from, lean and graceful.
Naruto looked down at his sketchbook and decided that coming here was a mistake. He glanced up at the dancer he was so entranced with, watching as the guy toweled off his sweaty from with a white clothe. The man took out a clear jug filled with what Naruto assumed to be grape flavored Gatorade and drank deeply from it. Naruto looked away when the man swore as he spilled some onto his soaking leotard.
He might have become obsessed.
Sasuke was always calm, always rational. So when his fellow dancers began to whisper in worry about the strange artist sketching throughout their practices, he ignored them.
But he was curious about the man. Who was this guy, always sketching away during his practices?
The guy was cute. Blonde hair, tanned skin, and the hint of muscles underneath his clothes... mmmm. 'Don't get carried away, Sasuke.' he scolded himself.
Sasuke finally approached him one day, stepping in front of him while he busily sketched away. He tried peeking into the sketch book, but he only caught what he thought to be a leg before the sketchbook was slammed shut.
Ah, so the mysterious artist had noticed him.
"H-hi, " the man stammered. Sasuke noticed a slight sweat starting to break out on his forehead. He smirked.
"Hello." Sasuke said. "Who are you and why are you so interested in ballet? I can introduce you to our instructor. "
"Uh, no. " Naruto was nervous. He knew how this looked: him, watching these dancers intensely as he drew in his book, every day. But he could only stammer as he was faced with this beauty. "I'm only here to sketch. "
"Why? It's a bit creepy, you know. "
"I have a project due in a couple days. So I, Ah, come here for inspiration...? "
Sasuke grinned down at him, and placed his hands on his hips. "You seem to be getting a lot of inspiration here. But, I do have to look out for the safety of my fellow dancers, and make sure you aren't drawing anything... unsavory, if you understand what I'm saying? "
Lies. Sasuke didn't give a shit. But he was curious as to what the blond was furiously sketching day in and day out.
"May I inspect your sketchbook? "
Naruto felt it would be a bad idea to argue. So, nervous, He handed over the sketchbook to the dancer.
It wouldn't be that bad, right? Even though he didnt have any bad intentions, a restraining order wouldn't be that damaging to his career, right? Maybe he could change his name and move to another country? Oh, what would his dad say?!
Naruto's head was rushing as the dancer leafed through his sketchbook.
Sasuke was shocked, to say the least. He couldn't believe it at first, but it was very clearly his face, and his body displayed on nearly every page of the sketchbook. He recognized the shape of his eyes, and his hair. He gulped and closed the book.
This guy was talented. Sasuke had always had slight narcissistic tendencies, but he had never seen himself as beautiful as he was sketched on these pages.
He handed the book back to the artist, feeling his face heat up. So... this was the reason the man was always here. Sasuke deduced that after this supposed art project was done, He would still be returning here.
"You're a good artist, " Sasuke said.
"Thank you. "
"I'm Sasuke, by the way. " Sasuke said. "You? "
"Naruto. "
"Hn. Fishcake. "
Before Naruto could protest at the insult to his name, Sasuke turned on his heel and went back to practicing.
Naruto was still peeved about the fishcake comment after the practice was over. Distracted by his annoyance, He was only able to finish one sketch.
Sasuke was distracted too. The only things on his mind were Naruto and his sketches of him.
The way the art was detailed, every nook and cranny of his features drawn and shaded and highlighted. Sasuke gulped as he thought at how intense Naruto's concentration must have been, to lay out every detail of face and his body on paper.
To Sasuke, his eyes were bland in their darkness, almost generic because of his Asian blood. But in Naruto's drawings, they were intense, beautiful. They looked like they were the most beautiful eyes Sasuke had ever seen, and it jarred him to know they were his own.
Was this really how he appeared to this mysterious artist? Graceful, beautiful, and intense?
There were butterflies in his stomach... Digest them, dammit! Sasuke scowled as he rose on to his toes and lifted his leg behind him. He needed to focus, lest he twist an ankle.
In the end, focusing was hard. His thoughts kept returning to the artist and his beautiful sketches.
Sasuke pulled off his toe shoes, cursing at the sight of his bruised toes. He picked out an ice cube from his water jug, and lightly ran it over them. He hissed as the cold numbed the pain, and flexed his toes.
Damn, he'd have to go to that creepy pervert of a campus doctor again. But then again, Dr. Orochimaru always gave him discounts.
'This is what happens when you don't focus,' he scolded himself. 'Stop thinking about blonde artists. Blonde, tanned, totally gorgeous artists with sexy hands... mmm... Sasuke, Stop it!"
He heard footsteps behind him, and turned his head to see the same blonde artist he was thinking about approaching him.
"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, looking at Sasuke's feet. "That doesn't look too good."
"I've been better, " Sasuke muttered, pulling out his bandages from his small first aid kit.
"Let me do that, " Naruto said, moving in front of him and taking Sasuke's foot into his lap. "My best friend is a nursing major, she taught me all kinds of stuff like this. "
"Hn, " Sasuke grunted. "As long as you know what you're doing. "
Naruto began to wipe down Sasuke's feet with alcohol. "I don't really understand, but Sakura says to always clean something before bandaging it, something about bacteria growing? "
Sasuke assumed that this Sakura person would be Naruto's nursing friend. He watched as Naruto wrapped each toe methodically until they were all immobilized.
"Thanks, " Sasuke said, moving his feet experimentally. "Doesn't look as bad as I thought it would. "
"Yeah, I - wait, what's that supposed to mean?! "
Sasuke chuckled, and got up from his position on the floor. "Why don't I treat you to some coffee? It's the least I can do, for helping me. "
"Wha- really? Sure! "
Sasuke smirked, and picked up his things. "Let's get going then. "
Together they walked to the campus cafe, Naruto leading the way as Sasuke limped behind him.
"You sure you ok?" Naruto asked, opening the door for Sasuke.
"I've had worse," was Sasuke's reply. "It's pretty easy to get hurt in ballet. It comes with the lifestyle."
"And you still do it? " Naruto was honestly surprised about this, though it did make sense. The human body wasn't meant to constantly balance on the tips of its toes, after all.
"What can I say, I love the challenge." Sasuke shrugged, looking around. "Oh look, the sofa's free. "
They decided that it would be best if Naruto ordered and payed with Sasuke's money at the counter, while Sasuke sat on the sofa and rested his sore feet. The counter was in direct view of where he was seated, so Sasuke was able to make sure that Naruto didn't sneak any money than what was needed from Sasuke's wallet.
When Naruto returned with their coffee, Sasuke was lightly flexing his bound toes, deep in thought about Naruto. He seemed trustworthy enough, and was cute as hell too. And the way he drew Sasuke...
Sasuke closed his eyes, a smile coming up to his face. He'd tell Naruto that this was a date.
"Here you go, " Naruto said, handing him his coffee. "I didn't take you to be the type to like soy milk. "
"Have to keep up the figure. " Sasuke said, sipping from the paper cup. "Ballet and all that. "
"Well, it's working. " Naruto's face flushed as he looked over Sasuke's figure. The dancer was truly breath taking. He couldn't believe that Sasuke had taken him out for coffee, but here he was, sipping lattes with his raven haired obsession.
He watched Sasuke's mouth closing over the his paper cup, sipping from the small hole on its plastic cover. It burned his tongue, and Sasuke swore under his breath.
That mouth was beautiful, it's lips a pale pink, and the cupid's bow arched perfectly. The lips looked as plush and plump as marshmallows, and looked soft enough to kiss for hours. The mouth was pretty enough to belong to a woman.
Naruto broke his attention away from Sasuke's mouth when it began to speak.
"You really are a good artist," Sasuke was saying. "You an art major? "
"I'm a double major, actually. " he replied sheepishly, his hand coming up to rub at the nape of his tan neck. "I'm taking both political science and fine art. I wanted to do something I enjoy, y'know, while I'm being bogged down by the books."
"So you're going to take law, afterwards? " Sasuke raised a delicate brow at him. He didn't peg Naruto to be the lawyer type.
"Ah, no. My dad's a politician, and I want to take over after him. "
"Keeping up with family tradition? " Sasuke smiled. "I come from a family of doctors. They weren't too happy with me when I stuck with ballet. "
"Really? " Naruto said, suprised.. "Are you still on good terms with them?"
"Yeah, " Sasuke shrugged. "After I got a lot of lead roles, they came around. "
"Wow, I knew you we're good but... "
"Yes. " Sasuke frowned as he realized there was nothing left of his drink. "It's one of the reasons why I'm this dedicated, you know, what with the soy milk and the bruises. I have to constantly stay on top, to prove myself to them. You can't just be good in this world, you have to be great. "
"You are great. Have you seen yourself dance? " Naruto smiled as he thought of Sasuke's dancing, his fluid movements on the dance floor, his strength as he picked up his dance partner to carry her high above his head.
Sasuke smiled at him. "Thank you. I guess you're not the only talented one here. "
Naruto smiled back and finished his coffee.
They had several coffee dates after that. Sasuke had indeed told Naruto that their first little coffee trip had been a date, and Naruto had at first been shell shocked, then ecstatic. It seemed that perhaps Sasuke had formed an interest in him as well, enough to ask him out.
They spent the time getting to know each other. Sasuke learned that Naruto's father was no other than Minato Namikaze, senator of state. He learned that Naruto wanted to be mayor, and that his mother had been an artist before she had died in a car accident when Naruto was twelve. Naruto had picked up the paintbrush as a way to remember her.
Naruto had learned about Sasuke too. He learned that Sasuke was from the Uchiha family, which was indeed a very renowned family of highly recognized specialists and surgeons. Sasuke had been in a playground accident when he was sic and broke his leg. After getting his cast out, his older brother had suggested he take up ballet to get his leg moving again.
His parents had agreed, the boy was only six after all. But Sasuke had loved the art of ballet, and year after year grew more passionate about it.
When he had revealed that he wanted to take up ballet in college, his parents had freaked and told him to give up as ballet would lead him nowhere. But he had proven them wrong when he snatched up lead role after lead role, enough for all of the major ballet companies to demand he take a spot in their studios.
In the end, his parents had accepted him becoming a dancer when one of the country's most elite ballet companies in the country had offered to pay for his entire college tuition, as long as Sasuke take a position with them after he graduated.
Naruto thought Sasuke was impressive. Sasuke thought Naruto was also impressive, and sexy as hell. Naruto thought Sasuke was sexy as hell too.
But, neither was doing anything about it. Naruto was too nervous to make the first move. Sasuke was waiting for Naruto to take the first move.
Sakura was sick of it.
"So let me get this straight, " she seethed at her blonde friend.
They were seated at their favorite table on campus again, the place where she had first suggested to Naruto to sketch the ballet dancers in their studio. "You've been going on dates with this guy for three months now. You think he's perfect. And since he keeps on going out with you, it's likely he thinks the same about you. You draw this guy obsessively. You passed an oil painting of him dancing as your oil paint project, which was so great, and, as Professor Anko put it, 'filled with love and emotion' that she gave you an A+ and... you haven't so much as given this guy a peck on the cheek? "
"Um..." Naruto was sweating, nervous at the sight of his furious friend. Sakura was pretty terrifying when she was pissed. "No...? "
Sakura slammed her fist onto the table, make him jump. "Goddammit, Naruto! You will make out with him before next week or I swear to God you won't have a mouth to kiss him with. "
"Y-y-yes ma'am! "
"Good... " Sakura breathed, calming down. "Very good." She pointed in the direction of the ballet studio.
"Go get your man. "
Naruto was nervous as he picked Sasuke up from the ballet studio to go on their next coffee date. Sasuke noticed his state, but tactfully decided not to comment on it.
Besides, he enjoyed watching other people freak out, their hotness be damned.
They made small talk on the way to the campus cafe, and this time Sasuke opened the door for Naruto, lest the distracted blonde walk straight into it.
Sasuke ordered for them, and Naruto payed. He realized he needed to do something about his love's state when the man handed over way more money th a what was needed.
Yes, love. Sasuke had denied it at first, but it was true. Interest in the blonde artist had turned into a burning attraction, and that burning attraction had turned into an insatiable need.
He craved the sight of Naruto's blond hair, the sparkle of his blue eyes. Sasuke's stomach butterflies always came up in full force when they so much as looked at each other now, and he had long given up on trying to digest them.
"What's wrong? " Sasuke asked as they sat on the cafe's sofa, drinks in hand. "You look freaked out. Is your dorm haunted?" He teased.
"Sakurawantsmetokissyouorelseshe'llkillmeslhardi'lldietodeath. "
Sasuke blinked. "Come again? "
"Sakura, " Naruto gulped. "Threatened me with possible death or severe mutilation if I didn't kiss you before next week. "
"And does Sakura usually follow up on her threats? "
"I... I don't really want to know. "
Sasuke blinked again, then smirked. "You are too adorable. "
And he smashed his lips against Naruto's.
"Mmf! " Naruto gasped in shock, and Sasuke took the opportunity to slide his tongue into the bond's mouth.
After a few minutes of tongues sliding against each other, and teeth clashing, they came apart to find a group seated at the table next to theirs cheering them on.
Naruto laughed nervously, and waved at them. Sasuke rolled his eyes, and leaned forward to plant a sensual kiss on the other's lips again.
"You're a good kisser. " Naruto gasped, catching his breath. He was dazed. "Why are you such a good kisser? "
"Mmm... " Sasuke kissed his neck before pulling away. "I can show you, but preferably not in the middle of the campus cafe. The baristas are giving us the stink eye. "
"Wha... "
"Shh," Sasuke whispered. "My apartment is right across the street from campus. Let me give you a tour. "
Sasuke led his boyfriend by the hand out of the cafe (their fellow cafe goers still cheering) and across the street. His apartment was indeed right there, across the street from campus, and Sasuke had to do his best not to fumble as he unlocked the door.
"I'm very flexible, you know. " he said before pulling Naruto inside.
The end
