"Finally!" Clarke exclaimed as she opened the door. "You're over two hours late!"
She strode off to go set up her camera. It was make or break now, she had finally got her first prestigious art show, at one of the most popular art galleries downtown, so she could not screw this up. Problem was it was on Friday and it was Tuesday and she still didn't have her headline piece. Enter: handsome man at the door.
"It's a good thing you're exactly what I was looking for," she shouted over her shoulder. Then seeing him standing dumbfounded in the doorway, continued. "Well, are you going to stand there all day? Come on, inside!"
He began to cautiously enter the room, still looking a little apprehensive. Ugh, Clarke thought, they sent her a rookie. As she raked over his form with an appraising gaze, she couldn't find it in herself to complain anymore, because he really was perfect.
Her show was a modern interpretation of ancient Greek mythological stories. So far she had: Medusa falling in love with Andromeda and saving her from the sea serpent Cetus, instead of Perseus; Cassandra becoming a great warrior because of her ability to predict the future, and defeating Apollo instead of being driven insane; Danaë
becoming the embodiment of night and swallowing Zeus whole when he came to violate her; and Arachne and Athena creating spiders together, not as a punishment for female vanity, but because they both saw the importance of creatures that used beauty as a weapon and a home.
Now all she had left was Persephone ruling the underworld, not as an unwilling prisoner, but as a conquering Queen. It was going to represent how a woman leaving her childhood and realizing her sexuality did not have to be done through force. She was going to depict how Hades loved her for her power and cunning, not just her beauty and innocence.
Which brought her to today, she had been struggling to find a suitable Hades. Usually she used her friends as her models, Octavia had made the perfect Medusa and her ex-girlfriend Lexa's ferocity had translated into her depiction as Cassandra. Unfortunately, no one she knew fit the image she had in her mind for Hades. He needed to be strong and beautiful, but with an air of slight melancholy, as if he had seen too much, done too much and was in need of redemption.
She had sent away the last three models the agency had sent her, the first one was too cocky, the second too scrawny and the third just gave her the creeps, but this one? He was perfect. And slow.
"Alright, clearly you've never done this before, but we really do need to get a move on, I've got three, no, two and a half days now to finish this and I need the reference photos asap," Clarke explained. "So please, go stand in front of the sheet and strip"
"S-Strip?" he stuttered.
"Yes," Clarke said with a roll of her eyes. "Strip, didn't you know this was a nude shoot?"
He snapped his mouth shut with a jerk and strode over to the set while yanking off his shirt.
Now Clarke's mouth was the one dropped open, as she took in his toned, tanned chest. Her mouth felt dry. She managed to snap it shut, just as he made quick work of removing the rest of his clothing.
Alright Clarke, get it together, she chided. She strode over to the camera, with a confidence she didn't quite feel when she looked at him.
"Alright, I need you to kneel facing the wall to my right and pretend you're holding her tight. She's on top of you, wearing only the crown and she is the most beautiful person you have ever seen, you're in awe, you can't believe that she chose you. You're completely under her power. Got it?"
"Wait, who is she?"
Oh my god, does this agency not tell their models anything? "Persephone, you're Hades"
A look of comprehension came across his face, then it was replaced with a smile. "Oh I get it, like a retelling of the myth, I've always liked that version better myself. As if Hades would have ever been able to make Persephone do something against her will"
Clarke was shocked that he not only knew what she was talking about, but also preferred the feminist version like her. She fiddled with the light set up for a moment, to make sure the right shadows were cast and stepped back behind the camera.
When she looked back, he had arranged himself exactly like she had asked and the look on his face took her breath away.
"Okay, uhm, okay," she stammered. "That's great, just hold that pose for a few minutes while I take the reference shots."
She saw him nod slightly before returning to stillness. She began to walk around him, snapping photos, while trying to keep her breathing under check and her cheeks from flushing.
She got him to do a couple more poses, just to make sure she had everything she could need. Cause it would be such a shame if she had to get him to come back, right?
They had been at it for almost 15 minutes when she heard a voice call out.
"Hello, is anyone here? The door was open, so I just came in. Sorry I'm so late, my alarm didn't go off." Clarkes eyes widened in dismay. No no no.
"The agency is probably going to fire me, but I swear this is the first time this has happened" The voice continued, coming closer. "I really am sorry though, we can get started right away"
Shit! If this was her model, who the fuck had she been photographing for the past 15 minutes?
The tardy model made his way into the studio and stopped short as he came upon the scene.
"Oh, I can see you found a replacement," he said. "Do you need me to stay?"
Clarke shook her head mutely, not daring herself to make a sound.
"Ooooookay, guess I'll just be heading out then"
Clarke waited until she heard the click of the front door and his receding footsteps down the stairs from her studio before she turned towards him.
"Who are you?!" she blurted out. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm Bellamy," he explained. "I'm in town visiting my sister, Octavia, and she had something come up at work but said she needed someone to bring you food so you didn't starve to death before opening night"
"Oh my god, why didn't you say something?"
"You didn't really seem like you were in the listening mood, Princess," he smirked.
Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. Octavia was never going to let her live this down.
"Oh my god, I am so sorry! Please put your clothes back on" she exclaimed, turning away from him again.
"As you command," he said with a chuckle.
She stood there, becoming as red as a tomato, until he told her she could turn around again.
"I am so sorry" she reiterated. "Truly."
"It's really fine, anything for the arts" he assured her. "Did you get all the reference photos you need though? I did make you send away your model."
"Oh! Uhm y-yeah, I mean yes, definitely. All the photos, no problem. I'll just let you go, I've got to, uhm, I've got to get back to work. Yes, back to work! I have a lot to get done."
"Oh, of course. The food is just by the door, please eat some of it so O doesn't kill me"
"Okay, yep, I'll eat that all up," she promised, ushering him towards the door. "Thanks again for all your help, however unintentionally offered."
As soon as the door closed with him on the other side, she slid down it and put her head in her hands. This was maybe the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to her. Look on the bright side he was just visiting Octavia; at least you'll never have to see him again. She reassured herself.
Somehow that didn't have the intended calming effect.
On Friday morning she finally emerged from her studio to transport the finished pieces to the gallery. After she dropped them off, the gallery owner loved them, thank god, she headed back to her apartment to try and make herself presentable for the opening night celebration.
After a quick nap, a shower and some judicious application of makeup, she felt close enough to human again to make an appearance.
The night went by in a blur of charming possible buyers and museum curators, she was so busy she hadn't even had a chance to say hello to her friends that had come out in support. Okay, maybe she was avoiding Octavia a little, because she was obviously going to recognize Bellamy in her painting and she wasn't quite ready for that conversation.
She looked over to see someone standing in deep contemplation before the aforementioned work and decided to go talk to them, realizing too late who it was.
He smirked down at her as her face turned red yet again.
Stupid stupid stupid! She berated herself. What had she been thinking making Persephone a self-portrait? She had tried to use the photos of one of the first three models, but had been unable to resist painting Bellamy as Hades. Now, she was wishing she had tried a little harder.
"Nice painting," he mused. "I really like your choice of subjects."
She sent out a silent prayer that the earth would open up, swallow her and put her out of her misery.
"Wh-What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Well it's not every day I get painted by a stunning artist, didn't think I should miss it"
"But I thought you had to go back to Washington yesterday" She winced internally; she just had a good memory for everything that Octavia told her, okay? Not just the information about her amazingly attractive older brother.
"I decided to delay my return, I got the job I came out here to apply to, so I figured I would stay a while longer to find an apartment, the art show was just an added bonus"
"Oh…" she breathed out, not sure how she felt about that news.
"So, if I went and got you a pomegranate and vodka from the bar, how long would that make you stay with me?" he asked leaning down slightly to bring his mouth closer to her ear.
"Oh please, you and I both know you couldn't make me do anything," she grinned, having made up her mind. "But, if you were offering me a throne, I might be persuaded to stay a while."
His answering grin was practically immodest. "Oh, I have just the place in mind"