Not betaed, because short :D if you find spelling mistakes or anything similar let me know
Izo had been sad when his old neighbor died, and the funeral had been heart-breaking. He had liked the old lady, a really lovely woman, always good for a nice chat and offering him some tea and cookies. He probably had spend more time in her house than in his the last few weeks, and he had told her time and time again to go see a doctor, but she had always waved it off, stating she was old and she knew she would die soon.
"Let the old rest, Izo-dear, and go find yourself a nice boyfriend."
It had been what she told him over and over again, and Izo still had no clue how she had known he was gay. Well, he was an artist, wearing make-up and kimonos, but that didn't mean he was homosexual per se. At least it was what he always told himself.
What he missed the most, though, was that he couldn't walk over, and sit in the garden of the neighboring house, anymore, to just draw all those lovely roses, like he had before. It never had been a problem, and he sometimes even brought members of his family, to paint them in between those roses, too. He had a large family, so he never lacked a good motif.
The 'for sale' sign made him weary as well. Who knew what kind of person would take the house, and maybe cut off all those lovely flowers. He never saw a garden like it, and watched with horror how the weed seeped through, now that no one was taking care of it any more. He would, but honestly even though his hands were able to draw the most wonderful images, he had no clue how to handle plants.
It was maybe two months after the funeral, when Izo came home from shopping, and saw that the 'for sale' sign was replaced by one telling him the house was sold. He nearly dropped his grocery bags when the door opened, and a man with brown hair and a funny looking pompadour came out. Before he could regard him any closer, though, Izo hurried to his own entry, not wanting to seem prying. The man had looked nice, but he wouldn't decide if he liked him before seeing how he treated the flowers.
The next weeks Izo busied himself with drawing, sitting in his dining room, because it had the best view over to his neighbor's garden. There was this amazing yellow rose blooming, and he just could not not draw it, but it was hard, because the fence blocked most of the view. However, by now he had some really good looks on the new neighbor, and with delight Izo noticed the weed became less. The man itself also looked pretty nice, always carrying a smile on his lips, while he whistled doing the garden work. Izo knew, as his window was open most of the time as he drew.
He was sitting in his dining room, again, when Izo let out a frustrated sigh, tilting his head, but he couldn't do much. The fence was blocking his view no matter how hard he craned his neck. Putting his brush away, he made his way into the kitchen, to see if his neighbor's car was at his usual spot, but it wasn't. Izo knew this was maybe illegal, but he just needed to see this rose fully for once, to finish his drawing. He rushed into his actual working room, clutched a sketchbook and pencil, and made his way outside. There were some loose battens in the fence, Izo had always used to went over, without the need to go outside and use the actual entry. When he reached them though, he saw in shock that they were fixed. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he placed his elbows on the wood, and his head in his free hand. He could probably climb over the fence, it wasn't too high, but other than pushing away the broken battens this would feel like trespass for real.
"Why looking so down today?"
The voice startled Izo and he jerked. His eyes darted to where it came from, and looked into soft, brown eyes which belonged to no other than his neighbor. In his shock his sketchbook slipped out of his hand, and landed on the grass… on the wrong side of the fence. Shit.
"Um, em…," Izo stuttered, surprised from where the man just came from, when the other reached down, and picked the sketchbook up. Instead of just giving it back, though, he opened it and Izo blushed. These were just rough sketches, and nothing a stranger should see. Especially a stranger who was his neighbor and good-looking, dammit!
"Stop. You're not supposed to see them," Izo declared, finally finding his voice again, and reached for his drawings, but the fence was in the way, and the man just stepped back, so Izo had no chance to reach him. He growled and crossed his arms before his chest, while the other just went on looking at the sketches, rather amused.
"But these are good," the man said absentmindedly, not caring that Izo was fuming. His smile just grew wider, instead. His fingers brushed over the pages, probably trailing those sketched lines. He would ruin his sketches with his sweaty hands, Izo was sure of it. Or so he thought, as it was a good excuse to want his sketchbook back.
"I know that they are good, now give it back, before you're ruining them." Much to Izo's surprise the man closed the book, and smirked at him. The brown eyes sparkled slightly, making Izo even more angry, because he found it so appealing. He still didn't have his sketchbook and the man was still looking good. He would make a good model, with his fancy hair. Wait, no. Izo just wanted his sketchbook back.
Twirling the book in his hand, the other man smirked a littler brighter, asking "What did you do here anyway?"
Had he just ignored Izo's demand? He huffed, and suppressed the urge to stick out his tongue. He hadn't felt the need to do so in ages. When he had been younger, and his brothers had mocked him with having his head in the clouds, he had done so a lot, but that habit was long gone. What was wrong with him?
"I wanted to draw, obviously," Izo told him, and the other man leaned in closer. His look never left Izo's, and automatically he stepped back. Why was the other so close? It made him feel weary, and his heart decided to just beat a little faster.
"And what did you want to draw? The fence?"
Realizing the question, Izo flushed red, remembering he wanted to get into the other man's garden without permission. He had totally forgotten, to concentrated on the other man's closeness and his own beating heart. Before he could make up an authentic excuse, he blurted out the truth. Even his mouth betrayed him.
"Your roses …," he said, and added, a little embarrassed, "I couldn't see the yellow one properly out of the window."
A smile spread across the other man's face, and he leaned onto the fence, just like Izo had a moment ago. The sketchbook in his hand hung over the battens, before he hold it up. Honestly, Izo was too distracted by that view in front of him, to really realize he could get back his sketchbook.
"Here," the man said, and Izo reached for it, eventually, but when he took it, the other didn't let go. Instead he grinned mischievously. "You know you could just have asked earlier. I'm Thatch, by the way."
Baffled, Izo blinked, a little too distracted by that smile to answer. He nodded, unaware he hadn't introduced himself, yet. But the man just shrugged, and his smile widened into a smirk. He seemed not offended by the rudeness. At least Izo would have called it so, but he normally was extra polite.
"You're Izo, the famous artist." It wasn't a question, but Izo answered nevertheless, finally remembering he was supposed to be angry with the man. He had just forgotten. How had he just forgotten?
"I am," he snapped, and Thatch laughed. It sounded nice and friendly, even though Izo was an ass right now. He had just ripped his sketchbook out of the other man's hand, but the brunette didn't seem to mind. His smile at least never wavered.
"You know, you can come over whenever you like, to draw ..." Thatch said, but trailed off, his expressions somewhat slyly. He had placed his chin in his hand, and had tilted his head. It looked cocky. Something Izo didn't mind at all.
"There is a but," Izo guessed. He had found his own confidence again, and his voice was a lot more steady than before. It made Thatch chuckle, before he nodded.
"There is always a but," he confirmed, and added, "I wanna have you draw me once."
"You know that normally costs...," Izo answered him. People stood in line for him to draw them, and only the wealthiest could afford him. It hadn't always been like it, but he had gotten better, and his reputation had become more famous. Though the idea of drawing Thatch wasn't so offending. He would like to draw the man. He was aesthetic in his own kind of way, and somehow Izo couldn't deny he found him attractive.
"Mmh, you're allowed into my garden... and I could take you out for dinner?" Thatch asked. His smile was bright, and before Izo realized what he was saying, he nodded and confirmed.
"Fine. I'm free tomorrow at eight." It was out of his mouth without much thinking. Thatch just chuckled, and turned, holding up a hand to wave, before he went into his house again.
"I'll be there!" he declared, and suddenly drawing a rose was the last thing on Izo's mind.