"Can I see your studio?"
Soubi looked at the younger boy in surprise. Ritsuka had never made such a request before.
"Of course, but why?"
Ritsuka looked away, embarrassed.
"I just want to."
Soubi put away his cellphone after Kio hung up, who had called about their end of the term exhibit and to apologize that he couldn't make it to the university for the figure modeling session.
"Well, I was on my way there anyway... Hm, how about we make a trade?"
Ritsuka cocked his head, looking at him inquiringly.
"A trade?"
Soubi smiled.
"Kio was suppose to model for me today, do think you could fill in? It's not hard."
Ritsuka nodded.
---
"Is it all right if we do the sketch first? Someone's in the gallery studio right now."
Soubi unlocked the doors for the figure modeling studio, flicking the light switch. Ritsuka noticed two important things from the sketches lining the walls: they were all very good, and they were all very naked.
"Er... Was Kaidou-san going to... Um..."
Ritsuka flushed, suddenly feeling very self conscious.
"It's his part time job actually, nude modeling. Oh," Soubi caught the apprehension on Ritsuka's face. "Don't worry, you can model just as you are now," he said calmly, flipping to a clean page in his sketchbook, testing out his pencils.
"But... It has to be a fair trade, right? Kaidou-san was going to help you with your work, so I will help properly too," Ritsuka insisted, privately mortified at what he was going to do, but pushed on by his innate sense of responsibility. He had gotten off the cellphone hanging around his neck and his t shirt before Soubi closed and locked the doors. "So we don't get disturbed," Soubi said casually, "And I don't get arrested," he added silently to himself, sitting down by his easel. Ritsuka had such a strong sense of justice; it was really too cute.
"Soubi, is this OK?" he asked, getting up on the sheet covered stool, heels resting against the crossbars, elbows on his knees. He shivered, the high ceiling fans pushing the air around noiselessly. "Why don't you face the windows, so I can do a profile," Soubi suggested gently, trying to coax the boy to relax. Ritsuka complied, scooting around, trying to ignore the goosebumps on his bare thighs.
"Take it easy, Ritsuka, it's only me," Soubi said off handedly, pencil racing across the heavy sketch paper.
"I'm nervous because of you, idiot," Ritsuka thought to himself, staring through the narrow slits in the venetian blinds, stealing glances of the other man at work. Soubi had this weird expression- a cross between calm and tense, like the countenance of concentration he wore going into a spell battle, but more fluid.
Soubi smiled at the other boy, causing him to look away immediately with a scowl. He corrected a small line in the sketch, glancing back up at his model. All previous models were adults or other students, they lacked the fine bone structure or the compact arrangement of tiny limbs, and all the little details that spilled forth onto the paper.
But Ritsuka was getting anxious, he could tell, by the way his tail disrupted the folds in the sheet. Ah, of course, the tail, the branding of innocence that reminded him to keep himself in check. He scrutinized the way it led off from the base of his spine, superficially linked to the coccyx.
He smiled inwardly this time, taking out his eraser.
--
"There, we're all done."
Ritsuka flushed with relief, hopping off the stool to get changed. Soubi stared at his work, wondering what- or who exactly it was he drew, so like the child yet imbued with something different, something he wanted to own.
"Can I see it?"
Soubi offered the sketchbook to the other, grateful he asked, so that Ritsuka could shout and reprimand him for being weird and then he could let go of the picture. Instead, Ritsuka held it silently for a few minutes, before nodding, and returning it to Soubi.
"It's good."
Soubi accepted the compliment gratefully, releasing a breath he didn't realize he had held while Ritsuka assessed his art. He stowed away his supplies, holding the door open for the other.
"Shall we move on?"