For a prompt request on tumblr: "I bought this because I thought you'd like it." (Re-uploaded to get rid of the spam reviews.)
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There was something about capturing a moment of life in a frame of stillness forever that was alluring to him. The idea that something could live on forever, even if only in a photo, fueled his reason for being. To take a single moment and tuck it away into permanence was his passion.
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He had photographed many things throughout his life, throughout his career. Small things, big things. Dead things. People and their families, with all their little snot nosed brats and overly hairy little yappers. But out of all of them, he's only ever returned to one individual the most.
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Her skin, so supple and pale, always glowing no matter how little the light. Her legs, long and well sculpted; the legs of a dancer, ballet to be specific. Feather soft hair that fell in waves, bluer than a cornflower painted sky. And her eyes― her eyes were his favorite. So round as to be considered naïve, yet so unfathomably expressive; fierce and burning with passion, but also so hopelessly open and vulnerable.
He loved that about her, loved all the little things which made her the perfect muse.
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"Alright, I've got enough of this theme for now. Take two and prepare for the next round." Vanitas put his camera down on the tripod and stretched. His back arched, popping in a few places.
Aqua swung her legs off of the chaise she had been modeling on, leaping onto her feet in one graceful movement. She adjusted the lace robe so that it sat more comfortably on her shoulders and tightened the ribbon at her waist. She gave him a fleeting smile before heading for the changing room. Golden eyes traced every angle, caught every tic, devoured every detail. Unconsciously, Vanitas swallowed hard, and turned away to busy himself with clearing the setting they had been using.
He was lucky his muse was so well crafted. A beautiful body. A brilliant mind. Truly, he had to be the luckiest artist of them all.
When Aqua moved, he saw her in so many things, doing so many trivial tasks, in fantastic places. He could picture her on a stage, dancing to The Swan's Song while adorned in a pure white costume made of silk, feathers, and glittering sequins. He could see her on the beach in a long dress, walking barefoot along the water's edge and watching the sunset while the wind gently played with her hair. He could see her in the armor of a warrior goddess, descending from the heavens in rays of holy light and fire.
When Vanitas looked at his muse, he saw everything she could be.
"Hey Van, for the next shoot do you think we could try out some of the props and costumes I brought from the theater?" Aqua poked her head from around a curtain.
Blinking, Vanitas returned to reality, his musings dispersing for the time being. He glanced at some of the items Aqua had referred to. An old, faded love seat with a noticeable tear in the top right corner. An easel covered in peeling paint. Some threadbare tapestry. An ancient writing desk.
He moved towards the chair to get a closer look at some of the clothes Aqua had also brought. Holding up each of them individually, Vanitas studied them with a sharp, mounting grin.
The era of Gothic Victorian, with its wonderful inclusion of steampunk and purposefully patched clothes, was one of his preferred aesthetics. Already, multiple ideas were piling up inside his mind. She knew his tastes all too well.
Something niggled at the back of his mind, though. Taking another looked at the clothes, Vanitas closed his eyes and pictured his muse in them.
Aqua would look regal in them, that was an indisputable fact. And if he used both the old chair and writing desk, he could create a serious and dour atmosphere that would look good in black and white. A shiver ran through him as he pictured the looks Aqua could give him; looks that could burn right through the camera and straight to his heart. Her status and royalty expressions were some of his favorite, and with this recent series he had been experimenting with them rather religiously.
Yet for once, he wasn't feeling that special little itch of interest. Perhaps this series needed a small break. Something fresh needed to be done to mix things up. Something that more more for his muse's pleasure, rather than his own.
"No. Not today," he finally answered, albeit dismissively. "We're done for the day."
"Oh, uh… Then do you want me to come back at the same time tomorrow, then?"
He merely nodded his head, thoughts of new themes Aqua might enjoy wrapping around his mind.
Aqua chuckled as she disappeared behind the curtain. She recognized the mood he was in. It would be best to just leave him alone until he sorted out whatever new idea he was toying with. By the time she saw him again the next day, he'd have the details worked out and would share them with her.
By the time Aqua had finished changing, Vanitas had already vanished into the darkroom to develop the new photos. She gathered up her things and headed for the door with a small smirk, calling, "Bye Van! Have a nice evening."
Vanitas stuck his head out when he heard the door to his studio click shut. He huffed, but was grinning nonetheless.
The thing Vanitas liked the most about the darkroom was perhaps the odd texture the red light gave to everything. He always felt like he was in one of those old horror movies, where the main character (or possibly even the villain) put together all the clues to the deadly mystery that was a foot, all the while remaining oblivious to any danger that was creeping up on them. Granted, there was hardly ever any mystery that he needed to solve, other than the occasional dilemma of having forgotten what the next step was. Still, he enjoyed the edgy vibes the room emanated. And, on a good day, he could usually plan what he wanted to do for his next shoot.
Carefully, he removed a photo from the solution and hung it up on a nearby line. When he was done, he stood back and observed his work.
Aqua stared back at him from her perch as she hung off the side of the chaise. The angle he'd taken the picture had been in front and slightly above her, so as to better catch the look of an ethereal being waiting for the viewer to join her in the abyss. He traced a path from her lidded eyes to her partially open mouth, across her neck and towards the arch of her chest, eyeing the loose way the lace robe clung to her frame. She was two parts veiled lust, and one part breathless enrapture and enchantment.
A quiet, but ragged breath escaped him. That look― That was a good look on her.
But what would be a better one?
Vanitas closed his eyes and pictured his muse as if she were standing in front of him.
Head tilted to the left, eyes squeezed shut, cheeks pink enough to turn red. Blue hair swept to the side, a wide smile― the fullest kind, where she flashed her teeth in a large, joyous grin. A smile that made him think she was laughing. A pure look, one of unadulterated joy.
His eyes opened slowly once again.
What could he do that would create such an authentic look on her face? What would bring his muse such bliss? What could he give her?
As he stared at Aqua's picture, an idea slowly weaved its presence into his mind.
A dress would be nice. One made of silk, in complementary shades of blue, so that it'd match her hair. Her eyes. Blue, to look like water. When she spins in it, it should flow like water too.
Now where could he get a dress like that?
When Aqua arrived at the studio the next day, the only thing Vanitas told her was to hurry into the changing room. He pretended to busy himself with setting things up for the next shoot, but in reality there was nothing to do. Today was going to be an easy day. No work, no long hours of micro managing the details; they were just going to enjoy themselves.
Vanitas constantly found himself glancing at the curtain across the room for signs of movement, his hands aimlessly fiddling with a camera that was already tailored to his tastes. By the time Aqua finally exited the dressing room, he had already fixed and re-fixed the camera at least three times.
"Van, this dress is gorgeous!" Aqua exclaimed, running her hands down her sides in delight. "What's the theme that goes with this one?"
He stared at her with his mouth slightly agape. Truthfully, while his imagination was impeccable, it did nothing for the wonders of seeing the real deal. The dress fell below her knees in light layers, the edges a deep, dark royal blue, while the gradient became lighter the higher up his eyes traveled. A ribbon was tied just beneath her bosom, while the upper part consisted of a plunging neckline and an open back. Aqua casually brushed some of her hair back, looking at him expectantly. There were hints of teasing in her eyes, though, and she gave him a playful grin.
"The theme is a tribute." Vanitas' mind finally caught up with the moment, and his reply was soft. "A tribute to the muse that makes everything go right in my life."
Aqua blinked a couple times, her cheeks pinking at the earnest sincerity in his voice. Snapping out of it quickly, she laughed and said, "And what would you like me to do? Do you want me to show off the assets of the dress first?"
The corners of his mouth quirked up and he drew a little circle in the air with his finger, holding up his camera as he did so. "Give a couple spins. And have fun with it."
She smiled― not quite the smile he was hoping for, but it was progress. Gathering up a fist full of fabric in each hand, Aqua began to twirl, releasing the dress after gaining enough momentum. The fabric flew out like a wave of plumage, rippling as if it were water. Just as he had hoped it would.
Aqua laughed, a sound so appealing that he would take it over all the music in the world in a heartbeat. When she turned, it was graceful. When she went in for a dip, with her arms flowing languidly behind her and one foot held out daintily before her, the light seemed to fall upon her in a brilliant shower. Vanitas was so enthralled by her in that moment, that he forgot to even take pictures.
"That dress is for you, you know," he whispered, not even aware that words had come out of his mouth at all. "I bought it 'cause I thought you'd like it."
The young woman paused and looked at him. Her smile faded for a moment, and immediately Vanitas began to backtrack, to find what he had said wrong, what he had done wrong. But as quickly as it had disappeared, then it was back again even larger, and she was rushing towards him. Her arms flew around him as she held him close.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She gushed breathily with hearty giggles. They tickled his ear and warmed his face.
When she finally pulled away, his breath caught in his throat. There it was. The perfect look. His favorite look.
He smiled back at her and leaned in, his lips softly brushing against her own. Aqua pulled him closer and deepened the kiss. Vanitas closed his eyes, but her smile was still vividly painted in his mind.
Perhaps he needed to start getting his muse more nice things. After all, muses deserved nice things too.