Title: The Artist
Author: Caera1996
Rating: K
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: Just a random idea sparked by a picture of Chris Pine on LJ's jim_and_bones. You must be a member of that community to see the picture. If you're interested, message me and I'll send you a link. In this brief glimpse, Leonard is taking an art class just for something to do. Jim is a model for the class one day. They meet.

Note: I know nothing about drawing, and pulled the stuff the art teacher says out of thin air. Please read it with a grain of salt.

"So for today's session, we're using a live subject. How many of you have drawn from a live subject before?" the art teacher asked. Leonard looked around as a few people raised their hands. He was not one of them, and he was in the majority.

"Okay, as you draw, pay attention to textures. Look at the way the clothing fits, and what physical definition you can see beneath it. Pay attention to the light and the way it highlights certain features and shadows others. And, of course, pay attention to the lines."

Leonard nodded to himself, readying his materials. He glanced up when the model came in, then did a double take, and found himself staring. In a simple v-neck white t-shirt and dark blue jeans, he was striking. But it wasn't just his physical appearance – as good looking as he was – that caught Leonard's attention. It was the expression on his face, and in his eyes. He was a young man, but his eyes said that it had been a long life.

Settled on the stool, the model looked around the room, and his eyes caught Leonard's. He smiled a little, obviously amused at catching someone staring, and Leonard blinked, surprised at being caught. He reddened in embarrassment and moved behind his easel, using it to block the model's view. Without taking another look, Leonard got started. The instructor walked around the room, offering comments and suggestions, and eventually made it to where Leonard was set up.

"Nice. I like what you did here. But see this? If you look at the way he's seated…."

And Leonard of course had to look. And of course, the model was watching him. Trying to ignore his discomfiture and will his color to stay normal, he looked, and tried to focus on what the instructor was telling him.

The rest of the class passed fairly quickly, and Leonard was happy with the result. As he was packing his materials up, a pair of sneakers came into view. Straightening, he found himself face to face with the class' live subject.

"Hi, I'm Jim," he said, sticking his right hand out.

"Uh, hi," Leonard replied. They shook briefly. "I'm Leonard."

Jim smiled brightly. "Hi Leonard. Can I see your work?"

"Uh, well…" Caught off guard, Leonard fumbled his case, and it dropped to the floor, popping open and spilling its contents all over the floor. "Oh, damn it!"

"Here, let me help," Jim said. Together, they picked everything up, and repacked Leonard's case. "Sorry about that."

"Oh, not your fault," Leonard said, keeping his eyes down and on what he was doing.

"So, can I see your work?"

"I…it's not very good…I just started…" Leonard trailed off, and glanced up. Jim was just watching him with an open, interested expression. "Um, sure…ok."

Feeling clumsy, he set his case back on the floor and pulled out the pad he'd been working on. He flipped it to today's page, and handed it to Jim. Still feeling a bit embarrassed, but curious about Jim's opinion, he waited pensively.

"Wow…" Jim said, after a moment. "This is…it's really good." He glanced up at him. "I thought you said you just started?"

Leonard shrugged. "I did."

Jim's eyebrows raised as he flipped through the rest of the book, without asking. "Well, you've got a lot of natural talent. These are all excellent." Jim handed the pad back to Leonard, and he slid it into his case.

"Thanks. I just needed something to do for fun, and I thought I'd give this a shot."

He looked up from what he was doing, and looked around, surprised to see that the only person left in the room was the instructor.

"Why don't we go for coffee, and you can tell me what you do when you're not doing this?" Jim suggested casually.

Leonard hesitated, considering the invitation. But then he looked up and into the eyes that caught him in the beginning, and he realized he wanted to know more about Jim, too.

"Yeah, okay," Leonard said. "That sounds good."

Jim smiled. "Awesome. There's a great little diner right around the corner."