Hugo stepped though the open door with some trepidation. The last time he had come unasked into
the twins apartment he'd had to scrub his mind for a week; the image of Lysander on his knees and
Lorcan wearing a cowboy hat and holding a lasso... well, that was all he allowed himself to remember.
This time round he kept his eyes firmly on the carpet.
"Lysander?" he called out.
Hugo needed the eccentric twin to look over the new promotional toy his kids' program was
planning to give away as prizes.
He was holding the 'Ly Action Figure' in his hand. He'd tried to get hold of him all day, but in the
end he'd had to come to the flat. When he'd got no response from knocking he'd taken a deep breath
and stepped in.
He had deadlines to meet.
"Ly?" he called once more.
"Well, he's not in the shag pile" came a wry voice somewhere to his left.
"Don't worry," Lorcan's voice carried an amused edge, "we're fully clothed today."
Hugo looked up in relief. Lorcan was in his usual pinstripes and shades, apparently looking at some
kind of statistics on a clip board.
"Ly can't hear you; he has his Muggle earphones in again."
"Oh," was Hugo's simple reply.
Looking round him, he began to notice all kinds of artist's equipment: oil paints, easels, chalks.
"Ah yes, that," Lorcan said with some distaste. "You can blame your Rose for that"
Lorcan circled the room as he spoke.
"After an hilarious prank involving her office, plastic pixies, and 5 inches of pink snow, she
suggested Ly channel his energies into a more productive hobby."
Lorcan now stood behind Hugo and whispered in his ear.
"Hence ..." Lorcan gestured to the open patio window that lead onto the balcony.
Lorcan's breath sent shivers down Hugo's spine as it brushed past his ear and he quickly muttered,
"Thanks" before heading off to find his quarry.
Who was currently bopping about outside wearing huge white trousers gathered at his knees and
showing off a very stylish pair of pink socks that matched the lopsided beret on his head.
Lorcan had lied. Fully clothed involved a top of some kind--the copious paint smudges adorning
Lysander's upper body didn't count.
This twin was facing away from Hugo and he took the time to admire the painting that was
currently in progress.
It was good, in an abstract kind of way. Although how was a wonder, as Lysander didn't seem to be
paying that much attention, waving his arms in time to the music in his ears and jabbing the canvas
at irregular intervals.
Nevertheless, his talent was obvious. The cityscape at sunset, a mix between the dark skyscrapers
and the vivid orange horizon.
Pleased nothing too shocking was going to happen to him today, Hugo leaned forward and tapped
Lysander on the shoulder.
With much flourish, Lysander twirled round, a blissful smile on his face and eyes all a-twinkle.
"Hugo!"
Forgetting the brush and paint pallet in his hands, he grabbed Hugo round the shoulders and kissed
each of his cheeks in turn.
"Darling! What can I do for you? Wine?" Lysander strode back into the apartment, putting down his
painting tools and picking up a half empty bottle of cheap red from the coffee table, offering it to
Hugo without a glass.
"Er...no, thanks, I came to get your…"
"What? Can't hear you!"
"Maybe..." Hugo reached up and removed the plastic plugs from Lysander's ears. "Better?"
Lysander looked bemused for a second before busting into a little fit of giggles.
"Sorry, got carried away for a bit. What did you want?" Lysander gave Hugo a brilliant smile.
"I need your final OK on the 'Ly Action Figure'." Hugo returned the smile as best he could before
standing the toy on his own hand for Lysander's inspection.
"It's the 'Acrobat' version." As they watched, the figure in orange Lycra bent over backwards into a
handstand before standing up again and doing the splits.
"Very good!" Lysander held a finger above his model self and was delighted when it reached up and
began doing chin ups.
"Yep," he said and placed the toy on the nearest surface. "That'll do."
He plonked himself down on the large grey two-seater sofa, spreading both legs and arms to take up
as much space as possible.
"Now, what do you think of my work?"
Expecting more of an argument, Hugo looked around in confusion. Now that he looked he could see
many paintings dotted about the room, in varying states of completion and skill. Surprisingly, the
pictures were of things in the room or views out of the windows.
"Why aren't they more... well…" Hugo looked at Lysander with quirked eye brows. "I didn't expect
you to be so literal."
"Ah!" he said, not the least bit put out. "It is my Muse!"
He jumped off the couch and began pacing the room in an exaggerated manner with one hand on his
hip. The other rested on his forehead when it wasn't gesturing at things.
"You see, when we paint the things around us, we paint our souls! Yes, as I paint I shall learn more of myself."
He stood in front of Hugo with an intense look in his eyes and his lower lip stuck out.
"Of course, part of ourselves is reflected in our friends."
Lysander was leaning in now, his hand lifting Hugo's face by his chin.
Hugo hadn't been listening much until that point, and his eyes widened when he realised what
Lysander was asking.
"Oh no! I've work to do! I'm far too busy." He tried to escape but his back was to a wall.
"Nonsense! It's 6:30 on a Friday! Come on, kit off!"
With that proclamation Lysander pulled at Hugo's lab coat. It was off his shoulders before Hugo
could mutter a response.
"What do you mean 'kit off'!? And why can't Lorcan sit for you?"
Lysander made a huffing sound and pulled back to pout at Hugo.
"Life models always sit in the nude; everyone knows that. And as for Lorcan..."
"I've no patience for sitting on my arse doing nothing when I could be working."
Hugo looked up in mild panic as Lysander took advantage of the distraction to keep undressing him.
Hugo was well aware of both the exact nature of the brothers' relationship and Lorcan's famous bad
temper.
Lorcan was standing in the door way watching proceedings with a blank expression and horrid
images of the pain he was about to receive flashed though Hugo's imagination.
He'd just made up his mind to beg for forgiveness when Lorcan crossed his arms and rested casually
against the door frame.
A small smile played on his lips.
"No use looking at me for help; you were doomed the moment you stepped over the threshold."