"… What-huh?" Ally said intelligently, staring at Arthur like he had just professed to a secret love of BDSM, or that he embroidered in his spare time.

"It's quite simple. I'm an artist, but not many people can deal with my temper. You've managed to make it five minutes without storming off or slapping me, so I think you can handle working with me." Arthur sighed and rolled his eyes, outwardly impatient but inwardly nervous. What would she say? He couldn't paint Gillian; she wouldn't sit still unless she was drunk and passed out! And the last time he had tried that so he could get a good idea for painting; she'd punched him so hard when she woke up that Arthur swore the bruise never completely faded.

To put it succinctly, he needed a new source of inspiration, and Ally looked as good a deal as Arthur would get for a while.

"… There has to be another reason, besides that you think I'm a nice person." Ally's skepticism was coming into play now; after being hit on for so long, she had learned that men tried all types of schemes to win a cute girl.

"The last girl that vaguely interested me as a subject for a painting was my best friend. She punched me after she learned that I used her low alcohol tolerance to get her to sit still, but it was still a lovely portrait. Unfortunately, she's refused to model again. I need a source of inspiration, and I can't just pick any common girl off the street and say 'Oh! You'll do!' I need someone with an inner light, someone that has spirit and shows it, someone that's really alive." Arthur leaned across the table, forgetting all about his food as his voice got huskier with passion for his art, and his emerald eyes seemed to be boring into Ally's very soul, convincing her, pleading with her-

Wait, what the heck? Some random British dude shows up and asks her to model, and now she's fangirling over how cute he is? And… he said he couldn't pick any common girl… Did he think her uncommon? Pretty? What was with this boy?

"I'll pay you, of course, if that's what you're worried about," Arthur waved a hand dismissively. "Probably more than the pittance you get here. How does 200 an hour sound?"

Ally's mouth dropped. That was definitely more than twice what she earned at Mickey D's! "A-are you serious?" With that money, she could help provide better for Matt, and maybe even indulge in something for herself!

"Of course I'm serious, you ninny. Why wouldn't I be? Two hundred an hour for the first painting, and then if that goes well, I might up it." Arthur frowned briefly at Ally's expression, before once again rolling his eyes, this time flicking Ally lightly on the forehead with a finger when she didn't respond. "I take my art seriously, Ally. This is a professional relationship, I'm not going to drag you to my apartment and take advantage of you. Is it a deal?"

"… Deal." Ally said before she could change her mind, and shook Arthur's proffered hand. "But what if I don't want to quit my job here?"

"… I'm sure I can call in and get the manager to give you time off when I need you for a painting." At the disbelieving look on Ally's face, Arthur chuckled. "My parents send me quite the sum for schooling; they think that I'll end up spending it on booze and excess furniture and other rubbish like that. I can afford to pay you and bribe your manager once in a while."

"Thank you," Ally thought the words felt odd rolling off her tongue. "Thanks for… I don't know, just showing up randomly and helping."

"… It's what I do best," Arthur remarked cryptically, before scribbling his number on a scrap of paper and handing it to Ally. He got up, smiling, threw his trash away, and walked out the door. As Ally sat and stared at the spiky numbers, she heard the roar of a motorcycle fading off into the distance.

Authoress' Random Ramble

Yes, fail chapter is fail ;_;

Well, next week's will have them meeting for the painting, and give you a bit more insight into Matthew and Ally's home life! SO, tada until next Friday!

Less than three. Less than three.