Ah, back to the roots, have some Flora / Helia fluff

"Can I... this time can I draw you with the flowers?" Flora's hand was caressing the potted plant, slowly blossoming as her head shot up at the sound of Helia's voice. With a slight blush she starred at him, mouth gaping open at an equally flustered Helia. For a second neither said anything until Helia cleared his throat. "You don't have to. I already ask too much" he looked to the ground bashfully, ashamed of even asking Flora. Already she gifted him flowers she conjured with her magic so he could paint them.

Flora's heart was beating in her chest. "I... Yes" she whispered. The smile Helia gave her was crestfallen, breaking her tiny heart, so she hurriedly spoke again. "No, I mean, you can draw me, if that is what you want?" She squeaked near the end and Helia's heart stopped at the adorable sound. "Are you certain?" he crocked his head, wanting to allow for her to back out. To his relief, she nodded vigorously.

Helia took a moment to catch himself, biting his lip until he spotted a chair. "I... here let me give you a chair so you can sit." Flora watched frozen to the spot as he grabbed the chair and hauled it to her. "I could have..." she stopped talking, when he placed the chair for her. "Thank you" she murmured softly while sitting. "Um, please get comfortable" Helia glanced to his easel. "I'm sorry, this will take a while" he apologized. "It's okay, I don't have any plans" Flora replies, blushing while she smiled at him.

"Right, I'll..." Helia pointed at his easel. "Uh, start" His steps feel awkward as he walked back while Flora watched him. The flutter in her chest, the soft looks Helia send her, made her blush. Did he think she was pretty? She wanted to giggle, ask her friends for their opinion, gush about Helia until they told her to 'Just ask him out already'. As if it was this easy for her, whenever she tried to find the courage, her throat closed, choking any sound that might leave her lips.

The brush glided over the paper once Helia could get over the image in front of him. Since he first saw Flora, he had wanted to capture her beauty, trying to find excuses to see her, but those moments were ever too short. He wanted to gaze upon her, watch her, make her smile yet he had not dared to ask more. Until his lips moved faster than his brain, finding more courage than he had, asking her to stay.

And stay she did, perfectly still, the perfect muse for Helia, as if she was born to be drawn by him, patient enough not to move too much. Flora loved watching Helia's steady gaze on the canvas, watching him moving the brush and her skin tingled, whenever he looked at her and deciding on a colour. There is something about seeing him working, something sensitive, intimate and dare she hope romantic?

Flora sighed and Helia looked up at her questioningly. "Did you...?" he motioned towards the door, hoping she would say no, that she would stay. Flora shook her head. "Just thinking" she mumbled, giving Helia a small smile. He was not throwing her out, was he? Helia smiled in return, tension falling from his shoulders. "I'm nearly finished, only a couple more minutes" he assured her, going back to work, when Flora did not move to the door.

How did he get so lucky to have Flora agree do have him paint her? Helia was not even finished but already, it was his favourite piece of work he ever did. He always wanted to keep it with him, a tiny part of him whispered to him, not to finish it, just so he would never be asked to sell it. The other part in him urged him to finish, so he could gaze at Flora whenever he wished to without being a creep. Who was he kidding, it would still be creepy.

The curiosity burned in Flora, she was both excited and afraid to see how Helia would draw her. Excited, because Helia was a great artist, skilled with the brush and undoubtedly, all his art would look beautiful. Still, what if she was not pretty enough? Even if Aisha's and Tecna's voices inside her whispered there was more than just beauty and she was not quite like Stella, her insecurities made her doubt herself, getting the better of her.

"Thank you for your patience" Helia coughed slightly. Flora perked up. "Is it finished?" Her question was answered with a nod. "May I see?" her voice sounded shaky, nervous. Helia gestured towards the canvas. "Please go ahead, I'm sorry if it's not..." he had no time to finish the statement as Flora had already ventured next to him, taking a closer look at the artwork.

"You made me look much more beautiful" she stated, almost murmuring. Is this how he sees her? The lady in the picture looks almost ethereal like an angel or even a goddess. "You are this beautiful" Helia's eyes are wide, how does she not know how beautiful she is, how she takes his breath away? Her lips formed an o and she looked at him surprised. "Do you... do you really think that?" Her cheeks are rosy, eyes searching for an answer.

"I.. Yes I do. You're the most beautiful girl I've seen and I feel honoured to be allowed to capture your beauty. I.." Helia hesitated, he already said too much, he does not know if she feels the same and he doesn't want to pressure her. He loved the way her blush intensified, hoping it was because of his words. "You?" she quietly prompted him to continue.

"I love how kind you are to everyone, never saying anything bad about anyone and it makes you even more beautiful. You're more than that, you are smart, one of the most diligent students, your laugh makes me laugh, your smile brightens my day and I can't help myself but want to be at your side" Now that Helia had started, words flow out of his mouth and there is no stopping.

"Helia, I.." there are tears forming in Flora's eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to make you cry" he rushed to apologize. "No, it's not that, it's no one ever said anything this beautiful to me." There is a smile on her lips, a twinkle in her eyes. "It's all true" he confirmed, and Flora almost busted with happiness. For a moment she wanted to tell him she liked him, heard Stella cheering in the back of her mind but all she could say was "Thank you".

He smiled at her softly, a gentle look on his face. "You're welcome" He was glad, she was not creeped out by him noticing so much about her. She truly looked stunning, especially with that adorable, shyness yet she looked pleased to him as well. If giving her compliments always warranted such a reaction, well he would have to give her one again. "See you next time then?" At least he hoped she would still come.

Next time, right. "Of course" how could she miss such a chance, seeing Helia work, being around him. Of course, she would come. "See you next time". Helia watched her leave while he started cleaning up his art supply, he couldn't wait until the next time he saw her.

Flora's smile doesn't leave her face for the rest of the day and there is a giddiness to her steps. She knew her friends would not stop pestering her once she knew, would want to see Helia's art themselves, but this painting is something she wanted to treasure in her heart for herself.

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