A/N: Here's some Kyle/Verena requested by livstar235 before I go back to the books again...
MANHATTAN
SEPTEMBER 19, 2010
07:52 EDT
"Happy late birthday, kid," Kyle greeted me handing me a small bouquet of flowers.
I took the colorful bouquet of gerbera daisies. "Thank you, Kyle."
Kyle gave me a satisfied smirk before answering, "No problem. You ready to see my art studio?"
I wide smile broke out onto my face and I answered, "Yes!"
Kyle chuckled softly before getting up from his seat. He placed a ten on the table, which covered for the drinks and tip, before calling out, "Money's on the table!"
He then helped me up, something he probably picked up from Dick, and led me out of the coffee shop and into the apartment complex next door.
I already knew where he lived, because Bruce always taught us to run background checks on people we were allowing to be close to us.
He led me to the fifth floor, before walking down a hallway. "So my apartment's two rooms and one of them's my art studio. This is thr first time you're over, isn't it?"
I nodded my head, before Kyle unlocked his door and opened it.
I stepped inside, and I couldn't help but notice it was a typical bachelor pad.
It wasn't clean, but it wasn't dirty either. Just organized messily enough to be just Kyle.
"Sorry about the mess," Kyle commented. He led me down the hallway of his house and he pointed the doors to the restroom, a closet, and his room.
"And this," he announced, pulling me to a closed door, "is my art studio. It's really messy, but it helps get the job done."
He twisted the door knob and pushed open.
Wow. Messy was an understatement. There were papers scattered everywhere, along with some pencils on the floor, surrounding a desk at the center of the room.
However, there were beautiful drawings hanging from a wire and some easels filled with stunning landscape works of art.
"I like it," I declared.
"Don't worry about stepping on the papers on the floor. They're kinda my failures."
"Then why is the trash bin empty?" I inquired, pointing to the said item right next to the desk.
Kyle smiled sheepishly at me. "It's easier to get frustrated than to actually remember to throw away the fails."
I grinned. It was just like how it was easier to hit something than it was to talk about your problems. Well... Ranting while hitting also works.
"Let me get your present," Kyle declared, leaving the room before I could protest.
I jutted out my bottom lip as I waited for Kyle to come back, which wasn't very long.
He came back with a small, think sketchbook. He gave me a soft smile, his dark hair hanging over his forehead.
"For my muse," he declared. "Since you entered my life, I've been filled with so many ideas. You're kinda like my good luck charm or mascot."
"Mascot?" I let out a small laugh, taking the book out of his hand. Even the title was drawn in elegant writing, "For my Muse, Verena. Happy Birthday."
I opened the sketchbook carefully, and the first picture entranced me right away,
"Is this-?"
"The first day I met you? Yeah," Kyle answered for me.
Drawn and colored without a single thing out of place, it was the view of Central City Park, with me standing in the middle of the pathway, stretching and smiling widely.
The colors lit and dimmed accordingly to the sunlight and the shadows, and with the way Kyle drew me, it was like I glowed.
"You're to thank for everything that's in there and more," Kyle grinned. "I know it must be cheap compared to-"
He was cut off with me launching at him, encircling my arms around his waist. His arms circled around me once he snapped out of his astonishment.
"It's one of the best presents ever," I mumbled into his shirt. "Thank you."
Kyle pulled me closer to him and squeezed me softly, like an older brother to comfort his young sister. "You're welcome, Ren."
A/N: Ugh. AP Comp test tomorrow, then studying this weekend for the AP Bio test on Monday and cramming four years' worth of math for my Summative Math CST Tuesday. ._. Leave a review/request! I'll hopefully get to them soon! :o