Beautiful Art

"Taking a break, Kaveh?"

Kaveh looked up from his work-in-progress painting of Candace to his volunteer. The more he did this, the more frustrated he was at his inability to capture a rare beauty like hers. "Yeah, I'm just not getting that spark," he said, rubbing his hair so fast he possibly turned his hands into electric conductors.

"It's okay to feel a little frustrated, but don't hurt yourself in the process," Candace said, remaining still to not ruin the painting.

Kaveh put his hand near a metal container to remove the static electricity on his hand, then turned to the desert woman. He breathed a sigh of awe before taking hold of Candace's soft hands, "There it is. That tenderness…the sweet words of a gentle soul."

"Kaveh…?"

"Truly, the harshness of the desert filled you with so many scars, and yet," Kaveh rambled, rubbing her hands and blushing at how comfortable they were in his own, "your love for others is breathtaking, Candace."

"Wh-Why…thank you," Candace said, her cheeks heating up, "But I-I think you might be tired, Kaveh. I can take you to town and-"

"No." The artist paused, feeling his heart pounding like a drum, "I'd…prefer to stay here with you, Candace," he watched her widen her eyes brought a smile to his face as he continued, "I can only get my fire back if I stay with my inspiration."

"H-huh?!" Candace asked, her cheeks building up more boiling heat as she felt the man's weight on her as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Ka- What's this all of a sudden…?!"

Kaveh chuckled before letting go, "My apologies. I made you uncomfortable, didn't I?"

"I…well…" Candace faltered momentarily before clearing her throat, "I wasn't expecting this painting session to involve closeness. Being this close to you in your shared room would be rude of me, no?"

"I don't mind at all," Kaveh denied, "If Alhaitham wants to complain, he can do so to me. Besides, you were staring at me as I painted, weren't you?"

Candace's heart raced after hearing the accusation, "H-How did you…"

"Keen eyes are the greatest gifts an artist can ask for," Kaveh explained, holding her hand tightly, "And these keen eyes of mine, I couldn't take them away from you."

Candace gasped, feeling her body heat up like an oven. She let the Akademiya artist sit with her, buried in her slender arms. Times like this reminded her of when a child would cry in her arms; however, this was different. A man confessed to her how beautiful she was to him, almost like those romances people in her village spoke of—the kind of love she thought she'd never have. Candace was content with watching Dehya finally have the love she longed for with the Scribe, but faced with the love of a man whose passion burned as bright as his love for art, so much that he would compare her to dignified paintings. She was at a loss.

Candace could only do what her instincts told her: to hold the man's cheeks and lift his face up to look into her eyes. "I wasn't even aware…that I'd come to fall for a man such as you, Kaveh."

"Candace…" Kaveh's face twisted, wishing he could look away in shame, but he knew she would keep a firm grip on his face, "S-Sorry for flattering you so much. I just…"

"You let your heart speak for you," Candace interrupted, "Let it speak more. It has a lovely voice, after all."

Kaveh looked into the beautiful sight of her heterochromatic eyes, his mouth gaped open as if wanting to speak, but instead, he took her advice. He let his heart speak for him.

Kiss her.

Kaveh leaned forward and connected his lips to hers in a deep, heartfelt kiss. He realized the desert woman opened her lips wide to ensure the first connection would be memorable as if she had waited for this. The blond artist didn't mind; he would have done the same. His hands held onto her cheeks as he deepened the kiss, wanting more of her. Arm wrapped around her slender waist, it surprised him to find out how lovely her waist felt. Curiously, he pulled her towards his, not regretting it.

Upon the connection, Candace opened her lips as if waiting for this moment. Their eyes closed, and their arms wrapped around each other; the two closed their eyes to embrace the fleeting moment of discovering love. Candace leaned further into the kiss, her heart soaring high like an eagle above the desert sands. She had never imagined she would be with an artist from the Akadimiya. Yet here, this desert warrior was the happiest she could be.

The pair eventually broke off to rest their lungs, lips, and energy. The break, however, would soon prove to be short as Kaveh asked, "How much more would you like? My drive still hasn't returned."

Candace smiled, softly pinching his cheek, "Liar. My kiss was intoxicating, wasn't it."

Kaveh sighed, embarrassed at how awful a liar he was. "Yes…I loved it."

The blue-haired woman giggled before kissing him on the forehead, "We can continue as much as you'd like after you finish the painting. Is that fine by you?"

Kaveh returned her infectious giggle with an elegant grip on her hand and a gentlemanly kiss on her lovely skin, "Yes, my dear."