Kurt and Shiro

[x-bamf.livejournal.com]

Kurt finds Shiro in the grounds getting very frustrated with his attempts at a portfolio for art school, and agrees to pose for a drawing for him.



Art was a frustrating mistress. Shiro could easily understand why Van Gogh went mad and cut off his own ear. This whole college portfolio business was a mess. Shiro had drawn and painted countless pictures the past few weeks, and very few of them were good enough to submit, in his opinion. So he was sitting outside underneath a tree, sketch pad on his lap, listening to his FFX2 soundtrack on his CD player, hoping that something good would come to him.

Kurt had chosen the same time to go out for a walk, as he did periodically, enjoying the fresh autumn air of the mansion grounds. When he spotted Shiro under his tree, he slowed down and called out a greeting, which possibly went unheard over the music.

"Kikoeteru? Sen no kotoba wa . . ." Shiro hummed softly, staring blankly off into space. This was not working. Sighing, Shiro made to gather up his stuff, but then saw Kurt. Shiro waved back and took off his headphones. "Hello, Mr. Wagner."

Kurt smiled at him, walking over to join him. "Hello, Shiro. What are you drawing?"

"The inside of my roommate's head," Shiro said wryly, showing Kurt the blank pad.

Kurt chuckled. "You are blocked? What were you trying to draw, then?"

Shiro shrugged. "Something that will make a group of American 'postmodern' art professors ooh and aah. But random lines and splotches of color just do not do it for me."

Kurt frowned slightly. "It should not have to. Talent is talent, and if they turn you down based only on the style you choose, that is wrong."

"At this point I'm not so much interested in expressing myself," Shiro explained. "Rather, I want to show them something that they will approve of. Real art can wait until I actually begin taking classes, because at that point it will be too late to reject me."

"And again I say, talent is talent. If they are in any way fit to judge, they will recognize that no matter the style, and approve."

"You're ruining my cynicism, sir," Shiro said with a small grin.

Kurt grinned back a little mischievously. "I would hate to see you forcing yourself into a style that does not suit you, and being turned down for that very reason."

"I'm under the impression that drawing, cartooning in my case, is not viewed as sophisticated by art snobs. So I am at a loss as to what to do."

"May I see your portfolio?" Kurt asked, genuinely interested in what the boy had done so far.

Shiro carefully handed the huge leather briefcase to Kurt. It was full of sketches of people and places around the mansion: Leyu playing tag with Artie, Miles, Leong, and Nga; Alex and Lora cuddling on the couch in the rec room; Scott tuning up his bike, and the like. "I am not so modest as to say that these are worthless, but I don't know what the people on the application review board will think."

Kurt sat on the ground, laying the case across his lap, and took the drawings out in turn. "These are very good, Shiro. The subjects are all clearly recognizable."

"They don't have the, oh what's the French term . . . Damn. The expression that means 'I don't know what'? They don't have that. They're bland."

Kurt looked up, surprised. "I think you are doing yourself a disservice. But I have no way to change your mind."

Shiro shrugged. "I appreciate the compliments, Mr. Wagner. I just want something that's going to really grab them, ne? Something . . ." One could almost see the light bulb above his head turn on. "Mr. Wagner, would you mind if I drew and submitted a picture of you?"

Kurt froze for a moment, startled by the sudden suggestion, then relaxed with a genuine smile. "Of course not, Shiro. Would you like to begin it now?"

"If you wouldn't mind." Shiro looked around, trying to decide on a setting. "Hmm. How to best show off the Amazing Nightcrawler . . ."

While Shiro was choosing, Kurt carefully put his drawings away again and closed the portfolio case, setting it aside and standing up.

"If you could position yourself on the branches here," Shiro said, looking up at the tree he had been sitting under, "Maybe grasp a branch with your tail . . ."

Kurt grinned, 'porting up into the tree easily. "I can do that." His tail curled around the branch he was sitting on, and he looked down at Shiro. "Is this what you had in mind?"

"Perfect." Settling himself a few feet away from the tree, Shiro opened his sketch pad, withdrew a pencil from a case, and began.

Kurt held the position, trying not to move around too much in case it interrupted Shiro's drawing. He remained silent for the moment so as not to interrupt him.

Shiro spent most of the time in silence, only occasionally asking Kurt to move slightly or mumblig to himself as he erased a mistake. It took him only about ten minutes to finish the sketch to his liking. "Alright."

Kurt smiled and returned to the ground, looking at the sketchpad curiously. "May I see?"

Nodding, Shiro handed the pad to Kurt. It was only a rough sketch, something to be refined later. "Thank you, Mr. Wagner."

Kurt took it and grinned, impressed. "It was not a problem. I hope you are happier with this one?"

"Yes. I am going to redraw it so it is suitable for presentation." Shiro took the pad back and put it and his pencil case in the portfolio case.

"I am glad I could be of help, then", Kurt answered with a smile, walking with the boy on the path back to the school.

Comments

[x-havok.livejournal.com]

"Hello, Shiro. What are you drawing?"/"The inside of my roommate's head,"

*snorts* Yes it is pretty blank in there ain't it?

Very very cute you two