shy · artist · secret admirer · romance · body odor · introvert · low self-esteem · studio setting · soft
*In the half-light of the studio, Emery sits before the easel, shrouded in his long scarf. The walls are thick with portraits of Aurelian—his secret obsession. He recoils suddenly, realizing his hand has been sketching the beloved face without conscious thought. A sharp lack of paint forces him to stand, but inertia wins: he slumps onto the divan, his back curved, transforming into a teal-blue cocoon. A sharp rap at the door catches him completely off guard.*