Work Text:
When his professor mentions they’d need to draw actual people for an upcoming project, Aoyagi knows exactly who he’s going to ask.
He’s going to ask him.
Teshima Junta. Or at least that’s what Facebook said his name is-- they haven’t formally met yet. Ever since Aoyagi spotted him at dinner a few nights back, he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about him. The way his face looked, framed against the window, vibrant violet hair blending with the multicolored hues of the rapidly setting sun.
*
*
It will be fine, Aoyagi thinks, gazing at Teshima from across the dining hall. He’ll just march right over, introduce himself, and politely ask Teshima to model for him.
He takes two steps Teshima’s direction. The room spins, chairs and tables multiply, and he feels as if he might hurl.
He’ll ask tomorrow.
His art piece isn’t due for another week. He has plenty of time to work up the courage to ask him.
Giant art portfolio snug under his arm, Aoyagi braves the trek to Teshima's table. But as he approaches, he realizes there isn’t a non-awkward way to ask Teshima to model, especially when they haven’t actually met yet. His gaze drops to the floor and he zeros in on Teshima’s very purple shoes. Aoyagi thinks he has the same pair, in yellow, hidden away somewhere in his closet. Maybe if he wears them Teshima will notice and they’ll strike up some type of conversation.
Unable to locate those pesky yellow shoes, Aoyagi continues to silently walk by Teshima’s table for the next couple of evenings. But, he realizes if he doesn’t speed things along he’ll end up with a big fat 0 on his assignment. (Or worse, he’ll have to use a mirror and his professor will know he chickened out!)
After rifling through his entire closet, again, he finally manages to find his matching pair of shoes. Feeling a renewed sense of confidence as he laces them up; Aoyagi prepares to face Teshima yet again.
This time Aoyagi locks eyes with Teshima, going as far as to muster a quiet hi, as he walks past.
What he isn’t expecting is for Teshima to say hi back...and to start talking to him.
Eying Aoyagi’s portfolio Teshima asks if he does art. Aoyagi nods, and Teshima proceeds to introduce himself, saying he’s a music major or something, but Aoyagi is only half listening. Heart thumping against his ear drums, Aoyagi’s mind is abuzz with ways to ask Teshima to model for his project. He’d been so focused on simply talking to the guy, he hadn’t thought through what to say!
Forgetting to give his own name, Aoyagi bids goodbye, pretending he has to get to class. In reality he goes to the painting studio to scribble down some ways he might ask Teshima to model for him on a sticky note.
Something like:
Hi Teshima, I was wondering if you would be willing to model for my art assignment? It’ll probably take half the day. But I was thinking we could get dinner after.
It sounds ridiculous! Aoyagi balls the note up in his fist and tosses it in the trash. But something, or someone, is blocking its path. Aoyagi finds, to his horror, he's hit a certain purple haired music major in the face with his crumpled sticky note! (What is he even doing in the art wing???)
As Teshima unfolds the note, probably thinking it was purposefully aimed at him, and Aoyagi debates whether now would be a good time to try jumping out the second story window.
But, luckily, Aoyagi doesn’t get a chance to mull over that decision much longer as Teshima quickly says, “Sounds fun, are you free tomorrow?”
Aoyagi nods, smile illuminating his entire face. Asking Teshima to model for him really hadn’t been so bad.
*
*
And even years later, Teshima still hasn’t let Aoyagi live down the time he asked him out by chunking a crumpled sticky note to his face.