Work Text:
contrary to popular belief, one of edgar’s favorite spots in the entire manor was the garden. sure he liked his studio, but even an artist needs to touch grass every once in a while.
edgar had a love for flowers, and the manor seemed to grow every species you could possibly fathom at all times of the year. edgar didn’t really question it, rather he took it as a chance to practice still life. he would take flowers that were in bloom (much to emma’s disappointment) and put them in beautiful vases to paint or sketch depending on his mood.
sometimes still lives got boring though, and when they did edgar would turn to human life again. he loved people, not talking to them though. he preferred watching them, sketching their every move as he observed and learned more about the human body. emma had become the subject for his sketches more than once, and today was no different. he sat in the corner of the green house, curled up into the smallest ball possible as he listened to emma chat to herself (and her scarecrow friend, even if edgar had told her multiple times that he wouldn’t talk back. emma had denied this, and said he hugged her once, edgar dropped that topic soon after)
he was so absorbed in his sketch he hadn’t noticed the peculiar inventor sitting next to him. twirling a dandelion between two fingers, luca spoke. “I never took you as one to like flora.” he said, lopsided grin ever present.
edgar scowled, as much as he enjoyed the inventor’s company (not that he would ever admit it) he was busy and very much wanted to be left alone.
“I don’t have time for your philosophy today Balsa, i’m busy.” edgar grumbled, determined to give him the cold shoulder until he finished this sketch.
“edgar you’re no fun. won’t you entertain me? i’m simply wasting away without my ~best friend~ to talk to.” luca was always the dramatic type, splaying himself over edgar’s lap and his drawing as he groaned wistfully. edgar promptly shoved luca off the bench, causing the inventor to yelp and sprawl into the dirt at his feet.
“go annoy Grantz, you two seem to get along much better than you do with me.” edgar set aside his sketchbook, admiring the way luca splayed out on the ground below him. edgar had always admired the subtle beauty of the inventor, his jaw was sharp and his lips seemed to always be turned up in a smile. as if the hardships he’d been so kind as to share with edgar didn’t effect him at all.
“but victor is in a maaaatch.” luca whined, rolling in the dirt before sitting up. he sat at edgar’s feet, resting his chin on the painter’s knee like a puppy. “but you can entertain me! that sketch of emma can wait, you already have hundreds in your studio already.”
edgar rolled his eyes, trying to squirm his way out of the contact with luca. he wasn’t used to someone as touchy as luca, he couldn’t get used to it no matter how hard he tried. but it also didn’t help that luca made edgar’s heart flutter at the slightest of movements. now luca was back to inspecting the dandelion in his hand, which missing most of its plume. edgar sighed, watching luca wistfully look off into the distance. he knew this trick, and it worked every single time.
“fine,” edgar picked his sketchbook back up, ripping out a piece of paper and handing it to luca. the inventor’s face lit up in a way that made edgar’s stomach twist, seeing him happy was really worth the hassle. “entertain yourself with this, once I finish my drawing i’ll join you in your workshop. i’ll even listen to you talk about your invention.” edgar didn’t think luca’s smile could get any brighter, and boy was he wrong. it was as if the inventor was a lightbulb himself, emitting small sparks of electricity as he took the paper from edgar.
luca thanked the painter, moving away from his feet to rather sit with the bench as a work table. edgar didn’t think much of it, and continued his sketch of emma from across the green house.
it wasn’t until emma left for a match that he realized luca had finished ages ago. the inventor was making a small flower crown out of baby’s breath. when edgar set down his sketchbook, luca looked up with a smile.
“you’re finished? that’s perfect!” he hopped up from the ground, leaning over edgar as he tied off the flower crown. “here, wanted to see what you’d look like with a crown on.” luca removed edgar’s hat, much to the painter’s protest, and replaced it with the crown of baby’s breath. edgar tried to protest, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the way luca was looking at him. edgar felt butterflies in his stomach, his smile wasn’t as mischievous rather kind or loving even (if edgar could allow himself to think luca loved him). “it looks cute on you, and now I have a cool hat!” luca exclaimed, flourishing as he dawned edgar’s hat.
“hey! take that off! that’s mine.” edgar stood, forgetting their difference in height. luca stood a good foot taller than the painter, and before he knew it edgar was stretching to pluck the hat off luca’s head. luca was laughing the whole time, and it sounded like bells.
after several minutes of trying, edgar eventually gave up. huffing as he sat down on the bench, crossing his arms as he pouted. luca sat down next to him with his drawing in his hands, not that edgar noticed he was too busy devising a plan to get his hat back from the inventor.
“thanks.” luca said after a minute of silence, catching edgar off guard.
“excuse me?” edgar replied, turning to face luca. his face was dusted with red, from laughing or other reasons edgar couldn’t tell.
“I said thank you edgar. I’m thanking you for entertaining me for a while.” luca didn’t make eye contact, instead staring down at the dirt by his boots.
“why are you thanking me? all I did was give you a piece of paper.” edgar started to pack up his things as he spoke, ready to go back inside.
“being with you is really all the entertainment I need.”
edgar stopped in his tracks, heart beating at a million miles an hour. what luca said sounded like something right out of a romance novel, and edgar’s heart couldn’t take it. he turned, ears tipped in red as he tried to process luca’s words.
edgar was at a loss for words as he looked luca up and down, trying to find any semblance of mockery. there was no way luca could genuinely enjoy his company. edgar knew he was a pretentious asshole, and luca probably knew it too. who was to say luca wasn’t just spending time with him just to make himself feel better in this miserable place.
“I mean It edgar, I really enjoy your company.”
edgar couldn’t find any lie in luca’s words, and it made his entire face go red. luca actually enjoyed his company.
“well that’s nice,” edgar replied, willing his voice to stay as stable as possible. “I enjoy spending time with you too, I guess,” edgar paused. “sometimes,” he added after a second, looking away as he packed up the last of his supplies.
“this is for you. i’m not big on gardens, but I think i’d spend more time in them if you were there.” luca said as edgar stood, holding out the sheet of paper. edgar took it without a second though, not bothering to look at its contents. knowing luca’s pranking streak, it was probably a detailed drawing of something phallic that edgar would throw away almost immediately.
“well i’m glad you had fun, i’ll be leaving now. feel free to call me to your workshop whenever you feel the need for company.” edgar swiftly left the room without another word, leaving luca alone among the flowers.
it wasn’t until edgar arrived back at his studio and subsequently spent ten minutes losing his mind over his interaction in the green house that edgar had he thought to look at what luca had given him. he opened the folded paper, and set it down almost right away. he walked away from the table, and then back to it. luca was going to be the death of him.
luca had taken the time to draw the painter, focused and intent on the work before him. and the likeness was striking. luca was talented and edgar had absolutely no idea. he took a deep breath, taking the drawing in his hands and quietly smoothing out the wrinkles. he took a pushpin from a cup on his desk, and quietly pinned the drawing to his wall. he smiled, ears still tipped in red as he thought about luca gazing at him, determined to get the likeness just right.
edgar then removed the crown of baby’s breath from his head, only to realize the inventor still had his hat. edgar sighed, of course he would forget something in his flushed panic. luca’s words flashed through edgar’s mind, and he realized just how much luca cared.
edgar sighed, setting down the crown on his desk carefully. maybe he could bother luca a little longer, since the inventor enjoyed spending so much time with him. edgar mused to himself as he set up a canvas in the middle of his studio. he had been needing a new muse anyway, and now he was sure luca was the one.