Chapter Text
supplies messily strewn about on the hardwood. the sun's gentle rays casting golden streaks of light throughout the room. crickets and birds chirping, drowned out by the sound of violins and brass instruments flowing through the speaker across the room.
a normal day for will; spending the day creating whatever he wanted, utilizing methods that would make leonardo da vinci roll in his grave.
except it wasn't.
instead, he sat criss-crossed in front of his laptop, haphazardly skimming the youtube tutorial in front of him. the thick paintbrush glided with ease across the canvas, coating it in a thin layer of primer. taking a sip of water, will felt oddly confident about the task at hand. "it can't be that hard..." he muttered.
rummaging through vibrant greens and deep purples, they found their least favorite colors at the very bottom: ultramarine blue, canary yellow, and cadmium red. they were simply too plain for him. loading up his palette with the three primary colors, along with plenty of black and white, will was finally ready to create his masterpiece.
-
only an hour had passed, and will was already regretting his decision.
the bland colors blended together in his mind, swirling like the ripples of a lake disturbed by the skipping of a stray rock. countless hues of brown now stained his palette, something they were not pleased by. he continued to stare blankly at the beginnings of his work, sensing something was missing. they stood up, their mind shrouded in doubt.
they mindlessly took a puff of their cigarette, holding the smoke in their lungs for a moment before exhaling. he watched the remnants swirl in the air, captivated by the free-spirited movement. his eyes followed the smoke out into the street below, until it was completely dissipated by the wind. in some ways, will felt just like the smoke: always on the move, never settling in one place for too long. but with that came the reality that always moving means you never truly create an impact; at least, that's how will used to see things. with you in his life, things have changed for the better. he was starting to like the idea of settling down after years of chasing that "picture-perfect" relationship his parents had. but one thing he refused to settle down with was his art. they never had an interest in the boring, traditional styles, always wanting to branch out into something more up his alley.
just then, it hit him.
he didn't have to make something he didn't truly enjoy just for someone else's pleasure. he thought back on a conversation he had with you on one of his first dates with you; an art museum in london. will fondly remembered taking a liking to the contemporary pieces, their gaze fully captured by the bright colors and unique aspects of each individual canvas. you had asked him why he enjoyed that style of art so much, eager to learn more about him. they thought about their response in that moment.
"well, it's all about self-expression. there are no rules to contemporary art, it's all about your personal style and what you prefer to make. that's what art should be."
and he was right. with one last puff of his cigarette, they were ready to get back to work.
-
soaking up the sun in maui was a much needed break from the rainy london weather you had become accustomed to. najuma and angie had surprised you with a girl's weekend to the island for your birthday, which you were extremely thankful for. you had a blast enjoying cocktails and hanging out with two of your favorite people, but the trip had to be cut short; both angie and najuma developed a bout a food poisoning, with you being the only one who had come out unscathed (thank god you didn't eat the pork). you decided to cut your losses and head back home, telling the girls you enjoyed the time with them, even if it didn't quite work out.
you decided to call will and let them know you were coming home earlier than expected. he picked up just after the second ring, his face illuminating your screen.
"hey babe!" will gave you a small smile. "having fun over there?"
you sighed. "well, I was; I'm coming home early. angie and najuma are pretty sick."
will felt their heart drop into their stomach. you were supposed to be coming home late monday evening, which would have given them plenty of time to finish your gift. now that you were coming home right now, he had no idea if he would be able to pull it off.
"oh...hope they're alright."
"yeah, they'll be okay! my flight leaves in a couple hours, just figured I should let you know what was going on."
"thanks. I'm excited to see you again...and to give you your gift." will winked at you.
you chuckled. "you're too sweet. see you at home!"
"bye, fly safe."
the call ended with a simple click. will quickly got to work, tossing the old canvas into a pile he designated for reusable materials. this time, they carefully picked out a variety of colors; teals and bright pinks coated the canvas in a mirage of shades, along with touches of orange and yellow. will smiled as his brush flowed with ease across the once-white medium. this is what art was all about to him; using a variety of colors and techniques to create something unique that draws the viewer into your world, whatever that may look like for the artist in question. for will, it looked like the love of his life, staring back at him through the canvas.
-
will felt that same feeing all over again once he saw you at the airport the next morning; your flight had gotten delayed by several hours, leaving you stuck in the airport until your plane was finally able to board. you rushed into his arms as he stood by your gate, ready to take you home.
"hey...looks like someone missed me more than they let on." will smirked.
you looked up at him. "maybe I did...still had fun!"
will smiled. "good, good. you ready to go home?"
your eyes lit up upon hearing the word. "yes!!"
once you were settled in, will decided it was finally time to show you your gift. nerves uncharacteristically surged through him. they really wanted you to like it, especially with all the work they put into the piece. leading you into his studio room, he uncovered your eyes to reveal what he'd been working on throughout the time you'd been away.
"happy birthday!" will exclaimed, carefully watching for your reaction.
you couldn't believe the sight in front of you. propped up on an easel stood a vibrant portrait of yourself with a simple black background. "oh, will...I love it."
will beamed with pride. "you do?"
you scoffed. "of course I do! you made this for me. it's so...you. I'm more than happy with it."
they let out a breath they didn't know they were holding. "I'm so glad you like it. I had to restart it halfway through..." they scratched the back of their neck.
you gave him a lighthearted laugh. "well, I love the version I ended up with, and that's all that matters."
will scooped you up into a kiss, passionately pushing his lips onto yours.
"thank you for being my masterpiece."