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Day 11: Drawing Each Other
“Good morning, class. Everyone have a good night?” Professor Crowley asked as he walked to his desk. He received several murmurs that he assumed were supposed to be affirmative in nature. Most of the class looked barely awake. Whoever decided to schedule an art course for 8am was an idiot. He narrowed his eyes as he counted those present. About a third of his students had dropped the course but the rest were sticking it out. There were 22 left. That was the perfect amount. It was time to start working on the human form and rather than hire a model to stand around looking bored while people drew them, he decided to change things up a bit.
“We are going to start on a new assignment. It’s time to work on the human form. You will pick one feature, an ear, lips, eyes, hands, and you will do it in charcoal.”
That seemed to wake some people up a bit.
“We won’t be using a model though. Instead, I will divide you up into pairs and you will draw one another. The focus will be on detail, shading, and developing the actual human form. You’ve all been with me long enough and many of you have taken my previous courses, so you know what is expected. This will be a fourth of your grade and you have 2 weeks to complete it.”
A hand to his right slowly went up.
“Yes, Ms. Green?”
“Can we pick our own partners?” She asked. Of course they would want that. He noted the way she glanced hungrily at the young man standing next to her. Uh huh. If he let them pick their own partners he’d end up seeing way more breasts and penises than he wanted.
“No, I will be choosing.” He decided. Her face fell which brought him a little flicker of pleasure. Grabbing the notebook off his desk he began pairing off what he expected to be the most incompatible people. Maybe that way he could avoid nude drawings being turned in. As he paired people off he heard a myriad of mumbled complains or discontented sighs.
“Novak…” He looked up to see the quietest student in his class, Castiel Novak looking at him. Hannah Montgomery whose easel was next to his was looking adoringly at the man. Crowley paid attention though and he knew Castiel was totally oblivious to the girl’s interest. That might not remain the case though if he paired them. Looking around he spotted his loudest student, Dean Winchester chatting with his friends Victor and Cole. He was fairly certain Dean was the reason Victor and Cole had not dropped his class. If Dean wasn’t here with them he didn’t think they’d have lasted past the first 2 days. He wrote Dean’s name down next to Castiel’s.
“You’re with Winchester.” Yes, that should prevent nude drawings. Those 2 were had to be like oil and water. Castiel’s eyes swiveled over to locate Dean in the room and the other boy gave him a little salute. Crowley was pleased with himself. He had put together 11 pairs of students that he felt would dislike one another just enough to keep the drawings PG. He tried not to discourage creativity verbally but you could only see some many boobs, buts, and penises before you wanted to scream. His class looked disgruntled. Good. Let the games begin.
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Castiel slid his drawing pad into his bag when the bell rang and started for the door. Two weeks of drawing the human form. With Dean Winchester. He had paid special attention to the way the professor has put people into pairs. The man thought he was being clever, putting dissimilar people together in hopes that clothing would stay on and everyone would just do the bare minimum to get the assignment done. He underestimated Castiel though. An art major with a drive to succeed, he planned to make Dean work hard on this assignment.
Out in the hall Dean was waiting for him. He stopped in front of the other man and hoisted his bag up higher on his shoulder.
“So. Crowley decided we would work well together.” Dean said. Castiel smirked and started walking, knowing Dean would follow.
“No, he put us together hoping we wouldn’t work well together. I researched this class and everything I’ve heard says that students love to mess with him by turning in fully nude sketches, and he hates that, so this year he decided to put people together that he felt were less likely to get nude for one another. Hence the reason Charlie was put with Victor, and Cole was put with Garth.”
Dean frowned. “And he thought you and I would not be compatible?”
“That’s exactly what he thought.” Castiel confirmed.
“I’m offended. Why would he think that? Because you’re quiet? Or because he sees me as a loud mouth?” Dean really was upset. Castiel stopped walking and turned to face him.
“He doesn’t know the real you and he certainly doesn’t know the real me. So let’s show him how well we do work together.”
Dean’s smile was weak but Castiel took it as a good sign.
“Ok, yeah. Who’s going to draw who first?”
“Oh, I’m definitely drawing you first.” Castiel grinned wickedly before he started walking again. Dean grinned and hurried to catch up. No way was he missing out on that!
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“Lose the shirt but leave the jeans on. I want to get the curve of your shoulders.” Castiel had positioned Dean on a chaise in his studio and while Dean stripped out of his shirt, he set his sketchpad up on his easel and got his charcoals out. They had freedom to use as much artistic license as they wanted, as long as it was an accurate recreation of the human form. Dean kicked off his shoes and removed his socks too. Castiel tapped a pencil against his lips for a moment before walking over to the chaise.
“How do you want me?” Dean peered up at him through long, thick lashes that made Castiel’s stomach flip. He ignored it and began moving the other man into position, draping one arm over the back of the sofa and putting Dean’s chest to the back of it.
“If you turn your head and look over your shoulder it will make the cords stand out in your neck and shoulders. Back straight.”
“So you’re going to do my shoulders? Not my perky nipples?” Dean teased. Castiel chuckled and returned to his easel.
“Maybe later. You know he’ll have us working on another part of the body when this assignment is finished.”
He picked up his pencil and after studying the curve of Dean’s neck and the freckled shoulder before him, he put it to the paper and began to sketch. Black against white, the scratch of the charcoal was soothing as the image before him of Dean’s neck and shoulder transferred onto the paper. Dean sat quietly, unmoving, something Castiel appreciated immensely, and he was able to sketch out the corded muscles in detail. Because he could, he added the freckles in as well as the elegant bend of Dean’s neck and the curve of one scapula. By the time he set his pencil down his hand ached and was covered in charcoal, but a rather detailed beginning of a sketch was in front of him.
“Ok, I think that for now, we’re done, my hand is killing me.”
Dean’s body immediately relaxed and he rolled his neck to work out the kink in it before standing up and stretching. He walked over to see what Castiel had created.
“Hey, this looks really good. Should be done long before the 2 weeks is up, I think.”
Castiel stretched, trying to work a cramp out of his arm. “Yes, this won’t take but another couple of hours, and you won’t have to sit for most of it. Maybe just another hour or so.”
Dean grabbed his shirt and slid it back over his head.
“Your turn.” He waggled his eyebrows which had Castiel laughing.
“Oh, and what part of my body were you looking to draw?”
Dean slid his eyes slowly down the other man’s body.
“I can think of a few.”
Castiel’s laughter rang out across the room as he headed for the bathroom to wash his hand.
“And Crowley thought we wouldn’t work well together.”
“Crowley doesn’t know everything.” Dean said. No, Professor Crowley didn’t know anything.
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2 Weeks Later
“All right, we’re going to look over your work. I hope you all kept things…clean as we will be reviewing them as a class.” Professor Crowley announced as he walked around the room. He pointed to Victor. “Mr. Henriksen, put yours up here on my easel.”
The next 3 class days were spent taking the time to critique and explain style differences to the students. There were smiles, eyes, a pair of feet, a hand folded around a steaming mug of coffee, an ear, and a few other parts. When he got to Castiel, he watched the young man glide up to the easel to set his drawing on it. Castiel was one of his best students and the only one in this class that was majoring in art. He was a little older than some of the other students but the man hadn’t offered any kind of explanation as to why he was only now earning his art degree, and Crowley didn’t feel it was his place to pry. He just knew he admired everything Castiel created, and this was no different.
“Very nice, Mr. Novak. You’ve done an excellent job of detailing the neck and shoulder. The muscles are well defined, your shading is excellent. Very realistic and accurate. Does anyone have any questions?” Crowley turned to the class and addressed the few questions that were asked. Then it was time to see Dean’s. He had tried to do pairs back to back so they were critiqued at the same time. He wrote down his scores for each one as he went along. Castiel had done a fantastic job and he knew that despite the fact that Dean was an education major working towards his history degree, he was talented, if a little…colorful in his creativity.
“Mr. Winchester, it’s your turn.”
Castiel took his sketch down and as he passed Dean, they shared a quick smile. Then Dean was at the easel putting his piece up.
And fuck.
“Mr. Winchester!” Professor Crowley squeaked. He’d been privy to many downright pornographic pieces of art during his career when giving assignments like this, but this was something completely different.
“Yeah?” Dean asked, and damn if he wasn’t wearing the smuggest smirk the professor had ever seen. Crowley schooled his expression as he saw the class gaping at the very graphic drawing now sitting on the easel. It didn’t escape his attention the way Hannah was staring either.
“You said any body part.” Dean said. Crowley shot him a look of reproach before turning back to the drawing. It was an exceptionally well-drawn torso. A completely naked, detailed, almost appearing to be a photograph drawing of Castiel’s naked body, from just below his collarbone down to mid-thigh. This was more than he had ever wanted to see of Castiel, or any student for that matter.
“What exactly were you focusing on here? There’s more here than was required.” Crowley stepped closer, taking in the detail, the perfect shadowing, the angle of the body. Castiel had been lying on something, a couch maybe, and probably around midday, judging from how the light was hitting his naked form. The attention to detail was incredible. From the little freckle under one nipple (How much time had Dean spent studying Castiel’s body for heaven’s sake?!) down to the narrow hips and the flaccid cock nestled against a thatch of dark hair. Apparently Castiel was rather well endowed. Not wanting to dwell on that as long as Hannah clearly was, he looked up at Dean.
“His hips. They’re amazing and totally worth immortalizing.” Dean replied. Across the room Castiel chuckled.
“And, it’s clear your style is realism. Anything else you’d like to tell us about your work?”
Dean beamed proudly and looked at Castiel who smiled back.
“Yeah, I wanted to create something extremely detailed, better than anything I’ve made previously.”
Crowley turned to the class. “Anyone have questions?”
Hannah’s hand shot up. He nodded at her to go ahead.
“Is that really you, Castiel?” She asked. He cocked his head at her as though he couldn’t understand why she would ask him that.
“Of course it is, why would you ask that?”
“Why would you let him draw you like that?” She seemed actually offended.
“Because it’s art. I like it.” He really did. It was one of the best pieces he’d seen Dean ever create, and he knew how proud Dean was of it.
“But that’s…I didn’t see you as the kind of person to let another view you like that, at least, not before marriage!” She cried. Even Crowley was surprised by her outburst. Castiel simply seemed confused.
“But I am married.”
Hannah looked even more shocked. “I can’t believe your wife would be ok with this.”
Castiel clearly didn’t know how to address that. He glanced at Dean and at Professor Crowley before turning his attention back to her.
“Hannah, I do not know where you got the idea that anything I do in this class is done for any reason other than art. I also do not know why what I do or do not do for the sake of art is any of your business. And I think it is rather presumptuous for you to assume that I would be married to a woman. I’ve been happily married to Dean for 8 years now.”
Even Professor Crowley whipped his head around to look at Dean.
“What?” Dean asked.
“You’re married to Castiel?” He asked.
“Yeah. Since we were 21 and graduated college the first time. Been together since we were 14.” Dean replied. Crowley was staring, slack jawed. They had different last names! How had he missed that?
“I don’t see how any of this pertains to why you’re so shocked that Dean sketched me naked. It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last.” Castiel put his hands on his hips and glared angrily at Hannah until she dropped her gaze. Then he looked over at his professor. “Are we done here? Did Dean do well on his sketch or not?”
“He did an excellent job. Are you sure you’re not wanting to pursue a career in art too?” Crowley turned back to look at Dean.
“I’ve always been good at drawing, but I leave the painting up to Cas. He’s way better at it than I am.” Dean grinned and looked at his husband whose expression had turned softer.
“Alright, back to your easels, everyone. We’re on to the next assignment.” Crowley clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. That had been enough excitement for one day!