Chapter Text
Saps didnt like calling himself an artist, but of course others did. He was humble enough to know he did draw quite well- considering he used his freetime to go in any random place and draw the scenery in a sketchbook; of which (surprisingly) his brother, Micro, got him for his birthday. And he sure took pride on it when Saps started to draw in it regularly and not just 'sometimes'.
The slightly larger than pocket sized sketchbook was filled half way by now, mostly with sketches or even full on watercolors of scenery Saps liked. Occasionally there was a simple still life to practice, sometimes some anatomy too. Or, rarely, portraits. It was only his friends and siblings, maybe someone random he found interesting as they passed by or online. Yet, he never had a muse. If you didnt consider any landscape with clouds a muse, of course. Those were arguably the best to sketch and paint. Besides that, there were really only five or so portraits- none of the same person more than once.
Though, some afternoon he gave in and let his sister, Jophiel, look through it. It made Saps feel slightly embarrassed as she gave genuine praise and pointed out the ones she liked, smiling when she got to the one colored sketch of herself. After she got through the many filled pages of surprisingly many still empty ones, she did have a curious question as she handed the book back.
"So, do you think you'll ever get a muse?"
It did make him think, but he simply shrugged.
"Dont know. Some people catch my eye, but not enough to keep drawing them..."
Naturally, it wasnt a lie. At the time.
At the time. An important detail. Because conveniently a week or so after that? You got it, Saps most definitely found someone. Not just some building he loved to draw over and over- an actual someone!
There was this local coffee shop, quite popular but still quaint and quiet when it was midday since people werent rushing in before work to get their morning fix and a random pastry. Saps was a regular, seeing as the workers that had shifts making the drinks- Rotation, Gotoga, Thomas, and his own brother Snowbird- always knew his usual order, unless he wanted something different that day obviously.
And one day, it appeared they had a new hire. But well, they could've been not new at all as Saps had been out of town for a long while before this. For a moment, as he stood in the short three or four person line, he stared at the unrecognizable dude taking the orders and quickly making them but it was clear he was slightly rusty. Maybe he wasnt a new hire, perhaps he had just not worked for a while? Saps wouldnt be surprised, he didnt live here before college anyways. The guy looked around his age, so he probably studied somewhere else.
He smoothly snapped out of his thoughts as he got to the front of the line. With his usual smile despite the dudes pissed off look, he already held out his card before politely speaking- clearly better mannered than whoever was before him, he noticed. "Morning! May I please have a uh- caramel cappuccino with a chocolate eclair?" He resisted the urge to say 'the usual' since this person clearly wouldnt know it and saying that would probably piss him off more. The guy nodded shortly, typing the order on the screen, "That'll be $10,99. For here or Takeout?" Oh, he sounded British. For some reason Saps didnt expect that. "Takeout please." The guy- his nametag said 'Fluixon', weird spelling but ok- nodded again, swiping Saps' card and giving it back before swiftly moving away to make his order.
As no other costumers entered, he patiently waited and watched at the counter as Fluixon made it. He took this time to look at him more closely, it wasnt creepy- he did it with everyone else who worked here when he first saw them too! Fluixon (that was his name right?) was one of those people that caught his eye, the rare occasion where he would want to draw them when he got home.
Saps took note of his black hair, short- that actually had faint streaks of dyed dark purple hidden throughout. His eyes were dark brown from what he could see, slightly upturned and with that residual glare. He guessed it was simply a resting bitch face situation as his brows were furrowed whilst he worked. Fairly pale skin, pretty thin lips, prominent jawline.. and oh, he had ear piercings too. He forgot the names of them, but he could remember how they looked just fine.
He wanted to observe more but soon enough Fluixon approached with his cappuccino, leaning down to take a chocolate eclair from the display case aswell. Fluixon never once directly looked at him- but Saps knew some people didnt like eye contact, he understood. He merely took his drink and food with that kind smile. "Thanks! Have a nice day.. Fluixon!" He paused for a second as he hoped he didnt butcher the name, then casually strolled out without a reply from the other.
Saps spared a final glance through the glass windows of the café, Fluixon didnt look after him- seemingly prompting to waiting for perhaps any new customers. Huh. Well, that sure felt awkward. But whatever! Saps only found someone new to draw.
What he didnt know, is that coincidentally most of the times he came in for his usual, is most of the times Fluixon was on shift. And that only gave him more time to look at him. More time to realize after he drew him once, that he was nice to draw a few more times. It became a 'small' habit. Maybe a bit weird considering he never had a proper conversation with the guy even once, only rehearsing the same order a few more days before Fluixon started to just ask 'the usual?' like the rest of the employees did- only with more.. Indifferent rememberance like he would with any other regular. But how could he not? Saps found him oddly.. captivating.
The few times he drank his cappuccino inside the café whilst drawing, it only gave him a better reference. Especially when he wasnt going off of memory and easily sketching away whatever 'nonchalant' bored pose Fluixon stood in behind the counter that day. Before he knew it; after those many landscapes, occasional objects and very few singular portraits- the book was being filled less and less with skies or architecture he found pretty, instead filled more and more with a random dude he found pretty.
It took a while for Saps to realize.. was this considered parasocial or something? He didnt even know.
What he did know but also knew he would refuse to admit to- he found his muse.
Whether Fluixon knew he was it or not.