Private Finished A Little Bird Told Me

"No, not like that," he'd clear his throat, "next assignment were painting something of our choice, so I was wondering if I could do a portrait of you." His cheeks were still red as he explained. "Because.....y'know, you're really beautiful, so thought it'd be nice "

The vampire was trying to not be awkward about the question. "I was thinking, once it's finished and if it comes out well, we could give it to your mom," he hadn't gotten much interaction with her family, so it sounded nice.

"That's if you're ok with it," he'd say with a smile. "I know it might seem a little weird to ask for that."

He'd smile when she got excited at the idea, then would blink in confusion as she went on odd tangent. His face turning red when the possibility of it being a nude portrait was brought up. "Y-yeah, of course you'll be wearing clothes," he'd say practically choking on his words.

The vampire would sigh. "Hon....I think you're overthinking it a little," he'd say with a snort, taking her hand in his. "But you are right, you'd make a perfect muse," he'd give her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Though....you miiiiiiiiight be right about the gift idea?" he'd say with a hum. "I don't know what gift would be appropriate." He'd never dated before, so it's not like he had any experience with that. "Maybe later I could do a portrait of you both together?" maybe that'd be better.

The conversation calmed and their food arrived. The vampire would dig in, enjoying the pizza, happy that decided on a half and half pizza. Then his parents were brought up and the vampire would freeze, he hadn't talked about them in a long.

"They....," he'd say but found himself unable to continue, his left hand would tremble a bit. "It's......it was complicated.......a....a lot happened." A lot of bad things, a lot of bad memories.

He'd look at down at the table, the trembling in his hand finally. "It.....it's not date talk...," he'd look up at her, "sorry that's...I know that's really shitty of me to say...it's just....yeah......something for a private talk." He felt like he'd ruined the date by saying that.

They'd both go quiet, Nathan mentally kicking himself over how he reacted. He'd quietly eat his pizza, trying to think of something to say. Finally he'd look up at her, offering her one of those rare smiles that only she was able to get from him.

"Hey...remember how you said you'd like to be my muse?" he'd ask. "Well you've kinda been that for a while? Like......being around you helps me get artistic," it was true, being with her helped a lot.

"Something about you just helps with that," taking her hand he'd give it a gentle squeeze. "So, yeah, thank you for that."

That seemed to have lightened the mood and had added back in the romantic element. "I think even my art teacher has noticed it," he'd say with a chuckle. He was curious about how they'll react to seeing him turn in a painting of his girlfriend from an assignment.

Quickly wiping his mouth he'd lean over and give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "So....maybe this Saturday for the painting?" he'd suggest, happy with how the date was going now. "We can get lunch and hang out in the art room."

The vampire would take a bite of pizza, humming thought. "We can see if there's anything in the art room we can use," his artistic side was already trying to piece it together.