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Shades of Expression

Summary:

Remus loves the artwork that Virgil sells in his shop. He visits it so often and gets to know Virgil while doing so.

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Remus had made it a habit; After each therapy session he had with Doctor Picani, he'd visit Virgil's shop and get lost in the paintings for a while.

Virgil grew used to having company in the store quite quickly, occasionally even showing Remus the painting he'd brought out to work on while behind the counter. He'd been used to the visitors to his shop expecting some interesting story behind his artwork, or trying to create their own, as Roman had done the only time he'd tried using the artwork to connect with Remus. It was refreshing to someone who just looked at the scenes with relief, that scenes like this weren't just things Remus's brain alone came up with.

He'd barely noticed Remus's arrival today though, having grown absorbed in painting something that seemed similar to catholic depictions of Hell, if a bit more gruesome. It was only when he glanced up that he spotted Remus stood in a corner of the back of the shop.

“The hurricane again?” He asked, already aware of the picture Remus would be staring at for the fiftieth time. “I know you're aware it's for sale so why not take it home to stare at?”

Remus shook his head without looking at him, “My lighting is all wrong! This makes your shading go bang! Bang! BOOM! While my room just goes acknowledged. I wanna memorise the expressions as they are here.”

He shot a sceptical look over the artwork he had displayed for sale. “Does the lighting really impact it that much?”

“YEAH! Like here you've got a guy in shocked awe at the peace he's caught in the centre of the hurricane, but those expressions in my rooms lighting just leave the folks bored. Or this guy running in terror? In my room he would look about 9 years older but a bit less scared.” Remus explained, pointing out the painted figures without checking to see if Virgil was even close enough to recognise them. “Roman insists we need like these yellow orange lightbulbs that just screw up anything unless its his fairytale paintings. I've tried eating the bulb so I cat get normally coloured ones but apparently glass isn't edible and I'm gonna put myself in hospital again.”

“It isn't, and you are.” Virgil deadpanned, cleaning his brush. “Hang out staring at it as long as you like.”

A week later Remus decided to change their routine, coming in to Virgil's shop, a large case over one shoulder and 2 take away coffee cups in hand. “I brought coffee for you!” He greeted, holding one out to Virgil.

“And your art kit?” He raised an eyebrow at the bag, curious over why Remus would have brought it.

“YEAH!” Remus nodded, pulling one of the chairs Virgil left around the store into the middle of the space. “I love looking at your paintings and wanna be surrounded by them as I work. Is that okay?”

He shrugged, returning to flicking through an art prompt book, “Sure, I guess.”

Remus paused, the lack of noise from getting out paints or anything getting Virgil to look up again after a second, “Can you teach me to do that facial shading for expressions like the ones you get?”

“So long as there aren't too many customers.” He decided, coming out from behind the counter with a glance to the door. He wasn't particularly worried since most customers were students of the nearby college and they'd likely be in class for a while yet. “What scene are you painting, anyway? And are those watercolours or gouache?”

“Gouache. I would've brought oil paints, but didn't feel like making a smeared mess from my painting if you agreed to teach me stuff.” Remus replied, waving around at the walls.

Virgil smiled in response. A large percentage of his work was done in oils, but there were a few in watercolours, especially from when he was feeling rather washed out and zombie like or gouache from times he wanted to paint multiple pictures quickly. “Let's see what you've got and how I might shade it then.”

It had been a few weeks since Remus started painting near the back of his store, and Virgil was amused to realise that he was still adding layers to the painting he'd been doing on the first day he asked to. No Remus was bringing what had been treated as the background into the focus, as if the hurricane was actually pulling debris around the people.

Still, for the past weeks if Remus had been there when Virgil wanted to eat, then he'd simply skip lunch. It wasn't healthy and he'd been noticing that afternoons felt more difficult on days when it happened, so Virgil wanted to change the pattern.

He frowned, scrunching his nose up while looking at Remus. “Dude, can I trust you here alone or do I need to bring you on my lunch break with me?” He asked, already moving to the shop door to flip it to closed and lock it.

“History says never to trust me where damage can be done.” Remus quipped, getting more water on his brush.

“Pack that shit up then. You've got a lunch date.” Virgil nodded to the set up Remus had for painting, moving to hold the door through to his apartment stairs open.

The palette was dropped and water only just placed down without a spill so fast did Remus stand and turn to him. “Date? Like we're boyfriend's now, date?”

“Can't see why you'd want to date me, but yeah. If you want it to be?” He scoffed, already convinced the reaction was confusion disguising offence, well until his hand was grabbed at least.

Remus was beaming at him, leaning close but still respecting the comment Virgil had made on the day they met about leaving hugs until permission was given. “I want! Definitely want! You're like the greatest person in this town or any other!”

For a moment Virgil blinked, mouth opening and closing a few times, “Okay then, we can date. Besides, at least that means I get to pull you away when I need food and a break from the shop!”

“Pull me anywhere you like, gore king. I'll follow you through any of the scenes you've painted.” Remus promised, not resisting at all as Virgil tugged him into a hug.

“I think I'll leave those to paintings.” He shook his head.

Perhaps the best meeting of his life had been when the 2 brothers walked into his shop because the man in his arms wanted to see his paintings more closely.