Work Text:
The paintbrush slowly dragged along the white palette of the canvas, pink a brighter color underneath the sunlight. The lines of paint curved elegantly with every delicate movement of the brush. Sua tilted her head along with it, faintly frowning as she scrutinized the painting in front of her.
There had to be something off about it, she’s sure. Sua has tried many times, but she’s never found herself entirely able of capturing the beauty that is Mizi. In many occasions, she supposed that there’d never been anything properly wrong with the painting at all, but it simply seemed pale in comparison to Mizi herself. Most things did, didn’t they?
Sua thought there was some beauty to painting itself, though. The paintstrokes forming a person seemed more intimate than kisses in some occasions; the sheer admiration of painting your muse, so to speak, had always seemed like the healthiest output for Sua’s devotion rather than other things.
With such a mindset, Sua had garnered quite the collection of paintings of Mizi in particular. She’d met the girl on one any ordinary day of the week, when she was out shopping, of all things. They’d happened to reach for a fruit at the same time, and met eyes, and Sua abruptly felt that instant spark of admiration that was meant for only storybooks.
(As for the end of that story before Sua was lost in thought about Mizi’s eyes, they’d started chatting upon realizing they came to the same spot for fruits every day, and Sua somehow managed to become a close friend of Mizi’s throughout their gradually increasing amounts of conversation. She’d been vaguely annoyed when she found out Mizi was quite close with Ivan and Ivan hadn’t ever thought to introduce Sua to such a beautiful, bright being).
Mizi had some of the most soulful, lovely eyes Sua had ever happened to see in her life. There was an undeniable spark of life to her eyes, something that sparkled behind that green, or amber, or gold, color that Sua could never quite place, couldn’t quite describe as anything other than “alluring” or such.
Mizi’s eyes were Sua’s biggest grudge in terms of painting, though. The color was the prettiest thing she’d ever seen, and impossible to place. Depending on the lighting, they’d look more like precious gold or more like a dull green. Sua never knew how to capture them, and, oh, how it pained her that she couldn’t find a way to immortalize her beloved’s eyes worthy of all the prose and poetry in the world that Sua wished to offer.
Sua faintly sighed to herself as she refocused on the waves of Mizi’s hair. It’s fine. I’m not even on the eyes yet, gotta calm down.
Which brings her to the hair—the current detail she’s focusing on. Mizi’s hair is perhaps slightly easier of a detail, but still one Sua wants to be nothing less than perfect, especially in Mizi’s view. Mizi’s hair is also hard to pin down, but Sua’s gradually been finding it easier as she spends her time learning every detail of the other girl.
Thus, the paintbrush continues its calm path along the canvas as Sua mentally compares the painting to the real Mizi, and thinks of how much better the real one is anyway.
Sua’s spent the past few months learning the details of Mizi by heart, and she’s only grown, really, more obsessed with her by the time that passes like such. Mizi’s beautiful in any sense of the word, and Sua doesn’t doubt it. Though Mizi will be always prettier in person, it only seems right to Sua to try and immortalize the sight of her past death. If Sua had her way—and she’ll try to—however, she will, at least, pass before Mizi can, if Mizi can’t stay alive for eternity.
The way other people appreciate Mizi’s beauty wasn’t quite the same to Sua. Sua viewed it as something purer, perhaps, and that was the reason why she channeled her admiration into art and paintings rather than properly confessing to Mizi.
Then again, she also feared confessing to Mizi in the sense where she’d rather not lose the girl’s presence. Sua was selfish in some manner, but she also knew to take what she could get in some instances. It clawed at her a little more by the day, that she couldn’t have every part of Mizi, but she was managing…for the time being, anyway.
Sua was abruptly startled out of her frankly obsessive thoughts by the sound of bounding footsteps into the room that must be none other than Mizi. And, yes, there she was.
Sua turned her head to meet Mizi’s gaze before remembering the painting of Mizi is right there, and she dropped her paintbrush with a soft clatter, too dignified to act fully embarrassed but still blushing faintly at the realization.
Mizi, however, didn’t seem bothered at all, though. She tilted her head with vague curiosity. “Ooh, wow, you’re painting me, Sua??”
Sua nodded her head once, trying to ignore the fluster that was threatening to come over her at being caught painting Sua.
Mizi beamed as she got a better look at the painting, taking a few steps closer to where Sua sat. “I look so pretty. You’re such a good artist.”
A slight smile came to Sua’s lips at that despite herself. Though she could pick out everything she found wrong with the drawing, Mizi’s flattery made it all fine in her head.
“Anyway,” Mizi started lightly, turning her gaze back to Sua rather than the painting of herself. “I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go out with me to get a drink or something later.”
“Sure,” Sua agrees easily, never one to turn down Mizi’s offers no matter what they really are. “Before we go, though, could you sit down for me so I can get your eyes right?”
Mizi nods cheerfully, grabbing a seat from the corner of the room before placing it beside the canvas. She sits down neatly before making a silly face anyway, sticking her tongue out.
Sua laughs at the sight despite the fact that she usually wouldn’t, after all, it’s Mizi. Her demeanor is always broken by the girl to some extent. She covers her mouth with her hand to make the laugh more dignified, but Mizi still looks pleased at the sight of it.
Sua manages to pick up the paintbrush again, and studies Mizi’s eyes closely to try and get the color right now. It takes a bit, but she manages to get closer than usual with Mizi in her sight. She’s managed to start drawing Mizi without needing a picture for reference by now, having memorized every detail of her devotedly, but it never seems to be close enough anyway.
While it’s still not perfect, Sua’s fine with the painting so long as Mizi thinks it’s “pretty”, in her words. Mizi, admittedly, is much more beautiful than any painting in her eyes anyhow.