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 Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2022 4:04 pm
Most of the time, Caius spent his free time at the bakery. He had been there for a little while this morning, but they were fully staffed and it was so busy. He could have gone home, but he didn’t feel like being alone, so he’d did the next best thing–he took a few treats with him to go get some coffee down the street.
He liked the sweetness of their coffee there, and the music was soft. On a Saturday morning it was busy but not obnoxiously so. He didn’t have to fight for a table, at least. Most people were in and out.
…Which meant, he didn’t really see the harm in sketching a little bit.
Except, maybe he got a little too into it. He’d only meant to see what he could do it two minutes or less, but he’d been sketching the layout of the shop when a man had sat down not too far away, and then suddenly Caius realized it had been nearly ten minutes and he was still drawing him. He’d zoned out while doing it, hardly even realized that he would look up for a second, then back to the tablet.
He didn’t think it counted as staring, but then–he wasn’t really thinking about it at all.
His sweets and coffee were all but forgotten, all he could focus on was drawing what he saw.
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Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2022 5:22 pm
For all that Langite was becoming somewhat of a busybody…Lonnie still tried to keep in his own corner of the world. He didn’t enjoy talking to people, and especially did not go out of his way to talk to strangers or barge in on their lives…but when he was getting his weekly treat of an iced green tea at his favorite coffee shop, he couldn’t help but notice the blonde boy who kept staring at one of the other patrons in the shop.
…it was unnerving, and the way he stared for a few moments, and then scribbled on his tablet computer…was he taking notes on the man? Stalking him?
Whatever was going on, it made Lonnie feel uncomfortable enough that when he got his drink, he walked over and nudged the boy. “What do you think you’re doing? Are you taking notes on that man? Or–” He looked down at the tablet and raised a brow. “...Why are you drawing him? Are you a stalker?”
It…was even more creepy now that Lonnie could see it was a drawing.
“Were you given permission to take his likeness like this?”
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Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2022 6:03 pm
Caius immediately inhaled sharply, startled and surprised and–embarrassed.
He immediately drew the tablet to his chest protectively, hiding the image. There was obvious shock on his face; he looked like a kid who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“N-no,” he said, and added quickly, “Sir.”
The man didn’t look that old, but it was instinctive, and he didn’t want to get in trouble.
“I was just sketching the counter and he sat down, I–I’m not doing anything with it. It’s just a sketch, no one was supposed to–I wasn’t going to show it to anyone. I’ll delete it. Sorry,” he said again, and might have immediately gone to do so if he wasn’t afraid this man might think that wasn’t good enough and steal the tablet, or smash it on the ground or something.
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Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2022 6:28 pm
Lonnie gave a soft huff and shook his head. “Let me see the drawing.” He tried to soften his voice, sound less accusatory, less harsh but. It didn’t work too well, though.
“If you don’t want to seem that deranged…you should ask people before you take their likeness. It can be invasive. Like taking a picture of someone without their consent.” Perhaps not quite so bad? But he had edited enough books where people who had stalker tendencies did things like this, and he couldn’t stop the comparisons from lingering in his mind. “From what I did see. You have talent. Perhaps you should show him. Let him know that you were using him for your artistic exercise.”
He held a hand out for the tablet, watching the boy closely. “Unless you truly are doing this to be a stalker, in which case, forget all I said and…delete it because that’s gross.”
The last words were said with a small smile though, and were clearly meant to be a joke. Or what passed for a joke in Lonnie’s mind.
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Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2022 6:52 pm
Oh, no. He wanted to see it.
Dread filled in Caius’ stomach and he was afraid that he was going to get yelled at. He was going to get mocked or insulted or scolded.
He gripped his tablet a little tighter. Even with the praise he felt nice, and–maybe it was because now he did feel guilty about it, maybe he–was he a stalker? No. He wasn’t. He was practically squirming in his seat when he reluctantly pried the tablet from his chest and showed it to the man.
He should say no! He didn’t owe this man anything! But, he couldn’t. He was still afraid of getting in trouble or causing a scene. He wasn’t smiling, too nervous about all of it to even register the joke.
Caius had obviously put more effort into drawing the table and the counter and the whole scene around the man, but now that he’d gotten into it it was clear that he’d become very invested in replicating the pattern on the man’s shirt. The features on his face were a little vague, but the hair had decent structure. The clothes and posture were obviously Caius’ focus but he seemed ashamed of it, anyway.
“I’m sorry. I’ll delete it. Please don’t tell him. I don’t want any trouble.”
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Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2022 7:07 pm
Lonnie took the tablet into his hands and looked at the picture, growing more and more impressed as he noticed different details, nodding in appreciation. “This is very good. You have a lot of talent, don’t you?”
He took a seat next to the boy and enlarged the picture, humming quietly. “It really is beautiful, don’t delete it. I apologize for yelling. It just. You looked suspicious, I won’t lie. But. You’re just a kid, and clearly an artist who isn’t just being creepy, so…I won’t tell him. But, if you end up doing this again, maybe don’t keep staring at a person? I understand the need to reference, and now that I’m seeing all of the pattern on the shirt, I can understand why you were watching him so intently, but.”
Lonnie gave a small smile and held the tablet back out. “Just remember that you’re in public and people might get the wrong idea, okay? Especially nowadays. You never know what people are thinking.”
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Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2022 7:31 pm
His ears burned at the praise, partly because every time the man opened his mouth to speak, he braced himself for criticism or reproach. He didn’t look up, afraid to see some angry face.
When the tablet was offered again, he breathed. Not well, it was still a little shaky, and he drew his tablet close to him.
“Thank you,” he said, more a reaction than because he’d even had time to process the praise. “I wasn’t thinking. I’ve had a lot on my mind, and I just–I zoned out. Thank you for letting me know. Before someone else saw.”
Of course, he was thinking that he should just gather his stuff and leave as quickly as possible, just in case someone did see him and think he was a creep.
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Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2022 8:08 pm
Lonnie nodded. “Keep drawing. You have a gift. That much is very clear.” He drew away and nodded to the boy. “...I’m going to take my leave, I think I’ve traumatized you enough for one day. But. Maybe I’ll see you around? Or at least see your art somewhere fantastic one day.”
That he didn’t doubt in the least. This boy had talent, and Lonnie hoped that he hadn’t ruined it with butting in…
This was why he did try to stay in his own lane…when he could. But.
He stood and got his drink before leaving the coffee shop, thinking of taking a walk around the park before heading home. It was quite lovely out.
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