The Muse•{Sting x Reader high school AU}

20

When the lunch bell rang, you stopped by your locker to grab your bento box, and then made a b-line for the art room. You grabbed a long sheet of paper to cover the floor so no paint could get on it, all of your art supplies, and a step ladder so you could reach the spots that you needed too.

You knew Lisanna wasn't going to join you, and if you were being honest to yourself, you were doubtful that Sting would go out of his way to find you and have lunch with you, even if he seemed keen on doing so.

You set an alarm in your phone for ten minutes before lunch ended so you had time to clean up and get ready for gym class. You shoved your phone in your pocket, just about ready to start on the mural. You grabbed a paint brush and a palette with some paint already on it, and climbed up on the small step ladder. You dipped your brush into the blue, and started painting away.

You were in your own world, that's what usually happened when you started painting. That's why you had set the alarm; to break you out of your perfect world. The brush seemed to move itself, creating perfect strokes. Your hand and fingers moved with absolute ease, whether it came from practice or from pure talent, you didn't really care, it was something you loved and had such a passion for.

"In your element, huh?" A voice took you out of your little artistic world, and you snapped your head towards them, accidentally dropping your paint brush. Your eyes widened upon seeing Sting. He smiled, and bent down to pick up the brush, and placed it back into your hand. "Did I surprise you?"

"A bit, yeah." You laughed nervously. "How long have you uhm... been standing there?"

"Not long. Maybe five minutes?" Sting shrugged, taking a seat on the ground, next to your bento box.

"Just watching me?"

"What can I say? Your movements flow like water." He smiled, reaching into his back pack to take out a bento box of his own.

"R-Right... thanks." You said quietly, and returned back to painting.

"So, what's the inspiration for the mural? I don't think you've told anyone yet."

"I was going to do a tribute to the senior class, but... I don't know, I wasn't really feeling it."

"What are you feeling now?"

"Nothing particularly strong." You sighed, taking one step down from the ladder. You looked up at your work, and there were colors spread everywhere. There was blue, red, some yellow... "I thought about doing something for Lucy and Natsu too, but I went back on that plan too."

"Are you not inspired? I thought inspiration was just flowing through you?" Sting raised an eyebrow, now trying to get a feel. Earlier he was sure of your feelings, and now he wasn't.

"I am when I'm on my own and I'm painting for myself, you know?" You turned your head back to look at him, just as he was shoveling rice into his mouth. His eyes widened in surprise of being caught off guard. You could have sworn you saw some pink rise to his cheeks as he wiped away a stray grain of rice from his mouth. You giggled a bit, and then turned back to the so called mural you were painting. "I'm painting this mural for everyone at school, my creative freedom is a bit limited."

"If you had full creative freedom, what would you paint?" He asked you. It was a good question. But how could you answer him honestly? You couldn't tell him that you would paint him. It would be too weird, and you knew he would be put off by it. You just smiled softly, letting out a small hum. Hearing you hum, Sting smiled to himself. He felt his heart pounding in his chest, and felt his body start to get warm.

"Have you eaten yet?" He asked you, looking at your bento box.

"Not yet."

"Come sit, we don't have much time left. And we don't want a repeat of what happened in gym." He chuckled a bit. You agreed, and stepped off the last step of the ladder. You took a seat on the floor next to him, and opened your bento box. There was rice, mainly, and some pieces of sushi that Lucy had made. Off to the side was a small cup of soy sauce. You poured half of it on top of the rice, and kept the rest for the sushi. You took your chopsticks and started to mix the rice, and then scooped some into your mouth. You heard Sting chuckle, and you turned your head towards him.