Asa cast a deadpan look in Selwyn's direction, now quite convinced that the other boy was trying to mock him, and why not? Other students did, and usually the ones with the most success did so with underhanded compliments that he felt uncomfortable calling out. "No," he repeated, knowing that even if he liked the idea (which he didn't) that giving Selwyn even the slightest indication that he did would open himself to being teased. He simply wasn't meant to model for portraits—and that was fine.
What he was more amenable to was the chance to help Selwyn with the paint. He'd already been fighting the urge to do just what Selwyn was suggesting, so Asa wordlessly climbed from the bed, having a pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket, and walked across the room until he reached Selwyn's bed. He stopped at the side, not really wanting to cross into the boy's personal space. "Lean over here, then. Don't want to mess up your paints and all," he mumbled, his gaze dropping to the painting, and—oh, it really was nice. He blinked a few times, trying to envision how a painting of himself would look—you know, if Selwyn hadn't intended it as a joke, or if Selwyn really intended to make him look like a knight instead of using the painting to poke fun at him like he was. Why couldn't he have been an artist?
What he was more amenable to was the chance to help Selwyn with the paint. He'd already been fighting the urge to do just what Selwyn was suggesting, so Asa wordlessly climbed from the bed, having a pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket, and walked across the room until he reached Selwyn's bed. He stopped at the side, not really wanting to cross into the boy's personal space. "Lean over here, then. Don't want to mess up your paints and all," he mumbled, his gaze dropping to the painting, and—oh, it really was nice. He blinked a few times, trying to envision how a painting of himself would look—you know, if Selwyn hadn't intended it as a joke, or if Selwyn really intended to make him look like a knight instead of using the painting to poke fun at him like he was. Why couldn't he have been an artist?
