A surge of nervousness went through him as he leaned down to brush the handkerchief across Selwyn's face. It was just awkward, he told himself. He didn't regularly... wipe people's faces, let alone rich boys who were probably plotting all the ways to embarrass him. Luckily it took only a moment to wipe away the remnants of paint, so he didn't have to worry about embarrassingly excessive eye contact or any verbal jabs, especially given that Selwyn had taken to over-explaining how he would theoretically paint him.
Theoretical, because Asa would never allow it, and even if he did, Selwyn wouldn't. He just knew it.
"All of that sounds terrifying and nothing like me," he said decisively, pulling back to stand an armlength away from Selwyn's bedside. "Why don't you just... paint Rookwood instead? You know him, right? He's a year above us, and he looks more like a knight."
Theoretical, because Asa would never allow it, and even if he did, Selwyn wouldn't. He just knew it.
"All of that sounds terrifying and nothing like me," he said decisively, pulling back to stand an armlength away from Selwyn's bedside. "Why don't you just... paint Rookwood instead? You know him, right? He's a year above us, and he looks more like a knight."
