Forgive me for each halting line

Ⅲ

As a portrait artist, your client's first impressions of you are vital. It is incredibly important that your client feels at ease around you and does not dislike you, as you and your subject will most likely be forced to endure each other's presence for extended periods of silence. Therefore, it is best that you didn't do something that would have the two of you start off on the wrong foot.

Kaveh believes that he and Alhaitham are far past that point. It was their first actual painting session after that day in the garden, and five minutes in it has already gone terribly, terribly wrong.

For one, Alhaitham absolutely refuses to sit in the garden, and insists on staying put in the library, which is where they are now.

"What do you mean that you're not going to sit still?!" Kaveh exclaims. Really, he was this close to picking up his easel and throwing it at the Alpha.

"I've been here for a whole week. I've done everything you've asked me to. I think even your grandmother is sick of me gushing about how wonderful you are," The Omega stops half-way through his sentence to let out a crude bark of laughter, "—and you can't even grace me with an hour of your time for me to paint your damn portrait?"

"No, what I said is that I'm not going to sit around doing nothing for hours on end in the garden while you paint me, when I'd much rather be somewhere else." Alhaitham tsk's, looking less than happy at Kaveh's upset. "Find some other way to get it done."

"What...then how am I supposed to paint you?"

"Simple. I'll call you, you'll gather references for whatever you need, and work on the painting as much as you can." Alhaitham crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"That's stupid. Do you know anything about art?"

"If you can't do it, we can cut off our entire deal right here." Alhaitham gave a shrug. "I'll just find some other painter."

The balls on this asshole; he is talking like he hadn't been practically begging for the Omega to stay a few days ago. Kaveh grit his teeth. "Fine. I'll see what I can do. But just so you know, you're insufferable!"

Alhaitham gives a small, joyless smile.

The Lord gives the painter about forty-five minutes that day to gather said references. Kaveh spends this time capturing the general shape of the other man's face on paper; from the seemingly perpetual downturn of his brows, to his round cheeks, to the subtle slope of his nose to the sharp angle of Alhaitham's jaw as he was gritting his teeth—unable to truly focus on his book due to the rather loud scratching sounds Kaveh's pencil makes as he draws.

It's another week before Kaveh gets the chance to do his job again properly. One would almost wonder if Alhaitham is dragging things out on purpose, but by now Kaveh knows the Alpha well enough to know that it wasn't a matter of tricking the blond to stick around longer, it was that he genuinely does not care for having his portrait painted.

Kaveh would later find out that the whole idea of having a portrait was his grandmother's, but that revelation is a distant future away.

That day, Kaveh has skipped lunch in favor of finally exploring the library Alhaitham seems so fond of, quickly finding himself engrossed in wonderful books on architecture, engineering and art he couldn't even hope to find on his own.

He is a little less than happy when Alhaitham sends a maid to fetch him with the message that the Lord wished for his 'mate' to continue his portrait of him—right now, in the dining room where he is having a late lunch.