* 𝘜𝘕𝘋𝘌𝘙 / 𝘗𝘙𝘌𝘚𝘚𝘜𝘙𝘌

❝ maybe i don’t have a lot of free time to spend going back on forth on the subway in hopes of finding a model. i’m a busy guy, you know ?? ❞ echo replied back, any attempt of seriousness washed away by the playful undercurrent in his tone. it was all in good fun and echo knew not to take the banter too seriously. her response had a laugh bubble out past his lips and he shook his head, glancing down at the sweatshirt in question. ❝ hey —  i’ll have you know i get a lot of compliments on this hoodie at work. it’s a real hit. ❞ echo grinned, accepting the sketchbook back and cocking his head to the side as he studied her eyes. ❝ oh yeah ?? how much is your fee ?? and am i getting the friends and family discount right now ?? ❞ her words have his lips twitch before he settled his attention back down onto the drawing and getting back to work. he’s focused on fixing the eye shape when he peeked up at her through his peripheral vision. ❝ i do strive for actually good art. who knows, maybe when i’m done you can have a go at my likeness. ❞

❝ stick figures can be cool —  everyone starts somewhere, yeah ?? stick figures today and picasso tomorrow. well, metaphorically speaking, of course. ❞ regardless, echo watches the other with silent excitement, chocolate hues staying latched onto his visage as he waits for a reaction. echo’s smile is immediate. as is the blush that climbs up his cheeks. ❝ i’m glad you like it, ❞ he answers mildly before adding, ❝ you’re a solid model to daw. your eyes are very expressive. ❞ echo’s smile widens as he nods and gestures to the drawing. ❝ you can keep it if you want. but i’m always done for food so let’s go. fair warning, i’m extremely indecisive so you may have to choose between the coffee and ice cream. ❞

echo grinned over at him. ❝ a little too well that’s for sure. i swear he stared at my i.d for a solid thirty seconds before giving me a shirley temple. i asked for a vodka cranberry, ❞ he laughed and held up the obnoxiously red drink in question. ❝ i mean — it’s good. a little heavy on the grenadine, but i’m just curious why he thinks this event is something teenagers would care to sneak off to on valentine’s day. ❞ the compliment is quick to put echo at ease from his initial worries over his suit and he shot a smile over at the brunette. ❝ thanks, man. who looks better is debatable ‘cause i feel like i’m close to looking like i’m about to be handing out communion. who knows though, if there’s an afterparty somewhere at a church then at least we’ll both be the best dressed. ❞

echo was fairly certain that the prominent ache in his feet was in part his own fault for his lack of fancy dress attire and having to resort to whatever the nicest options were at a rental place nearby to his apartment. maybe he’ll take this as a sign to invest in such a wardrobe rather than his pitiful range of dark washes skinny jeans and vintage t-shirts. all it led to was echo lamely sitting at one of the tables sipping on his vodka cranberry while waiting for his feet to feel less like they were going to fall off at any given moment. echo is soon broken out of his thoughts by a voice next to him and the close proximity of a body warming his side. chocolate hues blink over and realizes his belt is somehow becoming one with her dress. ❝ oh, shit. my bad. um... ❞ echo squints down in an attempt to see the problem but his contacts can only do so much to help in the dimness of the room. ❝ i can’t see it that well to save your dress. do you think —  can we strategically shuffle off to one of the bathroom hallways for some light ?? maybe we can see the issue better. ❞

echo can immediately feel the heat climb up his neck and tint his cheeks pink from being called out so blatantly. but there’s a reason !! he’s not just being a creep. ❝ i mean —  you look great it’s just, ❞ echo clears his throat, already feeling like a freaking idiot when he shuffles closer. ❝ to preface ... i’m not trying to be creepy. i was trying to find a discreet way to tell you that you have toilet paper stuck to the bottom of you shoe. which, by the way, you have toilet paper stuck to the bottom of your shoe. ❞

echo couldn’t help but snort at what was said as he tugged at his own tie. ❝ that happened to you too ?? he must be getting paid a good amount to go that hard on fakes, ❞ echo replied, lifting his drink up for a sip. ❝ guess we should take it as a compliment though. maybe the suits bring out the baby face a little more. you look good though —  i like the suit. mine feels like i’m heading off to sunday mass, but this was the best thing at the rental place. ❞

echo can't help but watch with bated breath as adelaide takes in the drawing. he knows he's talented enough to warrant a job creating character concept art for a living, but that's a completely different ball game compared to drawing a portrait of someone. even if, you know, this was was done in ten minutes as some sort of challenge to himself. he wants adelaide to like it — to see herself in it, rather than some similar semblance of maybe if she squinted her eyes just right. nevertheless, adelaide's response immediately brings an grin to echo's features. ❝ you think so ?? i was worried that ten minutes wouldn't be enough to get it to resemble you. ❞ though, her enthusiasm manages to put his concerns at ease. ❝ hmm...❞ echo feigns an expression of deep consideration at her question, bringing a hand up to stroke his non-existent beard. ❝ as much as i love unwavering adoration, i think a coffee wins for today. i didn't get much sleep last night so a coffee will help me from passing out in the shrubbery outside. ❞

the corners of his lips are quick to flicker upward at the nudge to his side, amusement dancing across his features as chocolate hues watch her stand up. ❝ maybe, ❞ echo agrees while he gathers the paper and stands. ❝ guess we'll have to see whether i end up getting you stamp of approval by the end of this. ❞ there's a brief moment of hesitance on echo's part before a grin breaks across his visage. ❝ if not then i may just have to spend more time with you to get it right. ❞ when given the knowledge that she, too, enjoys to draw, it unlocks a part of echo happy to have come across with the same interests as him. ❝ that's how most artists start off though, ❞ he counters with raised brows. ❝ oh, trust me. i don't doubt you about your tricks. maybe next time you can sketch me. ❞ echo leaves his offer as it is, knowing not everyone likes to share their drawings and especially so when it's more so a personal hobby than anything else. what she says next has echo chuckle. ❝ i'm biased, of course, but i have to say my taste is superior. though, give me a hint — do you enjoy taking risks or sticking with the classics you know and love ?? ❞

❝ thanks, man. customer service work leads to innovation in how to turn a negative into a positive. and how to get middle aged women to stop bitching at you, ❞ echo nods at what's said next and offers an encouraging smile. ❝ yeah, go right ahead. i wouldn't offer if i didn't mean it. ❞ there's a brief pause that widens the width of his grin. ❝ unless it is actually kind of janky and you're looking for a way to get rid of it. then the garbage is right there, ❞ echo snickers with a point to the garbage. ❝ that atcually sounds delicious. i can't believe i've never heard about it until now. but i guess there's no time like the present to try it out, yeah ?? ❞

there’s a moment of panic that flashes through echo as he considers what he just said and whether or not it could be interpreted the wrong way. he meant it as a compliment  — in his mind it was a compliment, but his brain to verbalization skills often lacked a processing filter. ❝ did that sound like a compliment ?? because i meant it as one and not in a weird way. so...yeah, ❞ echo flounders, chocolate hues widening as his own blush paints his cheeks pink to match hers. instead, he knits his eyebrows in thought and focuses his attention on the drawing, gaze following her finger tracing the sketch outlines in an attempt to will away to color on his face. her question momentarily has echo forget his embarrassment and he looks up in perplexity. ❝ rum and raisin ?? are you messing with me ?? i feel like it’s a blessing i’ve never heard about that flavor before in my life. but i was just gonna be simple and say cookie dough. ❞

❝ see, i feel like there’s some hidden discrepancies with those subway artists. the train bumps around and rattles all the time, plus the random strangers who keeps backing into your space. seems a little unrealistic that they manage to keep straight lines with no erasure marks but that’s just my opinion, ❞ echo answers back in a feigned conspiring whisper, but unable to keep the amused expression from dancing across his features. at the mention of the eyes, echo leans forward to peek at the drawing. ❝ huh — weird. i thought you would mention the shirt. it’s not the most appealing thing but that’s less to do with my skill and more so your questionable taste in fashion, ❞ his tone is kept light, filled with playful teasing and no ill intent whatsoever. echo grins at what she says next. ❝ ah, i see. well i hope you know i only hire the most of exquisite of models. if you have five more minutes i can fix the eyes to your standard. ❞

the stranger’s words easily cause a grin to appear on his features and echo shakes his head with a chuckle. ❝ interactions with strangers can either be a hit or miss, but i’m glad you agreed. my mom used to love forcing me to sit down and watch those old fifties movies that she liked and you have that old hollywood kind of vibe — if that makes sense ?? hopefully that doesn’t come across as creepy, ❞ echo replies sheepishly as he considers his words and the drawing which when combined may not serving in his favor. her smile has him pause before offering his own. ❝ ice cream sounds nice actually. i’m still trying to get used to the heat over here so i think ice cream will help me cool down more than coffee could. ❞

❝ i’m sure with a little more time it could be better, ❞ echo settles on in mild agreement, head cocked in thought as he considers the drawing. ❝ i think i may have messed up your face shape a little bit. you definitely look better than this drawing though. ❞ it takes echo a moment to process what he says and he coughs, bringing a hand up to pull the drawing back over to him. ❝ are you an artist too ?? as long as we can share said ice cream then i’m on board. you want any kind in particular or do you like surprises ?? ❞

❝ two year olds have an unlimited imagination so it’s not an inherently bad comparison — only means there’s room for growth, yeah ?? kind of like a muscle that you just have to train to stretch a bit, ❞ echo answers, studying the other as he took in the picture and allowing the ends of his lips to pull upward in a smile. ❝ you can keep it if you want. ❞ echo pauses as he considers the other’s words and his mouth opens but words momentarily fail him. ❝ that’s something you can do ?? wouldn’t it just melt ?? ❞ it’s a concept that mildly confuses him but echo is fascinated all the same.

the pure expression of awe on the brunette’s features immediately pulled echo’s lips into a grin, a warmth blooming throughout him at the praise. he did do this for a living, but it was nice to make other people happy with a sketch of themselves. ❝ i’ve never been compared to bob ross before and that’s a compliment in itself so thank you, dude. though, this is essentially what i do for a living but a more simplified version, ❞ echo answers but perks at the agreement to coffee. ❝ a caramel latte with oat milk and a side of simping — sounds good to me. the simping can be reciprocated after the coffee and it can be a mutual admiration fest. ❞

❝ just to preface — this is all within ten minutes so you may have to lower your expectations when it comes to detail. i’m good but not that good, ❞ echo admits as he peers down at the drawing he sketched for the person in front of him and turns it so they can see. ❝ what do you think ?? i accept gratitude in the form of caffeine, ice cream, or unwavering adoration. ❞