The air was filled with the smell of acrylic paint and lemon-scented handwash.
One leg was folded under Noah as he sat on the floor, the paintbrush poised in his hand as he applied color to the partially completed canvas. He had on a loose black tank top, already splattered with specks of red, blue, and yellow. His jaw was set slightly as he concentrated, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses.
Kai stood leaning on the doorframe, arms folded, gazing silently with a warm, crooked grin.
"You've been staring at me for ten minutes, Kai," Noah murmured without glancing back, tone steady but playful.
Kai stepped back from the doorframe and glided over, crouching behind him. "Blame me? You're unfairly sexy with paint all over your face."
Noah snorted laughter. "I literally look like a mess."
"Yeah. My mess," Kai said, wrapping his arms around Noah's waist from behind and resting his chin on his shoulder.
Noah's brush stilled for a second, but he didn't pull away. "You're distracting."
