Chapter Text
“You know you have to learn the rules before you can break them, son,” Professor Kray Foresight said as he stood on a drawing, smudging charcoal into the linoleum tile with a perfectly polished shoe. He stared down at the student, Lio Fotia, who was standing between him and a young woman with brilliant red hair on the verge of tears. His titanic presence exuded wealth and success in the art world. “What makes you think you can survive being an artist without knowing that?”
“What you’re doing is bullying,” Lio protested. “We’re here to learn, not be pushed around by some arrogant artist who’s the hot-shot dujour.” He clenched his fists staring up at his professor, unafraid. The class sat in silent terror from the rage seeping from Lio’s words and into the air. Only moments ago, Kray decided he did not care for someone’s class assignment, and wanted to make a point. Lio was not having any of it.
“Aren’t you admirable,” Kray cooed as his eyes darkened. To the outside observer, it seemed like a thoughtful exchange between professor and student. Lio knew otherwise. “I’d be careful if I were you. The art world is a small but dangerous place. That’s why I’m here to guide you on the path to success.”
Lio looked around the studio. None of his peers stood to speak with him. He frowned and gathered the fire in his belly. “Oh? So it’s not because of the salary?” Lio quipped sharply, spitting sparks into the air. The oxygen in the room vanished and a red aura washed over the class. He hit a nerve. Promepolis School Of Art was renown in the country, made famous by its successful alumni. It was expensive and difficult to get into.
Kray raised an eyebrow and hummed, unphased. “You have a lot to learn, young man,” he coolly replied. “You talk a big game… typical of students accustomed to living on a trust fund. Please be considerate to your peers, Mister Fotia. Not everyone is fortunate enough to transfer to here as easily as you.” The towering man then stepped off the now damaged drawing and nodded to the other professor. “Thank you for having me participate in your group critique. It was a pleasure. As for you Master Fotia, I’ll see you later in my class.” With that, he gave a polite smile before striding out of the studio classroom.
Oxygen rushed back into the room, allowing the class could breathe again. All except for Lio, who was high on anger and adrenaline. He glared daggers in the direction where Kray made his exit. Their instructor let out a sigh and motioned for the students to silently retrieve their work and leave for their next class
“Bastard,” Lio huffed to himself finally, adjusting his fringe before picking up his classmate’s ruined project. “I’m sorry, Thyma,” he said with a small smile, wishing he could do more. “Are you okay?”
Thyma nodded and silently took her artwork from Lio. She looked it over, deflated. “Thank you,” she said, moving her red hair from her face before placing the damaged artwork with a dusty footprint into her portfolio. “You didn’t have to do that. I mean, this place is tough…”
“Tough is one thing. It’s another to be cruel,” Lio stated, throwing his belongings over his shoulder as they made their way out. “I don’t see what’s so great about him.”
“You know he’s head of the painting department, right?” Thyma asked innocently as they walked out into the city street where Lio’s friends stood waiting.
Lio felt ice wash down his back. “The PAINTING department? As in the entire painting department?” Lio asked. Thyma nodded, and the adrenaline he was riding on evaporated. Lio was a painting major. “Of course, of course,” Lio said, covering his panic as he looked at the two patiently waiting. “Well, looks like my friends are here for lunch. Want to join us?”
Thyma looked over at the two. They were tall, slim and intimidating, echoing Lio’s casual biker aesthetic and taking it to another level. Despite Lio’s attempts to look tough, his gentle features betrayed him. “I have a class over the lunch break, so I’ll pass, thank you,” she said politely. Waving him off, she scampered down the street towards the next class in another building. “See you later!”
“Yeah, later,” Lio trailed off as she blended into the crowd. He turned to his friends, Guiera and Meis sculpture and metal majors. Throwing his bag at them, he curtley said, “Hold this,” and dug furiously until he pulled out a crumpled paper.
“What’s gotten into you, Boss?” Guiera asked as he watched Lio cringe at the papers in his hands. Lio shuffled through them again, squinting close before letting out a frustrated groan.
“I just picked a fight with the head of my department in Ignis’ foundations class,” Lio growled, cramming the paper back where he found it. “Fucker was picking on a classmate, and I called him out.” He knitted his brow beneath his fringe, hoping to push the creeping anxiety down through sheer force of anger alone. Lio began to walk with the two following close behind. “He thinks he’s all that because he’s Kray Forsight, painting genius of our time. It’s a load if you ask me!”
“Lio,” Guiera said emphatically. “You told off him? HIM?! Everybody’s scared of him. The whole Foresight Foundation nearly writes all the school’s checks! You’ve got balls of steel.”
“Don’t be gross,” Lio huffed, stomping down the sidewalk. “Worst part is he’s my advisor AND I have his class this afternoon. I’m fucked.”
“What about something to eat then?” Meis asked, finally speaking up. “You barely touched your takeaway yesterday after we got you settled in. You need to eat.”
“I’m fine, really,” Lio grimaced as he stared ahead. He was too proud to admit he was exhausted. “You Guys worry about yourselves, I need to get ready for Foresight’s class next.” His stomach twisted at the thought, chasing away the very idea of eating. Kray was not going to go easy on him after that display.
“You always skip breakfast,” Meis went on. “Fuck, man, you haven’t eaten since a few bites the day before! Here! Take this and just fucking eat it in class. THEN you’re having dinner with us. No excuses!” With that, Meis grabbed Lio and shoved a protein bar into his hand. “If I find that thing untouched, Guiera and I are going to beat the shit out of you.”
Lio stared at the bar and a small grin crept across his face.”Like you guys would even try,” he said with a laugh. “I promise to eat something soon as I get out of Foresight’s class, promise.”
“Which class is Foresight teaching, anyway?” Guiera asked, leaning on Meis as they continued to escort Lio back to his apartment.
“Figure drawing,” Lio replied. “He’s going to be out to get me, I’m sure.”
“Maybe,” chimed Meis.
“Maybe?”
“Maybe. Depends on his mood. He brings in some real wild looking models. Guiera! Remember the dude with three balls?” Meis laughed, recalling a memory. Lio stared at him horrified.
“Yeah! And the one old dude who insisted on ballet poses but had a beer gut! He couldn’t hold a pose to save his life! And then the one prissy boy from the dance majors dropped out of the elective after that!” Guiera added, slapping his companion on the back.
“That’s mean,” Lio chided. “They’re doing us a favor.”
“Sixty dollars an hour,” Meis said. “I saw the invoice on Foresight’s desk. “Decent money if you can do it. And then there’s rumors about some of the models hitting on students! You might be Raptor Toes’ type!”
“Guys, no,” Lio protested, annoyed at the names they were giving models. “You’re being mean now.”
“We’re kidding, KIDDING,” Guiera said with a laugh. “If it’s with Foresight, you’ll be fine. He only uses those models when he doesn’t have his boy toy to show off.”
“His boy toy…? Lovely,” Lio puffed his cheeks, being reminded of the altercation earlier. “I’m still fucked.”
“You’ll be fine, promise!” Guiera assured once they reached their destination. He draped his arm around Meis and grinned. “We’ll meet you here after work, got it?”
“As long as I’m not crashing on your date,” Lio quipped as he rushed into the building before they could react. “I’ll see you after class! Bye!” With that, he rushed to the steps of his apartment to prepare for Kray’s class. The protein bar Meis gave him was quickly forgotten as Lio ran back out to class, hoping to calm his screaming nerves.