Work Text:
“Ink,this is a terrible idea”
“Which is why it’s a great idea!”
Nightmare groans as he slumps on his stool seat,his eye being greeted by the blank canvas in front of him with a small tray of various colors of paint.Standing next to him was the lovable goof of a boyfriend Ink whose smile was reaching to his non-existent ears.
“You know I can’t paint” Nightmare attempts to argue back,”even my stick figures look like they were drawn by a five year old”
Ink pouts,his eye shape shifting to tear drops,”come on Nighty! Don’t be such a sourpuss—it takes practice to be as awesome as me”
“Well frankly I don’t have the patience like you do to stare at a piece of wood for hours on end” The darker guardian retorts,annoyance seeping into his voice.
He was very disinterested in the idea of it,even though Nightmare enjoyed watching the other paint—the idea of him doing it was frankly embarrassing.Sadly when Ink had an idea,it was hard to get him out of it.
Soon Ink’s hands gently grasp the other as he looks on over to be greeted with the soft gaze and sincere smile causing his soul to flutter intensely inside his chest.
“Please, for me?” Ink begged,giving him the puppy dog eyes.
Sadly he didn’t have his cold stone attitude anymore and couldn’t bring himself to handle this for any longer,giving out a heavy sigh,he finally admits defeat.
“Fine,I’ll do it” He grumbles out,turning his attention to the canvas,”now what do I need to do?”
“Yes!” Ink happily exclaims as he bounces across the room,almost knocking the darker guardian off his stool,”I’ll just grab these brushes for you and you can do whatever you want!”
Nightmare is handed the brushes however he looks over in confusion,”whatever I want?”
“Yep whatever you want! Just put your mind to it” Ink informed him,still bouncing on his tippy toes.
He looks back and Ink then back at the canvas,hesitant,he gently dips his brush in some red paint though seemingly unsure of his decision,he flicks the brush onto the canvas and….
Nothing else.
“Ink,I cannot for the life of me,think of something to paint” Nightmare admits,slumping back into his stool.
The artist halts for a second,looking over the defeated form of his boyfriend and begins to ponder with question marks forming in his eyes.Then he immediately perks up with a quick snap of his fingers,he bounces out the room to drag in a stool.
“Maybe you just need a little inspiration..” Ink adds as he sets the stool in place.
Nightmare rolls his singular eye,”like what?”
But before he could say anymore,Ink stripped off his shirt and flung it off somewhere quickly causing Nightmare to tense up with a burning bright blush across his features.
“INK, WHAT IN ASGORE’S NAME ARE YOU DOING?!!” Nightmare screamed.
“I’m your inspiration duh,ever heard of nude painting?” Ink explains,getting ready to undo his pants.
“In the name of all that is unholy I beg you to not take those off” He argues.
“But—“
“Don’t!”
“Okay okay,I guess it’ll be a half-nude painting” Ink grumbles out,setting himself down into the stool,casually posed,”ready now?”
Nightmare huffed out a half attempt at a response as he cleaned out his brush and began applying smaller brush strokes onto the canvas,trying to get the form right as the colors mixed and blended together,giving some depth to it.At first Nightmare was very hesitant that his piece would turn out well,he knew there was no way he could never capture the artist’s likeness.
Ink’s body was something he did admire,for such a tiny figure he was pretty damn flexible and could get out of things would much trouble,his hands were very dry and callous but quick and nimble for whatever craft project he was doing,Nightmare wished he had that sort of ability instead of being such a lumbering giant who often knocked things about with his tentacles.
Shaking himself out of those thoughts he looks on back to Ink,who was perfectly still on the stool,eyes close and with a small smile of content as if he was enjoying the silence the room brings.The light and bled in reflected off his ivory bones that were marked by the thick layer of tattoos and no matter where he looked,there was always a new pattern or design he’s never see before—it’s almost entertaining to see a new design on him.
The darker guardian’s mouth forms a focused frown as he slows down the brush and creates long strokes on the canvas,paint is getting on his goopy form but he pays no mind to it.Of course Ink can’t help but peep open his eye.
“Almost done?” He asked.
“Don’t rush me” Nightmare retorts back,”just keep still”
Ink hums back in response,closing his eye once more,”Alright just tell me when you’re done,my bones are cramping”
After a few more hours of painting,Nightmare finally sits back up,not entirely happy but he puts away the brush and looks over to Ink,seeing his poor bones rattle in ache.
“Alright,it’s ready” Nightmare informs,although quite hesitantly as he looks back at his work with a questionable look.
Ink immediately hops off and grabs his shirt,fumbling around with it out of pure excitement,”ooo can’t wait!”
When he managed to finally get a view of it—there was an attempt at least he could say.
Nightmare visibly deflated in his seat,”it’s pretty shit”
“What—no! Of course not,it’s just—the use of shading with black” Ink explains before looking down at the painting,”annnd that hands are pretty hard to draw”
“Ink,I really appreciate that you wanted me to try something new but painting is not for me” He admits defeat.
However Ink thinks for a moment,”maybe you’re right”
“I am?”
“Maybe painting isn’t you’re thing” Ink pauses for dramatic effect,”maybe its knitting or clay sculpting!—oh! We should try woodworking!”
As the artist continues to ramble on,Nightmare simply rolls his eye and chuckles slowly putting his arm around his shoulder and huddling him close,still admiring the amount of enthusiasm the other monster brings even if it drives him nuts sometimes.
“Do you think we should hang it up?” Nightmare suggested as he looked over to him.
He quickly halts his rambling,”Huh?—well yeah of course! Maybe in the hallway”
“Where my brother can see this monstrosity and question our relationship? Absolutely not” Nightmare playfully remarks,getting a chuckle from the artist.
“Okay okay,maybe the bedroom? Where only my eyes can see it” Ink replies as he nuzzles into the crook of the larger monster’s neck.
“It’s more acceptable,” He finally said.
That seemed to please the artist as he gave him a little smooch on the cheek and simply enjoying the other’s presence in the little art studio.
“I’m proud of you for trying” Ink softly mumbles out.
Nightmare gives a hum back,looking back on his first piece,suffice to say,he was proud of himself too.