Angel and Island

Seraphina thought it was time to confess... but not in a way anyone would expect...

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Angel and Island

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--(=^•x•^=)--

Seraphina was stumped. She had it all prepared- the brushes, the paints, the easel, and her mind. With all of these materials prepared, she could not fathom how she could not paint anything. Even a little flower. It was killing her. Mentally, of course. The red-head slumped down onto her chair and groaned out loud. She took of the scrunchie and let her wild, bushy hair free.

"What can I do?" she moaned. "There's only two days before the deadline… and I haven't been able to start painting!"

"Well, for starters, you aren't doing it right."

Seraphina growled and threw the brush on her hand at Rhoderick, who snickered even after being thrown with art materials. He picked them up and placed it at the table. "Careful, or you might break them. These things are expensive, you know?"

"Shut up Rhode! And let me remind you that my parents can literally buy you!"

"Alright, so do I get a cat bed, or do I sleep with you? Niaow, niaow?"

"I'm warning you."

He raised his hand up. "Sorry… I can't help but tease you even for a bit."

Seraphina groaned even more. "That wasn't a bit, and even you know it."

"Ooh, a rhyme."

She mentally stopped herself from getting provoked and took several deep breaths. Not only was she having an artistic block, but was also stuck with Rhoderick, an old friend and apparent rival for the Great Cymric Boulevard's Annual Art Contest. The winner would be given a special treat, and because it is the Christmas Season, the top prize would be a getaway to The Bahamas. Seraphina knew it would be her only chance to get out of work, and took the chance to . Unfortunately for her, Rhode had also participated in the contest.

And that brings them here.

"Don't you have to paint something as well?"

"Nah, I'm done!"

Evidently surprised, Seraphina replied with a keen interest, "How? The theme was just announced two days ago! How… how are you able to finish your work in a short span of time?"

Rhoderick stared at her, not amused by her. "Don't tell me you forgot that my living expenses are covered by my art."

"Oh, right…"

Unlike Rhoderick, who was able to study under the several artists, she was stuck working in one of her parent's shop, Akita Pagoda, a jewellery shop. Not that she was ungrateful for it, no, but still, it was her dream to become an artist.

Seraphina looked at Rhoderick and smiled. She could never really hate him. He was there when she won her first art competition. It was a close fight, but she won in the end.

"Your eyes are really green. Like springtime."

Rhoderick's eyes widened. "I-uh, I don't know how to answer that. Sera, I really, really don't know how to answer that."

"Oh, you weak willed sponge! I just said that the colour of your eyes are really beautiful!"

"Ah. Okay… I guess?"

And with that, something sparked within Seraphina.

"Well then," she rolled up the sleeves of her cardigan and tied her hair back to a ponytail. "Gimme my brushes. I think I know what to paint now."

"What?" he walked towards her and hand the brushes. "What did you think of for this year'a theme?"

Seraphina smirked and grabbed the brushes. "A secret, of course. I can't have you changing your work of art when you hear mine."

--(=^•x•^=)--

"Only one day left," Seraphina whispered to herself. The painting, in her opinion, would be the best out of all that she had painted. It was her magnum opus. Her chef d'oeuvre.

"Hey~"

She looked up her easel and frowned. "I thought I locked my room. What are you doing here?"

Rhoderick shrugged. "I got bored, but hey, check this out!"

Out from his jumper, he pulled out a plastic mistletoe. He made a cute smirk and explained when Seraphina raised a brow from confusion, "You see, Damien said he's gonna use it for his boyfriend when they see each other later… so I took it and ran."

"You took it… then ran," Seraphina said, flabbergasted. "You chose this place, of all possible places in Little Cymric Lane, to hide?"

"Yup."

"Yup? Rhode, you go back to Damien and give that mistletoe back before he beat you down to a bloody pulp!"

"What? Why?" Rhoderick looked at her with pleading eyes. "Can't I have fun just this once? I mean, he already said he forgot to use it before. What makes you say he'll it now?"

"Do it now, Rhode. And go away! I'm busy. Why… why don't you man the shop if you're here then?"

"But the shop's closed," he explained.

"Exactly."

Rhoderick slowly moved towards her and tried to take a peak at her work. "And I really want to see what you've came up with. It's really bugging me since yesterday."

"I'm on my off day, so you-" she poked at his chest-"aren't supposed to be here. Now off you go!"

Dejected, he let out a whimper and a pout. "Sera..? Can't I play with you?"

Seraphina gritted her teeth before she ultimately put the brushes down and calmly said, "I'll play with you or whatever after I'm done, okay?"

In an instant, his face lit up like a thousand lights and nodded. "Alright! I'll be waiting for you!"

"Wait for me… outside. Maybe at Munchkin Time Café?"

"Deal," he said. "I'm going to get us a table now, so don't be late, you hear?"

Rather than to make use of the time to think about her painting, Seraphina stayed true to her promise. In fact, as soon as she had finished her work, she got ready in an instant and braved the cold Winter's breath until she had reached the coffee shop.

She pushed the door and saw Rhoderick, lying his head on the table, sleeping.

"Sera, hi!"

She turned around and saw her friend, Adelaide, who was in charge of the cash .

"Oh, Addie! Hi!"

The blonde smiled. "He's been waiting for you since… well, since he got here. To be honest, he's a lot to put up with."

"Really? What has he done now?"

"He ordered up the sweetest item he have right now."

Seraphina rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, sugar rush?"

"And sugar crash," Adelaide added. "But to be fair, he's quiet now."

Seraphina sighed before she order up her drink, the limited-edition Munchkin Hot Choco, then sat in front of Rhoderick. He was too calm, but she knew from experience not to make a big deal out of it.

As per usual, there was only a scant amount of customers in Munchkin Time Café. Seraphina, however, was busy drawing a sketch of Rhoderick to even notice that.

"Why did you come to me all of the sudden?" she asked when he groggily lifted his head up.

"Hm?"

"Rhode, I know you. In fact, we've known each other since we were kids. So tell me what's wrong."

"What?" he eyed at her sketchbook before he looked up to meet her gaze. "No, there's nothing wrong with me. I just wanna hang out with my best friend! Is that wrong?"

"Of course not, but you seemed… pushy."

"Pushy?"

The red-head nodded. "Yeah, pushy. Ever since the contest started, you've been coming to the shop every once in a while."

He gave her a smirk. "I'm just looking out for the competition."

"So you're insecure about losing to me this time?" she rebutted.

"Something like that. So, how are your parents?"

The red-haired artist giggled. Rhoderick was not one to stay on one topic for so long. "Well, my mum and dad…"

--(=^•x•^=)--

The three artists, hand-picked by the curator of Maltese Art Gallery, were standing on stage with a small crowd before them. Seraphina and Rhoderick stood side by side, waiting for the events to proceed.

"Out of all the artwork I've seen, I believe that these five talented individuals were the most outstanding!" Kyrie Alençon, the curator, spoke through the microphone. "Let us first start with the theme of this year's Art Contest- 'Love lost to the eyes of the beholder'. Let us begin with… Aspen Haverford!"

However, they were all greeted by a sleeping brunet. It was a surprise to some that he was able to sleep while standing up.

"Make way! Coming through!" Damien got up to the stage and picked up his sleeping boyfriend. "Might was well disqualify him… he won't be able to answer your questions for a while."

And with that, their numbers were reduced to two- Seraphina and Rhoderick.

"Well," Kyrie caught back their attention, "I guess we now know who's in third place… anyway, I give you the next artist to present their work, Rhoderick Proulx! Would you please unveil your masterpiece to the crowd?"

Rhoderick nodded and took off the cloth that covered his piece.

The whole crowd looked at it in awe, enamoured by its mystifying beauty. The painting was truly a beau. On its centre, at the peak of the rocky cliff, was a long haired woman who had her arms in prayer and face looking up to the sky with her eyes closed. It was storming, and yet, she was there, still and praying. Her long white dress, in tatters, and her feet were bloodied. Nonetheless, they saw how peaceful her face was.

"Could you please state its name, your work of art?"

"I call it, the Lonely Seraph," he said.

"And how does it relate to the theme?"

"Well, this divine beauty you see here… is the love of my life…"

Seraphina felt her heart stopped beating. Love of his life? Rhode?

"As you all can see, even if she's in pain, even if she's hurt, she still looks up to the Heavens, praying," he explained. "And it makes me love her, knowing that she could still pray even in the hardest times. Truth be told, she was a friend of mine… and as we grew up, we became the best of friends. That is, until I felt like… like I'm in love with her…"

"Oh," Kyrie grinned before he jokingly added, "And who could that mystery person be?"

"She's standing beside me," Rhoderick replied.

It was then that the world seemed to stop. Silence reigned over the crowd as they all looked at the other contestant with wide eyes. The curator himself even looked flabbergasted at the string of events.

"Oh… my… god…" Seraphina mumbled to herself.

"Aw, is Sera too stunned to speak louder?"

She regained her senses and punched Rhoderick's arm. "You idiot! You didn't tell me that!"

"And ruin the surprise? Nu-uh."

The curator found his voice and spoke out loud, "Well, that was an unexpected twist in events, am I right? So, let's give him a round of applause!"

The crowd cheered in delight as they clapped for Rhoderick and his painting.

"Now, for our next artist, please give your attention to Seraphina Nightingale!"

The red-head took deep breaths and calmed herself down. She slowly reached out for the covering, and pulled it away.

Similar to their reaction with Rhoderick's art, they were stunned to a silence at the unveiled painting before them.

It was a landscape portrait, of a land that stretches far, and the waves of the water crashing through the earthen wall. Several buildings decorated the land, but the most eye-catching was a familiar looking man at the foreground.

"Hey, it looks a lot like-"

"I called it, Beautiful Sight In My Mind."

-"me," Rhoderick said.

Kyrie looked at the two contestants alternatingly before he shrugged it off. "So, can you tell us about this painting and how it can relate to the theme?"

"Well," she began, "this painting was inspired by one of the well-known attraction in Newport, Rhode Island… and it was so beautiful and lovely. But, what makes this place even more beautiful, was that I was there with my long time friend… and the one I'm pining for years, Rhoderick…"

"Well, isn't this one roller-coaster of a ride, don't you think folks?"

The crowd laughed and cheered for Kyrie as he stole the spotlight.

"Luckily, I had taken the liberty of speaking with our judge!"

Bewildered, everyone looked around them for the supposed judge.

"Ahem," he coughed to the microphone, "our judge is actually at the back of the stage."

The two contestants, surprised, looked behind them and was speechless at who came out.

"Hello everyone, Brooklyn here, and I'm this year's judge for the Great Cymric Boulevard's Annual Art Contest," he explained with a smile. "I heard of your explanations as to why each of you painted your piece… and since our very own curator chose you for the appearances, it's my turn to choose one of you for your explanation."

The white haired man looked at the crowd, then at the two contestants. "I listened well to each of you. I know that you both worked hard on your art, but only one would be declared a winner.

"And I believe, in my neutral standing, that the winner of this year's contest is…

--(=^•x•^=)--

I've done it~

I'm exhausted~ :scream_cat:

But worth every time spent~

#CMCHEARTWARMINGCHALLENGE