How about the prompt “Please stop rolling your shirt sleeves up, it’s terribly distracting” with Mazlek?
Rami had a hidden talent only a small iota of people knew about. While he was a talented actor, that was hardly hidden. He could play the piano fairly well, though he considered that to be more of a learned skill than a talent. What most people didn’t know was that he had a small studio to himself, one covered in bed sheets over the floor, the smell of wood and canvas heavy the air, displays of acrylic and watercolor all over the room in pops of color that seemed to jump out to each person who was lucky enough to be let inside beyond the closed door. It was here that Rami only let in people he trusted, let them see a side of him so very few people were allowed, and for good reason. He didn’t need this part of him exploited, be found out to the press and constantly hounded about this. This was private, a secret that was just for him. As much as he loved acting, as it fed his soul, it also drained him in more ways he liked to admit. This was where he came to rejuvenate.
Rami could paint.
He enjoyed the process, enjoyed that it was something that forced him to take his time, something he couldn’t rush. Painting forced his brain to slow down, take in the fact that each new creation was something that had to be done in steps, a methodical process that stemmed from patience and consistency. It cleared his head and he loved knowing that each new blank canvas was a new opportunity. It wasn’t uncommon to find him in the space, dressed in a ratty t-shirt and old college sweatpants, painting knives in hand, working a new canvas while three other ones that were ongoing works in progress were off to the side. Music was a constant companion, having different playlists to get his head in the zone and stay there while he worked, which added to the overall feeling.
He was humming along to Queens of the Stone Age when Sami poked his head in. “Hey, Ram?” And he whistled when he spotted one of the canvases off to the side. “Wow. Is there anything you’re bad at?”
“Instagram, as we all know.”
“You’re not awful at it, you just hate it.”
“It creeps me out.”
“You’re so weird.”
“So we’ve established, but being weird has gotten me this far.” Rami grinned and reached for one of the face towels he used as a paint rag. “Can I help you?”
Sami was still admiring the unfinished painting. “It’s beautiful.” He looked up. “Yeah, Joe is on his way up.”
Rami nodded his thanks, glancing at the painting Sami was enamored with. “Thanks...I’m not sure what it’ll be yet, though I have an idea. Some of them are so clear in my head and others are less so.”
“How do you know when you’re finished?”
“I don’t. Some of them are forever works in progress.”
Sami hummed. “That’s a fitting metaphor for a lot of things, isn’t it? Well, if you do ever decide this one is finished, let me know. I’d love to see it.”
Rami beamed. “Course.”
Sami clapped his shoulder. “I’ll leave you be, won’t want to mess up your sanctuary for too long.” He shot Rami a teasing grin, who laughed.
“Oh shut up.”
Sami grinned again before he slipped out, and Rami could hear him greeting Joe with a friendly “sup, Mazzello?” And he smiled. He loved that his twin and boyfriend got along. He wouldn’t have known what to do if Sami hadn’t approved of Joe.
“Hey, you” Joe smiled, stepping inside and closing the door. He wrapped his arms around Rami’s waist, kissing him lightly. “How’s it going in here?”
“Great, better now,” Rami smiled. “Missed you.”
“I missed you too,” Joe said, taking a seat on the spare chair in the room, one of the few that wasn’t covered in paintings. “Whatcha working on?”
“Something new,” Rami hummed thoughtfully. “For mom, probably.”
Joe cooed. “That’s so sweet, she’ll love it.”
“There was a smile in Rami’s voice as he turned back to work. “I hope so.”
Joe sat back and watched as Rami started up again, taking in his boyfriend. He loved seeing Rami like this, knowing how he truly was one of the few who got to do so. He was dressed in normal clothes today, trousers and a button down shirt, rather than the usual old sweats, sleeves rolled up at his elbows and Joe sighed.
Rami didn’t turn around. “What is it?”
Joe sighed again, a long suffering expression on his face. “Can you please stop rolling your sleeves up like that? It’s terribly distracting.”
Rami grinned slyly. “Oh, is it?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry for your pain,” Rami said dryly.
“You should be. Do you have any idea how hard it is to focus on anything with you looking like that?”
Rami looked down at what he was wearing in amusement. “Good to know you think I look good in a stained apron.”
“You look good in anything, you know that. Especially with your rolled up sleeves. What happened to the oversized shirts and sweatpants?”
Rami shrugged. “Didn’t feel like changing today, I had an interview earlier.” He looked back at Joe over his shoulder, smirking. “Why, should I change? Would you prefer I went shirtless?”
Joe’s mouth went dry as the image of Rami painting, shirtless with his muscles on full display entered his mind. “Yes. Change of plans, please, please do that.” Rami laughed, a sound filled with mirth. “I won’t have to be distracted by your forearms if I’m distracted by your whole torso instead.”
“If I took my shirt off, you wouldn’t let me work,” Rami said in amusement, dipping the knife in the burgundy paint. “You can deal with my forearms and rolled up sleeves for the time being.”
“Babe,” Joe whined, and Rami rolled his eyes. “I would let you work! It would just be a..different kind of work.” He grinned when Rami burst out laughing, now smearing the paint in even strokes on the canvas. “C’mon, what do you say you take a break?”
Rami sighed, it was his turn to have a long suffering expression on his face. “Why did I let you in here?”
“Because you love me.”
Rami beamed and softened. “I do.”
“And because you love me, you’ll take a break?” Joe extended his hand out for Rami to take and Rami watched him before he sighed and slipped out of the apron, putting the painting supplies down before straddling Joe’s lap.
“You’re incorrigible.”
“Yet we’ve established you love me.” Joe kissed him then, pulling Rami close before he stopped to unbutton Rami’s shirt, making quick work of it and helping Rami slip out of it. He ran his hands over Rami’s shoulders, feeling the muscles there before moving further down to Rami’s biceps. “Yeah, this was a bad idea.”
“And whose fault is that?”
“Clearly yours for being so damn attractive.”
Rami blushed. “Your idea though, claiming I was distracting you. We’ve always known you’ve had poor judgement.”
“Rude,” Joe said without any heat behind it, and he kissed Rami again, molding the kiss into some more until they were making out, soft moans against each other’s lips. “And you are distracting me now...but I like this outcome much more.”
“Me too,” Rami murmured, and he kissed Joe again, languid and sweet. “I am glad you’re here. Even if you don’t let me work.”
Joe chuckled. “You are working, it’s just a different creative license.”
Rami snorted. “Oh is that so?”
“Yes, completely” Joe quipped. “Wouldn’t your other talents to go to waste, you know. I’m only looking out for your well-being.” And he grinned when Rami started giggling again, leaning his head on Joe’s shoulder, and Joe played with his curls, tugging gently.
“I can’t believe you.”
“You can. You signed for this after all.”
“I did! That’s true.”
“Because you love me.”
Rami sat up, staring at Joe with a soft expression. “I do.”
Joe leaned in for another kiss. “I know this was a joke but one of these days I really do want to see you paint shirtless. It would be so hot.”
Rami smirked. “Noted. That’s for another day, though. What were you saying about looking out for my other talents?”
Joe kisses him fiercely. “We can’t lose those. That would be a travesty.”
“Certainly so. Painting can wait, I suppose.”
“It better,” Joe pulled him more firmly into his lap. “Because I have other plans now.”
“Before you do,” Sami suddenly interrupted, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, an exasperated look on his face. “Learn to close the fucking door, will you? I don’t need to be eating and seeing you two sucking each other’s faces off while I do. Good god. Did you not eat lunch?” And he left as abruptly as he came, closing the door as he did, but not before he peeked in again. “Also, dont fuck with all those paint fumes around. That’s a bad call, and I know you two aren’t that stupid.”
He left again and Rami laughed in mortification, burying his face in Joe’s chest as he called out, “sorry Sami!”
“No, you’re not!”
“I’m really not,” Joe said in amusement.
Rami swatted his shoulder. “Joe!”
Joe giggled. “It’s your fault. You and your rolled up sleeves and those damn sexy forearms.”
Rami kissed him. “Next time I’m doing it on purpose. And you’ll be left to suffer with it.”
Joe smiled, kissing back. “That’s fine by me.”
“Hmm. Thought so.”
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