Falling for you - Qinter Fic

21.Painting

Winter lay in bed, his polar bear blanket draped loosely over his hindquarters.He was thinking, but finally not about Sundrop.She was gone, and he just had to accept that.

He was thinking about Qibli, and Bandit, and Moon.Now that he didn't have to run around playing mother, he could finally think about school.

He hadn't had any time to do anything with Bandit other than feed him, so it was time to let him go.The poor scavenger was miserable, sitting in his tiny cage 24 hours a day every day.

Slipping out of his bed, he glanced at Qibli, who was snoring slightly, his back to Winter.He had his wing draped over himself like a blanket, and his tail curled up around himself.

He's so pretty.

Why can't I be more like him?

Everyone likes Qibli.

He shook his head, creeping over to Bandit's cage.He opened it up and grasped the frightened scavenger, dropping him in the pouch around his neck.He snapped it shut and headed out of the room, hurrying past the rooms of sleeping dragonets.

He still had a while before school started.If he was fast, he wouldn't be late.As he ran outside, he flared his wings and leapt into the sky, beating his wings as fast as they would go.
He headed down toward the forestry, but not close enough that he'd be found by any dragonets hunting from school.

Once he landed in a good looking spot, he pulled Bandit out of the pouch and lifted him in the air. "Bandit, I am so sorry I couldn't take better care of you.
I do love you, and I want you to live a good, long life.Please take care? I hope I'll see you again somehow."

Bandit let out a series of gibberish words, and when Winter set him down, he ran a little ways, then turned and waved.Winter understood that, and waved back, smiling for real.

Goodbye forever.

***
Winter slipped into art class a moment too late, and the teacher, Splatters, glanced at him. "You're late, Winter."
She pointed out, although it was obvious.Like, clearly he was....

"So? Just by a few seconds, and I'm here now, aren't I?"Winter snapped, seating himself in front of an empty canvas which just so happened to be right beside Qibli.What luck!

Splatters huffed but didn't say any more about that. "Okay, so today, we are going to be drawing our favourite thing in the world.It could be a food, a nature thing, a item you brought with you from your home, your family, even yourself doing an activity, such as swimming or sleeping or something.
I want you to express yourself."

Kinkajou immediately began dipping her paintbrush in colours, then swiping it across her canvas.She looked like she knew what she was doing, but her talons were everywhere.

Can't wait to see what mess Kinkajou made.

Winter mentally punished himself for thinking bad things about his friend.

He dipped his paintbrush in black, then started.Then he used some beige, then some dark blue, then a little bit of light pink, then some more black, then some white and dark brown....

He glanced over and saw Moon not really focused.She kept glancing at everyone, then trying to paint again.

I have to talk to her.There is something she is not telling us.

After a half hour passed, and Winter finished adding the finishing touches, Splatters called the painting to a close.
"Now, I will call your name and you will flip your canvas and explain what it is that you drew.Okay? Carnelian."

Carnelian grumbled, but flipped hers around to show everyone.It was...definitely a sight. "This is me standing triumphant over my enemy's dead body.See all the blood?"

Yeah.And it's disturbing.

"Oh- dear.Wow, that's, ummm, beautiful! Thank you, Carnelian.
Umber, you next?"Splatters laughed nervously, eyeing the painting again.

Umber flipped his over. "Mine is a table full of food.Yummy..."he blushed slightly when Qibli grinned at him, and Winter felt a sudden spark of anger toward the small MudWing.

"Good job, Umber! Kinkajou?"

Kinkajou flipped hers.It was a messy ball of color, with every single color of the rainbow and then some.Black and brown were mixed in, too, creating....something unique.
"This is my Winglet!"Kinkajou grinned proudly.

"Wow, amazing work, Kinkajou."
Splatters smiled. "Turtle?"

Turtle turned his over. "Umm, I know you were probably expecting me to draw a turtle, but I didn't.I actually drew a scroll."he smiled lightly.
The scroll actually looked really good.

"Woah, that's incredible."Splatters nodded approvingly. "Good job!
Moonwatcher?"

Moon turned hers hesitatingly.
"Uhhh, mine is a moon.I just drew me in bottom watching it.You know, because my name is moon watcher."

"It looks lovely, Moon."Splatters nodded. "Winter?"

Winter sighed, flipping his over.
"This is my scavenger.Well, WAS my scavenger.He's gone now.I let him go."

Qibli sent him a sympathetic look, mouthing, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine."he mouthed back, turning his attention back to Splatters.

"Okay, last but definitely not least, Qibli?"Splatters smiled warmly at him.

Qibli grinned toothily, turning his over.
Winter immediately flushed a dark blue.It was a picture of him.
Qibli had painted a picture of his favourite thing, and it had been him.

"This is a picture of my boyfriend."
Qibli grinned smugly at Winter's flustered look. "Isn't he beautiful?"

"It looks very nice, well done, Qibli!"
Splatters clapped.

"Now, come back here at the end of the day and collect your paintings.You can either give them to a friend as a gift, or keep them in your rooms.Just please, don't get rid of them.Even you, Carnelian.Art had a special place in my heart, and I deeply hope it does for you, too."she smiled, dismissing them.

Winter walked down the hall beside Qibli, heading for their last class of the day. "Why'd you paint me, Qibs? It made me feel a bit guilty that I didn't paint you.And I don't look that shiny, do I?"Winter snorted in amusement.

"I painted you because I love you,"Qibli smiled. "And don't worry, I wasn't expecting you to paint me back. Maybe next time.And you are literally the definition of sparkly.You're the sparkliest dragon in the whole school."

Winter nudged him affectionately with his shoulder. "You're so stupid."

"Yeah, but you like it, because it makes you look super smart."Qibli grinned.

"True.I don't want everyone assuming you're smarter.Because you are not."
Winter felt himself smiling.

"I'm going to hang your picture right by my head.So you'll always be close when I sleep.Because you still won't sleep me with."Qibli rolled his eyes.

"One, that's creepy, and two, I don't sleep with you because you're a crazy sleeper.You'd kick me off the bed than roll off and land on me."Winter shot him a pointed look.

"Okay, true....but...can't you sleep with me tonight? I'm lonely at night without Sundrop to sleep with me."Qibli pouted.

"Fine.But Sundrop wasn't even supposed to be sleeping with you.
She had her own crib."Winter snorted.

Just then Winter remembered he had to speak with Moon.

Tomorrow....

I'll talk to her tomorrow.