The serpent stays quiet.
He’s wearing a white robe. Hair slightly damp like he just showered. Completely comfortable. Professional. This is just his job. He does this all the time.
I want to die.
He nods at Margot. Steps onto the platform.
And drops the robe.
Just like that.
Casual. Easy. Like he’s taking off a coat, not exposing his entire naked body to a room full of strangers with paintbrushes.
I immediately look at my easel. At the blank canvas. At literally anything else.
“Oh my god,” I whisper to Alex.
“What?” She’s already sketching. Actual sketching. Light pencil strokes. Confident. Like she does this every day.
“He’s posing with his dick out.”
“That’s generally how nude modeling works, yes.”
“I hate you.”
“You love me.” She doesn’t even look up. Just keeps sketching. Her tongue sticks out slightly in concentration. That thing she does when she’s focused. I’ve seen that face a thousand times—over tarot cards, over murder boards, over her laptop screen.
Never thought I’d see it while she’s drawing a dick.
“Alright everyone,” Margot says, walking around the circle. “Let’s begin with a five-minute warm-up pose. Darling, if you could—yes, perfect. Notice the line of the spine. The weight distribution. The energy moving through the body.”
I peek around my easel.
He’s sitting on the chair. One leg extended. Arm resting on his knee. Very classical. Very I’m a Greek statue but alive.
Very naked.
I look back at my canvas.
Then peek around the easel again.
His face is turned slightly away. Strong jaw. That hair falling just right. If he were wearing clothes, I’d probably think he was attractive in a distant, objective way.
But he’s not wearing clothes.
And I’m supposed to draw him.
I grab my pencil. Try to sketch something. Anything.
Maybe I’ll start with the chair. The chair is safe. The chair is not naked.
I draw the chair.
It looks like a drunk rectangle.
“Beautiful work, everyone!” Margot is circulating. Getting closer to my side of the room. “Remember, we’re not aiming for photorealism. We’re capturing essence.”
Good. Because there’s no danger of me achieving photorealism.
