An alternate universe in which Ruel and y/n are two struggling artists in Paris.

A/n: This one is long ma friends.

Ruel lets out a heavy-hearted sigh while picking up his paintings and walking ahead. Another day, and no one bought his paintings. The boy puts in a lot of effort, but maybe its not enough. Or that effort is too much? Does he need to let loose? His mind plays with his thoughts as he walks ahead, gripping his paintings tightly under his arm and his bag slinging on his shoulder. Ruel's hand fishes inside his pocket to pull out a few coins. That's all he has for his dinner for the day. Another day to eat stale food. He gets pulled out of his thoughts to hear a femme voice, begging to buy her paintings.

"Paintings, only a few dollars. Please buy."

Her voice cracks by the end of her statement. No one is looking at her. They just glance at her paintings, and then go on with their lives. Ruel realises she is struggling just like him. He crosses the road to go to her. Oh her paintings! Paintings depicting stories in art. Showcasing so many experiences at once by just a splash of color. Complicated abstract paintings, just like his.

"These are so pretty." He says to her, looking at the first painting. It has circles drawn on them. And within those circles, more circles are drawn.

The girl's eyes light up and she rushes to Ruel. "Please buy one. I'll be very grateful." She says, her eyes shining brighter than the lights of the city they are in - Paris.

Ruel sighs, shaking his head, a sorrowful look in his eyes. The girl's eyes lose all of their shine as they train down to Ruel's paintings.

"You paint too?" She asks and Ruel nods. He pulls the paintings from under his arm and shows them to her, making her gasp. "You are so good at this." She says, gazing at each painting intently.

"Thank you." Ruel smiles.

"I love this one." She points to a painting which has colors splashed all across the canvas. "It's like a speculation of someone's mind isn't it? Like a messy brain which can't keep anything organised."

Ruel smiles, nodding at her. "Yes, I made this as a depiction of my own brain." He says, chuckling. The girl laughs along with him.

"And you kept my brain in respect too." She laughs even more. "So, people aren't buying your paintings either?"

"No, they aren't. It's been months, and I've barely sold any painting. I don't know what I'm doing wrong just-" he aggresively runs his hand across his face, trying to let all of the reality settle in him, "I don't know what to do at this point."

"Same," she sighs, "I have been trying to sell paintings too, but no one wants them. Are they too complicated to understand?" Her eyes go down to her first painting; the one with the circles.

"What are you depicting in this painting?" Ruel asks thoughtfully.

"Well, each circle is like a never-ending abyss. A void. That void can be anything - a void of your thoughts, a void of your emotions, something which drowns you in it. But it doesn't have to be negative though, it can be a void of positivity. A void of things you love, like I love to paint, so it can be a void of paintings and brushes and what not." She smiles by the end of her explanation. Ruel looks at her, letting all of her words sink in him.

"It's so good. If I had money, I would buy this, but I'm a struggling artist like you." Ruel shows her his earning for the day. "This is what I have for dinner."

"I have this much." The girl shows him her own earning, which is equal to Ruel's. "What if we get dinner together? Maybe we can afford something better if we join our money together."

"Yes, I'd love that."

"Great! Let me just pick up my paintings."

The girl gathers her paintings with Ruel's help and soon both of them stumble down a bakery, able to buy a good loaf of bread for once. They sit down behind the wall of the bakery, relishing the tanned treat.

"Y/n is your name? It suits on you though." Ruel comments, his mouth full of bread.

"Thanks I guess," Y/n chuckles, "but I love your name. Ruel. R-u-e-l. Ruel. It's so unique. Are you sure it's your real name?"

"Yes y/n, it's my real name. It's a dutch name."

"Let me guess, your last name is Van Dijk?"

Ruel looks at her with an incredulous look on his face. Y/n bursts in a fit of laughter, while Ruel tries searching for the right words.

"How did you... how did you know that?" He asks, barely able to speak properly.

Y/n's laughter dies down as she collects herself and calms down. "It's the only dutch last name I know, and in my defence it's extremely common. I just guessed it, I didn't expect it to be true. Now when I know it is true, I can't stop laughing." With that y/n bursts in another fit of laughter, while Ruel chuckles and shakes his head at her.

"Where do you live?" Ruel asks, wiping the bread crumbs from his pants.

"Close by. It's a single room, with everything I possibly need. Not much, but that's what I get when my paintings don't sell." Y/n explains.

"Can I stay with you, I mean, I travelled to Paris alone, and I don't have any place to stay..." Ruel asks, his voice fading by the end of his statement, expecting a direct no from y/n. To his surprise, y/n nods at him.

"Of course," she says, "you can stay with me as long as you want. Let's go." Y/n gets up from the ground and lets her hand out for Ruel. He clutches onto it and pulls himself up. Their hands disconnect and they walk to y/n's home.

"How far is it?" Ruel groans, after walking for 10 minutes. "I can't walk this much."

"Come on dude, it's not that far. Only a few more minutes, I promise." Y/n replies, looking at Ruel. He just nods and continues to walk with her. Their steps clack against the cobblestoned street. Ruel's eyes go up to gaze around their surroundings. The lights from small shops and bakeries are shining, illuminating the roads and buildings. In the distance, the Eiffil Tower is glistening with bright lights, shining with all its might. And above, the stars are shining, complimenting the lights of the Eiffil Tower.

"It's all so pretty, isn't it?" Ruel remarks with a soft smile, the lights gleaming in his eyes. His gaze is still up at the sky.

"Yeah, I may not have a proper earning here, but I love living here. I see these lights everyday, but I don't think I'll ever get tired of them." Ruel's eyes turn down to look at her, the soft smile on his face becoming wider. Y/n looks back at him, smiling back at him.

They pretty soon reach y/n's home. She opens the small door and both of them enter inside. There is one bed in the centre, with a couch and an armchair on its right, a desk with a chair on its left, a door next to the desk leading to the bathroom and another door leading to the kitchen. There is an almirah with drawers, storing all of y/n's clothes. In front of the bed is y/n's painting equipment. There is an easel, along with numerous boxes full of paint tubes and bottles of various types. There are poster paints, acrylic paints, oil paints along with brushes of various types. An unfinished painting lays against the easel.

"Keep your stuff on the couch or armchair, or anywhere." Y/n says. "You can even stuff it in the almirah, I barely have anything in there."

"I think I'll keep it on the couch only." Ruel keeps his paintings along with his bag on the couch and sits down next to his stuff. Y/n quickly freshens up in the washroom and comes out in her pyjamas, while wiping her wet face with a towel.

"You can go too." She makes way for him, and Ruel walks inside with his clothes. He shuts the door and quickly changes and washes his face. He comes out and sees y/n arranging blankets on the couch. Ruel's stuff has been shifted on the armchair.

"So, I'll sleep on the couch and you can take the bed-"

"No y/n," Ruel cuts her off, "you live here and I'm the guest. I'll occupy the couch and you take the bed."

"But Ruel-"

"Not buts. You bed, me couch."

Before y/n can protest more, Ruel jumps on the couch and tucks himself under the blankets. Y/n sighs and lies on her bed, taking duvets over herself.

"Good night Ruel." She says, flicking the light off.

"Good night y/n." Ruel replies, shutting his eyes close and instantly falling to sleep.

+++

The sunlight falls in his eyes and Ruel squints them to block the blazing light. His green eyes slowly flutter open, but he instantly shuts them back when his golden hair falls in them. After brushing them out, he opens his eyes again, this time his vision clear. His head lays against a hard surface, and not the plushy couch. Confused, he pulls his head up to realise he's not on the couch, but on the floor.

"I must have fallen down from the couch." He mutters to himself while getting up and rubbing his eyes. He stands up from the floor and folds his blanket. Ruel turns his gaze around to y/n, who is sound asleep. Her mouth is slightly parted and soft snores are escaping her soft lips. Ruel can't help but smile at the sight as he walks to her and brushes her hair out of her eyes. He smiles even wider and walks inside the bathroom.

Y/n wakes up just as Ruel enters the bathroom. She sits up in her bed and notices Ruel's absence in the room, along with a blanket neatly folded on the couch. Just as y/n gets out of the bed, the bathroom door opens and Ruel walks out, looking fresh.

"Oh good morning." Ruel greets, walking to her and sitting next to her on the bed.

"Good morning." Y/n replies in a croaky voice, making Ruel chuckle.

"Anyways," Ruel gets up from the bed, "what do you have for breakfast?"

"I think there are some eggs in the fridge, I'm not really sure."

Ruel goes inside the kitchen and opens the fridge to indeed see three eggs in it.

"There are a few," He calls out, "I'll make some and you can freshen up."

Within few minutes, Ruel and y/n are sitting on each side of the small table in the kitchen, feasting on the, as y/n said, shockingly good eggs while chattering about their plans of the day.

"How about we try to sell paintings together today?" Ruel suggests.

"That could work maybe."Y/n replies, pondering on Ruel's statement. "I have honestly given up on the hope to sell any paintings. I don't know, I have been trying so hard and I barely sell anything."

"Don't give up," Ruel holds her hand, not knowing the effect it has on y/n, "I know how it feels, for I'm going through the same things. But don't give up. Your paintings are literally ethereal, and I don't know why, but I have this feeling that something good will happen today, and I always, always trust my gut."

Y/n smiles, her face burning cherry red. Ruel lifts his hand from hers and both of them continue eating their food. They soon finish it and walk out of y/n's home with another ray of hope in themselves. They sit at the same place as y/n used to with their paintings spread around them. Hours pass, and no one buys their paintings. Again.

"I knew it," Y/n sighs, blocking the blazing afternoon sunrays from her eyes, "I knew today would be another day of hopeless visions of selling paintings."

"Y/n, I am telling you something good will happen, why don't you believe me?" Ruel protests. Y/n ignores him and gets up from the ground and begins walking in the opposite direction. "Y/n!" Ruel calls out and runs up to her. He lightly grabs her left wrist and pulls her towards himselves, making her clash with his chest. Ruel keeps his grip firm, yet gentle, not wanting to let her go. Y/n's hands are gently placed against Ruel's chest.

"Y/n," Ruel mumbles, "have hope. Once. For me."

Y/n hesitantly nods at him. Ruel flashes a small smile and loosens his grip on her. She frees her arms from his hands and both of them walk back to their paintings. A man is standing there, inspecting the paintings and looking intrigued.

"Yes?" Ruel asks the man. He looks up from the painting he was looking at.

"This is very exquisite." He compliments, pointing at it. "Who made it?"

"I made it." Y/n speaks out. "I portrayed a never-ending abyss in it."

"It is stunning." The bearded man smiles, looking back at the circles on the canvas. He walks ahead, looking at the other paintings, not knowing the two artists behind him are grinning like crazy. "These are ethereal. I would like to buy all of these."

"WHAT?!" Ruel and y/n yell in unison, nothing but happiness on their faces.

"Yes," the man nods, "each painting. I will pay over 100 euros for each, because these deserve to be hanging in my art musuem."

"You have an art musuem?" Ruel questions.

"Yes, around the corner." He points to a large grey coloured building. Lots of paintings along with various visitors are visible through the windows of the museum. "So, can I buy these?"

"Yes of course!" Y/n hurriedly scurries towards her paintings and picks them up and hands them to him. Ruel does the same with his own paintings.

"The money you two deserve." He hands them two big bundles of euros. "I hope you two have a very bright future ahead." He smiles and walks away from the two, the paintings with him now. Ruel turns to look at y/n, who in pure happiness runs up to him. He picks her up and spins them around, letting out light laughs.

"I knew something good will happen today." He remarks, smiling ear to ear after he stopped spinning.

"Thank you for putting hope in me." Y/n smiles, leaning her forehead against Ruel's.

"Anything for you."

Author's Note

I love abstract art and trying to make out what it means. I don't paint, but I love seeing paintings, for someone very significant in my life loves to paint.

Anyways, please please vote and comment. I see my views are rising like crazy, which I'm grateful for, but my votes aren't. I am working very hard on these to make these imagines unique, so please vote.

The quote up is my literal motto.

Q: Which AU has been your favorite until now? I love this one so much.

Q: And, do you want to write a harry potter AU or a divergent AU or both?

With love through health and sickness
Keziah