studio 16

by chronicallydnp

Summary:

The brown-haired girl to her left gives her a small wave as she walks over,

“Hi! I’m Dani. I guess we’ll be next to each other for this class then?”

“Yes! Uhm.” Fi falters, feeling the heat rushing to her cheeks. Wow, one pretty girl speaks to her and she’s already made it awkward. “I’m Fi. Well, Fiona, technically, but my friends call me Fi.”

-

phyuri art school au! they're girls and they're artists and they're in love

Notes:

started writing this ages ago and then forgot about it but I'm finishing it I'm doing it!!

kinda set in 2025 because of the phlonde but they're also uni age don't question it

also I've never been to art school so I'm sorry if this is totally inaccurate

Chapter 1

Fi stands awkwardly, shuffling from foot to foot, one hand tucked into her jean’s pockets at an odd angle and the other playing with the key chains dangling from her waistband. She looks around her at the crowds of students waving goodbye to their parents and giving them one last hug as they promise to keep in contact, feeling distinctly out of place. She’s three or four years older than most of the others here, having spent a few years in and out of shitty retail jobs not knowing what to do with herself after leaving school. Her height doesn’t help; she stands at least a head taller than most of the crowd, able to see the growing roots of many different colours of hair. She shifts her weight to the other foot again. She had deliberately picked out an outfit this morning that made her feel like herself, in an attempt to keep calm. Her red and black jacket, with a white baby tee underneath adorned with a picture of a sad dog, and oversized jeans. Relax, Fi. She whispers to herself. This is going to be good.

She weaves her way through the packs of people to the entrance of one of the imposing buildings, accidently elbowing a few of them in the process. Digging her phone out of her pocket, she double checks the email she’d been sent the night before. Studio 16. Fi mutters the number over and over again, determined not to get lost on the first day.

When she finally finds and opens the door marked ‘Studio 16’, a confident voice meets her ears,

“So!” The professor claps. He has long hair and sports faded overalls smeared with old paint stains. “This will be your work space for the coming term. Make as much mess as you like as long as you don’t start any fires.” He catches Fi’s eye as she scrambles to join the rest of the class, and winks. She just smiles back awkwardly, hovering at the edge of the group of teenagers.

“Just to get us warmed up and familiar with the space, your first assignment will be a self portrait. Use whatever type of paint you prefer and go wild with it!” He moves his hands enthusiastically as he talks and Fi is struck by how refreshing it is to see a teacher with some passion.
All her secondary school teachers had carried the same worn out energy and thinly-veiled hatred for their profession that only made the kids less interested in anything they had to learn. Needless to say, Fi had hated school. A queer, artsy kid forced into the shackles of public education? There wasn’t any other possible outcome. But this is her second chance, she reminds herself, this is where she can thrive. She forces herself out of her thoughts to see the group of her fellow students dissipating into separate corners of the large, open room. She heads for her own designated workspace, an easel and canvas already waiting for her.

The brown-haired girl to her left gives her a small wave as she walks over,

“Hi! I’m Dani. I guess we’ll be next to each other for this class then?”

“Yes! Uhm.” Fi falters, feeling the heat rushing to her cheeks. Wow, one pretty girl speaks to her and she’s already made it awkward. “I’m Fi. Well, Fiona, technically, but my friends call me Fi.”

‘Dani’ was pulling tubes of acrylic paint out of a satchel and setting them on her side of a wooden table that sat in between their two easels.

“Well, we’ll see if I earn that honour then shall we?” The girl replies with a smirk.

Fi’s eyes stray to the dimple at the side of her mouth, noticing how two freckles beside it made it look like a smiley face, and then wondering why that caught her attention.

“I guess we will.”

They exchange no more words for the rest of the 4 hour painting class, but Fi can’t help but sneak glances at her as she works. She has gorgeous, curly hair which she scraps up into a messy ponytail about an hour in. Somehow Fi likes that even more. There’s something about the few strands of rich brown hair that fall out, framing Dani’s tanned face, that captivates her. She found herself more than once wishing she was painting this Dani person rather than herself.
Fi had technically finished up her piece a while before the allotted class time came to a close but she kept tweaking it; not quite satisfied by the shape of her nose, the colours of her eyes, the way the hair came out. She isn’t usually much of a perfectionist, generally preferring a messier outcome to her art but for whatever reason she is determined to impress Dani.

When the clock ticks past 6pm the rest of the students begin to pack up their materials but Fi lingers back, not wanting to return to her dingy flat shared with shitty roommates just yet.
She rests against her stool, still staring at her painting and chewing on her lip.

“That looks really nice!” Fi jumps out of her skin and whips her head round at Dani’s soft voice.

“Thanks!! So does yours. It's… beautiful.” Fi’s awe is barely concealed behind the bland statement. It really is beautiful.

Dani grins, looking away, “I’ll see you next class?”

“Yeah, yeah cya!” Fi feels her tongue slip out between her teeth as she gives Dani a goodbye smile. She watches her leave before finally grabbing her stuff and following her out. There’s a distinct spring to her step that replaces the anxious stumbling of earlier in the day. It carries her all the way back to her building, up the piss-stained staircase, past her roommates drinking in the lounge, and right up until she relaxes back into the safety of her mattress.

Maybe this really is a fresh start.

She looks around her small room with a new set of eyes. The walls are adorned with buffy posters and various house plants and knick knacks are squeezed onto the desk. It had always felt more like a prison than anything but she did her best to make it seem cosy. She’d moved in here 2 years ago when she was working at a stationary store. Back then she’d seen it as a temporary solution until she could get her own place but it didn’t seem like that was happening any time soon. She sighs, body sinking further down into the green and blue bedding. It wasn’t all that bad. The rent could be much worse and at least she wasn’t living at home anymore, being pestered about when she was going to find a boyfriend every other day. She drifts off to sleep to the comforting thoughts of the distance between her and her home town, and Dani’s caramel coloured skin.

She doesn’t have a painting class for the next two days. They pass in a haze of anxiety, ice breakers and work and Fi already misses Dani’s smile more than she’d like to admit. The lectures are fascinating even though she sits alone. They're primarily introductions to the course and what they're expected to produce throughout the next year. Adjusting to the routine of dragging herself up in the mornings to do something she actually enjoys is confusing to Fi. She'd spent the last few years a bit of a mess. Fresh out of sixth form she wasn't sure what to do next, mucking around in boring jobs and making shitty horror films with her mates, until her dad suggested pursuing her passion for art. He himself is an incredibly talented fine artist, and she'd always admired that about him despite their slight disagreements on... other topics. He helped her out on making a portfolio for a few months and here she is.

 

Thursday is their first critique in Fi’s painting class. She sits and watches her classmates show their self portraits while others comment criticisms and compliments. When it's Dani’s turn, she perks up, blue eyes rapt. Dani stands awkwardly, legs crossed and eyes directed at the ground,

“So this is me. I used acrylic as is… probably obvious. Um yeah, nothing special.”

“Nonsense!” Their professor booms, “This is incredible! To get such strong values and definition in such little time is really impressive Danielle. I look forward to seeing your work.”

Dani’s cheeks flush and she gives a genuine, bashful smile. When she looks up, she catches Fi staring, and they hold eye contact for a few seconds before Fi reminds herself to look away.

“Alright class, what do we have to add about this piece?”

Fi sits up straighter, “I really like the way you've painted the hair.” She says, "The highlights and shadows are so strong it makes the curls look very realistic.”

Unable to keep her eyes off Dani’s face, she looks back to see her mouthing the words ‘thank you’ across the class to her.

Critique continues like that for a further half hour. Fi receives largely positive feedback that has her bursting with pride. Dani’s comment about how much she loves the expressiveness of her strokes has her unable to keep a grin from bursting across her face. She couldn't help but notice Dani shooting daggers at one boy who said it ‘looked a bit overworked’ and she smiled to herself.

As they collect their belongings, Fi reaches across the table to pick up her space themed rucksack and her fingers brush against Dani’s. A tingly feeling spreads up her hand like a pleasant sort of electric shock.

“Thanks, by the way. For what you said.” Fi’s words tumble out in a rush.

“Of course! You too.” They share a smile and walk out together in silence, parting at the door. Fi is reluctant to wash her hands later, unwilling to clean off Dani’s touch like a 10 year old fan girl.

 

When Fi wakes up the next day she already knows it will be a bad head day. She rolls over to check the time, hissing at the bright light from her phone screen. 7.40. Great. She has a lecture on post-impressionism at 9 o'clock and her painting class at 12. Reluctantly, she hauls herself out of bed, dresses in whatever clothes were discarded on the floor, skips breakfast and begins the walk to uni. Her head pounds with every step and she rubs her hand against her temple. It's just a simple headache. She gets them all the time, she can push through, she reminds herself as she shoulders the door to her lecture hall.

By the time she'd soldiered through the painstakingly boring lecture and grabbed lunch from a nearby cafe, the headache had blossomed into a full grown migraine. She stumbles into studio 16, attempting, and failing, not to look like a drunken old man. Today's task is to keep working on the paintings they'd started towards the end of yesterday’s class. They'd been given pretty wide creative freedom, the only brief to make it something that represents themselves. Fi had sketched out a lion with light brush strokes. Her personal sketchbooks were crammed full of them, along with other animals and places that caught her eye. She used to walk around with a tiny toy lion pinned onto her shoulder and had quickly become associated with them. You thought of Fi, you thought of lions, that was just how it worked.

She stares at the messy lines, squinting to make sense of what on earth she was thinking of with this composition. She half heartedly squeezes out some paint and gets to work redoing the sketch but the effort needed to move her hand where she wants it to go seems monumental. She blinks hard. Again. The colours of the room only seem to swirl more. As the dizziness that often comes with her migraines sets in at full force she sways on her feet looking around desperately for a place to sit. The stool next to her and Dani's table. That would do. She sinks into the seat like it's the comfiest armchair in the world. Before she can properly register what she's doing, her arms fold in front of her and her throbbing head buries deep inside them. Finally, darkness. Away from the swirling colours and harsh lights. Her eyes slip closed against her will and she is out cold within minutes.

 

She wakes to a light touch on her shoulder. The pounding in her skull is somehow even louder than before as she blinks her eyes open. She closes them immediately. Her name spoken in a soft, southern voice cuts through the pain.

"Fiona? You ok?"

Giving in, Fi lifts her head, blurrily making out the shape of brown curls and black crop top. Dani? Oh god. Dani. Pretty Girl.

She nods, running a heavy hand through rumpled bleached hair to try to make herself look slightly less like a mess.

Dani does not look convinced. "Okay well... class is over." She gestures around at the few students left walking out the door. They are the last two left again. Fi’s eyes follow her hand, still trying to figure out what exactly is happening.

"Right." She forces out through teeth gritted against the pain.

"Are you ok to get home? Do you stay on campus?"

"Umm no, no I live with fucking Tom and them."

"Tom..??"

"M'roommate."

"I see."
Even through the haze of her migraine, Fi could see Dani worriedly biting her lip, eyebrows knitting in concern.

"Is it far?"

"20 minute walk." Fi pushes herself shakily to her feet, "I'll be fine sorry, you can go." The reassurance is slightly undermined by the way Fi stumbles as she says it, pale hands gripping onto the table as the world spins.

“Woahh watch it,” Dani grasps her arm to steady her. It has the opposite effect. Fi’s skin prickles at her contact, the blood rushing to her face. “Look.” Dani begins again, “I don't know what's up with you and I know we don't know each other well but I don't think I can leave you to walk home like this.”

“What?”

“C’mon I live in the halls so my room's only like five minutes away. Think you can make it there?”

“What??”

“You can crash at mines for the night.” Dani looks at her almost pleadingly, "Don't worry I won't grope you in your sleep, I just don't want you smashing your head open. At least let me walk you home.”

Fi would be more than alright with Dani touching her in her sleep but she stops herself from blurting that out. Surely that’s the migraine speaking. Is Dani seriously offering to take her home with her? They'd barely even had a full conversation yet. She can't tell if this is some kind of pain-induced daydream or not but either way the offer is too good to refuse. And besides, the pain in her head kinda overrides all decision making skills.

She follows Dani through the corridors, the other girl’s hand flying out to keep her upright every time she looks like she’s about to deck it.

“Here we are.” Dani stops them at an admittedly shabby door, and unlocks it. “You can sleep on my bed, I'll just be-” Before she can even finish, Fi is already flopping down onto the double bed which takes up most of the room. Apparently her need to be horizontal overrules the nerves she should be feeling at being in another girl's bed. It's not like Dani is gay or anything, she’s just doing her a favour. It’s still only 7ish in the evening so she watches through heavily lidded eyes as Dani sits at her desk and opens a sketchbook. Dani catches her eye and smiles, her dimple reappearing.

“Go on Fiona, sleep. You sure as hell look like you need it.”

“Heyyy” Fi mumbles, already half conscious.

Dani just laughs. It's a beautiful sound. Fi could get used to it.

The last thing she remembers saying before succumbing to the pain and exhaustion is, “You can call me Fi y’know.”

Chapter 2

Summary:

awkward coffee date that is totally not a date commences!

The light flickering through the cracks in the blinds wakes Fi up. She blinks away the sleep in her eyes bleerily, what time is it?? Looking to her left, the body of another person forces her harshly into consciousness. What the fuck. What had even happened yesterday, had she gone out? She can't remember that if she did… Fuck it’s not even been a full week and she’s already getting black out drunk this isn't a good way to start the year. Deep breathes. Okay. Fi takes a moment to actually digest her surroundings. She's not in her room that's for sure. The duvet is black and grey in a surprisingly similar pattern to her own. An electric keyboard rests along one of the desks. A laptop on the other. The place is much more organised than you'd expect of any old first year uni student, save a discarded pom bear package on the floor.
Then she turns to the person beside her. They're facing away from her but she can see they're dressed in only a vest and cotton shorts. Her heart rate picks up immediately. She should probably wake them up, right? She should. She will. The urge to reach out and pull them close invades her mind but she shakes it away.

Fi clears her throat tentatively.

“Um. Hi?”

The person stirs. Fi reaches out to shake their shoulder a little. That does the trick and they turn, startled. That's when Fi realises it's not some random hook up. It's Dani. Fi’s tongue feels too big for her mouth all of a sudden and her words come out in a rush.

“Oh fuck. Sorry. Dani. Hello. I'm so sorry this is awkward but do you mind- um. How did I end up in your bed?”

Dani wipes her half open eyes, looking slightly startled herself, “You were drunk? Or sick or hungover or something I don't know but I offered for you to rest at my place since yours is far away.”

“Oh ok. Thank you that's- that's really kind of you.”

“Course. Didn't really expect you to sleep the whole night though, you must've been knackered.” Dani lets out a sleepy exhale of a laugh. Fi tears her eyes away from her chapped lips and smiles apologetically.

“Sorry. Again. I think I had a migraine? My memory always goes kinda fuzzy when I do.”

“Oh, that sucks.” Dani shifts, resting her head on her arm. Her curls are splayed out mesmerisingly across the pillow and Fi has the random urge to reach over and loop one around her finger.

She forces herself to look away before she lets herself, and in doing so spots an Absolution vinyl hung on the wall above the bed. Her eyes light up, “You like muse?”

Dani lifts herself higher on her elbow, “Do I like Muse?? I love them, are you kidding me?”

“Oh my god. Favourite album?”

“Origins of Symmetry”

“Stop it.”

“What??”

“That's been mine for like, years.”

“Dude.” They both grin at each other, stupidly.

“I guess we must be soulmates then,” Fi jokes before she can think about what she's saying.

“I guess so,” Dani winks. She actually winks. Fi’s insides are doing things. Oh- actually that might just be hunger. Her stomach lets out an opportune growl and Dani laughs, a proper cackle.

“Someone's hungry. Wanna go get breakfast somewhere?”

“Of course. Breakfast is objectively the best meal of the day.”

Fi still can't quite tell if this is part of some elaborate dream or not but she turns away as Dani steps out from under the covers and reaches into the cupboard for some clothes. A small part of her questions how smart it is to just accept that this stranger has let her sleep in her bed and is now taking her out for breakfast but she pushes it away. Something about Dani feels so familiar. Speaking to her, looking at her, being around her just feels right.

“Do you want some of my stuff to change into?” Dani calls from across the room, “Don’t reckon you want to stay in clothes you just slept in.”

Fi takes this as a sign that it’s safe to turn back around, “Yeah, if that’s ok.”

Dani smiles, “Nah, I’m gonna force you out into society with unwashed pants.”

They giggle like school children despite nothing being all that funny.

Most of Dani’s clothes are a bit too feminine for Fi’s liking but she ends up throwing on a black fluffy jumper and ripped jeans. She catches Dani’s eyes roving up and down her body once she lets her know she’s decent.

“Why do you look better in my clothes than me?” Dani says incredulously. Fi looks at her feet, failing to hide the blush she feels spreading across her face. When she looks up she sees Dani smiling, almost proudly, as if wanting to elicit that reaction. Or maybe Fi is imaging things. She does feel a bit lightheaded.

“Right,” Dani shoves her phone into her pocket, “Mission: breakfast commences.”

“Yes ma’m!” Fi pretends to solute, not quite aware of what she’s doing. Upon realizing she herself doesn't have her phone, she spins round, surveying the room again. Her eye catches on something that definitely isn’t it, but is an open sketchbook. Before she can make out the drawings inside it, Dani cuts across her vision and slams it shut.

“Your phone’s here.” She says somewhat coldly, picking up Fi’s cracked IPhone from the bed and handing it to her.

Fi quirks her eyebrow questioningly, but understands not to push it, it's not like she'd show her sketchbook to just anyone, and follows Dani out.

They wind up in a cute little independent cafe a few streets away. They exchange pleasant small talk as they walk, something Fi would never describe as pleasant in the past but which seems to come naturally with Dani. Fi discovers the girl is 4 years younger than her and was originally going to go to law school, before having a slight crisis and switching to art. She discovers they’re both horror film nerds and Dani promises to wreck her at Mario Kart. She discovers she really likes the way Dani’s cheeks grow rosy red from the cold autumn air. She decides to file that part away for future Fi to think about.

They both order the cafe’s version of a psl along with a croissant each, and sip on them contentedly sitting by a fogged-up window.

Dani pretends to moan, “This is way better than that corporate Starbucks crap.”

“Absolutly.” Fi’s drink makes an obnoxiously loud slurping noise as she reaches the end of it. She giggles stupidly.

“So,” she begins, the conversation feeling awkward for the first time, “You got any weekend plans?”

Dani sighs, “Well if the mountain of homework we already have counts, then yes.”

“Oh goddd.” Fi groans, dragging her hands down her face, “Don't remind me. I mean I feel like I should be grateful it's not maths but still! Essays?? On our first week? It should be illegal.”

“Literwally” Dani says through a mouthful of croissant.

“Speaking with your mouth full,” Fi tuts in mock disapproval, “What would your mother say?”

“Nothing probably, she didn't really care what I did.”

“Oh. Yikes.”

Dani bursts out laughing, “Did you really just say ‘yikes’ to my childhood neglect?”

Fi’s eyes widen, “No!! Sorry! I take it back!”

“No, no it's an appropriate reaction.” Dani’s smile could be heard through the words.

“I am sincerely sorry for any bad experiences you had growing up.”

“God now you sound like my therapist.”

Fi holds a serious expression for a second longer before cracking and joining Dani in her laughter.

“How did we switch from school work to trauma so fast??” She says through giggles.

“Maybe you just have that effect on me.”

“And what could that mean??”

“Ohh I don't know… Something about the blond hair and septum combo makes me feel like I'd tell you anything if you asked.”

Fi definitely does not know how to reply to that without leaning forward and kissing her so she hastily changes the subject.

“I’m naturally a ginger you know?”

If Dani is put out, she doesn't show it, shrieking, “You WHAT?!”

“Yup! Although I dyed it black for years before I had the balls to bleach it.”

“Damn. Respect. I reckon I'm too scared of commitment to ever dye my hair.”

“Wellllll it's a perfect colour now so I wouldn't worry about that.”

If Fi didn't know better she’d be sure she sees the rosy tint return to Dani’s face. The idea of it makes her feel a little giddy.

Their conversation carries them long past the time it takes for their drinks to get cold, until Fi checks her phone and sees it's already past 2 o’clock in the afternoon. She turns the lockscreen to Dani.

“Ugh we better make a start on this homework if we don't want to be drowning in it tomorrow.”

“I guessss” Dani drawls, “Do you want-” She hesitates.

Fi raises her eyebrows.

“Sorry. Was gonna ask something but you've probably had enough of me to last a lifetime today.”

“No?” Oh god. Had she done something to make it seem like she wasn't enjoying herself? Said something wrong? This was honestly the best way she could be spending her Saturday, she was only looking for ways to prolong it. “I was gonna suggest we grab our laptops and meet back here but if you've got another idea I'm all ears.”

“Oh! Mine was along the same path actually. You're seriously not sick of me yet?”

“Why would I be? I'm the one who looked like such a mess you let me sleep over aren't I? If anything this is a thank you.”

“Ah. So you're only hanging out with me out of obligation.”

“No, Dani, that's not what I said.”

The girl chews her lip. Fi watches her, confused as to where she went wrong.

“Ok. Sorry, I'm being weird.”

“It's all good, seriously, I'm enjoying this.”

Dani’s smile creeps back onto her face. Fi had missed it already in the few seconds it was gone. Wow, she needs to get a grip.

“Ok. Cool. Meet back here in like, half an hour? This shop is gonna get all its business from us I swear.”

“If we're the only people keeping it open then so be it.”

She can't stop smiling the entire walk to and from her flat. It's definitely helped by the fact no one's in the living room to bother her as she enters. She fills a bag with her laptop and sketchbook, just in case she gets time to squeeze in some life drawing, and heads back out. Realistically, it would probably just be smarter to do the work by herself, or meet up with Dani to do it tomorrow, but she feels like if they're apart for too long whatever magical connection she's been feeling ever since finding herself in Dani’s bed this morning would be broken. Besides, the thought of being without Dani’s warm, brown eyes to look at makes her want to shiver. Deep down, she's aware this is a completely unreasonable level of attachment to someone she still barely knows but all of it just feels correct, and she wants to hang onto that for as long as she can.

They slowly get down a few pages on the history of art, spending more time laughing and drinking coffee than actually writing. It feels a hundred times more fun than doing it alone in half the time. Fi doesn't realise how long it's been till a barista comes over and lets them know they'll be closing soon.

“No way it's 5 o’clock already.” Fi says, closing her laptop lid.

“What can I say, time flies when you're having fun! And heavily caffeinated.”

“That is very true.” Fi laughs, which she swears she’s done more in the last 24 hours than she has all year. Which, when put like that, really makes her realise how shit the last year's been.

They get up from their seats reluctantly, both stuffing laptops into bags, Dani with a touch more care than Fi’s uncoordinated hands.

“Well.” She stands awkwardly, “I guess this is us.”

“I guess so.” Dani echoes, although neither of them make a move to leave.

“Thank you, again, for letting me crash at yours last night. I probably would’ve ended up curled up on the street in pain otherwise.”

“Again, it’s common decency.” Dani assures her, though Fi isn’t sure the average person would go to that length to make sure a stranger was safe. “And thank you for today. It’s been like, really fun.”

Fi beams. “It has. I’ll see you in class on Monday then?”

“Sure will!” They reach the shop doors, realising this is where they part ways. Fi, stupidly, wants to pull Dani back for a goodbye hug. She resists, tucking her hands clumsily into her pockets.

“Ok.” She breathes, “Cya Monday.”

Dani lingers for a second longer before waving and turning away. Fi can’t tear her eyes away from her until the taller girl rounds a corner and is out of sight.

As she’s walking home she suddenly realises she’s still wearing Dani’s clothes. Oh well, she’ll just have to give them back in their next class. The wind whips around the tall buildings lining the path and she pulls the sleeves of Dani’s soft jumper over her hands. The warmth of knowing the past few hours really did happen spreads through her, and she can’t help but smile to herself. Sure, the rest of her homework is waiting for her to stress over tomorrow, she shares a flat with people who still throw around the word lesbian as an insult, and she might not know what the fuck she’s going to do with an art degree; but for now she rubs her thumb against the material covering her arms, and everything feels ok.