Some say that dreams can unlock someone’s innermost desires. I found out that it was true but I never expected my life would change so much because of my dreams. Artists pour their heart and soul into every masterpiece.

* * * *

“Evan! You sold another painting!” My partner, Sam, shouted as he ran in. “Heat and flavorful food tonight!”

I am the artist and Sam is the business head. He would handle all of the sales and offers while I would do all of the work. Sadly, the life of a artist is not a rich one. Many nights were cold and instant ramen sated our hunger if I could not sell anything.

“Just remember to pay the bills before food this time.” I told him as I cleaned up my newest project. “Or did you forget the mess last time when I could not get the clay off of my hands because we had no water?”

“Don’t worry! I already paid them all off and there is still a lot of money left over.” He held up a large stack of bills and my mouth started to water at the thought of food. “Get cleaned up and we will go.”

I ran so fast to the bathroom, that there could have been a cloud of smoke behind me. Sam was laughing as I ran out of the bathroom.

“Which one of my pieces gave this bounty?” I asked as we walked out.

“Wedding Smile.” He put his finger on his chin in thought for a few moments before finishing. “I think it was that one famous wedding planner that bought it.”

I remember that painting. A blond man with bright amber eyes, wearing a white tux as he reached out as if to the viewer. There was a church behind him with red and white rose petals flowing towards the viewer. All of my art pieces are males missing their other half. My first art piece, that I sold, was a statue called ‘Dance Partner’. It showed a man in a tailcoat dancing a waltz by himself.

“How much did it sell for?”

“The price was $10,000 but she paid $100,000.” I tripped in shock and he caught me. “I had the same reaction in my head when she offered the price. She told me it was underpriced and deserved more.”

“Then, I call for steak and seafood. I need all the protein to make more masterpieces.”

“I don’t care as long as we buy something with booze to celebrate.”

We decided together to go to the big bistro that we could only dream of the inside before.

“To good fortune.” We said together as we clinked our glasses together.

He took a sip and then spat the drink all over my face.

“Evan, turn around right now.” I was wiping my face as he spoke.

I turned around and noticed multiple pieces of my work all around. Right in the center for the restaurant, my statue ‘Unquenching Thirst’ was the centerpiece for the fountain. Sam started laughing at the memory of how I made it. He got drunk one night and he was holding the keg up as he drank the last drips out of it. People thought that the model looked romantic because it looked like he was kissing the air. Behind our table, my painting ‘Summertime Naps’ reached out for us to join him in the shadow of his tree. There were even more pieces here spread across the restaurant.

“I am not sure i I should be honored or terrified.” I said as our food came in.

“Both, both is good.” He gave a cheeky grin. “I guess this is a great ego boost.”

After we finished eating, I had to carry his drunken ass all the way home. He was giggling and hiccupping every few steps. I felt like his parent every time he gets this way. When we got home, I dropped him on his bed and started working on a new painting. I could hear his snores all night as I worked into the early morning.

“Good morning!” I shouted to him as he walked out of his room.

“Next time, stop me before I drink too much.” He was holding his head as I started to whistle. “You are the devil.”

“Next time, you should stop after the fourth time that I told you to.”

“My head is ripping in half from all the light and noise.” He blinked a few times as he leaned closer to see what I was doing. “Did you even sleep last night?”

“No, I got inspiration last night. I think I should call this one ‘Candlelight Dinner’. What do you think?”

A dark haired man was sitting at a dinner table with a single candle as the only light. The flame made his face glow as he gave a smile full of love to the viewer.

“Wow, you have outdone yourself with this one.” Then he dragged me to the bathroom to clean up. “Today starts your one week vacation. You have enough art pieces just in case we need money. Now, go the fuck to sleep.” He pushed me into my bedroom with the final word.

I yawned and I realized that I haven’t slept in a while. My body collapsed on the bed and fell right into dreams.

I was surrounded by a thick fog. I could barely see my own hands. I jumped when I heard someone speaking.

“Poor Even, gifted by the nine muses.” I looked around for the voice. “But, you are missing your other half. None of your art can be completed without them. We can help you out.” The voice sounded feminine.

I saw a shadow get darker, as it got closer to me, within the thick fog. The shape was human but I could not see any features at all. The shadow reached out and pulled my hands to him. It somehow knew that I could not see the features so it helped me feel them.

From feeling the warm body against mine, I realized that the shadow was male. His height was just tall enough so that he barely had to lean over to kiss me. He guided my hands starting from his hips up. His muscles were firm yet soft and I could feel a thin scar going diagonal across his abs. My fingers danced across his chest to feel the shape as I slowly reached his face.

His hair was soft and wavy with enough length to hold onto. His lips were soft with the perfect shape to match mine. His eyes were big enough to show his emotions, if I could see them. His cheekbones were sharp like European royalty. The shape of his whole face was perfect for me to hold, to make it easier to pour my emotions into every kiss.

His arms moved away and I felt one hold the back of my head while the other wrapped around my waist. My hands landed on his broad shoulders as he pulled me plush against his chest. I realized that neither of us were wearing clothes as I felt his heat brush up against me. I was surprised when I felt his lips against mine. For the first time in my life, I felt complete as his tongue slipped into my mouth. Then, after he tasted my mouth, he moved down to leave his mark on my neck.

I jolted up in my bed, panting, as I had to remember that it was just a dream. I could feel the tingling of the kiss still on my lips. My face felt hot as I got out of bed. The dream was on my mind as I walked into my workspace.

Something was urging and pulling me to make the person of my dream. I started with the basic shape and height before going from the bottom up with the major details. Sam walked in as I was working on the middle part of his body.

“Wow, someone is getting a little touchy-feely.” He said as I started working on the butt.

“At least he has one.” I pointed a clay-covered finger at him. "Whenever I use you as a model, I have to add one to it.”

He flipped me off as he stretched out on my work couch. I have the couch just in case I pass out from lack of sleep or I need to get a relaxed position right.

I slowly worked up and added a loose, open button, shirt to his chest. I jumped when Sam sneezed and I added a line going diagonal across his abs, I decided to fix it as soon as I was done with the face. My brain started to remember the part of my dream where I felt the scar in the exact same place. I ignored the whistle as I worked on the muscles in his arms. Then, I had to go in between the arms to work on the head.

A shiver went up my spine as I felt something shift behind me. I turned around and saw Sam playing on his phone while on the couch. After looking around, I continued my work. As I finished with the final details, I felt the movement again. This time I knew it was someone’s arms wrapping around my neck and waist.

“Sam! What have I told you about messing around with my work as I am working?”

“I do not have a death wish, and I have no clue what you are talking about right now. I am feeding my baby dragons over here.”

I tried to look at him but the statue’s hands limited my movements. A shock went through my body as I felt soft but firm lips on mine. The statue’s arms shifted to a better position to deepen the kiss. Against the urges of my body and heart, I pushed myself away from the kiss. I heard a phone drop to the ground as I fell back. I looked up and saw that my statue turned into a real man.

“Thank goodness that I made him with clothes on.” I blurted out the first words in my head and Sam started laughing.

“I can’t tell if I should be more shocked by your statue coming to life or the fact you did not want him naked.”

The living statue looked around before focusing on me. He had flowing wavy black hair that was medium length. He had mismatched eyes, one green and one bright amber. The two colors that I use the most in my art. He gave me a sweet smile before reaching out to help me up.

“Could you give me my name, Creator?” His voice was deep and he gave me a look that reminded me of a puppy. “Why are you turning red?”

Sam started giggling like a mad man as I tried to remember how to speak.

“You don’t have a name?” I stumbled with my words as I talked.

“Of course not Creator, you do not name your art until you are finished.”

He had a good point and I still could not believe that my art came to life. Sam waved me over and started whispering to me.

“Quick question, where did you get the inspiration for him?” I quickly explained my last dream to him. He flicked my forehead as soon as I was done. “You were gifted by the gods! That hot piece of ass was made by you, for you to fuck!”

A hot man was a gift from the gods for me. This is the first time I have ever heard of this. ‘First’, ‘Man’, and ‘Gods’ was stuck echoing in my head as I tried to think of a name. I walked over to him as I got an idea for him.

“Have you decided on my name, Creator?” He gave me the puppy eyes as he spoke and I regretted giving him eyes like that.

“Since you were created by clay, I shall give you the name of a first man created by a god. Adam.” I grabbed his hands. “Please stop calling me Creator, my name is Evan.”

“Evan.” He purred my name and I felt my blood rush to places it has never rushed before.

“My name is Sam and I’m out of here.” He said before bolting out and we watched him leave.

My face felt warm as Adam looked at me like a hunter and I was the prey. He leaned forward and I felt his lips on my neck.

“Evan.” He purred my name again and his breath sent shivers up my spine. “Say my name.” He whispered and I felt his words vibrate.

“Adam.” I whispered and I felt his smile on my neck. “Please stay here.”

“I will never leave you.” His lips started to trail up my neck and across my cheek. “I was made for loving you.” He said into my lips.

The door slammed open and I stumbled backwards. Adam fell on top of me and knocked over some of my paints.

“I was going to let you guys have sex in here.” My face burned at Sam’s suggestion. “However, I got hungry.”

I heard a click and I noticed that Sam took a picture of us. Adam got up and I sat up. Brown, gold, and silver paint covered part of his body and it looked like he was breaking out of his statue form. He stretched and I realized that I was truly lucky to have him.

“Quick! Take another photo!” I said as I ran over and grabbed his phone. “Don’t move!”

I took the photo and Adam gave me a confused look.

“Food first!” Sam shouted in my ear and I almost dropped his phone into a jar of paint. “You are not doing anything art-related until I get my food.” He pointed towards Adam. “That includes doing him.”

He had us quickly clean up and he gave Adam a spare outfit. I could not deny that I was upset that the new shirt covered his fine muscles.

“What are we going to eat?” Adam asked as Sam dragged us out of the apartment.

“I feel like pizza.” He stopped and looked at Adam funny. “Please tell me that I do not have to teach you what pizza is?”

Adam gave him a sly smile before wrapping his arm around my waist.

“I know what pizza is. Just not what it tastes like. I have basic knowledge of everything. Just not the fine details.”

I let out the breath that I did not realize that I was holding. I guess that the gods above must have gave him enough knowledge to survive in the world.

As we got to the pizza parlor, I felt something or someone watching me. I quickly looked around but saw that no one was paying attention to us. We got three pizzas to split, one cheese, one veggie, and one meat lovers. It was a good range of flavors for him to try out. Sam prefers veggie while I am a meat lovers fan.

“To great futures ahead of us and finally finding happiness.” Sam said as he held up his beer bottle.

“Cheers!” The three of us said together before digging in.

“How come I have not mentioned any lovers?” Adam asked Sam.

“Not interested in people. My lovers are booze and money.” He made an excuse instead of telling the whole truth.

Sam likes the idea of lovers but not the idea of relationships. He has been that way for as long as I can remember. He has never felt a romantic pull to anyone before.

It turns out that Adam’s favorite pizza is all types of pizza. He took a bite of meat lovers by waiting until I took a bite, and took it out my mouth before I had a chance to chew. His tongue is skilled and strong to do that. I was happy that I finally got help carrying Sam’s drunken ass. The man loves to drink but he is a extreme lightweight.

I felt the eyes on me again as we walked home. I tried to look around but found no one but us walking the streets. The feeling refused to leave me until we got to my place.

We dropped Sam on his bed and then I looked at Adam. I could not figure out where to have him sleep. Should I have him take the couch or come into bed with me? He broke me out of my thoughts as he picked me upon his shoulder, and walked out of the room.

“Where is your bed?” He asked as I tried to ignore the butt that was inches away from my face.

Sweet damn, I gave him a really nice ass. I had to resist the urge to grab at it.

“Past my work room, the door to your left.” I mumbled into his lower back.

When we walked past my workroom, I noticed that I needed to clean up my mess tomorrow. The floor had paint and clay chips everywhere. I got thrown out of my thoughts again as he walked into my bedroom. He carefully put me down next to my dresser. I grabbed two pairs of pajama pants. I turned around to face him and my jaw dropped.

He took off his shirt and was in the middle of taking off his pants. I was oddly proud of the work I did on his body until I noticed the scar across his abs. I was planning on fixing the mark but he came alive before I had a chance to fix it. It made his abs look even more chiseled.

“Do you like what you see?” He asked as my eyes followed the ridges of his abs.