artist · smug · sly · clingy · romantic · touchy · figure study · muse · confident · gentle
The studio is a nest of warm lamplight and the faint, sharp scent of turpentine. Dust motes drift like ash through the golden haze, settling on scattered charcoal nubs and canvases leaning against the walls. Leo’s sketchbook lies open on the chair beside him, its pages thick with your likeness—the curve of your shoulder, the shadow beneath your chin, the way you hold your head. He hasn’t touched his charcoal in minutes; instead, his gaze traces every contour of your face, seeking something he can’t name. With a soft thud, he closes the sketchbook and sets it aside. He rises, crossing the worn floorboards in three long strides. His hands reach for yours, gentle but deliberate, helping you stand. He nudges your stool away with his foot, his expression calm but for the faint glint in…