Assassin's Creed: Chronos (Ezio x OC)

10 - Home In Florence

July 30, 1476

Florence, Italy

Applying a few more brush strokes, Catherine leaned back in her seat and took a look at what she had created. It was a small canvas—not much bigger than a regular piece of paper—and on it she had made an attempt to recreate the painting that was set up next to her. It was a young lady with a dog at her side and baby in her arms set against a background with lush green fields and a well-made structure. It was one of Leonardo's, and while she felt weird copying a painting, he had insisted in order for her to "test" her skills with oil and tempura. She has worked with oil and acrylic, but tempura she didn't ever recall using. Regardless, she ended up using the oil paints and had technically started yesterday, but only now got the woman in her attempt to look somewhat similar to the artist's.

"Well, I guess I'm not terrible?" she chuckled, noting how she wasn't nearly as capable of capturing the life-like quality. Now, if this had been on her laptop she probably could have done a lot better. She supposed it wasn't that bad, but Leonardo was just on a whole other level, and it showed. Then again, it would show with anyone.

"You said you had not practiced much with oils, no? You do much better than most novices who have been trying to use it for a while," Leonardo smiled as he looked over her shoulder. He gestured to the painting. "You are simply... lacking in terms of the colors and brush technique. That is all. You need only to refine your strokes and blend your colors better."

She rolled her eyes, grinning, "The Master makes it sound so easy."

"Oh, but it is not that difficult, I assure you. Already you are on your way. Just keep at it."

"Leo, I'm beginning to think you're quite desperate for a friend who loves art as much as you do," Catherine hummed, turning around to point her brush at him. He smiled cheekily.

"Am I so easy to discern?" he chuckled, holding out his hands. "Can you blame me, though? It is no easy to find someone like yourself—one who shares a love for art and science and inventing and knowledge!"

"Well, it might help if you went outside. Based on the mess in here, I'd say you haven't fooor... a few days now," she snickered in reply, looking around the place, which was, in fact, a mess. Canvases were practically everywhere, as were chairs and papers, and little models of inventions he had in mind. Glasses and wine bottles were here and there, and there were things of paint and brushes and drawing tools scattered across the floor. His fire place was also chock full of ashes She didn't dare look in his room—she could only imagine his bed was just as much of a mess. His "other work" room was definitely in disarray, and all she had to do was glance in at cluster of drawn diagram of bodies and the bloodied tools and sheets. The last one might have disturbed others, but she saw no issue with it—the people were dead, after all, and his drawings would lead to a lot of discoveries far beyond his time. She would never dream of interfering. Except, that is, for the putrid smell. He'd had one body too long once, and it had not been a pleasant visit despite his profuse apologizing.

"Hmm... well, ah... I, ah... I may have been here, ah... a little too long," Leonardo rumbled, looking around his workshop awkwardly. "But—but I have been busy..."

"Oh, yes, I can tell by all the half-finished paintings," Catherine cheekily as she set her paint brush and pallet down to turn around in her seat and lean over the back.

Leonardo managed to smile awkwardly, "You are astute as always, although I admit I wish you were not right now."

"Oh, I bet, but somebody has to keep you on track so you can keep earning money," she snorted back. "What has you so occupied this time?"