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“I like you!” Arte was loud in every shape and way- and it was rough on his ears at times.
“I see.” He handed her a bowl of soup, gesturing for her to sit down. She was still bright red and shiny-eyed but was visibly wilting after his lukewarm response. The energy had dissipated quickly, and the sparkling start of tears was welling up in her eyes. “What do you want to do about it?”
“Do. . .? About it?” Her eyebrows wrinkled, darting glances were sent his way as she sat down at the table.
“Yes, you like me, but what are you going to do about it? Marry me?” Leo brusquely asked. She blushed even harder. “Think about it. And eat, we have a busy day ahead of us.”
Deep in thought, she sipped her soup, mind whirling. She got that same look, as if she was solving a problem, when facing a blank canvas. Leo internally sighed a breath of relief, knowing that he had bought himself time.
“You’re young you know.” He continued. “I’m what, the only male figure you talked to in length after you joined the art world? It’s easy to confuse things when you’ve been around someone long enough.”
“It’s not just that!" She burned, eyes flashing up, the soup forgotten. There is a heavy intensity under her gaze, "You are the only one who really believed me, it's not a matter of closeness. I've met a lot of other people now, and I understand that among them, you are still the only one who would take me in." Then she breaks concentration, wetting her lips, eyes darting- "I'm not even that young, marriageable age, I'm of marriageable age."
Leo considers the weight of her words, and buries them. They are foremost emotional, and he needs to be logical,"I’m not going to do anything with an apprentice.”
The words barely seemed to sink into her- she deflated a little but didn't look heartbroken. There was no tears, no loud distress. There was, a silent thrumming, a hard considering look. The same one when she had when he first met her. "I see."
"Well, once you're done eating I need you to mix pigments. There's a new order."
For a first rejection, Arte seemed to be handling it well. And Leo refused to be awkward around her, young girls got strange ideas all the time- it was to be expected. The painting needed to be done by the end of the day anyways.