Maria glanced between him and the picture, smiling enigmatically.
“It's a lovely portrait. Did you mean to leave it unfinished?” she asked.
Leonardo blushed, both at the question and at himself for staring at his own work like an idiot. He moved into the room to lean his gift against the wall, next to the table where a small pile of presents lay waiting.
“I had intended to go back and add a little more detail,” he explained, “but when I took this teaching job, it got put in a box and I never could find it again. Now I see it must have been mixed in with the finished works I eventually gave my agent to sell.” He glanced at Maria somewhat sheepishly. “I hope you didn't have to pay full price for something half-done.”
“Nonsense,” she replied, dismissing his comment with a wave of her hand. “I think it's beautiful as it is so don't worry about what I paid for it.” She hooked her arm with his and led him out into the hall again.
They found the rest of the family in the spacious den and Leonardo was relieved to see he wasn't the only non-relative there. He was a little surprised to see Headmaster de' Medici, considering Ezio's track record with the school's authority, but judging by the way he was speaking with Giovanni, they apparently knew each other outside of Ezio's visits to the office. Aside from the headmaster and himself, there weren't any others from the school but there were several faces he didn't recognize.
He had told himself not to but almost immediately after entering the room with Maria, his eyes sought out Ezio. The young man was standing with Federico off to the side, his back to the door, but his brother must have said something because shortly after Leonardo spotted him, Ezio spun around. When he saw Leonardo, his face brightened and Leonardo felt the now-familiar squeeze around his heart. Thankfully, he did not come rushing over but Maria apparently noticed the exchange and, with her arm still linked with Leonardo's, they drifted over.
“Hey, uh, Mr. da Vinci,” Ezio said and Leonardo wondered if the others noticed his slight hesitation. Apparently neither one of them was good at subterfuge.
“Happy birthday, Ezio,” Leonardo replied. “A day early, that is.” Ezio looked good, dressed in a short-sleeved, white dress shirt and black slacks, quite different from his usual school attire of a t-shirt and jeans.
Behave yourself, his conscience reminded him.
“Ezio said you were taking him to dinner tomorrow,” Maria spoke up, her tone casual, and Leonardo's heart stopped. He tried not to let any of the sudden panic he felt show in his expression; he was impressed that he saw nothing in Ezio's eyes. Finally, he managed a smile and a chuckle he felt probably looked normal.
“Ah, yes, if that's all right?” Maria's smile was warm and genuine, not a trace of distrust or suspicion in her eyes as she replied.
“Of course. I'm sure Giovanni said this after the graduation ceremony, but we're very grateful Ezio has had a teacher like you to help him stay grounded in his studies. We all know he's had problems 'acting out'.”
“Mother,” Ezio huffed but Maria just chuckled and unwound her arm from Leonardo's, patting her son on the cheek.
“I'm going to make sure your father isn't discussing another of his crazy business proposals with Lorenzo.” She turned to Leonardo. “Please make yourself at home. There are drinks and hors d'oeuvres in the kitchen; Ezio can show you where.”
Leonardo was desperate to ask exactly how Ezio had gone about telling his parents about their date, but with Federico around he had to maintain his appearance as just a teacher.
“How is college going?” he asked the elder brother, who shrugged.
“Good. I've been trying to convince Ezio to join me but he says he's not interested in business school.” Federico chuckled as Ezio frowned, arms crossed in a distinctly defensive posture.
“I just said I haven't decided yet, that's all.” Leonardo made a mental note to try pursuing that topic the following evening over dinner. Ezio's plans for the future—and how it affected them—had been on his mind since that afternoon in the classroom, but he knew they could talk more openly once they were alone.
Fill - Take-home Credit 7/?
“It's a lovely portrait. Did you mean to leave it unfinished?” she asked.
Leonardo blushed, both at the question and at himself for staring at his own work like an idiot. He moved into the room to lean his gift against the wall, next to the table where a small pile of presents lay waiting.
“I had intended to go back and add a little more detail,” he explained, “but when I took this teaching job, it got put in a box and I never could find it again. Now I see it must have been mixed in with the finished works I eventually gave my agent to sell.” He glanced at Maria somewhat sheepishly. “I hope you didn't have to pay full price for something half-done.”
“Nonsense,” she replied, dismissing his comment with a wave of her hand. “I think it's beautiful as it is so don't worry about what I paid for it.” She hooked her arm with his and led him out into the hall again.
They found the rest of the family in the spacious den and Leonardo was relieved to see he wasn't the only non-relative there. He was a little surprised to see Headmaster de' Medici, considering Ezio's track record with the school's authority, but judging by the way he was speaking with Giovanni, they apparently knew each other outside of Ezio's visits to the office. Aside from the headmaster and himself, there weren't any others from the school but there were several faces he didn't recognize.
He had told himself not to but almost immediately after entering the room with Maria, his eyes sought out Ezio. The young man was standing with Federico off to the side, his back to the door, but his brother must have said something because shortly after Leonardo spotted him, Ezio spun around. When he saw Leonardo, his face brightened and Leonardo felt the now-familiar squeeze around his heart. Thankfully, he did not come rushing over but Maria apparently noticed the exchange and, with her arm still linked with Leonardo's, they drifted over.
“Hey, uh, Mr. da Vinci,” Ezio said and Leonardo wondered if the others noticed his slight hesitation. Apparently neither one of them was good at subterfuge.
“Happy birthday, Ezio,” Leonardo replied. “A day early, that is.” Ezio looked good, dressed in a short-sleeved, white dress shirt and black slacks, quite different from his usual school attire of a t-shirt and jeans.
Behave yourself, his conscience reminded him.
“Ezio said you were taking him to dinner tomorrow,” Maria spoke up, her tone casual, and Leonardo's heart stopped. He tried not to let any of the sudden panic he felt show in his expression; he was impressed that he saw nothing in Ezio's eyes. Finally, he managed a smile and a chuckle he felt probably looked normal.
“Ah, yes, if that's all right?” Maria's smile was warm and genuine, not a trace of distrust or suspicion in her eyes as she replied.
“Of course. I'm sure Giovanni said this after the graduation ceremony, but we're very grateful Ezio has had a teacher like you to help him stay grounded in his studies. We all know he's had problems 'acting out'.”
“Mother,” Ezio huffed but Maria just chuckled and unwound her arm from Leonardo's, patting her son on the cheek.
“I'm going to make sure your father isn't discussing another of his crazy business proposals with Lorenzo.” She turned to Leonardo. “Please make yourself at home. There are drinks and hors d'oeuvres in the kitchen; Ezio can show you where.”
Leonardo was desperate to ask exactly how Ezio had gone about telling his parents about their date, but with Federico around he had to maintain his appearance as just a teacher.
“How is college going?” he asked the elder brother, who shrugged.
“Good. I've been trying to convince Ezio to join me but he says he's not interested in business school.” Federico chuckled as Ezio frowned, arms crossed in a distinctly defensive posture.
“I just said I haven't decided yet, that's all.” Leonardo made a mental note to try pursuing that topic the following evening over dinner. Ezio's plans for the future—and how it affected them—had been on his mind since that afternoon in the classroom, but he knew they could talk more openly once they were alone.