Filling an empty space

Prompt: Cruella & Isaac sit for a formal family portrait with their young children.

It all started from an empty space on the living room wall. That problem needed to be fixed, Cruella was sure of that, and, as the vintage fashion lover she was, the most wonderful solution was to be found in a portrait – possibly of herself in her best fur. For once, Isaac agreed with her, except that he decided to involve all the family in the project. And so just two days later, here they were, posing in front of a well-known artist coming from Boston.

However, in spite of having chosen the setting, the clothes and everybody's position, it didn't take longer before Cruella found something to complain about. Apparently, keeping her eyes in front of her didn't prevent her from knowing what was happening at her right on the ground.

"Anita, for furs' sake, stop playing with that cat!" she hissed, trying not to ruin the smile she was performing.

But Anita was less careful about keeping her pose and, hearing that reproach, she suddenly turned her head and started to protest, joined soon by the supporting meow of her cat. The woman casted her a murderous glare and it was only thanks to the smile she had to keep, that she decided not to give in to all the anger she was feeling. That didn't save the girl though, because that behavior had bothered someone else too.

"Can you please turn to your original position, dear?" the artist asked, trying to sound gentle, even if he was unavoidaly starting to get annoyed.

The eight years old girl silently obeyed and even the cat seemed to do that. But, so much for the artist's joy, the peace didn't last long.

"Can you at least make a smile, little diamond?" Cruella whispered again, not letting more than a minute pass.

Probably already forgetting the previous reproach, Anita moved her head again in order to look at her mother with a sorrowful expression. "I can't mom! I remember you that one of my teeth is missing!"

"It doesn't matter really if you don't smile, not until you manage to remain still" the artist intervened again, with one more nervous smile. And yet, the main reason for his annoyance wasn't the little argue between mother and daughter. "And please, you boy, stop moving!"

Right between Cruella and Isaac, Fitzgerald was standing with his hands placed on the back of his parents' chairs, or at least that's what was his original position. In fact, as far as he was a good painter himself, clearly didn't have any patient as model. Out of anyone's sight, he just couldn't stop moving his head, his arms, his legs and then his head again. However, unluckily for him, the problem was that he wasn't exactly out of everyone's sight after all, since the artist was exactly in front of him. Unluckily for the artist though, Fitzgerald wasn't as obedient as his sister.

"You know what? I will not! I'm the only one standing – even Eliot is sitting!" he exclaimed with an unexpected vehemency, theatrically pointing at the cat.

After that outburst, he lost completely his position and instead moved out of the set, sitting on the sofa. All the heads – Cruella included – unavoidably turned to follow him and the cat started to loudly meow again.

The man behind the (not even started) paiting sighed heavily at that whole scene, while dropping the paint brush. "Well, I suppose we shall take a break…"

"No, actually I think you should stop your job here for ever!" the nine years old boy cut him with a sharp glare. "If I can tell my opinion, actually your paintings are not that good anyway…"

An awkward, heavy silence followed that accusation . Fitzgerald was keeping a proud confident face, the painter was looking back at him with widened eyes and a growing red face, while everybody else just moved their eyes from one to another.

"Perfect, then! I won't be stay here another minute to hear the insults of a child!" the man finally exclaimed, literally jumping from his chair.

Grabbing quickly his coat, but leaving – maybe on purpose – his drawing materials, he headed out of the room. Any attempt from Cruella to reach for him and made him see reason was useless and, just mumbling some cold goodbyes, he left.

"Well, what are we going to do now?" Isaac asked, as soon as the echo of the slamming door faded into another awkward silence.

Everyone exchanged a quite concerned - or rather annoyed in Cruella's case -, until suddenly a smile crept on Fitzgerald's face.

"I've got an idea!"

One week later, that mysterious idea had gained an actual consistency. Just in front of their eyes there was in fact a particular drawing of three people and a cat, while a badly cut photo of a well-known young boy had been added at the last moment at one side. It wasn't perfect and the trick that was used to include the author of the painting in it was actually a bit creepy, but it was perfect to represent the Heller - De Vil. And besides, it wasn't Fitzgerald's fault if he wasn't good enough yet to attempt a self-portait.

"Oh, I should have given you the task since the very start, my personal Leonardo!" Cruella beamed, admiring proudly what had just became her favourite work of her son. "I've been a bit foolish, I guess!"

"I agree!" Isaac intervened with a convinced nod, equally proud. "Fitzgerald is very talented indeed… And you are a fool, my love" he added then giving an amusing glance at his wife.

"What are you going to suggest, darling?" she asked, raising her eyebrows and crossing her arms to the chest.

"Nothing more than you already tried to say…"

As the two adults unavoidably started to playfully – or not so playfully – argue, the two children shook their heads and then Anita gave his brother a high five.

But in the end, what really mattered was that everyone was satisfied with the solution… And that the empty space on the wall was not so empty anymore.

Thanks to PMG for this prompt! This one actually came out crazier than I thought, hope you liked it as crazy as it is lol Slowly, I'm trying to write as prompts as possible and, by the way, if anyone of you readers has some other prompts in mind, just send them and I'll see if they can "shake" my inspiration :)