79. Effortless Tasks

Date Written: July 14, 2019

Date Posted: November 26, 2020

Characters: Veneziano

Summary: A young artist tries to capture Veneziano's likeness in his sketches.

Notes:


The thing about being a Nation was that you would gain experience and wisdom in handling humans. Even if a small, nearly dissolved Nation were to live a few years, or even a few days, they were intrinsically human. They could act, think, and behave as if they were one of their own children. It was both a survival tactic and a chance to escape immortality—even if the feeling of freedom lasted for a fleeting second.

It was no wonder that Veneziano could sense a pair of curious eyes looking up at him ever so often. After years of espionage and treachery (and getting poisoned once or twice), Veneziano thought himself to be an expert on prying eyes. He, too, had engaged in espionage, but not the extent of other, more capable Nations. Fortunately, for Veneziano, the eyes that watched him belonged to a person who had armed themself with a vast variety of pens and pencils. This person, who had been busy drawing and tracing over lines in a cheap sketchbook, was clearly an artist.

North Italy found himself smiling at that.

It was flattering to know that an artist was using him as a reference. Because of that, Veneziano felt himself become generous. For a moment, he resigned himself to sitting in the same position no matter what happened. After all, the trials of an artist were always the same: Veneziano was willing to help an aspiring artist.

That promise didn't last long.

About five minutes passed before Veneziano decided to end this charade by stretching like a cat, thus limbering his aching muscles before he deliberately made his way to the voyeur.

"Signor!" The artist, upon noticing that his subject was barreling towards him at an alarming speed, hastily tried shoving his sketchpad behind him. "I—"

Veneziano smiled the brightest smile he could muster. "May I?"

"May you…" The teen trailed off uncertainly. He certainly played the part of the concerned, but confused citizen quite well. "Er… what?"

"I notice that you've been sketching me for quite some time. May I?" This time Veneziano extended a hand.

Maybe it was the earnest way he asked. Maybe it was the fact that this young man with that strange curl was actually a Nation. His home. In any case, the artist swallowed any fear that he had before and slowly obliged.

For a moment, all was silent as Veneziano took in the sketches.

The teen was obvious still a novice. While he had managed to capture the Nation's likeness, some features lacked proportion while some areas lacked the necessary shading and depth necessary to produce good artwork. However, as Veneziano's eyes roved over the piece, he could find bits and pieces that were uniquely part of the artist's ability and what had been translated well into Veneziano's features.

He could see the harried, purposeful strokes as something practiced and well worn into the artist's hands. He was still learning, still practicing. Still trying to become something better than he was right now. The strokes were bold, almost unapologetic in how unseemly they must have started out before becoming gentle as time went on. It was shaky and yet firm, poised and jagged all at the same time. The art style was real, but stylized.

Veneziano, thoroughly awed and absolutely in love with the teen's work began singing his praises while he pointed out the areas that he needed to work on. In a tone that was totally infused with enthusiasm and pure love for art, he complimented the boy and began telling him how he should continue practicing, continue becoming the artist that Veneziano could see him being one day.

As the artist thanked him profusely for his kind words and his even better critiques, Veneziano laughed to himself.

Who knew how effortless it was to be kind and encouraging?