Drabble:79
POV:Third Person

Sydney loved Adrian's paintings. She really admired his ability of turning some myriad emotion into abstract art. Or the way he could make something as frivolous as a fortune cookie into art. It was as if he were a magician and his canvas his cauldron, using which he breathed life into the most simple things…raising the ordinary to extraordinary.

And he was just so very unabashedly honest in his drawings-all his love, rage, sorrow-his emotions, and even some disjointed memories, showed up in his paintings-black was for spirit and red for Rose, jade for Jill, and quaint ceramic cups and Chinese cats that regularly graced his canvas undoubtedly some memory associated with a ghost from his past. And her, always her. Hazel eyes, golden strokes, lilies…they graced so many of his paintings.

When he'd begun painting her, in that abstract way of his, she hadn't realized his feelings or motivations behind them, not even when they recurred with alarming frequency. Probably he didn't either….but it didn't matter, because she was there. A testimonial of his love, of his vision of her….and it should have made her feel uncomfortable. It didn't. Not yet, anyway….until the day he decided to chuck abstract out of the metaphorical window, and draw her.

He had just embraced sobriety as a life-choice, and it was hitting him hard. So, she couldn't object to him indulging in another addiction-art. But that feeling was squashed pretty quickly when she realized instead of his sweeping brushstrokes and charcoal (his weapon of choice), he was brandishing pencils and glancing at her more intensely than usual (making her heartbeat samba in the process). As soon as she realized what he was doing, she immediately asked him to stop, threatening to leave if he didn't. Because she feels scared to face the idyllic creature he's undoubtedly painting her to be, knowing she'd never measure up to it. She'd be disappointed, and so would he.

Needless to say he stopped, but only after convincing her to tell him about some place she wanted to visit, so he could sketch it. So, she closes the textbook she was perusing and paints him the picture of Erechtheion with pragmatic words; describing in scrupulous details the ruins of the temple dedicated to the two Olympians who'd fascinated her since childhood. She even closes her eyes while she does, managing to relax in a way she normally never does. When she's told him all she could, she remains silent, quietly listening to the etches his pencil makes as his hand flies over his drawing. There's only the rustling of the paper against the easel and the sound of Adrian's pencil. And then, it's quiet.

Too quiet, actually. She reluctantly prepares to open her eyes, to give up this feeling of contentment. She almost does. Until, the sofa she's lounging on dips, accommodating his weight as he sits. And then he kisses her. Softly, slowly…tenderly. And just when her blood begins to sing in her veins, he pulls away and weaving his finger through hers, leads her to his latest masterpiece. Looking at it, Sydney has to gasp. It seems so life-like…..he hasn't drawn much, just one solitary caryatid. And it's so beautiful, so awe-inspiringly beautiful, she's stunned speechless. Until Adrian opens his mouth.

"Pretty good, isn't it Sage? Almost puts Michelangelo to shame, doesn't it?"

She's about to retort in kind, until she notices something about the painting, something that makes her jaw drop….again. The caryatid is wearing a cross! This was blasphemy! Almost sacrilegious! And not only that, the stone-figure sported ballet-flats….kind of like the ones she was wearing now. And looking at the stone-face more observantly, Sydney saw….herself! Complete with layered bangs!

"Adrian!", she groans. "You said you wouldn't paint me anymore!"

"I wasn't gonna, but I can't help it if you decide to let loose and dress up as a stone-lady from Erechtheion! Plus, I bet you'd help increase the ticket sales, dressed like this", he says mischievously, subtlely moving away. "Especially if you're so adamant on not anything underneath".

"Adrian!", she screeches, a moment before chasing him through the apartment. Really, he was incorrigible! But, she wouldn't have him any other way.

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A/N: Erechtheion is an ancient Greek temple in Acropolis, dedicated to Athena and Poseidon. And caryatid is a sculpted female figure that serves as a support-column or pillar.