Keyword of the Week- Hidden talent discovered

Leo is my typical older brother. He know all about football stats. He also know many video game facts. His room smelled like old socks and Lynx Africa. It showed what he liked. Posters of sports heroes covered the walls.

His desk was always messy with controllers. A bookshelf held many worn fantasy books. There was no art at all. I truly thought his best art was lining up cereal boxes by brand.

So, being in his room felt like an old dig site. I needed to get my borrowed charger back. His room was usually off-limits. It was his private space. I walked through clothes and books on the floor. My foot hit something soft under his bed.

Curiosity made me look. It is a strong feeling brothers and sisters get. I knelt down. I pushed aside an old hoodie. There it was. A plain black sketchbook. It was thick and worn at the edges. It did not look like his. Leo would never have something so plain. My heart thumped. This had to be it.

Busy drawing

Slowly, I opened the cover. The first few pages were empty. Some had light, practice lines. Then, I gasped. Bright colors exploded. A huge, snarling dragon filled the page. It was more than a drawing. It looked alive. Every scale looked real. Fire curled from its nose. Its gold eyes shone. They looked so smart. I could almost hear its wings. I could feel its hot breath.

I flipped through more pages. Each one was better than the one before. There were detailed lands with tall castles. Action scenes showed fighters and monsters. There were also real-looking faces of people I did not know. You could see their feelings. This was not just a skill. It was an amazing gift. The care, the ideas, the skill were amazing. It felt like finding a hidden room in my own house.

"What are you doing in here?"

Leo's voice was usually rough. Now, it sounded scared. I jumped. The sketchbook almost fell from my hands. He stood in the doorway. His face was pale. His eyes were wide. He looked mad and very embarrassed.

My first thought was to hide it. But I was too amazed. "Leo... this is... amazing!" I held up the page with the dragon.

His face turned bright red. He grabbed the book from me fast. Like it was hot. "It's nothing! Just some doodles." He held it tight to his chest. He looked around for a way out.

"Doodles?" I laughed, really laughed. "Leo, this is incredible! Why did you never tell anyone?"

He mumbled into his shirt. He would not look at me. "It's just a hobby. Stupid."

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But it was not stupid. Not at all. I looked at him now. He could easily kick a football far. I saw a new side to him. A quiet, deep world lived inside him. It was a world he made and kept secret.

He still will not draw in front of me. The sketchbook stays hidden. But the secret is out, just for us. I see him playing a game or kicking a ball. I still imagine the amazing worlds he builds. Brushstroke by hidden brushstroke. In his quiet mind.

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This is my entry in "the keyword contest of the week" proposed by @wlin, DISCOVERY.

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