[amcraxwclf]

A glimpse of: Nicholas Thomas Everett. [ PROFESSOR & RESEARCHER OF CERES CENTROPOLIS UNIVERSITY  ] @nicholas-everett // happy birthday Nic!~ 

[nicholas-everett]

xx-death‌:

veraelwyn‌:

GRACE VALE DOE & NICHOLAS EVERETT. ||   hand in hand, nicholas and vera take their time walking through central park. The air is so cold yet the trees are on fire. she smiles up at the inferno above her head. scarlet and gold licks at the blue sky, no rain clouds today. the chill in the post-dawn air is the first hint that winter isn’t far behind. then these trees will stand naked, bereft of their color. but for now they line the avenue and the couple’s walk to is more vibrant than any carnival parade. vera is torn between keeping her eye high to watch for the falling leaves dancing their way to the concrete ground, or looking down to spy the crunchy ones.

as her eyes wander around the scenery, vera spots a familiar figure in the distance and out of habit, squints. the dark haired girl sits on a bench. “hey, nic… i think i know her.” she says into the quiet fall afternoon. vera unravels her arm from nic’s and instead takes his hand to pull him with her. “it’s is you,” vera chirps in surprise, but a quick smile is replaced on her features seeing the young woman. “… and i’ve just realized i never got your name the last time we spoke.” looking at the girl apologetically.

Grace found solace in her isolation. She no longer had the drive to immerse herself in anything in this timeline now that her and her friends were faced with their own problems. With Sawyer temporarily gone, she didn’t know where Dean nor the Wonder Twins were. At this rate, she just wanted to go home. However, she didn’t want to deal with her mothers’ ‘I told you so’s’, nor become a quitter. She’d gone this far, why stop now? She’s Death and a demigoddess, daughter of the Antichrist and a survivor—it would be a huge regret to dwell in her sorrows and play the victim. 

Sitting quietly on a bench at the public park, Grace tried to meditate…again. To her dismay, it wasn’t working and she was about to huff a frustrated sigh, when a familiar voice spoke out to her. “Oh fuck.” she blurted out as she sat up from her seat. “—Auntie Vera, Uncle Nic…” So she admitted that she knew them, but she was exhausted and perhaps close to her breaking point. Without any hesitation, she engulfed the both of them into a hug and began to sob. “I know you don’t know me, k-know me…But I really n-need this right now.” After a few seconds into the embrace, she eventually pulled away, before wiping away as much of her tears and inhaling her sniffles. “I’m G-Grace Doe…Grace V-Vale Doe, from the f-future. It’s a l-long story, but it’s really comforting to see familiar f-faces such as yours.” // @nicholas-everett

Nicholas walked with an almost skip in his step. Happiness practically beamed from him as he moved beside Vera, the warmth of her hand meeting his. A year ago, he never thought this was where he would end up; in love, building a small family. He’d never known that this is what would fulfil him, but somehow it was. Lost in his own happy daydream, Nicholas brought his gaze down to Vera when she spoke, his mouth moving to open, but he was pulled along before he could say anything. For someone so small, he was always amazed by Vera’s strength. “Wha--” He was cut off by a young woman wrapping her arms around him and Vera, and he felt his back stiffen, awkward by the unexpected embrace. “Pardon--” Again his words faltered when the woman spoke, only adding to his confusion and discomfort. He was sure he wasn’t hearing this right. When she finally pulled away, eyes scanned over her, wondering if he’d actually heard her correct. She was clearly upset, and possibly confused. “I’m sorry... did you just say that you are Grace Vale?” He flicks his gaze between her and Vera, trying to gauge the other woman’s expression. “That can’t be possible..” 

@veraelwyn

[nicholas-everett]

veraelwyn‌:

NICHOLAS EVERETT || “look at who decided to wake up,” she sings with baby grace in her arms, eyes wide and cooing while comfortable being held close. since being dropped off by aurelia earlier this morning, her baby girl had been sleeping on and off all day. aurelia had warned both vera and nicholas about grace’s sleeping tendencies, as well as a few of her other little habits that they wouldn’t find with a baby who wasn’t a demigoddess.

of course, having met little grace already, vera was already braced for being around the adorable reincarnation of a cherub; with thick, dark head of hair, squishy round cheeks, and glowing brown eyes, it was difficult not to fall in love with little grace. nicholas, seemed to be doing fine. but the baby has also kept them both so busy that they hardly had time to talk to each other.

moving from the room grace had been her eyes land on where nicholas was in the kitchen putting dinner together, she smiles at his concentrating features. then, vera held grace closley as she swayed them gently in the living room, humming to the tune that nicholas had chosen.

Life had been quiet, and that suited Nicholas just fine. He enjoyed the quiet moments with Vera, enjoying the ease of life as it moved around them. He was in love, and Vera was safe, and in that moment, that was all that mattered. Sure, the nightmares were becoming increasingly worse, sudden images of a family that didn’t exist to him popping into his head with horrific themes, but he worked to keep himself in reality. This morning was one that was just that, quiet and peaceful; well as quiet as it could be with a restless baby in their place. He’d been a little hesitant when Vera told him they would be watching Grace, he’d had so little experience with infants. But seeing the way Vera naturally held the small girl, he could only smile. 

His eyes now focused on the task at hand: preparing their meal.  Fingers expertly chopped away at some vegetables as his ears caught the sound of Vera entering the room. He glanced back, a small smile playing on his lips as his eyes met hers. She somehow looked even more beautiful holding little Grace in her arms. “It should only be about another ten minutes or so.” He said as he turned back to continue on with their meal. 

[hiddlesedits]

[nicholas-everett]

@veraelwyn just for you 

[nicholas-everett]

Nicholas brushed a piece of lint off his shirt as he shifted his weight, standing outside the old building, staring towards the front entrance. His leather messenger bag felt heavy with the weight of responsibility that he was carrying, the belt wrapped carefully in a scarf and tucked away. Why the belt had landed in his hand, he questioned. Being the smartest man in the world often meant people came to him, bringing him things they couldn’t solve, expecting he would be able to crack the code. But Nicholas wasn’t one that dabbled within the supernatural. He preferred science, where hard facts meant things were more black and white. The supernatural was a grey area that he preferred to leave at an arms length. But the belt had come to him, and he felt he needed answers. When it came to magic and old artifacts, Nic knew there was one person who had an expert knowledge in the area, and conveniently he lived in Ceres. Swallowing his pride, he steps in through the doors of the old museum, shoes echoing against the floor. He hadn’t wanted to come here, but he knew he needed answers and at the end of the day, research took precedence over personal falling-outs. Following the directions the woman at the front desk had given him, he lets himself stand in the frame of the open office door. Knuckles rap quickly along the side of the door frame as eyes meet the other mans. 

“Hello Tiberius. It’s been a long time.” 

@thehollowlungs

[nicholas-everett]

isaac-and-kohl‌:

veraelwyn‌:

Vera felts helpless as a migraine that throbbed in her temples caged her. The temptation to hide her face into the palms of her hands grew with every passing second. With drivers honking their horns, someone’s conversation to the left became louder, construction a block up. To your left, buses moan and screech to a halt. To your right, tourists chatter as bicyclists whiz by. An ambulance wails in the distance. A trumpet plays. Everything, every sound she loves and that makes this city what is it, Vera begins to loathe. As her thumb and index finger move to either side of her forehead, hoping that would ease the pain. A part of her knows that the movement is useless and that it’s not because of all the noise around her that is creating this pain. Once more, Vera finds the city falls back into a hum. “No, no, no, no…” She whispers. Watery eyes press together, so do her lips. Her back is pressed against the glass window, trying to hold onto reality as it quickly slips away.

Time has passed. There’s no telling how many days or weeks it has been. Her hair felt damp as it sticks to her face. A hard shiver travels up her spin as water drips down onto the new, dry hospital cloth she changed into before coming back to her cell. It didn’t matter what she wore. She was always cold. And sitting in the wettish prison doesn’t help one bit. The boy on the other side… Vera doesn’t know if he feels the chill. He must be used to it. “What’s your name?” She asks the young man who’s trapped like her. She sits in the middle of the cell, while he lay curled on his cot.

She comes back and immediately wraps her forearm around her middle. The queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach increase, the back of her throat tightens threateningly. She tries to control the feeling with deep inhales, but her breathing is already laboured. Vera looks at the scared boy before her. Vera goes to say something to him – something, anything, - Then, her vision begins to swim. The feeling of panic beings like a cluster of spark plugs in her lungs. She can feel the tension growing in her face and limbs. She can hear each of her breaths, rasping just the same as when she had the flu two winters ago. Vera closes her mouth and keeps her hands balled into fists and she stills herself, concentrating on not having a full blown panic attack.

“I’ve had enough. Please, I’ve said I’ve had enough.” The patient surprise herself. From the session she’s just had, she could have figured there would be no noise coming from her. There is, though. It’s hoarse and hardly above a whisper, but it’s there. Because somewhere in the back of her mind, she knows that she was taught that she would and always will have a voice. No matter how shaken or broken it sounded. They put fire at her feet - it didn’t unlock her genetics, it only made memories of her family home up in flames bloom before tightly shut eyes. She couldn’t feel any pain until she’s thrown back into her cell. Vera curls into herself. Her eyes find the boy. She blinks slowly.

That’s where she learns all about Isaac. That’s when they become friends. When they decide to help each other. Be there for each other. Talk to each other through the pain. For these quiet moments bring both of them solace. Vera reaches out, seeing his fingers through the bars. The pads of their fingers touch, then Vera envelops her hand around Isaac’s, squeezing softly.

Again, Vera comes back. Reality hit her like a stack of bricks to the back of her head. It’s so damn painful. Vera meets the same blue eyes from the images behind her eyes. These aren’t memories. They can’t be. How can she be through something that she doesn’t remember? She doesn’t want to shout in public, so she slips into an icy demeanor. Cold and harsh. Jaw set, eyes narrowed. Vera pushes off of the glass, standing as tall as she can, ignoring the feeling of her knees wanting to buckle. “Don’t say my name like you know me.” She orders chillingly while giving the stranger an unfriendly stare. “Stay away from me.” Vera points an accusing fingers at him.

Turning her back on the stranger, Vera begins walking in the opposite direction. Her chin is held high, steps are strong. She doesn’t look back. An act to keep her pride and sanity in tact. It dissolves the moment she turns a corner into an alleyway. Pulling her phone from her purse, she looks for a particular number and presses the call number. She hears a voice on the other side of the call, but she can’t pinpoint of it’s a voicemail or if it’s really the person she has called. She talks anyway. “Nicholas…. Nic…” She leans her head against the brick wall and looks to the sky. She’s too afraid of closing her eyes. “I need you to come pick me up. I’m at… Fifth and Water avenue. I…” She licks her dry lips. “Just come, please.”

Time stood still and moved too fast all at the same time. The air that hung between them felt frozen while the rest of the world kept moving around them, Isaac’s eyes still locked on Vera’s. Her face, her voice, it was all the same… it was her. But how could it be? 

Isaac’s body crumples into the cell, completely spent from that day’s session. New burns line his bare arms and hands as he wraps them around his middle, curling into the fetal position on the cold damp floor. His eyes blink open and closed, open and closed, the only thing he seems to be able to keep his mind on. Every part of him aches, his skin and blood on fire with something they’ve injected into him. He wants to throw up, but the effort to do even that seems to great. He can hear the muffled voice of the woman beside him, but he can’t find the energy to answer. Eyes just blink open and closed, open and closed. He doesn’t know how long he lays there, but he remembers Vera being pulled from her cell, their eyes connecting as she’s pulled away for her turn. He tries to muster a smile, but his frail figure just shakes lightly as he lays there. His eyes finally close. He’s not sure how long he sleeps, but when he wakes, he’s regained some of his strength, but Vera still isn’t back in her cell. He crawls into his cot and waits. 

Isaac watches Vera unravel before him, his own body caught frozen in time, small flashes of electricity dancing between his fingers and up his arms. He cannot breath, and is sure that at some point he will just pass out from lack of oxygen, but he doesn’t. He watches her panic, he watches her mind catch up with what she doesn’t seem to remember. She doesn’t remember the horrors they went through–she doesn’t remember him. Isaac swallows, shifting his weight when he suddenly feels that he can move, though his feet still feel like lead. He sees the physical change in her demeanour before her words come out and cut into his gut like a knife. 

She doesn’t remember him. 

Isaac waits, and waits, and waits. Eventually they come back for him, taking him away for another session, this one just as equally horrifying as the last. When he’s thrown back into his cell, he pulls himself up to the bars to peer into Vera’s, but she’s not there. Days pass… weeks… he’s not sure how much time passes, but he knows she’s gone. He’s sure they’ve killed her. He cries for what seems like forever, until he cannot even find the strength to cry anymore. He loses the last bit of hope he didn’t even realize he had. Even the electricity they pump through his veins can’t make him scream. He’s nothing more than an empty shell; a broken boy with nothing left to live for. When they take him from his cell on that last day, he’s sure that this is it. He can feel it in his body, that he cannot take much more, and he’s willing to just give in to the oblivion. Little does he know, when he’s finally surrendered it all, is when Kohl finally manifests. 

Isaac watches Vera turn, and promptly walk away, her figure getting farther, and he can’t find it anywhere in himself to follow her. She doesn’t remember him. She doesn’t know him.  He’s a stranger to her that brings back something she’s clearly worked to forget. His heart drops to his stomach and his head spins until someone bumps into him, sending him turning and running in the other direction. He collides with a few others, hearing various ‘ows’ and curses at him as the static in his body shocks those he comes in contact with. He rounds the corner of an alley where he presses his palms against a brick wall, eyes swimming with memories he’d tried to forget. He slams his hands against the wall as sparks fly off them in frustration. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.” He breathes out in anger and pain. His breathing is rapid and his heart races as he runs a hand over his face, turning to lean his back into the wall. He lets himself slide down till he’s sitting, knees bent and his face resting in his hands. Tears prickle the corners of his eyes, but he pushes them away, as he works to calm the nausea in his stomach and the spinning in his head. He sniffs and stays there for a few moments, catching his breath. He digs through his pockets, pulling out a small baggy of whatever he has left, and uses it, knowing he’ll regret it later, but also knowing he’d rather have his head swimming in a high than memories. Tossing the baggy aside, he leans his head back, waiting for the high to hit him, working to push back the thoughts that still make him sick. 

She doesn’t remember him. 

@nicholas-everett​

He’d been working in his lab when he got the call. He’d been extra careful to have his phone on while he was working, even if it posed as a distraction. He couldn’t seem to settle the guilt he had over missing Vera’s calls when Paxton had been mugged, and he refused to have something like that happen again. When his phone lit up and buzzed, he looked at the name, and smiled. Vera. Quickly hitting the screen, he brought it up to his ear, about to say a happy hello when he heard her voice and knew right away something was wrong. 

“Yes, yes of course.” He says, the phone clicks, she must have hung up. His heart picks up a bit, he knows Vera isn’t the type to over react to anything, and he knew that the shake in her voice meant something bad. Resisting the urge to call her back, he raced out of his lab, finding his way to his car, the one he barely used due to his indifference with driving. This time however he found himself driving through the streets not worried about anything else other than Vera. Coming up on the place where Vera had said she was, he quickly pulled into an open spot and hopped out, eyes searching for her. They landed on her figure tucked away in an ally, clearly shaken. He moves forwards towards her, eyes full of worry. Immiediately he takes her into his arms, pulling her close to his chest, feeling the slight shake in her bones. “Hey... what’s going on, are you okay.” He breathes into her hair as he holds her tight. 

@veraelwyn​

[nicholas-everett]

amcraxwclf‌:

Nicholas may feel lucky, but his association with the Elwyn heiress led to his demise. Amara called this whole interaction a win and it worked in her favour seeing as she was going to wipe his memory clean and ensure it doesn’t trace back to her.

Perhaps love was a dangerous thing.

Seeing Nic’s faltered expression caused Amara to smirk triumphantly as she got him where she wanted. “Your refusals sicken me you know that?” It was a rhetorical question, but she needed to make things clear. “I never understood what Rose saw in you. Years of manipulation and she just loved having you as a play thing.” Sighing, she pulled harder on his bionic arm and continued, “At least Vera did one right thing in her life and it was putting an end to Rose’s life. That woman had what’s coming to her.”

Using her free hand she then lifted her right foot and pulled out a blade that was hidden in her ankle. “Alright then, lucky for you I’m in no rush.” Tormenting Nicholas, without him and Vera knowing was enough satisfaction for the vampire. She didn’t care about the contract at this point, what mattered most was his agency. “Well then, I guess we should reschedule our next meeting. But first—” In one swift motion, she stabbed the adamantium blade onto the divided section that was in between his bionic arm and body, before using whatever brute force she possessed to pull it apart. “You’re going to go home like the love sick puppy you are and ask Vera to stitch you back together.”

She then tossed his limp body to the side and stabbed the sharp blade into the bionic arm multiple times, destroying its interface. “On second thought, let’s have Rose’s replacement redo her little project hmmm?” Amara threw his arm at him and bent down to his level, flashing him a fake empathetic gaze. “You must really love her to be willing to go through all this hell.” She then reached into his pockets and pulled out his wallet to make it seem like a robbery, like she had done with Paxton. 

“Alright, go home and report that you’ve been robbed. You will not remember any wrong doings that myself or Apollyon has ever done to you. We never met tonight. In fact, you plan to reschedule a meeting with me in a week or so. Understood?” compelled Amara as her brown hues turned hazel. “Hmmm…Something’s missing…Mmm, you know what? I’m a slut for the dramatics and torment and I’ve been in love before to know what’s worth keeping, so here’s a little gift from me to you.” Immediately her eyes changed colours as amber hues surfaced her irises and began to project Nicholas’ supposed future. A beautiful loving family with the Vera Elwyn and slowly the vision began to turn dark as one by one his children were killed off due to unfortunate circumstances. Eventually, it left Vera being the last to face death. It was an unforgettable vision, she was certain of that. 

Patting the sides of his cheeks, she flashed him a genuine smile and bid him with, “Have a wonderful night Mister Everett. We’ll keep in touch mmkays?” 

Nicholas’s mind worked to keep up with what was happening. This woman that he’d had no reason to fear (that he remembered anyways), was pushing his body into the wall with such immense strength, speaking of a woman that he wanted to forget--none of this made sense. He wanted to speak but he found himself at a loss for words as the woman--no the creature that stood before him spoke in words that felt like venom on his skin. Lips part in protest as he catches a glimpse of the blade coming down onto his arm, digging into the metal that he’d thought couldn’t be destroyed--but clearly Amara had her ways. He lets out a yell as she pulls the arm from his body, the nerves in the false skin searing and the point where the metal connected to the organic protesting in pain. His stomach turned as he was parted with the arm that Vera had made him, his mind slightly thankful that Amara didn’t seem to have done too much damage where the arm had been mounted to his body. Waves of hot pain washed over him as she tossed him aside, the pain too much for him to try to push back. He crashes to the ground, balance thrown off by suddenly being armless--a sensation that he’d never actually experienced despite loosing his arm in the invasion. 

He looks up ready to yell, to say something in protest, but the moment her eyes connected with his, it was like a blanket of nothingness washed over his mind. Her words echoed in his head. Report there was a robbery, we never met tonight, reschedule the meeting. He nods dumbly, in an obedient fashion as somewhere in the back of his mind there’s an itch of something not quite right. Eyes gaze towards her but do not seem to notice her as his mind is suddenly flooded with thoughts, intrusive and not his. Images float around him, of a life he hadn’t know he wanted, but it was suddenly all so clear. Vera, children, the familiar face of a young man that he felt so protective over. He could have almost smiled at the sudden hallucination, but suddenly it went dark. Faces flashed before him, all lost in tragic ways, dying right before his eyes--the family he didn’t know leaving him before he knew them. Each death more horrific than the last, he couldn’t seem to blink away the images that left an ache in his heart. Then Vera clouds his vision, her radiant beauty catching him as he reaches forward, wanting to shield her, to save her from the same fate he’d just witnessed. But she too was ripped away from him, in a graphic and horrible way. He was alone, lost without this family that he didn’t know he had. The vision cleared, and once more he saw Amara in front of him. She spoke, but her words did not register in his ears. Images of his dying family kept flashing before him. In a blink she was gone and he was left alone, his ruined arm in his lap, a cold sweat breaking across his forehead. His stomach wanted to heave, but he couldn’t move. 

There’d been a robbery. They’d taken his wallet. They’d somehow ripped off his arm. He wasn’t sure where the strange vision had come from, maybe he’d hit his head. They must have pushed him into the wall, and he hit his head causing some sort of hallucination--yes that was it. He swallows against a dry throat, as he tries to stand, thrown off by the strange sensation of missing an arm. Legs shake as he uses the wall for assistance, slowly picking up his mangled arm as he does so. He walks blindly home, caught somewhere between the shock of the robbery and the horrors that had likely been brought on by some sort of head injury from hitting his head. He couldn’t remember what the robbers looked like... had there been one, had there been many? He didn’t know. He can’t remember the walk home, or if anyone had stopped the strange man who walked like he was in a trance, holding a mangled, but unbloodied arm in his hand. He doesn’t remember what Vera says when he gets home, but he remembers pulling her close with his remaining arm, not wanting to let her go, not wanting to ever have the vision in his head come true. The vision of him losing everything that he knows will haunt him forever. 

[hiddlesedits]

[hiddlesedits]

[nicholas-everett]

chrysanthemum-throne‌:

“Yes, there is, actually.” Kikuhito replied forwardly, extending his hand out for a shake. “It is truly a pleasure, Doctor Everett. I’m Kikuhito Omikami, doctor of psychology. I was wondering if you’d be willing to indulge me in some lingering questions I had about your talk today?” Although he phrased it as a question, he had no intention of letting Nicholas leave without first having the chance to probe the renown doctor’s mind. He heard Nicholas’ anti-social tendencies perhaps rivaled that of his own, so Kikuhito was keen on not letting this opportunity to go to waste. “Ah, how rude of me. Since I am taking up your precious time, as I’m sure a fellow doctor like you surely has research to attend to, I would be more than happy to treat you to some drinks, even dinner — in fact, it would be an honour to do so. It’s the least I can do.” He flashed the man a smile bright as the sun itself. For once, he was genuinely looking forward to holding a conversation with someone.

Nicholas returns the shake of the others hand, slipping his hands into his pockets as the man introduces himself. Nicholas’ brows raise when the man says his name, immediately recognizing it from the university directory. “Ah yes, Doctor Omikami. Nice to meet you.” He says, smiling politely. He hadn’t met the other professor before, but admired him for his work in psychology. While he was quite tired after the lecture, his body still taking up most of his energy with working to finish healing his arm, before he got the chance to open his mouth to protest, suggesting a different time, the other had already continued speaking. Out of politeness he nodded again, agreeing to the suggestion. “I appreciate it.” He thinks for a moment before speaking again. “There is a coffeeshop just down the street, they make excellent sandwiches.” He suggested to the other man. 

[hiddlesedits]

[nicholas-everett]

@veraelwyn

[nicholas-everett]

veraelwyn‌:

In the kitchen with a plate out, Vera rummages through the fridge for anything she can find. It’s mostly fruit. Strawberries, pineapple, blackberries, apples. Along with pure a pure comb of honey. She places it all on the counter and places a strainer next to it. While humming and dancing to her own tune, Vera starts with the pineapple, taking off the skin and cutting it up into smaller pieces. All without noticing the smile that is on her lips. She has known Nic for years. She thought she knew everything about him, but this ending up being a whole new stepping stone. This was like learning about Nicholas all over again, in a different light, seeing this – seeing such a loving and genuine and soft side of him. It was exciting. It was also completely terrifying.

Vera swipes a finger along the edge of the plate, catching a drip of honey before it lands on the counter and pressing her finger against her lips and tongue, savouring the sweet and delicate taste. Feeling arms around her, Vera grins and continues to cut the fruit, now moving onto the strawberries. She can’t help but hum a laugh when Nicholas begins to give her kisses. Unintentionally, she leans her head back against Nicholas’ chest, giving him full access to her exposed neck – which would have never happened with anyone else. This was a complete surrender, and Vera didn’t mind in the slightest. “Good,” She says, clearing her throat after a moment. The bridge of her nose becomes warm again.

Before answering, she pushes the plate back and turns in his arms to face him. This creates a bit of space for Vera to lift herself onto the counter while simultaneously wrapping her legs around Nic’s waist, pulling him in. “I did,” She replies lifting her head slightly to place her lips just over his, brushing lightly. Not innocently, it was more teasing. “Got a little distracted, though,” their lips connect, her hands run up along Nicholas’ chest, making their way to intertwines her fingers at the base of his neck.

After kissing, Vera opens her eyes and stares at Nicholas for a second, she tries to keep her features composed, but as she’s looking at him with astonishment, a large grin finds it’s way to her lips. One hand stays at his neck, another hand lets her fingers run through the front of his hair delicately. If she could, Vera would stand, and with her heart soaring dizzily, she would somehow be stumbled to the door, crashed out onto the porch that didn’t exist, and immediately walked off the end. Was that how people normally described love? “Who was your first serious girlfriend? I know this sounds weird, but I have a need to thank her. Whether you broke up with her, vice versa, maybe it was mutual?  Whatever the reason,” She takes a breath, “Butterfly effect, is what I’m getting at.”

Nicholas never thought he’d have something like this with anyone, something that felt so right and normal, but also so beyond normal in the most phenomenal way. Her scent is intoxicating as he presses his lips against her neck, eyes glancing at the small feast of fruit she’d put together for them. Her head resting back into his chest only made him pull her tighter towards him, enjoying the soft skin of her neck. Lips curl up into a smile when she turns, now facing him, her small frame pushing up to sit on the counter. He fully allows her to pull him forward with her legs wrapped around his hips. His hands move to rest on her thighs, thumbs running over her smooth skin slowly.

His heart skips a beat when she moves closer, her lips hovering over his. It takes him everything he has not to close the space between them, his lips parting just slightly as the corners curl up. Finally her face moves closer their lips coming together, and Nicholas melts into it. They remain there for a few moments, connected as they kiss, his heart beating rapidly. He wonders if he’ll ever get used to kissing her, or if his heart would always skip a beat. He smiles when she pulls away, their eyes connecting for a while, perfectly content in that moment. He wanted to remain there forever, the two of them embraced together, just admiring each other. But the silence was broken with words that made his heart drop and the back of his throat dry. g

Eyes fell down from her gaze and Nicholas moved, creating space between them. His expression becomes stoney as thoughts cloud his once happy mind. He steps away from her, not wanting to, but feeling the need to. He knew his face said more to her question than he would have liked. If he could, he would have loved to just lie--just ignore those two years of his past that no longer belonged to him. He turns away, fingers coming up to rest on his lips as he thinks hard about his next words. When he’d found out exactly what happened to him in Italy, so much had happened right after--the invasion, losing his arm, finally being with Vera. He’d never really given himself the chance to think about it all or process it. He’d rather just have ignored the past all together and be happy with Vera. But her question brought it all back up again. Nicholas turned back to face Vera, brows knitted together in seriousness. He’d never really been one to trip over his words, but in that moment he could seem to find the right thing to say. “I... well, other than you... I had only ever been with Rose.” 

[nicholas-everett]

Time passed quickly when Nicholas worked in his lab. Slender fingers worked quickly through the motions, jotting quick notes every so often. That night he’d had a break through, and it felt good to finally be using his brain again after such a long recovery period. Situated in his lab that Vera had built for him on one of the levels of the building they lived in, Nicholas worked through the night, his incredible focus driving him forward. His phone sat face down on a table across the room, where he’d dropped it as he’d come in, ringer set to silent so he would be able to get some work done with no distractions. Hours passed as he stretched his brain, reading, analyzing and setting up experiments. He had a lot to catch up on after his accident, and it was almost as though he intended to do so over night. 

Light creeped through a gap in the heavy curtains that hung over the windows, shining the new light of the day across the space where Nicholas worked. His eyes flickered up, registering the shift in time, stretching his back that ached slightly from sitting so long. He glances at the clock, blinking for a moment as his vision adjusts from the studious daze he was just in. Shifting some of the papers in front of him, he sorts them into a neat pile, tucking them into a folder. He takes a few minutes to straighten up the space before he stands, letting out a stifled yawn. He knew he’d only be able to sleep a few hours into the day, but he figured a few hours were better than none. 

Nicholas moves across the room, grabbing the phone off the table without looking at it before tucking it into his pocket. He yawns again, leaving the lab to head upstairs. He showers slowly, letting the warm water ease his aching muscles of his shoulder, the need for sleep clouding his mind. Once finished, he moves his way through their house, eyes glancing towards Vera’s room—or rather the room they’d been sharing, but finds the bed empty. She must have gone into work early, or perhaps she hadn’t even come home at all. He moves to sit on the bed, pulling his phone out of his pocket, pressing the button to flash on the screen. Notifications pop up, one after another, missed texts and voicemails from Vera. 

A surge of adrenaline runs through Nicholas’ chest, heart skipping for a moment. His mind clears from its previous sleepy state, now alert as his fingers flip through his phone, catching words that make his heart sink. His mind didn’t register the full sentences, just catching the words that put the story together in his mind. Paxton... attack... hospital...  

Nicholas stands, mind flooding with panic as he hastily pulls on a shirt. He rushes through their home, still pulling on his shoes as he’s getting into the elevator. Moments feel like hours as he mentally kicks himself for not having his phone on--for ignoring the world while he worked. Finally breaking through the doors of the lobby, he heads outside, only to be greeted by a car pulling up, and two figures slowly getting out. His heart sinks when his eyes find Paxton. His body moves on autopilot towards Vera and Paxton, eyes full of guilt and worry. “I’m sorry.” He says to Vera, eyes already scanning Paxton up and down, assessing the damage. One arm tucked in a sling, a cast peeking out from it. Nicholas’s eyes harden as he takes in more of the injuries--the young boy had really taken a beating. His hands find their way gently onto Paxton’s shoulders as he silently continues to look the boy over, lips pursed in serious focus. He knew now wasn’t the time to question what happened, he’d talk to Vera about that. Right now he could only think of how young and broken Paxton looked. He hated himself for not being there in the hospital with him, and although the boy wasn’t his own, he was quickly starting to feel an immense sense of responsibility over him. After a few more seconds, Nicholas finally found his voice, nodding softly, giving a look to Vera. He already knew that she would have offered for Pax to stay with them, and Nic knew he wouldn’t let the boy go back to the dorms to be on his own. “Come on, lets get you inside. You need something to eat and to rest.” He gave Vera a look, knowing they’d talk about what happened once they were inside and Paxton was settled. Putting a gentle hand on the young boy’s back, Nicholas guided him inside. 

[hiddlesedits]

[nicholas-everett]

veraelwyn‌:

With a laugh, with a look, with the brush of skin on skin, Vera swears that this man is an expert on keeping her heart beating. Nicholas makes her feel – softer. Her professionalism as a Director, the frosty demeanour of the CEO, the brattiness of a spoiled rich girl, was all gone…  And she was just and only Vera. Nothing else. There was no keeping up with appearances here.  With her tangled hair, blush red cheeks and voice groaning with the sleep that she didn’t get; he still manages to make her feel as if she were the most beautiful person in the world. Making Vera blush wasn’t an easy feat. And yet, their eyes connect and she can feel the heat creep over the bridge of her nose. “Mmm, you’ve always had such good eyes for quality,” Vera replies, her voice barely above a whisper and she grins with a playful confidence. Nicholas moves and Vera moves with him, easily meeting him halfway.

They pull away and Vera considers what Nicholas says. “I think it’s worth a shot.” It was a powerful feeling, one believing that could do whatever they wanted to do.

“… But, I’m hungry. So, let me get us some food. I’ll come back and we’ll try this whole ‘never leaving the bed’ idea, yeah?” A smile grows on her lips to show striking white teeth. A smile reserved only for Nicholas. She gives him a parting kiss before slipping away from under the sheets. Blue orbs search for any article of clothing that have been scattered along the bedroom floor. A shirt and a pair of underwear would do, she was only going to the kitchen. It was when she put the pieces of clothing on when she realized the shirt was a few sized to big. Brushing her hair out of her face to look down at the shirt that falls just below her kneecaps. That’s when she realizes that it’s not hers and it was Nic’s. Her eyes flickered to meet his before giving a light and playful scoff of a laugh. She couldn’t believe how cliche this looked, and she couldn’t believe how much she enjoyed it. How much it made her happy.

“I’ll be right back,” Vera says with the role of her eyes, the smile on her lips not going anywhere as she departs the room.

Cheeks flushed and hearts beat between them as they remained in their own little world, bodies entangled and warm. “I do.” He muses, voice quiet and thick with a heavy ache for sleep. But he kept his eyes open, never wanting to look away from her, as though she could disappear at any moment. Their lips meet in a warm embrace, still managing to make Nicholas’s head spin. He wanted it to last forever, to be completely captured by the complete essence of her. But much to his dismay they pull apart, and he’s left with the lingering sensation of her on his lips. He lets out a soft groan, head falling back slightly, not wanting her to leave. “You sure we can’t just stay here?” He chuckles a little, wanting to pull her back close to him as he quickly feels the cool absence of her body against his. Eyes linger on her as she gets up, marveling at her beauty. He watches, a moment that might have once embarrassed him, now felt so natural and right, as she slowly searches for clothing that’s scattered on the floor. 

A small smile parts on his lips when she pulls on a shirt he recognizes at his own, the loose fabric some how still making her look radiant. He gives her a small laugh back and watches her saunter out the door, and he stretches slightly in the bed, letting out another quiet groan before pushing himself up, knowing he should go help Vera. Pulling on a pair of his underwear, he wanders from the room towards the kitchen. He smiles when he finds Vera by the counter, moving up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist, pressing his body against hers. He dips down a little, his face nuzzling into her neck, his lips finding their way along the side of her throat, leaving a trail of kisses. He breathes her in, her scent intoxicating, as he closes his eyes, savouring the moment. “Couldn’t stay away,” He murmurs into her neck sleepily as he holds her. “Did you find something to eat, love?” 

[nicholas-everett]

Nicholas wasn’t all too keen on doing lectures open to the public, but after having been away from the university and his research for so long, he was just happy to be back and have two functioning arms. The talk was around some of his and Pax’s most recent findings on some of the alien material the university had been able to get their hands on after the invasion. While much of the findings were still completely confidential, aspects of it were allowed to be shared, and the university felt it was good to give the public some form of answers as to what happened and information about the aliens that had desolated the city. Wrapping up his speech, he thanked everyone for coming, and walked off the stage, nodding towards a few peers, already feeling tired. He hadn’t been back to work long, but he found himself tiring quickly, his body still working to heal. Eyes catch a figure coming towards him and he gives a polite nod in greeting to the man. “Was there something I could help you with?” 

@chrysanthemum-throne

[cannonballonfire-deactivated201]

Tom Hiddleston (as Robert Laing) in ‘High-Rise’, (2015). Dir. Ben Wheatley.