nicholasgaunt-blog

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

adam-elric:

He received the man’s thanks even if he hadn’t in fact done anything yet, so all the drifter could do in response was nod. His eyes were already set on the car, ready to get straight away to the fixing bit without bothering to exchange more words. But the other man asked his name and so the drifter glanced up again. “Adam” he responded in his usual neutral tone. He did recall Nicholas, just as he recalled everyone he ever crossed paths with “Yeah, at Founder’s Day. You interviewed me”.

Nicholas couldn't help curling his lips up into a smile when he noticed the man's eyes already drifting off to the car they were driving. "We are traveling to report some very important and urgent news." He shrugged his shoulders lightly while he noticed how easily that lie rolled of his tongue. After all, everything they reported ont he local news was not half as important as everything they were trying to cover up, they were trying to keep hidden. "I am sorry that I happened to have forgotten that name. I promise it will not happen again." He nodded at the car next to him. "Of course we will financially compensate you for the time you will need to fix this."

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

willow-pine:

Willow concentrated on her ability, careful not to take things too far. She was angry and it was certainly difficult for her to keep that kind of control, especially seeing as the last time she had gotten angry with someone and used her telekinesis she had very nearly broken every bone in their body. If anything, when it came to Nicholas, she was fucking tired of the riddles. She wanted straight answers and this fairytale behaviour was just getting on her nerves. All the while, she listened to him, bending down to his level as she did so with furrowed brows of confusion. He spoke of his wife - something that Willow again, had no idea what that had to do with anything but she waited for him to finish but the ominous scare of his creepy family picking someone else as their next victim made her roll her eyes, “You make it sound as though your family are the goddamn twenty-first century version of the Addam’s family. Why do you think your family would do something to your wife? What is it that you think i’d be so scared to find out about when getting into your family’s business, huh? Because it seems to me that if you’re so scared of people snooping then you’ll have a pretty good idea of what may have happened to your wife - hell - who knows - you might have even ad a part in it? What? Are they involved in the murders that are going in in this town? Because I’ve read plenty of stories of people going missing without a trace, Nic, that’s sort of how every fucking story ‘round here goes.”

Nicholas had been afraid of dying ever since he had known there was a chance that he would die at a way too young age, simply because he would do something wrong or make a mistake. He knew all too well that he was currently making a mistake or maybe even more than one. Either he would tell Willow secrets that were not his to spill and could cost him his life. Or he would not tell Willow what he was talking about earlier, what he had meant with her having to stay away from his family, what he had hoped to reach when he had asked her to not dive into his family too much and she would maybe end up killing him instead. "If my family had been the modern version of the Adam's Family I'd probably have a much happier life than I had right now." After all, the Adam's family was not that bad if you had a closer look at them and their family dynamics. They might have some strange preferences and longings, but they never forced each other to live a life they were not ready to live, they were not willing to live. Nicholas on the other hand was leading a life that almost made him hate himself apart from those who were forcing him to be someone he was absolutely not. "Please, Willow." Nicholas tensed all his muscles when he attempted to not break into a thousand little pieces. "You have absolutely no idea what is happening in this town and I assure you that you don't want to know or..." He hated the words that were lingering in the back of his mind and were trying to fight their way out of his mouth, over his lips. "You might be the next one to disappear and lose their life." He remembered how his parents had used that phrase over and over when he was not agreeing with them, when he refused to do what he asked them to do, when he was not the perfect Gaunt son they had wished him to be. "And if I will attempt to stop you, they won't hesitate to end my life either..."

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

alma-suarez:

Nicholas’ words rang very true. Natural talent probably played a role but everything she was, was carefully handmade by her mother and grandmother. Mostly her grandmother. Constanza Suárez had a bigger influence from beyond the grave on Alma than most living people did. Luckily his question was enough to bring her out of such thoughts “Space. My sister wanted a party with astronauts and aliens. It’s not what every eleven-year-old girl wants, but-” she shrugged, trailing off. When Alma turned elevent her party was fairy themed, and she and her friends had fabric wings to decorate the way they wanted. Dany was nothing like her, of course, so she never expected fairies to be her sister’s request. “Thank you, Mr. Gaunt. It’s only three blocks that way” she spoke in a polite manner, gesturing in her home’s direction. A quick walk and they’d be there.

Nicholas allowed his lips to curl up into a smile while Alma revealed the surprising time. "I do have to admit that might indeed not be something you hear often from eleven year old girls." He nodded at her for a moment and he thought about the cliché image surrounding girls her age. "But I am glad that not everyone in this country has decided that they want to be a princess. I have nothing against princesses, but I assume there is such a thing as too many princesses." Just like there was such a thing as too many male astronauts. Although he had to admit that maybe there had been a short moment where he had desired to be an astronaut too. He assumed that was mostly because only space sounded far enough to be out of reach from his family, from their strong and suffocating hold. "You are very welcome. So far this conversation has been quite pleasant and I like to continue it for at least three more blocks."

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

adam-elric:

He spotted the broken down car before Nicholas even asked for help. Hearing the young man turn to the passers-by like that to get some assistance was what made him decide to step in. He had nothing better to do at present and he knew a fair amount of things about fixing cars. He had Joe and his little worshop in Exeter to thank for some of his mechanical skills. “Maybe I can help” he said as he approached the car and its owner, pulling his hair together into a bun at the back of his head and holding it together with the tie he kept around his wrist.

Nicholas let his glance rest on the young man that approached them without hesitation. Nathan had made him more aware of the effect he had on others, but now he couldn't help wondering if everyone who volunteered to help or any service that was provided to him was simply offered because he was Nicholas Gaunt, the presenter of the local news. However, he recognized this young man from Founder's day. Nicholas doubted he would already have a door opening reputation to someone who has only moved here a few weeks ago. "That would be very kind of you, thank you." He let his tongue slide over his lips. "I am afraid I have forgotten your name, but I do remember we met, if I am correct?"

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

iris-hakansson:

“He is.” Iris responded automatically. Her family was a tight unit. One that knew how to work with one another in unison but also had a persistent need to one up the other. Well - that was the competition between her siblings. She loved her family like no other, but their need for success is the very reason why Iris was scared of what might come if she were to reveal this disability that she had. Sure, they wouldn’t pity her, but no doubt, they would be fragile… Careful with Iris and that was a life that she didn’t want. It was why she was here. Why she was fighting and bettering herself. Her eyes didn’t reveal any truth, but if anyone were to realise and doubt her, she would be ready to hit back. 

She nodded her head in thanks for his compliment and reached up to pull out the hair band that held her long red locks. “I hope that I was able to instil some motivation in you.” She said, “I should probably get going anyway, but I wish you luck, Nicholas.”

Nicholas couldn't help but thinking about his own family and the bond they shared. Even though to most people it was an unreachable dream to be part of the founding family's of Norfolk, to Nicholas it started to feel more like a nightmare with each day that passed. Not one had his father given him any advice that served anything but their own goal to keep whatever was going on in this town hidden for the public eye. Not once had his mother wrapped her arms around him to dry his tears up to the point where he had grown afraid of even sharing his sadness and pain with anyone within his family. He was also afraid of the consequences if he would confess how heavy the weight on his shoulders truly was. 

"You surely were, thank you." Nicholas curled his lips up into a smile, but the heavy feeling in his chest didn't disappear. He wondered if he would ever find something, some place, where that feeling would disappear. "Maybe we will meet again in the future." He looked at the bag he was about to punch and wondered if he really needed someone to hold it, but then he realized there were more people around and he could of course always ask them. "It was nice meeting you, Iris."

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

willow-pine:

“Then speak! It’s not like my apartment is bugged or whatever.” She was getting frustrated, mostly because Willow didn’t like to be in the dark about things and the fact that Nicholas had been so vague wasn’t exactly helping. Not when there were people going missing in this town, people who had been found by the police dead and with no explanation as to how that happened. He was warning her in what she assumed was good intention: poor little girl, don’t get mixed up in the bad and scary stuff you might wind up dead - but alas, Willow had always been know for looking for trouble and quite frankly, she was growing tired of this game. What if he was just lying to her? Making it seem like he were the good one in a family who quite clearly only invested in their dark nature. She didn’t trust him and the nervousness that radiated from him was much of an incentive to her that he wasn’t being at all honest with her. Fuck fajitas, fuck this little part she was playing here, she wanted all or he could get out. “You know what, Nic, I’m done playing nice.” She said, closing the fridge and turning to him again. With one swift flick of her wrist, the onion, chopping board and knife flew to one side. She probably shouldn’t have done that. Expose her gift to a man who very well could be an enemy in her own home but hell, she could take him if push came to shove, that much Willow was sure. She pursed her lips together, eyeing him for a split second and yet - his eyes weren’t enough to convince her.

Her hand raised in his direction, having learned how to channel her gift in one direction rather than just allowing it to go haywire. She used her arm as a guide, feeling that force ripple out of her and strike Nicholas back until he flew back, hitting the wall of her apartment. “There shouldn’t be a reason for me to defend myself or you having to defend anyone - the fact that your family could potentially be a problem for me makes me wonder what the fuck it is that you’re so paranoid about.” She said, using her telekinesis to press him against the wall and keep him from moving, “Tell me what it is that you think I need to be careful of, Nic. Cooking plan’s over.” She demanded.

Nicholas opened his mouth to say something, to say anything and maybe even everything, but the moment he realized that he would probably endanger her life he closed his mouth again and instead simply avoided her glance. Even though he wanted to talk about the heavy weight on his shoulders, he didn't want to burden anyone else with it and for sure not someone who had been so kind to him. Just when he was about to explain that if he would speak she would maybe pay for it with her life, he saw a certain anger in her eyes he had never seen in anyone before. His eyes widened when she turned around and faced him. His heart started hammering against his ribs when she twirled her wrist and made the onion and knife soar away from him. He held his breath and swallowed a few times while he contemplated what to say or what to do now. He knew more than enough about the secrets of this town to know that Willow was not an ordinary girl and that what she had just done with the onions and his knife was probably nothing but a simple trick while she had way more on her sleeve.

Before he could however say something he was all of a sudden pushed against the wall himself. His back hurt after the impact, but it was not the pain in his bones that hurt him the most. He kept on staring at Willow, at the power she displayed here in front of him, at the anger she seemed to direct at him simply because he had refused to speak of his secrets, simply because he refused to endanger her life. He closed his eyes and he took a few deep breaths while he tried to go over all the different options he had. "My wife..." Nicholas bit his lips and bent his head. "A few years ago my wife disappeared and I haven't heard about it ever since, but that is not the only thing that has happened..." He paused for a moment. "I do remember having a wife, but I don't remember her name, what she looked like, what we did together, the life we shared..." He paused for a moment. "I don't know why she disappeared and where she went, but somehow I fear..." He swallowed and he fought against the strong held on him, even though he didn't want to fight at all. "That maybe my family knows where she has gone and that maybe I have known it too and that maybe..." His voice was nothing but a soft whisper. "You or I or anyone else I know or care about who is interfering with the plans of my family will be next..."

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

willow-pine:

Willow furrowed her brows at Nicholas again, completely confused. When did this conversation turn into his family’s dirty laundry? She said that he was sheltered, that he needed to take charge at go outside on his own without mommy holding his hand… And yet… “Nic, I never said that I would…” She said, folding her arms now and resting her lower back against the counter top as she eyed him with suspicion, “I get the feeling that you actually want to talk about it.” At least - that was the truth behind the lines that Willow was hearing. “Whatever your family’s business is isn’t any of mine until they become a problem for me and while we’re on this subject, I’ll just say this… I can protect myself. Believe me. So while you’re being mister Ominous on me, just know that I am a lot stronger than I look.” And she was. With way too much power than she could even handle. Willow had certainly gotten a better hold of this beast within her but that’s exactly what it was - a beast. And she had since learned how dangerous her anger could be. “But sure, cooking… However you want. Cut one way and then the other, I’ll get some bell peppers out and start on those.”

Nicholas took a deep breath and he wished he could take everything he had said back. "I would love to speak about everything..." He hesitated in the middle of his sentence and he knew that with each word he added, he made the circumstances more and more dangerous than he could ever explain. He appreciated Willow's concern and he was thankful that she had not protested too much when he had told her that he had wanted to keep those cooking classes silence, but the more time they spent together, the more dangerous it seem to become for the both of them. "But that wouldn't even be selfish..." Especially if his fears and suspicions considering the disappearing of his wife and the lack of memories he had of her turned out to be connected, turned out to be true. "I really truly hope that my family won't be a problem for you." He paused for a moment, his voice nothing but a soft whisper while he could almost hear his own heart racing in his chest. "I truly hope we will never have to find out how well you can defend yourself, because I know very well that I can't defend anyone." After all, if what he feared was true he had not been capable of defending his own wife either. His hands were trembling while he curled his fingers around the lemmet of the knife. His fingers were shaking while he grabbed the onion. "We should spend our time on cooking and just cooking..." He started to cut and cut and stuck his tongue between his lips while he tried to focus on not hurting himself until he had stopped the nervousness rushing through his veins. Had he said too much? Had he indeed gotten Willow into much more danger than she could imagine? He really hoped not, because that was the last thing she deserved.

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

iris-hakansson:

With her eyes still dazzling the same shade of green and Iris being absolutely cautious in her ability to ‘see’ through the minds of others, no doubt it was difficult for others to tell that she had lost her sight. She didn’t want that anyway. She refused to have that linger as a potential weakness in her and that was why she was here. She was at the gym to better herself, despite the fact that her eyes failed her. Already, she could feel her confidence beginning to build again. It was a long way off, something that she was still trying to gather but she was a very independent woman who would rather crawl her way to safety than crash and burn. She got it from her mother. The Håkansson’s didn’t give up and she wouldn’t give up now. 

And with that in mind, the woman put down her weights and turned allowing her eyes to bore his, despite her disability, “Nicholas, may I give you some advice?” She asked, hardly waiting for him to respond before speaking again, “My father used to say to me that commitment doesn’t work with just half of your heart. Be it a hobby, a career or just Christmas dinner. If you go into boxing halfheartedly, your punches will be off, your stance will be lazy and the likeliness is that you will break a wrist. If you want to challenge your energy into a sport, do so with your whole heart otherwise, you will be punching but still thinking about whatever drama it is that is troubling you. That is how I’ve always seen it. And that is what I’ve always lived by with everything I’ve done and success has come my way for my hard work. Not my family’s fortune - I’m making my own. I know this is a simple thing but as I said before, unless you believe in yourself - no one else will. Just remember that while you put on your wraps and go for the bag.”

Nicholas felt how her words hit something in him that was clearly not fully ready to wake up yet. He knew what the world and the people in this town thought about him. He was very well aware that there were countless young boys who wanted to be like him when they grew up. Just like he was very well ware that a lot of girls dreamed about marrying someone like him. What most of those people didn't know was that they had no idea who the true Nicholas was, what was hiding behind his confident smile and his laughter. They didn't know that behind his perfect grades in high school and his circle of rich and spoiled friends, that behind the man who seemed to have it all partly because of his family's fortune, was nothing  but darkness and emptiness and nothing. 

If only he could remember how he had been when he had still been married. If only he could remember the things he and his wife used to enjoy together, how they had spent their days off, their free time. If only he could remember the things that made her laugh, the things she had seen in him even though he had maybe not even seen them himself. If only he knew why she had either left him or had been taken from him. He shook his head and tried to shake all the thoughts, the sadness, the darkness and anger sipping through the cracks. "Your father sounds like a very wise man." Nicholas curled his lips up into a smile while he put the borrowed wraps on and took a deep breath. He was not sure if he had ever done anything in life because he wanted to, because he felt that fire and passion she was describing, because he needed to do it, needed to feel it. "And you sound like a very good daughter." He stared at the punching bag and he took a few deep breaths while he tried to pump some adrenaline through his veins. He wished his parents would say things like that, would have let him follow his heart, if he still had one that could lead him somewhere, at least.

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

willow-pine:

“Babe, it’s not about your secrets. Whatever skeletons are in yours or your parents closets, that’s not my shit to dive into.” Willow said, holding up her hands as if to say that wasn’t her intentions at all. And it wasn’t. Maybe it was because the moment her own parents tried to control her - and that was when she was at least fourteen years old - Willow rebelled. She couldn’t imagine her parents telling her what to do now, at the age of twenty four. She was the one breathing in oxygen, her body was pumping blood to HER heart. This was her life now and not anybody else’s decision to make, “All I’m saying is your limited freedom is ridiculous. Doesn’t mean I’m saying there should be a police investigation into your family - shit. You just saying that makes things more suspicious.” She sighed, shaking her head now. This wasn’t her business and, like how her parents weren’t the boss of her, she wasn’t the boss of Nicholas. But if he was going to complain about the stuff he had to deal with, didn’t he want to make a change? “Just… Chop the onions.”  

Nicholas bent his head and avoided her glance even though there were so many things he wanted to tell her and explain her. He knew however that the more he would trust her with, the more in danger she could be. He was very aware of the fact that the hold of his family on his life was far from healthy and far from wanted, but knowing that the price of breaking fear could end his life kept him from actively changing something about it. He was already playing with fire by being here and participating in an activity his parents would not approve of, although he had already come up with a thousand arguments why this experiment could work in their advantage too. "Will you please promise me one thing?" He spoke softly and he looked up at his companion, his blue eyes meeting hers. "Don't get involved in my family's business..." He knew that by saying this he was most likely increasing her suspicion even more, but he had to warn her of some sorts. "It is better if we simply focus on cooking, on learning how to chop onions." He forced his lips to curl up into a smile again and he curled his fingers around the knife. "How small should the pieces be?"

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

@adam-elric

Nicholas frowned his eyebrows when he smelled something he had never smelled before. "Excuse me?" He tapped carefully on the shoulders of the driver and he leaned forward a little. They were on their way to film an item about a new restaurant in town opening and although he was not that excited about it, he didn't want to arrive too late either. "Is everything alright with the car?" He now noticed the smoke and the flickering red light on the dashboard. "Park the car, now. Before we cause any more damage." 

The driver sighed, but eventually he steered his car towards the walkway and turned the engine of. "We will be arriving late at the appointment, sir Gaunt." He looked over his shoulders, but Nicholas already stepped out of the car. "We might not arrive at all if we damage the care too much." He looked around and he straightened his back while he let his eyes wander over the crowd. "Is there by any chance anyone around here who knows something about cars?" Else he would have to call the garage, but that would surely take a lot longer.

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

nathan-novak:

Nathan sighed, shaking his head at the thought of eating any of the fish in his aquarium. Of course he was not above eating animals; he did partake in eating meat. Perhaps that made him a bit of a hypocrite. But he did have trouble eating seafood. He’d never really been a fan of that type of food. “I honestly really don’t eat seafood. Can’t say I relate.” Nathan took the time to fold the extremely almost too white napkin in his lap, playing with the edges as he listened to Nicholas speak. Huh. For a man who was raised with a silver spoon in his mouth, he didn’t act all that humble towards his situation did he? Ignorant may have been a correct word for it. Or Nicholas referred to the majority of folks, in whichc case he could hardly believe the amount of laziness that may occur here in the US. Nathan was by no means poor, but he was not rich either. He comfortably sat in the middle class range of wealth, which he was completely satisfied with. The only Novak left in Norfolk…wasn’t it sad. The man had been worth something once. Perhaps it still was, but not in the same way it once was. “Oh come on, Nicholas. You spend all that time researching the weather; you can’t look up a poisonous fish species in Australia? The human race has gotten a little lazy if they can’t simply google a fucking fish.”

Ah, he was afraid of that. It seemed Nicholas always had a camera attached at his hip and this would be no different. “All right bring your cameras. Just warn me first, like shoot me a text or something.” The aquarium could use a boost in sales, though and this would do the trick…he just really hated cameras. Nathan felt obligated to look his best and talk a certain way. He hated that. Norfolk had a way of making many people feel inferior. “Doesn’t it get exhausting being Norfolk’s sweetheart all the time, Nic?” He had to wonder if the spotlight was really all it was made out to be. The glitz, the glamour, it all seemed a bit much in Nathan’s opinion. He was happy to remain at the sidelines of the aquarium and watch children’s smiling faces from afar. For his regulars though, they would be graced with his presence. Some people had a face to match the name, but most remained oblivious, just as Nathan preferred it to be.  “Thanksgiving dinners, huh? Hey, at least you’re well fed. Have you ever actually gone to any?” He wouldn’t put it past Nicholas to attend a few, keep the people happy so they’d keep watching. It was all about the ratings, was it not?

Their food came rather quickly, too quick in Nathan’s opinion. It had only been a mere fifteen minutes since they’d ordered, and he was used to waiting at least twenty to thirty minutes. Again, it was the star treatment he was in fact not used to but his companion rather was. Nathan sighed, looking down at his plate of food with a raised brow. This better be fantastic for all this fuss…he smiled at the waiter and thanked him nonetheless. “Maybe I should bring you around more often. I’d hardly have to wait for my food.”

Nicholas had grown up with being forced to enjoy everything the sea had to offer. He didn't know that many children who actually enjoyed fish, unless it were goldfishes swimming around in aquariums, but he had been forced to enjoy it. After all, at all the important occasions, fish was the main dish to be served. "I believe I wouldn't be able to eat anything I would love as much as you love your fish either." Nicholas curled his lips up into a smile. He wondered if he had ever loved anything as much as Nathan loved the fish he was taking care of. He thought he might have loved his wife that much. He wondered if maybe he had loved her that much that dealing with her disappearance had been too much, that he had been the one asking someone to take his own memories away. Or was this something his parents had done to him, because they knew more about the matter than they would ever dare to admit? Nicholas shook his head almost invisibly. If he believed that his parents had something to do with the disappearance of his wife and the lack of memories he had of, he knew what had happened to the one person he had loved this much. And if that had been her faith, it was something he couldn't bear. "I have never complained about any company while enjoying a swim, but I have read articles with the most absurd complaints about holidays. I am afraid that some people really do complain about the ocean at their holiday beach containing fish." 

Nicholas curled his lips up into a smile again and he grabbed his napkin to place it in his lap. The napkin was not as smooth as the ones he usually touched, but in a way it felt therefore way more comfortable than all those silken ones would ever do. "I will not come unannounced with cameras, I promise." Nicholas grinned slightly and he shook his head. The aquarium actually would make an interesting item, although it would be anything all the other news items were too. It would be a distraction to keep the people occupied and to make sure no one wouldn't ask questions they were not supposed to ask. "There are moments I prefer locking myself up at home for a few days, yes." Especially when he is forced to tell another one of those unimportant stories as if it's the most exciting thing that has ever happened in this town. He knew that the most exciting items, never made it to the Network and that if there was some distrust among the people, he would be the one who had to calm everyone down. He was the one who had to calm everyone down and he was not sure if he could keep on doing so when he couldn't even calm himself down. "I have never accepted one of those invitations and I am afraid that family wouldn't appreciate it when I preferred keeping one of our viewers company instead of them." A small chuckle, although it was not a meant one, escaped his lips. "But I did attend some weddings and birthday parties now and then."

Nicholas looked up with a smile plastered on his face when the waiter put his food in front of him. The plate looked neat, a little too neat for a place like this and a sigh escaped his lips, although he tried to hide it by hiding it within a polite thank you. "I am totally willing to keep you company when you are busy, Nathan." He somehow wished that he wouldn't receive special treatments like this, but he knew that it was not something he could change. At least he could allow other people to enjoy a small part of his privilege too, it was the very least he could do.

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

iris-hakansson:

Quite honestly, Iris wasn’t particularly keen on the wandering eyes that roamed her. She could see it. Even if her eyes were not the ones that she was seeing through. His mind expressed admiration rather than a flirtatious stare - one that thought that she was in far better shape. That was good to know. It simply meant that she was getting better, her tone was better and she felt it. She could feel herself getting stronger, with the ability to go further with her workout. “Watching someone do something and doing it yourself are two different things,” Iris pointed out. “Every person is different as are their experiences. What I find difficult, you might not and vice versa.” Strengths and weaknesses were revealed from all angles. That was something that Iris had certainly come to learn over the years. His status meant little to Iris, almost nothing at all in her mind. They came from similar families, his being cousins to the Hardings and hers being related to the Wilders. Wealthy parents, comfortable upbringings. She’d seen it all before and knew that perhaps his status even helped his case when gaining a position in news broadcasting. She, herself, knew that her own status would benefit her but Iris worked hard during her school years, aced her classes to the best of her ability so if heaven forbid, something were to happen to the Håkansson’s financial status, she would be knowledgable to maintain stability. Iris frowned at his words, shaking her head, “But every student starts off as an absolute beginner, Nicholas. No need to sell yourself short. If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect others to?” She wondered.

Nicholas kept silent for a moment while he let her words sink in. As a journalist he had learned to be quite observing, to notice small details other might not see and he knew that if he wanted he could see a lot more things, things that no-one else in the world could actually see. But he had tried to fight his abilities the best he could. Those glimpses of the future, those flashes of disasters and bad things happening to good people, they were nothing but a burden. They were nothing but a distraction, nothing but a useless gift. In high school they had studied the story of Cassandra, of the girl who was doomed to predict the future and to always be right, but who was never believed and instead laughed at. He didn't know if his parents were aware of the gift he possessed, but if they were they were probably simply glad that he had decided not to act upon it. 

"I am aware of that." He had no idea how long his silence had lasted. He had no idea if Iris had noticed how lost he had been in his own thoughts, in thoughts he wanted to forget. "I honestly don't mind if I will be good at this or not. I don't have the illusion to become a champion or a profession of some sorts..." He hesitated for a moment, once again. "My biggest worry isn't that I won't be good at it, my biggest worry is that it won't help me to forget the world around me for a short moment."

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

willow-pine:

Willow shook her head as Nicholas spoke. To not know what a raw onion or garlic looked like was absolutely ludicrous. “Your house sounds like a museum rather than a home.” She said, feeling rather unapologetic in this moment as she spoke, “The fact that you don’t know such small things is crazy and further, being held back by your mom, Nic… At your age? It’s insane. You shouldn’t have to be sneaking around and watching your back just to cook! Do you not hear how fucking stupid that is? You’re not a child and hell, it’s not like we’re doing drugs, we’re making food. A basic survival skill. You literally sound like a sheltered child, it’s crazy, man.”

Nicholas bent his head and the smile plastered on his face faded. "I have never seen my house as a home, to be honest." His house was nothing but a place where he was when his work place was closed, when he had nowhere else particularly to be, when he had no other choice than spending some time on the couch in front of the computer or the television. "Even the spoiled and rich have their own secrets and crosses to bear..." He looked up at Willow and he allowed his glance to meet hers for a short moment. He was longing for someone he could trust, someone he could tell the truth, someone he could share the burden and weight on his shoulders with. "My family's secrets are not mine to share, but their held on me is too strong to shake." And too dangerous to shake too.

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

iris-hakansson:

Iris continued to lift and drop the weights in hand, levelling her breathing with ease. Clearly, the young woman had been practicing for quite some time. Already, her determination was paying off. She didn’t want to lose weight, that wasn’t at all the goal for her. But she wanted to be stronger, faster with her reflexes, be in tune with herself and build up another layer of confidence. “I’m not an expert but I will say legs apart, protect your hands and wrists and keep moving. Boxing is not a sport for just your arms, it’s your whole body. You keep moving on the spot, keep your feel bouncing and try not to hesitate. Hesitation means you’re scared to let loose and there is no room in boxing for hesitation.” These were things that Iris had quickly picked up on during her sessions with Roman and she had taken the time to venture out of Norfolk for some more private lessons in other fighting styles. She was a fast learner, no doubt about that - but an expert? No. “If you want to learn, I suggest finding a teacher. As I’m a student myself, I can only tell you what I’ve learned so far.”

Nicholas let his eyes wander over the young woman lifting weights as if they were nothing but bright white feathers. She was certainly in a much better shape than he was, most likely because she was not forbidden to have hobbies her family did not approve of. A smile spread across his lips when she started to give him some instructions. At least she was willing to help him, although he had discovered that most people here in Norfolk were willing to help he. He wondered if Nathan had been right and if it was because he was Nicholas Gaunt or if it was because they would do so for anyone else. "I have to admit that boxing sounds a lot more complicated than it seems when you are simply watching someone else do it." He put on the gloves and took a deep breath while he placed his feet and tried to focus on the bag hanging in front of him. "At the moment I am certain that a student is still move advanced than an absolute beginner like myself." He curled his lips up into a slight smile. "But if I happen to really enjoy it, I might indeed find someone with more expertise on the matter."

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

willow-pine:

“Believe me, anyone can follow a recipe and if you continue with this goddamn negativity, you’re leaving my apartment.” She warned, holding out a knife as she did so but to hand to him in order to chop the onions and garlic with. She did however, turn back to him, furrowing her brows in confusion and folding her arms, “Okay - pause. You don’t know what an onion or a garlic looks like?” She asked, raising then now, “What? Did your parents lock you in a basement for however long and then send you out to read the forecast every day? Come on, Nic… I’ve heard of snotty rich brats who have never taken a ride on the subway before but this? This is a bit crazy. It’s not normal. Did you ever set foot in the kitchen like at all? Not even to grab a bottle of water from the fridge?”

Nicholas stepped back, but an amuse smile played around his lips while he locked his glance with Willow's. There was a certain kind of fierceness and fire in her and he had not noticed it the first time they had met. In a way it was as interesting as it was intimidating, so he lifted his hands up in the air in an apologizing gesture. "I hereby declare that I will not delve into this negativity again whilst being in this apartment." He cocked his head a little and he dropped his arms when her fire turned into surprise. "I know what onion and garlic look like when it's on my plate in the finished meal, but I am afraid I have indeed never seen what the look like before you can actually eat them." He scratched the back of his neck. He was very aware of the fact that his life was far from normal, but it was only when he spoke to others that he realized how abnormal his life had actually been. "We did have a fridge with all kinds of drinks know, but our kitchen was never used for cooking." After all, his mother had always said that cooking was nothing but a waste of time when you had the money to ask others to pay for you.

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

iris-hakansson:

“Well… What is it that you’re looking for?” She wondered as she continued to lift the dumbbells back and forth, he seemed interested in something, so she turned to face him, the aid of his mind being a gateway for eyes for her, “Is there something I can help you with?” Iris asked.

Nicholas let out a deep sigh and he raised his eyebrows slightly in an attempt to hide his own discomfort. "I have always seen my work as a hobby, but I am afraid I have discovered that I do need something else to pass my free time." He licked his lips a little. He was most of all looking for a distraction and a way to keep his mind and body busy enough so he didn't get the chance to sink into his own emotions and emptiness. "Would you mind holding the back and giving me some advice on my punches?"

[nicholasgaunt-blog]

willow-pine:

“Oh come on, Nic. You can read, right? I’m gonna assume you can read because I highly doubt you’d be able to read teleprompters on the news if you couldn’t. Any idiot can read instructions and follow it.” Willow pointed out with a roll of her eyes as she pulled out the ingredients, “Yikes man, get some confidence in yourself, yeah?” She said, punching his arm lightly, “You can start by chopping up the onion and garlic.”

A smile spread across his face and he shrugged his shoulders in an attempted casual movement. "I am fairly certain that my reading talents concerning the actualities are more advanced." He raised his eyebrows slightly and he shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "I do hope that this cooking book also has an explanation for the words I have never seen in my news items before, though." He licked his lips and he let his glance rest on Willow's hand punching his arm. "But I assume that chopping onion and garlic can't be that hard."