Serious air though he's quite the gentleman,
enjoys reading and studying;
professor;
thirty-four years old;
gets slightly flustered around Emma.
Appearance
Nicholas is 32 years old, standing around 5'10" to 5'11". He is thin, with average muscle tone and pale skin, evidence that he rarely spends time outside.
His hair is very dark, appearing black. Nicholas's hair is straight generally, with a slightly wavy toward the tips, falling just above his shoulders. He commonly pulls it back into a short pony tail.
His eyes have a charcoal appearance, and are set below his dark brows with little enthusiasm, standing out just a bit against his fair skin. When flustered, his face flushes lightly, however he generally has a neutral or serious air to him. (Please note that this is not a "goofy" or "silly" expression.)
Clothing
Nicholas commonly wears a crisp white collared shirt with long sleeves. He will often wear a dark colored sweater vest with the shirt when at home, shopping, or at the library. If not at school, he will usually unbutton his collar and roll up his sleeves.
When working his collar is button, sleeves rolled down and buttoned, and he generally wears a simple tie. Nicholas wear a dress vest at school, or on rare occasion a full suit.
He wears dark colored dress slacks and affordable dress shoes. He also wears small black, wire rimmed, oval lens glasses.
Everyday outfits are dark, natural colors.
Special occasion outfits are the same with the former, with the addition of a black suit.
Personality
Nicholas is reserved and soft spoken, generally preferring to work alone and having few friends. He is a gentleman is the most classical sense of the word, and always treats those around him very kindly, unless occasion calls for him to be strict.
From childhood, he has always been a "watcher", and internalizes the scenes he witnesses. During his parents' divorce, he accepted the situation as "part of life", not showing much emotion as he did not understand it to be abnormal in any way.
He is ambivalent toward personal relationships and fully devotes himself to his work. When asked about his work or current projects, Nicholas begins to speak in a more lively manner, a subtle excitement possessing him. He is passionate about anything forgotten, particularly mythology, folk lore, and legends. These he considers "ideals" of life, and wishes to make the stories available for others.
When teaching he generally recites rehearsed lecture and becomes easily flustered when students disrupt, losing his train of thought. His interactions are fraught with awkward or uncomfortable moments, as though he wishes the conversation to end but would feel rude not speaking or leaving. Even while lecturing, his speech moves slowly and a bit of a forced feel, whereas when speaking of his hobby he carries a comfortable rhythm and energy.
Biography
Nicholas was born into a middle class family in southern England. His father, a businessman who was often away on business, rarely saw his son as he worked lengthy hours to maintain the family's social standing. His mother did her best to play her role as a socialite, leaving Nicholas to his own devices as a child. During his times alone he frequently read, becoming interested in fantasy and mythology.
By his pre-teen years, Nicholas's parents were headed toward divorce after his father discovered his mother's indiscretions while he was away and promptly quit his job as "revenge". Unfortunately for his mother, her new beau also leaves, and the fresh divorcee returns to her parents for support. During this time Nicholas is shuffled between his parents, just as his father takes on a new position with significantly lower pay. Nicholas is sent to a boarding school outside of London, and he remains in the area for university as well.
After graduating, Nicholas takes a position at a small university where he teaches history classes. In his spare time he practices his hobby of writing about mythology and folk lore, particularly lesser known tales. It is this interest and expertise that draws Abigail toward the quiet professor, offering him a job. Though greatly tempted by the woman's offer, Nicholas fears that she is not telling him the truth and resists the desire to accept her offer. Shortly after meeting Abigail, he runs into Emma, accidentally dropping a stack of books on her as he leaves a shop.
Nicholas finds Emma to be a wise and immensely kind woman, a sort of motherly figure, such as he has never experienced in his life. He is immediately drawn to her and enjoys conversing with her on academic subjects, as well as sharing legends and stories he writes about.
