Being born without the ability to hear, from what he knew, many would consider that an almost painful way to live. So much of the world and its activities were the focal point of sound, that one could often find entire groups of people simply turning off their reasoning and focus just to listen to it. But while other could lose themselves in sound, Nic could lose himself in color.

The entire spectrum was his to manipulate and control as he saw fit, even in places where others felt there was no color to be had, it was always there. Brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges could be tamed and bent to his will, while soft blues, purples, browns, and grays could be coaxed into swirling arrays of raw emotion. Even those who were unaware of it as he was were at the mercy of the colors around them. The world could keep their sounds if they treasured them so damn much. He had all he needed with the near endless amount of colors at his fingertips.

At least, that's how it had been. For years his focus had simply been the multicolored world around him, finding solace in the constant presence of it all and basking in it. But recently, his world had begun to stagnate. The vibrant tones that had once caught his eye and stimulated his mind didn't dance and jump out at him as they once had, forcing him to try digging deeper for inspiration. His manager Worrick, ironically his closest friend and confidant, suggested that he try new places to explore. Wandering the surrounding city with no real destination was what he'd said. It helped that he also knew sign language, using both hands and spoken words to speak to him, even if half the shit he said ended up being just aimless chat and snarky comebacks between friends.

So there he was, walking a part of the city he'd never bothered to see before, searching for something, anything that would give him back the sea of colors he missed so much. The streets in this new area seemed calm, people walking about, enjoying the day with whomever they deemed special to them. Stopping by a small cafe with a patio, he pulled out a chair and looked out over the nearby park, staring with a bored expression at the view and trying to find that lost spark.

Catching movement from the corner of his eye, he waited a moment before turning enough to look up at them, his breath stolen when he laid eyes on the young woman who had come to ask if he wanted to place an order. Long hair held up in a simple ponytail fell in a dark river behind her shoulders, some of it being left down to frame her face and accent her long, graceful neck. Her dark skin shone almost with a fine copper dust in the light that filtered down through the trees overhead, the rich color only serving to highlight her brilliant blue eyes.

This woman, smiling kindly at him as she waited to take any order he wanted, seemed to bathe in light. Colors danced over her skin, eyes, hair, shining and sparkling as they once had all those years ago when he first really took notice of them. Coming back to himself when her face turned confused, he signed out a quick apology and pointed to his ear, relieved when she seemed to understand what he meant. Glancing to the small menu, he pointed to some random drink, dumbly nodding back when she spoke slowly enough for him to understand that it would only take a moment.

Watching her leave, the apron around her waist fluttering as she walked, he quietly admired her form. Soft, feminine curves rounded over her full hips and shapely bust, as long, smooth legs tapered down to delicate ankles. The way her thin fingers tucked some errant hair behind her ear made her wrists look just as fragile, and the faint dash of color on her nails flashed with a soft, metallic glow with the simple movement. This young woman was alive with color, her very presence radiating with life from her dark chocolate hair to the glittering turquoise behind thick lashes. When she returned with whatever drink he'd pointed to, he felt his throat tighten at her smile, the gloss shining across her full lips reminding him of fresh, golden honey.

He wasn't aware of going through the usual motions, but when she turned to leave, he felt his heart sink in his chest. Reaching out quickly to take hold of her wrist, he let go just as fast, seeing the concerned look on her face. He could tell by the way those plump and shining lips moved that she was asking if he was alright,letting the had that had reached out for her falling to his lap. He never really used his voice much, preferring to either just keep things simple with widely known gestures, or staying silent when signing wasn't an option. But as he looked up at her, the sunlight dancing on her skin and hair through the trees, he managed to push past the awkward grind in his throat to try and tell her what those few scant moments of seeing her had done to him. "...m-muse..."

"Hm? Ah, th-that's sweet of you, but I'm sorry, my name's actually Alex."

"A...A-Alex."

"Mmhm, yeah. And, what's your name?"

"...N-Nico...las..."As much as he had managed so far, his throat closed up on him when she smiled sweetly at him, brushing some hair from her eyes as she spoke slowly.

"Hn, it's nice to meet you, Nicolas..."