❄️ ⇢ STARTER FOR @catholicraised ⇢ ❮ NORMALCY AU. ❯
he could nearly smell the CHILL that had overcome his half-eaten meal, left pushed to the side next to the two haphazardly stacked textbooks, open to corresponding pages as nikolai bent over the table, finger tracing sentences in order to keep himself focused, umber brows descended, permanent lines between his brows the evidence of years of studious CONSTERNATION ; he hadn’t noticed the time, he rarely did, his anxious concentration as he studied often making time a secondary concern as he spent his wednesday evenings at the restaurant, the third on his rotating locations to study for the day, the change in scenery meant to keep him from growing too easily distracted.
the sound of the table next to him being cleared drew nikolai HASTILY from his trance, slate eyes widening as he realized how long he’d been sat at this table, pouring over his books without regard for the hour, and now was left the last person in the restaurant. ❝ shit ––– ❞ he muttered to himself, the weight of his imposition hanging heavy in his gut. ❝ hey, i’m really sorry ––––– i didn’t mean to stay this late, i ––– i can pay now, get out of your hair. ❞ nikolai’s nervousness played in the staccato arrangement of syllables, his eyes wide as he regarded his familiar ( and favourite ) server, apologetic in the MELODY of his tone as well as in his expression. ❝ next time just kick me out when it’s getting late, i didn’t even notice the time. ❞