It is painfully easy to define human beings. They are beings who, for no good reason at all, create their own unnecessary suffering.
NATSUME SŌSEKI, I AM A CAT III
Quiet is the first word that comes to mind when one thinks of Nico, even on a purely physical aspect. His lanky frame, gentle eyes and pale skin does not encourage attention. He fades into the background, dressing in soft grays and neutrals as if to conform to his role in life. Sap stains or planting dirt often cling to his sweater and jeans, but he says that's what
scourgify and
tergeo are for.
His slight build is both his own laziness and a natural genetic predisposition towards it, having preferred to use his wand to carry objects than his own hands. Despite that, he prefers to cut and haul flora and fauna with his own hands, lending a bit of strength to those thin arms and a delicate touch to long fingers. Nico perpetually smells like the coming of spring; cool and crisp, with just a hint of flowers to bring hope.
Whenever I was asked what I wanted my first impulse was to answer "Nothing." The thought went through my mind that it didn't make any difference, that nothing was going to make me happy.
OSAMU DAZAI, NO LONGER HUMAN
Soft words leave Nico's lips, his hesitance evident in every dip of his voice and stress of each syllable. The very air around him seems to still. With measured movements, he thinks and slowly considers what to do next. It's rare to see any certainty in the brunette - reluctance seems to be a constant weight on his shoulders. Once the spotlight is off him, he only sighs in relief before relinquishing the stage, content in his role as an audience. Like the softest spring breeze, the young wizard would be happy to simply be felt with only the slightest of acknowledgements.
Nico loathes his own passive take on life, but fears change and pressure. Responsibility feels like a noose that threatens to choke him, and disappointment would be the poison to finish him off. He seeks the approval of others, often to the detriment of his own happiness, and chooses to avoid confrontation at all costs. Words like "pushover" and "pacifist" are often thrown around in his presence, but Nico knows the truth; he hides behind others so that he doesn't have to look at himself. He uses others' desires as a shield so if he ever finds himself unhappy, he can put the blame on them.
The shackles that bind him to his practice are more comforting than confining. With his fear of change comes fear of the unknown. Nico rarely desires more. And if he does, he reminds himself to be content with what he has. He's as stagnant as Westcreek, his hometown, itself, only expressing his passion in the solitude of his greenhouse. With pale fingers tinged with green and nicked in every which way, he uses the many plants he has at his disposal to assist others in whatever endeavor.
He hates himself, but refuses to confess where others might hear. So he continues to feign ignorance, playing the role of a typical airhead; perpetually lost in his daydreams, his feet rare to touch the ground. Where others of his kind might be building castles in the air, he simply pretends to do so.
All the time, people smear even their hearts with colors of lies.
ken kamikita, false color
Whenever Nico asked where his mother was, his father would answer 'gone with the wind', a wistful smile on his face. As he grew, the answer changed into 'her alter ego's Dorothy'. To this day, the Maj remains uncertain if she's still alive somewhere or passed away; all he knows is that his father continues to love her immensely, apparent in her numerous photographs on their home's walls. If one were to look through the viewfinder at the moment it was taken, then they would see it returned in equal measure. His father loved her and his own family, but lost both to raise his cherished son.
The brunette constantly clung to his father with a vice grip; his face was streaked with tears when the Ilvermony folk tried to coax him to his first day. Though he laments his own crybaby behavior, he can't help but be thankful for it when it was the reason he met his most trusted friends and confidantes. Leila Myers of the most affluent family in Tennessee; Ryan Winters, a headstrong boy who would agree as often as he argued with Leila. And lastly, Taylor Lynch, a romantic with a talent for drink and pot. They made a motley crew, but their years in Ilvermony only cemented their friendship.
When Leila lost her family in a tragic accident, Nico rushed to support her as did the rest. He never expected that this simple act of solidarity would change the direction their paths would take. The Myers Estate became more than just a home; it became a small Maj hub in the heart of Tennessee, able to provide any basics a wizard worth his wand might need, and then some.
Nico never wanted to run his own business, content to spend his time working in his hometown, yet here he was today. But then again, he never kept tabs on the accountancy side. He, much like the others, left the business side to Leila; he was happy to spend his days tending to his pots and plants. His friend kept his books in check, and he only had to meet certain clients who required more particular wares. Nico planned for his quiet life to continue, not expecting that one day, Ryan would come home telling them of the Silver Heart Circle and how he'd joined. Of how he now urged everyone else to join their fight. What surprises him most of all is how he can't simply brush it off as yet another of his friend's silly adventures.
I don't even trust myself. It's because I can't trust myself that I can't trust others. I can only curse myself for it.
NATSUME SŌSEKI, KOKORO
father narumi matsumoto
mother chikako mishima
closefriend leila myers
closefriend ryan winters
closefriend taylor lynch
Despite the support of his friends and family, Nico struggles with self-esteem issues apparent to this day. However, it's plain to see that he does possess some talents, regardless of whether or not he acknowledges them.
Obviously, he possesses a hand for plants and herbs, him being a gardener by trade and choice. Beyond that, however, is a talent for making them bloom beyond expectations. Whereas most would focus on the more maj-inclined side, Nico believes there's something to be said for the No-Maj's artful presentation of their gardens. He raises many for the simple purpose that they liven up a garden or home, and is responsible for some rather interesting flora and fauna. Angels Trumpets that chime in the wind, or lyre pods that remind one of the instrument's sweet strings when touched.
Then there's his ability to bake, one he indulges in during times of duress and anxiety. It began as a way to feed and variate the meals his father sponsored with his limited capabilities, and eventually came to be as a sort meditative state wherein he could brood and grapple with problems in his head undisturbed.
Nobody even imagines how well one can lie about the state of one's own heart.
Yukio Mishima, Thirst for Love
pet ragdoll named yō
boggart friends and family waving goodbye
patronus aardvark
amortentia meadows, spiced soup
favoritespells accio, orchideus, scourgify
ilvermonyhouse pukwudgie
Nico is in possession of an Alder Wood with a Wampus hair core. It's 11¼ inches long, with a slightly yielding flexibility. The wand itself is quite typical for any Jonker wand, with its subtle carvings that lead to the base housing a mother-of-pearl.
Yō is a fluffy white ragdoll that follows Nico around everywhere on the Myers estate, whether in the greenhouse, at the terraces or inside the privacy of his living quarters. He adopted the pet from someone who had more cats than they could handle, and they've been together since.
The boggart may seem like a daily occurrence to anyone, but to Nico they represent a deep-seated fear that began with his mother's mysterious departure. While the brunette may actively avoid strangers, when it comes to those he loves, he'd never want to be apart from them.