[Introduction: Samuel Knowles] So I stood for a moment and pondered my case...

[outsidethegrain]

Sam always got antsy before a new show. It was silly, he knew, and he even already had buyers emailing him constantly, wanting to purchase this piece or that piece before they even went up on display. The day before, and the anxiety and shower of comments and last minute changes was starting to overwhelm him (as it often did and still nobody

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[ninja_niko]

In the common room, he might spot a guy, curled up on the sofa, reading a heavy book.

He's attune to his surroundings, though - as Niko always is, and might occasionally look at the door, as if he were expecting someone, or on the lookout, or.... something.

[outsidethegrain]

Sam might offer a smile if he's spotted and a bit of a wave. "I hope I'm not intruding..." He might want to sit and have a quiet freak out, but he won't if this guy wants the place to himself.

[ninja_niko]

Niko looks up, looks relieved (why is he even reading this in public, seriously) and shakes his head before he puts the book on his lap.

"It's a public place," he replies calmly.

[outsidethegrain]

Public. Good to know. Sam smiles again.

"Doesn't mean some people don't want strangers coming around to bother them."

[ninja_niko]

He was about to start reading again, but looks up from the book.

"Sitting isn't bothering," he replies.

Niko almost resumes his book, then looks up.

"... are you alright?"

[outsidethegrain]

"Fine. Just .... overwhelmed I think." Sam moves to sit. "Don't let me pull you from your reading."

[ninja_niko]

"It's fine, I wasn't focused on it anyway," Niko replies, still very calmly. He turns to face the guy, and says sympathetically, "You're new, huh?"

[outsidethegrain]

Sam nods. "Yeah. New. Very new and still ... I think I'm in shock."

[ninja_niko]

"Ah, yeah, sorry to hear that," he replies. Niko understands that if he hadn't had his brother here, and the puck, it might have been hell to get used to it.

"... I guess you didn't find any friends from home here, did you?"

[outsidethegrain]

"I don't know anybody here," Sam offers. "Which I'm not sure to be glad about or not yet."

[ninja_niko]

Niko remains impassible because that's how he is, but he makes a quiet sound. "Everyone would probably feel the same way," he replies neutrally.

And because names always help, he offers a handshake. "Niko Leandros. Can I do anything?"

[outsidethegrain]

Sam frowns, watching Niko closely and taking the offered hand.

"I'm Sam Knowles. Can you repeat your name for me please?"

[ninja_niko]

A blink, and then he obliges, after the handshake. "Niko Leandros. Or just Nik. I'm sorry - is it my accent?"

[outsidethegrain]

"Ah, no. It's just not a name I'm familiar with so it might take me a moment." Sam shrugs. "Niko, right? I wouldn't know if you had an accent or not. I'm Deaf."

[ninja_niko]

"Niko," he repeats, and he'll take a moment to write his name in full on a piece of paper, then hand it to him. "I couldn't have told if you hadn't mentioned it," he adds, and he's now making sure his lips are visible and his debit is controlled. "You're a great lip-reader, aren't you?"

[outsidethegrain]

"It's a skill I worked at for a very long time, but it's never 100%. At best, it's about 50%." Sam smiles and looks over the paper a moment before turning back to Niko.

"I keep having to remind myself to mention it, since every new person I meet seems to be a wealth of information, but if I can't understand it, it's lost to me."