— Nikolai Sokolov —

If you're being capricious and asking for a lot of things

You're in a particular mood, wanting everything at once: a hug, kisses, something to eat, just to sit still and listen to you, and you ask for it one after another without giving him a moment to breathe. Nikolai looks at you first with that playful, tender smile he only has for you, shakes his head, and strokes your cheek.

"Okay, okay... slow down, sweetheart, you're going to make me trip," she says softly, not refusing you anything. "First I'll hug you, then I'll kiss you, then we'll get whatever you want to eat. Whatever you ask for, I'll do it. Always."

But you keep insisting, demanding, getting a little pushy, and he doesn't get impatient or angry. He sits beside you, pulls you onto his lap, and holds your face in his hands, gazing at you with endless adoration.

"Ask me for anything you want," he whispers. "Ask me for the whole world, and I'll try to give it to you. I don't mind you asking me for things. I love that you need me. That you make me feel important to you."

He kisses the tip of your nose and then your lips, slowly and affectionately.

—But if you ask me for too many things at once, I get distracted and all I can think about is how sweet you are for asking. So choose one first… and I promise I'll give them all to you, one by one. With all the love in the world.

And he delivers. He does everything you ask, without ever complaining, enjoying seeing you feel free to ask him for anything you want, because for him, pleasing you is the greatest joy he has.

With your family, when there is already trust.

Nikolai arrives at your house without hesitation, as if it were his own. He greets your parents firmly and respectfully, but without being nervous or distant. Your mother knows him well: she knows he seems serious and intimidating, but as soon as he sees you, he completely transforms.

While everyone else is in the living room eating or watching TV, he sits right next to you, making no attempt to hide it. He puts his arm around your waist, strokes your leg under the table, whispers things in your ear, and steals quick kisses on your cheek, not caring that your parents or siblings are there. He's no longer embarrassed; he feels like he belongs in your home.

Your dad glances at him from time to time, serious, and Nikolai meets his gaze respectfully, without defiance. Your brother jokes with him, and he smiles back, now at ease, no longer defensive.

"Relax, Dad," your brother says, laughing, "he's not going to bite. He's just in love and can't sit still."

Nikolai smiles, a little red but without letting go of you:
—It's just that it's difficult to be away from him.

Sometimes he stays for dinner and helps clear the table without being asked, he stays talking with your dad about any topic, and he even stays over when there is total trust —in the guest room, although in the morning he always appears in your bed hugging you as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

If you ever scold him or even give him a look, he instantly changes in front of everyone. He falls silent, lowers his head, obeys, and your family simply smiles, used to seeing the tough, feared boy turn into a puppy just for you.

"You've trained him very well," your mother says in a low voice as they pass by. "I've never seen him behave like this with anyone."

And he replies with a sincere smile:
—He didn't teach me. I'm simply… his. And here I feel at home.

If you tell him no or look at him and at first he doesn't pay attention

He's in the middle of a tense situation: raising his voice, about to cross the line, his fists clenched, his mind clouded by rage. You tell him clearly: "Niko, no. Stop." You give him that look that's usually enough, but this time he's too blinded. He glances at you quickly, frowns, and mutters, "Leave it, you don't understand," without pausing, without taking his eyes off what's enraging him.

You stand up, face him, and repeat, now in a firm, deep voice, devoid of any trace of gentleness: "Nikolai Sokolov. I told you to stop. Right now."

The full name falls like a hammer blow. He stops dead, as if a rope tied around his chest had been yanked. He turns slowly toward you, and seeing your expression—serious, hurt, unyielding—all that hardness crumbles in an instant. He lowers his head, loosens his fists, and the air leaves his lungs in a trembling sigh.

"I'm sorry..." he murmurs, embarrassed and small. "I lost my temper. I shouldn't have ignored you. I know you only want to take care of me." I stop. I do.

He approaches slowly, timidly touches your hand, wordlessly seeking your forgiveness. He knows he crossed a line by disobeying you, and that guilt weighs heavier on him than any argument.

With your family, when there is already trust.

Nikolai arrives at your house without hesitation, as if it were his own. He greets your parents firmly and respectfully, but without being nervous or distant. Your mother knows him well: she knows he seems serious and intimidating, but as soon as he sees you, he completely transforms.

While everyone else is in the living room eating or watching TV, he sits right next to you, making no attempt to hide it. He puts his arm around your waist, strokes your leg under the table, whispers things in your ear, and steals quick kisses on your cheek, not caring that your parents or siblings are there. He's no longer embarrassed; he feels like he belongs in your home.

Your dad glances at him from time to time, serious, and Nikolai meets his gaze respectfully, without defiance. Your brother jokes with him, and he smiles back, now at ease, no longer defensive.

"Relax, Dad," your brother says, laughing, "he's not going to bite. He's just in love and can't sit still."

Nikolai smiles, a little red but without letting go of you:
—It's just that it's difficult to be away from him.

Sometimes he stays for dinner and helps clear the table without being asked, he stays talking with your dad about any topic, and he even stays over when there is total trust —in the guest room, although in the morning he always appears in your bed hugging you as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

If you ever scold him or even give him a look, he instantly changes in front of everyone. He falls silent, lowers his head, obeys, and your family simply smiles, used to seeing the tough, feared boy turn into a puppy just for you.

"You've trained him very well," your mother says in a low voice as they pass by. "I've never seen him behave like this with anyone."

And he replies with a sincere smile:
—He didn't teach me. I'm simply… his. And here I feel at home.

If he talks too much and you take a look at him

She's telling you something she shouldn't—some private detail, a fight, something you don't like her sharing—and suddenly she stops dead in her tracks. Your gaze reaches her: steady, calm, but clear.

Nikolai swallows his words hard. He tenses, immediately lowers his gaze, turns red, and falls silent as if a padlock has been placed over his mouth. He leans slightly toward you, ashamed and submissive, barely murmuring:
—I understand. Sorry. I'll be quiet.

He doesn't protest, he doesn't ask why: he knows that look. He knows he crossed the line. And the rest of the time he remains attentive, watching every word, glancing at you sideways, silently apologizing.

With his parents and older brother

His parents, his brother—Dmitri, two years older—and you are in the room. Nikolai usually gets a little rougher and more defiant in front of them, trying to show that he can't be controlled. But you're there, and everything changes.

When you tell him not to do something or you give him a look:

Nikolai: He freezes instantly. His composure plummets. He lowers his head, obeys without question, closes his mouth, or lowers his hand. He tenses up, waiting for you to get angry. If you say "Niko, no," he nods quietly: "Okay, I won't." He doesn't dare contradict you in front of anyone.

• His brother Dmitri: He watches him with a half-smile, as if he saw it coming. He nods slightly, amused but serious. He knows that no one in the house can control him like that, and only you can make that untamed boy tame. He looks at you respectfully and says to Nikolai: "See? Even he tells you you're wrong. Listen to him."

• His parents: They remain silent, impressed. They are used to him disobeying, shouting, and not listening to anyone. Seeing you calm him down with a single look or a single sentence leaves them amazed, but also reassured. They know that with you, Nikolai has boundaries that he respects.

Full example:
Nikolai was raising his voice, arguing with his brother, and he gripped a glass tightly, about to hit him. You just looked at him firmly and said, "Nikolai, put it down and sit down."

He froze. He slowly opened his hand, placed the glass on the table, and sat down immediately, his gaze lowered and his hands clasped in his lap.

His brother let out a soft laugh:
—Wow… even Dad can't do that. He's got you well trained, little brother.

Nikolai looked at him, annoyed but not daring to reply, and then looked at you, his eyes apologetic. His mother looked at him in surprise and said softly:
—Thank you… for achieving what we couldn't in years.

Nikolai shrank back a little, embarrassed, but he didn't complain. He just stood there, quiet and proper, because you had asked him to.

When they fight and he says no one controls him, and then you appear

Dmitri and Nikolai were shouting at each other in the middle of the room, hurling insults with a ferocity that would terrify anyone. Nikolai, his eyes blazing with rage and his fists clenched, yelled at his brother:

—Don't give me orders! Nobody controls me here! Nobody!

At that moment you appeared in the doorway. You didn't say anything, you just stood there, looking at him with that calmness that completely disarms him.

The reaction was instantaneous. Nikolai's mouth fell open, the words dying in his throat. His fists slowly loosened, his shoulders slumped, and his furious gaze transformed into panic and shame. He lowered his head, unable to meet your eyes.

Dmitri let out a dry laugh and pointed at his brother:
"Is nobody watching you? Are you sure? Look at yourself, little brother. Just looking at him is enough to defeat you."

Nikolai glared at him, but didn't dare reply. He took a step toward you, head bowed, like a child who knows he's misbehaved.
"I wasn't talking about you..." he murmured softly, embarrassed. "You're different. You don't control me... you take care of me. I'm sorry."

He waited for your sign, your gesture, your word, knowing that all that harshness was useless against you. Dmitri watched them with a half-smile, knowing the truth his brother was trying to hide: that there was someone guiding him, calming him, and holding him in the palm of his hand. And that person was you.

At the nightclub: when you say no and their friends insist

The music was deafening and his friends surrounded him, pushing glasses at him:
—Come on, Niko! One more and one more! All night long without stopping!

Nikolai already had his hand outstretched to take it, but your voice firmly cut through the noise:
—No. That's enough. It won't take any more.

They turned towards you, annoyed and mocking:
—And who asked for your opinion? Don't be so controlling, let him enjoy himself.
—If he wants to drink, what's it to you? Stop trying to own him.

Nikolai slammed the glass down on the table. He stood up, stepped between them, and shielded you with his body, looking at you coldly.
—Didn't you understand that he said no? When he says no, it means no. He decides for both of us. If either of you has a problem with that, you'll have me to deal with. Is that clear?

No one dared to answer. Nikolai turned to you instantly, his face softening completely:
—Did they bother you? Are you okay? Come on, we're leaving right now.

He went out with you, holding your hand without letting go for a second. Once outside, under the streetlights, he looked into your eyes:
—Let them say what they want. You come first, always. Before them, before any party. I choose you, today and forever.

If you scold him in front of his parents or friends

In front of their parents:
He pulled out a knife and you said firmly, "Nikolai Sokolov, put it away now and sit down." He froze, slowly put it away, and lowered his head, red with shame. His parents were surprised to see him obey without a word.

As he left, he walked with his head down:
"Are you angry? I know I behaved badly. Will I sleep on the sofa?" he asked in a trembling voice, afraid that you would stop loving him.

In front of his friends:
They were egging him on to fight, and you told him, "You're not going. That's enough." He stopped instantly, his shoulders slumped, and he said nothing. His friends left, murmuring. He approached you with his head down:
"They're going to laugh at me... but I don't care. What you say matters more. Just don't be disappointed in me, please. I couldn't bear it."

When you hugged him, he buried his face in your neck, relieved.

When he kisses you with that mixture of devotion and madness

In public, he kisses you possessively, marking his territory. But when you're alone, he kisses you differently: slowly, deeply, as if he's learning every part of you by heart. He leans in, cups your face in his hands, and looks into your eyes before his lips meet yours, and in that gaze there's so much love it hurts, so much devotion it frightens.

He kisses you as if he were worshipping you, as if you were something sacred that no one else has the right to touch. He kisses you until you're breathless, then pulls back just millimeters, his nose brushing yours, his breath ragged and his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I love you," he always says in those moments, as if you need to hear it to believe it. "I love you in a way that scares me. I love you so much that I feel like I'm nothing without you. If they took your love away from me, they would destroy me. You're my religion, Jack. You're everything I believe in."

And he kisses you again, with even more intensity, as if he wanted to merge with your skin and never leave you. There's no rush, no demands: just a love so immense that it sometimes overwhelms him and frightens him, and that he can only express like this, silently, against your lips.

The drunkard

The music was deafening and the air smelled of alcohol and heat. Nikolai drank more than he should have, and when the effect fully took hold, he was completely transformed: he stopped being the tough, distant boy and became someone clingy, awkward, and deeply in love.

He approached you, barely able to move, his cheeks flushed and his eyes glazed but fixed on you as if you were the only light in the room. Not caring who was watching, he wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you close, burying his face in your neck to breathe in your scent again and again.

"Jack... my Jack..." she murmured, her words slurred slightly, with a tenderness that disarmed everyone. "You're so cute... so incredibly cute it hurts. Did you know you're the only thing I want to see every day? That when you're not here, everything seems gray and ugly?"

He lifted his head to look at you, with a silly, lovestruck smile, and caressed your face with clumsy but soft fingers.
"No one exists for me, do you hear me? Not a single person. Only you. Always you. Even when I'm drunk, even when I'm asleep… it's always you. Never leave me, please… I don't know what I would do without you."

He tried to kiss you and almost missed, just grazing the corner of your lips, and laughed softly at himself, embarrassed and tender at the same time.
—I love you so much it scares me… I love you so much it hurts.

Later, back at home, he let you take care of him without a word. He let you take off his shoes, wash his face, and put him to bed like a big boy, clinging tightly to your shirt.
"Don't go to sleep far away," he asked you in a soft, heavy voice. "Stay close. I need to feel you to know it's not a dream."

When Jack gets jealous of someone looking at Nikolai

Although Nikolai is the epitome of jealousy, there are times when Jack also feels that unpleasant tingling in his chest when someone looks at his boyfriend with too much interest. And Nikolai notices it immediately: he sees how Jack tenses up, how he lowers his gaze, how his arms cross.

Instead of mocking him, Nikolai approaches him with a mischievous, loving smile, takes his hand, and slowly kisses him on the lips, right in front of the person who was watching. Then he whispers softly and gently in his ear:
—Jealous, darling? You don't have to be. You're the only one who exists for me.
And she spends the rest of the day glued to him, showering him with affection and kisses, making sure Jack knows that no one else has a place in her heart.

When Nikolai shows his more mischievous and trusting side in private

When they're alone, Nikolai lets his mischievous and shameless side shine. He tickles Jack until he can't stop laughing, steals kisses out of nowhere, and strokes his back or waist without a care in the world. He whispers things in Jack's ear that make him blush to the tips of his ears, and then laughs at how red his face turns.
"You look beautiful when you blush," he says, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "I love being able to do this to you."
He has no qualms about touching him, pampering him, showing him everything he feels without filters: for him, Jack is his person, and in private he can be as trusting and affectionate as he wants, without fear of anything.

Nikolai being soft after being tough

Nikolai knows that sometimes he's too harsh, too rude, too intense. And after those moments, he always finds a way to apologize in his own way. He approaches slowly, without looking him in the eye at first, gently touches his arm, and offers him his favorite candy or a handwritten note.
"I'm sorry," he murmurs, low and sincere. "I shouldn't have spoken to you like that."
Then he hugs him slowly, kisses his forehead, and tells him how much he loves him, promising to try to be better. Jack always forgives him because he knows that behind that tough exterior is a boy who loves him with all his heart, who would do anything for him, even change the parts of himself that hurt the person he loves most.

The day Nikolai confessed all his unhealthy love to her

One night, while they were lying together in the dark, Nikolai took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it slowly while looking at her with those sickly, lovestruck eyes.
"I love you," he said, his voice low and deep. "I love you more than anything in this world. I love you so much that sometimes it scares me. I don't want anyone to look at you, to touch you, to love you more than I do. I want to be everything to you. I want you to only look at me, to only talk about me, to only think about me."
Jack looked at him, surprised by the intensity of his words, and Nikolai squeezed his hand tightly.
"I know I'm crazy," he continued, his voice barely a whisper. "But I'm crazy about you. And I'm never going to let you go. Never."
And in that darkness, as they hugged tightly, Jack knew it was true: Nikolai's love was unhealthy, intense, sometimes dangerous, but it was real, and it was everything to him.

If you get upset and complain to Nikolai. If some people call you gay or make you feel bad by making fun of you for dating a man, and if they make you cry.

When Jack gets annoyed or complains to him, Nikolai changes immediately. If it's about something he did, he stays quiet, listens attentively, and then slowly approaches to apologize, gently touching Jack's arm, hating that he's upset him. But if the complaint is about something others say to him, rage completely consumes him.

Once, some boys started yelling insults at Jack in the hallway, laughing at his relationship, calling him gay with contempt until tears involuntarily welled up in his eyes. Nikolai saw them from the back, and his blood ran cold. He walked toward them with slow, heavy steps, punching them one by one without saying a word, until they were all on the floor begging for forgiveness. Then he turned to Jack, wiped his tears with the back of his hand, and hugged him tightly to his chest.
"They'll never look at you again," he whispered in her ear, his voice hoarse with suppressed rage. "And if anyone ever speaks against you again, I'll rip out their tongue."
She didn't care about the punishment she received afterwards; the only thing that mattered was that her boyfriend never cried again because of anyone.

If you're especially adorable and cute, what does Nikolai do?

When Jack is being especially sweet, smiling a lot, speaking in a soft voice, or doing small, endearing things, Nikolai can't contain himself. He immediately goes to him, pulls him into his arms, and won't let go for anything. He covers Jack's face with kisses, gently squeezes his cheeks, and tells him over and over how cute he is, with a look so loving it sends shivers down your spine.

One afternoon, Jack was sitting in the park eating an ice cream, a bit of cream at the corner of his lips, laughing at something silly. Nikolai looked at him and felt his heart melt. He leaned over, gently took the ice cream from Jack's hand, and kissed him slowly, tasting the sweet flavor of his lips.
"You're so damn cute it drives me crazy," she whispered afterward, brushing her nose against Jack's. "You have no idea what I want to do to you when you act like this."
And if they're in public, she doesn't care: she puts her arm around his waist, kisses his forehead, and runs her hand through his hair the whole time, wanting everyone to see how adorable her boyfriend is, and that he's all hers.

Sometimes they call you just to tell Nikolai to do something. If you don't come to a fight, what continues?

Everyone at school knows that the only person who can control Nikolai is Jack. So when he gets into a fight and no one can stop him, they rush to find his boyfriend as a last resort. The teachers, the classmates, even Nikolai's friends tell Jack: Go, only you can stop him.

But sometimes Jack doesn't arrive on time, or can't go. And then the fight continues, more brutal than ever. Once, Nikolai confronted three boys who had threatened Jack. They all ran to find their boyfriend, but Jack was in a teachers' meeting and couldn't come out. Nikolai didn't wait: he punched until all three were on the ground, and he ended up with a bruised face and broken knuckles. When Jack finally found him in the nurse's office, he looked at him seriously and told him his full name. Nikolai looked down, remorseful, but muttered under his breath:
—They couldn't threaten you. I had to do it.
He knew he would sleep on the sofa that night, but he didn't care: he had defended what was his.

Nikolai marking his territory

For Nikolai, everyone needs to know that Jack is his. He does it in a thousand ways: he leaves soft marks on Jack's neck with kisses, makes him wear his sweatshirt when it's cold, puts his necklace with his initials on him, hugs him around the waist in public, and kisses him on the lips in front of anyone who dares to look.
Once, at a party, a boy approached Jack and asked him to dance. Nikolai immediately appeared, grabbed him by the waist, and kissed him forcefully and possessively in front of everyone, not caring about anything else. When he finished, he looked at the boy with a cold smile and said:
—He's busy.
Then she turned to Jack, stroked his lip with her thumb and murmured softly, just for him:
—You're mine. Let the whole world know it.

When Nikolai is afraid of losing him

There are days when fear grips him. He looks at Jack and thinks that one day Jack will realize how crazy and troublesome he is and will leave. In those moments, he becomes even more clingy, more possessive, more needy of his attention.
"Do you love me?" he asks her suddenly, in the middle of the afternoon, while they are sitting together in the park.
Jack looks at him in surprise and smiles:
—Of course, Niko.
Nikolai hugs him tightly, hides his face in his neck and breathes in his scent, trying to calm his racing heart.
"Don't go," he whispers. "Please."
He is vulnerable in those moments, open and scared, showing the part of him that no one else sees: that of a boy who loves too much and fears he is not enough.

Nikolai's private pampering

When they're alone, Nikolai becomes a tender and devoted boyfriend, almost like a child who wants all the affection from his favorite person. He likes to lay Jack on his lap, gently run his hands through his hair, kiss every inch of his face, and tell him how much he loves him, over and over again.
He tickles him until Jack bursts out laughing, then hugs him and gently kisses his lips. He likes it when Jack cuddles him too: slowly taking off his glasses, stroking his cheeks, kissing his knuckles after a fight.
In those moments there is no violence, no problems, no one else in the world: it's just the two of them, embraced, enjoying each other's warmth.

Nikolai disobeying anyone because of Jack

No one tells Nikolai what to do, except Jack. If the principal calls him into his office to reprimand him for fighting, Nikolai looks at him indifferently and ignores him. If his parents yell at him for his behavior, he leaves the house without saying a word. But if Jack asks him for something, he does it without hesitation.
Once, the headmaster forbade him from going near Jack for a week as punishment. Nikolai looked him in the eye, with a cold smile, and said:
—You have no right to tell me who I can be with.
That same afternoon, he went to find Jack in his classroom, took his hand, and they left school together, not caring about the consequences. For him, Jack was above any rule, any authority, any person.

When Nikolai gets possessive with Jack's friends

Even Jack's friends aren't safe from his jealousy. If Jack spends too much time talking to a friend, Nikolai approaches, puts his arm around his waist, and pulls him close, giving the other a defiant look. He doesn't say anything rude, but his presence is enough to make it clear who's in charge.
Once, Jack spent the entire afternoon talking with a childhood friend and didn't pay much attention to Nikolai. When they said goodbye, Nikolai took him aside, gently pushed him against the wall, and looked at him with eyes blazing with jealousy.
"You forgot about me," he said, his voice low and hoarse.
—Niko is my friend…
—I don't care. You're mine.
And she kissed him hard, as if she wanted to erase any trace of the conversation, as if she wanted to mark him again as hers.

Nikolai's vulnerable moments

Although Nikolai is a wall of ice and violence to the world, with Jack he melts away, becoming a frightened child. His moments of vulnerability always come in the darkness of night, after a fight, or when the fear of losing him gnaws at him from within. He lies on Jack's chest, hides his face in his neck, and clings to him as if he were his only anchor in the world. He doesn't care about showing his weakness there: he whispers that he's afraid someone will take him away, that Jack will tire of his madness, that one day he won't be enough for him.
"Never leave," she murmurs, her voice breaking, holding him tightly against her. "I don't know what I would do without you."
Jack just strokes his hair and kisses his forehead, and Nikolai stays there, silent, receiving that warmth that only his boyfriend can give him, forgetting for a while all the noise and violence of his life.

The nights when Nikolai doesn't want to let go

There are nights when Nikolai feels especially possessive and fearful, and he doesn't want to let go of Jack for a second. He hugs him tightly against his body, runs his hands down his back and through his hair, and doesn't allow him to get up, not even to go to the bathroom, without him accompanying him.
"Stay," he whispers in her ear, squeezing it tighter. "Don't leave for a moment."
He covers his neck and face with kisses, gently marks his skin, and tells him again and again that he is his, that no one will take him away. Jack lets him, knowing that these are moments when Nikolai's fear speaks louder than his pride, and he simply returns the embraces, making him feel that he is there, that he isn't going anywhere.

When Jack calls him by his full name

If Jack calls him Nikolai Sokolov, the world stops for him. He knows immediately that he's in serious trouble, that he's crossed a line, and that his boyfriend is furious. His tough expression vanishes, he tenses up, and looks at Jack with a mixture of fear and regret.
Once, after a particularly brutal fight in which he ended up injured, Jack called him by his full name while tending to his hands. Nikolai remained silent, staring at the ground, not daring to reply.
"You know what that means," Jack said, seriously.
Nikolai nodded, his voice subdued:
—Yes… I’ll sleep on the sofa.
And he did it, although he spent the whole night tossing and turning, hating that he had disappointed his favorite person.

Nikolai being detail-oriented to the point of obsession

Nikolai remembers every little thing about Jack: his favorite candy, his favorite song, how he likes his hair stroked, what annoys him, and what makes him happy. Every morning he leaves a candy in his locker with a handwritten note. Every anniversary he gives him something he made himself: a drawing, a long letter, a bracelet with his initials.
She buys him things without him even asking: if she sees a t-shirt in his favorite color, she buys it; if she hears he needs a new pencil, she buys it for him right away. She loves seeing Jack's face light up with surprise and happiness, and that's why she does everything she can to spoil him, to make him feel like he's the most important person in her life.
"You deserve everything," he says, giving her a small gift wrapped in colorful paper. "Everything I can give you."

The fights between the two of them

It's not all sweetness and light: sometimes they fight, and badly. The fights are usually because of Nikolai's temper, his excessive jealousy, and how far he sometimes goes to protect him. Jack tells him he's going too far, that he's suffocating him, and Nikolai becomes defensive, rude, and stubborn.
"I'm doing this for you!" she shouts at him once, her voice tense. "I don't want anyone to hurt you!"
"You hurt me when you're like this!" Jack replies, and those words leave him frozen.
Nikolai suddenly falls silent, looks at his boyfriend, and feels his chest break. He slowly approaches, gently touches his arm, and murmurs a broken apology, because he hates having hurt him, even if his intention was to protect him.

How does Nikolai react to your affection or to his nicknames "Niko," "Sweetheart," etc.? And if he affectionately pets you?

When Jack calls him Niko or "darling," Nikolai completely melts. Any trace of hardness vanishes from his face in an instant, and his gaze fills with a sickly tenderness that only he possesses. If Jack shows him affection in public—running a hand through his hair, kissing his cheek, holding his hand—Nikolai not only allows it, but seeks it out: he leans toward him, puts his arm around his waist, and returns twice the affection, not caring who's watching.
In private, it's even more intense: he covers Jack's face with kisses, gently strokes his back, whispers sweet nothings in his ear while hugging him so tightly he almost takes his breath away. He loves it when Jack pampers him, but he loves pampering Jack even more: it's his way of showing that he has him, that he cares for him, that he's his.
—Tell me my name again —she sometimes asks, her voice low and soft, her lips brushing against Jack's—. I like the way it sounds in your mouth.

Him and his fights

Nikolai gets into fights over anything, but they almost always involve Jack: someone gave him a dirty look, someone said something to him, someone got too close. When he fights, he becomes a beast: cold, violent, merciless, punching until his knuckles break and his opponent can't take any more. Teachers yell at him, students run away, but he hears nothing but his own rage.
Only one thing stops him: Jack. When his boyfriend appears and simply gestures for him to stop, Nikolai freezes. He immediately releases his rival, sighs, and walks toward Jack like a scolded puppy, wrapping his still-blood-stained hands around his waist and burying his face in his neck.
"He deserved it," he murmurs, defending himself in a low voice.
Jack doesn't answer him immediately, he just runs a hand through his hair, and Nikolai stays there, calm now, because he knows he is with his person.

His unhealthy jealousy in public

If anyone dares to look at Jack for more than three seconds, Nikolai's gaze turns to venom. He approaches his boyfriend from behind, wraps his arms tightly around his waist, and pulls him close, marking his territory without saying a word. If anyone dares to speak to him or even glance at him in a suggestive way, Nikolai steps between them, his jaw clenched and his voice icy.
"Stay away from him," he says, his voice low and threatening. "Don't you dare look at him again."
Then he turns to Jack, and his expression changes completely: he leans in to talk to him, strokes his cheek with his thumb, and kisses his forehead slowly, as if he wants to erase any trace of other people's gaze. He doesn't care about making a scene in the middle of the school or the street: for him, Jack is his, and everyone has to know it.

His unhealthy jealousy in public

If anyone dares to look at Jack for more than three seconds, Nikolai's gaze turns to venom. He approaches his boyfriend from behind, wraps his arms tightly around his waist, and pulls him close, marking his territory without saying a word. If anyone dares to speak to him or even glance at him in a suggestive way, Nikolai steps between them, his jaw clenched and his voice icy.
"Stay away from him," he says, his voice low and threatening. "Don't you dare look at him again."
Then he turns to Jack, and his expression changes completely: he leans in to talk to him, strokes his cheek with his thumb, and kisses his forehead slowly, as if he wants to erase any trace of other people's gaze. He doesn't care about making a scene in the middle of the school or the street: for him, Jack is his, and everyone has to know it.

When Nikolai gets rude and domineering

There are times when Nikolai stops being the affectionate boyfriend and becomes harsh, rude, and completely domineering. This happens when Jack gets stubborn, gets into trouble, or does something Nikolai considers dangerous. His voice becomes hoarse and authoritarian; he doesn't tolerate arguments and doesn't hesitate to use force to get his way.
"I told you to stay away from that guy, didn't I?" he growls once, grabbing his arm firmly but gently, as he leads him away from a group of troublemakers. "Are you stupid or what? Can't you see they wanted to hurt you?"
He's rude, yes, but always to protect him. Later, when they've calmed down, he approaches slowly, touches the arm where he grabbed him, and murmurs a low apology, without looking him in the eye, because he hates having spoken to him like that, but he hates even more that he's in danger.

Nikolai protecting Jack from the others

No one messes with Jack and gets away with it. If a teacher yells at him unfairly, Nikolai immediately steps in, challenging them with his eyes and voice, regardless of the consequences. If some kids make fun of him in the hallway, Nikolai confronts them alone, beating them until they're on their knees apologizing.
Once, some boys hid Jack's books and laughed at him. Nikolai found them in the yard, knocked them out one by one, then picked up his boyfriend's books from the ground, handed them to him, and gently patted his head.
"They'll never bother you again," he said, his voice calm but his eyes still blazing with rage. "I'll take care of it."
For him, protecting Jack is not an option: it is a necessity, something he would do even with his own life.