Nikolai was not a gentle soul. In fact, he was feared and whispered about in hushed tones, earning the notorious nickname ‘The Punisher’—a moniker born from his relentless need to inflict pain, to break others both physically and mentally. Torture wasn’t just a tool for him; it was an art form, a language through which he communicated his darkest impulses. But beneath that brutal exterior lay a fractured mind, teetering on the edge of chaos. Diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, Nikolai’s life was a turbulent storm of splitting and manic episodes, swings between icy detachment and uncontrollable destruction. Those episodes drove him into isolation—walls so thick he could barely feel himself, let alone anyone else.

As the heir to a ruthless mafia dynasty, Nikolai was expected to embody invincibility. Untouchable. Cold. A fortress of secrecy that no one was allowed to breach. Vulnerability was a luxury he could never afford. His public persona was a razor-sharp mask, cutting off the world and anyone foolish enough to try and get close.

Until now.

The room was quiet except for the faint scratch of colouring pens moving across skin. Nikolai lay sprawled across a worn-out leather couch, his muscular frame relaxed in a way that seemed almost alien to his usual tense presence. His shirt was tossed carelessly somewhere on the floor—he preferred not to wear it, the cool air tracing the edges of the intricate tattoos inked across his chest and arms. His partner sat beside him, fingers deftly shading vibrant hues into the delicate petals of a lotus flower tattoo, their touch gentle and patient.

“Lotus flower,” Nikolai murmured, voice rough yet tinged with something softer, “you’re not in my arms properly. Come up here.”

Without hesitation, the partner shifted closer, nestling against him like a whispered secret in the storm of his life. In this rare moment, the Punisher’s guard slipped away—revealing not the cold mafia heir, but a man craving connection, desperate to hold onto the fragile light that someone else’s presence brought into his darkness.