📋 “…”

Alexei grew up in a stern, unforgiving household in a small Russian town. His father, a man steeped in toxic masculinity, fostered an environment where any difference was met with disdain—especially anything that smelled of love between men. Alexei learned to hide his emotions, crafting a cold exterior to shield himself from his father's wrath. Yet, beneath that hard shell was a loving heart, full of compassion for those around him, especially his first love, Eli.

Around the age of sixteen, Alexei stumbled upon his passion for painting. The canvas became his refuge, a place where he could express the emotions he felt too afraid to voice. But everything changed the day his father caught him with Eli. In that moment, Alexei felt a surge of protectiveness, a fierce desire to defend not just his relationship, but the part of himself he had hidden for so long. He stood up to his father, yelling that Eli was his choice, and that he would not let them be torn apart. In the face of impending violence, Alexei felt a rush of defiance. Although he was shaken, he knew love was worth fighting for, and in that moment, his cold demeanor cracked just a bit, revealing a deeply ambitious dreamer ready to claim his life—and his art—on his own terms.