AU: The Darkling got the throne and captured Nikolai. After a while they realize their goals are the same and start to co-operate. To avoid attempts to overthrow Aleksander and install Nikolai, they fake Kolya's death and reclaim his rogue identity...
courtier: "Moi tsarevich?"
Nikolai: "Oh no, I'm Sturmhond, the famous privateer."
courtier: "Apologies, but you look just like late tsarevich Nikolai."
Nikolai: "Yeah, I get that a lot, but I'm ginger and much better looking, if we believe the Black Tsar himself."
courtier: "Well, certainly, I can see that now. Sturmhond, you said?"
Nikolai: "Please, call me Kolya."
courtier: "!!!"
~
courtier: "The likness, even your name... It's certainly curious, isn't it?"
Nikolai: "Oh please... half of the sailors is named after Saint Nikolai... Makes for riotous meetings and quite a challenge to command a crew."
~
courtier, sneakily: "Some might even want you to become the King..."
Nikolai: "Well, that can be arranged..."
Nikolai: *chatches Aleksander's eye across whole room*
Nikolai: *licks his lips seductively*
Nikolai: *winks*
room: *suddenly darkens a little*
good evening, nikolai's coronation coat was consciously inspired by darkling's kefta
The Darkling vs Sturmhond
A war in my name! Everyone's shouting my name!
DUNE: PART TWO (2023), dir. Denis Villeneuve
dark!sturmhond who looks like this and becomes darkling's accomplice
Another one for that AU, where Darkolai had a light affair before Nikolai left for "Ketterdam".
The Darkling: *meets Sturmhond to hire him to go after the Sea Whip*
The Darkling: "Captain. Can we talk in private?"
Sturmhond: "Sure. Follow me."
both: *enter captain's cabin*
The Darkling: "Hello Kolya..."
Sturmhond, sputtering: "What?! I...."
The Darkling: "Don't try to deny it. You might change your face, badly as my Tailor pointed out, ..."
The Darkling: *leans in*
Aleksander: "...but under all that sea, you still smell the same."
Nikolai: *visibly fighting his teen crush rushing back*
Aleksander: *smirks*
Alelsander: "And Ivan recognized your heart pattern. Smitten sobachka, he calls it."
Nikolai: *absolutely undignifoed noise*
Nikolai: "I am NOT SMITTEN!"
Aleksander: *smirk widening*
Nikolai, resigned: "Hello, Sasha."
Давайте ещё поговорим про преступления и наказания в Равке? Обещаю, мне есть что сказать по этому поводу
Gonna try and design the crime and punishment charactersss uvu raskolnikov and razumikhin respectively I love these two Russian boys
Adorable lil puppy 💞
this pic of paddy looking at ben is hilarious, but also. yes, that's how nikolai looks at sasha 99.9 % of time.