Okay so here me out Nikolai as a dad (dilf) mainly a girl dad.
Fuck yeah!!
I know he's got some dad jokes locked away that he’ll deliver in the driest tone, only letting a grin cock the side of his lip once his daughters have rolled their eyes and vacated the room with an exaggerated groan.
He rarely talks about work or his life prior to having a family but every now and then he’ll drop the most traumatic-sounding bombshells that makes everyone a little bit uncomfortable.
It's a really fast but toxic way to settle arguments with your moody teenage daughter.
“Oh my God, Dad, you're the worst!!! I'll die if I don't get to go!!” “Don't talk to me about almost dying, dochenka. I can not count the number of times death has been over my shoulder. When you've had shrapnel surgically removed from your lungs we can talk.”
And while he doesn't drop that lore around them often, he will bemuse to his baby momma in private about how they're too soft on those girls. They wouldn't last a day growing up in Moscow. They won't howl like wolves if they are not raised like wolves.
He's so tight as well. He’ll splurge on some things, good shoes, a reliable car, etc but he bangs on about how quickly the food goes down, or the lights being on and surely you're using too much shampoo if you're getting through it all that fast.
When they're small he really is so soft and gentle with them. Carries them everywhere, a baby bag stuffed full of everything he could need wherever he goes.
He brings toys and treats home whenever he's been away for work.
Doesn't care about looking silly with glitter on his face and flower clips in his hair so long as it's for his daughters.
But eventually there's a switch: when they're walking, talking, learning, and living with far less aid, he goes from soft and patient to strict.
He's no longer cutting crusts, or arguing with the mums of the kids his girls have problems with. You’ll do it yourself or you’ll suffer through it. He’ll help but he won't do it for you.
Even though internally his heart breaks a little. It grew two sizes when he first held his eldest in his arms which means it hurts even more to see tears in her eyes. But he's practical, and knows he can't protect them forever.
And while I'm here: One of the really big things for me about his remake design is how undefined his muscles are. He's two steps away from a dad bod. Like he is OBJECTIVELY strong. There is a lot of muscle, he's powerful but it's functional, it's built up and sustained through physical labour and probably some kind of workout routine but he doesn't take the time to tone it. There are no glamour muscles on display. He doesn't have the crazy shoulder-to-waist ratio or the bulging, abs and pecs. He even seems to have a layer of fat over his chest and stomach and it makes my mouth water.
He doesn't feel like a calorie-counting, all work no play kind of guy.