"My friends call me Nicke," Backström—no, Nickie—finally said. His voice was very quiet, and Sasha found himself automatically leaning in to catch it, lowering his own volume to match. "Okay, Nickie!" he whisper-yelled, grinning widely. "I like this! Nickie is good nickname, hah, nickname, get it, Nickie?" Nickie clearly got it, but he didn't deign to laugh, or even smile. Sasha vowed to be funnier, the next time he tried to make a joke.