i think it's interesting the first time we see ruben defend niall is against his bullies. the people we've seen treat niall poorly. so the instinct is to root for the action, root for the violence that is occuring, because we want it to occur. it's against someone we see as an antagonist. so we forgive it. heck, we might even look at ruben in a better light.
but then he "defends" niall is against alby. who, for all accounts, didn't do anything wrong. he pushed him against a counter and truly, it was an accident. an honest mistake in the heat of the moment. and yet, ruben reacts the same way. and we're horrified. he's not an antagonist. but it's the same violence as before.
to ruben, they're the same thing: a man who dares to touch niall in a violent way that isn't him. only he's allowed to hurt what belongs to him niall.
