Mityr tipped his head with laughter, the way it came out, boisterous and unbridled, was so much like Stasi that it was obvious where she got it from.
“She’s a young girl, in my experience, they are the rowdiest. More than sons even.” Mityr said with a wistful little laugh as he must have been recalling his own daughters’ turbulent behavior in their youths. “I’d love to hear more about your trip after you’re done talking to Riley. I asked Ilyana to make a honey cake yesterday and I recently bought an especially beautiful matcha when I was in Japan last month.”
Before either Stasi or Spider could say reply, Adrik stepped out of the office just down the main hall, having heard the greetings.
“Ah, Stasi, Spider, did you just get here?” He called. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
Spider nodded politely along in agreement. He did remember what Ania and Vania were like, only a few years younger than himself, the twin girls had been forces of nature. In truth he would rather deal with Nikita and her preteen fury. She was indeed full of rage, but she had only just begun training in contact sport and was ninety pounds soaking wet with rainboots on. Spider knew if it came to it, subduing Nikita would be easy. But he knew if for whatever the reason, he became a target for Ania or Vania, no god could protect him. He paled at the thought of Vania wrenching teeth out of jaws, it made his stomach audibly groan. He placed a hand nonchalantly over his middle and he looked up when he heard Adrik call out.
Spider gave a little bow of his head instinctively. "We'll do that." He agreed, uttering a quiet 'excuse me,' and dismissing himself before acknowledging Adrik.
"поха́н," Spider greeted Adrik using Bratva honorifics, also an instinctive habit he had not yet unlearned. It was funny, because now he only used formal titles at Stasi now to get her attention, more than that, to annoy her. But with the rest of the family it still carried all the weight it did before and he was sure Stasi would tease him for it at some point.
Stasi smiled and waved to her uncle as she went ahead and looped her arm around Spider's.
"We just got here, Dyadya." Stasi said to Adrik. She turned to Mityr and stretched to give him a one armed hug and put a kiss to his cheek. "We'd love to catch up after, Dedushka. I have lots of embarrassing photos of Spider I can show everyone over cake." She teased, looking up at Spider with a cheeky little grin.
Mityr laughed and then let out a "scolding" click of his tongue.
"Leave your husband alone, moy angel." He reached out to pinch her cheek playfully and then waved them off to go join Adrik.
"I don't know, Papa. I think I'd like to see the embarrassing photos." Adrik teased as he turned to step back into the room he'd popped out of. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
Spider didn't seem to acknowledge the jest, despite his confidence in his decision, he still felt uneasy; as was his way. He followed Adrik into Riley's home office, this is where she did most of her work nowadays when it was required of her. Fortunately for Riley, it seemed her dynasty was secure, with many competent hands, heirs and future heirs; Riley could retire within reasons. But some things, important things or matters that directly impacted her family, still came across her desk and only moved on with her approval.
Inside, Riley sat at her desk with dark eyes cast down, skimming over varying papers. Her gaze did not flicker up when Adrik appeared with Spider and Stasi, she likely sensed their presence upon arrival.
"авторитет," Spider greeted her, formally. He almost dropped into a bow instinctively, but stopped himself.
Riley looked up then, but not at Spider specifically. She looked to Stasi and a smile broached her tight lips.
"внучка." Riley greeted Stasi, pushing away from the large cherry wood secretaire and beckoning for Stasi to come to her for an embrace. Riley held the women in the family to a higher standard to some extent, and Stasi was a fine a woman as well smithed steel. Riley was quite proud of her of her most special granddaughter.
Perhaps due to her upbringing, it was of little surprise how confident Stasi walked the world. Sometimes she bordered on arrogant, but how could she not be when her family was one that took great pride in their mob princes and princesses, celebrating the birth of new children like they were God's gift to mankind? Her father and mother were respectively regarded as boogeymen, not unlike the other elder Nikitins, but they both spent her childhood and young adulthood uplifting her to the greatest heights. That being said, she would only admit to Spider perhaps that the discussion they were to have this meeting and it's consequences had her feeling just a hair nervous.
There was no doubt in her mind that she and Spider would be granted their leave, though there would certainly be questions about the timing as she was still so early in the pregnancy. Most of the Nikitin women who worked in the family business worked until they gave birth, her aunt Vania famously having nearly given birth during a job to one of Stasi's younger cousins. The men of the family took a similar approach, though sometimes they made themselves a little less available for work as their wives' due dates grew closer. For Stasi and Spider, both of whom worked as diligently for the family as they did, to ask for leave so soon would be almost as much as a surprise as announcing their pregnancy altogether.
But even as her nerves pricked at her, Stasi knew it would ultimately be fine, they just had to get through this meeting.
Stasi smiled at Riley and peeled away from Spider to go to her. Though Riley was the vicious kingpin of their family's syndicate, she was first and foremost Babushka to her grandaughter.
"Babushka, why are you squinting so hard at that paperwork? Are you worried Dyadya isn't running the family well enough?" Stasi teased as she sank into Riley's arms. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
Riley smiled and took her granddaughter into her arms and smiled in place of a laugh. She was not historically someone easy to amuse, but as she softened with age, she found it was hard not to smile or laugh around her grandchildren. They perhaps got to see the best version of Riley.
"No, Наш принц does well." Riley smiled, always proud and pleased with everything Adrik did no matter what. "Just looking to see, nothing else." Riley answered as she pet Stasi's hair. She finally acknowledged Spider, but not quite as warmly or familiar. She waved him in and gestured for them both to seat in the ornate chairs before the desk. They were large and deep, and smooth wine colored leather. The four legs were hand carved and clawed foot, made and shipped from Russia.
Spider pulled out one chair for Stasi and waited for her to be seated before sitting himself. He never made it a habit to sit in these chairs, it felt like they were reserved for Nikitin's only. But he supposed he was officially a Nikitin now.
"Only because I learned from the best." Adrik flattered as he passed Stasi and Spider taking their seats to round the desk. There was only one chair on that side of the desk and Adrik had insisted his mother take it, but as he was the current head of their crime family, custom dictated that he not be in any less comfort than company as he was their "better". As he was the haughtiest of Riley's brood, something cultivated in him as he was Riley's golden child, he went ahead and perched on the desk, his knee drawn up just enough and body turned so that he could see Spider and Stasi. "So, Anastasia, Spider, what have you called us here to speak about?"
Stasi inhaled a soft little breath and she extended her hand out to grab for Spider for both support and a show of their united front. She dipped her head then before addressing her uncle and grandmother.
"Dyadya, Babushka, Spider and I have come to ask that we take a leave of absence from our roles within the family." She said. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
Spider took Stasi’s hand, he looked only at Stasi as she spoke. Partly because he was feeling too nervous to see Riley’s expression right when she heard it. But he did turn his head to look, a beat after Stasi’s sentence was finished. If Riley had a visible reaction, Spider missed it. Her face was unchanged as she studied them both with her dark eyes. What Spider wouldn’t know, is that had it just been Riley and her granddaughter, the conversation and course of it would’ve gone differently; not bad, just different. Even though she raised Spider in a way, and Adrik even being her son; they were not women, and they would never be mothers.
Riley already had an idea what this meeting would be about, especially given the timing of the nuptials and following honeymoon. They were asking for family leave, their family was growing. Riley nodded knowingly, but wanted to keep things more formal, at least while the men were there.
“I see. How much time are you thinking, approximately?” Riley asked then.
"I think perhaps a year...depending." Stasi answered as she looked up. She should have looked to her uncle to address him as the head of the organization, in her request and in her explanation, but her gaze went to Riley instead and while neither of the men in the room seemed to see it, there was an understanding there. She then looked to Adrik and when she saw he had not quite puzzled it out yet, she reached to touch her stomach. "I'm pregnant, Dyadya."
Adrik's eyes immediately went wide and there was a joyous spark to them as his face parted with a grin.
"So soon after the wedding? Or should the wedding have been a shotgun wedding like your cousin's?" He teased before letting out a bark of laughter. "Congratulations to you both."
"Thank you, Dyadya." Stasi smiled.
"How far along are you, племянница? I suppose a ways since you're wanting leave now." Adrik asked.
Stasi's smile twitched a little and she squeezed Spider's hand a bit.
"Ah...not so far along." She answered. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
Spider offered a twitchy and nervous smile at Adrik's bark of joyous laughter. He was glad that the reception positive, but when Stasin squeezed his hand he was reminded that he was there for her, he was to be her advocate. He squeezed her hand back before looking to Adrik and Riley.
"We want to be careful and for Stasi to have a restful pregnancy." Spider began to explain. It was not lost on Spider that the Nikitin women were held to a higher standard. Riley worked through most of her pregnancies, so did Vania who famously flourished during her pregnancies. She worked her club as well as doing mob work, all in high heels. Even Asha, a Nikitin by marriage, she modeled as long as she could and still showed up for family work when she was expected to. Albeit Asha's responsibilities were centered around making appearances, she never missed an occasion. "You also know that we're still trying to get Nikita under thumb, which has been a huge undertaking. It just seems better if we focus on our family for the time being." Spider went on to explain.
Riley was no fool, not that Spider or Stasi were trying to trick her out of the truth necessarily. But they were being delicate about the matter and Riley could tell. Stasi's smile twitched and Spider interceded almost immediately. Riley was happy to see someone being protective of her granddaughter (though she did not need it), but what was the reason.
"I understand." Riley said, letting out a exhale from her nose as she leant back in her chair. "I don't see a reason why you shouldn't be granted leave as long as you want it. Do you agree, Adrik?" Riley asked then, turning slightly to her eldest perched on the desk.
Adrik's brow had furrowed in confusion as the topic of a long sabbatical was one that hadn't been broached before as most of the women carried on with their work. It wasn't that they were expected to, per se, it just...hadn't been done before.
"Oh, I mean...well, of course. We can allocate your work to others and you'll still have full access to funds, those aren't problems." Adrik said, taking a beat before going on. "It's just...are you sure you want to forego work all together? Both of you?" He pressed gently, eyes shifting between the two of them before settling on Spider. Stasi he understood a bit more, she was young and this would be her first child (he thought), perhaps she wanted to err on the side of safety, but Spider as well?
"It's just as Spider said, Dyadya. We would really just like to focus on our growing family and...well...we've gone to Peter already, and he thinks that it is best we make sure I'm well rested." Stasi said, her hand clutching Spider's tight.
Adrik noticed and the pinch of his brows deepened into something different, rather than confused, he was now concerned.
"Anastasia, are you and the baby alright?" He asked softly, so gently that Stasi couldn't help but feel her chest tighten a bit. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
Riley knew Adrik's questioning came from a place of concern, but it didn't make it feel any less intrusive. It was her turn to intercede on behalf of her granddaughter.
"принц, I consider this matter to be settled. Spider and Anastasia shall have their leave as long as they want it." Riley began before standing up and pushing away from the desk. She strode around to open the office door before addressing Adrik and Spider. "Adrik, why don't you take Spider to go over the particulars? I want to speak privately with my granddaughter." Riley was trying to dismiss the men in the most respectful way she knew how, that being said, it was not a request.
While Adrik was the official head of their crime syndicate, he still bowed his head to Riley as both the mother of their organization as well as the mother who bore him. If she said the matter was settled, it mattered little what he said or how he felt, even if he had opposed it. Her word was final.
"Da, of course, Mama." Adrik said, no argument in his words or tone. He slid from the desk and dipped his head to Riley before going around the desk to Spider, clapping his hand on the other man's back. "Come with me, we just need to confirm some things and get the ball rolling on others. Papa also has the most delicious matcha that he is more than eager to share, I'm sure."
Stasi gave Spider's hand one more squeeze for both his and her reassurance before letting it go.
"Don't forget about that cake. Save me a slice." She said to him. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
After the men had exited, Riley shut the door again before returning to Stasi. Instead of sitting again behind the large and imposing cherry desk, she sank into the neighboring armchair that Spider had previously sat in. She turned it so it was facing Stasi, and she turned hers as well to better face Riley as well. She sat then, releasing another weathered exhale through her nose as she settled; tossing black curls over her shoulder.
"Now then, you may tell me the whole truth of it, as much as you'd like to tell me." Riley began. "I promise, I will understand."
Stasi tensed, not so much at her grandmother's pressing, but rather at the fact that she was expected to share some version of the truth of the matter. It dawned on her, in that moment, that outside of Spider and Peter, no one else knew the entirety of her situation, just how many babes she'd lost and the full scope of her grief she'd endured. Her brother knew of the first only because he had been with her for the second and Nikita knew she had suffered more than one loss but not how many or the bruises each had left on her heart. She had weathered her losses majority on her own, and even telling Spider after the fact had been a hard conversation. Just how much could she stand telling Riley?
"Well...we...um," she swallowed thickly, "it's just that Peter said due to some...other things that have happened before, it's best for me to rest." She reached to press her palm to her stomach. _________________ Butts n' butts n' butts n' butts.
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