Russian Roulette

Chapter Forty-One: Meeting the Mother

---Isador---

Isador kept to himself, not wanting to bother Aleksei. The quiet bothered him though, to no end. While in the taxi he stared mindlessly at his phone, flipping through the random pictures in the gallery. He also randomly opened apps and then would close them after having them open for a moment or two, not long enough to actually use any of them. He was a little excited to be travelling in an actual plane though. His eyes glinted with small excitement, which was fairly short lived once they were in their seats.

He could tell something was off about Aleksei and he hated it. Even hating the sudden cold shoulder from Aleksei, he didn't speak or ask him anything. Isador just sat silent, rubbing his hands together and cracking his fingers. He stared mainly at his hands or feet, feeling no need to look at Aleksei. He stole small glances toward him, but not much more. The longer they were on the plane the more painfully obvious it was to Isador that Aleksei was purposely trying to not talk to him. He felt an oddly familiar twist in his chest. One he'd felt as a teenager, and one that made him worry.

As they collected their things off the plane, Isador was a bit shocked at Aleksei's words. Well over ten hours and he was finally actually being addressed, and it was to tell Isador he was here to meet Aleksei's mom. Isador remained silent and gave Aleksei a quick nod, now to nervous to give verbal acknowledgement to what was said. Isador tugged his jacket pulling it closer to his body before zipping it up. The walk felt like an eternity for him, for he didn't do a lot of walking in snow before this moment. He did however like the rather disheveled looking farmland. It felt oddly charming and depressing to Isador.

A smile barely appeared on Isador's face as he watched mother and son embrace before him. He certainly was unprepared for her to be the one greeting Aleksei as her son. It didn't bother him, just slightly surprised him. A small spark of joy flittered inside of him, although it was snuffed rather quickly by her question. Isador was also caught off by Aleksei's smile. For a moment he stood silently. He hadn't spoken in nearly twenty-four hours and felt as if he had forgotten how too. His heart begin to race and his body betrayed him as he began to lightly shake. It was a fairly obvious that he wasn't shaking from the cold.

"I'm Benjamin, ma'am." Isador's voice was quiet, and a little trembly. He didn't know what he should call himself in this moment, but he gave her a very nervous and shy smile.

---Aleksei---

Aleksei and his mom both watched Isador, Aleksei felt bad for a flicker of a moment as he noticed Isador shake before shrugging and going inside.

His mom watched him go with a curious glare before turning back to Isador with a smile, "Nice to meet you, he doesn't usually bring home strangers so you must be something special, come on inside." she opened the door wider for him and followed Aleksei in, she could feel that something was off but her son's business was his own business. She would not question the state of their relationship.

"You're becoming a cat person now?" Aleksei called out once they both were inside, he was sitting criss cross as 7 kittens took turns hopping into his legs and were begging for loving attention, all being tiny little toybob mixes, an adult cat sat by watching him carefully but she seemed to prefer staying away from the people.

"uhh yes, I found mama sleeping under the porch, it was so cold and she was due any day then so I took her in, only a week later did she bless us with these adorable babies." Aleksei's mom said as she bent down to gently pick up a kitten and she handed the little girl to Isador, she was attempting to make him feel more comfortable, maybe ease some tension, she didn't know how to subtly help their issue but hey, who doesn't love cats?

Aleksei nodded and continued to toy with the toybobs before his mom spoke up again, there was a nervousness in her own voice this time, "There is someone else I want you to meet." she added carefully before going over to the other room.

Aleksei glared at her exit, "Please don't be a boyfriend, please don't be a boyfriend, please don't be a boyfriend." he whispered to himself as he waited for her and luckily, it wasn't a boyfriend, it was a baby she brought out, wait a minute...a baby?

"Aleksei meet your sister, Kira...." His mother introduced, the baby seemed a bit daze, probably had just woken up. She looked around 6 months old, is that the reason she asked him to suddenly back home? Well I guess they both had to work on proper communication, can't just not tell your son that you have a new baby. A 6 month old baby at that.

Aleksei carefully got up as he tried not to disrupt the cats too much and he walked over to his mother and new sister, "Who's the father?" Aleksei asked with an eyebrow raised as he took the baby from her.

"Some hunter....he is involved....financial wise anyways." she answered and Aleksei nodded and just focused on his sister, "Kira, little Kiraaa." he said her name in a sing song and that really caught her attention, she stared at him with those wide curious eyes, she had glossy blue eyes like her mother and that only made him simile more.

"Looks like I lied to you Isador, you aren't here to just meet my mother, you are also here to meet the sister I just found out about." Aleksei laughed. This was a shock to him, a good kind of shock though, this was a new little ball of life in his family, someone new to look out for, someone new to love on and maybe she'll love him back. As Aleksei was drowning in his own thoughts, his mother spoke up again, "Actually, I am still holding things from you. Aleksei, I didn't just ask for you to come home to meet Kira, I asked for you to come home so you could stay home. I do not what you involve yourself with in the US to make the money you do...but I need help here. She needs her brother, do you not want to watch your sister grow up?" Aleksei's mom pitched her statement and he sighed.

Of course he wanted to watch her grow up, who wouldn't that? But he couldn't, being here too often would surely catch the attention of rivals and feds alike, should he admit to his mom what he does now? Or leave her in the dark?

"I'll think about it, I'll give you my answer before we are expected to fly off." Aleksei told and his mother nodded. "Well, since you're here, I got some cleaning up to do. She just woke up and if she gets hungry, there are beetles in the refrigerator." she nodded a goodbye before walking out of the room again.

Now the room fell silent, Aleksei stared at Kira and Kira stared at him, once in a while letting out little coos, that was until she caught a glimpse at Isador from the corner of her eye, now he was the one who had her full attention. Aleksei looked over to Isador and smiled before waking over and offering the babe to him. "Have you ever thought about kids?" Aleksei then asked curiously. Why did he ask? Because he was actually interested in the answer or did he miss talking to him? A bit of both.

Kira just kept staring at Isador now, looking all around his facial features to get to know this strange man, a very curious mind.