After his last love, Maggie, passed during a small conflict between cities, Vladimir had a huge hole in his heart. Vladimir had never been one to settle down with anyone. He loved his hookers, he loved his booze, but most of all he loved his independence. He wasn't a loud chap, and kept his opinions close to himself, but he was very publicly known as a skirt chaser for a long time. Until he met a fellow comrade under IvanRomanov. And how he was shattered when she made her way to the funeral home. He became so distant to those nearest him for days following it all. 

Vladimir thought back to those heartbreaking days.... IrinaPetrov had finally coaxed him out one evening to drink with his brother Ivan who sat him down and talked business for the most part. They discussed his upcoming auth, the future of taking godfather, and the various businesses among Manhattan followed by NY as a whole. Low and behold it had worked. Focusing Vladimir's mind on work pulled him out of his depression and soon he was running a crew, assisting his brother with a taking the position Godfather and even expanding Manhattan by introducing Ivan and Vlad's Nephew Woodpond as the head of the Refinery.

Yet, even after it all... Irina noticed more than anyone, something missing from Vlad. He was not the fun loving man he was. Not the flirt the women swooned over, nor the man everybody wanted to have drinks with. Even at the introduction party for Woodpond's auth, Vladimir sat at the corner of the bar and stared at his glass.
Irina noticed it all... but knowing her cousin, she knew she could not help aside from comforting him on his darkest nights.

Then, someone finally decided to do something. Vlad had noticed this girl before. She was always bright and cheery. The exact opposite of Vladimir. Quick tongued and strong willed, it would be her that finally jumped on Voloshin and smacked him with words until he smiled. He can remember her first introduction.

Why are you so down?

Who's asking?

Well, I'm Fanque, pleasure to meet you sir! And she followed up by pinching his ass.

He was a little taken back by this attractive and forward girl who was almost care free with her advances. Almost like she knew he was gonna fall for her the second she walked over.

As they continued to talk they seemed to hit it off and became friends. Eventually talking into the late hours and drinking each other's cares away. She made Vladimir feel something again. Something he hadn't felt in a long time. Something almost alien to him now. 
In time they began doing everything together... And the times that they weren't together or the times Irina could pull Vlad away from his new love interest for 2 minutes, questions often followed. 

"Well, do you like her? Are you two dating? How often does she stay at your place? Hell, sometimes I think she fucking lives there!"

Vladimir rarely gave into Irina's taunts but finally, after Vlad and Fanque had been inseparable for some time, he shows up at Ivan's HQ. Irina notices him right away, and also notices that Fanque isn't with him for some reason.

You got business with Ivan? I can get him for you.

Vladimir looks around to make sure no one is around. Neit, I am here for you, Irina. I need your help.

Irina mimics his motions, looking for whoever it is her cousin is looking for. Well? What?

Vladimir stops briefly... seems to almost shiver and pulls a small black jewelry box from his pocket. As he opens it, he anticipates the shreeks of joy about to pierce his ears.

Irina's eyes popped and her mouth dropped wide open. And then it came... She squealed loudly and began jumping up and down. She grabbed the box from his hands and pulled it closely, looking at the brilliant, shining ring inside. Her face broke out into a huge smile as she looked up at Vlad and then back to the ring. She couldn't even find the words.

"Are you... Is this... What I mean... OH MY GOODNESS!!!!," she was speaking so quickly that soon her English and Russian began to run together. Vlad placed his hands on her shoulders and made her look him in the eyes. She stopped speaking and took a deep breath. As she looked at him, her eyes welled up with tears. Tears of happiness. She was not expecting that a day like this would ever come. Sure, Vlad had plenty of relationships, girls that made him happy, but she had never really seen this in his future. She couldn't believe it. She sat down slowly in the chair next to Vlad, looking once again at the ring.

"I am surprised dorogoy. Not in a bad way, neit. In a very good way." She looked up at him once again, her eyes shining brightly. He had found his happiness. Something she had wished for him for so long. Something that was so hard to find in the life that they chose. She closed the box, stood up and kissed him softly on the cheek.

Vlad stands wiping the lipstick from his cheek...

But I don't know how... I never have... this new to me. I don't know what she say. We've never discussed it. Tonight is the night and everything I've had planned has ... I'm nervous, cousin. Very nervous.

Vladimir was never one to admit uneasiness. This is a man who wouldn't flinch if you asked him to kill a man, but put him in a position to ask a woman to be a part of his life and it brought him back to the days of being a shy toddler.

I want to call her to this place, where we met... but охуеть... By call her I already mean that she is coming... And I know that she'll want nearby to celebrate or perhaps witness... cause you and she are so close.

Vladimir is almost shaking with anticipation... He had known Fanque well before taking auth but didn't really have much interaction with her. He thought she was attractive yes, but after Maggie was gone, he had cut off almost all emotion to the world. And now, Fanque had finally pulled him from the depths of sadness back to the world they lived in.

Vladimir looks to Irina. 

Do you think you being here is good? Will she yes? I don't know cousin. I just... Vladimir began to trail off in his own self doubt. He was never like this. Ever.

Irina couldn't help but smile. She wouldn't mock him for his self doubt. She knew what it meant for him to put himself out in this way. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it tightly, reassuring him in the soft, subtle way that she did. "Dorogoy, you are so cute when you're nervous. Please. Let me help you. We haven't much time have we? She will be here soon, no?" Irina pulled him towards her desk. She dropped his hand and knelt down, opening one of the cabinets doors. She rummaged through it for a moment before pulling out two candlesticks. She held them up at Vlad, waiting impatiently for him to take them. Then she stood up and crossed the room to the drink cart against the wall. She grabbed two wine glasses and headed for the door. "Well, are you coming??"

She walked up the hall to one of the rooms that they used for meetings and flipped on the light. She set the glasses down on the floor and looked around for the tablecloth. She searched through a couple of cabinets before finding it. Smiling she shook it out and then draped it over the table. She snapped at Vlad, motioning for him to bring the candlesticks over. Placing them in the middle of the table, she stepped back and looked. Nodding her approval, she bent down and picked up the wine glasses, placing one on each side of the candlesticks. When she was satisfied, she turned towards Vlad.

"I... I have something. I have been saving it for a special occasion. I want you to have it. Just a moment, I will return." She left the room in search of the bottle of wine she had been saving. A few minutes later she returned, bottle in hand. Placing the bottle in his hands, she smiled. "For you and Fanque." She glanced at the table and realized what it was missing. Her eyes widened and she rushed out of the room without a word. She ran out the door of the HQ and down the street to the florists shop on the corner. When she returned to the HQ, quite disheveled from the running, she laughed at the look on Vlad's face. She knew he was wondering what the hell she was up to. She walked over to the table and pulled a single red rose from behind her back, placing it between the candlesticks. "There dorogoy, perfect."

Vladimir gazes at Irina for a moment, closes his eyes and tilts his head forward... after a few moments he lifts it. 

Спасибо... he says thank you in his native tongue knowing that it will have more meaning to his dearest cousin.

She leaves the room and Vladimir waits for Fanque. After what seems like hours, his lover enters the room.

You called for me? She questions with a smile.

Vladimir just looks upon her for a moment, but when he realizes that his pause is causing an awkward silence, he answers her. Привет, love. I know you know not why we're meeting here... but sit, sit.

Vladimir goes to pull a chair out for his lover and as he slides it across the floor it catches, tips and pulls the table cloth... tipping the table, wine bottle, glasses, candles and rose all to the floor. After a brief moment of shock he stomps the candles out, crushing the flower and wine glasses, yet luckily the wine bottle stays intact.
After feeling as though he has ruined the planned occasion, Vladimir stands with his back to Fanque in complete defeat afraid to turn and expose his expression of total failure to the woman he is trying to win over.

After a few of the longest seconds Vladimir had ever experienced, he hears giggles coming from the beauty standing behind him. He turns with embarrassment to Fanque who is almost a full gut wrenching laugh.

Vladimir, what are you pulling here? She says to him in between gasps for air and chuckles.

Vladimir stares at her in the eyes for a moment and slowly walks over to her... when he is at the point where he would be intruding space if she were a stranger, Fanque stops laughing, staring back at him. 

"She knows," Vladimir thinks to himself. "She knows whats coming." As they gaze into each other's eyes, Vladimir drops to a knee. Fanque looking down at him, and Vladimir looking up. He has a hard time reading her face causing his thoughts to stir, "What will she say? I've ruined it... there's no way..."

Fanque, my girl, I've ruined this date... but I would never forgive myself if I didn't at least try... he reaches in his pocket and as his fingers clasp around the box within the entry door to the room slams open.

Irina rushes in "What the hell was tha--?" She must have ran from her office after hearing the table tip over but stops mid sentence knowing she's interrupting the proposal itself.

Vladimir still on his knee turns his head to look at Irina. Fanque's eyes stay focused and never leave Vladimir almost as though she is unaware Irina had barged in.

As soon as Irina realized what she was interrupting, she stopped dead in her tracks. The tears instantly welled up in her eyes. She was going to witness the greatest moment in the lives of two people who meant the world to her. She watched as Fanque just stared at Vlad. Then she realized Vlad was still looking at her. "Ne mne, ona!" She hissed at him, waving him to turn around. She leaned against the door frame, hoping to be unnoticed as Vlad turned back towards Fanque. She didn't even realize that she was holding her breath as she watched.

Vladimir looks back up at Fanque, a look of shock on her face. He has trouble reading how she's feeling exactly but figures he can't stop now...

"Fanque, my love, we've spend a lot of time together for some time now," He pulls the jewelry box from his pocket and opens it presenting it to the girl of his dreams, and for once, either do to her shock or his nervousness, he has absolutely no idea how she is going to react. His knee begins to shake causing his whole body to shutter and making his speech crack. "I can't think of anything that would make me happier man. You've shown me so much and made me love living again... Fanque, you are not only the most krasavitsa person I know but you also zvezda moya... lyubov moya... Will you...." Vladimir begins to choke up unable to get the words to come out of his mouth...

He tilts his head down and stares towards the ground in front of Fanque. "Will you... " He stumbles with the words when suddenly her hand meets the side of his face comfortingly lifting his head so their eyes meet.

"Will you marry me, love?"

Vladimir nearly collapses at the moment the word "yes" leaves her lips.

The anticipation was nearly killing the man. He was not one to let his guard down often and now that he no longer needed to wait for confirmation of the love they shared he felt his legs shake and nearly cave. 

After a brief moment to regain his composure he raises to his feet, looks into her eyes while taking her hand. After their mutual gaze lasts a few moments and without a word, he slides the ring on her finger and kisses her as if it was the last kiss he would ever experience.

Irina finally let out the breath she had been holding. As her cousin stood to his feet and slipped the ring on Fanque's finger, Irina slipped away silently. She did not want to intrude on their moment. They needed to enjoy their privacy. She walked slowly back down the hall and waited until she was in her office to let the tears of happiness flow.

Vladimir and Fanque spent what seemed like days holding one another and giving each other affections. They even began to dance without any music at all. Vladimir went and grabbed soup bowls and poured two bowls of wine as he jokingly said "Don't wanna ruin anymore glasses!"
The whole moment felt like a dream to Vladimir. He had no idea how had gotten so lucky... He continue sharing his moment with the love of his life. It was more than he could have ever imagined.

After a the newly announced couple spent some time alone together, Vladimir went and opened the door, inviting other members of Manhattan, NY, and abroad to come in and share in the celebrations.

 

Vladimir steps away from his future bride as Mafiatrivia comes in with a grand show. He stops for a moment and turns to Mafiatrivia, "She's not technically my wife..." He pauses and gives mafiatrivia a smile

"...yet" A few of the people in attendence let out a small chuckle.

Vladimir turns to the wheel in front of him... He looks at his bride to be, and blows her a kiss to which she returns a wink of good luck.

Vladimir reaches forward and pulls on the lever.

The room falls silent with the exception of the sound of the large wheel turning... everyone waited in anticipation to see where it landed.

CAC walks into the room. Confused as to why the back wall is no longer there and rubble lies in a heap in front of a giant game show wheel. Then he spots MafiaTrivia and everything clicks. He brushes this off of his mind, and walks up to the happy couple.

"I don't believe I've had the honor to speak to the notorious Vlad, but that is something I look forward to. Fanque on the other hand I have heard many stories about. My brother CC once ran with her, and said that she was a good lady. Any friend of his is a friend of mine. Congratulations you two, and good luck on what seems to be a wonderful road to marriage."

After congratulating the two love birds. CAC walks over to MafiaTrivia to see what the hell happened before he arrived.

With a smile beaming from ear to ear, Kazimir enthusiastically embraces the soon-to-be bride and groom in quick succession - before ushering a young factory worker to fetch as many bottles of the finest vodka he can carry.

"Far too often these days do I step inside a church to pay my respects to the deceased – it will be with great pleasure to attend a traditional Russian celebration of любовь with my fellow comrades."

He removes his over-sized ushanka and quickly plonks it onto Captain Voloshin's head as they share a hearty laugh - the couple still inseparable, tightly embracing one another. I had never seen Vladimir so happy before; it appeared as though every cog in his life was finally aligned now that he had the love of his life, Fanque, by his side. Within moments, the fresh-faced factory worker begins promptly passing around what appears to be an endless supply of vodka-filled shot glasses like a well-oiled machine. As the guests continue to gather, he raises his glass in harmony and proudly begins to speak.

Поздравляю/Congratulations to the happy couple! Let us drink to the soon-to-be Король и королева/King & Queen of The Machine Shop!

Redeemer was not used to attending or being invited to such parties. He was truly flattered that Vlad had sent him one. Getting his best suit from his closet, he got dressed, called for his driver, and left.

A few hours later......

He had been at the party for some time now. Still a little nervous being around all the higher-ups in New York. But even so, he approached his Crewleader.

"I wish you and your new fiance all the best in your new life comrade. My deepest congratulations to the both of you."