Welcome to Gaia! ::

Part of enjoying saunas in the United States was having to come to terms with the fact that it wasn't a regular enough part of the cultural experience for there to be an understanding of, or regular etiquette for, using them. Sometimes people didn't read the posted rules. Many did not observe that they were supposed to shower off first before getting into the sauna. Sometimes people got awkward about public nudity. It was worse if it was the mixed gender saunas. Still, it was commonplace for most of the gym goers to opt out of the 'nudity allowed', or 'towel wrapped waist' options and jump for the 'bathing suit' option.

Someone coming in without any reservations, let alone still knowing to put their towel down to be courteous of the wood, was unusual. It was also really, really early in the day.

Most of the early gym goers showered and went to work. They weren't interested in the unwinding with a sauna yet. It meant that this newcomer was the only other person in the hot box. And a person Björn Guildson didn't know. At the gym he'd been coming to for years now. Maybe he doesn't want social time. That is usual for mornings. But it is polite to at least greet, ja?

"Hej, " came rumbled from his spot on the boiling top and corner bench.

"Tack, Skapligt. Lä´get? Roligt att ses, " Björn beamed back with a smile equal parts surprised and warm. Anyone speaking Norsk or Svenska casually, conversationally, in America was rare-found. His heart had left with his mother, and with the rest of his family, back to Scandinavia. His blood was of both continents, but home had settled elsewhere this year, save the remote stars of Lady Hvergelmir, Colin, and Kairatos. This stranger earned some part of that- sudden and unguarded against familiar words and habits that had been only of healing and heartfulness. "My name is Björn. "

"If you want more steam, feel welcome to add water. " If the newcomer was savvy to sauna culture, then it was just as likely that he could handle greater heat then most of those who came in as a novelty. It was part of why Björn made quick work of moving to the top benches, leaving the lower open to casual sauna-goers. The higher heat soaked better through to deep muscles.

He is roughed up for the morning. Maybe he is in one of those fight club things? Or a security guard? Maybe he is in an actual gang. I think I know all the officers that come here...unless he was very, very new. There is no telling. It is early to be roughed up. Oh- maybe he does a sport of some kind? Tall enough for it.

“I come every day, “ It was, again, easier to form sentences by using pieces of what the other used in question. It felt a little like being reduced to grade school again, except for the small assurance that expressing himself in words out loud tended to get easier just by doing it. “They have space, good equipment. And real sauna. ”


Pasi, for knowing how to actually enjoy a sauna, would be a welcome addition to routines at the gym, even if only occasional, and casual, acquaintance. Maybe that is a bad thing, to put onto another so much that is not themselves. Hoping for him to stay around once in awhile as just a reminder that Scandinavia is still out there. Or is it dread…that name still out there.
Nærøyfjord.
Well. Maybe it is a comfort to him, too. Hearing accents from near home.

“The morning and late evening at the sauna is the best. Quiet and they know how to sauna. “


“You are a new member, Pasi? Or day pass?”

“I’ve been a year off, but I compete in Strongman. I spend a lot of time with the weights, “ Björn chuckled. “But the sauna is just as important. “


“Muscles need to relax, or they will tear. Like a rubber band stretched too far, ja? Fuel, Work and Rest. “ He let the silence be companionable for a little. Sauna-time was as much of any time as one could hope to get conversation from a Finn, from experience with family friends far abroad. Still, it was also a time where silences could be comfortable and welcome, even in America. The Culture and People of the land were so uncomfortable with silence, but the fog of a sauna seemed one of the few places that filled up the air enough to prevent others from trying to do so with empty words. The two of them could indulge together. It was not rushed time.

“The cafe is very fresh. When you are done, can I buy you a coffee?”

From his small experience, Finns meant what they said, or didn't say anything at all. Things weren't just platitudes or niceties, and " I hope we can meet again" meant they'd be expecting you to call them sometime soon to follow up on that hope. American culture had a lot of that sort of thing said for politeness only, or to assure the host you had a good time more than an actual intent to schedule further. Pasi had accepted the offer, which meant that it would happen today when they were both done with sauna, shower and dressing. There was no worry about having to be at each other's pace, and the expectation and acceptance was there that either would wait and relax near the cafe until sighting the other.

There was a comfort to that certainty.

It made social-cue guessing and implied meanings irrelevant at a certain level. The usual implicit colors of tone and word usage remained, but the rest was a good deal simpler. And welcome, so far as Björn was concerned. As was the Finnish. He couldn't didn't have the tongue, himself, but the sound of an accent was pretty universal. And the secondary translation polite. "I don't speak Finnish, very sadly. I wish I could make that gift to you."

And he said it as no idle chatter himself, " When we see each other again in the sauna, I will try for it, whether that is a week from now or three months. Whenever we cross paths. And you can probably laugh." A self aware, but comfortable grin accompanied the offer of humor and wager. A Finnish Roast should be good entertainment. " A greeting in Finnish, when I see you next. If I can, you can tell me all the ways I have made awful your language. If I cannot even attempt it, I will owe you a longer drink."

Having been there sometime already, the window for avoiding aches from too much was drawing to an end. Björn slowly turned each joint and limb to set and the body before carefully standing and walking down the side near the wall. "At coffee, then. Enjoy the sauna!"