|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 5:26 pm
Michael didn’t have a lot of friends. It was easier that way. He didn’t have to deal with the stress that came from knowing someone else’s problems, and he wasn’t expected to offer any of his personal life in return. He would rather just keep to himself if he could help it.
But there was nothing wrong with acquaintances. Especially when those acquaintances preferred to just sit with a beer and not talk about mundane things. It sounded like a win for Michael. Sometimes company was all that was needed; talking was just a waste of breath.
“Did you serve for Finland’s military, or is it not mandatory with dual citizenship?” Michael asked as he signaled the bartender for another couple beers since theirs were running low. He met Lauri a couple months back while they were both picking up parts they’d ordered from a local store that catered to engineers. Michael, although he was no longer teaching engineering as an elective at Azure Valley, still wanted to help out with the boys’ science competitions.
Despite neither of them really wanting to engage in unnecessary social interaction, the tiny bit of information shared about each other's’ projects was enough to exchange contact information. For the purposes of grabbing a beer with likeminded individuals of course.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 11:12 pm
Company was acceptable. Company that was not asinine, didn't require him to repeat himself over and over or use extremely simple terms, and/or was capable of conversing if conversation was the order of the day was even more so. Especially when drinking or building things. Thus, Micheal. "I'm Finnish first, so I trained." Actually, he couldn't remember if it had been mandatory or not and although he'd read through the 'manual' Pasi had left for his history so he'd know it several times that was one of those things that was so dense that it was hard to pull forward, even when he hadn't been drinking. "I am in the reserve until I am too old to be. If they call me, I will go." He snickered a bit, "They will probably not, unless they need food for trolls." Lauri tapped the side of his beer thoughtfully, Micha was a military sort - it could be seen in his bearing, in the way he cased a room and rarely put his back to anything but a wall. The way sharp sounds sometimes made his body go still-quiet like a hunter - or a hunted animal. He knew the signs, he'd been trained to know them and recognize them and while Lauri might not have remembered everything - nor would he, ever, post corruption - he'd gotten much of his own training back. More than enough to recognize these things. "I made it to what you call 'second Lieutenant' by end of training. Then back to America again."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2017 3:20 pm
”Not bad,” Michael hummed as he watched the other man and the way he held himself. Michael only had a general understanding of how other countries ran their militaries. It was practical information to know.
“Do you have family or other obligations that’s keeping you here?” he pushed for a little more information, not so much because he wanted to pry, but because he was still feeling Lauri out. He was testing the boundaries of what information the other was willing to share, or maybe he would make something up, or even change the topic. Mostly, he wanted to see what was okay to talk about and what wasn’t. He surprisingly didn’t mind Lauri’s company, since most people tended to annoy him. And exhaust him.
“Leaving the country is looking better and better these days,” he offered in exchange. “Unfortunately, I’ve got family and other obligations.” Normally when he was talking to someone who didn’t seem to pay that close attention to things, he would have flashed his wedding ring at that point. However, Lauri seemed observant and probably already noticed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2018 2:31 am
Gallo was being a nosy s**t. Lauri couldn't really bring himself to be put out about, or even angry. It wasn't as though Michael seemed the sort to want to pour out his soul, braid hair, and do each other's make-up during a ******** sleepover. If anything, the Finn was inclined to chalk his curiosity and questioning up to tactics: a fact finding mission that got stretched out over time. He was doing the same thing in return after all. "You think I'd stay otherwise? Finland has her problems, true, but at least she has sauna." With a derisive snort, the brunet shook his head; madness to think that he'd stay in this godforsaken country if he didn't have to. America was garbage compared to where he could be, where his heart longed to be. Family and obligations in deed. Of course, his 'family' and obligations revolved around Metallia and the Negaverse, but that wasn't anything he was prepared to discuss with Micha -or anyone he wasn't prepared to outright murder after - so he moved the topic towards his companion's situation. "No kids yet, right? ******** obligations. Grab your partner and get out." Lauri lifted his beer in salute. "Go somewhere less s**t, start your family there." He'd noticed the ring, he'd also noticed the way that Michael worried at it sometimes when he wasn't paying attention - like he still wasn't completely used to wearing it yet but was nearly there. Not a newly wed, but not ye olde married couple yet either. "How long?" He gestured at Michael's left hand with the beer before taking another drink. It was...polite to ask a man after his family, wasn't it? And it was good to know such things, tactically.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:05 pm
Michael snorted softly in amusement and gave a small nod in agreement. “That is true. I haven’t had a good sauna experience in almost a decade. This country doesn’t seem to know what they’re doing with those kinds of things.” It wasn’t as though he’d had many chances to travel over the last several years.
Lauri was observant, but it was difficult to pick things out in return. He was still being cautious, and Michael didn’t blame him. They weren’t friends. They barely knew each other. They were both military men, and Lauri had been fairly open with sharing that bit about himself.
“No kids, thankfully,” he confirmed with a small grimace, knowing that Caspian was starting to get to the point where he was questioning their goals for the future. Even though they’d discussed everything before getting married, he was sure Caspian was getting restless. His husband wasn’t the type to sit still for long.
“A year in May,” he said after a pause to drink from his glass, glancing towards the dark metal ring on his left hand. There wasn’t much Michael really felt like sharing with almost strangers, but it was easier than making something up, and more engaging than a simple answer that might be taken as disinterest.
“Technically, May. Caspian, my partner, ended up in the hospital and we decided to get married then instead of wait for an actual ceremony, just in case he didn’t make it. Now that he’s recovered, the family isn’t too thrilled there hasn’t been a chance to get together, but I’m not a fan of big events, anyway.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 8:14 pm
Wait, this ******** knew sauna? Or was he thinking of like, faux sauna experiences touted by Americans or other countries as 'sauna'? Because those were totally different things and made Lauri's Finnish soul want to commit actual murder more than usual. "America," The Finn said slowly and very clearly, "Has no ******** clue about sauna." "This is why I built my own. Much better." Very important to have done so - a taste of home and also just something good to have for those days when he needed to relax properly but could not otherwise. Working for the Negaverse was stressful, after all. So was his 'day' job. Being able to settle into a proper sauna was important for his mental and emotional wellbeing. No children seemed to be a good thing, if Micha's expression meant anything above the words. Some folks just didn't want kids - some shouldn't have 'em. Gallo had the look of a man with reasons deeper than want or should. Possibly reasons that had to do with why preferred to sit in a location that allowed him to keep an eye on exits, not that it was any of Lauri's ******** business. I'm supposed to congratulate him or something here - isn't the first year supposed to be the hardest? Some bullshit like that. "s**t." Lauri lifted his drink as if to toast the marriage, Caspian, and the whole lot. "It's your life anyway. Do what you want. ******** the family's wishes, if they want big wedding - let them marry." Married quickly? Due to an accident or illness - was Micha regretting that choice? Or was he just regretting the bullshit surrounding it via familial ties? Again, none of his business - but it was interesting in the way that train wrecks could be. Something something schadenfreude, sociopathy, whatever.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:12 pm
Michael leaned onto the bar, head propped against his hand. So this guy liked to build things? Must have money to be able to build things like his own saunas. It wasn’t just a matter of nailing a few boards together. It was much more complicated than that. And to have access to the tools and other supplies needed.
“Sounds like you’ve got a nice place if you’ve built your own sauna,” Michael said with raised eyebrow. “What kind of rocks do you prefer?” A joke, mostly. The Finnish were particular about their rocks.
He couldn’t help but let out a laugh at Lauri’s suggestion to just let the whole family marry each other if they wanted big weddings that much. He was sure others would like that, but he was also of the opinion that he really didn’t care what they wanted anyway.
“Cheers to that,” he lifted his own glass to match Lauri’s and then took a long drink from it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2019 3:27 pm
Was he prying further, or simply making commentary? If he knew sauna at all, it could be either, but Lauri was disinclined to consider anyone having wholly innocent reasons. No one between heaven or hell did anything for purely altruistic purposes - human beings just weren't wired that way. Even when one made 'friends' it was, to some extent, for the purpose of exchanging favor and gains - though sometimes those may be intangible as to fill some deeper societal, cultural, or personal need. As long as the involved people were both engaging and reciprocating in mutually beneficial manners, the partnership could be considered viable.
"You ask stupid questions. Of course igneous peridotite is best." Unspoken was the from Finland, imported. His home situation was not to be revealed to some stranger, but Micha wasn't quite that anymore. Causal drinking buddy and person he could speak about projects with. His warehouse was a project. "Ja, it's a warehouse I renovate." Lauri shrugged, feeling the pleasant burn of alcohol down his throat and in his belly, separating him from the harder edges of a country he didn't care for.
"Family is important then." Flatly spoken, as much as Micha may say he wasn't interested in a big event, or that he just wanted to live quietly with his partner...he was going to capitulate and do as would please the family. It was obvious what was important to him - or what held a lot of control in what he would allow done in his life. "This is why I do not do relationships."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
