44. Mixed sauna

- Is there room for one more? Venla shouts from outside the sauna. 

- There's always room! Susanna yells and Venla steps in to warmth. 

- Okay, front row and back row, Jesse says and people change their placing so sauna benches can fit them all. Every Finn knows what this means and how you are to position yourself.

- Brr, I’m freezing, Venla says and covers her chest though nobody isn’t looking. 

– You can have my place, Susanna says and gives room for Venla. - I have been on upmost bench for long enough. 

- Geez, you are cold! Iida yells aloud when their thighs touch. Toni jumps too on the touch of cold skin. 

-Cold ass and warm heart. Or how that saying goes? They all laugh and that breaks the ice. Venla doesn't feel nervous anymore.

- I was outside like and hour and something. 

– And here I thought you are a softie, Iida remarks and they laugh. 

- Oh come on, Venla is tougher than you, Susanna gives her credit. Venla relaxes as her cold toes and fingers are getting warmer again and closes her eyes 

- Is that a new one? She hears Iida asking.

 –No. It's two years old, Iiro replies. – It's just been ages when we have been in sauna the same time. Oh. He's here too. Venla opens her eyes little and sees Iida examinining her brothers tattoos. Gosh. Iiro sure does have a nice body and way more tattoos she realized. She lols her head to another direction and lays her lazy eyes on Ilari. He is middle of discussion with Jesse and Toni and doesn't pay attention to others. Sweat is dripping from his ripple chest and abdomen. Girl, you really slept on those arms. Thought amuses her tipsy mind so much she almost chuckles aloud. So close, so far. Bittersweet.

Venla. Someone calls her name, but it comes from very far. 

- Don't fall into sleep. Venla startles, when there’s nudge on her shoulder and opens her eyes. Oh, The warmth of sauna and all that wine made her so cosy and relaxed she almost fell to sleep. 

- I'm not, Venla sighs and pushes herself upward. -I’m not sleeping. 

- Yes you were, Ilari's concerned voice says. – You better drink something, he puts bottle of water into Venla's hand. 

- Once a caretaker always caretaker, Iiro chuckles. Venla rubs her eyes, looks around and sees they are only ones left. Did she really dozed off? She opens the bottle and takes a long drink out of it. It tastes divine. 

- Where's the others? She asks and takes another drink.. 

- Done already, Iiro says. 

- We are usually the last ones, Ilari continues. – Some people just can’t stand the heat. Venla blinks and drinks more. She's feeling dizzy. 

– Is this where that treebrach punctured your lung? Ilari asks and touches gently Venla's side. He let’s his fingers linger on surface of the scars down to her hip. – You have healed incredibly well. It feels like a caress. Venla touches scarred place and nods. That felt weird. She's not used to anyone willingly touch rough marks on her skin.

 - Damn, Iiro says. – You really got it bad.

 - Told you, Venla puts out a small smile. - I'll beat you with numbers of scars or stiches. 

- Shit. And here I thought I had streetwise credibility! Venla smirks and streches her arms. 

 – Thanks for the water, Venla looks Ilari. He stil looks concerned, but there’s something else in his eyes that makes Venla uneasy. How can he make you feel more naked without any clothes on. And with that thought Venla thinks athmosphere here is changing fast. Where to, that's the question.

- I think I'm done too. I'll go before passing out completely, She decides and heads for the door.

Brothers watch Venla's hips sway when she's going out and they hear her taking a shower. 

- Uhh, Ilari bites his tongue. 

- Daaamn, Iiro opens his mouth first. - She's a babe, allright. With or without scars. 

– and she doesn't even realize that herself , Ilari agrees.

- I wanna go to shower with her and press that body to mine, Iiro fantasies. 

- Forget it, Ilari shakes his head and throughs more water to stones. -Neither of us is getting there. 

- Even to see water running on her skin, Iiro continues. If I wanted her before, now I need to have her. Iiro taps the bench. He's clearly fighting urge to go after Venla. – You know, we really hit it on tonight. 

- You did? Ilari says and his mind turns glum. This isn't the way it should go.

 -She's witty, funny and you can't believe how much we have in common. 

- Sounds serious, Ilari lifts his brows. 

- It's just another crush, Iiro shrugs. - You know me, they never last. 

- I sure do. That's what worries me.

- Howcome? 

- She's more fragile than you think. I don't want to see her hurt. Iiro gives his brother a sideways look. Now there’s something Ilari isn't telling.