Wrote this a long time ago but apparently forgot to upload it here, so here you go!
Lalli peeked through the door. Emil was dressed in an apron, his hands deep in a bowl of some kind while weird words came out from his mouth. Lalli tilted his head, trying to understand what the Swede was doing. Emil stopped making the sounds and looked towards Lalli, smiling.
"Lalli!"
Lalli backed, ready to close the door if Emil should approach himm but Emil didn't, he only smiled towards him.
"Do you want to help?"
Lalli recognized the last few words, but he didn't understand them. Emil showed him the bowl and Lalli noticed the meaty substance Emil had in there.
"What's that?"
Emil tilted his head, trying to wrap his mind around what Lalli had just said.
"Meatballs. Well, it's not meatballs yet, but it will be soon. Did you want to help?"
Emil placed the bowl on the counter, started rolling the substance into tiny balls. Lalli took a small step through the door, leaning against the wall. He looked as Emil continued rolling the meat into balls, and tilted his head again as more weird Swedish words started coming out of the other's mouth. Lalli could tell the sounds wasn't directed towards him, so he settled down on one of the chairs, listened to the words.
Emil suddenly stopped and Lalli saw his cheeks getting pink. He looked at Lalli, laughing nervously.
"I'm sorry, I didn't kill your ears, did I?"
Lalli wasn't sure what Emil had said. Emil washed off his hands and settled down next to Lalli, looking at the other.
"You know you have to talk to me from time to time."
Lalli didn't exactly glare at Emil, but there wasn't any good words to describe the look Lalli gave him. Emil let out a sigh.
"Fine, don't talk. I know you think Swedish is weird and you don't want to teach me Finnish. But if we're living together we must find some way to communicate. Okay?"
Lalli opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. Emil shook his head, smiling.
"Never mind. Let me finish up the meatballs. You want to help me with the rest after that? Hey, you know if there's something special Tuuri wants?"
Emil went back to the bowl, continued rolling meatballs, not really expecting an answer. Lalli walked up beside him, looked into the bowl and carefully took a little of the meat out, rolled it. Emil's smile widened as Lalli made a second meatball, and a third.
"Our first yule together must be perfect, you think so as well, right?"
Lalli looked at the ball he was rolling, looked at Emil and put the meatball down before finally nodding.
"Perfect."
Emil almost dropped the meatball he was working on. Sure, it was only one word, but it was the first sign that Lalli had taken an interest in learning his language. He collected himself, took out the frying pan and started frying the meatballs that was already done.
"Thanks for helping me, Lalli. I really appreciate it."
Lalli didn't answer, but a smile slowly lit up his face.