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Forbannade finnjävel, Emil thought when trying to wipe the hot soup from his face while walking back to the tank. Reynir, Mikkel and Sigrun were still eating together. Sigrun just finished her wild story when Reynir, making munching sounds, kept staring at Emil, not being used to Emil having food spilled over him. It was obvious what he was asking non-verbally. Emil thought quickly. Lalli must have a reason to act like this, right? So although he felt angry, Emil decided to protect the Finn.

"I... fell. I tripped over a tree root and dropped my and Lalli's food. Also, nice haircut."

"Thank you?" Reynir answered.

Emil turned to Mikkel, who had understood him better. "I'm sorry." He did feel it was his own fault somehow, anyway.

Mikkel sighed. "Food is a precious resource and we can't afford to spill anything. But since it was an accident, you can get half a bowl."

"That's fair, I think." Emil responded, having understood half of the sentence and was able to guess the rest of it. "Thanks. I'm going to change clothes first."

To be fair, Emil lost his appetite. What Lalli did had really hurt him. It felt like his heart was ripped out. He had been so worried for Lalli, and he had been so happy to see he had woken up. The Swede thought he had made that clear to Lalli, bringing him food and telling him he was worried… in Swedish. Hm. All his efforts to show the Finn he cared had been for nothing.

Emil walked into the tank to get some new clothes and met Tuuri there.

"Tuuri, did you know Lalli is awake?" Emil said in a voice less happy than he had wanted to.

"Oh, he is? Yay, thanks for telling me." Tuuri was about to run outside to Lalli until she realised how Emil sounded and looked. "Emil? What's the matter? Did you spill food on yourself again and got Mikkel mad at you?"

"No, it's not that…" Emil sighed and sat down. No matter how much he tried to hold back his tears, one didn't care, it sneaked out of his eye and rolled over his cheek.

"Lalli…" he started. Emil didn't cry often, and certainly not in front of other people. He might would have thought it was embarrassing if he would still have cared. Even the time at night when Lalli's forehead felt cold and Emil was so very worried his Finn would never wake up again, he didn't let anyone notice he was crying. He went outside to get some fresh air and got back inside when he felt a bit better.

Tuuri sat down next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Did Lalli do this? On purpose?" She sounded a bit angry.

"Yes, he did." Emil wiped a tear away, just for it to be replaced by another one. "But he must have had a reason to do so, right? Is it a Finnish greeting of some sort?"

"I'm afraid it isn't." Tuuri answered. "Maybe he got the impression you like food on your clothes?"

"No, of course not… I must have done something terribly wrong."

"I don't know… my cousin's behaviour is unpredictable."

Emil looked at her with teared eyes. "You don't understand. I like Lalli. I… really like him. A lot. But he must hate me now. It hurts so much." Another tear rolled down his cheek.

"Oh, you thought I didn't notice?" Tuuri said jokingly. "Of course I have, your crush on Lalli is very clear. And I know Lalli, I'm sure he doesn't hate you."

Emil wouldn't let Tuuri notice he was slightly embarrassed at what she said. "Tuuri… please tell Lalli I'm sorry for whatever it was I did. And make sure he gets a decent meal. Well, decent… you know what I mean."

"Sure, I'll tell him that. And about the food, I'll try. But Lalli doesn't enjoy eating, especially not when he just woke up." Tuuri got up and walked outside, while Emil changed to clean clothes.

Tuuri saw the trio eating outside but Lalli wasn't with them.

"Sigrun, have you seen Lalli?" she asked to the person from the trio she could communicate with the easiest.

"Yes, he's in the forest somewhere." She pointed in his direction. "Watch out though, he's a bit in a grumpy mood. Probably because Emil dropped his food."

Tuuri decided not to say anything about that and just thanked Sigrun. After a little searching, she found Lalli, sulking in a tree, on a branch just above her.

"Hiii there. Did you wake up in a bad mood?" she said cheerfully. "Are you hungry?" Tuuri offered him several kinds of food, Lalli took the cookie. "I'm so happy you're awake! I was so worried; we all were worried! Can I hug you?"

"No."

Lalli didn't look at her, although what she said did make him feel a bit better.

"Alright," said Tuuri, having expected that answer. "Do you know who was worried the most? Emil was. Whenever he could be, he was with you. He woke up early to look if you were awake and he stayed up late to hold your hand. All the time he was talking about how worried he was for you and he desperately tried to wake you up. And, I probably shouldn't tell you, but you can't let him know I told you anyway: at one night, I woke up by the sound of him crying and muttering 'what if he'd never wake up'. He went outside, I thought he needed some time alone so I didn't go after him. Besides, I'm afraid for bears outside at night and I do value my privacy. None of Emil's business."

"Anyway, I'm derailing," Tuuri continued, "You do know that Emil doesn't understand what exactly was going on, right? He doesn't know about your luonto being gone and how dangerous that is."

Although it did make him feel better that Emil apparently cared about him, at the same time it made the mage feel worse for what he had done.

"You didn't explain him?" Lalli asked.

"I don't think it would have been worth the effort. What would a Swede understand about Finnish magic? Anyway, Emil does care about you. Why did you throw food over him?"

Lalli took a deep breath. "Because." He started, jumping out of the tree, landing smoothly on his feet. "Everyone ignores me. They didn't seem worried about me or happy I'm awake, you all just kept playing with the stupid cat! Then Emil shows up, acts like nothing had happened, offers me gross food and keeps talking with that stupid incomprehensible language of his! Why doesn't he speak Finnish, like normal people?!1yksi!" he said, a tad unreasonable.

Tuuri was startled. This was the longest period of time Lalli had spoken since at least the start of their expedition. It must really bother him.

"I guess I understand how you feel… we didn't notice you waking up. And Kisu is really cute. I'm sorry. But Emil does care about you." Tuuri spoke simply.

"I didn't know that…" Lalli calmed down. "Now he hates me."

"I can assure you he does not," Tuuri said, "Quite the opposite. He just told me so."

Lalli made a vague smile that quickly faded away. "I should… apologise. Tuuri, can you help me?" he said pleadingly.

"Of course." Tuuri smiled.

"Wait."

"Hm?"

"Don't tell him I asked, but… did Emil's pretty face burn?"

Tuuri giggled. "I don't think so."

Lalli and Tuuri walked back to the truck. Mikkel, Sigrun and Reynir finished eating and went inside, while Emil was outside washing his clothes. Lalli noticed his eyes were reddish and he quickly looked away.

Emil looked up. "Lalli! Tuuri, does he want to talk to me? Is he still angry?"

"Yes and no, respectively. Lalli wants to apologise and explain his action." Tuuri translated what she said to Lalli, who nodded.

"Anteeksi."

"Thank you, apology accepted. I'm listening." Emil responded.

Tuuri translated to Lalli who smiled at hearing Emil's words in Finnish.

"Lalli was very frustrated because he felt like we were ignoring him. We were just playing with Kissekatt, while forgetting out own cat."

Emil didn't quite understand the comparison between Lalli and a cat, but he stayed silent.

"So Lalli had the impression we weren't worried and didn't care about him, and that we weren't grateful for his work. Which is why he was so frustrated that he needed to abreact." Tuuri concluded.

"I see. Tell Lalli I do care and I did worry about him." Emil said, really wanting to make up with Lalli.

"I already did. I told him you were worried the most."

"So… it's solved then? Is it okay now? I'm not upset any more, at least."

Tuuri translated to Lalli who nodded again and smiled.

"Lalli also told me he wanted to help you clean your shirt," Tuuri lied. And, truthfully: "He also asked me if your, I quote, 'pretty face isn't burned'."

Emil blushed. "No need, I finished cleaning. Also, thanks, it isn't. …Tell Lalli he has a pretty face too."

Tuuri translated for Lalli, whose face got red like a tomato. "You told him that?!"

"I'm just helping you" she said with a halo floating above her head, switching to Finnish. "Now, Lalli, shake his hands, that's custom when you have made up." Tuuri often explained Lalli tricky social rules.

Instead, Lalli stepped forward to Emil and hugged him. It was a clumsy hug but no-one minded. Lalli made puppy arms and laid his hands on Emil's shoulders. Emil was a bit startled but happily surprised. He wrapped his arms around Lalli and hugged back. He noticed how slender Lalli was and how nice it felt to hug him.

Tuuri switched back to Swedish. "My job here is done. I'll leave you." Tuuri said with a big smile, happy to contribute to this ship.

When Tuuri left, she heard a "Tack, Tuuri" and a "Kiitos, Tuuri".