Seize the Day, Relish the Night

Ulla was having fun exploring the new sites inside of my apartment. All I could hear was the sniffing of her curious nose and the soft padding of her paws going across the wooden floors as I made our late lunch.

There wasn't much in the house so I heated up a can of vegetable soup that I had found in the cupboard. I stirred the soup with a wooden spoon, letting it rest against the edge of the pot. I grabbed a small slab of reindeer meat out of the freezer that my enni had sent home with me. I placed the cold meat in the pan; the frost sizzled against the heat as it cooks slowly.

The dishes clunked together as I grabbed a bowel out and some silverware. Ulla ran into the kitchen to see what the commotion all about. I laughed watching her nose rise in the air and began sniffing at the smell of food.

I turned off both burners of the stove and took off the meat, placing it on a small cake plate. I cut it up into tinier pieces before placing it on the floor for her. "Don't get too used to this." I teased. "You'll be getting your usual food soon enough."

Ulla cocked her head at me, listening to my voice before indulging herself into her tasty meal. I shook my head, chuckling softly before standing up and getting a bowel of soup for myself.

After eating, I went back downstairs to the dock. It felt odd being in a city atmosphere after the last several weeks. Ulla followed me, dancing around my ankles.

I laughed and scooped her up in my arms. I tickled her pink belly that poked out from being full. "You are too cute Ulla." She barked and tried to catch my fingers with her paws.

Jyrki lifted his head at the familiar laugh, but soon looked back down at his coffee, shaking his head at the mistake.

"You don't seem too excited for the new year." Jussi raised an eyebrow at his friend, who clearly had not been listening for the last half hour.

"I am." Jyrki shrugged.

"Just because your girl isn't here, doesn't mean that you have to be such a downer." Jussi sulked childishly.

"I apologize." He sighed softly. "It's been almost a month since I've seen Tuuli and-"

"A week since you've talk to her." Jussi finished his friend's sentence, having heard it several times already. "Shit, Jyrki, you've barely known this woman, what, a week?"

He shrugged again. "Only in person. We've talked for much longer than that," he said raising his voice to a confident level, defending himself.

Jussi placed his hands up defensively. "Didn't say anything against it. I just don't understand it."

Jyrki nodded and sipped his coffee, looking out the window onto the harbor, still iced over.

"Hey girly!" Veera called me, running over, and pulled me into a big hug. She quickly released me, upon noticing the puppy. "She's so adorable." Veera cooed, petting the soft fur.

"This is Ulla." I laughed. "She's my new baby."

"Look at those icy eyes." She grinned. "You have some competition Tuuli."

I rolled my eyes and smiled, ruffling her fir. "Ulla already knows that she's gorgeous."

Veera hooked arms with me and petted Ulla as we walked to my apartment building. "So, want to get ready for tonight?" I couldn't hide my excitement from finally seeing Jyrki again and had a huge grin on my face. "I'll take that dopey look as a 'yes'."

I laughed and nudged her with my hip. "I just might be, that's all."

"Yeah, right." Veera took Ulla from my arms and pushed me towards my bathroom. "Hurry up; go take a shower."

"We have a while V." I called from down the hall.

"At the pace you move, we have no time to waste." I heard her laugh.

I stood there with the towel around me staring at my closet. I sighed and ran my hand across the fabrics unsure of what to pick.

Veera stood in the doorway fastening a chandelier earring in place. "What's wrong? Tuuli, why on Earth aren't you dressed?"

I plopped onto my bed. "I don't know what to wear." I sighed, leaning my chin in the palm of y hand. Ulla was on the ground wrestling with a washcloth she had found in the bathroom.

"You have gorgeous stuff." She placed her hand on her hip and grinned. "I found something for myself."

I laughed softly at my clothes that she was wearing. "See the problem is, when my sister was looking up stuff online about him we found out that Jyrki has a thing for gothic chicks."

Veera laughed. "Well, he's not going to find one here."

I smacked her and ran my hand through my hair. "I know," I said glumly.

She pushed me. "Sweetheart, you should have seen the way he was moping around the bar, lost without you."

"I don't believe you." I rolled my eyes, content in my bad mood.

"You're just tired." Veera got up and opened my closet. She dug through my closet, looking for something to wear since I wouldn't. "Don't worry Tuuli, I will take care of you."

I stayed laying on my bed, tired, like Veera said, and listened to the changers scrape against the pole they hung on and Veera quietly singing.

"I knew you were tired." She mumbled to herself as she shook me awake.

I rubbed my eyes and looked up at Veera. I chuckled. "Sorry I fell asleep on you."

She laid an outfit that she had put together for me to wear next to me. "No problem, love. Don't worry I make you look sexy. You are just nervous since you haven't seen Jyrki in a while."

I ushered her out of the room so I could get dress. I giggled at the clothes she had picked out. I pulled on the black leather pants I had gotten years ago when I went to my first Ruisrock festival. I pulled over the pale purple shirt that wrinkled all over and wrapped around the front. I slipped my bare feet into the purple suede heels to complete the outfit.

"See." Veera spun me around. "You are still Tuuli, innocent as can be, with a rock star's girlfriend twist."

I laughed at her explanation. "Thanks."

She shrugged and pulled me over to my bed, sitting me down with my makeup bag. "I know; I'm the best." She unzipped the bag and flipped over the top.

Ulla began whining, feeling left out seeing us both on the bed. I leaned down and picked her up. "Don't worry we didn't forget you." She pawed at the blanket, pulling it into a comfortable bed before curling up.

"She's too cute not to forget." Veera chuckled, while opening up an eye shadow compact and eyeliner among several other compacts. I closed my eyes, giving her full control as we talked about my trip home and my family. "I am so happy that I missed that storm."

"I'm not." I grinned and kept my smile as she brushed on some soft pink blush. "I wish it would snow more here."

"Take that back." She laughed. "We don't need anymore snow, we need sunlight."

"It would be lighter with the snow." I countered.

"Sorry Tuuli. I am perfectly content with the little snow we have had." She smirked.

I pouted. "It's depressing."

"You're depressing, but I accept it." She laughed, teasing me.

I smacked her arm. "Meanie."

"Would a meanie take care of you like this?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." I grinned and nodded my head. "She would."

Verra rolled her eyes at me and began putting the makeup away. "Just go look at yourself in the mirror, we need to get going soon."

I grinned running into the bathroom, almost tripping over my own feet. "I'm good!" I laughed at my clumsiness. My jaw dropped as I looked into the mirror and smiled widely. She did my eyes dark, like coal, making the soft gray of my iris stand out more, and left my lips a nude gloss. "I love it V, thanks."

"What about your hair?" She asked leaning on the counter.

I ran a brush quickly through it. "Eh, I like it like this," I said going natural and leaving it straight.

Veera chuckled and shook her head. "Sounds good to me. Finally ready?"

"No." I stuck my bottom lip out once again.

Veera threw her arms in the air and sighed frustrated. "What now Tuuli?"

I laughed at her face. "In all seriousness, what am I going to do about Ulla?"

She turned around and looked at the puppy fast asleep. "Well, I think she will be fine. You'll be at the party for several hours at least, but I think we tired her out enough."

I looked over at Ulla's sleeping body once more. "Alright."

I sighed as we made our way to the club. Apparently Kale, Valto, and Ale were already there, unable to wait for the amount of time it takes for women to get ready. "What now Tuuli?"

I looked over at her guilty and grinned briefly. "I just feel guilty leaving Ulla there, all alone."

"So just leave a little after midnight then." She shrugged and pushed me through the open door of the club. Veera grabbed my coat and went to put it away. She waved spotting her husband and our friends.

Kale kissed his wife before giving me a hug, and welcoming me home. "Your boyfriend's been waiting patiently."

"He doesn't realize that you're home yet." Ale added, smirking, and gave me a quick hug.

Valto pushed me towards the stairs. "He's on the next level."

I swallowed, nervous to see Jyrki. My heart pounded out of my chest, sounding louder than the bass of the music as I climbed up the stairs.

I saw him standing not too far away from the DJ booth, mingling, with his back turned to me. I could see the way his leather vest clung to the muscles in his back and the chains that hung loosely around his thigh glistened when the light passed over them. I stood there frozen on spot, not able to move my feet closer.

Archzie grinned seeing me and smacked Jyrki on the arm. He turned around to the direction Archzie nodded his head and paused when his eyes landed over me. His sunglasses hid his expression. "Hi." I mouthed knowing that there was no point of shouting over the crowd. I stayed standing there, still unable to move closer.

His thin lips pulled back into a beautiful smile. He lifted his sunglasses, resting them on his head, revealing his startling blue eyes. He pushed his way through the tightly packed people, trying to make his way towards me.

Jyrki's hand snaked around my back, pulling me into an intimate hug. I placed my hands on his face, flushed with warmth. I lowered it closer, and he didn't hesitate to close the distance between us.

He ran his tongue gently along my bottom lip, grazing past my teeth. I smirked, parting my lips further and stole the gum he had been chewing. I laughed at his surprised face and blew a bubble for him. "I prefer bubble gum, but mint isn't too bad."

He pecked my lips. "I've missed you, darling."

I sighed, wrapping my lips around his neck and kissed his nose. "Me too, raahis."

Jyrki pulled me closer so my chest was pressed gently against his as he began to sway us to the rhythm of the music. "I wasn't sure if you had made it to Kemi due to the storm."

"I wasn't either." I sighed. I reached up and took his sunglasses off and putting them on. I gave him an innocent smile. "I missed talking to you."

He smirked glad the feeling was mutual. "I still tried everyday to reach you."

I bit my bottom lip, trying not to grin too wide. "I know. Thank you."

"No need for thanks, darling, I wanted to." He rubbed his nosed gently against mine, while his winter fresh breath caressed my lips. I leaned into the kiss, just wanting to feel close to him.

I almost lost my footing when he stumbled into me. "No fucking on the dance floor, Jyrki." I looked up at the cause for our imbalance.

Jyrki gave the man a stern look and held his arm protectively around my waist. He sighed and shook his head, laughing. "Timo, this is my girlfriend, Tuuli. Tuuli, this is our other guitarist, Timo-Timo."

Timo took my hand gracefully off of Jyrki's shoulder and kissed it. "Well, madame, I truly did not believe that you had existed. I wasn't sure there was a girl that would ever meet this dope's high standards."

I laughed at Jyrki's sour face. "I guess seeing is believing."

"I guess so." He smirked and looked at Jyrki. "I'm going to steal her away for a dance." He gently took me out of my warm embrace with Jyrki before either of us could object.

"Sorry." He mouthed, pouting.

I smiled, letting him know it was alright and turned to this Timo-Timo. "You do know that you just interrupted a beautiful reuniting."

Timo laughed at me. "I figured as much. But, I just had to meet the girl that made my singer check his phone every two minutes for any missed calls." I looked away blushing and tried to fight the silly smile off of my face. "So you like him too, huh?" He smirked at my blush.