Status: Live
Holding Hands Won't Be Enough
Chapter 46: Psycho-Babble
Mige was writhing on the ground clutching at his abdomen and laughing with such ferocity that tears sprung from his eyes; Milly tried to regulate her breathing from laughing so as she could concentrate on making sure glass wasn't stuck on Jussi's hands. It always happened when they were drinking together, and it was always Mige that had instigated the game of 'I'll bet you can't'. In this instance he had bet Jussi and Milly that they couldn't drink a bottled beer whilst doing handstands. It was going well until Linde stumbled in a small pool of beer and knocked into Jussi, causing him to slip and fall and Jussi to drop and shatter his beer before slipping in the pool of the bottles contents. They were like human dominos. Milly quickly got herself back on her feet and helped a wincing Jussi to his feet. Mige's laughter however, was infectious, and whilst she tried to be caring and compassionate, she was also drunk and impressionable. "Matilda, it's not fuckin' funny." he grumbled, albeit with a slight smirk.
"Jussi, yes it is." she giggled, inspecting his hands closely. She brushed the side of her pinky finger over his left, then his right palm before blowing on them gently and doing it again to rid them of any tiny, sticky, glass shards. She pushed them out flat for one last look, before kissing them middle of each palm happily. "Not a scratch." she beamed, not aware Ville had been watching since she jumped to come to Jussi's aid.
"What's going on?" he asked, a smile creeping across his face watching Mige stand up and struggle for breath to explain.
"You missed it man.. 'I'll bet you can't' strikes again. Fuck." he gasped, wiping his face, the occasional giggle still escaping. "Jussi and Linde just bit shit leaving Milly the crown champion of handstand beer chugging." he raised his hand for a high five which she gladly gave him as she turned around. She wasn't surprised that Tara was in tow but she didn't want to stick around for any awkward conversations, so Jussi suggesting getting more drinks at the moment of the high-five was the perfect out for that situation. "Where are you guys pissing off to?" Mige yelled as they both scampered away.
"Where do you think?!" Jussi yelled back. Ville watched as they manoeuvred swiftly through the crowd, his gut twisting when he glimpsed Jussi's hand on the small of her back. First she kisses his palms and now that, he was definitely under the impression that something was going on.
"Hey, why don't you go get us some more beers?" he suggested, placing a hand on Tara's hip. She nodded and smiled, before walking the same path Jussi and Milly had just before. He waited until she was out of earshot to turn back to Jyrki. "Last week, that party…" he started, "When I left, you hung out with Milly more, yeah? I never asked he if she got home okay. She's been busy with her work and stuff, barely even answers her phone." Jyrki knew exactly what information he was digging for, but being in the position he was in, didn't want to play ball just yet.
"Yeah, we hung out.."
"Oh, good."
"..for a while. Her and Jussi were trying to out drink each other I think, miserable sods. So I left them to it."
"Miserable?"
"Boy troubles, girl troubles, who knows." he shrugged with an amused expression, sipping on his drink casually. "They went back to Jussi and Timo's place by all accounts, to drink the rocket fuel Timo has been brewing in their closet for the past few months; lethal stuff, you should try it."
"Oh, they went back to his place?" his voiced trailed. Jyrki slyly looked at him over his glass, he was watching the bar, more specifically watching Jussi and Milly dancing lewdly and laughing as they swung their hips together, Jussi's hands holding her waist close to his body. "Jyrki, did Jussi say anything happened, between them?"
"Well, it depends entirely on what that means?" he blinked, "What are you asking me, Ville?" he asked, inquisitively.
"She's avoided me all week and… well… look at them." he scoffed, "They slept together, after the party, didn't they?"
"Why are you asking me and not them, or more specifically, Matilda?"
"Don't psycho-babble me. I'm asking you as my friend. I'm just interested."
"Interested in whether your best friend slept with my best friend?"
"Yes."
"Even though you're sleeping with Tara, aren't you?"
"That's not important."
"I think it's important."
"It's not important!"
"Well, that's a matter of perspective."
"Yes, I am sleeping with Tara."
"But you're still interested?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I am."
"But why?"
"Because I just fucking am."
"You really want to know?"
"Yes."
"You want to know if they slept together?"
"Yes."
"You want to know because you love her?"
"Yes." he stopped, "What, I.. Jyr-"
"It's okay, I've known for a long while now." he said with a satisfied smirk, before proceeding to explain everything from the moment he first realised that Matilda was desperately in love with Ville to the account Jussi gave him of what happened the night they went home together, in detail.
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"Why does he look so pissed off?" Jussi wondered aloud turning to Milly, as they stood in the crowd watching HIM play the sixth song of their set.
"I was thinking the same thing." she replied. He was frowning and scanning the crowd constantly as he sang, it was very unusual given how sensual he usually looked when he sang. Milly loved to watch his soul stripped bare as he performed, but tonight it wasn't happening.
"Maybe his balls are busting. That chick is a shit lay."
"Oh ew, Jussi." she grimaced, slapping his arm, though she couldn't say she was surprised Jussi had slept with someone Ville picked up in their local. He bounced his brow and chuckled.
"Drink?" he asked, taking her empty glass. She nodded and rolled her eyes, noticing he was still lifting his eyebrows up and down.
"Go." she laughed, pointing at the bar. "What is wrong with him?" she asked herself of Ville, not taking her eyes off him as he kicked around cables as the song came to an end.
"I'm sorry I seem a bit off tonight," Ville said, pulling her attention from watching Tara next to the stage, "but even someone who writes of love as I do, can be found aloof to it's keen sting.." Jussi tapped on her arm with her glass and she gladly took it, her attention turning back to Ville immediately. "I've always believed deep in my soul that love is something that is there from the moment you first meet the one your heart will forever then beat for… though holding that opinion, and even though I sing all my silly songs, I've been so blinded." Ville paused and frowned, "So, so blinded." his eyes flickered over the crowd quickly before clearing his throat once more and taking a long, slow drag of his cigarette, "It's become burningly apparent to me, just tonight in fact, that I have met the person my heart beats for and my soul is shaking that I didn't realise it the moment I met her." he half smiled as he stared down at his feet, "This is Under the Rose."
"He's in love with her?" Jussi questioned after the first verse of the song, he patted his hand to Milly's back. Her heart felt like a rock falling down a well, she looked up to where Tara was standing and saw her with her hand pinned above her heart, excitedly gushing with her friends. She watched her silently as the song carried on through another verse. Her chest felt tight, her head was woozy.
"To prove you wrong and scare you away." Ville sang, "I admit my defeat and want back home, under the rose."
"Milly are you alright babe?" Jussi asked, rubbing her shoulder. She picked up her drink, drank the whole thing and turned to leave. He tried to hold her back by holding her wrist but she pulled away as the break down started. She didn't manage to get that much further away through the crowd when her arm was pulled again, she tugged away it a lot harder this time only to have it pulled back with equal force, causing her to be pulled, spinning, backwards.
"Jussi!" she yelled, slamming into a chest.
"Wrong." Ville stated, pushing his lips to hers, his fingers tangling forcefully in her hair as he held her head to his.