Hooked on a Feeling

After dinner Annalise invited the two men over for one last drink and some cheesecake that Olivia had made on a whim. Annalise broke out a bottle of Balvenie she had been saving. Joonas produced a few cigars he had purchased earlier in the day and Annalise opened all the windows in the kitchen so they could smoke. Joonas was impressed when she dug a cheep cigar cutter out of her silverware drawer.

“What?” she asked as Lars laughed. “You think I drink scotch and no cigar? That’s just unhealthy.”

They sat around the kitchen table with a cereal bowl serving as an ashtray. Cigar smoke hung heavily in the air, but thankfully there was some cross breeze that sucked the worst of the smoke outside.

“God, it’s cold.” Annalise muttered.

“You’re cold?” Lars asked. “Really? This isn’t bad.”

Annalise glared. “Whatever. You two are decended from Vikings.”

Joonas let out a shout of laughter. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“You know what my ancestors were? Pheasants in southern Italy. Not even near the coast. And Scottish immigrants. And Nazi POW’s. None of these are known for dealing with the cold well.”

“You’re family were Nazis?”

“We think. My mother doesn’t talk to her real father.” She stood. “I’m getting a blanket.”

When she returned with the blanket she always yelled at her sister for smoking in, Lars and Joonas were reminiscing in Danish. But when they saw her, blanket wrapped around her head and body, they both broke down into laughter.

“You look like an Eskimo!” Lars laughed. “Are you really that cold?”

“Shut up, Viking.” She grumbled, picking her cigar back up.

He smiled and pulled her into a one armed hug, holding her to his chest. “I’m just teasing.” He reassured.

“Hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

There they were, locked in their own secret world. Once again, Joonas wondered what Lars found difficult about the whole thing. Wasn’t the choice obvious?

Another round or two (or three) of scotch later, the door opened and Olivia followed the voices to the kitchen. The three of them were playing Rumy, and Annalise was losing terribly. Cards weren’t her thing.

Annalise looked at her sister. “Hey, welcome home.”

Olivia’s cheeks were red, but after a few seconds of cigar smoke she turned white as a sheet, and turned and ran down the hall.

“Shit.” Annalise muttered, throwing down her cards and chasing Olivia down the hall. Lars followed a few seconds later. Joonas stayed put and peaked at Lars’ cards.

Lars found the two sisters in the bathroom, Olivia kneeling in front of the toilet. Annalise was grimacing and holding her hair back. Lars crouched down and rubbed Olivia’s back.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Class was cancelled for tomorrow.” Annalise said, slightly amused. “Between that and you guys winning tonight, I guess her friends wanted to party.”

“Ugh, I hate this.” Olivia moaned, pulling her head out of the toilet and sitting back. “Why are you smoking cigars? I was fine until I smelled them.”

“We’re having our own celebration.” Lars laughed.

“Why aren’t you guys partying like normal people?”

“Your sister wouldn’t like it.”

“Hey, I can rally.” Annalise defended. “I’m not always a wet blanket.”

“Don’t lie.” Olivia muttered. “Lying is bad.”

Lars stood. “I’ll get you a glass of water.”

He left and Annalise reached over to flush the toilet, then washed her hands.

“Ann?”

“Hm.”

“I think I may have slightly peed myself.”

Annalise didn’t laugh. She just pulled her sister up off the floor and led her to her bedroom. “Go to sleep. You’ll be fine in the morning.”

Annalise returned to the kitchen and stopped Lars from bringing Olivia water, figuring she was probably passed out already.

“We should head out.” Lars said.

“Oh, no.” Annalise shook her head. “You two are staying over. You think I’m letting you drive after that much scotch?”

“We had dinner.”

“We had sushi. It’s different. And we drank a lot of saki at dinner.”

Joonas raised his hands in surrender. “I’m not arguing with her.”

Annalise grabbed some spare blankets and pillows and set them both up on the sectional. They helped her clean up the kitchen and closed all the windows.

“Do you have practice in the morning?” Annalise asked.

Lars nodded. “Morning skate.

“I’ll wake you guys up and make breakfast.” She promised. “Goodnight.”

~*~

The next morning Annalise made coffee and climbed out of the window to smoke. She studied her coffee as she sat. She hadn’t been up this early in a long time. A grey sun was trying to push its way through the clouds.

“Hey.”

She turned and saw Lars climbing through the window next to her. He was a lot larger than she was, and had a harder time getting outside than she. She quickly moved his coffee mug out of the way and gave it back once he had settled.

“You shouldn’t smoke.” He said.

“Lars, why don’t you worry about your bad habits and I’ll worry about mine.”

He chuckled. “Sounds fair.” He looked out at her view of the building next door. “Nice morning.”

“Viking.” She muttered, snuggling further into her hoodie. “Going to start calling you Leif Ericson.”

He put an arm around her and pulled her close. Cigarette smoke stung his eyes, and her hoodie reeked of it. “Warmer?”

“Yes.”

They both sipped their coffee.

A few minutes later Joonas stuck his head out the window. “Hey kids.”

“Morning.” Annalise smiled. “Sleep well?”

“Apart from this bear over here snoring? Yes. Where are your coffee mugs?”

“There should be one in the drying rack.” She put her cigarette in a small flower pot. “French toast for breakfast?” she asked Lars.

“Sounds wonderful.”