#and return to finland and get married

[pikkukarvinen]

the fact i cant see käärijä at ruisrock which is 20 minutes from my fucking house but im gonna get tickets for his fucking glasgow date when im in the UK is fucking crazy

[girlactionfigure]

THURSDAY HERO: Algoth Niska

Algoth Niska was a Finnish athlete and bootlegger who repeatedly risked his life to save 151 Jews during the Holocaust.

Born in Viipuri, Finland in 1888, Algoth excelled in soccer as a youth and played on the Finnish national team at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm. During World War I, Algoth entered navigation school and got married and divorced twice. In 1919, Finland, like the US, enacted a law prohibiting alcohol and Algoth saw a lucrative business opportunity. An experienced sea-goer, he bought a boat and started smuggling liquor from Sweden, Germany and Estonia into Finland.

Algoth became known to bon vivants in Finland as the man who could get a large variety of intoxicants. He tried to keep ahead of the police boats, but was shot at and arrested multiple times. Algoth served prison sentences in both Finland and Sweden. Though a tough seadog, he was well-liked by prison authorities and often released early.

In 1938, Algoth’s focus shifted to a new kind of illegal cargo: Jews. Finland was relatively safe for Jews at the time, but Germany was becoming a death trap. Over the next year and a half, Algoth took German Jews over land and sea to Finland, thus saving them from concentration camps. He provided the Jewish refugees with passports – some stolen, and some fake.

Algoth refused payment for smuggling Jews. Perhaps he welcomed the opportunity to redeem himself for past mistakes. In 1939, Algoth’s smuggling operation was discovered by the Nazis. He fled to Estonia, only to find that the Soviet Union had occupied the country. Finally, Algoth returned to Finland in a rowboat.

After the war, Algoth was broke. He made a little money from writing two books about his colorful life. Algoth died of a brain tumor in 1954 at the age of 65. Twice divorced, he left two children. Well-known Finnish musician Ilkka Lipsanen is his grandson.

For risking his life to save 151 Jews, we honor Algoth Niska as this week’s Thursday Hero at Accidental Talmudist.

[redxx95]

In defense of Tachibana (Yes, really)

Yes, I decided to analyze this new evil man. Turns out he's not that evil actually. Spoilers for volume 14!

Ok so, first: I'm not trying to apologize for him going after a married man, that's still messed up lol (this shot in chapter 68 is literally him going "wow Adachi's totes my type")

I guess I'm just trying to explain Why he does what he does, to humanize him a little.

So the first bit of Lore about him gets dropped in chapter 69, where we find out that he was also in a gay relationship once, but it ended terribly for him.

Translation: P1 A: But Kurosawa was also moved by Tachibana-san's enthusiasm. A: It really shows the love you put into your company's products. T: Love, huh. T: It's nothing that big. P2 T: A long time ago, I was going out with a man who I worked with. T: But then we got found out, then he quit his job… T: … and after that we broke up. T: Because I was in despair, I was traveling around for a while and happened to feel comfortable in Finland. T: After I returned to Japan, I was able to get my job back at that company thanks to the connections I made abroad. T: So I just can't let go. T: No but really, going out with your coworker is risky stuff. T: It was that youthful spirit…

T: … or rather, we were just idiots. ... And it does not feel like he's moved on properly from it either.

Okay so I know I like to joke that Tachibana took One Look at Kurosawa with murderous intent and just noped tf out of there (see image)

But. I think what actually makes him decide to back off is this moment here, where he sees something of his past relationship in them. (this will be relevant in a moment)

(also Adachi's fucking adorable here my god)

Then later he goes to drown his sorrows at a bar and the bartender even *asks* him why he would be so stupid to go after a man that is clearly happily married.

And then.

THIS page happens. HE was once on his way to marriage too, but all those hopes got dashed when his boyfriend broke up with him. TL: T: I knooow but... it kind of bothered me.

T: Actually, they reminded me so much of us from back then... but I can't say that, it's too lame.

So what I think happened here is that he saw something of his old bf in Adachi and, since the ring he got never ended up being a symbol of commitment, he just assumed it would be the same for Adachi. But then he backs off when he actually sees them together.

So to summarize, Tachibana is a guy that got his heart broken by a guy that promised to marry him, and tried to cope by getting it on with a married man. And then got really drunk when he predictably got rejected. What a sopping wet loser I wish him all the best.

So what do you think? Do You agree? Do you disagree? (probably, I have perpetual bad-opinions-syndrome) Write me about it! (please I love to talk about this stupid little manga)

[w3r3theli0nshunt]

Intertwined Destinies

Simon ‘ghost’ Riley x Noora (fem!reader)

Part IIIIIII (7): Matter of time

Summary: You, Eleonoora Lintu, born in Finland were forced to be taken away due to the war. However, you thought your life would be miserable and full of despair until a military man gets full custody of you and you meet your childhood sweetheart, Simon Riley. You two become best friends, both of you living a miserable life. That is until you get taken away by Finnish soldiers, separating you and your best friend. It’s been over 20 years until the two of you meet again. Now being adults, you have much more than friendship in mind

Cw! Blood, mild violence, cruelty, pregnancy, mentions of su!cide, reader is called Noora, happy ending :)

It’s been a week since Leo died. It’s been a long week filled with different kinds of emotions that were bottled up then spit out until they became unbearable. You still don’t understand that Leo’s no more and that he’ll never return, you never expected to feel this empty, to miss him like crazy and that it all hurt all the same. And you don’t know how many sleepless nights have gone while you couldn’t stop thinking of the different kind of outcomes. What if you never rejected Leo, would he still be alive now? If you rushed to him and grabbed him before he could make the jump. It all echoed in your mind and bounced between your conscious and well being. This was changing you, but only for a while.

Simon had been with you through it all. Through the pain and grief, holding you close to him whenever you broke down, making love passionately in the middle of the night and cuddling you all throughout. It’s been comforting, it’s been healing for you. You’re slowly forgetting the immense loss and despair, for it to evolve into all but a bad memory and a heartbreak. Simon made sure to remind you that it wasn’t your fault and that you shouldn’t blame yourself for it, which you finally believed in after a while, when you had moved on.

Simon nagged at you for share his apartment when you were off duty with him as yours were in Finland, making you sort of homeless. You agreed with him, and Simon couldn’t help but let a genuine smile flicker across his face as he was excited to share his apartment with you, living far away from base and danger. Just living like civilians for once, for a very few occasions.

When you first entered his apartment, you stared in shock by how clean and perfectly organised was. And the fact that it felt really homely and cosy was not what you expected from Simon. Simon couldn’t wait for a second before he carried you towards the bed, engaging in sex with you with you happily obliged to. The sheets were sticking to the both yous bodies with the sweat as glue. You felt Simon’s huge arms holding you tight against him and you could hear him snore into your scalp, which made you giggle silently before shutting your eyes to succumb to sleep.

Simon had woken up before you, gently removing his arms from you, giving you a kiss on the temple before he got dressed. He made breakfast and ate, saving the leftovers for you to eat when you would wake up, he wrote a note that said that he was in town for groceries and would be back soon and put it right on the counter, putting a tissue holder behind it to angle it up towards the bedroom. Then he grabbed his car keys and drove into town.

He had gotten the groceries before he passed a jewellery shop, which caused him to abruptly stop in the middle of the trottoir, staring at the shop window. Simon walked into the shop after he had left the grocery bags in the car to give him free hands. He gazed around the shop before spotting the engagement ring section which really set him in a stupor. Simon wanted to marry you and build a family with you, he loved you so much it almost ached - in a good way. He pictured you in a beautiful wedding dress, walking down the aisle to him with a big smile that he returned. Then the priest naming you husband and wife, that would be the best line in his whole world. Getting to call you his wife and wearing matching rings that indicated that you were married to Simon, and that you’re his and he’s yours. Oh gosh, how he ached to be married to you while you’re carrying his child.

Even if children were a painful reminder of his nephew ,Joseph, his dead brother’s son, he wanted one. He wanted to breed a child with you, he wondered which features of the two of you your child would get. But the thought of you carrying his child made his heart swell with both happiness and longing, longing to hold a child again. But also the thought of your breasts swelling with milk made him shamelessly harden right in the jewellery shop. Simon pictured him caressing your pregnant belly while lying in bed, when he’s playing with your child and hearing the laughter from it, when you take family pictures together and how the child’s room would look, how it would be decorated. If it would be decorated with unicorns or dinosaurs, pink or blue, dollhouses or cars. It was only when the shopkeeper patted him on the shoulder, he was pulled out of the stupor and into the reality. The reality of you neither being married or have a child.

Meanwhile, you woke up. You sensed the cold sheets beside you that were usually warmed by Simon, you felt a little tense knowing he wasn’t beside you. But you couldn’t think when you suddenly felt ill and nauseous. Your throat tightened uncomfortably and your stomach rumbled like crazy, you hurriedly towards the toilet. Pulling up the seats, before puking into the toilet bowl. Your knees were sore by sitting there for about ten minutes while you were puking a lot. When the nausea had quieted down a bit, you flushed the toilet and slammed it shut before making your way into the kitchen. You read the note on the counter with a sigh of relief, but it didn’t stop the worrying about your sudden nausea.

You ate the leftovers that Simon had left for you, surprising you with his excellent cooking skills -even though it was just a toast with scrambled eggs and bacon on the side. You heard the door click and you’re met with Simon’s huge figure with grocery bags taking up his hands. Simon placed them on the kitchen counter before pulling you into a long, gentle kiss.

“Good morning, Simon. You’re out early” You teased while taking the last bite of the toast.

“Just felt it was time to fill up the fridge” Simon said as he began unpacking the groceries.

“What’s that?” You said curiously while pointing at a red velvet box that were half visible as it was placed behind a grocery bag. Simon quickly grabbed it and stuffed it in his pocket.

“Just trash……I forgot to throw” Simon said defensively. He seemed a little tense than usual, you thought to yourself.

You just shrugged it off and cleaned of the dishes and placing them back into the cabinets. You felt the nausea coming back again, you carefully placed the plate back in the cabinet. You put your hand above your mouth and gagged. Simon looked worried as he stopped unpacking the groceries to focus on you.

“What’s wrong?…..love?” Simon asked, the worry being obvious.

But before you could answer, you hurried back into the bathroom to puke into the toilet bowl again and Simon ran after you. He held your hair while you threw up and offered some affirmations in order to soothe you of your anxious.

“Have you gotten sick?” Simon asked while looking puzzled.

“No, I don’t think so. It’s been like this since I woke up” You panted before going through another round of puking.

Simon questioned himself and tried to put the pieces together. It couldn’t be a flu or an infection. Confused and desperate, Simon pulled out his phone with one hand while the other continued to hold onto your hair. He called his mate that worked in the infirmary at base, searching for the answers there.

“This is Ghost. I need your help, mate. It’s about Noora, she’s sick”

“Hey, ghost. Could you maybe explain what’s wrong with her so I can paint a picture?”

“She’s vomiting nonstop and she said she feels very nauseous. Is this a flu or some other contagious shit?”

“Hmmm, when did she last have her period?”

“What? How am I supposed-“ Simon shifted to you.

“Noora, when did you last have your period?”

“It’s been two months since I’ve got it” You said after doing some thinking.

“Two months” Simon repeated.

“Anything else wrong?”

Simon repeated the nurse’s question to you and you had to think thoroughly again which was impossible, because of the nausea and the brutal fatigue that fogged your mind.

“I’m not sure….I keep getting heartburn and my skin itches sometimes” You said which Simon repeated.

“Let me talk with my colleagues and I’ll call you back soon. They are more of an expert than I am and I’m sure they can clarify my suspicions”

“Suspicions?” Simon repeated in confusion.

“Well, to me, these are symptoms of pregnancy, but I’ll need my colleagues to clarify if I’m correct”

As soon as those words entered his ear and got processed by his brain, a huge smile popped up on his face. His heart started beating in a rapid pace, his heart was beating with hope. If he was lucky, then one of his dreams were about to come true. But he was trying not to get his hopes up high yet, but he kept on praying and hoping that you were carrying his child. And as soon as he hung up on the nurse, he was impatient. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours and hours felt like days.

And as soon as the ring signal went off, Simon rushed to pick up, which gave him more adrenaline than the battlefield.

“Congratulations, Simon, you’re going to be a dad”

Simon couldn’t believe those words. It all felt untrue, it all felt like a dream and his smile was close to cracking his face open. He was going to be a dad, he was going to have a child with you, the person he loved more than anything, even his military life. But he bought a pregnancy test just to be sure that he’s not being met with false hope. And when the test came out positive, he couldn’t help but hug you and kiss you to death. He couldn’t help himself, since the happiness took its tolls on him and made him out of control. But Simon was also scared. Scared that he’ll fuck up like his father did, scared that he’ll be a bad dad. The feeling of both uncertainty and undeniable happiness was suffocating him, more than he’d like. But he was going to keep it cool, for your sake.

You were also happy. You’re carrying the child of the person you loved the most in the whole world. And every time you and Simon bought gender neutral baby clothes, you couldn’t help but shed smiles in adoration to the small baby clothes. Simon struggled with building the baby crib and he cursed out of frustration which you giggled to. You went to ultra sound and saw the little baby that was forming inside of your stomach, you and Simon cried happy tears staring at the screen while held your hand. The bump on your stomach grew bigger and bigger and Simon loved placing his ears against your stomach to feel the small kicks from your belly. He even gave kisses to the stomach while talking to the child inside and you giggling.

When the child was big enough to determine which gender it is, you found out that you and Simon were having a baby boy. You and Simon were discussing names, he wanted to name your child ‘Alex’ while you wanted to name him ‘Joel’ it was a huge dilemma but you two settled for ‘Joel’ at last.

You were eight months pregnant, until you got called back to base by Price. The mission was reaching its end and there was one last move needed so he gathered all of the people. You were anxious about going back to the military while being highly pregnant, so was Simon. But you were going to put up with it anyways. Simon promised to retire from the military after the mission, allowing you two living a safe and civilian life, and being able to raise your baby.

The mission was going smoothly, than any of you thought. Despite being in love and pregnant, you still had that fire in you. The fire that yet burned strong, the sisu in you. You were going to fight, for your unborn child and beloved Simon. You finally saw sense when your mom had told you while you were in a coma to let people in and that love is what makes you stronger. Damn right, she was right. You felt a different kind of strength in you. You were now fighting for love and your future, instead of blood and destruction. The ice cold shell that were once burying your heart, had melted and drained away, now your heart was breathing and beating freely as it pleased.

You could finally breathe out in relief and relax your tensed muscles as the mission finally ended in success. The whole base noticed your large bump that was the proof of your pregnancy. They all congratulated you and Simon. Soap and Gaz loved talking to the bump and feel as unborn Joel kicked against their hands, making them laugh out.

“He got the same fire in his belly as his momma” Soap laughed as you did the same.

You entered the captain’s office with Simon to confirm your retirement and he instantly reacted to the large bump on your stomach as he stood up from his chair. But you recognised the captain a bit, now that you weren’t lying to yourself anymore. You took a good look at every inch of his features. It was David’s, your dad, your first ever dad. You teared up.

“Me and my girl wants to retire from the military, I’m sure you can see why” Simon said while caressing your large bump.

“I-uhm. Of course, that’s fine..” Captain David’s said while rummaging through his desk, then shelves to pull out two papers.

“You’ll need to sign these”

Simon and you signed the papers before turning to leave, but you stopped to look back at the captain.

“Dad?” You said, that caused a strong reaction from the captain as he instantly started shedding tears and you instantly understood that it was what he was to you before, that’s the spot he had in your heart before.

“My child, I’ve missed being a dad to you” David’s said before pulling you into a hug, which you returned with now tears shedding on your cheeks.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry for being heartless towards you. I’ve missed having a dad” You said while crying into your dad’s shirt.

You pulled away, grabbing his hand to place on your bump. He could feel the small little kicks.

“That’s is your grandson” You said.

“I’ll- I’ll be a grandpa, oh gods”

“But a great one. Me and Simon will visit base as often as we can so you can meet little Joel” You said while giving your dad a reassuring squeeze on his hand on your bump, before pulling away and offering a smile.

“I’ll see you soon again, dad” You said while walking out.

David’s felt whole again, like his heart was being plastered together again. He was not only getting to be a dad again, but also a grandpa. He couldn’t be any more happier and he’s excited for the little boy’s arrival into the world. But he got his daughter back and that was all he ever asked for.

Your water broke so Simon speed drove through red lights and traffic. You gave birth to baby Joel and both you and Simon cried tears of happiness. Simon didn’t wanna hold baby Joel as he was scared that he was going to break him. Baby Joel reminded you somewhat of Simon, he’s inherited Simon’s chocolate brown eyes and blonde hair, while baby Joel inherited some of your facial features. He was the perfect mixture between you and Simon. You fed baby Joel to ease his hunger and it felt strange, that your son was finally here in your arms. But the happiness you felt was incomparable to everything else.

“Simon, do you wanna hold him?” You asked, exhaustion causing your eyes to close and open, your voice low.

“I-I dont think I should. I don’t wanna break him”

“You won’t, come here. I’ll show you how to hold him” Simon walked closer to you and gently put his hands under Joel, ready to lift him up but still unsure how.

“One hand is supporting Joel’s head and the other hand on his back. When you’ve got him in your arms, wrap him inside of them, make sure it’s not too tight” You said and Simon slowly and gently followed your instructions.

Simon held baby Joel in his arms for the first time. Simon couldn’t believe it, that his son was finally here. He stared at Joel’s face, seeing he got his daddy’s eyes and hair colour and mommy’s facial features mixed with his own. Simon is happy, unbelievably happy, he’s never been this happy in his life, not since he held Joseph, his nephew.

Simon sat down with baby Joel in his arms on a chair, very close to your hospital bed. You looked at both of them with adoration, the way Simon smiled and almost cried again and the way baby Joel was on the verge of falling asleep in Simon’s arms. Simon gained confidence and proudly cradled your son in his arms. A little while after baby Joel fell asleep in Simon’s arms and you could see the way Simon admired Joel’s cute sleeping face and small light snores.

“He’s perfect” Simon said, on the verge of tears as the happiness was too immense. He lowered his face to kiss Joel’s round cheeks. You smiled at them, but you got tired and drifted off soon after. You dreamt sweet dreams, for once.

Baby Joel was born one month ago, but for you and Simon it felt like it was yesterday. You two couldn’t believe that your son was growing up so fast. You brought baby Joel to base so he could visit your dad, like you promised, but also your friends. Soap insisted on holding baby Joel while you were catching up with everyone else, which you and Simon obliged to. Soap was after all signed as Joel’s godfather, because he was Simon’s closest friend.

“What a handsome lass you are” Soap giggled as he tickled Joel on his stomach, which made Joel burst out laughing. Baby Joel’s laughter got everyone staring in adoration, like puppies at him, but Joel enjoyed the attention.

Your dad also got to hold baby Joel and he couldn’t believe that he’s now a grandpa too, it was all he could ever ask for.

“He’s the perfect mixture of you and Simon” Your dad said in admiration.

“He definitely is, but he’s got the fire in the belly like his momma” Simon giggled.

“Yeah, but he’s got his daddy’s temper” You giggled.

The reunion was interrupted when someone burst into the room with panic.

“Captain Silvester is here!” He screamed.

You felt a knot in your stomach. It’s your captain, Finnish captain. He’s probably here to collect his soldiers, but you wouldn’t let him take you away. You gave baby Joel to Gaz, telling him to keep Joel with him somewhere safe and secluded in case, as you, Simon, your dad and Soap headed outside to meet Captain Silvester. You clenched your fists as soon as you laid eyes on his face as he walked out from the aviation with six other soldiers tailing behind him.

“Noora, we’ve come for you and Leo and you David’s, we have a deal, lend us the money” He said with a smug look that disgusted you. His eyes were searching around you for Leo.

“Where’s that dammed idiot? Is he dead yet?” Captain laughed mockingly.

He crossed the line. Of course he wouldn’t care about Leo if he’s dead. All he was here for was the money. But this could be your chance to sever your part in his military. You’ve learned the hard way of what cruelty and loneliness does to a person, what it did to Leo. How it ate from him, how it killed him.

“Yes….he’s dead and it’s all because of your shitty rules ‘vulnerability is weakness’ my ass!” You lashed out at him, facing his shocked expression at your rebellion.

“You serve ME and you address me as Captain and you obey my rules”

“You don’t deserve it, you’re a heartless and cruel man. You think you’re a god amongst the soldiers, a fallen saint, but all you are is a pathetic man who’s never felt anything besides arrogance. Do you know why a huge amount of your soldiers die so often? It’s because they don’t wanna live anymore!They don’t wanna live a life that’s miserable, that puts them through and endless cycle of suffering. Because of you!”

You’re doing this for Leo and for Silvester’s soldiers, giving them time to rethink their choices, making them open their eyes. You can see their terrified faces, you can sense that they see sense in your words and that it scares them. Just one more push and they’ll leave Silvester.

“Excuse me! We strive for a future, and love weakens a person. Love is what gets you killed” Silvester said, almost tearing up. He knows that you’re right, but he’s in a deep state of denial. He can’t handle the truth, neither the immense guilt that he’s been killing his soldiers for so long.

“You’re wrong. Love is what makes you stronger, love is what keeps you fighting, love is what gives you a meaning to live” You could see the soldiers faces flicker with realisation, they know exactly what you mean and they understand that it’s what they want. A meaning, a fighting will.

“You’re selfish because you’re killing your own soldiers for your own benefits, that’s not fitting of a Captain. That’s not worthy of respect”

Silvester’s face changed from uncertainty to anger. He was angry at your words, that you spoke of the harsh truth that he’s been shoving away.

“Soldiers, kill them quickly” Silvester ordered.

Simon instantly pulled you close to him so he could protect you, afraid for your safety, more than his own. A fear flickered on your face as you suddenly thought about Joel. What will happen to him if you die? Will he be safe with Gaz if they started shooting?

Your worries eased a little as you saw the soldiers that stood before you falter. They didn’t raise their guns, neither touch them. They didn’t wanna use them, they didn’t wanna kill. They didn’t wanna be as cruel and ruthless like Silvester. Silvester looked angrily at them.

“Fire! What the hell are you waiting for?” He screamed, but they didn’t oblige to his command and he grew impatient.

“Fine, I’ll do it myself” He said, reloading a gun and aimed at you before a loud shot was heard and he fell limp against the ground revealing one of his soldiers holding a gun.

Blood pooled around him, painting the grass red. His lungs were gasping after air. But before he could grab his gun that laid beside him, a foot tramped on his hand to prevent him from reaching any further, causing him to scream out in pain. It was the same man who shot him. The man was fuming with anger.

“This is for my little sister who died because of you!” The man screamed and fired a last bullet at Silvester’s head, ending his life quickly. The man then turned his attention to you, giving you a nod that contained of gratitude and respect, which you returned as the man saved your life.

“What happens now? Who will we serve?” A woman from the back asked. She sounded concerned, but also excited.

You watched in relief as the soldiers ripped of their emotionless, cruel mask and became vulnerable, proudly doing it. You also felt relief that Silvester was dead and there wasn’t going to be any demonstrations to how cruel he could be. You sigh in relief and hug Simon tightly.

“You can join me. I will return your respect, I will care for your wellbeing and you can love just anyone you want. Vulnerability has no limits here” Your dad spoke up while approaching them, shaking their hands.

“You can call me David’s”

“I’ll happily join you then, David’s” The man smiled and the others screamed out ‘me too’

David’s happily took in all of the six and their wellbeing suddenly increased by this interaction. It warmed your heart that you could save them and that they already felt happiness. David’s really needed more people in his team and they were all trained with different skills and proficiencies that would come handy. Simon gave you a kiss on the forehead.

“I’m so proud of you, love. You’re a hero” Simon said.

You smiled up at him “Let’s go get our Joel”

One day, you had put Joel to sleep in his crib and you went down to take care of the dishes. Simon had a plan, one that you were unaware of. He sneaked behind you like a phantom thinking you didn’t notice him as you were standing at the sink with your back facing him.

“What are you up to? I know you’re there” You giggled as you turned around to meet his displeased look.

“Why are you always so damn perceptive” He scoffed and you laughed.

“That’s what the military does to you” You offered him a genuine smile, that kind that shoots through your heart like a Cupid with an arrow.

You finished the dishes and walked up to him, standing on your tippy toes to give him a kiss on the cheek. But suddenly, Simon kneels on the floor, making you confused at first.

“Simon, what are y-��� You started before he pulled out that velvet red box you saw months ago. Your mind changed from confused to excited in an instant. Simon opened the box, revealing a beautiful diamond ring inside that almost blinded you with its shine. Your heart beat sped up as Simon gently held on of your hands and the box in another.

“Noora…” He started before coughing to ease the lump of nervousness in his throat “Will you be mine forever and all that kind of shit?”

You laughed with excitement “Stupid, I was already yours years ago”

Simon’s face filled with hope and joy as he stared with his brown eyes into yours that shined like stars in a night sky. He drowned in yours, leaving his mouth wide open, unable to speak. He’s floating in space.

“But yes, I’ll marry you, Simon” You said while jumping up and down while holding his hand. But he was unresponsive and it was funny. He didn’t move at all, he was a statue.

“Simon, I call you from earth” You teased, but nothing happened, so you had to take matters into your own hands.

You kissed him passionately and he came down to earth again, giving in, but taking the lead - again. When you felt that he was conscious again, you pulled away and Simon wasted no time in sliding the ring on your finger and standing up again. He scooped you up in his arms as he smiled widely, like his face would crack. He started walking with you in his arms.

“Where are you taking us?” You asked.

“We’re going to try for a daughter, wife” Simon said bluntly, leaving you amazed that he called you wife despite you two only being fiancés.

“But we’re not married ye-“ You said before Simon cut you off.

“Hush, wife, you’re spoiling the fun” Simon teased and you scoffed.

“We can’t even, not when Joel’s sleeping in the same room”

“I always prepare. That’s what the military does to you” Simon teased as he pulled you into a room that had rose petals scattered all around and lit candles - in the bathroom. You and Simon literally had sex in the bathtub, against the cold porcelain. You two could barely fit in the bathtub together as Simon’s large as build was too big to fit you both. You had to literally sit on his lap while grinding against him as it was impossible to lay down. Simon peppered you with marks, from your neck to chest as you grind on his hard cock.

Few weeks later the pregnancy test was positive. You were pregnant with your second child and this time it was a girl you were expecting. You and Simon agreed to name the baby girl after your dead mom, which healed you in some way.

You and Simon got married a year later at base. One year old Joel was running around in his small tuxedo while you held your baby girl in your arms. Soap, Gaz and Price were Simon’s best men as he couldn’t choose one. Your dad was the one to walk you down the aisle, proud of his daughter and proud of his two grand-babies. And as soon as the priest pronounced you and Simon husband and wife, Simon pulled you into a long passionate kiss, not giving a damn about how long it took for him to let go. You happily obliged, now being the happiest woman alive. Simon being the happiest man alive.

The end (thank you for reading my first series. It means a lot. Love u 💙

[sixminutestoriesblog]

lily of the valley

In honor of May, lets talk about its flower. The lily of the valley is considered the official flower for May and in the language of flowers it represents a return of happiness, something that seems fitting for early spring. The name itself comes from the Old Testament. In the Song of Solomon, the feminine voice calls herself the 'rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.' Because of this, folklore says that solomon's seal grows well near it, partnering them as a married couple thanks to the scriptures. It also gets some of its other names from spiritual roots, being called Our Lady's Tears and Mary's Tears for the Virgin Mary as well as Apollinaris for Apollo. It was Christian Dior's favorite flower and has been claimed as the national plant by both Finland and Yugoslavia. Fairy were supposed to drink from the cups of its white flowers and 'gold water' distilled from the plant is supposed to be effective against strokes.

Such a well loved and delicate flower, popular in wedding bouquets and gardens across Europe, hides a dark secret however. Every part of the plant from its roots to its red berries are deeply poisonous, slowing the heart, cramping the stomach, fogging eyesight and easily leading to death. Despite this, its been used in moderation in folk medicine for centuries, even as modern as the World Wars as an antidote against poison gas.

With such a delicious mix of beauty and death, its hardly any wonder this flower has made its way into folklore. The lily of the valley is widely seen as a harbinger of bad fortune or even death. In Devonshire, UK, planting a bed of these flowers will bring a death to the family within the year and in Somserset, bringing it into the house invites death in with it, especially if there are young girls in the house to fall prey to it. In Sussex, the lily of the valley is believed to grow every year in the places that Saint Leonard's blood fell while he battled a terrible dragon. And there's also the story of how the lily fell in love with a nightingale and now waits for the bird, and his song, to return every year in May before she will bloom.

[oceanasky]

My first entry :) This chapter goes along with my "distress call" square @doctorrosebingo

Night One

She should’ve known better than to think a romantic trip would really be just a romantic trip. Not with the Doctor. 

“Rose?” he asked, up ahead of her on the trail, a slight frown of confusion on his face as he realized she hadn’t moved. 

“Doctor, did we come all this way because you got a message on the psychic paper? ‘Cause, last time you did that, Cassandra took both our bodies for a spin,” she reminded him.

“Well, I’ll admit it does sound bad when you put it like that. But this time is different.” He grinned. “The odds of Cassandra, cat-nuns, the Face of Bo, and plague carriers all showing up again at the same time are astronomically low, seeing as we’re in Northern Finland in the 21st century.” 

Rose shook her head. She started forward, grateful she’d taken the set of poles he’d offered with the snowshoes she was certain the hotel normally only rented out with a guide. He’d either made a new friend or he’d ‘borrowed’ them. “But it’s alien?”

He nodded, eyes shining with an almost manic glee. “Oh, yes. It’s alien. What’s more, it’s a distress call. So, what do you say, Rose Tyler? Want to take a look?” 

“Yeah. Of course I’m coming. Somebody’s got to keep you out of trouble,” she said, smiling up at him with her tongue between her teeth. 

The Doctor looked down at her mouth, his pupils dilating. Then her words registered. “Oi! You’re the one who’s jeopardy-friendly,” he protested. 

She shook her head. “You were getting into trouble long before I came along. And since we’re married, what’s that make you? Mr. Jeopardy-friendly?” she teased. 

“Lucky,” he said, his voice low and certain. 

~*~

The way she was looking at him…and all because he’d told the truth. He was lucky. Rose Tyler loved him, ergo he was the luckiest man in this or any universe. She’d saved him and not just when she’d taken in the time vortex and disintegrated an entire Dalek fleet or swung from a chain to defeat the Nestene Consciousness. She’d saved him every time she’d taken his hand and reminded him he wasn’t alone. 

It started to snow and Rose laughed, looking up into the sky with delight. All thoughts of the distress call on his psychic paper went clear out of his head. He dropped his ski poles and strode forward until he was right in front of her. Snowflakes swirled around them as he tilted her face up and kissed her. She let her own ski poles fall from her hands before sliding her arms around him, pulling him as close as she could. 

The Doctor let himself get lost in the kiss. Oh yes, he was lucky. He could be with her in every way he’d denied himself before, back when he was a Time Lord. All his old rules had vanished as soon as he’d woken up on the floor of the TARDIS with only one heart. Because, with only one life left to live, he wanted to spend every possible moment of it with her. “I love you,” he whispered when they came up for air. 

“Quite right too,” she said, grinning at him when he gave her a look. 

“Been saving that one, have you?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Maybe a bit. Now c’mon, there’s an alien out there who needs our help.” 

He bent down to hand her back her ski poles, then snowshoed over to where he’d dropped his own set. Unlike many of the things he’d “borrowed” throughout his life, he actually planned to return these. “We’re close, they should be up ahead here.” 

“Did the message say what was wrong?” 

“They need help with their ship. Apparently the aurora has been causing them trouble.”  

“Any idea what sort of alien it is?” 

“Nope!” He grinned at her. 

“Well then, let’s go find out. Sooner we get them on their way, the sooner we can try out that bed back in our cabin.” 

“You’re tired already?” he asked as he looked around the trail, trying to spot any perception filters that might be hiding the ship. “I suppose we did spend all morning traveling, didn’t we? Sorry–I should have said we’d need to go this far with the snowshoes before we started.” She raised her eyebrows and he ran back what she’d said. “Oh. Oh .” He felt heat rising to his cheeks. He cleared his throat. “You’re not tired at all, are you?” In answer, Rose shook her head, a slow smile spreading across her face. “Well, in that case, Rose Tyler, we’ll get whoever it is on their way astonishingly fast and then we’ll go try out that bed. Well, I say “try out” but I already know it’ll be brilliant.” 

She laughed. “You think you’re so impressive, don’t you?” 

The Doctor smirked. “Seem to recall you telling me I was impressive last night.” 

“Don’t remember doing much talking.” 

“I’m fluent in moaning,” he said with a wink. 

“Liar.” But her voice was so fond that he couldn’t help but smile. He seemed to be doing that a lot these days. 

“Well, to be more accurate, I’d say I’m fluent in Rose Tyler. Of course, you know what the key to deepening your fluency in any language is, Rose?” He didn’t wait for an answer, leaning close enough that he could whisper in her ear. “ Practice .” 

~*~

Rose had half a mind to shove the Doctor up against the nearest tree. Figures he’d get her painfully turned on and then turn his attention back to trying to find the ship that needed their help. In a way, getting wound up like this was worse than it had been when they’d traveled together because now she knew being with him was better than her fantasies ever had been. She blew out a frustrated breath and hurried to catch up to him. At least she knew he’d make it up to her. And, well, she wouldn’t love him half as much if he didn’t want to help whenever he could. 

After about half a kilometer, he stopped and said, “Oh, hello! Aren’t you gorgeous?”

Rose followed his gaze, forcing herself to focus on the spot she wanted to look away from the most. After a second, the perception filter gave way. The ship was sleek and silver, with a series of blue lights on the side that sparkled like sapphires. 

“I haven’t seen a Tuvalli ship in ages,” he shared with a smile. He whistled, sounding almost like a bird, and a ramp opened. A beautiful woman with eyes the same sapphire blue as the decoration on her ship started down the ramp, a look of relief on her face. As soon as she spotted them, however, she froze. The Doctor held up a hand and whistled again. 

She whistled back. It sounded like a question. He waved to Rose and himself and she nodded. Then she pushed a button on her wrist. When she spoke again, Rose could understand her. “Thank you for answering my call. I am so grateful you are here to help.” Her voice was high and musical. 

“You’re a Tuvalli researcher, aren’t you? Always loved the Tuvalli, you lot are absolutely brilliant,” he said. “Permission to approach?” 

She nodded, getting that slightly dazed look people tended to get when they met the Doctor, both grateful he was there and convinced he was completely mad. 

The Doctor almost immediately started looking over the ship, but Rose focused on the woman. “Are you okay? I mean, I know your ship isn’t or you wouldn’t have called, but are you okay?” Rose asked softly. The woman looked so alone and she was practically trembling. 

The Tuvalli woman absently started tugging at a loose thread in her sweater. “Not really, no. I waited too long to go home.” 

Rose walked over, wishing she could comfort the woman. Up close, she could see the Tuvalli woman’s hair was a pale blue. “Would it help to talk about it? My name is Rose and that’s the Doctor, not sure if he introduced us. He can be a bit rude, but there’s nobody in this whole universe I trust more than him. If anyone can help you get home, he can.” 

“I’m Zeni,” the expression in her eyes was softer now. “He is your mate?” 

Rose smiled. “Yeah, he is.” It still felt so good to say out loud what they meant to each other. “Are you here alone, Zeni?” 

Zeni looked downcast for a moment. “I am. I research the cultures on other planets and lecture at a large university back home on Tuvalli. It’s rewarding work. But I should have gone home already. When I tried, the electromagnetic activity in your atmosphere was worse than I’d expected and it wrecked my ship’s sensors and I crashed here. And the electromagnetic activity means my messages home aren’t going through. And I don’t know how to fix my ship myself–I’m an expert in cultures, not mechanics!” Her voice kept getting louder. Then she took a few deep breaths, looking into her ship wistfully. When she spoke again, she whispered. “If I can’t get home, my eggs will hatch far from our family and I do not know that my mate will forgive me for that.” 

“Eggs?” Rose asked, puzzled. 

“Oh. Yes. I realize that sounds strange to a mammal. I forgot I had my personal perception filter on.” She fiddled with the device on her wrist for a second. When Zeni looked back up, she looked much more like a bird than a human. Her nose and mouth were part of a beak and she was covered in feathers the same light blue that her hair had been. Although most of what was visible outside of her thick cloak looked human, her hands were also covered in small feathers. Her sapphire eyes looked the same, however, and no less sad than they had looked before. 

Rose reached out and patted Zeni’s hand in what she hoped was a comforting way. “I’m sorry you can’t get a message home. But the Doctor will sort it, you’ll see. Here, why don’t we go ask if he needs a hand?” 

“I really don’t know anything about fixing ships,” Zeni said, sounding a bit tearful. Rose could relate. It was one thing to drive a car and quite another to put it back together; she used to just ask Mickey if anything went wrong with her car when they both worked at Torchwood. 

They rounded the side of the ship to see the Doctor was frowning at a mess of components, a panel he’d apparently removed with the sonic on the ground next to him. He looked up as they approached. “Good! You’re here. I can fix the damaged parts and I’m sure I can help boost the navigation system to ensure you don’t crash again. But I am going to need your help.” He looked at Rose, an apology in his eyes. “Both of you.” 

~*~ 

The Doctor felt terrible for asking–although he hadn’t realized until the forest, it was obvious in retrospect that Rose had thought they were going off on a romantic trip rather than a rescue mission–but Rose was, well, Rose. She cared about everyone, always had done. And she was arm in arm with Zeni as if they were old friends instead of two people who’d just met. 

Rose didn’t miss a beat, nodding. “What do you need us to do?” 

Well, what he really could’ve used was for one of them to nip out to a shipyard to pick up the parts he wanted, but there was no way to do that. Still, he was nothing if not brilliant. “Let’s see,” he said, spinning his sonic screwdriver around in his hand. “I need glass–about three wine bottles’ worth should do it–ten aluminum cans, some old phone chargers or cables, and some lubricant.” 

Rose was clearly not trying to laugh. “You had me until that last one.” 

“Humans–always have your mind on one thing,” he chided, ignoring Rose’s raised eyebrows, knowing full well he was either the one who initiated or an enthusiastic participant whenever it came to the two of them having sex. He cleared his throat. He’d definitely have to make that remark up to her later. “I meant more like petroleum jelly or an auto lubricant.” 

“Alright. I can probably find some so long as I ask the staff. But, Doctor, even if Zeni and I both go, it’s going to take time to get back.” 

‘I have a –” Zeni made a complicated whistle that her wrist translator couldn’t seem to handle. “Would that help?” 

“Oh yes.” He grinned. Then he looked over to Rose, who was staring at him in confusion. “Right, sorry. Zeni said she has something like a snowmobile. Should make it easier to get all the materials I need–no need to snowshoe for an hour. We’ll be able to get this wrapped up quickly and get back to our plans.” He kissed her forehead. ”You’ll see.” 

Then he winced. Although the Doctor didn’t believe in fate, there were some sentences he knew he should really stay away from and “you’ll see” was one of them. 

~*~

Rose held onto Zeni, the snowmobile-like transport humming quietly beneath them as trees whizzed by on either side. The air was cold on her face, whipping strands of hair into her eyes and mouth, but she couldn’t help but laugh. This wasn’t at all what she’d expected her day was going to be like–she’d definitely been picturing spending most of her time with the Doctor in their cabin like the newlyweds they were–although she wasn’t angry about the turn the day had taken. There was something exciting about helping out an alien without having to fill out forms and attend mission briefings…it felt like old times, just the two of them arriving in a new place and doing their best to help. 

The not-snowmobile came to a stop a short walk away from where the first cabins started. Rose slid off the vehicle, pulling the list the Doctor had given her out of her pocket before casting a glance at the sinking sun on the horizon. Night came quickly to Northern Finland at this time of year; they were running out of daylight. “How would you like to do this?” Rose asked. “Should we split up?” 

“I am not a guest. If we split up to find the parts the Doctor needed, do you think anyone will help me?” 

Rose cast an eye over the Tuvalli woman. Her personal perception filter was back in place, so  Zeni looked like a model with her fine-boned features and big blue eyes, her fair blue hair giving her an artsy look. “I think you’ll be alright,” Rose reassured her. “But, if you’re worried about it, how about you get the glass and cans from the hotel restaurant? It’s open to the public.” 

Zeni nodded and they both set off in opposite directions. 

Rose was just tucking several damaged, abandoned cables into her bag–it turned out the receptionist hated to throw anything away and had been gathering them to recycle–when she heard the scream. Zeni . Rose breathlessly offered an apology to the surprised receptionist, then she took off running toward the commotion, hoping she’d get there in time. 

She almost collided with Zeni, who was running too, away from the screams in her case. The Tuvalli woman looked like a bird again and her eyes brimmed with tears. She clutched three empty wine bottles to her like a shield. She didn’t slow when she almost slammed into Rose; Rose didn’t think Zeni even recognized her. The other woman looked so scared. Changing direction as quickly as she could, Rose ran after Zeni. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that a small, greasy man was watching them. And, although she was tempted to go up and demand answers, she needed to get to Zeni. 

Zeni didn’t stop running until she’d reached her transport. “What happened?” Rose asked as gently as she could, breathing hard. The Tuvalli woman had an impressive turn of speed.

In answer, Zeni held up her wrist. The cuff she wore let off a sad little spark. Zeni let out a mournful whistle. 

Okay. New plan. They’d only gotten about half of what the Doctor had wanted, but it would have to do. With Zeni’s disguise and ability to communicate both on the fritz, Rose didn’t want to risk leaving her alien friend alone while she gathered the rest of the materials. Rose pointed to the craft, waved her hand at the two of them, then pointed in the direction Zeni’s ship was in. Zeni nodded emphatically. She opened a little hatch on the not-snowmobile and stowed the wine bottles, giving Rose a chance to tuck the bag with the cables in it as well. 

Then they both got onto Zeni’s transport and were on their way. Rose hung on tight, eyes streaming in the cold. It didn’t take long to get back to the ship. 

The Doctor was waiting for them. As soon as he saw Zeni, his eyes widened. “Oh. Didn’t go according to plan, did it?” 

“Does it ever?” Rose asked ruefully. He gave her a hug. 

Zeni whistled to him and the Doctor fished his sonic out of his pocket. He whistled back to her before casting a cheeky grin at Rose. “She doesn’t think I can fix it.”

“Go on.” 

In just a few minutes, he’d managed to sonic it back together. Zeni held it up wonderingly. “Thank you,” she swore. “I’m not sure what happened. I was getting the wine bottles–everyone was being very kind–and then my perception filter made a crackling sound and suddenly people were screaming and no-one could understand me. Do you think the aurora damaged it too?” 

The Doctor made a face. “Well….” Rose squeezed his arm in warning. He nodded. “Could be. Yeah, could be that.” Then he got that look in eyes again, the one that meant he was about to be either very clever or very rude. Usually both. “Or…it could be that someone else got your message and they came with less altruistic intentions than we do. If, hypothetically, they had an anti-perception filter device, it might be what overloaded your circuits. That would explain the crackle you heard. Then ‘POW!” no more perception filter, no more translator. Did anyone look suspicious?” 

Zeni’s eyes widened and she shook her head. Rose gave him a look. But she paused. “There was one bloke. He was watching us as we left. But he couldn’t have followed us.” 

“Good.” The Doctor nodded. “Well, in that case, all the more reason to get you on your way, Zeni.” 

As they went to get him the glass bottles and cables, Rose just hoped it would be enough. 

~*~

The Doctor looked down at Rose, where she was sleeping under his coat on one of the ship’s little couches. He brushed a strand of her hair back from her face. The only illumination in the space came from Zeni’s glowing eggs in a warming incubator nearby. They shimmered blue and green, like the aurora up above them in the sky they couldn’t see. 

“You two will have offspring of your own one day,” Zeni said softly from behind him. 

He stilled. It hadn’t been a question. The Tuvalli were time sensitive, although most races just called them clairvoyant.  “Is that something you see?” he murmured. 

“Whenever I look at you two. In every timeline.” 

He looked back at Zeni. Tuvalli researchers only ever interfered to help. All that foreknowledge and, unlike the Time Lords, it had only ever made them kind. “Why tell me?” 

“Because, Doctor, I think you’ve been afraid to look.” Her voice was soft. 

“I had a family once. I lost them.” He looked down at Rose, who’d risked everything to get to him again, who was willing to go anywhere as long as it was with him. She hadn’t complained, not once the whole night. All she’d done was help until she’d fallen asleep waiting for him. “I don’t deserve it.” I don’t deserve her. 

“Love isn’t about what we deserve. It just is,” Zeni shared. “All you’ve done since we’ve met is try to help me. So you can’t be all bad. Besides, I’ve seen the way she looks at you. If you believe in nothing else, believe in that.” 

The Doctor let out a breath of laughter. He’d told a being who’d claimed to be the Devil something like that once. “I will,” he promised. “Now, even though I’m brilliant, I need to get some sleep.  I’m so sorry we didn’t get you on your way tonight.” 

Zeni waved her hand. “You will though. That’s what matters.” 

The Doctor leaned down and scooped a sleeping Rose into his arms. She blinked her eyes open, bleary from sleep. Then her gaze softened when she realized it was him. “C’mon, love. Time for bed,” he whispered. 

He held Rose in his lap as Zeni drove them back to the cabin, dropping them off in the forest nearby. Then Zeni went on her way as he carried a sleeping Rose inside, setting her gently on the bed and pulling off her boots before covering her with a blanket. He went to brush his teeth before slipping under the covers beside her. “I love you,” he whispered. As if in answer, Rose unconsciously pulled his arm around her. He kissed her hair. Then he closed his eyes. 

It wasn’t the romantic night they’d been hoping to have, but their trip wasn’t over yet. 

[beardedmrbean]

Helsingin Sanomat's most popular article on Monday morning is a story about two American women's struggles to land jobs in Finland.

"You could say ten years of my life have gone down the shitter," 40-year-old Theresa, who has a Finnish Master's degree, told HS.

She later went into a different field through an apprenticeship but is now planning on returning to the US with her family.

Ashley meanwhile managed to find a job quickly after moving to Riihimäki from Helsinki, but not in her chosen field. She started her working life in Finland as a cleaner, but she eventually found work in healthcare.

Ashley's husband is Finnish-American and the couple thought moving to Finland would be a fun adventure. Ashley has since gained a Finnish nursing degree and had two kids in Finland.

"It's probably easier to find a job in healthcare compared to many other sectors. I've also been lucky in many ways," she said.

Ukraine getting less help from Finns

lltalehti carries some concerning news for Ukraine.

Donations to NGOs trying to help Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression have declined markedly after a peak in 2022, and some organisations are seeing just a fraction of the funds they collected soon after the full-scale invasion.

The Finnish Red Cross, for instance, collected some 39 million euros in 2022, but so far this year has just 1.5 million euros in donations from Finns.

Unicef, Finn Church Aid and Save the Children all suffered drops in the millions of euros.

One organisation that has bucked the trend is Your Finnish Friends, which was founded to "enable and ensure the continuation of support for Ukraine, to take care of the survival and operating conditions of the Finns helping on the ground, and to support people in returning from the war back to civilian life in Finland."

The association actively raises funds and has seen growth from 30,000 euros donated in 2022 to 370,000 euros in 2023 and 380,000 euros in 2024.

Finnish nightmares

Hufvudstadsbladet writes about a woman's difficulties with Aktia Bank since her father passed away. The bank won't release account funds because the daughter needs to prove that her father did not marry or have any children in Portugal, where he retired at age 68 and lived for six years.

The problem is that it's not possible to obtain a certificate from the Portuguese authorities confirming that the father has neither married nor had children there. Such a register simply doesn't exist.

"We have to find out who the beneficiaries of the estate are," Aktia told HBL, noting that other banks have the same practice.

Experts told the paper that inheritances get complicated if the deceased has lived abroad, particularly in the United States.

According to HBL, it's next to impossible to obtain documentation on "secret families" from the US. A lawyer told the paper of a case where the Finnish authorities eventually accepted the testimony of an American neighbour of the deceased, who swore under oath that he had neither seen nor heard of any other children during the time he knew the family.

[underthewingsofthblackeagle]

Foto: Panorama Helsinki / Finland - Cathedral and Place of the Parliament (by   tap5a)

“We only do this for Fergus!”  is a short Outlander Fan Fiction story and my contribution to the  Outlander Prompt Exchange (Prompt 3: Fake Relationship AU: Jamie Fraser  wants to formally adopt his foster son Fergus, but his application will  probably not be approved… unless he is married and/or in a committed  relationship. Enter one Claire Elizabeth Beauchamp (Randall?) to this  story) @outlanderpromptexchange  

Chapter 20: A traditional German Christmas

          The week had started as planned. Jamie had taken over the care of Fergus and, while he was at school, worked from home. As it was approaching the end of the year, this was not a problem, as business was usually more slow at this time. Three days had passed since their trip to Wartburg Castle and the usual daily life had resumed in the Fraser villa.

Potsdam * Picture Herbert Aust by Pixabay

          Since there was no real need for Fraser to work from his office in Berlin that week, he had decided to do the things he needed to do from Potsdam and otherwise support Claire. So that morning he had showered Fergus, dressed him, had breakfast with him, and dropped him off at school. This gave Claire the opportunity to sleep a little longer that morning.              By the time Jamie had returned and entered the dining room, Claire was already sitting at the table, bent over several large sheets of paper. She wanted to get up to greet him, but he motioned for her to remain seated.          "Good morning," he said softly, at the same time lightly placing his right hand on her shoulder.          "Good morning," she returned and a natural smile spread all over her face. At the sight of him, the feeling of great relief ran through her, as she had felt then when he had returned to Potsdam after the 10-day business trip. A mountain of work was piling up in front of her, but the fact that Fraser was in the house gave her the impression that everything was 'going its way' again, that is, the familiar way. And that feeling seemed to make her work easier.          Jamie sat down and rang the little table bell for Mrs. Curtius. The latter appeared and inquired about his wishes. When she had left again, he clasped his hands and bent his upper body toward Claire.          "May I ask what this ..."

Planung * Picture by Minika from Pixabay          "It's a plan for Christmas preparations," Claire replied, even before he had fully formulated the question.          "The Christmas preparations?"          Jamie looked at her in amazement.          "Yes, I could, well, I didn't want to bring it up in addition during our conversation about Christmas. I wanted to wait until some normalcy had returned to our daily lives. Mrs. Curtius and I have to plan the preparations for Christmas."          "I don't understand? There was only talk of baking cookies and doing handicrafts ..."          "Yes, as I said, I wanted to wait and see ..."          "I'm listening!" he encouraged her.

         Claire let out a small sigh.          "O.k., so a few days ago Fergus came home from school and announced that he wanted a 'traditional German Christmas'."          "A traditional German Christmas? I don't understand? What is that supposed to be and why ...?"          "Well, the thing is actually quite simple: the children at school are already talking about the coming Christmas. What they want for Christmas, where they might be going on Christmas vacation with their parents, or what visitors they expect for Christmas. And of course, the children also exchange ideas about how they celebrate Christmas. If I understood correctly, one of the teachers also talked to the children about the different Christmas traditions that are traditional in other countries. Well, and when I talked to Fergus about it, your son announced he wanted a 'traditional German Christmas'."          Still Jamie looked at Claire uncomprehendingly.          "I think Fergus, for one, just wants to know how his classmates celebrate it with their families. After all, he's very bright and interested in everything. If he could, he wouldn't sleep at all, he'd just read. And when he's not reading, he's asking everyone who's available about everything ... On the other hand, I think he just wants to belong. That is perfectly normal for children at that age. In short, he wants us to celebrate Christmas the way it's traditionally celebrated here."          Jamie took a deep breath and exhaled. Then he nodded. At that moment the door opened and Mrs. Curtius brought a pot of tea for Jamie and Claire. He thanked her, grabbed the pot and cups, and poured tea for himself and Claire:          "And what exactly is this supposed to look like?"          Claire didn't address his question.          "You, you, ... haven't had annual celebrations in a while?"          Jamie set the pot aside and reached for the cup, but then set it back down. He was silent for a moment, as if to collect himself. Then he looked at Claire:

Tea * Picture by Pexels from Pixabay          "Eight years ago, my father passed away. After that, my sister and her family moved to Marseille. She and Ian, her husband, took over an estate there that my father left them. I visit them there, usually around Easter. But Christmas ... no. Most people take a vacation between Christmas and New Year, but in the company we use this quiet period intensively for planning and preparations for the next year. At least the older employees and me. Those who have families are also on vacation then, of course. I ..."          "So you haven't celebrated Christmas for several years already," Claire stated matter-of-factly. Actually, she didn't even have to ask him about it, she had already guessed.          "Well, in Scotland, Christmas is not such a big tradition either, we actually celebrate more the transition of the year, Hogmanay," Jamie replied thoughtfully.          "Wouldn't you like us to have a traditional Christmas for Fergus ..."          This time Claire didn't get to finish.          "Oh, yes, I do! Yes, I do!"          "Well, I understand if you'd rather give your son Scottish traditions ..."          "No! Yes!"          "Sorry, what I'm trying to say is: Of course I don't want him to feel left out among his classmates. I want him to have the Christmas he wants. For Hogmanay I can tell him something about our Scottish traditions and maybe we can do something special with reference to Scotland ... Then he would even have something different, something more than his classmates and could tell them about it after the vacations. What ... what do you think about that?"          Claire smiled.          "I think it would be nice for Fergus to learn about the traditions of the country he's growing up in as well as the traditions of his father."          Now Jamie smiled, too.          "So how does this look practically ... With the preparations?" he then asked.          Claire moved her chair closer to Jamie, grabbed one of the sheets of paper that had the heading "Timing" on it, and said:          "Well, for the kids, wintertime starts on November 11. That's when Saint Martin's Day is celebrated."            "That tells me something."

St. Martin Statue * Picture by Caniceus from Pixabay          "I thought so. Saint Martin's Day is celebrated in memory of Saint Martin of Tours, who was buried on November 11, 397. In Central Europe, this day is marked by numerous customs, including St. Martin's goose dinner, St. Martin's procession and St. Martin's singing. The school of our 'little pirate' together with the Museum Village Düppel will organize a parade in the late afternoon of November 11. In the processions, children parade through the streets with lanterns. They will be accompanied by a rider sitting on a white horse, wearing a red coat, representing St. Martin as a Roman soldier. They will make their own lanterns in class beforehand. According to the legend, the Roman soldier Martin of Tours rode past a freezing beggar in winter. Since he himself had only his own clothes and weapons, Martin drew his sword, divided his coat, and gave the beggar half of it. At the end of the lantern parade, everyone meets at a St. Martin's bonfire, where one of the teachers tells the story of St. Martin and the children are given cookies and non-alcoholic fruit punch."

St. Martin’s Procession in Treis-Karden, district of Karden, 2018; conclusion on the Lindenplatz in front of the church St. Castor. St. Martin was portrayed by Eyleen Berwanger from Zettingen * Picture: Spurzem - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=115303207          "And the adults who go along don't get anything? I thought the story was supposed to teach kindness, compassion and a willingness to share?"          Jamie played the indignant one. Claire rolled her eyes, then nudged him on the arm.          "For the adults who go along, I'm sure there will be something. But you shouldn't eat too much ..."          "Why?"          "Because traditionally, on the evening of St. Martin's Day, people eat St. Martin's goose in the family. So: goose legs with red cabbage and bread dumplings ..."          Jamie leaned back. A slight grin played around his mouth.          "I have to say, I'm starting to like the idea of us having a traditional German Christmas. Roast goose sounds good."          Claire rolled her eyes one more time, but before she could nudge his arm again, he had dodged it, too.

St. Martin’s Gans * Picture: Von Zyance - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1784127

         "So what's next?"          Claire pointed at the sheet:          "So November 11 as early as Tuesday of next week. The Monday before that I will buy a fir wreath for our door and some other decorations. Mrs. Curtius will take care of the food. The lantern parade will start at 4:00 pm. Am I right in thinking that we will go there together with Fergus?"          "But of course!"          Jamie pulled the smartphone out of his pocket and entered the date into his calendar.          "What happens then?"          "Then we have Volkstrauertag, Buß- und Bettag and Totensonntag. But those are all not holidays associated with Christmas. Volkstrauertag commemorates the victims of wars, Buß- und Bettag is a Protestant holiday that, when it falls on a weekday, is only work-free in the state of Saxony, and on what is known as Ewigkeits- or Totensonntag (Eternity Sunbday or Sunday of the Sunday of the Dead), churches commemorate the loved ones who have died this year. On the following Sunday is then the first Advent and thus begins then officially the Christmas season. I will then buy an Advent wreath and ..."          "Advent wreath?"          "A wreath woven from fir branches, decorated with ribbons, pine cones, stars and red berries, and on which there are four candles, usually red. The first candle is lit at breakfast that Sunday. I thought I would then tell the modern history of the origin of the Advent wreath and how it became widespread in Germany."          "And how did that happen?"          "That, boss, you'll find out on Advent Day."

Advents wreath * Picture: Cornischong in der Wikipedia auf Luxemburgisch - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 1.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14894401          Now it was Jamie who sighed audibly and rolled his eyes.          "The candle is then relit at every meal and then on the second Sunday of          Advent the second one is added and so on. By the way, the 1st of Advent this year is on  November 30. Then the day after that, December 1, the Advent calendar begins."          Jamie said nothing, but just looked at her questioningly.          "The Advent calendar goes from December 1 to December 24. Each day the child gets to open a little present. You can buy ready-made calendars that then have a piece of chocolate hidden behind a door for each day. But I looked at templates for Advent calendars and decided to prepare one myself for Fergus. Those store-bought things are so unimaginative. I'm going to make a homemade calendar and 'see' what different little things you can put in it. It doesn't have to be chocolate every day."          Jamie nodded.          Claire held out a self-painted picture to him, on which a large red cord could be seen. Attached to the cord by means of small golden rings were stars, boots, sacks, fir trees, snowmen, and little houses made of fabric in different sizes and colors.          "The ornaments - " Claire pointed to a boot - "serve as a kind of bag to put the little gifts in ..."          Jamie looked at the drawing intently.          "I see," he said, adding, "Fergus then gets to open them day by day, from December 1 to December 24, that is."          "Exactly."

Adventscalendar * Picture: Von Andrea Schaufler - Eigenes Werk, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1421768

         Claire could tell how excited he was at the thought of the joy his son would feel once he saw that calendar.          "And then it's Christmas?"

         "No," Claire objected, "then first it's December 6, which is St. Nicholas Day. This day is celebrated in memory of St. Nicholas. The night before, children place a boot outside the door of their house or room, which, according to legend, St. Nicholas then fills with small gifts during the night - nuts, tangerines, oranges, or even a small toy, new writing utensils for school ..."          "Doesn't it ever stop with the presents?"          "Yes it does, after Christmas Eve everything is over. Except for Christmas."          "Oh yes, in Germany that's three holidays."          "Not quite. Christmas Eve, is considered a half holiday. Then following the 1st and the 2nd Christmas Day. Christmas Eve, which is December 24, is still quite a busy day. Since around there is traditionally also only potato salad and sausages for lunch. After that, the Christmas tree is decorated. This is usually done by the parents, the children have to stay outside. The room where the Christmas tree and presents are kept is then locked. In the early evening, the families go to the Christmas Eve service. When they get home, they have the traditional meal: roast goose with red cabbage and dumplings. But there are also families who traditionally eat carp on Christmas Eve."          Jamie was about to say something when Claire continued as well:          "Since Fergus wants a traditional Christmas, Mrs. Curtius and I have decided that on Christmas Eve we will have roast goose with red cabbage and mushroom dumplings. Stuffed baked apples with vanilla sauce are planned for dessert. After dinner, I will go into the living room, light the candles on the tree, and when I ring the little bell, you may come in. We'll sing a Christmas carol ..."          Jamie's eyes widened.

Nicolaus * Picture: Neelam279 from Pixabay          "Maybe 'Silent Night' or 'Oh You're Merry ...' and then Fergus gets to open his presents."          Jamie nodded, but Claire could see he wasn't really convinced about the whole thing yet.          "Then on Christmas Day we have a Christmas brunch in the morning with all kinds of different breads, cheese, sausage, egg, different kinds of fruit spread. In the afternoon, there is tea with fruit bread and different kinds of stollen. Mrs. Curtius and I have decided that we will bake marzipan and poppy seed stollen. For dinner, we plan to have roast wild boar with Armagnac sauce, potato croquettes and mushrooms. For dessert we will have plum jam with cream and some Christmas liqueur. For the second Christmas Day, Fergus has requested that we attend the morning service at the French Cathedral in Berlin."          "So, has he?," Jamie asked in amazement.          "Yes. Since we won't be home anytime soon after that, we'll have to have lunch in town. Do you have any idea where we can book a table there?"          "I um, I'll think about it."          "Good, but we shouldn't wait too long to do that. Restaurants are booked up well in advance for the holidays."

French Cathedral * Picture: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=51186330          Jamie picked up his smartphone and composed a note.          "We should be back here for afternoon tea then. For the evening ..."          "Is there a menu planned again?"          "Of course. It's a holiday, after all. We're having venison with Brussels sprouts and Princess potatoes. Then for dessert we'll have black forest cherry ice cream."           Jamie looked at Claire and a slight grin played around his mouth.           "What's there to grin about?"          "After this Christmas dinner, we're all at least three pounds heavier."          "So what?" she asked with a grin, "Christmas only comes once a year."          As if to confirm her statement, she gently nudged him on the arm.          "So it'll all be over on December 27th."          "No, not quite. From December 27 to December 31 is then that time which in Germany is called 'the time between the years.' This expression describes the period between Christmas and New Year's Eve/New Year's Day. In Switzerland, this period is also called 'Old Year's Week'. During this time, life goes on as normal, but many people also use this time, as you said, to take a vacation. New Year's Eve is then again a half holiday. Once again everything is cleaned and tidied up. In the evening, the families go to the so-called Old Year's Eve or New Year's Eve service. Afterwards, they get together ...          "... For dinner?"          "Exactly! How did you guess?"          Jamie didn't answer, he just grinned.          "It's very common to make fondue or raclette that night. I talked to Mrs. Curtius about it. Raclette is out because Fergus doesn't like cheese that much. And as for fondue, we agreed that it is not yet something for a child his age. So we decided to have herring salad with jacket potatoes that evening. Later in the evening, not right after dinner, we'll have another fluffy mocha pudding. Any objections, Mr. Fraser?"

Herring * Picture: Jessica from Hove, United Kingdom - Matjes "Hausfrauenart", CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4097641

         "No."          "Good, otherwise you'd have to talk those out with your son, too. On New Year's morning, we have only a small breakfast. At 10:00 a.m. is the New Year's service. Since we ate well and a lot on the previous holidays, a light lunch is planned for New Year's Day. Mrs. Curtius and I thought of steamed pike with fennel vegetables and small jacket potatoes. There is no dessert, but in the afternoon again large baked apples with vanilla sauce. Well, and that concludes the holidays. Until January 6, the day of the three kings, the Christmas tree remains standing and its candles are lit every evening. Then on January 7, it is removed from the home and then all the Christmas decorations are packed away as well."

         Claire was silent and looked expectantly at Jamie.          The latter cleared his throat. Then he said:          "So, if I understand the whole thing correctly, a traditional German Christmas consists of three components: the children get small or larger presents for almost a month, there's a lot of eating, and ... in between you go to church now and then."          He grinned and quickly leaned to the side to avoid Claire's little fist.          "Am I in the wrong? Or did I overhear or miss something?"          Claire sighed.          "The things you just listed are the things we need to plan for. Of course, this time of year isn't just about presents and food. It's also a time to come together to celebrate. You have a chance to spend more time together quietly, undisturbed for once. You have the opportunity to renew or strengthen connections, relationships. Before I got married, when I lived with my uncle Lambert, we often had guests on these days. He would invite any colleagues or companions and encourage me to invite friends. We were then always a larger group, very mixed in age. It was a lot of fun. Eating together, exchanging small gifts, singing together, telling stories, but also the familiar conversations that always developed in the course of the days. We learned a lot from each other ..."          For a moment, Claire fell silent. Her eyes wandered across the dining room table through the window and out into the distance. Jamie could only try to imagine what was happening in her mind's eye right now. He had seen the picture of her uncle on her desk, the pictures of his excavation expeditions on the walls of her apartment. It didn't take any more questions to know how much Claire missed him. Was all the vigor she put into preparing this Christmas for Fergus perhaps also an attempt to reconnect with 'good old days'? He suspected so, and it made him all the happier to have given his approval to this kind of celebration.          Suddenly Claire turned back to him:

Christmas Dinner * Picture: Klaus Hausmann from Pixabay

         "I have also observed this in my circle of colleagues. My colleague Anneliese's husband died of a serious illness a few years ago, and her children are studying in Karlsruhe and Munich. For her, the time from Christmas to New Year is very important. You could always really see it in her face. She absorbed the strength she took from the time with her children like a dry sponge. It was as if she wanted to create a kind of depository of good memories, because after that she would not see her children again until Easter. I noticed this with younger colleagues as well. One of them, Claudia, was always very sad when she was on duty over Christmas and couldn't go home to her family. She had come to Berlin from a small town in Hesse. In the beginning, it was probably more out of a sense of adventure. Then she stayed because she met her boyfriend here. But to celebrate Christmas with her family, none of this was an alternative. I once asked her what was the most important thing about Christmas for her. She said it was the feeling of security. She told me that the first childhood experience she would consciously remember was a Christmas service. She would still have the image in her mind of sitting on the floor next to her family's pew and playing as a child during that service. But, of course, there are the opposite experiences. I had a colleague who always volunteered to serve on those days. At first we thought he was doing it because of the extra money you get for holiday duty. Then once I was also assigned to duty on the holidays, it came out that he actually longed to celebrate Christmas. But the relationships in his family were so broken that he preferred to go to work on those days. It was very sad to hear that. He put all his hopes on having a family of his own someday ..."          Again she was silent. This time Jamie could imagine very clearly what Claire was thinking at that moment. He gently squeezed her hand, looked at her and said:          "Then let's do everything we can to make sure Fergus has only good memories of this festive season. What can I help with?"            Claire was glad that Jamie wanted to get involved in this Christmas together, and that he hadn't once again brought up the idea of her taking a vacation somewhere over Christmas. Because she wanted nothing more than to spend this time with the two people she loved the most and with whom she truly felt at home. Just as she was about to explain what Jamie could help her with, his smartphone announced a call.          "Sorry, maybe it's work."          Claire nodded and Jamie took the call.          "Oh! Good morning, Matthieu!"          Claire instantly listened, but tried not to let on.            Jamie was silent for a few moments, seeming to listen to Matthieu. Then he said:          "Yes, thank you very much, I like that. But you know I have to discuss this with Claire first."          Claire now looked at him with wide eyes.          "But you're in luck, Matthieu," Jamie continued, "You reach me at home and I'm sitting here in the dining room right now discussing Christmas preparations with Claire. I'll ask her in a minute and then I'll call you back. Is that okay with you? Fine, we'll do it that way. I’ll call you then."          Jamie turned off the smartphone, then turned to Claire:          "You heard that was Matthieu. He wanted to ask what we were doing for the second Christmas Day and if we wanted to come visit?"          Was this the opportunity she had been waiting for?          Claire nodded her head impulsively.          "Oh yes, I would love that! I'd be delighted to finally meet Teresa, and of course I'm looking forward to seeing Matthieu again, too."          "He asked if we wanted to come on the second Christmas Day. He wants to go with Maurice to the service at the French Cathedral in the morning, too, and afterwards they'd have us over for lunch, coffee, and dinner."          "Oh! I'm sure that will make Fergus very happy if he can go to the cathedral with Maurice and play together afterwards. And it would be a relief to us, too. You wouldn't have to worry about a restaurant, and Mrs. Curtius could get that day off."          "So we go?"          Claire smiled and nodded. In her mind, she hoped that this visit to the von Klarenbergs would also give her a chance to talk to Matthieu alone for once.          Jamie reached for his smartphone and dialed Matthieu's number.  

[suomeen]

Chapter 1: Discomfort zone

As the war started, the world opened up to embrace Ukrainians. But I didn’t go. The second day of war, when things looked pretty bad, I went to my sister who lives in a village in the heart of Ukraine. There we stayed in a small house with 8 people for a month and a half, until it felt safe enough to return to Kyiv.

Back then I got several concerned messages from foreign friends, offering help. One person offered to help me relocate to Germany, another even offered to stay at their house in England. I turned them down. I wasn’t desperate. I still had a home and didn’t feel eligible to go. I was also feeling excessively optimistic about the future. A few months ago, I looked back on those offers and seriously thought if I should have left back then. There was so much more support. And, as pragmatic as it may be, it was a window of opportunity. But the truth is, I was not ready.

After nearly 2 years of war, people grew weary of supporting us. And frankly, it was partly our fault. I heard lots of stories of our people acting entitled and rude, getting into fights for handouts, seemingly indifferent to the real suffering back home. And then there are a lot of us. By some estimates, 9 million people left Ukraine to go mostly for Europe. Over time, counties began to close up, the payouts and privileges got cut down. So, by the time we contemplated leaving, there weren’t many good options. The only countries who were still truly welcoming were the Baltic and Nordic countries. One of the most supportive ones was Finland. Sure, not as it used to be. At the start of war, Ukrainians could enjoy free trains and public transport and even things like zoo tickets. Little by little, it got cut down. Still, Finland was accepting Ukrainians and granting temporary protection almost to anyone with a UA passport. But the main reason for choosing it was that Mum had a friend in Finland who recently married to a local man. She had been telling us to come for a long time, offered her help, but we didn’t listen. 

For a long time, I resisted the idea of going abroad. It was too scary, too uncertain. Moving to a richer country out of convenience seemed wrong, even if a lot of people did it. And yet, things at home have only kept getting harder. There were more and more air attacks and explosions and the Winter was only beginning. The thought of leaving began to resurface.

I was desperately trying to cling to my comfort zone – my room, my PC, my things… Until there was no more comfort left. There’s no peace of mind when you sit in your corridor listening to killer drones fly in the skies above. Still, I had to ask myself “Do I deserve protection? Have I suffered enough? Sure, I heard explosions and sirens all day, had drones and missiles flying over my head, but the chances of me being actually killed are low. Surely, this isn’t for me. There are so many people who need this more.”

And then there was the guilt of leaving your country in crisis. But I realized that there was nothing I could do to help it. I admire the soldiers, the medics, the volunteers and everyone dedicating their lives to protect and help others. But I couldn’t be one of them. I don’t have it in me. I would be broken by trying. I was already broken by these two years. And I have battled depression and anxiety for most of my life. Things were hard for me and, just as I was starting to feel like maybe they might actually get better for once, it all broke down. 

Sidenote: I was the happiest I ever was in my life just before the war started. And it’s not like I won a lottery. I just got a job that I loved, that paid modestly but fairly and my health was alright. Of course, the war wasn’t a complete surprise. We have been anticipating and dreading it for months. We have joked about it at work just days before. One of our team members was Russian and I remember I made a joke about the invasion. Another colleague told me it was too much. Yeah… I was the closest to that Russian boy. He seemed very nice. Talked about wanting to work for Red Cross. Funny that, since I am now living under the protection of Red Cross here in Finland. When the war did start, all the guys from work wrote to me, asking if I was ok and if I needed help. Except the Russian boy.

It was even harder coming down from that high. But perhaps, it gave me a little reserve of resilience, a little joy I collected, like an extra life to spend. So, when shit went down, I was strangely calm and collected. I still was the first year. We were riding the high of our initial success. But hope is a volatile resource. After two years, there was nothing but burnout.

Initially, I rejected the though once again. It was too drastic and it felt like I’d just be swapping one type of stress to another. And, in a way, that was true. Though in the end, hearing sirens all day is not the same as asking strangers for directions.

But the last straw fell when I was trying to find a job. I got completely burnt out at my last job the previous year. Not to get too into it, but it paid very little and required me to write Economist-grade texts in a few hours. I remember sitting in the corridor, listening to explosions and worrying I had a text about Taylor Swift’s dogs to finish. Then came the blackouts. I was physically falling ill from the stress. So I quit. But there was nothing part-time and I couldn’t even get jobs I was ridiculously overqualified for. I tried to find something reasonable for months, but it was just no use. Finally, I passed a test for the country’s major TV channel, 1+1. They offered me a translation job. Except it wasn’t official in any way and the pay would only come some 2 months later. Also, the project was some MTV trash. I came up to my mum then and she said it wasn’t worth it. So I went “You know what? Fuck it! Maybe we should just go. It can’t be worse than this.”

So I catapulted myself out of my comfort zone way across 4 countries.

Finland threw a lifebuoy and I grabbed it.

[grokebaby]

Notes - about Nan whom I love

- This is more meta but as a fun fact, I call her Nana in finnish. I didn't wanna call her that in English bc to me it would've felt a little too, meh, not fitting for her ykno? My reasons in finnish is due to how the language is structured. it's more comfy to say Nana, makes it more "readable" in speech. (brief: most finnish words tend to end in vocals rather than consonants)

- Finn/swede, as probably evident by her maiden name Surström. Born to a finnish mother and Swedish father. When she was a young child, they moved from Sweden to Finland accompanied by some Swedish relatives such as cousins, aunts/uncles ect. However not very long after, her mother left back to Sweden in pursuit of something, which was left unclear to child Nan at the time. She never ended up really coming back. Nan spent alot of her childhood looking after younger relatives and siblings, since her father needed to work. They ended up getting in touch with her mother's side of the family who still lived in Finland, who welcomed them in.

- She's gotten more distant to her siblings with age due to simple life reasons, so only Siru really knows much about her aunts and uncles, as well as cousins. Lassi only has faint memories of them from childhood, since he started looking out to the world from a relatively young age.

- [Context: She was part of a throuple marriage with two women married to one man but not to each other. The other wife is Lassi's bio mom, Nan is Siru's]

- She was never super close to Mrs. Varpunen, although they got along fine and were kind and helpful to each other. Mrs. Varpunen never talked much, to either of them. Even though she didn't seem outright unhappy, Nan, if asked honestly, would describe her as "Profoundly sad, and always putting herself aside".

- Mr. Varpunen was kind of a self obsessed misogynist so it honestly makes sense

- Did I mention anything about This whole thing yet? /// Mr. Varpunen had moved to the human realm as a youngster and ended up wanting to live there in his human disguise. Due to some of his spells and, well, this being a time and period where women voting was a long way ahead, he got himself a pretty nice life. However he still looked down on humans to an extent and thus didn't wanna marry one, so he returned to his roots to eventually find his two wives. Once their kids were born he tried to persuade them to move to the human realm with him but they both refused so he dropped the subject for now. Sort of. They would go on to have multiple discussions about the topic until one time both wives decided "No, shut up actually, it's a 2-1 vote, plus we're your wives". Mr Varpunen took this as well as you'd expect and he later decided to make a scene, when the family had been invited to a feast hosted by a local deity. Who ended up eating him, and Mrs. Varpunen unfortunately, due to the fact that he'd now cursed his family technically. Details aside, Nan survived, and this is where she got her jaw scar and cut ear. Fortunately Siru and Lassi were wee chicks and thus hadn't even been to the feast.

- Obviously Nan and her babies didn't deserve to be cursed so as a remedy gift they were later given a silver cowbell which brings protection against larger supernatural entities, however this is starting to dip more into Lassi's backstory so we'll wrap it up

[onekisstotakewithme]

2022 Masterlist

Hi everyone, and happy new year! I hope your 2023 will be better in every conceivable way 💜✨

I've decided to do another yearly masterlist, to be able to share what I've written this year with my friends and mutuals. New fandoms and old, long fics and short... it was a fun year, and I'm delighted to share the year's work with you! This list will be organized by fandom & length, with ships marked, and there are exactly two WIPs I'm carrying into next year with me (there is also one story not listed here, because I did Yuletide this year!)

M*A*S*H

Finest Kind: The 4077 MASH (WIP) - The 50th anniversary story I wrote for M*A*S*H, about a couple of journalists who want to make a documentary about the 4077. 3 chapters exist thus far, more to come in 2023!

make of our hearts, one heart (WIP) - BJ and Peg renew their vows for their tenth anniversary... and are planning a private wedding for themselves and Hawkeye. Part 5 of the Home series. 2 chapters are up so far, but the whole story is written, it just needs to be edited!

no love less perfect than a life with thee (98k) - In April of 1957, Charles Emerson Winchester III marries Donna Marie Parker (with background BJ/Hawkeye/Peg, Max/Soon-Lee and Sherm/Mildred); 12 chapters long, Part 4 of the Home series.

Not On Your Life (19k) - The missing days between when Donna arrives at the 4077 and her and Charles's unwedding. Charles/Donna, 3 chapters long.

younger in October (than in all the months of spring) (14k) - Charles visits Hawkeye in Maine over Canadian Thanksgiving, in October of 1953. Charles/Hawkeye, 3 chapters long.

etymology (9.4k) - The evolution of language as it pertains to BJ, Hawkeye & Peg. BJ/Hawkeye/Peg, one-shot.

Many a Weary Mile (6k) - BJ's journey home from Korea is marked with reunions and partings. BJ & Hawkeye (romantic if you squint), BJ/Peg, 2 chapters long.

katabasis (5.5k) - What if Hawkeye didn't get off the bus in "The Late Captain Pierce?" (aka Hawkeye journeys to the Underworld). Gen, one-shot.

night and day, you are the one (5.4k) - Hawkeye tries to plan a date night for himself and the Hunnicutts. BJ/Hawkeye/Peg, one-shot.

What Unites Us (4.4k) - Epistolary fic; letters from the attendees of the stateside reunion to their family members in Korea. Tag to "The Party", Gen, one-shot.

Take My Hand (3.8k) - BJ's first day in Korea. Tag to "Welcome to Korea", BJ & Hawkeye, one-shot.

the love that you've looked for (2.9k) - The 1980s personal ads AU, aka "what if the Pina Colada song was poly instead of about infidelity". BJ/Hawkeye/Peg, one-shot.

Well-Oiled Machine (2.8k) - Sheer pornography, aka what if Peg was a mechanic and BJ a sexy man on a motorcycle. Inspired by Tom of Finland, Peg/BJ, one-shot.

Last Requests (2.2k) - Hawkeye, if he's facing the gallows, has one dying wish - and it involves BJ. Tag to "The Novocaine Mutiny", BJ/Hawkeye, one-shot (this fic was four years in the making from idea to execution).

One Small Step (2.1k) - Hawkeye watches the moon landing with his family in 1969 and marvels on the progress he's seen in his lifetime. Post-canon, BJ/Peg/Hawkeye, one-shot.

If Only In My Dreams (1.8k) - Hawkeye and BJ reflect on Christmas Eve. Expansion of the mess tent scene in "Death Takes a Holiday." BJ/Hawkeye, one-shot.

Superman (1.4k) - Tag to Fallen Idol, missing scene between BJ and Hawkeye. BJ/Hawkeye, one-shot.

Star Trek: The Original Series

a wild call and a clear call (that may not be denied) (10k) - Two and a half years on from "Amok Time", Spock's pon farr returns without warning... leaving Jim with no choice but to help. Smut & Feelings, Spirk, 4 chapters long.

a lover's tourniquet (1.5k) - Hurt/comfort where Spock helps Jim clean up after an altercation with the Klingons. Tag to "The Trouble with Tribbles", Spirk, one-shot.

Stranger Things

you spin me right round (1.3k) - Hurt/comfort, Nancy helps Steve with his bandages while they're in the Upside Down. Tag to "The Massacre at Hawkins Lab", Stancy, one-shot.

perfectly paired (like a pb&j) (1.2k) - Robin and Vickie bond over peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Tag to "The Piggyback", Robin/Vickie, one-shot.

The West Wing

The Fall's Gonna Kill Ya (1.4k) - There's only one person CJ wants to call with the news about her new job offer. Tag to "Third-Day Story", CJ/Danny, one-shot.

[violasmirabiles]

APPArently my dads finally got a hold of my late grandfathers "memoirs" (too grand a term but like. childhood and family history not collected together like this anywhere else) and god. like i knew his fathers family emigrated to the usa but its still kind of wild. first three kids of the family are born in kiuruvesi finland. youngest of those three dies on the ship when theyre crossing the atlantic, which, yes this is like late 19th century so not surprising surprising but also why did i never hear about this from grandpa himself whys this News. next two kids are born in negaunee michigan. also thats where they changed the family name to what still is my last name because no way in hell anyone could pronounce the rolled r. the y. the ö. not that the alternative is much easier. my great-grandfathers name is officially listed as peter paul instead of pekka paavo. last two kids were born in kiuruvesi again because the whole family returned to finland for a bit but later some of them went back to negaunee and stayed there. my great-grandfather spoke fluent enough english that in his later life hed point out differences between dialogue and subtitles to my dad (then a kid who didnt know any english yet) when theyd watch american movies on the tv. and other than that he never spoke english because why would he, in monolingually finnish countryside. also not to sound like my family trees a circle but im having So much trouble differentiating between people because there are two last names that mix up a lot, members of these two families getting married here and there and it feels like every womans name is aino or maria and every man is either pekka or paavo or johannes

[a-god-in-ruins-rises]

alright another ck3 saxon campaign update. some pretty major developments.

just as a refresher: my first player character was a saxon "count" of dithmarschen named theudis. quotes around "count" because am roleplaying as a peasant republic so the "count" is really an elected "prince".

anyway, over the course of theudis' lifetime he expanded his domain eastward into pomerania, ethnically cleansing it along the way and settling saxons in the new territories. he also helped his liege, the prince of saxony (his name was widukind), to conquer/subjugate large sections of scandinavia and england.

upon widukind's death his eldest son inherited the princedom of saxony (including the lands in england) and his younger sons inherited the scandinavian kingdoms (geatland, sweden, norway, and denmark) which became independent again.

of particular note is widukind's second son who inherited the kingdom of geatland, in which theudis had already established his own second son (named albrecht) a very powerful duke. the kingdom of geatland shortly thereafter invaded and conquered finland.

by the time of theudis' death he was able support albrecht in claiming the throne of geatland (widukind's second son, the king of geatland, was a bitter rival of both theudis and albrecht for reasons i won't get into right now).

so to reiterate: at the time of theudis' death the scandinavian kingdoms (norway, sweden, geatland, and denmark) are all independent, but he managed to make his second son the king of geatland (which also includes the lands of finland).

anyway, theudis' first son died before he did. so upon theudis' death his duchy of holstein (and all of his vassals in pomerania and england) was inherited by grandson, who is also confusingly named theudis.

but whereas theudis was a celebrated ruler beloved by the people and great friend of widukind, theudis ii was a cruel, scheming tyrant. he didn't have very many friends (and had many enemies) but he was feared far and wide. when he inherited the duchy of holstein from theudis he was in the middle of waging a war against denmark, claiming the duchy of slesvig, which he swiftly won after inheriting the levies of holstein.

the current prince of saxony, adolf (widukind's first son), was not a fan of theudis ii. theudis ii and adolf were constantly feuding and undermining each other. eventually the feud reached a climax when theudis ii challenged adolf to a duel over the throne of saxony (i didn't know that was even an option -- not sure if it's from the base game or one of the many mods i'm using right now). needless to say, the "giant" theudis ii easily defeated adolf and he became the new prince of saxony.

theudis ii hosted a great feast to celebrate his ascension but his attention was soon turned abroad. the king of norway was the nemesis of theudis ii. apparently theudis ii had killed one of the king of norway's sons in the war for slesvig. and so theudis decided to put an end to his foe and this blood fued once and for all. he launched an invasion for the kingdom of norway. it was a grueling fight, many years passed and many lives were lost, but eventually theudis achieved both of his goals: executing the king of norway and taking his title and lands.

and by that time, his truce with denmark was expired and he figured he may as well complete his conquest of denmark too. so on his way home from norway he took a brief detour and conquered what remained of denmark and usurped the title of king. i mean, the way theudis ii saw it, the king of denmark had moved his capital to vestland (a county in norway) and so was basically neglecting his danish subjects anyway! he was basically doing the danes a favor!

anyway, theudis ii was on death's doorstep by the time he returned to saxony. he was old and frail after almost two decades of scandinavian wars. his two last actions before his death were; (1) hosting a grand tournament to celebrate his new conquests and (2) marrying his grandson to the princess of of geatland, forging an alliance between him and his cousin and setting the stage for what will hopefully be an eventual union between saxony and geatland (assuming i play my cards right), which would virtually complete the goal of (pagan) germanic unification. the christian franconians, swabians, and bavarians will be liberated later.

anyway, theudis ii just died and his son detmar inherited the princedom of saxony (and the many "kingdoms" that come along with it). this is the current state of the map:

unsure of how i'm going to play detmar/what his legacy will be. i think i'm just gonna focus on consolidating the recently conquered scandinavian kingdoms (swaying and bribing and converting norse and danish vassals) and try to figure out how detmar's son (the one married to the geatland princess) to unify the realm. so i think this will be a very internally/domestically focused king. after a brief glance at his stats and relationships detmar seems like a relatively well-liked but otherwise unimpressive/moderate king who is already well past his prime.

maybe i'll help my cousin hulderic's conquests in england (so far i've only conquered, as the player, kent and east seaxe, all of the other conquests were accomplished by hulderic's AI). or maybe i'll take a bite out of bohemia or poland or lithuania.

we'll see how it goes.

[fannypeepot]

2024

And, I am already doomed as I Hate, hate, hate even numbers and simply because I am beautifully odd and so is everything, I am but yes, this is the year of when I say, meaningfully, fuck that masochist from Finland as I only want what is meant to be and I am not really feeling he is it.

Truth be told, yes, I am tired of torturing these crybaby men. It will only cost me my savings, it will only make me tired, exhausted like the last two times of already, yes, we have been there, and I don't need a third time to be convinced the scene will be predictably annoying as I have learned people do not change.

Nope, he is not what I want and possibly not ever, no more. Heh, who knows this could very well be an education of applying how to remove the greedy from me. So there you have it and So I wait, saving, saving, saving until something I actually want to do pops into my head.

2024, I dream of oceans with dancing whales, I dream of being wowed as I watch them feed, I dream of marrying a Sadomasochist and many times I dream of you too, the sweetest Daddy to please and be my silly, giggling, hardworking girly self.

In the meantime, I am counting down 9, 7, no, 11 days for the K of lol amusement to return and so I can share Miss Meela Vanderbuild with him as she is my moving muse lately and I am utterly out of shape, well not that bad but I could get there...

when life feels good and safe, when all you want is to relax with great conversations and yeah, I know I will end up going to Thailand this year this October into November.

[laresearchette]

Saturday, November 11, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

This Video Not Available in Your Country: Saturday Canadian Lineup (Times Eastern):

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: THE CRAFTSMAN: PRESERVING THE LAST HIGGINS BOAT (discovery +) CHRISTMAS ISLAND (W Network) 8:00pm ALBERT BROOKS: DEFENDING MY LIFE (HBO Canada) 8:00pm LEGENDS OF THE FORK (A&E Canada) 9:00pm BUDDY VALASTRO'S CAKE DYNASTY (A&E Canada) 10:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT? BEYOND THE BATTLEFIELD (TBD - History Canada) DEVIL ON MY DOORSTEP (TBD - Lifetime Canada)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

CRAVE TV ALBERT BROOKS: DEFENDING MY LIFE PASSCHENDAELE

2023 FIFA MEN'S U17 WORLD CUP (TSN4) 6:48am: Brazil vs. Iran (TSN5) 6:48am: Argentina vs. Senegal

BILLIE JEAN KING CUP (SN1) 10:00am: Semi-Final: Canada vs. either US or CZE

THE CROODS: FAMILY TREE (YTV) 10:30am (SEASON PREMIERE): The kids take their "Dare Game" too far, causing Grug, Ugga, Phil and Hope to forbid them from playing it; when the adults also get hooked on the game, the kids must convince them to stop before someone gets hurt.

GRAND SLAM OF CURLING (SN) 11:00am: National - Men’s Quarterfinals (SN) 3:00pm: National - Women’s Quarterfinals (SN360) 7:00pm: National - Men’s & Women’s Semifinals

NHL HOCKEY (TSN3) 3:00pm: Stars vs. Jets (SN) 7:00pm: Canucks vs. Leafs (SN1) 7:00pm: Flames vs. Sens (CBC/City TV) 7:00pm: Bruins vs. Habs (CBC/SN) 10:00pm: Oilers vs. Kraken

CFL FOOTBALL (TSN/TSN4) 3:00pm: Eastern Final: Alouettes vs. Argos (TSN) 6:30pm: Western Final - Lions vs. Bombers

NBA BASKETBALL (TSN4) 7:00pm: Raptors vs. Celtics

CRIME BEAT: MOST WANTED (Global) 7:30pm: A man walking his dog comes upon a neighbor's garage engulfed in flames; when the smoke clears, a woman is found dead with drug paraphernalia nearby; nothing is what it seems, and police are left combing through a web of lies to find the killer.

NWSL SOCCER (TSN2) 8:00pm: Final - NJ/NY Gotham FC vs. OL Reign

THOR: RAGNAROK (CTV) 8:00pm: Thor must battle the Hulk in a deadly gladiatorial contest and prevent the all-powerful Hela from destroying his home world and the Asgardian civilization.

THE PODCAST MURDERS (Lifetime Canada) 8:00pm: A true crime podcast host tries to keep a low profile despite achieving massive success for her investigation of a serial killer. However, it soon becomes clear that her anonymity isn't the only thing being threatened.

MY CHRISTMAS FIANCÉ (CTV Life) 8:00pm: A woman pretends to be her boss's fiancee so he can avoid getting married for real. However, things get complicated when they both start to develop genuine feelings for each other.

A HARVEST HOMECOMING (Super Channel Heart & Home) 8:00pm: A teacher returns home to help at the family cider mill, where he meets the new marketing manager and finds a new class of students to mentor.

THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF KIMCHI (Science) 9:00pm: As the globe reverberates to the sound of K-pop, Korean dramas, film and television, there's one Korean export that is quietly colonizing the hearts and mind of westerners: kimchi; exploring why this national dish is gaining popularity worldwide.

PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH (Crave) 9:00pm: After burning though eight lives, Puss in Boots sets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore all nine.

SISU (Starz Canada) 9:00pm: During the last days of World War II, a solitary prospector crosses paths with Nazis on a scorched-Earth retreat in northern Finland. When the soldiers decide to steal his gold, they quickly discover they just tangled with no ordinary miner.

UNPLUGGING (Super Channel Fuse) 9:00pm: Leaving their electronic devices behind, a couple embark on a weekend getaway to a remote mountain town. Their break from technology quickly spirals out of control, forcing them to rely on each other to find their way home.

JUSTICE LEAGUE X RWBY: SUPER HEROES & HUNTSMEN PART ONE (adult swim) 10:00pm: Members of the Justice League are transported to the world of Remnant and find themselves turned into teenagers. The Remnant heroes combine forces with the Justice League to uncover why their planet has been mysteriously altered.

[girlactionfigure]

Algoth Niska was a Finnish athlete and bootlegger who saved 151 Jews during the Holocaust.

Algoth was born in Viipuri, Finland in 1888. As a youth, he excelled in soccer and played on the Finnish national team at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm. During World War I, Algoth entered navigation school and got married and divorced twice. In 1919, Finland, like the US, enacted a law prohibiting alcohol and Algoth saw a lucrative business opportunity. An experienced sea-goer, he bought a boat and started smuggling liquor from Sweden, Germany and Estonia into Finland.

Algoth became known to bon vivants in Finland as the man who could get a large variety of intoxicants. He tried to keep ahead of the police boats, but was shot at and arrested multiple times. Algoth served prison sentences in both Finland and Sweden. Though a tough seadog, he was well-liked by prison authorities and often released early.

In 1938, Algoth’s focus shifted to a new kind of illegal cargo: Jews. Finland was relatively safe for Jews at the time, but Germany was becoming a death trap. Over the next year and a half, Algoth took German Jews over land and sea to Finland, thus saving them from concentration camps. He provided the Jewish refugees with passports – some stolen, and some fake.

Algoth refused payment for smuggling Jews. Perhaps he welcomed the opportunity to redeem himself for past mistakes. In 1939, Algoth’s smuggling operation was discovered by the Nazis. He fled to Estonia, only to find that the Soviet Union had occupied the country. Finally, Algoth returned to Finland in a rowboat.

After the war, Algoth was broke. He made a little money from writing two books about his colorful life. Algoth died of a brain tumor in 1954 at the age of 65. Twice divorced, he left two children. Well-known Finnish musician Ilkka Lipsanen is his grandson.

For risking his life to save 151 Jews, we honor Algoth Niska as this week’s Thursday Hero at Accidental Talmudist.