#botsimi

NeitherKimi nor Valtteri were really big talkers. They talked, sure, certainly more inprivate than in public, but they didn’t needto fill the air with small-talk and chatter. Sometimes it made Sebastian alittle uneasy; he liked talking and joking but didn’t want to blabber on and geton the Finns’s nerves. A lot of the time it was kind of nice. Kimi and Valtteriwere an easy presence, very much there, but without taking over.

Sebastianliked listening to them though. When he was around they usually spoke English,he had learned a few words of Finnish over the years but nowhere near enough tocarry on a conversation. But when Kimi and Valtteri were alone they invariablyspoke Finnish. Seb liked how their voices changed with the comfort of theirnative tongue, despite the sometime harshness of the language they soundedrelaxed. A real treat was when a few words made the other laugh. Puns or insidejokes, untranslatable anecdotes – Seb didn’t know, but he still enjoyed it.

Kimi turnedthe TV on as soon as they got back to the hotel. The WRC-race was on andValtteri eagerly joined him on the couch, catching up on the latest standings.Sebastian opted for taking a shower and getting out of his team clothes. Whenhe came back out Kimi was sitting back, relaxed with his arm stretched outacross the back of the couch. Valtteri was sitting sort of the same way andKimi’s hand was on top of his, slowly stroking back and forth. Sebastian smiledand went to finish getting dressed.

He heardthem talking through the door to the bedroom, but their voices kept gettinglower. He peeked out, wondering if something had happened in the race. Kimi wasstill sitting relaxed, looking at the TV. Valtteri however was sitting up now, hischeeks were red and he was looking at the floor. Kimi said something inFinnish, sounding amused. Valtteri mumbled something back, his voice very lowand the words almost stuttered out like he was worried to say them.

Kimi sat upand leaned in; when he stopped touching Valtteri’s hand the other finallyturned to look at him. Kimi asked something more, it was definitely a questionbut Sebastian didn’t catch any of the words, and Valtteri sat there looking atKimi for a while before nodding, as small as he could. He wet his lips andopened his mouth, but then he noticed Seb standing in the door. In a splitsecond he moved a bit further from Kimi.

“Seb!” hesaid, looking from Seb to Kimi and back again. “How much of that did you hear?”He looked embarrassed, like they had been caught doing something inappropriate.

“It doesnot matter how much,” Kimi said with a smirk, “he doesn’t understand.” Heswitched back to Finnish, saying something that made Valtteri turn his headtoward him and stare, eyes wide open.

“Kimi…”he said, glancing at Seb. “He didn’t…”

Kimiinterrupted him with a short, sharp sound and Valtteri looked back at himagain. Kimi said something that sounded like a question.

“Ei,mutta…” Valtteri started, so whatever Kimi had said, he was saying no to,Sebastian knew that. Kimi shrugged nonchalantly, still smirking. Whatever hesaid next was longer, ups and downs of sing-songy vowels and hard consonants.

“Kimi!”Valtteri said, sounding shocked. Kimi chuckled and said something more. A blushrose in Valtteri’s cheeks and he glanced at Seb again before shyly lookingaway. Kimi lowered his voice a little, still talking, saying things Sebastiancertainly didn’t understand but was very curious about; if the effect he washaving on Valtteri was any clue, it was veryinteresting. He moved closer.

“What areyou two talking about?”

“Nothing,”Valtteri said, much too quickly. His face was red and he seemed unable to lookat either one of them. Kimi looked very pleased with himself. Sebastian satdown on the other side of Valtteri.

“Come on,you can tell me.”

Valtterikept looking at the floor.

“Tell him,”Kimi said. Valtteri shot him a sharp look, and then glanced at Sebastian whowas sitting close by, trying to not look too excited while giving him a littlebit of puppy-eyes.

“This isnot fair,” Valtteri muttered.

“Come on,please?” Seb pleaded, reaching out to take Valtteri’s hand. Valtteri closed hiseyes and took a deep, steadying breath.

“He said…”