Forecast: Risk of Storms [Jonna/Riikka]
Oct. 31st, 2016 03:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
roesslyngTitle: Forecast: Risk of Storms
Fandom: A Redtail's Dream
Characters/Pairing: Jonna/Riikka
Rating: 10+ for language
Length: 2.3k
Summary: As far as Jonna's concerned, this paranoia about the illness is going to be over in a few weeks. Riikka and her aunt aren't so sure about that, however. It doesn't hurt to be prepared, right?
Other: Set during Year 0 of SSSS's apocalypse. Written for Elleth for Trick or Treat exchange [Original post]
Forecast: Risk of Storms
Anyone showing symptoms of illness is requested to stay at home until further notice. I repeat, if you are sick, stay at home. Everyone who is not ill is also requested to stay at home as much as possible. Avoid going into public spaces until this state of emergency clears. For your own safety, stay at home. This radio station is unmanned. Do not call the radio station seeking assistance. Instead, call the Public Help Line at-
The announcement ended. The station switched back to the steady stream of cheesy pop music that had been on loop ever since the radio staff had left the station yesterday afternoon. Every fifteen minutes, the music paused, and the announcement played again.
The rain kept falling. It hadn't stopped for days. Jonna rested her head against one hand and stared out of the window as Riikka drove her home.
The roads were empty. And the sidewalks. Not a single person was out. Nobody aside from the two of them.
It wasn't just because of the rain.
Technically, they weren't supposed to be out either. But Riikka had called her early in the morning, asking her to come over for a little while, and how could she say no to that? Going to see her was better than staying at home. And with everyone else staying inside, and avoiding one another if they did go out, it wasn't hard to get to her girlfriend's place without running into anyone.
Her father had kept the store open until yesterday. They had been at reduced hours all week, and reduced staff – Hannu and Ville had already been gone for days, after disappearing unannounced - until finally, yesterday evening, they locked everything up and shut down operations until further notice. That meant that they were all going to be spending a lot of time at home together, trapped by the rain and everything else that was going on outside. She hadn't been looking forward to it.
Luckily for her, it wasn't hard to convince her frazzled father to let her leave for a little while.
Riikka's offer of a distraction was more than welcome.
Ordinarily, visiting her girlfriend would be nice and uneventful, unless Jonna decided to make it eventful. This time, it was different.
There was a suitcase on Riikka's bed. Boxes on the kitchen counter filled with dry goods. Her cat's crate was near the door.
"I'm sorry about this," Riika said. After the coffee was finished brewing, they sank down onto the couch together, mugs cupped in their hands. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm leaving soon."
"What?" Jonna stared at her. "Why?"
"This is going to sound crazy." She laughed. Maybe it was better than the alternative. "But, um. My aunt, Åsa, she thinks it isn't safe here. She wants to pack us all up on the boat and leave tonight. We have a cabin out on one of the islands –"
"And you're actually going along with it?"
"Well... yes." Riikka stared down at her coffee cup. "I got a call from work yesterday. They said they won't need me for the rest of the week, because of all those public health warnings – they decided to take it seriously, I guess. And if we're all wrong about this, then that's okay, it'll just blow over after a while, and it'll be fine." She took a deep breath. "But if it doesn't blow over-"
"Oh, come on-"
"You come on. If it doesn't blow over, and this turns out to be something really bad, then... it's better to be prepared, right?"
Jonna managed not to roll her eyes. Somehow. It was hard, but she did it. And as she managed this spectacular feat of restraint, she slid her arm around Riikka's shoulders, holding her a bit closer. "You'll be okay," she said. "I mean, if you want to go hang out with your crazy aunt, do some family bonding for a while or whatever, then that's all right. But, don't worry too much. It's all going to be fine!" She grinned. "Just watch, you'll end up with a few unexpected days off, and that'll be all."
Riikka smiled. Shook her head a bit. She didn't look as reassured as Jonna would have liked. But she tilted her head and pressed a kiss to Jonna's cheek. "Okay," she said. Good enough.
They set to work after that, packing everything up. Riikka told her that this wasn't what she'd called her over for at all, but Jonna insisted. "You look worried," she said. "And I don't think you'll stop being worried until this is all done. Right?"
Riikka hesitated. Nodded. Maybe she couldn't argue with that.
But it was fine. It really was. Not that Jonna was crazy about housework, but what else could they do on a day like this? With the rain coming down so hard that it was impossible to go out even if there wasn't a supposed rash plague around, and Riikka far too jumpy to be in the mood for making out, the two of them didn't have a lot of options.
It was fine. They'd pack up, and Riikka would go on this little family trip, and it would all be fine. That was what Jonna told herself as the two of them boxed up Riikka's pantry together. Rice. Beans. Canned fruit. Cat food. More canned fish than you could shake a stick at. It was like she was packing up enough food to last for weeks.
Jonna pretended not to notice the other things. The rolls of twine. Screwdriver. Several rolls of duct tape. First aid kit. Batteries. Clean, tightly-folded bedsheets. But she did notice, and tried to tell herself that Riikka was just being overcareful. Just overpacking a little. That it was just what someone would take if they were going camping, that it was not-
There was a heavy knock on the door.
They both raised their heads.
Someone opened the door. Stepped in. Let the door fall shut with a heavy thud. A tall, dripping-wet figure in a raincoat and heavy boots. It pushed the hood back –
"Are you finished yet, Riikka dear?"
Her aunt. Åsa. Oh.
"Um. No, I thought you said we were leaving tonight? There's lots of time left-"
"Yes, but we need to pack your brother's stuff too. And your parents will have their own provisions, and their own luggage. We'll want to be as prepared as we can." The old woman shrugged her coat off and hung it on the peg on the wall. Stepped out of her boots. Nodded toward Jonna in greeting. "Hello there. Your father's got you all packed up, I expect?"
"Er..." Jonna glanced at Riikka, who only shrugged and resumed packing. Oh no. Her girlfriend was leaving her to fend for herself against this loony relative. Terrible. "Not exactly. We were planning to stay put for the time being."
"What?" Åsa's brows furrowed. "I'm surprised. With an emergency like this? I would've thought Jouko would be better prepared than that."
"Really, it's fine." Jonna smiled at her. Maybe if she could just sidestep the issue, she could avoid the lecture. "I'm sure this is all going to blow over pretty quickly. Give it a week, tops. We'll be okay."
"Hmm. Are you sure?" Riikka's aunt wasn't convinced. At all. It was clear from the look in her eyes. "I've heard otherwise. From very reliable sources."
The more Jonna looked at her, with the ends of her hair damp and plastered to her lined face, and her eyes burning with passion and yet at the same time utterly exhausted, the more serious Riikka's aunt looked. The more she looked as if she knew something. As if she knew for sure that something was going to happen.
Jonna bit her lip. What could she possibly say to that? "I... think I'm sure?"
"I see." She sighed. Long. Quiet. Drawn-out. "I think you'll find that this isn't going to be so easy. We're in for hard times ahead." A pause. "Look here – I know your family is big, but we'll still have room for all of you. So if Jouko has a change of heart, he can meet us at the docks at six. You tell your father that, you hear? Tell him it's important."
"I'll, um. I'll pass on the message, I guess. Thanks?"
"Good." Åsa looked to Riikka. "Riikka? I'm sorry to be a bother, dear, but you'd better drive Jonna home. We've got a lot of work to do before we leave."
Riikka looked at her aunt, then glanced at the boxes scattered around the kitchen. She hesitated, as if maybe she didn't quite accept all of that doom-and-gloom prophecy. But just as Jonna was wondering if she would say no, she caved. "Right." Then an apologetic smile directed toward Jonna. "Sorry, but I really should –"
"It's okay." Jonna waved a hand. "It's fine. Don't worry about it." It wasn't as if they could have any peace with Riikka's aunt hanging around like that, anyway.
"Be careful, you two." That was the warning they got as they left the house. Somehow, it seemed as if Åsa wasn't just warning Riikka to drive safely.
They didn't have anything to worry about, did they?
The two of them hardly spoke at all during the short drive to Jonna's place.
It was dark. Chilly. Jonna was glad for the ride, with the way the rain was coming down, but she didn't say it.
She thought back to that old woman standing in her girlfriend's kitchen. The look on her face. As if she knew something. As if she knew something really was going to happen; as if she got some kind of message from on high, some weird premonition, and what she knew terrified her.
This radio station is unmanned. Do not call the radio station seeking assistance.
Jonna frowned and turned the radio off.
It was creepy. That was all it was. The radio. The empty streets. The constant warnings to stay home, to not go to public places, to reduce your contact with people. The reports that had filtered in from the city before the radio station had closed its doors.
The look on Åsa's face.
Riikka pulled up to Jonna's house. They sat there in silence for a moment, not moving, listening to the sound of the rain outside.
"Well," Jonna said. "Looks like we're here."
"Yeah." Riikka hesitated. Leaned over. Kissed her cheek. "I'll see you soon?"
"Of course." Jonna grinned. "After a week or two, we're all going to feel pretty damn silly. Just watch, it'll be like, you know, bird flu or something. It'll be nothing." She grasped at her hand. Returned that gesture, that cheek-kiss. "Okay?"
"Okay."
"See you."
"...See you."
She stepped out of the car. Closed the door. Started making her way up the walk, hands in her pockets, head dipped against the rain.
The car door opened, then shut, and then Riikka called out, "Wait!"
Jonna turned just in time to catch Riikka as she latched onto her in a tight hug. "Whoa, hold on-"
"Sorry, I just –"
Wow, she really has a tight grip when she sets her mind to it, Jonna thought as she tried to shift her balance to steady herself. Riikka wasn't about to let go, arms wrapped tightly around her, face pressed against her shoulder. "What's wrong?"
There was a sound. A quiet noise muffled into Jonna's jacket. "I'm scared, Jonna. I know you think it's going to be fine, but what if it isn't? What if my aunt's right? What if-"
There was another sound, and this time, Jonna was sure it was a sob. Oh shit, she thought. How can I handle this? "Hey, wait, no," she said, hugging her girlfriend tight, kissing at the top of her head. "Everything's going to be okay-"
"But what if it won't be okay?!"
Jonna gritted her teeth and closed her eyes and tried frantically to think of something. What could she possibly say?
The words kept coming back to her, playing over and over in her head like the automatic radio announcement. Åsa's warning. Hard times ahead.
Åsa's warning. And Åsa's invitation.
"Okay, look, I have an idea," Jonna said, as she carefully, slowly pulled herself away enough to look at her girlfriend.
Riikka tilted her face up. Looked up at her. Her cheeks were wet, probably from the rain. Or maybe not. "What kind of idea?"
"I'll ask my dad. About – you know, about your aunt's offer. The boat and the cabin and whatever."
"Okay." A deep breath. "I'm glad. If you're sure. If it's nothing, we'll be fine, but – you know."
"I mean, I can't guarantee that he'll agree to it."
"Yeah. I understand. I just – please ask him? Please."
The thought of being cooped up with her family and the Skärsholms on an island in the middle of a lake was not exactly appealing. Especially not with the rain, and the worry, and the possibility of a crisis hanging over their heads. Even if it was probably bullshit. But what if, Jonna thought, what if it was true? What if that crazy old lady was right?
Maybe you're going nuts too, Jonna told herself. Absolutely fucking bonkers. But it didn't matter. "I'll ask," she said, sweeping Riikka's damp hair out of her face. "I promise."
"Okay."
The next thing Jonna knew, Riikka grabbed her by the collar of her jacket, and jerked her down for a kiss. It wasn't light like the kisses earlier in the morning, or that cheek-kiss in the car. It was hard. It was passionate. It had a desperate edge to it.
Jonna held her tight and kissed her in return and ignored the rain as it poured down and drenched their hair and slipped its way inside her coat and down into her boots and soaked her jeans all the way through. She ignored the feeling that crept up her neck – no, it was not fear, she wasn't scared, she wasn't – and instead concentrated on thinking about how to ask her father. How to persuade him.
I'll find a way, Jonna thought. Even if I have to try every trick in the book.
And if it turned out to be nothing? No harm done.
We'll laugh about this when it's all over, Jonna thought, and held Riikka tight.
End
Fandom: A Redtail's Dream
Characters/Pairing: Jonna/Riikka
Rating: 10+ for language
Length: 2.3k
Summary: As far as Jonna's concerned, this paranoia about the illness is going to be over in a few weeks. Riikka and her aunt aren't so sure about that, however. It doesn't hurt to be prepared, right?
Other: Set during Year 0 of SSSS's apocalypse. Written for Elleth for Trick or Treat exchange [Original post]
Forecast: Risk of Storms
Anyone showing symptoms of illness is requested to stay at home until further notice. I repeat, if you are sick, stay at home. Everyone who is not ill is also requested to stay at home as much as possible. Avoid going into public spaces until this state of emergency clears. For your own safety, stay at home. This radio station is unmanned. Do not call the radio station seeking assistance. Instead, call the Public Help Line at-
The announcement ended. The station switched back to the steady stream of cheesy pop music that had been on loop ever since the radio staff had left the station yesterday afternoon. Every fifteen minutes, the music paused, and the announcement played again.
The rain kept falling. It hadn't stopped for days. Jonna rested her head against one hand and stared out of the window as Riikka drove her home.
The roads were empty. And the sidewalks. Not a single person was out. Nobody aside from the two of them.
It wasn't just because of the rain.
Technically, they weren't supposed to be out either. But Riikka had called her early in the morning, asking her to come over for a little while, and how could she say no to that? Going to see her was better than staying at home. And with everyone else staying inside, and avoiding one another if they did go out, it wasn't hard to get to her girlfriend's place without running into anyone.
Her father had kept the store open until yesterday. They had been at reduced hours all week, and reduced staff – Hannu and Ville had already been gone for days, after disappearing unannounced - until finally, yesterday evening, they locked everything up and shut down operations until further notice. That meant that they were all going to be spending a lot of time at home together, trapped by the rain and everything else that was going on outside. She hadn't been looking forward to it.
Luckily for her, it wasn't hard to convince her frazzled father to let her leave for a little while.
Riikka's offer of a distraction was more than welcome.
Ordinarily, visiting her girlfriend would be nice and uneventful, unless Jonna decided to make it eventful. This time, it was different.
There was a suitcase on Riikka's bed. Boxes on the kitchen counter filled with dry goods. Her cat's crate was near the door.
"I'm sorry about this," Riika said. After the coffee was finished brewing, they sank down onto the couch together, mugs cupped in their hands. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm leaving soon."
"What?" Jonna stared at her. "Why?"
"This is going to sound crazy." She laughed. Maybe it was better than the alternative. "But, um. My aunt, Åsa, she thinks it isn't safe here. She wants to pack us all up on the boat and leave tonight. We have a cabin out on one of the islands –"
"And you're actually going along with it?"
"Well... yes." Riikka stared down at her coffee cup. "I got a call from work yesterday. They said they won't need me for the rest of the week, because of all those public health warnings – they decided to take it seriously, I guess. And if we're all wrong about this, then that's okay, it'll just blow over after a while, and it'll be fine." She took a deep breath. "But if it doesn't blow over-"
"Oh, come on-"
"You come on. If it doesn't blow over, and this turns out to be something really bad, then... it's better to be prepared, right?"
Jonna managed not to roll her eyes. Somehow. It was hard, but she did it. And as she managed this spectacular feat of restraint, she slid her arm around Riikka's shoulders, holding her a bit closer. "You'll be okay," she said. "I mean, if you want to go hang out with your crazy aunt, do some family bonding for a while or whatever, then that's all right. But, don't worry too much. It's all going to be fine!" She grinned. "Just watch, you'll end up with a few unexpected days off, and that'll be all."
Riikka smiled. Shook her head a bit. She didn't look as reassured as Jonna would have liked. But she tilted her head and pressed a kiss to Jonna's cheek. "Okay," she said. Good enough.
They set to work after that, packing everything up. Riikka told her that this wasn't what she'd called her over for at all, but Jonna insisted. "You look worried," she said. "And I don't think you'll stop being worried until this is all done. Right?"
Riikka hesitated. Nodded. Maybe she couldn't argue with that.
But it was fine. It really was. Not that Jonna was crazy about housework, but what else could they do on a day like this? With the rain coming down so hard that it was impossible to go out even if there wasn't a supposed rash plague around, and Riikka far too jumpy to be in the mood for making out, the two of them didn't have a lot of options.
It was fine. They'd pack up, and Riikka would go on this little family trip, and it would all be fine. That was what Jonna told herself as the two of them boxed up Riikka's pantry together. Rice. Beans. Canned fruit. Cat food. More canned fish than you could shake a stick at. It was like she was packing up enough food to last for weeks.
Jonna pretended not to notice the other things. The rolls of twine. Screwdriver. Several rolls of duct tape. First aid kit. Batteries. Clean, tightly-folded bedsheets. But she did notice, and tried to tell herself that Riikka was just being overcareful. Just overpacking a little. That it was just what someone would take if they were going camping, that it was not-
There was a heavy knock on the door.
They both raised their heads.
Someone opened the door. Stepped in. Let the door fall shut with a heavy thud. A tall, dripping-wet figure in a raincoat and heavy boots. It pushed the hood back –
"Are you finished yet, Riikka dear?"
Her aunt. Åsa. Oh.
"Um. No, I thought you said we were leaving tonight? There's lots of time left-"
"Yes, but we need to pack your brother's stuff too. And your parents will have their own provisions, and their own luggage. We'll want to be as prepared as we can." The old woman shrugged her coat off and hung it on the peg on the wall. Stepped out of her boots. Nodded toward Jonna in greeting. "Hello there. Your father's got you all packed up, I expect?"
"Er..." Jonna glanced at Riikka, who only shrugged and resumed packing. Oh no. Her girlfriend was leaving her to fend for herself against this loony relative. Terrible. "Not exactly. We were planning to stay put for the time being."
"What?" Åsa's brows furrowed. "I'm surprised. With an emergency like this? I would've thought Jouko would be better prepared than that."
"Really, it's fine." Jonna smiled at her. Maybe if she could just sidestep the issue, she could avoid the lecture. "I'm sure this is all going to blow over pretty quickly. Give it a week, tops. We'll be okay."
"Hmm. Are you sure?" Riikka's aunt wasn't convinced. At all. It was clear from the look in her eyes. "I've heard otherwise. From very reliable sources."
The more Jonna looked at her, with the ends of her hair damp and plastered to her lined face, and her eyes burning with passion and yet at the same time utterly exhausted, the more serious Riikka's aunt looked. The more she looked as if she knew something. As if she knew for sure that something was going to happen.
Jonna bit her lip. What could she possibly say to that? "I... think I'm sure?"
"I see." She sighed. Long. Quiet. Drawn-out. "I think you'll find that this isn't going to be so easy. We're in for hard times ahead." A pause. "Look here – I know your family is big, but we'll still have room for all of you. So if Jouko has a change of heart, he can meet us at the docks at six. You tell your father that, you hear? Tell him it's important."
"I'll, um. I'll pass on the message, I guess. Thanks?"
"Good." Åsa looked to Riikka. "Riikka? I'm sorry to be a bother, dear, but you'd better drive Jonna home. We've got a lot of work to do before we leave."
Riikka looked at her aunt, then glanced at the boxes scattered around the kitchen. She hesitated, as if maybe she didn't quite accept all of that doom-and-gloom prophecy. But just as Jonna was wondering if she would say no, she caved. "Right." Then an apologetic smile directed toward Jonna. "Sorry, but I really should –"
"It's okay." Jonna waved a hand. "It's fine. Don't worry about it." It wasn't as if they could have any peace with Riikka's aunt hanging around like that, anyway.
"Be careful, you two." That was the warning they got as they left the house. Somehow, it seemed as if Åsa wasn't just warning Riikka to drive safely.
They didn't have anything to worry about, did they?
The two of them hardly spoke at all during the short drive to Jonna's place.
It was dark. Chilly. Jonna was glad for the ride, with the way the rain was coming down, but she didn't say it.
She thought back to that old woman standing in her girlfriend's kitchen. The look on her face. As if she knew something. As if she knew something really was going to happen; as if she got some kind of message from on high, some weird premonition, and what she knew terrified her.
This radio station is unmanned. Do not call the radio station seeking assistance.
Jonna frowned and turned the radio off.
It was creepy. That was all it was. The radio. The empty streets. The constant warnings to stay home, to not go to public places, to reduce your contact with people. The reports that had filtered in from the city before the radio station had closed its doors.
The look on Åsa's face.
Riikka pulled up to Jonna's house. They sat there in silence for a moment, not moving, listening to the sound of the rain outside.
"Well," Jonna said. "Looks like we're here."
"Yeah." Riikka hesitated. Leaned over. Kissed her cheek. "I'll see you soon?"
"Of course." Jonna grinned. "After a week or two, we're all going to feel pretty damn silly. Just watch, it'll be like, you know, bird flu or something. It'll be nothing." She grasped at her hand. Returned that gesture, that cheek-kiss. "Okay?"
"Okay."
"See you."
"...See you."
She stepped out of the car. Closed the door. Started making her way up the walk, hands in her pockets, head dipped against the rain.
The car door opened, then shut, and then Riikka called out, "Wait!"
Jonna turned just in time to catch Riikka as she latched onto her in a tight hug. "Whoa, hold on-"
"Sorry, I just –"
Wow, she really has a tight grip when she sets her mind to it, Jonna thought as she tried to shift her balance to steady herself. Riikka wasn't about to let go, arms wrapped tightly around her, face pressed against her shoulder. "What's wrong?"
There was a sound. A quiet noise muffled into Jonna's jacket. "I'm scared, Jonna. I know you think it's going to be fine, but what if it isn't? What if my aunt's right? What if-"
There was another sound, and this time, Jonna was sure it was a sob. Oh shit, she thought. How can I handle this? "Hey, wait, no," she said, hugging her girlfriend tight, kissing at the top of her head. "Everything's going to be okay-"
"But what if it won't be okay?!"
Jonna gritted her teeth and closed her eyes and tried frantically to think of something. What could she possibly say?
The words kept coming back to her, playing over and over in her head like the automatic radio announcement. Åsa's warning. Hard times ahead.
Åsa's warning. And Åsa's invitation.
"Okay, look, I have an idea," Jonna said, as she carefully, slowly pulled herself away enough to look at her girlfriend.
Riikka tilted her face up. Looked up at her. Her cheeks were wet, probably from the rain. Or maybe not. "What kind of idea?"
"I'll ask my dad. About – you know, about your aunt's offer. The boat and the cabin and whatever."
"Okay." A deep breath. "I'm glad. If you're sure. If it's nothing, we'll be fine, but – you know."
"I mean, I can't guarantee that he'll agree to it."
"Yeah. I understand. I just – please ask him? Please."
The thought of being cooped up with her family and the Skärsholms on an island in the middle of a lake was not exactly appealing. Especially not with the rain, and the worry, and the possibility of a crisis hanging over their heads. Even if it was probably bullshit. But what if, Jonna thought, what if it was true? What if that crazy old lady was right?
Maybe you're going nuts too, Jonna told herself. Absolutely fucking bonkers. But it didn't matter. "I'll ask," she said, sweeping Riikka's damp hair out of her face. "I promise."
"Okay."
The next thing Jonna knew, Riikka grabbed her by the collar of her jacket, and jerked her down for a kiss. It wasn't light like the kisses earlier in the morning, or that cheek-kiss in the car. It was hard. It was passionate. It had a desperate edge to it.
Jonna held her tight and kissed her in return and ignored the rain as it poured down and drenched their hair and slipped its way inside her coat and down into her boots and soaked her jeans all the way through. She ignored the feeling that crept up her neck – no, it was not fear, she wasn't scared, she wasn't – and instead concentrated on thinking about how to ask her father. How to persuade him.
I'll find a way, Jonna thought. Even if I have to try every trick in the book.
And if it turned out to be nothing? No harm done.
We'll laugh about this when it's all over, Jonna thought, and held Riikka tight.
End
