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A new man had joined the crew on Marjatta. He’d hopped on the boat in Estonia, was around Jussi’s age. And apparently he’d taken that as an invite to follow him around. Emptying nets, he’d have to listen to the young man, who he barely remembered the name of, talk about “wanting adventure” and his childhood. He much preferred the company of the other crew, even Erik with his broken Swedish-sounding Finnish. But the guy was persistent, even wanted to sleep beside him.
Jussi figured it would be rude to ignore him for much longer than a month, so when he found the man had been talking for too long, he’d simply hand him his hip flask and make him shut up with a drink. Later, that’d expand to discussing the day’s work over dinner, lending him his after-shave, poking fun at him for mistakes when hauling up nets, and staying up late to play cards. Indrek became his first friend.
The Estonian boy would often poke fun at Jussi, his mannerisms, his grumpiness, his education. And Jussi would always respond to the teasing with a sharp punch or hit to the head. The reaction would only make Indrek even more amused.
Late into the night, Indrek would whisper to Jussi. At first, he’d pretended to be asleep in hopes of getting the man to quiet down, but those hazel eyes would see through his act. Jussi had no choice but to listen to even more stories. Secretly, he was impressed; that someone his age could have so much to talk about, so many experiences to share. Jussi was almost envious – no, not almost – most definitely envious. And Indrek knew that. He’d pause his narrative, look at Jussi.
“Ive spoken so much about myself, can’t you tell me anything about yourself?” For some reason, that grin irked Jussi immensely.
“You’d have to get me trembling wasted for me to spill even a drop of any of that bogus. You’ve had no problem keeping me awake this long, I think you can remember just a bit more to share.” He’d scoff.
“Aaah! Seriously!”
“I guess not.” Jussi would roll over, turn his back to the whining estonian boy.
“Aaah, I’ll tell! I have plenty more!” Indrek’s eyes closed in on the blanket covered form beside him. “I said I had more!” He’d poke him with his foot at the lack of a response.
Jussi only scoffed out a laugh, turning back to face the other. “Fine, If you have something really interesting.”
Indrek stared at Jussi, then he’d smile slyly. “Okay, I can tell you something interesting, alright… I can tell you about the first girl I had sex with.”
Jussi froze.
Sex? Wasn’t that private? Wasn’t that dirty? Not the kind of thing to speak of with your buddy while going to bed.
He didn’t want his unease to show, Jussi only diverted his gaze with a scoff. “I don’t want to hear about your dirty business.. That’s gross.” He especially didn’t want Indrek to continue this topic.
“What? Are you shy?” Don’t ask.
“Shy? I just don’t want to hear about you doing stuff!” Stop it.
“Ohh, I see how it is..” No you don’t, you don’t see how it is, you know nothing. “Is Joosef still a virgin?”
“What?! You’re seriously crazy!” Shut it, just shut up.
“Hasn’t done the deed, I see~..” Indrek would sit up looming over the now once again turned over Jussi, grinning at the way he’d dragged the back of his shirt all the way over his face. “I had a feeling you’d be a virgin, seems my gut was right!”
“Just, …shush!.. Shut it!...” Screw you, screw you…
Through the thin fabric of his undershirt, Jussi could see the shadow moving to cover him, he could feel the growing closeness between them.
“Don’t you want to know what it’s like?...”
Curled black locks ghosted over his head, tickling his ears. Joosef’s throat closed, his already hot cheeks had now been set on fire. No! He didn’t want to hear any of it! None of that foul business! Especially not from Indrek! But the man didn’t shut it, didn’t abide by Jussi’s silent wishes.
“... Doesn’t a man have to know what happens?”
*
“Jussi, Watch out!”
Antti’s shout came too late for the lost-in-thought Jussi, the hanging, wet fishing net had already slammed into his back. With a wince, Jussi would stumble forward into some barrels by the railing, yelping curses. His back burned, yesterday's desperately scored scratches screeching at the impact. Damn that Indrek! With a muttered curse he'd rub over skin, trying to soothe it, but it just stung even more, sore to the touch.
Perfectly on cue, a pale arm tugs him up. “What’s up, lost in daydreams?”
“I’m not lost in anything.” He’d quickly push Indrek off, moving back to his net. Hands resuming the familiar gesture of beheading and gutting.
“Someone’s sour.” The Estonian man followed, inching closer, hands landing comfortably over Jussi’s back, subtly trailing over the scrapes through his shirt.
“Who’s sour?” the blonde would grumble, kicking back on the intruder’s shins. Indrek would back off with a whine.
”Oww… be careful, I have frail bones!”
”You’re anything but frail.” Jussi dropped a net of shrimp in front of the man. ”Sort them, If they’re too small or look off, toss ’em.”
Despite the stubborn sternness, Indrek would still slack off to talk to Jussi, just like before, nothing had changed.
*
”Don’t you think it’s wrong?”
”What’s wrong?” Jussi would cock an eyebrow at the man laying beside him.
”I’d just expected a guy like you to be in shambles.” He was answered with a grin.
”Why’s that?”
”See, this is what I like about you; You’re so odd. You had no friends growing up, did you?” Indrek would trail his fingers over Jussi’s bare chest.
”I had plenty friends…” He’d shove off the hand.
”That’s a lie!” Indrek’s inky locks would bounce as he laughed. ”Did you even go to church?”
”Of course I went to church…”
”They didn’t tell you any of this was bad?”
”Of course they did.”
”Mmmm… a rebel. I like that.”
”Shut up. Get back in your own bed.” Jussi would kick at him. ”I want to sleep.”
Indrek would still only laugh. ”Not a soft bone in your body is there? Won't you let me cuddle up really close after you’ve wrecked me?”
”I won’t.”
The laughing continued. ”I’ve taught you so many things, can’t I teach you softness?”
”.. You can teach me.” Jussi would quit his attempts to reject the boy, submitting.
”See, if you screw a chick and kick her away, she’ll slap you across the face and run off, then tell every other lady in the country to stay away from you, the terrible douche!” Indrek would lay back down, itching even closer than before.
”I wouldn’t kick a woman.”
”Still! Okay, you hold her firmly against you, right?” He’d touch Jussi’s arm. ”Embrace her”
Jussi didn’t answer, just wrapped his arms around Indrek’s - in his own opinion, very dainty - waist. And then he’d look at the man for more instructions.
”You need to kiss her too.”
He’d do just that.
”Not just her lips, her face too.”
Jussi would frown, is every woman truly this needy? Nonetheless he’d comply.
”Then you sleep it off, and keep her in your arms.” Indrek would end his short lesson.
”Women are very demanding.” The response made the estonian boy laugh once again.
”Not as demanding as me.”
”Certainly not.”
They would lay there, silent.
”I’m hopping off in Germany.”
Jussi’s eyebrows would raise. ”You are?”
”Yeah,” Indrek stared at him. ”I have family there.”
”I see, I’ll have to wait for someone else to come and take your place then.”
Indrek laughed. ”What? Have I turned the virgin into a sex-obsessed monster?”
”Who said anything about sex? You’ve just never shut your mouth these past months, I’ll go crazy when it’s quiet all of a sudden.”
”You’ll have to drink that away too.” With those words, the boy would reach for a bottle of rum on the floor, pop open the cork, and take a long swig. Then he’d usher Jussi to do the same.