Sauna Summer - 1. Sauna Summer

The sun stood in its zenith in the south and Juha turned his face into the breeze blowing in off the Gulf of Bothnia. This summer had so far not been the warmest in his memory, though he had stubbornly put on swim trunks and walked down to the beach all the same, towel draped over his shoulder. His family’s summer home up in the woods was overrun with mosquitoes, but the beach was blessedly bug free, save a few ants in the sand and the odd gadfly.

There were a few swimmers out in the blue, brackish water, most of them children who had ceased to feel the cold long ago. Juha spied out among the waves for a face he recognised, but none seemed familiar to him. Just then, a figure stood up out of the water, and Juha’s jaw dropped.

He was certain nothing like the man now wading in towards the shore had ever been seen on this beach before. He was an adonis, all lean, rippling muscles under tan skin, and short, sun-bleached hair. Droplets of water clung to his smooth torso. As he reached the water’s edge, another gust of cool wind blew across the beach, and the man hugged himself, nipples budding against the chill.

Juha watched the stranger break into a trot up the beach towards a group gathered by one of the rocks (the one Juha had always called the Little Rock, as opposed to the Big Rock that he favoured for the ability to stand and warm oneself against the sun-heated stone after swimming). Juha put a hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun and squinted towards the group there. It was Markku’s family, the Mäntynens. Markku was not a friend, exactly, but a close enough acquaintance that going to say hello was a matter of course, and so Juha trudged through the white sand towards them.

A few metres away, he greeted Markku with a wave. Markku returned his greeting. They exchanged pleasantries (‘Hello,’ and ‘The water’s cold today, isn’t it?’), before Juha asked, ‘So, who’s your friend?’

Markku grinned. ‘A cousin of sorts. His grandmother was my grandfather’s half sister. Moved to America. He’s finding his roots or something like it.’ He turned to the stranger, who was now drying his hair vigorously with a towel, and said, in English, ‘Adam, come say hi. This is our neighbour.’

In truth, Juha’s summer cabin was three lots over from Markku’s, and on the other side of the road, but he supposed it was an accurate enough description.

Adam set down his towel on the rock and reached out a hand. ‘Hey. I’m Adam Hill. How’s it going?’

Juha shook his hand. The other had a firm grip. ‘Juha Lehtinen.’

‘We were in school together,’ Markku explained.

Adam nodded towards Juha’s swim trunks. ‘Been in yet?’

‘Not today.’

The American squinted up at the sun. ‘It’s a lot colder than it looks.’ Goosebumps had formed on his skin and Juha had to stop himself from smirking.

‘It’s pretty normal for here,’ said Juha. ‘If the water’s twenty degrees it’s really warm.’

‘That’s in the sixties, isn’t it?’ said Adam. ‘Sorry, haven’t been able to wrap my head around the Celsius Fahrenheit thing . . . It’s my first time in Europe.’

‘Been here long?’

Adam shook his head. ‘Got here yesterday. Spent last night in town, and now we’re here.’ He smiled. ‘It’s nice, though. Totally different from Southern California.’

‘A bit colder, I imagine,’ said Juha, returning his smile.

‘A bit.’ Adam’s smile turned into a grin, and he looked away, almost shyly. He was adorable. ‘Say, your English is pretty good.’

Juha shrugged. ‘I studied abroad for a year. England.’

‘Ah, yeah. That explains it. I’ve been trying to learn a little Finnish, for this trip, but it’s not the easiest language to learn. So far I’ve got “Olut”, “Kiitos” and “Kippis”.’

Juha laughed. ‘All you need to order a beer and drink it. Good start.’ He turned to Markku and said, in Finnish, ‘I’m alone at the cabin for another week. Why don’t you bring your American over for beers and sauna tonight?’

Markku laughed. ‘Isn’t it a bit early to foist sauna culture on the poor boy?’

Juha shrugged. ‘You said he came to find his roots. What’s more Finnish than sauna?’ He took a step back. ‘I’m getting in the sea before the wind turns. See you tonight.’ He gave Adam a nod, and trotted over to the Big Rock, dropping his towel in the sand before heading down the beach towards the water’s edge. This ought to be interesting.

#

Markku brought Adam over at eight o’clock that evening. They sat down on the porch in the evening sun with a beer each while the sauna furnace burned to heat up the little room. Juha watched the chimney, waiting for the smoke to be replaced by a shimmer of heat.

‘How do you like Finnish beer?’ Markku asked of Adam as they all opened another can.

‘It’s good,’ said Adam. ‘I drink mostly microbrews, you know, craft beer, back home. The shit you get in the supermarkets isn’t much worth a damn. But this is good.’ He raised the can. ‘Kippis!’

Juha smiled. ‘Cheers,’ he replied, and took a sip. ‘Sauna should be warm soon.’

‘So, how does this work exactly?’ asked Adam. ‘Cause when a dude asks you to a sauna in San Diego . . . Well, saunas sometimes have a different function, I think.’

‘You mean cruising,’ said Juha helpfully, and Adam blushed.

‘Cruising?’ asked Markku, confused.

‘Sex.’

‘Oh.’

Juha laughed. ‘Yeah, that’s not what saunas are for here. It’s one of the cardinal sins, in fact. The things you never do in a sauna: Have sex, fart, or swear.’

Adam smiled wryly. ‘I’ll try to contain myself, then.’

#

Juha sat in his favoured corner spot. The thermometer on the wood panelled wall showed eighty degrees. Perfect sauna bathing temperature. Markku sat closest to the furnace, leaving the spot by the window free. This sauna couldn’t comfortably seat more than three adults. The door opened and Adam walked in, towel wrapped around his waist.

‘You can leave that outside,’ said Juha, watching Adam blush slightly at the nudity before him.

‘Oh, yeah.’ He fidgeted.

‘There’s a clean linen cloth out there that you can use to sit on.’

Adam disappeared for a moment and then returned, holding the linen cloth in front of him. He shut the door behind him and climbed the steps up to the free spot next to Juha. He seemed to steel himself for a moment before laying down the cloth on the wooden bench, leaving him nothing to hide behind. He sat.

They were quiet for a few moments. Juha reached for the ladle in the bucket and splashed water onto the rocks on the furnace. The water hissed and evaporated at once, steam rising into the room. The hot steam hit them like a wave, washing their bodies and teasing their pores open to allow sweat to trickle forth.

Adam let out a long breath. ‘Ooh,’ he said. ‘This is . . . different.’

‘You sweat out the dirt,’ said Juha. ‘Cleans the pores better than any body scrub. Then you wash off the sweat, and you’re clean and smooth as a baby’s bottom.’

‘You do this often?’

‘Often as I can.’

‘Not me,’ said Markku. ‘I prefer showers. Sauna is a summer thing. I’m not a very good Finn.’ He grinned.

‘I go every evening all year round if I can,’ said Juha. ‘I have ever since I was a kid. Missed it like crazy when I was in England.’

‘So, kids go in the sauna?’

‘Oh yeah, I used to go with my whole family. Grandfather, mum and dad, and me.’

Juha hadn’t thought Adam’s eyebrows could go any higher, but lo and behold, so they could. ‘So, kids and adults are . . . naked, in here, together?’ He laughed. ‘That would just never happen back home. I mean, I don’t think I’ve ever even seen my mom naked.’ He looked thoughtful. ‘I like the sound of that, though. I mean, it seems more healthy, somehow. Back home, everyone’s so scared of nudity. I guess cause they think nudity means sex. I knew it was different in Europe, but this is the first time I’m experiencing it. Being naked together without there being sex involved . . . Back home, that’s something only nudists do, and no one really believes that.’

He seemed more relaxed now. His knees had fallen open and he leaned back slightly. Juha reached for the ladle and poured more water on the rocks. Markku covered his face with his hands as the steam hit him, and once it had subsided he said in Finnish, ‘I think I’ve had enough. I’ll go wash up and get some more beer out.’ He stood and left the room, momentarily letting in cool air when he opened the door.

Juha glanced over at Adam. ‘You’ve lasted longer than I thought you would.’

Adam laughed. ‘I’m from California,’ he reminded him. ‘Sure, it’s hot in here, but I’m used to hot.’

Juha felt like commenting on the hotness of Adam, but decided against it. He hadn’t been with anyone in a while. His town was small and he knew everyone there. While he was out, and people around here weren’t particularly judgemental about it despite being in the Bible belt, the gay population was rather limited. He’d had a boyfriend back at university, but they had broken up when he’d gone to England. There he had joined the LGBT society, had gone out with a few guys, shagged a few others, and still kept in touch with a couple of them, but nothing had come of it. It was hard not to look, and not to imagine, when an attractive stranger showed up out of nowhere like this. Especially one who would mention gay saunas in conversation.

They sat for a while longer, making light conversation but mostly staying silent, until Adam admitted that he was really getting quite warm and went out to wash. Juha waited for the splashing of water to cease out in the washroom before he too left the sauna room, opening the window to air out on the way.

When he came outside, still only in his underwear, he found Adam and Markku on the porch drinking beer again. The sun was mostly obscured by the trees now, and they had lit the mosquito spiral, the smoke keeping the little beasts away from the porch. Markku was fully dressed, but Adam was still shirtless, sitting back in his chair with his eyes closed, a can of beer in his hand. As Juha sat down in the chair next to him, Adam released a contented sigh.

‘That was pretty awesome,’ he said softly. ‘I feel so relaxed now.’

Juha took the beer can Markku handed him and took a long sip. He glanced over at Adam and watched his sculpted chest rise and fall. Now that they were out of the sauna it was somehow harder not to stare. He barely noticed that Markku stood up and set off towards the outhouse. He let his gaze travel down Adam’s stomach to the waistband of his jeans. His muscles were lean, long, not bulky. Swimmer’s muscles, not body builder’s. His torso was almost entirely hairless, save for a trail of light brown fuzz going from his bellybutton and disappearing down into his trousers.

‘Like what you see?’

Juha blinked and looked up sharply to find Adam smiling at him. He blushed, turning his eyes away and taking a large swig of beer.

‘You can look if you want. I don’t mind.’ Adam’s voice was soft, kind. ‘Actually, I’ve kind of been looking, too . . .’

‘Yeah?’ Juha was embarrassed to find his voice unsteady. He chanced another glance up at Adam and found himself captivated by green eyes.

‘Yeah. You’re actually just my type. All broad shouldered and kind of rugged . . . Besides, you seem really cool. I asked Markku about you. He told me about your photography, and writing for the paper. I considered journalism for a while. Now I’m back to not knowing what I want to be. I think maybe that’s why I came here. Expand my horizons and stuff.’ He smiled again. ‘This place really is nothing like California. Maybe that’s a good thing.’

‘Adam.’ Markku had returned from the outhouse. ‘I’m pretty tired. Think I’ll go back. You can stay if you want.’

‘Sure, I’ll see you later.’

Markku waved goodbye and left them there. Adam chuckled.

‘I think he’s playing wingman,’ he said. ‘So, is he right to?’

Juha cleared his throat. ‘I don’t know. You tell me.’

Adam smiled a half smile. He reached over with his left hand and grabbed the back of Juha’s neck gently, fingers slipping up into his hair. He leaned forward in his chair and, pulling Juha forward to meet him halfway, touched his lips softly to his.

Juha closed his eyes. He hadn’t kissed anyone in months, and only now, with Adam’s soft lips moving against his own, did he realise just how much he had missed it. He touched his palm to Adam’s shoulder, rubbing slowly with his thumb, and opened his mouth a bit. Adam responded straight away, parting his lips and gently pushing his tongue inside Juha’s mouth. Their tongues moved languidly against one another, and Juha took in the bittersweet taste of lager beer with a hint of sauna smoke. Adam smelled clean, like tar soap and pine needles. Juha pressed his lips tighter against him, deepening the kiss, and Adam responded with a sharp intake of breath and a sigh.

After what felt like an eternity, and yet not long enough, they parted. Adam licked his lips and smiled, and Juha felt his cheeks redden.

‘You’re cold,’ Adam observed, stroking his hand down Juha’s shoulder and arm.

‘Am I? I hadn’t noticed,’ said Juha truthfully, and Adam laughed softly, a purring sound in his throat.

‘Wanna go inside?’

‘Yeah, all right.’

They both stood, and Juha noted that he was slightly taller than Adam. Adam took his hand, entwining their fingers, and they walked inside the house together. Juha had to let go of Adam’s hand in order to light a candle. It had gone eleven, and though the sun had not yet dipped below the horizon, and wouldn’t for another hour, it was getting dark inside the cabin.

‘This place is meant to be a break from everything,’ Juha explained. ‘We only have one wall outlet, and that’s for the fridge. Other than that, no electricity. I have an old mobile phone, my holiday phone. I charge it once a week in town.’

Adam nodded. ‘I can see how that could be nice. No TV or Facebook to distract you, just the forest and the bright summer nights.’

Juha blew out the match and set the candle on the table. Then he turned to Adam. He was about to ask him if he wanted another beer, but before he had the chance Adam was kissing him again, and Juha had no desire to break the kiss. Instead he walked backwards, guiding Adam towards the sofa. It was an ancient, wooden thing with thin cushions, made to make you want to go out into the forest rather than sit inside all day. When they sat down, however, the discomfort didn’t bother him. Soon, Adam was straddling his lap and nothing in the world mattered except his lips and hands and the feel of his body.

They stayed like that, hands roaming over one another’s torsos, familiarising themselves with new landscapes. Juha broke the kiss and moved his lips along Adam’s jawline, to his ear and then down his neck, tasting his salty-sweet skin. Adam released a small moan, rocking his hips ever so slightly, and Juha mimicked the sound against his skin. He slid his hand up Adam’s side to his chest, and gently squeezed one of his nipples. Adam moaned again, louder this time, and slid his fingers into Juha’s hair, grabbing a fistful of blonde locks (just barely possible at its current length) and pulling gently. Juha scraped his teeth over Adam’s neck in response.

For a while they went on like that, now kissing, now allowing tongues and lips to explore new avenues, until Adam’s right hand, warm and slender, slid down Juha’s stomach to the waistband of his boxers, and Juha gasped.

‘I . . . I don’t think I have any condoms here,’ he said, suddenly realising this.

Adam smiled, lips against Juha’s temple. ‘We don’t need to go that far tonight,’ he said softly. ‘You’re alone here for another week, right? That’s what Markku said.’

Juha nodded, as Adam’s fingers slipped inside his waistband. ‘Yeah,’ he breathed. ‘Are you—’ He swallowed, stifling a moan. ‘How long are you staying?’

‘I’m in Finland all summer. There’s other family I can visit, but . . . I’ll be around.’

‘Good,’ said Juha quickly, blushing slightly. ‘I’m glad.’ He felt Adam’s palm against the head of his dick and now he did moan. Adam’s long fingers wrapped around his shaft and stroked slowly. He shifted, pulling Juha’s boxers down with his other hand and letting his gaze fall.

‘Mm . . . God, I really wanna suck you off.’ Juha felt his cock twitch at this and Adam chuckled. ‘Eager, aren’t you?’

‘I, er . . .’ Juha cleared his throat. ‘I haven’t really been with anyone in a while,’ he admitted. ‘Not since my university graduation, actually, and that was last September.’ He felt his face flush and blessed the semidarkness of the room.

‘Now, that is a crime,’ said Adam, stroking a bit faster. ‘Someone needs to take care of you.’ And with that he climbed off him and got to his knees on the floor, taking the tip of Juha’s cock into his mouth. He slid his tongue around the head before pulling back a bit and saying, ‘I don’t think I’ve been with a guy who’s uncut before.’

‘Hardly anyone gets circumcised here,’ said Juha. ‘Unless they’re Jewish or Muslim . . .’ He hesitated. ‘Do you think it’s gross?’

‘No, not at all!’ said Adam quickly, continuing to stroke. ‘I know all the myths about it are just that: myths. It’s just different. I feel like I need to learn everything all over again. It’s fun, though. You’re so responsive.’

He returned to his task, and Juha let his head fall back against the backrest of the sofa with a groan. Adam took his hand and placed it on top of his own head, and Juha ran his fingers through the light brown strands, before letting his hand settle on the back of Adam’s head. He dared to look down at Adam sitting between his legs and found Adam’s green eyes looking back at him through long lashes. Juha thought he could have come just from that, though he held back.

After some minutes of this, Adam released Juha’s cock with a wet pop and stood up. Juha hooked his fingers into the belt loops of Adam’s jeans and pulled him forward, looking up at him. Adam smiled and stroked Juha’s cheek with a hand that smelled vaguely of Juha’s own dick. It was oddly arousing. Juha unzipped Adam’s jeans and worked his hand down the back of his boxers, squeezing gently at the supple flesh of his arse. Adam bit his lower lip and then shimmied out of his jeans and underwear.

Juha pulled him closer, and Adam lifted one leg, placing his foot up on the sofa next to Juha, so his cock, long and slender like the rest of him, was just an inch from Juha’s face. Juha leaned forward the rest of the way, taking him into his mouth and tasting the salty pre-cum beading at the tip. Adam groaned, leaning against the wall with one hand for support. With the other he grabbed the back of Juha’s head, pulling at his hair again. Juha reached up to stroke his cheek, and then prodded at Adam’s lips with two fingers. Without missing a beat, Adam took them into his mouth, coating them in his saliva. Pulling his fingers out of Adam’s mouth, Juha reached around and teased gently at Adam’s hole.

‘Oh, fuck!’ Adam pushed back against the sensation almost at once, and Juha’s finger slipped inside. As he slowly eased his finger further in, Adam pressed back against him even more, letting out a long, drawn out moan that was almost a whimper. Juha stared at his face, transfixed with the way his eyes shut tight and his breath came in quick, trembling bursts. Adam pushed back far enough that his dick fell out of Juha’s mouth.

‘Shit . . . I wish you could fuck me!’ Adam whimpered. Juha failed to stifle a groan at this. His finger was in to the second knuckle now.

‘Some other day, perhaps?’ he managed.

‘You better make that a promise.’ Adam’s voice was raw, hot. ‘Oh, God . . . More!’

Juha pushed his finger in the rest of the way, as far as he could manage. Pulling it out again, he added another, still slick with saliva, pushing both inside as gently as he could. Adam panted, his legs shaking now.

‘Don’t you dare pull out,’ he murmured. He manoeuvred himself back into Juha’s lap and, grabbing his head in both hands, crashed their lips together as he rocked his hips back and forth, fucking himself on Juha’s fingers.

After a few moments, he broke the kiss and, letting go of Juha’s face, reached down between them to take both their cocks in his hand. He stroked them steadily, every breath out a moan now, and Juha joined his free hand to Adam’s. This was the second best thing to the idea of burying his dick in Adam’s arse: watching him come undone in his lap, eyes closed and lips parted. Then he opened his eyes and gritted his teeth, his gaze meeting Juha’s, and Juha couldn’t hold back any longer and came, seed spilling out over both their hands. Adam kissed him, then, and slammed back onto Juha’s fingers, and then Juha could feel his sphincter tightening around the base of his fingers before Adam came as well.

Adam collapsed against him, still kissing him, but gentler now. Juha waited until he felt Adam relax around him before pulling his fingers out. He grabbed a sheet of kitchen paper from the roll on the table and wiped his hands clean. Then he stroked Adam’s back in slow caresses. Adam pulled back a bit and smiled.

‘Well,’ he said, ‘that was pretty awesome, too.’

Juha laughed. ‘You can say that again. I . . . Yeah. Wow.’ He brought his cleaner hand to Adam’s cheek, cupping it and stroking with his thumb. Adam turned his head sideways and kissed his palm. Then he rested his forehead against Juha’s, placing a single light peck on his lips.

‘I should probably go,’ he sighed. ‘Markku and his family will be wondering where I am.’

‘Yeah, I guess,’ said Juha, not quite able to mask the disappointment in his voice.

‘Think it would be okay if I came over again tomorrow?’ asked Adam.

Juha felt his face split into a grin. ‘Definitely!’

Adam stood up and wiped the semen off his chest and stomach, before finding his clothes. Juha pulled his boxers back on and watched Adam get dressed while he cleaned himself up. He felt like he couldn’t stop smiling. When Adam had pulled on his t-shirt, he leaned back down, hands on either side of Juha’s shoulders, and kissed him deeply.

‘See you tomorrow?’ he said.

‘See you tomorrow,’ Juha replied. He stood and walked Adam over to the door. They shared one last kiss and then Adam set off down the path towards the road. Juha watched him go. He wasn’t yet certain whether this was just a fling or something more, but either way he knew that this would be a summer to remember.