Talvi Koskinen

“Talvi, your new article was supposed to be on my desk yesterday. What the hell is going on with you? You’ve never been late on anything before.” Standing with square shoulders in Capito’s office his hoarse voice was rising with his annoyance level.

Talvi didn’t even have time to respond before he jumped in again as he paced side to side, “Look I know you’re having relationship trouble and that you’re probably a little miffed with me over me our disagreement involving that missing persons baloney but work is not the time to get personal. Okay? Capeesh?”

Talvi gave a blundering nod, “Okay, yes boss. Sorry boss.”

“I’m just trying to look out for you Koskinen, let sleeping dogs lie. Now go home. Rest up and get me that article.”

Closing the door behind them, Talvi sighed to themselves. Why couldn’t he see the correlation?

Checking their watch, Talvi began to pack up their work.

Sitting quietly in the waiting room Talvi made their way over to the visitor. “Hello, my stalker.” They said, peering over the couch cushion.

He turned up at them, the edge of his baseball almost hitting them. “How was your day?” He got up from the couch, completely changed out of his janitor’s uniform.

Emitting a lengthy and audible breath, Talvi responded, “Long.”

“That bad, huh?” He joked with a crinkle in his eyes.

Talvi ended up mimicking him as a slight smirk wormed its way onto their face, “How was yours?”

“The amount of dust statues produce over the course of one night is ridiculous. Like do they roll in dust baths when I'm not looking?”

“Look, I think we should talk about last night.”

“Me too.”

“You’ve seen that…man or whatever it was before?”

“I think its Modarr.”

Stopping in their immediate step Talvi almost made the other pedestrians run into their back. They whisper-yelled at him, “….Modarr? The Modarr?”

“Yes.” He exhaled like he was mentally preparing himself, “As in the God of the Skies.” Talvi’s skepticism only deepened with a raised eyebrow and a scowl attached.

“Look I know it sounds absolutely crazy. Believe me I know that.”

They scoffed, “You’re telling me.”

Pulling them to the side, Talvi and Erik huddled away from the rest of the passing pedestrians, “Look.”

Standing closer to the alleyway, Erik raised his thin t-shirt to show off his lower stomach. The once mostly faint white indentations that curled around his chest and back were now thick and pronounced. More ivory branches had also been produced.

Reaching out, Talvi pressed their cold fingertips to the white indentations on his stomach.

Their voice was small, “Holy hell.” Suddenly, ripping their hand away, Talvi and Erik set about walking back home with crimson tinted cheeks and ears.

“You don’t walk away from getting struck with lightning. You don’t see men that look more like Gods than man without thinking that maybe you’re just seeing a God instead. Plus, have you seen the statue? It looks exactly like him, down to the chin.” Talvi knew the statue well, they’d seen it a hundred times. Erik wasn’t wrong, it looked exactly like the man they’d seen in the alley.

“Fine. Say I believe you. And it is in fact Modarr. When did you first see him? Is he just following you? If he’s actually Modarr, how? Why? Does that mean all the rest of the Gods actually exist? Gah! I have so many more questions.” Talvi almost felt like pulling out their notebook and treating it like a new article and case.

“I first saw him on the first night that I slept on the couch. I don’t think he’s following me, last night was only the second time I've seen him. And those are the only questions I can answer. I don’t understand why we saw him, I haven’t seen anyone else.”

“I’m getting a headache.” Talvi murmured, pressing a cold hand to their forehead as they walked home.

The gold lock on the apartment door was actually locked today.

Talvi tumbled onto the couch, mind still whirring like an airplane engine from all the information they’d just processed.

“Here.” Erik’s gruff voice spoke, eyes fluttering open Talvi saw a small bowl in Erik’s outstretched hand. Sitting up, Talvi took the bowl and looked into it.

Cut up strawberries and snow coloured whipped cream. Immediately they looked up at him with wide eyes. “You remembered?”

He shook his head, “Just noticed. I also noticed that you like to have alone time after a taxing day so I'll be in the room.”

Their chest flattened. “Oh, well …Thanks.” They smiled halfheartedly.

Soon with tired brains and constant yawns Talvi decided to join Erik in bed. Backs turned towards each other, Erik murmured softly, “Goodnight Talvi.”

“...Goodnight Erik.”