Beasts Bounding Through Time

I was still wrapped around him when morning took it’s first breath. I wasn’t quite sure what had happened the previous night but I needed him. Thing was, I wasn’t sure whether it was him I needed or it was the contact with a fellow human being. I couldn’t remember the last time I was that close to anyone physically, even if it was just a simple cuddle. The last contact I got was probably bumping into somebody on the streets of Helsinki.

I suppose I’ve never craved human contact with anyone for a long time until last night. When I left Jaska after our walk through a little path in the forest near the cabin left me numb all over. The cold didn’t help either. The cabin only gets so warm at night after the fire in the fireplace dies, leaving me to curl under wooly blankets or next to the second most famous Finnish singer after Tapio Rautavaara.

Seeing my old friend made me realize how much I missed normal human affection. What I had with Ville was...I wasn’t quite sure what I even had with that man. I just knew it wasn’t normal to meet up with somebody every few months and randomly invite him to stay in a secluded cabin miles away from bustling civilization. Did whatever it was suit us? That I wasn’t quite sure of either.

After crawling out of bed without disturbing the man I took a long hot shower, thinking it would rid me of all the guilt I felt after the night before. I felt guilty about the over extended break period of Jaska and mine friendship, despite us clearing up everything the last night. The thing I felt guilty for the most was crawling up against Ville. He obviously had no problem reacting in a positive manner towards my actions. It left me feeling trampish, even if I didn’t act upon promiscuous behaviors.

When I got out of the shower I went to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat for breakfast. I was greeted by Ville humming a tune that sounded like Madonna’s Like a Prayer slightly off key. Suppressing my laughter I started to sing the lyrics in a mocking tone. He turned around from the counter where he was prepping a piece of toast. His eyes narrowed, but a smirk showed me that he was amused at my playful banter.

“Your voice suits Madonna songs, ya know,” I chuckled, plopping myself down at the handcrafted picnic table that sustained the ability as a kitchen table.

“Yes, I think so too.” He rolled his eyes. Sitting on the opposite side of the table, he pushed a napkin with a piece of toast near me. I smiled at him and took the mini meal quickly, stuffing a side into my mouth to take a plentiful bite from it. Ville merely scrunched up his face before letting out an airy laugh.

“So...” he began after finishing his own breakfast. My body tensed at the one little word that usually led into some kind of confrontation. I did not want to talk about the event in his bedroom at all because what was there to say? Sorry ‘ol chap I just used your body to suffice my craving of another human being’s contact. It probably won’t happen again because I am unstable to continue such a habit. No, that would not do. “Have you been listening to me?” His eyes starred at me from a cocked head, questioning my state of presence.

“Wha-no, sorry.”

“Sylvie, you might want to stop smoking so much. You’ve been quite absent lately.” He was concerned, that much I could tell. I opened my mouth to retort back with any kind of excuse I could think of, but he cut me off. “That’s not what I was talking about, though I am concerned about it, I was saying that I feel quite embarrassed about my actions towards your friend last night. I was wondering if I could start over with Jaska, make amends.”

My composure settled when I realized that he wasn’t bringing up the bed fiasco...yet.

“Ville, that’s nice of you, but Jaska is a very down to earth man. I’m pretty sure he’s made of soil...and some reindeer shit, but no matter, he hasn’t held anything against you.”

“Yes, but I would personally feel better if I apologized.”

“Weeeell, now you’re just trying to save your ego, sir.”



“Ah fuck, you’ve caught me.”

“Indeed, but if you really need to coax the ego back up we can go to Jaska’s pub tonight.” He nodded in agreement.

We left around eight o’clock, the snow was fairly falling down but by the time we reached the end of the drive it was near impossible to see more than a foot in front of the car. Ville fiddled with the radio next to me, trying to find some weather news on the airwaves. The stations crackled and voices were full of static. I sighed and continued through the blizzard, knowing that the road wouldn’t be too far up ahead.

“Sure you don’t want to just turn back?” Ville asked me, once we reached the junction at the bottom of the drive.

“Nah, I’ve been out in worse than this. The road will clear up once we get into town.” I laughed, and made the right hand turn down the main access road into the village.

We made it there safely, took us a little longer but driving in difficult conditions call for care. I locked the car and quickly ran across the small carpark with Ville in tow. I pushed against the heavy oak door before closing it behind myself and him quickly, to avoid letting out the heat.

Jaska’s place had been in his family for decades. It was a small bar always packed with locals; and tonight was no different. Solid oak benches drenched with reindeer hide cluttered the cramped space and a large fireplace always cracked away in the corner. A strong scent of pipe tobacco always got lodged in the back of your nose. There was a small old TV that balanced on a shelf next to the bar that had been stuck on mute on the same channel for the last ten years. It was worth any dangerous journey from my cabin.

I looked to Ville, he smiled widely.

“I love it” he whispered in my ear.

“Come on, we’ll go get something to eat.” I laced my fingers with Ville’s, guiding him back to a free corner table next to the fireplace. “I swear they serve the best reindeer stew!”

“This is the atmosphere that all pubs should have,” Ville chuckled.

“I’ll go order us a few beers and some stew, need to see if Jaska is about.”

I weaved through the tables and chairs towards the bar, waving at the regulars that caught my glance. I rattled my nails on the heavy wood of the bar. Jaska was just finishing pulling a pint, he caught my eye and nodded before he slid the glass over to the customer.

“Two plates of your finest reindeer stew me lad, and two pints of your finest ale!” I laughed, and placed the money on the bar.

“You know you’re cash is no good here,” he laughed, “Ville with you?”

“Yeah, he’s actually here to apologise for last night.”

Jaska smiled to himself, “Well, once I close up the place about 10 we’ll get the place to ourselves. You two have dinner together first and enjoy yourselves.”

“Thanks, love.” I patted his hand.

The meal satisfied both Ville and my own hunger after just having toast the whole day. To be honest, toast was the main diet of ours considering we were too involved with our artistic duties to care about nourishing ourselves properly. Toast was quick to make and sufficed hunger just the right amount to ignore the quenching ache of a hungry stomach.

Ville patted his belly and sighed softly, “Swear, I won’t have to eat for a week.” He pulled up his jumper and prodded at his stomach, “Look, it’s a little food baby.”

“You’re ridiculous” I laughed.

“It was worth it, that’s the best meal I’ve had in a very long time.”

The bar was quiet now, only a few people were finishing off their last drink before they braved the storm outside. Jaska was drying glasses at the bar quietly. I took our plates to the bar and ordered another couple of beers. Jaska was locking the door behind the stragglers in no time and finally, we had the place to ourselves.

“Come on Ville, join us at the bar” I smiled, waving him over.

He slinked up to the bar with his shoulders hunched forward. Sitting on the stool beside me he leaned on the bar ready to confront Jaska. I played with the ring on my finger as I watched Ville’s gaze follow Jaska straightening up his liquor bottles. He was always slightly anal about certain things, like his family pub, which he took great pride in. Finally, after getting himself a glass of ale, the other slim man pulled a stool from under his side of the bar and sat down to face us.

A minute passed before Ville spoke, “Jaska, I have to apologize about my ill manner towards you last night. I was just taken by surprised after a long night of fighting with my music. I should’ve known it was plausible for you to come back with Sylvie.”

My friends starred at each other for far too long of a pause. I knew Jaska was just extending the moment to antagonize Ville for his own personal amusement.

“He loved your mother’s stew, by the way,” I piped in, hoping to break the damned pointless silence.



“Ah, you’re forgivin’ then, my new friend.” Jaska leaned forward, patting Ville’s shoulder in that manly sort of way. Ville looked at me in confusion. I just rolled my eyes while whisking my hand, telling him to forget the topic.

“Sylvie, my mother knows you’re here by the way. She’s probably still up, you should go surprise her,” Jaska said, raising his eyes up towards the ceiling where his parents lived.

“You think I should?”


“She’d love it. The old bat needs some kind of excitement. She misses your eccentrics.”

I nodded my blushed face and turned to Ville to make sure he wouldn’t mind me leaving him for a little while. Now comfortable enough around Jaska he allowed me to leave.

As I made my way towards the stairs in the back of the pub that led up to the door to the small apartment above I felt uneasy about leaving the two men together. I wasn’t quite sure why there was any need for the feeling. Surely they would get along despite their differences. They were both down to earth men who liked a good contradicting chat, which they would probably have, knowing their opposing personalities and opinions. I knew they would respect each other in the end after a game of devil’s advocate. So why did this feeling make me worry?