[Why is he being shamelessly flirted with, why is this still going on, sure, he likes Sampo far more than he should - here he is, breaking every last merfolk law which truly matters, talking with a human - but there's still limits.]

It was long ago. Before my time, or yours. [...probably. Who knows how humans aged? For all he knows, Sampo is thousands of years old.] We used to live closer to the surface- or that's what's said, and it makes sense to me. If my people hadn't lived near the surface at one point, then there's no reason why I should be able to spend so much time above the water, or speak with someone like you.

[He should stop, but, ah- Gepard snuggles instead. Maybe the relentless outrageous flirting is doing something for him, even though it'll end badly because legs, fins, who knows what humans have in terms of- uh. Parts. Also he shouldn't be thinking about this, so he won't.]

But, from what I do know: our old land was...corrupted, somehow, made inhospitable for our kind. Many merfolk died. It's said that it's humanity's fault, but no one knows why. We moved north and dove deeper, where we wouldn't be found so easily.