[...satisfied at a job well done, Gepard focuses on his work. Because he has a job. He's a defender and protector, which involves cutting fishing nets and setting any careless merfolk free (hasn't happened recently, occasionally it comes up, not all merfolk are as strong as he is and capable of ripping himself free) and patrolling and herding whales away and making sure nothing dangerous gets too close to the cities, making sure humans never learn of their existence, that sort of thing. Yeah. Just focusing on that. Definitely a career-oriented merman.
Yep. Focusing on his priorities.
His human is probably all healed up and on his way. (Gepard...thinks, he doesn't actually know how long it takes for a man to recover from near-drowning.) Except...does he have any money? Because when a guy gets washed overboard, they tend to lose everything - even Gepard knows that much. He knows currency is important to humans. They need coins to survive, trinkets to barter with, things to ensure a safe life and safe passage elsewhere.
And he is somewhat responsible for his human's continued existence, yes? When you save a life, you're responsible for what it does. He should check up on his human to make sure that his human is convinced that the rescue was just a fever dream brought on by the cold water and trauma of ending up on a beach. So, Gepard diligently goes through his things and picks out a golden pendant that never seemed to corrode no matter how long it was under the water and seemed to glow gently in the dark (perfect for bartering), and a handful of coins from a distant land (might be worth something, he doesn't know), and goes back to that beach and waits very patiently for a sign of his human so he can...
Throw them at the guy's head and vanish underwater again. Or something. Honestly, Gepard hadn't gotten much further than that in his planning, all of this is very impulsive which really isn't like him? (And if Serval knew, she'd say no, this is like him, he's stubborn to a fault.) Gepard's telling himself that he's seeing this (whatever this is) through to the end, and that's why he's so determined to throw some offering at his human's head and vanish again. Or. Something.]
[Money certainly is a thing, and it's a thing that Sampo Koski will acquire in the usual Sampo Koski way-- with a combination of legitimate and illegitimate business dealings. This little town that he's landed in has a bit of a problem getting goods that it needs, and Sampo is just the man to get those goods for them, one way or another. A man who can get things done! That's Sampo Koski.]
[He still finds time to go down to the beach, though. Just to walk. And that's not weird at all, a lot of people go to the beach to walk and clear their thoughts! Very good for the brain and the lungs. A little healthy sea air never hurt anyone, even if Sampo is a little more preoccupied with looking out at the ocean than he is necessarily with strolling.]
[But that's his business.]
[On this particular day, he's sitting on the pier rather than down on the beach proper, letting his legs dangle down towards the water. The ocean is calm, the sea breeze is cool and brisk; if he was going to see anything, this would be a good day for it, right? The perfect time for a pretty blond head to pop out of the water, if one was ever to show up.]
[Assuming that a pretty blond head ever would show up. Who knows if his merman savior would ever show his face back at shore again? Sampo vaguely remembers him saying something about merfolk law and humans, probably to keep them separate. Maybe he really wouldn't ever come back, and Sampo wouldn't see him until he finally figured out how to get a fish tail of his own.]
[Once he learns how seedy this particular human is, Gepard will be fucking disappointed. But for now: ignorance is bliss. Ignorance is bliss, and Gepard swims close to the island- but not too close, no, just close enough that he can see the shore.
He pops his head up, prepared to calmly scan the area for signs of his human, prepared to see nothing, fully expecting to have to come up with a Plan B. But it's a calm day. Weather? Fucking amazing. He locks eyes with Sampo and Gepard freezes...
...before he dives underwater again. Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim-
Sampo might expect to be disappointed, but then he probably hears a thonk under him, which is the sign of a guy surfacing a little too quickly and hitting his head against some boards. And then he hears some cursing, probably, just in case he didn't know what that thonk is.]
Is anyone else around? [That fucking hurt. Ow.] Did anyone else see me?
[There’s a moment when Sampo is looking out to sea that he spots it— a very human looking head popping above the blue-grey water, a flash of blond that quickly disappears again. Sampo sits up, leaning forward as though he could catch another glimpse. But it seems as though Gepard has disappeared under the water again. Scared off? Too cautious to approach?]
[There’s a thunk from underneath the pier and curses in a familiar voice.]
[He scrambles to his knees, leaning over to look underneath the pier, searching for the source of the voice.]
It’s just me! [Just your good friend, Sampo Koski.] Don’t worry, nobody can see you.
[Just him! Just Sampo. Way to make a guy feel special, Gepard.]
[His eyes glow ever so slightly in the dark. Nothing special, just an everyday part of merfolk anatomy. Gepard stares at Sampo, then, nods. He swims out a little, not quite out into the open, but not quite so hidden under the pier. It's to make it easier for Sampo to look at him; it also makes it easier for him to look at Sampo.
If Sampo's staring under the pier, it'll draw attention and cut whatever-this-is short.]
You seem to have healed well. [Gepard...assumes, honestly, he has no idea.] I'm a little surprised you're still here.
[Gepard’s eyes are visible in the darkness underneath the pier, glowing pale blue in his pale face. It would be startling if he didn’t know that it’s Gepard; it’s pretty because he does.]
[When his merman acquaintance swims out a bit, Sampo sits back on his heels to talk to him a little more normally. It probably would’ve looked a little weird to any passerby for him to be leaning over the pier.]
It’ll take more than a little shipwreck to keep ol’ Sampo Koski down!
[Actually a shipwreck totally could keep him down, but he was fortuitously rescued.]
I think I’ll be hanging around for a little while. I don’t have a whole lot of cash on me, and, anyway, this seems like a pretty good place to lay low. So you can keep coming back, if you want a little conversation! Or if you want me to get anything for you.
[Surely there has to be something that would pique Gepard’s interest after watching humans.]
It'll be easier for us to meet if you can find somewhere a little less out in the open.
[Because, unfortunately, there's something that's piqued his interest and it's Sampo Koski- but Gepard's not going to admit that to himself, much less to the man himself. No. Absolutely not.]
Coming out here is difficult as is. Meeting with you more so, especially if I'm trying to not be noticed. [By anyone but Sampo, that is. Which brings up the question of why he came out here, and he could just say, "I picked through my treasures and found something I thought you'd like, or could at least use." But.
...does he want to speed up Sampo leaving? If he gives him the things he picked out, Sampo could use them to trade his way off of the island- maybe he should hold onto them a bit longer. Maybe? Or maybe not. Maybe he's overthinking things.]
[It’s a little harder to find a good meeting place, because it has to be accessible by both land and sea— there are only so many places that meet that criteria and are also well hidden.]
There’s a cove about half a mile down the beach, if you head west. Do you know where that is?
[Sampo had thought it might be good to hide goods for some small time smuggling, but it might also work as a rendezvous for secretive mermen. It’s not very easy to get to by land— kind of the point, so that people don’t just stumble across your smuggling operation on accident— but Sampo could make it work. Especially for the sake of his fishy savior.]
I can find it. [There's a slightly stubborn jut to Gepard's jaw, a slight tension to him. If Sampo actually knew who he was as a person, and could see him better than the angle he got, he'd probably recognize it as challenge fucking accepted. As they didn't know each other all that well, and the angle sucks, who knows what he takes from that.
And then, with a slight hint of a challenge to his voice (who is he challenging? does it matter? it probably matters, but he wouldn't know) Gepard impulsively tosses up the 100% meaningless golden pendant he picked up, and tries to not think too hard about how it seems to shine as it arcs in the air, nor how he wanted to find something...nice. It would be something that his human would like, but he didn't really know his human besides the delirious things he rambled about on the beach, so he went for nice in general.]
Here. [Catch!] You seem to be doing well enough for yourself, but in case you wanted something to barter with... [What was the story attached to it? Oh, right, something like-] It's said that it was made by a witch who took to the sea, in memory of the sun she was leaving behind, but I don't know how true that story is.
[Gepard tosses something into the air, and it sparkles briefly in the light as it arcs up towards Sampo; he isn't expecting to play catch with his mermaid acquaintance, so he fumbles the catch at the start. Juggles the thing briefly before catching it securely and taking a look at the little trinket that Gepard brought for him.]
[Gold, it feels like, judging from the weight of it in his palms. And an odd make, the designs on it don't look like anything that Sampo has ever traded before. He's been to a fair few places, so it says a lot if he can't recognize it. There's the whole glowing part, too, that's definitely unusual.]
Well! It definitely looks valuable!
[There is a certain temptation to sell it, of course, because gold always sells well and unusual gold can sell even better if he can find the right buyer, but... well, how can he really part with a gift from a merman? A glowing, golden pendant given to him by an actual merman? It's like something out of a fairy tale. It even has a fairy tale to go with it, about sea witches and such.]
I'll take good care of it. Ah, but I didn't bring a gift for you! If I'd known, I would've gotten something for you.
[What the shit, Sampo wasn't supposed to want to keep it, and Gepard ducks his head underwater for a moment. Just a brief moment. If asked, he's prepared to lie and say that it's to keep himself hydrated. Proper hydration is important. Dry gills tend to get sensitive. He can survive out of water far longer than a human might expect, at the cost of really sensitive gills. Could be worse.
And it's technically true, though the real reason is because he had to hide the moment in which he felt flustered (slightly widened eyes, a slight smile) when his human said he'd take good care of it, because that sounded like he wasn't going to trade it to the first person, which- well. Well.
Well well. Well well well well he should say something instead of basking in feeling pleased.]
You don't have to get me anything. [...] Besides, I'm a fish. [Basically.] I'd probably ruin anything you got me just because of what I am.
[Don't ask him, he's not a fish scientist or anything. Are mermen considered one of the perks of being a marine biologist?]
Come on, it isn't like everything up here gets ruined the second you put it in water! There has to be something that you'd like.
[Something shiny? Something rare? A tasty morsel that he couldn't get underwater? Maybe that's a thought, Sampo could bring him pastries and cake, baked goods that he wouldn't be able to get in the ocean. You can't bake a croissant at the bottom of the sea! Gepard could try what Sampo brings when they meet up in the cove, and decide if he likes any of it or not.]
If you can't think of something, I'll figure it out! Don't worry, Sampo Koski is great at giving gifts!
[Meanwhile, he's debating the merits of ducking his head underwater and vanishing, but- ah, he promised he'd meet his human at his cove, and he...actually wants to meet his human at his cove (he's been a good soldier, he deserves this much) and that means he can't just escape this conversation. Even if he leaves now, the subject will probably come up again.]
I didn't save you because I expected a reward. [Which brings up the question of why he brought a gift-] And I stayed with you because when you save a life, you're responsible for seeing things through. [Or...something, very duty minded, very practical. Which brings up a question. Can a fish blush? If he can, he is, if not, there's still a certain fluttering of gills. Because this is very nice. He rescued a human and he turned out to be handsome and nice and wants to bring him things, and Gepard is going to be very disappointed once he learns what Sampo is really like, probably. And by then it'll be too late, probably.]
But if you insist, I'll be happy with whatever you bring.
That's very noble of you! Very dutiful. You must be a very reliable person.
[He seems like it, since he cares to check in on the guy that he saved. Most people would've just dropped Sampo off on the beach and called it good, if they even bothered to save him at all, but not Gepard! He came back, even though it's dangerous. Normally Sampo doesn't really go for the goody-goody type, since they're likely to want to have him arrested, but Gepard is a fishman! He hasn't broken any merman laws, or at least not any that Gepard isn't also breaking.]
[But it sounds like he'll accept gifts, and that's a good first step in weaseling his way into the good graces of a merman. Everybody likes gifts!]
Ah, dutiful and gracious! Say, you don't happen to be married, are you? Got a pretty mermaid girlfriend down there? I'd hate to make someone jealous and get you in trouble!
[Lies, he'd be here to steal their man. Fish. Fishman. Whatever.]
-it would be a boyfriend if I had one. [Gepard says this with all of the absent tiredness of a fish who had this conversation one too many times with one too many people. Sometimes, a guy can prefer men to women, and that's fine. And no, he doesn't feel like changing his mind anytime soon.
Sampo can see the moment in which Gepard realizes one possible interpretation as to why he asked if he was single or not. He stills, bobs in the water, his eyes widen slightly, narrow slightly, his mouth clenches shut, and Gepard contemplates doing a flip and splashing his human in the face.
On one hand: it's far from subtle. It would increase the danger. It's a stupid move.
On the other hand, Sampo absolutely deserves it.
Much to consider. Maybe at the human's cove, at leisure?]
[Gepard is really giving valuable information away today! It would be a boyfriend if he had one, that tells Sampo two things-- that mermen do sometimes like to fool around with other mermen, and that Gepard is currently without a fooling-around partner. It's a complete vacancy! And here Sampo Koski is, all ready to step into the role.]
[Gepard seems to catch on that this might be the reason behind the question, or at least gets very suspicious of it, giving Sampo some serious side-eye from the water. But Sampo just smiles at him, pleased as anything because of his newfound information, and lets Gepard think whatever he likes. His continued silence on the matter speaks volumes. If blue-haired human men weren't to his tastes, wouldn't he say so right away?]
Already? You just got here. The doctor gave me a clean bill of health, I promise! [For whatever that's worth.] She just said not to do anything stupid, I think I'm still in the clear.
[Point, counterpoint. He knows what human men do. They walk around on their legs and do leg things, and go look at things like trees and eat fruit.]
More specifically, you're talking to a fish who should have left you to drown, and was, in fact, supposed to have let you drown. If any of my kin learn about you, you'll be in danger.
[...he's just going to slightly float under the dock again, not too much, just a little. Mainly because at this angle, it's tempting to find the nearest chunk of kelp and throw it at his human's smug fucking face.]
There isn't a fish alive that's half as handsome as you.
[He's talking to a merman, thanks, that's very different from a fish! Fish don't talk, for one thing, or at least not in any language that humans can understand. Maybe merfolk can talk to fish and actually understand them, though Sampo doubts that very many fish have anything interesting to say.]
[Well, if Gepard was supposed to let Sampo drown according to the laws of his people, maybe he shouldn't be so upset when he finds out that Sampo isn't exactly the most law-abiding person, either. Fishmen in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!]
Mmmaybe you should've, but you didn't! [He says it with a singsong pitch and leans back, casually propping himself up on his hands. Entirely unconcerned.] I guess if you don't want either of us to get in trouble, you'll have to be very careful when you come to see me, right?
[In for a penny, in for a pound, Gepard. If any other merfolk find out that Gepard's visiting a human, Sampo won't be the only person in trouble!]
Besides, it'll be hard for them to do anything to me while I'm on land.
[Sampo wasn't supposed to double down on it. He was supposed to go oh, right. He's talking to a monster (at least from the perspective of a human), something dangerous, unknown, something to be careful around. He's not supposed to say, extremely paraphrased: you're still handsome, would.
But that's what it sounds like his human's saying! Which leaves Gepard...
At a loss, especially at the singsong tone.
He scoots a bit further under the pier. Just a little. Hunting for a glob of kelp. A throwable glob of kelp. One that could be wadded into a kelpball and hurled at the head of a stupid human.]
There aren't any humans around, are there? Besides you.
[While Gepard messes around under the dock however he pleases-- Sampo's not going to question it, who's he to criticize the habits of handsome wet men who grace him with their company-- Sampo tips his head back to look around, checking for any prying eyes.]
Nope! Just the two of us, from what I can see. [And he's very good at spotting people. Comes with the territory of doing illegal things.] Is there something that you wanted me alone for?
[There are plenty of things that he'd like to be alone with Gepard for, only some of which might be physically possible considering their differences in anatomy at the moment.]
[Well, he did find kelp, but he also found half a mussel shell floating in the ocean, so Gepard grabs that, swims back out, and viciously throws the shell at his human's face or...thereabouts.]
You're an idiot and one of these days your idiocy is going to catch up to you and I won't be able to help you.
[A mussel shell comes at his face, and Sampo puts up a hand so that he doesn't get beaned right in the eye with it. Those things are sharp, Gepard, you might ruin his stupid handsome face if you do that!]
Hey, careful! My face is too pretty to get cut up!
[His good looks are a critical part of his brand, Gepard! Sometimes a guy has to flirt his way out of disaster, and it's way easier to do that when you've got a nice face. Pretty people really do have it easier in life, it's a sad truth.]
[But now that he's out of shell-based danger, he can latch on to entirely the wrong part of Gepard's sentence.]
[That is the entirely wrong part of his sentence to latch onto, and Gepard regrets not throwing enough kelp at Sampo to knock his human into the water and then he'd probably dunk him into the water repeatedly or something along those lines, he hadn't thought too hard about the finer details of what he'd do if he got him in arm's reach.]
That isn't the important part.
[Can't even fucking deny it, although he'll pretend like he did for the sake of the conversation.]
The important part is that you clearly are an idiot. My idiot, evidently. [This isn't said as a pet name, more like tired, tired resignation as Gepard has a vision of a possible future and it is this: Sampo jumping into the ocean and him having to fish him out and bring him back to shore. It's like feeding a seal and suddenly discovering the seal is following you around. It's like that.]
As by the sounds of it, you'd contrive events so that you'd drown if I didn't show up - again. If I knew how much work you'd be, I'd have left the second I threw your body on the sand.
[His idiot. Careful, Gepard, pretty soon it'll be my idiot (affectionate), and you won't know how you got there. Like boiling a frog, small incremental changes until you're boiling in your own stupid affection for a dumbass.]
Is that how all of this works? If I throw myself in the ocean, will you be there to catch me?
[How romantic! And very practical, if he ever takes another ocean voyage, it would be great to know that he's got an on-call rescue. Instant rescue, just add water.]
[And, as though to really prove that he's Gepard's idiot, Sampo gets onto his knees and leans out over the dock, far enough to be precarious. If he throws himself into the water, Gepard, will you catch him? Will you wrap your manly arms around him and bring him back to shore?]
[His fins are fluttering, agitated, and Gepard's shifting in the water, angling himself better on the off chance Sampo throws himself off of the dock and needs to be caught in some manly arms and be brought back to shore. Gepard knows that he should just dive underwater and leave. Maybe splash Sampo in the face as he goes. Make it clear that no, absolutely not. This far, no further. He saved him once, and only once, and he's not someone who Sampo should, could count on for a rescue.
But also...
...also, he doesn't want to leave, and maybe catching Sampo in his manly arms and taking him gently back to shore does sound nice, actually- even if he shouldn't, and they shouldn't, and he should confess his crimes when he gets home and let them jail him. (But if he does that, something might happen to Sampo.)]
The ocean is a large place. There's no way I can promise to be there all the time. Get back on the dock before someone sees you and wonders what you're doing.
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Yep. Focusing on his priorities.
His human is probably all healed up and on his way. (Gepard...thinks, he doesn't actually know how long it takes for a man to recover from near-drowning.) Except...does he have any money? Because when a guy gets washed overboard, they tend to lose everything - even Gepard knows that much. He knows currency is important to humans. They need coins to survive, trinkets to barter with, things to ensure a safe life and safe passage elsewhere.
And he is somewhat responsible for his human's continued existence, yes? When you save a life, you're responsible for what it does. He should check up on his human to make sure that his human is convinced that the rescue was just a fever dream brought on by the cold water and trauma of ending up on a beach. So, Gepard diligently goes through his things and picks out a golden pendant that never seemed to corrode no matter how long it was under the water and seemed to glow gently in the dark (perfect for bartering), and a handful of coins from a distant land (might be worth something, he doesn't know), and goes back to that beach and waits very patiently for a sign of his human so he can...
Throw them at the guy's head and vanish underwater again. Or something. Honestly, Gepard hadn't gotten much further than that in his planning, all of this is very impulsive which really isn't like him? (And if Serval knew, she'd say no, this is like him, he's stubborn to a fault.) Gepard's telling himself that he's seeing this (whatever this is) through to the end, and that's why he's so determined to throw some offering at his human's head and vanish again. Or. Something.]
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[He still finds time to go down to the beach, though. Just to walk. And that's not weird at all, a lot of people go to the beach to walk and clear their thoughts! Very good for the brain and the lungs. A little healthy sea air never hurt anyone, even if Sampo is a little more preoccupied with looking out at the ocean than he is necessarily with strolling.]
[But that's his business.]
[On this particular day, he's sitting on the pier rather than down on the beach proper, letting his legs dangle down towards the water. The ocean is calm, the sea breeze is cool and brisk; if he was going to see anything, this would be a good day for it, right? The perfect time for a pretty blond head to pop out of the water, if one was ever to show up.]
[Assuming that a pretty blond head ever would show up. Who knows if his merman savior would ever show his face back at shore again? Sampo vaguely remembers him saying something about merfolk law and humans, probably to keep them separate. Maybe he really wouldn't ever come back, and Sampo wouldn't see him until he finally figured out how to get a fish tail of his own.]
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He pops his head up, prepared to calmly scan the area for signs of his human, prepared to see nothing, fully expecting to have to come up with a Plan B. But it's a calm day. Weather? Fucking amazing. He locks eyes with Sampo and Gepard freezes...
...before he dives underwater again. Swim, swim, swim, swim, swim-
Sampo might expect to be disappointed, but then he probably hears a thonk under him, which is the sign of a guy surfacing a little too quickly and hitting his head against some boards. And then he hears some cursing, probably, just in case he didn't know what that thonk is.]
Is anyone else around? [That fucking hurt. Ow.] Did anyone else see me?
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[There’s a thunk from underneath the pier and curses in a familiar voice.]
[He scrambles to his knees, leaning over to look underneath the pier, searching for the source of the voice.]
It’s just me! [Just your good friend, Sampo Koski.] Don’t worry, nobody can see you.
[Just him! Just Sampo. Way to make a guy feel special, Gepard.]
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If Sampo's staring under the pier, it'll draw attention and cut whatever-this-is short.]
You seem to have healed well. [Gepard...assumes, honestly, he has no idea.] I'm a little surprised you're still here.
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[When his merman acquaintance swims out a bit, Sampo sits back on his heels to talk to him a little more normally. It probably would’ve looked a little weird to any passerby for him to be leaning over the pier.]
It’ll take more than a little shipwreck to keep ol’ Sampo Koski down!
[Actually a shipwreck totally could keep him down, but he was fortuitously rescued.]
I think I’ll be hanging around for a little while. I don’t have a whole lot of cash on me, and, anyway, this seems like a pretty good place to lay low. So you can keep coming back, if you want a little conversation! Or if you want me to get anything for you.
[Surely there has to be something that would pique Gepard’s interest after watching humans.]
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[Because, unfortunately, there's something that's piqued his interest and it's Sampo Koski- but Gepard's not going to admit that to himself, much less to the man himself. No. Absolutely not.]
Coming out here is difficult as is. Meeting with you more so, especially if I'm trying to not be noticed. [By anyone but Sampo, that is. Which brings up the question of why he came out here, and he could just say, "I picked through my treasures and found something I thought you'd like, or could at least use." But.
...does he want to speed up Sampo leaving? If he gives him the things he picked out, Sampo could use them to trade his way off of the island- maybe he should hold onto them a bit longer. Maybe? Or maybe not. Maybe he's overthinking things.]
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[It’s a little harder to find a good meeting place, because it has to be accessible by both land and sea— there are only so many places that meet that criteria and are also well hidden.]
There’s a cove about half a mile down the beach, if you head west. Do you know where that is?
[Sampo had thought it might be good to hide goods for some small time smuggling, but it might also work as a rendezvous for secretive mermen. It’s not very easy to get to by land— kind of the point, so that people don’t just stumble across your smuggling operation on accident— but Sampo could make it work. Especially for the sake of his fishy savior.]
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And then, with a slight hint of a challenge to his voice (who is he challenging? does it matter? it probably matters, but he wouldn't know) Gepard impulsively tosses up the 100% meaningless golden pendant he picked up, and tries to not think too hard about how it seems to shine as it arcs in the air, nor how he wanted to find something...nice. It would be something that his human would like, but he didn't really know his human besides the delirious things he rambled about on the beach, so he went for nice in general.]
Here. [Catch!] You seem to be doing well enough for yourself, but in case you wanted something to barter with... [What was the story attached to it? Oh, right, something like-] It's said that it was made by a witch who took to the sea, in memory of the sun she was leaving behind, but I don't know how true that story is.
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[Gold, it feels like, judging from the weight of it in his palms. And an odd make, the designs on it don't look like anything that Sampo has ever traded before. He's been to a fair few places, so it says a lot if he can't recognize it. There's the whole glowing part, too, that's definitely unusual.]
Well! It definitely looks valuable!
[There is a certain temptation to sell it, of course, because gold always sells well and unusual gold can sell even better if he can find the right buyer, but... well, how can he really part with a gift from a merman? A glowing, golden pendant given to him by an actual merman? It's like something out of a fairy tale. It even has a fairy tale to go with it, about sea witches and such.]
I'll take good care of it. Ah, but I didn't bring a gift for you! If I'd known, I would've gotten something for you.
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And it's technically true, though the real reason is because he had to hide the moment in which he felt flustered (slightly widened eyes, a slight smile) when his human said he'd take good care of it, because that sounded like he wasn't going to trade it to the first person, which- well. Well.
Well well. Well well well well he should say something instead of basking in feeling pleased.]
You don't have to get me anything. [...] Besides, I'm a fish. [Basically.] I'd probably ruin anything you got me just because of what I am.
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[Don't ask him, he's not a fish scientist or anything. Are mermen considered one of the perks of being a marine biologist?]
Come on, it isn't like everything up here gets ruined the second you put it in water! There has to be something that you'd like.
[Something shiny? Something rare? A tasty morsel that he couldn't get underwater? Maybe that's a thought, Sampo could bring him pastries and cake, baked goods that he wouldn't be able to get in the ocean. You can't bake a croissant at the bottom of the sea! Gepard could try what Sampo brings when they meet up in the cove, and decide if he likes any of it or not.]
If you can't think of something, I'll figure it out! Don't worry, Sampo Koski is great at giving gifts!
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I didn't save you because I expected a reward. [Which brings up the question of why he brought a gift-] And I stayed with you because when you save a life, you're responsible for seeing things through. [Or...something, very duty minded, very practical. Which brings up a question. Can a fish blush? If he can, he is, if not, there's still a certain fluttering of gills. Because this is very nice. He rescued a human and he turned out to be handsome and nice and wants to bring him things, and Gepard is going to be very disappointed once he learns what Sampo is really like, probably. And by then it'll be too late, probably.]
But if you insist, I'll be happy with whatever you bring.
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[He seems like it, since he cares to check in on the guy that he saved. Most people would've just dropped Sampo off on the beach and called it good, if they even bothered to save him at all, but not Gepard! He came back, even though it's dangerous. Normally Sampo doesn't really go for the goody-goody type, since they're likely to want to have him arrested, but Gepard is a fishman! He hasn't broken any merman laws, or at least not any that Gepard isn't also breaking.]
[But it sounds like he'll accept gifts, and that's a good first step in weaseling his way into the good graces of a merman. Everybody likes gifts!]
Ah, dutiful and gracious! Say, you don't happen to be married, are you? Got a pretty mermaid girlfriend down there? I'd hate to make someone jealous and get you in trouble!
[Lies, he'd be here to steal their man. Fish. Fishman. Whatever.]
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Sampo can see the moment in which Gepard realizes one possible interpretation as to why he asked if he was single or not. He stills, bobs in the water, his eyes widen slightly, narrow slightly, his mouth clenches shut, and Gepard contemplates doing a flip and splashing his human in the face.
On one hand: it's far from subtle. It would increase the danger. It's a stupid move.
On the other hand, Sampo absolutely deserves it.
Much to consider. Maybe at the human's cove, at leisure?]
I see that I should go and let you rest.
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[Gepard seems to catch on that this might be the reason behind the question, or at least gets very suspicious of it, giving Sampo some serious side-eye from the water. But Sampo just smiles at him, pleased as anything because of his newfound information, and lets Gepard think whatever he likes. His continued silence on the matter speaks volumes. If blue-haired human men weren't to his tastes, wouldn't he say so right away?]
Already? You just got here. The doctor gave me a clean bill of health, I promise! [For whatever that's worth.] She just said not to do anything stupid, I think I'm still in the clear.
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[Point, counterpoint. He knows what human men do. They walk around on their legs and do leg things, and go look at things like trees and eat fruit.]
More specifically, you're talking to a fish who should have left you to drown, and was, in fact, supposed to have let you drown. If any of my kin learn about you, you'll be in danger.
[...he's just going to slightly float under the dock again, not too much, just a little. Mainly because at this angle, it's tempting to find the nearest chunk of kelp and throw it at his human's smug fucking face.]
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[He's talking to a merman, thanks, that's very different from a fish! Fish don't talk, for one thing, or at least not in any language that humans can understand. Maybe merfolk can talk to fish and actually understand them, though Sampo doubts that very many fish have anything interesting to say.]
[Well, if Gepard was supposed to let Sampo drown according to the laws of his people, maybe he shouldn't be so upset when he finds out that Sampo isn't exactly the most law-abiding person, either. Fishmen in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!]
Mmmaybe you should've, but you didn't! [He says it with a singsong pitch and leans back, casually propping himself up on his hands. Entirely unconcerned.] I guess if you don't want either of us to get in trouble, you'll have to be very careful when you come to see me, right?
[In for a penny, in for a pound, Gepard. If any other merfolk find out that Gepard's visiting a human, Sampo won't be the only person in trouble!]
Besides, it'll be hard for them to do anything to me while I'm on land.
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But that's what it sounds like his human's saying! Which leaves Gepard...
At a loss, especially at the singsong tone.
He scoots a bit further under the pier. Just a little. Hunting for a glob of kelp. A throwable glob of kelp. One that could be wadded into a kelpball and hurled at the head of a stupid human.]
There aren't any humans around, are there? Besides you.
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[While Gepard messes around under the dock however he pleases-- Sampo's not going to question it, who's he to criticize the habits of handsome wet men who grace him with their company-- Sampo tips his head back to look around, checking for any prying eyes.]
Nope! Just the two of us, from what I can see. [And he's very good at spotting people. Comes with the territory of doing illegal things.] Is there something that you wanted me alone for?
[There are plenty of things that he'd like to be alone with Gepard for, only some of which might be physically possible considering their differences in anatomy at the moment.]
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You're an idiot and one of these days your idiocy is going to catch up to you and I won't be able to help you.
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Hey, careful! My face is too pretty to get cut up!
[His good looks are a critical part of his brand, Gepard! Sometimes a guy has to flirt his way out of disaster, and it's way easier to do that when you've got a nice face. Pretty people really do have it easier in life, it's a sad truth.]
[But now that he's out of shell-based danger, he can latch on to entirely the wrong part of Gepard's sentence.]
Aww, you would help me? I knew you liked me!
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That isn't the important part.
[Can't even fucking deny it, although he'll pretend like he did for the sake of the conversation.]
The important part is that you clearly are an idiot. My idiot, evidently. [This isn't said as a pet name, more like tired, tired resignation as Gepard has a vision of a possible future and it is this: Sampo jumping into the ocean and him having to fish him out and bring him back to shore. It's like feeding a seal and suddenly discovering the seal is following you around. It's like that.]
As by the sounds of it, you'd contrive events so that you'd drown if I didn't show up - again. If I knew how much work you'd be, I'd have left the second I threw your body on the sand.
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Is that how all of this works? If I throw myself in the ocean, will you be there to catch me?
[How romantic! And very practical, if he ever takes another ocean voyage, it would be great to know that he's got an on-call rescue. Instant rescue, just add water.]
[And, as though to really prove that he's Gepard's idiot, Sampo gets onto his knees and leans out over the dock, far enough to be precarious. If he throws himself into the water, Gepard, will you catch him? Will you wrap your manly arms around him and bring him back to shore?]
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[His fins are fluttering, agitated, and Gepard's shifting in the water, angling himself better on the off chance Sampo throws himself off of the dock and needs to be caught in some manly arms and be brought back to shore. Gepard knows that he should just dive underwater and leave. Maybe splash Sampo in the face as he goes. Make it clear that no, absolutely not. This far, no further. He saved him once, and only once, and he's not someone who Sampo should, could count on for a rescue.
But also...
...also, he doesn't want to leave, and maybe catching Sampo in his manly arms and taking him gently back to shore does sound nice, actually- even if he shouldn't, and they shouldn't, and he should confess his crimes when he gets home and let them jail him. (But if he does that, something might happen to Sampo.)]
The ocean is a large place. There's no way I can promise to be there all the time. Get back on the dock before someone sees you and wonders what you're doing.
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