[There's something a little wistful in learning your former foe had lived a wilder and more fun life than one you could ever imagine for yourself, not quite bittersweet - Gepard knew his path would only take him in so many places, allow him to do only so many things, that he had never been meant for the greater universe even before Belobog had rejoined the rest of the worlds. But wistful, yes, because for a moment he almost wished he was that slightly different man who could just leave, even for a short while.
It's likely a mix of truths, half-truths, and outright lies Sampo's telling him, but, sure, he'll buy it. There's something a little bit romantic about it.]
It sounds like you kept busy. [No, more like-] It sounds like you had fun. Where did you go? Who did you meet? I'm sure you have stories about all the people you've seen and the things you've done, and...some of them might even be true, knowing you.
[Living a more fun life than Gepard Landau isn't exactly a high bar to pass-- while the former Captain certainly had a lot of excitement in his life, it was pretty much all the bad kind. The life-or-death kind, the hopeless kind of facing a seemingly eternal and relentless foe. And while Sampo certainly ended up in peril many times over his adventures with the Nameless, his was never a hopeless journey.]
I went to a lot of places. It's a big galaxy out there! It would take too long to tell you everything, but I can give you some highlights.
[Besides, if he told Gepard everything right now, what incentive would he have to talk with him again? Like Scheherazade did with her thousand tales, the way to get a man to keep coming back is to keep him wanting.]
I could start with the Xianzhou Luofu. Did you read anything about the Xianzhou Alliance? I don't know how much information has gotten back here over the years.
[He could say that he was invited to the Wardance, could've attended it himself, passed because he was too old and too busy - sent Luka instead, for what it was worth - and passed on a chance at seeing the cosmos. But he also doesn't know that much about the Xianzhou Luofu beyond that, didn't allow himself to speculate about it.]
I read a thing or two. [But.] Pretend like I don't know anything and tell me everything. It seems easier that way- I'm sure there's something I overlooked or something I don't know.
[There's something that Sampo would have found... a little upsetting about Gepard being invited off-world and passing on the opportunity because he thought himself too old. Too old! The idea's laughable. Absurd.]
[Gepard should get to see the stars, too, if he wants to.]
Let's see what I remember, then! If I remember my history right, there were nine ships that left the Xianzhou homeworld a long time ago, to search for Yaoshi the Abundance. They wanted to become immortal, and Yaoshi gave them what they wanted! That's why the Xianzhou natives live for hundreds of years, and normal folks like us are lucky to make it to a century. But--
[Sampo makes for a good storyteller; he's had a lot of practice, and not just because of the lies he tells to con people. He'd told his fair share of stories to Hook and her little gang once upon a time (and that's another person he'll have to check in on, see how little Miss Hook grew up), so he's got a knack for keeping things interesting. Including things like the Xianzhou's tumultuous history, leading up to the Trailblazer's adventures to seal the Stellaron and defeat the Lord Ravager.]
Having to deal with a Lord Ravager is no joke! It's a big deal going up against any Emanator, but one of Nanook's-- [He takes a sip of tea to wet his throat, and it's long since gone cold.] Yeeugh. How long have I been talking?
[A glance at the clock tells him that-- as expected-- he's been talking for too long.] Aha, time flies. I should let you open your shop, or you'll never get to sell anything today!
[He listens like he's a small child, at one point scooting closer on the couch to Sampo - not too much closer, a little closer - and holds the mug with steady hands as he stares and watches. He makes sounds as Sampo tells his story. Worse, Gepard lets himself get lost in that story. It doesn't matter what his past history had been with Sampo, all that mattered was the moment. Here. Now. The sound of Sampo's voice, which is, for once, calming? It's calming. He laughs as Sampo tells a joke, a soft huff that escapes his lips, and Gepard would be surprised by it if he was paying attention.
But then, Sampo stops, and Gepard blinks. Spell broken, he also glances over and it takes a lot to keep from cussing when he sees what time it is. He meant to give Sampo some of his time, but did he really mean to give him that much?]
...you're right. [He can admit this much.] I lost track of the time.
[He puts his mug (mostly untouched, he drank at first and then got lost in the story) on the tray, gets up- was he this close to Sampo? He could've sworn he was a little further away...who knows, really, it's actually kind of embarrassing that he just forgot himself this much. He should be rushing to unlock the door, flip the sign over, reassure people who thought something had happened, but- first things first.] You're a very good storyteller, Koski.
[He can bask in the moment for a little bit longer without it being weird, right...?]
[Sampo is an actor, of course, and he loves to have an audience-- so it is a shame to break Gepard's rapt attention, but he really should let the guy actually open his store at some point. Maybe he doesn't exactly need this job, but if he hung around all day and never actually did it, he'd probably get in trouble! And Sampo doesn't really want to be the guy getting him in trouble, then Gepard will never want to do this again.]
I have a lot of stories to tell! [And not just ones about the Trailblazer and their little adventure. He's been back and forth across the galaxy in his time, and you can't help but collect stories along the way.]
[He stands and sets his cold mug of tea on the tray next to Gepard's. Looks like they were both a little too wrapped up in what they were doing to enjoy it very much. They're standing near each other again.]
Maybe I could come back another time and finish up? I'd hate you leave you without the ending. [Nothing worse than never getting to know what happened, right?] Before you open up shop, or during your lunch break?
[It would just be two friends meeting for lunch! Nothing strange about that, right?]
[Now, Gepard Landau wouldn't consider himself a bold man in certain respects. In all things professional, sure. He wouldn't have lasted as long as he had, survived as well as he did if he was anything short of bold.
Personal? A different story. He's not bold at all. If he was, maybe he wouldn't have been raising his daughter all alone for as many years as he had. Maybe his life would be different if he was bold. But, still.
Still.]
I'd like that. [It's doesn't take boldness to admit that he likes something.] Tomorrow, then? Before I open the store or for lunch, whichever is better for you. [After all, Sampo Koski had never struck him as a morning person, especially not with the hours Gepard liked to keep. He knew that he woke up long before Sampo ever would. Asking him to drag himself out of bed sounded miserable.
He should step away. Gepard knows this. He doesnt, at least, not yet.]
Either way, I wouldn't mind ordering in food, but there's something to be said for a change of scenery.
[Gepard takes the bait, agreeing to meet with him again sometime outside of working hours. Victory for Sampo-- winning again at a game that Gepard doesn't know that he's playing. He can't get his attention anymore for a good chase, so he'll just have to get those eyes on him for different reasons.]
Lunch sounds great, let's do lunch. [It's true, he doesn't want to get up early if he doesn't have to. An early bird might get the worm, but blue-haired conmenbusinessmen like to sleep in. Besides, depending on what kind of business he's doing and what planet the other party is on, he might be up late. And a guy needs his beauty sleep!]
[Aeons, especially these days. He's not getting any younger.]
Well! Time is money, and I won't take up any more of yours. [And the quicker he leaves, the less time Gepard has to come to his senses and tell him to take a hike.] I'll see you tomorrow, around noon.
[He makes his way towards the door, and turns to wave to Gepard before he goes.] Try not to miss me too much!
[Yes. Why does it feel like he's fallen for something?]
Get out, Koski.
[Sampo's already on his way out! It's not like kicking him out means anything. But- it's like all those times in which he brought in Sampo for some crime or another. He dragged him in, there was a complete and total lack of evidence, and Gepard ended up having to release him again, half-wondering all the while if all of this was just because Sampo Koski wanted to hang out in an interrogation room with him for an hour. It's like that. It's a reflexive exchange; he feels like he fell for something, Sampo's walking out, and he's hurrying to kick him out. It's almost bittersweet in how nostalgic it is.
Gepard does what he does best. He ignores his feelings as best as he can and cleans up the tea and scones. He unlocks the door, washes the pots and cups and things, puts the scones back where they came from, and spends the next however long being very bored. (Someone asks him why he opened so late, and he lies and says he met an old friend.)
It's a very slow morning, or what's left of it. And Gepard misses Sampo a little too much, though he shouldn't, but Sampo's like the first thaw after a very long winter, in which, against all odds, it feels like something shifted ever so slightly.
He goes to his cafe for a slightly late lunch, and sits and tries to read, and tries to ignore everything that just happened, but the only story he wants to hear is the end of what Sampo started.]
[Ah, a firm get out, Koski. Be still his beating heart, it's like he never left.]
[For most of the day, Gepard will be without a blue-haired shadow-- while stalking the good former Captain is always a fun pastime, Sampo does actually have other things that he has to do. One of which is start to unpack his things, meager though his current possessions are after years of essentially nomadism, into his apartment. It's a little nicer than his old safehouses, mostly because he actually plans on hanging around for his quasi-retirement, so ditching at the first sign of trouble isn't part of the plan.]
[But he really needs to like. Unpack his clothes and such so that he's not showing up to his little not-date with Gepard wearing yesterday's things.]
[He does still watch Gepard's house that night, sitting on the opposite roof and watching the silhouettes behind the curtains move from room to room. There, he sits at the table and eats dinner with his daughter; later, they sit in the living room; later still, upstairs for her to wash up and go to bed. The light in Gepard's bedroom stays on longer, and Sampo can picture him sitting in bed, reading another chapter or so of one of his nightstand books.]
[He really probably shouldn't do this. But what's a little light stalking between friends?]
[Sampo gets to the bookshop at noon, like he said. Almost late because he'd slept longer than he wanted-- late night Gepard-watching really puts a dent in his sleep schedule-- but he'd managed to catch the tram at the very last second. He opens the door and sticks his stupid blue head into the shop, singsongs out,]
[...he gets up early - harder than it used to be, but not unbearably so - and goes for a brisk jog before Lily gets up. It's...nice, actually, and he gets back in time to wake up his daughter. Lily asks what papa was doing, and he says he went running, and she wants to go with him next time and he laughs and says maybe when she's older, but for now? Breakfast. They eat, Gepard settles back into his normal routine like it's a second skin, or like he's diving deep underwater, waiting to open his mouth and drown.
The bookstore opens on time. He sells...not that much, a couple of books, but that's what things are usually like at his store. He's in the middle of talking with an old woman, one of his regulars, a sweet old granny, when Sampo sticks his stupid head in the store and singsongs out his stupid question.]
Absolutely not, Koski.
[And looks back in time to see said granny flash him a sweet and understanding (what is she understanding) smile, and she croaks out that she should be going, and totters out before Gepard can fix whatever just happened, because he doesn't know what happened, but he knows she got the wrong idea about whatever-it-is.
[Sampo holds the door open for the sweet and lovely granny as she exits, and gives her an absolutely beaming smile and a wink when she pats him on the arm. She calls him a scamp as she goes, and it makes his day. With the undoubtedly gossipy old woman wandering her way off down the street, Sampo moseys on in to the store where his delightful lunch partner is probably regretting all of his choices.]
Ready for lunch? [He could use a meal, his breakfast consisted of a slug of hot instant coffee right before he went out the door.] Or do you have some other old ladies hanging around back here?
[Sampo would be great with your customers, Gepard! And he'd be so glad to help.]
[Geppie. Geppie! At least when he was with the Silvermane Guard, he could take the title of Captain and shove it between the two of them. He misses that, right now, a layer of formality shoved between the two of them, a status difference that kept them wedged firmly apart instead of whatever-this-is.]
And if you're really offering to help me with my customers? I might just take you up on it.
[For all his grumbling, though, Gepard's clearly locking up for lunch. So. Sampo can take that however he wants.]
[And he can't go around calling him Captain anymore, so what else is he supposed to call him? His name, all the time? Sure, he could do that sometimes, but it's so much easier to tease him when he has a cute nickname to call him by.]
[Sampo idles by the door as Gepard locks up for lunch. He can protest as much as he likes, but Sampo knows that he's won-- he's still going out with him.]
I'm a very good businessman, I'm sure I could manage a few old ladies. And who knows, maybe I could bring in a few more customers with my many charms!
[He grunts as Sampo calls it a cute name, his keys jingling, locking the locks, weighing his options, and then Gepard looks at Sampo. Because who is he if not someone who'll call Sampo's fucking bluff when he's full of this much shit?]
If you're serious, I could always ask the owner to take you on part time. Once or twice a week, just you and me, Koski. [He probably couldn't manage more than that. The budget wouldn't cover it. But, maybe a few hours...
But that's only if Sampo is serious about it, but he's not.]
Why, Gepard, if you wanted more of my company so badly, you just had to ask! You don't have to try to get me employed for it.
[Besides, Sampo works much better when he's self-employed. A real entrepreneur, he is.]
I'm sure I could carve out a little extra time for you, outside of our little lunch dates! What kind of pal would ol' Sampo be if I left you lonely?
[Just what you always wanted, Gepard-- more of Sampo Koski. And now that the door is all locked up, Sampo's going to be even more obnoxious and hook his arm through Gepard's, so they can stroll along together to the cafe. Very chummy, the two of them! Thick as thieves, as the saying goes.]
[He stiffens like his arm is caught in a bear trap, and he's torn between cutting it off or fighting whatever it was that had clamped onto it - Sampo. Breath held, Gepard closes his eyes for a moment, just one moment, a moment so brief that someone might think of it as him blinking. He exhales, shuddering, soft, quiet, so quiet that Sampo is the only one that can hear it.
Gepard doesn't look at him. He doesn't make a point of looking away from him, so much as he's trying to act normal and failing at it. They're two strangers, walking arm in arm towards the same destination.]
Sampo Koski, there's easier ways of getting a free lunch than to spend time with me. [That. Focus on that.] And I didn't say anything about dates.
[Gepard sighs, soft but not so soft that Sampo can’t hear it. His face is still impassive, though, maintaining his composure even in the face of Sampo Koski. But he doesn’t pull his arm away, so Sampo’s going to count that as a win. Just a little win.]
[They walk, two men going in the same direction.]
Ah, is it a free lunch? How generous! I’ll graciously accept, of course.
[Thanks for offering to take the bill, Geppie, that’s very kind of you. Sampo certainly won’t object to it!]
I suppose you only agreed to one lunch date, but I don’t know if I could tell you all of my stories in just an hour or two! We might need to meet for another, so I can finish.
[And that gets Gepard to shoot at look at Sampo, straight at Sampo, not past him, not around him, not in the middle distance as Gepard forces himself past...something, right at Sampo. He tries to remind himself that Sampo Koski is a criminal. He's a conman, a thief. He's a smuggler, for good causes as well as bad, probably, and who knows what else he's done. That if Sampo had insisted on paying for lunch, there was a decent chance that it would be money stolen from his wallet, pickpocketed when he wasn't paying attention.
And, well, it's a pretty good reminder. He intends on saying one thing, but out slips,]
I missed you.
[It's less sentimental and more of an accusation. That's fine.]
You're the only person ridiculous enough in all of Belobog to want to trade stories for food.
[He knew you missed him, Gepard! For all his complaining about how Sampo made his life difficult, he knew that Gepard's life would be so much more boring without a blue-haired conman running around in it, being morally questionable.]
[Sampo has done a lot of things for a lot of different reasons, some good and some bad. Sometimes he's setting the stage for the salvation of a planet from a slow, lingering death, sometimes he's the partner-in-crime to a particular scheming woman with a terrible sense of humor. A man contains multitudes.]
[But today, he's a storyteller for Gepard Landau.]
I don't think it's ridiculous at all! I get lunch, and you get to hear about everything that's going on in the galaxy. There are people who would pay good money for the kind of first-hand accounts that I can provide! You should really count yourself lucky that I'm giving you such a deal.
[So sue him for showing a little favoritism! Gepard is his most favorite boy in Belobog, so he gets better deals than most.]
And I forgot to eat breakfast, so I'm pretty hungry.
[It feels like he conceded something and he doesn't know what it is, and Gepard kind of hates the fact that it felt like he gave something away- something important, something he never wanted Sampo to know. He hates it, and he hates the fact that Sampo's taking it all in stride, seemingly content to have an increasingly surly blond arm in arm, two men walking to a common destination.
He hates it. He hates the fact he likes it. That there's something that warms inside of him as Sampo determinedly insists on being with him no matter what he does, arm in arm, walking towards the same destination.]
Fine.
[And he looks away from Sampo again. They've got a cafe to get to. Sampo is hungry.]
You're being a lot clingier than I ever thought you would be. [The arm in arm thing.] What changed?
[Gepard might be surly, but he's all bark and no bite-- now that he's no longer a guard captain, he has no reason to want to wrestle Sampo to the cobblestones for an arrest. What's he going to do, punch him? That would be assault, and as a good little citizen of Belobog, he'd be obligated to turn himself in for the crime. No, Gepard is both too good and has too much control over himself for that kind of thing.]
Changed? Come on, now, Captain. If I'd have ever tried to touch you while you were a captain, you would've probably bitten my hand off!
[Sampo Koski has a pretty well developed sense of self preservation-- he knows that he would've never gotten close enough to Gepard to touch him like this without severe consequences, ones that would be detrimental to his business. So it was really a practical decision, keeping his distance from the good Captain at every opportunity.]
Don't you touch your friends or your sisters? [Hugs and the like. That's what normal people do! Otherwise, Aeons, the kind of touch starvation you'd get, keeping yourself distant even from the people you love and care for.] Well, if you really don't like it, I guess I could let go... but that's kind of unfriendly, don't you think? And I'm a friendly kind of guy!
[There's a lot of things wrong with what Sampo's saying. There's something off- there's a lot of somethings off about what he's saying. There's so many things off about what Sampo's saying that Gepard doesn't know where to begin. It's like a whole constellation of stars spread out in the sky, laid out just for him, and each twinkling point of light is Something Sampo Koski Said Which Is Very Wrong.
And the worst part is that he should leave it alone. He should just ignore Sampo and keep on walking - resolute and determined - like the captain he once was and march into the cafe the same way he once charged into danger. Gepard knows this. He'd be an idiot to challenge him. Challenging Sampo had never gone well. Ever.
But he's an idiot. He holds onto Sampo's arm with his free hand, like he's poised to pull him off or force him away- Gepard doesn't. He just holds him where he is, right by his side, and looks at his face again and thinks, not for the first time, that it's a stupidly handsome face he might have once liked. It's unfair.
It's really unfair. All of this is unfair. He doesn't care how this looks. Damn how it looks. He's mad and he doesn't know who he hates more: Sampo, or himself.]
You make it sound like you've wanted to give me a hug for quite some time, Koski. [That can't be right.]
[There they are, standing in the street, just staring at each other. Gepard with a sort of mulish, stubborn expression, Sampo with as innocent a face as he can bear to make. What a pair they are, two idiots arm in arm.]
Somebody probably ought to. I didn’t think I’d be the man for that job, but I suppose I could, if you’re that hard up for it.
[Gepard always has come off to him as a man in desperate need of getting laid, but sure, a hug works too. Some kind of human contact that doesn’t involve him trying to punch or arrest anyone. Theoretically, his former baby mama would’ve been fulfilling that need, but she clearly has reneged on her duties, so Gepard has an open spot for it.]
I’ve never charged for hugs before, though, so I don’t have a pricing model yet! You’d have to be my first customer.
[Gepard Landau politely raises his eyebrows at that, and then impolitely raises them (it's in the shift of the eyebrows, in the way he goes from polite curiosity to 'bitch, are you kidding me' disbelief) as Sampo talks about jobs and cost and pricing models and being his first customer? His hand clenches for a moment, half-prepared to tackle Sampo to the ground and rattle off some speech about the Silvermane Guard.
Gepard doesn't. He just- he forces his hand to relax, smooth out, still holding Sampo close. Unpleasantly close, for the both of them, probably. Neither moving forward nor moving back. Standing there, like two idiots.]
Should I ask what you would charge me? Or am I better off not knowing?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2024-09-24 02:54 am (UTC)It's likely a mix of truths, half-truths, and outright lies Sampo's telling him, but, sure, he'll buy it. There's something a little bit romantic about it.]
It sounds like you kept busy. [No, more like-] It sounds like you had fun. Where did you go? Who did you meet? I'm sure you have stories about all the people you've seen and the things you've done, and...some of them might even be true, knowing you.
no subject
Date: 2024-09-24 03:17 am (UTC)I went to a lot of places. It's a big galaxy out there! It would take too long to tell you everything, but I can give you some highlights.
[Besides, if he told Gepard everything right now, what incentive would he have to talk with him again? Like Scheherazade did with her thousand tales, the way to get a man to keep coming back is to keep him wanting.]
I could start with the Xianzhou Luofu. Did you read anything about the Xianzhou Alliance? I don't know how much information has gotten back here over the years.
no subject
Date: 2024-09-24 03:27 am (UTC)I read a thing or two. [But.] Pretend like I don't know anything and tell me everything. It seems easier that way- I'm sure there's something I overlooked or something I don't know.
no subject
Date: 2024-09-24 04:12 am (UTC)[Gepard should get to see the stars, too, if he wants to.]
Let's see what I remember, then! If I remember my history right, there were nine ships that left the Xianzhou homeworld a long time ago, to search for Yaoshi the Abundance. They wanted to become immortal, and Yaoshi gave them what they wanted! That's why the Xianzhou natives live for hundreds of years, and normal folks like us are lucky to make it to a century. But--
[Sampo makes for a good storyteller; he's had a lot of practice, and not just because of the lies he tells to con people. He'd told his fair share of stories to Hook and her little gang once upon a time (and that's another person he'll have to check in on, see how little Miss Hook grew up), so he's got a knack for keeping things interesting. Including things like the Xianzhou's tumultuous history, leading up to the Trailblazer's adventures to seal the Stellaron and defeat the Lord Ravager.]
Having to deal with a Lord Ravager is no joke! It's a big deal going up against any Emanator, but one of Nanook's-- [He takes a sip of tea to wet his throat, and it's long since gone cold.] Yeeugh. How long have I been talking?
[A glance at the clock tells him that-- as expected-- he's been talking for too long.] Aha, time flies. I should let you open your shop, or you'll never get to sell anything today!
no subject
Date: 2024-09-25 02:24 am (UTC)But then, Sampo stops, and Gepard blinks. Spell broken, he also glances over and it takes a lot to keep from cussing when he sees what time it is. He meant to give Sampo some of his time, but did he really mean to give him that much?]
...you're right. [He can admit this much.] I lost track of the time.
[He puts his mug (mostly untouched, he drank at first and then got lost in the story) on the tray, gets up- was he this close to Sampo? He could've sworn he was a little further away...who knows, really, it's actually kind of embarrassing that he just forgot himself this much. He should be rushing to unlock the door, flip the sign over, reassure people who thought something had happened, but- first things first.] You're a very good storyteller, Koski.
[He can bask in the moment for a little bit longer without it being weird, right...?]
no subject
Date: 2024-09-25 03:58 am (UTC)I have a lot of stories to tell! [And not just ones about the Trailblazer and their little adventure. He's been back and forth across the galaxy in his time, and you can't help but collect stories along the way.]
[He stands and sets his cold mug of tea on the tray next to Gepard's. Looks like they were both a little too wrapped up in what they were doing to enjoy it very much. They're standing near each other again.]
Maybe I could come back another time and finish up? I'd hate you leave you without the ending. [Nothing worse than never getting to know what happened, right?] Before you open up shop, or during your lunch break?
[It would just be two friends meeting for lunch! Nothing strange about that, right?]
no subject
Date: 2024-09-25 06:32 pm (UTC)Personal? A different story. He's not bold at all. If he was, maybe he wouldn't have been raising his daughter all alone for as many years as he had. Maybe his life would be different if he was bold. But, still.
Still.]
I'd like that. [It's doesn't take boldness to admit that he likes something.] Tomorrow, then? Before I open the store or for lunch, whichever is better for you. [After all, Sampo Koski had never struck him as a morning person, especially not with the hours Gepard liked to keep. He knew that he woke up long before Sampo ever would. Asking him to drag himself out of bed sounded miserable.
He should step away. Gepard knows this. He doesnt, at least, not yet.]
Either way, I wouldn't mind ordering in food, but there's something to be said for a change of scenery.
no subject
Date: 2024-09-26 12:32 am (UTC)Lunch sounds great, let's do lunch. [It's true, he doesn't want to get up early if he doesn't have to. An early bird might get the worm, but blue-haired
conmenbusinessmen like to sleep in. Besides, depending on what kind of business he's doing and what planet the other party is on, he might be up late. And a guy needs his beauty sleep!][Aeons, especially these days. He's not getting any younger.]
Well! Time is money, and I won't take up any more of yours. [And the quicker he leaves, the less time Gepard has to come to his senses and tell him to take a hike.] I'll see you tomorrow, around noon.
[He makes his way towards the door, and turns to wave to Gepard before he goes.] Try not to miss me too much!
[Regret this decision yet, Gepard?]
no subject
Date: 2024-09-26 02:28 am (UTC)Get out, Koski.
[Sampo's already on his way out! It's not like kicking him out means anything. But- it's like all those times in which he brought in Sampo for some crime or another. He dragged him in, there was a complete and total lack of evidence, and Gepard ended up having to release him again, half-wondering all the while if all of this was just because Sampo Koski wanted to hang out in an interrogation room with him for an hour. It's like that. It's a reflexive exchange; he feels like he fell for something, Sampo's walking out, and he's hurrying to kick him out. It's almost bittersweet in how nostalgic it is.
Gepard does what he does best. He ignores his feelings as best as he can and cleans up the tea and scones. He unlocks the door, washes the pots and cups and things, puts the scones back where they came from, and spends the next however long being very bored. (Someone asks him why he opened so late, and he lies and says he met an old friend.)
It's a very slow morning, or what's left of it. And Gepard misses Sampo a little too much, though he shouldn't, but Sampo's like the first thaw after a very long winter, in which, against all odds, it feels like something shifted ever so slightly.
He goes to his cafe for a slightly late lunch, and sits and tries to read, and tries to ignore everything that just happened, but the only story he wants to hear is the end of what Sampo started.]
no subject
Date: 2024-09-26 03:15 am (UTC)[For most of the day, Gepard will be without a blue-haired shadow-- while stalking the good former Captain is always a fun pastime, Sampo does actually have other things that he has to do. One of which is start to unpack his things, meager though his current possessions are after years of essentially nomadism, into his apartment. It's a little nicer than his old safehouses, mostly because he actually plans on hanging around for his quasi-retirement, so ditching at the first sign of trouble isn't part of the plan.]
[But he really needs to like. Unpack his clothes and such so that he's not showing up to his little not-date with Gepard wearing yesterday's things.]
[He does still watch Gepard's house that night, sitting on the opposite roof and watching the silhouettes behind the curtains move from room to room. There, he sits at the table and eats dinner with his daughter; later, they sit in the living room; later still, upstairs for her to wash up and go to bed. The light in Gepard's bedroom stays on longer, and Sampo can picture him sitting in bed, reading another chapter or so of one of his nightstand books.]
[He really probably shouldn't do this. But what's a little light stalking between friends?]
[Sampo gets to the bookshop at noon, like he said. Almost late because he'd slept longer than he wanted-- late night Gepard-watching really puts a dent in his sleep schedule-- but he'd managed to catch the tram at the very last second. He opens the door and sticks his stupid blue head into the shop, singsongs out,]
Did you miss me?
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Date: 2024-09-27 02:21 am (UTC)The bookstore opens on time. He sells...not that much, a couple of books, but that's what things are usually like at his store. He's in the middle of talking with an old woman, one of his regulars, a sweet old granny, when Sampo sticks his stupid head in the store and singsongs out his stupid question.]
Absolutely not, Koski.
[And looks back in time to see said granny flash him a sweet and understanding (what is she understanding) smile, and she croaks out that she should be going, and totters out before Gepard can fix whatever just happened, because he doesn't know what happened, but he knows she got the wrong idea about whatever-it-is.
She probably pats Sampo's arm on her way out.
This doesn't help.]
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Date: 2024-09-29 03:11 am (UTC)[Sampo holds the door open for the sweet and lovely granny as she exits, and gives her an absolutely beaming smile and a wink when she pats him on the arm. She calls him a scamp as she goes, and it makes his day. With the undoubtedly gossipy old woman wandering her way off down the street, Sampo moseys on in to the store where his delightful lunch partner is probably regretting all of his choices.]
Ready for lunch? [He could use a meal, his breakfast consisted of a slug of hot instant coffee right before he went out the door.] Or do you have some other old ladies hanging around back here?
[Sampo would be great with your customers, Gepard! And he'd be so glad to help.]
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Date: 2024-09-29 09:02 pm (UTC)Don't call me that.
[Geppie. Geppie! At least when he was with the Silvermane Guard, he could take the title of Captain and shove it between the two of them. He misses that, right now, a layer of formality shoved between the two of them, a status difference that kept them wedged firmly apart instead of whatever-this-is.]
And if you're really offering to help me with my customers? I might just take you up on it.
[For all his grumbling, though, Gepard's clearly locking up for lunch. So. Sampo can take that however he wants.]
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Date: 2024-10-01 04:25 am (UTC)[And he can't go around calling him Captain anymore, so what else is he supposed to call him? His name, all the time? Sure, he could do that sometimes, but it's so much easier to tease him when he has a cute nickname to call him by.]
[Sampo idles by the door as Gepard locks up for lunch. He can protest as much as he likes, but Sampo knows that he's won-- he's still going out with him.]
I'm a very good businessman, I'm sure I could manage a few old ladies. And who knows, maybe I could bring in a few more customers with my many charms!
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Date: 2024-10-02 03:48 am (UTC)If you're serious, I could always ask the owner to take you on part time. Once or twice a week, just you and me, Koski. [He probably couldn't manage more than that. The budget wouldn't cover it. But, maybe a few hours...
But that's only if Sampo is serious about it, but he's not.]
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Date: 2024-10-04 03:21 pm (UTC)Why, Gepard, if you wanted more of my company so badly, you just had to ask! You don't have to try to get me employed for it.
[Besides, Sampo works much better when he's self-employed. A real entrepreneur, he is.]
I'm sure I could carve out a little extra time for you, outside of our little lunch dates! What kind of pal would ol' Sampo be if I left you lonely?
[Just what you always wanted, Gepard-- more of Sampo Koski. And now that the door is all locked up, Sampo's going to be even more obnoxious and hook his arm through Gepard's, so they can stroll along together to the cafe. Very chummy, the two of them! Thick as thieves, as the saying goes.]
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Date: 2024-10-04 09:06 pm (UTC)Gepard doesn't look at him. He doesn't make a point of looking away from him, so much as he's trying to act normal and failing at it. They're two strangers, walking arm in arm towards the same destination.]
Sampo Koski, there's easier ways of getting a free lunch than to spend time with me. [That. Focus on that.] And I didn't say anything about dates.
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Date: 2024-10-07 06:14 am (UTC)[They walk, two men going in the same direction.]
Ah, is it a free lunch? How generous! I’ll graciously accept, of course.
[Thanks for offering to take the bill, Geppie, that’s very kind of you. Sampo certainly won’t object to it!]
I suppose you only agreed to one lunch date, but I don’t know if I could tell you all of my stories in just an hour or two! We might need to meet for another, so I can finish.
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Date: 2024-10-08 02:01 am (UTC)And, well, it's a pretty good reminder. He intends on saying one thing, but out slips,]
I missed you.
[It's less sentimental and more of an accusation. That's fine.]
You're the only person ridiculous enough in all of Belobog to want to trade stories for food.
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Date: 2024-10-13 08:57 pm (UTC)[He knew you missed him, Gepard! For all his complaining about how Sampo made his life difficult, he knew that Gepard's life would be so much more boring without a blue-haired conman running around in it, being morally questionable.]
[Sampo has done a lot of things for a lot of different reasons, some good and some bad. Sometimes he's setting the stage for the salvation of a planet from a slow, lingering death, sometimes he's the partner-in-crime to a particular scheming woman with a terrible sense of humor. A man contains multitudes.]
[But today, he's a storyteller for Gepard Landau.]
I don't think it's ridiculous at all! I get lunch, and you get to hear about everything that's going on in the galaxy. There are people who would pay good money for the kind of first-hand accounts that I can provide! You should really count yourself lucky that I'm giving you such a deal.
[So sue him for showing a little favoritism! Gepard is his most favorite boy in Belobog, so he gets better deals than most.]
And I forgot to eat breakfast, so I'm pretty hungry.
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Date: 2024-10-14 03:15 am (UTC)He hates it. He hates the fact he likes it. That there's something that warms inside of him as Sampo determinedly insists on being with him no matter what he does, arm in arm, walking towards the same destination.]
Fine.
[And he looks away from Sampo again. They've got a cafe to get to. Sampo is hungry.]
You're being a lot clingier than I ever thought you would be. [The arm in arm thing.] What changed?
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Date: 2024-10-14 04:36 am (UTC)Changed? Come on, now, Captain. If I'd have ever tried to touch you while you were a captain, you would've probably bitten my hand off!
[Sampo Koski has a pretty well developed sense of self preservation-- he knows that he would've never gotten close enough to Gepard to touch him like this without severe consequences, ones that would be detrimental to his business. So it was really a practical decision, keeping his distance from the good Captain at every opportunity.]
Don't you touch your friends or your sisters? [Hugs and the like. That's what normal people do! Otherwise, Aeons, the kind of touch starvation you'd get, keeping yourself distant even from the people you love and care for.] Well, if you really don't like it, I guess I could let go... but that's kind of unfriendly, don't you think? And I'm a friendly kind of guy!
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Date: 2024-10-16 01:57 am (UTC)And the worst part is that he should leave it alone. He should just ignore Sampo and keep on walking - resolute and determined - like the captain he once was and march into the cafe the same way he once charged into danger. Gepard knows this. He'd be an idiot to challenge him. Challenging Sampo had never gone well. Ever.
But he's an idiot. He holds onto Sampo's arm with his free hand, like he's poised to pull him off or force him away- Gepard doesn't. He just holds him where he is, right by his side, and looks at his face again and thinks, not for the first time, that it's a stupidly handsome face he might have once liked. It's unfair.
It's really unfair. All of this is unfair. He doesn't care how this looks. Damn how it looks. He's mad and he doesn't know who he hates more: Sampo, or himself.]
You make it sound like you've wanted to give me a hug for quite some time, Koski. [That can't be right.]
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Date: 2024-10-17 10:52 pm (UTC)Somebody probably ought to. I didn’t think I’d be the man for that job, but I suppose I could, if you’re that hard up for it.
[Gepard always has come off to him as a man in desperate need of getting laid, but sure, a hug works too. Some kind of human contact that doesn’t involve him trying to punch or arrest anyone. Theoretically, his former baby mama would’ve been fulfilling that need, but she clearly has reneged on her duties, so Gepard has an open spot for it.]
I’ve never charged for hugs before, though, so I don’t have a pricing model yet! You’d have to be my first customer.
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Date: 2024-10-18 01:22 am (UTC)Gepard doesn't. He just- he forces his hand to relax, smooth out, still holding Sampo close. Unpleasantly close, for the both of them, probably. Neither moving forward nor moving back. Standing there, like two idiots.]
Should I ask what you would charge me? Or am I better off not knowing?
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