Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Caelus, you can't be serious."

The student in question blinks. "This is a very serious submission, Mister Koski. I even drew an illustration at the end," he points at the helpless paper like it'll change Sampo's judgement, "it's you."

More specifically, it's a very enlarged version of Sampo with explosives in his hand, which is not allowed, and a bunch of horribly drawn trash cans with limbs at the bottom. In the middle of this... trash-can army, there is a little stick man with a lopsided smile holding a non-describable weapon (it looks like it had been erased numerous times).

"Do you like it, Mister Koski? Stelle helped me with the idea."

"Of course she did..." Sampo mutters. Those twins, having some telepathic connection despite being in seperate homerooms, have been notorious for being the most aggravating kids yet holding the best results in every test. 

But really, Caelus should improve on his drawing skills if he wants to become an all-rounder in his subjects.

"Caelus, I don't grade you on art," Sampo adjusts the glasses perched on his nose, "I grade you on writing. And this..."

The writing is very mediocre at best.

'The horrendous evils of Mr. Koski spread even into the comic world, the beastly man growing 10000X bigger and reigning terror over the trash-lands. The villain cackles in delight, hair going on fire in his rampage. Trash cans live in fear of his ugly ha foreboding presence.'

"... You can certainly do better, Caelus, can't you?"

"Uh," Caelus shrugged, "is this graded?"

This kid, really. 

"Everything's graded, Caelus. If this isn't for numbers, it's for your Learning Skills mark."

Caelus stills. His classmates giggle at him, and Sampo does not quiet them down.

"Oops," is what the kid finally says.

Sampo shakes his head in a mix of baffled-ness and disappointment and goes back to answering every goddamn email about the school carnival in two weeks.

+++

"Hey, who's that?"

"Hm? Ah, that's Sampo Koski. Just ignore him."

"What? Why? He seems lonely."

"Maybe since you're new you can't tell, but he's shady. Everyone knows nothing about him, but he's overall really annoying. I once had him for a Chemistry project, but at the time rumour was going around he lives in the homeless shelter. And that he secretly sells drugs."

"What?!"

"Yeah, but I dunno the legitimacy of that."

"Did he slack off in your Chem group?"

"Huh? No. But he made it really annoying. Asking unnecessary questions and stuff. He tried to get closer to our team as well."

"Oh..."

"Sometimes I think he does it on purpose, the weirdo... But really, just don't talk to him. No one else does."

Sampo pretends he doesn't hear the conversation across the table, ignoring the sting in his eyes and continuing his lunch.

+++

Being a teacher has it's ups and downs.

UPs: chatty coworkers.

DOWNs: chatty coworkers.

He loves gossip, has been loving gossip since young, and will always appreciate the joyful glint in people's eyes when they tell someone else a rumour that has a 70% chance of being false. They shouldn't even be doing this in the first place, but it's fun. (Never follow this behavior, kids.)

"The top two students in 11th Grade are apparently in a dating scandal," Ms. Rand once said, calmly pouring tea in the Teacher's Commons, "It's very in-the-now."

Another time Mr. Yang had said, "some students have been coming into my office and telling me that Dan Heng is what all the ladies want."

"Oh! That reminds me, apparently..." Mrs. Lan, one of the younger teachers had once brought up, "Mr. Landau used to be a 'bad boy' in his school!"

Sampo stilled in washing his lunch plate. Because that was entirely not true, and that's why he always listens rather than engage  because the fake stuff always gets to him. 

Gepard Landau was a brilliant student, he thinks angrily, and he... he was nice (debatable), caring (depends), and never abandoned his loved ones!

That last one was a lie.

Maybe Mr. Koski really isn't over high school. 

+++

"Hey, freak, care to get me some cardboard from your house?" Amir sneers. "Your walls need redecorating, anyway."

Sampo scoffs and puts in his earphones. "Sure." The cable's all tangled, which makes the sound of his music a bit crackled, but it's better than hearing a dying hippo speak.

"Yo, I spoke to you!"

Sampo walks faster. I just need to get out of school...

Something hard hits the back of his neck, which causes him to stumble. Brilliant.

"Ah, fuck," he groans as he gets up to his butt, only to meet sleek leather shoes of all the students crowding around him and Amir. "That better not be your chopped off dick, Amir."

Amir crouches down, rips his earphones off, and grabs his collar. "What'd you say, loser?"

"..." Sampo smiles at him, making sure the corners of his lips make his eyes crescent. He revels in Amir's shudder.

"Fucking freak," his classmates spits, and the students around them gasp and step back when Amir kicks Sampo in the stomach, "can't even speak properly. Shows his intellect."

Sampo is about to prove who's fucking boss, when—

"Hey!"

And like that, with such a commanding tone, everyone scrambles to their next class.

Sampo can only sit on the ground as his eyes widen at the angelic sight in front of him. 

Gepard Landau. Captain of the football team. Class president. Active Student Council member. Son of a family honored for their military service. Kind. Smart. Everything. Standing up for Sampo, of all people.

"Hey, you—!" Gepard stops his hopeless chase. He turns around to the student on the ground and pauses.

Sampo's heart drops.

"Hey, you're..." Gepard purses his lips. "This has happened before, hasn't it?"

Sampo chuckles dryly. "Many times, oh great leader." He tries to stand up, to no avail. Gepard immediately rushes over to help him, and Sampo pretends to ignore the electrical sparks everywhere Gepard's hands land.

"Whatever..." Sampo mutters. He looks at his feet. He needs to get new shoes, but fucking inflation makes it hard to go around a store and feel decently loaded nowadays. "You know, no one's ever helped me like that before, but you did. And they call me strange."

"It's no problem, uh..." Gepard swallows. "What's your name?"

"Oh! Uh— Sampo." He smiles. "Sampo Koski. Don't worry, I— already know you." Fucking speak! Speak, Sampo! Use your words!

Gepard laughs awkwardly, and Sampo's heart aches at another student to his list of people who want to avoid him. But...

"Does... Does Amir do this very often?" Gepard worries about him. Sampo shouldn't feel this way, because it's just a duty of Student Council, but he still feels the butterflies growing tenfold and spreading pollen across his whole being.

Sampo freezes. He wants to say no, but the bruises across his back and legs say— "Yes."

"Why hasn't—" Gepard's throat strangles. "What hasn't anyone done anything?"

Sampo shrugs. "No one wants to help the kid from nowhere. No benefits from it."

"You shouldn't be seen as that."

"Ah, well. It happens doesn't it?" Sampo turns away, palms sweaty as they try to grab his bag strap. "Bye... Gepard. And thank you."

Sampo walks away, face sweating from his first actual conversation with the Golden Boy. He doesn't notice Gepard's sorrowful look at him from behind.

+++

"Mister Koski?" Ampelios raises his hand. Always a strange kid, this one. Sampo can never tell if he's going to ask a joke question or something important.

"Yes, Ampelios?" Sampo asks, not turning around from his chalkboard, the Hourglass Essay Structure drawing almost done.

"Does Mister Landau like you?"

The chalk in his hand snaps. That's certainly a question. 

"What?" Sampo asks, eyes widening and swinging like it's the most dramatic thing in the world. "Ampelios, you can't ask that to a teacher."

Ampelios grimaces. "But I swear he likes you!"

"Adults don't have kiddie crushes, silly. You should be focusing on Middle School!" Sampo laughs. "Okay, back to the matter at hand—"

"Mister Koski, I think he likes you as well! I saw someone like you on his lockscreen!" Cecil, God, Sampo can imagine him with his broken tooth grinning delightfully too.

"That's..." Sampo sighs. "You, Cecil, need to stop agreeing with your best buddy and focus on your essay topic. I need that thesis statement by tonight."

The class all collectively groans at the mention of their assignment.

"Mister Koski, I swear I saw something between you two!"

"Is there anything between you two?"

"Tell us your love story so we don't have to write essays!"

The students start to clamour on this topic more and more, and Sampo starts to lose his patience. The new chalk he took out from the package is about to burst again. Sampo takes in a deep breath. 

"If you're tired, just take a break." Gepard shrugs, leaning closer to Sampo. The bench they're sitting on creaking with every small movement. "It's that simple."

 

"But..." Sampo looks at the sky, exhausted, "I need to work hard. To give myself a good life."

 

"But if you work so hard for this life, you’ll ignore everything around you that could make your it truly better." Gepard shoulders his boyfriend. "Simple things. Like me."

 

Sampo laughs at that. "You'll always be there for me? To make it better?" He meets Gepard's eyes.

 

Gepard laughs softly. "Yeah. Of course. But for that, you should show more of all your sides. Where's that personality in the stories you write, huh? Or that pretty thing you do when—"

"Okay! You guys want a break, I'll give you a break." Sampo goes into his strict Literature Teacher mode, crosses his arms and juts his hip out. "Five minutes to calm down. If not, I'm sending all of you outside to work on this assignment without any guidance for everyone to see how you truly behave. Got that?"

The students deflate. Sampo always hates doing this, but the Teacher Handbook always says to be strict when necessary. (Was this nescassary?)

"I'll put the timer on." Sampo fiddles with his new watch he got for his birthday from the staff as a combined gift and sets a timer. He did not cry when he received it, thank you. "I'm going to walk out, and when I'm back, you guys will be quiet. Smart students, silly conversation. It's always this class. "

And he slams the door.

Sampo walks down the hallway to the Teacher's Commons, the felt walls decorated with pinned notes about certain calendar reminders and events, mindlessly opening the fridge next to the door and not realising someone else holding the handle as well.

Fuck's sake, it's Gepard.

"Oh, Mister Landau," Sampo greets with a strained smile, "how d'you do?"

Gepard just blinks. "Let me open the fridge."

"No, I can't do that to you!" Sampo mockingly gasps. He gestured to the other man's bandaged hand. "Your litte boo-boo isn't patched up yet! Too hard to use the stapler, hmm? How could I make you do such a labourous task, dear History teacher?

"With that logic— I'm hurt, and you're talking to me like this," Gepard —  Mr. Landau pinches the middle of his eyebrows, "see, Mister Koski, this is why—"

"What, want me to kiss it better?" Sampo scoffs and grips the handle tighter. "Like the good old days, Geppie?"

"Don't call me that."

"Why not, Geppie? No students are here. Gonna ignore me for another few years?" 

"Love ya, Geppie! See you tomorrow!"

 

"What was that?"

 

"Uh, see you tomorrow? I love you?"

 

"No, no... the, uh, nickname?"

 

"Oh, Geppie? I made it up! Gepard, Gep, Geppie, Gepster—"

Gepard looks like he's about to retort, but the next thing you know he's frozen. Sampo clenches his fist, about to say all his built up emotions for him, describe every breakdown he's had about him after college, but—

The little clock character on his watch starts singing a happy little tune. "Time's up~!"

Gepard breaks free of his stupid trance, his stupid pretty eyes blinking back to stupid reality and looking at his bo— his coworker. "Sampo—"

"No, Mister Landau, this is stupid. I need to teach my class, anyway. Goodbye."

And once again, Sampo slams another door, ignoring the intense beating in his chest.

+++

"Sampo?"

Sampo freezes, his red-rimmed eyes locking with the icy blue ones in the mirror of the Boy's Bathroom. His shaky hands stabilize him on the sink counter, and he smiles weakly. "Geprard. Hi."

The class president storms up to his new friend and gently spins him around so they could meet face-to-face. "What's wrong?"

Sampo sighs. "It's nothing. Just school. Thank you for the other day."

He grabs his ignored bag on the floor and tries to shove Gepard so he can get to the door, but Gepard doesn't budge.

Sampo grimaces. "What?"

"What's wrong?" Gepard pouts, like some adorable puppy that Sampo wouldn't be able to resist. "Are you okay? Is Amir bothering you again?"

Sampo forces out a laugh. "Just a bit out of it. Finals are soon, so yeah. Things are upside-down."

"I... didn't take for someone like you to so stressed about that."

"Well," Sampo shrugs, "gotta worry about something. Can't afford the prices of the study guides reccomended so I'm searching around with what I've got. Now, let me get to class."

"The school should provide you for that already." 

"Well, they didn't for me. Gepard—"

"Sampo, I can help you."

"I don't need help, I need time to study, myself."

"We can study together. I'll buy the books."

"Why study with me?"

"I want to."

"Well, I don't. Gepard, please move."

"No. You're upset about an injustice and I want to comfort you."

"Well, you're making me more upset! And 'injustice?' It's just—"

Gepard stays silent and grabs his wrist. 

"Gepard, what— Hey, let go! Gepard!"

"We're going to the library. Don't say no!"

Sampo, for the nth time, ignores any indication he actually likes Gepard.

+++

The final school bell rings. After all the students exit his classroom hurriedly, he slumps into his wheely-chair that pushes back from the impact. He thinks about what to eat for dinner and then stands up to erase the remnants on his chalkboard.

Someone knocks on his door once he finishes, which is comically odd timing. Sampo turns to the opened doorway, intrigued.

The math teacher, of course. A man almost as annoying as his subject, so his homeroom students say.

"Mister Ratio, what brings you here?" Sampo greets.

"Nothing, Mister Koski. Just glimpsing the extraordinary room that makes my students so articulate. An intimate discussion between us two, perhaps. Or, possibly, a coffee after work?"

Sampo blinks. While Mr. Ratio's advances to him didn't go unnoticed, it usually didn't usually end up with the other man actually proposing anything. Just some flirting that Sampo always engaged in until someone (most of the time Ms. Rand) deemed it unprofessional.

"Uh..." he thinks of the possibilities for this.

UPs: convo with friend (?), presumably free coffee.

DOWNs: it's Mr. Ratio.

That downside is really hard to ignore, but "...Sure! What's the worst that could happen?"

"Nothing bad at all." Mr. Ratio practically purrs, and turns away. "To continue being professional, I need to go back to my classroom and sort some things out. I assume you as well?"

"Of course." There's always work. Plus, there's been a certain essay excersise he's been ignoring to evaluate...

"Splendid. I'll meet you outside the building, around five-thirty?"

Sampo nods, the chalkboard eraser in his hands suddenly feeling a bit heavy. "Sure."

"It's a date, then." And with that, Mr. Ratio walks out. 

That's weird, Sampo thinks, I thought he was just flirting for fun.

This could be a second chance at something.

+++

Sampo stares at Gepard, wide-eyed and eyebrows surpassing his crappy self-made fringe. If this were some nonsensical world, they would have already ascended past his hairline.

"What a surprise," Sampo breathes out, eyes blank, still figuring out what he did to deserve this, "you want to go out with me."

"I don't..." Gepard gulps. "I dont know how to do this. I've never gone out with anyone before."

"And you choose me first?!" Sampo really shouldn't be talking like this, frightening poor Gepard, but really. "You could've at least tested someone else for experience! We're two years from graduating!"

"Still young, right...?" Gepard suddenly finds the floor very interesting. "But, you really draw me in, Sampo. I want— we should date."

Sampo clasps the textbooks (bought by Gepard) in his arms tighter. "You know, this kinda makes me your sugar baby now."

Gepard lights up, and Sampo swears the school lighting does nothing to downplay his beauty. "So that's a yes?"

Sampo nods, grinning. "Of course! But keep it on the downlow. How would the student body feel if their heartthrob-golden-child-academic-peak-class-representative is dating me of all people?"

"What did you just s—"

"Anyway! We're dating! Yay!"

+++

The date was more of an interview, if Sampo was being honest. He answered every 5 W's & 1 H question with something vague or replied back with a joke that probably wasn't funny.

For example, you don't ask your date their exact shoe size added with their hair length on the first date. Unless you're a stalker. 

"I find you very intriguing, Mister Ratio," Sampo leans forward, resting a chin on his hand and tilting it up on purpose, a challenge of sorts, "but such things said could count as irreverence. Care to ask something more casual?"

Mr. Ratio doesn't miss a beat, putting his mug down onto the table. "Okay, then. Something more casual, more normal, more typical on a first date..."

Mr. Ratio smirks. "Any past lovers?"

And with that, any past budding attraction towards the other man had gone down the drain never to be found. But, Sampo is always an honest man (lie), and he's willing to answer the question (another lie).

"Yes," Sampo giggles, stupidly fake, "but just one. You know, he was crazy enough to get our initials tattooed after college."

"Charming. Childhood friends?"

"High-school. After we graduated college together we started slowly drifting apart, but it was after a bit less than a year that we realised nothing was sparking like the past. Then I got this job."

"Interesting." Sampo's date ponders. "It wouldn't happen to be anyone I know, would it?"

Sampo really wants to punch this man in the face, but instead he laughs. "How silly! Of course not. Otherwise I wouldn't even be working in this district."

"Ah, of course. Forgive me, for I had hunch that something was between you and a certain history teacher."

Sampo's eye twitches. Darn math teachers and their darn intuition.

+++

"For you."

Sampo widens his eyes at his open doorstep of his room in the Wind Student Residences. "Gepard, I'm allergic to pollen..."

"I know. They're fake, so you can always have them. I got you a pretty vase too," he gestures to the paper bag with probably more than one vase.

Sampo feels on top of the world. "I'll be ready in five. Come in, and just put the stuff on my bed."

Gepard pauses. "You're letting me into your room?"

Sampo turns around from his drawer. "Yeah? There's nothing shady like everyone thinks, I swear."

"No, it's not that, it's just..." Gepard bites his lip, which is stupidly cute, "I just thought I'd have to prove myself, and everything. That I'm worthy to go into your space."

Sampo in on his boyfriend in a flash. "Aw, such a cutie!" He coos, squishing the blond's cheeks and stretching and morphing them into inhumane shapes. "So caring for me, so sweet, so—"

It's safe to say their movie night hit off very well.

"I like this genre," Sampo clicked his remote towards his run-down TV until it showed the Action-Comedy movies, "it always reminds me I can write better."

"Of course you can," Gepard pipes up, leaning forward to examine the free options, "none of these are good."

"Well, the decent ones I need to rent, and you know how I am with money! I can barely afford this small room to myself."

"...I can buy it." Gepard mutters.

Sampo chortles. "What, you're gonna help me buy more things?"

Geoard shrugs and shoulders Sampo lightly. "Why not?"

"There's many more things to use money on than me," Sampo selects 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective' and leans back on the couch. "This one's good. An oldie but a goodie. Wow, I think I aged 5 times by just saying—"

"I'd buy everything for you."

Everything goes silent. The little intro of the movie suddenly seems to insignificant to Sampo's widening eyes. 

"A... a little bit deep for our second official date, huh?"

"It's true." Gepard shirts closer. "I would. I'd force my father to do anything for you."

"Okay, Gepard, what did we say about underage drinking—"

"You're worth it, Sampo—"

"You're not helping your case right now!"

"Sampo, I ..."

+++

Sampo glares at the festivities being held on their school's courtyard.

More specifically, a man in a tight white shirt and a water gun, sparying away at the U20 football team that he trains after school on Thursdays. Not that Mr. Koski would know about that. 

Mr. Ratio hands him a drink. Sampo doesn't care what it is at this point, he's just grateful for the cool liquid om his tongue after witnessing whatever that was.

"Perhaps... my intuition was correct?" The although teacher suggests, and shifts closer. "Should we test this theory?"

"Oh, how you humour me, Mister Ratio," Sampo grits out, "but I don't need to prove anything to Mister Landau. He's just there, and I'm here. No connection towards him."

"Oh, really?" Mr. Ratio hums. "So..."

An unforseen arm wraps around his waist, and all Sampo's vision is now Mr. Ratio's face. They're chest-to-chest now, a posistion he hasn't been in for a while. A dangerous glint is in the other man's eyes, and Sampo doesn't want to test what just may happen.

"Mister Ratio," Sampo seethes, "just what are you doing in front of our students?"

"Oh, hush," Mr. Ratio chides the literature professor, "those glasses of yours really need to go."

Sampo's stupid false hope glances to his right, to the middle of the courtyard, and there he his. Mr. Landau, frozen, letting his students spray him with water as he looks at Sampo. His shirt soaks, showing his skin, and—

Sampo freezes. 

Under his right ribcage is a big, glorious G + S in cursive writing surrounded by red roses that hadn't been covered with more ink like Sampo had assumed. It's still... there? 

Mr. Ratio senses something with Sampo. "Is something wrong?"

"I," Sampo's vision starts going to a blur, "I..."

GEPARD:

[attached an image]

Told you I'd get it.

 

SAMPO (YOU)

GEPARD?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?

You actually got it?!?!

Is it bc you graduated ur dad let u lol?

 

GEPARD 

Yeah. Proves you something.

 

SAMPO (YOU)

Omg I actually love you

I didn't think it'd cover up that much space!!

 

GEPARD

Haha

I Love you too. Always and forever.

💗

 

SAMPO (YOU)

🥹

"I'm..."

"Samp— Mr. Koski, what's wrong?" Mr. Ratio takes a step back.

Gepard, from the courtyard, notices Sampo's panic. He looks down, and back up in horror. His mouth opens like he wants to say something, but as soon as Sampo sees the blond take a step, he dashes.

Back into the building, into his classroom, and locking the door shut.

This can't be happening.

"Sampo!"

+++

"Gepard," Sampo can't stop sobbing, "Gepard, please!"

"Sampo, I—" Gepard takes a shaky breath. He tugs his luggage closer to himself, "I don't love you anymore. I can't do this."

"What did I do?!" Sampo asks, crazed, "I swear, I'll fix it, I'll do anything—"

"It's not you!" Gepard bursts, gripping onto his luggage like a lifeline as he keeps taking steps back from their apartment door. "It was never you."

"Then why?!"

"I can't... I.. ." Gepard meets his eyes. "I'm sorry."

And Sampo hopelessly chases him to the taxi, and chases that cab into the distance until he can't see anything anymore. He falls onto his knees, the darkness of the sky suddenly seeming so close.

It's raining. The street lamp turns off. Sampo's hands got a cut from the awkward fall.

Sampo smiles, a broken and wobbly one, and doesn't care that he starts breaking down in the middle of the street.

The engagement ring given to him shines in the moonlight, donned upon a heartbroken man with nothing else to live for.

Chapter Text

Sampo doesn't go to work the next day.

He calls in a sick day, for whatever reason. Faked a doctor's note and everything. He really shouldn't be promoting these actions. The pain in his heart constantly gnaws at him, the painful throb becoming a silent beat for only a few mere seconds until it's back to being flared up and painful. That counts as being sick, right?

Maybe Sampo really isn't over highschool.

It's silly. This whole situation is silly. Highschool was silly. His relationship with Gepard was silly.

It was stupid and he hated how when he looks back at his youth, Gepard was the only thing he could think of.

Gepard's face. Gepard's smile. Gepard's devotion. His hands. Ears. Mouth. Hair. Height. He fucking hates Gepard.

Sampo rolls off his bed, unable to move. His mind goes at a thousand miles per hour, begging for just one movement, but his body can't seem to do so.

And he promised his students their grades back tomorrow. Fuckin' hell.

+++

"Fuck..." A young, roughed up Sampo coughs in the middle of an abandoned alleyway. He clutches at his stomach. The fucking stomach. Why does Amir always go for the stomach?

He just wanted some lunch in peace. And now he can barely move a muscle. Great. 

"Sampo?"

Wow. Is the light calling to him?

"Sampo!"

Yeah, yeah, he fucking gets it. He's dying. Fuck, and he just got a boyfriend...

"Sampo, Aeons..."

Can angels use the Aeons' name in vain?

"Sampo, it's Gepard."

What?

"Geppie?" Sampo weakly mutters. He slowly sits up with a groan.

"Yes!" Gepard breathes, coming in closer, "yes, oh yes, it's me, dear."

"Don't use pet names..." Sampo mumbles. "I feel old when you do that..."

Gepard makes a wet sound. A wet laugh. Sampo's not sure.

"Everything's foggy, Gep..."

"I swear, I'll make this right." Gepard says for whatever reason, determined. "Amir will never get close to you again."

That's rich. Sampo laughs aloud. "That's like saying I'll never get hurt again. Ever."

Sampo startles when Gepard suddenly takes a hand in his.

"That's my dream." Icy blue looks into turquoise. "I'll never let anyone break you down. Break us down."

Sampo, horribly, feels a swell of hope for once in his life.

+++

The microwave isn't working.

How the fuck does a home microwave work worse than a school microwave?

Sampo groans and decides that hot burritos isn't worth it. He bangs his head against his fridge next to the microwave — if it can even be called that for how little it lives up to the title — and contemplates crying. Maybe jumping out of the windows. 15 floors is enough, right?

Suddenly, a doorbell rings. Sampo freezes. 

Should he open the door?

UPs: maybe it's the staff from AIS sending him a get-well-soon package.

DOWNs: it's a serial killer and Sampo's the next victim on their list. 

Eh, he could live with either. I'll just check through the peephole.

Taking cautious steps, Sampo slowly tiptoes to his door. He opens the peephole lid, and...

Gepard Landau, holding a bouquet of roses and a mix of shame and bashfullness evident on his face.

What the fuck.

Gepard suddenly looks into the peephole.

What the fuck.

Sampo opens the door out of shock. This isn't fucking happening.

Gepard is in a light blue dress shirt today, and it dawns on Sampo that Gepard skipped his lunch hour to visit him after looking at his stray lanyard.

When they lock eyes again, Sampo feels like dying.

"Sampo—"

He closes the door again. Opens it to make sure he's not hallucinating.

"Please, Sampo, let me—"

The door is slammed again.

+++

There's a crowd around the school entrance. Sampo has a bad feeling brewing in his stomach as he walks closer and closer to school.

Eventually blending into the crowd, Sampo secures a spot just behind a few people getting front-row views of the fight.

Sampo's heart drops to his stomach.

Amir is on the ground, nose bloody and face covered in bruises, while Gepard is pulling him up by the collar.

"Gepard!" Sampo gasps aloud, the shock of all of it coming like a spark.

At the sudden noise, Gepard turns around. Fuck, his face is even worse. Sampo's lip trembles. 

"What are you doing?!" Sampo yells incredulously.

"You're fucking boytoy came to avenge you," Amir spits from the ground, answering for Gepard, "I can't fucking believe this. How good's his ass, Gep? How much are you paying—"

"Don't say another word about him!" Gepard roars, turning back to attack Amir. The crowd starts a commotion again.

Sampo notices the small trickle of sweat dropping down Gepard's chin. The gleam in Gepard's eyes. The shaking of his fist, being scrunched much too hard. It's all Gepard, Gepard, Gepard—

Sampo can't help the bile that rises to his throat.

He likes this side of Gepard.

+++

"It was my father." Gepard says grimly. "He said that if I didn't move back with him, I'd... well, he'd hurt you."

"You think I couldn't fucking take it, Gepard?" Sampo laughs grimly. He falls back into one of his small, crappy dinner chairs. "You think, after all we've been through, after all I've been through at the time, that I couldn't take a little roughing from your shitty father just to marry you?"

"Sampo, I—"

"Don't fucking start, Gepard," his voice starts to shake, and he hates, hates, hates Gepard's concerned look at him, "we were fucking engaged! Do you know how crazy it was for us to be engaged?!"

"Sampo, why don't we just calm down—"

"Calm down?!" Sampo stands up from his seat. "Fucking calm down? The first guy I've ever dated stayed with me throughout my ups and downs in highschool, graduated college with me, proposed to me, lived with me, broke up with me, is now here spitting bullshit excuses about why he broke off us and the engagement." He doesn't care for the tears rolling down his cheeks as he slumps back down. "Can't you just go away?!"

There's silence in the air except for Sampo's sobs. He can't believe he's held it in for this long. "Y—You can't just— barge in with d—dramatic effect and expect me to just— just—" his words are really jumbling these days...

Someone moves. There's a hand on his shoulder.

"I..." Gepard pauses. "Sampo, when my father said he'd hurt you at the time, I was too afraid of letting you get hurt that I ignored the fact you'd be even more hurt when I broke up with you."

Sampo tries to reign in his sobs. What the fuck is Gepard on about?

"You were the only one for me, and when I had to seperate from you it was hell. I tried reaching out to you, but you were nowhere to be found. I didn't think I'd ever see you again until I got a job here."

Sampo chuckles dryly. Yeah. That was a shock.

"Everyone!" The Director says after they've called all the staff to the meeting room on the highest floor of the school. "We have a new hire that seems very promising for the future of History teachers."

 

"Ooh, fresh meat," Natasha, the head nurse, chuckles next to him, "I wonder, will he be as old as the previous one?"

 

"And as bald?" Sampo laughs with her.

 

"Please welcome Gepard Landau, or Mr. Landau. He will be the vice-head of the Social Sciences department as well, as of now, working with Mr. Yang."

 

"Oh, wow." Natasha says. "Quite the opposite."

 

Sampo can't believe his eyes. "Gepard?" He can't help but whisper. 

 

Gepard locks eyes with him. They both stay there for a bit, before the Director coughs loudly for Gepard to start his greeting.

 

Gepard startles. "Ah yes." He stands up pin-straight. "Hello, everyone. I am Gepard Landau. I will be the new History teacher for middle school. Uh, I wish to head to teaching highschool as soon as possible."

 

"Oh? And why is that?" The Director prompts.

 

"Because highschool was some of my best years. I wish to help these students have as much fun as I did."

 

Sampo spits out the water he was drinking.

"My point is, I've always loved you, Sampo. Nothing else can defy it. And I really—" Gepard's voice cracks, and Sampo has to fight the concerned look that wants to morph on his face, "—I horribly regret all I've done to you. I just wish... that when I'd left, I could've said— I love you for the last time and leave you be. If you want to spite me, hurt me, murder me, get me fired, I don't care. I'll let you do anything to me as long as you can move on happy."

Sampo's crying has calmed down by now. And he contemplates.

"You know I'll always be there for you, right?"

He really contemplates.

"Hey, hey, don't cry. If you cry I'll cry, Sampo. We're in this together, alright?"

So much contemplating is being done right now.

"Sampo, my love, my soul, my perfect compliment. These past years have been some of the best ones in my life. With you, I— I can only imagine life being uphill. I hope you feel the same, and all the years we've dated haven't gone in vain, a—and with that, I have to ask..."

 

A brilliant diamond ring is presented to him. 

 

"Will you marry me?"

He contemplates a lot. A whole fucking lot. He takes a deep breath, two, three. He can't fucking believe this is his life.

UPs: You get back with the man you've only ever wanted.

DOWNs: ...

Ah, fuck it.

"Gosh, you were always a smooth-talker, weren't you?" Sampo tries his best to laugh, but it's croaky due to all the sobbing that happened ten fucking minutes ago.

"W—what?"

"...when you put it that way," Sampo muses, rubbing his heavy eyes, "I have to be honest. I don't really wanna let you go too."

"Sampo—"

"I'm still upset, obviously," Sampo chuckles, "even a little mad. But we... I don't mind if we take it slow."

Gepard stays silent. He picks up the forgotten bouquet from the ground and places it on the table.

"They're... for you. Plastic. I know you're allergic to pollen."

Fuckin' hell. Sampo groans, "stop being a gentleman. I need to cherish these moments wholly before you dissappear again."

"Don't joke about that."

"What? Haven't dated someone as funny as me?"

"I haven't dated anyone else, actually, since you." Gepard turns to Sampo. "As of now, I don't really plan to date anyone else but you."

Wow ambitous much. Sampo stays quiet. He lets his wildly beating heart speak for him.

"But we'll start slow, right?" Gepard continues. "Slow and steady.

"...yeah." Sampo smiles. "Slow."

Gepard smiles back.

Slow.

+++

"Gepard?" Sampo questions. He giggles when Gepard kisses his cheek softly. "What's up?"

Gepard hums. "Just feel like appreciating you today."

"You appreciate me everyday."

"I know." Gepard laughs, pulling Sampo closer to himself. "It's just— I'm very thankful for you."

"Aw, stop!" Sampo laughs aloud. "We were just gonna watch a movie in bed!"

"Hm? Ah, yes." Gepard shuffles into a comfier position. "Just letting you know I love you."

"I already know that silly." Sampo giggles. 

+++

AIS is starting a week-long excursion today. Something about camping and visiting the more coastal planets. 

Sampo ushers his homeroom into the train that will transport everyone to the designated planet. Crumbila, or some shit. Known for it's magical garden vibe. Sounds like a snack.

"Hello, Mr. Koski." A tall figure stands next to him. "My homeroom has fully situated on the right of Carriage 2."

Sampo looks to his side with a smile. "Good morning, Mister Landau. As you can see, my homeroom is currently being stationed to the left of Carriage 2."

"What a coincidence." The blond hums. "I fear we gave to sit next to each other as supervisors of Carriage 2."

"Mmm, yes, a shame," Sampo mumbles back, ticking his final student off the roster, "and here I was, planning to go to Carriage 6 and sit with Mister Ratio."

Gepard's smitten look replaces quickly with a sullen one. "You don't mean that truly, do you?"

Sampo laughs. "Of course not, silly. Let's get in the Carriage before the Director lights fires on our butts."

When they walk in, the students immediately lower the volume of their clamouring. Sampo feels a swell of pride at the manners the school embeds in their students. 

"Does everyone know where we're going today?" Sampo asks excitedly.

All the student say a big 'yes' in agreement. Gepard laughs. 

"We all know the safety measures?" Gepard chimes in.

The students nod and say various rules over each other that were drilled into then during the breifing of this trip. Always stick to each other and teachers, wear your school badge at all times, stuff like that.

"You guys still know who you favourite teacher is?" Sampo asks, just for the fun of it. He gets the most votes, obviously. 

"All right, so we don't have to explain anything!" Sampo laughs. "Now, make sure when you hear your name you say 'here,' so Mister Landau and I can tick you off of our lists."

+++

"Ugh! I hated that test!" Christina, a classmate of Sampo's, groans. "Did you, Sampo?"

Ever since Gepard's fight with Amir, people have noticed Sampo more often now. They get to see a more unfiltered version of him.

"Tell me about it!" Sampo moans dramstically. "What did you get for question fifteen?"

"Hm..." Christina looks to the ceiling, pondering. "I think forty-eight. What about you?"

Sampo's face pales. "You had to answer with a number?"

Christina laughs gleefully. "Well, at least I know I'll have a buddy when I fail this test!"

"You know it!" Sampo laughs back with equal enthusiasm.

"Bye, Sampo!"

"See ya!"

Placing his hands on his hips, the smile on Sampo's face deflates. The answer was 53. 

"I know that look." A hand wraps around his waist helps him as a guide to maneuver around the halls.

"Hey, Gep." Sampo hums, still looking at the floor. "You think I'll pass?"

"You're not unintelligent, Sampo," Gepard chuckles, "of course you'll pass."

"Thank you, o' mighty one," Sampo says dramatically, "with this blessing I shall have the pleasure of getting a passing grade of fifty-one percent."

Gepard chuckles. "Sure, Sampo. Just don't sell yourself short to others. If it wasn't hard just say it wasn't hard."

"Tell, that to yourself, dummy!" Sampo stops walking and pecks Gepard on the cheek. "This is my class. Bye, Geppie!"

"I'll pick you up after school ends?" Gepard asks Sampo. 

"Of course!" 

+++

Sampo and Gepard sit next to each other on the train. The seats are made for child duos, so the space was a bit restraining. Sampo plays with his phone as Gepard stares into the front, fiddling with his hands in his lap, waiting for the train to warp.

"Do you remember..."

"Hm?" Sampo looks up from his phone to the man next to him. 

"Do you remember our... first excursion as a couple?"

Sampo snorts. "Yeah. We were roommates and used our dorm time very effectively. Teenager stuff."

"Young and dumb, I guess." Gepard coughs. "Ah, I'm trying to distract myself. I can never get used to shaking off nerves before a warp."

Ah, yeah. Sampo remembers. Travelling a lot before his parents died, warping isn't something Sampo makes a lot of fuss about. Gepard, on the other hand, rarely travels, so he gets nauseous easily and needs support.

Support...

Sampo smiles. He lays his hand, palm-up on Gepard's lap. "Hold my hand. I'm here for you."

Gepard looks up to Sampo, face blank. "Don't be ridiculous."

Sampo shakes his hand dramatically. "Ow! Do you see my hand throbbing? It's the constant pain of no embrace—"

Gepard holds Sampo's hand. 

Yeah. Sampo could get used to this.

+++

 GEPARD

GEPARD

Hey.

SAMPO (YOU)

Omg hi babe!!!*#&@*

SAMPO (YOU)

Wassup?

GEPARD

I can sneak out for a date today. I don't have any duties.

SAMPO (YOU)

AHHH OMG OK

SAMPO (YOU)

WHAT DO YOU WANNNA DO!!($&@&#&

GEPARD

I'm fine with anything you want to do 😊

SAMPO (YOU)

Omg atop makinf me blugh

GEPARD

? Please decode your last message.

SAMPO (YOU)

It's just some typos wtf

SAMPO (YOU)

Any YAYAYYAY can we go 2 the mall together 😔 the one near my house

GEPARD

Of course. And watch a movie?

SAMPO (YOU)

OMG YOU READ MY MIND!!! ILOVEYOU

GEPARD

I love you too ❤️

GEPARD

Be ready by 1900? I'll pick you up.

SAMPO (YOU)

YAY

GEPARD

❤️

SAMPO (YOU)

💕💕

+++

"Be careful, Mister Koski," Gepard grabs Sampo's shoulder from the back in the nick of time, effectively stopping him from tripping into a puddle in the middle of the lobby of Crumbila's most prestigious hotel. "Don't fall."

The students watch in wonder as Sampo steps back, dusts himself of, adjust his glasses, and turns back to Gepard to smile at him. "Thank you, Mister Landau. We could've been in a real pickle!"

"Anytime, Mr. Koski," Gepard nods, "it's what any upstanding citizen would do."

Students coo and jeer, and Sampo can't help but laugh. "Oh, Mister Landau! Are you perchance a superhero?"

Gepard's face, up until the tips of his ears, flush a deep pink. "Ah..."

"Mister Koski is your damsel in distress, Mister Landau!" One student says. The rest cheer and agree loudly.

"Alright, students," Mr. Yang cuts through the commotion with a flick of his... staff? Walking stick? Sampo still doesn't know to this day. "Ignore Mister Koski and Mister Landau's antics and head to Mister Screwllum and Miss Wolf over at the counter to confirm your roommates and room numbers."

The students agree willingly, and a race seemingly forms to see who can reach Mr. Screwllum and Ms. Wolf first. 

"Hm. I'm glad I'm not in charge of general logistics," Sampo muses, "otherwise I'd be a dead man by now."

"Not unless I have something to say about that." Gepard murmurs. 

Sampo scoffs, looking to his right. "What's with you today? Feeling extra romantic?"

Gepard shyly gazes at Sampo. "Perhaps."

Sampo looks around to check that no one is looking and pecks Gepard on the cheek.

+++

It started with a small kiss. After students were briefed of events that would happen in the following few days, the students were sent to their rooms and teachers made sure no one would sneak out. Since they're homeroom classes are next to each other in the school system, naturally they share a room together. Two beds and everything. After unpacking, they sat next to each other on one bed, reminiscing of their old days. 

"I..." Gepard laughs. "I remember when I first saw you. You... jumped out of Miss Juniper's classroom window with a sandwich in your mouth and your bag open. It was very endearing."

"That's when you first saw me?!" Sampo gasps. "I thought you first saw me when getting beaten up by the guy! Adrien? I forgot his name."

"It's better you don't remember it," Gepard chuckles, "and yes, the first time I got a good look at you was when you were being mistreated. But when I first saw you, captivated by you? It was when I caught you crying in the boy's bathroom."

Sampo flushes. "Gosh, those days were embarrassing," he mumbles, "at least they're all over now."

He and Gepard meet eyes. Gepard suddenly gulps. 

"I hope... I can stay with you for the rest of the days to come," Gepard confesses quietly.

And what was Sampo supposed to do, not kiss him?

Sampo pushed forward and kissed Gepard. It was just lips touching lips, really. Nothing special. Sampo should reccomend Gepard some anti-cracking lip balms. 

Gepard tilts his head to open their mouths and cups Sampo's chin like he's some delicate sheet of paper that will tear with even a slightly strong grip. Sampo straddles Gepard's lap then, their tongues fighting for dominance. Feeling hands go up and down his waist, Sampo hugs Gepard's shoulders in an attempt to get closer. 

They make out for a while. When they finally break off of each other, they're both panting heavily and the room in tinted with a hazy orange. After taking off their clothes, they pounce on each other again.

The next morning, Sampo wakes up to a hand placed as a shield for his back and his face glued to chisled pecs.

"Well..." Sampo, purses his lips. "So much for starting slow."