Cat and mouse

Masquerade

Sampo Koski, a charming petty criminal.

That's all he was to the underworld, a thief.

However Sampo Koski was anything but a simple man, he is a man with many masks.

He wasn't always like this, as a child he was relatively happy, until his parents died. Not long after they died the underworld was shut off from the overworld, leaving a teenager to fend for himself.

He quickly learnt that his only option was to steal, to become someone he wasn't, that's when Sampo Koski the petty criminal was born.

He had never shown anyone who Sampo Koski really was, especially not to the captain of the silvermane guards however he doesn't suppose it matters anymore.

If he was going to die maybe he would die as Sampo Koski, the real Sampo Koski.

He sighed and tilted his head back letting the wind blow his hair, the cold air biting at his cheeks. He smiled softly as he heard the guards approach, their voices getting closer by the second.

"Sampo, step away from the ledge," An all too familiar voice called out from behind him, he turned his head just enough to be able to look at Gepard.

A small smile crept its way onto his face as he looked into the eyes of the captain, his usual confidence faltering.

"When have I ever listened to you?" Sampo said fondly before letting go of the railing, letting himself fall.

It was a strange feeling watching someone who you thought hated you trying to reach out and grab you as you fall.

He didn't dwell on the thought, after all it didn't matter anymore, nothing did.

He closed his eyes, accepting his fate.

Two months ago

Sampo opened the door to the workshop, Serval looked up surprised to see her old friend, she tilted her head "What brings you here Koski?" She asked.

Sampo put his hands up "relax relax I come in peace~" Sampo joked, smiling at her, Serval smiled at him fondly.

"I know that, what brings you here?" She asked, sampo looked down at the floor for a second, his smile faltering ever so slightly. He sat down on the bench and stretched his arms above his head yawning.

"No reason really, how's Geppie?" Koski asked, letting himself get comfortable on the bench.

"Overworked, as always.... Sampo...." She trailed off as if she didn't want to say what she was thinking, she didn't need to say it, Sampo already knew what she was thinking. "If he comes here he'd arrest you on the spot, you know that right?" She said, Sampo wished she had just stayed quiet. Of course he knew, he was a wanted criminal after all and the workshop was a dangerous place for him to be, after all Gepard came here often.

"Ah~ its fine it's fine!" Sampo insisted, waving his hands as to dismiss what she said but Serval looked at him unconvinced. Serval sighed and sat down next to her old friend who she hadn't seen in years.

"He gets off duty in fifteen minutes, I really don't think you should stay," she said, Sampo stared at the ceiling, trying to avoid the situation he was in. He needed a friend after all, he knew he had to leave but he wanted so badly to stay, to talk with his old friend and catch up with her.

"Alright I'll be off then!" Sampo quickly stood up and made his way to the door, he turned and saluted to Serval "try not to miss me too much," he said with a wink before turning and leaving as suddenly as he came. He noticed a wanted poster with his face on it, or at least it slightly resembled his face. He smiled fondly at the messy drawing, recognising it as Gepards work immediately.

He made his way back to the underworld, maybe Natasha would humour him with her company.

With Gepard

Gepard checked his phone, he had some time to visit his sister before he had to go to the meeting, he made his way towards the workshop. He opened the door and noticed how down Serval looked, she was too deep in thought to notice he had even arrived.

"Serval? Is something wrong?" He asked, she quickly looked up at him, noticing the confused look on his face.

"Ah- it's nothing really," she said, she was a horrible liar but luckily for her Gepard was incredibly gullible. He nodded before beginning to tend to his flowers, a comfortable silence filling the room, serval couldn't stop thinking about how Sampo seemed off.

Sampo Koski was a lot of things but depressed wasn't one of them, or so she thought. She noticed the way his smile faltered and his mask slipped even if only for a second, she couldn't get the look of his eyes out her head.

"Gepard have you seen Sampo at all recently?" She asked, of course she knew that Gepard had been looking for Sampo, they were anything but friends.

"Well... after the trailblazers left I haven't seen much of him, we're actually having a meeting today about him, why do you ask?" Serval looked away from her brother.

"No reason, just forget it," she said before making her way towards her guitar, she wanted to do something to take her mind off him, to get rid of the unexplained worry that was filling her as she thought about him.