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steflionheart · 1 year

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Fandom: Honkai Star Rail

Pairing: Sampo x Gepard

Wordcount: 2.520

tags: AU - canon divergent; Gepard chasing Sampo; Sampo being a smug fxxker; very slightly spicy (nothing graphic or anything, no actual mentions of nsfw, just some light hinting); Gepard actually being into it; Sampo being the sassy dude he is

“Stop right there, Sampo Koski! Running is futile, I will arrest you!” Sampo’s pursuer called, just a few steps behind and hot on his heels.

The blue-haired man chuckled low to himself at the fact that it was yet to be decided who would catch whom as he took the next turn leading into another abandoned alley.

He could do this for hours; walking around in circles, leading whoever was chasing after him into the darkest corners of the underground, or finding a hideout and simply waiting there until they gave up on trying to find him. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s done that and certainly not be the last.

And he’s been running in circles for who knows how long that day already while fooling his pursuer into thinking he actually had a chance to eventually get him. But even Sampo Koski’s patience was bound to reach its limit sooner or later, so he decided it was about time he finally lured his prey straight into his trap.

Knowing the streets of Belobog’s Underground better than anyone else, he took yet another turn, this time purposefully stepping straight into a dead-end.

“Oh nooo! What to do now? I’m trapped!” Sampo called over his shoulder in an overly dramatic manner, “What an unlucky fella I am…”

He said it loud enough for his persecutor to hear him but not too loud to give their position away to the other guards. Sampo was sure that none of them would be able to find their way here anytime soon in the first place but that was exactly what he’d aimed for from the beginning.

He didn’t need anyone interrupting them now.

Sampo slowed down, taking the last few steps toward the end of the alley. He came to a stop in front of some abandoned, old, and dusty wooden boxes that were scattered there in front of the tall stonewall. They’ve been looted before, considering that some of them were open, the tops mindlessly thrown aside and others simply cracked open to access their content.

A short moment later, his scheme played out just as planned.

“Stay right where you are and don’t you dare move a single finger, Koski!” Gepard Landau called, loud and firmly, voice booming across the narrow street. “You can’t escape anymore.”

Sampo grimaced before taking a deep-drawn sigh and slowly turning around, wearing one of his trademark lopsided smirks on his lips the moment his eyes fell on the blonde.

“No need to shout, Cap. I heard you just fine,” Sampo answered as he lifted his hands in feigned defeat. “Seems like you finally got me, huh?”

The Captain of the Silvermane Guards took two careful steps forward and Sampo waited for another few moments, letting the Captain believe just for a bit longer that he was actually cooperating. But Sampo had never planned to do that, so soon enough he narrowed his eyes, gaze turning predatory as he slowly let his arms down again.

Instead of staying put, the Mercenary was now slowly approaching Gepard. His lips stretched into a mischievous smile as he watched Gepard’s eyes widen with realization and a spark of anger flashing in them.

“Don’t move!” the Captain called.

Sampo didn’t bat an eye at the command, rather taking another few steps closer to his target.

“I said. Don’t. Move!”

A low chuckle escaped Sampo.

“Aw, or what?”

The Mercenary kept moving, only stopping right in front of Gepard, and staring at him with an amused glint in his emerald eyes. The Captain was frozen to the spot and his heart must’ve been racing, considering that he was breathing heavily through his nose while trying to hold Sampo’s gaze.

“Will you handcuff me?” Sampo asked, voice low and provocative.

He wanted to see how fast he could get the Captain of the Silvermane Guards, Gepard Landau, to let his guard down and how much Sampo could get under his skin. Considering that the Captain had been on Sampo’s mind almost every day those past weeks— it was only fair, one would assume.

It wasn’t out of fear that Gepard could eventually catch him and lock him up but for several other reasons. Reasons, which would certainly make Gepard get all flustered and tongue-tied if Sampo told him about.

“Will you punish me for being a bad boy, my dear Captain?” Sampo asked again as he took a step to the side and slowly started to circle the blonde while keeping his eyes locked on him.

Sampo studied every emotion flitting across the Captain’s face, watched a single bead of sweat running down his cheek, and was captured by the way his Adam’s Apple bobbed slightly as Gepard swallowed under the pressure of being observed so closely.

And Sampo wanted to do more than just watch, fingers itching to touch, tease, and simply do whatever indecent thought was crossing his mind right at that moment. Being this close to the sole reason for many of Sampo’s sleepless nights and being able to smell his heady scent— it was hard to resist. But Sampo also knew he needed to go slow about this and ought not to make any rash decisions.

But a little teasing never hurt anybody, right?

Sampo leaned in close, nose almost brushing the flushed skin at the back of Gepard’s neck as he continued.

“Would you enjoy doing all those things to me?”

The Mercenary lowered his voice even more, barely above a whisper as he breathed. “Or would you enjoy it more if I did that to you instead…?”

Gepard visibly shivered, his adorably flushed skin puckering and Sampo had to bite down hard on his lower lip to keep himself from simply latching onto the Captain’s neck right then and there. Instead, he let his hand wander to the small of Gepard’s back, gently brushing over it as he tensed. Sampo then finished his round and came to a stop in front of the blonde again, keeping his hands to himself with a satisfied smile on his lips.

“What do you think you’re doing here?” Gepard asked and Sampo swallowed hard at how unbelievably enticing the sight of a flustered Gepard was. His flushed cheeks, the frustrated look on his face, and the way his eyes were dancing around as he tried his hardest to hold Sampo’s gaze but ended up being too shy to do so— everything combined was almost too much for the Mercenary.

“I’m going to arrest you, so don’t get ahead of yourself,” Gepard eventually said, voice low and less convincing than before.

Sampo chuckled low.

“You sure about that, Cap?”

“What do you mean?” Gepard asked, brows knitting in confusion.

What Gepard hadn't noticed until now was that Sampo, while walking around him, had taken advantage of the situation and snatched the handcuffs from Gepard’s belt.

Sampo once again leaned in close, so close their noses almost touched. And at first, Gepard flinched hard, backing away an inch or two but just a moment later he visibly steeled himself and stood his ground, trying not to show any weakness.

Which played right into Sampo’s hands.

“I mean that I am the one who actually caught you…” Sampo whispered as the soft click of the handcuffs locking echoed through the quiet alley.

That was the moment Gepard’s eyes grew comically wide in realization as his face went slack and his mouth fell open in surprise. A moment passed, then another until Gepard blinked a few times, mouth moving in an attempt to form a coherent sentence but it just didn’t work. He tried to retreat, taking two steps backward but in the blink of an eye, Sampo grabbed him by the handcuffs and pulled him back closely.

“Nuh-uh, no running away now…” Sampo warned.

Their chests touched and even through the thick fabric of both their clothes, Sampo could feel the Captain’s heartbeat hammering in sync with his own.

Sampo’s eyes turned dark with burning desire as he uttered his next words.

“I gotta admit that at one point I started to enjoy our little cat-and-mouse games because you are quite the fascinating fella. I’d love to break through that stoic and upright facade of yours someday to see what you hide behind all that. But not today and not here, my dear Gepard…”

Sampo pulled back slightly, just to satisfy the urge to see a flustered Gepard once more but the moment his gaze fell on the blonde’s face, he was completely mesmerized.

A dark crimson had settled high on the Captain’s cheekbones, accentuating the brilliant blue of his sapphire eyes, and making them shine brighter than Sampo had ever noticed before.

But that wasn’t everything that had captivated him; he was taken aback at the glint of something dark and wicked hiding in them, a secret waiting to be found out, an ardent longing wanting to be released as Gepard stared straight at him, brows knitted in frustration.

Sampo was concentrating hard, trying to find out if his mind was trying to play a dirty trick on him or if what he’d just witnessed was actually real. He decided to go for the latter as a lopsided smile spread on his lips and he stated.

“Or maybe you’re already enjoying all of this more than I’d expected from you…”

Sampo closed the distance between them, grabbing Gepard’s chin between the thumb and index finger of his right hand, and pulled him in.

Their lips almost touching, Sampo breathed.

“I hope you don’t mind…”

Gently pressing his mouth on Gepard’s for a soft peck, Sampo felt him tense underneath the touch, body turning rigid against his own for a moment. The Mercenary was sure that Gepard would soon enough start a fuss and find a way to free himself of the handcuffs. Sampo was also sure that he was about to catch one of the blonde’s relentless fists any second now.

After another agonizingly long moment, Gepard suddenly relaxed, slightly pressing forward and—

Sampo needed a second longer to realize that Gepard was actually reciprocating the kiss.

It felt like a stroke of lightning had struck him, surging through his whole body, and setting every single nerve alight with a sizzling feeling that finally settled, pooling low in his gut. Sampo willingly took the invitation, angling his head, and slotting their lips together like fitting puzzle pieces and hands wandering, cupping the Captain’s face in both of them.

But before he could get any further or enjoy this moment a bit longer, he heard the stomping of heavy boots and guards calling Gepard’s name coming closer and closer.

Sampo reluctantly retreated as he heard them yell in the alley right beside them. He knew they would find them in less than a minute, so he had to act fast. Groaning, he pulled back completely from a still very much spaced-out Gepard while fumbling for a smoke grenade in one of his back pockets to prepare his escape.

Sampo couldn’t suppress the soft chuckle that escaped him as he focused back on Gepard, who was slowly coming back to his senses and flushed a crimson red the moment realization hit him hard. The Mercenary closed the distance between them, pressing their bodies together as he uttered a last warning into the small space between them.

“You better cover your sweet little mouth now or the smoke will cause a nasty coughing fit. And I wouldn’t want that to happen to you, my dear Captain Gepard.”

He watched with an amused smirk on his lips as Gepard’s eyes grew wide and followed the grenade Sampo threw over his head. It landed a few feet away behind the blonde and continued to roll a bit further until it stopped right at the feet of one of the guards who had just stepped around the corner.

Sampo placed a quick peck at the corner of Gepard’s mouth before he unlocked the handcuffs and freed his hands. Taking step after step backward, he blew the Captain of the Silvermane Guards one last kiss as the grenade went off and thick white smoke started to fill the alley. The Mercenary winked, then turned around, and climbed up the wooden boxes in a fluid motion before swinging himself over the sturdy stonewall.

The guards were coughing violently as Sampo landed smoothly on the other side of the wall in yet another abandoned alley. He paused for a brief moment and took a deep breath, heart and mind still racing as he recalled the latest events.

Sampo was still very much surprised and would’ve never thought that a simple kiss could break so easily through Gepard’s defenses and that he would willingly let him in. It was exciting, exhilarating even and Sampo wondered how far he could’ve gone if they hadn’t been interrupted. The possibilities were endless and thinking about them sent an electrifying shiver down his spine, fueling his darkest desires, and granting him some of the wildest fantasies.

He groaned and dragged one of his hands over his face in desperation as a wicked smile spread on his face. Just a moment later he heard a guard shout his name behind the stonewall he’d just climbed over.

“Sampo Koski!”

He didn’t hesitate for another moment, not wanting to risk getting caught after all as he took off and disappeared into the maze of Belobog’s Underground alleys.

Meanwhile, the Captain of the Silvermane Guards, Gepard Landau, was still unable to move a single muscle, blood rushing in his ears and heart hammering wildly in his ribcage as he dragged a single finger over his lips. They were still tingling from the touch of someone else’s lips.

Chapped lips, though skillful and luscious.

Lips that had him captivated.

Sampo Koski’s lips.

Gepard was so lost in his mind, reliving every second of what had just happened, that he didn’t notice the smoke engulfing him until the sharp sting of it burned in his throat. He hiccuped as it became hard to breathe and immediately covered his mouth with both hands. The Captain coughed a few times until he managed to calm down again and was able to somewhat breathe normally.

He needed another moment before he eventually shook off the thought of Sampo and what had just happened between them, straightening his back, and bellowing orders.

“Koski escaped! Scatter ‘round and find him, we can’t let that happen again! And cover your mouth and nose while searching in this area until the smoke has dissipated.”

Gepard himself then moved to leave the dead-end he was still standing in but stopped after a few steps. He turned around and looked back at the wall Sampo had disappeared behind, just a few minutes before.

A thought crossed his mind, one so indecent, he tried to shake it off as fast as it came up. But it didn’t keep his face from erupting into a crimson shade of red as he grimaced and sighed miserably.

Eventually, he stomped off, determined to catch the obnoxious and sassy Mercenary sooner rather than later.

#sampard #sampo x gepard #sampo #sampo koski #gepard #gepard landau #honkai star rail #honkai star rail fic #fanfic writing #slight spice #I just love their dynamics #and also love me some gepard secretly but not so secretly into sampo #me loves them #steflionheart #steflionheartwrites

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sorrinslays · 3 days

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Gepard-Sampo confrontation

Roleswap AU

Gepard is running. That, in it of itself, is not rare. He's used to running. Either from people he stole from or the Silvermane Guards. Sampo Koski, the Captain of the Silvermane Guards, is chasing him. That isn't unusual either.

What is unusual, is that the blonde is panting and struggling to keep going. That is strange. For whatever reason, the Captain is much more determined to catch him. They've been running around for almost six hours with no breaks and, from the looks of it, the blue-haired man can keep going for at least another hour.

That is Unusual. Capital U.

Usually, after an hour or two, Sampo loses him in a chase. Or he gets distracted by other matters. Not today though.

And it's making the thief wonder, what the hell did he do for the Captain to be on his ass this ferociously?! Did he pickpocket from a friend of his? No, that can't be right. Gepard is always mindful to avoid messing with soldiers or any acquaintances of Sampo's. Did he offend the little girls that hover around Sampo at some point? They did come to him the other day asking to play...

Shit, is the Captain hunting him down like some kind of prey because he refused to play hide and seek with them?!?!

This is bad. He's going to get arrested after ten years because he refused to play hide and seek with some toddlers. Is this really how Gepard Landau's story ends?

Too lost in his thoughts, the thief trips, resulting in a crash on the pavement. He can hear playful whistling behind him and it doesn't take a genius to figure out who's humming a tune. "Well hello there Geppie!" a very aggravating voice calls out, chuckling.

Groaning, the blonde gets up, a frown on his face and his ears red. He doesn't grace the Captain with a response as he continues trying to even out his breathing.

"Aw, not even a hello?" this grown ass man fucking pouts, batting his eyelashes and making embarrassing faces. Yet, he's not making any attempts to arrest the thief. Why?

"You're not arresting me," Gepard points out, earning a raised eyebrow.

"Excellent deduction skills Geppie," the jade-eyed man chuckles, "could've mistaken you for a Silvermane."

Ignoring the other's comments, "why?" the thief asks simply.

"Straight to business, eh?" the Captain smiles, "I can work with that," he starts walking towards the other, "I have a deal for you, dearest Landau. One that I think you simply cannot refuse."

The blue-eyed man frowns at that. "Why would the Captain of the Silvermane Guards want to make a deal with someone like me?" he asks.

Sampo tilts his head at that, walking even closer. It feels as though he's circling his prey. "You know the newcomers?" he asks. "What are the names again...?" he hums in thought, clicking his tongue. "May 11th? Dan Feng?"

"March 7th, Dan Heng and the Trailblazer," the blonde answers. "What about them?"

"The supreme guardian just assigned them as criminals," the Captain comments. He keeps his eyes on Gepard, as if waiting for a specific reaction.

"Criminals?" the thief repeats, "why?" he asks. They seemed like good people...

"She accused the three of plotting against her," the jade-eyed man shrugs.

His choice of words is weird. Sampo is smart, especially with words. So there must be a reason behind this odd phrasing. "Why are you telling me all this?" the blue-eyed man asks.

Whatever reaction the Captain was looking for, he must've found it, because he smiles wide, all teeth. "Seele is sent to arrest them tomorrow first thing in the morning," he says, "they are gonna ambush them outside the hotel they are staying at right this second."

Gepard's frown gets deeper as he asks once more, "this is interesting and all, but, again, why are you telling me all this?"

"I need you to take them to the Underworld," the Captain says bluntly.

What.

"What?" the thief asks, "I don't know if you know, but the Underground has been sealed for ten years."

"And that's where my end of the deal comes into play!" Sampo beams, "I'll show you a secret passage to enter the Underworld, without anyone knowing, and in return I need you to guide those three in the Underworld!"

To say Gepard is stunned would be an understatement. "...Secret passage?" he asks with a shaky voice. Those exist? All this time, he could've sneaked off to find his sisters again?

"Yup!" the jade-eyed man popes the 'p'. "Got a couple of those," he answers, "and I'm willing to share one of them. Let's call it an, ah, secret. Just between us, okay, Gep?"

The thief feels tears build up, his vision slightly blurry. It's so overwhelming. He'll be able to see his sisters again. After ten years. All thanks to a guy that is supposed to be arresting him.

"Aw," the other man coos, "don't cry Geppie," he smiles sweetly as he wipes again the tears with his thumbs. All while avoiding touching Gepard as much as possible. "What do ya say?" he asks.

"You've got yourself a deal," the tears are replaced by a look of determination.

Sampo's smile widened, like a cat that caught the canary.

After the "meeting" with the Captain yesterday, Gepard found himself near Goethe Hotel, hiding in one of the numerous alley ways. He is peaking at the main street while the other man is leaning against the wall with a cigarette in his hands, smiling lazily.

"Why are we sitting here?" the blue-eyed man asks, "shouldn't we go and get them before the guards do?"

"And risk being seen with them?" the jade-eyed man raises an eyebrow, "there's no way we can sneak past the guards right now, not to mention the normal folks that are hanging out there."

Frowning, the thief huffs, "then are we doing here?" he eyes the other, who takes a drag out his cigarette. "What's your plan?"

Sampo just smiles, walking over to the other. "We're here," he pauses for a moment for dramatic effect, "to wait for a scene."

Gepard's frown deepens, "what do you-"

The Captain cuts him off, "there it is," he narrows his eyes at the sight just outside the alleyway.

Turning his gaze to where Sampo is looking, he is met with a surprising scene. There, the trailblazers are being led to Qlipoth Fort by some guards. Seele, the commander of the Silvermane Guards, is behind them in the distance. Next to her is Luka, the Intellegence Officer of the Silvermane Guards.

"We should help them," the thief turns back towards the other.

"Not yet," the Captain hums. As he says that, the grey-haired outsider hits one of the guards with their bat before all three of them turn to an alley that is full of fragmentum.

Gepard is about to say something, urge the other to help the outsiders. The jade-eyed man beats him to it, saying, "let's go."

The duo keeps up with the outsiders, making sure to stay hidden from the guards. Soon, Seele separates from the other soldiers and finds the trailblazers.

The commander attacks the outsiders, and the thief turns towards the Captain, "they aren't going to win this," he states, "we need to do something, now."

Sampo's eyes narrow and he takes something out of his pocket. Is that...?

"Is this a bomb?!" the blue-eyed man whisper-yells, "what are you thinking?!"

The jade-eyed man just chuckles, ignoring the other as he lights three small bombs and sends them towards the heated battle.

Immediately, smoke erupts, and a small part of Gepard's mind sighs in relief. The others are coughing and covering their faces as the Captain casually enters the smoke-filled area, completely unaffected.

"I apologize for the interruption!" Sampo says, no hint of struggling to take a breath like the others around him. "But Sampo is not one to turn his back to friends in need. I say what I mean and I mean what I say."

Just as he finishes his little speech, the Trailblazer, the last one conscious, passes out and slowly the smoke dispenses. When the cost is clear, Gepard walks over to the Captain, seeing him pick up Dan Heng and Seele.

As the thief watches Sampo work, an uncomfortable feeling creeps up his spine. He can outrun Gepard and he had smoke bombs with sleeping gas for Qlipoth's sake! For the better part of a decade, he could catch the thief anytime and he just. Chose not to.

Too lost in thought, he didn't noticing the jade-eyed man walk over to him. He jolts violently when he hears the other's voice again, "come on, pretty boy, pick up the other two for me."

Dumbly, the blue-eyed man nods, doing as told. Before he realizes something. "You're taking the commander too?!" he asks, a panicked expression on his face.

"Yup!" Sampo says, popping the 'p' as he starts walking away. Hurrying to catch up with him, Gepard holds the trailblazer and March 7th tighter. "She deserves a change of scenery, don't ya think?"

The thief remains silent, following the other as they pass through never ending alleyways, avoiding all guards. Soon, they are in some sort of tunnel, opened by a manhole cover. And while he knows that he should be paying attention to his surroundings, the blonde can't help but try and make sense of the other's 'plan'.

The Underworld was pretty underprivileged, especially compared to the Overworld. He and his siblings came to realize that when they moved there for the sake of cheaper rent. And, technically speaking, Seele has never really seen the Underworld.

So the jade-eyed man taking the commander there while also saving the criminals from the law does make sense. But what then? Best case scenario Seele manages to go back up and everything goes back to normal and worst case she never gets back and a new commander is selected.

So, again, what is the bluenette's plan? And also why is he actively helping criminals (including Gepard)?

"Ask away," the Captain suddenly says, jolting the other right out of his thoughts.

"What?" the thief frowns, readjusting his hold on the two people he's holding. They take a left turn, he notes.

Sampo chuckles, "you're not good at hiding your thoughts Geppie," he teases, "I can practically hear your thoughts."

Glancing at the man who is walking a few steps ahead, Gepard shakes his head and starts walking a bit faster. "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm doing a lot of things right now, Gep," the jade-eyed man smiles, "ya gotta be more specific."

The blonde can't help but frown more, "you know what I mean," he weakly defends, "why are you helping them? And why did you bring Seele with you?" after a small pause, he decides to ask, "why are you helping me?"

The bluenette shrugs at that, "they're not bad people," he states, "and while in the past I might've listened to Natasha no questions asked, her recent orders are..." he hums in thought before shaking his head. "Either way, this one has been staring at the moon so much she has missed the butterflies, don't you think?" he asks, pointing with his head towards the unconscious Seele.

"You are making zero sense right now, just so you know," the blue-eyed man informs the other, "I genuinely don't know how your guards tolerate or even understand you."

The Captain just laughs once more, "where's the fun in making sense?" he asks, although it's obvious he isn't expecting an answer. "As for you," he shifts the topic, "I wouldn't say I'm helping you as much as I'm making profit, you know? You can do what I need you to and I have something you want. A fair deal, really."

Frown deepening, the thief speaks once more. "But what's your plan after this?" he asks, "what is the purpose behind all of this? Do you even have a plan?"

"Would you look at that!" Sampo exclaims, "we're here!" he smiles, "now, just head to Cocolia's clinic, I'm sure you know her, her new clinic is in the center of Boulder Town, a man named Peak is gonna come and help you," he explains, setting Seele and the Trailblazer down, "now I gotta run before Natasha looks for me! Bye Geppie, good luck!" he blows a kiss as he leaves.

Needless to say Gepard is very confused.

#lowkey not super proud of this #but the idea has been stuck in my head for way too long and I wanna actually focus on my exams and not silly men #maybe I'll revisit the idea some other time #maybe I'll even make a whole ass fanfic about my roleswap AU #who knows #that aside though originally I had written a lot more of Gepard's inner thoughts but on second thought I removed it #felt a bit derivative as it felt like spelling out subtext to the readers #either way feel free to comment and/or ask anything #i love yapping #Belobog roleswap #sampo koski #gepard landau #gepo #sampard #honkai star rail #hsr #sorrin rambles

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blackicephantom · 25 days

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A Divine taste

For a man as intelligent and responsible as one certain Silvermane Guard Captain, Gepard Landau, he could make really dumb decisions. Just like this one.

It’s been years at this point. Years of playful chases, painful wounds and last minute saves on both sides. Time they, somehow, decided to take out of their free will. And with so much time spent together come secrets, small and big. One of those secrets is that Sampo is not like most of the other citizens of Belobog. Like most of his fellow Fools that hail from Epsilon he is a notorious creature of the night, a bloodsucker, a vampire.

He never had a problem with it, on the contrary even, most of his business partners were night owls which played right into his little greedy hands. And if there was a little conflict it just needed a little snap of his fingers to resolve itself. Only if his trusty smoke bombs didn’t help of course. He still had an image to keep, after all.

And he would have kept that little part of himself away from all and everything, had he not crudely miscalculated on one of his little errand runs for Natasha. Get to the checkpoint, pay the client, take the goods back to the clinic and DONE. That’s how it was supposed to go. What WASN’T supposed to happen was that his client had backup, quite a few fellows that were unfortunate enough to fall prey to his scammings, that wanted to see him either bleed or dead. What was he to do but try to save his own skin? Sadly these men already knew some of his tactics, which meant his sleep-inducing bombs didn’t knock everyone out and bullets started flying the moment they had a clear field of sight again. While most of those missed him, there still were one or two lucky shots that hit their target. At the smell of his own blood the dual haired male knew he had to hurry, because blood meant hunger. And hunger meant losing control. And losing control was not an option.

So he drew his blades and dispatched the group as swift as the hunter he pretended not to be. But it was still not fast enough. He didn’t kill a single man, couldn’t live with the idea what a certain blond Captain would think of him, so the scent of iron grew even thicker in the air and his mouth slowly started to fill with saliva. Taking another deep breath Sampo groaned. It’s been sooooo fucking long. Shaking his head he desperately tried to keep it together, fighting against his instinct to find the next nice smelling person and just feed to his heart's content.

Just as he was about to finally turn away he heard hurried steps and yelling, the metallic sound of them being his clue that the guards had arrived. And wherever the Silvermane Guards arrive, their Captain will follow. It’s just this one time when Sampo does NOT want to see the middle Landau child, he is the first to round the corner, the first to see the blood. Clear blue eyes looked around, took everything in, until they landed on his person, saw the two gunshot wounds and connected with his own dimly glowing jade ones.

Something seemed to click in the blonde's mind and before he could say something the conman used just a snippet of his powers and simply vanished.

It wasn’t one of his best or proudest moments but he was starting to panic, ok?!

Ever since that day something had changed between the blond Captain and the thief, Sampo just doesn’t know what exactly.

Back to the dumb decision making tho.

Gepard knew Sampo was a vampire. And Sampo knew that Gepard knew that the conman needed blood from time to time. Not really often, just a sip here or there to get by, unless the older of the two were to get injured. He has told the blond so himself. Told him in detail what risks that would entail and how severe the injury would have to be before the gnawing HUNGER set in.

(It had taken them weeks, if not MONTH, to have that conversation. And Sampo still felt guilty that they had to have that in the first place.)

It had taken the arrival of the Trailblazer and the Astral Express, the sealing of the Stellaron, a new Supreme Guardian and the reunion of the Over- and Underworld for everything to finally boil over for the two of them.

Gepard and the Silvermane Guards were outside of Belobog’s save walls because of renewed Fragmented monster sightings. Which makes sense with the end of the Eternal Freeze and all that. And while Sampo knows that his favorite guard was not only good at his job but also very damn durable, he had a very bad feeling about this. So he decided to investigate a little. Bribing a few people here, eavesdropping some Silvermane Guards there, needling Seele just to be a nuisance and get info from Lady Bronya and he was on his way outside the walls. Because if there was one thing that Sampo Koski had learned during his time traveling from planet to planet, then it was to listen to his instincts.

Once there he couldn't stop himself from cussing and cursing.

There were Fragmentum monsters, alright. But these were not the small flies like a few Flame- or Frostspawns. Ohhh no no no. He wasn’t even that worried about the Imaginary Weavers he saw as well. But the Searing Prowlers and their icy counterparts? Those raised quite a few concerns. But what made this the worst that could have happened was the unfavorable mix of Decaying Shadows, Guardian Shadows and the Aeons-damned Stormbringer right in the middle of this horrendous battlefield. And even more important was the heavy scent of iron in the frigid air, the red splashed almost artistically on the white ground, and the struggling figure of Gepard Landau. Sampo was not stupid enough to underestimate the Preservation Pathfollower, having been on the wrong side of his gauntlet a few to many times and protected by his crystal clear ice shield just as often, but his once pristine uniform was torn in some places and red seeping into the white fabric. Yet he still stands strong, Belobog’s shield not yielding, still protecting the wounded Guards that try to regroup.

The Captain's guitar case hits enemy after enemy, renews and rebuilds his shield as often as his endurance, stamina and his ability will allow him, but just this once it seems not to be enough. Sampo was still too far away to hear them clearly but his eyes tracked every little movement, so he knew the exact moment the golden Landau child ordered their retreat and the criminal would do anything to make sure that the Captain would follow his own order.

Swift as the cold wind around them he stepped up to the slowly tiring Captain and offered his humble assistance. “Need a hand, dear Captain?” If said man was surprised to see him, he sure didn’t show it, simply pushed the closest Prowler away and sighed. “I can’t believe that I’m about to say this, but yes.” And that was more than enough for the older to grab his blades and throw himself into the battle, allowing his body to move as nature had dedicated it to: swift, smooth and stealthy. Not even the slippery underground was of any hindrance to him, he simply calculated how far he would slip on the ice if he had the right speed and went with the flow, felt the adrenaline pump through his veins and let his mind drown in the Elation of the battle. And where he fell short, Gepard would take his place: freezing the enemies that got just a tad too close for comfort, taunting the monsters that were trying to go after the retreating Soldiers or starting to go a little to hard after the blue haired conman and looking to it that the shimmering ice of his shield never faltered.

So they fought and fought until one of the more able bodied Silvermanes called to them. “Captain Gepard! All soldiers are back behind the gates!” The blond gave a small sigh of relief before tensing up. Something was not right. Blue eyes flicked around the white fields they fought upon, searching for whatever raised his hackles but coming up with nothing. Not even the sudden appearance of Sampo at his side could quell this strange feeling. Tightening his hand around Earthwork’s strap he whispered to the other male. “I have a bad feeling. Something is not right here.” Sampo overlooked their surroundings again and did a mental checklist of the monsters he saw when he first arrived here and froze. Looking again through the bloodied and slowly swirling snow he just had to ask. “Gep….. Did you see or fight the Stormbringer?” The others serious voice gave the younger pause and then he screamed with all his might towards his men, still waiting at the entrance. “CLOSE THE GATES!” right as a swirling green glint shone through the glittering white.

The Stormbringer had used their distraction and locked onto the gates, where all of the weak and injured were. All the soldiers that would definitely not survive the hit of the monster's arrow, especially not a charged one. Blue met green and then nothing but chaos. The gates closed, just as ordered, but they were so slow, so fucking slow. Gepard took another deep breath, focused all of his remaining power and determination into his right hand, before forcing his gauntlet one last time into the ground at his feet and casting one last blindingly blue shield for the time being. Wave after wave of ice climbed on top of each other, layer before layer and Gepard prayed to Qlipoth and the Preservation that it would be enough. What he did not take into account in that instance, was that the centaur like creature would change targets at the last second, as if it had just waited for the Gepard to use up his ability. Because now, he was practically defenseless except for Earthwork. And while he COULD tank such a hit, had done it dozens of times and in much more severe situations, it was never without some kind of backup or a fast cooldown for his shield. Which is both rather unavailable at the moment.

Thinking fast he put his case down with as much strength as possible and put his whole weight against it, just as the creature released the first arrow. Despite being not only tired but also wounded he took the hit. But it pushed him so far back that he was close to losing his ground. When the pressure had vanished Gepard grit his teeth and moved as fast as he could, which was still faster than average, but way too slow for the current situation.

Sampo on the other hand knew the same thing. Knew without a single doubt that his very dear Captain Landau was on the last leg of his legendary endurance and could not withstand another attack without being severely, if not fatally, wounded. And that? That just wouldn’t do. Crouching low in the snow he observed for no more than seconds, watched the Stormbringer not letting up from Gepard, followed its movement as it readied another attack and pounced. He may be at an elemental disadvantage but that doesn’t change the fact that he was not human. In the blink of an eye he stood just behind the beast and slashed at its hindlegs, making it stumble right before it kicked out. Sampo used that little window to get underneath the centaur and cut its belly open in one clean cut only to disappear right after. It screeched and trashed, looking for the one that wounded it so much.

Sadly he miscalculated, again, and it stormed towards the still stumbling blond. Even bleeding and unable to walk quite right it was faster than the captain and the conman could only watch for the moment as beautiful blue grew wide. For him it happened in slow motion: Gepard bracing himself, eyes tightly shut, only to be flung to the side with way too much power for any mortal to survive, no matter if they follow the Preservation or not. At least not when that someone is already as tattered and beaten as the younger is at the moment.

Jade green glowed and slowly bled to red while the pupils narrowed to slits and a deep growl rumbled in his chest. With one step he was between his dearest human and the frozen wall he was hurling towards, embracing the slightly smaller body so that his back took most of the sudden impact. The wall crumbled slightly from their speed and weight and Sampo could taste the blood that suddenly pooled in his mouth. Not only was the blond not the lightest soldier out there, crushing his whole body against the hard surface, but there were also the ragged edges of the ice they crashed into that cut deep into his back. Sliding to the ground he steadied them both and tried to look at the others face. Matted blond hair stuck to his forehead and he was coughing up red, red, red blood til it left a small rivulet at the corner of his mouth. Next the now red eyes looked further down and saw the rather huge injury in his side from where the monster put his claws to fling him away. “Fuck.” was everything that came to mind at that discovery.

Outside, the Fragmented monster was still raging, clearly searching for them and Sampo knew they didn't have much time on hand. Of course, just as he thought that it turned its head just so and locked onto them. “Oh for Aeon's sake!” Why the fuck was that thing not dying?! He knows, for a fact, that these damn monsters can bleed out. So why in the Elations name was this one still standing? A weak groan in front of him distracted him momentarily from the approaching disaster. With his left hand he pushed Gepard lightly against his chest and bowed his head so he could hear him. “Easy there Cap.” Bleary blues looked around and finally saw the Stormbringer outside of their new little cave. “Aw fuck.” was the answer to that, honestly, terrifying sight. And if the chest underneath his hand wouldn’t have such problems getting air in the connected lungs, he would have laughed. Because hearing prim and proper Gepard Landau swear? A treat like nothing else. Or at least nothing much else.

There was a strange tension between them when Gepard let his head fall against his shoulder, exposing his slender neck to hungry red eyes. Only the shuddering breaths of the other kept him from leaning down and getting a taste, because the hunger was slowly creeping up on him. And their still bleeding wounds did not help in that aspect. Then he MUST have hallucinated or simply misheard due to blood loss, because there was just no way in this galaxy that the blond in front of him just asked him that. But knowing Gepard like he did, he just had to make sure. “You did not just ask that of me.” A pained chuckle was his answer, as well as this irritating screech from outside. Right after that came another coughing fit and a pained hiss. “I’ll gladly….ask again if you want.” The sound of hooves trampling on the still falling snow kept his attention on the outside while he hissed between his teeth “Glad you finally found your humor Geppie, but I’m afraid this is no time for jokes.”

Green light seemed to focus on one spot. Another arrow that’s being charged right in front of them. “Do I look like the type to joke?” Pulling the younger just a little bit closer he chuckled. “Guess not.” The light grew brighter and time was running out. The temperature around them dropped just a little bit more as ice slowly crawled around them. Or more specifically a short distance in front of them, nothing more than a few inches away from their feet. Ice, that Sampo knew, was created by only one person. Looking at the still gauntlet glad fist, his suspicion was confirmed. Just as the wind arrow whistled through the freezing air outside, said fist clenched tight and smashed into the ground, raising the smallest shield the vampire had ever seen from the proud captain. It was just big enough to cover both of them, yet hard enough to actually withstand the attack. The only downside? Now they were trapped. One bleeding, hungry vampire and one equally wounded and bleeding Silvermane Captain. And the longer Sampo held him close the sweeter he smelled. Only Gepards next words pulled him back from the edge. “That one….. is not going to hold very long.” he said, right as more of these annoying arrows hit the barrier. Another deep but rattling breath. “So I ask again. How much blood…. would you need to get us the fuck out of here? Preferably alive?”

Just the mere idea of it, of biting down and finally tasting that tantalizing red nectar, made saliva pool in his suddenly dry mouth. Swallowing, he growled into the younger one's ear. “You are insane, Gep.” Another heavy hit and the ice started to chip away, the shield still solid enough. For the moment. “That doesn't ... .answer my question.” More attacks hit the wall and more ice started to crumble. Pulling him closer still Sampo hissed. “You want a wounded vampire, ME, to feed on an already heavily injured person, YOU, that's already been bleeding for quite some time!” Green was starting to reflect through the ice again and both of them knew that the shield would not hold out after that. A gloved hand slid along his cheek, only to pull his head down in one swift movement, bringing his nose and fangs dangerously close to the blonds still unblemished neck. It didn’t help that Gepard turned his head just slightly further away, giving him even more space and the blue haired male just couldn’t look away from the exposed skin. Swallowing again, and again, he still hesitated, much to Gepards frustration. Huffing he tried again. One last time before that damn thing just outside will ultimately kill them. “You can be angry all…….you want with me. But….. you need to get us out of here first.” Panting like a dog the blue haired one growled again, deep and frustrated, put his second hand on the smaller one's chin and turned him just slightly more to the right before grumbling “We WILL talk about this, Gepard.”

Only then did he bite down, hard and fast, his fangs piercing the delicate skin in one smooth movement. Sweet ambrosia filled his parched throat and there was really no other way to describe it. The taste of Gepards blood gave him a high like no other and he pushed his fangs just slightly deeper in, wanting just that bit more of it. Only the hand pulling on his hair and the small sound the other let slip shook him from his haze and he let go again. Licking every last drop from his still wet lips he couldn’t help the quiet moan that fought its way out of his throat. That right here was by far the best blood he has ever tasted. No matter which planets he has traversed, no one and nothing ever tasted like this or quenched his thirst this fast. It was an addicting feeling, for sure. Out of the corner of his eyes he could swear he saw a pretty pink dusting the Captain's pale cheeks and shook his head. There were more important things at the moment. One last lick to the wound and Sampo looked straight ahead.

Through the remaining layer of ice he could still see the gathering wind of the Stormbringer, ready to fire and shatter their last bit of protection. With Gepard’s taste still on his tongue he pushed said blond a little to the side so he could sit up a little and focus. Red eyes glowed brightly and with the boost of the fresh blood from moments ago his own powers took hold. Between one breath and the next the ice wall shattered. An arrow was let loose only to stay right in midair, right inbetween the monster it came from and its target. The Stormbringer was clearly confused why its attack did not proceed and tried to gather more wind, only to suddenly stop. If the monster was the predator for the duration of the fight and the two males its prey, it knew on an instinctual level that the tables have now turned.

First it took two steps back and shook its head, then began the slight trembling of its limbs.

The frigid air had frozen its wound shut, the bleeding not strong enough before it happened. Then it watched as its own arrow split apart into smaller pieces, which in turn formed deathly sharp blades and started spinning. With a snap they were sent flying, cutting deep into the monster's skin and even severing one of its front legs. It tried to parry, but just before it touched the blades they turned into a gentle breeze, only to reform behind its back and continue. Confused and enraged, it looked for the attacker, trying to see from where the blades were coming. But there was nothing, nothing but the cave….

Blood red met with the visor of the Stormbringer.

And in a cruel twist on the vampire's part he watched as their enemy stood frozen, probably from terror. Just outside their little cave was one big swirling mass of wind, a focused storm ready to tear anything apart. He smirked, bloodied fangs on display and eyes alight in glee as he watched its desperation to get away. All blades stilled themselves, still surrounding the beast. With another resounding snap they pierced through its thick hide, keeping it immobilized, while the small storm in front of them cut it simply in half.

Hazy blue eyes watched everything happen, from the moment the older simply stopped the attack in mid air, right to using the Stormbringers own tactic against it. And if the poor Captain found that display of power and self control rather attractive, he would say it’s the bloodloss. Because there was no way in the Preservation that he would ever admit to being hopelessly attracted to the taller male. At least not out loud….

As the adrenaline slowly faded from his system he felt the cold creeping under his wet and torn clothes, as well as the throbbing and hurting of his many wounds. With a quiet curse he tried to sit up, at least a little, but the moment he moved pain shot through his entire body.

Just as he was about to just push through the agonizing feeling, gentle hands stilled him and he looked up into still red glowing gems. He wanted to say something, opened his mouth only to close it again when the other leant in so his mouth was right beside his already reddening ear. He wanted to ask what was wrong when Sampo talked first. It was one simple word, yet Gepard felt it right down to the deepest parts of his body. “Rest.”

Shuddering, he fought to keep his eyes open but the gentle hands held him close and secure. A feeling that was as precious as it was strange to him. Shaking his head that deep voice spoke again while one of those big hands slid into his matted hair and gave him gentle pats. “Rest. I’ve got you.”

With that rare feeling of safety Gepard was unable to resist the voices pull and let himself be held. With every breath he took it got more difficult to keep his eyes open, every blink took longer than the last, till his eyes just stayed closed and his breath finally evened out.

Sampo was honestly impressed that his beloved Captain held out for so long. There weren’t many people out there who could withstand a vampires hypnotizing voice, let alone fight it.

But for now, this was the best option, for he still had to get the blond back to Belobog and to a medic. And with how severe his injuries were it was the best that his favorite human being on this planet was not awake when he moved them.

Pulling the sleeping soldier out of the cave he pulled him up into a princess carry, ignoring the blood he smeared all over himself and still trying his best not to irritate the wounds further. With one last look back over the battlefield he let the wind carry them back towards the gates and towards the still waiting soldiers. And if he used another snippet of his powers to conceal the bite on Gepards neck and force his eyes to be the right color again, no one would ever know.

(No one but Natasha and, by extension, Serval. Those women were just terrifying and scared the living shit out of him.)

#fanfic #honkai star rail #sampard #vampires

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