Chapter Text
Gepard is dying. This was the first time ever that he’s gonna attend classes without any sleep on. The only reason his not toppling over was because of the espresso that their maid suggested for him to drink that he forced down his throat. And also, because his all-nighter would be a waste if he would just be absent today.
He had been up all-night writing. Heavens, he was up all-night writing. What? A love letter. A love letter! How embarrassing. Really.
When he decided to do a confession, he thought all he had to do was simply say ‘I like you’ and then he’d brace himself for whatever Sampo’s reaction is. Seele was on his side for once when they were arguing about this yesterday. Bronya thinks it’s efficient, but Pela was not satisfied with his plan.
She reasoned out that, given Sampo’s…inclination to dramatics, he’s bound to be a romantic. That actually made sense even though Gepard wasn’t so keen on what to consider romantic or not, so he allowed her to go on. She pointed out that the plan is still simple; Gepard would still be simply stating his woes just through a different medium. He just had to write it out!
He agreed shortly after Pela suggested it. A part of him honestly thought it would be easier because it would be fool-proof, stutter-proof, and most of all he wouldn’t get distracted by Sampo’s face. The other part of him wanted to escape and go home already that time so he agreed to end the discussion.
Last night, after finishing all his tasks, the time to finally write his heart out arrives. He was horrified to find out how much more difficult it would be. He couldn’t write a simple ‘I like you’ because then this wouldn’t be a letter rather it would just be a note. Besides, he wanted to write something more…heartfelt. Something that would evoke an emotion from Sampo. A positive emotion, he hopes.
So, he spends the entire night writing and rewriting, scratching the too sappy lines, crossing out things that would be better said in person, crumpling the whole letter, starting from the top once more. He repeats this cycle until he feels like he had bared his heart out already. He’s surprised to see light coming from his window signaling the dawn had passed. His eyes are too dry, his stomach grumbling his hunger, his hair sticks out in all directions from pulling it out of exasperation, all in all he feels a second away from passing out.
Despite all that, he can’t help a smile from forming as he folds the clean sheet of white paper containing everything that he has poured over in string of sentences he painstakingly crafted amidst his embarrassment to convey his affections. He had given his best just as what the boy he likes deserves.
Gepard is dying a second time. Sampo’s here. Of course, Sampo’s here! They’re classmates and they’re in the classroom, of course he’s here! He’s seated in the front row on the middle column while Sampo sits on the backmost row. He curses their seating arrangement for compelling him to stand up and make way to Sampo’s seat.
They exchange their usual greetings, Gepard waiting for his opportunity, holding tightly to the letter in his pocket. He breathes a sigh of relief when someone calls out Sampo’s name. He swiftly slides the letter in Sampo’s bag before returning to his seat. The bell rings shortly after. He had to internally headlock himself to stop the urge of stealing a glance at Sampo.
It’s lunch. The first break from their classes for the day. The time for reading a letter lodged in a bag finally came. Gepard feels extremely nauseous, he excuses himself right as Sampo was about to invite him to eat lunch together.
He thinks he did a fairly good job masking his nervousness by pretending to be sick. Sampo, even as observant as he is, surely would be none the wiser.
Gepard strides with confidence he imagines he has. The key for the gymnasium acquired—student council privilege—he secludes himself there. He informs his friends that he was able to go with the plan through a text message that only took seconds to get a reply from. He was about to open the first message he received when a caller id flashes on his screen. It was Pela. He answers the call.
“ Geppie! How are you?”
“Extremely anxious,” He huffs. His palms had been sweating nonstop and he thinks his lie about being sick is close to becoming true.
“ He hasn’t read it?”
“I’m not sure,” he nibbles on his lips out of worry.
“You’re not eating lunch together today?”
“I took the courage to flee,” he mumbles, half hoping Pela wouldn’t hear it.
“There’s nothing courageous about fleeing!”
He groans. He wants to puke his guts out. “Ugh. I know. Last night I thought I was prepared to face whatever scenario plays out but right now all I want is to astral project.”
“You got this, Geppie!”
“Thanks, I badly need that encouragement.” He inhales deeply, closing his eyes and breathing it all out. “I got this. Give me a second and I’ll go confront Sampo.”
“I don’t think confrontation is the term I’d describe for what’s about happen, Geppie.”
Sampo. That’s Sampo’s voice. He feels his breath get stuck in his throat. He feels the acid in his stomach come up. He feels too hot like he’s burning up. Maybe he did get sick. Maybe this is a fever. Sampo Koski is causing him to break out in a fever.
His breath stutters as he opens a single eye to peek at Sampo.
“Geppie?! I heard Sampo, what’s happening? I swear if you’re spacing out—”
He hangs up, placing his phone on the floor beside him. He notices that he was sitting on the center of the gym and that he forgot to turn on the lights. He’s not spacing out, just taking in his surroundings to calm his wild heart.
“I thought I locked the door?” he tips his head to the side in question.
Sampo smiles. Closing their distance, joining him on sitting on the floor. “The door was locked, yes. But I pried it open.”
Sampo’s stare is intense. He meets his eyes and tries to do the thing he does to Gepard where he deciphers his emotions like it’s a printed guide given to him. Gepard could see that his happy. He’s smiling so wide it’s borderline giddy. This is a good sign, right? Had he even read the letter already? He must have, considering the very sunny expression he flaunts. He gets like this when he gets complimented and Gepard was sure to include a lot of compliments in his letter.
Sampo was still just looking at him. He’s beaming, and there’s a pretty flush on his face that Gepard wants to touch. He feels the corners of his mouth twitch up involuntarily, helpless as Sampo’s smile is infectious.
He wants to ask. Ask if he’d read the letter. Ask how he feels about him. Does he like him? Is Gepard still allowed to be this close to him? Would you please speak.
He was about to voice out the questions in his mind when Sampo leans his forehead against Gepard’s. He’s too close, he can feel his breath on his face, Gepard’s first instinct was to grab his own chest, scrunching up his uniform. His heart was beating too fast he’s afraid the next time he blinks he’d find it flying out of his body.
Sampo chuckles, “Was the touch too much for your heart?”
Gepard dumbly nods to which Sampo chuckles once more.
“I read your letter.”
Gepard gasps sharply. This is it. The fate-changing moment where he finds out if he’s gonna be overwhelmed with reciprocated warmth or crushed with the weight of a broken heart. Either way he feels like he’s close to passing out…or straight up passing away.
“I can’t believe you feel all that for me. But I know everything you’ve written in that letter, you’ve written with sincerity.” Sampo reaches for Gepard’s hand, the hand clutching his chest, freeing his uniform from the tight grasp, Sampo holds his hand. “I don’t think you’re capable of being anything but genuine. That’s one of the things I like about you.” Gepard tightens his hold on Sampo’s right as he says that. It seems Sampo doesn’t mind it as he goes on, “You’re true to everyone, wearing your heart on your sleeve. That’s the reason why I’m able to read you. Add the fact you always have my attention and it’s only natural I’d have a good grasp on your expressions.”
Sampo playfully boops his nose, “So don’t get upset when you can’t do the same to me. That’s why I knew something was up with you yesterday. But never did I expect that I’d get confessed on.”
Gepard blinks. He doesn’t know what to say so instead he caresses Sampo’s hand. The only thing he could do at the moment.
“I had been contemplating for a long time, y’know.” Sampo lays his head on Gepard’s shoulder. It was at this moment that Gepard found success on astral projection.
“I wanted to tell you I like you but I wasn’t brave enough if ever my confession gets received with a rejection. Good thing you have the resolve for the both of us.”
Huh. He feels his soul return to his body as he finally understands.
“Sampo,” he nudges the said guy’s head off his shoulder, leaving the other no choice but to face him. “Don’t hide away. I wanna see your face when you say it.”
“That’s unfair, Geppie!” he exclaims petulantly. “Sure, I’ve read it in the letter but you haven’t said it too in person!”
He smiles, with confidence he’s now sure he has, “I like you, Sampo.”
He never thought he’ll live to see this day, Sampo blushing so cutely and he was the one who made it so.
Sampo clears his throat, looking directly to Gepard’s very soul, “I like you, Gepard,” he says softly.
Gepard is all smiles. Sampo is all smiles too, before he’s full on laughing. “You’re smiling like a winner.”
“Of course, I count this as a win.” He raises their intertwined hands, waving it in front of Sampo’s face.
Sampo loops his other arm on Gepard’s nape pulling him closer, enveloping him in a hug, brushing his hair all the while. Gepard tucks his face on Sampo’s neck, holding his waist, returning the embrace.
They both won in life.