Keep Your Friends Close, And Your Enemies Even Closer

Chapter 9: Lovers:) (Gepard POV)

I wake up to the loud ahh noise of a text from Sampo. (On Gepards phone, the contact name for Sampo is "My Sampo").

My Sampo: *image* *caption: Wassup bbg 😩*
You: *typing*
You: Sampo, what the heck

Needless to say, he picked something ridiculous as his first text. What idiot sends a selfie at 7.am? He DID look kinda cute, tho, with a little bit of bed head and his buff arms in the blankets. DAMMIT I'M BLUSHING.

My Sampo: What? Ain't no way u didn't like that image
You: True
My Sampo: OH? 😯
You: What are u even doing up this early?
My Sampo: Woke up from a dream, it was pretty odd
You: What was it abt

I waited for a couple of moments for his reply. Maybe I shouldn't have asked so quickly what it was about. I don't want him to worry about it, tho.

My Sampo: It was an unrealistic dream that made u a thief instead of a captain.
You: Rlly? That's weird
My Sampo: Yeah, like I said, it was an odd dream.
You: LOL, ok, do u wanna meet up later at that nice cafe at 6 pm?
My Sampo: Sureeee
Wait, u working today?
You: Well, yeah
Gotta pay the bills 💀
My Sampo: AW MAN
What if I pick u up at ur job when u done so we can get to the cafe earlier?
You: I'd prefer not, the higher ups are a little reluctant of visitors ever since Serval made a surprise visit there. Just make a reservation at the cafe and I'll be there.
My Sampo: Oh, kk. Talk to u later, bbg 🤭‼️
You: Byee 👋 *you have gone offline*

It's time to start my day. I didn't tell Sampo that Serval is still visiting me every day at work, so it's not like I can let him either. Plus, if they find out I'm dating a thief, they'll think I'll let him break the rules, and they will fire me. Maybe I can convince him not to be a thief anymore? We didn't really discuss it yet, I don't feel like having that talk either. Maybe I'll wait a while first. What's the harm anyway?

I was guarding a museum when I overhear Serval.
"Where's my little bro?"
The guards standing next to her look confuzzled. They take one look at me, then at Serval, then at me again, then at her again, then at me on last time, and THEN they ask, "This your sister?"

I put a thumbs up, and they lower their w4eapons. "If u wore a visitors ID, this wouldn't be an issue," a tired guard mumbled. I push him out of the way since I deal with his attitude all the time, and he can't talk this way to my sister. "U wanna get demoted?"
"No."
"Then keep ur mouth shut before i make you. And go do your job. Go guard smth."
The guard looks down, says "Yes Sir" and leaves mumbling curses to himself.

Serval runs to me, going in for a hug. I greet her happily. For some reason, she keeps coming when I'm working. I still haven't told her that Sampo and I are...dating. There's never the perfect time to announce to ur big sis that youre dating a guy as a guy. She has been very supportive tho, so it's not like she would judge. Maybe I'm just nervous, I'm basically never gonna tell Lynx, so it should be OK to tell Serval. I trust her.

"Hey Serval, can we go step inside? It'll only take a moment."
(Their guarding a museum, and Gepard is asking if they can go into the museum since it's closed BTW).
"Ok, sure."

We step inside the closed off museum, it's been closed for weeks for refurnishing. The thoughts inside my head tell me to keep it a secret, not tell anybody, in fear of being judged and critiqued. But in my heart, ik the people I love most wouldn't judge me. They should accept me the way I am.

In the midst of my overthinking, Serval drops an ancient relic, and it cracks. I angrily whisper "SERVAL!" to her. She smiles awkwardly and puts the cracked piece in its original position. Aghhhhhhh, whyyy.

Anyways, I make sure that we are completely alone and isolated from others before signaling for her to come to me.
"So I've been putting it off, but now I can say it. Me and Sampo are..dating," I finally say, calm and collected like a true Captain.
"WHAT?" She says in disbelief. My confidence lowers dramatically.
"Lower your voice, please," I request dryly.
"SOWWY I JUST CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT IM HEARING. GOOD FOR U GUYSSSS." I perk up. She thinks it's good?
"Yall sound like such a cute couple, we should all go somewhere. You have to at least introduce your BOYFRIEND to mee."
"SHH, the guards can't know."
"Eh?"
"I might get fired if that happens, so keep the noise down."
"Oh ok."
"You really want to meet him though ?"
"Yesssssss," Serval clarifies, hugging me. 🫂
Hmm. Maybe I can get Sampo to let Serval come along with us today. I know I made it for just us, but they should formally meet each other amd get along. Yeah. I'm sure he'll understand. It's only 3:30 too, so it's not like it's a change made on a whim.
"How about today?"
"Fr?"
"Yeah."
"Sure Geppie, I'm in."
"I told u not to call me Geppie, I am not a child, I'm a grown ahh man."

"Your the middle child, so I'm calling u Geppie forever," Serval declares,  ruffling my hair. Yeah, I knew it. She's been calling me Geppie for almost our entire life, so it'll probably never change. And honestly, I hope it never does. Moments like this must be cherished. The bond between siblings is vastly underrated.
"Don't break anything else, Taylor Swift," I teased. "U gay ahh cannot be talking," Serval shot back. Damn, she don't hold back no more.

It's settled. I better text Sampo that Servals is coming with us. It'll..be fine. I'm sure the 2 of them will find some similarities 🙄.