Sampo Koski was no ordinary man, nor was he any ordinary fool. He took calculated risks only if the payoff guaranteed a profit, either in the short term or in the long term. In essence, he was a businessman – an eccentric, driven to maximize his profit at any given moment. Thus, when he received the "anonymous" albeit needlessly cryptic tip that an individual in the underworld had a very rare item that he might be interested in, he knew with little doubt that he was being duped.
"Meet him here:" the note had read, illustrating a poorly rendered drawing of an alleyway not far from the closest mass of dwellings within the Underground town, some average-Joe pen name and a date and time scribbled under the drawing. "Very valuable resource in-hand. Highly profitable if acquired."
No further details regarding what the object was, or even what he should expect to wager on acquiring it, yet he dared to acknowledge that he was morbidly curious, at the very least. Either way, a tip was a tip, and he was excellent at whittling out the details in case this entailed a substantial profit on his end. So, with much gusto and a smile plastered on his face, he arrived near the needlessly obvious location ahead of time, resting on his knees and taking refuge behind a rusted dumpster, scanning ahead for any sign of his mystery individual. After several moments, he was rewarded with the sight of a flustered man cloaked in a heavy winter coat, glancing around feverishly, no doubt in search of the very person he'd summoned to his place.
Sampo smirked, rising to his full height as he flicked his rich blue bangs out of his face and began walking forward, arms held out in casual greeting as he "turned on the charm." Surely, there was no way this guy was serious about what he claimed to have, so he'd just give him the ol' "Koski charm," take his goods, and run off before he knew he'd been conned.
"Salutations, my friend!" He placed one hand behind and the other in front, "Lovely weather we're having down here today." He bowed at the waist as the man – a nigh to elderly one, it seemed - furrowed his brows, gripping his coat tighter in response to Sampo's greeting, eyeing him anxiously, though not without a hint of indignance. Whatever this man was hiding, he wanted to get it over with.
"Heh-heh…" Not one for chit-chat, eh?
Though he didn't recognize his face, Sampo got the impression that this man somehow had beef with him, mentally raising his guard. He lifted the corner of his lips as he returned to full height, clasping his hands in front, body language attuned to display an aura of no ill-intent, but still ready to form his blades at a moment's notice.
Sampo cleared his throat. "I'm sure your time is valuable, so I won't delay you much further. About this item of significance… You have it on you, I presume?"
The man licked his lips, breath shaky as he nodded curtly, loosening his coat and pulling out some manner of metallic item – something a bit average looking, though the likes of which Sampo couldn't honestly say he'd ever laid eyes on, tilting his head slightly forward to wager a better view.
The man caught his brief but questioning expression, voice gruff as Sampo reinitiated eye contact.
"A parting gift."
"Ah-ha… Come again?" Steady, Koski…
"Mr. Sampo, look out!"
Sampo blinked, caught off-guard by the child's yelp, eyes widening as he registered the shifting of gravel followed by the shrill noise of a metal pole slamming into the brick wall next to him as he scarcely managed to duck out of the assailant's swinging range, the sound of a grunt escaping the man's lips as he tried to recover the entirety of his now throbbing hand. However, Sampo couldn't even blink before an object was thrust into his midsection, eliciting an "Oof!", followed up with a firm punch to the jaw that knocked him against the neighboring wall, his elbow contacting the brick first as the rest of his body followed.
Geez, he was going to have to lay off on those self-indulgent Belobog delights. His body was not designed to be thrown around like a ragdoll; sardonic, given the circumstances of the acknowledgement.
Fortunately, his blades were now at the ready as the larger man dove to jab his pole into Sampo's gut, Sampo rolling to the side and swinging cleanly to cut into the man's arm, eliciting a howl of pain as the man dropped his weapon and grabbed at his bleeding wound, attempting to curb the flow. His partner, the elderly man, took a step back and scowled, jutting his finger out as he finally stepped forward and aided his companion.
"This ain't the last you've seen of us, Koski!" He snarled, shaking his free fist as a few wandering people began to glance out of curiosity. "We'll get you for all the vagrant lives you've ruined!"
Right now, Sampo's head was swirling like a whirlpool, so this man's threats meant very little in the wake of his pounding headache. However, as his adrenaline levels rested and he returned to his senses, he was surprised to see a child – no, children – running forward and stopping to stand at his feet, yelling nonsense and throwing rocks at the two assailants, making as much racket as they could and causing a scene while they were at it.
The two men, naturally, did not take kindly to this and merely growled in retaliation, turning and making their swift exit as one last child stepped into view, yelling as loudly as she could as she tossed one final rock.
"Mess with Mr. Sampo again and you'll feel the true wrath of Pitch-Dark Hook the Great!"
Oh, but of course, Sampo thought wryly, messaging his jaw as he opened and closed it, grunting as pain flared up in his midsection. These kids ate up any opportunity to participate in mischief. He was fortunate none of them got hurt because then he might have really been in trouble.
Hook stood her ground with hands glued to her hips for a few moments longer, eventually nodding curtly before turning and congratulating her teammates, giving high-fives across the board before she came to stand in front of Sampo, investigating his current state of being.
"Are you alright, Mr. Sampo?" She seemed genuinely brave for a half-pint; he'd give her that much. "Those men sure were mean… They might have hurt you even worse if Hook and the Moles hadn't of stepped in to save the day!"
"Heh-heh, juuuuuuuust some light bruising, kids. No need to worry! This isn't Sampo Koski's first rodeo, after all." He feigned nonchalance, clenching his teeth, releasing a huffed chuckle. "Weren't you all impressed?"
There was a unified group of unimpressed, confused, and hungry expressions.
"…Maybe you need to go see Auntie Natasha. Your elbow looks kinda-"
"Bruised? Pff! I'll be fiiiiiine." Sampo spoke slowly as he glanced over his now bloodied elbow then winked, chuckling through his nose. It was becoming very difficult to hide the wince his expression was aching to make. "Ahem… You, uh, should all run along in case those gentlemen come back looking for me. I'd hate for them to turn you all into tomorrow morning's headlines, or worse yet, my next collector's item!" He chortled, crossing his arms.
Hook grunted indignantly as some of the others wined in fear, placing her hands on her hips as her fellow peers encouraged her to follow Sampo's guidance, eventually giving in, though not before granting him a dirty look and a "You owe me, Mr. Sampo!" taunt, scurrying off into the outskirts of town.
Sampo shook his head with a humored sigh, recovering a handkerchief from his pocket and wrapping his injury the best he could manage, clutching his arm just above the injury with a pained mumble as he crept through the shadows of the alley, doing his best to avoid unnecessary attention, direction in mind as he quickly progressed towards his targeted destination. "Owing" Hook wouldn't be an issue. Just give her a few of the aforementioned Belobog delights and she'd be happy as a clam; stellar, even!
On the other hand, owing Natasha for the sheer dignity he was going to have to sacrifice to dress this wound… Well, that scenario was going to have to be where the real "silver-tongued" Sampo shined. After all, she often drove a hard bargain, so he couldn't afford not bartering. In fact, he recalled that the last time he'd managed to convince her to patch him up, she made him retrieve some new sewing supplies for her side hobby of stitching the Underground orphans' busted teddy bears back together.
Retrieving the supplies, surprisingly, had not been very difficult, and he'd be lying if he didn't admit that the increased number of children's smiles he'd witnessed had certainly lightened his mood. It had been a simple gesture from Natasha, yet the labor had been well worth it to her.
She's always put others' wants above her own. Though, I wonder if she's ever taken a moment to think about what she wants…
His thought process was cut short by the sudden impact of slamming into someone's body, eyes widening as he practically knocked the other person over, reaching out his hand and snagging the individual by the waist.
"Uh, Sampo?"
"Guh-! Miss Natasha!" He chortled as he felt his cheeks heat from sheer embarrassment – a rare occurrence for a man with little shame, straightening her back up and releasing her almost immediately. "Heh-heh, just the doctor I was coming to see!"
Smooth, Koski. Smooth.
"Oh?" Natasha merely giggled at his antics, straightening her bangs before she then caught sight of his wrapped arm, letting her arm fall limply to her side as her brows laced. "Oh, Sampo, not again."
"Relaaaax, Miss Natasha!" He waved his hands submissively, offering what he hoped was feigned as a reassuring smile. "Just a little… tit-for-tat."
Natasha hummed, clearly unamused while Sampo attempted to laugh it off, tilting her head towards the direction of her clinic, sliding her arm around his upper arm, pulling him towards that direction. Sampo sighed and obeyed, following her quietly until the two reached the doors, allowing her to unlock them as he chivalrously held the door for her with a bow, following her in.
"You can't keep doing this, Sampo." She clicked her tongue with a soft giggle, pointing to a chair in the center of the room while he obediently took a seat, making sure it was appropriately lit while she searched for the equipment that she'd need to dress his wounds. "Sooner or later, someone is going to come along that knows how to bend – perhaps even break the rules to your game." She moved to stand next to him, placing her items on the adjacent table, rolling up his sleeve, removing his crude bandage, and inspecting his wound.
"What will you do then?" A moment of silence. He blinked when she held his gaze.
Oh! That wasn't a rhetorical question? She's being serious. Well…
He blew a raspberry, chuckling. "Please, Miss Natasha! I'm a businessman; it's only natural that I draw some… eh, picky customers from time to time."
"You're avoiding the question, Sampo." She stated gently with a hint of humor, though not without the clear indication of admonishment, pouring some medicine onto a cloth and rubbing it against his arm, cleaning the preexisting blood in the process. Sampo winced at the pain the medicine inflicted, but wondered if he hadn't winced more so at her indication. Natasha was the only person who could read between the lines, and if he wasn't careful, she'd find that he'd drawn those lines all the way to his heart.
"Pshht, I'm not avoiding the question, Miss Natasha." He defended with a smirk, doing his best not to let his composure break. "I just… don't have much inclination to answer it without an appropriate, monetary incentive, is all." He winked.
She knows how to barter for intel. If she wants to know, she'll have to negotiate.
Natasha paused, her experienced hands resting against his arm as she sighed wearily. Sampo's grin faltered, suddenly perceiving that she was withholding some burden as he glanced towards her.
"Sampo, I… worry," She steadily ran her hand along the still unfinished wrapping on his arm, "…about you. Just as I do the children. Just as I'd do for anyone I care about."
She wasn't making eye contact, thankfully, for it was all he could do to avoid sputtering. Though her gaze was sympathetic, she was getting straight to the subject on this matter. He knew if he parted his lips now, the cat would be out of the bag.
Oh, no no no! That's not how you barter with Sampo Koski!
He shifted in the chair uncomfortably. She acknowledged his change in demeanor, continuing her work, tone lighter. "Every time you come in here brandishing a new wound, I wonder if…" She sighed with a huffed chuckle, "if it's the last time I'll ever be able to successfully treat you."
"Am I untreatable, or intolerable?" He couldn't resist the joke, earning a giggle from Natasha as she playfully smacked his arm.
"No, it's not that, it's just… Well, this is a small clinic, but I treat a large vicinity. I'm only one doctor, and my supplies are extremely limited. Thus, when I need to treat a patient, I must be resourceful when it comes to how I use the resources that I have at my disposal."
"Is… there an issue with supply?" He wouldn't be opposed to assisting her, even for free. She deserved that much from him for all she'd done.
"Supply and demand." Natasha finished wrapping his arm, patting it. She lifted the extra items from the table and put them away. Sampo watched her from behind as she washed and dried her hands, then stepped to gaze out of a nearby window. After inspecting his bandages and confirming that Natasha had once again worked her magic, Sampo joined her, stealing a peak at her longing expression as she lowered her gaze.
"It breaks my heart to turn down a patient because I don't have the supplies to treat them, or because I must prioritize the case of another patient." She turned and made eye contact then. "Every life is precious, Sampo, and I have always felt it my duty to preserve that value."
Sampo felt a tug within his heart, a familiar feeling welling up inside. Natasha was a very considerate woman – kind and caring beyond all reasonable doubt. He'd always admired that about her, even enough to admit that it was a quality she possessed that he found very…
He shifted his weight between his feet, licking his lips as he clenched his hands behind his back. "What about you, Miss Natasha?" He couldn't help voicing his curiosity, chuckling. "Isn't your life precious?"
Reign it in, Sampo… She's not someone that you can just pour the syrup on.
She blinked, tilting her head slightly, confused at first, then chuckling when she interpreted his meaning. "I suppose it is, Sampo, though truly, I haven't given much thought to what it entails outside of this very clinic."
"Humor me for a moment, Miss Natasha, but if this were an ideal world and you were and ideal person, where would you see yourself?"
"Where would I see myself…?" Natasha echoes as she placed a finger to her chin, grinning enough for her lower eyelids to raise. "My, what an odd question, Sampo. But… I have thought about this; quite a bit, actually."
Her voice sounded wistful as her gaze grew distant. "When the clinic is empty and I am alone, sometimes I step outside and listen to the children play." She laughed as softly as she dared.
"During those fleeting moments, I feel a sense of serenity, like I am a child again, playing with my friends, never afraid to take on the world. Sometimes, I'll see the beautiful smile of my mother or feel the warm embrace of my father. Other times, I think of the flowers I adored smelling whenever I passed by the flower shop, or of the teddy bear that I hugged so vivaciously as a child."
Sampo felt as though he was being pulled into Natasha's reminiscing, thinking of the childhood he'd never had but had wanted so desperately. Being hungry, alone, afraid. Having no money, and no one who cared for him. However, even in his plight, he'd learn to laugh, to look for joy in fleeting moments, to have fun.
He and Natasha weren't so very different.
"I think, that's where I see myself. With the children. Perhaps the orphans, or perhaps – someday – my own." She smiled, huffing a soft chuckle. "I don't know if that's possible considering how busy I am, but I feel that, deep inside, that longing has yet to truly be fulfilled."
She leaned in, resting her head against his shoulder, "Maybe one day things will settle down," sighing contentedly as she shut her eyes, "and that will become a very real possibility."
Little did she know that this simple gesture – that the very weight of her head resting against Sampo's body – was enough to make him wonder if it truly was a possibility, and whether that outcome could potentially – for the right price – include his expertise.
Then again, perhaps she'd planned this outcome all along and he was merely a pawn in her game of wildfire.
Whatever the case may be, I owe her one, and I'll be a dead man before I let her kind gesture go unpaid…