#about how he was fuckin rich so go to the four seasons for gods sake

[mattatouile]

had a dream I went to a pre -season stl blues game and got shit faced off a bottle of ice cold tito's with keith tkachuk. yes. keith not matthew. dunno if I wanna explore what that says about me as a person.

[zillyeh]

Storm Season (3/???)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Word count: 3545

Content warning: Implications of a less than healthy relationship, baby M*djug

Synopsis: After having worked for Miles for a few solid weeks, an old... friend of Voss' pops up unexpectedly. No not that one, older than that. Well. Yeah actually that one too.

Google Doc

The winter over Delhon snapped hard into the negatives, but that didn’t stop Voss from walking nearly everywhere. The only thing that could possibly do that would be, say, having a car.

Evidently the weather didn’t stop many others either. Bundled up highbloods and lowbloods alike waddled along the sidewalk, hurriedly as possible without breaking their necks on the ice.

Voss, more than anything, wanted to be home. Sure his apartment sucked ass and leaked heat like it was its job, but it was a shit ton better than being outside. He’d be passing by Miles’ cafe on his way, but he didn’t exactly have enough expendable income at the moment to justify it. Yet. God rich people were shit at tipping. Even if he did tend to get better tables.

He had coffee at home, though. He’d be fine. The cigarette between his lips would keep him warm enough.

“Voss?” A familiar voice called from behind him. He almost wasn’t sure he heard right. That couldn’t possibly be… “Hey Voss!”

His footsteps fell heavy behind Voss, catching up to him easily with his longer legs.

“Dosie?” Voss asked incredulously, moving his half done cig between his fingers.

“Hey, long time no see!” Dosiro beamed, adorably bundled up with his teal scarf and dark trenchcoat. He looked almost exactly the same- hard jawed and sharp toothed- though he’d grown something of a beard since Voss last had anything to do with that face.

“H- heh, yeah, wild. Four sweeps now or something? Fleet really eats up your time.”

“Shit, yeah I almost forgot about that- uh, are you just back, or-?”

“Yeah, kinda, been almost a month-” Annoyed trolls hurried past them, both of them having slowed down significantly. “Uh, Dosie, maybe this isn’t the best place to have, like, our reunion-”

“Oh, yeah, right, uh-” Dosiro picked up the pace, putting an overly familiar hand on Voss’ shoulders. “There’s a cafe down the street that I was already- I mean if you’re not busy-”

“Oh I am not busy, believe me.” Voss said, wondering when the hell his luck was going to run dry. “You can take me absolutely wherever.”

Dosiro rushed him to the very same cafe he’d been in with Miles not too long ago. The smell of caffeine and the near volcanic warmth it brought improved Voss' mood almost instantly.

Dosie preferred the table by the window, but furthest from the door. He excitedly threw off his outer layer, still just as curved in all Voss' favorite places- and unwilling to wear anything that wouldn't show it- as Voss remembered him being. Even in his work button up. Voschi was more reluctant to relieve himself of his miserable outer layer. God he needed a new jacket bad, but one even half as nice as Dosiro’s big detective coat would cost money money.

“So, nice to see you again.” Dosiro said, his teal eyes bright with an excitement almost genuine enough to make Voss blush.

“Could say the same about you.” Voss said, a little smile perking up the corners of his mouth. How much of a mess must he look like right now? He sure felt like one, even if his Gilded Palace uniform was the nicest thing he owned. “You look good, D.”

“Aw thanks, Voschi.” Dosiro’s smile was more than infectious.

“Hate to interrupt, gentlemen,” Interrupted a waitress, “But can I get you two something to- Oh it’s you.” The goldblood’s face dropped more than was professional, but immediately picked back up when she remembered who Voss was usually in here with.

“You know you missed me.” Voss said with a cheeky smile. She rolled her eyes.

“Usual, then?” She huffed. One of these nights Voss was going to learn her name. He nodded, then paused.

“I’m good on the muffin.” He said with a shrug.

“You sure?” Dosiro asked, an appraising eyebrow raised. “You look like you could use it.”

“Only if you’re paying for this.” Voss said with a bat of his eyes. Dosiro laughed.

“Of course, I forced you in here, didn’t I?”

“Forced is strong, but not incorrect. Muffin then.”

“Great.” Their waitress said through gritted teeth. “For you?”

“Uh, black coffee is fine. Actually I kind of want a muffin too now that you mention it? Whatever he’s having.”

“Oka-”

“Not whatever he’s having.” Voss said, putting up a hand “You’re still allergic to blueberries, right?”

“I- you remembered- yeah, uh, banana then.” The waitress scribbled that down a little rougher than necessary, and forced a smile at the both of them.

“Be right back.” She said, turning on her heel.

“Come here a lot, huh Voss?” Dosiro teased.

“Been here a few times. Never on my own dime though.”

“Right back into dating then, huh?” His tone was still light, but Voss could sense some coolness behind it. Oh what was that? It couldn’t possibly have been a touch of jealousy, not for Voss’ sake. That was never Dosiro’s thing.

“Something like that.” Voss said airily, rolling one of the cream cups on the table between his fingers. Dosiro seemed to expect some elaboration on that. He didn’t receive it. Nor did he deserve it.

“How’s life been treating you down here?” Voss asked instead, taking a real good look at him. “You look both more and less like a cop now.”

“Senior Detective Dosiro Hemoni at your service.” Dosiro said, tipping an invisible hat.

“Oh no shit huh? Congrats, Dosie.” Voss grinned lopsidedly. “I always figured you’d claw your way up the ranks eventually. Would’ve sent you a card or something if I heard about it.”

“Haha, well, wasn’t easy, y’know.” He shrugged, scratching the back of his neck. “I, uh, never thought I’d actually see you again Chichi.” Hearing his old nickname made something warm up in Voss’ gut, but not the same way Dosiro’s pet names used to. In a way, it burned.

“Don’t… I, uh wasn’t supposed to come back.” Voss said, looking out the window at the small spits of snow falling from the sky. “I guess I got lucky, if you could call it that.”

“I mean, I’m glad you’re around again. So, uh what’re you doing with yourself these nights? Like, work wise?”

“Oh y’know… Uh, bullshit.” Voss shrugged, leaning his face on his palm. “Met a guy who hooked me up with a… decent enough gig. Waiting tables at some fancy ass place a few blocks over.”

“Oof, you? Waiting tables?” Dosiro tapped his fingers against his chin in a way that was… uneasily familiar. Voss couldn’t quite remember why.

“Eh, I get good enough tips cause I’m cute.” It was… something, even if the clink of silverware and plates rattled his head.

“Heh. That big obnoxious lookin’ place up on Cyan?” Voss nodded. “Well damn, I’ve never actually even been inside. Er, as a customer. You got someone to hook you up with a job in there?”

“This face works wonders, Dosie.” Voss grinned, poking his fingers into his dimples. “You of all people should know how that works.” Dosiro snorted, a touch of color rising to his cheeks. How many times had Dosie smiled and winked to get Voss to drop everything and go looking through files? Evidence? Other people's desks? Probably more than Voss was willing to admit to falling for, honestly.

“But, uh, yeah.” Voss continued, not wanting to dwell on their past too long. “Guy knows a guy… if he’s not the one who owns the place.” He still wasn’t sure on that one. Could be either. Both.

“That’s not a little sus, Voss?” Dosiro snorted, amused but definitely hiding… something. Concern maybe?

Hopefully?

“Aww, worried about me, Dosie?” Voss grinned. “Don’t be I can take care of myself.”

“I- I dunno Voss,” Dosie said, scratching the back of his neck. “I’ve never known anyone to just give people… well, anything really without expecting something back.”

“Maybe that’s just a you thing.” Voss shot with more ice than he meant to. Ugh, Dosiro had a point but…

Miles was holding out on whatever it was he wanted from Voss. It’s not like he hadn’t considered that possibility, he wasn’t that stupid and infatuated with the man. Though he did have an awfully bad track record…

Dosiro winced, his leg beginning to bounce under the table. He looked over his shoulder, hoping to see their waitress. It was so busy in the cafe that they’d be lucky if their orders came tonight.

“Uh, right. Sorry.” Dosiro cleared his throat and sat up a little. “I- I dunno, I just don’t wanna see you hurt. Who is this guy anyway?”

“Who says he’s gonna hurt me?” Voss asked, squinting at him. There was something off about his fidgety-ness. The way he kept pretending he wasn’t looking at his watch. “I can’t think of a single thing I wouldn’t let- I mean, he’s nice, Dosie. Nicer than the fuckin’ Empire, that’s for sure. His name’s Aarika. Rich ass jadeblood.”

“Really?” Dosiro asked, some light that Voss didn’t trust coming on in his eyes. “Like… fish rich?”

“Mhm probably if his hive is anything to go by…” Voss let that one fester, watching that light in Dosiro’s eyes flicker before he continued. “He’s got the prettiest eyes too.” Voss sighed dreamily. Partially to punctuate, partially because thinking of Miles for any amount of time made him feel… Giddy, almost. Clearly this had the opposite effect on Dosiro.

“Voss, listen I know you’re-”

“I’m.” Voss dared, only imagining the places Dosiro would go with that thought. Clearly it wasn’t anywhere nice as he paused and rethought his sentence.

“I know you’re… des- down on your luck.The fleet does that to you. But you’re trusting, and sweet on anyone who’s nice to you. It’s almost your best and worst quality.”

“You seemed to be an awful big fan back in the day.” Voss eyed him with suspicion. And annoyance. Dosiro sighed and glanced at his watch again, then out the window over Voschi’s shoulder. Something he saw made color rush to his cheeks.

“Listen, Voss, you know I care about you, right?” He said quickly, leaning in. “I always have. Which is why we-”

The door to the cafe jingled open, and in entered another, skinnier tealblood, flushed by the harsh cold outside.

“Dos!” He called, catching Dosiro’s eye when he looked over his shoulder. Dosiro groaned and swore under his breath.

“Friend of yours?” Voss asked as the new teal wordlessly invited himself to their table, pulling up a chair to the empty side.

“Voss this is Jug.” Dosiro said, somewhat pained, “My, uh, partner.”

“Jug.” Voss repeated, taking the cold gloved hand Jug so eagerly extended to him.

“Detective Medjug Albath.” Jug corrected. He was uncomfortably… familiar looking. Tall, but probably shorter than Dosiro still, neatly coiffed black hair- though his had streaks of teal at the temples- double spiked horns, skinny but still muscular somewhere underneath his layers. Even down to the, albeit much sparser, dusting of freckles. It was like looking in a funhouse mirror. Aside from the glasses.

“Ex-Imperial Officer Voschi Horjan, if we’re doing the full title thing.” Voss shot an accusatory look to Dosiro, who looked like he could melt into the cafe’s pristine tiles.

“Oh there’s another one of you. Great.” Their waitress returned finally, happy as ever. She slid Voss’ latte and muffin in front of him carefully, Dosiro’s not so much. “Do you need anything, or-”

“No ma’am.” Jug said quickly, sliding his rectangular glasses up his nose. “I’m fine, and might I just say-”

“No you might not. If you need anything else just holler, Mr. Horjan.”

She was gone again faster than Voschi could say “fine.” Jug attentively watched Dosiro pour sugar into his coffee for a moment before turning to Voschi.

“I’ve heard a lot about you.” He said, undoing the buttons of his coat.

“No you haven’t.” Dosiro shot through a clenched jaw. He worriedly looked to Voss, who had already started to withdraw from the conversation. He certainly wasn’t smiling anymore.

“Me?” Voss asked, pressing a hand to his chest. “Why whatever for?”

“Well Detective Hemoni moans an awful lot about missing having a-” Dosiro shot Jug a look that could melt the snow drifts outside. “Er, a friend in the more stuffy paperwork oriented side of things.”

“I’m sure he does.” Voss said cooly, admiring the cartoony tiger face the barista made in his foam. “You haven’t found another prettyboy to charm in the evidence room after all this time? Or the DA's office?”

“I uh-” Dosiro opted to tug on his coffee instead of answering. His leg shook under the table, reminding Voss just how bad a liar he was. He’d let it slide so many times…

“Mhm.” Voss hummed, bitterness rising in him even despite the sweetness of his drink. “So were you just walking by here and happened to see us, Detective Albath, or..?” Dosiro shot him a look. One that Voss wasn’t meant to catch, but of course he did.

“Oh, uh yeah, actually.” Jug nodded, an even worse liar. How were these two detectives again? “I wanted to make- to uh, go over some urgent c-case things.”

“Do you do that whenever you see your partner on what could be a date through a window or do you just not have a phone?” Jug swallowed. Dosiro glared at him. Voss waited expectantly, sipping on his latte even though it was still a touch too hot.

“Voss, c’mon…” Dosiro started guiltily. “I- this isn’t about-”

“Dos you fucking suck. What do you want from me?”

“I thought you would have gotten to the point by now, Hemoni.” Jug started, rising from his seat. “My apologies, I can just-”

“You stay.” Dosiro and Voschi said at the same time, not looking away from each other. Voss was definitely winning their stare down. He had more hate in his eyes than Dosiro was capable of.

“Alright, fine, I’ve known you were in town since the day you landed. Happy?”

“What do you think?” Voss should have known better. He should have known better sweeps ago, but he couldn’t help himself then. Fortunately he was a lot meaner now. “I can’t fucking believe- no I can. Of course I can. Because it’s you. What can I do for you, detectives? You have until I finish this.”

“I’m concerned about you, Chichi.” Dosiro pleaded, leg still bouncing under the table.

“Call me Chichi again and I leave immediately.” Voss said, narrowing his eyes. “Chatterbox, what’s happening here?” Jug looked to Dosiro for approval, not exactly receiving it, but not being given any other instruction either.

“We do have, er, concerns, Mr. Horjan.”

“About?”

“Voss before he-”

“You know what, Hemoni? You can call me Mr. Horjan too. I’m starting to like how it sounds.” Dosiro blinked, not used to this much hostility- not from Voss anyway. Jug fumbled for a manilla folder from the inner pockets of his jacket.

“We- uh- caught wind of your… new association with a, erm, person of interest in one of our cases.” Jug said, readjusting his glasses on his nose. Again.

“Okay.” Voss’ intensity seemed to make the poor skittish tealblood even more nervous.

“We were… Um… Well, detective Hemoni thought… that… help… please...”

“Look, Voschi,” Dosiro said, leaning in across the table, lowering his voice. “I mean it when I say that I’m worried about you, you have to know that. This guy Aarika- allegedly- has been seeking out ex-fleets to recruit into his gang. He knows the ones that come back here have to be some kind of desperate-”

That word struck a nerve in Voschi’s scrambled head- so hard that he didn’t even realise he’d kicked Dosiro in the shin until he yelped. Jug jumped about half a mile. Voss’ eye twitched as he leaned back further in his chair.

“Sorry.” Voss said, not even bothering to pretend to be. “Foot slipped.”

“Alright, maybe I deserved that.” Dosiro winced. “And more, I know, but can you listen to me? Please? I cannot stress enough how important this is.”

Voss "relaxed" in his seat, biting the top of his muffin like an apple. Dosiro sighed and took Jug’s hefty file, plucking out a blurry, but still recognizable picture of Miles. Voss actually felt his heart skip a bit.

“This guy, Voss.” He said, tapping the photo on the table. “Amillo Aarika, head of the Divinity Cl-”

“I know who he is, Dosiro.” Voss huffed. “He told me that much.”

“Did he tell you anything el- you said you were in his- no I’m getting ahead of myself.” Even despite Voss’ clear sour disposition he couldn’t help but go straight into detective mode. The restraint he must have had to hold it back this long… He wanted to catch the bad guy more than he gave a shit about him.

What else was new?

“We have reason to believe that- uh Mr. Aarika is also involved in a massive organized crime operation in Delhon.” Jug interjected. “And that, er, you may be in danger, physically speaking.”

“Oh really?” Voss said, turning the photo over in his hand. This was awfully recent… And… in fact… that grey outfit… That street corner...

“There’s no evidence of any sort of, er, trafficking, Mr. Horjan.” Jug nodded. “In fact, the city’s been better than in sweeps in that regard as of late.” Voss was going to shove those stupid glasses into his eyes if he kept messing with them.

“Is he gonna eat me?” Voss asked disinterestedly. Jug was doing an awfully piss poor job of making a potential criminal sound dangerous. Maybe it was because Milo was far more endearing. “Cause I’d probably let him.” Dosiro groaned into his coffee cup.

“Er-”

“Voss, he grooms ex fleets and whoever into… whatever he needs. Drug dealers, thieves, hell we’ve even linked assassins to-”

“Potentially linked.” Jug corrected.

“Ugh, do you think I have it in me to kill anyone?” Voss groaned. Sure he did, but… Being paid for it would take some of the magic away. Plus, since he’d been home? That part of him felt like a completely different person. Escaped when his skull had been cracked apart.

“I know you don’t Voschi.” Dosiro sighed. “You’re… fragile.”

“We, er, may need you to, though.” Jug said, very matter of factly. Voss nearly choked on his muffin.

“Excuse me?”

“Jug, don’t-”

“We have other, more pressing cases to work today, Hemoni.” Jug huffed, some confidence in himself found. “We can’t just sit here beating around the bush all night for your pet project.”

“What do you-” Voss stopped himself, glaring at a guilty, guilty looking Dosiro.

“You want me to keep going along with this.” He breathed. “Oh my god, so much for being concerned about my safety-”

“Voss, please calm down-”

“Don’t you have officers for that? Like actual trained people who are meant to-”

“Mr. Horjan you have to understand that Mr. Aarika- allegedly- has a certain… hold over Delhon’s police department. Contracting outside assistance is, perhaps, our only option at this point.” Voss shook his head incredulously at the both of them.

“Mr. Aarika gave me a job.” Voss hissed. “One that’s far less likely to fucking kill me than outsourced undercover work.”

“That’s his first step, Voschi!” Dosiro exclaimed, frustrated, “What don’t you get about that? He’s not being nice to you because he likes you, he’s being nice to you because this is his game. It's the first step to using you to get what he wants.”

“Oh, what could being used possibly be like?” Voss seethed. “What a horrible new experience for me!” Dosiro opened his mouth to respond, but Jug swooped in to calm him down.

“Mr. Horjan, please, people are starting to… look.” Voss made accidental furious eye contact with their waitress, who promptly turned on her heel and marched to the back.

“And we aren’t asking for much, in all honesty.” Jug continued.

“Aren’t you, though?” Voss hadn’t felt this mad since before he’d gone comatose. Had he ever been this mad, actually? His memory was foggy, but fury like this just wasn’t him. He was a simmer, a pot that never quite boiled over. Not like he wanted to right now.

“No, we just- just continue doing what you’re doing, and report anything suspicious or outwardly criminal to one of us. Take pictures, be nosy… If it ends up being nothing…”

“Which it won’t.” Dosiro muttered. Jug produced a smart looking business card from his pocket, sliding it across the table to Voss.

“Think about it, won’t you? You’ll get as much protection as we can offer, as well as payment, obviously.”

“Hm. No.” Voss threw the last of his muffin in his mouth, washing it down with the rest of his latte. He left that card sitting there as he stood.

“Both of you can shove it up your ass. Together, maybe! You especially can eat shit, Hemoni. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to think you actually missed me.”

Voss zipped his jacket back up, storming back into the frigid cold air. Fortunately this time he had his rage to keep him warm.

[dwightcarolinesource]

Can you tell me what happens to Dwight while he's in the Navy? I just binged both seasons and I can't wait til season 3 to know!!!

Okay, well… brace yourself for a very brief and disjointed summary of Black Moon (I practically inhaled this book rather than reading it properly because I wanted to see Dwight so badly lmao)

Spoilers for s3 plotlines under the cut– obviously I don’t know if it’ll happen exactly like this in s3 (it probably won’t) but this is broadly where its going

WELL for starters Dwight is barely in most of Black Moon himself till almost the very end, but the other characters talk about him a lot and he’s definitely not forgotten by any means and I have a feeling the show will approach his absence at least slightly differently than the book does anyway but we’ll see

Anyway, his ship, the HMS Travail, is sunk either before the book starts or very soon into the book and we and Caroline find out about this through Unwin Trevaunance of all people. He comes back very briefly to ask Caroline to marry him again, she says no obviously, but they end up talking about the war in France and he tells her a few British ships have been sunk including Dwight’s and Caroline’s obviously pretty damn worried and for a very long hot minute no one is sure if Dwight has survived or not

SO Caroline, currently nursing Ray Penvenen who is dying, goes to Plymouth and sees Verity to try and find out more, and Verity is so sweet to her and I love their friendship so much

Ross asks around his own contacts (can’t really remember who) and pays someone to see the list of people who were taken prisoner by the French after the wrecks and hurray, oh happy day! Dwight is on it, meaning he survived the sinking even though his Captain didn’t. 

Meanwhile at some point I can’t remember the details of, Ray Penvenen dies (awh) and Caroline becomes mistress of Killewarren! She takes in some French emigres fleeing the war and bullies some rich people into contributing to Ross’s scheme to help poor relief in the area and its great. At some point she goes to London to petition Parliament about the possibility of putting up a ransom for Dwight’s release but they tell her it’s not advisable or something.

The war basically ends which technically means the prisoners of war (Dwight) should be released but in practice they kind of aren’t? idk I didn’t pay attention to the details. Very very eventually, a letter from Dwight to Caroline gets through to her explaining how the ship was sunk and where he is (a prison camp called Quimper) and Caroline and Demelza are thrilled about it but Ross is privately like ‘that dude is not going to survive if he stays in there much longer… TIME FOR A RESCUE MISSION’

(which takes a frustratingly long time to plan– the whole time I was reading I was like ‘GOD JUST FUCKIN GO AND GET DWIGHT WHAT IS TAKING YOU SO DAMN LONG’)

But eventually, Ross and Demelza’s brother Drake, and a bunch of other people who have basically benefitted from Dwight’s doctoring in the past go to France to get him 

And it’s a long and dangerous journey and they almost get caught several times when they get into the prison and it takes a long time to figure out where Dwight actually is in the camp but eventually they figure out he’s near the infirmary (duh)

And when Ross calls out to him, Dwight wakes up and thinks its one of the other prisoners who needs his help because he’s been doing his best to look after 100s of prisoners probably at the expense of his own health with only like four other people with some medical knowledge to help him and he’s so good and pure and I just love him so damn much oh my god !!! what a cinnamon roll !!!

By this point, Dwight is extremely weak, emaciated and exhausted, and the poor lamb can’t really believe he’s being rescued and says briefly that he has to stay to look after his patients because he’s one of the only ones who can (he’s such a angel i cry) but then the other prisoners are like ‘go! for fuck’s sake what are you waiting for!??’

so he does, and the escape is even riskier than getting in and Demelza’s brother is shot with a musket ball in the shoulder (but eventually recovers) and one of their crew winds up dying which Ross feels enormously guilty about

But they get back to their ship just about and after a final false alarm where they think they’re being followed, they get out and get on their way back to Plymouth and Dwight regains a bit of strength on the way from eating properly and daylight and fresh air but remains quite weak and thin from the rest of the book (and actually into the next book The Four Swans)

When they get to Plymouth, Verity puts up Ross, Drake and Dwight in her house and insists they stay until Drake and Dwight are ready to travel because she’s a wonderful angel. 

Ross sends word to Caroline that Dwight has been rescued and that they’ll be back in a few days, but being Caroline, instead of waiting– she rides through the night in the rain to Plymouth to see Dwight 

Their reunion (!!!) is the cutest thing I had ever read until I read something that happens in the next book lol. Basically Dwight is like ‘… I love you, my own heart, I’m so happy to see you… do you still want me even though I’m weak and half-starved and have a beard now and am generally a shadow of my former self? I would understand if you didn’t… but pls love me… pls…’

And Caroline is just like ‘So I’ve already decided we’re having an October wedding, and we’re inviting everyone and I mean everyone, that cool with you??? ’ it’s honestly amazing 

A few days after, she takes him back to Killewarren and they basically live there together permanently after that because she wants to nurse him back to health which to me was just !!! a dream !! 

(In the next book it’s mentioned that although they live together before marriage, they’re very careful to keep very separate in terms of living arrangements and intimacy for the sake of convention. But since in the TV show they had sex in the finale, I’m hoping that when Black Moon/The Four Swans comes to the screen, they’ll just be banging on every vaguely horizontal surface in Killewarren but that’s just me lmao) 

and that’s basically it for Black Moon. It’s actually my favourite book so far I think, which I wasn’t expecting considering Dwight is only in it in person 465 pages in but I really enjoyed it and I can’t wait to see it come to life on screen!