#i think the doc is better viewing anyway just bc of the font change during the One Part tbh

[zillyeh]

The Worst Kind of Found Family (part 1)

Word count: 1381

Content warning: Voss is in this

Synopsis: After returning from a long, long time away from Delhon City, Salvad makes... an acquaintance. Or two.

Google Doc

    Returning to the city after so long was… almost bizarre. Louder in ways, quieter in others. Salvad’s old hive had been in a state of mild disrepair when he returned, but Tiger had no qualms with finding a dusty corner to make her nest. The cats… Had slightly more difficult a time adjusting, but he was sure they’d be fine eventually. Maybe after he’d cleaned any. 

    The cops had just… left the scene of his kidnapping as it was, which he was thankfully unconscious throughout. It felt like just another mess to fix. And dust, looking at the inches that had accumulated while he was away.

   Starting with himself had been a better choice, though. Showered, clean shaven, but needing a haircut badly was much better. Though, he wasn’t sure if he didn’t like the way his hair hung around his shoulders… how his curls framed his face. He had been pondering that in the mirror when his doorbell rang, scaring the absolute shit out of him. Eclair bolted for the door when she heard it, zooming across his hive like mad.

   “I’m coming!” He called when it went off again, glad he’d been able to at least get dressed. He felt a creeping anxiety about who was at his door as he crossed his living room. He didn’t really have any friends. Not that he thought would catch up with him, anyway…

   The troll at his door was about his height, give or take an inch or two. Teal and scarred to all hell, but handsome nonetheless. He stood with his hands on his hips, a relaxed smile touching his green rimmed orange sclera. His odd eyes lit up when Salvad opened the door in a way that made him… uncomfortable, to say the least.

   “Hiya!” He said pleasantly, “Salvad Aarika, right?”

   “...Correct.” Sal said hesitantly, keeping the door partially closed. He didn't quite strike him as cop… But… Close. 

   “Oh good.” The freckled tealblood said with a clap. “There’s someone who wants to meet you.”

   “Is that someone… you?” The urge to slam the door was strong, yet still too rude for Sal to cope with doing. Though the cats were trying to get past him... “If this is about my… incident a few months ago I’m not-”

   “Oh, no, no no no, no. Well, kind of, but-” Sal slowly started to close the door anyway, but was met with one of the teal’s fancy oxfords between it and the frame.

   “Hold on now, let me finish, my god.” He insisted, keeping his foot there. “I’m here to deliver a message and that’s it, but I figured it’d be nicer to say hi to the younger Mr. Aarika.” He slipped a letter in the gap of the door between two fingers. Sal was almost immediately overwhelmed by the flowery… painfully familiar scent of it. That was… Hameil’s favorite… 

   “I can’t go unless you take this, kid.” The tealblood insisted, wiggling it in Salvad’s face. 

   “Ugh.” Salvad snatched the gold and yellow envelope from his hand, greedier than he thought he would be to smell that cologne again. He turned the letter over in his hand, his own name elegantly scripted across the front and a wax seal with… his own symbol? holding the back closed. 

   “Who the hell are you, anyway?" Sal demanded, wrenching the door back open some. 

   “That’s in there too.” He said, taking a decent step back with his hands up. “Impatience really gets you nowhere, but given the circumstances I’ll introduce myself. Name’s Voss.” 

   “Voss.” Salvad repeated, flipping open the envelope to find a heavy, gold inlaid card inside, with that same loopy handwriting and golden pen.

   “Voschi.” Voss grinned, gesturing to himself. “Voschi Horjan at your service. Well, not yours, but you know.”

   Salvad stopped listening after Horjan, pulling the small, one sided card out. The only writing was on the front, but there was a perfume company logo on the back that Sal immediately recognized. 

Dearest Salvad,     First, my deepest, most sincere condolences for all you’ve lost so many months ago. I had intended to send this the night I’d heard, but you had already left by the time I’d had anything of value penned.    Second, I do hope this doesn’t catch you at a bad time. I’ve instructed Voschi to be delicate, as I am unsure how you shall receive this. If you would be so inclined, I would like to meet you out at one of my establishments tomorrow. 10 o’ clock. I do believe we have much to discuss, more than I could begin to describe on such a small canvas.       Do send darling Voss home with a response. I’ve included the name and address of my favorite café in the envelope as well. It's a bit of a ride from where you live, but I hope you’ll indulge me just this once, sweetheart.

All my love,

                       Amillo Aarika

   Salvad looked to Voss for some explanation other than the one he was thinking of.

   “You have got to be kidding me.”

   “Do I look the joking type, Mr. Aarika?” Voss asked, his lopsided grin not exactly giving off a jesterly energy.

    “You certainly aren’t “delicate,” Mr. Horjan.” Salvad scoffed, tucking the card back in the envelope. Voss snorted.

    “Voss, I beg of you.” He said. “Got an answer? I’m not allowed to leave til I get one.”

   “Not allowed..?” Sal looked between him and the letter, stepping fully outside so the desperate cats behind him didn’t escape. Voss nodded.

   “Mr. S- er, A’s orders, y’see. The old man’s dying to meet you for reasons I hope you can guess.”

    That was all but a confirmation to Salvad’s creeping feeling. That- He couldn’t have an ancestor, could he? That felt too… high blooded, for him. And if he was still alive… that probably meant…

   “This isn’t some elaborate prank, is it?” Salvad had just been in the middle of a… scandal felt wrong, but that had to have been how papers reported on it. Two highbloods dead and he's the only one who walked away? Anyone could be trying to do anything. 

   “He’ll be happy to know you’re cautious, at least.” Voss said with a sigh. He yanked his shirt up and out of his pants, pulling down his waistband enough for Salvad to see far too much of his lower hip. On which sat the overly familiar curve of his symbol. Stylized, of course, and intwined with the one Voss wore on his shirt pocket.

   “I ain’t get this for you, big boy.” He said, readjusting his clothes once Sal abashedly looked away.

   “Prove it.” Salvad huffed. What a way to attempt to prove himself truthful. Still...

   “Oh that one’s up to you, kiddo. Mr. Aarika ain’t opposed to a hive call either, but he figured here might not be the bestest of places, y’know? Answer? Place has drinks, ah, suited to your new tastes.”

    Salvad let out a long, exasperated sigh. What the fuck was happening? He slid the address out of his envelope. Hm… that was pretty far- almost the other side of the city- but it was a very public, busy street, if he remembered correctly. Who’s to say he’d make it there, though? This Voss character could be a stalker. Or a serial killer. Both. But… Did Salvad have anything to lose? Certainly not now. He’d come home, but what was even here for him anymore? The cats? Tiger? They’d sort out their food chain without him.

    Maybe Amillo could offer some… direction, if he was real. 

    “Whatever. Fine, I’ll be there.”

    “Great!” Voss said with another clap. “And, before I take my leave, might I just say the resemblance is absolutely stunning? I really couldn’t believe it when I saw your-” Voss very suddenly stood straighter, eyes rapidly blinking for a good five seconds before his posture relaxed again.

    “Uh, what was I saying?” He asked a little confused, a touch of bloodshot blue right around his eyes. He sniffed and wiped at his nose, shaking his marred head a bit. “Oh, right, Mr. Aarika will be thrilled to see you. Pleasure, Salvad.” Voss beamed at him one more time, clumsily skipping off the few steps up to Sal’s door.

    Maybe showing up tomorrow was going to be a bad idea...