Lev St. Valentine
@strcys asked: "I hope you like spicy food!" for will !!! hi !!!
" just how spicy are we talking? "
the question is followed by a teasing smirk & a tilt of his head. will riker was no stranger to PUSHING his own limits - the question was less genuine & more of an invitation.
open to mutuals !
❝ i’m not supposed to advocate for violence. as captain, i disagree with what you did. ❞
jon knew the small brawl would bring nothing but trouble. starfleet headquarters will DEFINITELY have a thing or two to say about it - they’ll pressure him to punish the one responsible. but he was also VERY WELL aware that these particular aliens were less than polite.
❝ but ... how did it feel ? ❞
arthur's never . . . well, talking to women has never been a strong point of his. nor speaking in general, apart from little jabs that only serve to raise hackles & start brawls. a STRANGE shortcoming from a man raised by dutch van der linde & hosea matthews - two men whom arthur swears are hiding silver tongues behind smirking lips.
his head lowers as hope moves past him, now addressing her pretty little mare in an echoed tease of his own words. a snort comes from him, head wobbling in DISBELIEF, before turning to follow her to where their horses are hitched.
❝ if we keep good time, should be there in just a couple weeks, ❞ arthur says as he starts rummaging through a saddlebag. ❝ ridin' all day, stayin' in small towns where no bounty hunters might not think to look. might even have to ROUGH it some nights. ❞
a lantern is pulled from the leather pouch, which arthur flicks on to push away the nighttime blackness. the firelight, kept low & soft, dances across arthur's face to show his DEEP scowl. brows pulled tight together above a sharp, scrutinizing blue gaze. jaw clenched beneath a thick cover of facial hair that arthur didn't bother to clean up before taking this job.
❝ that okay with you, princess ? ❞
her approach is slow , reluctant - but not for the reasons he may think . what arthur perceives as the expectant steps of an eager bride might as well be a death march to miss baxter - & yet , she still does her best to offer him a friendly smile at the conclusion of her approach . this is usually what is expected of her , of course , to be nothing but docile & demure . a mask she's grown comfortable hiding behind , one that she 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔 will make a good first impression . they will be traveling together for a long while , after all - she would like to set a positive tone for the journey ahead .
those desires are quickly dashed . her lips & heart both drop as he takes that warning step forward , sky blue eyes widening & chin lifting while attempting to approximate where to meet his gaze draped in shadow . despite his 𝑰𝑵𝑻𝑰𝑴𝑰𝑫𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑮 frame & no-nonsense attitude , she does not wilt in response , choosing to hold her ground in spite of the way her heart picks up its tempo as his words sink in .
she knows all of this already , her father may not have afforded her all of the details - but she has been informed of the 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 things . he had been reluctant to send her off with someone with mr . morgan's infamous reputation , but they had been left with little choice & no time to be all that picky about it . anyway , a ruthless protector is exactly what she needs in the face of those who wish to harm her .
arthur doesn't surprise hope at all in his initial assessment of who she might be , it's what she's used to & she makes no attempt to argue - 𝑯𝑶𝑾𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑹 , there is a small displeased furrow to her dark brows before she responds .
❝ he told me enough , ❞ her voice is light & distant , switching up tactics placing a wall of aloofness between them . to his conditions , she gives a small dutiful nod , features 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 with a curt , ❝ fine . ❞ she moves past his imposing form , choosing to focus on unhitching her horse's reins & offering some gentle affection to the animal before they take off . as if addressing her trusted mare rather than arthur , she continues with a new & lightly indignant edge to her tone ❝ - we'll be sure to keep the frolicking to a minimum , won't we girl ? ❞