Ray Tag Drop.
ray tag drop.
More Posts from Quastari and Others
the silence has always put arthur just a little on edge. it holds TROUBLE more than peace, in his experience. a man with a knife hiding behind a corner. a cougar gliding through the shadows. the rare times where dutch is speechless or hosea has got no more tricks up his sleeves.
being alone with a bride-to-be.
arthur unbuckles his gun belt, offering a short grunt to hope's reply as he sets old leather & cool iron down on the table. he plans on spending much of the next few hours cleaning his weapons while hope sleeps. maybe seeking some rest of his own in the rickety wooden chair until she wakes & continue their journey in the morning.
she speaks up again. his grip tightens on his revolver when it's pulled from its holster.
❝ upset me ? ❞ arthur repeats incredulously. a snort edges his tone. AMUSED that this girl thinks she has such sway over his feelings. arthur just gives a short shake of his head. ❝ ma'am, i promise, you'll know when i am upset. ❞
though, he stops himself from teasing her further. he's seen where she comes from. how her father speaks to her. mary had much the same reactions to his scowling face.
❝ ... you've done nothing worth upsetting, miss. ❞
with her attempt to lighten the growing apprehension in the room falling 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐓 , she shrinks further into herself . at another time she wouldn't have hesitated to counter his jab with one of her own - but she's grown far too exhausted from the day's events to come up with any cleverly indignant responses worth throwing his way. besides , there is 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 she could possibly say that could change how he must see her: spoiled , privileged , ingenuous , sheltered , frivolous . . . & the worst part is - he's right .
by all logic it shouldn't bother her so much , what arthur thinks . her father paid him to get her from point a to b safely. that should be the extent of their relationship, 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 . he gets his payment & she takes on the newest role expected of her - beautiful blushing bride-to-be . her family's future will be secured , everything has been carefully arranged for her . it should unfold neatly , 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒚 .
so why does she still feel so uneasy ?
why does his patronizing only make her want to try harder ?
letting out her own sigh, the tiniest air of 𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓 slipping through her best attempts to mask it , ❝ okay . if y'say we're safer here , i trust you . ❞ silence follows , it would be awkward if the tension weren't thick enough to chew . hope tries to let things 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓 , to stop poking the bear - but the question turns over & over in her mind until she can't take it any more .
❝ did i . . . do something to upset you ? ❞
for muses that are getting to know each other
❝ what's your favorite color and why? ❞
❝ can i come with you? ❞
❝ you have a nice smile, has anyone ever told you that before? ❞
❝ how do you take your coffee? ❞
❝ sorry, what was your name again? ❞
❝ it just occurred to me i never asked you what your last name is. ❞
❝ actually we've met before. ❞
❝ i've heard a few things about you. ❞
❝ care to join me? ❞
❝ i'm not really sure why i trust you. ❞
❝ i don't usually talk this much, it just feels easy to say stuff when you're listening. ❞
❝ i know we don't know each other that well but if you wanna talk about it... ❞
❝ could you help me with something? ❞
❝ do you like it here? ❞
❝ are you new around here? ❞
❝ you can ask me anything you want. i promise i'll answer truthfully except the things i feel like lying about. ❞
❝ i don't mean to be too forward, you just seem like you could use a friend right now. ❞
❝ you can come with me. i mean if you don't have anyone waiting for you. ❞
❝ we're friends now. you can ask me for help. ❞
❝ do you like this music? i can change it. ❞
❝ what are your favorite snacks? ❞
❝ really? i wouldn't have guessed that about you. ❞
❝ do you mind if i ask about it? ❞
ACTIONS:
VISIT: for sender to go to receiver's home for the first time
VISITED: for receiver to go to sender's home for the first time
CRYING: for sender to see receiver cry for the first time
CRIED: for receiver to see sender cry for the first time
BEGIN: sender and receiver are on their first date together
TRIP: our muses go on a group trip but end up stuck together, away from the rest of their friends.
SITUATION: our muses are acquainted because one of them is their friend's roommate. muse a shows up when their friend isn't there and ends up hanging out with muse b one on one.
GO: our muses go to a zoo or theme park together and get lost.
INVITE: sender cooks for receiver for the first time
INVITED: receiver cooks for sender for the first time
TOGETHER: our muses spend the night for the first time
TRY: our muses hooked up and are hanging out the next day
COMFORT: sender is going through a break up and receiver offers to cheer them up
COMFORTED: receiver is going through a break up and sender offers to cheer them up
OFFER: sender gives receiver a ride to the airport/picks them up
OFERED: receiver gives sender a ride to the airport/picks them up
AID: sender helps receiver redecorate
AIDING: receiver helps sender redecorate
surprise flickers over arthur's face immediately, attention shooting back over in time to watch the way hope's eyes expand. her fingertips brushing over plush, pink lips as if it would help REIN in what she just said. but it was in the air now - hanging in much the way cigar smoke does. heavy, thick, intrusive.
arthur blinks once, twice, shifting in his seat on the third. he had an inkling about how hope might've felt about this whole thing - he ain't like dutch, but arthur's come to know miss hope baxter a little by now. knows when she's being truthful & when she's trying to spare his feelings. when she's genuine or teasing.
❝ so you don't wanna marry this guy, ❞ arthur says bluntly. reinforcing what she just admitted by mistake. not allowing it to be shuffled under the rug in a way hope will want to do.
he spins the whiskey in his glass, mouth tight & jaw set. a small temptation rises in arthur's gut to point out that, CONTRARY to her question about doing anything else with his life, he ain't the one being pushed into a marriage. he had the freedom to marry for love, if love ever found him.
( it did. long ago. & it was these same damn expectations that kept her from him. )
arthur lets out a long, IMPATIENT sigh. ❝ if you don't wanna get married, then don't ! what - daddy won't be happy ? seems to me you should put 'urself first. ❞
❝ -- no ! ❞ hope lets out a small half-hearted laugh compulsively , to match his energy more than anything else . she continues , ❝ i mean , not unless you wanted to be somethin' 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒚 . ❞ she tilts her head to the side in evaluation of his reaction , brows furrowing together . it surprises her how quickly he dismisses the idea that he might ever have been anything else in life . he's smart , much smarter than he gives himself any credit for anyway . he's got plenty of skills applicable to careers outside of gunslinging & playing muscle for the van der linde gang . she's seen it . . . but he really doesn't , does he ? that thought weighs down her sweet smile - noticeably drooping into a pout .
as he surveys the room , hope takes the opportunity to briefly study his features - she notes his scars , the lines around his eyes , their color . she wonders what those eyes have seen ; she wonders how they see 𝑯𝑬𝑹 .
as arthur refocuses , leaning in that little bit closer , she draws in a quick sharp breath - gaze flickering toward his lips for a single beat . while she tries to keep her expression neutral , kicking herself internally for being so easily 𝒇𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 - she can't hide the flush that blooms across her freckles like wildflowers .
her attention successfully captured , she listens to what he says intently - heart dropping to & shattering on the filthy floor . it takes her a moment to process it all , first the briefly flippant description of his parents , then . . . 'even worse man than me . . .' that admission alone floors her into momentary silence , a rarity for her & an 𝑰𝑴𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑽𝑬 feat on arthur's part.
before she can come up with something 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 apologetic to say , he has already moved onto his question - further throwing her off .
❝ i . . . me ? ❞ she blinks up at him , still recalibrating from the sheer mental whiplash . her sufficiently inebriated mind struggling to keep up . ❝ uh . . . hm ,❞ she scrambles blindly for something , 𝑨𝑵𝒀𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑮 to say - & so the truth spills out with an incredulous giggle . ❝ well i wouldn't be getting married , that's for sure . . . ❞ the moment she hears herself azure eyes blow wide , lips flatting into a thin line , fingers pressing loosely to her lips in shock .
❝ - i don't know why i said that , ❞ maybe the drinks were a 𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂 after all . . .
＃QUASTARI. indie & private multimuse featuring primarily canon characters from many different sources. featuring muses from : star trek, rdr2, tlou, & many more! affiliated with espercr
21+ mutuals only - mature themes will be present. triggering themes include : war, death, self-loathing, past & present trauma, & more may be depicted. ― streamy. twenty seven. she / they. pst.
» (𝙽) - 𝙴𝚇𝚃𝚁𝙴𝙼𝙴𝙻𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙴. 𝙿𝙾𝚆𝙴𝚁𝙵𝚄𝙻. 𝙻𝚄𝙼𝙸𝙽𝙾𝚄𝚂. STAR-LIKE IN APPEARANCE. 𝚀𝚄𝙰𝚂𝙸-𝚂𝚃𝙴𝙻𝙻𝙰𝚁.
carrd. tags. wishlist.
