Catch and Release [Ludwig/Arthur]

[Arthur Kirkland]

Arthur was a confident, daring man no matter what persona he was wearing. As a pirate, there was a certain familiar, proverbial swagger that could barely be detected in the way he carried himself. So far, nearly every personal dare that he accepted had paid off, more so in the world of business and within his far more illegal ventures. Life had turned into a series of gambles, seeing which ones benefited him and which ones brought him within an inch of his life. So far, Arthur had been winning more than he’d been losing and he appreciated the fruits of his labour. Consequentially, Arthur had also grown more daring in his personal life whenever he wore his socially acceptable mask as a successful business man, the one running his own private empire on land, the ever elusive eligible bachelor of mysterious origins and even further mysterious future prospects. To Arthur’s knowledge, there were very little questions asked about him and he preferred to keep it that way.

As such, it was difficult to hold the attention of such a man who seemed easy to bore, never willing to accept anything less than intriguing. And one of his current fancies whenever he was on land for extended periods of time, usually taking care of his cover-up business, included having a bit of a chase with one of the naval officers. A man by the name of Ludwig Beilschmidt. What made the chase even more interesting is the fact that he man is staunchly against pirating and would likely not hesitate to either turn Arthur over to the proper authorities if the opportunity of his discovery was eminent or lodge a bullet into his skull, though Arthur highly doubted that Ludwig would go the vigilante route. At least as far as he knew. That’s what made the chase all the more exhilarating. Arthur made it his own personal game to flatter and make passes at the stern naval officer, both because he was a smug bastard and because he was perhaps legitimately interested.

What made it even better was Arthur’s penchant of flaunting his own double nature in plain sight, whether in vague statements, a certain way that he might wear his garments, or even in the way that he teased the man. It was amusing and it only elevated his gratification from their interactions. It probably made it a touch better that beneath it all, they were naturally friendly with each other and had helped the other in the past, through Arthur’s legitimate business, of course. And, as such, there was something genuine beneath Arthur’s rather devious motives.

And tonight was yet another night that Arthur had the chance to indulge in a hint of that chase. To keep up his societal image, Arthur occasionally attended dull social gatherings, either gatherings meant for the local businessmen stoking their own and each other’s egos or at a gathering of eligible single men and women. Arthur was far more apt to roll his eyes at the mere mention of attending either one of these, both of which sounded boring as hell. However, he did hear through one of his colleagues that a smattering of naval officers would be attending one of the gatherings tonight, either to get plastered in a socially acceptable manner or to simply have a good time. Arthur personally didn’t see the appeal, but the prospect seemed much more appealing knowing that a very specific naval officer may be attending. And so, Arthur decided to attend, making one of his rare appearances in higher society.

Keeping with the expectations of fashion for the time, Arthur wore one of his suits, dark coloured breeches, a brocade waistcoat, and an elaborate, but muted coloured justacorp. The bit of red that Arthur allowed himself to wear whenever he went out in public was his scarlet handkerchief, only slightly visible from one of his waistcoat pockets, the physical manifestation of his arrogance as he secretly flaunted his other life in a room full of naval officers and law-abiding people.

Once at the evening gathering, located at a rather grand and refined estate, Arthur handed over his hat, coat, and cane before being welcomed in. The area was filled with a variety of upstanding, questionably moral citizens, the scent of alcohol and food permeating throughout. Arthur mingled only a little bit, avoiding the annoyances in the crowd, which were many, far more drawn whenever he spotted a naval officer. Keep your enemies close. It was easy to spot them; Arthur had made it a point to interact with them as much as he could whenever he went about his business as a legitimate merchant, occasionally even giving them helpful information (carefully selected helpful information, of course.)

And among these men he would inquire after his 'favourite' naval officer and was eventually directed to one of the rooms. Where the liquor was. Arthur was immediately, hopelessly drawn. He grasped at one of the tumblers on the table, filling it generously with one of the golden whiskeys offered. It wasn’t long before he was savouring one of his favoured poisons, eyes surveying beyond the brim of the glass, glancing about at the many people he was currently sharing the room with.

...

Tag // Ludwig Beilschmidt
Notes // This would either would take place before or far after Ludwig's unfortunate capture, I'm assuming. =v=

[Ludwig Beilschmidt]

Ludwig sighed a bit as he looked in the mirror and adjusted his collar. How he hated these sorts of gatherings…

He didn’t truly mind the people, or the activities (or the beer, he definitely didn’t mind the beer), but something about it just seemed so…fake...so forced at times. It was if the rooms were filled with a bunch of barracudas smiling at each other as if nothing was wrong, but secretly waiting until one’s back was turned before they made a move to strike. Not that it was ALWAYS like that, but, it just seemed that way at times. And when it wasn’t a room of barracudas, it was a room of yipping dogs, barking for attention and affection. The Master Gunner shivered at the thought of his last encounter. He had grown used to a good bit of flirtations, but the last “suitor”… ach… they were far too aggressive, bold…and drunk.

Wrinkling his nose and shaking his head at the mere thought, Ludwig looked to the mirror again, furrowing his brows. He didn’t have the luxury of carting around numerous garments, but thankfully, along with his uniform and dress jacket and the like, he did have a green four piece suit that he had recently gotten tailored. It was nothing overly flashy, but it would do for the occasion. To top it off, he had fastened a small brooch that Lili had sent to him to the front of his shirt, near the top of his ascot. The trinket was small and simple enough not to draw too much attention, but it was a nice compliment to the rest of the outfit. After all, it was a rather neutral colored cameo cabochon that featured his sister’s face in profile and was outlined with a simple gold holding.

He had also managed to tie his hair back into a slick ponytail to keep the locks from becoming too wayward. Ludwig had always hated those damned wigs that many people of rank wore – they were far too irritating, hot, and itchy for him – and the talcum that others would use on their own hair. Ugh. He’d rather dunk his head in a keg of gunpowder that sneeze through the rest of the night. Luckily for him, while it was made to show rank and nobility, he was not exactly obligated to don such a thing. And he often made a point not to since it usually just got in the way anyway.

“That should do it,” he mumbled to himself, straightening out the cloth and ensuring everything was just so before grabbing his hat and heading out there door. Checking his fob watch, he estimated he would only be…about 5 minutes past the time of the actual start time of the party (which usually was about 20 to 30 minutes after the posted time). That was, after all, when everyone decided to filter in… fashionably late of course. And he had considered not coming at all and simply resting this evening. However, at his brother’s behest and his cousin’s recommendation, he decided he may as well make an appearance… even if it was just for an hour or so. Besides, it had been a while since he’d been to a proper social gathering that was not held at some tavern or mess hall.

Upon his arrival at the estate, he offered up his hat and coat before greeting his host and making a quick discussion with one of the other naval officers regarding business at the nearby port. After that, he made a beeline for the refreshments and grabbed himself a glass of whiskey. However, as he started to turn from the room, a certain familiar mess of blond hair caught his eye. He was a few steps behind the other, and had yet to be noticed. Ludwig paused for a second before clearing his throat and stepping forward a couple of paces so he wouldn’t have to raise his voice more than necessary.

“Arthur,” his tone was one of warm greeting, but there was a hint of relief mixed in. At the very least, now Ludwig had agreeable company that he could converse and occupy his time with before he deemed it time to leave. “I should have expected to see you here. How is your business faring?”

---

OoC: Definitely before his capture! And my apologies to keep you waiting, my dear. I hope this will be suitable! Arthur Kirkland

[Arthur Kirkland]

Arthur’s attention began to wander, already planning on moving into the next room to see if there was any suitably interesting company. None of them really caught his interest here, and he supposed that his presence really was born from the restraints of duty and showing some care for his façade than out of any actual interest in increasing his social prominence. Life on land really was so dull; but it was necessary to keep up appearances. It’s what allowed him to successfully live the life he wanted for so very long without being detected. Before Arthur made the final decision to move on from the room, he heard a familiar voice, the warmth in his tone is what drew him back, attention and interest alike.

The corners of his lips curved before turning to face Ludwig, the glass of whiskey only fleeting at his lips, a taste of the false heat still upon them. ”Ludwig,” he responded in kind, although unlike the way that he’d greeted essentially everyone else in this social gathering, the warmth had reached his eyes, a slightly mischievous form that almost seemed ill-behaved even if he appeared to be behaving in an entirely appropriate manner at the moment. ”If it’s deemed as suitably appropriate, then I’m deign to be here, I suppose. Even if the custom is drab and the people very dull. A very lucky thing for me to find some proper entertainment, then—“ again his eyes held that same look of slightly impish intent mixed with a rather innocent sounding tease, ”—I wasn’t quite sure if you’d make it.”

His eyes grazed down Ludwig’s attire, finding that he liked that shade of green on him mixed with the unpretentious simplicity of the way he kept his hair, free of wigs and powder. That very societal inappropriate nature mixed with the gentlemanly one that Arthur upheld imagined wild things in that moment of silent appreciation, peeling away the shade of green and digging his fingers indulgently along his skin. If anyone suspected that Arthur secretly held a rough-edged, passionately ardent manner behind the socially acceptable one, then no one ever let on that they suspected. And he wasn’t exactly sure why he was overly interested in this naval officer, a very dangerous association to tangle himself with, but Arthur absolutely lived to take risks. Perhaps he sensed a hint of something undomesticated in the other man, like a predator attracted to fresh blood without entirely knowing the source at first. Whatever it was, Arthur couldn’t help toying with Ludwig whenever they were in the same room, attempting to slowly draw him into the world of dark and unseemly behaviour.

”My business has been surprisingly productive this month. I suppose, generally, it tends to be more fruitful than not, but this year was a good year for business.” In translation, Arthur had been particularly busy and perhaps a bit more ardent in his risk-taking on the sea than usual. So far, it had generously paid off in his favour, but he knew to count it as luck. Next month likely wouldn’t be nearly as profitable as this for the sake of caution. ”And are you being kept sufficiently busy as well?” He could assume that he was because their real businesses entwined with the other. Whenever Arthur (along with his irritating competition) were doing well, that likely meant that the naval officers and the like had plenty of hard work dropped onto their laps.

Arthur reached forward subtly, the space conveniently small between them due to the loud noises, his daring fingers very briefly skimming along the hem of Ludwig’s lovely green waistcoat, the motion short enough that it wouldn’t be noticed by anyone else in the room. And even if they had, it might've looked like he was simply straightening a wrinkle in the cloth. ”The work you do is greatly appreciated. An admirable effort, really.” Just like his movements, his tone was subtle and lowered, only for Ludwig’s ears. There was a certain careful heat in his voice, a smug playfulness matched with a hint of seeming solemn implication. But none of this was new, Arthur always made an effort to tease Ludwig subtly in public mixed in with their usual friendly banter, a hint of his touch, or even his own occasionally smug yet honest comments regarding the other party-goers or the ironic workings of society. Arthur kept with the pursuit rather loyally and consistently, because he interested him.

He withdrew his fingers, returning it to his own side, though his eyes remained on the other. ”These sorts of parties have a tendency to get rather stuffy. Perhaps we can withdraw to the back garden for a bit, unless you haven’t yet had your fill of dull acquaintances and obligation.” Again, it came out more as a subtle tease, though he’d meant it as an honest suggestion. He honestly couldn't stand these parties. Arthur had half a mind to grab the bottle of whiskey on his way out, a night of drinking and pleasurable company with his favourite naval officer without the nuisance of mandatory festivities.

...

Tag // Ludwig Beilschmidt
Notes // Your response was great! I am so, so sorry that I kept you waiting for so long! unu

[Ludwig Beilschmidt]

While Ludwig would never admit to missing that devilish grin and dancing green eyes, he truly did. Sure, the other man liked a bit of bantered and tried to push his luck here and there to see just how red he could force the Gunner to turn, it was all in good fun. Besides, as one of Ludwig’s few friends in this town, Arthur’s presence (and very occasionally the teasing) at these exhausting formal events was more than welcome.

“A very lucky thing for me to find some proper entertainment, then—I wasn’t quite sure if you’d make it.”

A soft scoffed escaped Ludwig. “You make me out to be some sort of dinner show, Arthur…” He took a sip of his drink, offering a hum and clearing his throat as the liquid burned its way down his throat. He offered a small shrug. “I was tempted not to. You know I’m not fond of these things, but Lili and Gilbert…” here, he sighed. “They thought it beneficial to at least attempt to engage in social activities. Really, I don’t intend to stay much longer than necessary.” With his confession, he looked to the side as a small group busted out in polite laughter. The ladies fanned themselves with their ostrich fans while a few of the wigged gentleman toasted with a grin. It was probably some joke, Ludwig would wager.

“Ah, that’s good then. I’m glad. Especially considering the difficulties we’ve been having lately around the ports,” his attention shifted back to the Englishman as he spoke. There was unspoken look of concern in the Gunner’s pale blue eyes as he mumbled out his own answer over the rim of his whiskey glass. “Fortunately, unfortunately… yes.” He moved the glass away, cradling the bottom of it with his free hand. “It seems that attacks have been picking up recently and the cells are growing more occupied by the day-I can’t complain about that, but there have been a few civilian casualties and kidnappings…” He shook his head. “I doubt you want to hear about that, especially since you share the waters with the damned bastards. Just be careful, would you?” The last thing Ludwig wanted to have to go through was having to pull his friend’s body from the sea or find Arthur’s mangled corpse on his looted merchant ship.

Ludwig’s brows furrowed a bit as Arthur stepped forward and drew his fingers along his garments. Looking down to see why the man was toying with his clothes—perhaps a loose string or a wrinkle or a bit of food on it?—he nearly inquired of the action, but Arthur spoke first.

”The work you do is greatly appreciated. An admirable effort, really. These sorts of parties have a tendency to get rather stuffy. Perhaps we can withdraw to the back garden for a bit, unless you haven’t yet had your fill of dull acquaintances and obligation.”

Their eyes locked again, but this time, a fleeting, soft smile graced Ludwig’s lips. “I’m glad you think so,” his response was soft and sincere, accentuated with a nod. “As for that.. I’d have no problems with a bit of fresh air—lead the way. But first—“ Ludwig paused just long enough to refill his glass before turning expectantly to Arthur. He’d already given his greetings to the hosts and prominent men and women earlier, and as he said before, he wasn’t fond of these sorts of gatherings.

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Arthur Kirkland You naughty creature you. Having such thoughts of the totally innocent and pure Ludwig like that.

[Arthur Kirkland]

Arthur laughed with Ludwig’s response at being compared to a dinner show. The laugh reached his eyes, which was actually quite rare, and even more rare at these dreary, sparkling events for the respectable. ”No, far better than a dinner show. At least the types of dinner shows that these dull people with their dull lives find entertaining.” And as if on cue, their attention was briefly interrupted by a gentle sort of laughter from an actual gentleman surrounded by a group of ladies. Arthur raised his brow slightly with dry humor as if his point were just proven. ”Then our goals are one in the same. Brief social interaction so that we’re not labeled as complete recluses.” Not that Arthur cared if he had a label, or cared at all what others thought of him, but he wanted to keep as normal as an appearance as possible whenever he spent time on land.

Hearing Ludwig’s unexpected statement of concern, and a very genuine sounding bit of concern at that, Arthur was shocked to feel the immediate brush of warmth to his face. It was brief, but it was still there. A man like himself who’d seen and experienced many things rarely ever felt himself react like that with little filter. But still, the sentiment that someone might worry about him was novel and a little odd to feel. Arthur was quick to hide it with his usual devil-may-care smile. ”I’m always careful. Well, I suppose efficient and decisive when it counts would be better descriptors. My business demands that I’m well prepared to deal with any threats when necessary. I can hold my own. Perhaps I should show you sometime…” A hint of his usual teasing creeping into his tone. ”You can correct my form. Or perhaps I’ll be the one correcting yours?” he chuckled.

Arthur paused when Ludwig locked on his like that, with a certain softness and with such genuine regard that he didn’t think existed in naval officers. Typically, when he noticed any hints of softness in his crew, he would mock them for it, injure them in a way where that softness could harden. But here, he knew what sort of man Ludwig was, how capable he was, and it wasn’t the kind of softness, particularly the softness directed at him, that he wanted to ever see harden.

He broke a little from his thoughts as Ludwig refilled his glass, agreeing to go with him. Arthur grinned a little at that. ”Good idea.” he downed the rest of his own whiskey before turning to fill his as well, and instead, making good on his original idea and grabbed one of the unopened bottles of whiskey while he was at it. Now that he was starting to feel the alcohol running through his blood, he actually wanted to get a little inebriated tonight. He led Ludwig out of the lights and polite sounds of the party and out into the much darker and quieter garden, although not so much of either. The moon lit their path well enough and the sound of the ocean meeting with the shore was close. It was a sound that Arthur was most familiar with, the sound that made him feel the most at home in this miserable world.

The garden was slightly twisting and intricate, a certain wildness to it that Arthur preferred. At one point, he dared to graze his fingers down Ludwig’s spine as he guided him, his touch lingering for a brief moment. And by the time they reached a portion of it where they could see the faint outline of the ocean, hear the waves, and breath in the saltiness that seemed to cling to their hair and skin, Arthur felt like he could breathe a bit easier. ”I can’t stand it in there, to be perfectly honest… All their pre-set rules and expectations. I was never meant to live like that. It’s only while I’m out at sea, or at least close to it, that I feel the most comfortable.” The most alive, might be more accurate. His gaze trailed over to Ludwig, a slow sort of glance over as he opened the whiskey bottle with ease to refill his own glass. He took a long sip, enough to feel a good heat trickling through him, setting the bottle between them for easy access.

...

Tag // Ludwig Beilschmidt
Notes // So many impure thoughts. Arthur is shameless. uvu

[Ludwig Beilschmidt]

A curt scoff was all that Ludwig gave in reply to Arthur’s comment about the pair being recluses. He wouldn’t deny such a claim, as his biggest concern was work, not social gatherings, but as the two often overlapped, he had no real choice but to engage now and again.

Ludwig shook his head. It was that cocky attitude that would get Arthur into trouble if anything. While he didn’t doubt the man was skilled in the sword—as expected of most nobles and merchants to an extent—he wondered if the man had ever actually put it to practice. It was one thing to train in the safety of a courtyard, but an entirely different matter to be in a fight for your life aboard a vessel being rocked by the waves of the sea.

“You may ease my concerns with such a display, but I won’t go easy on you,” the Gunner looked to him over the glass of whiskey. “What of your crew, however? They at least have guns, I hope or some knowledge of wielding a cutlass.”

There was a mild bit of amusement in Ludwig’s eyes as Arthur not so stealthily scooped up a full bottle of whiskey and carted it away. He would say nothing of it, considering others had done similar and there was plenty of alcohol to go around.

The light touch of fingers along his spine caused a brief shiver that was unnoticeable save for Ludwig himself. While he was not much of a tactile person, he had come to learn and get used to the fact that Arthur was. Not that it was much of a big deal anyway, but he still wasn’t entirely used to it . He looked over to his friend as they made their way deeper into garden, stopping near the stone wall that overlooked the ocean. Ludwig let his gaze was over the waves and the moon reflecting in the waters as he leaned against the structure.

“I understand, to an extent…” his tone held the same softness as before, but his body language spoke more of his relaxation than his voice. “The rules I’m used to, but the diplomacy and false airs sicken me—everything seems too forced.” He looked to the bottle between them and then his own glass before lifting his gaze to observe the horizon with a sigh. “At least when I’m working out there I don’t have haughty eyes scrutinizing how I load a damn canon or plunge my sword into a man’s chest. But here? Among the nobles and the well-to-do’s? Every single thing about you is noticed—the way you hold your jaw, if there is a loose thread or a hair out of place, if you laughed a bit too loudly, or your gaze lasted just a second more than proper. It’s exhausting.”

He didn’t feel judged with Arthur at least. The two had seemed to have an agreement and distaste for the finer parties and their etiquette. For Ludwig, who was stern and proper by nature already, having to stretch to greater lengths and ensure you were a prime example of your office and respectable all the time grew tiring. He didn’t want to slip up and make a fool of himself to have others whisper behind his back. The stress of such things was unnecessary.

“I’d rather be at a tavern than parties like this…” he confessed, nearly downing his second glass as he shook his head and cleared his throat to cope with the burn.

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Arthur Kirkland now we’re getting somewhere