No Time To Die- ARTHURMORGAN x O/C

part 26- Midnight Love

As the darkness of the night begins to dissipate, Arthur emerges from the shadows, his boots scuffling against the damp earth. He has been searching for Claudia, his concerns about her whereabouts growing with each passing minute. She is supposed to be on guard duty, but Arthur finds her sitting up against a tree, her eyes gazing into the distance.
He approaches her slowly, his tone gentle as he speaks. "Hey, Claudia. I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. I know you're hurtin' about what happened and Angelo Bronte,I shouldn't have got angry ."
Claudia's gaze shifts, her eyes locking onto his as she takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry too, Arthur. I know I got a little carried away. It's just... I feel like we're always at a crossroads and I don't know which way to turn."
Arthur's expression softens, his hand reaching out to touch her shoulder. "We'll figure it out together, Claudia. We've been through tougher times before."
As they stand there, the tension between them begin to disappear, replacing by a sense of understanding and mutual respect. And then, out of the blue, Arthur asks, "Hey, you want to get out of here for a bit? There's a good saloon in the city."
Claudia's eyes light up with curiosity. "What do you say we go take a look?"
Arthur grins, and together they mount their horses, riding off into the morning sun. The city is bustling with activity, the sounds of laughter and music carrying on the wind. They tie their horses outside the saloon and step inside, taking in the rowdy atmosphere. They both get a table in the middle of the room, Claudia looks through her pockets and take out a couple of dollar bills.
"No, on me" Arthur refuses and stands up quick to get to the bar before her, to pay for the drinks. She laughs at the sight of him, such a gentleman. He has always been kind to her, well accept from when they argue.
"Arthur! Come on! Get in here!" she calls out, her voice barely rising above the clamor. He ambles over to her holding two whiskey glasses in his hand, his demeanor relaxed but observant as he noticed the table full of men engaging in a heated poker game. Claudia sits at the center, her confidence unshakeable.
"Having fun, are we?" Arthur muses as he slides into a seat next to her, feeling the warmth of the atmosphere seep into his bones.
"Oh, just a little. I think I can clean these boys out!" she chirps, looking at him like a conspiratorial partner. Arthur chuckles.
The game unfolds like an exhilarating dance—poker faces hiding tension, and fists clenching at the opportunity for a good hand. Claudia holds her ground superbly, displaying a skill that catching even Arthur off guard. She has got a way of sizing up her opponents, a confident smirk painting her face every time she places a bet or calmly folding when things didn't look right. And more than once, he finds himself being impressed by her decisiveness.
The drinks flow freely, and the atmosphere only grows louder as Claudia captivates the crowd with her bold gameplay. Arthur takes a hearty sip of whiskey, the burning liquid warming his insides, and leans back, letting her take the lead. The night, fills with laughter and loud cheers, seems to lift them both into a bubble of camaraderie and reckless abandon.
When the dust settles and she collects the last of the poker chips, Claudia stands victorious, her winnings stacking high before her. She looks both exhilarated and a little tipsy, her cheeks flushing and eyes sparkling. Arthur couldn't help but grin at her enthusiasm.
"What in tarnation! Where on earth did you learn to play like that?" he asks, genuinely curious. Claudia, about to answer when a raucous cheer erupts from the group at the table, making Arthur turn his head briefly.
Once the echo dies down, she leans forward, her expression softer now that the excitement of the game dulls down slightly. "My mother taught me."
Arthur raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Your mother?" He questions wanting to find out more, Claudia never really opened up about her mother to him before.
"Yeah," Claudia continues, her voice growing softer, more contemplative. "As long as I can remember, she was always playing cards with the folks that came by our town. She had this way of making it look easy, y'know? Like each hand was just another part of the story she was telling."
Arthur leans in, more captivating than he expected. "She sounds like quite the character."
"She really was. She'd make jokes and pull faces at the cards like they were her old friends. Every time she won, she'd laugh and say, 'Claudia, never let 'em see you sweat. If you know what they're hiding, you've already beaten 'em.'" Claudia's eyes flicker with nostalgia. "She was brilliant at it. I thought it was the most enchanting thing."
Arthur can't help but feel a swell of admiration for the woman he never met. "And you took all that to heart, huh?"
Claudia laughs lightly, "I guess so! It might not be the best advice for life..." she pauses for a moment, a more serious expression settling on her face. "But in poker? It's everything. You learn to read people, their tells, their confidence. It becomes a dance, one that I love to perform."
Arthur sits quietly, taking in her words. He thinks how much heart she holds within her, "You're really something, Claudia," he compliments, raising his glass to her with sincerity. "Your mother would be proud."
Her smile softens in gratitude, and she raises her glass in return, their makeshift toast sealing a bond forge by sharing experiences and undeniable connection. "To my mother," she says earnestly.
"To your mother," Arthur echoes, his voice warming the air around them. The sound of their glasses clinking blending harmoniously with the raucous ambiance of the saloon, and in that moment, it feels as though they were the only two people in the room.

     As they sip their drinks and laugh over silly jokes together, Arthur can't help but notice the way Claudia's eyes sparkle in the dim light and Claudia finds herself drawing herself to Arthur's rugged charm, his easy smile and quick wit but as they continue to drink and enjoy each other's company, the night begins to take on a life of its own. The rain starts pouring down outside, drumming against the windows like a thousand tiny drums. They laugh and joke, but eventually, they decided it was time to leave as they have been drinking since late morning and now it's near midnight.
As they step out into the storm, Arthur turns to Claudia and says, "You know, I think we might have had too much to drink."
Claudia nods, her hair whipping from the wind around her face as she gazes up at him. "Yeah, I think you're right." Without warning, Arthur leans in and presses his lips to hers, placing his arm around her waist pulling her closer to him. Claudia feels a jolt of surprise, but as she looks into his eyes, she sees something there that makes her hesitate. It wasn't passion or desire – it was something deeper. The kiss is brief, but it left them both feeling a little stunned. They stand there for a moment, looking at each other with a mixture of uncertainty and curiosity.
"I've been wanted to do that for a while now" Arthur breaks the silence smiling, his cheeks blushing like there's no tomorrow.
"Can I get another one?" Claudia whispers, a grin plastering her face. Arthur laughs leaning in once again, Claudia connects her lips with his, the taste of whiskey and cigarettes take over.
"We need to go back or we are both going to catch a cold if we stay out here too long" Arthur insists, rain dripping from his hair as he breaks the kiss.
"Don't worry about that cowboy"