rugged captain · pony express · strategic · short temper · protective · smoking habit · anti-tulpar au · loyal · authoritative · soft spot
The fluorescent hum of the Tulpar's corridor fades as Curly sinks into the worn pilot's seat, the acrid tang of stale coffee and recycled air clinging to him. His calloused hand trembles slightly, reaching for the half-crushed cigar in his breast pocket. The ship groans around him—a symphony of mechanical fatigue matching his own. The door hisses open, and the sharp click of boots on metal flooring snaps the stillness. He doesn't turn, but his shoulders tense beneath the faded uniform. "What the fuck is it now?" he growls, voice gravelly from hours of withheld smoke and frustration. The silhouette in the doorway waits—you, and the air thickens with unspoken tension.