#‘’ the love i lost ‘’ // sharky and the judge

[fantasmalforces]

(from post/667224768560398336/nsfw-prompts-that-dont-sound-like-a-bad-porno) 22. for sex after a near death experience -> for fc5! lex and sharky || @maximuses

💜 Spontaneous Sinday Asks // ACCEPTING 💜

It had been such an intensely close call. One minute they were investigating an old cabin for supplies, the next they were being chased by a pack of hungry judges. The two of them sprinted through the woods, leaping over logs and rocks as the giant fur balls closed in behind them, snarling and snapping at their hanging coats with ferocious, snarling jaws. They could see the clearing where the truck was parked right on the side of the road. They were closing in- just a few dozen more meters!

Then Lex’s foot slipped.

There was an audible gasp as the missed the narrow stream Sharky had leapt over, their boot skimming across the smooth rocks under the water. Their steel toe caught on the muddy edge of the little flow and their ankle twisted painfully. They went down hard, gasping again as one of the beasts quickly closed the gap and lunched for the deputy. They shielded their face as they heard a flurry of disturbed leaves crunching under shoes and Sharky’s distressed call of their name. They wait for the bite of powerful jaws to sink into their arm but all that came was the sound of a shotgun firing. Through the ringing in their ears they dared to peer up, finding the limp and bloodied body of the judge at their feet. Then came the feeling of Sharky grabbing them under their arms and hoisting them to their feet. He draped one arm over their back, hoping to keep them running. They just barely made it into the truck before a judge slammed into the shut door, snapping at the through the window. Without a second though, the pyromaniac jumped into the driver’s seat, turned the key, and hit the gas.

That was enough exploring in Jacob’s territory for one day.

Their return back to Sharky’s was a welcome respite from all the shit they’d had to experience in “old carrot top’s furry hell” as they called it. The only downside was that Lex was now stuck with a limp. Sharky did his best to help, waddling them over to the counter and holding cold beer bottles to their swollen ankle before wrapping it tightly to try and help with some of the swelling. Lex flashed him a week smile for his efforts, chuckling at how he learned over them on the counter and cracked a joke about their literal “slip up.” After the giggles had subsided, a moment of peaceful quiet fell over them. Eyes met eyes and, just like that night at the trailer part, the world seemed to pause for them. He leaned just a bit closer and closed the distance between them. His hands found their waist so easily, and their fingers gripped his shoulders before reaching up to push his cap off and thread through his short hair. It was brief kiss but a heated one- one that had led to another, then another. Tentative hands slid beneath clothes, earning nods from one another as they abandoned their jackets and shirts, then their pants and shoes.

It wasn’t the first time they’d done this. They’d almost had sex that night after the trailer park but passed out as soon as they got home. They skinny-dipped in the lake and proceeded to make passionate love right by the campfire they’d been using to dry off. (They could still vividly picture Sharky’s charmed grin as he watched the drool run down their chin while they blew him- it had gotten them off numerous times since then.) And they might have snuck off and banged on the edge of liberated ranger station up in the mountains once. Lex could never forget how hard they came bent over the hand rail, the warm sun on their face, the cool breeze on their tits, and Sharky moaning their name so sweet in their ear while he pounded them from behind and stuffed them like a Thanksgiving Turkey. No, this was not their first rodeo by a long shot- though say nothing of the feelings that were brewing between them. This was, however, the first time they’d had to do it while accommodating for an injury. Luckily, Sharky seemed to know what to do.

He pushed Lex to lean back and spread their legs, watching how they dropped onto the counter for a moment before he found himself buried between their legs. They gasped, shuddering and gripping at his hair as they watched him practically devour them. That tongue of his knew exactly the way they liked to have themself eaten out. They could feel him lapping at their sensitive folds with such a fervor, alternating between thrusting his tongue into them and suckling on their clit until their thighs were clenched around his head. They painted hard, trying to control their breathing and hold on but Sharky wouldn’t let them. He sent them tumbling over their edge with a full body set of shakes and several hard exhales as they sullied the counter with more of their slick. He lazily tried to clean them up, savoring the way they twitched before pulling them close to the edge of the counter. He hooked his arms under their thighs and hoisted them up before swinging around to press them into the wall. Sharky pressed his lips to theirs as he sank into them in one smooth move, hips needing jerking against theirs once he was buried all the way to the hilt. They gasped and he felt himself bite his lip and swell with pride at how their eyes rolled back in their head and they clenched around him.

He started off slow, setting them at a comfortable pace that let them pant and flush red with arousal while he admired the way their tits bounced. He purred at the wet squelches that escaped with every thrust up into them, the way they arched their back and wiggled their hips to get him deeper and feel more. He took the cue to start moving faster and deeper, practically dropping them down on the full length of his cock with every thrust. He watched them stick their tongue out as they panted, the drool dripping down their chest as rocked them hard with strained moans and groans. He leaned in, muttering filthy words and praises to them, kissing their shoulders, their neck, their face. He finally caught them in a passionate kiss, having them swallow his sounds as he sped up. His rhythm grew erratic, his pace fluctuating. He felt them shake as he sandwiched Lex between him and the wall. Finally, he offered them several last sharp thrusts and felt them grab onto his back, digging their nails into his skin in a way that made him tingle all over as he came inside them. He thrusted several more times, drawing back to watch how it slowly pushed out of them and dropped down his length with every thrust that followed. They clutched his shoulders, a hoarse, airy whimper escaping them as they lazily tilted their head up to smile at him, satisfied.

And all that without even hurting their ankle again! Impressive!

[vendettacanons]

Oh shit. Oh shit. That wasn't supposed to happen at all. Well, it was honestly a better outcome than what Sharky had expected to happen in the first place at least. But then he heard a familiarly disgruntled sigh and turned to see the Judge staring back at him. And at the massive, burning pile of debris in front of him. Were those... emptied ethanol containers?

Did he really forget about the vapors? Again??

"Oh uh, hey Lex." An awkward grin and the sheepish rubbing of his neck accompanied his words. "It uh... It was an accident. This time."

- @maximuses , because we love to see it

⚔️ @maximuses ⚔️

The Judge lingered there for a moment, face completely neutral and unreadable with that mask still on their face. Hazel and emerald eyes flitted between the burly man before them and the now smoldering containers slowly melting together in the flames. Anxiety left the momentarily frozen, the sudden BOOM of everything combusting at once left them stunned. Every muscle within them locked tightly, fibers strung together and pulled taut till immobile, like a deer facing off against the ever imposing glow of approaching headlights just before suddenly being run down with an overwhelming, almost crippling burst of adrenaline that shocked their system better than cold water ever could. They rushed forward, unable to stop their shaking hands from clasping his face, turning his head gently looking for any signs of burns or cuts or bruising. They pulled back to circle him several times, carefully and meticulously searching for any sign of damage, any trace of injury. And when they found nothing, at last they felt themselves release a heavy sigh of release.

The sudden emptiness of their lungs mixed with the tight vice-like compression of their chest in anxiety. Their knees shuddered, legs trembling and threatening to give out from under them. A sense of lightheadedness caused them to sway on their feet but they managed to stay standing and gently herded him away from the open flame so they could throw some scavenged fire blankets over the embers. They stepped on the edges a bit, threw some water down around the perimeter of the blaze, isolating it and hoping to snuff it out with time and tenacity. When at last they felt it would burn itself out, they moved to sit, body trembling slowly as they rubbed their temple through their hood. Oh good... they felt a migraine coming on. The look they threw Sharky’s way sent a clear message: disappointed but not surprised. And... relieved. Yes, very relieved. They knew all about Sharky’s antics by this point, they couldn’t say there was very much they didn’t expect from him. But he was safe this time. They’d been around to make sure he was though mentally they kicked themselves for not taking the extra time to recognize the danger before it had become apparent. That could’ve been so much more terrible...

A hand gently pushed aside the dangerous chemicals he liked to play with, capping the bottles and putting corks in the glasses that were emitting odd smells. They set them in a cooler, closed it up and looked back him. ‘That’s enough fun for today.’ The signed, coming over to loop their arm around his and gently guide him out of the lab and to the open, fresh air outside. It was getting late anyway. Another boom like that and no doubt Kim would storm in here asking what the hell they thought they were doing waking people up at this time of night. Better to linger outside and try cuddling for a bit to ease the nerves.

[tinyboxxtink]

“Sharky” *Part 2*

Don’t hate me because Barba is kind of a dick right now. We all know he’s not-- but we need the drama. <3

Part 1

Part��3

Tag List:

@chasingeverybreakingwave

@gibbs274

@dumauier

@wanniiieeee

@objection-argumentative

@word-scribbless

@aprildecker-blog

---------

“So he actually asked you to dinner?” 

“Yeah, but it’s probably some weird tactic to get inside my head,”

“Is he cute?” 

“Why does that matter?”

“Honey it always matters.”

Alright, so you had one friend. One best friend. One very best friend that you’d known since law school. But nobody needed to know that.

“....Yeah, I’d say he’s pretty attractive,” You finally admitted as you reheated your leftovers.

“Oh my God you’ve had sex dreams about this man haven’t you?!” He squealed.

“HOW do you do that?!” You stared at the phone in disbelief.

“It’s a gift,” He laughed. “I can hear the lust in your voice,”

“Whatever,” You grabbed a beer from the fridge.

“So what are you going to wear?” 

“I don’t know, I’ll decide in the moment,” You sat down on your couch and started catching up on your shows with your food and beer.

“Oh no no no, you need to wear your silver dress with those platinum earrings I bought you for Christmas,”

“Seriously, Charles? Are you going to come over and do my hair and make up too?” You chuckled sarcastically as you shoved low mien in your face.

“Do you want me to?” 

“I’m hanging up now,”

“Wait wait wait,” He pleaded and you listened.

“Be nice to him, honey,” 

“I’m always nice,” You stated in an offended tone.

“You’re cordial. Be nice-- Smile, flirt. Have a good time,” You heard his sweet intentions through the phone; it was like he was actually being a caring best friend.

“You make it sound like a date,”

“Well that all depends if you fuck him after,” There he was.

“I’m really hanging up now,”

“Call me after!”

-----

You went with the silver dress and black pumps-- just because Charles had put the idea in your head, not because it was the outfit you looked best in. You stepped out of your Uber in front of the restaurant: 

“Forlini’s” You read out loud. “...This place better not be expensive,” 

You went inside and noticed Barba was already at the bar so you walked over to join him.

 “Hey, Sharky!” His greeting caused an eye roll from you. 

“Seriously can we drop the name? I’m a woman not a fish,” You took a bar stool next to him.

“...Well then you probably shouldn’t have worn that,” He nodded.

“Excuse me?”

“You look like a shark to me,” He gestured to your silver dress; it was tight on the top and kind of flowed down your legs, like a fish tail. You had never noticed it before, but him pointing it out made it suddenly glaringly obvious.

“Alright guppy, what are you drinking?” You smirked, slipping into the bar stool next to him.

“Guppy…” Now he rolled his eyes with a smile. “Scotch, neat,” 

“I’ll have what he’s having, only stronger,” You instructed the bartender, causing an even bigger eye roll from Barba.

“You’re something else, you know that?”

“Thank you,” You beamed proudly.

The bartender returned with your drink; you noticed that he was very young and very good looking. You slipped him a $20 with a sly smile. 

“Keep the change, handsome,” You gave him a wink. He looked between the two of you, confused as to why you’d be flirting shamelessly with him in front of Barba.

“We’re not together,” You said very loudly.

“Wow, don’t say it so eagerly,” 

“Hey I might need some stress relief after this interrogation, I’m just covering my bases,” You smirked, still eyeing the bartender.

“Is that what you think this is?”

“What else is a first date if not an interrogation?” You suddenly realized what you had said and to your dismay you saw Barba caught it too.

“Ah so this IS a date,” He smirked.

“..I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant--” You stumbled over your words as Rafael just smiled at you in amusement. 

“Just shut up and ask your questions, I know you have a list of them” You shook your head dismissively. 

“Not a list…” He nodded to the bartender for another round. “Alright well why did you choose to be a defense attorney?”

“Money,” You replied without a pause. 

“Money? Really?” He asked with a judgey tone. 

“Hey you try growing up dirt poor and see how much you appreciate having money,” You snapped.

“I did, and I do; but it doesn’t run my life,” He shook his head disapprovingly.

“It doesn’t run my life,” You knocked back the rest of your scotch, ready for the new one.

“Really? Then tell me, how do you pick your cases?” He raised an eyebrow.

“My boss gives them to me,” You didn’t see the big deal.

“Uh huh and how does he order them?” He was making a point, you knew he was.

“...By the biggest paycheck for the firm,” You finally admitted.

“Uh huh,” He nodded smugly, sipping his new scotch.

“Look Barba I already told you this, defense lawyers are unfeeling monsters. What else do you want me to say?” You scoffed. 

“Is that the only reason you became one?” He smirked at you.

“No, actually it’s not,” You replied as you sipped your own scotch.

“Really? Why else?” He raised his eyebrows curiously.

“Because any law student out of night school can defend a good guy,” You inched closer to his face. 

“Defending a bad guy is a challenge,” You pulled back and noticed he was still smirking, and he added an approving nod.

“Fair enough,” 

“Really?” You raised an eyebrow.

“I mean you make a good point,” He scanned you up and down. “Everybody loves a challenge,” 

You felt yourself blush as his eyes ran over you, your own eyes surveying his entire body. You would never admit it to anyone, but you did always have a thing for the ADA-- not like “doodle hearts in your notebook” thing, but when he’d do his crosses in court you’d always stare at his perfect ass in those chinos and wonder what it would be like to take a bite out of it. 

Some other days, particularly when he wore the black and pink suit, you’d imagine what it would be like to just shove him onto his little offensive desk and fuck him right there in the courtroom, with everyone watching. You were so lost in your own fantasies that you didn’t notice people approaching you-- 

“Rafa?” An all too familiar voice came from the side of the room. You turned to see Rafael’s rag tag bunch of misfit detectives staring at you.

“Olivia,” Rafael said softly like a kid caught out after curfew.

“So this is why you couldn’t come out with us, because you were taking HER out?” Olivia spat.

“Um excuse you, I’m taking HIM out,” You grabbed Rafael’s hand and put it on your knee.

“NOBODY is taking ANYBODY ‘out’,” Rafael snapped his hand back and gave you a dirty look. 

“Liv it’s just a friendly dinner, and I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to have this conversation,” He gave her those pathetic apologetic eyes, like a puppy who had just peed on the rug.

“Why do you care anyway, detective?” You asked innocently. You knew she had cream in her panties with his name on it, and you weren’t afraid to call her on it. 

“Excuse me?” She scoffed with a laugh. “I care because he’s my best friend, and he doesn’t need to be manipulated by you,”

“Really? Me manipulating him?” You smirked and stood up off your bar stool and got real close to her face. “Then why did he ask me out?”

Olivia stared in horror at you, then Barba, then threw up her hands and stomped off. Carisi, Rollins and Fin all muttered goodbyes and dashed out behind her.

“Why would you do that?!” He looked like he wanted to go after her, but he was staying to have it out with you.

“Why would I--? Are you serious, Barba?!” You continued standing, now crossing your arms. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”

“What?” He looked confused but you weren’t buying it.

“You asked me here on purpose,” You narrowed your eyes.

“Well obviously it was on purpose--” He tried playing it off.

“No no, don’t be cute. You asked me here with an agenda,” You inched closer to him.

“What? Oh come on Sharky not everyone is you, with your ulterior motives--” He glanced around nervously.

“MY ulterior--?! You asked me here to make your little work wife jealous!” You were making a scene now, but you didn’t care.

“What? I most certainly did NOT--” He tried defending himself.

“Then why did you ask me to come to the same restaurant you knew they were going to be at? I mean if you didn’t ‘want’ to be caught. I know you’re not that stupid,”

“I forgot,” He muttered softly.

“You FORGOT? Do you really think I’m that stupid? I’m not Olivia,” You crossed your arms again.

“DON’T talk about her,” He growled.

“Oh my god are-- are you on something?!” You threw your hands up. “You clearly have a thing for that woman, and yet you asked me out to parade me in front of her, for why?” You threw your hands up in frustration. 

“I didn’t ask you out for that Y/N, I swear--” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Then WHY did you ask me out?”

“I-I don’t know…” Now he turned those apologetic eyes on you, but you weren’t falling for it like his little detective.

“You’re fucking unbelievable, you know that?” Tears were forming in your throat against your wishes; you would not let this fucker see you have emotions.

“You know you offense lawyers, you sit up there on your moral high horses, judging all of us “bottom feeders”. But I would never fuck with anyone’s emotions or their heart, Barba. That’s just cruel,” 

“I thought you didn’t have a heart,” He was still going for the quips, he had some balls you’d give him that.

“Oh so that’s what this was,” You sucked back the tears as you tried to laugh it off. 

“You wanted to fuck with the big bad Sea Witch, see if she had a heart?”  You really couldn’t believe he was this vindictive. This whole time you thought, maybe....well, you didn’t know what. But you were clearly mistaken.

“No, I’m sorry I was just--” He stood up and tried to put his hand on your shoulder but you jerked away.

“Well guess what, Barba? You win! You made the shark cry. Are you happy?” You couldn’t hold the tears anymore as you yelled. 

“Y/N I’m sorry, I really am--” He tried going for your hand, but you slapped him across the face.

“Don’t follow me,” You warned him as you turned and stormed out of the restaurant.

How could you have been so wrong about him? Why did you even care?

[tacticalhimbo]

too lazy to log into main far cry(all or just one of them ur choice) and tow for .. blorbo plinko fandom meme

you know what? i respect that. you'll get characters for every far cry and the outer worlds (including dlcs) i have played simply bc i admire the dedication.

i will however spare the dash and place this under a cut ksdjkdkdks

also!! everything i say is in a light-hearted nature. there's nuance with a lot of these characters because far cry is almost... designed to make social commentary. and i throw a lot of it out the window for the jokes.

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most)

far cry 3: listen. jason gave me my name. literally named myself after this pathetic little white boy. but also... dr earnhardt. my beloved.

far cry 4: yuma my beloved 💕 i love her so much and i love the characterization the dlc added to her and i just. UGH. stan.

far cry 5: staci... baby boy. light of my life right there. i can fix him—

far cry new dawn: the judge. not bc they're the deputy tho. like. even before i knew that i just. gravitated toward them. genderless? mute? friend of animals? peak vibes right there.

far cry 6: juan!! he reminds me of my friend's dad so there is much love in my heart for him.

the outer worlds: vicar max... for no reasons in particular >_>;;

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)

far cry 3: none of them give me that energy really but ig jason counts bc again... i named myself after the damn fool.

far cry 4: bhadra... sweet baby girl!! actual baby. a very good kid and caught in a situation nobody, esp a kid, should go through. ajay adopts her canon idc i make the rules

far cry 5: peaches... i love 😭 literally friend shaped but like. emotional support cougar right there.

far cry new dawn: fcnd sharky... UGHHH the dad bod 🥵 friend shaped. good for man6 things. doing his best. love him.

far cry 6: philly. eugh he has peak bro energy. would suffer through drinking beer just to hang out with him.

the outer worlds: parvati holcomb my beloved. would give her the world and then some!!

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave)

far cry 3: oliver! i love that stoner with my whole ass heart. he deserves the world after what happened on rook and i wish him nothing but the best.

far cry 4: i'd say every character bc far cry fans slept on this game bc....racism. but noore!! i love noore!! she just wanted to do good by kyrat and be a beacon for providing healthcare and stability and like. she put her family above all else. i love her.

far cry 5: tracey... i feel for her so badly, esp. bc she was friends with rachel before she became faith. and then she lost the only other person she had in her life that was close with her like that... 😭😭

far cry new dawn: underrated... hmmmmmmmm nana. she is a batshit crazy old lady who can and will kill a bitch between knitting. i love her. can she adopt me—

far cry 6: paolo!! fuck do i love him. everyone gives him shit for wanting to leave yara but like. he's queer. even among the guerrilla resistance, he faces active discrimination and violence. i do not blame him for putting himself first. it is not his responsibility to "fix" the mindset of others and i will die on that hill.

the outer worlds: ada... i have a weak spot for sentient, sarcastic yet loving ai

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)

far cry 3: sam. SAM... my sweet german man. lemme give him a kiss 🥺 he deserved so much more.

far cry 4: not obsure but pagan bc i will not shut up about him.

far cry 5: virgil. that is all. would put him in friend shaped category but he's such a side character that nobody really pays attention to him so. his smile... i want a button from him.

far cry new dawn: selene!! i love her so much. she's doing her damn best and that is. all that matters.

far cry 6: rosa mel paquete, aka gilberto rosario. a spymaster drag queen? can fit into the poor little meow meow category but i have seen no content around miss paquete at all so!!

the outer worlds: halcyon helen 💕

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave)

far cry 3: mmh this one might catch me flack but buck. yes. the super sadomasochist. listen... he's interesting to psychoanalyze. plus the whole "history teacher" arc was just. great. funny. he has potential when he isn't doing... all that!

far cry 4: gonna say it, fc4 willis supremacy. he is a douche. he's a disgusting fed. and i love him. i want to give him the best-worst time he could ever have.

far cry 5: faith/rachel. she's popular but she's obviously problematic... she's one of the seeds... but!! she's a victim. fucked up what she's done but there is potential for her. the dlc even shows that, but won't spoil it. she deserves the chance to recover and heal.

far cry new dawn: thomas rush is a poor little meow meow. he's not unpopular or controversial or anything. he is just. a man. and i love that for him. been through a lot and for what!!! nothing.

far cry 6: maría... she is evil and i love that for her. peak girlboss. there's a lot of nuance around her role (but explaining is spoilers so!)

the outer worlds: adjutant akande. i love her for similar reasons to maría. she's so powerful 😌

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason)

far cry 3: riley, but in a "i love you and will torment you to make you laugh" kinda way. it's the older sibling instinct!! but like. opposite to john. i want to give riley the world and will give him some tough love to support him.

far cry 4: de pluer... 🥰 he'd kill me after and it'd be worth it.

far cry 5: john. he's an absolute bastard and as an older sibling, it is my duty to torment him as he's the baby of the family. cain instinct activated.

far cry new dawn: roger. for similar reasons to bembé.

far cry 6: bembé. not in a "i hate him and it's funny" way but in a "i love him and want to torment him for it" kinda way.

the outer worlds: rockwell and administor ludovico. old, uptight men are just 👁👄👁 prime targets.

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell)

far cry 3: hoyt. fuckin' wish dot com elon musk headass... hate him! deserves nothing but the worst honestly babes.

far cry 4: sabal 😐 no room in my house for people who use religion/tradition to excuse their shitty behavior.

far cry 5: hurk drubman senior. fuck his conservative, maga headass. he'd probably call me a slur and it's on sight with him.

far cry new dawn: genuinely could not think of anyone bc like. idk. ethan is probably the closest one i'd send. he just needs to give me one good reason not to.

far cry 6: antón 😐 i'm still not recovered from the ending.

the outer worlds: i couldn't think of anybody... 💀

[chyrstis]

Far Cry Fanzine 2020

Written for the Far Cry 2020 Fanzine, which you should absolutely check out here!

This was a take on a moment leading up to the start of the game, namely one where Sharky's going about his daily business only for things to quickly go pear-shaped (which was why this was named ‘I’m sorry, Sharky’ for so long, b/c I feel like I owe him an apology). I was lucky enough to work with the amazing @farcrying here, and to also have @amistrio, @guileandgall , and @writerofblocks​ read through this for me to make sure it was coherent enough to post. You're all awesome, and I hope you never forget that. Oh, and this lovely title? It's entirely @writerofblocks​ fault, and I can't thank her enough for that stroke of pun-fueled genius.

I also can't thank @unclefungusthegoat​​ enough for putting so much time, effort, and love into making this happen, as well as @lucy-and-loki​​ for giving each entry some amazing details to help them stand out.

Title: A Mine-or Inconvenience Rating: T Word Count: 1.2K Warnings: Drinking, dead animals (one very unlucky boar to be exact), explosions

Link to AO3!

___

Sharky’s day is off to a rough start, but it soon takes a turn even he wasn’t expecting. ...And that’s counting the smoking, boar-shaped spot on his front lawn.

______________

Sharky’s back hurt. Ached like he’d spent the night bending it into shapes no back should ever be bent into. Not to mention his mouth was dry, and full of the kind of awful that told him the batch of alcohol he’d brewed might’ve turned a bit. Just enough to taste off, but not enough to toss it, and last night he’d drained a good bottle and a half of it before passing out. Not even on his bed, but on the floor half-under it, wound up in a sweatshirt pretending to be a blanket.

He didn’t even remember ending up there, and that probably should’ve told him how the day was going to go.

Getting up took more effort than he liked, and in the middle of taking a leak he’d nearly nodded off right then and there. Felt his eyelids droop as he stood there in the bathroom, and that’s when the hangover started taking potshots at his senses.

Fuzzy-headed and floating, Sharky took a step only to have his foot catch on something and slip right out from under him. Jeans. The same pair he’d shucked off the night before, and he only realized it when his bare ass hit the floor right next to them. That fucking hurt, but it beat taking a header straight into the toilet.

Pulling his underwear back up, he flopped onto his back. At least now if anyone happened to stop by – usually Hurk, but those Peggie pamphlet pushers were coming by more and more often – he wouldn’t have his dick hanging out. Shit, company was company, but he’d at least try to be polite. Give them the option of wanting to see more of him instead of laying it all out there from the start. That’s what being a gentleman was all about, after all.

Groaning, he pushed himself up and smacked his lips.

That’s when he picked up on it. The squealing. He’d chalked it up to his mind fucking with him, but it kept on going. Didn’t stop even after he’d climbed to his feet and gave his hands a quick wash under the faucet.

Growing louder, and louder, and louder-

The house shook, and the sound that went off sent him straight to his knees. Scrambling, and glad he hadn’t headbutted the sink, Sharky double-timed it to the door.

That wasn’t normal. In fact, that sounded a hell of a lot like-

He stopped, and thought back to last night. How he’d gone outside, set to get a big ol’ fire going only to tear ass in the opposite direction. Small and quick, he’d nearly lost his face to the snarling shadow on his heels, and collapsed once he’d managed to barricade the door behind him. The minute it was clear again, however, he’d left a little something to deal with it. He’d left a lot of little somethings, digging up half of his lawn to place the mines, and wondered just what he’d caught as he followed the smoke straight to the source outside.

The scorched spot on the dirt below was pretty big. He could see where the mine had been tripped, and given it’d been roughly ten to fifteen feet from his house, he’d been lucky it hadn’t blown the wall in, or been any of his party crashers. Those were for special occasions only, and burning half of his shit down just ‘cause he was blindsided by a wolverine wasn’t one of them.

But it’d been more than enough to get the job done here. And judging from what was left of the boar, he’d better get to finding the other mines he’d buried fast, or he was looking to join it. Waving his hand in front of his face to try and cut through the smell, he tugged his hoodie up to cover his nose as he glanced down at the messy path below.

…Then further beyond that towards the pair of white trucks rolling up. Sharky took in the painted cross on their sides, and leaned over the rail to get a better look at them.

Usually the Peggies didn’t spare more than a single truck at most, the exception being the time when he had motherfucking John Seed out here on his doorstep. He at least had pants on then, but it’d hardly been worth dragging himself over to the door to answer. Even with some of the hottest chicks he’d seen in a while, John’s smug-ass face put the brakes on any fun faster than he would’ve liked.

But John wasn’t here, and the Peggies he eyed didn’t look like they’d try to buy the shirt off of his back only to sell it back at five times the price. The ones in the truck bed climbed out, guns in hand, and his heart started pounding in time to his head.

“Yo, what’s happening, amigos?” Sharky called out. “You need something?”

Another climbed out of the passenger seat of the truck, his long, dark coat brushing the dirt. Right on the front of his face was the top prize for the worst tattoo placement he’d ever seen, and the cross running from the side of his cheek all the way down to his chin was one he’d notice even from over a hundred paces out.

That had nothing on the strange look in his eyes, though. Or the way he started talking at him. “You have been chosen! By his word you’ve been given one final chance to see if the message of the Father is one you wish to welcome into your heart.”

“Chosen?” Sharky’s eyebrows rose as the man started to approach him, and figured it’d probably be better to have this talk while he wasn’t scratching his ass. “That’s uh, that’s news to me, man. ‘Cause you’re still banning a whole lot of things that make life worth living, and I’m not really digging the idea of going with Joe’s flow if he ain’t changing that.”

The Peggie took a step forward, then two.

Each brought him closer to the house, and Sharky’s hands started to itch for the shotgun laying across his kitchen table. Just something solid to place between them and himself, because this was far from friendly. Sure, he hadn’t given them the best welcome before, but this group was clearly on the verge of fucking his shit up. The guns were still there, out and angling towards him, and he felt his smile slip right into a grimace.

And when the guy kept on talking, he didn’t let up. Went straight for the kind of expression that would’ve had anyone running in the opposite direction, and raised his voice loud enough for Sharky to want to screw his eyes shut.

“This is not to be taken lightly or dismissed, because this is not an offer. No, this is an opportuni-“

Sharky saw his eyes widen as a click went off. The kind he’d been unable to hear himself above the sound of the faucet running and the squealing of the vaporized boar, and prepped himself to bolt.

‘Cause if this was going the way of any of his and Hurk’s top ten movie marathon classics – and all signs were pointing straight to ‘hell yes’ - every good chase always started off with a bang.

[nightwingshero]

1, 5, 14, 27 and 38 for Wren and Whitney! 💜

Thank you, hun!!!

1. What’s a unique skill they have? Is their any reason why they can do it?

Wren - Well, she can sing because she’s naturally good at it, can play piano, guitar, and drums because she’s gone to school for music and learned, and she can dance because she did burlesque. The latter was to get by with doing something she enjoyed, and performing was fun for her. Other than that, I think the most unique skill she has is her talent for throwing knives. That one was stumbled upon when she was drinking with Hurk jr and Sharky. And she’s really great with the Latin language. She studied it in college and is fluent. 

Whit - I guess...I don’t think she does. Girl can cook like a legend, and her painting? Mind-blowing. I don’t know if this counts, but she does have an affinity for natural poisons. She stumbled across it when researching herbs and such for a dinner, and just...something sort of caught her eye. Nancy made the off comment about how too much of something can be a bad thing, and it went from there. Her first victim was almost Mable. Whit felt a bit powerless with just being the wife of the Father, while Faith, Jacob, and John had power of their own--dangerous in their own right. This was something that was close to her wheelhouse and provided her with power and made her a threat. 

5. What’s their reputation like? Does this reputation contrast what they’re really like?

Wren - yes and no. Wren’s reputation...depends on who you ask, because she’s...a bit of a snake in the grass when she needs to be. Those who know her, know her reputation is being a loyal and loving person, someone who is stubborn and committed. Most people say she’s wrathful and dangerous, and yes, all of this correct. But there are things that get a bit lost from one person to another. The biggest part of her reputation is that she’s a traitor, which...is accurate, even if she doesn’t see it that way. Her reputation changes throughout her canon, and she does redeem herself, but she’s mostly known for being the Dark Siren of the Henbane (after Faith dies), the Judge of Eden’s Gate, and people fear her just as much as they fear the others. Especially because she knows so much about the Resistance on the inside. So it starts out good, turns really bad, and then...gets a bit better in the end of New Dawn.

Whit - She’s another snake in the grass, but she’s way better at it. While Wren’s more of a siren, Whitney is more...angelic and pure, until you cross her and the tables turn. It’s obvious with Wren, it’s not so obvious with Whitney. You’ll never know if you’ve crossed her until it’s too late. You mostly hear that she’s just a housewife who is devoted to Joseph and Eden’s Gate, a warm and bubbly woman that has high standing and carries herself as such. That’s accurate. But people firmly believe she’s helpless, naïve, too innocent and stupid to really do anything else other than follow...and that’s not at all accurate. Whitney is ruthless, she will kill you with a smile on her face, and you be none the wiser until you’re choking...and she would still be smiling. Nobody knew she was married to Joseph until they were ready for people to know, and she fooled Wren and Rowan, which is saying something. When Whitney shows her true colors, it always takes people by surprise because they never see it coming. 

14. Who do they go to in a crisis/emergency? Any particular reason why they choose that person? 

Wren - It’s always Rowan. Ro is her best friend, the more logical of the two, and has her back throughout the Reaping. She’s someone that knows how to survive and knows Wren well enough to help her when she needs it. Rowan...is dependable. She loves Wren, cares about her, and is the sister she never had. There’s a bond of trust that’s never broken, even when things turn for the worse (Ro being conditioned and Wren marrying John.) Randy eventually becomes another person, because he’s loyal to her and also dependable and he’s another best friend that would risk his life for her, but Rowan? Rowan will always be that person when all else is lost. 

Whit - It started out being Nancy and Joseph, Nancy taking the place of a caring mother and Joseph being her husband, who she has the utmost faith in. As time goes on, that changes to Wren, Mel, and Ivy. Wren is her sister-in-law, someone that’s in a similar situation and someone she can truly relate to, you know? They build a special relationship from that, they lean on each other (more Whit leaning on Wren, but that’s okay), and its something special. Mel and Ivy are Whit’s actual sisters, and of course, Mel is there for moral support even if they don’t get along that well. Ivy is the eldest, so naturally Whit turns to her for guidance when she needs it. Sometimes you just need your big sister. 

27. Are they forgetful? What do they tend to forget? (plans, phone, keys, etc)

Wren - Absolutely. She’s scattered brained from time to time, she’ll lose her keys, phone, the tv remote constantly. Plans, not as much. Wren likes plans when she has that control in them. Will she go AWOL? Only if needed. She likes knowing what’s going on before rushing in, so plans aren’t really something she tends to forget, in fact, she goes over them until she has them perfectly memorized

Whit - Not a chance. Whitney is so damn organized, she knows where everything is because there’s a place for everything. If there’s something out of place, she’s not having it, and she’ll let you know that. Whitney is also a planner, so she definitely doesn’t forget that. Everything is planned out perfectly, even down to the smallest detail. Whitney is absolutely as put-together as she seems. 

38. Do they get lost easily, or are they good with directions?

Wren - She can, but if she gets lost, she’s usually really good at getting herself out of it.  Wren typically does a bit of research on where she’s going if it’s super new, and she’s more along the lines of “take a left at the red barn, if you make it to the bridge, you’ve gone too far” when it comes to directions. When she moved to Hope County, she was pretty quick with getting the lay of the land. She’s not completely hopeless.

Whit - Can you say completely clueless when it comes to directions and maps. Whitney can get lost in a damn grocery store. If she was stranded or was lost on a road trip, she would have a complete meltdown, crying and freaking out while on the phone with someone, and rushing around to try and get a cell signal. You have to be very thorough with your directions for her, write them down, or just buy her a damn navigation system. 

[llucy-san]

OC Mannerisms

tagged by my lovely friends @risenlucifer @faithchel​ thank you beauties, ❤️❤️ and maybe somebody else but tumblr won't show it to me. 🤷��♀️

@ja-crispea @nightwingshero @dieguzguz @pd3 @v3ryvelvet @fromathelastoveritaserum @chazz-anova @chyrstis @tommymillers @tomexraider @smithandrogers @f0xyboxes @fadedjacket @deathvalleyqueen @lobanhart @goodboiboomer-fc5 @geronimo-11 @gracethornwood @xbaebsae sorry for double tagg, no obligation just have fun with your own unique characters. 😘❤️

Hayley Moore

how the smile

~ gentle smile at the corners of her lips

~ infections laughter

~ endless giggling after few drink at the gathering where she can relax and be herself

what their "tells" is for lying

~ Hayley is not good to be two-faced, and especially in front of her loved ones because they know her body language and they know that something is wrong

~ lack of eye contact, she usually look at anything else in the room but at the person. She is trying to find the best possible connection to her story just to make it sound as good as possible.

posture

~ she cares about her figure because her character and style of dress reflects her name and career

~ the most common is white blouses with black pencil skirts and heels but if she doesn't have to dress properly she likes to wear comfortable clothes such as shirts, hoodies

~ hair down or in bun

standing: shoulders back, chest pushed forward, head high, hands usually locked behind her back or in front while she's holding another one of her documents for her cases

sitting: back pressed against couch while reading or watching a good movie or book and eating something good

~ cuddling with her husband late in the evenings, these are the moments she values the most because only then are they truly alone and no one disturbs them

volume of speech, if they're verbal

~ as the southern girl, she speaks feverishly and melodiously with slight accent (french is her mother language)

~ raises her voice only when she is hurt and agitated, speaks really fast, breathing quicken and very often slipping into her southern new orleans accent

~ soflty whisper only in the morning when she finds herself day after day in the arms of her husband who does not want to let her go. "No, it's too early, sweetpie, stay or I'll make you and you know I'll. Choice is yours."

nervous tics

~ turning off and turning on pen against desk, tapping with her nails against any surface

~ pacing back and forth

~ running her nails through her hair

~ spinning her wedding ring

how much eye contact do they make

~ always makes eye contact, the only time she breaks it is when she's lying or flirts or tease

in group conversation, how close do they stand to others? Are they off to the side just listening and occasionally speaking or are they right next to people?

~ Hayley does not cross the personal space, but the time with her husband taught her a thing or two

~ she gently place her hand on their shoulder and lean closer (depending on the relationship)

when standing, what do they do with their hands? talk with their hands, cross their arms, put hands in pockets, prop up against the wall, etc

~ in morning, it's most common cup of black coffee

~ gestures with her hands while talking

~ see postures

the sound of their footsteps

~ if she's in her converse she is pretty silent, long and steady strides

~ if she's in her heels, her arrival is perceptible, she moves with elegance and ease

nonverbal greetings: do they wave, nod, hug, glare, punch, high five, something else?

~ most often address verbally

~ her husband with gentle kiss on cheek or the lips, which John almost always will go after her to show her his own affections

~ Jacob’s like her older brother she never had, and she likes to joke with him. The have very close relationship (brother and sister relationship)

how do they get other's attention? raise hand, clear throat, etc

~ she doesn't need to get other's attention because she always gets it with her charm

Hope Lansdowne

how the smile

~ soflty with the dimples in her cheeks, she smiles when she relaxed for a bit and doesn't have to deal with the problems that await her every day

~ loud and infections laughter with head tilted back and holding her abdomen (most often due to Sharky or Hurk)

what their "tells" is for lying

~ she is very good at fooling people, even the best who try to release even the slightest secret from her will fail. Hope can look in the eye of the person she's talking to and lie, tell him the exact opposite

~ however, her closest friends know her very well and know how her body language. They know when she is trying to hide something from them. Her brother is the one who can read her the most, and vice versa.

posture

~ general: physically in the best condition. Even though she is not tall, she can easily deal with a man a head taller than herself and put him on the ground. Training and the military taught her how to survive in the worst situations. Hair usually wears in ponytail or bun and she only wears pants and t-shirts because she despises to dressing up like a lady in a dress

standing: shoulders pushed back, head titled aside or held high, hands most often hovering over her knife or loosely folded behind her back

sitting: leaning against the couch or loveseat and sitting on her feet and enjoying the good company of her friends and family

~ legs crossed in Indian style and bent over the work that usually takes all her attention.

volume of speech, if they're verbal

~ gentle voice, light with a bit of an accent

~ raises her voice when she is angry and lets herself be carried away by her temperament and heat. Her eyes are sharply pierced in the eyes of the person she's arguing with, breathing hard and says everything she was bottling inside all this time, the things she'd rather not say

nervous tics

~ stomping her with her feet impatiently

~ biting her lips or the inside of her cheeks

~ unable to sit still, she has to do something to occupy herself

how much eye contact do they make

~ always makes eye contact. It depends mainly in what situation she finds herself, whether she threatenes and plays with fire while standing close to her enemy or when she flirts and then comes the moment when she breaks her eye contact

in group conversation, how close do they stand to others? Are they off to the side just listening and occasionally speaking or are they right next to people?

~ she has her own style

~ Hope most often breaks the rules and crosses the boundaries of personal space to show intimacy (lover) or intimidation - laying a hand on shoulder or arm, face - draw the line of jaw this is the time when she breaks eye contact to follow her finger with her eyes

~ but when she starts a very interesting conversation, she prefers to stay in the background and listen to everything they talk about and consider what she could use to her advantage

when standing, what do they do with their hands? talk with their hands, cross their arms, put hands in pockets, prop up against the wall, etc

~ arms crossed her chest while leaning on against wall or tree or playing with a knife while making small gestures

the sound of their footsteps

~ as a soldier, she was taught to walk silently and easily so no one would notice her. She doesn't like to wear heel because a) she doesn't know how to walk in that things, and b) she prefers to wear converse or her combat boots in which she feels most comfortable

~ her steps are long and brisk when she wants them to be and moves with ease

nonverbal greetings: do they wave, nod, hug, glare, punch, high five, something else?

~ it depends on who the person is and what bond she has with them. She most often welcomes friends with open arms, enemies with a knife at their necks and lovers in her own way

how do they get other's attention? raise hand, clear throat, etc

~ she doesn't like to be centrum of attention, but when she needs to, she speaks out loud and almost every time with a sarcastic undertone, such as when she came to Jacob’s office when Alexis ( one of his judge trainer) was occupying his office and Hope came in.

"I saw the door open and, oh, and I though I would see a half naked judge trainer, seems I gambled and lost."

"Few minutes ago I was fully naked."

"Ou, then you've served your purpose! Don't let me hold you up!"

They don't like each other very much

[thecommonbloodstone]

Amethyst headcanons/theories? dump

I've always been onboard for Florist/Gardener Amethyst ever since Watermelon Steven where she said "those flowers are lovely!"

While she and Rose loved plants, Rose was very impatient with the process and would just use her powers to speed up the process while Amethyst likes the process, seeing a plant grow up and helping it grow is a very calming experience for her.

Amethyst absolutely believes in talking/singing to plants will make them grow better.

She has a secret garden behind the waterfalls in her room that Steven and Pearl accidentally discover just before the events of Pale Rose because one of Pearl's swords fell down too close to the entrance.

Amethyst loves making friends with artistic and creative humans. Shakespeare; she knew the guy personally. Frida Kahol was her pal. Van Gogh were close for a long time. (She fully believes the theory that his death wasn't a suicide)

Amethyst has only fallen in love twice. Once with Pearl a long time ago and she falls in and out of love a lot with her. The second with a painter she met a few hundred years ago. This woman painted the shark painting in Amethysts room. They'd met not to long before then and Rose had noticed that Amethyst had taken a liking to her and she commissioned the painting to set them up.

The painter had always said she'd look beautiful in long hair and Amethyst promised next time she poofed she'd come back with long hair. The painter passed away not too long after this promise due to sickness. It took Amethyst a long time to come through with that promise...

The painter had said I love you a lot to Amethyst but Amethyst could never say it back... until after the painter passed away. It's one Amethyst's biggest regrets.

Aside from those two, Amethyst had experimented around a lot (she stopped after the painter) with all kind of people but nothing serious ever came out of them.

Current day Amethyst has been done with experimenting for a long time and is pretty much ready for a permanent relationship. However, despite a lot of gems being interested in her, right now they're are experimenting themselves and Amethyst is reluctant to try anything with anyone as of now. Right now Amethyst just wants to focus on herself, her family and little Homeworld. Everything else can come later.

To Amethyst no matter how big Steven grows he will always be her Little Man

Amethyst likes writing poetry. There a random bits of paper, parchment and even wood that are in her room that are covered in her poems. Steven once found a bit of drift wood in her room with a particularly romantic bit of poetry on it and Amethyst swollowed it whole so he would read it. She ended up being really sick after that.

Amethyst knows how to deliver babies. She thinks it's gross but she's had enough friends with humans over the years that she's well aware on the how to.

She had to deliver Sour Cream on the way to the hospital when Greg's van broke down.

She also had the heartbreaking job of bringing Steven into the world...

Amethyst is the unofficial leader of the Famethyst. Jay and Sharky used to be the head gems but when Amethyst came along she unintentionally took charge of the group. Not that anyone minded that is. If there's a problem with the Earth Quartz (or any earth made gem) you get Amethyst.

The Famethyst got into a habit of calling Amethyst by various titles associated with leaders, "boss, chief, captain etc". It drives Amethyst crazy as she doesn't really see herself as a leader figure. When she tells the to stop they just switch to a new title. It's mostly because they are messing with her but there's a dash of seriousness in it.

Amethyst emerged without code. There's the bare essentials of a gem and even the bare essentials of an Amethyst but she is essentially codeless. She will never feel compelled to do anything by any gem of a higher authority. The diamonds are the exception as their powers work by overwhelming a gem and filling them with their light. Even then, Yellow still can't down Amethyst for long and White can't completely overwhelm her. Other gems may not remember what happens under Whites influence but Amethyst does...

Amethyst has a crazy amount on excess energy within her from being incubated for so long. It's normally inaccessible to her but during fusion and through shapeshifting she can push her limits as an amethyst and use the reserved power. She could push her mass to be really super large if she wanted but the stain would damage her gem severely and she'd never try it. In fusion it's fair game, if the moment calls for it she can basically power a fusion.

Amethyst learnt everything by mimicking and shapeshifting. It makes her really good at picking up other languages.

Amethyst is an average fighter, closer to a really strong ruby than a really weak quartz.

Amethyst judging by the timeline had emerged during the war. She saw the corruption song and immediately hid in her hole. It only barely saved her...

The first time Amethyst fused was with Garnet. It was a really calm event with the two simple spending time together. It lasted less then a second and it took a long time for them to do it again. But once they figured it out Sugilite came out to play a lot.

Amethyst and Pearl managed to fuse for the first time by accident during a gem mission. Amethyst technically wasn't allowed to go on missions yet as she had yet to summon her weapon but a large group of ruby monsters were stampeding their base (this was before they made the temple) and during the chaos Opal emerged.

Despite how much Amethyst would ask Rose would never fuse with her. The only time they would fuse was to form obsidian. It wasn't until Rose was revealed to be pink that Amethyst understood why.

Over time as more gems began taking nicknames, even the CG began picking them up. Garnet would always be Garnet (Ruby and sapphire fusions were too rare and it was the name she chose in a way) but Pearl would go by her old war nickname Renegade. Amethyst took a long time to pick up one. For a long time she just let gems call her whatever; runty, pip squeak, or just 8XM but eventually one stuck; Rogue. She was basically the crystal gem of freedom right? Why not have a name that literally means wild. Plus it had a double meaning. A rogue plant was a defective one. No one but close family would call her Amethyst after that.

After the events of Earthlings, Amethyst decided to clean up her room. At first it was just getting rid of useless junk but she eventually got the idea to build something with her scrap. The rest of the gems noticed and began helping too. By the end of it the scrap had been turned into a large tree made of her junk. It had several platforms and landing areas for amethyst to just hang out in and they even made a rudimentary power system powered by the water in her rooms for a tv to be hooked up with in.

Amethyst hates Homeworld. Before going she was indifferent but after spending time in the place she can't stand. The whole place just sets her on edge. You couldn't pay her to go there again. So while Steven, Pearl and Garnet are out fixing up gem society, Amethyst stays behind on earth to hold down the fort and eventually work on Little Homeworld. It takes her a long time to be able to go to Homeworld comfortably but that's only after era 3 has completely taken hold on the place.

Amethyst and Centi are close pals. The two of them can be often seen hanging out and just goofing off together.

Amethyst and Bismuth also develop a close friendship too. They are both heart gems with a pension for shapeshifting. Bismuth is the first gem to encourage Amethyst to use her shapeshifting for more combat uses. Encouraging her to get more creative with it.

Amethyst loves being someones wingman. She's a romantic at heart (she lived with Garnet, Rose and Pearl it's hard not to be) and helping out her pals with their romantic endeavours is her absolute pleasure.

Amethyst and Pearl go to a lot of concerts together. There's no set genre to the concerts they attend, they just like going to them together.

Amethyst wants to travel to other planets. Even since she was in the kindergarten she would sometimes see the stars through the mist and she wanted to see more of them. Once everything with Homeworld and Era 3 is mostly sorted and she can have a break she wants to do some travelling. Just for a few months at a time nothing too serious as she would miss home too much if she was away any longer. No matter what Amethyst would come back.

During Steven and Connie's wedding, Pearl and Amethyst are the best"gems"/ring bears while Garnet officiates. There was an incident just before the wedding were the rings got lost, involving a corrupted gem, a trip off world and a battle with an alien but Amethyst and Pearl managed to return with the rings in time.

I'll add more later (probably)

[whitetail-wheaty]

She watched the way it took him a second to register the earth-brown tones of the Edener's clothes and another to realise the Judge was standing next to Sharky. Swallowing the fear that tried to make her turn tail and run, Linny held onto the wooden rail of the porch instead, nails digging into the wood to ground herself and driwn out the whispers of what would happen if the Judge told the others that she was here, ' i - I thought you were dead. I thought everyone up north was a goner.'

For the very first moments Wheaty just stared at that Edener woman. A mistrusting, wary look. He didn’t even recognize her and frankly he didn’t care to recognize any Edener right away. He was about to tell the Judge to take that lost woman off their fucking grounds right now - when she spoke up. And the way she looked at him, the way she held onto the railing, the way she fidgeted.

Linny.

That realization hit him like a splash of ice cold water. Staying on his body, soaking down to his bones, dripping along his spine and filling him with a sense of disbelief and dread.

Linny.

How long hadn’t they seen each other? Seventeen years, a bit more. They had been younger than the years passed since. That memory of the teenage girl who stood at the porch here years ago, biting her lip and smiling at him. Damn. Wheaty had lost his heart to her because of that. Maybe it even had been right here, where once her family’s farm had stood where he had realized that he had crushed on her hard.

But now?

Now seeing her, realizing that she had lived through the end of their world, sticked to Eden still... it was a flurry mixture of emotions.

Anger, disbelief, sadness, happiness, fury, relief - all at once. Wheaty’s face was cold, but his eyes surely gave it away as he straightened his back. She had believed him dead. A lot had. Of course. He had run through a burning forest and only found sanctuary by pure luck and chance in Eli’s old bunker. And he had remained there for a long time. Resurfacing, he had kept to himself among Prosperity. Continuing Eli’s lessons of staying invisible and perfecting them.

That and avoiding Edeners at all cost had made them never cross paths.

Until now.

So the Captain had told the truth in his endless shitty arrogance.

Linny was alive.

And he was thankful for that. Part of him, that part that still was so much like the teenager he had been once wanted to grab her in all his excitement and grin at her. She was alive. But that also meant she seriously still clung to Eden. Worse than that. She had married a Chosen. She had married Aaron Gallner of all.  She lived with and loved the man who had tormented Wheaty for decades now, in his life and in his nightmares. And that was the detail that made Wheaty not step up to her and smile at her. It was why he stood back, his eyes trained on her.

“Obviously you thought wrong... what do you need from us?”

@takenbythebliss

[solesurvivorkat]

FAR CRY 5 WEEK, DAY 1: HOPE COUNTY

...Short little blurb I wrote for FC5 Week, Day 1. Hasn't been thoroughly edited due to a severe lack of time, so my apologies for any shortcomings in my writing!

Day 1 (Sept. 22): Hope County

(The Angel’s Grave/Horned Serpent Cave)

“You’re thinking about her again.” A statement, more than a question.

“Do you honestly expect me not to?” 

“...It wasn’t your fault.” 

“Doesn’t make me feel better.” 

~~~~~~~

They'd climbed the stone steps, only to be greeted by a metal barred, jail-like door at the cave entrance (which, of course, had been locked). So much for that. Time being a factor, their best best had been to grapple up to the top of the rocks and hope that there was another way inside. 

Following the trail after reaching the top, they'd been careful to avoid detection by the Project truck that casually drove past. It was imperative that John not be seen in the Henbane River area, after all... especially since he was uninvited, sneaking around, and with the Deputy 'that started it all' to boot. Needless to say, it certainly wouldn't have looked good. He was already on somewhat-thin ice with Joseph, and he was sure his 'dear, sweet sister' would've just loved an opportunity to knock John down a peg and further ingratiate herself into Joseph's good graces.

His jaw tightened, back teeth grinding together a bit. 'The things I do for.....'

'...For what??' a voice in his head snapped back. He inhaled sharply through his nostrils, still not quite sure how to answer that.

"You can still turn around and head back. Remember, I was going to do this without you. I'll understand."

Her voice grabbed his attention and he glanced over at her, almost irritated by the softness in her tone, the look of understanding and perhaps even sympathy in her expression. 

"You're doing this for one of my followers," he countered, "even knowing the risks involved. I... admire your compassion. And besides - I can talk my way out of this, if need be. If you were to attempt this without me and fail... well... let's just say it would be tough to determine which would be worse for you - dying because of the cave, or your fate being left in Faith's hands."

The small shudder that rippled through her was not lost on him, and he cast one last look around before moving around the boulder they'd ducked behind for cover.

~~~~~~~

Fucking Nancy. She got everyone in the Sheriff's department to trust her, see her as one of their own, and betrayed them all to Joseph when they needed her the most. Had she lost any sleep that night, knowing that she could've been an accomplice in people's deaths - people that she'd worked beside for several months before Sarah had even arrived there? Did it bother her in the slightest that every single person in that helicopter (except for Joseph) could've been laying there, still strapped to their leather seats, slowly roasting in the helicopter's flames?

When Peter's mother Rebecca had approached Sarah, asked her to disprove some disturbing rumors she'd heard from people in Faith's region, expressed concern for a woman she considered a friend, Sarah had wanted to tell her just what she thought of the idea. But seeing the expression on the woman's face - the worry, the uncertainty, the desperation for someone to help her... Sarah just couldn't turn her down. And when John had weaseled the mission out of her (damn that silver tongue of his) and insisted on accompanying her... well... it had been an odd day so far, at any rate.

She was kind of used to searching for prepper stashes in the odd location, some that were quite dangerous (she still needed to clobber Sharky for the one that had her shaking like a leaf as she tried not to fall off of a log several hundred feet above the ground)... but avoiding toxic water in Horned Serpent Cave with a Herald she couldn't quite define her relationship with - that was a new one. 

At least he'd forewarned her of what to expect from the inner conditions of the cave, from the very little he'd heard about it in passing during one of the Seeds' group conversations. What he hadn't mentioned to her - and judging from his reaction (which was very subtle, but there), he hadn't known about it himself - was the view that awaited them in the crevasse leading down to the alternate cave entrance.

Dead angels. Skeletons. Random bones, all scattered like some kind of macabre confetti at the bottom of the crevasse. It had knocked the wind out Sarah for a minute or two... however long it had been, until she felt John's firm hand upon her shoulder. 

"...Sarah-"

"I'm fine," she clipped back a little too quickly, not turning her head to meet his eyes. "Let's just hurry up and do what we came here to do so we can get the hell out of here."

Without waiting for a response or looking back at him, she quickly lowered herself down towards the mouth of the cavern, determined to get through this as fast as she possibly could. It would've been... mildly easier (maybe) if there'd only been a couple bodies lying around - but upon first glance, there were definitely at least six angel corpses left to rot in the open air. The stench of putrefying flesh was almost too much for her, and once her feet were on solid rock she closed her eyes, teeth clenching as she fought to ground herself.

'Just do it. Check the faces, see if she's here, then get the fuck out.'

Taking a deep breath (and working hard not to gag it back out), her eyes quickly surveyed the angels in front of her. Several pairs of soulless, empty eyes stared back into nothingness. It certainly didn't help that each scalp had been shaved clean, surgical masks covering their mouths, all of them in the same dirty cream-colored Peggie outfit. Some men, some women, some older-looking... God...

The first two people she gave a once-over to were men, and the third was a woman with a different body type... the former dispatch had had a slightly heavier build. 

Sarah was beginning to feel an odd, small sense of relief that she may not find what she was looking for here (mixed with a bit of pity for the other people that hadn't been as fortunate), but something caught her eye - a glint of silver to her left. Usually angels weren't permitted to keep any jewelry or small artifacts upon them, but... Faith's followers might have overlooked the simple silver band that sat upon the ring finger of the woman's body Sarah stepped towards - perhaps in their haste to quickly dispose of another failed angel.

As she stared down at the woman that was almost identical to the other dead around her, she became aware of John's approaching bootsteps behind her. Neither said anything for what felt like the longest, stillest of moments.

"...So."

".....Yeah."

A slow intake of breath.

"Sarah... we need to get going. I'm... sorry. We don't have much time before another supply truck is sure to come passing by. If we're spotted-'

"Yeah." A beat. "I know."

Sarah felt a firm hand upon her shoulder again and gritted her teeth. "John... I need you to promise me something." She whirled around to finally face him, his brows raising a bit at whatever expression she was showing him. "Don't let me end up this way," she demanded. "If I finally piss one too many people off and Joseph demands me dead, I'd rather you get to me first. Just... make it quick. Don't let me become an angel. And if it happens anyway - don't let me hurt the people I care about. Just finish me and be done with it... okay? Please?"

John opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. She didn't wait for a further answer, instead stepping past him to climb back up and out of the crevasse, not looking back at the angels once she reached the top.

'...Fuckin' Nancy... just look where your 'loyalty', your devotion to your 'Father' got you...'

[vendettacanons]

(☄️) Our muses watch a meteor shower. -> Sharky and the Judge || @maximuses

���️ Moonlight Aesthetic Prompts // CLOSED ⚔️

// *trips and shows up one month late in my light up sketchers* ...I made it long-

The two stumbled around the remains of the trailer park, doing their best to avoid tripping over some of the abandoned scrap he’d been meaning to mold into makeshift fort walls or traps of some kind. It would have been a difficult task even if they were sober (well, not for him. He seemingly had the scrap piles memorized and made a game of hopping from one to another on the regular). It was inevitable that one of their ankles would get caught on a loose piece of rebar, and since they had their arms wrapped around each other they were both going down. Sharky must have been used to being this pickled-- he still moved fast enough to turn and maneuver himself to break their fall. The deputy landed on top of him, forcing a sound from his lungs. They asked if he was hurt and when he said “nope” they both began to laugh.

It took them a moment to realize just how surreal it all felt. There they were, alone and on top of one another in Moonflower Trailer Park, drunk off their asses and watching how the moonlight caught in each other’s eyes and the fireflies illuminated their face. Maybe it was just the alcohol, but they could’ve sworn there was a spark between them. A spark and some time of pull. Some type of electromagnetism must have been pulling them together; they were polar opposites, a goody two-shoes deputy who never said a word and never toed a line in their life, and a loud-mouth pyromaniac with a penchant for stepping on toes and a record half a mile long. But what was that old saying? Opposites attract, and it was no wonder they ended up kissing on that fine autumn evening. Some flame ignited between them and was only fed by those sloppy kisses and the feeling of the deputy rolling off of Sharky to lay next to him, arms interlinked and fingers intertwined. All of his drunken rambling only caused the fire in their hearts to grow larger, burning brighter and hotter, until he pointed up at the sky and towards the shooting stars sailing in and out of sight just over the mountains.

“Make a wish, dep!” He said, hiccuping in delight and mumbling with roll of his head and lazy gaze in their direction. “Man, I wish we could be like this forever. You and me, that’d be fuckin’ great!”

He went on that night, comparing them two some characters from the Fast and the Furious— something about how handsome he was (true), and swimming in the deputy’s eyes (which was weird but back then it seemed so romantic). It earned him another, the tender caress of their hand on his cheek and an attempt to be smooth and a little more passionate the second time around. By the time dawn had come, they’d somehow ended up back at his house. The deputy had made it to the couch, clothes disheveled and hair a complete mess, while Sharky had narrowly missed hitting a coffee table on his way down to the floor. The night was a hazy memory, so fondly memorable and yet so surreal in its perfection among all the chaos around them that neither had ever really known if it had actually happened or not. The only thing they’d been truly been sure of was that the fire never stopped burning.

Not even after seventeen years.

So when Kim pointed out the odd streaks of light appearing to cut through the evening sky and everyone rushed out to watch the meteor shower in progress, that familiar heat quickly made itself known. The embers stirred in their chests. It had been years since they’d raged in a roaring inferno like they had on that night in the trailer park, but the flames never truly died. The feelings never faded or went away. 

Feeling uncomfortable among the wary crowds, the Judge took up their usual spot under the old weeping willow tree at a far corner of the property, peering up through the nearly barren branches at the sky. It was hard to believe that after all this time those were still the same stars. They didn’t feel the same. They felt dimmer. The sky felt darker. Everything felt colder and a sense of guilty gnawed at their insides. They were utterly transfixed on the sky, so deep in thought they didn’t notice Sharky was just a few meters away. They felt his footfalls through the earth and snapped to look at him. He raised his arms in defense, trying to soothe them as though they were a wild animal about to take flight. “Woah woah- easy! It’s just me, babe.” The tension left the Judge and they slowly settled back against the tree. Sharky took his time getting settled next to them, a tentative arm resting around their shoulders. For a moment, there was an almost peaceful quiet as the two of them looked up at the stars together.

“Yeah, this takes me back. Back to the days when all that mattered was meltin’ off Peggie faces and jammin’ to Donna Summers on the radio.” You remember those days, don’t ya, cherry bomb?”

A soft grunt of affirmation and Sharky laughed, the sound soft and warm and rumbling in his chest. It made their skin tingle pleasantly just listening to it. It felt like they were sitting next to a warm campfire, safe and sheltered from the cold that had made its home in the hole where it felt like their soul used to be. Another bat of more comfortable silence passed. They heard Sharky swallow, hesitation thick on his tongue.

“Hey, uh... I been meanin’ to ask ya--” he only had to wait seventeen years to ask and find out. “That night at the trailer park... where we drank a bunch and danced to Boogie Wonderland and... kissed... did that actually happen?” Sharky held his breath, anticipating the answer. The Judge seemed to take forever to answer, though it was only really a few seconds they took to mull over the thought. That night had been living rent free in their head just as long as it had been in Sharky’s. After the eternity of silence and stargazing they finally nodded, offering a reluctant, yet fond sounding sigh of reflection.

“Holy shit...” he said, letting the information set in. The Judge reluctantly leaned into him and he pulled them closer into his side without hesitation. “Y’know, I had this whole plan for asking you out. Sat on it for weeks because I could never tell if it actually happened or if it was just the drinks and a dream. I knew I loved ya though. I knew I wanted to stick by ya. Wouldn’t ya know it, the day I finally got the balls to do it the whole world fuckin’ ended. Ain’t that a bitch?” He leaned down, nuzzling into their hood and giving their side a light squeeze right where he remember they were ticklish. The soft, airy laugh he got in return melted his heart. “Better late than never I guess, eh, cherry bomb?”

The Judge nodded slowly, moving their temple to rest against his shoulder. Sharky didn’t miss a beat, resting his cheek on the crown of their head. This felt nice, sitting and watching the shooting stars together like the couple they always should have been. They both could get used to this. And Sharky had no trouble in saying so as he pointed to a particularly bright streak zipping by overhead. “Make a wish, sugar!”

The Judge growled softly, thoughtfully, before gently taking his hand as if to ask what he’d wished for.

“I wish we could be like this forever.” He mumbled, voice thick with a honey-sweet sincerity that made them want to weep. The little squeeze they gave his hand said it all: ‘I wish for that too.’

[rainythefox]

Broken Haven (Ch.12)

Synoposis: As the world they knew burns to ash above their heads, Joseph Seed and the Deputy are at crossroads with each other. The Deputy tries to cope with the loss of her family and friends, the sins she has done, and must learn to live with her enemy. Joseph has a revelation of their purpose and what they must do before stepping out into the light in seven years. Because in this broken haven, they need each other to rebuild a new world and a new life.

Joseph Seed/Female Deputy OC Mary “Emmy” Samson

Story Link

Chapter 12: The Best Gift

(heavy smut in this chapter!!!)

Mary stared at the chess pieces, thinking hard. In fact so hard, her face felt like it was scrunched up in a mask of concentration. So what if she was a little rusty at chess? It took her awhile to think out her tactics, but she was keeping up with Joseph pretty well, despite his turns taking less than half the time hers did.

Joseph’s patience was annoying mostly. He just stared at her, judging her silently, as she hovered her fingers over pawns, rooks, and knights, deciding where to move. Later in the game, he rolled his neck or leaned back in his chair as he waited for her to move.

“May I just-”

“Shh shh shh!” Mary hissed, her eyes glued to the chessboard. “I got this!”

Two hours later, she did not, in fact, get a damn thing.

“It’s because you’re black. I’m used to playing black.”

Joseph chuckled. “There are no colors in conquest, Mary. Besides, you played black last time.”

He got her there. Mary made a face, leaning back in her chair, tilting the front legs off the ground and balancing on the back, using her feet to rock herself. She earned herself a disapproving look from her bunker mate for her bad manners.

“I’m merely a little rusty. Just you wait. Be assured that I will beat you one of these days, Bare Chested Wonder. No Fried Liver Attack required.”

Joseph bounced his eyebrows, clearly amused but not convinced. “Well, at any rate, I have learned something watching you play.”

The Deputy inwardly grimaced, not sure she wanted to know. “And what’s that?”

“You do actually have some patience. I mean, it’s barely there, but it’s…something.”

Mary half-rolled her eyes. “I can be patient if I want to be.”

“Also, the look on your face while trying to figure out my strategy is nothing short of precious.”

Mary looked up from the board and her eyes caught his. The Deputy felt her cheeks grow hot, and she wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. He had to be teasing her, although now she just felt overly self-conscious.

Okay, weird much, Captain Shirtless? If you think you can distract or confuse me so I’ll lose, I’ll teach you not to underestimate me again, sucker!… She grinned internally.

Her chair squeaked each time she rocked it on the back legs, chewing on her lip under his scrutiny. The communications room, recently cleaned and organized, seemed bigger now, less jumbled. The record player played oldies on a low volume, a soft ambience to their ongoing chess game, a bowl of delicious trail mix that Mary had been hogging for the better part of the past two hours resting on the table between them.

She flashed a cheesy grin. “Better than a resting bitch face, I guess.”

Nearly three weeks since they did inventory and the start of Joseph’s “cooking lessons”, and it was already almost Christmas. Mary couldn’t believe it; tomorrow would be her first Christmas without friends or family, after the world was over, gone, burned away. It was quite depressing, and wouldn’t let herself dwell on it long as the December days dragged.

At one point last week, she had gotten so down about it, she messed with the radio some more. She sent out several messages, trying to find life out there. There  had  to be someone else. But she had only received static silence in return. Even the recorded, repeating messages from the government and disaster organizations had ceased. It was as if a deadly shroud of stillness had descended over the valley and the rest of the world, suffocating all life outside the bunker, outside their tiny, preserved bubble of existence.

It truly felt that the only people left in this world were her and Joseph. And  that terrified her to the bottom of her soul.

Joseph can’t be right. There have to be others...if not here, then somewhere else…

Mary could tell their situation was getting to the Father as well. He was better at concealing it than she was, but she caught him staring into nothing a few times, depressed and sorrowful, probably thinking about his lost family and friends just like her; probably mourning the ones she had taken from him. God, how many times had she brooded about this already since they were stuck down here, wishing that she could undo what she had done to his loved ones...

She expected he would eventually retreat back into his room again, avoid her, leave her alone to lick his wounds just when she had started to feel somewhat comfortable around him - but surprisingly, he didn’t. That relieved her more than she cared to admit to herself. Whether he was still her captor or not (whatever they were now, she didn’t know), Mary didn’t want to be alone during this time.

Instead, Joseph seemed to watch her even closer now, if that was even possible. It was getting harder and harder to ignore the feel of his eyes resting on her face, especially since it seemed that their shared depression seemed to push them somewhat closer together. Mary couldn’t make heads or tails of his odd behavior or even her own feelings on the matter.

Especially now that the ongoing radio silence may have confirmed her fears and Joseph’s affirmation. She didn’t even want to think about the implications of what their situation could produce in her overactive imagination. What did this mean for their future? As the last two people in Hope County alive? Maybe the world? And they just happened to be a man and a woman conveniently stuck in a bunker together for the next seven years? What could possibly go wrong…

Mary forced the thoughts from her mind, unsettled by the direction her wandering mind was taking and nearly choked on her drink. There was a better chance that Adelaide would’ve become a nun at some point before the Collapse than for anything to  ever  happen between her and Joseph. Yeah, like hell.  She’d rather have raced Hurk down the ziplines of the Whitetails naked (well, he had practically begged her to while on their way to get Hurk Senior’s truck back) or played Truth or Dare with a stoned Sharky while highly flammable and drunk as a skunk.

And it wasn’t just her. Mary was convinced that Joseph would rather commit murder-suicide before even considering anything like it, given what she had done to him; his predatory eyes resting on her whenever she twirled a strand of hair around her fingers while deep in thought about her next move being proof of that.

In a weird way, it relieved her.

We’re approaching somewhere near friendly with each other, but killing each other is still on the menu - if only in the “desperate last measures” category. Somewhere on the list, right underneath ‘gag and bind Joseph in his sleep’ and ‘lock up Mr. Tight-ass in his room and throw away the keys’.

Like, whenever he forced her to wear the Apron from Hell™ for “safety reasons” while she had no doubt he just demanded it because he knew it annoyed the crap out of her.

  Jerk.

“What are you thinking?”

She tripped and crashed out of her thoughts, looking up at Joseph as he had his head slightly tilted, deep blue eyes intently on her. Mary quickly thought of a different subject than the one that had ran rampant in her imagination.

“Uh...just...you know...Christmas stuff.”

“‘Christmas stuff’?”

Why did she have to go with that? Couldn’t she have come up with something better? Now she was going to have to open up about herself. Ugh.

She nodded, like it should’ve been obvious. “Yeah...tomorrow’s Christmas...I was just thinking about all the different kinds of Christmas holidays I had growing up. Most of them weren’t great. As I’m sure you know, Christmas isn’t about where you are or what you get, it’s about who you are spending it with. My best memories of Christmas were when Dad was still alive. When Sarah was happier. At least we had each other after he died, but it only got worse.” Mary frowned. “After Sarah...died...I didn’t have anyone for a long time.”

Joseph softly nodded, mulling over her words with a half-upturn of his lip. “Yes...I understand more than you know. Growing up, my brothers and I didn’t have much, but we didn’t care. We had each other. When we were separated, we were miserable for a long time. Spending Christmas forgotten in the foster system is emotionally debilitating for any child...as I’m sure you know. Once I finally found my brothers, we became a family again. I’m grateful my last few Christmas memories are actually happy ones.”

Mary fidgeted under his gaze.  No thanks to me, right?

“We should celebrate it. Together.”

She looked at him in shock, thoughts doubling back to make sure she heard him right. “U-Us? Why? Our families and friends are dead, the world is gone, and we’re stuck in this concrete prison with the person who caused us the most pain. What is there to celebrate?”

Joseph sighed, as though disappointed he had to explain. He picked up one of his remaining pieces from their finished chess game, a black Rook. He rubbed it in between his fingers, admiring something it hid behind its glossy, cylindrical tower.

“That’s just it. We are blessed to even be alive. We were chosen by God to live and lead the new world. This bunker provides us with everything we need to survive the coming years. We should be grateful. And like it or not, you and I are family now.”

Mary glared at him. “And how do you propose we celebrate? I’m certainly not pulling a ham outta my ass. And you can call us family, Joseph, but we’ve barely started melting the ice.”

The Father curled his fingers around the chess piece and squeezed it hard, his eyes catching hers. “We celebrate by being thankful for what we have, not what we have lost. We remember our loved ones no longer with us, and do what they would’ve wanted us to do. Live. Not just survive.”

The Deputy lowered her gaze, uncertain. “I don’t know…”

She felt Joseph stand, heard the creak of his chair bounce around the concrete walls. His form towered over her, but she didn’t look at him.

“If you wish to be alone, I understand.”

He started to leave. Mary inwardly panicked, thinking he would lock himself in his room once again and she didn’t want to be alone. She didn’t know if it was because it was Christmas or because this small hole in the ground had made her become so dependent on him. Probably both, and probably just as he had planned.

She snatched his arm just before he could get out of reach, the scarred skin and hard muscle tensing in surprise under her grip. “No! I just…”

“Just what?”

“It’s just weird, okay?” she mumbled, awkwardly letting his warm arm go. “But you’re right...we should celebrate...I guess.”

He patted her head like a child, earning him another glare from her, but his teasing half-smirk almost stopped her heart. “Good. I’ll cook us something special. And we can have wine. That is, if you didn’t use it all up in your little kitchen mishap a couple of weeks ago.”

“Hah! You’re so funny, Hipster Jesus. There’s plenty, actually.”

“You would know,” he said as he strolled out of the communications room.

Mary snorted, tossing a few pieces of trail mix into her mouth, glancing to the board and wondering where her tactics went wrong in the game, only to notice that Joseph had sat the Rook piece he had been holding right next to his King.

Looking at it gave her a funny feeling, one she couldn’t identify. Like something was going to happen within these concrete walls she couldn’t escape from. And the feeling stayed with her even into the next day.

[Read the whole chapter on AO3!]

[serpounce-moved]

I wrote this for the deputy I ship with John, I’m not sure if I’m going to keep this in their canon but I read through it again and wanted to post it! No warnings, I don’t think. 2003 words, some fluff.

——–

Pain was the only thing that came to Erin’s senses as she became aware of where she was. Her entire body felt like it was on fire and for a brief moment, Erin wondered if Sharky’s homemade flamethrower had finally blown up. This isn’t how I want to die… Erin thought. She cried out in pain as she tried to sit up, and become aware of hands on her shoulders, followed by a soft voice.

“No, don’t get up, my love.” It was John’s voice that spoke to her. Erin forced her eyes to open. The first thing she saw was John’s face, his expression twisted in concern and his eyes red and puffy. Had he been crying? Erin found it hard to believe that John Seed would be crying over her. She didn’t even think he cried when she put an end to their casual hooking up. “Can you hear me? Don’t talk, just squeeze my hand.”

It was then John slipped his hand into Erin’s, his fingers finding their home intertwined with hers so easily. Erin gave a faint smile as she felt the warmth of his hand. She hadn’t realized how much she had missed him touching her. Her mind focused on his hand, on the memory of the first time she told John how much she had loved his hands, while they were having sex at his ranch for the first time. He had smirked at her and looked at his hands, eyes scanning the myriad of tattoos he had gotten over the years, and proceeded to wrap his left hand around her throat. Well, that had taught Erin something about herself and her bedroom preferences that surprised both John and Erin alike.

“Erin…squeeze my hand if you can hear me.” John repeated. His voice was more frantic this time, but Erin could tell he was still trying to stay calm. She knew all too well the change in his tone when he was about to lose it, both in anger and in worry.

Erin. It sounded so foreign coming from his lips now, after weeks of being addressed as “deputy”. Erin had always shot Nick a glare when he’d mock the way John said it. Dep-yoo-tee. Erin knew Nick did it because he was privy to the relationship that Erin had with John; he did it to get under her skin about it, and she had let him even though her heart skipped a beat every time John had called her over the radio. She tried so hard to make it seem like she was over John, that she had regretted her past with him.

She squeezed John’s hand and John smiled, squeezing hers in return. Not too hard; he didn’t want to hurt her. He wasn’t entirely sure the extent of her injuries. He had called for his brothers to meet him in the clearing where Erin had fallen to, and for Faith to join them, bringing something to help Erin with the pain. He knew that most likely meant some of the lesser strain of the Bliss, but that was fine with John; he didn’t want Erin to take a trip, he just needed something to help her take the edge off of the pain.

“Wh…what happened?” Erin managed to choke out. Bits and pieces were starting to come together the more she started to wake up, but the pain she was in still clouded most of her memories. She remembered getting a radio call from John on their private channel about a plan he needed to put into place and that it was imperative that she trust him. Then, half an hour later, she received a call from him on the public channel that she needed to get to Fall’s End to talk things over with him. She remembered Sharky was watching her down on the ground, and she took Nick with her, both of them in separate planes, to fight John.

To fight John?

“John…” Erin sat up, way too quickly, and felt like she was going to be sick. Her head was spinning and she could smell the sickly copper smell of blood. It was then, eyes fully open and her mind clearing a bit more, that she realized John’s head was bleeding. She reached out to touch the wound but John grasped her wrist to hold her steady.

“I need to lay you back down, just until the others arrive.” John said as he gently laid her back down onto the ground. It was then she realized John was without his jacket. She was laying on top of it; the cool leather felt nice against Erin’s hot skin.

“Like that night we fucked by the river…” Erin said, an amused smirk on her face as she thought about the memory. John knitted his brows in confusion.

“What do you mean?” He asked her.

“Your jacket under me, like that time by the river.”

John smirked now, almost forgetting about that time. He didn’t know how he could, with her constant threat of I swear if Sharky or any of your Peggie friends find us here doing this…

“I shot your plane down,” John began after clearing his throat. Now was not the time to get lost in his memories of Erin. He needed to keep talking to her, keep her awake and alive so that he could make more memories with her.

“I’m so sorry my love, but I had to. It was the only way to get you away from the Resistance without me losing my life. It was controlled, you were supposed to be safe. This wasn’t supposed to happen…”

He had been able to get his plane to a lower altitude, and Erin was supposed to follow, but he could hear Nick over the radio yelling at her to “not fall for John’s tricks”, and Erin had a hard time getting her plane lowered. When she finally did, John took the chance to shoot her down. She ejected and was supposed to land in a field not far from the Seed Ranch so that, once John had found her, they wouldn’t have far to travel. But, as Erin’s luck would have it, the winds changed and she was sent going into a forest. By the time she fell to the ground, she was in a clearing, but it was still further than John had wanted her to be away from his home.

John looked up at the growling of wolves and prayed that they were Jacob’s judges. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw flashes of white fur running through the trees, and Jacob’s large form came behind them, into the clearing, a backpack hanging from his right hand.

“Brought the shit for her,” Jacob said as he tossed the backpack in John’s direction. Erin grunted as it landed on her left calf.

“Hurts…” Erin whimpered. John shushed her and began to quickly empty the backpack of its contents. He opened a canteen that Jacob had packed and gently lifted Erin’s head up, holding his hand at the base of her neck, and helped her drink. She choked on it; Jacob couldn’t help but smirk and laugh. It wasn’t funny, not really. He hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting Erin in his region and even before the Reaping began, he hadn’t spent a lot of time around her. The lovesick way his brother would look at her made Jacob roll his eyes and mumble under his breath and Joseph had to suggest, more than once and a little forcefully, that perhaps Jacob should not be giving his brother a hard time. After all, Joseph would say, she is important to John and therefore she will be important to the Project once we bring her into our family. At the time John and Erin hadn’t realized just how important they were to each other. They were still casually sleeping together. Joseph had seemed to push his dislike of John’s sin of Lust out of his mind for the time being. Even before the failed arrest, Joseph was obsessed with the idea of Erin reaching Atonement. At first, it was a fascination with her because of John’s apparent feelings towards her. After the Reaping had begun, Joseph needed John to bring her to Atonement so she would be saved. The Voice had told him to make sure she was saved.

–

Erin wasn’t sure when she had blacked out. The next time she opened her eyes, she was at John’s home, in his bed. She knew it from the wide windows that his bed had a view to. She used to love the nights they’d go to his house; looking out at the surrounding mountains while he made love to her gave her a sense of calmness and peace that she found hard to find once she had joined the police force. But this time, being in John’s bed was not a pleasurable experience.

“Don’t try to move,” John said. Erin turned her head to look at him. “Do you need more pillows? I can get you more, but you need to lie down and rest.”

Erin smiled and shook her head as she reached for John’s hand. She squeezed it as tightly as she could.

“Am I free?” She asked, knowing it was a loaded question. She didn’t feel free with the Resistance; she knew she couldn’t have just walked away, and she had to answer to the others in the county for her actions and missteps. She also knew she wouldn’t be free with the Seeds. She wasn’t sure if she’d be given a job or not, or even how much Joseph would trust that her change in allegiances were true. But she would be with John and if the past few months had taught her anything, she wanted that no matter the cost.

John smiled softly at her. He brought her hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss against the back of her hand before turning it over and kissing her palm.

“You are free from those sinners, yes.” John said. His eyes swept over her body, covered in just a thin blanket and she was dressed in nothing but one of the large t-shirts John had bought for her when she started spending the night at his house during their hook-ups. “And because of your sins, and your time spent with those in the Resistance, Joseph would like you to be baptized as soon as possible.”

“The first baptism wasn’t enough?” She asked with a teasing smile, the best her body could produce for the time being. If she was being honest with herself, she was scared. She didn’t want to be drugged and forced under the water again. She wondered if the Bliss was necessary or if she could go through the baptism without it.

John chuckled and shook his head, pressing another kiss to the palm of her hand. “No, Joseph does not accept that attempt. But I will be…more gentle this time.” John spoke slowly, careful of his words. He opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped himself. He didn’t want to scare her by telling her she also needed to go through the marking of her sins. He was not looking forward to that. He did not want to hurt her, but he knew it was Joseph’s will.

“Gentle is good, John. I was so scared the last time.” Erin said before turning her face from John as she yawned. She closed her eyes for a few moments before opening them again as she felt the bed dipping next to her.

“Shh, no…close your eyes, sweetheart. You need your rest.” John said. He pressed a kiss to her forehead before carefully pulling her into his arms. “I will be here when you wake up. I promise.”

With that, Erin closed her eyes again, happily drifting off to sleep in John’s embrace.

[chyrstis]

With your hand in mine (it’s going to be fine)

Far Cry 5 Week -  Day 3: The Resistance

This was supposed to be completed way back on Tuesday, but it would’ve been much weaker (and shorter!) overall if I’d chosen to post then. Either way, this was a fun chance to focus on what happens around the Widowmaker mission, get in more Sharky time, and get in some time with Mary May as well.

Pairing: F!Dep x Sharky Boshaw (pre-ship but the feelings are there) Rating: T Word Count: 6.2K

Link to AO3!

___

The Widowmaker’s brought back to Fall’s End, and with its arrival comes a need to celebrate.

______________

“Over here.”

Hana followed close behind, keeping her gun nearby as Kat lead her towards the back of the garage. She wasn’t sure what to expect after seeing the severe look cross the older woman’s face, but when they turned the corner, Hana felt both of her eyebrows fly up.

Standing with their faces pressed to the wall were three Peggies, two men and one woman.  All of them had their hands bound behind their backs, and the resistance member posted nearby gave them a small nod before fixing his rifle back on them.

The minute she came into sight, the group as a whole tensed visibly. One even spat at her, missing her by a good two feet, but they got points for hutzpah.  

“Two of the three were jumped, but not shot, and the third threw down his arms. Ended up catching him on the way to the truck himself, and managed to fish this out of his pockets.” She dropped a large key into Hana’s hand. “Guess he thought he’d be able to make a break for it, but we intercepted him right after the remote bombs went off.”

“Ooh, the tricky dick,” she said, and let out a low whistle. “That was a small window to sneak through.”

Sharky’s roundabout trap hadn’t given the cultists many options to escape when the tide had started to turn, but when a few cut back to the trucks, that avenue was cut off with the push of a single button. She’d been close enough to shield her eyes from the flash of light, only to scramble away seconds later to avoid the falling, flaming debris that pelted her hiding place. Those that had been well-within range – like the four trying to clamber inside – hadn’t been as lucky.

It was tough to say if the three standing before them understood just how well they had fared in comparison to the others. She wasn’t a bad shot, Sharky’s shotgun shells tended to light up everything within two to three feet of him, and Hurk hadn’t been shy about using the rockets he’d dug up from Fall’s End’s surplus. Odds for any stray Peggies to make it through that were low to start, but here they were, waiting to see if the other shoe was about to drop.

“Figured it’d be bad sport to just shoot ‘em, but…I was tempted.”

Kat looked set on shooting one of them now, her attention set on the person that kept giving them all the raging stink eye, and Hana held up her hand. “I get that. It’s not like they were holding back any when we rolled up on them, but let’s work with this. Any good with knots?”

“Knots?” Kat ran a hand through her short blonde hair, and shrugged. “I can do a mean trucker’s hitch. Unless you were thinking knots meant to restrain, in which case I could probably go back to the ones my ex liked-“

Hana shook her head fast. “Uh, no. I mean, we need them all tied together, but not like…that?”

“Oh, then I think I’ve got you covered, ma’am.”

It took a few minutes to wrangle the group together, but once they were finished, the three were tied together in a circle, their hands still kept behind them as they each faced outward. The bonds were tight, but not enough to injure, and Hana honestly gave them less than a day tops before being discovered provided the loss of the Widowmaker didn’t put them all on high alert.

John hadn’t come after her yet for the sign – a fact that honestly still shocked her after how badly their conversation had gone - but at the first sign of trouble elsewhere she knew he’d swoop in. Even if he didn’t have a slew of comments waiting for her, he’d find other ways to retaliate, using that mouth of his to do what he did best.

Cloth rags had been wedged into their mouths as a means of keeping them silent, and she’d nearly lost a finger when one tried snapping at her.

Once they finished, she crouched down in front of a cultist with a large cross tattooed onto his left cheek, and propped her chin up on the backs of her folded hands.

“Hi. Hope you’re all feeling comfortable. No one’s going to harm you, I hope we’ve well established that by now, but I thought I’d make that clear just in case there’s any ambiguity going on. We’re about to roll on out of here with something that’s near and dear to one of our own’s heart, so as long as you sit pretty and do nothing, everything’ll go just fine. But before we leave, I’d like you all to do me a huge favor, just in the spirit of cooperation we’re trying to foster here. Nod once for yes, or shake your head for no.”

Daggers would’ve cut less, judging from the look she was receiving.

“…Okay. I can understand the resentment, but work with me here. When you get back to John, I want you all to give him a nice, big hello. I want you to greet him, I want you to tell him what we’ve done, and you can even embellish a little from there if you’re feeling creative and want to talk me up a little. Straight from the Deputy herself,” Hana said, making sure to draw out the syllables to the word like he would’ve. “You got it?”

The one that spat at her earlier mumbled-yelled a single word against their gag in response.

“Huh.” She lowered her sunglasses to look at them directly. “Hey, Kat? Did that sound like it was jam-packed full of the Power of Yes?”

She couldn’t see her, but there was no mistaking the snort she stifled. “Nope, not even a little.”

“Well, damn. I think John would be disappointed to hear that, but don’t worry. I’d have done the same,” she said, her lips twisting into a grin. “Because between you and me, I think I thrive off of his disappointment.”

---

With them wrangled and left as a parting gift for John, it was time to focus on the main event. The Widowmaker. With the keys in her hand, Hana made her way back around to the front, seeking her two main partners in crime.  It’d been a good ten to fifteen since she’d heard from them, which meant something was keeping them occupied, the only question was what?

…And could she get in on it too, if she was quick enough. Hopefully, the answer was a ‘hell, yes’.

Sure enough, she heard their voices as she walked up the side of the garage, and found them both standing right by the side entrance to it. Hurk stood nearby as Sharky was crouched down low beside the doorknob, fiddling with something in his hands, and their voices carried right over to her.

“-you’re right. We did try this once before, but I think it was using…”

“Dude, your dad’s older waterlogged shit was a pain to use. You gotta nail the right mix or you’ll get more pfft and less bang, and that’s just a letdown in every way.”

Sharky fiddled with the lock again, shoving something into it, and she was almost sad to step in. It was always interesting watching him work, even from a distance, and the end result was always worth it.

“Hey!” She whistled at them, and dangled the keys from her hand as she approached. “Much as I love MacGuyver and the whole jerryrigging a bomb out of chewing gum, a toothpick, and hope thing you’ve got going on, we need to get the hell out of dodge. We’ve probably got fifteen to twenty minutes max before someone tries to radio in, and I know we’ll be in trouble when the group back there finally gets free.”

“Shit, so much for that,” Sharky said, dusting off his jeans as he stood up. “Just when I was ready to call you over, and get the others to gather round too.”

“I mean, if you still want to pop that thing, I won’t stop you. After all of that hard work, it’d be a shame not to.”

Flashing him a wry grin, her attention drifted to the right as she turned away, and she nearly did a double-take. This wasn’t her first pass by the place, but this was her first with the liberty to pay full attention to her surroundings, and the poster was honestly pretty hard to miss given she was the subject.

“…Huh.”

This was supposed to be her, with her hair tied back, her sunglasses absent, and an interesting glint in her eye. The kind that usually came right before she decided to fuck someone up. For a rough representation of her, it wasn’t half bad. They had even nailed the freckles and the small scar on her chin, and she posed next to it as she considered it further.

But the real kicker, like with all of the others, was seeing stamped in large red letters below her face, the word ‘SINNER’. Like that was enough justification for wanting her taken in alone.

How old were these anyway? Had they been made shortly after losing her after the crash? After John took her? Hell, after Faith or Jacob’s turns?

It was tough to put a real timeframe on it, but the posters were in circulation now, just as they had been for the other key players in the Resistance, and she didn’t know how to feel. Either strangely honored to be enough of an annoyance to warrant it, or annoyed in general for them having to explicitly state it.

“They really do get off on the whole sinner thing, don’t they?”

“Everyone left running in the county’s got a poster, and some of us, even two.” Hurk said, patting his chest with pride. “I tried using a bunch of mine to get word about Hurk’s Gate out, but the giant banner saying ‘we won’t judge’ didn’t get a lot of flying before it was torched to the ground.”

“Killjoys. They clearly didn’t want the competition.”

“You’re telling me. It still kills me that they’ve got as many people signed up as they do, what with the ‘no fornication’ thing going on. Isn’t that just a recipe for bad feelings left to marinate when people can’t live, and love a little? I know I’d be harder than a diamond with some of those ladies I’ve seen walking around.”

Judging from Sharky’s solemn nod, he was firmly in that camp too, and she gave them both a knowing look. “I’m pretty sure there’s still fornicating. Get enough people together in close quarters long enough, many of which are just as pretty as the people leading them, and they’ll find a way.”

Thankfully she hadn’t had the awkward moment of stumbling onto anyone mid-screw, but if she did, she could only hope she’d handle the situation as tastefully as anyone in her position would. With carefully positioned eye contact, and any of the last shreds of her professionalism that she could scramble to apply.

“So, what do you two think? Is it a good likeness?”

Sharky turned, looking at her closely as she leaned against the wall. The poster was right between them, so he didn’t need to look far to make a comparison, but she could see his focus, and felt his gaze as he gave it some serious thought. Scanning every part of her face, she felt him concentrate on some parts more than others, and as her grin grew, she waited for him to make eye contact again.

“You know at first it, uh…“ He paused, drawing out the sound as she batted her eyes at him, and it took a good fifteen seconds for him to snap out of it. “Well, it looked like they got most of it minus the eyes.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he said, giving Hana a small smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. His attention had skittered away from her, but with the next few words it came back in full. “Looking at that versus the real deal’s just not the same. Like with you here, right in front of me? Most of it’s right enough, but when we talk about your eyes, Dep? Well, yours are the kind that are all deep and dark, and easy to get lost in.”

Her breath left her in a rush. “…Uh, come again?”

“Like give me five, and I’ll be able to break away, but it’s rough going knowing that you have to when you don’t want to. Cause you need me to be a badass out there, not someone thinking ‘man, it’s sweet knowing you’ve got an amigo whose eyes are like a really cool cave you could stumble into when you’re lost in the woods’.”

He was definitely shooting a sweet look at her now, there was no mistaking it.

“The deep and dark that you could curl up in, knowing it’d keep you safe overnight, and you could even build a fire and roast some marshmallows in it. Like get some real good s’mores going. Not the deep and dark that’ll get you killed by bears out in the middle of nowhere. Cause that shit’s what gets you. No poster’s going to catch that.”

Even drowning in metaphors and pseudo-bears, she could tell he meant it, and that made her immediately go three shades darker. “Oh.”

“…He’s got a point,” Hurk said, after looking between the two of them. “Caves and bears, aside. You, I can tell you’re a person. This here’s an approximation and one scary lady you won’t want to cross. Like your evil twin or the clone growing in the basement.”

Sharky crossed his arms, looking pleased. “See? Couldn’t have put it better myself.”

Oh, God. They needed to get off of this topic now. “So, Sharky, are you going to blow that thing, or do you just want me to cut whatever’s left of this suspense with a knife?”

“Oh! You seriously want me to…?”

She nodded, and tried not to think about the key digging into her hand.

His lighter was out in an instant. “You’ll love this, H. Promise.”

---

Her vehicles of choice over the years had always been on the small side. Sedans, coupes, compacts, motorcycles, she loved them all, and had at one point even tried to cram herself into a friend’s Smart Car just to see what it was like.

The Widowmaker was a literal force in comparison. It was a battering ram on wheels, her foot a lead weight on the gas as it took on speeds that allowed it to punch through barriers without even giving too much of a shake. With the horn blowing, and Barracuda coming in loud and clear through the radio, nothing stood in their way as they sped straight towards Fall’s End.

It was nothing short of incredible, and she could easily see why Mary May and her father loved it so much. There was no obstacle too great, or too strong to hold them all back.

When the last fell and Mary May radioed in, she let out the breath she’d been holding. The guys, plus Kat and the other Resistance members, had chosen to cover the rear, turning their little troupe into a veritable convoy. It wasn’t subtle, but a massive truck with a flaming paint job wasn’t about to fly under anyone’s radar for long.

But it was back at home where it belonged, and that was the first step.

“Well, look at that!” Mary May said as they rolled up. “One hell of a sight for sore eyes. You don’t even know how it feels to see those colors again, Deputy, but it’s good. Mind giving that a pull one more time just to let them know what they’ve lost?”

The expression she wore was a mix of proud, fond, and elated, and Hana hit the horn one last time with gusto before leaning out of the window to better speak to her. “Where’d you like this?”

“Out over here. Follow me.”

Guiding her, Mary May helped her park the truck in space tucked next to the Spread Eagle. Whistling nervously as she guided the thing around, Hana kept her eyes locked on Mary May’s position until she was able to maneuver it safely into place.

“I could the hear the horn coming all the way into town.”

Hana glanced down at Mary May and the growing grin she wore, and found herself wanting to match it. “Well, it was one pull for every roadblock hit, but I might’ve also pulled it for every truck, so…”

“Good. I hope you hit every last fucking one of them.” Mary May let out a long sigh, her shoulders relaxing as she stared over at the truck. “This feels right. Like I can finally welcome back what never should’ve left to begin with. It’s home.” The next few words were quieter, but Hana saw her lips move to form them. “He’s home.”

Hana settled in next to Mary May, the two looking up at the Widowmaker, as the others pulled up in their vehicles around them.  Screeching to a stop, the small group burst into a round of cheers, slapping their hands on the doors of their vehicles as the sound rose in volume.

Hana joined in, giving Mary May a wide grin as an impromptu drum roll started – hers done right on her thighs - and the group started chanting, “Speech!” over and over.

Mary May eyed them all with mild exasperation, letting them continue for a solid minute before gesturing for them to stop.

“All right, all right! That’s enough out of you all. Today, you’ve all proven why the Resistance as a whole is going to win this thing. By banding together to pull off what they’ve tried to tell us is impossible. You brought home and helped to honor the memory of a good man today. A great one, that would’ve paid good money to see you give every last member of Eden’s Gate hell. This one’s for you, and later on tonight, I’d better see you all down at the Eagle so we can celebrate this right!”

The whoops and hollers were louder than ever this time around, ending in them all pumping the air with their fists. Shaking her head, but with a broad grin, Mary May finally waved hem all off.

“Okay, now get on out of here! We’ve got work to do before tonight, and I know those roads won’t be left clear for long.”

A few of the trucks drove off, waving at the two before zipping down the street, while other members of the Resistance hopped out to help in town. She caught Sharky’s eye as he and Hurk popped out of the truck bed nearby, and he ran up to her, trying and failing to put a lid on his excitement.

“Yo, they’re looking to head off some supply trucks headed south of here. Cracking one of those open’s kind of like Christmas come early, so…”

“We totally want to hop on that while we can,” she said, rubbing her hands together. “Sign me the hell up, but you two go on ahead for now. I’ll be right behind you.”

Sharky looked disappointed for a flash until Hurk slapped his arm and gestured for him to follow. The two tailed Kat as she launched into a story about the silo they had blown along the way, and Hana watched them head in the direction of the general store before turning back to Mary May.

“You know, he’d like this.”

“…This?” Hana asked, jabbing her thumb back at the Widowmaker.

Mary May waved her off. “If you’d brought it back in flawless shape, I’d have doubted half of what you got up to on the way.”

“Either way, you want this spit-shined back to perfection, I’ll do it myself. Repairs and labor, I’ll make it happen,” Hana said, ticking off each on her fingers.

“Deputy, you’re welcome to the Widowmaker whenever you’d want it. After what you’ve done to bring it back home, I know my father would want us to keep its spirit alive. Not through keeping it here, locked up and safe, but out there doing what it does best.”

She turned to Hana, and lightly tapped her arm before heading off towards the Spread Eagle.

“And I know you’d have an idea or two that would suit it just fine.”

---

Things had changed in Fall’s End.

It had been a gradual change. Slow, and steady as the buildings formerly left empty and hollow took on a different kind of life.

The colors of the Resistance flew high as the last of the cult’s banners and influence were torn down and destroyed. Trucks cruised in and out, many of them bringing in family and friends formerly thought lost as word spread throughout the region that it was safe to come back. Others walked the streets, armed still, but no longer afraid of what that might cost them.

And there was no place she felt it more keenly than at the Spread Eagle.

The bar buzzed with activity, far beyond those early days when she’d shared a beer with Jerome and Mary May. Back then, it felt like a toast welcoming better days. A spoken and unspoken promise that they would all get there somehow, and this honest to God, felt like progress. Actual, possible progress.

Hana basked in it as she leaned against the bar, letting her eyes fall shut. She’d always been a city girl, used to crowds and people more than the silence the country offered, and having the chance to feel that energy again was exhilarating. She never wanted that feeling to fade.

“Hey, you doing good so far?”

Her eyes snapped open, and she turned to better face Mary May. “I’m good. Working on getting better, but it’s a decent start.”

“What’ll help?” she asked, leaning against the bar. “It’s my job to ask while you’re up here.”

Hana shrugged, and played with one of the loose strands of hair that had escaped her bun. “Well…I was eying the special for a little while.”

“And?”

“You don’t actually mention what’s in it.”

Mary May shrugged. “I’ll tell you if you really want to know, but for that one I recommend giving it a shot before you do. It’s got a punch to it, but one that I haven’t heard too many complaints about.”

“Yet?” That got her a look, and Hana chuckled. “Don’t worry. I doubt you’ll get any from me.”

She looked over her shoulder and took in the atmosphere of the bar again, the low music playing off to the side, and the two waiting for her nearby. They got a quick wave from her – she really hadn’t meant to linger this long, but her pursuit of a drink had taken a backseat to fun conversation instead – and she  turned back to Mary May.

“Was this close to it? One of the usual nights at the Eagle before things went…you know?”

“Went straight to hell? Not always, but this is a small town. Out of all of the things you can get up to here that’s legal, drinking and dancing’s one of the better ones.” She pulled out a glass and reached for a nearby bottle of vodka. “Probably would’ve seen you here before long too,” she said with a smile.

“Either for drinking, or dancing?”

“Why choose?” Mary May added a few other things to the drink as Hana watched, liking the sunset shade that bloomed from it. “Though I think you’re a dancer.”

Hana snorted. “Really? I mean, you’re not wrong, I just didn’t think it’d be that easy of a guess.”

The drink was garnished with a cherry and Mary May slid it towards her. “You hardly sit still for long, so sticking close to the bar to keep on filling her up until you’re blind just didn’t seem like the right pick for you.”

“No, I do love finding great ways to burn that buzz off. I’ll give you that too.”

Hana picked up the glass, and gave the liquid inside a small swirl before trying it. Damn. Mary May was on point tonight. Taking another longer drink, she slid a few bills across the counter and found herself trying to follow the rhythm of the song playing on the jukebox.

“But do you dance?” She swayed her hips a bit before leaning back against the counter, her smile definitely bordering on flirtatious.

“Not on my shift,” Mary May replied without missing a beat. “But ask me again when it’s over, and I might have a different answer for you.”

Hana bit back an awkward laugh as the other woman smiled at her, and when it grew into a legitimate grin, she tapped her fingers on the counter before retreating. “Maybe I will…?”

“We’ll see in a few hours won’t we? You better come back to check!” she called out after her.

Burying her face in her drink, Hana took a large gulp of it, and hoped no one caught any of that. Lucky for her, both Sharky and Hurk were plenty distracted when she approached, both of them pointing over at the group bordering the dance floor. Only a few were attempting to dance at this point, but the others were crowding right by the old arcade machine, yelling loudly for every success and failure the person playing encountered.

That was the primary draw of the spot at the moment, not the little jukebox in the back.

“That’s pretty damn sad, man,” Hurk said with a sigh. “When even the dancing’s taking a backseat to that-“

“It’s a fucking crime, right?”

Hurk turned towards her in surprise, both of them lighting up at seeing her, but his eyebrows went up when she quickly placed the drink down and started digging around in her pocket. Pulling out a twenty dollar bill, she unrolled it and tugged it between her hands.

“This place does need more dancing, but to do that we need the right music. You make this magic happen, and I’ll gladly pony up the funds for it.”

The surprise faded in a heartbeat, as Hurk’s expression went serious. “Done and done, Deputy V. It’ll be my civic duty, because no one’s out there doing so much as a drunken do-si-do, and that’s just insulting.”

Her face scrunched up at the nickname, but once Hurk had taken the cash and all but sprinted towards the dance floor, her sour expression faded fast.

Plopping down in the chair next to Sharky, she let out a contented sigh. “Ah, now the relaxing can begin. Taking any bets on how much longer they’ll last?”

“Dude’s some kinda wizard at it. I can’t think of a time when he isn’t up there messing around with the game, which sucks, because what if someone else puts a quarter up there hoping to get in a turn? So much for common courtesy and the gamer code, man. Shit’s falling apart.”

He took a drink, aiming his glare right over at the arcade machine, and Hana idly wondered just how many turns he would’ve taken with it otherwise. At the very least two, judging from the way he kept on watching, and she lightly nudged his arm to help him focus on something else.

“So, what are you going to do now?”

“Now?” Sharky put his beer down and gave her a funny look. “I’m gearing up to hit that dance floor in fifteen to twenty. Gotta get good and buzzed before dishing it out, though, cause these moves are certified deadly without easing in all gentle-like.”

Hana coughed into her drink. “No, not that. I mean tomorrow. Or hell, within the next few days. I figured I’d cut you loose, and let you go back to doing your own thing.”

“Uh, that’s…you were?”

There was hurt there. Just for a second, as he buried it back down, and she frowned. “Yeah, I figured you’d be sick of running around with me, and wanted to, you know. Go back home, help Addie, or work on that antifreeze problem that’s been bugging you.”

“Nah, man,” he said, giving her an easy smile. “With you, it’s a fucking party every day of the week, and I don’t know what’ll come up tomorrow. I can burn shit all day any day back there outside, pants-free, and drunker than a skunk. Here it’s after taking a motherfucking joyride through Peggie roadblocks, while hurling molotovs in an action hero’s dream ride. I haven’t had this much fun in…” He paused, ticking it off on his fingers, then waved it off. “Years, easy.”

“Sharky, seriously-“

“I’m being serious! And someone’s gotta watch your back. I’m here with you right now, so that’s covered, and should’ve been covered the other three times they came in, took you, and somehow did it without anyone noticing.” He crossed his arms, and gave an aggravated huff. “Which, I guess I gotta get on their level next time to stop that shit, or we both start doing everything back to back which is weird-“

“Just a little,” she said, hiding her smile behind her hand.

“Especially since I know you don't want to see what goes down when I wake with a problem. Like a hard one that really only a hands-on solution’ll fix. …But it’d take only take ten to fifteen minutes max to crank it out, so I could tell you when to start looking my way again so you won’t see my dick hanging out. Who’s gonna do that when I’m gone?”

She chewed on her lip, thinking every last bit of that over – some parts more than others - and started chuckling. “Geez, that’s…I really don’t know. It’s a pretty compelling argument.”

“Hell, yeah it is.”

He was serious. At least as serious as she’d ever seen him, and she leaned forward to rest her elbows on the table between them. “I guess I’m just stuck with you then. Or, actually on the flip side, you’re just stuck with me. Sure you’re ready for that?”

Mirroring her, he leaned forward too, except he held out his right hand to her. “Ride or die, H. That’s how I roll.”

It took her a minute to react, split between what he’d said and the fact that she didn’t doubt him. Not in the slightest.

She clapped her hand against his, held it, and couldn’t quite stop the shy smile that crossed her face. “Because, how’d it go? We shoulder each other’s burdens and shit?”

“From one amigo to another.” He pointed at her and winked, keeping her hand in his.  “Ain’t any other way I know it.”

A tray hit the table right by her elbow, making her jump in her seat.

“Fucking finally,” Hurk said, swiping a hand across his forehead. “Took me fifty years to make my way back, but there was one hell of a line at Miss Mary May’s so…”

He looked between them, and raised an eyebrow.

She quickly let go, and spoke up before Hurk could. “Still looking to hit that dance floor later?”

“If it’s the last thing I do tonight. This place’s starting to act like the party up and died, and I just can’t abide by that.” Hurk pushed the drinks towards them. “Get on this, and we’ll get-“ he pointed towards the empty spot in front of the jukebox – “on reviving that.”

“Cool, let me actually grab something guaranteed to speed up that process.”

She slipped out of her chair, walking way too fast for it be subtle, but made her way over to Mary May again and hoped her face wasn’t as red as she feared it was. “There’s no limit on the special, right?”

Mary May was wiping down a glass, and gave her a curious glance. “Nope, long as you’re paying, and not spraying.”

She slid the cash across the counter. “I’ll take two.”

---

Both drinks had been for her, and both were shot shortly after being poured. She then proceeded to make her way back over to the guys, both of which had soundly put a dent in Hurk’s pre-dance offerings.

Coming straight from Mary May the next day, what she witnessed happen on that dance floor was some of the worst dancing she’d seen in a long while. Which seemed a little unfair considering she had tried to at last bring her B-game with some solid 80’s and 90’s moves to keep things lively.

It had felt good and pretty coordinated in the moment, she’d figured. She was also certain she’d kept her limbs from knocking against Sharky’s too much as he lead her through the next disco move he demonstrated, and hadn’t collided with Hurk more than once, maximum. She’d swear on it the next day, even with Mary May shaking her head at her.

At some point the music had changed. Their playlist had run out only for someone else to feed the jukebox, and the new tune meant a shift in mood. So, the softer thing made sense for a waltz or slow-dance, and she grabbed for one of the guys to get with it.

She had been promised dancing, dammit, and right now, silly and drunk as she was, this was the first happy and carefree thing she’d been able to do in weeks.

Hurk was first, and let her take the lead. He even let her keep it too, with her half-stepping on his feet, and mid-way through she was sure he attempted to make it a tango. Complete with the cocktail stirrer between his teeth, and who knew when the hell he’d grabbed it. Only that his eyebrows were going into overdrive, and she was going to laugh herself into a pile on the floor.

When she came out of it, still giggle-snorting, Sharky took his turn, and she nearly smacked him in the face with her elbow when she stumbled into him.  He steadied her, giving her something solid to hold onto, and took her hand in his as he placed the other on his shoulder – both of his hands surprisingly steady for how many drinks along he was.

Once she was in place, he nodded when he was ready. She nodded back, her chin tilted up to meet his eyes, and let him take her around. It was the kind of dancing she hadn’t done since her prom, but it felt right as the older tunes from the jukebox kept on playing behind them.  

He concentrated hard on this, watching both of their feet, and she knew she was swaying too much for him to make up for all of it. In, out, he was the one balancing her as they turned, and her forehead bumped into his chin, making them both hang in place as they rubbed at the sore spots that smack earned.

An idea hit as she held onto him, at times almost flush against him, and she got it out while she could still verbalize it. “Hey,” she said, leaning up on her toes to whisper in his ear. “Dip me.”

He gave her one hell of a strange look. “Dip what?”

“Dip me. You know. Like hold onto me, and lean me back? Like in those old classic ballroom dancing movies?”

“Uh, don’t think I’ve seen too many of those, chica.” He turned towards her, their faces a lot closer than before, and he grinned. “I kinda got an idea of what you mean, though, so let me know if this does it for you.”

The dip after nearly threw her off, making her squeak as he attempted it, but she held on. And when he pulled her back up, the rush left her feeling giddy all over.  

It was on dip number two that she felt a jolt. An uncomfortable lurch, lingering somewhere between her stomach and her chest that he could read right from the position he was holding her.

“You losing it, Dep?”

She swallowed, and cringed. “I am totally losing it.”

Hoisting her up, she sprinted for the door, and barely made it to the Spread Eagle’s curb outside before vomiting.

“I think I’m done here, hon,” she croaked. She held on tight to Sharky’s arm as she wobbled in place, spitting a few more times to get the taste out, and let him pull her up. “Is this-“ she gestured towards her face, “pretty gross, or?”

“Nah, you ain’t gross. Just feeling close to it, right?”

He handed her a handkerchief, and she swiped it across her mouth. “Yeah. So gross.”

When she was sure she was decent, she leaned her head against his chest, and felt his arms wrap around her. Being held like that, close and warm, made her eyes slip shut, and she hummed contently as they stood there together.

“Where you staying at?”

He had to ask the question twice, likely because her first answer was mumbled directly into the material of his hoodie. “Upstairs. Mary May’s got the details.”

“I’ll get you there, shorty. Don’t worry.”

Holding onto him tight, she followed him as he guided her back inside.

[nightwingshero]

“Try to stay quiet, understand?” + “We’re in public, you know.” for whoever you're feeling 💋👀

Ooooof! Okay, so me and a certain someone entertained this idea. 👀👀👀 @risenlucifer apparently this is a thing now...

“Yeah, I wish I could say I’m sorry about your husband...but, well, he was a dick. So...yeah.”

I stared at him, blinking, caught between wanting to laugh or asking if he was serious. I knew the answer to that already, though. “Thanks, Sharky. I appreciate it.”

“Good to have you back, though, dep. Wait...do I call you ‘dep’? Are you...you goin’ back?”

Randy cleared his throat before taking a drink of his beer, looking away awkwardly. I’m not sure how to respond to that. It had been a few weeks since John’s death, ridding Holland Valley of his grasp, leaving Jacob’s region to be the last to be taken out. It took some time, but my old friends had accepted me back quicker than I anticipated. Partly because of me playing a hand in his death.

“Hey, girl.” I look to see Kim walking up to me with a wide smile. She looked good, motherhood suited her, and I could see the pink bundle in her arms. “Didn’t think I’d see you here.”

“Hey Kim.” I smiled back brightly. She had been one of the first to accept me back, and I was so grateful for her. I always had been.

“Well, look at you. Ain’t you lookin’ cute?”

I blushed a bit, looking away. I had dug out a burgundy sundress with a jean jacket, since the nights were starting to get a little chilly. My hair fell in perfect curls from my time working on it and my makeup. I wanted to look good, even though he might not show, but just in case.

“Thanks. The cowgirl boots are new.” I replied. She opened her mouth to say something else, but Sharky cut her off.

“You should, though! You know, join the force again. I liked it when you were runnin’ things. Badass. You could be Wes’ partner, ‘cause...well, you’re his partner.” I raised my brow at him and he threw his hand up. “I mean, that’s what I heard! People are saying his stickin’ it in yah and all that.”

“Thank you, Sharky.” Randy cut him off with a laugh. “For that lovely image. Pleasure as always, mate.”

Sharky looked at him confused, but Mary May threw me a look from behind him and rolled her eyes. Helping her out this together was almost cathartic. Our way of making things between us right, and I was happy to have her as a friend again.

“Speak of the Devil...” Kim teases, elbowing me in the ribs. I shot her a look before she motioned with a nod. Following her gaze, I catch his eyes on me and exhale heavily from pure shock.

Wes had been in the Whitetails for the past week and a half, doing what he could with Eli. We hadn’t really seen each other, but he let me house sit for him while he was gone. It was easy, since I refused to step foot in that ranch again, whether it was claimed by the resistance or not. But I had stayed the night with Mary May, with us having to put this together, it made the most sense. I had no clue he was back.

He’s leaning against his bike, talking with Nick as he holds a beer bottle in his hand, sporting that damn leather jacket over a white V-neck shirt. It occurs to me that he had actually cleaned up for this. His lips quirk up in a smirk as he takes me in and I smile wide at him.

“He stopped by the house earlier, and we told him what you two had planned. Nick insisted he stay and celebrate with us. Didn’t take much convincing.”

I throw her a knowing look before Wes takes a drink of his beer and begins to make his way over. My heart was fluttering in my chest. I can’t help the beating smile I give him as I walk towards him.

“Well, look at you.” His voice is low and it sends a shiver down my spine. “All prettied up. You dressin’ up for someone?”

“I am, actually.” I teased, fingering the edge of his leather jacket. “But I wasn’t sure if he’d show. He’s been away for a bit.”

“And miss you looking like this? Not a fucking chance.”

I almost squeal in excitement, like some lovestruck teenager. My face almost hurts from smiling so damn much, but I turn, wrapping my arm around his waist as his arm hangs around my shoulders. “Almost everyone could make it. Addie is here with Xander, Hurk jr and Sharky are being their normal selves.” I point over at Randy. “Raf and Randy are here, getting along pretty well. We should probably walk over, let you say hi. Randy has been talking about a bike he found and he wants to hear what you have to say about restoring it.”

He hums, and I watch as he glances around the field. I frown, doing a quick look around, just in case. But I see nothing, no Peggies or Judges. We finally start walking, and my smile returns until he starts to steer us away. I look back up at him.

“Wes?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“What...what are you doing? Our friends are that way.”

We glance back, and no one can see us walk off in the dark, all of them too busy with drinking, games, and talking to notice. “They sure are. But we’re goin’ this way.”

“Why?” I asked. He turns his head as we slow, a few yards away from the Testy Festy, before he pulls me behind a bale of hay. His hands are pushing up my dress, finding their way to my underwear. “Wes!” I gasp out.

He stops, looking at me confused. “What?”

“What are you doing?”

“What am I—? I haven’t seen you in over a week, and you show up here looking like this? Baby, come on. You knew what you were doin’.”

I blush as he pulls on the lacy material, ripping it. “You’ve gotta stop doing that.”

“Mmm, it’s fine.” He mumbles before he kisses me. I melt immediately, one hand clutching his shirt as the other runs through his hair. I’m getting lost in him until I hear his belt buckle, and I pull back in fear.

“We’re in public, you know? We can’t do this.” I hissed. What if someone hears us?”

“Try and stay quiet, understand?” He looked down at me with a slight smirk. “If you can. You think you can keep those sounds to yourself, baby girl?”

He undoes his pants quickly and I’m already panting from want and anticipation. His lips find me again, and he lifts me to slam me against the bale as my legs wrap around his waist, and he enters me swiftly.

Moaning, I pull at his hair and he leaves a trail of kisses on my neck, biting and sucking as he goes. “Oh my god, Wes. I’ve missed you.”

“Me too, baby.” He groans as he picks up his pace. “Fuck, you feel good.”

“Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

I hold onto him tightly, trying hard to keep my sounds to myself, but he drives me insane. “Fucking Christ, you’re beautiful, you know that? That fucking dress...” he growled in my ear.

“I was hoping you’d come.” I confessed. “I wanted—needed to see you.”

“Mhmm. I’m here baby, fuck. Gotta take of you, don’t I?”

I squeezed my legs harder around him with a cry of his name as my orgasm hits hard. “Yes! Oh my god, Wes!”

“Fuck, Wren. I love you. I fucking love you.” He groaned in my ear as he came inside of me, slowing until he stopped completely. I pull away, looking up at him.

“What?” I breathed out.

Wes is breathing heavily when he lifts his head to look at me, concern swirling in his eyes. “What?”

“What did you just say?” I asked again and he looked away a little uneasy.

“Oh...I uhm..” he cleared his throat. “I said—“

“You love me?” I asked, my eyes tearing up as I beam up at him. Wes hesitated, taking me in before giving a soft smile.

“Yeah. Yeah, I love you.”

I squealed, throwing my arms around his neck in a hug before smashing my lips against his enthusiastically. “I love you, too, Wes. I really do.” I breathed out in awe. His smile is breathtaking as he sets me down, his hands cradling my face to give me a deep, loving kiss.

We fix ourselves, making sure we were presentable. He returns his arm over my shoulders as I hang on to his waist. I can’t stop smiling as we join our friends, drinks being passed around with him keeping me close, making sure I didn’t stray far, especially with me now going without underwear. Kim gave me a funny look before reaching for my hair.

My eyes widen as she pulls a piece of hay from my hair, inspecting it before giving me a knowing smile. “You must be happy that Wes is back, huh?”

[farcryfuckmeup]

In Memoriam Pt. IV

Part IV of an eight part one-shot archive series!

Part I: Joseph Seed x Deputy

Part II: John Seed x Deputy

Part III: Jacob Seed x Deputy

Part IV: Faith Seed x Deputy

Part V: Sharky Boshaw x Deputy

Part VI: Nick Rye x Deputy

Part VII: Kim Rye x Deputy

Part VIII: Staci Pratt x Deputy

Faith wants to see Rook again, and she finally manages to.

Faith Seed x Deputy

The death of the deputy had shaken all of Hope County. The Resistance had stopped attacking John and his Chosen, The Whitetail Militia had ceased fire against Jacob and his Hunters, and The Cougars no longer burned through Faith's Bliss fields. But the Project had come to a halt as well. Trucks no longer moved supplies between regions, Jacob's Judges had been called back to the Veteran's Center, and Joseph had pleaded with his followers for peace, even if it was temporary.

Despite the fact that she had died, nobody knew quite how. Some said it was an explosion, some said it was from the bullet of a gun. She was constantly throwing herself into the mix of things, it wasn't a shock she had been injured, but rather that she hadn't managed to bounce back. She hadn't reappeared with a gun in her hand and a smirk on her face.

With the time she had spent with Rook, Faith had grown to love her. She was the one person who managed to pull out the Rachel in her, as dangerous as it was around other people. Rook had encouraged Faith to be who she was, not who Joseph wanted her to be.

They had walked through endless Bliss fields together, giggling and sharing secrets about their old lives. Rook had learned that Rachel had found Eden's Gate with Tracey, but had gone their separate ways. She'd learned that Rachel had come from a broken and controlling family, taking the name Faith when she entered her new one led by Joseph Seed. Faith had learned that Rook didn't have much of a family either. She'd learned that Rook didn't have a preference for cats or dogs, but rather would love a pet tiger if it were humane and legal. And safe, but this is Rook we're talking about. Faith learned that Rook had dyed her hair a variety of colors until she'd joined the academy.

Oh, how she missed her Rook. Her sister, despite their differences. Rook never agreed with the Seeds' methods and never relented to try and shut down their operations, but she had cared for them nonetheless, had shown them kindness when even Faith knew they didn't deserve it. They'd killed her friends, the people she was helping, had even hurt Rook herself.

Faith sat with her legs crossed in one of her Bliss fields behind her bunker, the sign of Faith's Gate just poking out from over the roof. Her gaze moved upwards to the sky, little sparkles filling the corners of her vision. She'd become practically immune to the effects of the Bliss, able to keep a clear head while subjected to it, but she still got visions sometimes.

"Welcome to the Bliss." A mocking voice giggled with the sound of dirt crushing beneath a set of footsteps. Faith would recognize that voice anywhere. She'd been trying to summon it with the Bliss whenever she had the chance. She tilted her head down with a grin as she stood up, rushing to meet Rook's open arms. The deputy lifted her up and spun her in a circle as they embraced each other.

Faith's bare feet touched the ground again, and she looked at Rook, who was wearing an outfit almost identical to hers. Lilies, chrysanthemums, and roses were intertwined with the lace on Rook's dress, the fabric a blinding, crisp white. Her feet were bare as well, and if she didn't look different than Faith, they would've been playing spot the difference. "I've missed you so much. How are you doing? We all miss you."

Rook touched Faith's cheek gently, a warm smile on her face before she reached down and held Faith's hands. She was warmer than Faith remembered, but she couldn't care less. Rook was here, with her. "I miss you, too. I'm not in any pain if that's what you're asking. I do wish I was with you, though. How is everyone?" Rook's voice echoed, but just barely, as she moved to sit down amongst the flowers as they'd used to. Her dress ruffled against the leaves as she rested in the dirt. Faith sat down next to her, noticing that while her dress accumulated some of the kicked up dust and pollen, the deputy's stayed completely clean.

"Everything's sort of...frozen," The happy notes of Faith's voice had started to dissipate, and she could feel a throb in her chest with each beat of her lonely heart. "The Sinners have stopped fighting against us, but we have also found ourselves lost without you. Some of the Flock question why we should have peace in these times of grief and ignore his requests. John and Jacob handle the dissenters before sending them to me." Her fingers had started to tighten around Rook's fingers, who looked up at her with a sad expression.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"How do you feel?" Faith was taken aback slightly at the Deputy's question. Only the Deputy had been more concerned about her well-being than the well-being of the Project. She sighed softly and looked down at their intertwined hands, Rook's thumb rubbing the back of her hand quietly. A butterfly landed on the Deputy's shoulder, fluttering its wings, but refusing to take flight.

"I feel...broken. As though I am frozen. I used to look forward to your shenanigans so that I could see you one more time, and when they stopped I...I didn't know what to do. I called out to you in the Bliss for days, but you never came. I had finally accepted the only way I could see you was in my memory...until today." Her voice shook with emotion as she spoke, and she looked up as she felt a soft touch to her bottom lip.

"You were not ready to see me, it would've broken your fragile, caring heart. You care so much Rachel, its why you hurt so much. But I will be here now. Whenever you need me, whenever you call. I will appear." Rook looked firmly into Faith's eyes before pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. Faith had always thought she tasted of vanilla, probably the chapstick she usually wore. They had joked about how chapped the deputy's lips were once, and then a few weeks later she'd begun to taste of vanilla.

She could taste the salt from her tears as they kissed, her fingers tightening around Rook's terrified to let go. If she did, she was scared Rook wouldn't come back. It was Rachel's fear. Faith knew Rook was in paradise, waiting for her and the rest of their Family. Her friends. But Rachel felt the grief like a crushing wave.

"Faith, you are something great. As Rachel and as Faith. You changed my life, you brought happiness into my life amongst all the death and the bloodshed. Look at me," Rook angled Faith's head so that she was looking into Rook's eyes. "You will help lead this Family into greatness. You will save lives and protect people in the case of destruction, that I know. Whether it's exactly how Joseph predicted it or not. Something is coming, and you will offer them shelter and protection. A purpose. You help give people new lives. The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh."

Rook pulled away, her eyes glittering green, covering up their natural color. Faith bit her lip as she held back the tears. She felt a firm hand on her shoulder as Rook looked up at someone behind her.

"Come, my child. Let us grieve the Lamb together."

When Faith looked behind her to see Joseph standing behind her with an empathetic expression on his face, her bottom lip quivered as the emotion rushed back to the surface, as though she were just learning of the Deputy's fate. "Let me say goodbye?" Joseph nodded and Faith turned her head to look at Rook one last time for the day. But she was already gone, replaced by a cloud of Bliss and butterflies. One of them landed on Faith's shoulder as Joseph helped her up, never leaving her side.