#my feelings about The Brothers(tm)

[agalychnisspranneusroseus]

Sasha using the title "Lord" in RiAAU after taking over Toad Tower and presumably killing Grime and stealing Barrel's Warhammer from him, and other political and military leaders assuming she's a man because, well, Sasha is a gender neutral name, so they hear Lord Sasha and assume they're talking about an adult male toad warrior. The second most powerful person in the known world and only real threat to the Leviathan reign!

Cue princess Marcy fleeing Newtopia and her father seeking refuge with his worst enemy hoping to offer information and political levarage in exchange for protection, perhaps even offering herself in marriage to transfer eventual inheritances and whatnot, and she finds out that Lord Sasha is not, indeed, a dark and domineering toad warlord, but a beautiful, terrifying girl her age that looks like her and oh god her poor little lesbian heart can barely take it.

[fadelbison]

Fadel and Bison Learning to Volley Affection in the way that only assassin (real) brothers (fake) can

the curse of being me is that I watch this show entirely with the lens that fadel/kant and bison/style are basically the same characters with a few key differences [like c'mon Kant's bg story is that he was a khun nu himself suddenly thrust into poverty and fatherhood to his baby brother??? its embarrassing how easy it is to watch the show in this way I think the show should make this harder for me] and it's in these differences that the compatibility of FadelStyle and KantBison comes in so strongly that it also kind of dooms Fadel and Bison to have ever worked as a pair even though that would be as far as I can tell Bison's ideal scenario?? [please his lovers in trenches fantasy is canonical the show is really just putting it all out there for me okay??]

And it's too simplistic to be an analysis and honestly largely based on my feelings but gosh doesn't it all boil down to how Fadel expresses affection and how that just doesn't work for Bison. I think Bison has had a lot of growth in understanding Fadel, I think Style actually helped with that. In fact, the biggest reason I would argue that the foil relationship runs in the Fadel/Kant and Bison/Style vein is because the brother's relationship got better when they started their romantic relationships. Suddenly, Bison realizes that he needs to ask things of Fadel and Fadel realizes that Bison needs a little softness now and then.

Fadel threatens Style all the time this is how they flirt. The way he shows affection stays the same whether it's Bison or Style. But Style was able to take it, he's able to volley it. When Fadel threatens to kill him Style comes back with a "well, make sure I look hot." when Fadel threatens Bison, Bison kind of withers a little.

I mean I don't blame him he is such a 'no thoughts just baby' of a man if I've ever seen one

[2 screenshots of Bison. 1st where he tries acting cutesy with Fadel over his stab wound and 2nd where Fadel shoots him down with a "Want another stab wound?"]

Bison's personality is just so ill equipped to handle Fadel's brand of affection it's almost hilarious because like he does the same thing to Style right before they reconcile hahaha

[2 screenshots of Fadel telling Style "I can be worse" and "You want that?"]

BUT! He's learning!!! After his initial frustration he does smile in this fond and exasperated way.

I screamed when I saw him share this moment with Style:

[2 screenshots of Bison telling Style like he's sharing a secret, "He {Fadel} acts all tough and rough on the outside but on the inside he's just a softie.]

Oh??? oh you understand this about your brother now??? You've only had like over a decade to figure this out about him and yet in Ep.1 you told Kant that Fadel was tough inside and out!!!! Why are you telling Style this as though he isn't the reason you even know!!! I think this has always been Bison's fundamental issue with Fadel:

I think he's just never figured out that Fadel loves him and worries about him? Poor baby, I'll never get over him asking Fadel to be his brother like Kant is with Babe. Fadel is already that brother to you Bison, what are you talking about 😭😭😭 I think their relationship with Keen has revealed so much about Fadel and Bison [because god forbid they tell us anything directly about their past] but Keen has struggled to be seen by their family, for his efforts to be acknowledged by Mother and by Mother's favorite (Fadel).

Bison's competence has gotten him a certain measure of respect from Mother and Older Sister (Fadel) but he too has struggled to be seen by them, to be taken seriously by them. Keen and Bison are more similar in their position in the family than Bison and Fadel even though Keen can't see it. But Bison can, and I would argue that Bison has always felt it.

It's not surprising that Fadel and Bison's dynamic shifts because Bison is the one learning to talk to Fadel, with jibes and threats and guns if needed

[screenshot of Fadel saying to Bison "You're turning a gun on your own brother for him?]

@mirmoria was extremely spot on when they said that this moment was never about Kant, it was always about Fadel finally listening to him and giving Bison his right to choose Kant's fate back to him. Bison has finally figured out what to do about his lack of agency in this relationship! Bison says as much too:

[Screenshot of Bison responding to Fadel with a gun pointed at him, "But it's my life"]

Anyway, with all of this new found understanding between them at no point in the story have Bison and Fadel been more primed to fall in love than right now, yes right at the height of their respective romances on the beach. And these are the kinds of earth shattering conclusions you can always hope to find in the stuff I write.

[lesbian-diana-cavendish]

Absolutely love this picrew so I had to make my wardens, hawke and Inquisitor! If you see this feel free to do it too!! (And maybe tag me, I'd love to see y'all's DA characters!!)

A bit about each of them:

Valda Aeducan x Leliana

Named after a former great queen of the aeducan house, Valda is a proud warrior with her mother's eyes and her father didn't even try to hide that she was his favorite, causing both brothers to resent her...(Also, all dwarves can grow beards! Most women in orzammar just chose not to... probably due to a human lover of a paragon at one point who accidentally made it a fad in her time lol...When she gets to the surface Valda starts to occasionally grow hers out)

Antoinette "Atton" Tabris x Morrigan

Atton is very butch and most non elves mistake her as a man, something she used to her advantage to survive the alliangae, she's a rogue with quick hands and a quicker wit. she has a lot of rage against nobles and she doesn't try to hide it (she and Valda exist in tandem and it takes *awhile* for them to get along)

Marian "Rain" Hawke x Isabela x Merrill

("Wow hawke, how come the Maker lets you have TWO GFS?!") To strangers she's a sarcastic ass who comes across as borderline lackadaisical, but her inner circle knows shes extremely driven and can be deadly serious when needed, had a twin brother who died at ogstagar to save carver so he in turn could save their family, it took her well over a year to even say his name again.

Pallegina Trevelyan x Sera (Trevelyan)

Youngest of seven, greatness was never really expected of Pallegina, who was always a bit quiet and socially awkward, she didn't take to politics as quick as her siblings, and was usually just ignored by her parents, but one of her older brothers trained her with the sword and shield and she proved to be a natural warrior, she was sent to the conclave as an expendable formality. Thanks to the support of her friends she's taken to being the inquisitor remarkably well... tho Josephine often has to work overtime to fix her many faux pas

[bitchfitch]

I'm 20k words into that modern au fic. which means this fic is 1k short of matching the length of that Other fic I've been picking at for uhhhhhhhhhh almost a full year? and I've only been working on it for like a week tops.

and I can not stress this enough, I'm still in the prewritting phase. this fic is going to be fuck off massive by my standards of fic writing. like. this is the level of Condensed the prewritting is it's Just the raw plot points and absolutely no fluff

and idk. I'm sat in a literal closet at a family function rn and just. Need the distraction of being proud of myself for being excited to actually write this and see what the word count is when all is said and done bc like, I may be 20k into prewritting but I've yet to hit Varre with a car so I'd say I'm still only half way through planning out act 2.

and I'm having a lot of fun with it bc they're just like. snotty rich kids largely dealing with teenager woes instead of empyreans in a dog fight for who gets to be God. and it's Insanely funny to me and probably no one else.

I barely ever do Proper AUs when I write fanfic. it's just easier for me to stick to filling out canon stuff, or just doing canon but in a different hat. so being excited about this kind of idea is very new to me xbdbdbdb

[shidoukanae]

also now realizing there's a heavy possibility that the unknown event Daniel references where he asks Lyla "how are you going to find your happiness?" is the same event Helene references when she tells Lyla that Lyla "betrayed" her.

Coincidentally, that's probably the same event that allowed Helene to be manipulated by the Empress into turning against Lyla and might have been the cause of Daniel leaving Lyla (probably to find out how to awaken as a dragon so he could gain the power to take her away from her family faster? maybe even going so far as to try and compete w/ Paris for the throne if it means protecting Lyla?)

There's also a suspicious gap of time from when Helene was poisoned to when she told Lyla to get away from her that has been omitted. And considering baby Lyla cries about Helene not wanting to be with her anymore...and that same baby Lyla is seen hugging Daniel in the unexplored scene...Lyla what the fuck did you do to Helene to embitter her like this?

[warthogreporter]

A second look at the human fucker community on monster tumblr

🧜‍♀️ Hermaid Follow

After a while you start to notice some trends in how people talk about fucking their hoomans

Vampires: This is Brother Reginald Regicus Regicum who I slowly corrupted and tempted with earthly desires across several long years until he became a creature of the night like myself. We're throwing his one year vampirization party in a month, here's the invite, if you don't come it's a personal insult, to me.

Orcs: This is Himby the Himbo who I snagged in some raid I did because I got bored on my way to the grocery store. It's funny when I make him wear cat ears.

🐻 Beard-Toucher Follow

Demons: These are Sir Good and Sir Goody. I make them wear matching collars because of how they were all but boyfriends before I enthralled them with my dark magic. You noticed their matching collars right?

Werewolves: You'll never believe this, but my human Stucky, who used to be called Lady Stuck Up, was actually a repressed and stuck up person before I helped her embrace her wild side TM.

🐍 Scaled-Scales-Scaling-Scales Follow

Naga: ...Anyway after spending 400,000 years praying I finally met the human who is the love of my life and we recited mantras together, after 200,000,000 years of this we began to *blushes* hold hands and then the gods...

Other kinds of dragons: This is King Dragonslayer the Unfucked. I use him as a display stand for my jewels when not fucking him.

(164,597 Notes)

🐙 WetterThanYou Follow

Showing the humans parts of their world they've never seen (the depths).

(9,846 Notes)

🐎 Seventaur-deactivated20230527 Follow

Man humans really are such pathetic creatures

🐎 Seventaur-deactivated20230527 Follow

Stop reblogging this as a human fucker post! I advocate for exterminating those pests! It's literally in my bio! Human Fuckers DNI!

👿PazuzuOfficial✅ Follow

Hey OP we need to 'talk' IRL. Don't bother turning on your location, I already know it.

(369 Notes)

🐺 HereWolf Follow

Seeing elves in human fucker communities is always such a "bro thinks he's on the team" moment. Oh yeah you're so different from humans with your pointy ears and... oh right that's literally it.

🛣️Elf-Hater Follow

Elves are like humans but lame and pretentious, even lame and pretentious humans are better. Eying a 'human' only to notice pointy ears is like biting into a blueberry muffin thinking it's a chocolate muffin, if blueberries tasted like shit.

🧝Elfeven Follow

🥺

🪓Orcasionally-Really-Cranky Follow

If it makes you feel better I fuck both humans and elves, just got back from a raid where I scored plenty of elves to make into my obedient little whores.

🧝Elfeven Follow

That doesn't make me feel better.

(685,734 Notes)

🦅Feathery Follow

Finally going to an actual human town. What do human eggs look like? Don't want to cause any problems by mistake.

🦋 Gregory-Grigori Follow

People on this webbed site will really just say anything about hoomans huh?

🐂 No-Yournotaur Follow

OP, humans don't lay eggs. It's weird that you thought they did. They're mammals.

🦅Feathery Follow

I thought they were like platypi no need to get up my ass about this

🐂 No-Yournotaur Follow

Okay you know what fair.

(5,873 Notes)

🦋 Gregory-Grigori Follow

I'd say good morning, but I didn't wake up with a beautiful human on each side of me so actually it was yet another mid morning.

(4,384 Notes)

Click here for part 1 and here for part 3 and here for the Christmas special

[allovesthings]

In my opinion, the butt jokes are incredibly incredibly tired.

So here are several fun facts about Dick that you can use for comedic effects/running jokes instead:

His hatred of Capes. Listen we are talking about Dick wore a yellow cape for 9 to 10 years in universe Grayson. The moment he changed his costume, he straight refused to ever wear a cape again, the only time he had to wear one, it was as Batman and it was very very frustrating for him.

You know that when he watched the Incredibles with Lian and Roy or Damian and Edna Mode came on screen with her hatred of capes, this was his reaction:

Someone else finally understand him. She instantly became his favorite character.

His tendency to put unknown substances/evidence in his mouth and being able to identify it by taste and his knowledge of what Heroin taste like (yep still not over it).

It's both impressive (the fact that he can actually identify something by taste alone is impressive) and gross and even his closest friends don't understand why he is the way that he is, Do we think it's the Bat training or do we think it's just Dick (tm)... I feel like it has to be just Dick, right ? considering everything in Gotham is a toxin of some kind ? How many heart attack do we think he gave both Bruce and the Titans with that ?

Dick Grayson namer of superhero things: Listen, I just learned that Dick named the Arrowcave and now I just kinda love the idea of a running joke that every time a classic superhero in contact with Robin has a goofy name for something superhero related, it probably comes from the 9 year old superhero who thought it sounded cool.

The Titans are never letting that go and Dick doesn't want to talk about it (but he secretly still really like the names, they were cool when he was 9 and pretty practical when you think about it, thank you very much).

Everyone has a crush on him (tm): Honestly it is pretty funny that everyone and theirs entire family have a crush on Nightwing (and also pretty consistent canon since Raven in ntt). The reaction of the batfam is annoyed because that's gross, it's Dick, theirs brother/son, and the Titans are amused (Donna, Vic, Garth and maybe Wally) or maybe sorta part of the people who have had a crush on him (Kory obviously , Roy, Raven).

You do need to be careful with that, but I think if you do the opposite of what DC is usually doing, you'll be fine.

Also you can also includes the disastrous first date with supergirl in that. She also had a crush on him and they date was so horrible that he considered changing superhero identity because it was so embarrassing (truly one of the greatest plot-point on Superman/batman world finest honestly and this series is genuinely my favorite modern/current series)..

His petty side when he doesn't like someone: Listen, Dick has a petty side, ask Helena circa Outsiders (2003), Talia (always), Jason circa the late 2000s (Morrison era) and Azrael (also always). When he doesn't like people but has to work with them, he is going to be a little shit because they have to know he doesn't like them. it's important. and the comedic potential of Nightwing, one of the most competent, known and admired hero of the community being so petty is excellent. 10 out of 10, I need him to work with someone he hates again just for the fun of it.

The last one is just an headcanon and do not have basis in canon as far as I know:

Sometimes, as an adult, Nightwing says Holy shit in front of a classic superhero and that superhero does a double take because they are so used to him saying Holy goly batman (and that include Batman).

[memetic-trigger-hazard]

Trope blender strikes again!

Since the formation of the Justice League Dark to deal with supernatural threats, Diana had been acting as the team's 'Superman' for lack of a better term.

It was, however, not a position she was entirely suited to, as ironically enough when engaging supernatural threats she was better suited to the same role that Batman played in the Justice League, engaging with superior training, tactics and specialised tools while also acting as battlefield tactical command.

With the lack of any other candidates however, she made do. But not for long.

Thanks to a wandering little girl, Diana had gained a new cousin and uncle who were refreshingly free of the hubris of the Greek pantheon, as well as an unexpected (and terrifying) meeting with her Grandfather who was far different from the stories, she supposed death and a few millennia would calm someone down. She was pleased however to add some paternal family members she could enjoy calm moments with.

Her Uncle was willing to help, however his backlog from the previous King in addition to the repairs and ongoing negotiations for reparations with the United States government made her feel guilt for placing further demands on him.

Her younger cousin however was more than happy to "get out of the house", her Father's comments about the expansiveness of a TARDIS castle completely ignored.

Ellie was already training with her old friend Pandora (So many happy reunions) so Diana was more than willing to take her to Themascerya for an initiation to the Sisterhood of Amazon's. Danny was ecstatic that his daughter was making friends.

Now Ellie as Banshee is JLD's front line fighter and Diana is the tactician, a dynamic duo of their own. Diana is so proud of her little cousin.

Which is why today was very..... Strange.

~

Basically the JLD have to head to the Watchtower for some threat, Ellie is super pumped because SPACE and Diana is excited to take her smol bean cousin to the Watchtower for the first time.

Batman and Co arrive and Drama TM occurs because "Holy shit that little girl looks like a Talia with blue eyes", Damian starts accusing and mouthing off, Ellie freaks because her Dad has warned her about the League of Assassins, so she freaks and bails.

Diana is explaining who Ellie is, how they're related when Uncanny Valley Danny in human form comes out of a portal in his "Royal Casual" work attire. Loose jeans,button up with vest, fluffy slippers with a coffee mug in hand. He's facing Diana, paying 0 attention to who else is there beyond "cool space station".

"Hey niece, why is my daughter running through my castle screaming about killer birds?"

"Ah, I believe she is referring to Robin being a former member of the League of Assassins." Diana replies.

Batman and the rest of the Justice League are tense, assessing this possible ally who RADIATES power and death. Anyone affected by death can feel it like static in their teeth during a lightning storm. Those who have been into the Lazarus Pits feel safe yet the overwhelming urge to KNEEL BEFORE YOUR KING.

"Well shit, someone actually escaped from the Fruit Loop Supreme? Anyone who gets away from my asshole grandfather is alright by me." Danny replies as he turns to look at the various heros, taking a sip from his mug.

"Danyal?" A faint hopeful whisper as Damian takes his mask off to look at his Brother (HOW, HOW? HE LOST HIM HE'S HERE HOW?) His dead twin somehow here and changed so much.

*Slurp*

"Well shit, didn't expect this."

This entire time Bruce's brain is making crunching noises.

It's not the extra son that's apparently God of the Afterlives. It's not the granddaughter.

Diana is his son's niece. Bruce had sex with his grand niece. Barbara is right, he needs therapy.

[oh-no-its-bird]

*falls out of a tree with a yelp*

There needs to be more people horny gripping for 40 year old Tobirama. Not enough people got to appreciate him. So I propose....

Tobirama and Kagami being yeeted back in time together via, Tobirama trying to save Kagami during his last stand but his blood loss made him have less control over his teleportation and instead of moving towards his other students Tobi moved himself and Kagami to the past. They proceed to do the usual of, making the village happen sooner as the norm of Naruto time travel fics lol

Except now Kagami is trying to keep Madara and/or Izuna from fucking his dad, who is not helping because he thinks this is funny. Do the brothers have Daddy Issues? Maybe...but older Tobirama go BRRRRRRRRRR

I am ringing the bell in the town square yelling ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ OLD MAN FUCKER !!!!!¡¡¡¡ THERES AN OLD MAN FUCKER IN MY INBOX !!!!!!!! For all to hear

Kidding but only bc 40 isn't old enough to make u eligible for the title. Still ringing the bell tho

I'm in fucking tears tho that would be such a great crackfic.

Older Tobirama time travels w Kagami and instead of being a tense political drama ab the differences between his younger self and older (in some ways, both versions are harder and softer than eachother— just in different departments) and what this means for the future of Konoha. And the implications of having 2 Tobiramas and 2 Kagami's, and how older Tobirama must decide what to do about Madara's inevitable defection.

Instead of all that. It's just 11k words of Madara horny gripping his thighs, breathing heavily as he stares at older Tobirama from across a peace talk table as Izuna screams into a paper bag and Hikaku looks like he's having an out of body experience.

Make it funnier actually. Trick the readers and make the first bit of the fic like. Super serious and from (young) Tobirama's POV

He is living in that tense political drama ab facing the man he will one day grow to be, and meeting his future adopted son (who is an uchiha!!!) And all these implications and heavy moral dillemnas of that peace really means and if he will allow it to soften himself like it has done to this older him. But also if he will allow it to harden himself too— but then, won't that happen anyways as the years go by?

Then like halfway through the chapter u get the Madara POV and it's just him screaming internally ab how bad he wants to hit that.

The things he wants to do to that man...the things he wants that man to do to him...... he is mentioning these Things(tm) to Izuna and Izuna punches him in the face then screams to never talk to him again and runs away to probably scream into a pillow for an hour.

Hikaku tries to talk to Madara and learns More Than He Needed To Know and promptly stands up and power walks away

Meanwhile Izuna is actually attracted to older Tobirama but unlike Madara, who seems to be overwhelmed with it enough to cancel out any other thoughts and feelings, is really fucking mad about it

He wants to climb him like a tree. He also wants to murder him in his sleep. These two things are not mutually exclusive.

Hikaku approaches him, intending to commiserate ab Madara / let Izuna vent a bit bc hes clearly wound up and needs it. Only for Izuna to let slip his own (honestly much more alarming) fantasies. Hikaku is fucking going THROUGH it.

Meanwhile, (young) Tobirama in the bg, seeing none of this: "The true nature of peace...can someone like me really help create such a thing?"

(Older) Tobirama is enjoying the show and absoloutley aware of his effect.

Kagami needs him to STOP. This is the worst thing to ever happen to him in his life.

Uhh endgame one or both Tobirama's end up sleeping w Hikaku (the younger version possibly getting into a relationship w him after the elder leaves?) bc this is the funniest outcome to me. And Madara and Izuna lose their fucking minds ab it

[the-lucid-llama]

"TWIN WAYNE AU"

Just been thinking about an au where Bruce and batman ARE two different people and their brothers but it's like a black butler case with one being so sickly that no one know the other exist or can actually tell them apart [except ofc Martha and Thomas]. So like to protect each other they operate as an single entity. The Bruce we know does mainly batman related stuff and the sickly twin is now the party boi Persona and they swicth when one gets too burned out and or injured.

I also like to think they are the two extremes on a very specific grief scale. Bruce stops smiling very serious and doesn't want to feel love or believes that he deserves any type of happy emotion so he drowns himself in his duty as batman. While his brother doesn't want to grieve and believes that being sad is an insult to their parents memory so he ignores any and all negative emotions and drowns himself in his need to tend to Bruce and trying to "fix" others. Yes I want the angst that they are constantly butting heads over these extremely toxic view points. But too dependent on each other to separate or staying away from each other for long period of times.

Also imaging that any time someone is like Bruce Wayne is batman they both just pop up in rooms togther and the twin (who I'm calling Brutus cause I think it's funny) is like OMG is that batman can I like get ur autograph!! And just uping the himbo bit just to really play into their differences and that person is just like oof I'm gonna be the laughing stock of Gotham.

Brutus got the same training Bruce did and their pretty much evenly matched but he (Brutus) is more sluggish cause he is highly medicated ( like i said he doesn’t like feeling negative emotions)

One really angsty moment I've been thinking about is we Jason get killed by joker how Brutus decides fuck that that's my baby stops taking his meds for months and absolutely obliterates joker and buries him somewhere and make sure not even he himself remembers (ie he goes back to take his med but at a higher dosage) and even Bruce being the best detective tm he knows his brother did something but can't prove it and that causes more distant and resentment until eventually they spit and Bruce has to take the batman and "Brucie" mantle for awhile lol

Imma add more on to this but this has been clawing at my brain 🧠

[johanna-swann]

Okay, but how about an angsty thanksgiving intervention? They have a friendsgiving thingy a couple of days before or after the actual holiday at the Madney house. I imagine Maddie, Chim, Hen, Karen, all their kids and Buck are there. Eddie is in El Paso for the holiday and Bobby and Athena are busy with something else, idk. (I feel like having Bobby there would prevent a lot of the drama, so for reasons he can't be there.)

But Chimney (with Maddie's approval) also invites Tommy - except Tommy doesn't know this is a family event [tm], he thinks Chim just invited him over to hang out. Drink some beer, watch a movie maybe.

And Tommy thinks: "I should probably go, Howie's been my friend for almost 20 years now. I can handle hanging out with an old friend for a night, even if he happens to me ex's brother-in-law. It'll be good for me." But he's completely and utterly unprepared and not ready to run into Buck again so soon, much less in a context that oh so loudly screams "family" and thus represents everything Tommy always wanted and never had. It's an ocean's worth of salt in a fresh wound.

Buck on the other hand doesn't know Tommy's coming to the friendsgiving either. He just prepared a shit ton of food and figured spending time with his family will be a good distraction from the break-up. He hasn't hung out with Hen and Karen in a while and he's looking forward to having all the kids around. Who can mope about a stupid ex when the noise is drowned out by giggling and laughing children running around?

Chim and Maddie hoped that their plan might help Buck and Tommy to at least find some closure or maybe even get them talking to each other again. Either way, at least everyone gets a good, home-cooked meal and some quality time with friends out of it, right?

But then they're suddenly and unexpectedly confronted with each other when neither of them is ready. Buck has barely begun to even process the break-up. Let's be honest, the baking thing has been more of a distraction from thinking about Tommy than a coping mechanism to work through his feelings. He's still a little bit in denial and Tommy crashing his safe-space catapults him into the anger/depression stage.

Tommy could've dealt with a movie night with Chim, could've even coped with having Maddie and Jee-Yun there, but an entire ass family holiday? Avoiding eye contact, forcing smiles, faking normal for hours while pretending he isn't still putting the pieces of his own heart back together? Knowing he will go home alone with the fresh reminder of what he will never truly have and get to keep?

So Tommy awkwardly excuses himself and maybe Buck throws in a bitter: "Yeah, leave. You're good at that." And maybe in an attempt to de-escalate - or at least move the escalation out of earshot from the kids - Maddie suggests they talk outside. But outside they just stare at each other, not knowing what to say. Tommy apologises again, saying he'll just leave and let Buck enjoy the evening.

"It's fine", Buck says: "I think I'll leave too, actually." And Tommy lays into him about how he shouldn't spend the holiday alone when he can just go back inside and be with his family, he shouldn't be sitting in his empty loft when he could play with Jee-Yun or catch up with Karen instead.

Buck finally gets angry about what happened, but he hasn't put his thoughts in order yet, can't put into words what he feels yet. He also feels ambushed and a wee bit manipulated. So he just bites out: "Oh right, I forgot. You're the expert on what I should and shouldn't be doing. God forbid I decide for myself what I want", walks over to his car and drives off.

Tommy sits in his car for a little bit, then he goes home too. Maddie and Chimney feel bad. After they tried to encourage Buck to move on a bit too soon, they overcorrected in the opposite direction and it blew up in their faces. Maddie tries to call Buck, but he's turned off his phone. Chimney tries to reach out to Tommy, but his text sits there delivered, unread and stays unanswered.

Tommy ends up sitting on his couch, crying and staring at the tv which he hasn't even bothered to turn on and Buck spends hours pacing in his kitchen, alternating between wanting to yell at Tommy for breaking up with him in the first place and deleting his number so he'll never even be tempted to talk to him again.

So they all end up spending the friendsgiving evening in varying degrees of misery.

(Maddie, Chimney and Buck patch things up almost immediately. They bring him breakfast the next morning and apologise for springing this on him without warning. He accepts the apology, he knows they meant well and it was actually a nice thing that they tried to include Tommy despite the break-up. He wants Tommy to be happy. Really, he wants Tommy to find whatever he thinks Buck couldn't give him. He hopes Tommy one day finds a man who won't make him run the opposite direction. He wants Tommy to feel good about himself and to have a life full of friends and family and people who he can call his. Eventually. Right now, he admits, he selfishly wants Tommy to feel a bit shit. He hopes Tommy is hurting at least as much as he is. He hopes Tommy's favourite basketball team loses every game of the season. He hopes one of Tommy's coworkers says the q-word and jinxes them for a full 24 hours shift. Buck doesn't know when he started crying, but Chim and Maddie are there for him and they spend most of the day together.)

(Chimney also apologises to Tommy. They don't really talk about it, Tommy doesn't want to. He'd rather listen to Howie gush about becoming a dad again, talk about the next pick-up game and ignore the elephant in the room. It's easy to slip back into the casual friendship, the conversations that are full of movie dialogues and references, the bragging and comparing of batshit calls they've worked in the past 20 years. They don't hang out at Howie's house, they either go to Tommy's or meet at a bar. But Tommy is relieved he at least got to keep this.)

(Buck and Tommy run into each other again a few weeks later. It's the second christmas day, Buck is invited to hang out with the Diaz family. Christopher has agreed to come to LA for a week - a trial run of sorts to help him and Eddie figure out what comes next - and they're all going to spend the day at tía Pepa's. Buck is picking up some groceries on his way there and who does he meet in the canned foods isle? Buck doesn't really know what comes over him, but he suggest they should hang out together while Chris and Eddie are here. All four of them. Eddie was Tommy's friend before they ever went out after all and so was Chimney. Plus, they're all firefighters. They're bound to run into each other again sooner or later, it'd be childish to be hung up on the past. Tommy says yes.)

(They start talking to each other more after that. Not very often, not consistently, not about their break-up. But they talk. It starts with texting and hanging out in group settings. Then the phone calls start. At first just small ones, "it'll be quicker than texting" calls, "I'm ellbows deep in foccacia dough" and "broke my hand on call yesterday, so quite literally can't text" calls. Then they start hanging out one on one again. Neither of them has ever stayed friends with an ex before. Is it supposed to feel like this? Is Tommy's laugh still supposed to make Buck's heart skip a beat like this? Is Evan's soft smile still supposed to melt Tommy's insides like this?)

(They get back together in March. It's not preceded by a big and dramatic event. There's no "life or death" situation, no traumatic incident to make them realise that "tomorrow isn't promised, no awkward jealousy over a new partner. It's just another movie nigh. Buck falls asleep with his head on Tommy's shoulder and Tommy doesn't even think about it before running his fingers through Evan's curls. Buck wakes up as the credits start rolling. He shifts a little, looks up at Tommy, but he doesn't move away. The kiss is soft and chaste and they leave it at that one kiss. Buck doesn't move to the bedroom with Tommy, but he does crash on Tommy's couch. They talk in the morning. They talk about being all in but taking it slow anyway, they talk about crushes and admiration and love and the difference between all three, they finally talk about the break-up. They keep it a secret for a little while. Call it precaution or payback for Chimney's attempt at meddling.)

(They make it three weeks. Then Tommy surprises Buck at his loft and they forget that not only was Eddie supposed to come over, Eddie also has his own key. They never live it down for as long as they're alive.)

[chloe-skywalker]

I Know Them Better - Jax Teller

Jax x Fem!Reader

David Hale x Sister!Reader

Warnings: SOA

Word count: 1,942

Summary: Being Hale’s sister and dating Jax is complicated to say the least. Especially when hale doesn’t know about it

Authors Note: First Jax Teller story! So excited for this. There will be more!!!!

Masterlist

Sons Of Anarchy Masterlist

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The sun was breaking through the curtains which in return woke Y/n and Jax up slowly.

“Good mornin Darlin.” Jax smirked as he opened his eyes to see Y/n laying there next to him.

“Back atcha handsome.” Y/n smirked back not even opening her eyes, enjoying being in bed with her man. Since they were currently at Y/n’s house they didn’t have to worry about being interpreted or so they thought.

Right when they both were gonna try to go back to sleep there was a loud pounding on Y/n’s front door. Which made both of their eyes open quickly and widely.

“Are you expecting someone?” Jax asked her.

“Not that I know of. Stay here.” Y/n got up and threw on a shirt and a pair of shorts before glancing back at him and she noticed his nervous and apprehensive look. “I’ll yell for you if I need you, my knight with shining motorcycle.” she teased him.

Y/n walked down the hall and headed over to her front door only to see her brother on the other side causing the racket.

“David.” Y/n said his name in shock, why was her brother at her home she thought as she opened the door and greeted him.

“Y/n.” he greeted back as he entered her home.

“So what’s up brother?” Y/n said loud enough for Jax to hear so he knew who it was and to not come out of her room.

“I need you to be careful around town.” David told her as they stood in Y/n’s kitchen.

“Why? What's up?” Y/n furrowed her brows.

“Samcro’s up to something. And I have a bad feeling about it.” Hale told her annoyed at Charmings local Biker group.

“Why do you hate them?” Y/n questioned her brother trying not to sound upset with him for judgment of the Son’s. But it was hard not to, he judged them and doesn’t even know them.

“They’re criminals Y/n.” He told her simply.

“They may not be completely innocent but they also protect the town David. You have to see that.” Y/n tried with David often but it was hard when she had to not let on to her and Jax’s relationship. 

Y/n could see from her spot standing in the kitchen down the hall and saw Jax listening in to their conversation. He just smirked at her.

“Their good deeds don’t outweigh their bad ones.” Hale stated to her before sighing. “Just be careful okay? I don’t want you to get hurt because of them.”

“Okay. I’ll be careful.” y/n nodded along to appease him. But She wasn’t going to stay away from Jax or the club. But he didn’t need to know that.

“Thank you.” David smiled at her gratefully. He sometimes hated that she was still living in Charming, it made it harder to protect her. “Oh I won’t be able to have our normal weekly dinner tonight. I have to work late.”

“Okay, that's fine.” Y/n smiled at him.

“Bye Y/n/n.” Hale hugged her before heading for the door to leave.

“Bye Bro.” Y/n watched him leave before hearing the front door shut.

“Man, he really doesn’t like us huh?” Jax spoke from the entrance to the hallway.

“Not funny.” Y/n rolled her head to look at him. It was hard for Y/n that she essentially had 2 different lives. Y/n was close to her brother and they normally talked about everything but she couldn’t share with him anything about her relationship because he wouldn’t approved.

“Well, since you're not gonna be busy tonight. Why don’t you come to TM. We’re not having a party but we are all gonna be hanging out at the clubhouse. That way you don't have to be alone and get more time together.” Jax suggested walking over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Jax knew Y/n hated being alone and he’d take any time they could spend together.

“Okay. I don’t like being alone and I miss all the guy’s.” She nodded in agreement looking up at him.

“What about me?” Jax raised a brow teasing her.

“Of course you.” She shook her head with a laugh at his antics, as she headed into the kitchen with Jax on her tail. Y/n grabbed a drink from her fridge as Jax watched her for a moment biting his lip before pushing off of the kitchen wall and leaving the room. Y/n called out at his retreating form. “Where are you going?”

“To pack you a bag.” He called back from down the hall, turning into her bedroom.

“Jax?” Y/n pushed off the counter top to follow him into her room.

“We’re staying the night at the clubhouse.” Jax states.

Y/n raised a brow, she knew all he’d try to pack. She rolled her eyes at his packing taste. “If all your gonna pack is lingerie-”

“I’ll pack other things.” He smiled mischievously.

“Like what?” Y/n asked him with a tilted head, curious to his other thoughts on what to pack.

“Extra of my clothes and you can wear those.” Jax smiled cheekily.

“Hmmm.” Y/n hummed, nodding amused at his answer.

^     ^     ^

@ TM  Next Morning

“Aye Lass, Morning.” Chib’s greeted with a nod and a smile upon seeing Y/n exit the dorm hallway.

“Morning.” Y/n greeted the Scottish man with a smile on her lips.

“Hey Darlin, you look good.” Jax looked her up and down as she walked over and he handed her a glass of orange juice.

“Hmmhmm, I’m in your clothes after all.” Y/n hummed smiling up at him knowing exactly what he was getting at.

“You should just wear my stuff from now on.” He smirked with a shrug.

“You’d like that wouldn’t you.” Y/n laughed, and then her phone started ringing.

“Hey, Whats up?” Y/n said answering her phone upon seeing her brothers name flashing on the screen.

“I need you to come down to the station.” David stated cutting to the chase.

“Why?” Y/n asked confused as to why he’d want her down to the police station?

“Just to talk about something. See you soon.” He wouldn’t say over the phone.

“Bye.” Y/n barley got it out before the line went dead.

“I have to go.” Y/n said looking up at Jax with a tight lipped, slightly sad smile. She didn’t want to leave.

“Nooooo. Why?” Jax whined wrapping his arms tighter around her waist as he sat behind her on a stool.

“Sorry, brother calls.” She sighed getting out of his hold and standing up.

“You gonna be okay, lass?” Chibs asked, they all considered Y/n family. She’d been around since her and Jax were in highschool.

“Yeah. Y/n/n. We could come with.” Tig offered fully prepared to back up the Y/h/c-ed girl.

“Nah, I’ll be okay. Brother just probably wants to rant about you guys anyway.” Y/n waved them off.

“You comin back?” Jax asked as he hands her her keys.

“Yeah, I’ll be back. Love you.” She smiled and leans over to kiss his cheek.

“Love you, too.” Jax squeezed her waist before watching her go.

^     ^     ^

“Hey. Why’d you need me down here?” Y/n walked into her brother's office shutting the door behind her before she went to sit down across from him.

“The Son’s are planning something. It’s gotta be big because they’ve been having meetings with every rival gang around. Its gonna be big and its gonna get people hurt. If not killed.” David explained to his sister stressing the possible implications of what he believes is to come.

“Maybe they're making deals to protect the town.” Y/n shrugged. She of course knew what was going on, Jax told her things even she shouldn’t know. But she couldn’t tell her brother that.

He shook his head in denial. “They aren’t. I know them. This is going to have a ton of casualties. Their gonna-”

“Stop! Just stop.” Y/n cut him off having had it with his obsession of making them the bad guys. “I know them better than you do. I know exactly what they do and what they were doing. Because unlike you I actually know them, and no I won’t share what is going on with you. Sorry.”

Hale furrowed his brows. “How do you know so much about Samcro?”

“In fact, whose clothes are you wearing?” He spoke up again. David noticed finally that she was wearing a men's shirt way to big for her, what really got him though was that the shirt had a faded “Samcro” printed on the front.

“I’m wearing Jax’s shirt because He’s my boyfriend. Had been for almost a year.” Y/n let out a stressed breath and just came out with her secret relationship that was only a secret to her brother.

“For fuck’s sake!” David let out angrily shaking his head.

“Shut up and listen.” Y/n told him standing up, taking charge of what was going to be said. “They are good guys. They may be in some not so legal shit, but they're good guys. Either give them a chance or back off some. You're stressing yourself out to unhealthy levels when it comes to Samcro.”

Y/n worried sometimes at how stressed the thought of the Son’s made her brother it was so unhealthy for him.

Y/n got up and stormed out of his office and the station. Right now she only wanted to be around the Son’s. Mainly Jax. Her Jax.

Once she got back to TM  Chib’s was the first to notice.

“Jackie boy. Someone's back and she looks stressed.” Chibs called out as he watched Y/n pull in on the faster side and all it took was one look at her body language to know something happened.

“Don’t think that talk went so good.” Juice commented as they all watched Y/n, the girl normally so calm and mostly relaxed acting very agitated and stressed.

“Y/n/n, what's wrong? What happened?” Jax asked as he approached her halfway seeing how stressed she was Jax pulled her into him for a few moment’s knowing his embrace comforted her.

“He knows about the club’s meetings with the rival MC’s, and he knows about us.” Y/n told Jax stepping out of his hold looking up at him. Jax looked shocked when she mentioned their relationship being outed to her brother. Y/n sighed before telling him. “I couldn’t take it anymore. He noticed my shirt as well. I had to tell him. . . I also told him to back off the club. You're all good guys and he’s stressing over it in unhealthy ways.”

Jax cupped the side of her face, he knew how worried she was about her brother finding out about their relationship. With how much he hate’s Jax and the Son's, how could she not worry. “I know you're worried that you’ll lose him because of our relationship. I’m sorry Darlin.”

Y/n gave him a half smile. “On the bright side we don’t have to hide and sneak around anymore.”

“Come on, Darlin. We missed you.” Jax mirrored her half smile. That was a perk of David now knowing, but Jaxx just wanted to cheer her up at the moment.

Jax wrapped his arms around her shoulders and guided her over to where the others were. They were her family to and they’d support her no matter what.

Taglist:

@padawancat97 @gruffle1 (sorry I didn't have my list on me and I didn't know if you wanted to be tagged in SOA stuff)

[pillowspace]

Thinking about how Charlotte Emily most likely regularly hung out with the Aftons.

William comes downstairs at 9 in the morning to see Charlie and Elizabeth with empty teacups and a teapot, and is just like, ah. Of course. Little girls love tea parties, but indulges them anyway like "what are you two up to?" Elizabeth immediately lights up. "Charlie said that we should play British People 'cause we're British!" William, now a bit more confused, "...ah. I see." Elizabeth, "oh won't you join us? Pretty please?" Charlie then pipes in that she had also asked Mike, but that he had very unfortunately said no, because "Liz plays too mean." Elizabeth, "I do not, you're just too scared to lose!" Michael, "I can't fucking lose at 'British People.'"

Charlie and Elizabeth do atrocious things to their dolls. Drama. Tragedy. They always clash on the endings though, as Charlie wants their dolls fo have a happy end while Elizabeth wants their dolls to have an even worse end

Michael doesn't know Charlie's staying over, and brings home his schoolmates one day. William Frowns TM like "I tried to tell you Henry was dropping off Charlotte today, but you were already halfway out the door." Michael later re-enters the room to find his schoolmates picking on Charlie and pulling at her hair. The closest Michael ever feels to peace is when he's with the Emilys, so he immediately spirals at the sight like, "oh god, if Uncle Henry finds out I brought people over who hurt his daughter, he might not bring her over anymore. What do I do then? What do I do if he stops liking me?" He quickly shoos off his friends, going "dude! She's a guest, leave her be" while Charlie recovers. Before he too can follow after them, Charlie asks Michael if he'll draw with her. He hesitates. The Emilys are the closest he ever gets to peace, so he agrees and sits down to draw. "What are you drawing, Char?" "Marionette!" "'S that the creepy thing that's always watching the guests come and go at Freddy's?" "He's not creepy, he's my friend. Dad made him for me :(" "ahh. You know, my father's been building something for Liz too." "You think that it'll protect her like Marionette protects me?" "Maybe."

Charlie notices how anxious CC always seems to be, and declares one day that she'll keep him safe. She makes him a drawing of them both holding hands, and gives it to him so that he may always look upon it and know that Charlie's rooting for him. He nearly bursts into tears at the kind gesture. The whole household tries to be nicer to each other whenever Charlie's around, but CC tells her about Michael's behaviour to him. Knowing how weak Michael is to her, Charlie gives Michael a look while he's grabbing cereal the next morning like "you should be nicer to your brother. He's just a little kid." Michael immediately pauses, then awkwardly closes the cupboard like "ummm. Okay." Not wanting to use Charlie as a means to make fun of CC, he just never brings the interaction up afterwards

The Emily and Afton families joining together are constantly filled with different forms of jealousy from the Aftons. William, he's jealous of Henry. Michael, he's jealous of Charlie's positive relationship with her father. CC, he's jealous of how Michael seems to like Charlie so much more than him. Elizabeth doesn't even notice her own jealousy, but deep down, Charlie's completely peaceful household... confuses her. She rationalizes the lack of favouritism or hostility as it only stemming from Charlie being an only child, rather than Henry's good parenting. Being so young as well as being the perfect golden child, Elizabeth doesn't know how to express doubt in her father. Clearly, it must be her siblings doing something wrong if Charlie and Uncle Henry are doing so well on their own!

After CC's death, the house is filled with an unbreakable tension. It's grief. It's guilt. Michael and his schoolmates completely cut ties after what happened. And as always, the Emilys feel so separate from the tension of his own home. Michael starts talking to Charlie more frequently, more often at Henry's house rather than his own. He tries not to, or at least usually tries to hide first, but he accidentally has a complete breakdown in the living room one time. Charlie hums a soothing lullaby to him until Henry eventually comes back, notices the state Michael's in, and takes over calming him down while sending Charlie off to do some other seemingly helpful task. After Elizabeth's death, Michael only really has the Emilys left. Charlie stops just being his source of peace, and becomes his best friend. His only friend. Then after Charlie's death...

It's rather lonely all of a sudden.

Later, years later, when Michael's flesh is rotting on his bones and everything is just about to finally be done with, he sits down on the edge of a cheap creaky stage he bought, and lightly knocks his knuckles against Lefty's calf. "Charlie? Can you hear me alright? It's Michael ... I'm sorry. I know I never acted like it, but... for what it's worth... you were my best friend back then. ...Whatever's beyond this, would you like to be friends again there too?"

[teaboot]

Batman? As in extended batman universe, specifically batman, or movies batman? I'm going to die from the hilarity of /accidentally/ following another batman fan. Generally it's on purpose lol

I was actually absorbed into the Fandom by osmosis before I even touched any of the Canon material

Even now I've only seen the Affleck movies and the Battinson one, plus a couple cartoons and like. Four comics out of order

With next to zero evidence tho I have decided that

Dick Grayson has Eldest Daughter syndrome that, speaking as an Eldest Daughter (tm) really should be addressed in the lore somewhere before he goes on a drunken bender, gets a tramp stamp, kills a man, and has a full-on mental breakdown when the Repression Dam breaks

Stephany Brown radiates "angry teen girl needs a hug" energy imo but I feel like she might break my arms? I don't know anything about her except her dad sucks but honestly same boat, would hang

Timothy Drake cannot be the helpless boohoo I see a lot of, but somehow the cool, collected, hypercompentant, übermensch-tweenybopper look is kinda sadder, like seeing a twelve year old buying groceries at the store by themselves. I want to send his ass to normal kid summer camp

I don't know pretty much anything about Duke Thomas except that he's a meta whose parents might be alive but crazy. I can only conclude that he suffers from Black Character White Fandom syndrome. I headcanon that he had an embarrassing weeb phase in middle school because he feels like the kind of kid Who'd have gone through a phase of saying "ohaio" with peace signs as a baby tween. I have no evidence to support this

Cassandra Cain might be my favourite. I think she deserves to go on an angry, irrational rampage or two, as a treat. Aggretsuko vibes that I cannot explain. I bet her favourite colour is purple

Jason Todd is my guilty comfort character and I refuse to believe he kicked the shit out of a fifteen year old while wearing a legless adult onesie. I refuse. Also yeah as a huge angry-kid-book-nerd there is no way that pride and prejudice was his number one fave, my money is on the Percy Jackson series but that could just be me projecting

Damian Wayne is Autistic, personal subscription. Because I am too and I said so. Reminds me of my baby brother, but crankier. Like a tiny old man who doesn't want to be at bingo with the other folks at the senior center.

I feel like Alfred should be allowed to be wrong about something sometimes but I still love him. Give that grandpa a gun

Bruce Wayne strikes me as a man who should have put a lot more thought and study and personal therapy consults into the idea of adopting multiple highly capable highly traumatized children he's never met before before but fuck pobody's nerfect am I right. Bisexual

[puffins-muffins]

Control - The Tug-of-War

Pairing: Jax Teller (AU-ish) x FemaleLawyer!Reader Word Count: 7346 Summary: As tensions with a rival MC escalate, old feelings relent, complicating your fight to maintain professional boundaries. Torn between duty and desire, a dangerous conspiracy is uncovered, all while navigating the risks of your rekindled connection to Jax. Warnings: 18+ only please! (eventual smut) lots of innuendo, cursing, brief mentions of implied violence, angst, and feels. A/N: FINALLY! Part 4 is here. This took me waaaaay longer to finish than I ever anticipated, so a HUGE thank you to everyone still invested in Jax and Pepper's story. As always, feedback is encouraged and greatly appreciated - likes, comments, and reblogs fuel me. Beta'd by myself, all mistakes are my own. Without further ado...

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Days had passed since your ride with Jax and the almost-kiss—the memory replayed endlessly, torturous and consuming every crevice of your mind. The roughness of his fingers grazing your cheek, the piercing intensity of his eyes that seemed to strip away every barrier you had, and the warmth of his breath—teasing and familiar, carrying a blend of nicotine and mint that was undeniably him. He leaned in so close that the logical part of your brain seemed to disappear. You’d almost let it happen, almost let him claim the space between you. And the truth? You wanted to. 

So bad. 

It was the way he drew you in, no matter how hard you tried to resist, because Jax had always been like that—dangerously magnetic, a force you could never escape. You knew, without a single doubt, that once you crossed that line, there’d be no going back to the safe distance you’d convinced yourself you could maintain.

Since you came back to Charming, Jax had been careful, almost restrained—testing your boundaries. But now, there was no mistaking his intent. His touches lingered, his words carried too much weight, and his eyes promised everything you’d ever wanted together. 

He wasn’t holding back anymore and the feelings he stirred were overwhelming—a mix of longing, frustration and, yet, something dangerous and powerful. It was never just physical with Jax, he had a way of getting under your skin, making you feel seen in a way that was as thrilling as it was unsettling. Your pulse quickened, thoughts tumbling over one another, all drowned out by the agonizing truth: being close to him felt effortless, like slipping into a perfectly worn, familiar T-shirt that fit just right.

You told yourself you needed space, that putting distance between you two was the only way to clear your head. After hashing out strategies with Liz over the new evidence—you decided heading back to your office and home felt like the best option. 

You had an early motion hearing Thursday, and after that, you’d head out, giving yourself a long weekend to regroup with your team. A few consecutive days away from Charming would help you regain perspective, give you the distance you needed to pull your thoughts from the relentless tug of him. 

It made sense. 

But even as you planned your escape, the decision felt heavier than it should have, like you were leaving behind way more than just a case.

You sighed deeply as you parked in the TM lot, the neatly lined bikes confirming everyone was already inside. Jax’s earlier text had been brief—Juice had uncovered something about the rival MC, and whatever it was, felt big. 

Bracing yourself, you stepped inside the clubhouse, the all too familiar mix of cigarettes and stale beer, greeting you like an old habit you couldn’t break. Tension simmered as you walked in, the low hum of conversation buzzed from the Chapel, where the brothers were scattered, their faces grim and tight with unspoken worry.

Jax stood at the head of the table as he surveyed the room with the same intensity as always. Your eyes were immediately drawn to the fresh cut slicing through his brow, the faint shadow of a bruise spreading around his eye. Concern flashed across your face before you could stop it, but when your eyes met, he gave you a slight nod. His expression stayed hard, and the moment passed with nothing more than a look exchanged between you.

Still, you didn’t miss the subtle shift in his stance as you walked in, the way his shoulders straightened just enough to betray his awareness of you. It wasn’t intentional, but it was undeniable—a quiet reaction only you seemed to notice. 

Jax was never unaware of you.

"Alright," he spoke, his voice cutting through the room and drawing everyone’s attention as the men settled into their respective seats, while you stood to the side, your eyes never leaving Jax. "We’ve been digging into the Warlords, and they’re in this deeper than we thought." His gaze flicked toward you briefly before continuing. "Had a close call with their guys on the highway last night. Almost turned into a showdown, but we pulled back."

The Warlords had once been allies of the Sons, but everything changed the day Clay killed their president during a botched gun deal and then covered it up. Damon Reyes had taken over, severing ties with SAMCRO and escalating the tension into years of animosity.

You couldn’t stop yourself from glancing at the cut again, a dozen questions swirling in your mind already. You crossed your arms, waiting for him to elaborate. 

“We think they’re the ones framing me for murder,” Jax declared, his jaw clenched, eyes locked on yours.

Your mind spun, connecting the dots from everything you and your defense team had uncovered. The anonymous payments, the conveniently surfaced witness, the doctored phone records—it all pointed back to the Warlords. They were manipulating evidence from afar, keeping their hands clean while setting Jax up. 

“This might be the link we’ve been missing,” you realized, a mix of anger and relief washing over you.

“If I go down for this, Reyes thinks it’ll cripple the club. He’s been plotting ever since Clay killed Mendoza.” Jax affirmed, his tone sharp.

His words lingered in the air, Reyes’ long-standing vendetta casting a shadow over the room. The Sons had been fighting to stay one step ahead for years, but now the stakes had never been higher.

The room buzzed with unease; the brothers’ faces reflected the seriousness of the situation. Chibs piped in. “Aye, and it’s not just Reyes, Jacky Boy. That bastard’s got cops in his back pocket too.”

Your stomach knotted, and your brow furrowed slightly as you turned to Chibs. “Anything solid tying Reyes to any specific cops?” Your mind remembering Connelly. 

Chibs shook his head. “Nothin’ yet, lass. We’ve got whispers and cash movin’ around, but not the kind of evidence that’ll hold up in court.”

Your thoughts reeled as the gravity of the situation sunk in. “If we can make that connection, we could file a motion to dismiss,” you murmured, your voice barely audible. Taking a steadying breath, you stepped forward, your tone growing stronger as you addressed the club. “We have to be smarter than him. Reyes isn’t just after you, Jax—he’s coming for everything.”

The room grew silent, tension settling over everyone as the full weight of the threat sank in. This wasn’t just about clearing Jax’s name; it was about survival. The Sons were in deeper than ever, fighting to keep the club from being torn apart by the Warlords. 

As you stood there, you began to grasp the true depth of your loyalty. This wasn’t just a connection to your father’s club; it ran through your veins, binding you to a legacy you never wanted, but couldn’t deny. 

And your feelings for Jax—still growing, still impossible to suppress—made the idea of walking away unthinkable. No matter how tangled and complicated everything had become, the thought of leaving him—or the club—was something you couldn’t do now.

The meeting wrapped up soon after, and you barely had a second before you were on the phone with your office, more determined than ever. “—yeah, let’s have the investigator follow up on those two key pieces ASAP,” you instructed, glancing up as Jax approached. “And have them on my desk for Thursday. I should be back in town in the afternoon. Thanks Liz.” 

Jax’s face tightened as he caught that last part. His brows drew together, eyes narrowing with a flash of suspicion as he tilted his head. Before you could react, he reached out, his grip on your arm firm and lingering. “Come with me for a minute,” he urged, his voice insistent. 

Your heart pounded in your ears as he guided you down the long hallway, knowing exactly where he was leading you—the same place you’d avoided since being back, because the last time you’d been there, everything imploded.

He opened the door, stepping inside first, and you lingered at the threshold, uncertainty prickling at your skin. The room looked just as it always had—dimly lit, the smell of dust mingling with faint traces of his cologne. Your eyes landed on the bed, and a familiar ache surfaced, as if no time had passed. The pain, the shock, it all swept over you again. 

But with it, the good memories came too—the nights spent tangled in each other’s arms, laughter spilling into the darkness, and the quiet moments dreaming of a future that never came to be. 

“I didn’t think you’d ever step foot in here again.” Jax’s voice cut through the silence, rough and low. His words drawing your attention to him. 

You swallowed, folding your arms across your chest as if that could shield you from the past. “Neither did I.”

A flicker of regret shifted in his eyes before his jaw set hard. “So… you’re leaving, huh?”

You didn’t answer, letting the silence stretch as you took a step into the room. He was reading you, you could feel it, but you didn’t owe him an explanation. 

He took a step closer, his gaze hardening. “If it’s because of the other night—I’m not going to apologize.”

Frustration flared within you, a sharp scoff escaping your lips before you could stop it. Typical Jax—always so sure of himself, so unwilling to back down. His confidence grated on you, but it also pulled at a part of you that didn’t want him to apologize, even though he should. As his words echoed in the room, your mind betrayed you, drifting back to that moment.

How alive you’d felt during the ride, how safe yet electrified you were by his presence. It left you raw, exposed, teetering on the edge of something you weren’t sure you could control. You felt your resolve waver, torn between his stubborn cockiness and the dizzying effect he still had on you. His words, his stance, everything about him challenged you. 

And yet, here you were, standing your ground, even as every part of you wanted him.

“Jax,” you started, your voice tight, trying to rein in the whirlwind inside you. His name hung in the air, because you weren’t sure what you wanted to say. Confront him? Brush it off? All you knew was that his refusal to apologize only fanned the flames of everything you’d been trying to put out of your mind since the almost-kiss.

He stepped closer, the heat between you intensifying. “I’m not sorry for what happened… or almost happened,” he added, his eyes never leaving yours. “You felt it, same as I did.”

He had you mesmerized, not even noticing when he closed the gap between you. His warmth surrounded you, the passion in his eyes undeniable as his hand cupped your cheek. You leaned into his palm without thinking, the briefest moment of surrender, eyes locked, both of you searching for something in the other.

Your heart raced as his fingers brushed lightly against your skin, his lips—full and slightly weathered, hovering just a breath away. The curve of his mouth was captivating, a subtle contrast to the roughness of his jawline. Everything about him pulled you in, every part of you screaming to let go. Without thinking, your hand moved, gently brushing over the cut above his eyebrow. His eyes briefly closing and his body nearly relaxing at your touch.

“Does it hurt?” you asked softly.

“Not as much as this,” he rasped, his voice thick with vulnerability. His grip on your cheek tightened slightly, his eyes focusing on you again. “Why do you keep pulling away?”

His question lingered, cutting through your haze. The connection, so vivid moments ago, now felt fragile and uncertain. You pulled back, your heart aching as you did. “Jax, I can’t,” you protested. “Not now. Not like this.”

Frustration flashed across his face, his jaw tightening as he fought against his emotions. “Why not?” he wondered, his tone rough but quiet. “We keep ending up here.” He let out a sharp breath, running a hand through his hair, pushing the loose strands back. “We’ve been dancing around this for a while now, Pep. Every damn time I think we’re getting somewhere; you push me away.”

His gaze was unnerving, searching for answers you weren’t ready to give. You swallowed hard. “I’m trying to keep my head straight. You’re my client, first and foremost. And there’s too much at stake right now.” A plea edging into your words. “After everything we just went over out there, everything I’m up against now!” your voice rising slightly, “I need to focus.”

He clenched his fists, tension clear in the lines of his face. He knew you were right, but Jax Teller wasn’t someone who let things go easily, especially when it came to you. Pulling away from him bruised his pride, and you could see the fight in him, the struggle between understanding your words and his own wants and desires.

“I get it,” he muttered darkly, bitterness threading through his voice. He glanced away for a moment, his expression hardening before locking back onto you. “You need space from me.”

Here we go, you thought, biting back the urge to roll your eyes as you took a step back, letting out an exasperated sigh. You remembered this side of him all too well—the simmering agitation when he didn’t get exactly what he wanted. 

“You know what, Jax? Yeah, some of it is about needing space from you,” you snapped, your eyes locking onto his, unflinching. “From Charming. From all the ghosts that won’t let me breathe here.” The words came out sharp and cutting—words you’d swallowed for too long.

You watched his jaw flex, his face hardening even more, but his eyes—they were burning now, fierce and determined. For every step you took back, he took a step closer, the intensity in his gaze cutting through the distance you tried to put between you.

“I’m not a ghost,” he growled, his voice barely controlled. “I’m right here, Pep. You can run, put up all the walls you want, but don’t act like you don’t feel it too. Don’t act like I don’t know you, like I don’t see every part of you.”

His words were a challenge, a confession, and a promise all at once. Your heart hammered, the weight of them settling heavy and inescapable.

“You’re asking me to back off,” he muttered. “But you really think that’s gonna change how we feel? You put ten goddamn years of space between us, and the second we were back in the same room, it was still there!”

Another step closer, and he was right in front of you again, staring you down, eyes pleading with frustration and vulnerability. “You can keep pushing me away, but you know it as well as I do—there’s no escaping this. No amount of space is ever gonna bury what’s between us. And you know damn well that no one’s ever gonna know you like I do. Make you feel the way I do.”

His hands framed your face again, the heat of his touch sparking through you. “So tell me,” he whispered, his tone low and rough, leaning in just close enough for his breath to ghost across your skin. “Is running really what you want, or are you just scared of what happens if you stay?”

Your stomach did somersaults as you felt yourself drawn in, torn between the instinct to keep running and the undeniable truth of what he was saying. The weight of his conviction, the way he saw you so completely, sent a thrill through you. As much as it unnerved you, it tempted you, making it even harder to hold your ground.

You drew in a shaky breath, desperate to steady yourself, desperate for a break from all the emotions threatening to overwhelm you. “I’m not running,” you admitted, your voice quieter now, tinged with a rawness you couldn’t hide. “And I know a few days away probably won’t change anything. But I need it.”

You hesitated, the helplessness in your chest rising to the surface as you forced yourself to keep going. “This isn’t just about us. It’s everything—the past, the club, this trial…” Your voice wavered, a thread of desperation lacing your tone as your eyes met his with unflinching intensity. You needed him to let you breathe. “Just, please, Jax. Can you give me that?” 

His eyes met your intensity, a storm of emotions churning behind the blue depths. Love, history, and defiance all wrestled for control, torn between the pull that kept drawing you back together and the distance you were now pleading for. The battle was written all over his face.

But for once, he didn’t fight.

Instead, he stepped back, his hands falling to his sides. His jaw tense as if the distance itself physically pained him. It wasn’t surrender—it never would be with Jax. But this time, he gave you what you asked for, even though every part of him fought against it.

“Fine,” he uttered quietly, voice strained, the weight of his disappointment evident. It radiated off him in waves, lingering like an open wound.

You only nodded in response, grateful for the reprieve, but painfully aware of the strain it left behind. The silence that followed was suffocating, louder than any argument, filled with all the words you weren’t able to say. 

Because the real battle wasn’t about the trial, or the club, or even Jax himself. It was about fighting the part of you that longed to fall into him completely, no matter the cost. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The week had dragged on, each day a slow reminder of the unease put between you and Jax for your unwillingness to admit your feelings. By the time the final hearing of the week wrapped up, you had a small victory—a win for the defense and a step closer to untangling this mess of a case. You needed the win, but more than that, you needed to get out of Charming.

As you stepped out of the courthouse, the adrenaline from the morning’s success still buzzing in your veins, you practically skipped toward your car, eager to escape. But then you saw him—Jax, parked beside you, arms crossed and waiting. A sigh slipped from your lips. So much for an easy exit.

You could feel his sunglass-covered eyes tracking your approach. There was a weight in his stance, a tension in his shoulders that hadn’t been there before. You tightened your grip on your keys, twisting them in your hand as you drew closer. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see you here.” you quipped, your tone laced with subtle sarcasm.

Jax’s lips tugged into a smirk, your sharp wit cutting through the tension like it always did. A flicker of amusement flashed in his expression. “Figured you’d try to sneak off without saying goodbye,” he replied, slipping off his sunglasses and hooking them onto his collar. 

You mustered a lighthearted tone, forcing a smile despite the knot forming in your chest. “It’s only a few days, Jax. You won’t even notice I’m gone.”

A shadow crossed his face, his jaw ticking slightly. “Don’t count on it,” he muttered. Then he took a breath, his eyes softening as he looked at you. “Listen… about the other day. I shouldn’t have pushed you like that, trying to get you to say things you didn’t want to.” 

Before you could respond, his hand reached out, his fingers brushing against yours—a light touch that sent a jolt through you, his way of bridging the distance. 

He glanced away, swallowing hard before adding. “I was an asshole.”

You raised an eyebrow, giving him a pointed look. “Your words, not mine,” you muttered, not quite hiding the surprise his apology caught you by.

Still, the unexpected admission eased some of the strain between you. You gave a small nod, your voice softening. “I just… need to focus on what matters right now, which is winning this case and keeping you out of prison. Otherwise…” You hesitated, the words catching in your throat. “All the things I do want to say, won’t matter.”

His hand shifted, thumb grazing over your knuckles in a slow caress, his touch radiating more emotion than any words could. His gaze dipped downward, softening, and for the first time in days, a faint spark of hope replaced the tension that had lingered there.

He lifted his other hand, his fingertips ghosting over your cheek, the contact achingly tender. His lips parted as if to speak, but he hesitated, letting the moment speak for itself. That flicker of hope, however faint, was enough to steady him. A small, almost bittersweet smile tugged at the corner of his lips, as if your raw honesty struck a chord that both stung and soothed him.

“Alright,” he acknowledged after a long pause, his eyes still fixed on yours. “I can live with that—for now.” He added his signature Jax Teller wink, a touch of levity that was so uniquely him.

You fought the urge to roll your eyes at him, settling for a playful glare instead. Even so, a small smile tugged at your lips. It wasn’t the resolution either of you had wanted, but it felt like something close to peace—a fragile, unspoken truce. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your drive home felt long, sunlight streaming through the tinted windows as your thoughts swirled. Exhaustion weighed on you, but adrenaline kept you on edge. Leaving Charming hadn’t delivered the escape you’d hoped for; despite the promises you’d made to yourself, the truth hit you with unsettling clarity—you’d fallen for him all over again. 

The more painful realization, though, was that you’d never really stopped loving him. No matter the years or the distance, he’d always been there, some part of you that refused to let go.

 Things were definitely more complicated now—so much heavier. You’d spent your whole life trying to separate yourself from the MC world. Growing up as the daughter of a former member had left its mark, a constant reminder of the risks, the violence, and the sacrifices tied to that life. And then, despite your best efforts, you’d fallen for Jax Teller. 

Twice. 

You groaned at the thought. Being back in his life now had forced you to confront a truth you’d spent years avoiding: no matter how far you ran, this was your legacy—your life—and it had taken root.

As soon as you entered the office, the haze in your mind cleared, and the emotions you’d been wrestling with were buried. Compartmentalizing had always been a strength, and now it allowed you to focus entirely on the task at hand. Liz and the defense team were already gathered, ready to dive into the next phase of the case.

The shadow of the Warlords’ involvement loomed over every detail, fueling the urgency that drove you forward. You slipped into your role effortlessly, issuing directives and delegating tasks with the precision of someone who thrived under pressure.

Time blurred as the day unfolded in a stream of legal strategy. The conference room thrummed with quiet intensity, the sound of rustling papers and focused voices filling the air. You and your team pored over documents, dissected evidence, and mapped out timelines. 

Every small breakthrough ignited a spark of hope, a flicker of progress in the uphill battle to shield Jax. It wasn’t just about the case anymore; it was about ensuring the survival of everything he fought to protect. The weight of responsibility settled on your shoulders and you felt more determined than ever. 

You were doing this for the club, for the family that had claimed you, and for the man who had a way of carving out space in your mind, leaving an ache that seemed to reach straight into your soul.

Finally, as the clock pushed past evening into the depths of the night, you packed up your notes and left the office, exhaustion seeping into your bones. When you finally stepped into the quiet of your house, the familiar stillness comforted you. You set your bag down, along with your favorite pizza and the six-pack you’d picked up on the drive home. Kicking off your shoes, you leaned against the counter and cracked open a beer. The restlessness inside you refused to quiet, buzzing under your skin, even in the calm of your home.

Without thinking, your hand reached for your phone, fingers grazing the screen. The urge to hear his voice, to make sure he was okay, tugged at you. But reason quickly cut through, reminding you of the promises you’d made to yourself. You set the phone back down with a sigh, taking another long swig of beer, hoping it would dull the ache.

What were you doing? You’d sworn you wouldn’t let your heart get tangled up in him, not when so much was at risk. Losing wasn’t an option—not when failure would mean more than just a professional defeat. Jax facing life in prison, being torn from his life and the future you now found yourself hoping for. The thought of losing him, of having to walk away again while everything was torn apart, was unbearable. You couldn’t let that happen.

Your mind wandered to your gradual reconnection with Jax, a slow pull back toward the man who once held your heart. He could still make you laugh, the kind of deep, unguarded laugh that felt like home. His rare, fleeting smiles—the ones he reserved for moments when his guard slipped—still struck you the same way they had back then.

There was a quieter strength in him now, one that made you feel both safe and exposed all at once. That fierce protectiveness you’d always admired was still there, but now it carried a heavier weight—shadows of stories he’d probably never tell.

The feelings he brought back to life within you were real and vibrant, not just echoes of young love—Jax had always known just how to unravel you, and somehow, he was doing it all over again.

Shaking off the weight of your thoughts, you gathered your things—the remaining beer, pizza box, and of course, the stack of work that never seemed to diminish—and headed to your bedroom. Routine steadied you as you washed your face and changed into your pajamas. 

Once ready, you spread your work across the bed, the soft glow of your bedside lamp spilling over the neatly organized files. You sank onto the mattress, the hum of determination replacing the restless buzz of your emotions. 

Among the documents, you spotted the original case files from years ago—Clay's murder of the Warlords president. You’d requested them for context, hoping they’d provide insight into how this mess had snowballed into Jax’s current predicament. As you scanned the pages, a name began to surface over and over: Reed Daniels.

First as a lead investigator. Then in a follow-up report. And then again in a list of interviews and testimonies from that case, your pulse quickening with each mention. Daniels hadn’t just been involved; he’d been deeply embedded.

“This doesn’t feel right…” you murmured, flipping through more documents. You grabbed a notepad, jotting down dates and cross-referencing them with the current case. Your suspicions mounted when you spotted Daniels’ signature on a report from a Warlords botched weapons bust—the same one you’d uncovered during prep.

The same missing evidence, the same key players, and now, the same investigator.

It was nearing midnight when your phone lit up, vibrating on the nightstand. Jax's name appeared across the screen. Your heart fluttered, a flicker of warmth piercing through your concentration. You reached for the phone with a small, involuntary smile.

"I haven’t even been gone a day, ya know," you teased, your voice light as a giggle escaped your lips.

Jax chuckled on the other end, the sound low and warm. “What can I say? Guess I’m needier than I thought. You make it home alright?”

Leaning back against the headboard, you couldn’t stop the grin spreading across your face. “You worried about me, Teller? That’s sweet.”

“Sweet?” he repeated, feigning offense. “Nah, just trying to make sure you didn’t wreck your car fantasizing about me on the drive back.”

“Oh, you caught me,” your tone heavy with sarcasm. “It’s a miracle I didn’t veer off the road, completely blinded by your endless charm and cocky ass smirk.” 

“This smirk’s got a fan club, babe.” Jax drawled, his voice oozing with confidence.

You scoffed, though the warmth spreading in your chest betrayed you. “Well, I’ll send in my resignation then. I don’t think I’m interested in being a card-carrying member.”

“Liar,” he fired back, his tone slipping into that low, cocky rasp that always made your pulse jump. “You’ve always been my number one fan, Pep. Just don’t wanna admit it. But it’s cool—I’ve got plenty of ways to convince you to renew. And the perks? You know they’re unforgettable.”

That rasp in his voice sent a shiver down your spine, heat sparking low in your belly. But you weren’t about to give him the satisfaction. “I’m sure you’ve got the whole pitch rehearsed,” you shot back, keeping your tone light even as your heart fluttered. “But you should know—I’ve raised my standards since then.”

“That so?” his voice dipping lower, now almost a purr that curled through the phone and into your ear. “Good thing I’ve always been good at exceeding expectations.”

Your breath caught, desire simmering as the memory of his touch—his mouth—flashed unbidden in your mind. You gripped the phone tighter, determined to keep your tone even. “Bold of you to assume I’m that easy to impress these days.”

Jax chuckled softly, the sound dark and full of promise. “Oh, I remember exactly what it took to impress you. All those pretty little noises you used to make…” His voice trailed off, his seduction hanging in the air.

Your body betrayed you, a flush creeping over your skin as the unspoken memories lingered.

This motherfucker.

You exhaled a soft laugh, shaking your head as you twirled a pen between your fingers, grasping at the sliver of composure you still had. “Is there a point to this call, or was it just to inflate your ego?”

“Can’t it be both?” he countered, his tone teasing but softer, almost boyish. Then, after a brief pause, his voice dipped, speaking with a sincerity that made your stomach flip-flop. “Maybe I just needed to hear your voice.”

You sighed—his tone tender, carrying that quiet care he always reserved just for you. He softened in ways anyone rarely saw, his sharp edges smoothing as if he couldn’t bear the thought of letting the harsher parts of himself touch you.

To everyone else, Jax was a force to be reckoned with—a volatile leader who thrived on controlled chaos. But with you, he wasn’t the ruthless protector of SAMCRO, he was simply Jax. The grit and intensity he showed to the rest of the world faded, leaving behind just the man beneath the weight of the patch. 

The playful edge lingered in your reply, an attempt to keep the moment light, but you needed to steer this conversation out of its current territory. “For your information, I made it home in one piece. Happy now?”

“Getting there,” he said softly, the smirk you could hear in his tone tinged with care. “Now tell me you aren’t still working.”

“I plead the fifth.” You responded sheepishly.

He groaned, dragging the sound out with exaggerated frustration that made you roll your eyes. “Pep, it’s after midnight. Get some sleep.” 

“Not until I’m done,” you replied firmly, flipping through the stack of papers in front of you. But as a beat of silence stretched on, your tone shifted, the weight of your discovery creeping in. “Hey… does the name Reed Daniels mean anything to you?”

The easy banter vanished, replaced by a charged stillness. When Jax finally spoke, suspicion edged his voice. “Daniels? The DA’s investigator?”

“Yeah,” you confirmed, rising to stretch your stiff muscles. “He’s been popping up in a few places—his names on some old case files connected to the Warlords. And now he’s the lead investigator on your case. Doesn’t that seem… off?” you asked, beginning to pace. 

“Definitely off,” Jax confirmed, his tone sharp, the playfulness gone. “A couple years back, Chibs and I had a run-in with the Warlords, and one of their guys mentioned someone feeding them intel, keeping things clean when the heat got close. Daniels wasn’t named outright, but it fits.”

Your pulse quickened. “So he really is working with them?”

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Jax muttered. “He’s probably covering his own ass. Ties to the Warlords and keeping the DA happy? That’s power—and protection.”

“If Daniels is tied to this, it changes everything. I wonder if I can prove he’s manipulating evidence,” you said, your thoughts spilling into the open as the weight of the revelation settled over you, the implications unraveling in your mind

“Damn right it changes everything,” Jax said, his voice laced with a restrained anger. “But it also makes this mess even riskier. If Daniels is playing both sides, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his hands clean. That includes burying us—and you.”

The warning in his voice sent a chill down your spine, but your determination flared. “Then we need to find the proof before he knows we’re onto him. There must be something tying him to the Warlords.”

“I’ll get the club digging,” Jax said, his tone resolute. “Reyes and his boys don’t move without a plan, and Daniels might’ve left something behind. If there’s dirt to find, we’ll uncover it.”

You hesitated, sitting back down against the headboard. “Jax, just… be careful, okay? If anyone connected gets wind of this, they won’t think twice about escalating things. I can’t have you, or any of the guys, getting dragged into something worse right now.”

His voice softened, but the resolve remained. “I hear you. But I’m not gonna sit back while this asshole tries to take me down.”

You knew better, Jax was methodical when it came to handling threats, calculating even when his emotions ran high. He didn’t rush in blindly, but once his sights were set on a target, he was relentless. And when it came to protecting the club, he operated with a precision that was both impressive and terrifying. That same drive was what made him such a formidable leader—and what made you so worried about what might come next.

“Jax,” you warned, your tone firm but tinged with unease, “don’t make a move until we know exactly what we’re dealing with.”

There was a moment of silence before he exhaled, a quiet concession. “I won’t do anything stupid.”

Even as he said it, you could hear the tension in his voice, the barely restrained need to act. It was Jax, after all—waiting had never been his strong suit. The faint flick of a lighter followed, then the soft sound of him exhaling smoke. The familiar, intimate noise sent a pang through you, a reminder of just how much space he still occupied in your mind.

“Can you do me a favor, though?” he asked, his voice quieter now, the rough edges softened with concern.

“What’s that?” you asked, stretching your back and legs, trying to ease the knot of tension his words had tied there.

“Get some rest, okay?” His voice held a disarming gentleness, the kind that always seemed to soothe you. “You’re no good to anyone if you burn yourself out.”

His words made your heart swell, the weight of his care slipping effortlessly past the walls you’d worked so hard to construct. No matter how much time passed, Jax knew how you operated. He could see the way you poured yourself into your work, how you pushed yourself too far, even when you thought no one else noticed.

You hesitated, torn between brushing him off and letting his concern linger. “I’ll try,” you said softly, though you weren’t entirely sure you believed yourself. “Goodnight, Jax.”

“Night, Pep,” he murmured, his voice carrying tenderness that lingered even after the line clicked dead.

You sighed, your fingers brushing the corner of the closest stack of case files. But Jax’s voice lingered, stubborn as ever, urging you to rest. For a moment, you just sat there, his words replaying in your mind, that unexpected softness swirling inside you. 

Slowly, you stood, brushing your hands against your thighs as you moved around the room, shoving the files to the empty side of the bed. A fleeting thought crossed your mind—wishing Jax was the one filling that space instead. The warmth that crept up your neck made you shake your head, a quiet blush heating your skin.

When you finally crawled into bed, you flicked off the bedside lamp, leaving the room bathed in faint moonlight. Sleep wouldn’t come easily—you knew that much—but you closed your eyes, letting out a long, measured breath.

Your thoughts drifted back to the way his voice softened when he said your name, the way he cared even when you tried to keep him at arm’s length. It was infuriating how easily he could reach you, how his concern could consume you.

You turned onto your side, staring at the wall as the minutes ticked by. You’d done this so many times before—compartmentalized, boxed up your emotions, shoved them somewhere unreachable. But tonight was different.

Because it was Jax.

So for now, just for a moment, you let yourself feel the full weight of his care—and the ache that came with it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The days had blurred together, your time at home quickly dwindling as the work piled up. You’d thrown yourself into your part of the case, chasing leads and piecing together evidence, while Jax and SAMCRO handled things on their end. Or so you assumed. He’d been unusually quiet, the texts and calls that once punctuated your days now conspicuously absent.

It wasn’t like him.

Jax didn’t do quiet, not with you.

The thought nagged at you as you sat at your desk, flipping through notes you’d scrawled earlier. Witness statements, timelines, and inconsistencies in the DA’s case were scattered across your desk, the disarray a reflection of how you felt inside.

You glanced at the clock—nearly 10 p.m.—and let out a long breath. You’d spent the day tracking down a lead that fizzled into nothing and reviewing an expert’s deposition that could poke holes in the prosecution’s timeline. The latest developments with the Warlords were troubling, their reach deeper and more calculated than you’d expected. 

You leaned back in your chair, tilting your head to stretch your neck and rolling your shoulders in a futile attempt to shake off the tension that clung to you, frustration simmering beneath your exhaustion. Something wasn’t adding up. The silence from Jax, the Warlords’ calculated precision—it all felt off.

Your phone rang then, piercing through the quiet. Jax’s name flashing across the screen making your heart skip. You didn’t hesitate, your finger swiping to answer.

“Jax,” you answered cautiously, trying to keep your voice even.

“Hey,” he replied, his tone sharp, cutting straight to the point. “We need to talk.”

You sat up in your chair, the clipped edge of his voice immediately setting you on alert. “What’s going on?”

“Warlords,” he said flatly. “They know we’ve been digging. They sent a message.”

Your grip on the phone tightened, dread creeping in. “What kind of message?”

“They’re watching us,” he bit out, his voice thick with restrained anger. “They sent pictures—of our guys, their families.” His voice dropped into a deep growl. “Club property’s been hit. They’re making it crystal fucking clear they’re coming for us.”

You closed your eyes, his words landing like a punch. “Fuck,” you cursed. “This is exactly what we didn’t need. Do you have proof? Something we can use?”

“No,” he admitted, his frustration bleeding through. “But this isn’t about proof. It’s about sending a message. They're seeing how far they can push.”

“And what do you plan to do?” you asked warily, already dreading the answer. “You know they’re baiting you.”

Silence stretched between you, heavy and charged. “They crossed a big fucking line.”

Your jaw tightened as the knot in your stomach grew. “If you retaliate—”

“They threatened my family!” he cut in, his voice rising with barely contained fury. “You think I’m just going to sit back and let them get away with that?”

His words struck deeper than you expected, and for a moment, the intensity of his anger made your breath catch. But you pushed it aside, forcing yourself to stay clear headed. “You don’t get to make that call, Jax. Not with this trial hanging over your head. If you move on this, you’re playing right into their hands. The DA’s watching your every move, waiting for any excuse to bury you—and the club.”

The line went quiet except for his uneven breathing. “You think I don’t know that?” he said finally, his voice strained. “You think I don’t know what’s at stake?” he asked sharply. 

“Then act like it!” you snapped, your frustration at him flaring. “This isn’t just about the club, Jax! It’s about your freedom. You need to stand down.”

His laugh was low, bitter, and laced with sharp defiance. “I don’t need you to tell me how to run my club,” he hissed, the words cutting through the phone like a blade.

The harshness of his tone caught you off guard. His frustration, his temper, they were familiar, but this cutting, biting edge in his voice? It wasn’t something he directed at you. You couldn’t recall ever experiencing this version of him. 

But you weren’t one to back down. Not with him.

You straightened in your chair, your voice biting back with just as much force. “And I don’t need you to blow up your entire defense because you can’t keep your temper in check,” you shot. “You want to protect the club? Fine. But if you want to still be here to lead it when this is over, you’re going to have to be smarter than this.”

Silence followed, but you could feel the tension radiating through the line. When he finally spoke, his voice was clipped and cold. “I’ll handle it,” his words leaving no room for argument.

You frowned, gripping the phone tighter. “Handle it how?” you pressed, the suspicion clear in your voice.

“Just trust me,” he bit out, and before you could respond, the line went dead

“Son of a bitch,” you growled, lowering the phone with a frustrated sigh. Your knuckles turned white as you set it down, the tension coursing through your body. You knew better than to trust him in a moment like this. Jax was ruled by instinct, by loyalty, and by that maddening need to protect everyone he cared about, no matter the cost.

He didn’t wait for permission and certainly didn’t stop to consider consequences when the people he loved were threatened. It was what made him the leader he was, but it was also what made him dangerous—to himself and to everyone around him.

At this point, all you could do was hope that, for once, he’d set aside his impulses and think about what was truly at stake. The knot in your stomach tightened, and all you could do was brace yourself for whatever came next. Silently praying that the fallout was minimal.

[absolutepokemontrash]

Ignore how late I am but I saw the post and I feel the the need to complain about this. A squick I have when it comes to fics and headcanons is when Belphie is completely villainized while the rest of the brothers hate him with their whole being while also depicted as perfect. And while that's annoying on its own, whenever this happens everyone else in the work also gets fucked over.

I specifically mean works where Belphie gets reduced to "the cold and callous villain who killed MC" and that's it. No acknowledging any circumstance around or about why he did it and making being manipulative his entire personality trait. And the rest of the brothers hate him for killing and manipulating MC, which I would understand more if this didn't so frequently come with them acting like they've never even hurt MC before.

The brothers love and protect MC by lesson 16, yeah, but they also almost put MC six feet under on multiple occasions themselves and only just got used to seeing humans as equals. They would be upset with Belphie for killing MC, but they wouldn't hate or never forgive him because they've been brothers long before MC got there and it would be hypocritical.

And this causes the rest of the brothers to act extremely out of character as well. Especially when it comes to why the brothers can't forgive him. Sometimes the brothers will hate Belphie for "killing Lilth" or hurting her descendant which is??? Or they'll treat MC like they're a replacement for Belphie, which is also???? And in these situations, MC acts like they're the antagonist of a replacement AU.

For some reason in works where Belphie's personality or lore gets tossed out of the window, so does everyone else's and both of these are so nerve grating to me. Okay, done complaining.

I have so many thoughts and opinions on Belphie and the fandom’s treatment of him, that I could deadass write a peer reviewed thesis on him…

TLDR: The mischaracterization of Belphie in the fandom is so rampant that I’m convinced some people writing him or complaining about him haven’t played the game.

Just to get this out of the way, Belphie’s character redemption arc suffered due to the 20 lesson limit in season one. His grand evil plan got put into motion in lesson 16, and we had to spend the entirety of lesson 17 (and into lesson 18) turning him into a viable Husbando (tm), therefore, his redemption and development was incredibly rushed.

Onto the good stuff 😈

My take on Obey Me and the brothers as a whole is that while yes, the writers have been woobifying them a whole lot, a LOT of their “toned down” behaviours can literally just be explained by them not having a *reason* to be assholes anymore because MC has done so much work to help them repair their relationships with each other.

I was raised Catholic (decently progressive Catholic, still got the fun guilt though lmao) and the way I was taught to view sin, was that it was an act of violence against someone else, and/or yourself, because there is some kind of deficiency or problem in your own life. It’s that whole “hurt people hurt people” thing, and you can literally SEE it with the brothers.

Lucifer isolates himself and puts on the persona of the tough, scary, intimidating eldest brother when in reality, he’s scared, and guilty, and fucking embarrassed about what happened with Lilith. You can see this when Luke took the Grimoire, Lucifer wasn’t acting out of rage, he was acting out of fear and disguising it, and then lashed out at Luke and MC and only stopped when Diavolo told him to because Dia is literally his boss.

Now what does this have to do with Belphie? Belphie is downright homicidal when the game starts in season one (which is why Luci locked him in the attic, to protect him AND the exchange program), now the question is “why?”

To put what Belphie has been going through in perspective: this guy has been drowning in guilt, trauma, grief, and self loathing for thousands of years. He feels guilty that Beel saved him instead of Lilith, and most importantly, he feels guilty that he led Lilith to the human world to begin with. He’s lashing out because he’s been grieving for thousands of years with no one to turn to about it BECAUSE THE OTHER BROTHERS ARE ALSO STILL GRIEVING

Now of course, this doesn’t excuse what Belphie did to MC, but it does EXPLAIN it. He’s so angry at humanity and himself that he’s the emotional equivalent of a suicide bomber. He’s self destructing and trying to take the people he’s blaming with him and praying that makes the guilt go away.

Finally, when Diavolo and Barbatos reveal Lucifer’s secret about what really happened to Lilith (how she was reincarnated and got to live a happy life as a human), this is the kick that gets ALL the brothers to finally be able to move on. We spent the entirety of season one making pacts and going on silly little adventures with everyone, all the while being the support system they needed to finally move on from their grief.

So THAT is why it makes me so angry when people act like Belphie is uniquely The Worst.

This is coming from someone who doesn’t mind writing the brothers at what I believe to be “their worst” in terms of shitty behaviour (if you want an example, look at how Asmo is currently behaving in A Lovecraftian Exchange Student). But I think characterizing Belphie as some pure evil villain is a massive disservice to him as a character. (Ignoring his survivor’s guilt and grief etc etc)

Also, to act like the other six brothers would immediately hate and despise Belphie over this is so wrong, I’m sorry but it’s grossly wrong. Belphie is their sweet baby brother, yes they love MC, but guys, especially at that point in season one, yes they liked MC, but BELPHIE 👏 IS 👏 THEIR 👏 BABY 👏 BROTHER. I think they’d be disappointed and maybe angry at him, but they’re not going to just up and abandon him, no chance about it.

I’d say the brothers didn’t truly begin to love-love MC until the end of lesson 18-20 after they’ve done some growing as people, but that’s just my interpretation.

Finally.

Y’all.

Did you forget that Belphie literally offered a pact to MC, SPECIFIED THAT IT WASNT BECAUSE OF THEIR CONNECTION TO LILITH BTW, and did this entirely of his own free will because he liked them???

Guys, a pact is offering control of the demon’s entire being! Belphie had grown enough in trusting a human to the point where he was willing to put his life in their hands!

This was so ramble-y and confusing, I’m so sorry- I just have so many thoughts about the brothers and Belphie in particular 😭😭😭