#Deputy Charlie Seed

[inafieldofdaisies]

WIP Wednesday | Tagged by @euryalex @socially-awkward-skeleton @direwombat @trench-rot 🤍 | Tagging @poisonedtruth @adelaidedrubman @shegetsburned @g0dspeeed @nightbloodraelle @nightwingshero @madparadoxum @aceghosts @jacobsneed @jinfromyarikawa @josephslittledeputy @josephseedismyfather @purplehairsecretlair @detectivelokis @vampireninjabunnies-blog @strangefable @strafethesesinners @sstewyhosseini and anyone with something to share <3

I present you another snippet from Chapter 8 where we finally get to meet some new OCs that are set on catching John and becoming heroes. Enter Charlie "The Menace" Morgan...

The Spread Eagle was empty when Calahan entered, his day had started at 5 am with a couple of Peggies stumbling across his camp and ruining his chance at getting some rest. "You've been marked, Sinner! John is coming to get ya-", was the last thing their leader had said before Hartley sent him to meet his beloved maker. And since then, his day was going just peachy. He needed a drink, or more like five. No rest for the wicked. Or do I say the "Sinner"? "Rookie, the usual?", Mary May shot him a smile from behind the bar. "Why is it so quiet, gorgeous?" Seeing a friendly face was already brightening his mood. "Take a guess." "What do I win if I guess right?", his wink made Mary May roll her eyes. Her reaction caused him to think of Sabrina and how she never took his charm too seriously either. Where the fuck are you, Gray? Who has you? He couldn't go 5 minutes without thinking about all the people close to him that the Seeds had captured few days back. It made him restless, angry, ready to lash out on any Peggie that crossed his path. "First drink's on me." Calahan gave her his best "I'm so lost in deep thought" face, the same one he used anytime Whitehorse lectured him on how he should be behaving as a Deputy. "I'd say-"

The sound of the bell cut him off as the doors to the bar opened and three Resistance members walked in, involved in what seemed like a very heated discussion. "Mary May, drinks, darlin', we bear good news!", the oldest of the trio chimed in. The voice belonged to Charlie Morgan, a man in his late 30s, with short dark hair and beard, shifty pale eyes and neck tattoos. "Rookie! Just the man we need!", he shouted before slapping Calahan on the back with unnecessary force. Hartley was already over the interaction, dreading whatever he and his buddies had come up with. Back in the days before the Reaping he wouldn't have been caught dead interacting with Charlie, but as Dutch had said they needed any assistance they could get. He only wished the helping hand in question was better at their tasks and didn't spend half the day drinking at The Spread Eagle, calling it "work for the cause". The sooner I get Hudson out and track Gray down, the quicker we'd make actual progress and rescue the others. "What is it now, Charlie?" "Deputy, we have him!", it wasn't Morgan that responded but a teen that couldn't have been older than 17, an unfamiliar face to Hartley. "Have who? And you are?" "Justin Harker. My ma and I moved in here few months back, may she rest in peace.", he offered his hand to Hartley, which he shook, then added in a whisper, "We've got intel on John Seed!" Charlie sat down in the chair next to Calahan's, downing the glass Mary May had produced in front of him. "Bastard's running a leaky operation, Rookie. Heard from a source he's left that bunker of his on his own. But it gets better… in less than an hour he will be headed to his ranch." Hartley shook his head, "Sounds too good to be true, Morgan. You sure you didn't dream that up?" "Deputy, it's true. We're going there, thought to stop to ask you to joins us for the ambush.", Harker couldn't contain his excitement. "We're capturing that bastard and making him suffer today.", Charlie let out a maniacal laughter at which Mary May slapped her palm on the bar, giving him a pointed look. "Keep it down. I'm running a business here. First and last warning, and you're gonna be making your own booze in your toilet." "Sorry, darlin'." The third guy remained silent, Hartley knew his face but for the life of him couldn't remember his name. "So you coming, or not, Rookie?" Calahan sighed, his head was already throbbing enough, and Morgan's presence wasn't helping. "No, I'm exhausted. I doubt this is going to pan out, boys. No offense, but you're miles away from being a capture party. Best case scenario, some Peggie is fucking with you and sending you on a wild goose chase… Worst, well… you'd be captured and meet John face to face, but in his bunker." "Rookie, are you afraid?", Charlie chuckled. "You heard anything from what I just said, you asshole?" "Now, now, let's all calm down.", third guy broke his silence, waving his arms around. "We're going, Rookie. And you can sit on your ass and be afraid all you want. I'm catching that bastard that carved my chest and carving his face as payback today. Let see then how well his broadcasts perform after I'm done with him."

Charlie downed his second drink and stormed out without a look back, followed by Mr. "Calm". Hartley grabbed Harker's arm as he went to leave, too. "Kid, if you know what's best for you, don't go anywhere with Charlie Morgan." The teen shook his head, "It's fine, Deputy, I made a promise at my ma's grave, I plan on honoring it." "You know which channel to call if you get anything?" "Yes, Deputy. I will be sure to keep you posted." With that he left, heading outside to join the others. "God, I hate Charlie.", Mary May groaned. "Then why serve him, gorgeous?" "Can't be picky in these times, now can I? As long as he pays… but I'm getting close to banning him indefinitely." Calahan rested his head on the bar. "You really not going to go with them?", Mary May nodded towards the now closed door, "There's still time." "Nah. I'm good. Don't believe John Seed would just offer himself on a silver platter like that." "Well, in that case, why don't you head upstairs, catch some sleep on the couch? Didn't plan to say it, but you look like shit.", Mary May smiled. "Don't I know it. Sleep avoids me like an ex-girlfriend these days." "You still worried about Sabrina?" "No news, absolutely nothing. It's bizarre." "I'm sure something will turn up." "Thanks, gorgeous." Hartley took a final sip of his drink and climbed upstairs, ready to get some needed rest before he'd have to head back out.

John drove in silence, his eyes glued to the road while he felt like he was on autopilot as the last few hours replayed in his mind. His emotions were all over the place: from how the morning started with yet another close encounter with Sabrina through the decision to take her to the ranch to holding her lingerie in his hand as he imagined peeling it off her body. Bad idea. He had no clue what had possessed him to do it and she seemed just as shocked. He needed to put as much distance between them as soon as possible, if he was to come back to his old self and focus on his tasks. Then there was Savannah and her genuine excitement at his presence and their "trip". He knew he had made the right decision the second she told him she's not afraid of him even if he's a "Peggie". He didn't want to imagine those big green eyes fill with fear at the sight of him. Ever. "You doing okay there, Seed?", Sabrina whispered after a while, amusement seeping into her tone. John nodded, gripping the steering wheel, "Just thinking, going over my schedule." A complete lie… but he doubted she'd appreciate the truth, especially spoken out loud in front of her sister. He took his eyes off the road for a second to sneak a look at Sabrina just in time to see her faint smile vanish completely off her face. Her hand shot out to his knee, his name coming out in a panicked whisper, making him look back ahead. The road they were on wasn't empty as it was before, instead a car and an armed man stood blocking their path as the truck came to an abrupt stop. John looked in the rearview mirror, contemplating driving back the way they came from but two more men had popped out from hiding, headed for the truck with determination. The Resistance.

"Who are these people? Are they Peggies? They don't look like it.", Savannah spoke up, her face twisted in confusion. "I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding, pumpkin.", Sabrina responded just as one of the Sinners shouted, his voice carrying through their open windows, "Out, Seed, don't think of doing anything funny. There's no need for anyone else to get hurt." "John-" "Rin-Rin, what's happening?", panic was taking over Savannah's voice. One of the men was by the driver's door then, rifle trained, ready to haul John out of the truck by force. "It's okay, Savi." He leaned in, wondering if he's smelling Sabrina's scent for the last time as he whispered in her ear, "There's a gun in the glovebox, the Bliss bullets are non-lethal but they will slow them down, do what you must to protect Savannah." Then he turned to the Sinner, calling out, "I'm coming out. There's a child in the car." "John, this is a bad idea." He knew as much, but the alternative presented just as much danger. "It's not my time yet, Deputy. Don't worry." He opened the door, climbing out with one last look at Sabrina, knowing chances were she'd drive away now that the road behind them was clear and leave him to face Judgement at the hands of the Resistance. She owed him nothing, especially not when her sister was in danger. "Walk, Seed.", the Sinner gritted out, his rifle poking John in the back, urging him on. As they neared the lone gunman, he raised his hands, "I'm unarmed, let the others go." He wasn't exactly unarmed, he still had Sabrina's knife, though using it would be a gamble with his own life. "You're not in charge here, you bastard.", came out the familiar voice of Charlie Morgan, his dead gray eyes narrowed with a look of hatred, hinting at his intentions. That very man had his turn sitting in John's chair not that long ago, screaming about revenge while John carved "Gluttony" into the Sinner's chest. From the corner of his eye he could see the youngest of the group speak into a walkie, probably calling in reinforcements. Captured. Me?

John wanted to laugh at the irony, but thoughts of Sabrina and Savannah clouded his mind. "You haven't learned anything from your Confession, have you, Charlie?" It was the wrong thing to say, making Morgan's face twist up in rage, gaze shifting to the truck behind them, "Maybe I should go drag out that lady of yours, march her over here, see how mouthy you are then, you bastard." John tried to keep himself in check, but something must have flashed across his face, urging Charlie to keep pushing. "Yeah, I'd start with carving into her. Make you watch. Then comes your turn. How does that sound?" He turned to the older Resistance member, "Bring her here, Blake." "You have to love them, Brother.", Joseph's voice did little to calm the anger bubbling up inside. The thought of Morgan putting his slimy paws on Sabrina made John see red. Before he can even attempt to silence the urge for violence, his hand had taken out her knife from the back of his jeans and in one brisk motion plunged it into the neck of the Sinner that had led him there. Before Charlie could react he was on top of him next. The whole time the youngest Sinner stood frozen in shock. His pistol shook in his hand at the sight of one of his comrades lying dead on the concrete, blood pooling beneath him and the other was close to follow in his footsteps, too. "Charlie, this isn't what we planned…Hurting others…Blake's dead.", the teen mumbled, voice small. John ignored his panicked ramblings, keeping his attention fully on Charlie, his smile dark as he said, "Yes, you haven't learned anything, Charlie." Morgan was nowhere close to giving up, his fury fueled his struggle and eventually allowed him to overpower John. He was set on grabbing the knife as he came on top with a maniacal look on his face. "You carved my chest, now it's time to carve that pretty face of yours, you bastard. See how Joseph likes you then."

"Is John going to be okay?", Savannah's eyes were brimming with tears. Sabrina's gaze shifted from the scene in front of them back to her sister as the armed man led John away. She rolled the windows up, afraid what might carry through them. "Hey, look at me, everything is going to be okay.", she reached her hand out to Savannah, "Don't look ahead, okay?" "Okay." Two paths were presented to her again: to drive off or help John. Her brain screamed at her to be rational, that Savannah was the only priority, that she should crawl over the console and into the driver seat, turn the truck around and leave. Her conscience argued he's in danger because of her: because he took her out of that bunker in the first place and he was breaking a rule by taking her to his home to protect her sister. And her heart… it reminded her he's the man from her visions. That she would be abandoning him to die, never to see him again. Acting or not. I can't leave him. Her father was not one for inaction, it's what led to his death and he passed that dangerous drive down to his daughter. She knew what he would do. Her mind was made up the second she saw John take down one of the men. You're going to get yourself killed, Seed. In a blink, she was reaching into the glovebox, pulling out the gun, absorbing the familiar feeling as she gripped it and released the safety before she turned to Savannah. "Keep your head down, whatever happens, you don't look. Lock the doors behind me, Sav." "John-" "I'm going to get him." She kissed her sister's forehead, rushing out of the truck, her eyes zeroing in on John and another man locked in a struggle on the ground, fighting over a knife. Above them stood a teenager, face frozen in shock, as he pointed the gun at the two men, unsure what to do, if he should shoot. "Charlie, stop it! We agreed we're taking him in alive! We had a plan!" Charlie? She knew that name, many times she and Hudson had to escort him out of the Spread Eagle after he had decided to sleep there after a full day of drinking. Then suddenly one day he had disappeared, taken in by John's men only to reemerge with a dark look that refused to leave his eyes, constantly talking about getting revenge on the Project. In that moment he was set on killing John, screaming about carving into his face as payback. Seems like your own sins are catching up with you, Seed. Did you have him in that room, too?

The teen's gaze shifted from the ground up to Sabrina as she drew in closer, he raised his pistol in panic, pulling the trigger but his hand was shaking so badly he missed, grazing Sabrina's arm instead. She ignored the sting, hitting her target in a spot at his shoulder that was less likely to be leathal, the tricky shot incapacitated him, but whatever was in the "bullet" took him down in seconds, to the point she was worried she had killed him somehow. A brief moment was all it took for Charlie to get distracted when his friend's body hit the ground, giving John the chance to strike and sink the knife into his neck in one swift move. "A chance at Eden, Charlie. And you threw it away.", came as a mutter. He rolled the man's body off him as Sabrina reached her free hand out to pull him up. "Sabrina.", he lay still for a second, his blue eyes staring into hers, betraying his bewilderment at her assistance. "You expected me to leave?" John nodded, as he grabbed her outstretched arm, his own hands were bloody, getting hers covered too. He got up, smoothing the strands of hair that had gone out of place during the scuffle. "You should have left. Your sister-" "She's okay. I told her to lock the doors. I don't leave people behind, John." "Even me?" "Even you." "And yet, that boyfriend of yours left you behind. Ironic." "Boyfriend?", Sabrina's eyes narrowed in confusion. "That blond Deputy.", the resentment was clear in his tone and the mask slipped for a second as his features morphed into a dark frown. She didn't correct his assumption when she said, "Calahan. And he didn't leave me, I told him to go." "You sacrificed yourself so he gets away. You must love him then." Fishing for information now, are we? "I simply didn't want to risk his life too. I can take care of myself." "That I've seen. You're quite resourceful.", John wipped her knife off his jeans, "Your little gift saved my life, Deputy." Gift. Ha.

""A knife in your boot can save your life one day.", it's what my father used to say." And Scott Donovan was right, her own knife had helped John. "Smart man." Sabrina gave him a sad smile as she kneeled down, checking on the teen at her feet, "He was. A truly good man." Barely lucid, but still breathing. Good. "We have to go, Deputy. I'm pretty certain this one called in reinforcements." She nodded in response and when John made a move towards the teen, knife still clutched in his hand, she put herself between them, adding, "If you're planning on killing him, too… I won't let you. He's a kid, couldn't even hold his weapon steady. Enough lives were lost today, John, and it's barely noon." "Fine, Deputy." After moving the bodies off the path, they headed back to the truck, as he asked, "What do we tell Savannah?" We. That's progress. Sabrina took a deep breath, "I- for once I'm not sure, I need a minute." His hand was on the small of her back, offering silent support as they reached the passenger's side door. To Sabrina's relief her sister had followed her instructions: she was curled into herself, her auburn hair barely peeking out between the seats. She looked up cautiously when Sabrina knocked on the glass. "We're okay, pumpkin. You can open up." Savannah climbed over the console, rolling down the window, "Are the bad men gone?" Gone. Both literally and figuratively. "Yes, Sav. Pass me your water bottle, will you?" Sabrina and John quickly washed off whatever they could from the blood before climbing back into the truck. Soon they were back on the road with the men's bodies not visible in the rearview mirror anymore as Savannah's face poked inbetween the front seats, her green eyes focusing on John then on her sister. "You're both okay, right?" "Yes", came out in unison, making her laugh out loud. John looked at Sabrina before shifting his gaze back onward, his lips curling into a triumphant smile, "Deputy, you just said "Yes"." "No, I didn't.", she deadpanned. Savannah giggled, "Yes, you did, Rin-Rin." John tilted his head in her sister's direction, "See, Savi here says I'm right." "You're unbeliavable." "So you keep telling me.", and he had the audacity to wink. He just killed two people and is smiling like nothing has happened. Sabrina rested her head against the window, ignoring the pain in her forearm and trying to keep her emotions in check while Savannah and him chatted away, filling the time until they reach their destination.

[lulu2992]

A few of Far Cry 5’s characters’ former names (according to the files)

Did you know that some characters used to have different names? Here’s what I found:

Adelaide Drubman - Penny Johnson (I’m not sure; it’s unclear)

Casey Fixman - Casey Seagal or Casey Storm

Chad Wolanski - Chad Gardetto

Faith Seed - Selena Seed

George Wilson - George Beel

Guy Marvel - Guy Martel (headcanon: it’s still his name but he thought Marvel was a cooler name for a movie director)

Hurk Drubman Senior - Wayne Senior

Joseph Seed - Daniel Seed

Merle Briggs - Merle Clinton

Wilhelmina Mable - Wilhelmina Maybelline

Tammy Barnes - Tammy Palmer (was she supposed to be Eli’s wife? Maybe!)

Tracey Lader - Traci West

Virgil Minkler - Virgil Knutsen

Wendell Redler - Wendell Darrah

Xander Flynn - Bob Johnson (again, like for Adelaide, not sure)

Also, I’ve said this before but Deputy Pratt’s first name is actually Stacy and not Staci. In the files, it’s only not spelled Stacy once, in the end credits... which is also, unfortunately, the only time players had a chance to see it written.

According to the files, Larry Parker’s first name is Laurence, the man we meet near Arcade machines is Morris Aubrey, and the fisherman is Coyote Nelson… but his description in the unreleased in-game encyclopedia also implies he died, so that might be inaccurate.

Below are the names of other Hope County residents (and where they live(d) and/or work(ed)) found in the deleted in-game encyclopedia:

Daniel Holmes — Holmes Residence

Doug and Debbie Hadler — Gardenview Orchards, Ciderworks, and Packing Facility

Rae-Rae Bouthillier — Rae-Rae's Pumpkin Farm

Niesha Howard — Howard Cabin

Emmet Reaves (in the late 1800s) — Copperhead Rail Yard & Prosperity

Will Boyd (from Far Cry: Absolution; his full name is William) — Boyd Residence

Les Doverspike — Doverspike Compound

Mike and Deb Harris — Harris Residence

Wolfgang Dodd — Dodd’s Dumps

Colin Dodd (Nadine Abercrombie’s grandfather) — Dodd Residence

Joe Roberts — Roberts Cabin

Dr. Kim Patterson — Hope County Clinic

Bobby Budell (in 1946) — Flatiron Stockyards

Doug Fillmore — Fillmore Residence

Orville Fall (found gold in 1865) — Catamount Mines

Mike and Chandra Dunagan — Sunrise Farm

The Redler family (Wendell’s) — Red’s Farm Supply

Andrew and Frances Woodson — Woodson Pig Farm

Don Sawyer — Sawyer Residence

Kay Wheeler — Kay-Nine Kennels

Jules Adams (and an unnamed husband) — Adams Ranch

Jerry Miller (and his family) — Miller Residence

Rick Elliot (his full name is Richard according to a message left by Eli) — Elliot Residence

Jay Loresca — Loresca Residence

"Lonely Frank" — Frank’s Cabin

Dicky Dansky — Dansky Cabin

Roy Tanami — Tanami Residence

Mr. Vasquez — Vasquez Residence

Mr. McDevitt — Misty River Gas

Darby McCoy — McCoy Cabin

Dr. Phil Barlow — Barlow Residence

Travis McClean (and his husband Brent) — McClean Residence

Jasmine Chan — Chan Residence

Jerrod Wilson (in the 1800s) — Throne of Mercy Church

Frankie Sinclair — Sinclair Residence

Lydia (in 1912) — Lydia’s Cave

Dwight Feeney (the chemist who worked with Eden’s Gate and dies in the mission “Sins of the Father”) — Feeney Residence

Lorna Rawlings — Lorna’s Truck Stop

Edward O'Hara — O’Hara’s Haunted House

Kanti Jones — Jones Residence

Coyote Nelson — Nelson Residence

Holly Pepper (and her girlfriend Charlie) — Pepper Residence

Nolan Pettis — Nolan’s Fly Shop

Bob and Penny Johnson — Johnson Residence

Melvin Adams Abercrombie — Abercrombie Residence

Steve McCallough — McCallough’s Garage

Dr. Rachel Jessop (who, and I’ll keep saying this every time I can, was never Faith and always another, entirely different person) — Jessop Conservatory

Dwight Seeley — Seeley’s Cabin

[toxic-ship-tournament]

We have our contenders for round 1! Time to see your first nemesis.

1. Artekai x Fross ( @artekai ) vs Elliot Kane x Yuri Gallagher ( @cocainecowgrrl )

2. Dorian x Beau ( @monoma-neitoblog-blog ) vs Deputy Dean Sinclair x Jacob Seed ( @derelictheretic )

3. Jesminder Dhawan x Imogen Grant ( @ruecrown ) vs CJ x Jack ( @sai-nt )

4. Rose Cortez x Joseph Seed ( @jinfromyarikawa ) vs Iraraziel x Cassiel x Mai ( @cyclicalaberration )

5. Li Minshan x Ji Shenchi x Dai Raoyi ( @rosencrantzsguildenstern ) vs Crowcaw x Leora ( @honeydoe12 )

6. Rose x Andrei ( @manganese-heptoxide ) vs Ariel Herrera x Edward Nashton ( @baldurrs )

7. Moth x Bugsy ( @scentedtyrantwitch ) vs Charlie Berger x John Seed ( @detectivelokis )

8. Lucille x Jo ( @radioactive-dragonlover ) vs Valor x Ghost ( @velcrooooo )

9. Ve’Qren x Lohl ( @zillastar13 ) vs Res x Leo ( @adanaac )

10. Esmeralda Poofenplotz x Alice Luoja ( @cantdanceflynn ) vs Pash x Illoma ( @floralprintshirts )

11. Vincent x Jynx ( @bonetrix-arts ) vs Harbinger “Harry” x Dr. Vincent ( @certifiedwerewolf )

12. Wren Blake x John Seed ( @nightwingshero ) vs Ludovica Rossi x Pier Lombardi ( @raybotonline )

13. Theodore Antonov x Cito Putnum ( @pixelpancake246 / @pixelsdoodles ) vs CEO x Arowana ( @owo-whats-bliss )

14. Kotone "Katie" Hoshino x Ellis Lockwood ( @wren-writes-random-things ) vs Matejka x Nikki Darling ( @outpost-31 & @rhaaclaws )

15. Wayne x MC Scarlet ( @hellhoundmaggie ) vs Anita Gil x The Joker ( @sstewyhosseini )

16. Amaro x Calamari ( @hottopicabbacchio & @corpsoir ) vs Iphi, the goddess of sacrifice x Jack Sinclair ( @kira-the-whump-enthusiast )

JUST A QUICK HEADS UP! I had to switch around a couple pairings, but all is well. Side A will start being posted in a few hours. One poll every hour. Tomorrow Side B will drop around the same time, same posting schedule 💗

[detectivelokis]

WIP THURSDAY

I haven’t done one of these in a hot minute, but thanks to Charlie and John making round 2 of the toxic ship tournament, I figured I would share a snippet of a prompt I’m working on for them.

Tagged by: @sstewyhosseini @ishwaris @theelderhazelnut @marivenah @eclecticwildflowers @kyber-infinitygems @nightbloodbix @inafieldofdaisies @g0dspeeed @direwombat @euryalex

Tagging: @baldurrs @jinfromyarikawa @nightwingshero @madparadoxum @poisonedtruth @confidentandgood @clonesupport @aceghosts @voidika @phillipsgraves @fourlittleseedlings @jacobseed @jendoe @risingsh0t @beautiful-delirium @socially-awkward-skeleton @megraen @cassietrn @captastra @josephslittledeputy @clicheantagonist @leviiackrman

“You know, I do recall you having a similar reaction when it was my life on the line. For some reason you assume I don’t remember, but I do, Charlene. I very much do.”

Charlie’s eyes look anywhere but John’s as he recalls that fateful night up on the hills leading to Black Horse Peak. It hadn’t been her finest moment. She had acted out of pure wrath and envy, tired of Joseph and the other Seeds going on and on about the deputy and how special she was; how untouchable she was.

But in her eyes, no one is untouchable and no one is above retribution. So she did what anyone would do if they saw someone with a gun aimed at their spouse’s head, just moments from snuffing his life out.

Instead of simply leaving her alone as per Joseph’s orders, Charlie tackled the deputy. The fight had been brutal. The two kicked and bit and punched until finally she managed to overpower the cop. Spurred on by deep-seated feelings of rage that had been lingering ever since that very first night at the church, she stabbed her. Repeatedly and viciously until she was covered in nothing but the warm splatter of blood and viscera. When she had looked up, John had been watching, a devilish glint in those icy eyes of his as he smiled at her.

He was proud of her.

“Well, I’ve been trying to forget,” she whispers as she straddles his lap, her hands cupping his cheeks, forcing him to look at her. “Everyone was so pissed at me for weeks after what happened with the deputy. Everyone but you.”

Joseph had been incensed that she didn’t follow his orders. But she wasn’t going to just sit there and let some rookie cop kill her husband. No fucking way. In the end it was the Collapse not happening that brought her back into the Father’s good graces once and for all.

John brings a hand up to her cheek, gently caressing her skin with his knuckles. “How could I be mad at you for saving my life?”

Closing her eyes she leans into his touch. “I had to do it. And I would do it again. If anyone touches you I’ll kill them. It’s that simple.”

John grins at her like a cat that caught the canary. It’s shit-eating and smug beyond words. But he finally has her how he’s always wanted her: obsessive and possessive in a way that could only rival his own behavior.

“That’s my girl.”

[afarcryfrommymain]

Far Cry OC Tournament

We have one 3 pairing but its gonna be a fun time from the looks of things!

Status:

Round 1: Finished!

Round 2: Finished!

Semi-finals: Finished!

FINALS: Finished!

Match ups and links to the polls under the cut!

Round 1

Side A-

Esther Seed v Orayani Ragadio v Wesley Beltran

Hannah Lamb v Deputy Calahan Hartley

Namazzi Wambui v Kit Cross

Diana Baker v Dean Sinclaire

Side B-

Jason Spero v Jestiny Ellen Rook

Marion Scott Mitchell v Little Shit

Brittany "Brit" Seed v Charlie Berger

Skunk v Cooper McCoy

Round 2!

Wesley Beltran v Deputy Calahan Hartley

Kit Cross v Diana Baker

Jason Spero v Marion Scott Mitchell

Brittany "Brit" Seed v Cooper McCoy

Semi-finals👀

Deputy Calahan Hartley v Kit Cross

Jason Spero v Cooper McCoy

FINAL ROUND!!!!

Kit Cross V Cooper McCoy

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to DM me :D

[adidegmez]

spn s11 spoilers

s11 ep1(out of the darkness, into the fire)

crowley isnt dead he cant be. yes he is still alive. old dean is back. i love him he might be tough but he is sweet carina and kind and funny… sam is sick. baby has the mark!!and the darkness which makes sense.

s11 ep2(form and void)

A demon(king of hell) came for exorcism, perfect. poor jenna i liked her. im glad sam find the cure. cas will be better, hopefully.

s11 ep3(the bad seed)

Rowena is very short compared to Sam. Actually, everyone is much shorter than Sam, but I don't know, the height difference between the two is too much. Next to Sam, I would be like Rowena. he is too tall. Cas survived, finally.

s11 ep4(baby)

baby. baby is their home. baby is their happy place. i love seeing them happy. i needed seeing them happy, it was nice. john! werepire, i love dean so much. i would want to ride baby. if dean knew what she did he couldve killed her. this ep made me feel like i was with them in the baby. He shot the sheriff's deputy. ghoulpire:). The baby suffered as much as Dean and Sam. i thought we would see Chuck.

s11 ep5(thin lizzie)

finn wolfhard. I've never seen anything with him in it before but I know he's in Stanger Things and Ghostbusters. I didn't know we'd see him here. Len is a good guy. what happened to crowley?

s11 ep6(our little world)

cowley became an uncle but he acts like a father. dean and crowley they were bff's(in crowleys eyes). i hope they could still be friends. why didnt sam kill demons?

s11 ep7(plush)

i love donna. Sam is right to be afraid of clowns, by the way. is Charlie really dead? i still cant believe she is dead.

s11 ep8(just my imagination)

i knew about sully (because i saw spoilers,again). i thought this ep was going to be funny. and dean blames himself, again. dean is the best big brother. i kmow sam is dealing with something but all i can think about is dean. lucifer is coming, god isnt. The boys never found complete peace. They probably won't be able to access it until they die. I really want them to be happy but it seems impossible. Sometimes they have small happiness but it is not enough.

s11 ep9(o brother where art thou?)

amara finally became the darkness. if lucifer is in the cage where is michael/adam. hi luci. lucifer might be the most terrifying thing in this Show(especially in this episode). Dean should go to Sam as soon as possible. Did Rowena cast the spell wrong on purpose? Dean has to be there if Sam is going to say yes to Lucifer. If God comes, he will deserve every bad thing that happens to him. How many times was the world destroyed? He did not interfere with anything. he still doesn't interfere. Amara may be a little right, her brother betrayed her after all. Of course, there are parts where Lucifer is right. It's better if he doesn't come from now on. Where and what was he doing all this time?

s11 ep10(the devil in the details)

voicemail was funny. well, lucifer is not that terrifying now. but in cage he was. im not sure the darkness is the bad guy. i knew cas would be the vessel to lucifer someday but i didnt know it was today. wow. cas will be back(hopefully). rowena is dead im not upset. she really hates crowley. i hope lucifer can beat the darkness.

s11 ep11(into te mystic)

They had an deal but never followed it. But once Sam complied. Why? I still can't understand this. Dean was in purgatory. If he was in heaven, I would understand, sam would say Dean is in a good place and leave it, but Dean was in purgatory and suffered a lot. Why didn't Sam save him? dean is the vulnerable one. the darkness threw him off balance. and cas(lucifer) misha is so good. and jensen and dean he is georgeous. I can't take my eyes off him, most of the time I just look at Dean in every scene he is in. There are 4 seasons left and I want to see as much of him as possible.

s11 ep12(don't you forget about me)

jody and alex they deserved to be happy and they found eachother and now they are happy. and claire. dean and his love for food. claire is like a sister to winchesters, they are hilarious together. I miss the old plate, I still can't get used to the new one. I can't even say it's new anymore, but KAZ 2Y5 was different, idk. It was used for about 2 seasons, but I liked it more.

s11 ep13(love hurts)

dean has a death wish. what is he doing. why is he risking his life for others? well thats because this is who he is. still i want him safe. i didnt think dean would tell the truth to sam.

s11 ep14(the vessel)

i still cant believe Charlie is dead. misha is amazing. im scared. lucifer makes me anxious. well, at leat they kearned about lucifer. boys went through so much they still suffer, when can we just see them happy? i want cas back.

s11 ep15(beyond the mat)

dean was deppesed at the home but when he is on case, he is in a completely different mode. he sure knows how to hide his feelings. he does this perfect. Still, it makes me happy to see him happy. i love dean so much. sometimes he acts like a little boy(These scenes are one of my favorite scenes). i dont trust the demon who helped crowley. im glad he is out but i think lucifer wanted him out. did crowley really believed her? he looks disappointed. well, in the end he got away. dean:). The good characters on this show have all done something bad at least at some point in their lives. but they always tried to fix it. And that's what I love about this show.

s11 ep16(safe house)

i missed the old guys(They'd definitely be mad at me if they heard me call them old). i loved them so much. Why did the woman hide the scar on her daughter's leg and didn't tell the Winchesters? its really nice to see bobby and rufus again. dean is bobby, and sam is rufus it fits. sam and dean, of course they are bobby's boys. Dean was very confident that he would win rock paper scissors. but he still lost. Both of their facial expressions were perfect. dean is soft with kids. I love this side of him so much. i know winchesters will be safe, they'll beat the monsters but what if they cant this time. I assume bobby and dean saw each other since they were out of time in the nest. I'm glad bobby and dean were able to see each other again.

s11 ep17(red meat)

When we jumped to 48 hours ago, I thought we would only continue with that time. This time they chose a different narrative style. and i liked it. im gonna kill corbin. he killed sam. he cant be dead i know but still he killed him, well mabe he is dead, but he will come back. they always do. sheriff shot dean. sam how are you alive? i knew he wouldnt die that easy but dean checked he thought he was dead. how is he alive? i thought dean would try to contact crowley or even lucifer. wow sam was amazing. He killed 3 werewolves despite being seriously injured. and ran. dean didnt talked about billie because he knew sam would kill him for that. winchesters really do anything for the other one(exvcept one time sam didnt and i really cant undertstand why).

s11 ep18(hell's angel)

Why did Crowley kill that man? ruth conell! i knew we would see rowena again. but she is with the darkness. misha is amazing. lucifer is funny. Jimmy carries a demon, an angel and the devil inside him. he is really strong. of course you'll bring cas home. he'll come back. he has to.

s11 ep19(the chitters)

i thought jessie saved his brother in 19.. . at first i thought they were dean and sam. i think dean thought about john. when he was talking about revenge. I have many things to say about John, but I'm lazy right now. I can only say that I still don't hate John right now, I see that people in the fandom hate him a lot. revenge broke him. But he still tried to do good things for Dean and Sam. Most of the time he couldn't make it happen, but he tried and wanted it to happen. And I think that's enough not to hate him for now at least.

s11 ep20(don't call me shurley)

hi Chuck:) . i knew he would be god someday. but i don't know if he was God from the beginning or if God took his body in later times. i thought he would come in later seasons. i didnt think he would come this season. He spills beer on his shirt and irons it. perfect dean, perfect. metatron was good then power corrupted him. now whe is trying to convince god to save people. he is right. i think i like him more than chuck(god). Was Chuck just an act from the beginning? This is what I can understand from here. Metatron defends humanity. I guess he always loved humanity. especially their work. Was Sam having the amulet from the beginning?!! i dont know what to think about chuck. He could have done so much, he could have prevented so many bad things, but he didn't. only now intervened When there is no hope left. and again dean and sam was suffering. they almost died again. i think metatron saved the earth.

s11 ep21(all in the family)

kevin!!!!! the pain in deans eyes… donnt cofuse me with your dad … at least john winchester tried to protect his kids. Chuck did nothing and He still wouldn't have done anything if it wasn't for Metatron. He would let everything disappear. Did Chuck's hand shake when Sam was talking about Amara fog, or was it just me? yes, the mutant Ninja turtle:). i love dean so much. i know i say this a lot but these scenes make me so happy. I wish Dean treated Chuck the way Percy Jackson treated Zeus. There is Poseidon to protect Percy, but no one can save Dean from Chuck (except Amara, but Dean prefers Chuck to Amara), so he tries to show respect. rip metatron. he sacrificed himself for the universe. i knew Chuck would save them. Because who else could save them? father son Reunion.

s11 ep22(we happy few)

Chuck and lucifer I can't stop laughing. Chuck know his son well. boys dont know what to do. I think the Winchesters are reviewing their lives right now. From simple monster hunting, they fell into the middle of the drama between God and Lucifer. lucifer is a teenager. Of course, Crowley is trying to take advantage of the situation. Chuck is acting like a mom. The apology scene is so good, especially the part where Dean and Sam explain the apology is my favorite. lucifer is happy now. he got his apology. Of course Sam is trying to sacrifice himself. It was going to be either Dean or Sam anyway, but since Amara and Dean had a bond, this job was left to Sam. i dont think ucifer s permanently dead. he'll retur probably. did she just kill god?! what happened to crowley? Did he only hit Amara once? i cant think anyone that could save them now.

s11 ep23(alpha and omega)

carry on gains more and more meaning every season. i love it so much. cas is back! cas is their brother and i like it. Did only the Man of Letter members in America die? Are there still other members in other countries? Dean's imitation of Rowena was very good and funny. amara is just confused. her brother betrayed her because of who she is. this really feels like the end. i know its not but still it was never like this. this Show is always about family, especially siblings. there is always dean and sam then Michael and lucifer now god and the darkness. its really beautiful. i like this ending. i knew mary was coming back(i saw spoilers, again) and i know that this isnt good. she should've stayed dead(like dean and sam remebered her). sam isnt dead. he cant be. Charlie didnt come back i still cant believe she is dead. I don't think I will ever believe it. even mary retuned why cant she.

[trench-rot]

OC's as Other Characters

Tagged by: @socially-awkward-skeleton @adelaidedrubman and @strafethesesinners thank you! uquiz here <3

Tagging: @voidika @shegetsburned @jacobsneed @dumbassdep @deputy-sennaviste @purplehairsecretlair @strangefable @direwombat @derelictheretic @joseph-seeds-manbun @josephseedismyfather and anyone else who wants to! Sorry to anyone I missed/doubled/etc!

I went with the top 10, although I don't recognize all of them.

April Ludgate (Parks and Recreation): 84% Darlene (Mr. Robot): 83% Rue Bennett (Euphoria): 83% Marla Singer (Fight Club): 82% Janis Ian (Mean Girls): 82% Fleabag (Fleabag): 82% Powder (Arcane): 82% Jane Margolis (Breaking Bad): 81% The Joker (The Dark Knight): 81% Eve Polastri (Killing Eve): 81%

Mufasa (The Lion King): 83% Amenadiel (Lucifer): 83% Henry Reagan (Blue Bloods): 83% Li Mu Bai (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon): 83% Captain America (Marvel Cinematic Universe): 82% Charlie Carson (Downton Abbey): 81% Eric Taylor (Friday Night Lights): 81% Dembe Zuma (The Blacklist): 81% Frank Reagan (Blue Bloods): 80% Eddard Stark (Game of Thrones): 79%

[direwombat]

tagged by:@socially-awkward-skeleton, @confidentandgood, @adelaidedrubman,and @natesofrellis to do this super cool picrew! thank you all so much!

deputy sybille la roux (fc5) unamused with jacob’s little games but also resigning herself to the fact that she’s going to take him up on his proposition of forest sex anyway

jonah seed (fc5) telling the deputy to be very quiet otherwise they might agitate the various venomous snakes wrapped around their body,

paola orsini (uncharted) pretending to be annoyed that charlie dropped by her office while she’s at work, but he brought coffee so she forgives him

katherine vogel (rdr2) enjoying a nice time in a garden and being a little flustered by arthur gifting her with a flower crown

 henrietta “etta” graves (rdr2) taunting micah after she framed him for the murder of her husband (again)

tagging: @harmonyowl, @thomrainer, @funkypoacher, @strafethesesinners, @aceghosts, @poeti-kat, @schoute, and blanket tagging anyone who wants to play with this picrew!

[globalnewsnr]

McDermott Retires as USF Athletic Director Amid Scandals

Joan McDermott’s time as the athletic director at the University of San Francisco is over after a tumultuous three-year tenure that included several scandals involving coach behavior as well as a run to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament earlier this spring.

McDermott was named the school’s AD in March 2019 after three years as a deputy under Scott Sidwell.

“These last six years have been very rewarding,” McDermott said in a release from the school. “I loved the opportunity to return to my alma mater and serve the USF community and I am proud of what has been accomplished during my time at USF.”

“Joan has been an integral part of the athletics administration at USF for the past six years and we are grateful for her many contributions to the USF community,” said Charlie Cross, vice president for business and finance, in the release.

The Dons’ men’s hoops team reached the West Coast Conference title game this season and earned a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament, falling to No. 7-seeded Murray State in a thrilling first-round game. Shortly thereafter, coach Al Golden took a job at Florida and McDermott promoted assistant Chris Gerlufsen to lead the team.

But there was plenty of trouble at USF behind the scenes.

Longtime baseball coach Nino Giarratano was fired in February after a lawsuit filed by three ex-players named him, USF, the NCAA and former assistant coach Troy Nakamura alleging a pattern of sexualized and abusive behavior from Nakamura and allowed by Giarratano.

Another pending lawsuit from former women’s basketball players accuses current coach Molly Goodenbour of abusive coaching tactics.

A Sports Illustrated investigation published last September uncovered accusations of sexual harassment or abuse by men’s soccer players going back nearly 20 years.

[zacklover24]

You've been visited by the random OC question fairy! :D ~☆

Meme Question (answer privately if you'd like a serious question): How would your OC try to free the Ever Given, the massive cargo ship that blocked the Suez Canal (and disrupted 12% of global trade) in early 2021?

Luna would laugh, and make bets to see how long it would take to free it. Charlie would also laugh, and joke about freeing it. Tessa would just find so much joy and then have to listen to her family bitch about the ship. 

[starsandskies]

♾

Okay,

Julie and Charlie ♥

Otherside - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Slaves - Penny and Sparrow

The War - SYML

Beautiful Lies - B-complex

Chop Suey! - System Of A Down

Off In The Deep - Doomtree

I like it!

[toxic-ship-tournament]

ROUND 1 SIDE A WINNERS

Artekai x Fross ( @artekai )

Deputy Dean Sinclaire x Jacob Seed ( @derelictheretic )

CJ x Jack ( @sai-nt )

Rose Cortez x Joseph Seed ( @jinfromyarikawa )

Crowcaw x Leora ( @honeydoe12 )

Ariel Herrera x Edward Nashton ( @baldurrs )

Charlie Berger x John Seed ( @detectivelokis )

Lucille x Jo ( @radioactive-dragonlover )

congrats on advancing to the second round 💗

[detectivelokis]

WIP WEDNESDAY

Tagged by @derelictheretic @socially-awkward-skeleton @direwombat @kyber-infinitygems @captastra

Tagging: @sstewyhosseini @baldurrs @jinfromyarikawa @confidentandgood @marivenah @poisonedtruth @aceghosts @phillipsgraves @simonxriley @lavinet @risingsh0t @nightbloodraelle @newknife @strangefable @voidika @fourlittleseedlings @josephslittledeputy @funkypoacher @clicheantagonist @madparadoxum

I don’t have much, but I have a little bit of a rough draftI was inspired to write of the family having a nice little day together amidst the chaos of the reaping.

It was a brisk and sunny day when the recently healed Berger-Seed family was able to make their first trek outside of both their bunker and the valley; a time Charlie had never thought would come. After John’s failed dogfight and the fatal brawl she got into that opened up stitches she received from being shot in the chest, the two were kept in their quarters under doctor’s orders.

It wasn’t all that bad, of course. Unlike the other families who have taken up residence at Black Horse Peak, they have their own version of an apartment tucked away into the corner of the bunker where John’s office resides. For three weeks they were given the privacy they needed for a full recovery, but that didn’t stop the feeling of claustrophobia that slowly crept in day by day.

Their luck turns around on day twenty three of their bed rest when Jacob radios in with urgent news. Her brother-in-law was ecstatic, his usually gruff voice dripping with what sounded like his own version of joy. He, alongside his chosen and hunters, had managed to overpower Eli’s Whitetails and other resistance members while the deputy was out in the Henbane recovering from a particularly nasty bliss trip. With her allies either dead or wounded, the mountains fell back into the rightful hands of the project.

John had wanted to congratulate his brother on his success in person, of course. So, with two SUVs full of their best chosen, the family commenced on their trip up north.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?,” Charlie asks, her green eyes looking up and into the rear view mirror to check on Sloane; the toddler currently babbling to herself in the backseat as she watches out the window. “That fucking deputy always seems to be lurking in the shadows.”

John briefly takes his eyes off the road to shoot her a small smile. “Don’t worry about them, darling. Faith has been having her fun with our little deputy friend so we can have this little day to ourselves.”

[multiuniverse02]

Piccrew OC tagged by @juniors0possum (started by @thedumbdeputy ) {Comparing my OC to myself }

Character on the left: Me

Character on the Right: My OC Deputy Charlie

Similarities between us: Since she was kinda a self insert we have a decent amount in common but she’s definitely more badass and chaotic

We share the same name (Charlie) and both are bisexual.

Deputy Charlie’s Pronouns: She/Her

My pronouns: He/Him and They/Them

Differences: Deputy Charlie is more of an free sprit, not giving two figs about what others have to say about her. She lives life by her own rules and doesn’t like following order. She’s pure chaos, exploding most of Montana as she goes through it and trying to take down Eden’s Gate. Very optimistic and happy.

For my deputy I have two timelines:

One timeline of my Deputy taking down Eden’s Gate with Hudson on her side. 💕 Two badass girlfriends my beloved 💕

The other timeline is her joining Eden’s Gate when she’s sent to arrest Joseph Seed. She goes into Jacob’s region and become a good ol’ power couple.

Me 🤝 Deputy Charlie

Trying our best

[quentinbecks]

Charlie Berger-Seed & Sydney Williams-Seed

POV: You’re a resistance member and you’ve been cordially invited to the joint baby shower of your former friends/allies who decided starting a family with the enemy was a better use of their time.

Thank you so much to @delicateweapon for this incredible commission of mine and @johnnycranes most beloved corrupted girls. We’ve been wanting to see them together in their canon for awhile now and she did such an incredible job of bringing them to life. Look at their scars, the rings, the dresses Charlie undoubtedly bought Sydney to match her! I can’t thank you enough, Nika!! I’ll be staring at this all day.

*For reblogging purposes, Charlie is not a deputy.

[carni-val]

Pomegranate Seeds [Jax Teller]

pairing: Jax Teller x F!Reader

summary: Would’ve. That pesky word seemed to plague your existence ever since you were dragged to The Surface and out of The Underworld.

warnings: Timelines not syncing up totally with the show’s timeline, Jax being a lil non-canon

author’s notes: Here it is! The first part of the Hades and Persephone inspired series I’ve been working on. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I’m eager to hear your feedback and I’ll see you in part two!

Charlie Hunnam Masterlist | Jax Teller Masterlist

PART I: THE SURFACE

PREVIEW | PART II: THE UNDERWORLD | PART III: THE IN-BETWEEN | PART IV: RETURN TO THE UNDERWORLD [Pt. I] | PART V: RETURN TO THE UNDERWORLD [Pt. II]

after

The Charming Florist had seen little change since its grand opening almost twenty years ago. There were still sunflowers bunched together in buckets outside the front door, chrysanthemums lined the doorway that led customers inside, and varying hues of reds, purples, and greens lined the walls of the store. Some patrons bustled around one another, scoping out the emptying shelves while others went straight to the counter to pick up their previously ordered bouquets. It was Mother's Day tomorrow and Deputy David Hale was among the few last minute shoppers, hoping to put together a bouquet for his mother who was staying with him for the weekend. Things had gotten busy at the station and the Sons of Anarchy weren’t making it any easier. David scolded himself for believing they would ease off on Mother's Day. Most of them, as far as he was concerned, didn’t have mothers to celebrate with, or celebrate period.

The Charming Florist had seen little change since its grand opening almost twenty years ago. Until you showed up. You, you, you. Poised you, intelligent you, kind you. There was a crowd of people at the front desk but you handled them all with a smile, taking order numbers and names, disappearing into the backroom and emerging again with a fresh bouquet waiting to be retrieved by its owner. David smiled at a woman who was admiring her bouquet as she left the shop. Turning back to you, David felt the twinge of pain that had subsided over the years but not completely. You moved with such elegance, not stumbling even once over your movements, nor your words. You were so put together, you always had been, even in the face of adversity, you always remained calm, reeling in your emotions. It made him feel like an emotional wreck whenever he was near you.

Pulling his eyes away from you, David wandered through the store, trying to salvage what was left of the balding snapdragons, wilting cosmos, and a lone yellow rose all scattered amongst various shelves. The bouquet he had concocted in his hand was dreadful. Some of them drooped at the stem and others lost their petals which fell onto the hardwood floor beneath his feet.

“Don’t quit your day job,” David heard you call to him in your melodious voice.

His head snapped towards you. The desk was finally clear and there were only a few people left to collect the scraps left behind by the early comers. David lowered his hand, almost trying to hide the abomination that was supposed to be a bouquet. “Yeah, maybe you’re right,” he grinned towards you awkwardly. He hated himself for doing that. He shouldn’t be smiling at you, but he just couldn’t help it.

“Here,” you waved him over.

Once he was standing before you, you took the flowers from his hands and David held completely still as you did so, not wanting to accidentally brush his hand against yours and make you think he was making a move on you, but he also wanted to see if you would try and do anything of the sort. His heart sank when you didn’t but his breath caught as you leaned in closer. There was a glint of mischief that had always been in your eyes from the moment you met him. Not a deceptive, malicious mischief, but good, clean, fun mischief.

You spoke lowly to him, “Someone was supposed to come by this morning to pick up a bouquet they pre-ordered, but they didn’t. I saw them walk by with another bouquet - probably from the shop down the street,” the disdain in your voice at the last part of that sentence was not lost on David. “I’ve got a bouquet in the back if you need it.”

“Really?” David felt relief as a weight was lifted off of his shoulders. “Yeah, I’ll take it.”

Without another word, you disappeared into the back and returned with the bouquet in hand. It was full, healthy, and bright. “Perfect,” David nodded with a smile, but then caught himself. “The flowers I mean,” he added quickly, making sure you weren’t reading things wrong, although you were perfect too, but he couldn’t say that. “How much?” he asked, fumbling around in his wallet upon your silence.

“You can give me thirty,” you replied. David eyed you curiously. This bouquet definitely had to be worth more than that. “If it doesn’t get picked up today, it’ll probably just end up gonna waste. You’re doing me a favour,” you breathed a laugh.

“Alright, thirty it is,” David handed you the cash.

He eyed you as you put the bills into the register. The pesky second thoughts were coming back up again even though logic told him there was no basis for his hopeful thoughts.

Of course she didn’t do it because she still has feelings for you. She just told you why.

But what if she does?

“Is there anything else you needed?” you asked him.

“No!” David shook his head, his eyes averting to the bouquet once he realized he was staring at you. “This will be all then,” he picked up the bouquet from the counter and gave you a small but shy smile, “Thank you for doing this.”

“It’s not a problem,” you waved him off.

“And if you need anything, just…” David trailed off, not really knowing exactly how to say it in a way that could be read as strictly professional. You nodded silently, understanding what he meant. David only nodded before turning on his heel and exiting the shop before he could make an even bigger fool of himself.

The roads were always clearer on Sunday nights, making Jax Teller’s trip to The Charming Florist much easier. There was only an hour left before Mother's Day and although Gemma would have to wait for her bouquet tomorrow morning, Jax could only find time in his schedule to pick it up now. With Deputy Hale and ATF on the Sons’ backs, Jax decided it’d be best if the club laid low for now until Agent Stahl and the rest of her team got out of town. They were at Teller-Morrow almost everyday, always unannounced. If they weren’t there, they were out investigating their friends and family. They had to be keeping tabs on the Sons every minute, which meant Jax had to keep checking his rearview mirrors and his surroundings to make sure no one was following him on the way to the shop. He didn’t want them following him anywhere, not even to the shop and especially not to you. You had always been so accommodating in keeping the store open later when he wasn’t able to come by during business hours, so the least he could do was keep the feds from snooping around.

The street was dimly lit and deserted as the only store that was open right now was The Charming Florist. The lights from the shop shone through the windows and spilled out onto the street, illuminating Jax and his bike. He parked it at the curb before dismounting it and taking off his helmet. The front of the shop was bare as the buckets of flowers were now tucked into the store for the night and the open sign was now an outline, devoid of colourful, inviting lights to illuminate it. Jax scanned the street, confirming that he was really alone out here from what he could tell. It had become a habit.

Then there was you. Scissors in one hand, flowers in the other, and concentration furrowing your brow. The pastel apron you wore was still a sight Jax had to get used to. Although you had worked at the shop for about five years now, the image of you wearing the antithesis of the clothes you were wearing now was forever plastered in his mind; it was what he grew up seeing. If the past version of you saw what you were wearing now, she would refuse to believe that that was her future. But upon a multitude of circumstances, none that benefited you in the slightest, this had become your reality. It wasn’t a bad one though, however Jax couldn’t find it in him to honestly say that you were better off this way. He knew where you belonged and he knew that deep down, you did too.

Longing had plagued Jax for a substantial amount of time; so substantial that it became a part of who he was. He thought being with other women would help subside some of the pain but, he quickly learned the only person that could fix this feeling was you. He was tethered to you in ways that nobody else could understand, or would ever come to know of. It was the reason he came here for every occasion that warranted celebrating: birthdays, Christmases, homecomings, his son being able to finally come home, and any other event that called for flowers. However, the latter event was just a way to tell you about Abel’s recovery and about Abel himself.  Although the connection looked doomed from the outside, there was so much more beneath the surface. You and Jax were more alike than anyone could surmise on a first glance.

The bell above the door chimed once Jax entered the store. The breath he was holding slowly trickled out. A habit he had developed five years ago. The hardwood floor was littered with flowers in buckets and display signs that usually stood outside of the shop. Your gaze glided over to him from the gardenias you were sticking into a vase. While you seemed to settle under his gaze, he felt himself tense up with nerves under yours. It was easy for him to spew out sweet talk to all the other girls he interacted with, but you stripped him of that facade. You knew him too well and he admired you too much to even play those games with you. He was defenceless under your gaze. Not only did you see right through his bravado, but you appreciated what was underneath it all.

“Hi,” he smiled at you as he navigated through the busy floor.

“Hey,” you mirrored his smile as he approached the cash register you were standing behind, your eyes flickering over Jax’s shoulder through the windows that led out to the street.

“How ya doin’?” he asked sincerely, letting his palms press against the top of the desk that stood between you two.

“I’m good,” you nodded convincingly. Jax studied you as you set the scissors in your hand down onto the counter and then your eyes when they returned to his, trying to see through you the way you did him. There was always something off about your response to that question, while he knew a large chunk of it, he couldn’t account for the boughs of sadness that stemmed from you, new and tender to the touch. Especially lately, the way your eyes kept flickering behind him when you thought he wasn’t looking also sparked his curiosity and he wanted to ask you outright what was wrong, but that’s not how this worked anymore.

“How are you?” you asked him, peering up at him with eager eyes. Your tone of voice was different now. You were beginning to develop a rough edge to it at the tail end of your close relationship, but nowadays it gave way to the exhaustion buried behind your eyes; behind smiles and pleasantries with the customers of the store. Every time he came in here and spoke to you, he wanted to ask why.

Tell me what’s been going on. You know that you can still tell me everything? he wanted to plead with you but he backed out every time. The two of you weren’t as close as you were before so maybe he would be stepping out of line, or maybe you just wouldn’t be honest with him.

“I’m good,” he replied hypocritically. Having ATF on the club’s back reminded Jax of the last time they were in town and because of it his mind was wandering back to the past. While the club stayed out of jail, other events had taken place that changed it forever. He longed to deepen the connection with you and get it back to how it used to be, but time and time again, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“How’s the club?” you asked, leaning on the desk and making yourself comfortable. Your folded hands were an even distance between both of his. His heart pounded at the idea of  inching his hand just a little closer to yours.

“They’re doing alright,” Jax shrugged. “ATF and the Sheriff’s department have become our biggest fans.”

“Yeah, I heard about that, I’m sorry.”

Jax waved it off, latching onto the genuine apologetic look in your eye. Anyone else would look at you incredulously to know you were sympathizing with hardened criminals, but Jax knew you still held a soft spot for the club despite your many years of being away from it. Maybe it was just a by-product of spending your formative years entrenched in the club; things fostered in that time are hard to let go of - at least that’s what one of the parenting books he had read late one night had said.

“Any update on Half-Sack and his…surgery?” you asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

Jax chuckled, “It’s a couple of days away. Still don’t know if they’re putting in a glass one or…”

You laughed, “Well I think as VP you should get clear on that. Don’t want the glass shattering mid-ride.”

Jax laughed out loud at that, “I’ll just tell him you said good luck.”

You hadn’t met Half-Sack but around T-M and the clubhouse, you were still brought up on occasion. Some of the older guys like Clay and Piney remembered you and have you forever encapsulated as a young girl running around with their sons on the lot or around Charming, but Opie was usually the one to bring you up in conversation. You and Opie were friends and he missed you around the clubhouse as well, but he could tell Jax’s feelings for you were still as strong as they were all those years ago.

However, to the new guys like Half-Sack, you were kind of a myth: you were the daughter of a Son, one of the First 9. Some of the new guys asked Jax when and if you could swing by, but Jax never had an answer for them because you never had one for him. The first few times you guys talked again once you got this job, Jax told you how the club missed you and wanted to see you again but you always evaded questions about when you’d come by the lot. At first, Jax thought it was because you suddenly thought you were better than the club but upon talking to you more, he realized that wasn’t it and there was more to the story. On what the rest of the story was though, he was unsure.

Jax leaned in closer, not missing the way your eyes fled to his lips then back up to meet his eyes again. The action, if performed by another girl, would usually send Jax’s ego skyrocketing, but with you, it only clouded his mind with more confusion. “How’re things around here?” he asked lowly.

“Things are good,” you promised him after a shaky exhale passed your lips. “Quiet.”

He nodded, glad to hear that. Eye contact between the two of you broke for a second as you both tried to change the topic.

You hadn’t changed a bit. You still looked at him with roaming eyes - not to examine his face to see if he was lying or hiding something, but to admire it. Nobody had really looked at him like that before. You knew every part of him and were still able to look at him the way you were now. That was one thing that never wavered: your unconditional appreciation of who he was; not just the VP of the MC, but as Jax. Just Jax. His appearance had changed in all those years and while you had seen him go through those transitions, he still worried that you didn’t like how he looked - the length of his hair, his facial hair that he was thinking of growing out.

He still loved everything about you: the ghost of a smile that you wore whenever he was around you, eyes that glimmered with adoration, and the way your entire being seemed to relax around him. You seemed so relaxed that he wondered if your stomach was tied in as many knots as his was but you were just better at hiding it.

Upon a door opening a few feet away, the two of you sprung back from each other and stood up straight.

“Right, so you’re here to pick up a bouquet for Gemma,” your eyes fell to the paper nestled into the clipboard that was resting on the counter between you as your manager emerged from her office.

Jax gave her a stiff nod and your manager gave a smile back in return. Shelley was her name if Jax remembered correctly. He didn’t miss the way her eyes nervously ran over his kutte as she clamped her hands in front of her anxiously.

“Hey Shelley,” Jax said to her with a smile. In some ways he wanted to harmlessly taunt the woman, but he also wanted to make sure she was comfortable around him. Considering you worked here every day, Jax didn’t want to give your manager a reason to dislike you and he liked coming by here whenever he could and didn’t want anything standing in the way of that. It was the only place he got to see you anymore.

“Hello Jax,” Shelley tried to say without a waver in her voice.

“I’ll be right back,” you told the both of them, trying to hide your amused smirk at the interaction before you as you headed towards the back room.

Shelley stood there for a moment before she decided to turn around and return to her office. Jax breathed out a laugh. What else was he supposed to do? Sure, her nervousness stemmed from Jax overhearing her telling you that he wasn’t any good and warning you to stay away from him. Once Shelley realized he was behind her the whole time, she scurried into her office. You had told him later that she thought he was gonna kill her for saying that stuff.

“Here it is,” you said as you came out of the backroom. The bouquet covered your entire face until you set it on the counter that was now beside the two of you as you stood in front of Jax.

At least he was getting his money’s worth.

“It sure is massive,” Jax smirked, scanning it over.

“Well if it’s for Gemma, it can’t be anything less,” you joked.

You were always Gemma’s favourite of all the girls Jax had been with. You were good for Jax. You understood the life and Jax needed somebody like that. When your father passed away, Gemma was right by your side, comforting you whenever she could. You would’ve been the perfect Old Lady for him. But there was that pesky word: would’ve.

“Speaking of Gemma,” Jax sighed, trying to figure out how to bring this up. Gemma made him do it every year, but it never got easier. “She wants to know if this is the year you’ll come over and have dinner with the rest of the club.”

Your easygoing and cheerful demeanour softened into something somber. Your eyes fell from his and to the floor, your bodies only a mere six inches apart. This was the hard conversation you guys had to have every year he came around to get flowers for Gemma for Mother's Day or for her birthday. Clay and some of the other Sons would always cook for Gemma on Mother's Day as a way of thanking her for everything she does for the club. Jax knew your mother wasn’t in Charming, so you wouldn’t be spending it with her, even if she was, you probably wouldn’t be inclined to spend it with her anyways.

“I don’t know Jax,” came your answer for the fifth year in a row.

“Why not?” came Jax’s reply for the first year ever.

Your eyes flashed up to him, not expecting his response. You opened your mouth to answer but nothing came out.

“Do you think the guys won’t want you there? Is that it? They all want you there as much as I do,” he promised. “And as much as Gemma does,” he added, trying to cover it up.

“Let me think about it,” you replied after a moment.

It was the furthest Jax had ever gotten with you in this conversation and although it was just a seedling of an answer, he was gonna take it. “Okay,” he nodded. You may just be stringing him along to leave him dangling for another year, but he took the bait, not wanting to push you back into your shell in case you were serious. “It’s still the same house,” he confirmed. “Come by for six.”

“Okay,” you nodded.

Jax reached into his wallet, pulling out some money. “Keep the change,” he smiled at you. You opened your mouth to protest as you always did, but Jax was having none of it. You reached over, taking the rather large bill from his hand, feeling your finger brush against his hand. You couldn’t stop the gasp that shoved through your lips at the contact. Jax’s skin erupted in goosebumps, instantly trying to latch onto how your hand felt against his. It had been years since any part of you touched any part of him and like a fiend, he was desperate for more. He picked up the bouquet and smiled at you, unable to contain it. “See you tomorrow.”

He called out a goodbye to Shelley before leaving the shop a lot happier than when he came in.

“He’s so in love with you,” Shelley told you as she was driving you home once the two of you locked up the shop for the night.

You were dreading this would happen. After Jax left, you noticed Shelley’s office door was slightly ajar and she was peeking through it, trying to sneak a glimpse of your conversation. “No he’s not Shelley, I already told you, when my dad was in the MC, I was friends with him.” You had explained this to her before, but she insisted nevertheless. It’s not that you completely ruled out the idea that Jax may still have feelings for you, but you knew you weren’t able to do anything about it. It was too late.

“Never anything more?” Shelley fished.

You were stumped. It wasn’t anything official, at least neither of you had ever put a label on it. You didn’t have time to. “We were just really close.”

Shelley glanced at you skeptically. “So Jax Teller almost kills some guy in a coffee shop that was bothering you because you guys were “just really close”?”

You scoffed at Shelley’s wording. The barista at the coffee shop was flirting with you and trying to get your number despite your unrelenting rejection of his advances. When you sat down with Shelley, he had come by your table, wiping the other tables around them and trying to strike up a conversation with you. Jax was watching the whole thing from a few feet away with Opie and Chibs, becoming visibly angrier minute by minute. You decided to leave the shop to defuse the situation you knew was bound to end badly by the look on Jax’s face. You suggested going to the park with Shelley to enjoy your drinks and pastries, but upon this, the barista offered to walk you to Shelley’s car and began to follow you out. You rejected him vehemently but it wasn’t until Jax stood up, yanked the guy away from you and pinned him against the table that he just cleaned, that he finally got off your back. Shelley was shaking like a leaf beside you, clutching onto your arm as she stared at Jax. Once the barista scurried away  after some choice words from Jax, Jax turned to you, softening even though you weren’t visibly scared in the least. He told you to sit down at your table, finding it unfair that you would have to leave because of some guy. You did so, thanking him in the process. Jax left shortly after, but the stares from other customers lingered.

“He wasn’t gonna kill him,” you scoffed. Jax hadn’t done anything like that in that point in his life. “He was just warning the guy.”

“Either way, he’s still in love with you,” she debated. “Before you started working at the shop, I never had a Son come in there. Now, a Son is my number one customer.”

You laughed off her observation, willing yourself not to get too carried away in the conversation. Your heart was too fragile to get whisked away by something that could have happened.

Shelley stopped at a red light before turning to look at you properly now. “You know, I never could picture it.” You quirked a questioning brow at her. “You being Princess Charming.”

You rolled your eyes, chuckling at her words. “I wasn’t Princess Charming.”

“You were still a part of the MC — a part of that world,” she quickly corrected herself, “You were one of the founding members’ kids. Hell, if you and your brother stayed in the MC, you’d both be MC royalty like Jax and you and Jax would’ve ruled Charming.”

Would’ve.

Your stomach turned sour at her sentiment, but you tried to play it off with a laugh. She sometimes treated your life in the MC like a true crime documentary. “It doesn’t matter,” you refuted. “Jax has moved on; he’s busy with the club.” Your time around the MC seemed like a lifetime ago and that version of you was almost a stranger, but you also didn’t feel at home in your new life now. It was almost as if you were floating in purgatory, confused and abandoned. You couldn’t reveal that to anybody though: Shelley wouldn’t understand it; your brother wouldn’t like it.

“And yet, he still makes time to come down to the shop personally,” Shelley mused before the lighting on her face switched from red to green and she began driving once again.

The rest of the car ride was mostly silent as you feigned tiredness to get out of discussing your life with the Sons. Your mind wandered to Gemma’s dinner tomorrow and the temptation of attending swirled within you. While you were reminded of the consequences, you felt that it was just one night and one night was all you needed — all you had.

“Hey, you still having dinner with your mom tomorrow?” you asked Shelley as she pulled up to your house.

“Yeah,” she nodded. “You’re free to come, of course, you always are.” Shelley knew you didn’t have the best relationship with your mother.

“Thanks Shelley,” you smiled at her, pulling your bag onto your shoulder. “I’ll let you know.”

Thanking her for the ride, you got out of the car. You waved at Shelley as she pulled away before turning back to your house. The gladioli and lilies you had planted in your front lawn swayed in the wind to greet you. You smile somberly at them before disappearing into your house.