Another hot night rippled through Hope County. The wolves of the Whitetail mountains could be heard howling into the wind, carrying it down south to where John was taking his nightly walk. His ranch in the Holland Valley was the grandest estate in the entire county, it was nothing less for the excellent lawyer.

John ran a hand over his perfectly-combed hair, looking up towards the lights ahead. The lodge was three-storeys, having a secure armoury and even an airfield. He preferred to spend the days leading up to the Collapse in comfort, at least he could indulge in the sunlight while it lasted, before the flames of the apocalypse sent him and his family scurrying under God's Earth for safety.

A noise startled him. John jumped up, grabbing the pistol he kept safely hidden within his waistcoat.

"Who's there?", he barked sharply. The darkness ahead of him was still, but not silent. The faint whisper of breath passed by on the wind; someone was there, at the edge of his vision. John smirked, closing in silently. His hand carefully reached out, pulling back the long grass. A figure stood, shrouded in shadow, at the edge of the forest.

The Deputy.

"Well, well, look who decided to drop in", he taunted, pointing his pistol at them. They weren't even holding their rifle, it laid limply on their back. "Finally given up from fighting, sinner?", he spat the last word. The Deputy made no comment, but moved closer towards him. He couldn't see them clearly but knew their shape from anywhere – they were leaning on a heavy tree branch, stumbling closer to him.

"I'll take this as your surrender", John snarled, a gleaming smirk on his face. The Deputy let out a noise – a mix between a sigh and a moan. They stepped out from between the trees, and John finally saw them, the moonlight casting shadows on their face.

The Deputy was swaying on their feet. Eyes clouded and exhausted, and a face covered in bruises. Something red and oozing was spilling out from underneath their jeans, which were torn on the left thigh. His laughter died in his throat.

"Deputy?", his voice cracked. Their eyes fluttered shut, and everything turned to slow-motion. Their legs gave way like a doll, sending them crumbling to the ground. John raced towards them, catching their limp body just before they hit the ground. Their rifle fell beside them, landing with a thud and they sprawled out in his arms.

"What happened?", John's eyes roamed over his unconscious nemesis. It was like they'd taken a battering ram to the face. "Who hurt you?", his voice was just a whisper. The Deputy didn't moan, didn't even stir. His hands worked at the speed of lightning – he tore off the sleeve of his expensive silk blue shirt, wrapping it around his hand and then pressing it over the oozing wound in their thigh. The pressure made the blood squeeze out momentarily before slowing down. He needed to get them to safety.

"GUARDS!", his voice bellowed, as a deer nearby skittered through the trees in the other direction, sending twigs creaking and cracking in its wake. "Guards! I need aid!". It took less than a few seconds for John to hear the scrambling and shouting of his guards behind them. They jostled up, ready for attention, as he snapped out orders in every direction. He sensed their eyes on the unconscious Deputy lying in his arms, but he made no comment, other than the demand that they immediately prepare the medical equipment he kept in his Ranch.

With a second to catch his breath, John hoisted the Deputy off the ground, as one of his men grabbed their gun which still left neglected in the soil. He carried them back to his lodge, bridal-style all the way.

"It's alright my lamb, I've got you now".

They didn't make any noise, not even when he set them down on one of the beds in the basement – where his men rested once injured. He ran his hands through his hair nervously as the only doctor they had in the valley examined the unconscious rookie. If he had caught them outside his bunker then he'd have much more equipment to deal with this.

XXX

When the doctor was finally finished with the Deputy, he was allowed to go back into the room. He'd been pacing outside anxiously for the last hour, listening intently to any signs of recovery from the Deputy. He grabbed the doctor's arm, pulling her close. Her eyes widened but she didn't shake him off.

"Please… how are they?", he whispered, fingernails unintentionally digging into the doctor's coat. She looked over her shoulder towards the sleeping Deputy, and back at John Seed.

"They'll live. A bullet to the thigh could very easily have been deadly, but luckily it seems God is on their side – it didn't cut any arteries", she muttered quietly. John let out a long exhale.

"Thank you". The doctor again widened her eyes – John Seed was never known to be polite, quite the opposite actually – but she said nothing and instead nodded, brushing past him and leaving the room. John tentatively approached the bed, carefully shifting his weight onto the mattress which dipped. The Deputy's brows furrowed in their sleep, letting out a soft groan.

"You scared me", he began, cradling his face with his hands. "It's a holy miracle you came to me when you did. I thought I lost you, and then where would I be? Terrorising Fall's End without anyone to stop me". He looked up, crestfallen at the lack of the response from the Deputy. He moved forward, fingers brushing against their forehead. They were slightly cold - probably from the heavy loss of blood - but when he pressed lightly against their neck, a determined pulse still beat on, like the fluttering of a bird's wings.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Deputy", he murmured, leaning closer. "As Jacob says, we all have a purpose to complete, a job to fulfil. You are mine", John swallowed. He was so close now, an inch forward and his lips would be touching their cheek. "Without you…. I'm nothing. I have nothing, if you're not there to stop me-", he cuts himself off.

"I can't lose you". His lips softly brushed against their forehead, lingering for longer than they should. Their skin was clammy from the perspiration of limping, the struggle to stay conscious and alive for so long, but he didn't care. He backed away slightly, giving them some space. He needed them to recover – how long had they been limping, losing blood and seeing darkness creep in from the edge of their vision?

No longer. He would keep them safe, the Deputy wouldn't come into harm's way as long as they were safely in his bunker. John stood up and paced around the room once more, tiredly rubbing the creases in his face – marks of stress he'd received in the last few months since dealing with his proclaimed 'enemy'. He'd move them to his bunker as soon as they were awake, there they would be sheltered from the Collapse. No pain would be inflicted as long as they were where he could see them.

John rubbed his hands together, a smile forming on his lips. He took the opposite chair from the Deputy's sickbed, allowing himself to get comfortable and settle, like an eagle arranging it's feathers within its nest. He'd stay here until they awoke – even if it took all week. No one would stop him from protecting them, not now.

XXX

Author's Notes: This was more of a writing prompt I found on Pinterest; it was about "What if... the villain found the hero wounded and vulnerable?", and since I'm having a huge fan-thing rn about Far Cry 5 and have yet to write something with John Seed as the focus, I thought "Sure, why the hell not?" and here we are now lol.

I also thought I'd make the Deputy gender-neutral in this so that more of you can enjoy the story :) Since the Deputy is mute, and their gender is up to the player, I thought it'd make sense in this oneshot (compared to other FC5 fanfics where the character is specifically male or female because in other stuff they're usually an OC or something else). This is also the first time I wrote a oneshot with a non-binary/gender-neutral character although it was more for making it easier on the reader and less of the character's lack of gender being a plot point or relevant focus.

Hope you enjoy :)