Rick was starting to get worried, he hasn't heard from Daryl in over an hour since he got back from a supply run. Usually the archer likes to check in within 15 minutes of being back and chats about what happened or what he finds on his searches. But not today, it worried him so much he didn't realize he sounded like a lost puppy to whomever he asked if they've seen the hunter. No luck though. It then clues in he hasn't checked the boiler room! Rushing there as fast as he can, having a good feeling the brown haired archer was in there.
Forgetting Daryl likes to go there when he wants to be left alone.
Ricks not worried because they've cleaned out most of the prison and knows Daryl can handle himself, hell he's even witnessed it! Proving to Rick over and over again that he can trust him with whatever task and won't judge him, but knows when Ricks wrongs and calls him on it. As he gets closer to the boiler room the smell of marijuana hits him hard. He freezes in his steps. He knows the smell all too well, smoking it with Shane in high school and busting a lot of people in his years of being a policemen.
He pushes the door open a bit and peeks in to see if it was truly Daryl or someone else smoking. He's eyes take a second to focus on the figure in the room because the room was full of smoke. When Ricks able to see he lets a smile creep on his face.
It's Daryl. The archers alright and sitting in the middle of the room with a fat joint in his mouth. Smoke leaving his nose as he lights up another hit. Sucking in making the hollows of his cheeks show more. Rick thought he looked sexy like that, clearly relaxed and his lips wrapped around the roach. Rick shook his head, must if been the smoke... Yeah, sure the smoke.
Daryl lets out the smoke he was holding slowly and starts hacking and coughing once he sees Rick standing in the doorway staring at him. Scaring the shit out of him. "Fuck! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Daryl's says between coughs. Trying to put away everything in his pockets, but it's too late. He knows Rick seen it, there's nothing the ex cop can do. Maybe get mad at him for doing drugs when his family could be in danger any minute from the Governor.
Daryl puts his head down as felt a bing of shame when Rick hasn't even said anything, just standing in the door way staring at him. Staring down at him, reminding him of the way his father looked at him when he did something he shouldn't have been doing.
"Rick... I know I shouldn't be doing this, but please understand I need it to just relax for a bit! I'll throw out the rest and go take a nap to sober up... just please stop looking at me like that..." He lets out quietly, still not meeting the grey eyes of his best friend. Rick doesn't realize he was staring at Daryl a wrong way, but shifts his eyes anywhere else in the room.
Daryl starts to get up, but wobbles around. Arms out trying to balance himself. Rick tried not to laugh, he's never seen the hunter clumsy on his feet before. He reaches out to help Daryl, but is sadden when the man pulls away from his touch. Rick understands that Daryl doesn't like to be touched, even hates injury inspections after nasty supply runs gone wrong. He shuts the door behind him blocking Daryl's path out. The archer eyes him now, blue eyes now all blood shot red. Wondering what Ricks up too, he's not scared. Knows Rick wont hurt him, but he can't help his survival instincts, he's been hurt way to much when closed in a room like that with another man. Fear flashes in Daryl's eyes remembering all unwanted memories. Could have been the situation or the paranoia that comes along with smoking. He's about to push Rick out the way and run, but Rick said something he thought he'd ever hear in his life.
"Pass me a joint, I need to relax too!" Rick smiles a grin up at Daryl and he can't help but smile back. All the fear he had before left his body, leaving him feeling comfortably tingly again. They are both on the ground now, sitting across from each other Rick finds out Daryl's found all this in a house that he and Michonne raided today. Stashed in a tin box that also came with a decent amount of grass in a baggy, a half empty lighter, and some rolling papers.
It was a pot head dream in the zombie apocalypse!
Daryl rolls a joint for his best friend and passes it to him. Rick accepts the offer and lights it up before Daryl could explain how to smoke it. He stares wide eyes at the ex-sheriff as he takes a healthy haul and holds it in like a pro. Eyes shut, long lashes resting against his tired face. Letting the smoke escape his lips and almost has a smooth finish but ends up coughing up. Handing the pipe back to the hunter, Daryl couldn't help but smile as he took it from him.
They sat there passing it back and forth until they couldn't smoke any more. Rick was the first one to laugh. Of course he was laughing at nothing, but that didn't stop the chuckles coming out of Daryl's mouth. They haven't really laughed like that in a while. The stress of keeping everyone alive and running a prison was very mental consuming.
Rick was slapping his leg now as Daryl wipes at a tear that has escaped his eyes from laughing to hard. It's be too long, they've needed this. They deserve this. Once they settle down their laughs they look at each other. Bright blue orbs meeting dark grey orbs. A bolt of electricity as they make eye contact. Shaking Rick deep in his core. Daryl looks away as soon as it happens, but Rick tries to keep the gaze, wanting to feel that way again.
"Daryl..." Rick can't stop the name once it escaped his lips. He also doesn't see the way the archer shivers at his own name. What Daryl can't stop is the moan that escapes him. Face going beet red once he realizes what he's done. Dropping his head in embarrassment, shielding his eyes with his long bangs. Must be the weed! He feels hot and bothered, blood racing to his cheeks and somewhere else he will never admit.
Scared Rick will hate him for what he's let slip expecting a punch or insult, but instead he hears a calm reassuring voice. "Please, Daryl... look at me..." Rick pleads in a small voice. Daryl doesn't move his gaze from his dirty boots. "Don't shut me out Daryl, please! I don't hate you." Rick says as moves closer to him. Daryl doesn't get up and run away, but stays still. Eyes still on his boots. "I feel something when I'm with you..." Rick mumbles towards Daryl. His blue eyes shift a bit but, still refuses to look at Rick. "I don't know what it is, but I've never felt this way around anyone before... not even... not even Lori..." That's what got Daryl's eyes to look up into Rick's eyes to see if he was joking.
But once Daryl looked everything changed from there.
Expecting to see mockery in those eyes shining at him, instead his greeting with a deep look of love and safety. He tries but he can't make himself look away. Rick knows it's a good sign that the 'skittish around affection' Dixon hasn't gotten up and left yet, so he decides to continue, knowing he's said to much to stop now. "I can't help but worry about you when you're not by my side or in sight. I find myself thinking about you during the day and at night I dream about you. I can't get you out of my mind...Fuck I think I'm in love with you Daryl!" Rick regrets the last words. He was thinking them, he didn't mean to share that with Daryl.
Now with his feelings out in the open he waits for a reply back from the other man. They are still for a few minutes until Rick decides to get up. Half way up he feels hands stop him from getting up. "...please don't leave..." Daryl whispers to Rick. Eyes pleading for him to stay. Rick settles back down, but hands don't leave his body. Still holding tightly, to scared he might try and leave again.
Rick rubs at Daryl's arm trying to sooth him. "I'm not going to leave... I'll stay here for however long you want." Rick smiles towards Daryl, trying to make the other smile. It pained Rick when the archer didn't smile back. Instead Daryl threw his arms around Rick's neck and hugs tightly. Rick hugs back with no hesitation, matching the same tightness, if not a bit tighter. "I'll always be here for you Daryl... even if you don't feel the same way." Rick whispers into Daryl's neck, taking in his scent.
"I love you too Rick..." The hunter whispers back. Rick's heart skips a beat and wraps his arms around the man just a little more tightly. They stay there in each other's arms for so long they lose track of time.
But time is nothing to them, for this moment means everything.