No one Rick asked knew where Daryl had disappeared to, and Rick pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. With the vehicles packed and ready to go for close to an hour, the group seemed stir crazy. This tiny town held no supplies, and if they hadn't stopped so late the night before, they wouldn't have even stayed here in the first place. Hell, where the fuck was Daryl?

Rick was ready to go a little nuts himself. Everyone was hungry, and the last of their food stash had been rationed out last night, four squirrels and 2 cans of beans didn't go very far in a group their size.

"Something's wrong. Daryl knew we were leaving at daylight," Rick told Glenn and Maggie, "I'm going to find him. Y'all go ahead to that next town we talked about. Hole up there until I find him, and if you can't, for whatever reason, head on to the second one. We'll find you."

Everyone stared at Rick with varying expressions of unhappiness. They'd grown too damn dependent on him and for a moment, it angered him, until his eyes met Beth's, little Judy on her hip.

These people were his responsibility. All of them. Including the missing archer.

As they drove away, Rick wanted to hit something in frustration. Daryl's disappearance, his separation from the group, weighed heavy in Rick's mind. It was all Rick's fault. If only he'd done something differently the day before.

...

They'd stopped next to a heavily wooded area in the hopes of finding some meat. Rick and Daryl were following some deer tracks when Rick had stepped into a hole, tripped and banged his head against a tree. Rick wasn't sure how long he'd been unconscious, but when he came to, he was shocked to find himself in Daryl's arms and his face pressed into Daryl's neck. The other man rocked Rick, back and forth, like a baby.

Head fuzzy, Rick could barely make out the words the archer whispered in a crazy-sounding ramble, "Can't do it anymore, Rick, can't walk around like this. Can't watch you get hurt anymore. Can't live like this."

And then Daryl kissed Rick's temple and his cheek, repeatedly, and Rick stayed still in shock, until Daryl turned his head and pressed his lips to Rick's.

Rick had broken from the embrace and backed up in the leaves. He'd stared at Daryl in shock, "Did you just kiss me?"

"Fuck no," Daryl sprung to his feet, "Forget the deer. Gonna get some squirrel." And just like that he was gone.

Rick touched his lips a few times. Daryl had kissed him! He didn't know what to think about it, his thoughts were a riot in his mind. Sure, he'd never seen the other man with a woman, but he'd never once thought Daryl might be gay. In fact, if anyone had asked, Rick would have said Daryl was asexual.

Rick touched his lips again, and he thought of all the things he loved about the other man. Daryl's loyalty, his bravery, the gentle soul inside the tough exterior...

After a while, Rick had returned to the group, letting Bob examine his head. Later, when Daryl returned with the squirrels, he wouldn't meet Rick's eyes. Anger seemed to radiate from his whole body and everyone steered a wide path around him.

That night, when they stopped, Daryl had immediately taken watch, and Rick had followed him out, "Talk to me, Daryl."

"Ain't nothing to talk about," the barely-controlled fury in his voice made Rick back up a step and hold up his hands in a placating manner.

"I can't lose you over this," Rick replied.

"Never had me," Daryl yelled, and several of the group had peeked out their heads.

"This isn't over," Rick told him, "we'll work this out," but he'd backed away and left Daryl alone.

...

Now as Rick peered around the town, he just knew Daryl was watching him, "I'm going in this store and I'm not leaving until you let me talk to you."

It took about 10 minutes before Daryl burst through the door, "Just leave, Rick, get the fuck out of here and catch up to the group. I don't need your pity. I don't care anymore."

Rick slowly approached Daryl, "I know you care, Daryl. I know you do." Rick held the other man's eyes, hoping and praying he hadn't totally screwed things up, "I know you care. As much as I care about you."

There was something so desperate in the other man's eyes, but as he looked down at Rick's mouth, Rick decided to try something. He couldn't let Daryl leave, and if this was what it would take to get him to stay, then damn, he could have it.

Rick licked his lips, where Daryl's eyes seemed glued, and Daryl seemed to barely hold back a groan, but Rick sensed it, saw the slight little sway the other man made in his direction.

So Rick did it again, slower this time, watching Daryl's reaction. He knew that if he reached out and touched the barely-chained animal that was Daryl, the other man would either run or fight, so Rick forced himself to wait.

Daryl's cheeks flushed and the second his eyes moved up to meet Rick's, panicked and terrified, Rick did it again, except this time he gently chewed and tugged at his bottom lip with his teeth. Lori used to tell him that he looked sexy whenever he did that. The way Daryl watched was making him feel sexy, at any rate.

The harsh sound of Daryl's breath, then a whispered, "I can't, I don't know what you want from me."

Rick took a step closer, and even though Daryl drew back his shoulders slightly, he didn't move his feet. It wasn't really a flinch, and his gaze was still riveted on Rick's lips. He breath puffed in and out of his chest.

"I want you to kiss me again," Rick finally whispered.

"Didn't work out so well last time I tried."

"Well, try it again. I was surprised, Daryl, but later I was intrigued. I can't lose you, and if this is what you want, you can have it. Whatever you want. You just can't leave me."

Daryl swallowed, and he whispered, "I'm too scared."

"Can I kiss you?" Rick asked. He'd been really unsure about this at first, but now all he wanted was to feel the other man's lips again.

"Don't like to be touched," the misery in Daryl's voice tugged at Rick's heart.

"I won't touch you, but you can touch me," Rick told him, "all you want."

"I don't know how."

At Rick's questioning look, Daryl burst out, "I've only ever been with one woman, and we never did anything, not even kiss," Daryl voice trailed away, and then continued in a whisper, "she was just this girl who'd pretended to Merle like she'd slept with me. Truth was she thought I couldn't get it up and we'd just go off together and get high. I've never liked to be touched. Can't stand it."

"Touch me then," Rick encouraged, "Here, I'll close my eyes and stand really still. I won't move or say a word."

Daryl looked a little less terrified by this suggestion, so Rick closed his eyes.

It took a minute, but the harsh breathing moved close enough for Rick to feel the puffs across his neck. He expected lips to touch his, and was surprised when Daryl's fingertips stroked slowly down his cheek, across his beard.

Daryl's other hand rubbed across Rick's hair, "So soft," Daryl whispered, and then his fingers were threading through the strands and it felt so good, Rick felt a little dizzy.

Then both of Daryl's hands skimmed down Rick's neck, across the tops of his shoulders, down his arms and then back up again, "Don't move," Daryl reminded Rick, and suddenly he was hugging Rick, more squeezing than hugging, and Rick wondered if the other man's arms would leave bruises on his body from the vice-like grip. The hug was full frontal and Rick was a little unnerved by the hard press of Daryl's dick against his stomach, but then his own stirred and Rick began to breathe a little raggedy himself.

Daryl loosened his grip, holding Rick with one arm, and the other hand was back in his hair. This time the hand cupped the back of Rick's head, and then he felt Daryl's breath on his face.

For a solid minute nothing happened and Rick peeked through his lashes.

"Keep your eyes closed," Daryl demanded, and Rick quickly shut them, but his heart was leaping in his chest. That brief vision of Daryl looking at him, the love on the other man's face, the slight smile, damn, that expression made Daryl look so gorgeous, and it amazed Rick to see all of that emotion.

No one had ever looked at Rick like that, their heart in their eyes, and that this was Daryl looking at him sent a surge of heat through Rick's body. He swayed slightly.

"Be still," came the demand, and Rick wanted to yell back that he was trying, but instead, he licked his lips again, and then the softness of Daryl lips were barely touching his, just resting against his.

He doesn't know how to kiss, Rick thought, and after waiting a few seconds, Rick barely pressed his lips back.

Daryl made a noise and pulled away, but then his mouth was back and this time he pressed a little harder.

Rick hadn't kissed anyone in so long, it almost did feel like a first kiss. Daryl began repeating that soft press, over and over. It took all of Rick's willpower not to take over and really show Daryl how to kiss.

As it was, keeping his eyes closed was hard, and even though Daryl's arm was still around him, Rick was feeling weak in the knees.

Daryl paused his kissing, and Rick could almost hear the other man's mental debate about what to do next.

"Can I respond?" Rick suddenly asked.

"To what?" Daryl asked back, and this lack of knowledge touched something deep inside Rick, his heart seeming to melt in his chest.

"Respond to your kiss? Kiss you back?" Daryl remained silent and Rick fought to keep his eyes closed, "That's what kissing is, Daryl, two mouths moving together."

Daryl grunted and the arm on Rick's waist tightened, "I dunno."

"Can we try?" Rick whispered huskily, "I promise I won't touch you. And if you don't like it, I'll stop."

"Okay," Daryl lips touched his again, and Rick slowly began moving his own. As Daryl mimicked his movements, Rick's arousal heightened, and he barely stroked his tongue across Daryl's lips.

Daryl squeaked, a high-pitched sound so at odds with the normal deep timbre of his voice, and even though Rick fought the smile, he couldn't help it from splitting his face.

"You laughing at me?" Daryl's arm tightened, attempting to tug Rick closer, but the anger and bitterness were gone from his voice. He sounded breathless, and even a little happy.

"No, no, never," Rick assured him, "that was cute."

Daryl grunted and scoffed, "Cute?" but his lips were back and this time when Rick licked him, Daryl licked him back.

It was electrifying, that tiniest of touches, and the tips of their tongues played for a moment, before Rick stroked his tongue further into Daryl's mouth. Daryl's response was instant and completely without finesse, repeatedly just stabbing his tongue forth. Rick went with it for a moment, but then changed the pace with a slower rub and twining. Daryl caught on instantly and just like that the kiss made both men sway on their feet. It was as though their mouths had been created for the other. Rick couldn't tell whose tongue was whose, and the sensation took over his body. His hips bucked slightly against Daryl's in a grinding motion.

Daryl quickly released Rick and backed away, his breathing harsh, and Rick tried to get control of his own breathing. He'd kissed a few girls before he and Lori married, but never had a kiss rocked him at his core like the one he'd just shared with Daryl.

He wanted more and was about to ask, no beg, for it when Daryl said, "Let's go catch up to the others."

...