Meant to be a one shot but we'll probably just be two chapters. Review to your hearts content. Enjoy. :)
She watched as Daryl cleaned up his bike for the hundredth time, he was in deep concentration the hustle and bustle of Alexandria was completely drowned out.
She stood watching him feeling much more comfortable now in her old outside the wall gear then she had in a long time, she felt like herself, the housewife act was no longer her and never would be again. Forgetting for a second how alert he was she jumped at the sound of his gravelly voice, "Gonna stand there all day or what?"
She glared playfully at him crossing the garage to watch his hands skilfully work its way around the bike, he was covered in grease and sweat as he looked up at her squinting from the glare of the sudden burst of sunlight.
She had to admit he was doing something to her woman sensibilities with all this dirt covering every inch of his body, watching slow hot sweat trickle down his forehead.
A shiver found its way up her spine, "Ye alright?" he looked up at her concerned and she felt stupid this man was clueless what he did to women.
"Fine. Feels weird not having a hectic day for once. I don't really know what to do with myself."
She was feeling antsy, no longer taking care of people she didn't know and pretending to be something she wasn't kept her occupied. Now with things quietening down for the time being she was strolling aimlessly about Alexandria. Not really feeling the want to talk to the members of the town she needed her old group, most of all she needed Daryl.
"No more baking pot roast dinners, huh?" he teased twisting some bolt looking more relaxed then she'd seen him in a while.
"Shut up. Love to see you do that and all the small talk to people you don't know."
He shrugged his shoulders non committedly, "I wouldn't be able to. Nothing to say to these people."
"You think I do." She laughed lightly; these people were nearly untouched by grief and hardship.
Sure they'd stepped up but that once. They haven't seen nothing yet.
"Thought ye liked talking to people."
"Not anymore."
He eyes scanned her face and he looked grief stricken before he pulled his eyes away from her, wanting to lighten the mood they had before she teased him back.
"Must be all the time I've spent with you. Making me anti-social."
He glared at her laughing quietly to himself she let herself fall down to the floor until her head crashed back against the wall and she closed her eyes.
The air was sticky and her breaths felt heavy like suffocating and she hated it. She was too warm a shirt over a top was not a good idea, her lids stay closed until she felt like she was being watched and she was. Daryl's eyes flicked away from hers the moment she opened them and she swore she saw him blush before he resumed working.
"How can you keep working it's too warm."
"Dunno. Why don't you just wear less clothes."
"I didn't know you had it in you. If you insist." She laughed opening the buttons on her shirt and tearing it urgently off her shoulders.
She was damp with sweat and it didn't look as good on her. "Now you." She teased.
"Stop." He chuckled shaking his head in disapproval.
"Always wanted to learn to ride a bike."
"You?"
She kicked his knee with her foot, "Why is that surprising."
"It ain't not now but before all this, you wasn't much of a daredevil."
"I wasn't always so tame." She said seductively on purpose loving making him squirm and it worked as it usually did.
He looked away bashful but for once he looked back up holding her gaze challenging her and it was sending tingles run up her fingertips.
"Ye's alright here." Rick's voice caused them both to jump.
Her hand shot over her heart and she couldn't help but laugh as Daryl's grumpy face as he muttered curses under his breath. "Just fine." She smiled ignoring Rick's playful smile.
"Judith is asking for you. Would you mind…?"
She was already pulling herself to her feet, "Not at all. Lil ass kicker is one person I can talk to. See you later." Her eyes flicked over to Daryl's bemused expression she patted Rick affectionately on the arm as she left.
He was just waiting to pounce on him with some bullshit he knew it. Rick quietly walked closer to the bike hovering over him like goddam cupid. "How long you two gonna beat around the bush?"
He groaned pulling himself to his feet stretching out his tense shoulders, "Just cause you and Michonne have one big happy family now doesn't mean ye gotta go around match makin."
Rick laughed contently and as much as he gave out it was nice to see him that happy after the shit with Jessie and Carl. It didn't look so good for a while.
"Maybe not but that has been a long time coming. So will you be when you eventually accept the inevitable."
He tossed one of the dirty, oily rags at his head. "Asshole. Go do something." He snapped turning his back on him so he wouldn't hit his amused face he'd heard it enough times.
He would like to do something for her. If she was serious about learning how to ride a motorbike he was sure as hell the best teacher.
She was playing with Judith on the porch when he found her she smiled her smile at him and he couldn't help the smile that played on his lips. She was a different woman she was filled with hurt but it looked like it was starting to ease up a bit.
He tried to wipe some grease off his face but he knew as soon as he done it that it smudged across his whole face. Especially when he saw that amused look "Spread it more. I don't think you got enough." She laughed whole heartedly.
"It's not that funny, how's my lil ass kicker." He swooped down picking her up in his arms and Judith giggled madly as he swung her up and down.
This was going to one tough kid he knew it. Finally releasing her he dropped her back down to her toys and he found Carol looking at him with the strangest look in her eyes.
"Was thinking if you want. It'd have to be inside the walls but we got enough space that I could teach ye, to ride a motorbike."
She looked baffled by his suggestion blinking slowly deliberately, "You'll let me ride your bike. Your baby?"
"Why not."
"What if I hurt it? Won't you kill me."
"You can hold your own. Plus at least it actually gives me something to fix."
She jumped to her feet staring him down for a second deliberating, before reaching out her hand for him to shake it so he did. Her hand warm in his own and as usual his heartbeat grew so loud he could hear it increasing in speed in his ears.
"Tomorrow then. Can't go back on this."
She was up bright and early finally feeling a bit of purpose to wake up; she was excited she'd always wanted to ride a bike. If she could work a gun and a knife how hard could it be?
She was surprised to see Maggie nursing a cup of tea, "Your up early." She observed.
"Can't sleep. So are you. Got somewhere to be?"
"Daryl is an early riser. He's teaching me how to ride his motorbike."
She nearly choked on her tea before a laugh was already leaving her throat and she scolded her outright amusement at it. "It's not unbelievable for me to…"
"It's not that. I just can't believe he's letting you near his baby; his face if something happens to it is going to be what movies are made of. Something I have to see."
She took a bite of some canned fruit quickly before pushing it back to Maggie, "No audience. Please."
"If only he'd be as willingly to let you ride him."
"Maggie!" she exclaimed a laugh caught in her throat. "Isn't like that. See you."
"Sure Carol."
He had the bike parked and ready to go she slapped her hands together in anticipation and he shook his head holding back a laugh. "Ye ready?"
"Of course I am."
He switched into full teacher mode within seconds forming sentences in a normal fashion which was unusual for this closed mouthed hunter. "Right just start by getting on and off the bike."
She swung her leg over moving her pelvis forward in the saddle of the bike, gripping the handlebars she already felt more powerful. No wonder men loved these things.
He reached across placing his hands on top of her own, "Right this is the clutch." He squeezed her hand tight around it but all she could take in was how loud her heart was racing.
"Got it."
She nodded wordlessly afraid her voice might catch what was wrong with her?
"This is your accelerator to decrease and increase your speed aright."
She nodded again feeling his body pressed closed to hers she was starting to flush but riding a motorbike was serious business. She needed to concentrate. "You have your front brake on the right side okay, clutch on the left. Say it back to me."
"Brake right, clutch left. Accelerator."
"Good. Right brake pedal on the right to control your speed and on the left you have your gears. Put your foot on them the stand is up, so it won't move k."
Her nerves a bit frazzled she nodded quickly, he knew her too well to not know when she was nervous. He came up behind her resting his hands on either side of her shoulder squeezing them gently, "Relax. If you can save all of us, ye'll be aright."
His breath hitting her ear made her breath become laboured, realising his closeness his body froze behind her but he didn't move away. Instead his fingertips gently tipped off the side of her neck and her body shivered again from his touch. Shit.
Teasing whistles sounded behind them and he jumped away. Groaning she turned to see half the town watching their little demonstration. Great. If she screwed up no one would forget it.
"Want me to tell them to fuck off?"
She patted his shoulder affectionately ignoring the way he stiffened, "It's okay. Keep going."
"Right so you know how to work the gears so were just going to turn on the bike in neutral just so you can feel how powerful it is."
"Okay." Her stomach was rolling with nerves as it roared underneath her and she was almost grateful when she got to turn it off.
"This is the kill switch aright. Remember that."
"I will."
"Ye wanna try going somewhere?"
While the stand was down and the bike was still she exhaled a deep breath trying to shake off her fear it was only a bike. She was more afraid of hurting it on him.
"Don't kill me if it happens to fall over. You are the one that told me I …"
He grunted at her snapping back, "Stop I told you it's aright. I meant it."
"Okay when you turn the bike on and put it in first gear. Keep holding the clutch, keep a hold of it. Gently let go a little and feel the bike roll forward then we'll turn it off again."
She nodded again refusing to look at his concerned eyes she wouldn't get herself killed after everything this would not be her end, she laughed to herself.
She turned it on only focusing on the bike and not the feel of Daryl's body warm against her own, this was a terrible idea. Who knew instructors got so close to their pupils.
She gently released the clutch and it rolled forward a bit her heart jerking every time.
"Okay turn it off. Put it in neutral first."
She yelped in satisfaction and he was grinning back widely at her something she hadn't seen in a long time. "Okay you're going to move this time. Just a little then it'll do for today. When you ease off the clutch you gently accelerate, gently."
"Who knew you could be so gentle." She laughed lightly distracting herself.
"Stop… Come on for real this time."
She was a ball of nerves by the time she started it and was ready to accelerate and actually move this monster of a bike. "Gently." He snapped his voice harsh but laced with worry.
She did as told and nearly screamed in joy as she started to move forward slow but without a hitch holding on to the handle bars for dear life.
"Ain't too bad." He called as drove away.
Going through the motions she stopped the bike and he was already pacing over back to her side nodding in approval. She jumped from the bike and collided with him in a hug, how could that be scarier than taking on a herd of walkers.
He was too shocked to move at first but eventually his arms found their way around her waist and lifted her up in a hug off the ground. His nose nuzzling her neck and she looked up hesitantly into his collected eyes which looked conflicted.
Forgetting the crowd they got sucked into their own moment which was very un Daryl like. His eyes trailed her face slowly and deliberately. She held his blue eyes with hers, her breath was shaky and she smiled weakly when she saw his nervous hand gently touch her cheek.
His fingertips barely touched her and her body was set on fire, something she realised that had started happening long ago but she pushed it back.
His head ducked lower to hers and sucked in a surprised, expectant breath as his lips hovered just above hers testing to see if it was okay. At the same time they realised the people who watched nearby and they jerked back. Daryl's eyes unwillingly met the crowd of people, blushing he ducked his eyes throwing one hand nervously over his head to run through his hair.
Of all the people to recognise she saw Rick's teasing grin first and she shook her head at him in playful disapproval. He held up his hands in surrender but he wasn't sorry.
"Should park the bike up."
"Thank you for the lesson, I wasn't half bad."
"No you weren't." they held each other's eyes before he ducked away again looking so relieved to be able to escape on his bike.
He dropped his head on the handlebars of the bike sighing feeling like a dam fool, what the hell had he been doing out there. Trying to kiss Carol in front of the whole town, he got taken up in the moment feeling her so close as he taught her, it was dangerous.
He didn't have no moves at all, hadn't a clue what to do.
"Nice lesson." Rick was already laughing and he hated him for it.
He quickly jumped off the bike kicking the stand-down already running away from him but he followed of course. "You had fun out there."
"Just cause I don't have my crossbow with me doesn't mean I won't kill you." He sneered trying to not flush in embarrassment but thankfully Rick let him walk away.
She'd been questioned and teased by everyone. She was used to being invisible it had worked for her and for Daryl too but now they were in the spotlight.
With no bad guys to face people were looking for a distraction, they were it.