So this just happened.
I plan to have a few more chapters and we'll see where it will go from there since I have another TWD story. However, this story will have more of a one-shot vibe. Basically a one shot collection, to be more specific.
Hope you enjoy!
She was quiet.
It was the first thing he noticed about her when they lived at the quarry.
Everyone else acted like they were on some grand camping trip and were more interested in being best friends as if the world hadn't gone to shit. She however stuck to the background. He noticed she would engage here and there, but she was never the focus of the conversation. To be honest, she seemed scared. Her eyes would dart around the camp looking for walkers to spring out any moment. She didn't seem to want to let herself settle or let her guard down. He thought she should have been paranoid and scared. She needed to be if she wanted to survive. It was good she wasn't wearing rose colored sunglasses drinking a tall glass of denial.
Additionally like he and his brother, her tent was a little further out from everyone else's. It wasn't even next to Glenn's and that was who she arrived with. He learned later on they weren't really friends or knew each other before this. She actually saved Glenn's ass from walkers early on with a pair of chop sticks, the irony wasn't lost on him.
She was also the first one to speak to him and his brother after the initial wary and brisk introduction to the camp.
He remembered it clearly. He mostly was setting up his and Merle's camp as Merle was too high and concerned about the lack of pussy and was pissed at him for having the nerve to offer their time and energy to hunt for these "hoity broads" as he so eloquently bitched about. Besides her being so quiet, that he discovered after this encounter, she snuck up on him and his brother.
He had just put the final stake down on the tent to keep it in place when a soft clear of the throat caused him and his brother to become on defense and whip their heads to the sound.
There she was.
At the time, she was wearing black shorts which he immediately thought was stupid not for the obvious exposure to be more susceptible to a bite or scratch, but she had some nice tan legs. They weren't long as she seemed to be only 5'3'', but they were nicely defined and her left thigh had a tattoo of a detailed owl in black ink. The reason he thought it was stupid was because she was going to draw unwanted attention like from his brother because her loose shirt wasn't helpful either.
She had a loose tank top on that was white and showcased a black and white rose tattoo that started from the top of her right shoulder and lead into a half sleeve on her upper arm. She had another tattoo on her left shoulder near her clavicle in cursive the word Serendipity. It wasn't until when she turned to leave he saw a flash of another tattoo on her left ribs he would soon decipher as a peacock feather. That gave her a total of four tattoos. Besides them being visible he could clearly see her bright neon green bra underneath.
His eyes raked her body as he did his inventory of her. Besides her short height, outfit, and prominent tattoos, she was a pretty, beautiful, woman. She wasn't an exotic beauty or sexy. She was soft, classic beauty, he would surmise. She had brown hair confined in a ponytail and bangs that framed her face that were sticking to her face from the sweat that was traveling down her face to her neck and then underneath her shirt.
Her eyes matched her hair. They were brown, but a brown that overtook autumn leaves in the fall.
She had a small nose that was accentuated with a hooped piercing on her right nostril and plump lips. Her bra emphasized her breasts that were quite big if he would say so himself. And, she had curves. She wasn't stick thin like one long hair brunette woman and the other buzzed cut woman that were in their camp.
Her skin was tan, but he could tell it wasn't all from the sun. She was mixed with something.
Merle was the first one to speak.
"Well, hello, sweetcheeks, what can sweet ole Merle do fer ya," Merle greeted with his signature lewd grin as he appraised the women in front of him. Daryl stood up to his full height from his crouched position as he gazed at the woman before him.
Daryl was still looking at her apprehensively, but neither him and Merle were prepared for what happened next. She extended her hand at them. Daryl looked at her confused as his eyes went back to her hand and face. Merle was momentarily stunned before he extended his rough hunter hand grasping her small petite one.
"Nice to meet you, Merle. I'm Ashley."
Her voice was small and soft like a ghost of a whisper. Her voice held no southern accent either. Daryl didn't even realize she was waiting for him to speak before Merle's arm went around his neck startling him and causing him to quickly brush his brother off. Merle just released a loud cackle. Daryl knew his face was stained with pink.
"Ashley, this right here is my baby bro, Daryl. Forgive his manners. He isn't to experience with ya women folk."
"Shut up, Merle," Daryl snapped at his older brother. He gave Ashley a stiff nod for a greeting.
Merle ignored his ever grumpy baby brother as he turned back to the fine woman who had approached them out of her own free will.
"So what brings ya ova' ta our side of camp?" Since he and his brother arrived at least an hour ago to a lukewarm reception and only got a spot because Daryl offered their now prized hunting skills the camp were looking at them as if they were lepers. Only if they knew what they had planned.
"I thought I would just introduce myself since we are all living together," Ashley replied. "Oh here."
Daryl was surprised by the two bottle of waters that were produced as she held them out for him and Merle. He was surprised he missed her holding one of the few critical and precious resources vital for their survival.
Merle grabbed the waters shock was clear on his face by the Samaritan act the girl was pulling, "Why thank ya sweetheart. I have a feeling we're going to be best friends." Merle responded with a wide smile as he took a sip of the warm water. "Daryl tell the girl thanks."
Daryl scowled at his brother, but replied with a miff thanks.
"Well I'll let you guys be. Oh and thanks for offering to hunt for us." Her eyes, that had been flicking between him and Merle, were solely focused on him.
Daryl eyes widened at her appreciation, but then she smiled.
Daryl thought that she had a beautiful smile. One that was dissonant in this new world, but one that he would like to see again.
From then he would occasionally watch her.
She was always aware of her surroundings. He always saw her eyes moving and her ears were listening. He watched as she would just crunch something or move it to test the sound to distinguish. He was impressed since most of the women were concerned with laundry duty that surprisingly Ashley volunteered to wash his and Merle clothes.
Daryl was coming back from a relative short hunt. It had been a at least two to three weeks since him and Merle arrived. It was hotter than usual and it didn't help his irritable mood that Merle refused to pull his weight for these "ungrateful scums" that didn't appreciate them risking their asses in hunting for them well besides Ashley. She was the only one who would thank them after the meals would be passed out. Daryl hadn't sat with the group since the first night, but she would walk over to collect their plates while thanking them. She also made sure the brothers were getting their share of the meat. He did notice she would put more on his plate than his brother's.
Daryl stalked his way to his camp with Merle who was snoring loud as he hung his meat up on the poles for his game. It was then he saw a silhouette in his tent making his anger boil hotter than it already was. He whipped the door to his tent open causing the brunette girl to become startled with the abrupt movement causing her to drop what was in her hands.
"What the hell ya doing in here?" Daryl barked.
Ashley looked at him while she gathered his shirt that she dropped as she spoke to him calmly. "I'm sorry, Merle said it was okay to do your laundry as well. I was just placing them back. I didn't go through anything." Ashley explained.
Daryl scowled not directly at her, but just the situation. He couldn't be upset because the laundry was piling up and she was the only who didn't ignore his existence. His scowl turned into a frown, "Well ah… thanks," he muttered and then she fucking smiled and he had to exit the tent.
After the laundry incident, Ashley seemed to try and talk to him more, but him being him, Merle did most of the talking, if hitting on the girl was talking. She, however, took it in stride and completely dismissed Merle's comments. He didn't know if that infuriated or amused Merle as they were practically the same thing for him.
Despite him acting disinterested and replying with his reputable grunts he listened to her every word. He learned she was from up North from Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to be exact. She had a younger brother who had autism and her parents were still together. She moved down to Georgia a year ago to live with her cousin for a change of scenery. Additionally, her cousin had just opened her own hair and beauty salon. Ashley was a beautician. Besides that, she liked to draw. All her tattoos were drawn by her. He hated to admit that he didn't like it when she frowned as she told the brothers she wished she had her sketch book to draw as it helped clear her mind. She had to take to drawing in the dirt.
The most critical point to Daryl through was that she was also young. She was 23 to his 35.
However, he noticed if Merle wasn't near him she would stare at him. The first few times he caught her she would duck her head after giving him an embarrassed smile. He didn't know if was bothered by it. By now at this camp, he was used to being ignored or stared out. So he let her stare or whatever before he would approach her on his own. Her staring stopped though one day. He heard her approaching and by then he had trained his ears to know the music of her trek.
Daryl wiped the sheen of sweat that coated his forehead that was dripping into his eyes with his forearm since his hands were covered in blood. Despite living in Georgia all his life his body would never become accustomed to the grueling heat. Daryl grabbed another squirrel and placed it on his makeshift table when he heard her approaching him. He squinted up at her and she was still in those goddamn shorts. She was approaching him hesitantly and he frowned as when Merle approached she had no goddamn problem.
Daryl pondered if he should ignore her presence and continue gutting his kill. She was probably here for Merle anyways so he continued with his kill, "Merle ain't here." He grumbled when she got closer.
"I'm not here for him."
Daryl momentarily paused his cutting as he looked up at her with squinty eyes, "What ya want?"
Daryl watched as she pushed her bangs out of her face and it seemed she wiped away any trace of nervousness she felt being in his presence. "I want to know if you could show me how to skin and gut."
Daryl eyebrows rose as he looked at her. He was not expecting that question. Then he realized she wasn't staring at him, but she was observing him cleaning his meat. He wanted to say no, but for some reason he slid over on his bench and nodded his head over for her to sit.
They followed that routine for another two weeks. She would come over to his camp when he came back from a hunt with or without Merle. Merle, of course, jibbed him on Ashley saying he should tap that. Merle joined them on the first two skins, but Ashley seemed more enthralled into making sure she was doing it right than being bothered by Merle's crude comments.
She was a quick learner. She asked so many questions though he felt like a damn college professor. It didn't bother him. It got to the point where he just let her take over and it gave him a break. During this time it gave him time to observe her and the camp. The camp tried to hide their "discreet" glances their way. He sent them a scowl in return making them turn their attention back to whatever they did, which wasn't much.
Still with a month or so in the quarry, Ashley didn't interact that greatly with their group. He really only saw her actively engage in conversation with were the kids especially Carl and Sophia. He especially noticed that Lori took advantage of Ashley's generosity. Back then he didn't understand how no one else saw how this widow was grieving with the help of her dead husband's best friend. Other than that he saw her have the occasional conversation with Glenn and Dale. However, he liked finding her in a one sided conversation with Amy. The few times he caught her in a conversation their eyes met and he couldn't help but let his lips twitch upwards as she looked at him with pleading eyes to save her. Other than that she seemed to stick to herself and carried her weight by doing the usual misogynist roles in the camp.
He thought the women needed to learn to survive because if shit hit the fan he didn't need to be worrying about everyone else's ass because they were stupid.
Those thoughts made him look at Ashley as she cleaned the meat. They didn't talk that much besides her asking how it was in the woods. It didn't bother him, but he felt stupid he was unable to form a sentence in front of her. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk, but he didn't know exactly what to talk about. He wasn't sure if she minded, but she just sat quietly next to in helping him with his game or doing his laundry. Her skin had gotten considerably tanner. He thought it suited her nicely. When she wore her bright bras it highlighted against her skin nicely. She still looked more of the same. She was losing a little weight. But she was still wearing those goddamn shorts. Those goddamn shorts that showed that owl tattoo on her tone thighs. It was what prompted him in actually starting a conversation.
"Do ya own pants?" Daryl asked out of the blue as he made it obvious he was looking at her legs when he traveled back up to look at her face.
Ashley paused her movements as she looked down at her bare legs and fidgeted. "Uh, no, actually. Glenn's says if he finds some jeans for me he would grab them. When everything turned to shit stupid me didn't grab important things. I know I can get scratched or bit. I've been worried about it to be honest."
Daryl frowned at her words. He wanted to ask what exactly was the circumstance for her harsh departure, but it wasn't his business and frankly she wasn't his concern. "Ya know how ta shoot?"
Ashley turned beat red at his question as she bit her plump lip, "Ahh, no, but I been…practicing."
Daryl looked at her confused, "Been practicing with what?" The last time he checked not one of them used a gun as no walkers have even made an appearance at the quarry this close. He could admit he encountered a few when hunting, but he hadn't heard her firing a gun or seen her even carry one.
"It's so embarrassing," Ashley informed him as she turned her focus back on the animal in front of her.
"Ash," Daryl said firmly. He hated when people beat around the bush.
Ashley sighed. "I can show you, but you can't laugh."
Daryl just looked at her with a blank face before he grabbed the meat from her hands and gave her some water to clean her hands. He was standing up looking at her with his crossbow strapped to his back while she remained firmly planted in her seat. "Let's go." He urged.
Ashley got up from the seat and led him to her tent. Daryl realized this was the first time he ever been in her space. Not once had he ever ventured to her world. Her tent was still set out a little further from camp so he could at least appreciate that they would have privacy as all eyes were on them. Ashley didn't seem to mind, but he gave them a scowl.
Her tent was small maybe around the same size as his. She didn't have some grand decoration outside. It was just plan and simple and he did notice her homemade walker alarm with tin cans.
"You promise not to laugh?" Ashley said as she unzipped her tent before entering.
"Ash, open yer damn tent." Daryl demanded as he tighten his grip on the strap to his crossbow.
Ashley didn't say anything, but opened the door to her tent and entered. Daryl followed quickly behind her trying not to get distracted by how her shorts rose a little as she bent inside her tent. He quickly corrected those thoughts and diverted his attention to her home. Her bed was horizontal to the door and her small bag of clothes were at the end. Those were the only things she had it seemed, however, his eyes were pulled to the end of her tent by her bed which wasn't really that far from where he was standing. She had some elaborate makeshift pendulum made out of three branches with a can that he guessed would swing manually. And next to that was a small table that had a line of cans. She made a small target range. However, his eyes widened at the three Nerf products on the floor. Two guns one more resemble a revolver and the other was a rifle and the third object was a long bow.
Daryl was actually impressed.
"Glenn got them for me. I know ammo is a limited resource now and guns do make noise, but I needed to know how to shoot moving walkers importantly. Shane and the others seem fine with him being the guy to look for in protection, but I want to be independent and protect myself." Ashley explained quietly from behind him as he walked forward and pushed her little tin walking it swing back and forth.
Despite being impressed shooting a toy gun wasn't the same as the real thing.
"I can teach ya", Daryl offered. "Ya need ta learn the mechanics too like cleaning a gun."
"Do you think you can show me how to hunt and track too?" Ashley asked hopefully.
Daryl sighed as he had the nerve to say no, but this girl wanted to survive clearly and she wanted to learn. "Alright, but ya learning the basics of a gun first before I take ya out."
Daryl wasn't prepared for the wide smile to adorn her face. He needed to get out of this tent.
Daryl kept his word. He taught her everything there was to know about guns and how to clean them. He even showed her Merle's rifle that surprisingly Merle didn't bitch too badly about in letting Ashley knowing how to use it and clean it. He did have to intervene when Merle tried to take over her lessons in showing her the current stances since Merle was only going to try to cop a feel. However, he saw with the increasing amount of time the two were spending together the camp was taking more notice. When he was coming back from a hunt, he kept back a little as he saw Shane and Ashley away from everyone. Shane was scolding her about the extent of her relationship with Merle and him. How she needed to stay away from them. They were dangerous and the typical words used to describe a redneck. He watched as Ashley listened to Shane's word intently, she didn't object. She just stood there, but from her body language he could tell she was either annoyed or pissed. She was leaning on her right leg with her arms crossed. He could see though she was flexing her fists at Shane.
Once Shane was finished with his monologue. He couldn't see her face fully, but she just patted Shane on the shoulder and walked away. He watched as Shane looked at her dumbfounded. Daryl couldn't help the snort that escaped his throat as he made his presence known to Shane as he sent a smug smile his way.
He walked back to camp with the meat over his shoulder and he caught eyes with Ash as he called her name and there was that smiled that a part of him felt was just reserved for him.
Daryl knew the official shift in their relationship was when he officially took her out to practice. During his hunting excursions, he went and looked out for a clearing that was far away from camp. It was a long walk, but it would be far enough to not draw attention to the camp.
He wasn't thrilled with her attire, but he was actually glad to know she had a black hoodie to wear for their walk back.
As usual their trek was quiet besides him deciding to use the long walk to begin teaching her some tips for tracking. He knew it changed when he mentioned he noticed how she was testing her hearing. He knew he looked like a ripe tomato from the look she gave him as he basically admitted that he watched her. He couldn't really look at her after that, but it got worse once the actually got to the range when he had to help with her stance and posture. Not so much with the guns since they practiced at the camp, but when she asked to see his crossbow and he let her.
She simply was his opposite in every way. She contrasted him. She was soft and smooth like a petal to a flower while he was rough and callous like sandpaper. Her body didn't have any visible scars like his. It was just the body of a woman, a soft supple woman.
She smelled like rain, which he thought was peculiar, but at the same time comforting as if she could wash away all his worry and pain.
With his arms enclosed around her, her body fit snugly against his body. She just reached his chin. He simply swallowed her being as she leaned back into him startling him as her backside brushed against him. It seemed though that snapped him out of his reverie and he ended their excursion early.
She was getting too close. She was tying strings into him in ways he couldn't understand. In ways he didn't want to understand. It was the end of the world and he didn't need to be feeling or starting to feel this shit. He was just doing this so this girl could survive. He didn't want her death on his conscious. Plus she was young, too young for him. He tried to ignore the frown that overtook her features at his abrupt change in demeanor.
He knew he was the cause of that.
After that it seemed all progress of any relationship was lost. She left him alone. He hated to admit he hated the absence he felt. She didn't look in his direction. She still thanked him mainly for dinner, would ask Merle how he was feeling, and make sure their clothes were washed, but she never lingered. He was used to coming back from a hunting trip and feeling her presence somewhere in his makeshift camp, but it was gone.
Even Merle noticed the change.
"Ya sweet on her?" Merle asked after he skinned their rabbit slamming his knife into their table drawing everyone's attention except hers. "Boy, don't make me repeat myself." Merle barked when he didn't answer. Merle noticed how Daryl and his new buddy weren't chummy anymore. Merle really didn't think too much about it at first, but then Daryl was becoming more grumpier than usual making him do slave work for these ungrateful asses in their camp who couldn't say thank you well except the lovely miss Ashley of course. Besides, Ashley was the only ones that didn't treat or look at him and his brother like redneck trash. They were simply Merle and Daryl Dixon. It kind of made him feel bad about his and Daryl initial purpose for being in the group.
"Nah," Daryl replied.
"Don't ya lie ta me boy." Merle threatened.
Daryl looked up at his brother who was looking at him annoyed. "There ain't nothing going on."
"Really?" Merle asked with a raised eyebrow. "So what happened while ya two went for "target practice"? What she kissed ya and ya got spooked Darylina?" Merle mocked.
Daryl rolled his eyes at his brother and didn't respond. The way Ashley's body felt against him kissing was the furthest thing from his mind.
"Shame, I was warming up to little ole Ashcakes," Merle added on with an even tone. There was no mocking or criticism just the truth. Daryl looked at his brother in surprise.
However, whatever Merle was thinking was washed away. "Hmm, maybe its good baby bro, women are distractions. You give them a finger and they'll take the whole hand," Merle said mimicking him fingering a girl crudely making him snicker in disgust at his brother who was hunched over laughing. "But ya wouldn't know anything bout that would ya bro. You probably wouldn't be able to handle Ashcakes. Just imagine those lips wrapped arou –"
"Alright knock it off," Daryl barked louder than he intended causing all eyes to focus back on them.
Merle just smiled wider at him, "Yeah, ya sweet on her."
He tried to catch her eye during camp, but she never looked his way.
She seemed to make sure she was distracted by other campers or she stayed in her tent more.
He could admit he found himself walking over to her area when everyone was asleep, but he felt to much like a creeper. But he smiled when he heard the faint sound of her Styrofoam bullets hitting her cans.
He thought she simply forgot about him until he stooped so low and eavesdropped on her conversation with Carol. He noticed that she seemed to be bonding with the meek older woman who was clearly being abused by her husband. The cropped hair gave it away knowing she kept it short so it wasn't pulled. Plus, he knew and recognized the signs. However, Ash seemed to gravitate towards her when doing their women duties.
They were in the woods finding some edible plants to eat that Ashley learned from him as she informed Carol.
Daryl's chest tighten uncomfortably at hearing how his name sounded coming from her full lips. How light it sounded. It was then he stopped to listen to their conversation. He prayed his trek was quiet because Ashley had some good ears.
Carol eventually asked what transpired between the two. He waited with bated breath for her answer that came after a slight pause.
"I can't speak for Daryl, Carol, but I feel I may have overwhelmed him, maybe. I don't know he is hard to read sometimes." Ashley's light voice said as it filled the humid air even more.
"Yeah, I noticed. He is so guarded, but he is more respectful than Merle, at least. The group was worried Merle mostly would do something to you." Daryl's jaw clenched at the insinuation. Despite everything he and Merle went through and how Merle acted really, they never laid their hands upon women or took advantage.
"That is so ridiculous. Yes, Merle is a little loud and opinionated, I don't think he is like that…neither is Daryl. I don't want to fuel gossip, but they obviously had a rough life. I think it is natural for them to be the way they are. It's like a coping mechanism and its not like anybody probably gave them a chance to be different." Ashley said defending them. Daryl's chest filled with something.
"You like him sweetie?" Carol asked innocently.
Ashley released a sigh as she looked down at another plant that didn't have any nutritional value. "I…I don't think it's worth getting my hopes up in this world to feel anything than just platonic. Besides I don't think he is interested in that. I think we need to focus on survival than trivial stuff like relationships."
Carol gave Ashley a small smile. "Relationships aren't trivial. I think given this state of the world if you find something you should just go for it. You will never know what will happen and if he makes you happy…that is all that matters."
Ashley looked at Carol conflicted. "I don't know, Carol, I still don't know much about him. We're friends, I think, I don't know if Daryl Dixon does friends, but I am not really looking for a boyfriend or anything." Ashley said dejected with a frown causing Daryl to mirror the expression, but then her hard her laugh as she spoke up again. "But I will admit I do like his arms. Have you seen those things!"
Carol and Ashley let out quiet chuckles as Carol gave her agreement before they made their way back to camp empty handed and Daryl felt a fever burn inside him.
Ashley and he didn't speak again until two weeks later. His body was blinded with anger. Merle was gone. Not just gone, but left. This group that he had been living with for close to three months handcuffed his brother on a roof and left him there like walker bait.
The small rational voice in his head knew Merle got himself locked up on that roof from causing trouble and being a simple minded son of a bitch, but that same rational voice knew that didn't justify them leaving his flesh and blood to die.
It didn't help that T-Dog had dropped the key and thought locking the geeks out from making his brother a chew toy would make him feel any better.
When the anger slightly subsided, he took deep breaths to regain his bearings as he let these people see too much of his emotions. However any fucking control he may have tried to regain left the building when he found her brown eyes looking at him with worry and her eyes were telling him to cool it, but his eyes zoned in on the discoloration that overtook her pink lips that were plumper than usual. Her mouth was red and blue. He was seeing red. The half of her top lip was red and her whole bottom lips was red with blue edging the corners. They were swollen the discoloration traveling to her cheek.
Daryl squeezed his eyes shut. They were burning from unshed tear and rage now at seeing this. It seemed everything gone to shit when he went on his hunting trip yesterday.
"What the fuck happened to ya face?" Daryl growled. He was going to rage. He was literally going to kill someone today.
He heard her shuffling closer to him, but he stepped away. He wanted answers not to be coddled or placated like a baby as if his fit of rage was not justified.
He saw Shane going to open his mouth, but he however shot him down. "I didn't ask you asshole."
"Daryl," Ashley warned and it caused him to glare at her. She walked up to him quickly and grabbed his bicep leading him away from camp into his tent and he let her while he threw daggers at everyone watching them.
When he focused back on Ashley he noticed she actually had black jeans that were practically painted on her and she had replaced her usual loose tanks or muscle shirts with a grey t-shirt.
"Well?" Daryl barked impatiently.
"Can you sit, please?"
"What fer? Just tell me Ashley so I can gut the son of a bitch who had the nerve to do that." Daryl informed her in a growl as he stepped closer to her face and cupped her face examining the damage. It was a hard smack or punch to her face. He already had a strong feeling who it was as only one man in this whole camp had the nerve to disrespect women.
"Before I begin, Shane handled it." Ashley began and that only made him angrier that Shane was the one to handle it. Shane was the one to save her and protect her. He clenched his jaw in response and nodded for her to continue. "We were doing laundry like normal and Ed took us down this time. You know how he is with Carol any semblance of a smile or her becoming relaxed or friendly makes him even more of a dick. He grabbed her. He was hurting her and we tried to intervene and his hand was aimed for Carol, I think, or it was deliberate… Shane came out of the woods and he practically beat Ed to death." Ashley ended with a frown.
Daryl thought Shane should have killed him because Daryl knew if he saw Ed he was going to kill him.
Daryl walked away from Ashley as he ran his hands throw his short sweaty hair gripping it hard.
"Fuck!" He shouted. He wanted to throw things – kill shit.
"Daryl, it's been handled. I'm okay." Ashley said trying to placate him, but it wasn't working.
"Have ya seen yer fucking face, Ash?" Daryl shouted in her face and he immediately regretted it as she slightly recoiled from him. Daryl closed his eyes and rubbed his sockets as he tried to find some goddamn anchor to combat this rage inside him. Daryl opened his eyes and found Ashley had her arms wrapped around her torso protectively as she waited for another reaction from him. "Pack yer shit and put it in here. I don't want you around those assholes."
"Daryl.." Ashley began.
"It ain't up fer debate," Daryl snapped as he looked at her waiting for her to refuse to which she didn't.
"Okay, but Daryl when you go out there don't do anything impulsive, please." Ashley pleaded.
"Ash, they left my fucking brother! They should be worried about Merle."
"I know, I know, but its just now with that Rick guy arriving. I feel things are changing and how him and Shane are best friend."
Daryl sighed knowing she was referring to how quickly Shane put him in that choke hold. However, Daryl was waiting for that friendship to shift considering how Shane helped Rick Grimes' family.
"I'll be fine."
"Okay," Ashley said softly giving him her that smile. "Just be safe and cautious and come back, all right."
Daryl nodded his head as he chewed on his thumb nail. He stepped forward and she looked at him with wide eyes curious to what he was doing. He grabbed his gun out from his jeans and handed it to her.
"Ya keep this on ya." He ordered as she took the gun and nodded before looking back up at him.
The way she was looking at him made him feel uncomfortable. The feeling was suffocating him in the tent. "Just move yer shit." He grumbled as he exited his tent and he heard her let out a quiet laugh.
However, when he left the camp. The way her eyes looking at him as he paced in the truck a part of him told him he should have hugged her.
That night was the first night they slept together, not sexually, they just slept. He didn't know he could feel fear the way he did when he heard the screams coming from the quarry. He remembered the screams and cries. The walkers were tearing apart members of their camp, but he couldn't find her anywhere. He couldn't focus on the scene in front of him. His heart was pounding against his rib cage. After the carnage was over he remembered screaming her name so loud he thought he would strain his vocal cords.
But he found her when she called his name out weakly. She was buried under two walkers – dead ones – and she was crying. She tripped over a rock and two walkers followed her but she shot both of them with the gun he given her earlier. The gun was buried deep in the first ones head. She was covered in walker blood and he suspected that acted as camouflage for her. Her face was tear stricken as he checked her over for bites or scratches.
When it was clear she was free from injury he crushed her into a hug and her tears soaked his chest. He made sure to keep her face hidden from everything else as he was worried she would begin hyperventilating. Usually, Daryl didn't care for emotional women. But witnessing her cry so violently. Daryl didn't like it. He hated it. He hated seeing her cry and be so upset.
She eventually fell asleep after the hard hiccups and occasional whimper as he laid with her in his tent. She was cradled to his chest her arms around his torso.
He liked the way she felt against his chest.
Fueled by liquid courage was when he finally tasted her.
She tasted like peppermint.
She was fresh, clean, and intoxicating.
He was being mindful of her sore and briused lips, but he wanted more.
He wanted everything.
After Merle, the camp, and Jim, he wanted her. He was willing to take anything she had to offer.
Her body was making him burn. Her touch was igniting a trail of fire in him.
He only saw this ending one way to extinguish the heat that was rising between them like an inferno.
It didn't help she was wearing one of his t-shirt and no pants. Her legs were soft and smooth and he fit perfectly in between them.
She wasn't wearing a bra he discovered as his hand traveled up her shirt and cupped her breasts. He also discovered that her nose ring wasn't her only piercing.
It wasn't until he felt her nimble fingers underneath his shirt that caused him to tense and the fog of alcohol was wiped away.
Ashley wasn't like other girls. He wasn't going to take her when he was clearly drunk. She didn't need to see how scarred he truly was. He wasn't going to be able to be that guy she deserved and needed. There was no point in starting this shit knowing the circumstance of the world.
He pulled away from her and laid next to her in her bed as he got a handle on his breath.
He felt stupid for even taking it this far.
He was angry at himself for letting her in.
He was angry at himself for how much he wanted her.
He got up from the bed not even sparing her glance even as she called his name.
He thought he only had to fear walkers giving him a virus.
He was coming down with something and it was infecting him.
The symptoms already spreading.