3 – Night Watch -1
A/N – Thanks for the Rixonne suggestions, keep them coming, I love them! So many great places these three can go together. This one shot is a two parter, simply because I felt it too long for one chapter. Hope you don't mind.
PS – the new artwork for this story was made special by EnglishPoet18 – Snaps for procrastination!
From the top of the guard tower the view was pretty good. You could see just about everyone as they came out of the prison and walked around the yard, worked on chores, stopped to talk or just about anything else that was going on. If you looked south you could keep an eye on the Walkers at their closest point to their home but if you looked up just a bit, you could see past the trees, out into the Georgia sky line, it was almost as if you could see forever and for just a moment you could forget about the world as it had become and just enjoy the solitude from the high vantage point. Daryl walked around the tower looking out over the space that had become his home. Safe from the day to day dangers of things and a pretty good group of people that saw him for more than he really thought he was.
And her. Daryl rarely let his mind drift to things of a romantic or physical nature, but there was something about her that made him ache for a woman. He watched as Michonne and Carl crossed the yard back from the garden. She had a long stride that she didn't curtail just because Carl had shorter legs, he could keep up. Daryl watched as they talked and she laughed, that kid always made her laugh and Daryl appreciated that. She had gone through enough in her time, she needed to have something to laugh about. She crossed the yard and pushed Carl's shoulder as they separated, he headed into the prison and she shifted her gaze up to the top of the guard tower. She caught Daryl looking at her. He leaned back when she looked up, but she had seen him looking.
He couldn't help himself, she was stunning. A beauty like nothing he had seen before. Half of it was her body, shapely and toned. But more than that, it was her confidence, the thing he lacked. But damn she always looked like she commanded the room and that turned him on. When he peered back out she was gone from his site. It was only a moment and he heard the door open below, shit, she was coming up. He shifted his hardening dick and sat in the window frame trying to look casual as he waited for her to make it to the top of the tower. He picked up his crossbow and held it in his lap.
Michonne pushed the door open and he fought not to turn her way. He was opting to play it cool. Well, as cool as Daryl Dixon with a woman in the room could play things. She said 'hey' and he nodded back, never looking up for the bow as he tightened things that didn't need tightening.
"Whatcha doin?" She walked over to him and leaned too close, she had him pinned in that spot. He would have had to move her out of the way if he wanted his own space, but he didn't. He liked her in his space. She brushed a lock of hair behind his ear. It was this thing she had started doing about a month ago, when he was eating or talking with Rick, whenever. She would just tuck the wild lock of hair behind his right ear. First time she did it he had grabbed her wrist and eye fucked her hard. But he had stopped doing that hoping it would make her refrain. She persisted. At least he had stopped flinching at her touch.
"Nothin'."
Michonne loved to torment him. That lock of dark hair didn't really bother her anymore, it had the first time she had pushed it back. That night in the common room when he had been talking with Rick in the corner and Beth had been singing. She had been staring at him from her little quiet spot and the lock of hair was blocking his eye. She had stalked across the room, walked up to them, interrupting, she pushed it behind his ear and just as she was about to walk away he grabbed her wrist and held tight. She looked up at him and the look he gave was one she had never seen before. Even Rick shifted back a bit. But she didn't lose eye contact with him and he finally let go of her wrist. It wasn't till she was out of his line of sight that she began to rub her flesh, hurt from the grip. Hot from the touch.
"Ya comin' down for dinner?" He didn't always, sometimes he stayed in his perch and Carol would bring dinner up to him.
Daryl couldn't figure out what she was playing at most days. Sometimes she would pay attention to him, sometimes she couldn't see him past Rick.
He fussed at the hair she had just moved, not conscious that he was doing it. He decided to challenge her, "Ya want me to?" Maybe she did like him, damned if he could figure it out.
"Whatever." She started to walk away.
Daryl exhaled, "Don't get ya woman."
She opened the door and turned back. "I know."
The rain the past few days had kept most everyone inside. A few people ran between the prison and the guard tower but for the most part everyone stayed in and it was making Rick feel like a caged animal. He had sorted bullets, mapped out runs, taken watch duties, played with his kids, read books, talked till he was tired of talking and jerked off three times. If the rain didn't let up soon he'd take his luck with the Walkers just to get out of there. Folks were trying to be polite and give each other space but tensions were running hot for sure. Rick had put the kids to bed and was now just lying in his bunk. He wished he could go to sleep but there was too much talking murmuring through the cells. Rick picked up a book and put it down; too dark to read and too lazy to light a lamp.
He heard the lone rap of a knuckle on his metal door frame, "Yeah", he watched as the curtain moved and Michonne walked in. She had been stopping into his room the last few nights, but never at a consistent time. It was all a bit strange but after they had kissed two nights ago Rick had stopped trying to analyze it all.
"Rain better stop soon." She walked into his cell and grabbed the straight back chair from the wall, she turned it and sat so that she was facing the wrong way in it. Rick sat on the edge of his bed directly in front of her. If they were going to kiss again, this would be the right positions for it. The first time she had come to his cell he had been laying in just his pants, no shirt. She had stood in the door frame and they really didn't say more than a few words before she said good night. Then she started stopping in at odd hours and he had kept more of his clothes on, just in case she did stop by.
First it was chit chat, then it was silence. One night last week she came in and he moved toward the wall, they laid in his bunk together for over an hour barely touching and never speaking then she got up and left. Had it been some test, had she wanted him to touch her. He had no idea. Every night she had left him hard and wanting her. This was the first night that she sat backward in the chair, he didn't even venture to guess what it might mean.
Rick whispered, "Yeah, getting tight around here." Having everyone stuck inside was going to turn this place into a pressure cooker.
"Want me to leave?" She smiled at him. Michonne knew Rick wouldn't send her away. That kiss the other night had sealed that for her. That night she had been leaning on the table in his room and he had reached past her for a book to lend her when she kissed him. She hadn't planned on it, wasn't going to do it. But he was so close and his mouth was too perfect. He had gripped her arm and they kissed for a while before she took the book from him and walked out.
"Nah," Rick sat up in his dark pants and a t-shirt, loving the way her eyes drifted over him. "I like your tight 'round here." He wasn't sure if it was cute or funny or if it even made since, but Michonne cracked a little laugh.
"'s hot as hell in this place." Michonne knew why she kept coming back to Rick's cell, but she didn't know what she was going to do about it. Rick just nodded, agreeing with her. "Why you always got your shirt on when it's this hot?" That first night she had come into to talk to him he had been shirtless and she had wanted to push him down on the bunk and lick him all over, but since then he was always dressed when she stopped in, no matter what time or how hot it was.
Rick unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt and pulled it over his head. "Better?" Hell, he should have asked her the same question, maybe she would take hers off. He loved that purple tank on her even if she did hide it under that leather vest. He figured she slept just in the thin material.
She didn't say a word, just nodded her head in reply. Damn he was sexy. They just sat quiet for a while. She could go days without saying a word and she knew it was driving him insane. Footsteps passed by and neither of them moved. If someone knocked or just walked in, they weren't doing anything they needed to hide. Which was too bad because Michonne wanted to push him down on the bunk, strip him naked and ride him all night long. The visual had gone too far, she could practically feel him inside of her.
Michonne stood up and spun the chair back to its place. Rick was standing and stepping to block her way to the door. He was getting used to her abrupt exits.
"'ky kiss ya goodnight?" Rick just stared her down till she stepped to him. He reached out, grabbed her by the waist and pulled her tight to him pressing his lips to hers. She opened her mouth and their tongues found each other. She wrapped her arms around him and she felt the long muscles in his back, damn he was intoxicating. They stood there kissing till Rick made the mistake of taking a breath. She released him and pulled away. He didn't push the issue, he stepped aside and she walked out.
Rick ran his fingers through his long shaggy hair then into his beard. Damn he didn't get that woman. But she sure did kiss in a way that made him want more.
Wet Walkers and mud were a disgusting combination even to Daryl who had a stomach for just about anything. He walked the fence line with a piece of rebar in his hand and jammed it through a scull on occasion. He thought back to breakfast this morning as he sat, ass on the table by himself, his boots on the seat as he ate the bland oatmeal thinking about taking a run just to find some fruit trees. He kill for a peach or an apple. She had walked into the room and he just observed. She talked with Carol and Maggie for a minute, getting breakfast, then she scanned the room, seeing him, stopping her gaze to look at him then she moved on. Rick had taken a few steps toward her and she had seen this, but she turned the other way and brought herself to sit with Hershel. Rick had rerouted his walk but Daryl knew he had been headed for her before she brushed him off.
Carl came over and sat on the table next to him and they ate, talking a little bit but mostly just people watching. Carl watched people eating, Daryl watched them thinking. Rick was feeding Judith with Beth now but his gaze was never far from Michonne. She looked up to Daryl and neither of them shied away from a stare. She watched his face as she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and waited. He mirrored her and it pissed him off that he had done it. Michonne smiled and went back to her conversation with Hershel.
The fence line was secure and this far corner of it never seemed to have any walkers at it, he turned the corner as he pulled a beat up pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. He was just about to light it when he saw Rick standing there leaning against the wall. "'Sup?"
Rick opened his eyes, he had been warming himself in the sun. "Nothin', 'sup with you?" Daryl crossed and leaned on the wall close to him.
"Jus' checkin' fences. Good to get outta there." The prison had been, well, like a prison, for the first time in ages. Daryl had gone down into the tombs alone yesterday just to get away from the living for a while. He closed his eyes sucked deep on his cigarette and let the smoke fill his lungs. It was more satisfying now than it had ever been.
Rick watched him inhale, the way his lips wrapped around the white stick, his eyes closed, his cheeks drawing in till he could clearly make out the angles of Daryl's face. Slowly his chest rose then he exhaled enveloping himself in a cloud of smoke. He opened his eyes and caught Rick looking. He didn't mind. "God I love smokin'." They went back to looking out over the limited view of fence line they had from this private corner.
Rick had given up long ago on being ashamed when he checked out Daryl. First it pissed him then, the he struggled, and then he started to jerk off thinking about him. He didn't care anymore. And on more than one occasion Daryl had leaned an arm against Rick when they were watching the group late at night and neither of them would pull away. Early on Rick thought it was because they were so comfortable together, but now he was sure it was because Daryl craved the contact on some level.
"So, you an' Michonne?" Daryl let the words come out even though he wasn't sure if he wanted the answer. There had been something going on there for sure.
Rick kept a straight face when all he wanted to do was smile from ear to ear as thought about their second kiss the other night. "Wha'?"
Daryl was sure he was reading it all right, they were into each other. The part that confused him was why she was flirty with him if she was into Rick. But maybe they hadn't acted on it yet. "Ya like two deer circlin' each other ready to rut." Daryl had a way with words.
Rick didn't know how to respond. There really was nothing going on, at least nothing he seemed to have any control over so what was the point of confirming anything. "Don't know about that." He did like the idea of getting all animal with Michonne, but hell if he knew what she was thinking.
There was no point in pushing the issue, Rick didn't feel like answering and Daryl didn't want to force him to talk. He finished dragging on his cigarette like he was making love to it. Savoring ever flavor of tobacco and the other shit that was mixed in there, even if it was a little stale. He let the nicotine go to his head as he fidgeted a bit eventually pressing his arm to Ricks. It was subtle but Rick pressed back and Daryl felt it. He touched Rick more than he really ever needed to. He was always finding casual reasons to make contact. That first time Rick gave back had thrown Daryl, now he enjoyed it, craved it even.
Michonne came around the corner and paused when she saw them standing there. Not that she was surprised to see them, she knew exactly where there were and she had sought them out. She paused because they were both so fucking sexy. Rick with his wavy hair and full beard, one leg bent at the knee and leaning on the brick. She loved the way he rolled the cuffs on his shirt and his muscular forearms dominated his form. Daryl was not one to be ignored either. His broad shoulders and chiseled features, it's why she was always moving his hair, it hid his beautiful face. Even in his pants that were too baggy, she loved the cut of his hips and the way he strutted across the yard.
She had decided that tonight was the night she was going to make her move. She had been struggling in her own head for too long now on which one she wanted, the sheriff or the redneck. Both too sexy for her to disregard. She crossed to them and they both watched her as she closed the space between them, they never moved, never stopped leaning on each other.
"Got watch tonight, I need company." Yes, it sounded as good out loud as it did in her head. But what was even better as their proximity to each other. She hadn't expected them to be this close together, it was perfect. She tucked a lock of hair behind Daryl's ear. "Okay?" She ran her hand down his cheek and he closed his eyes as she held there. Then she turned just inches to Rick and kissed him. Just ghosting her lips over his. "Okay?" By company she meant both of them.
She stepped back and waited for a reply. Together they stammered out something that sounded like they understood her directive. She smiled her wide grin and walked away. They both gawked at the site of her perfect ass as she turned the corner and was gone.
"The fuck?" Daryl didn't know what else to say.
Rick just shook his head as he pushed off the wall. "See ya at watch tonight?" He was walking away now.
Daryl flicked the end of his cigarette through the chain link fence. "Yeah."
The afternoon was a blur to Michonne. She had left the prison for a while, gone out to check traps and do some general scouting. She couldn't stay there all day knowing that the guys were just around and she might run into them at any moment. She had liked Daryl first, and though they had met under less then cordial circumstance there had been something about him that was easier to like than Rick who was in the midst of a nervous breakdown. But now that the dust had settled around their prison home she had grown to desire them both. Before the end of the world she never would have gone after either of these men but now, they were both desirable in their own ways and Michonne was finally acting on her yearning to be with them both.
She cleared one trap of a walker, slicing it into pieces than resetting the snare. Another trap held a raccoon. She worked her way back to the prison avoiding the garden and the munitions hold making sure not to run into either of them. Carl had opened the gate for her and took the raccoon to be cleaned. "I would have gone with ya." He always wanted out of the gates but Rick didn't allow it.
She tipped the brim of his sheriff's hat, "Maybe next time." She wouldn't step in on Rick's parenting decisions. "Gonna go wash up, see ya at dinner."
If she were actually going to try and seduce both of these men she wanted to be clean, smelling like soap instead of death. Back in the day she would have gone to the hairdresser, gotten her nails done and maybe bought some new underthings before an endeavor such as this. But today it would simply be a shower. It was luke-warm-ish and she washed the layers of sweat, dirt and ick off of herself, she had brought back a few packs of disposable razors on a run a few weeks ago and she made a point of keeping two for herself. Michonne shaved her legs, something she hadn't done in quite a while then under her arms. She grabbed the scissors she had brought down and she felt between her legs. Appreciating this reason to trim up her pubic hair that had grown wild over time she let her fingers drift longer than she needed to. If tonight went well she would have her first orgasm induced by someone else in longer than she wanted to remember.
She trimmed away till her coarse hair was manageable then she switched to the razor with some soap. She wished she had a mirror but she the lighting wasn't great to begin with, so she touched and trimmed, felt her way and scraped at the hair. She wasn't sure how much to leave behind, a landing strip seemed like it might not come out even. Michonne kept fussing till finally she was entirely bald, something she had never really done before. She ran her fingers along her skin and closed her eyes. Images of Rick between her legs with his beard rubbing on her naked flesh opened the flood gates to thoughts of Daryl buried deep inside her as his pubic hair tickled her. God she hoped tonight turned out something like that.
Michonne finally rinsed herself completely and then dried off and got dressed. She had changed into fresh panties and a bra she didn't normally wear. They would all have dinner together, she wondered if she would be able to keep a straight face. Then it was up to the watch tower and wait and see who shows up, if either of them do.
The dining hall was its usual busy, people had been able to go outside today for the first time in a while and that had lightened the mood considerably. Rick had sat with his family, holding Judith on his lap as Carl chatted away, Beth at his side. Daryl was sitting alone on the stairs, not completely unexpected. Carol had sat with him for a while but she abandoned him when people were starting to finish and she had dishes to clean up. Michonne ate with Hershel, she really enjoyed the man's wisdom and company most days.
"You look nice." Hershel never looked up from his meal and his spoke in hushed tones.
She smiled, "So do you." She loved playing with him, he had a great sense of humor. She was just wrapping up the stew they were feasting on tonight.
Hershel never missed a beat around their prison. She could only imagine what he had been like in his heyday. He shot her a smirk as he scanned between Rick and Daryl who were both watching her as well. "So which is it? The lonely father of two who could use a good woman to keep his head on straight?" That's who Hershel was voting for, "Or the loaner that could use a little lovin' to make sure he doesn't go crazy?"
She looked between both the options he had laid out, Rick had changed into a clean shirt and trimmed his beard up just a little. Daryl he run his fingers through his hair neatening it up and washed up a bit. Both were at least contemplating her offer. "Why do I have to choose?" She got up from the table and he chuckled.