CHAPTER 6 – CAN I STAY AND WATCH?
Each cut of the knife Daryl made with a grunt. Who was he kidding? Bring back days' worth of food for the group? Still a worthless son of a bitch. Still the same fuckin' redneck piece of trash. Figures. He told himself it was only Shane, but only Shane often spoke for the entire group, his voice and opinions were everyone's. Daryl spat on the floor. A concoction of hate, anger, shame and rage bubbled in the pit of his stomach. Thousands of thoughts whizzed through his head, things he had wished he had said to Shane, things he wished his older brother hadn't have had to say for him. Daryl was strong in this new world. He could hunt, drive most land vehicles, and kill a walker. Probably another man if it came to it, but this group? This cluster of strangers trying to live in a world they were not cut out for? These people still stuck in the old world, with their old stereotypes, judgements and opinions? Daryl couldn't hack it. The words he always wanted to say never came out. He kept them in, grunted, frowned or swore to get himself out of any situation. Or of course, Merle would step in and make him look even less of a man.
Deep down in Daryl's mind, a tiny voice told him that he wanted to belong. To prove he wasn't that waste of space redneck he was painted as, that he wasn't a dangerous man, and that he was capable of caring. He did care. Daryl spent most of his time alone pushing that voice away. That voice gets you killed in this world. Dog eat dog.
Daryl fumbled with the knife, his brain overworking. He worked through a tough muscle of the beast, nicking his knuckle in the process. "Ah fuck!" he grumbled, sucking the wound.
"Need a hand?" Daryl jumped, spinning around.
"God damn it, woman, ya' gotta' sneak up on a man when he's usin' a knife?!" he yelled, frustrated. Walls were up.
Andy chuckled softly, "Looks like you cut yourself before I made you jump. Here." She moved towards Daryl, fishing in her bag. She dropped to her knees beside the man, much to close for his liking and pulled out a small roll of gauze. She reached for Daryl's hand, but he swiftly pulled it away, uncomfortable.
"Come here." Andy told the man, motioning with her hand for him to place his within hers.
"I'm fine." Daryl huffed, hiding his hand away. Andy smirked, 'stubborn bastard', she thought.
"Daryl." She commanded, raising her eyebrows, snatching Daryl's hand from his lap. He grunted disapprovingly as she began to wrap the gauze around his wound, applying pressure. Daryl kept his head hung, he stole a glance at Andy, and kept his gaze, watching her concentration as she fixed him up. This was a first for Daryl. He had never had someone tending to this kind of need, his Ma had never patched up and kissed a wound Daryl had had as a child, his brother had always told him to 'man the fuck up', and his Pa, well half the time, he had caused Daryl's pain himself. Watching the woman bite her bottom lip as she concentrated on her task, the feel of her small fingers holding his hand up, how she was gentle in her work, made Daryl's face flush. He felt embarrassed and awkward, and he could feel his body temperature rising. Conscious Andy could feel the heat in his hands, he stole his rough hand away from her soft ones as soon as she finished tying the bandage.
Not looking back at the woman, Daryl picked his knife back up and once again began to cut in to the deer. He hoped that if he didn't speak, Andy would leave, but as he continued to work away on the deer, he realised she was watching him. Agitated, Daryl dropped the knife and shot an angry glare at her. "You need somethin'?" he demanded.
"I was just gonna watch." Andy said, pointing at the animal. "I need more practice butchering. Your squirrels were done perfectly, I can't seem to get a decent yield when I do it. I leave too much on the bone. Just wanted to watch your technique." Her words surprised Daryl for more than one reason. One, this woman was actually interested in what he was doing. Sure he had seen her shot on the animal when he first met her in the woods, but he had thought it a lucky shot. Two, she seemed to actually give a shit about the new required skills demanded of mankind in this new world and most importantly, three; she had appreciated something he had done for the group. She had already thanked him once, and now she was complimenting him. Daryl bit his tongue, at a loss for words, he raked his hand through his hair, still aware of the uncomfortable temperature of his body that he hoped the Georgia heat would mask.
"Can I stay and watch?" Andy prompted.
"I guess." Daryl mumbled, barely audible. Daryl cast his eyes back to the carcass of the animal when he saw Andy break into a happy smile. He felt heat rise to his cheeks and he somehow felt more uncomfortable than he did before.
Andy studied the man as he worked. She watched how his hands knew exactly what to do with the knife, how his eyes remained squinted in concentration and how his tongue subconsciously crept out to lick his top lip when he figured out his next move. Both remained silent as Daryl worked. Andy lounged on her back, propped up on her elbows, watching the man intently. He didn't look up once, but she didn't mind. She was immersed. She didn't take her eyes away from the man until he dropped the knife and wiped his blood stained hands on his jeans. She looked down and realised he had finished. Each cut of the meat had been removed from the waste expertly. She blinked, wondering when he had done it all. Realisation struck Andy, she hadn't even watched what he was doing. Hell, if he gave her a squirrel to prepare, she would still do a shoddy job. Had she really just spent the last half an hour looking at Daryl? She had…
"Nice job." She told him, plucking blades of grass from the ground, giving her sweaty hands something to do.
"Ain't nothin'." Daryl replied, an expression that looked to Andy as one a person who wasn't used to receiving compliments might wear.
"I'm serious." She told him, smiling, "There is literally no waste, it's a damn good job."
"Thanks, I guess…" Daryl mumbled, confused.
Andy smiled again at his confusion, it was clear he didn't know what he was worth.
The pair sat in silence, Andy felt the awkward tension build between them, she racked he brain for something to say, and remembered why she walked over in the first place.
"Hey Daryl, Shane said I could have my bow back." She said, sitting up.
Daryl scoffed, "Pfft, Shane said so did he? Best 'ad give it back then."
Andy grinned, elbowing Daryl's arm, he looked startled at the contact, which made Andy's grin spread wider. "Come off it Daryl, I know I've only been here five minutes, but five minutes in plenty enough time for me to figure out Shane is an asshole." The corners of Daryl's lips twitched, threatening a smile. "Plus," she added, "I feel naked without my weapon, I'm damn glad we haven't had any of the dead wonder in to the camp." Daryl looked away again, and began playing with his shoelaces, Andy began to laugh, a strong hunch telling her the words she had used in her last sentence had rendered him speechless.
"Hey." She said, poking Daryl on the arm, receiving another dark glare from the man, "How about a smoke, and you reunite me with my bow?" she pulled her cigarettes from her pocket, flipped the lid and held the packet out towards Daryl. He took one, glad for something to do with his hands.
"Ya' gonna' run out of them fast if ya' keep sharin' with me." He said, putting the cigarette to his mouth.
"Hey, the dead outnumber us by a long shot, they haven't got any reason to be smoking, we'll find some more, and plus, now you owe me three. I'll remember that when you find some." She smirked at the man, plucking out a cigarette of her own and lighting the tip. "Now, where's my bow?"
The pair stood and Andy followed Daryl to his tent. She watched him as he bent down to crawl inside to retrieve her weapon, and she couldn't help biting her lip at the picture. She turned away, feeling guilty for looking. Daryl emerged from his tent, gripping Andy's bow in one hand, her quiver in the other, cigarette between his teeth. "'Ere 'ya go." He said, passing the weapon to her.
"At last, my arm is complete again!" she said, holding the bow upward.
"What?" Daryl asked, puzzled.
Andy blushed, embarrassed, "It's from Sweeny Todd…" she mumbled.
"Who tha' fuck is Sweeny Todd?" he asked, lips twitching once again.
"It's a film, doesn't matter." Andy lowered her bow, blushing.
Daryl chuckled briefly, "Nerd." He muttered, walking back towards the meat he had prepared.
Andy smiled at the hint of humour, maybe the man was capable of a smile once in a while. She followed Daryl offering her help taking the meat back to camp.
"Nah, ya' don' need ta' do that." Daryl growled in his southern drawl, all humour gone and his familiar stubborn tone setting in.
"It'll only take one trip if I help." Andy protested.
"Don' worry 'bout it, Andy." He told her, picking up the cuts and placing them in to one of the two available buckets. Deciding not to argue with the man, she took her stand silently as she started to fill the second bucket.
"Ya' funeral." Daryl muttered under his breath. Andy stood up, placing her hands on her hips.
"Why?" she asked him, curious.
"Nuthin', jus' fill tha' bucket." He told her, annoyed at himself for saying anything.
"Hey, no, Daryl!" Andy said, raising her voice, making the man look towards her, "Why did you say 'your funeral'?"
Daryl seemed uncomfortable at the female dominance of the conversation, and he gave in.
"Ya' not supposed ta' be hangin' 'roud tha' rifraf." He muttered, looking at the floor.
Andy dropped her arms from her waist and placed her hand on Daryl's shoulder, making him look up, "And who's the rifraf?" she asked with a sad expression.
"Who da' ya' think?" Daryl demanded, furrowing his brow angrily. He bent back down and continued to throw meat in to the bucket with force.
"Does this have something to do with Shane?" she asked. Daryl didn't reply, so she pushed again, "Is this what he was talking to you and Merle about earlier? I saw him over here."
"Wha' does it matta' anyway?" Daryl replied, defeated.
"It matters if what he said was about who I can and cannot spend my time with!" she gushed, "What has my life, or yours for that matter, have ANYTHING to do with HIM?!" she threw the last piece of meat in to her bucket and heaved it off the ground, "Come on, Daryl." She told him, a plan forming in her head, "We have some deer to deliver."
Daryl watched in surprise as Andy picked the heavy bucket from the ground and began walking towards the rest of the camp with a purpose. Confused at the female, he lifted his bucket and followed after her.
They reached the camp, where the group sat around the fire Glenn was tending to. The sun had started to set, and the group had gathered waiting on Daryl to bring them their food. Andy reached the group before Daryl dropping the bucket to the ground, and it landed with a thud. Daryl caught up with her, placing his bucket next to the first one and took in the scene. Everyone was looking at Andy, and her expression was like a raging fire. And now he had shown up next to her, the accusing looks were directed at him. Shane stood up, surveying them both. Seeing Andy's hateful expression, he began to speak, directing his words to Daryl, making a very incorrect assumption.
"What have ya' done ta' make her upset, Dixon?" he demanded glaring at Daryl.
"Hey-" Daryl started, ready to tell the man to back off in a colourful way, but Andy's hand appeared on Daryl's chest, cutting him off.
"No, Daryl." She told him gently, turning her head towards Shane. She held out a pointed finger and walked toward the man. "I'll tell you what he has done to make me upset!" she raged. "He told me that you" she stabbed her finger on Shane's collarbone, "have been trying to dictate who I am allowed to spend my time with! I told you last night, firmly, that I was in control of what I did with my life, and you thought you had the right to tell Daryl to stay away from me because you thought I wasn't capable of making my own decisions?! Here's the deal, buddy; you might be the top fucking dog here, and these people may well allow you to decide the rules and guidelines, but you sure as hell are not the boss of me! If I want to talk to Daryl or Merle, I bloody will, I don't need your permission. Understood?" Daryl was stunned, as was the rest of the group, and she stood waiting for Shane's reply, her chest heaving.
Shane remained silent, lost for words, "I'll take that as a yes." Andy told the startled man.
She made to walk away, motioning Daryl to follow, "Come on, Daryl." She said. Daryl raised his eyebrows and exhaled, not sure if he was impressed or scared of the woman. Daryl made to walk with Andy, but she stopped again. "No, wait." She told him, spinning around to face the group again, they all shared a frightened expression, worried she was going to direct her anger towards them. She swept her eyes across all of them, scoffing. "Oh, and enjoy your fucking deer. No need to thank the man that went out in to the woods alone to hunt it to keep you guys fed for the next few days, I already have." She laughed, turning to Daryl, "Can you imagine what they would be eating tonight without a hunter? Probably each other, because they'd be dead right now!" and with that, Daryl watched her turn on her heel and storm back to their tents. Not able to think of anything to say, Daryl turned and walked in the same direction. With her feet ahead, Daryl smiled to himself. Pride swelled within him, Andy had just put Daryl before anyone else in the entire group. Another foreign feeling. The only person that came close was Merle, and he still didn't seem to hesitate putting himself first.
Placing his hands in his pockets, Daryl wondered back to the tents with a new found sense of happiness.
But happiness didn't last long in this world, and he squinted in the dusk of the night at two lumbering figures approaching the spot Andy had slumped down on, cigarette in hand, paying no attention.
Dun, dun, dunnnn!
Guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
I felt pretty bad about the delay in the last chapter, so I decided to bust this one out tonight as a treat!
I still plan to write on Wednesday as well, so you don't have to wait too long for the walker action!
As always, any reviews would mean the world to me. Your opinions, ideas or questions will help this story along!
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Thanks guys!
