Between the Thorns
Chapter 14
Despite the awkward situation that happened during his coffee break, Daryl still managed to finish the jobs that Mike assigned to him. His thoughts jumbled around in his head as he worked. And though he tried to keep her off his mind, Jean kept creeping back in around the edges. He didn't want to admit it, but Daryl was slightly concerned about what was going to happen between them when he returned to the small apartment he now shared with her. Based on his limited experience with women, he really had no idea what to expect.
"Time to wrap this day up," Mike said, wiping his hands off on a shop towel. Laura was hovering behind the man. When she asked Daryl if he wanted to join her for dinner, he declined as politely as possible. He was relieved when Laura didn't seem concerned with his lack of interest in her. She simply shrugged him off and headed out. Daryl glanced towards the door. He had not been permitted to roam the building by himself yet. And he was looking to see if some sort of chaperone was going to appear.
"They took you off watch," Mike said. Daryl nodded, grateful for the explanation. But there was something else he was wondering.
"What am I supposed to do now?," Daryl asked. Mike grinned. It wasn't an uncommon question from new residents of the place.
"Well," Mike said, "...you can go home." Daryl cringed a little at the thought. He was hoping to put that off as long as possible. Mike laughed. He was not unaware of what happened earlier. Laura gave him the PG13 version of what happened while she was cleaning up the soup Jean spilled all over the floor. "There's a game lounge where people like to hang out and drink." Daryl looked only slightly less disgusted by that idea. "Or you can eat dinner in the cafeteria. I'm going there now if you want to come with me." Daryl nodded.
"Thanks," he said.
They headed down through the winding hallways together. Daryl followed slightly behind Mike, since he was the one that knew where they were going. When they got there, Mike explained the cafeteria points system to him, something Jean had not done yet. One serving of the daily offering was always free. Everything else cost points. Unless you were a lieutenant or an outpost soldier. Then you could take whatever you wanted for free. Those people weren't part of the points system.
Daryl took a bowl of chili, which was free. Since he only had one day of work to his name, he didn't ask for anything else. Mike took the same. Then he headed over to another section and had a man behind a grill fire him up two thick pork chops. Mike took one for himself and placed the other on Daryl's tray. Then he had a woman fetch him two beers from a cooler in the back. One of those also was handed off to Daryl.
"You worked hard today," Mike told him. "The last guy they sent me couldn't even change a fuckin' battery without me or Laura standing over his dumb ass." Daryl took a long swig of beer. He didn't expect anything from Mike except a walk to the cafeteria. He was surprised by the man's kind and generous behavior. It wasn't what Daryl was expecting from these people. And he was still slightly suspicious that it might be some sort of trick. But Mike didn't seem like he was up to anything. And the other men that joined them at the table seemed alright too. Mike obviously knew them. He chatted back and forth with the men companionably as they ate.
"You're staying with Jean aren't you?," one of them asked Daryl. The others seemed to perk up, eager to hear Daryl's answer to the man's question. From the way he saw the men in this place looking at her, Daryl already assumed that Jean was considered to be some sort of catch. She was attractive. But he didn't think that was the only reason. So far, Daryl had seen about five to ten men for every woman in the place. And he was starting to realize that a single one must be considered quite a prize no matter how she looked.
"Yeah," Daryl grunted, giving a slight nod of his head.
"Are you with her?," the man asked, elaborating unnecessarily. "...Like are the two of ya fu- …I mean are you and her together?" Daryl thought about lying. And saying they were together in that way. He thought it might help to back some of these assholes off her. But he also didn't want to answer any more questions about his strange relationship with the woman.
"Naw, I'm just stayin' there," Daryl said.
"Oh," the man replied. He sounded like he was equal parts disappointed and hopeful. Daryl not having a sexual relationship with Jean meant that they weren't going to be able to hear about his sexual relationship with her. But it also meant Jean was still fair game. None of the points workers really thought they had a shot with her. Not with Negan and his lieutenants as their competition. But they had more of a shot than they would if she was already spoken for.
Daryl finished up his beer and put his tray where Mike indicated. Then he headed out of the cafeteria. He wasn't going to try any bullshit. Not yet anyway. But since he was no longer being constantly surveilled, Daryl thought he would take a walk around the place and try to get a better look at the layout of the place. He told himself he was looking for possible escape routes. But deep down he knew he was also just stalling his return to Jean's apartment. Daryl stopped at the commissary.
"Got a pack of smokes?," he asked. The old woman behind the counter nodded. "How much?," Daryl asked her. She explained that a pack was ten points. Or the cigarettes were one point each. She looked Daryl's name up on a clipboard and told him he had five points.
"I guess just one then," he said, reaching across and taking the cigarette from her while she made a few marks on her paper sheet. It wasn't until he had the cigarette between his fingers that he realized he didn't have a lighter. "Got a light?"
The woman laughed. She didn't have a light. She had lighters. But they were for sale. Daryl didn't have enough points for one. He scratched his head, backing away from the counter so the man that was in line behind him could step forward. He felt a light tap on his shoulder. Daryl turned abruptly, jerking away from the unexpected contact.
"I gotcha," Sherry said, holding out her lighter for him. Daryl nodded his thanks, taking a long deep drag off his smoke as he handed the lighter back to her. "We're supposed to smoke outside," she told him, gesturing for Daryl to follow her. Sherry led him down a hallway and towards a door that led them out into the cement courtyard area. Even with the stench of walkers that surrounded the place, the fresh air still felt good. Daryl was never fond of spending much time indoors. He liked being out in the woods, where he felt free. He sat down on the metal staircase, slightly above and behind Sherry. They smoked in silence. He noticed Sherry seemed to be scanning the area and Daryl wasn't sure what she was looking for. When she spoke, it was in words barely above a whisper.
"He's got something planned," Sherry said. "I don't know what, but I heard him mention Jean's name while he was talking to one of his men." Daryl nodded. He was surprised by how anxious it made him feel when he thought about Negan doing something unsavory to the woman. After all, he barely knew her. And like he kept telling himself over and over again, Jean wasn't his problem to worry about.
"Thanks fer the heads up," Daryl told her. Sherry smiled at him. She pulled one more smoke from her pack, lighting it before she handed it to Daryl. Then she retreated up the metal staircase and disappeared back inside the Sanctuary. Daryl savored the smoke, looking out past the moat of walkers at the forest behind them. The moon was nearly full, lighting the sky with its reflection. Daryl thought about his strange adopted family, wondering if any of them were looking up at the same horizon and worrying about him. He thought about the people he was closest with and wondered if they were alive. And how long they would stay that way. From what he had seen, his people had no chance against the saviors. None at all. They were out manned. Outgunned. And facing a group much more organized than any they faced before.
Like he often did when he was pondering something over, Daryl heard his brother's voice in his mind. The voice got louder during the time he spent down in that cold cement closet with no one else to talk to. This time Merle was telling him to think about himself. And to do what was best for him. Not what was best for Rick. Or Jean. Or her fucking brats. But of course it wouldn't hurt him to fuck her fine ass before he escaped from this hellhole. Daryl shook the thoughts from his mind as he rose from the steps and headed inside. He was glad when he was able to navigate through the maze of hallways all the way back to Jean's apartment without taking any wrong turns. Daryl paused outside, his hand resting on the doorknob. He could hear Jean's daughters laughing inside the apartment. Daryl took a deep breath. Then he turned the knob and swung the door open.