A/N: this is a work of fanfiction, I only own Thea.
Wallflower
By Leah Pensotti
Rick had Thea on the brain most of the night. There was something about her that he couldn't pin point...but mostly he liked her mysterious smile and her no fuss attitude...along with her gray eyes. The more he thought about it, the more he was sure she was the only person he had met that had gray eyes.
After he kissed her on the couch, he was keen to do it again. So imagine his confusion when he saw her the next morning and she had become shy and unsure.
He was positive that she thought it was too soon after Jessie...and she didn't want to be a rebound, of sorts.
Or...Thea was just shy and cautious. It didn't bother him to get to know her a bit better, even though time wasn't what it used to be.
One thing was certain...he hadn't been able to get her out of his head for days; and kissing her only made him more curious. Every morning he would meet her for coffee. It sounded like a nice ritual; maybe sometime she could have breakfast with his kids and get to know them, too.
They sat in the gazebo and watched the sun come up. Thea sat close to him, her hip against his. Rick put his arm around the back of the bench on which they sat...his arm essentially around her. He didn't know how this worked in this world, that if they could manage to get to know one another while they fought walkers, other people and tried to eat, sleep and survive.
But he was willing to try.
"So, what did you do the rest of the night?"
Thea shrugged, "Denise took care of me. Brought me some ibuprofen and made me soak in Epsom salt. Then Daryl came over for a bit. I found a bottle of really terrible wine on the run yesterday and offered to split it with him."
Rick's ears perked up when she said she and Daryl drank together...his friend had never been much on socializing, so he wondered if Daryl had noticed Thea, too.
"I'm thinking that maybe you shouldn't go on runs. It took a lot out of you."
Thea shrugged, "Truth is, Rick...I liked being out there. I told Daryl the same thing. I felt useful. It was a nice feeling, no matter the discomfort that came with it. It's time I stepped up. Town has gotten smaller. I want some sort of responsibility."
She said it so firmly, he couldn't disagree with her. He knew that if it weren't for his attraction to her, he would've asked everyone to help. But he wanted to protect her. Rick didn't question her willingness or her mettle...he just questioned putting her in situations where she may need to run and couldn't.
They sat in silence for a few moments and Rick found himself playing with a few strands of her hair. She didn't seem to mind.
Together they planned to meet again the next morning at the same time, Thea would bring the coffee and he made a note to bring her a little something special. Before they parted, Thea leaned over and kissed him sweetly...he could tell it took everything in her to make such a move.
"Tomorrow then?"
He nodded, "I can't wait."
After meeting with Rick, Thea walked herself and all of her conflicting thoughts to the place where Abraham, Rosita, Eugene and Tara lived. Rosita looked surprised to see her, but still welcomed her in warmly.
Thea told Rosita about her time out in the world with Daryl, drinking wine and subsequently meeting up with Rick that morning.
She left out the parts about kissing Rick and Daryl touching her, though.
Rosita poured her some coffee and looked impressed, "Denise mentioned at the clinic you had some trouble? With your legs?"
Thea nodded and looked down at her coffee cup, "Yeah. I made it back though. Was in a lot of pain yesterday."
Rosita smiled and leaned against the counter, "And I bet you said nothing."
Thea nodded again and tried to change the subject, "How is everything around here?"
Rosita shrugged, her enthusiasm went down a notch, "Since the herd...since he came back...Abraham has been off...different. It's like he's not all there when we're together...during sex."
Thea felt her eyes go wide. She had never really had conversations like this with another female...she knew it happened though, and she was happy Rosita trusted her enough to talk to her about it.
Maybe Rosita could in turn help her with her problem.
"Well...from what I've heard...it was rough out there. The herd. The men on the road...maybe he's stressed?"
Rosita looked down, "That's just the thing...I used to help with that. I'm worried that...there might be someone else."
Thea couldn't imagine it, Rosita was totally sexy. She wished she was as ballsy and confident as her...in all areas. Maybe this whole thing with Rick and Daryl would be easier to figure out if she were.
She knew two things: she was attracted to both of them and she was infinitely curious about how she'd feel beneath them.
And it made her feel wrong. Totally and utterly wrong. Women like Thea didn't...and shouldn't...think like that.
"I...I mean, have you tried to talk to him?"
Rosita shook her head, "He doesn't really talk all that much...at least not about feelings or us. I'm just in my head so much that everything just keeps going round and round."
Thea nodded, she understood that feeling. Rosita looked at her and smiled, "You've got a secret, don't you? It's written all over your face."
She shrugged, she was sure to be seen through if she attempted to lie.
"I mean...I understand about the overthinking."
Rosita eyed her playfully, "This is about Daryl isn't?"
Thea shook her head, she wished it was that easy. She clammed up, as per usual. She should've known that talking to Rosita about two very prominent men would be more than she bargained for.
Luckily for her; Tara and Eugene appeared and pulled them into a discussion about the latter moving past the mullet hairdo he sported. Thea enjoyed most of the early afternoon there and then popped in to see Denise at the clinic and asking her if she needed any help.
Her roommate looked surprised when she mentioned that Daryl was coming over that evening for dinner.
"Do you need me to make myself scarce?"
Thea shook her head, it was probably better if Denise stayed...she was less likely to pounce on Daryl while her friend was there.
"No, you don't have to."
Denise smiled, "I should probably tell you...Tara and I have been talking about living together."
Thea was a little surprised, but at the same time wasn't, "Would she move in with us?"
Denise smiled again, "I wanted to talk to you, first. If you'd be okay with it...yeah. If not, I could see if we could move into the space upstairs here...which would work well too."
Thea really had no dog in this race, "I'm fine with whatever you decide. I'm happy for you."
Denise smiled and pulled Thea in for a hug, "How about I make myself scarce tonight. Talk to Tara. You and Daryl enjoy your dinner. We can talk tomorrow, okay?"
Thea nodded and patted Denise's back, "Okay. Have a good night."
She had been hit with a lot of emotions in just a day. Thea would miss living with Denise if she chose to move into the clinic. She had been a good friend...supportive.
But she had to remind herself that they would still live on the same street, within walking distance.
On the way home, Thea stopped by the food pantry and the armory to see if Olivia had anything she could make for dinner. The food supply had been dwindling a bit and Alexandria had begun to think long term by planting crops and vegetables, and it was why continued supply runs were necessary. The only thing is that the team was having to go further and further away to find anything.
There wasn't much to choose from, so Thea just got some dried red beans from the pantry, she and Denise had a nice sized bag of rice at home.
As she walked back home with her food and her book, she caught sight of Daryl, Rick and Michonne on the front porch of Rick's house. Immediately, she felt her face flush seeing them together after having illicit thoughts about both of them all day.
She felt herself shift into her full speed until she got safely into her own home.
Daryl walked to Thea and Denise's home around sundown carrying a plastic Tupperware container with some of Carol's cookies she had made.
He didn't know what he was doing...there is no way he would be able to act on the things he felt for her...especially after knowing she talked with Rick that very morning. Rick had mentioned it in passing while they were discussing town business on his porch.
Daryl hadn't a snowball's chance in hell with Thea, not while his friend was after her, too.
And frankly he didn't know how to feel about that; but he knew he didn't want to stay away from her.
When he knocked on her door, Thea answered with a bright smile; like she had been wanting to see him all day.
"Hey. Come in...dinner's ready. It's nothing spectacular."
Daryl didn't mind, with her around food wasn't his focus. Her hair was down again and she was wearing beat up jeans and a snug, black t-shirt. He sat on the stool at the island, the same way he had when she had made breakfast the other morning. He noticed the way her hips moved, and the curve of her breast when she turned around to smile at him.
He questioned whether or not he'd truly know what to do if he ever got his hands on her.
"How's your day been?" She asked as she sat a bowl of beans and rice in front of him. He shrugged and watched as she fixed her own bowl.
"Better now."
Daryl watched as she almost dropped her food and caught it unceremoniously with a shy smile and asked, "How was yers?"
Thea sat down beside him and shrugged, "I think Denise is gonna be moving into the clinic...with Tara. Or Tara is moving in here, but I'm not sure why that would happen...no body wants a third wheel."
"You don't wanna live alone?"
She sighed thickly, "I'd been alone for so long...I'd finally gotten used to Denise. It seems weird, but no...I don't really want to live alone. But it's not like we don't live on the same street. It's not like she is moving across country."
Up until recently, it hadn't mattered much to Daryl to be alone. But all of this madness had given him some sort of family; so he understood in a way.
After dinner was done, Thea cleaned up the dishes and he helped to put them away. There was something so simple about standing side by side with her, washing dishes. As she dried her hands on a towel she nodded to the plastic container he had brought with him, "What's that?"
Daryl realized just how close they were, that he could pull her to him so easily, "Uh, Carol. She sent 'em. Been bakin' again."
Thea smiled, "She is amazing. She probably made them out of canned celery or something."
He couldn't help but chuckle, because there was some truth to her statement...Carol had become really creative trying to help the people in town from going crazy eating mush and foraging for food.
Thea looked up at him, the smile suddenly vanished from her face; like she realized their physical proximity, too. She used her upper body strength and pulled herself up on the kitchen counter to sit and soon they were eye to eye.
To his surprise, she reached out for him. Her hand pulled him closer to her by his leather vest. He couldn't really even look at her, he didn't know what to do. Daryl had never felt this way about another person before.
Thea touched his face gently, "Do you feel it too? Whatever this is?"
She pressed her hand to his chest and then to her own. Daryl nodded, but didn't know what to say. Her hand brushed some of his hair from his face and he saw her smile, "Say something..."
He shook his head and looked down, "I, uh, I just...don't know if I'd be good for ya, Thea."
She looked down and dropped her hands, "What if it's the other way around?"
Daryl almost laughed aloud with the insinuation that she wouldn't be good for him. He tipped her chin up, and met her gray eyes with his own. This is what he wanted...what he hoped for...he wasn't about to let her get away.
"Problem is...yer way too good for me. Ain't no way around that."
She closed the gap between them, her arms wrapping around his shoulders. Thea pressed her forehead to his, their noses touched.
"I'm scared, too. But maybe we should feel this out."
Daryl's hands went from the marble counter to her lower back, her good leg wrapped around his ass. He liked how she felt pressed against him, it was better than he had imagined. His mouth hovered above hers and one of his hands traveled to her face, where he traced her lower lip with his thumb, "Ya sure?"
Thea just nodded and leaned in, pressing her mouth to his. The kiss was timid at first, her lips were smooth and warm. Daryl didn't know how to touch her, he was worried he'd hurt her or somehow sully her.
She pulled away with a smile, "Want to go in the living room?"
He nodded, even at this point, he didn't care where he was...just as long as he could kiss her again. Daryl picked her up from the counter, his hands under her ass and walked her into the living room.
Thea's heart leaped, she liked the way he smelled...like grass and sun and a little bit of smoke. She'd never been so forward in her entire life...she'd never been the aggressor.
It was just hanging in the air between them, the great pink elephant in the room.
Daryl gently placed her on the couch, sliding on top of her carefully. She liked it. She liked the feel of his weight on her. She liked his arms around her and his hands touching her lightly, like she might break.
Her hands tangled in his hair and pulled it away from his face, "Ah...there you are."
Once again he didn't look at her, he looked down. Thea smiled, "Something wrong?"
Daryl shrugged, "I just ain't ever been good at this kind of thing."
Thea ran her hands up the lean muscle of his arms, "Me either. I'm a novice at best."
He shook his head, "I don't believe that."
She opted for transparency, "I've only ever had one boyfriend. Ten years ago. Haven't done much more than kiss anybody since then."
Thea thought about what she just said, and realized she would've been hesitant to admit something like that to Rick.
Then she chided herself, it wasn't the time to think of Rick at that moment.
Thea put her arms around him and smiled, "It doesn't matter. Right now matters."
Daryl leaned down and kissed her lips and Thea opened her mouth to him gently. Soon they were full on making out, like high schoolers on a summer night. Their hands were everywhere, hers in his hair and on his ass...while his tested boundaries over her shirt while he kissed her neck.
It was sweet...almost soulful.
Rick looked at her like he wanted to eat her alive. It thrilled her...but Daryl was quite the opposite. He was careful and measured, she would have never expected that from him...the gruff and tough man he was.
Daryl rested his head against hers and combed her hair with his fingers, "You gonna tell me who hurt you?"
Thea shrugged, "Maybe soon. You gonna show me your scars? I made you dinner."
Daryl chuckled lowly, "Yeah. Maybe soon. Can I ask ya something?"
She nodded and he sighed, "Spencer...he said his brother had a thing for ya...why didn't ya ever go after him?"
Thea thought for a moment and spoke honestly, "Aiden was nice...but there was something about him I didn't trust. I couldn't ever tell Reg that...I never let myself get too close."
Daryl looked away, "What about Rick?"
She felt like the wind got knocked out of her, "Rick?"
Daryl sighed, "I know I ain't got a real chance. Not with him after ya. He's my best friend...my brother. I can see it."
Thea looked at him in disbelief, "It's different...you're both different. And it's confusing. I feel...a connection to you, like you'd understand me. But he...terrifies me because I don't know why he'd have any interest."
Daryl shook his head and sat up, "Come On, Thea. Those eyes of yers. That damn half smile. It's like catnip."
He got up and she followed him, "Wait...why are you leaving?"
"'Cause he's a better choice. I know it. So do ya. Ain't no use in it."
Thea shook her head, "You don't know that. We can figure this out...is this because I won't tell you?"
He turned around, "He doesn't know does he?"
"No. He doesn't. I haven't told anyone."
Daryl shrugged and when he put his hand on the doorknob, Thea lost her cool.
"Fine. If it makes a big damn difference to you...some guy beat the shit out of me after work. I didn't want to go out with him. He threw me on the ground. Kicked me over and over. Punched me in the face and called me a stuck up bitch. Does that make you feel better? Knowing that?"
It didn't make him feel better.
At all.
Mostly he wanted to find the guy and kill him, if he wasn't already dead. Daryl turned around and saw that she had turned away from him and was crying into her hands.
He was just trying to save himself by walking away. She admitted that she was attracted to Rick, too. He thought that by walking away...he was giving her an out.
But she didn't let him off that easy.
Daryl walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder and she stepped away, "I don't talk about it, because I don't like to give him power. He took a lot away from me. I had to learn how to walk again. I had to spend months in a rehab because I didn't have a family to look after me. So yeah. I don't like to talk about it. But now you know. And Rick doesn't."
He thought about how close they had been, just moments before...and he had to go and piss her off. Typical Daryl Dixon destruction of good things.
"Thea...I'm sorry. I just...know how this is gonna go."
She shook her head, "How could you when I don't even know? I feel something for you, and you're just going to give up? And yeah...there might be something for Rick, too. I'm confused as hell. But I know I like being close to you."
Daryl didn't know what to do or say. He didn't know if he could wait and see her go through her feelings with both of them. He didn't know if he could stand to see her with Rick. He didn't know if he could put his friendship on the line like that.
But what he did know, is that she felt good. Being with her made him feel good...wanted.
He wanted to stick it out, but if it didn't go his way, he didn't know if he could stand by and watch.
Thea turned around and sighed, her face was red and wet with tears, "I don't know how to navigate this. But right now...I don't belong to anybody. Maybe we can feel our way through this? I don't want to come between you two. If it's not good for either of you, I can fade into the background again. Maybe if we can all be honest...we can all figure this out together?"
Daryl didn't know if it was possible, but he nodded anyway, "We don't have ta make a decision tonight, I guess."
Thea nodded, "Will you stay a little while longer? We don't have to do anything. I just don't want you to go...just yet."
He nodded and followed her back into the living room where they sat on the couch. He couldn't imagine someone beating her that badly; she was so gentle and quiet. His daddy had beaten him as a kid; she'd probably find it just as unimaginable.
Maybe someday soon, he'd tell her about it. Show her his scars.
But for tonight, they weren't going to make any decisions...and he was okay with that.
A/N: hi loves! You guys blow me away. Thank you so much for all the love and support. So we may be taking a trip to the unconventional. So while Rick and Daryl may not be involved with each other...they respect each other and both care about Thea. I've been doing some research on polyamory...which, my search history has become, a-hem, colorful. So I'm thinking it's going to be a testing of waters for all involved and it might go on for a bit. Eventually someone will make a decision...but until then...let the exploring and sexiness begin!
Up Next: Thea and Rick. Thea comes clean to Rosita. Daryl and Rick discuss their friendship and their feelings for the same girl.
Super Special Shout outs to: CLTex, StrangersAngel, Angelicedg, BreenaBelle-xoxo, Hawkgirl, enchantmentanjel, Guest, Kingi (passion pop sounds delicious!), Misss Teller-Ortiz-Dixon (that could work! And in this world...anything goes, right?), TheFaceOfAlison and Fandomloveall.
Thanks and Love!
Leah P!
xoxo
P.S. I've just begun a Daryl/OC AU fic called "The Redhead and The Redneck" as well as my on going Rick/OC AU fic called "Simple Twists of Fate". I'd be honored if you all checked them out! ;)
