Chapter 18
-What? It's not like it's contagious.-
They grey light of dawn filtered in through the windows of the gatehouse. Archer yawned and stretched out in the unfamiliar bed. She didn't feel any different, she was sore, but she still felt like herself. She rolled over and saw that Daryl was sitting on the chair next to the bed, his head in his hands.
"Hey," She smiled at him. "You off watch now?"
He didn't look up. "How bad're ya hurt?" His voice was strained.
"Sorry?"
"How bad?"
"Daryl, what are you talking about?"
"Saw the desk Emma. Why didn't ya say somethin'?"
Her eyes looked past him to the unfinished surface of the desk, she saw the telltale bloodstain on the desk.
"I'm fine Daryl, that's normal."
He looked up at her. "You on yer period?"
She blushed and looked down. "No."
"Then.." Realisation dawned on him. "No fucking way."
"What?"
"No goddamn fucking way." He got up and started pacing the floor "No fucking way someone your age is a virgin."
"Well, not anymore."
"Shit."
"Look, it's not a big deal." She sat up, confused. "It's not some kind of disease. You can't catch it."
"Fuck me."
"I thought I did."
That at least stopped him in his tracks. "You think this is funny?"
She was pissed now, he'd killed her buzz. "That's it. I'm leaving." She grabbed her pants off the floor and slid them on. She didn't bother trying to find her panties.
"Aw hell." He tried to grab her hand as she walked by. She shook him off.
"Blow it out your ear, Daryl." She stormed out of the room, boots in hand and raced barefoot across the square to her own room.
}.{
Frustrated and angry, she decided to take Churchill out for a ride after breakfast. The snow was still deep in most places and it was slow going. Churchill's long legs slugged through the sparkling powder. The wind off the river had blown the snow around, leaving patches where the snow was more manageable. She used those spots to put Churchill through his paces, moving him laterally, spinning him on the spot, and changing up speeds. His ears flicked back and forth, waiting for her next command.
Either Churchill was just happy to have her back or he sensed her mood and decided not to mess around.
It was thoroughly unsatisfying. He didn't even speed up when they headed back through the gates.
She was in the stable when Michael caught up with her. He rested his crutches on the wall and leaned over Churchill's stall. "He give you any trouble today?"
"None at all. Did you slip Prozac into his feed?"
Michael snorted. "No. But I thought about sticking it in Daryl's. He was decidedly unfriendly at lunch. Something happen between you two last night?"
She sighed. "Yeah, and he's being an ass about it." She filled him in on Daryl's reaction that morning.
He listened attentively. When she finished he sighed . "So he's being a horse's ass."
"Basically."
"Did you enjoy it?" Michael asked.
She paused, thinking back. "At the time, yeah. It felt amazing. It was fun… the afterwards…. Not so much."
"'Cause he's being an ass. Want me to talk to him?"
"Hell no."
"Good, 'cause I don't feel like getting my pretty face messed up." He smiled, grey eyes twinkling. "I suggest you just wait for him to get over himself."
"If he doesn't?"
"Hate to be cliché'd about it, but …"
She patted Churchill on the shoulder. "..yeah, I'm better off without him."
}.{
That night at the end of her watch a familiar shadow approached her. "Unless you're here to apologize for being an ass I don't want to hear it."
Daryl waved two mugs in the air. "Brought a peace offerin'."
She watched him fill them and accepted one from him. She sipped it, it was considerably stronger than coffee. "Alcohol?"
"Bourbon. Had some with me."
It burned her throat. "Why did you freak out? What's the big deal?"
He shrugged, "I ain't been with a virgin before."
"That makes two of us."
He shook his head. "It's just…" He paused, raking a hand through his hair. "Look. I fucked up."
"Yeah, you did." She was still mad.
He bit his thumbnail. "Shit, Emma. You gonna make me say it?"
"Don't you think you should?"
He sighed. "Sorry."
She looked at him pointedly. "Sorry for what?"
He looked away from her. "For bein' an ass. "
"Apology accepted." She said, waving him off. "Now bugger off so I can finish my watch in peace."
With an exasperated sigh, Daryl reached a hand up to cup her chin. He locked eyes with her. "If I'da known it was yer first, Ida made it special."
"Special?" she chuckled, averting her eyes. "Like flowers and chocolates and satin sheets?"
"Shut up." He kissed her, she could taste the bourbon on his tongue. When he was done he pulled her to his chest. "Wouldn't've been on a desk, is all."
"I liked the desk." She sighed.
He chuckled softly "Sure did."
She pushed him away. "Seriously, you've gotta go." She still had a job to do.
"Can't, I'm your relief."
"Ah." She grabbed the bottle and danced away from him. "Guess I'll just have to enjoy this with someone else."
"Better not." He warned.
She stuck her tongue out at him and headed back to her room.