Chapter 29: Tensions
The next day, Riley decided that she needed to get Carl out of bed. It had been a little over a week since he first received the injury and he was on strict bed rest. But with a little coaxing, she convinced Denise that it would be better for him if he could come home and maybe walk around the house a little. The only stipulation was that he needed to come down to the infirmary every day to get his injury checked over. Thankfully, Rick also wanted Carl back in the house, so it wasn't too hard to get everyone to agree. The first day had been a little rocky, but she let him have his space.
He was mostly quiet and seemingly frustrated with himself. While his memory seemed to be back to normal and his headaches were pretty much gone, navigating was a bit of an issue. Now with a big lack of depth perception, he had to adjust and his body needed to learn to optimize his vision and balance. Often times, she would spot him bump into the corner of things or perform poor hand-eye coordination when something was handed to him. But after a few days, things seemed to slowly adjust.
During that time, she completely avoided Dylan at all costs. He got released from the infirmary after the second day and when that happened, she had to learn to be sneaky. She wasn't ready to face him just yet and had her mind set on trying to help Carl and helping reinforce the walls. Rick also allowed her to have a shift watching the front gate during the early morning hours. Plus, she had reached out to him and asked if he could teach her to hunt, to which he agreed to bring her out starting today. Daryl would also be tagging along, since everything he learned was from the hunter.
So as soon as her shift for the morning was over, she headed back to the house. By that time, Rick was already up, but Carl was still asleep. He'd been sleeping more than usual to recover, so they let him be whenever he slept in too late or dozed off in the middle of the day.
"You just about ready?" Rick asked, munching on an apple.
"Yeah. Are we meeting Daryl at the gate?" she asked.
"Yeah. We'll swing by the armory on the way out, get you a rifle. You ever shot one?"
Now that she thought about it, she didn't think she had. She always took whatever gun was handed to her besides her handgun and usually that was semi-automatic.
"I don't think so. Just a semi-automatic rifle," she answered, making sure her handgun was full of ammo as they headed back for the door.
"Alright well it's similar, just with a bit more kick," he explained, opening the door.
She slipped out after him and the two of them headed down the street toward the armory. Olivia was on watch today and she welcomed them in and greeted with a friendly smile. On the rack, there were four bolt-action rifles ready to be taken. Rick grabbed the smallest one, which was still pretty large, and a box of ammo. He put the ammo in a bag he had with him and handed her the gun. It was pretty heavy, but she slung it over her shoulder to distribute the weight a little more. After checking it out, they headed for the gate.
"Any reason you wanted to learn how to hunt?" he asked as they approached Daryl, waiting for them with his usual crossbow.
"I just figured...you know when I have the free time I could just hang out in the woods just outside the fence, try and help out a little." She shrugged. "I just want to start helping out more."
He gave a nod, stopping when they reached Daryl. "Good a reason as any."
"Ready?" Daryl asked gruffly, pushing open the gate slightly.
She and Rick nodded in unison and the three of them headed out of the gate, making sure to close it behind themselves. Since the woods in the immediate area were pretty thick, it only made sense they stayed around. With Daryl in the lead, they veered off to the right into the trees. Before they got far, the hunter came to an abrupt stop.
"Riley, you're bein' too loud," he grumbled, looking at her over his shoulder. "Anythin' scurryin' can hear ya. Gotta calculate your steps. Keep your muscles tense and steps light."
Rick could only grin a little and she drew in a sharp breath. Okay. She could do this. So as they kept walking forward, she made every step cautious and light with her muscles taut to keep her limbs from making too much noise as she moved. Neither Daryl nor Rick made any comments so she figured she was doing alright.
She made sure to stay alert in case she heard any noises. A few times, she heard scuttling, but that was about it. Daryl also shot a squirrel on the way and added it to his rope for game. She thought they got pretty deep into the woods when they came to a clearing that she hadn't explored previously. One of the trees was marked with a large "X" and a few bullet holes, which led her to believe that it was a target.
"C'mere," Rick said, gesturing her over.
She took place beside him directly across from the target. "Guessing this is where I try to shoot this without blowing my arm off?"
He gave an amused smile and nodded. "Yeah. You're gonna want to position it on your shoulder and lean into it when you shoot. A lot more than the semi-auto."
Taking the rifle, she positioned it as he told, making her her grip was tight enough that any recoil wouldn't send the gun flying. He adjusted her position a little bit but otherwise left her be.
"Alright, go ahead and shoot. Once you've got the hang of it, we'll bring you up to the traps and you can shoot anything we find along the way."
She nodded and drew in a breath, pulling the bolt back and looking right down the barrel. As she steadied her aim on the "X", she made sure to breathe evenly right until she pulled the trigger. Her breathing stopped and the rifle stock slammed into her shoulder as it released the bullet. Even though she was expecting a bit more kick than she was used to, she still wasn't prepared. She stumbled back a little, the bullet skewing and hitting higher above the target than she intended. Damn, that really hurt her shoulder!
"Now you got a feel for what you'll be dealin' with. Try again," Rick instructed, smiling slightly.
Riley nodded and then adjusted the rifle again. Her body was tensed and more prepared for the kick this time. So she pulled the bolt back, looked down the barrel, and fired. The bullet buried itself in the tree on the edge of the target, slightly above the center of the "X" carved into it. A grin pulled at her lips and she lowered the gun, rubbing her shoulder lightly as it throbbed from the force.
"Well done. Should be just like any other gun now that you're used to it. But we probably scared anythin' 'round here, so we should keep movin'," Rick suggested, patting her on the back.
"It's a good thing too. Found some rabbit tracks," Daryl murmured,
She turned to see that he was bending down and looking at the ground. Shuffling forward, she took a look at the tracks, which were in a specific pattern. Small feet first, long feet after.
"They're fresh. Ya know that when there isn't much distubrin' 'em. They'd be older if they weren't as deep or covered by leaves," Daryl explained, slowly standing and motioning for them to follow.
Making note of this in the "important" part of her brain, she followed, remembering to stay stiff and quiet as they walked. A couple times, she lost sight of the tracks when they went over grass, but Daryl seemed to notice every fold of grass that wasn't in the right place. It was only when they got to a clearing that they were stopped abruptly by the hunter. Silently, he pointed to the far side, where a rabbit sat munching at the grass. It seemed to notice that something was off and perked its ears up, pausing for a moment to look up.
None of them made a noise as it looked around and then went back to eating. Daryl turned very slowly and jerked his head toward it. Alright, time to prove herself.
Taking a deep breath, she raised the rifle, trying to get a good aim on it. She shuffled slightly, taking a step back to prepare herself for the kick. But as she did so, her steps must have alerted the creature because it stood upright with wide eyes before bolting away toward the undergrowth. She swore, hanging her head and huffing.
"Hey, it's alright. You just gotta remember that they're much more in tune to sound than we are. You adjust your footing, you gotta make sure you don't step down too hard," Rick said. "I think there's a stream 'round here. It'll mean there's plenty of game."
Riley tried to not be too pessimistic about this, as it was her first time hunting, but she was already feeling the failure. Especially since when she turned around, Daryl had already caught another squirrel. He did it with such ease and precision that it looked easy. But they still had the rest of the day to keep trying so she trudged after the two adults in search for more game in the woods. It had to have been around lunchtime when they actually found any more critters. Another rabbit, but this time they let Daryl do the catching and her do the observing. It was easy to see how skilled he was with every step and movement and within seconds he'd shot the rabbit dead.
After that, she felt more confident that she could at least catch something and another hour later, they had stumbled upon a small little group of turkeys. Their hearing and sense of danger wasn't as heightened as a rabbit or deer's, so it was easier for her to get into position. Only problem would be that they would all scatter once she took a shot, so they all agreed to pick a turkey and take a shot on the count of three.
And to her surprise, it actually worked. At the same time, the three of them took a shot and three of the turkeys collapsed. A grin broke out on her face as the other turkeys scrambled away, but they had their prizes. Rick gave her a grin while Daryl gave her a nod and they collected the birds. On the way back, they checked a couple traps that had been set up earlier and Rick explained exactly how they worked and how to set them. All of it was informative and she soaked up every word.
It wasn't long before they got back to the community and it had to be sometime after three. They carried the birds to the pantry and handed them off to an ecstatic Carol, who was going to pluck and butcher them for later use. The thought of cooked, fresh meat already had her mouth water, though it probably wouldn't be until later in the week that they ate it.
Daryl went off after that on his own and Rick left to check on Michonne, leaving her to her own devices. She decided that since she was already pretty hungry, she'd go ahead and try to make some dinner for tonight. Plus she wanted to check in on Carl and see how he was doing, as she hadn't seen him all day.
So with this idea in mind, she headed back to the house, noticing that the lights in the living room were on. He was awake and at least up and about. Smiling slightly, she clambered up the steps and opened the door, taking a peek into the living room when she did so.
Carl sat on the couch, his back resting against the arm as he took up the entire space. A comic was sitting in his lap and his head was bowed as he read through it. But upon her entering, he looked up. She could see the slight strain of his muscles and the way his lips were tugged forcefully into a neutral position. He was still struggling to get used to the way he was.
"Hey. How're you feeling?" she asked, leaning over the back of the couch.
He shrugged. "Where've you been?"
"Your dad and Daryl took me out hunting. We got a couple of turkeys. Figured I should start helping out some way. Are you hungry?"
"A little."
She noted that he wasn't very talkative, which was becoming increasingly normal these days. "I'll make something. Rest, okay?"
A sour look crossed his face and she sighed gently, knowing he was pretty much tired of resting at this point. Though because he was left to his thoughts more often than not, he would often lay there and think anyway.
Deciding that soup would be a good, relaxing thing for the evening, she headed to the kitchen and started to pull out some vegetables. They did have some leftover meat bits in the fridge which could make a stew. It was probably the only soup she knew how to really make because she used to make them with her mother when she was younger. So she got all of the ingredients she needed and placed them out on the counter as she started to boil a pot of water.
She took her time, not wanting to rush and make Carl antsy. Besides, he said that he wasn't too hungry anyway. First, she cut up the chunks of leftover meat and put them in the simmering pot. They'd need to cook the longest.
Next, she started to cut up some of the vegetables. She only had what they had from the garden, which was carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes. The process was a bit boring, but it reminded her of her mother and she reminisced on those old times as the cut up vegetables were plopped one by one into the pot. She could see the meat beginning to brown and she turned up the heat a little bit, taking a step back and taking some of the dirty dishes with her. Carl still remained quietly in the living room and every now and again, she would lift her head to check on him. Once in a while, he'd be looking down at the comic, but mostly he would stare at the wall with an intense expression.
She had learned to not go running to him to help whenever he was in deep thought. It made her heart ache to see him hurting, but she realized that what he really needed now more than anything was space and some comfort. This was something he had to sort out on his own, though she would be there when he needed.
Continuing with clean up, she washed the dishes that she just used and left them on the rack to dry. By that time, the stew had to have been mostly cooked. So she stirred it a little bit and got out the necessary silverware and dishes. Two bowls, two spoons, and two full glasses of water she placed on the island counter and then returned to the other side of the counter to grab the pot off the stove.
Bustling around the kitchen made her slightly oblivious to her surroundings and she didn't notice that Carl had gotten up until she felt his presence behind her. She barely had time to place the pot down on the counter before his arms slid around her waist. Instinctively, she leaned back into his chest as he pulled her close and buried his face in her shoulder. She was getting more used to the affection side of their togetherness and the more and more she settled into it, the more she craved moments like these.
His warmth radiated through her clothes and she sucked in his familiar earthy scent as she squeezed her eyes shut. She could hear his steady breathing in her ear and it formed a soothing melody that she wouldn't ever get tired of listening to. She would have been content to just stand there in his arms, but he slowly started to spin her in his grasp.
Riley opened her eyes and looked up at him as he looked down at her. She could see the swirling emotions in his single blue iris and she reached up to gently stroke the tips of his hair at the nape of his neck. Following suit, he reached up and cupped her cheek with a single hand, his touch sending sparks shooting through her belly. Neither of them spoke a word; words weren't needed. She could read his message and he could read hers. They were connected in a way that not many people could be. She didn't know how it happened that way, but it just did.
He then dipped his head, his lips planting themselves firmly on hers. She could feel the need for comfort and affection in the way he kissed her firmly and desperately. They had only kissed a handful of times, but each time it was more natural and less clumsy and awkward than before. Her hands rested on his shoulders and his dropped down to grip her waist, pulling her flush against him. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest; she could feel it creating its own beat to the quiet melody they were creating with shifting hands and gliding lips.
Everything in the room seemed to vanish as they kissed desperately, her trying to console and comfort him as he poured out all of his emotions into kissing her. Eventually, her back pressed lightly against the counter behind her and she felt her heart rate spike and breathing deepen. At first, she was at a loss of what to do. They hadn't...well...kissed like this before. But his nose brushing lightly against her own brought her back out of her head and into the moment. And it didn't stop there.
Carl's lip movements became so sloppy that it was just inevitable. Both of their lips parted and all her previous knowledge of how to kiss went flying out the window. This was uncharted territory and she wasn't sure if she liked it or not as they pressed open-mouthed kisses against each other's lips. Her skin began to tingle hotly and she could barely breathe with each firecracker that exploded every time they moved their lips. She decided that maybe it wasn't so bad, but she was running out of air so after a moment more, she broke the kiss.
Her face flushed bright red and she took a moment to catch her breath. Peeking up at him, she noticed that he was blushing too and it made her feel better that she wasn't the only one feeling a bit awkward about that. Didn't they technically just...make out? The thought made her blush even harder and she felt his hands begin to fidget with the fabric of her shirt, as if trying to distract himself from the awkward tension that was now settling between them. She ducked her head a little, pressing her hot and tingly lips together and trying to figure out what to say to relieve the awkward air. But Carl was the one to speak first.
"What just happened?" he asked with the tinge of a laugh in his voice.
"I...dunno." She shrugged a little, trying to hide a smile.
There was a short silence.
"Sorry I made things weird," he laughed, causing her to look up at him.
She couldn't help but laugh a little too. Both of them were new to this so they had to fumble through it together.
"It's alright," she assured. "It was...fine."
He quirked his eyebrow up and her face flushed red again.
"I mean like...," she fumbled, watching as a small smirk curled the corner of his lips.
It must have been a combination of the awkward tension and their inexperience talking about this, but simultaneously, they started to laugh. Not a forced laugh. A genuine one. The kind of laugh where they both knew they were just making things more awkward and they just had to laugh at themselves and each other. And for the first time in weeks, she saw him smile. A big, toothy smile that made her chest tighten. Maybe he was going to be okay. Both of them would be. With time, healing, and each other.
However, mid-way through their laughter, a knock at the door interrupted them. He looked up, his smile and laugh fading away. Pulling away, he made his way toward the door and she stood up straighter, slowly following and stopping to hang back in the kitchen archway. Carl opened the door just as Dylan was about to knock again and her lips immediately formed a frown. She knew he'd find out where she stayed eventually, but she wasn't really in the mood to deal with him right now.
Carl seemed to notice her frown and started to close the door slightly, giving an indication they weren't about to allow him to come in.
"Hey, can I help you?" Carl asked, his hand tightening around the doorknob.
"I need to speak with Riley," Dylan responded stiffly, looking over to meet her gaze. "Can I come in?"
"Now's not really a good time-"
"I'm not asking you."
Her breath hitched and the air grew strained and tense.
Carl started, looking slightly annoyed, "look man, I don't really know you, but if she doesn't want to talk-"
"Dylan. Now can I please come in?" he pressed, taking a step forward.
"You can come back later," Carl replied flatly.
Riley shook herself out of her stupor and stepped forward, grabbing onto Carl's arm and pulling him gently behind her. Dylan's facial expression changed and he shoved his hands in his pockets, seeming exasperated.
"Can we please talk later? I don't...I can't right now," she breathed, leaning against the door as Carl put a protective hand on her shoulder.
Dylan seemed to hesitate, but finally gave in. "Fine. Whatever you want. You and your boyfriend can go enjoy yourselves. I'll come back tomorrow."
She immediately felt Carl pushing past her but she grabbed onto him before he could get through the door. Giving Dylan a dirty look, she pulled Carl out of the way and closed the door shut, frustration bubbling off her in waves as she pressed her back against the door. She didn't have to wait long for Carl to explode.
"You knew him? What did he even do to you? He's such an asshole!" he spat, beginning to pace in front of her.
"I've known him for a while, he's-"
"A complete jerk with no respect! I don't...I don't even want to know what he did to you. I just..."
She pressed her palms to her eyes and tried to calm herself. "Alright, why don't we...can we not talk about it right now? Sit down and I'll get you the soup."
He let out a breathy sigh and leaned over the couch. She didn't wait and headed to the kitchen, grabbing a bowl and starting to fill it. Thoughts swirled through her mind as she replayed the scene over and over. Why? Why did a perfect moment have to be ruined like this? Why did Dylan have to ruin everything?
The more important question was, would they ever be able to get through this?
A/N: I have returned! Sorry about my absence, exams have been crazy! But I hope this was a good chapter to come back on! Things are gettin' hot in here! ;) A bit of a filler but also some other important things here. What are your thoughts on Dylan so far? And how was that kiss? I hope I wrote it alright!
Anyway, I'm on spring break now so I should update regularly this week! Hopefully I'll be able to stay on the regular schedule! But I do want to thank you guys so much for your awesome support and lovely reviews and PMs that I get from you guys! You're seriously the best and I can't thank you enough! :) I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I hope you have an awesome week! :)
P.S. the cutest gif ever that inspired me for the hug/kiss in this chapter is on my Twitter! :)
