Alexandria has been at peace for months now. The Senator, I keep forgetting her name, has found jobs for most of us, or we've found places on our own, made friends. Even Daryl has that gig, going to recruit for the community with Aaron. We have our own homes, for the most part.
Mine can seem painfully empty at times.
"Isn't he, like, twice your age?"
Beside me, Glenn nudges me with his elbow, and I blink myself out of the trance I hadn't realized I was in. When my vision focuses, it's apparent I've been staring at Daryl, watching him piece together what's looking to be a motorcycle out of the parts Aaron gathered for him. It hasn't even been two weeks since he's received them and already the bike looks half finished.
I finally look away to nudge my watch partner back with my knee, hands too full of sniper to put any real effort into it. I'm a lousy shot, but begged Rick to let me tag along with Glenn anyway, to learn. Really I just needed something to do.
"What, and you're not?" I grin half-heartedly, swinging my feet over the side of the wall like a kid. Which, at twenty-one, I guess I am, compared to the rest.
Glenn's smirk evaporates, quickly turning into a glare, but his eyes betray him. I can see he's happy here - everyone is. Hard to break the mood when everything's going so well.
I stick my tongue out at him and turn back to where I last saw that redneck. Glenn's one-hundred-percent right; Daryl's way too old for me, but that doesn't stop me from sneaking peeks at his ridiculously freaking model-worthy mechanic's arms and trying to catch his eye from time to time. What's worse, Glenn thought I was joking when I said I thought I had a crush on the hunter. I went along with it, but I was not kidding. Not even a little. In fact, I wonder if he'd recoil if I tried to kiss him based on the age gap.
'It doesn't matter.'
Pulling myself to my feet by the rail, I point the heaviest sniper I've held (I've never held a sniper before) into the woods beyond the wall, squinting through the scope into nothing. "You gonna teach me to use this or not?"
"Why don't you get Daryl to teach you?" Glenn snickers, relentless as always, but then joins me at the rail. "Nah, your shift's over anyway. Maybe next time."
"Liar." I mumble, relinquishing my hold on the firearm so he can store it in the watchtower where it belongs. "Hey, where can I find Rick?"
I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner - Rick and Daryl are close, I can ask what he thinks about the way I can't get that man out of my freaking head. Then again, I risk getting shot down, someone telling me I'm just a kid that doesn't know what I want. But I have to--
"I think he's home actually, with Michonne?"
"Oh, cool." Rick's house is down the block from the tower. "Thanks, Glenn, for letting me tag along. Hey, before I go, want me to bring you anything? Water, a snack?"
Glenn gives me that warm smile he has, clearly conveying his appreciation, but shakes his head no anyway. "I'm good, thanks. Be careful getting down."
I almost roll my eyes - there it was again, everyone extra cautious about where I go, what I do, because I'm younger, like with Carl or Enid. It's sweet, and I don't hate it, but I doubt being treated like a kid is attractive, not to someone like the man I want. Still, that happy grin I get when I offer people something as simple as a refreshment, the way I can tell they're happy I'm thinking of them, I love that look. So I grin back, nod, and make my descent off the wall.
When I reach the bottom, my eyes immediately travel in the direction of Daryl's. I don't see his place anymore, but I know he's just across the street, working on that bike. Maybe he'd like some water or something?
I feel bad that he's out there alone, but I know he really prefers that. One of the many things that make us polar opposites - another reason to leave this crush I have to myself. But I've tried, since the prison, to let this thing run its course and it hasn't, so...
'To Rick's.'
